EASY TALK
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It was with tears in my eyes that I read your articles in your September edition about our professional drivers rising to the occasion in America's most dire hour. Not only because we are all still haunted and traumatized by the horror of that day but also because of the show of support and solidarity from others in the global transportation family.
As Patrick mentioned in one of his articles, a call went out to trucks to put American flags on their vehicles. In the newsletter that I write for our transportation team, this is how I described the drivers' response:
"Some of the most moving visuals from the days since have been the huge rigs traversing our country boldly emblazoned with dozens of flags waving proudly and defiantly. Every flutter of each flag acting as a gesture of defiance toward those that attempt to terrorize us."
I'd also like to add a short quote from a truck driver hauling debris from "ground zero." He was quoted in the September 17th New York Times and offered this: "They hit the World Trade Center; they hit the Pentagon; but they missed America."
So, from South Dakota to South Africa: Thank you for your thoughts, prayers - and a great magazine.
Stacie Anderson
South Dakota
United States of America
Editor's Comment. Stacie picked up the tribute to the American truckers from our web-site which she says she visits often to see what's happening in the trucking scene down our way. And Stacie, know that our thoughts are prayers are still with all of you and all your trucking colleagues as you keep the wheels of America rolling.
As I write this, a framed version of the tribute is on its way to America to be presented to the President of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) on behalf of all the companies which participated in the tribute. I must add that there were many more companies which came forward to participate at the time but they missed the cut-off date where we had to close the magazine to get it to print.
The framed tribute is being delivered to America by UPS Express Deliveries (Pty) Ltd, a division of Unitrans Limited which is the authorised service provider for UPS in South Africa. A senior representative from UPS in America will present the tribute to the President of ATA on our behalf.
On this point, FleetWatch would like to extend its heartfelt thanks Jo Grové, CEO of Unitrans LTD and Konrad Peter, CEO of UPS Express Deliveries, for coming forward to help in this project. It's heart stuff this and through their actions, they have shown that their hearts are truly in the right place. Thank you.
FleetWatch will carry a full report on this in our February edition. In the meantime, we include a photograph of the first step in getting the framed tribute to the USA - the handover to UPS Express Deliveries in South Africa. It's on its way to the USA with love and prayers from South Africa.
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| Konrad Peter (left), CEO of Unitrans Express Deliveries, accepts the framed 'Tribute to American Truckers' from FleetWatch editor Patrick O'Leary as two UPS staffers look on. The tribute is on its way to the USA to be presented to the President of the American Trucking Associations. |
Your
comment
| More elucidation |
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REGARDING the article on dangerous goods that appeared in the October 2001 edition of FleetWatch, I feel a need to point out an anomaly in the Q&A section on page 60.
Question number two asks how an operator can check if a particular road tanker is suitable to carry out a specific task. While your answer is correct, I personally feel it needs a little more elucidation.
Only tankers registered for the first time on or after December 1st 2001 are required to meet SABS 1518.
While no deadline or criteria has been set for existing tankers to comply with the requirements of SABS 1518, to ensure an operator's peace of mind I suggest that all tankers used for the consignment of dangerous goods should be checked by established engineering inspection services such as Bureau Veritas. There are other capable inspection services and any one of the major road tanker manufacturers should be able to assist in this regard.
Another point I feel needs highlighting is that the legislation affecting vehicles falling under SABS 1518 will be modified at some stage in the future as a new section is being added to cover requirements of all dangerous goods vehicles - including packaged goods. Again, no deadline is currently available to say when these changes will take place.
On another tack, it has become quite a common sight to see chemicals being transported in heavy-duty plastic Roto-Mould tanks. Although there is no law to prevent this practice, they are not permitted under SABS 1518. I believe they are not suitable for dangerous goods as it places the chemicals in an extremely vulnerable situation in the event of an accident or other potentially hazardous situation.
It is also useless to try and secure and protect these containers effectively as the required cost would render them economically inefficient - you may as well buy a proper tanker from the start.
I hope this information is of assistance.
Keith Arkell
Dangerous Goods Consultant
Chemical and Allied Industry Association
Editor's Comment: It certainly is of assistance and many thanks for highlighting these points. It seems whenever we enter into the dangerous goods legislation arena, we come up against anomalies and inaccuracies. Maybe one day it will all be clear.
Your
comment
| Point Taken |
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I
have just finished reading your articles on the towing industry (September, 2001). Being part of the heavy duty market in Cape Town, a member of the United Towing Association and a member of the Western Cape Towing and Recovery Association, I find it odd that you approached Stephen Cross of SOS Breakdown Service and chairman of Western Cape Towing and Recovery Association to do an article on "Changes ahead on the Tow Industry" but end up doing the article on his company. Should you rather not have put a different heading to the article if it is all about SOS?
Audrey Langman (Mrs)
A & R Towing Services
Editor's Comment: Many thanks for your email and I must admit, you have a point. On receiving your email, I once again read through the articles and see that, although it is not 'all about SOS' as you state, the beginning of the first article does linger a little too long on SOS as a company - especially since the heading is 'Changes Ahead in the Tow Industry'.
In our defence, I must point out that the heading was intended to relate to the entire feature which was made up of three separate articles. And perhaps that's where I erred. Taking your point, I perhaps should have put the bit about SOS under a separate heading. That said, the entire feature was made up of 2 790 words of which SOS comprised only 490 or so. So again, I reiterate that it was 'all about' SOS'.
Thank you for your input on this. I appreciate you taking the time to put your point across to us.
Your
comment
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