Coca-Cola supports safety in Transport Month

This Transport Month, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) is going all out to improve road safety.

The company has strengthened its partnership with national and provincial government to invest in road safety initiatives, as well as its commitment towards carbon emission reduction.

CCBSA is in the middle of a five-year pilot Smart Truck Project that was initiated in 2019, to run a 44-pallet Performance-Based Standard (PBS) trailer between Bloemfontein and Upington. The PBS trailer is 27.9 metres long and can transport 44 pallets, compared to the conventional 30-pallet trailer.

The Smart Truck Project aims to redesign PBS trailers to minimise damage, improve safety, and reduce congestion on the roads. This approach uses performance-based standards, which specify the performance required of a heavy vehicle on particular routes, bearing in mind both safety and the nature of the road infrastructure.

CCBSA and the Department of Transport, through the Arrive Alive campaign, have further launched a state-of-the-art simulator truck that aims to improve the competency levels of truck, bus, and other public transport drivers.

This is just a one of the many transport and logistics innovations that CCBSA and the Department of Transport are developing to improve safety and productivity within South Africa’s logistics industry.

“As a business, our primary aim is to support our route-to-market strategy and ensure exceptional customer service, while paying due regard to road safety. We are a major road user and, to support our country’s efforts when it comes to road safety, we have integrated training in all our business operations to ensure we entrench a responsible mindset amongst our drivers and operators. This informs how we conduct ourselves on the road; we continuously put safety first, at all times,” says Ndanganeni Adjei, CCBSA logistics manager.

“We also have a responsibility to create shared value for the business and the communities we serve across the value chain through opportunities we create as we grow our business,” he continues. “Opportunity is more than just money, it’s about a better future for people and communities everywhere in SA.”

Adjei says the company is particularly proud of its owner-driver scheme: “It has been running for a long time and is an integral part of our business. This programme has enabled us to support the growth of operators who own their businesses and to support South Africa’s development mandate, where we provide previously disadvantaged groups the economic opportunity to be part of the supply chain of a major industrial operation.”

As part of CCBSA’s efforts to take its products closer to customers, the company has launched its Local Distribution Partners (LDP) programme, furthering its penetration into townships and rural areas. Working closely with the LDPs, CCBSA has ensured smoother delivery and enhanced customer service, as well as created much-needed opportunities for entrepreneurs. “Some 90% of LDPs are from previously disadvantaged groups. Not only do LDPs create work opportunities for themselves, but they also employ drivers, crew, and warehouse staff from local communities. In a country like ours, every opportunity for job creation should be nurtured,” Adjei notes.

“Our efforts and innovations are driven by a recognition that for as long as we have our fleet of trucks moving across the country, we carry a joint duty and responsibility to support government in managing road congestion,” Adjei emphasises. “We continuously think of ways to run our business more efficiently and this includes how we get our product to customers safely and on time.”