THE DEFINITIVE TRUCKING SITE

July 2010

The FleetWatch Brake & Tyre Watch team headed to North West Province for its 10th training project using the Lonmin Conference Centre for the theoretical training of 82 traffic officers and the new Bapong Traffic Control Centre for the practical tests. What did we find? Not good stuff writes Patrick O’Leary.

Regular readers of FleetWatch will know of our Brake &Tyre Watch project where FleetWatch and its partners spend two days in each province training traffic officials how to identify signs of unroadworthiness on trucks.

Our ‘Star Status’ partners, Wabco, Bridgestone and HCV were once again with us and joining us for the North West exercise were Bakwena, CI Automotive and Navistar International Trucks. Without the enthusiastic input of these partners and their sense of corporate social responsibility, we would not be able to achieve what we do. Thank you so much.

Although we would have liked to get more trucks over the brake roller tester, it was not to be due to teething problems experienced on the centre’s new test equipment. A technician from the equipment supplier was called in and, along with the expertise of Keir Guild from Wabco, got things moving a bit faster.

We eventually ended up fully testing and inspecting seven rigs - enough for us to transfer to the cops the theoretical knowledge from the previous day’s lectures into hands-on, workable knowledge that they can use on the road.

That things are not good in the North West Province is evidenced by the fact that out of the seven rigs tested, five were served with Discontinuation of Service notices. In other words, they were taken off the road.

The seven vehicles tested were also weighed before being sent to the vehicle test pit and three of them were overloaded. On the brake roller tester, two passed and five failed on braking. It never ceases to amaze us how operators can send their drivers out on rigs with no brakes. If you are a transport operator, you have a responsibility to keep your vehicles roadworthy for goodness sake.

Other offences included defective bodywork (side flaps loose, cabs cracked) and all seven had oil leaks. Suspension problems were also highlighted with three out of seven having faults ranging from defective shock absorbers through to cracked chassis. Four out of seven also had non-visible yellow reflective markings.

The photographs accompanying this article tell the story more than words can but in essence, what we found was not encouraging.

Operators take note please!