INDUSTRY OBSERVATION

Drivers - the Makers and Breakers

The most common complaint I hear from transporters is that drivers cause accidents because they "don't know how to drive". I generally spring to the defence of drivers, citing their difficult working conditions as a contributory factor. However, there are exceptions to my altruistic position and one particular incident springs to mind. 

I was traveling back from Zeerust recently. I was marginally delayed behind a combination traveling ahead of me. The combination was 'young', the truck tractor less than three years old and the trailers about five years old. Curiosity soon took the better of me when I noticed a tell-tale sign of smoke from the rear axle tyres. I decided to 'tail' the rig 'to see what happens'.
A couple of kms later, the tell-tale smoke had become a cloud. I began hooting (let's call it 'awareness' hooting), attempting to bring the driver's attention to the evolving problem.

My hooting was to no avail. The driver ignored it as well as the smoke and overwhelming pungent smell of burning rubber. As the kilometres flew by the 'flapping' started and the tyre eventually disintegrated in a messy plume. 

Incensed now by this wastage (at three grand a tyre), I passed the rig, again attempting to highlight the problem to the driver. He didn't even bother to tap off (and I doubt he mistook me for a hijacker)! 

Any profit on the load was lost in the blow-out (no doubt caused by under-inflation). If ever a rig owner needed a "Report my Driving" sticker on his vehicle this one was it. I would have been on my phone to him in an instant, giving him sufficient grounds for a legal dismissal of the driver.

The question is, how does an operator prevent this negligent driving? My answer is simple, really: Manage drivers proactively, monitor them using available technology, incentivise them meaningfully and ensure that they take pride in their work, that they understand fully that they are inextricably linked to the success or failure of the operation. Good drivers know this, the bad ones don't.