Logistics stakeholders are betting on an electronic driver tracking system to monitor movement of truck drivers and crew members along the corridor in a move geared to contain Covid 19, decongest the border crossing points and curb drivers transgressions along the corridors.
The Regional Cargo and Drivers Tracking System (RECDTS) is being supported by the Trademark East Africa (TMEA) in partnership with the East Africa Revenue Authorities and the EAC secretariat. Logistics associations in the region led by the Federation of East African Freight Forwarders Associations (FEAFFA), Transporters associations and the National Logistics Platform (NLP) among other players have been discussing the system.
Although the region is currently using the Regional Electronic Cargo Tracking System (RECTS) for tracking cargo movement along the corridors, the system lacks the component of tracking individual drivers during the Covid-19 pandemic that can manage their behavioral and overall welfare.
There has been serious congestion through various border crossing points with concerns being raised on the disparity in the testing protocols in the East African Member States.
Drivers crossing with the consignment, according to a brief by the system’s proponents, poses a risk of getting the virus and spreading it to the community. The truck drivers and their crew have already been identified as a weak link in the spread of Coronavirus in the region as well a spike in spread in border towns.
This is made complex by the long queues and a huge number of days they are spending at the border points waiting to be retested, their Covid free certificates having expired along the corridors.
A JMS will enhance the safety of drivers along the way and also harmonize activities and promote mutual recognition of COVID-19 tests among EAC partner states.
Trucking companies will be required to get accredited on the system by registering a maximum of a crew of three persons per truck. Drivers will be required to have smart phones with reliable internet connection.
They will also be required to have their phones on throughout the journey, keeping in place designated routes and comply when needed to stop at designated stop points. These designated points have been programmed on the system.
The Ministries of Health have accounts for relaying test results and another for validating COVID-19 free certificates before allowing the drivers to proceed. The protocol requires a driver to be tested 48 hours before the start of the journey by an accredited facility in any country as long as the facility is configured in the system.
Once the testing have been done, electronic certificates will be issued in form of a QR code for future scanning and validation by the health officials. No certificates will be issued for positive results and in the event of such cases, country health protocols will apply.
By clicking to start the journey, the truck driver’s mobile phone will become a tracking gadget and will be visible to command centers till the end of the journey. The command centers will share information in real time. Alignment of the consignment to the truck will be done by East African Revenue Authorities (EARAs).
Drivers found to flout the guidelines will be flagged out by the rapid response team deployed along the corridors to justify their actions. Health officials in designated points will test, validate certificates and update the information on the system.
At border points, which have experienced major gridlocks in the recent past, it will be a matter of confirmation by authorities before allowing entry or exit. These certificates will be valid among EAC partner states and Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Once tested, those who test negative will be issued with a digital COVID-19 free certificate and will be allowed to proceed with the journey while those who turn positive will not be issued with a digital certificate and will hence not proceed. The trucking company in question will have to assign the job to another driver with negative results. The certificates will have unique ID with validity dates with tests remaining confidential,” the stakeholder’s brief observes.
Relief drivers will then log into the system, accept jobs and continue with their journey. Validation of certificates will be done by health authorities by scanning the QR codes and as per the social distance guidelines. The officers will update the info into the system at each stop point.
The driver and command centers will communicate in case of accidents, when drivers are under duress and so on to the command centres who will refer such drivers to the nearest designated points for further assistance.
JMS will be managed by the regional revenue authorities guaranteeing the security of the system. Each truck company will manage its space through its account since the system is mobile and web based.
In order to pursue seamless operation, the stakeholders spearheading the initiative are engaging regional telecommunication companies to consider partnering with them in offering affordable or subsidized internet rates for drivers. So far Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda are ready for the rollout of the initiative.
