Agtergrond:
Die Vaal Transport Forum het ongeveer vyf jaar gelede ontstaan as die Vaal Driehoek Aksiegroep (VAG). Dit was gevorm deur ‘n handjie vol vervoerkontrakteurs wat in die onmiddelike Vaal Driehoek omgewing gebasseer is. Ten einde meer beskrywend te wees, is die naam sedertdien verander na die Vaal Transport Forum.
Background:
Approximately five years ago the “Vaal Aksiegroep” was formed by a group of Vaal Triangle based transporters. In order to be more descriptive, the name has since been changed to the Vaal Transport Forum.
Doel:
Enige persoon wat al in die vervoer bedryf betrokke was, sal saamstem dat daar bitter min ander besighede bestaan wat so dinamies is soos die padvervoer bedryf. Veral as mens in ag neem die diversiteit van uitdagings wat ‘n vervoerkontrakteur in die gesig staar. Behalwe vir ooglopende take soos bemarking wat gedoen moet word, prys strukture, omsette wat gehandhaaf moet word, ens., is daar ‘n magdom ander elemente van die besigheid wat baie streng beheer verg. Dink maar aan bande, diesel, drywers, instandhouding, veiligheid, wetgewing, personeel, voorraad, administrasie, ens., ens.
Asof dit nie genoeg is nie het ‘n vervoerbesigheid nog boonop te kampe met addisionele “eksterne” probleme wat heeltemal buite sy beheer is soos diesel prysstygings, drywer stakings en onbillike toepassing van verkeerswetgewing om maar net ‘n paar te noem.
Dit is dan juis vanweë hierdie probleme dat die V.T.F. ontstaan het. Deur middel van die V.T.F. poog ons om inligting t.o.v. hierdie gemeenskaplike probleme tussen lede te deel en waar moontlik kundiges te vind om die lede toe te spreek rakende moontlike oplossings. Die V.T.F. het ook “assosiaat lede” wat bestaan uit verskaffers aan die padvervoer bedryf. Ons is van mening dat wedersydse voordeel hieruit getrek kan word aangesien die maandelikse vergaderings ‘n geleentheid bied om op ‘n meer informele vlak skakeling tussen vervoer lede en verskaffer lede te bevorder. Die SAPD is ook gereeld teenwoordig op vergaderings om terugvoer te gee rakende sake soos byvoorbeeld vragmotor skakings.
Ten slotte is die V.T.F. se doel om soveel moontlik verteenwoordiging te werf sodat dit ons in staat stel om uit ‘n groter magspossisie die probleme in die padvervoer bedryf aan te spreek en ‘n ondersteunende diens aan ons lede te verskaf.
Purpose:
Anyone who has ever been involved in the transport industry will agree that there is hardly any other type of business that is as diverse as road transportation. Especially if one takes into account the wide spectrum of challenges that a transport contractor faces. Not only the obvious challenges like proper marketing, price structures, management of turnover, etc, but also other equally important factors that require very stringent control. Take into consideration factors like tyres, diesel, drivers, maintenance, safety, legal matters, personnel, stock, administration, etc., etc. As if this is not enough, a transport business is also faced with all sorts of “external” challenges like diesel price hikes, strike actions and unfair implementation of traffic law to name but a few.
It is due to these kinds of problems that the Vaal Transport Forum was founded. It is our goal to use the V.T.F. as a means of sharing information regarding these common issues of concern amongst our members and where possible source guest speakers who specialize in these fields. There are also various suppliers to the transport industry that joined the V.T.F. as “associate members”. It is our opinion that mutual benefit can be gained by this because the monthly meetings present the opportunity for interaction between transport members and supplier members on a more social level. The monthly meetings are frequently joined by the SAPS who give feedback on issues such as hi-jacks.
At the end of the day the purpose of the V.T.F. is to recruit as much representation as possible so that common problem issues in the road transport industry can be dealt with by an institution where individual power is united and most of all to provide a support service to our members.
