Transaid is working in partnership with the Industrial Training Centre Trust (ITCT), a quasi-governmental organisation in Lusaka, to improve professional driver training and safety standards. The ITCT is the only national centre in Zambia which offers commercial driver training.
Transaid is working to improve the capacity of the centre through the training of trainers and the establishment of a new curriculum which will incorporate internationally recognised professional driver training standards in line with the Zambian Road Transport Safety Agency (RTSA).
The Problem
Road crashes are responsible for 1.3 million deaths and 50 million injuries per year globally. They are the second cause of death in 4-29 year olds and the financial cost is estimated at $65 billion per year making it an extremely serious global issue. The World Bank states that road crashes are the third highest cause of death after malaria and HIV/AIDS in sub-saharan Africa and that deaths from road accidents are set to rise by more than 60% by 2020 unless there is a new commitment to prevention.*
In Africa, it costs 250% more to move goods from A to B than in Europe due to a number of interrelated factors including poor road conditions and infrastructure, few road safety regulations and lack of law enforcement. This in turn creates bad practice in terms of driver behaviour such as overloading of vehicles, untrained and unskilled drivers, poor driving techniques, unsecure loads and badly maintained vehicles leading to death and injury.
In Zambia, the Road Transport Safety Agency (RTSA) estimates that road crashes are costing the country 1.3 trillion kwacha each year (approximately £178 million). Tragically, it is lower income families who are often most affected and who are driven deeper into poverty by the loss of the breadwinner or the added burden of caring for family members who become injured or disabled following a road crash.
The problem is further compounded by the severe shortage of trained HGV drivers in landlocked Zambia and its neighbouring countries. The transport industry is desperate for trained drivers but lacks a facility to provide this scale of quality professionally trained drivers.
Transaid seeks to address this problem and to reduce the number of fatalities due to road crashes in the region through the implementation of a high quality and effective driver training programme at the ITCT.
The Process
In August 2008, Transaid signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ITCT and installed a project development manager (on secondment from Transaid UK member company Wincanton) to oversee the running of the project.
Phase 1
(August 2008 – December 2008)
Transaid reviewed the existing functions of the ITCT and made recommendations on areas for improvement. This included a health and safety due diligence and a financial due diligence. Transaid also increased the number of training vehicles (trucks and trailers) at the centre to ensure students have greater access to gaining more practical experience, vital for increasing manual skill and confidence when vehicle handling.
Phase 2
(November 2008 – April 2009)
Transaid began the training of driver trainers. Existing driver trainer competency levels were assessed and gaps identified. Further training was then carried out according to need. This included six months of intensive training and coaching from UK driver trainers along with the updating of new materials. Transaid has started a resources library to provide additional support to trainers and trainees.
Phase 3
(April 2009 onwards)
Post April 2009 a less intensive phase of coaching and continuous development began with driver inputs taking place every three months for quality assurance. Transaid has also built on driver trainers skills and expertise, including hazardous chemical awareness and training.
Phase 4
(August – December 2009)
Transaid began public service vehicle (PVS) training with two major bus and coach operators in Zambia to expand the reach of training beyond commercial trucking. This phase is being supported by Stagecoach who have seconded a driver training instructor for 12 months to the project This input is being given in three month blocks.
A second health & safety review was also conducted which revealed that the ITCT had made great improvements over the last year. A health and safety committee was formed as a result of this to maintain and improve standards.
Phase 5
(January 2009 – March 2010)
Following the donation of a forklift truck all driver trainers at the ITCT received a five day course in FLT driver training which has enabled them to qualify for a Zambian forklift truck trainer licence. They will continue to receive further HGV driver training inputs including a hazardous chemical one day refresher course.
Phase 6
(April 2010 onwards)
Plans are currently underway to develop a strategic plan for the ITCT which will enable it to continue to develop further when Transaid’s programme manager pulls back from the project in April. Twenty-one months on, the ITCT will have built the capacity to run independently and Transaid will take a less hands on approach, but will continue to offer periodic training inputs and support as required.
Partners
The Industrial Training Centre Trust (ITCT)
Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) , Zambia
The Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA)
Turnpan Ltd
The project is also heavily supported by a consortium of UK transport and logistics companies including: Bibby Distribution, Britcom International, CEVA Logistics, HOYER, Stagecoach, MAN Truck & Bus, Michelin, Norbert Dentressangle Logistics (UK), Toyota Material Handling UK, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics and Wincanton.
The Results
The project aims to increase capacity within the ITCT to carry out internationally recognised standards of professional driver training. This will help make Zambia’s commercial driver’s safer - teaching them beyond manoeuvring knowledge and skill towards a great understanding of risks, risk reduction and self-awareness.
The Impact
The improvement of professional driver training standards will help to reduce the number of road crashes and fatalities which occur at an alarming rate on Zambia’s roads.
Through improving the capacity of the ITCT, more commercial drivers will have access to professional driver training, resulting in safer and more skilled drivers. This will lead to better driving on the roads and will help to reduce the number of road crashes in the region, leading to much safer communities and a more effective operating industry.
The increase in skills and knowledge that driver trainers and trainees receive will also enable them to increase their employability. This will have a significant impact on their livelihoods and standards of living, helping to reduce the number of families living below the poverty line.
*WHO (2004),World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention, ISBN 02 4 156260 9, World Health Organization, Geneva.
You can view a short three minute film of the Professional Driver Training Project on You Tube by clicking here.
Please also see:
- Forklift Truck Driver Training Gets Underway, Dec 2009 – Jan 2010
- Wincanton Conducts Second Health & Safety Audit at ITCT, Nov. 2009
- Hazardous Chemical Driver Training with Hoyer, Aug. - Oct. 2009
- Stagecoach Supports Bus & Coach Driver Training, Aug. - Oct. 2009
- Professional Driver Training Project Update, Apr. – Jun. 2009
- Professional Driver Training Project Update, Jan. – Mar. 2009
- Professional Driver Training Project Update, Oct – Dec 2008
- Trucks and trailers set sail for Zambia - 27 October 2008
- Driving professional driver training standards in Zambia - 19 August 2008
