Measures for strengthening health management and service assurance imposed by Shenzhen Municipal Government on cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers
The Transport Department (TD) said on August 6 that in response to the developments of COVID-19, the governments of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong have implemented anti-epidemic measures under the cooperation mechanism on joint prevention and control of COVID-19, and has also been in close liaison with the cross-boundary goods vehicle trade and would reflect to the Mainland authorities the possible operational difficulties of the trade and inform the trade timely on the arrangements of new measures, in order to balance the need of prevention and control of the epidemic and to ensure the stable supply of food and other commodities to Hong Kong.
As informed by the Office of Port of Entry and Exit of the Shenzhen Municipal Government, health management and service assurance measures for cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers will be strengthened at various land boundary control points in Shenzhen from 6am tomorrow (August 8). Details are as follows:
1) Before entering Shenzhen, cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers should declare accurately the relevant detailed information on their transport operations through the WeChat mobile app "粵省事" (choose "Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao clearance" under "Yuekang Code", and then choose "Inbound declaration by cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers"). After entering Shenzhen, the driver will receive a reminder through SMS to his declared mobile phone number. Goods vehicles after crossing the boundary must proceed to designated venues according to directions made by relevant departments for free installation of Global Positioning System and electronic toll collection devices.
2) Cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers must present proof of a negative result of a nucleic acid test conducted within 72 hours and cross the boundary after declaring information on their transport operations. Drivers must follow the declared driving routes from the control points to the destinations for carrying out point-to-point transportation. These drivers must return to Hong Kong immediately after loading/unloading operations. While staying in Shenzhen, drivers must wear a face mask at all times. They must not alight from their vehicles or have direct contacts with the locals or stay overnight in Shenzhen unless exceptional circumstances.
3) Cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers should only operate within the nine cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and should return to Hong Kong on the same day or on completion of their driving duties except under special need and must not visit other cities in the Mainland. If the destination is within Shenzhen, drivers should immediately return to Hong Kong after completing their operation. When the destinations are Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing in the Greater Bay Area, drivers must not deviate from their declared routes when passing through Shenzhen. When the destinations are other cities of Guangdong Province or cities outside Guangdong Province, drivers must return to Hong Kong after loading goods or detaching trailer in the nine cities in the Greater Bay Area.
4) Cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers should follow the guidelines on site to use the service facilities at the following venues: service areas on expressways, tolling points, petrol stations, logistics park areas, check points, maintenance depots, car parks and other goods transshipment points along the operation routes.
5) It is imperative to assure the supply of fresh agricultural product to Hong Kong. Driver shift changing in the vicinity of Wenjindu Port shall be conducted at designated places. The cross-boundary drivers shall be staying at designated rest place or hostel to wait for loaded vehicles on return to Hong Kong. For cross-boundary goods vehicles and drivers adopting other operation modes such as onboard escort by cross-boundary drivers, prior approval should be sought from the relevant Mainland authorities.
6) For cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers who have a place of permanent residence in Shenzhen, the Shenzhen government will provide designated accommodation for them, subsidise part of their food and accommodation expenses, provide them with fee-paying parking spaces and transport shuttle services for implementing closed management. For cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers with their place of permanent residence in Hong Kong who cannot return to Hong Kong in time under special circumstances, they may stay at their own costs in hostels specified by the Shenzhen government after verification and are not allowed to stay in self-arranged accommodation in Shenzhen. Shenzhen government supports the cross-boundary transportation companies and cargo consignors to provide dormitory which can meet closed management standard for cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers. Cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers may apply to withdraw from the exemption list of compulsory quarantine for cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers. Upon approval, they will not be subject to accommodation restriction measures on cross-boundary goods vehicle drivers. They are required to undergo local isolation at a designated place for medical surveillance if they have crossed the boundary within 14 days.
7) A cross-boundary driver will not be eligible for exemption from the quarantine requirement on entering the Mainland temporarily or will be removed from the exemption list by the Shenzhen Municipal Government if the following situations occur in the course of performance of the transportation duties:
(i) travelling between Hong Kong and Shenzhen repeatedly without goods on board and with no sound and appropriate reasons during the prevention and control of COVID-19;
(ii) not travelling on the declared route with no sound and appropriate reasons;
(iii) having direct interaction with other people, entering public places or staying in self-arranged accommodation overnight with no sound and appropriate reasons;
(iv) refusing to leave the Mainland after completing their driving duties with no sound and appropriate reasons;
(v) declaring false information on their driving duties or submitting fake nucleic acid test result(s);
(vi) receiving administrative penalties by the customs and immigration inspection of the Mainland for seriously contravening health quarantine, arrival and departure clearance or anti-smuggling regulations when crossing the boundary control points;
(vii) receiving administrative penalties by the Mainland security, transport or market regulation departments for seriously contravening relevant management requirements when performing duties in the Mainland;
(viii) residing in a Hong Kong building reported as having a confirmed COVID-19 case in the past 14 days or having had contact with an infected person within 14 days prior to entering the Mainland; and
(ix) behaving not in accordance with other requirements and measures for prevention and control of COVID-19 imposed by Guangdong Province and Shenzhen City.
The TD appeals to the trade to pay attention to the latest announcements by the two governments and to follow the relevant arrangements.