It is with great interest that I read your article on accidents in the August issue of FleetWatch. Thank you for an excellent and informative magazine and devoting space to road safety matters.

I am a very lucky man to have walked away from the mangled wreck of my Mazda MX-5 after another out of control truck caused a huge crash on the N3 between Giloolys and Van Buuren road on Tuesday 28 August. To determine exactly who is to blame for causing this major incident that closed the N3 in both directions for over four hours is going to take some time. The numerous secondary accidents as a result of this carnage and the thousands of productive hours lost are just some of the consequences of this accident.

I have had a burning question ever since that day that you could possibly answer for me: What happened with the driver of the truck who was visibly in shock? I have a medical aid and could go for check-ups and so forth to determine the severity of the whiplash and make sure that I had no other medical issues. I am self-employed and could take some time out of work. But what about the drivers of the various trucks involved?

Were they given a thorough medical examination before being told to get the next load delivered? Who knows if they had concussion, delayed reactions, double vision and headaches? I certainly had them. Did they receive any counselling to see if they were emotionally fit to handle a huge rig and load? So many questions, so few answers...

Yours in road safety education and awareness.
Piet van Olst
Johannesburg

The Mazda MX-5 from which Piet von Olst walked away alive.

Editor's Comment: Firstly, thank goodness you are alive to ask your most pertinent question - and thank you so much for asking it. My answer is: "I don't know". What I do know is that you often see drivers standing around at the scene of an accident looking lost and alone. Whether or not they receive any form of counselling afterwards will, I suppose, depend on the company they work for. It is something we will pick up on but in the meantime, I hope your question spurs all transport managers to examine their policy towards the post-accident treatment of drivers. I also compliment you on looking beyond your own - in this case horrific - circumstances and taking time out to care for the well-being of others. That says a lot about you Sir.

Hi there. I'm Rafael and I live in New York, USA. I've been reading both FleetWatch and TruckWatch and I have to say that I'm very impressed! I have read from the latest issue to the 2003 archives -and still going on.... 

Man, I love the reports of truck faults because I get to see so many different truck models both old and new. I really understand the fear of seeing so many faulty vehicles on your roads. I was like saying whoa!!! When seeing truck cabs and stuff, it is really appalling and I am very surprised to see an advanced country like yours having so much vehicle chaos. You know? I bet my bacon that in Dominican Republic - that's my second homeland - they have the same problem with trucks too!

I envy you guys because you have some cool features on your mags like the cut-out truck models! Well gotta go so keep the good work. I'm a truck fanatic - and trucks rules!!! Be safe and may the Lord watch over each one of ya. Take care!

Rafael Perez
New York

Editor's Comment: Hey there Rafael. Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble to write to us. It really is great hearing from a fellow trucking enthusiast from across the ocean. And thanks for the kind words of compliments. Yep, we've got a mix of First and Third World trucks operating on our roads and that presents us with a whole whack of challenges. I must point out that while we have some real scrap-heaps out there, we also have many professional operators whose standards compare with the best in the world. Unfortunately, it is always the few bad apples that spread their rot among the whole basket hey. I'm going to take a guess here, however, and say that your bacon is on the line as I reckon we'll be a bit ahead of your second homeland, the Dominican Republic - although some of the wrecks on our roads wouldn't attest to that. Go well and stay in touch.

With reference to your comment in FleetWatch's August edition, I couldn't agree with you more regarding the proposal of the FleetWatch Brains Trust. This initiative is perhaps the multi-vitamin South Africa's transport sector needs. I don't think the beetroot and garlic diet is gonna do it. Co-operation and participation from government departments is by and large a non-starter. History records prove that most of what the government's "lip service" has had to offer thus far is merely morning breath. 

Rallying the troops of South Africa's transport sector is definitely the way forward. I am convinced that there is more than enough knowledge and experience among the reputable transport operators and ancillary organisations to initiate some positive steps in the right direction. Logistic and transport operation technology in South Africa is probably up there with the world's best. I can vouch for that because I use it on a daily basis in the truck I drive in the UK.

Government must be forced to take a back seat now, given their track record. A stand back and watch (they've been doing it long enough) approach from the Transport Minister and followers must prevail and let the professionals set the pace in resurrecting what used to be South Africa's pride and joy. Maybe some mushroom farming methods need to be implemented when the government is concerned. (Get my drift)

The professionals are more than capable of setting the benchmarks and disciplines in order to trade legitimately. Professional transport operators now need to combine their efforts in instituting an "Agency" to which they all need to become active members thereof, with a clear cut constitution to police the transport sector itself. It would certainly put pay to poorly trained, unmotivated and corrupt officials that emerge from the verges when it suites them. One national set of rules and regulations set out by the "Agency" would certainly be embraced by the public. This is much needed because the anti-truck sentimentality is rife at the moment, as we all know. 

