Driver is the 'key' but there's not many spare keys left

It's been a long time coming but it finally arrived. I refer to the 'momentous', almost historic, occasion - yeah, I know I'm rubbing it in - when a truck manufacturer stood up in front of the media at the launch of a new truck range and instead of concentrating on the technical and operational benefits of the new models, kicked off by focussing on the - wait for it - truck driver. In the 29 years of reporting on this industry, I have attended countless truck launches and this is the first time that a product manager has drawn attention to the driver before drawing attention to the truck. The occasion was the launch of the new Mercedes-Benz Axor and Atego truck models held at the truck plant in East London. Peter Wraight, product manager for Mercedes-Benz Trucks was the man at the podium and it took me totally by surprise when the first slide he put up showed blob points of how truck drivers have been perceived. "Up to now," he said, "the driver has been regarded as the loose nut behind the wheel. He's been looked on as being dangerous, has been shown little respect and been given little understanding. In short, lip service has been paid to the driver's role in trucking. The truth is that the driver can make or break a truck, a supplier and his employer. He is responsible for the safety of the vehicle as well as that of other road users. He is responsible for the vehicle's performance and productivity. He is, in fact, the key to successful trucking."

Halala Mr Wraight! At last! For many years FleetWatch has been trying to get across the message that the truck driver is the key to successful transport operations - and we have taken some serious flak for adopting this approach. I recall in 1995 giving a talk to a group of truckers and insurance people in Pretoria. It was held in a cinema and it was a full-house showing. To give an idea of the time scale, Mac Maharaj was Minister of Transport and The Turning Wheel, under the leadership of Richard Madibe, had just staged the truck blockade at Mooi River. South Africans were still getting used to the 'new order' and there were some serious 'old order' types in the audience. The essence of what I said was that the truck drivers of South Africa had been taken for granted for many years and needed to get higher consideration for the role they played in the success of companies, our country and the economy. I pointed to the Mooi River blockade as an example of the measures drivers were prepared to go to to get noticed. I contended then - as I still do now - that the blockade was not, as was widely believed, about wages. It was more about truck drivers taking drastic action to be noticed and treated as respected members of our society. Some may say that's a crazy way of getting respect but all other measures had failed. Let's face it, up to then drivers were of little consequence in the grand scheme of things. 'Vat die lorrie en ry of vat jouself en ry," was the response to any gripe put forward by drivers. "If you don't like it lump it!" sort of thing. It was an easy approach to take at that time for drivers were ten-a-penny and if one left, you merely hired the first guy standing in line outside your gate. In those days, this industry used to train drivers and of course, the ravages of AIDS had not yet impacted on the driver pool. Drivers were disposable items that could be thrown aside with little adverse impact on the company concerned. When we took our first look at the impact of AIDS on truck drivers, I recall a director of a major cross-border trucking operation saying that AIDS was not his problem. If a driver died of AIDS, he'd merely replace him with another one. As I say, on all fronts, drivers were disposable items. But back to that cinema... I pointed out actual cases - with photographs - of drivers who had not seen their families for weeks. I showed pictures of pay slips that highlighted what were definitely 'criminal' wages. I pointed out examples of the dangerous lifestyles faced by drivers out on the roads... plus lots more. As I went on, I could feel the resentment building in the room and I ended by saying that visionary companies would take heed of what was being presented and adopt new policies towards their drivers that would take into account not only company concerns and needs but also those of their drivers. "The driver is the key to the success of your operation," is how I ended.

The resentment I felt in the audience became more tangible afterwards when a committee member of the Road Freight Association came up to me and said, rather angrily, words to this effect: "Showing that payslip was highly irresponsible as it does not represent the norm. That must be a renegade company and is certainly not a respected member of our trucking community." I looked him straight in the eyes and quietly replied: "That company is a member of your RFA." He was shocked. Later, at the cocktail function, I was approached by a huge - and I mean huge - guy who came up to me and said: "Jy's 'n kaffirboetie" - which I thought was a strange accusation given that drivers are sourced from all race groups. He went on to deride me for not taking into account other 'keys to success' such as the maintenance function and others. I pointed out that the maintenance function would be an easier task for all if a driver operated his vehicle with sympathy rather than with vengeful aggression, as many were doing. But - this guy wasn't into listening to my nonsense. (To be accurate, you can replace that word with the more colourful local one that he used). I ended by saying: "If being a 'kaffirboetie' is what it takes to get you to realise that the driver is the key to your success, then so be it. I'm a kaffirboetie." Don't you just hate that word! I'm not sure where that guy is today but I would love to meet up with him again and talk hindsight type talk.

In the February edition of FleetWatch, we again put forward the views of drivers and in speaking to many of those who took part in the strike, it was sad to see that although some companies have built up good relationships with their drivers, in many organisations nothing - and I mean nothing - has changed over the years. It is thus that FleetWatch welcomes Mercedes-Benz' stated comments on drivers. Listen again to what Peter Wraight has to say: "The truth is that the driver can make or break a truck, a supplier and his employer. He is, in fact, the key to successful trucking." Given the shortage of drivers, this truth becomes even more relevant than it was back in 1995 when FleetWatch urged companies to adopt new practices and policies towards their drivers. Those who are still treating drivers like 'disposable items' had better catch a wake up. There are not many spare keys left lying around.

Patrick O'Leary
Managing Editor