Truck operators will need to get Aarto-aware

South African truck operators will have to up their game when the new Administrative Adjudication of Road Traffic Offences (Aarto) is implemented. According to Gavin Kelly of the Road Freight Association, operators will have to know at all times who is driving their fleet vehicles as the legislation gives only one chance to identify the driver of a specific vehicle before they seize that vehicle should it have reached its point limit. “You also need to know the status of each vehicle in your fleet and that includes all the trailers as well. A truck and trailer is considered to be two vehicles and they are fined separately. In some areas there are three combinations being run. We also swop our combinations at times, so you may have a scenario where two of the combinations are fine, but one is in penalty and the entire combination is then fined and the driver penalised.” Kelly said Aarto would hurt business where it hurts most – the wallet – as the system was not based on a criminal system. “What Aarto will do is cancel operating licences and place blocks on toll roads to stop you entering. It is based on a revenue-generated system not a criminal procedure system, so they not going to come and arrest your fleet manager, they will just stop you doing business,” he said.