[gallery td_select_gallery_slide="slide" size="medium" td_gallery_title_input="Big rigs and big risks" ids="144622,144623,144624,144625"] Saudi Gazette report THE Traffic Department's program to organize the entry of trucks to Riyadh continues to put the lives of traffic officers on line as the way the program is being implemented was not planned properly, Al-Riyadh daily reports. The traffic officers run 45 checkpoints inside Riyadh and seven checkpoints at different entrances of the city to reduce crowding and congestion caused by trucks in rush hours. The officers have to check every truck at the checkpoint and make sure each one is in compliance with the traffic rules. Water, gas and fuel trucks are allowed to enter the city between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. as well as from 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 next morning. Sewage trucks as well as trucks transporting food, especially perishable food, and cattle are allowed to enter the city from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon as well as from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 next morning. Cement mixing trucks are allowed to enter Riyadh from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. as well as from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 next morning. Many people have called for installing surveillance cameras and using electronic devices at checkpoints to facilitate and expedite the checking process and maximize safety for traffic officers. Advanced technology can help officers reduce traffic congestion caused by trucks within the city and at its entrances. Muhammad Al-Faraj, owner of a transportation company, suggested that the Traffic Department should post the times for truck entry on its website so that each company operating trucks can check the schedules on a daily basis and abide by them. Such action can help greatly in enhancing smooth traffic flow. "The Kingdom boasts a strong road network infrastructure that can accommodate a large number of vehicles if the flow of traffic is organized properly. Equipping checkpoints with advanced technology is a smart idea to monitor and organize the movement of trucks from and to the city. Trucks cause a lot of congestion on the roads because some truck drivers do not abide by the entry schedule, leading to accidents, some of which are fatal," he said. Saab Al-Dhubaiti, a transportation company owner, complained that there are not enough parking space for trucks that wait outside the city limits. "There should be enough parking space for all trucks and there should be safety and inspection centers for trucks in case a truck breaks down. The Traffic Department needs to shorten the time of waiting for trucks outside the city so that there is no delay. Keeping the trucks waiting for a long time before allowing them to pass the checkpoint can damage the goods that the trucks carry. Some goods are perishable and should not be exposed to sunlight for long durations. The Traffic Department needs also to designate special lanes for trucks that have to pass by and enter Riyadh on their way to their final destinations. I think the only way to reduce the number of violations committed by truck drivers is to double the fines and penalties," he said. Al-Dhubaiti agreed that using advanced technology to organize the movement of trucks can go a long way in improving the traffic flow and reducing traffic jams.
