Given today’s lifestyle that puts premium on speed and mobility, road accidents now pose a growing danger to both lives and property. In fact, according to a study conducted by the University of the Philippines’ National Center for Transport Studies (UP NCTS), road accidents will become the fifth leading cause of deaths globally by 2030 from only ninth in 2004. That surely is not a welcome prospect.
and saved lives.
In the Philippines alone, nearly 13,000 road accidents occurred in 2013, based on the latest data from the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP). Of this total, 76.12% was due to driver error, including such misdeeds as overspeeding, bad overtaking, overloading and using a cellular phone to call or text while driving. On the other hand, 28.37% involved buses and trucks.
Thus, it is not surprising why some of the country’s biggest bus and trucking companies have given their full support to the road safety campaign of the Manila North Tollways Corporation (MNTC), builder and concessionaire of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).
“It’s high time that someone steps up to encourage partnership, discipline, safety consciousness and excellence among the drivers and fleet operations of the country’s bus and trucking companies.”
This was what Rodolfo Manuel, president of Megacem Inc., said.
Megacem, a cement retailer, was one of the bus and trucking companies named awardees in two categories—Company Operational Excellence and Driver Professionalism. The other top honorees for 2014 were EUG Freight Services Inc., Giga Trucking Services, and Inland Corporation.
The Hall of Fame Award for 2014, meanwhile, went to Liquigaz Philippines Corporation, a retailer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
“Delivering hazardous substances requires a great deal of safety,” Christopher Mina, logistics and distribution senior supervisor of Liquigaz, pointed out. “Transporting LPG from our main terminal in Bataan to different locations in the National Capital Region and even to sites as far as Batangas 24/7, our drivers are trained to be disciplined and extra careful whenever they are on the road.
Championing high standards in safety
To encourage trucking and bus companies to practice the highest standards in road safety, MNTC created the NLEXcellence Safety Awards in 2013.
Franco said the awardees are companies that keep their vehicles properly maintained at all times, whose drivers follow all the rules, and adhere to the highest standards of safety.
Since the creation of the NLEXcellence Safety Awards, there have been increased interest among truck and bus operators in garnering recognition for excellence in road safety.
“It is our objective to make the NLEXcellence Safety Awards the seal of excellence in road safety that will make the awardees role models for other companies in best practices in company operations, and road safety,” Renie U. Ticzon, MNTC vice president for marketing, explained.
Excellence. Quality. Professionalism
The Awards program has three categories: Company Operational Excellence, Vehicle Quality, and Driver Professionalism.
Under the first category, companies should have an extensive vehicle care program that includes regular preventive maintenance, and mandatory replacement of tires and other wearing parts.
The awardees in this category in 2014 were: C.M. Pancho Construction Inc., EUG Freight Services Inc., Giga Trucking Services, and Megacem Inc.
In the Vehicle Quality category, the nominees are rated based on their vehicles’ roadworthiness, availability of safety devices and emergency tools, the presence of required documents.
The awardees for this category for 2014 were: Stellar Cargo Movers, Frey-Fil Corporation, Giga Trucking Services, and Inland Corporation.
In the Driver Professionalism category, nominees are evaluated based on their driving skills, performance record, knowledge of traffic rules, regulations and signs, physical fitness, health and presentable appearance, apprehension record, and regulatory compliance.
The awardees in this category in 2014 were: EUG Freight Services Inc., Megacem Inc., Luzon Cisco Transport Inc., RNE Trucking Services, and Inland Corporation.
Partners in keeping the NLEX safe.
Honoring road safety champions has been held every year. “We want companies and drivers to consistently practice safety,” Ticzon said. “While the NLEX is world-class and full of safety features to protect all travelers, we need to partner with those who regularly traverse the NLEX to help us to keep it safe.”
The NLEXcellence Safety Awards program is open to every bus and trucking company that meets the following qualifications: it must own a fleet of at least 20 vehicles; at least 50 percent of its trips must traverse North Philippines, and 30 percent of these trips must be taken on NLEX.