TFL DEC
14
FREIGHT & LOGISTICS
FLEET MANAGEMENT
VEHICLE DELIVERY SERVICES (VDS),
which operates a fleet of 250 truck-tractors and a
similar number of trailers, has a complement of 330 drivers.
The company’s Safety, Health, Environment and Quality Assurance (SHEQ) Manager, Pierre van
Schalkwyk, put it succinctly in a recent interview in his office at the company head office in
Kempton Park, when he said: “We had a number of systems and structures in place but they
were like a bunch of loose ropes. Revisiting our internal controls and management systems,
using the RTMS guideline, served the purpose of pulling the ropes together.
“There have been a host of spin-offs with the most impressive being a reduction of 60% in
high risk driving behaviour, while the incidence of serious accidents has decreased by 49%,
from 0.813 incidents per one-million kilometres, to a figure of 0.472. System-based speeding
infringements have fallen by 25% from 6.312 per million kilometres, to 4.444. This translates
into substantial cost savings as well as a significant decrease in risk.”
He said that what is important is that VDS and all its team members took the implementation
of RTMS seriously and were prepared to do whatever was required to meet the required
standards. The first audit took place in 2011 and immediately showed where corrective action
was needed with certification granted in 2012.
Pierre is in overall charge of the process, while two RTMS assistants have been appointed to
monitor the programme at the depots in Durban and Cape Town.
The implementation of RTMS has resulted in the introduction of stringent monthly assessments
of eachdriver and this is proving challengingbut rewarding,according to theVDS SHEQManager.
Currently the factors considered in the evaluation are: fuel consumption; vehicle damage;
traffic violations; DriveCam rating and a rating from the tracking system on driving style. There
is also a subjective rating from the line manager. Next year, green band driving and excessive
idling will be included in the parameters.
The driver evaluation system led to the setting up of an annual driving competition which
will be held for the second time this year and involves drivers from various companies in the
OneLogix Group, including VDS.
The finalists are selected after filtering a year’s performance, with the evaluation period
running from the beginning of October to the end of September the following year. Not only
will the best drivers per division be involved in the Driver of the Year competition, but also the
worst performers. The worst performing drivers per division will have a separate programme,
and the opportunity will be taken to inspire them to improve to join the ranks of the best.
Quarterly Imbizos are held as a communication platform with the drivers and they are
encouraged to actively contribute to problem-solving and to make suggestions to improve
operations.
VDS appointed driver coaches accompany drivers with below standard records on trips to
evaluate shortcomings and ensure remedial action.
Driver training is a serious matter with VDS and drivers have to undergo training using 13
modules. The company has professional driving learnerships, where it takes on 30 aspirant
drivers a year and puts them through a stringent one-year training course, using a combination
of the company’s driver trainers and the assistance of outside service providers.
At the end of the period, VDS takes on those drivers required to fill the staff complement and
any others are released to the industry as trained drivers, which is an important service to the
general trucking industry.
VDS, which started out as a cross-border car ferry company, is still involved in this business
and has 86 rigs running into Africa, mainly to Zimbabwe, Zambia and the Democratic Republic
of Congo, with some trips taking two to three weeks.
RTMS providing
benefits to VDS
The decision in 2010 by
the management of Vehicle
Delivery Services (VDS), part
of the OneLogix Group, to
implement the self-regulatory
Road Transport Management
System (RTMS), is proving
beneficial for this highly-rated
vehicle carrier.
Seen with one of the Hino 700 Series truck-
tractors at the VDS depot in Kempton Park
are VDS staff
(from left):
National Driver
Trainer,
Fred Fourie
, SHEQ Manager, Pierre
van Schalkwyk and National Driver Manager,
Aobakwe Moseta
.
VDS runs a mixed fleet with Hino’s
representation currently at 50 500-Series
models and 10 700-Series truck tractors
operating on the Johannesburg to Durban
run. A further 10 Hinos will join the fleet
soon. VDS is currently on an 800 000km truck
replacement cycle.
“Hino is a staunch and active supporter of
the RTMS system to improve road transport
in Southern Africa and we are delighted that
VDS, as one of our important customers, is
gaining many benefits from implementing the
system in such a short time,” said Hino SA
Vice President, Dr Casper Kruger.
