Certification body JC Auditors and the RTMS (Road Transport Management System) Non Profit Company (NPC) have been recognised for their outstanding performance at the inaugural African Supply Chain Excellence Awards. The Awards celebrate the vital role played by supply chain management and honours the achievements of organisations and individuals working in the field in Africa.
“JC Auditors is pleased to have been recognised for its role in promoting safety, compliance and efficiency,” said managing director Oliver Naidoo. “In collaboration with the RTMS NPC, we have pioneered RTMS audits and certification in South Africa which promotes the adoption of the RTMS standard in various supply chains.”
In a joint presentation to the African Supply Chain Excellence Awards, JC Auditors and the RTMS NPC highlighted the work done to increase safety and efficiency on the roads by implementing a management system that demonstrates compliance with the Road Traffic Regulations and contributes to preserving road infrastructure.
“The RTMS aims to mitigate the consequences of heavy vehicle overloading and poor compliance to road safety,” says Naidoo. “Even though RTMS was initially mooted as an overload control mechanism, it has evolved to a holistic system of managing road transport operations.”
JC Auditors have conducted more than 5 000 RTMS audits over the past 15 years across various transport sectors. The audits have played an invaluable role in promoting safety, compliance and efficiency. Understanding the crucial importance of developing capacity for the RTMS to succeed, JC Auditors have also hosted 40 successful training courses at various national venues. These courses have had a defined impact in empowering individuals to understand the RTMS and how to implement the standard in various fleet operations.
In South Africa, approximately 14 000 people die each year on the roads. Heavy vehicle overloading and a culture of non-compliance have continued to present a significant challenge to the country. Another challenge has been the high prevalence of vehicles that are not adequately maintained, while many transport operations don’t monitor key risk factors such as speeding, general driver behaviour or adequate resting time for drivers.
According to Naidoo, the failure of transport operators to implement a holistic, structured road transport management system is a root cause of the high crash rates within the heavy vehicle road transport sector.
“RTMS is increasingly being adopted by the transport sector as more benefits become evident,” adds Naidoo. “These benefits include a reduced number of crashes and incidents in the country, a real reduction in overloading in several sectors and overall improved driver behaviour – thanks to ongoing training, as well as improved driver health and wellness.”
Highlighting the overall greater compliance within the transport industry and the work done by JC Auditors and RTMS, Naidoo says the success of the programme was encouraging. “Much work, however, remains to be done, as the RTMS companies still represent a very small proportion of the total number of transport companies in South Africa. Going forward, the RTMS NPC and JC Auditors will continue to look at innovative ways of expanding the RTMS to reach more transporters,” he says.
