Mariannhill truck driver scoops awards
Drivers are judged against the results of state-of-the-art monitoring systems such as DriveSmart and DriveCam.
NDUNA Chari from Mariannhill is the epitome of the ideal truck driver and has the trophies to prove it.
Passion and patience are what have led the 42-year-old father of two to steadily climbed the career ladder from tip truck driver to driver trainer in just a decade.
Between 2006 and 2011, Nduna worked for several small transport companies in Durban until he joined Manline in March 2011.
After undergoing the obligatory two weeks of training to familiarise himself with Manlines, Nduna got behind the wheel as a cross-border driver, travelling to Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique.
He recalls that when he joined Manline, he was asked to fill a form stating where he saw himself in five years’ time in terms of his career. “I indicated that I wanted to be a top driver within two years,” he said.
Soon after joining Manline, Nduna began bagging award after award. In 2011, he was named New Driver of the Year. In 2012, he was placed second as Driver of the Year. In 2013, 2014 and 2015, he was Driver of the Year from 140 drivers employed by Manline.
Drivers are judged against the results of state-of-the-art monitoring systems such as DriveSmart and DriveCam, which record the driving times, breaks and rest periods, vehicle speed, distance travelled, engine revs and other related metrics.
“I have a passion for my job. In addition, I exercise a tremendous amount of patience, which is important to ensure the safety of all road users, the vehicle and the goods being transported.”
As testament to his prowess as a professional truck driver, in September 2015 Nduna was chosen by MAN Truck and Bus SA to steer the new Euro 5 MAN TGX 26.540 6×4 EfficientLine on its maiden six-week voyage across nine African countries, crossing 11 border posts and covering a total distance of 13 234 kilometres.
Nduna said that while long-haul driving demanded total attention, the breathtaking beauty of the African landscape was a welcome diversion from the boredom that could set in during a long and arduous journey.
Upon his return from the ‘ONE MAN kann’ journey, Nduna was offered a job as a driver trainer at Manline in recognition of his consistent performance throughout his career and for being an ambassador for the organisation and a role model for other drivers within the business.
Displaying his characteristic humility, Nduna said he enjoys imparting his knowledge to young drivers. “Good drivers can make a valuable contribution to the company as well as the country at large.”
He added that Manline has been good to him, which is the reason he feel motivated to do his best every day.
In his spare time, Nduna enjoys scenic drives and watching sport. His dream is to open his own driver training school one day.
