Alarming number of trucks unroadworthy

Some 69% of randomly tested trucks have failed the roadworthy test over the past five years, according to Patrick O’Leary, editor and publisher of Fleetwatch. Speaking at the annual Road Freight Association (RFA) conference in KwaZulu- Natal recently, O’Leary said truck operators would need to start looking at their vehicles far more carefully. “In the past five years we have tested 560 trucks of which 69% failed the roadworthiness test. That is more than 300 trucks. These trucks were randomly picked off the road at various places so it gives a good indication of what is on the roads,” he said. “There is no grey area in this study. The vehicle is either roadworthy or it’s not. And with the blood on the roads in this country we cannot have grey areas. We need to have trucks that are roadworthy operating on our roads. It is as simple as that.” “The fact is there are too many trucks without brakes, without lights – you name it and we have seen it. It is unacceptable and we have to change this.” Gavin Kelly, spokesman for the RFA, agreed saying the industry needed to ensure it was operating professionally. “We cannot change the perception about trucks if we are not operating roadworthy vehicles.”