Heavy vehicle overload challenges

Heavy Vehicle Overload Control

Challenges

Dr Paul NordengenResearch Group Leader: Network Asset Management SystemsCSIR Built Environment

Transport Forum,University of Johannesburg,

4 June 2015

Contents

Background and problem statement

Overload control challenges

Two more recent solutions

The Culture of Non-compliance Overloading

Speeding

Vehicle maintenance (brakes, tyres,

lights)

Driver hours

Reckless driving

False licenses (vehicles & drivers)

Load securement

Cabotage

Bribery & corruption

Regional Road Freight Issues

ROAD

FREIGHT

TRANSPORT

GLOBAL

COMPETETIVENESS

QUALITY

OF LIFE

SUSTAINABLE

ENVIRONMENT

Transport efficiency

Cost of logistics

Congestion

Cross-border delays

Optimum road

maintenance

Road safety

Congestion

Cost of logistics

Road condition

Transport efficiency

Road crashes

Road condition

Congestion

Energy consumption

Emissions

“maintaining and preserving

natural systems”

Key Elements in Road

Freight Transport

• Road infrastructure

• Vehicles (design, maintenance

& operation)

• Drivers

Road infrastructure

GOOD ROADS LEAD TO PROSPERITY

motto of the SA Road Federation

Better roads, better world

Slide # 7

Road infrastructure

• South Africa’s road network has been built to a high standard (from both regional and international perspectives)

Road deterioration – long-term

trends: Provincial Roads Condition of surfaced roads

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

1988

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2004

2006

2008

Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

Slide # 15

North West Province, South Africa, 5 Nov 2004, 23h00

Six trucks carrying cobalt concentrate from DRC to Johannesburg (3 500 km) Overloads ranged from 30 780kg to 37 640kg (65%)

Slide # 18

0

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

Fa

tal

cra

sh

ra

te

Aust

Can

France

Denmark

USA

South Africa

Switzerland

Fatal truck crash per 100 million vehicle

kilometres travelled

Source: OECD report, Moving Freight with Better Trucks, 2010

Heavy Vehicle Fatal Crash Rates

Brake & Tyre Watch ResultsLocation Inspected Discontinued %

City Deep 24 21 88%

Middelburg 35 24 69%

Centurion 41 17 42%

Midway KZN 26 10 38%

Kroonstad 8 7 92%

Brackenfell, W. Cape 25 25 100%

Pietermaritzburg 12 11 92%

Port Elizabeth 15 6 40%

Rustenburg 7 5 72%

Polokwane 11 10 91%

Midway KZN 24 20 83%

Bloemfontein 24 20 83%

Nelspruit/Komati 13 12 92%

TOTAL (28 events) 594 397 67%

28 B&TW events from Feb. 2006

to date

Slide # 22

Slide # 23

Cost of Logistics• The cost of logistics as a percentage of GDP in South

Africa is almost double that of the United States and 50% more than Japan and Brazil

0%

2%

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10%

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16%

United

States

Japan Brazil South Africa

Slide # 25

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

United

States

Japan Brazil South Africa

Condition of surfaced roads

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

1988

1990

1992

1994

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1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

Very Poor Poor Fair Good Very Good

Overload Control Challenges

• Adequate infrastructure• Location of weighbridges (alternative routes)• Efficient weighing procedures (delays –

negative impact on transport productivity• Maintenance of infrastructure, in particular

advanced technologies• Data management and reporting• Consistent application of mass regulations• Sufficient and adequately trained staff• Operational hours• Ineffective court system and low fines• Bribery & corruption

National Roads

Secondary Roads

Tertiary Roads

Main Road Categories in South Africa

Status Quo of roads

Weighbridges




advanced technologies• Consistent application of mass regulations• Data management and reporting• Sufficient and adequately trained staff• Operational hours• Ineffective court system and low fines• Bribery & corruption

Beaufort West Traffic Control Centre

Donkerhoek Traffic Control Centre




advanced technologies• Consistent application of mass regulations• Data management and reporting • Sufficient and adequately trained staff• Operational hours• Ineffective court system and low fines• Bribery & corruption

Permissible Maximum Mass on a

Steering Axle

• Reg. 240(b)(i) (“Road capacity” limit)7 700 kg

• Reg. 239(1)(a)(ii) (Vehicle Manufacturer’s Rating)6 800 kg

• Reg. 238(1) (Tyre Manufacturer’s Rating)7 200 kg

• Permissible Maximum Mass = 6 800 kg





Overload Control Statistics (2014)

