Project Summary
Transaid has been helping to improve the management of vehicles within Zambia’s public and private sectors and civil society through supporting the Industrial Training Centre (ICT) to deliver Transport Management Training. This is an extension to the professional driver training courses already being carried out and is seen as an important step in the project to help to further improve the safety, efficiency and quality control of vehicle fleets.
The Problem
There is a huge skills gap in the management of transport in Zambia. Often there is no designated Transport Officer and the management of vehicles is left to be the responsibility of personnel qualified in other fields such as human resources. In adequate transport management results in increased fuel costs, and inefficient and poorly maintained vehicles which can have a significant impact on service delivery.
The Process
In July two training courses were facilitated by Victor Simfukwe (Transaid’s Zambia Programmes Officer), Raymond Jhala MSc CMILT, and Major Henry Imbula (Rtd) Chairman of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport Zambia Section. Course content included the identification of transport constraints, operational management, maintenance, financial management, human resources and management information.
Partners
CILT Zambia
The Results
The ITC has successfully conducted transport management training for senior transport managers in Zambia, cutting across the private and public sectors and has also included civil society. Ten managers were trained in one five day course. Participants included representatives from government, ZANACO (a national bank), a private minibus operator, and a number of charities including Care International Child Funds, Room to Read and Africare. Initial feedback was very positive. Attendees appreciated the workshop style of the course and asked for further courses to be given to help close the knowledge gap currently surround transport management. Another course is planned for later in the year.
The Impact
The training of Transport Managers marks the next step in helping to increase the capacity of the transport and logistics sector in Zambia to operate effectively. More trained Transport Managers will lead to more effectively run fleets, better maintained vehicles and less deaths on Zambia’s roads.
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