AVTS Roadworthy Stations is celebrating 15 years of safer vehicles

ABOUT AVTS

AVTS Roadworthy Stations celebrates its 15th birthday, having originally opened to a very welcoming public, who had been tired of queuing at public testing stations. Originally established in 1992 as the Airport Vehicle Testing Station, it became well-known as a pioneer in the industry, being the first of its kind in the Cape Peninsula.

AVTS has 7 branches, each one wholly owned; employs 78 members of staff of which 32 are vehicle examiners. It is the only group of test stations in the country, where its Head Office as well as each branch has achieved ISO 9000:2001 certification. So what does this mean? ISO stands for International Standards Organisation, so in its testing standards and procedures, AVTS meets international standards, making it truly world-class.

Over the years, AVTS has received numerous accolades in its quest for safety, quality and service. According to Ferose Oaten, Managing Director, the success of AVTS can be attributed to a very strong and committed management team together with dedicated and enthusiastic staff members. On average, AVTS performs about 55 000 vehicle tests and quality inspections per year. The anchor clients are motor dealers and fleet operators.

AVTS undertakes the following services:-

• 10-Point Safety Critical test (currently being offered free of charge in preparation for the festive season)
• Roadworthy testing
• Roadworthy , which has been designed to bridge the gap between a Roadworthiness test (basic safety test), and a fully fledged Technical Inspection (detailed quality check). This product enjoys much success in the motor trade in terms of the sale and financing of vehicles.
• Technical Inspections and diagnostics
• Brake and suspension tests
• Weighing of vehicles, with an accredited 22m weighbridge
• Sale of number plates and chevrons
• Licensing and registration on the premises of the Head office

According to Ferose, she says that their service goes far beyond vehicle testing to make an impact on road safety. "We are leaders in ensuring that safe vehicles save lives every day."

"We operate in a highly regulated environment, and have to comply with SABS Standards as well as the Road Traffic Act. When AVTS first opened, it was the only private test station, but now there are more than 40 test stations in the greater Cape Town area. Many competitors saw the opportunity to make their mark in the roadworthy industry in anticipation of the implementation of periodic tests. However, since it was originally mooted in 1996, no legislation has yet been introduced to bring about such a testing regime. In this market, AVTS will continue to find innovative ways to sustain the business while not compromising on roadworthiness."

There have been many challenges over the years, and the fight for survival was paved with resilience and optimism. AVTS would not have expanded successfully, without support and funding from Business Partners.

So how did we survive 15 years?

• Phenomenal support from customers
• Being consistent in getting the basics right and measuring key performance indicators
• Living the values of integrity, respect and superior customer service, among others
• Not compromising on quality or roadworthiness
• Proper research and feasibility and being realistic with projections
• Learning from other business leaders
• Creating an environment where each staff member feels ownership and loyalty to AVTS

AVTS Roadworthy Stations is one of the founder members of the National Vehicle Testing Association, affiliated to the RMI. Ferose says that the RMI gives members of the public an excellent recourse should they be unhappy with any aspect of the testing process.

The National Department of Transport's quest for periodic vehicle testing, where vehicles will not only be tested on change of ownership, but will have to pass a roadworthiness test on a regular basis will have a positive impact on road safety, says Ferose.

She is active in promoting Free Safety Tests before Easter and the Festive Season. She says that, all the private test stations in the Cape that are members of the RMI, provide their resources free of charge to conduct free tests. To date, participating stations have tested 1400 vehicles in different campaigns. Bearing in mind that these vehicles were generally not prepared for roadworthiness tests, and had not been near a test station since ownership had changed, the statistics are shocking. Without fail, all participating stations recorded a failure rate of between 89% and 92%. This situation should be greatly improved by a regular regime of vehicle testing.

These failure rates differ vastly from the normal roadworthiness tests, where vehicles are prepared for testing, and are generally serviced and maintained regularly. In this case, the failure rates are on average about 30%, depending on the vehicle type and ownership.

Integrity has ensured the survival of the company for 15 years. AVTS would not continue to operate if integrity was lacking. Not once during the last 15 years, was any AVTS branch closed for non-compliance. This is an achievement in an industry where corruption can compromise road safety and cost lives.