6 Best Practices Ensuring Road Freight Transportation Safety
The South African road freight services industry is a lifeline for hundreds of businesses across the country, and our neighbours. The ongoing issues with rail transport mean that without road freight, distribution of goods across the country would be fraught with challenges. This increasing number of trucks on South African roads makes it even more paramount that safety within our road freight transportation network, is held to the highest standard.
There are many best practices that can, and should, be adhered to in order to make road freight services in South Africa safe, not only for the truck drivers and businesses, but for all South African citizens using the roads.
In this article we’ll take a look at some of these best practices that will protect drivers and their cargo.
1. Vehicle Maintenance
The first point of call in road freight services safety is to ensure that all vehicles undergo regular maintenance. It’s a simple and regular routine that should be part of a checklist within any business operating road freight or cargo services. A couple of things to consider here include:
- Regular inspections:
- This includes your basic vehicle maintenance such as checking brakes, tyres, lights, engine functionality and other critical vehicle parts.
- Preventative Maintenance:
- Many accidents can be avoided by simply conducting preventative maintenance on your road fleet. Checking cargo trucks for basic updates needed before they become an issue is the easiest way to bring costs down and avoid tragedy.
- Documentation:
- Once maintenance procedures are in place, records should be kept of all updates completed and stored safely. This will help address routine issues that come up, and ensure that no scheduled road freight vehicle maintenance is missed.
2. Training and Compliance for Drivers
The most important asset to your company is your people. As a company that operates large road freight fleets, carrying cargo from across the country, (and perhaps into neighbouring countries) your truck drivers are your number one asset, and should be treated as such. Here are a few notable items you can implement to keep your truck driver in top notch condition:
- Licence & Certification:
- Operating heavy vehicles, such as road freight trucks, is a skillset that requires the correct driving licence. It’s imperative that before any hires are made or responsibility given, that drivers are checked for the correct licensing, that is still valid.
- Training programmes:
- Once you’ve ascertained that all your drivers have the correct and up to date licence, it’s time to help them be as prepared as possible with training programmes. Driving is a skill that can be harnessed and improved with further experience. Your drivers should not only be put through extensive training on driving a heavy road freight vehicle, but they should also be schooled on safety protocols, and emergency procedures.
- Upskilling:
- Your job is not quite over once the basics are checked, and training is provided. It’s time to implement regular upskilling or educational training for your drives to keep them updated on the latest regulations and technologies.
3. Abiding by Local Laws
Every country has its own local road laws that need to be adhered to. In order to ensure compliance to these laws, it’s vital that both you and your drivers are well aware of all laws, and constantly updated on any changes. A couple of items to take note of are:
- South African road law
- Remain up to date, and inform your drivers of all road laws, both local and national. It is vital that your drivers are properly trained on government rules and are able to understand the necessity to adhere to these laws.
- Truck loading and weight
- There are both rules and restrictions as well as best practice when it comes to loading road freight trucks with cargo. Ensure that your cargo is within the legal limits of weight, and is loaded correctly – this will prevent accidents and of course, penalties.
- Driver fatigue
- Regulations that govern hours of service (HOS) are implemented to avoid driver fatigue. Be sure to stick to these regulations and do not place pressure on drivers to meet unrealistic targets.
4. Technology
In today’s 4IR world, where technology is our friend, we need to be cognisant of utilising all the technological advancements in road freight services that will assist us to deliver cargo both efficiently and safely. Making use of this technology will enhance your road freight services and provide you with peace of mind. Let’s chat about:
- GPS tracking:
- Global Positioning Systems (GPS) allow you to monitor your vehicle and your driver to optimise your fleet’s efficiency. These advanced systems allow you to track vehicle performance, driver behaviour and route revisions to best reach your destination.
- Dashcams:
- The road can be a dangerous place, and South African roads are known to be some of the deadliest in the world. When it comes to road freight services, don’t take a chance, install dashcams that can assist you with real-time feedback when it comes to any incidents.
- Vehicle and driver safety systems:
- We’re lucky enough today to have vehicles (including heavy freight vehicles) that have highly advanced safety systems in place. These systems assist our driver with things like collision avoidance, lane departure warnings and automatic braking. Taking advantage of this technology can be the difference between safe travelling and tragedy.
5. Preparing for Emergencies
The reality is that accidents are going to happen. Unfortunately this is a part of life, however, we can prepare ourselves and our drivers for the worst case scenario by upskilling them and providing them with all they need to be prepared for an emergency situation. There are a few basics to implement when it comes to emergency preparedness:
- First Aid kits:
- Every vehicle should have a first aid kit available. These will include first aid supplies such as bandages, burn cream, plasters, gloves and basic medicine. Also included in emergency kits are tools and spare parts for the vehicle itself.
- Emergency plans:
- When it comes to accidents and emergencies, having a plan provides your drivers with a sense of control and a way out. Develop documentation and communicate these plans to your employees, ensuring they understand the procedures to be taken in the event of a breakdown or accident.
- Communication systems:
- Be sure that you are in contact with your drivers at all times, and that they have available to them a form of communication with you. It is vital that should an incident happen, they are able to get in touch for assistance swiftly and with little issue.
6. Driver Health and Wellbeing
Ensuring the health and wellbeing of your drivers is the first step to a safe journey for both them, your cargo, and others on the roads. There are many things you can do to build a culture of wellness in your organisation, and ensure continuous health amongst your employees. Here are just a few:
- Monitor health:
- Regular health checks are paramount to ensure the health of your drivers. Long road trips can take a toll, and ensuring your road freight service operators are in good condition starts with health checks and resources for them to maintain their health – both physical and mental.
- Manage fatigue:
- The long haul road freight service industry is a brutal and tiring one. Be sure to promote rest breaks and education on the importance of sleeping and regular eating to maintain stamina for the journey.
- Corporate support:
- Programs that offer support to your drivers are key to managing their stress and any personal issues that may affect their performance on the job.
Your Partner in Road Freight Service Solutions
Partnering with a reliable road freight services provider in South Africa is essential to ensure your cargo reaches its destination in time and safely. At Inter-Sped we are committed to helping businesses navigate the South African cargo journey.
Learn more about how Inter-Sped can provide you with the assistance you need to transport your precious cargo from point A to point B, swiftly and safely.
