Total truck ban at night opposed

Trucks will not be banned from driving at night due to the economic impact it will have on the country, but it has been decided that the industry should implement a self-regulatory system.
This was decided at the National Dialogue on the Regulation of Heavy Motor Vehicles and Conditions of Employment of Truck Drivers in Namibia that took place this week.
The chairperson of the Namibia Road Safety Council (NRSC), Eliphas !Owos-ôab, said a lengthy discussion took place to reach a compromise on how to regulate these issues.
It was decided that the restriction of heavy motor vehicles would negatively affect Namibia’s economy and its competitive advantage of trade with landlocked SADC countries.
!Owos-ôab said a self-regulatory system, such as the one used in South Africa, is the preferred option. Transport operators have pledged to come up with a self-regulation model within a week to be considered in a tripartite agreement involving the NRSC and the truck drivers.
South Africa uses the Road Traffic Management System, which is an industry-led self-regulation scheme that encourages transport operators to implement a vehicle management system that preserves road infrastructure, improves road safety and increases the productivity of the logistic value chain.
However, while Namibia is opting to follow in South Africa’s footsteps, in Botswana trucks longer than 10.5 metres are prohibited to drive between the hours of 18:00 and midnight on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, the day preceding a public holiday or on a public holiday, along with certain specified roads.
According to !Owos-ôab the tripartite engagement between the government, transport operators and truck drivers should be initiated within two weeks.
It was also decided that the Ministry of Labour Relations and Employment Creation urgently address the issues raised by truck drivers in terms of conditions of employment.
!Owos-ôab further pointed out that trucks’ involvement in road accidents contributes significantly to Namibia’s road safety record.
“In terms of recent accidents reported, single-vehicle collisions with heavy trucks have been associated with mass casualties.”
!Owos-ôab said truck drivers feel they are involved in unnecessary accidents caused by fatigue and long driving hours that result in mass casualties.
He referred to the Casablanca accident that caused 15 deaths, saying it is common knowledge that a heavy truck hitting a car will result in more fatalities than when two cars collide.
“They are chasing kilometres and the more distance they cover guarantees them a higher salary. The consequences however are that they are prompted to speed and are tired because of longer driving hours.”
According to !Owos-ôab, after every five hours truck drivers should rest for about 30 minutes. They are also required to rest after driving for 24 hours.
It was pointed out that more than 15 years after regulations were put in place to regulate driving hours, initiatives to regulate them have failed.
With regard to the impact on the economy !Owos-ôab said that banning trucks from driving at certain times would be counterproductive and not in the best interest of Namibia.
What also has to be taken into account is that when trucks are not driving at night the traffic volumes will be much higher during the day.
!Owos-ôab said increased trade with other SADC countries was leading to the growth of freight transport and the number of heavy vehicles on transport corridors such as Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Corridor, Trans-Kalahari Corridor, Trans-Oranje Corridor and Trans-Kunene Corridor are experienced.
Cargo volumes will double by 2017, he said.

ELLANIE SMIT