KUALA LUMPUR: The Transport Ministry is open to considering a proposal to introduce continuous training and regular competency assessments for heavy vehicle drivers, to curb the rising number of fatal accidents involving such vehicles.
Deputy Transport Minister Datuk Hasbi Habibollah acknowledged that accidents caused by the negligence of heavy vehicle drivers are a serious concern, emphasising that despite various preventative measures, the results have not been satisfactory.
"The proposal is certainly a good one. Relying solely on licence renewal as the point for competency checks is impractical. We will take note of this suggestion," he said, during the Dewan Negara's question-and-answer session, Thursday (Dec 5).
He was responding to a supplementary question from Senator Datuk Mustafa Musa, who inquired whether the government would reassess the licensing criteria for Class E drivers (covering lorries and heavy vehicles), to address the increase in fatal accidents involving such vehicles.
Mustafa also proposed the introduction of continuous training and regular competency assessments for heavy vehicle drivers, similar to the practice already implemented for mobile crane and tower crane operators, to ensure driver discipline and compliance.
According to Hasbi, from 2022 to 2024, the Road Transport Department (JPJ) issued over 1.512 million summonses for various offences involving commercial vehicles, including 7,259 compounds related to overloading.
He further highlighted that, from 2019 to 2024, a total of 5,559 audits were conducted, on 3,088 companies, resulting in significant enforcement actions. These included the suspension of 210 operator licences and 67 vehicle permits, as well as the revocation of two operator licences and 32 vehicle permits.
"This enforcement stems from accident cases, public complaints, and findings from safety inspection and audit reports conducted by the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD). For instance, carrying an excessive load can lead to brake system failures caused by overheating, particularly on downhill routes," he explained. - Bernama
