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May 2006 |
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A proud Abie Storm in front of his very own Nissan UD440. "This is how I believe BEE should, work," he says. |
Many Owner Driver schemes in the transport industry have proven to be unsustainable due partly to the business skills of participants and the levels of capital investment involved. Barloworld Logistics, however, is proving the exception to the rule. The first Owner Driver in their scheme, Abie Storm, has just purchased his second vehicle and an additional seven new drivers have joined the scheme.
The relationship began with a five year contractual agreement between Storm and Barloworld Logistics to transport cement on behalf of PPC in the Western Cape. Five more Owner Drivers followed shortly thereafter.
Due to the success of the scheme, all existing Owner Drivers have had their contracts renegotiated and extended by an additional five years and a further seven Owner Drivers have been awarded contracts. Between them they will move on average 267 000 tons of cement per year and travel 1.7 million kilometres.
According to the company, the scheme was started first and foremost to enhance the lifestyle of their employees - all drivers are ex-employees of Barloworld Logistics - and to redistribute wealth. The scheme provides business opportunities for both parties and aligns the company to BEE score cards, as well as providing Barloworld Logistics' customers with the opportunity to procure services from previously disadvantaged suppliers, thus assisting their own BEE efforts.
Storm was awarded his first 5-year contract in 1999 and hasn't looked back since. He has now purchased his second vehicle.
"I started with nothing and five years later, I own an asset worth R400k and have secured my immediate future through the new contract. This scheme has not only uplifted my lifestyle but has made me a proud owner of my own transport company. The Owner Driver scheme has been a godsend and a huge success for us, and it is how I believe BEE should work," says Storm.
So nice to see an owner Driver scheme working as it should.
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