This year, the initiative reached key areas, including Bloemfontein, together with our dealer Garden City Commercials Bloemfontein. Harrismith, in conjunction with Garden City Commercials Pietermaritzburg; Middelburg, coupled with McCarthy Kunene Middelburg and East London, through Ronnies Commercial Vehicles East London.

Trucking Wellness joined the initiative by simultaneously givingtruck drivers free health and wellness checks. Uncontrolled high blood pressure, identified once again during this outreach, remains the highest health risk for truck drivers.

So, 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,” says Maretha Gerber, President and Group CEO at Daimler Truck Southern Africa.

“During Transport Month, it is especially fitting to recognise 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,” she says.

Judith Bester, Project Leader: Trucking Wellness, thanked Daimler Truck Southern Africa for their ongoing support of the Trucking Wellness Programme. “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,” she says.

• 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 to encourage civil society and businesses to actively participate in the initiative and to promote a safe, affordable, accessible and reliable transport system.
• 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 well-being 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.