Dedicated vehicles patrol specific toll routes to enhance the safety of road users. Roadside assistance typically entails assisting motorists who experience mechanical failures, running out of fuel, engine overheating, tyre punctures, flat batteries or who are involved in an accident. Sufficient fuel and water are provided to road users, enabling them to continue to the closest repair facility/fuel station or safe location. In the event of an accident, our teams provide basic medical assistance before Emergency Medical Services arrive and assists road users in contacting towing service providers for further assistance if the vehicle needs towing. A Road Incident Management System (RIMS) is implemented at the scene of an incident, facilitating the emergency services to access the scene in the quickest time possible.

 

Specific vehicles also park at identified high-incident areas and work closely with all route services and recognised emergency services, such as RTI (Road Traffic Inspectorate), SAPS, Fire Departments, Emergency Medical Services, and local breakdown service providers.

 

The route patrol units are trained in basic fire fighting, first aid, traffic control, and RIMS, rendering basic first responder assistance until the appropriate emergency service arrives on site to deal with the emergency. At accident scenes, our teams assist by pre-warning other motorists to prevent secondary accidents. Route assistance teams also aid with clean-ups of debris and oil spillages at accident scenes. Vehicles carry basic medical supplies, tools, cones, signage, etc.

Incident Management is defined as ‘the pre-planned and coordinated response to incidents to restore normal road capacity and safety levels as quickly as possible’. A RIMS is comprised of all relevant role players who collectively plan, coordinate and manage incidents. Role players include primary emergency services (EMRS, Fire Services, SAPS, Traffic, etc.) that respond to incidents, together with secondary and ancillary organisations.

 

Tolcon participates in and manages seven different systems covering over 1,200 km. In these areas, it has been found that having a RIMS in place reduces incident duration, leading to improved safety and reduced delays; this, in turn, translates into a reduction in road user costs and the country’s economic costs. Tolcon can assess, establish guidelines, develop policies and procedures, and implement communication channels with all stakeholders, aiding in implementing road incident management systems.

Tolcon have been operating FMS projects since June 2021 in the Western Cape and in Gauteng.

 

These projects include Design, Build, Operations and Maintenance of a Freeway Management System in Gauteng and Western Cape provinces which entails the management of traffic using ITS technologies to optimise the use of road infrastructure.  ITS technologies that are used include CCTV cameras and traffic sensors to observe traffic conditions, identify incidents and manage traffic flow.  It also includes the provision of traveller information to road users via VMSs, Twitter and other information platforms, response management and coordination with other authorities to reduce delays caused by incidents.

Tolcon operate and maintain various Traffic Control Centre facilities on behalf of the South African National Roads Agency. The operation of these facilities includes three operational functions namely screening, weighing and vehicle inspections/testing.

 

These facilities are used to ensure heavy vehicles adhere to the Road Traffic Act in terms of allowed load and aid in prolonging the life expectancy of the National Roads.

 

In addition to the primary function of weight enforcement, vehicle inspection and testing are also done on an ad hoc basis to enhance road safety.