Gauteng Provincial Freight Summit
Introduction to the Road Transport
Management System (RTMS)
(Operating Standards for the Heavy Vehicle Industry)
20 October 2014
Prasanth Mohan (Director: Road Infrastructure)
1

SA Road Network (Extent, Condition and Traffic Statistics & Accident Data)

Supporting Strategies for RTMS (Self Regulation)

Road Infrastructure Strategic Framework for South Africa (RISFSA)

Road Freight Strategy

National Overload Control Strategy

Implementation of outstanding Legislation

Self Regulation


Benefits

Political Support

Publication of RTMS Standards

Launch of RTMS Standards
Recommendations
2
Main Road Categories in South Africa
National Roads
Secondary Roads
Tertiary Roads
Weighbridges
 Status Quo of roads
Authority
Paved
Gravel
Total
SANRAL
19,704
0
19,704
Provinces
44,942
136,640
181,582
Metros
51,682
14,461
66,143
Municipalities
37,691
302,158
339,849
153,719
453,259
606,978
140,000
140,000
593,259*
746,978*
Total
*Un-Proclaimed (Estimate)
Estimated Total
•
•
153,719*
SANRAL Networked further expanded and
Latest RAMS data not taken into account
4
Strategic Issues Facing the Sector

Age of road network in relation to typical design lifespan (20 years);

Extent of road network condition in poor to very poor condition;

Exponential increase in vehicle traffic, especially freight traffic - increases
maintenance requirements & the need to upgrade roads;

Lack of investments / inadequate funding 


for period maintenance has resulted in a rapid deterioration of the road network
the current maintenance effort at current funding levels is inadequate to address
maintenance backlog;
Lack of road condition data and maintenance of a Road Asset
Management System (RAMS) - affects project prioritisation by Road Authorities;

Implementation of a Road Classification System - especially at municipal level;

Proclamation of roads - especially rural access roads;

Technical Skills - to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate projects and to report
on existing road infrastructure investments.
5
Road Freight Challenges in South Africa
Vehicle
Maintenance
Construction,
Road
Safety
Maintenance & Rehabilitation
Driver
Fatigue
Driver
Health
Driver
Wellness
Driver
Training
Traffic
Congestion
Road
Infrastructure
Increasing
FREIGHT
TASK
Law
Enforcement
Road
Infrastructure
Deterioration
Vehicle
Overloading
Transport
Efficiency
National
Economy
Global
Competitiveness
Unfair
Competition
Road/Rail Debate
Growth in Freight
Paved national and provincial roads, passenger vehicles
and commercial vehicles for transport of goods
Index (1970 = 100)
500
400
300
200
100
0
1940
1950
Paved roads
1960
1970
1980
Passenger vehicles
1990
2000
Goods vehicles
History of Road Crashes in SA
RSA Crashes per annum
900,000
850,000
800,000
750,000
700,000
650,000
600,000
550,000
500,000
450,000
400,000
350,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
14
Heavy vehicle fatalities per 100 million km
100 million km
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
USA
UK
Aust
Can
Ger
Swe
Fra
NZ
SA

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
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
2%
0%
United
States
Japan
Brazil
South Africa
SA’s isolated Geographical position relative
to markets and trade routes demands
Transport
Efficiency
Global
Competitiveness
National
Economy
11
Fair Competition
between modes &
operators
Infrastructure
Protection
Road
Safety
OVERLOAD CONTROL
National Overload Control Strategy (NOCS: 2014)
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
Self-regulation
•Road Transport
Management System
(RTMS)
•Performance-Based
Standards (PBS) / Smart
Trucks
Legislation
•Consignors/Consignees
•5% Tolerance
•User charges
•Habitual Overloaders
•Public Prosecutors
•Alternative weighing equipment
Operations
Information sharing &
Public Awareness
•Overload website
•Overload information booklet
•Human Resources
Co-operation
•PPP
•Provinces
•Training
•Local authorities
•Guideline document
for law enforcement
•Department of Justice
•Private sector
Road Freight Strategy for South Africa
Final draft ( 26 November 2010)
National Road Traffic Amendment Act
(No. 64 of 2008)

