'Impractical' abnormal load regulations promote culture of corruption

“Archaic” rules for abnormal road transport have not improved over the past year and are driving the industry into a culture of bribery and corruption, according to Carl Webb, MD of Project Logistics Management and a member of the Road Freight Association (RFA) abnormal loads committee. These are the “out-of-date requirement” for original abnormal permits to be in the vehicle, and the current demand for a new permit for each load. He believes they are unnecessarily pushing up the cost of abnormal road transport. This requirement hasn’t been changed for over 40 years, in spite of technology advancing to the stage where industry and the authorities have the ability to email documents internationally, never mind locally. Not only that, but in the past transporters were able to have annual abnormal permits (within certain parameters) issued for each vehicle. However, annual abnormal permits have now been discontinued, and each load carried requires another permit. The constant comparison of SA to Australia in terms of development could possibly teach local authorities a lesson, according to Webb. In Australia, he pointed out, abnormal transport companies are able to apply for an abnormal permit online, pay by credit card, and have the permit forwarded online. They also have an annual abnormal permit system, all resulting in what he describes as a far more economical transport system in that country. “Since we discussed this a year ago,” Webb added, “the strict application of these archaic rules in SA has got worse. It has now reached the point where these actions are encouraging drivers to pay bribes to police officers on the roads. Some companies don’t even have permits at all. They’d rather give the driver R3 000 ‘danger money’.” The logic behind this is simple, according to Webb. When a driver is stopped and the police find any minor contravention, the company has to apply for another permit. That takes three days. Day 1 is the application for a new one – costing R3 500; day 2 is the issuing procedure; and day 3 is getting the new permit to the truck’s stopping point. “By then, including downtime, travel and the permit fee,” Webb said, “it’s cost the transporter about R15 000. It obviously makes more sense to pay a R1 000 ‘fine’. “The authorities are penalising the industry for the faults of a few,” he said. CAPTION Heavy load ... Abnormal transporters must apply for a new permit for each load.