Recently launched industry association SaferStops Association CEO Nicci Scott-Anderson has stressed the importance of government, the private sector and industry stakeholders supporting the endeavours of the association.

She pointed out that the association's establishment stemmed from her work as CEO and founder of the Commercial Transport Academy (CTA) and the facilitator of the Women Inspiring Women to Lead in Transport programme, which had endeavoured to contribute to creating a more enabling environment for women in the transport industry.

“We knew that it would be essential for women to access long haul and transport opportunities. This would help women feel safe enough to stop at and use truck stops, and have access to adequate ablution facilities. Two years ago, we only found three truck stops in the country that had ablution facilities for women; however, this has increased since.

"I’ve been in this industry for 23 years, so I knew about some of the challenges for truck stops. However, when we went to examine them, we decided that SaferStops will be about helping women as well as men truck drivers."

She stressed the importance of improving truck stop facilities, as they were crucial for drivers and many other actors in the economy of South Africa that used truck stops.

The association had gained the endorsement of the South African government, she added, and was currently engaging to gain the support of stakeholders such as transport couriers and bus operators.

This comes in addition to associations such as the Road Freight Association, the Southern African Bus Operators Association, the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight Industry and others.

The association is also looking to gain support from national tolls operators and the South African National Roads Agency, as well as road provident fund managers.  

IMPROVING TRUCK STOPS
She also emphasised the need to improve a range of aspects associated with truck stops, the first of which included focusing on maintaining and improving the health and wellness of drivers.

“There are private companies that own them. I’m hoping to gain support from industry stakeholders, so that when we do engage with truck stop owners, there’s a bit more pressure on them to improve their facilities.”

Highlighting the poor selection and quality of food options currently available at many truck stops, she also stated that the association had been in discussion with Engen, which had done research on providing extensive and healthy meals to cover the nutritional needs of drivers.

These meals will be frozen and prepared by a Johannesburg-based company, and drivers will be able to order these meals at affordable prices through a mobile application that will be launched.

She explained that physical fitness was also important for truck drivers, particularly as they were required to drive long distances, and that poor truck stop conditions raised the potential for drivers to be afflicted with avoidable conditions and diseases.

She also pointed out that drivers can also suffer from diseases such as epilepsy, which can contribute to potential accidents and health risks for drivers and other people travelling on roads.

“Giving drivers access to a gym at a truck stop is essential, so that they can stretch, work out, and break that routine of being in a truck for up to 12 hours”.

Discussing the recent burnings of trucks that had occurred in South Africa , ScottAnderson stressed the importance of providing post-traumatic stress disorder therapy and counselling to truck drivers that were impacted by this.

“We now know that depression is one of the leading problems that truck drivers suffer from, particularly with the time they spend alone. Mental, physical and emotional health are all key, and we will be looking to address all of these requirements."

She also highlighted the need to provide more facilities at truck stops that include some form of entertainment for drivers so they can rest and recuperate before continuing their journeys.

This also came in addition to elements such as providing WiFi services, as there was currently a lack of WiFi at truck stops, she added.

This will help truck drivers communicate with their workplaces and families, as well as enable them to access online learning materials from organisations such as the CTA.

She emphasised the need to create easily accessible and digestible education and learning materials so that drivers can gain access to skills and new qualifications.

This also comes in addition to assisting drivers with accessing medication.

“Truck drivers also often go without their critical medication, such as chronic medication, because they don't get home in time to pick up their medication."

To address this, she emphasised the need for services to be provided to drivers that involved delivering medication to lockers at truck stops along their driving route so they would have access to this medication.

She also pointed out the involvement of the CTA in collaborating with stakeholders in the industry and government on combining a range of transport-related initiatives to create a programme to be rolled out.

“It will have to be a slow introduction to test the success of this initiative. This is why the SaferStops was created as an association, not a programme. We will be engaging with these key stakeholders and partners so they can commit their support.

"We’re not proposing to build new truck stops, we are taking existing infrastructure and raising the standard. We might not get every truck stop to the same level, but we’re at least hoping to implement a minimum standard for truck stops, which is where we're going to be working with government."

She also stated the need to use truck stops as places where the drivers can renew their yearly licence and professional driving permits, so drivers don’t have to take time off work to do this.

She added that global trade technology company GUUD had the resources to help conduct eye tests and receive glasses if needed.

“We already have the infrastructure for the trucking wellness programme with the National Bargaining Council for Road Freight, it's already there, we just need to bring programmes such as this under one initiative."

GAINING INDUSTRY SUPPORT
She said that, in the coming weeks, committee members would be joining SaferStops to represent key industry players, which would be announced in due course.

“As soon as we have bedded down what the ideal truck stop looks like, we will then start to roll out - with Engen - the first four truck stops.”

Scott-Anderson also enthused that, through an app that will be launched, SaferStops is hoping to support this initiative with financial rewards.

This includes rewards for activities such as using gym equipment at truck stops, purchasing healthy meals, driving safely, and other similar activities.

“Drivers will get money in their pockets for making the right choices.

"Give us eight months to come back to you to show tangible results, and we will report to you what we have achieved in this time. Funding for the first eight months has predominantly been provided by the US Agency for International Development,” she concluded.