Vest Distribution Amid Growing Urban Traffic
In the humid Mayombe Hall in Pointe-Noire, a union official placed fluorescent orange vests on a long table in front of dozens of motorcycle taxi drivers. This simple act marked the first public rollout of the new identification gear for the city’s fastest-growing mode of transport.
Each vest carries a unique number linked to the driver’s license and motorcycle plate. For commuters navigating the commercial capital of Congo daily, this color-coded fabric is intended to provide instant visibility in traffic that has quadrupled over the last decade, according to municipal estimates.
Legal Framework: Decree 2024-324
The distribution follows the July enactment of Decree 2024-324, which establishes national operating rules for motorcycle taxis. Articles 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, and 9 address helmets, passenger limits, registration, foreign ownership, and speed guidelines, transforming previously informal practices into enforceable standards.
Presidential security officers, mandated to oversee implementation, attended the Brazzaville meeting with the Federation of Public Transport Professionals earlier this month to finalize the deployment schedule.
Union’s Explanation of the New System
“Our role is to protect your livelihood by aligning it with the law,” the union official told the drivers. He emphasized that non-compliant motorcycles risked impoundment. The union, he said, preferred persuasion over penalties but could not protect members reluctant to adapt.
Each driver must wear an approved helmet and carry a spare for passengers, display a clearly engraved license plate, and keep the new vest clean and intact. The union believes these measures will reduce the accident rate, which local hospitals attribute to two-wheeler crashes as the leading cause of trauma.
Helmets and Passenger Limits
The decree mandates double-strap certified helmets for both driver and passenger. It also prohibits carrying more than one passenger at a time, a common practice in congested markets. Violations now incur immediate fines, with repeat offenders facing temporary bans set by prefectural orders.
Drivers interviewed after the meeting welcomed clearer rules. “One passenger is safer and faster,” noted a 27-year-old driver, who averages 60 kilometers of urban travel daily. He added that a lighter load reduces braking distance on wet coastal roads.
Registration and Licensing Campaign
All motorcycles must be registered with the prefecture, while drivers need either a Category A license or a competency certificate obtained after union-organized training. The union official urged experienced drivers without official paperwork to register this month before penalty checkpoints begin in December.
Union trainers plan morning courses covering road signs, basic mechanics, and first aid. The Ministry of Transport will oversee exams, and successful participants will receive laminated certificates with QR codes for instant verification by police scanners already used at major intersections.