Power to the, trucking, people!

A huge part of our economy is carried on the backs of trucks travelling the length and breadth of South Africa. These workhorses, in turn, depend on those who steer them where they need to go … International logistics provider City Couriers is the second fleet company to join hands with the Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) and Corridor Empowerment Project (CEP) Fleet Owner Workplace Programme.

The concept for the Fleet Owner Workplace Programme came about as a result of the company’s involvement in the Trucking Wellness project – an initiative established by the National Bargaining Council of the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI).  It provides an education and basic healthcare service to truck drivers along the major freight routes in southern Africa.

The Programme’s key outcomes include: increased understanding around HIV/Aids and other lifestyle diseases; an increased capacity to prevent and manage the impact of diseases, in order to benefit employee health, life expectancy and job retention; information education and screening around health issues; and assisting fleet owners to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate a sustainable workplace wellness programme – including the development of policies, systems and processes.

Kobus van Zyl, executive director of Daimler Trucks and Buses South Africa, explains the reason behind MBSA’s decision to expand its value-add service to the commercial vehicle sector: “South Africa’s trucking industry forms the veins and arteries of the economic heart of this country, pumping prosperity to our people. The accomplishments of the trucking sector are also the success of Daimler Trucks and Buses South Africa, as a flourishing commercial vehicle supplier. We cannot disregard the varied issues that affect the larger trucking community.”

Van Zyl adds that the need for healthy, skilled truck drivers is only one of the issues that the company has chosen to support. “With our ongoing commitment to the sector, our slogan ‘Trucks You Can Trust’ is easy to translate into a mantra for the industry – ‘Truckers You Can Trust’.”