Over the next three years the City of Cape Town fleet transport drivers will be trained as “smart drivers”.
The aim of this initiative, according to the City, is to develop responsible road behaviour among drivers, to improve their safety and that of the public, and to improve service delivery to residents, all while reducing running costs and the impact of carbon emissions on the environment.
The City says since the roll-out of the Smart Driver Programme commenced in January, 195 City fleet drivers have already been trained as smart drivers.
Fifty fleet drivers are being trained per week.
Come June around 100 City fleet drivers will be trained per week. The City of Cape Town says approximately 10 000 fleet drivers will acquire training through the Smart Driver Programme over the next three years.
The training a joint project by the City’s Transport and Urban Development Authority (TDA), and the City’s Assets and Facilities Management (AFM) Directorate.
The training covers, among others, driver safety, vehicle maintenance, the “No cellphone” standard operating procedure while driving, and the economical and environmental benefits of reducing fuel consumption.
Once training has been completed, smart drivers and vehicles will be monitored over a 18-month period. The monitoring tools will include the driver tag system.
“Employee safety is on top of the agenda, and therefore unsafe driving and accidents can negatively impact their lives and in turn affect our service delivery,” said Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member for Transport and Urban Development.
“The purpose of this training is to improve and change driver behaviour. It also aims to empower our fleet drivers with the necessary information and skills they will need to make good decisions that will contribute towards safe and responsible behaviour on the roads, while reducing running costs and the impact on the environment.
“Responsible driver behaviour has spin-off effects that are beneficial to the City,” said Cllr Stuart Diamond, Mayoral Committee Member for the AFM Directorate.
