THE DEFINITIVE TRUCKING SITE

October 2008

	Tutuka Transport Holdings understands the power of teamwork through its membership of the Siyavuma co-operative.	The Tutuka fleet runs a mix of truck tractors but mainly uses side-tippers from Top Trailers.

The increase in demand for coal by road over the last 15 years spawned a proliferation of tippers on our roads, many of which were owned and driven by people who knew very little about trucking but who met the BEE requirements stipulated in the Eskom tender documents. While empowerment remains a priority for the utility, measures are in place to ensure the sustainability and efficiency of new contractors. In an industry characterised by sub-contracting, coal-by-truck could easily be described as ‘cowboy country’ where shoddy operators bite the dust in double-quick time. There are exceptions though, and Tutuka Transport Holdings is setting a precedent for best-practice coal trucking in the Mpumalanga Highveld. 

As the South African economy grows, so too does its need for electricity and by 2006, Eskom had to drastically up its output, in a hurry. To do this, it de-mothballed old power stations (Majuba, for example) and secured additional coal from mines in Mpumalanga and Limpopo Province. To ferry this coal to the power stations invariably meant contracting truck transporters, specifically those with the right demographic profile. 

“When Eskom began tendering for truck transport it commissioned 11 owner-driver organisations who were all start-up BEE operations,” says Paul Buckley, of Tutuka Transport Holdings. “I was one of these but because I come from a trucking background, I had more know-how than many of my co-contractors which has enabled me to grow my operation while many of them have folded.” After spending over 15 years as a truck salesman for Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles in KwaZulu-Natal, Buckley grabbed the opportunity to start his own fleet supplying coal to Eskom. 

“Tutuka now has 48 interlink side-tippers running coal from Umcebo Mine near Ermelo to power stations in Mpumalanga,” he says. “Of the 11 initial sub-contractors, only six remain, clearly demonstrating how difficult it is to cut it in this industry.” 

Systems in place 
Equipping his fleet with a mix of trucks including Mercedes-Benz, Freightliner, MAN and Iveco 6x4s, Buckley has opted for a trailer manufacturer that has the service network in his area of operation to ensure minimal downtime.

“Top Trailers is the tipper-maker  of choice in this area because its repair technicians cover the whole area. Having 24/7 repair support for our trailers is essential in this vehicle-unfriendly industry.” 

Once he’d secured the correct vehicles using simulation software (courtesy HTM) from dealerships in the Highveld, Buckley set about putting systems in place to control his drivers and vehicles. 

“We use Fleet Management and vehicle tracking technologies to monitor fuel, routing and driver behaviour. We also have an outsourced tyre management programme on-site to help reduce rubber costs.” 

With a firm belief that a happy driver is the all-important key to success, Buckley not only employs a full-time driver trainer to keep his pilots fighting fit, but incentivises them on costsavings rather than loads delivered. 

Smart vehicle selection – Tutuka Transport’s Paul Buckley [left] and Casper Pieterse, Dealer Principal at De Wit Motors in Ermelo are experts in what makes a coal truck profitable.

Power partners
Of the 120 operators currently hauling coal for Eskom, Buckley says only 30 run professionally. “The majority lack experience and facilities. This extends to not knowing how to cost their services through to how to purchase the right truck for the job and how to maintain it effectively,” he says. 

Tutuka Transport Holdings is able to share its expertise with other coal trucking operators via a co-op called Siyavuma (We agree) comprising 14 trustees, which brings benefits such as bargaining power for equipment, a shared skills pool incorporating offices and service/maintenance facilities and staff, as well as a common bestpractice ethos that makes the fleet one of the most efficient in the industry. 

“Siyavuma has a list of cardinal rules that govern driver and vehicle. We have our own fleet of 13 bakkies that monitor our fleet of 163 trucks and drivers are penalised to the tune of R1 500 for any transgressions of our operational codes,” he says. 

Sourcing payload from a single point helps minimise the risk of overloading, says Buckley. “The mine has reliable loaders and a weighbridge but as our business grows and we source from other mines, we will consider installing load cells on our trucks to ensure we load optimally. We also believe in RTMS and having the load data at our disposal will help us meet the reporting requirements of the programme.” 

Another of Siyavuma’s efforts to help improve safety is the limiting of driving hours. “Eskom power stations receive coal around the clock but we only drive during daylight - from six in the morning to six at night. This has affected our turnover somewhat but the savings in fuel and wear and tear are considerable. We’ve also halved our accident rate over the last year.” 

Hot wheels 
With all his experience and success, Buckley is a veritable mine of information when it comes to tips on how to sharpen up a coal truck operation. 

“It starts with vehicle selection and moves to having the right controls in place. Don’t buy a 480hp truck tractor when a 400hp model will adequately do the job. Employ the right people and manage them using the best Fleet Management technology available. It’s a high volume, low margin business so every penny counts. It’s all about vigilance and discipline and working together effectively,” he concludes.