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of their trucks. Problem vehicles are not taken out of circulation,
problematic test centres are not dealt with and there is widespread
corruption in certification.”
The question is who you hold accountable for poorly managed, un-
roadworthy vehicles. He suggests that the industry should become
a role-player in assessing roadworthiness and driver fitness.
Overview of RTMS
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) developed
the Road Transport Management System (RTMS), an industry-led,
government-supported, voluntary, self-regulation scheme that en-
courages consignees, consignors and road transport operators
to implement a management system (a set of standards) with out-
comes that contribute to preserving road infrastructure, improving
road safety and increasing productivity.
The RTMS standards are aligned with the new ISO 39001: Road
Traffic Safety Management Systems. “The key focus areas in this
system are load optimisation, driver wellness, vehicle maintenance
and productivity,” Mr Paul Nordengen from the CSIR said.
To comply with this system, participants should apply to the fol-
lowing rules: Maintain a haulage fleet inventory, assessing vehi-
cles before each trip, verifying the mass determination method,
vehicle and load safety, vehicle maintenance, driver wellness (fatigue
and health), providing training and education, keeping records and
documentation.
“Being RTMS accredited also report qualitative benefits such as
a reduced turnover of drivers due to HIV-related issues, an im-
proved standard of living among drivers, an improvement in driver
wellness, resulting in a consequent decrease in absenteeism,
reduction in breakdowns, improved fleet utilisation, improved driv-
er behaviour and more control and confidence in the company,”
Nordengen said.
Getting accredited
Mr Oliver Naidoo from JC Auditors, the company responsible for
the accreditation of the RTMS, says that RTMS certification requires
an operator to demonstrate compliance with the SABS standard,
SANS 1395-1:2012, formerly ARP 067-1:2006.
“Its main purpose is to encourage operators to implement a struc-
tured management system that enables operators to safely and
effectively manage operations, by embracing the philosophy of con-
tinuous improvement,” said Naidoo.
For more information on getting RTMS accredited, visit RTMS’s
website at
www.rtms-sa.org .RTMS benefits:
Crash reductions
Agbiz Grain gives a four step process for
consignors to follow in order to end up
with the right compliancy solution:
Transport operators who invested in becoming RTMS accred-
ited, reported good results:
Barloworld Logistics:
66% reduction in the number of
crashes in 2012.
Vehicle Delivery Services:
42% reduction in serious
crashes from 2011 to 2012.
Timber Logistics Services:
50% reduction in crashes and
incidents from 2009 to 2012.
The City of Cape Town, Electricity Support Services:
44% reduction in the number of crashes.
Unitrans Amatikulu:
Cost of crashes reduced from 5% of
revenue to 1,3% of revenue (reduction in the frequency
and severity of crashes).
Step 1:
Obtain a sound understanding of the requirements of the
new law.
Step 2:
Decide on the right equipment solution, given the consign-
ors’s existing weighing equipment (if any), the need for any
trade weighing together with axle weighing and the level of
daily cargo volumes.
Step 3:
Decide on the most practical way of obtaining permissible
axle weights and total permissible weights for the truck
trailer combinations that will carry this cargo. If external
transporters are used, hold discussions with them on how
this data is to be provided.
Step 4:
Finally decide on the best system for: (1) Producing load-
by-load dispatch documentation which complies with these
new laws; and (2) Maintaining records of all this informa-
tion.
Alta Swanepoel
Paul Nordengen
Gavin Kelly
Oliver Naidoo