The article about the shifting load and the chaos near the M2 West can't go unchallenged (FleetWatch, March 2007 edition).

The trailer with the load of bagged Kaolin G3 seems to be a fairly new trailer (RDB 867 GP) and even the brother standing next to it looks new to me. Johnny Hattingh - quoted in the article - seems to be a good guy with great intentions but when I read what he said to you, namely; "I have continually urged the customer to shrink wrap the pallets as I feared this would happen," I said to myself: "If you thought this might happen one day, why didn't you do something about it?"

If Mr Hattingh knows the cargo is shifting, moving and walking like "lava", then a tarpaulin, netting or straps won't help him unless the driver stops every so often and re-checks the securing system for tightness. And I must assume that Mr Hattingh has carried this type of cargo many times before - but without any problems. But that is life. "Dwang happens' and there is always the first time.

Mr Hattingh should have invested in removable drop-side doors and then this disaster would not have happened. He could have had these doors in various heights - 300mm, 600mm or even 1 000mm. Of course, they cost money and add weight to the tare but for SAFETY REASONS, they are worth the expense. And once you have the doors fitted (for this type of cargo), then the "lava" can move in any direction and most probably only a netting is required for the top layer of bags. Use the doors for this type of cargo - for anything else take them off.

What Mr Hattingh did was silly. If he were carrying cement bags or bricks then I would say it's OK as these commodities are very often shrink-wrapped and rest on pallets without side doors fitted. They are very stationary when resting.

I think Mr Hattingh should not blame the customer. Rather, he should look at his operation. Even the replacement trailer (as seen on the photos published) hasn't got provision for side doors. And looking at the gap between the outer edge of the side rail and the edge of the pallets, there is plenty of space and these pallets would have fitted easily in between the drop side doors - they are normally only 50mm wide. 

Well, those are my thoughts. Blame somebody else when things go wrong. It is never your own fault. If only operators would learn from their mistakes - see the FleetWatch Brake & Tyre Watch campaign.

Wolfgang Lehmann
ITI Services
Alberton

Editor's Comment: I hear what you say but don't entirely agree with you. What I am seeing more and more is that all blame and liability for all ills seems to fall on the shoulders of the transporters.
It was Professor Andy Andrews who said: "Successful businesses are built on relationships not transactions." If a transporter is hauling for a customer on a long-term basis and points out a potential problem which could result in a disaster such as was reported in our March edition, then surely the 'relationship' - which should be built on a win-win foundation - should dictate that it's a joint problem that needs a joint solution. You're right in saying that Mr Hattingh should have looked at alternatives such as investing in removable drop-side doors but as you also point out, they do cost money. This should have been presented to the client but given that the client refused Hattingh's urgings to shrink-wrap the product because "it would cost him more money", I doubt whether he would have come to the party in helping ease the cost burden of fitting those doors; despite it being in the interests of the safety of his product. And would the client have accepted a rate hike - even on a temporary basis - to ease the cost burden? I doubt it. But then again, he might have.

I think your letter highlights two important points: (1) Transporters should always look for a better way to haul goods safely. Safe transport is his area of expertise and therefore it is his duty to find a better way if danger lurks. (2) Relationships between transporter and client should be open and based on win-win philosophies. Both parties want the products delivered safely and if a potential danger exists, then surely both should work towards finding a better way. It's no use the client saying I'm not taking your advice because it is going to cost me more money. It's also no use the transporter saying if you're not going to take my advice, I'm going to haul despite the dangers. A close, win-win relationship is what it's all about I reckon.

Congratulations on an excellent magazine. Your March 2007 edition hits the nail squarely on the head once again. It's a pity you can't hit a few careless truck owners and lazy traffic officials on the head too - figuratively speaking of course!

A possible answer to your question posed in your Comment Column on page 2 and the article on load securement on page 9 about why there are never traffic and law enforcement officers around when these horrendous transgressions take place on our roads, is that most traffic officers seem to spend their 'working' life parked off under a tree on the side of the road or hiding behind bushes with their money-making speed trapping devices.

If the traffic officers and law enforcement agencies of this country want to be taken seriously, then they must become proactive by being out on patrol and be seen to be making a difference to motorists' lives, not sitting under trees and behind bushes and only reacting to traffic when an incident or speed offence takes place. Visible policing is the key, NOT covert policing!

To give you an example of ridiculous policing, traffic lights were reported out of order on three separate occasions in Durban recently where no points-men were to be found, yet a traffic ticketing exercise was taking place just down the road? 

As a helicopter pilot, I would like to suggest that all truck drivers undergo technical training on their trucks similar to what pilots do when they train for their pilot's licences. In this way, drivers will hopefully learn to understand their vehicles better and deal with problems before they head out on to our roads.

On a recent trip to Zambia, I was horrified to witness first-hand the shocking condition of many of the trucks travelling between Zambia & Zimbabwe. Heaven help us if they head our way, because they certainly weren't fit to be on the road.

