Daimler Truck Southern Africa bolsters driver wellbeing

Left to right: Tertius Wessels, MD of Corridor Empowerment Project; Judith Bester: Project Lead DTSA Trucking Wellness Project; Cornel Oelofse, Dealer Principal Orbit Commercial Vehicles Cape Town; Maretha Gerber, President and Group CEO DTSA; Dirkie van Zyl, MD Pool Transport; Hendrienne Pool, Human Resources Pool Transport; Helmut Pool: Owner Pool Transport.
Left to right: Tertius Wessels, MD of Corridor Empowerment Project; Judith Bester: Project Lead DTSA Trucking Wellness Project; Cornel Oelofse, Dealer Principal Orbit Commercial Vehicles Cape Town; Maretha Gerber, President and Group CEO DTSA; Dirkie van Zyl, MD Pool Transport; Hendrienne Pool, Human Resources Pool Transport; Helmut Pool: Owner Pool Transport.

Testimony to its dedication to driver wellbeing, Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA), in partnership with Trucking Wellness, has positively impacted thousands of truck driver lives by providing access to primary healthcare through fixed roadside wellness centres, fully-fledged mobile wellness centres and the DTSA key account customer’s Fleet Owner Workplace Wellness Programme.

On 19 April 2024, Pool Transport officially became the 10th DTSA key account customer to complete the DTSA Fleet Owner Workplace Wellness Programme under the guidance of the National Bargaining Council for the Road Freight and Logistics Industry (NBCRFLI)’s Trucking Wellness Project.

The DTSA Fleet Owner Workplace Wellness Programme is an exclusive value-added benefit for DTSA’s key account customers that started in 2013. The programme incorporates all employees, but with a unique approach on driver health to minimise the impact of disease and ill health on the customer’s financial, operational, human resource and total cost of ownership.

Over the past 11 years, the programme has continuously evolved, enhancing content to meet emerging customer needs. This year, Pool Transport was a catalyst to align the DTSA Fleet Owner Workplace Programme with RTMS accreditation, developing the first fatigue management policy and assisting in the development of a medical certification process for truck drivers.

Dirkie van Zyl, MD of Pool Transport, says: “The wellness of our drivers is a priority and joint responsibility of the company and employees to fulfil our duty to directly contribute to the safety of our roads. Pool Transport is committed to foster a culture of wellness and empowerment through our organisation. We extend our sincere gratitude to DTSA for their support, commitment and investment in the health and wellness of our employees. We would further like to thank Trucking Wellness and the NBCRFLI for their contribution to this ongoing wellness initiative in the transport industry of South Africa, and more specifically for Pool Transport.”

Tertius Wessels, MD of Corridor Empowerment Project, managing Trucking Wellness for the NBCRFLI adds: “Our 15-year partnership with DTSA led to much closer relationships with transport companies, such as Pool Transport.  It allows for increased understanding and use of Trucking Wellness and other NBCRFLI wellness services, whilst implementing programmes with true shared value for all stakeholders.”

“DTSA remains committed to advancing access to primary healthcare for truck drivers in South Africa, because we know that a healthy truck driver is a safe truck driver, contributing to safer roads for all South Africans. DTSA’s Fleet Owner Workplace Wellness Programme is one of the vehicles to achieve this goal and I am thankful for partners like Trucking Wellness and Pool Transport for their efforts and commitment to complete this programme and make a lasting impact towards this amazing cause,” says Maretha Gerber, President and Group CEO of DTSA, concludes.

Sarel Pool started Pool Transport in 1955 and officially registered the company in1965 as SN Pool (Pty) Ltd, widely known today as Pool Transport and synonymous with reliability and safe delivery of cargo, offering comprehensive supply chain solutions including spacious warehousing in Worcester and Johannesburg. The company bought its first Mercedes-Benz Truck back in 1974 and today runs a 100% DTSA dedicated fleet 50 years later.

 

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