Self-regulation working well for SA transport industry

Self-regulation working well for SA transport industry The self-regulation system as stipulated in the Road Transport Management System (RTMS) is proving to be a very effective tool for South African truck and bus operators in managing fleets efficiently and cost-effectively, with many case studies to back up the success of the roll-out. “RTMS, which has been in operation since 2003 and is finding growing support among fleet operators, continues to show outstanding results since implementation and supports the Department of Transport’s National Road Freight Strategy as the fourth pillar in the action plans,” comments the chairman of the RTMS national committee, Adrian van Tonder, of Barloworld Logistics. “Currently there are 2 674 trucks and 395 buses (the Buscor fleet) from 68 company depots carrying the RTMS accreditation logo, with a quantum leap in participation having occurred in the past 24 months,” adds Van Tonder. RTMS is an industry-led, government supported, voluntary self-regulation scheme that encourages consignees and road transport operators to implement a management system – a set of standards – that demonstrates compliance with the Road Traffic Regulations. It also contributes to preserving the road infrastructure, improving road safety, ensuring driver health and wellness as well as improving productivity Hino, one of South Africa’s leading truck manufacturers, is giving its full support to assisting with the roll-out of RTMS. Hino uses its nationwide dealer network as an important catalyst to spread the good news and benefits of using the system to its customers and then assisting them with the implementation. “We at Hino see the RTMS as a very important initiative in creating responsible truck operators who show concern for the roads and environment while focusing strongly on fuel saving,” says Hino SA vice president, Dr Casper Kruger. “Our support for the RTMS has already extended to our dealers and we are sponsoring a series of successful and well-attended information-sharing sessions throughout the country to promote this programme. “We then encourage our dealers to keep up the momentum by following up with the transport operators who are not on the system to take up the challenge and assist them in developing a strategy to meet all the requirements,” adds Kruger. “The development of the RTMS flowed over from initiatives by the timber industry in KwaZulu-Natal at the beginning of the 21st century to combat overloading, which causes damage to roads while also contributing to cutting the number of accidents involving trucks,” explains Adrian van Tonder. “The KwaZulu-Natal project was known as LAP – the Load Accreditation Programme – and was also self-regulatory. This concept was expanded with the addition of driver health, compliance with road traffic regulations and all aspects of road safety to establish the basis for RTMS standards.” Driving forces in those early days included Paul Nordegen, Oliver Naidoo and Andrew Kriek and they formed a steering committee in 2006 to give momentum to the initiative. There is now a more formalised RTMS national committee made up of representatives of a host of stakeholder organisations and associations that is now driving the project forward. Current chairman Adrian van Tonder came aboard in 2009 and is extremely enthusiastic about this initiative.