Deals with numerous issues including:
◦ Definition of a traffic warden
◦ Amendments regarding driving licenses
◦ Speeding and license suspensions
◦ Certain drivers may exceed the speed
limit
◦ Reporting of accidents (by drivers and
RTMC)
◦ Definition of a haulage tractor
◦ Principal approval for Abnormal Load
vehicles
National Road Traffic Amendment Act
Section 74A (Act or omission)
74A. (1) Whenever any manager, agent or employee of a
consignor or consignee, as the case may be, does or fails to
do anything which, if the consignor or consignee had done or
failed to do it, would have constituted an offence in terms of
this Act, the consignor or consignee, as the case may be, shall
be regarded to have committed the act or omission personally
in the absence of evidence indicating —
(a) that he or she did not connive at or permit such act or omission;
(b) that he or she took all reasonable measures to prevent such act or
omission; and
(c) that such act or omission did not fall within the scope of the
authority of or in the course of the employment of such manager,
agent or employee, be deemed to have committed or omitted that
act and be liable to be convicted and sentenced in respect thereof.
National Road Traffic Amendment Act
Section 74A (Act or omission)
74A. (2) In the circumstances contemplated in
subsection (1) the conviction of the consignor
or consignee shall not absolve the manager,
agent or employee in question from liability or
criminal prosecution
National Road Traffic Amendment Act
Section 74B (Proof of certain facts)
(1) In any prosecution under this Act, a goods declaration or
any other document relating to the load of a vehicle and
confiscated from such vehicle shall be proof of the
matters stated in such document unless credible
evidence to the contrary is adduced.
(2) A copy of or extract from any document referred to in
subsection (1), and certified as a true copy or extract by
the officer in whose custody the original document is,
shall, unless credible evidence to the contrary is
adduced, be admissible as evidence and be proof of the
truth of all matters stated in such document without the
requirement of having to produce the original document
from or of which such extract or copy was made.
National Road Traffic Amendment Act
Section 74A (Act or omission)
In Progress /
Outstanding
Minister of Transport to
Road
Traffic
Publish
Regulations required for
Law Enforcement and
Prosecution purposes.
Self Regulation
 The NOCS identified heavy vehicle self regulation by industry as a strategic
intervention to regulate overloading through partnership with the private sector.
 A project (Load Accredited Program –LAP) has successfully been piloted in the timber
industry through a partnership involving the Forestry Association of SA, Road
Federation Association, National Productivity Institute, CSIR, various industry
representatives (manufacturers, haulers) and the Department of Transport.
 The Department of Transport provided seed funding in 2004/5 and industry was
requested sustain the project.
 Project evolved into Road Transport Management System (RTMS) to focus on other
problem areas;
 The DoT commissioned the SABS to develop RTMS National Standards;
 The RTMS Standards shall serve to assist Consignees/Consignors/Operators
 The DoT provided financial support in the form of RTMS Awareness Workshops;
 Industry has continued with additional works (35 workshops complete)
 SABS now ready to publish the RTMS National Standards
RTMS
is
an
industry–led,
government-supported
/
recognised,
voluntary,
selfregulation scheme that encourages
consignees, consignors & road
transport operators to implement
a management system (a set of
standards) with outcomes that
contribute to preserving road
infrastructure, improving road
safety & increasing productivity.

Key focus areas are:
◦
load optimisation
◦ driver wellness
◦ vehicle maintenance
◦ productivity

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










Road Authorities
Prepare and equip industry to comply with the legislation;
Improved road safety;
Focused law enforcement (Problem areas);
Reduced rate of road network deterioration caused by overloaded
vehicles;
As SADAC Road Safety Champion, the Minister expected to support
/ promote safety interventions.
Transport operators, consignors/consignees
Increased productivity through the adoption of good management
practices e.g. reduced vehicle maintenance costs, reduced
accidents;
Improved efficiency for participants by reducing the impact of
conventional regulatory enforcement e.g. delays at weighbridges
and road blocks;
Improvement in driver well-being and performance;
Promotion of fair competition;
Toolkit to comply with legislation
Reduced insurance costs / Access to finance !!!
Thank You