Nick McConnell.
The Kendal Group
Hubers cc
Howick

Editor's Comment: Many thanks for taking the time to write to us. Your point on visible policing is shared by many and yet still remains a point of contention whereas it should be a fait accompli modus operandi (how's that for Latin?) among all traffic enforcement agencies. It is a known and proven fact that visible policing acts as one of the most effective deterrents to law transgressors so why does it keep coming up over and over again. Why is it just not done? Your example of the ticketing exercise being conducted just down the road from a junction where traffic lights were out of order - no doubt causing traffic chaos - proves that priorities are skewered.

Regarding your wish that those trucks up north don't come down our way, I've got bad news for you. They already are coming down our way. During our Brake & Tyre Watch exercise conducted in Middelburg, two Zimbabwean registered rigs were hauled in for inspection. On both rigs, the trailers had no brakes and there were numerous other faults. Obviously they were given Discontinuation of Service notices and taken off the roads but our point is: How did they travel from the border to Middelburg without being stopped? You could see from a mile off that there was a lot wrong with them. Perhaps they went over the speed-trap at the legal speed so the traffic officials along the way didn't bother stopping them for any other checks. You know, simple things like: Have they got brakes? Eieesh!

I have been following your articles on the vexed subject of road safety with interest particularly those in the March and April issues, which have only just reached me. A couple of points based on experience in Zimbabwe.

Tyres: We all know that correct cold inflation pressures, valve caps and wheel alignment are the basic keys to safe operation and good tyre life but I wonder how many operators are confident that their compressors have the capacity to do the job. Secondly, how many operators have a programme of regularly checking their inflators and gauges - discrepancies between what the gauge says and the true pressure can be large. You might try a random check of nearby service stations with your car - I think you may well get a fright. Finally, unannounced spot checks on vehicles can reveal just how well theory is being put into practice. Measuring the percentage of tyres that are incorrectly inflated, have no valve caps or, in the case of inner tyres on dual mountings, have no valve extensions or are misaligned thus preventing inflation can be a sobering experience.

Road Safety: For many years at Unifreight, we insisted on annual eye and brake reaction tests for everyone - including the Chief Executive - entitled to drive a company vehicle; not just trucks but also cars, vanettes and motorcycles. It may have been viewed as a personal hobby horse of mine but I'm convinced that poor vision is the unknown factor in many accidents. We tested for night vision and glare recovery, colour vision and distance judgement. The results were instructive not only in the number of people who were referred to an optician but also for the number of people who were taken off night driving duties.

Drivers also need to be retrained every two or three years or at least have some form of roving 'inspector' travel with them to eradicate any bad habits. Also you need to train drivers on the vehicle type you expect them to drive. There's not much sense in letting a chap who has passed his test on a 7 tonne rigid loose in a 55t artic. But I bet it happens.

Regarding the call for a Ministry of Road Traffic Safety, I'm not a great fan of more government ministries. One Ministry of Common Sense would probably do the trick. In any case, you would have to think carefully about the name as the acronyms for Ministry of Road Traffic Safety (MORTS) and Ministry of Road Safety (MORS) are, respectively, the French for dead people and the Latin for death. But I'm sure that an educated chap like you had already spotted that!

David Cruttenden
Zimbabwe

Editor's Comment: No David, you got me on that last one. With my rather course English, my 'vol vloek' Army Afrikaans and my rather limited 'hello, thank you' Zulu vocabulary being the full extent of my linguistic skills, French and Latin is a little beyond me at this stage. But thank you for pointing out the acronym meanings in those languages. I love it. What, by the way, does DoT mean?

For those who don't know David Cruttenden, he is man with vast experience in trucking having spent many years as Chief Executive of Unifreight, Zimbabwe's largest trucking and express parcel delivery company, before retiring two years ago. He is currently doing consulting work with Denis Nolan-Neylan, a friend and former colleague at Unifreight. Between them, they have about 65 years experience which they are putting to good use in helping others. He also acts as an Arbitrator in disputes mainly related to transport or labour relations issues while also retaining his position as chairman of the Zimbabwean Transport Operators' Association. He is also Chairman of the Trustees of the Unifreight pension fund and is closely involved with the work of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Zimbabwe. Inbetween all this, he is now also taking singing lessons majoring in Phantom of the Opera.

I sketch this background to point out that his words of wisdom above are based not on theory but rather on hands-on practical experience. And yes, he is so right about the discrepancy between the gauge and the true pressure. I have, in fact, checked out my local service station as well as others and in one case, called the garage manager to point out a large discrepancy between his forecourt tyre gauge and the real pressure. "Guys are supposed to come here to check them but they don't often come," was his sorry excuse. So take David's advice and check yours out.

