BY SILAS APOLLO
Superior Homes Kenya has entered into a partnership with the Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA) in a bid to improve road safety along the Northern Corridor.
The move is also aimed at addressing what the company said was driver fatigue experienced by long-distance transit drivers using the road by developing additional roadside stations.
In a press statement to newsrooms, Superior Homes said that it intends to tap into the market gap of inadequate and informal truck stop facilities in Kenya by providing self-contained service and rest point areas to truck drivers. This it said, will be provided along the various transit routes within the country.
The company said that the roadside stations will be strategically located across major highways and will feature modern facilities and amenities for truck drivers.
Some of these amenities will include safe parking spaces, restrooms, showers, accommodation facilities, food and beverage options, convenience stores, and health facilities. The stations will also offer a range of services, including truck maintenance and repair, refueling, and, later, cargo handling.
“The implementation of the project will create short-term direct and indirect employment to the communities around it, and this is a contribution to the people’s well-being. Upon completion and during operation of the roadside stations, jobs will be generated on a permanent basis” said Superior Homes Managing Director, Mr Ian Henderson.
The partnership between Superior Homes Ltd and the NCTTCA represents a significant step forward in meeting the needs of the transit transport and logistics industry.
With the demand for goods and services increasing, and the growing concern to promote road safety for road users, the need for safe rest stops has never been greater.
Studies have shown that most road traffic accidents are attributed to long-distance heavy commercial vehicles and passenger buses collisions leading to loss of lives and properties. The losses are estimated to be in the tune of millions of dollars every year, showing the need for roadside stations.
“Given that transport plays a pivotal role in economic growth and development, the establishment of roadside stations in the corresponding areas will serve to improve accessibility and will play the role of attraction points to the economic sectors, thus boosting the local economy where they are developed,” Mr Henderson said.
NCTTCA had in September 2020, carried out a survey which identified Sultan Hamud as a major parking spot for trucks, amounting to an average of 300 trucks per night, by the roadside, making it one of the most appropriate locations for the development of a roadside station.
Construction of the new roadside station at Sultan Hamud is set to begin in March, 2023 and is expected to be completed by March, 2024. The project is expected to create numerous jobs in construction, operations,
and maintenance.
