Night Guides for Truckers on Highways

Night driving can be challenging and hazardous for anyone. Driving at night poses some distinctive risks for truck drivers. The main glitch associated with night driving is visibility - both the truck driver's ability to see other vehicles and other drivers' ability to see the truck. Furthermore, during the dark phase, it is very problematic for the truck drivers to locate & understand the sign boards on the road.

But few developments are undertaken in the trucking sector these days –

As soon as the limitation on the entry of heavy vehicles is lifted at 9 pm, thousands of trucks make a beeline on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway toll plaza on NH 8 to enter the national capital region (NCR). But the complex road networks, flyovers and signals confuse many of these truckers who drive in from far off places to deliver consignments.

Confounded, they seek out one of the 30 odd men who roam around the toll plaza to guide them every night. These men are guides who support truck drivers to manoeuver through the twists and turns to reach their destinations across NCR and even as far as Dadri and Secunderabad in Uttar Pradesh. These guides in the age group of 25-50 years charge anything between Rs 100-500.

"For closer destinations like Mahipalpur, we charge Rs 100, for Azadpur Mandi and central Delhi, Rs 300-350, for Noida, Ghaziabad and Dadri, Rs 450 -500," said Chander, one of the guides. Vikash, a truck driver who was waiting for a guide, said: "I started from Jaipur very late to deliver consignments. My task would have been difficult without these guides as I have never understood the complicated network of Delhi roads." The guides say their identities have been verified in the local police station and there has never been any untoward incident relating to them.

"We have never come across any complications involving the guides," said Gagan Bhaskar, SHO, Vasant Kunj police station, Delhi, in whose area the toll plaza falls. According to the guides, their business which starts right from Dharuhera check post on Delhi- Jaipur highway has been running for more than 20 years.

News Courtesy: Hindustan Times