• No. of vehicles weighed: 2 041 000• No. of vehicles overloaded: 416 364 (20%)• No. of vehicles chargeable: 53 525 (2.6%)•• Mpumalanga (N4 corridor): 669 000• W. Cape: 540 000• Limpopo: 413 000• KwaZulu-Natal : 145 000• Gauteng: 142 000• North West: 77 000• Free State: 44 000• N. Cape: 10 600• E. Cape: 65









Slide # 44

Road

Safety

Fair Competition

between modes &

operators

Infrastructure

Protection

OVERLOAD CONTROL

National Overload Control Strategy

Implemented by National, Provincial and Local

Authorities

Infrastructure & Equipment

• Main routes (major facilities)

• Alternative routes (minor facilities/screening)

• Monitoring (HS-WIM)

• Alternative weighing equipment

• Private weighbridges

Information sharing &

Public Awareness

• Overload website

• Overload information booklet

Operations

• Human Resources

• PPP

• Training

• Guideline document

for law enforcement

Self-regulation

• Road Transport

Management System

(RTMS)

• Performance-Based

Standards (PBS)

Legislation

• Consignors/Consignees

• 5% Tolerance

• User charges

• Habitual Overloaders

• Public Prosecutors

• Alternative weighing equipment

• AARTO

Co-operation

• Provinces

• Local authorities

• Department of Justice

• Private sector

Consignor/Consignee Legislation

• Legislation signed off in Parliament in Feb 2009 • Regulation promulgated in Oct 2014• Effective from 31 Jan 2015

The Road Transport Management System

• RTMS is an industry–led, government-supported, voluntary, self-regulation scheme that encourages consignees, consignors and road transport operators to implement a management systems standard with outcomes that contribute to preserving road infrastructure, improving road safety and increasing productivity.

• Key focus areas are:- load optimisation (minimise over- and under-loading)- driver wellness- vehicle maintenance- productivity

RTMS Standard Summary

(SANS 1395-1:2014)

Loading Control

Fleet Inventory

Control of loading

Prevent Overloads

Optimise Payload

Safety/ Compliance

Vehicle Maintenance

Basic Roadworthiness

Minimising breakdowns

Speeding Controls

Accident Analysis

Traffic violations

Risk Management

Driver Wellness

Medical Fitness

Chronic illness Management

Fatigue Management

Driving hours

Wellness Initiatives (Nutrition etc.)

SupportProviding skills development to ensure drivers obtain and retain competency to be safe, compliant and a minimal risk on public roads

Procedures, Policies, Documents + Records + Monitoring +

Corrective Actions + Internal Audit = Continual Improvement

Vehicle & Load Safety

52

Management of Driver Wellness

53

Growth of the RTMS in SA146 fleets representing almost 8 000 trucks & buses (In 2007 their were 74 certified vehicles)

24 abnormal load operators:• 258 vehicles• Plant hire, construction, engineering, mobile cranes• 2 commercial A/L operators (108 vehicles)

Three bus operators:• Buscor 404

buses • Intercape

152 coaches• GABS Over

1000 buses

Reduction in overloading & speeding

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Percen

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Month Ending

Percentage Overload

Overloaded ( >2% ) Overloaded ( >5% ) Total Trips Percentage Overload Industry Target Linear (Percentage Overload)

Pre-RTMS Post-RTMSAverage Overloading 23% 2.53%Vehicle Maintenance

Compliance62% 95.50%

Compliance with

Speed limits63% 97.40%

Fatigue Management 54% 94.60%Medical Fitness 23% 93%Accidents per million

kilometresUnknown 7.8

Driver Training 24% 92%

Pre- and Post-RTMS Stats (2014)

Nordengen et al.

RTMS benefits: Crash reductions

Barloworld Logistics: 66% reduction in the number of crashes in 2012 (owner driver fleet);

Vehicle Delivery Services: 42% reduction in serious crashes from 2011 to 2012;

Timber Logistics Services: 50% reduction in crashes and incidents from 2009 to 2012;

The City of Cape Town, Electricity Support Services: 44% reduction in the number of crashes;

Unitrans Amatikulu: cost of crashes reduced from 5.0% of revenue to 1.3% of revenue (reduction in the frequency and severity of crashes)

STS N°12

58TRA2014 Paris 14-17 avril 2014

THANK YOU

Business

Heavy vehicle overload challenges