Putco applauds drivers named among top 10 Hollard Highway Heroes

Two Putco drivers have made it to the Top 10 of the prestigious Hollard Highway Heroes Awards in the bus category.

This year’s ceremony, hosted on November 14 in Parktown, celebrated a decade of recognising road safety champions. The awards continue to promote responsible driving across South Africa.

The two drivers who have distinguished themselves and upheld the Putco name are Lindiwe Tshabalala of the Greater Soweto Operation and Jackson Themba of the Soshanguve Operation.

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They were among more than 13 000 entries in both the bus and truck categories. This bears testimony to their excellent driving skills.

The drivers’ assessments were conducted with independent telematic systems, which analysed their speed control, braking and fatigue management over six months.

Putco is proud of this achievement as it emphasises their commitment to road safety.

The managing director, Franco Pisapia, said they have taken extensive measures to improve their safety record over the years, by taking drivers through in-house refresher training and by partnering with industry stakeholders such as the metro police, law enforcement, municipalities and with departments of safety in the provinces where they operate.

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“We have over 4 700 new buses transporting our passengers as part of our Fleet Replacement Programme.

“The rate of our major accidents has declined significantly, and we will continue with our efforts to reduce the numbers,” said Pisapia.

In 2024, Tholo Levy Manamela from Putco was the overall winner in the bus category. He joined the Hollard Highway Heroes Hall of Fame as one of the best drivers in the country.

The company is proud of all its drivers who have been doing their best to promote road safety by adhering to the rules of the road.