David's point on vision is also a valid one as evidenced when FleetWatch linked hands with Engen some time back to conduct eye tests on truck drivers at five different Engen Truck Stops. In one case, a driver was found to be totally blind in his left eye and had around 40% vision in his right eye - and he was driving an interlink. The results of those tests were cause for concern as they showed that many drivers had impaired vision with some being totally unfit to drive. In South Africa, we tend to think of truck accidents being mainly caused by negligence and driver fatigue. Unroadworthiness of vehicles is also a major factor. However, David's comment that poor vision is the "unknown factor in many accidents' has refocused our attention onto this neglected health issue. The PrDP is supposed to highlight poor vision but it is not succeeding in this - as our second truck eye test campaign showed up. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. I know you as a man who has always been deeply concerned about safety and your words are thus valued.

French for dead people and Latin for death!! Now that's lateral thinking. I love it.

With regard to the "Green Fee" for scrap tyres (FleetWatch, May 2007, article headed 'From Cradle to Grave'). After having had meetings with companies that do a similar operation in the UK and USA, their feeling was that the SA Tyre Recycling Process Company was an absolute farce and was being run by an individual who was not even prepared to listen to their ideas.

This study has already cost the tyre manufacturers millions of Rands (which obviously has already had an impact on the pricing of tyres) and has not been participative by all the players in the tyre industry - e.g. retreaders, retailers and wholesalers, importers and exporters.

The 'Green Fee/Levy' is ludicrous. Cement factories and other recyclers end up with products essentially paid for by the consumer - for free. The new tyre manufacturers are surely obliged to ensure that their products are disposed of in an environmentally friendly manner and I, and a lot of other industry participants, feel they are shirking this responsibility and leaving the consumer again to foot the bill. They (the manufactures) will constantly complain that their margins are under pressure. Well, then they should get out of the business. They have, in the last five years, been found to be uncompetitive anyway and are still globally uncompetitive.

This whole scenario should be exposed as a non-transparent, dictatorial and very costly exercise which will ultimately result in the consumer being forced to pay more when, in fact, it is not their responsibility. This matter will not be resolved to everyone's satisfaction until such time as all the players - including consumer bodies - are given an opportunity to participate in a transparent forum.

Tim Hurly
Tyres 200 SA (Pty) Ltd

Editor's Comment: Strong words but if such feelings exist as indicated by your statement that a lot of other industry participants feel the same way as you do, your suggestion of everyone being able to participate in a transparent forum should be the way to go - especially given that millions of Rand are at stake here. But who's going to organise that forum. Let us know and we'll be there.

Congratulations on yet again another winner with the book 'Living with AIDS/HIV - A Trucking Perspective'. Many thanks for a great magazine.

Heather Giannoccaro
G&H Transport & Repairs cc

Editor's Comment: And thank you for taking the time to write to us. We all really appreciate it.

I am sending you some photographs of the rear of a truck taken in traffic on the N12 motorway near the Gillooly's interchange on Friday, 4th May 2007 at about 17h20. It obviously uses this route often as it squeezed into the turning lane to Bedfordview at the last minute, clipping a solid white line in the process. It was later seen heading west on the M2, towards Main Reef Road. 

I will appreciate your publishing at least one of these photos as it would appear that even the latest legislation on reflective material will not help us from blatantly irresponsible operators. I apologise for the poor quality, taken through the windscreen of my car. The horse (a Mercedes-Benz registration number SWL035GP) had no contact detail on the door and had the number M18 on the front. Both horse and trailer were marked Colmec Carriers. The trailer's registration was impossible to read, even from close-up. 

Many years ago, a young friend and colleague, now living in the USA, drove his car into the back of a coal truck on the motorway near Witbank, killing his front passenger and seriously injuring himself. He never saw the truck as it had no lights, or a clean reflector or number plate. 

Dawie Louw
Evans Park
Johannesburg

Editor's Comment: Thank you for being a responsible citizen in taking the time and trouble to highlight another example of a situation which, like you, we deem to be extremely dangerous. The fact that your friend was injured and his friend killed some years back when he ran into the back of 'non-visible' coal truck, is proof of this. I am forwarding your correspondence to Colmec Carriers for their response which we will publish once received.

In the meantime, having now taken 120 trucks off the roads for inspection during three of our Brake and Tyre Watch projects, I - and FleetWatch's partners in this project - share your feelings of frustration and anger that there are just too many vehicles operating dangerously out on the roads. Proof of this is that of the total 120 trucks inspected, 62 were served with Discontinuation of Service notices for various vehicle defects, including many with no brakes to talk of. Apart from that, we have also noticed during the inspections that there is a distinct failing on the part of operators to ensure their reflective tape is kept clean and clear. On some trucks, the tape is covered in dirt or has deteriorated to the point where it is less than useless. On the truck in your photograph, it is clearly so. Apart from the reflective tape being covered in grime, the fact that the number plate is so filthy as to render it unreadable is also an indication that this company needs to jack up when it comes to ensuring their vehicles are visible in all respects and from all angles.

I am sorry about your friend's accident. It is ironical that the late Tony Newman who worked for Bridgestone, one of our company partners in our Brake & Tyre Watch project, was also killed when he ran into the back of a truck that was allegedly barely visible. Visibility is a prime safety concern and therefore should be a priority for all operators. Thank you for providing an example that highlights this.

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