Daimler Truck Southern Africa together with our valued dealer partners and Trucking Wellness appreciate drivers this transport month
Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA) celebrated the 2024 Transport Month with selected dealerships along major routes of South Africa through the appreciation of truck drivers with gift hampers.
This year, the initiative reached key areas including Bloemfontein, together with our dealer Garden City Commercials Bloemfontein; Harrismith, together with our dealer Garden City Commercials Pietermaritzburg; Middleburg, together with McCarthy Kunene Middleburg and East London, through Ronnies Commercial Vehicles East London. Trucking Wellness joined the initiative to give truck drivers free health and wellness checks at the same time. Uncontrolled high blood pressure, identified once again during this outreach, remains the highest health risk for truck drivers. Therefore, providing health education and lifestyle guidance to help regulate blood pressure, especially for those spending long hours on the road, remains a key focus for the Trucking Wellness Project.
“At Daimler Truck Southern Africa (DTSA), our purpose is clear: For all who keep Africa moving. Truck drivers are the backbone of our logistics network, playing a crucial role in transporting goods and driving economic growth across the continent. During Transport Month, it is especially fitting to recognize and appreciate these dedicated professionals. Truck drivers endure long hours on the road and extended periods away from their families, often under challenging conditions. Their commitment ensures that our shops remain stocked and our economy thrives. This Transport Month, DTSA proudly salutes all truck drivers. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for their unwavering dedication and the vital work they do. Your efforts do not go unnoticed, and we thank you for keeping our nation moving forward.”
Maretha Gerber, President and Group CEO at Daimler Truck Southern Africa.
“I would like to thank Daimler Truck Southern Africa for their ongoing support of the Trucking Wellness Programme and for making us part of this initiative. This was a wonderful experience, enabling us to interact, appreciate and engage in open conversations with the drivers about the health issues they face on a daily basis, which is invaluable to Trucking Wellness. Not only does this enable us to provide the drivers with the necessary health information and education to improve their health but also gain insights into how Trucking Wellness can further adapt and improve our services to them to ensure healthier drivers and safer roads.”
Judith Bester, Project Leader: Trucking Wellness.
Transport month background
Transport month was established in 2005 during the Transport Lekgotla in South Africa and is celebrated annually in October. The initiative aims to raise awareness about the crucial role transport plays in the economy and encourage civil society and businesses to actively participate and promote a safe, affordable, accessible, and reliable transport system.
More about the Trucking Wellness Project
Trucking Wellness, a programme of the National Bargaining Council of the Road Freight and Logistics Industry, supported by Daimler Truck Southern Africa, offers support to the health and wellbeing of those in the road freight and logistics industry and their communities. Through their 20 fixed clinics across truck stops across South Africa, as well as mobile clinics, 31,436 people received health information, 28,393 patients were consulted and treated, 22,920 HIV tests were done and 429 people were linked to HIV treatment and care in the previous full calendar year, 2023. The Trucking Wellness Programme is vital in health education, prevention, diagnosing and early treatment of diseases whilst providing much needed support to ensure treatment adherence.
The Daimler Truck Southern Africa Trucking Wellness Project is a dedicated programme focussing on specific industry, truck and bus driver support. One such example is the DTSA Fleet Owner Workplace Wellness Programme, an exclusive programme for key account customers of DTSA with a unique aim on driver health to minimize the impact of disease and ill health in the workplace. This not only benefit the driver and the fleet operator but also enhance road safety in general as a healthy driver is a safer driver to the benefit of all road users.
