From the Editor’s Desk
July 03, 2026
Last week the 57th FleetWatch Brake & Tyre Watch event was held at Donkerhoek and, once again, our valued partners* gave generously of their time and expertise to educate Traffic Officials on the practical signs of truck unroadworthiness. The project’s purpose is straightforward. Traffic Officials don’t have brake testers or specialised equipment at the roadside so they need to recognise visible warning signs that suggest a truck may not be roadworthy. Those vehicles can then – depending on the severity of faults found – be fined or even suspended on the spot or be escorted to an authorised testing station where qualified vehicle examiners can conduct the necessary inspections and verify the cops’ on-road observations. The second objective is just as important: reminding operators that regular maintenance is not optional. It is fundamental to road safety.
Over the years I’ve witnessed every reaction imaginable from operators whose trucks have been suspended. One incident in Pietersburg still makes me smile. After receiving a phone call from his driver that his truck had been suspended, the owner arrived absolutely furious. He was pointed in my direction and after trying unsuccessfully to explain why the vehicle had been taken off the road, I also reached the end of my patience. “Wil Meneer praat of box want ek is nou lus vir enige een wat jy kies?” I asked. (“Would you, Sir, like to talk or box because I’m happy with whichever you choose.”) He stared at me for a moment before replying, “Kom ons praat.”
Thank goodness. He looked like a man who knew his way around a boxing ring. As we walked around his combination, I showed him the problem. His almost brand-new trailer had been fitted with manual slack adjusters instead of the automatic slack adjusters required by law. The fault wasn’t his. It lay with the trailer manufacturer. We there and then contacted the manufacturer, who eventually accepted responsibility and agreed to cover the cost of the downtime and replace the components. By the end of the day, we had become good mates.
On another occasion – in Klerksdorp if memory serves me correctly – another irate owner arrived demanding that his truck be released immediately. He berated everyone in sight before confronting me. I calmly said: “We’ll happily put your truck back on the road on one condition. You drive the truck and your truck driver drives your car. I just hope your car has brakes because your truck doesn’t.” His expression changed immediately. We then showed him the brake roller test results. Total fail. The argument ended there.
Last week at Donkerhoek I encountered something completely different. After being informed that one of his trucks had been discontinued, the director of the company arrived at the holding yard. Expecting another confrontation, I introduced myself. And surprise – instead of anger he expressed appreciation. “We have an image to uphold and this is not how we operate,” he said. “I’ve already scheduled a meeting with our workshop staff first thing tomorrow morning to find out who is responsible for this.” And there certainly was plenty to investigate. The truck had some serious defects. “So, you’re not upset with the Traffic Officials or with us?” I asked. “Not at all,” he replied. “I’m grateful. This truck is unsafe and someone in our organisation has dropped the ball. That person will be held accountable.”
What a refreshing attitude. He didn’t blame the authorities. He didn’t blame FleetWatch. He didn’t blame the driver. He accepted responsibility. That conversation prompts a simple question. How many company owners and directors genuinely know what is happening inside their own workshops? This director believed he had a roadworthy truck representing his business. He discovered otherwise. The failure wasn’t the truck’s. It wasn’t the Traffic Officials’. It was a failure somewhere within his own maintenance system.
There’s a lot of buzz around the new era of AI and I feel that many managers are being caught up in it and are losing touch with the basics of trucking. Artificial intelligence will, without doubt, become an increasingly valuable tool in transport. It will analyse data faster, identify trends, improve route planning and help predict maintenance requirements. But AI still won’t crawl underneath a trailer to fit the correct brake booster. It won’t replace a dangerously worn tyre. It won’t reconnect a loose ABS cable. It won’t reconnect a load sensing valve. Those tasks still require skilled technicians – and managers who ensure those technicians are doing the job properly.
Too many executives spend their time studying dashboards, reports and performance metrics while rarely setting foot inside the workshops responsible for keeping their fleets safe. Technology has an increasingly important role to play, but it is no substitute for visible leadership and taking an active interest in the basics that keep trucks safe. My late great friend and FleetWatch Technical Correspondent Dave Scott – who attended and presented at many of our Brake & Tyre Watch events – would refer to it as ‘Management by Walk-About’. The Donkerhoek results once again reinforced that message. Four out of the five trucks inspected failed. That should concern every fleet operator.
AI will undoubtedly reshape many aspects of trucking in the years ahead. But no algorithm will tighten a wheel nut, adjust a slack adjuster or replace a worn or cracked top plate on a fifth wheel. Until that day arrives – and in my opinion it never will – road safety will continue to depend on competent technicians, properly managed workshops and leaders prepared to swap the boardroom for the workshop floor. Sometimes the most valuable management report isn’t displayed on a computer screen. It’s waiting underneath a truck.
*Our partners: Bridgestone South Africa; ZF Aftermarket; BPW Axles; ORAFOL South Africa; JOST South Africa; Powerfleet; JC Auditors; Accident Specialist; Santam; Standard Bank; and the OEM for the Donkerhoek event, Isuzu Motors South Africa.
Patrick O’Leary
Managing Editor, FleetWatch