As for consignors - well, where do I begin? They are same the world over. "Move it or lose it" is common practice. Yes, but there is the right way and there is the wrong way. The relationship between the consignor and consignee is largely a grey area and now needs to be one of transparency and honesty. Annual audits of both parties' management and infrastructure levels are imperative as this key factor inevitably secures an efficient, safe and happy working environment at all levels. It works for the company I work for, as well as for many others.

The "Agency" could also play a role in a few other aspects of the industry, ensuring that healthy business practice is adhered to when tenders are invited and secured. The annual renewal of an operator's licence and a certificate of professional competence would be another viable option in order to keep the "Moegoes" at bay. You guys have got nothing to lose but all to gain. You are setting the agenda. Go for it. I am sure the support is going to follow. Keep banging that drum. I will be watching this space. Take care out there and keep 'em peeled.

Murray Wood
United Kingdom

Editor's Comment: It is always good getting comment from a man who not know only knows the South African trucking scene but also has a yardstick by which to compare South African standards. Murray previously worked in South Africa but is now employed as a full-time truck driver in the UK. His observations of the South African scene are incisive and as we have found in the past, objective. It is thus heartening to gain support for the FleetWatch Brains Trust idea from such a man. Thank you for your endorsement of the idea and as always, for taking the time and trouble to keep your eye on the happenings in an industry sector which you have a deep passion for despite the fact you are many miles away from it. We appreciate your input and comments.

As an ardent reader of FleetWatch magazine and a concerned motorist and supporter of the trucking fraternity as well as all the good things you guys continue to do - especially with road safety, driver training and your exposure of the "bad guys" in the industry - please hear me out about the current situation of "truck carnage".

Everyday on the news we hear and read of the carnage being caused by, or to, heavy duty trucks where accidents involving trucks have caused unbelievable delays to other road users and even killed or maimed innocent people. This seems to be mainly the short-haul drivers in the metropolitan areas rather than the long haulers.

I have been keeping a watch on these scenarios over the past weeks and while my facts are obviously not accurate or confirmed, in the last month there have, in the Gauteng area alone, been 38 heavy vehicle accidents with plus minus 12 deaths and in excess of 100 persons injured, serious or otherwise. Thousands of Rands worth of damage to property, goods and other vehicles have also been incurred. I honestly believe that countrywide these figures are horrendous. The reasons given by police spokesmen are generally:

• The poor general condition of the vehicle

• Worn tyres

• No brakes

• Poor visibility

• Loss of control

• Speed 

• Lack of awareness of other road users; among others.

My concern is that for many years this country and its fleet owners prided themselves on their driver training programs, the on-going discipline of their drivers, the driver's awareness of the situation around him like road conditions, visibility, courtesy to other road users, as well as the regular maintenance programmes in place for the vehicles.

With the carnage that is going on, it seems to me that our fleet/truck owners - and I don't mean all of them because there are still some great drivers and fleet/truck owners about - are employing "untrained" drivers who don't have the necessary experience or are not being tested prior to being employed. They no longer seem to worry about things like the age of the driver or his health and fitness, which should be a priority - basic conditions that, when put in place, would secure their investments.

This is a genuine concern of mine and others like me and I just hope that those causing the carnage are not part of the "illegal licence scam" which sees drivers employed without the right processes being followed.

I am not sure what the solution is but by having the basics in place, we could return to having a culture of safety on ours roads. I suppose with the lack of traffic officers on the roads doing the "safety" inspections, we will always have this challenge. I just believe we should try do our best to assist this industry where we can and if we see any indiscretions, report them.

Peter G. Moloney
Grelan Marketing

Editor's Comment: Many thanks for voicing your concerns which, as you state, are shared by many. You have hit the nail on the head when you say that 'untrained' and inexperienced drivers are being employed across the industry. This is true and is as a result of a dire driver shortage being experienced on all fronts at a time when increased pressure has been put on this industry to not only meet the needs of our growing economy but also to take up the slack left by a moribund rail service. The reasons for the driver shortage are many with an obvious one being the impact HIV/AIDS has had on decimating our driver ranks. Of course, what also doesn't help is when R250-million of funds targeted for training through TETA gets channelled into a shenanigan company called Fidentia. The point is that driver training used to be a priority in this industry and it is no longer so. It hasn't been so for many years. In fact, training on every front used to be a priority and is no longer so. The folly of shelving training schemes that used to dominate is now being felt and while I don't point at every accident as being the fault of the driver or the truck, there are many that are. It is a totally untenable situation that needs to be addressed at the highest level. If it is not, we are going to receive more letters like yours as more and more people get killed.
 

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