Truck driver workshop to minimise fatalities and accidents
Whilst providing a vital service to the community by bringing in bulk goods at affordable prices, trucks also impact the environment that they operate in, especially if the infrastructure around them is not designed appropriately.
WITH the expansion of the Port of Durban, there is a significant increase of the number of trucks on the road in Durban, in particular the South Durban Basin, mainly due to its’ proximity to the port.
Whilst providing a vital service to the community by bringing in bulk goods at affordable prices, trucks also impact the environment that they operate in, especially if the infrastructure around them is not designed appropriately. According to the South Durban Basin Area Based Management (SDB ABM), this creates a nightmare for engineers responsible for maintaining roads as they are faced with damage to the same areas repeatedly.
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“In an effort to ensure compliance with municipal by-laws the SDB ABM in partnership with eThekwini Transport Authority (ETA), Metro Police and the department of Roads and Storm Water, hosted a Driver Education and Awareness Workshop that focused trucking companies from Umbilo, Clairwood and Jacobs, all areas with high volumes of heavy duty trucks on the roads,” said Eurakha Singh, Senior Manager SDB ABM.
The workshop focused on the employee registration processes, which will eradicate the high rate of drivers operating without legal documentation, therefore reducing the fatality rate and other primary causes of road accidents.
Daniel Hiralall ETA Manager, shared statistics and challenges faced by road enforcement authorities with regard to trucking. He reported that one of the main challenges experienced was the poor attention to maintenance and upkeep of trucks. In most cases tucks have many functional defects which compromises safety of drivers and other road users.
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This view was supported by Superintendent Emmanuel Ntshaba from Metro Police who further stated that their biggest challenge as Metro Police is the hesitance and sometimes refusal to comply with the rules of the road and specific bye-laws expected of trucks, like compulsory stops.
The workshop empowered trucking business owners and truck drivers in the areas of Umbilo, Jacobs and Clairwood on road safety compliance and obeying the municipal by-laws. Truckers were also educated about infrastructure damage which is a result of reckless driving by truckers.
Also present was Ian Campbell Gillies and Sikho Msomi from the Umbilo Business Forum, who represented over 20 trucking companies from the Umbilo area. “We are excited with the safety information received and are keen to invite officials to our forum meetings to ensure that that the vital information reaches our members. I would also like to thank the ABM for arranging such a useful workshop,” said Gillies. Attendee at the workshop, Sithembiso Sibiya, Sheq Manager at Unitrans, said that the workshop had fruitful results as he had an opportunity to voice his issues to relevant officials and get assistance with challenges being experienced by his company.
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