Karachi--Shell Pakistan Limited (SPL) in partnership with Layton Rahmatulla Benevolent Trust (LRBT), has been working for over 15 years to ensure healthy eyesight of drivers, customers and community members by offering eye testing for truck drivers, as part of its road safety outreach program.
This eye camp was arranged along with iftar for the haulier’s oil tanker drivers. This year, nearly 400 drivers along with the nearby community members were provided with free medical treatment for eye ailments, in the cities including Karachi, Muzaffargarh, Sheikhupura (Machike) and Rawalpindi (Chaklala).
Habib Haider, Head of External Relations SPL stated that, “Drivers play an important role in safely transporting fuel across Pakistan. They are important to us and their eye health is essential for them to do their jobs well. In the last 5 years, Shell, in partnership with LRBT, has offered free eye checks to 6,241 people. This year, Shell set up free eye testing camps that were also open to the community located nearby.”
Over the years, these eye-testing camps established at SPL retail stations and truck sites, have benefitted drivers, their families and customers from urban centers. A team of ophthalmologists and support staff from LRBT conduct eye tests and dispense medicines for eye ailments. If further treatment is required, patients were referred to the closest LRBT hospital where they receive free additional treatment.
SPL are the pioneers in setting up of authorized driver test facilities throughout main trucking routes, and have the largest network of such facilities across the country. SPL was the first company to introduce the concept of trackers on tank lorries to ensure standards like speed limit, adequate rest, harsh braking are being complied with during the journey as part of their road safety outreach program. Tracking systems have now been made mandatory by OGRA on all vehicles involved in primary freight.