Who this course is for
- Drivers who move material and equipment around site on a flat back truck
- Delivery crews carrying plant, formwork, reinforcing and packaged goods
- Plant hire and logistics drivers working on mines and construction projects
- Supervisors who have to appoint competent drivers for site transport
What you will be able to do after this course
- Carry out pre-trip and pre-operation inspections on a flat back truck
- Load, distribute and secure material and equipment on an open deck
- Drive and manoeuvre safely on site and on haul roads
- Offload safely and park and shut the vehicle down correctly
What the course covers
The course works through the safety regulations that apply to site vehicles, then through load restraint, which is what separates a flat deck from a closed body.
Learners cover vehicle components and controls, pre-trip and pre-operation inspections, mass limits and load distribution, strapping, chaining and restraining a load on an open deck, overhang and projecting loads, driving and reversing on site, spotter and banksman signals, haul road discipline, offloading safely, and correct parking and shutdown. The driving and load securing are assessed practically.
How you are assessed and what you receive
Assessment covers a written knowledge test and a practical, where the learner inspects the truck, loads and secures a load, drives a set route and offloads under supervision. On successful completion the learner is certificated against SAQA unit standard 257020, and the certificate can be downloaded from the Fundza portal as well as issued directly.
What this certificate is worth
An unsecured load on an open deck is one of the easiest things for a site safety officer to spot and one of the fastest ways to be turned away at a gate. The certificate proves the driver is competent in terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and knows how to restrain what they are carrying. Learners can download it from the Fundza portal at any time.
Duration, dates and fees
| Option | Duration | Fee | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full course | 5 Days | R5,462 | First-time certification |
| Refresher | 1 Day | R1,094 | Already certified, renewing |
On-site delivery at your own operation is available and is usually the better option for a fleet, because the practical work is done on your own vehicles and load types. For group bookings, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based.
Where and how the training runs
Training runs at the Fundza Training Institute centre in Mokopane, and on site at your own operation. On-site delivery is generally better for a transport crew, since the loads they secure in training are the ones they actually carry. For a group booking, tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.
Flat back truck and rigid body truck: how they differ
| Flat back truck (this course) | Rigid body truck | |
|---|---|---|
| What it certifies | Transporting material and equipment on a flat deck | Driving and discharging a rigid body vehicle |
| Load type | Strapped and secured on an open deck | Contained in the body |
| Main skill | Load restraint and overhang control | Load distribution and safe discharge |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
The vehicles are similar to drive. The difference is how the load behaves, which is why they are certified separately.
Where this course can take you
Flat back truck driving sits inside the hauling and transport stack at Fundza. Drivers commonly add Operate a Rigid Body Truck, Operate Tipper Truck or Truck Mount Crane Operator so they can cover more of the fleet. Browse the full range of earthmoving machinery training.
Enquire about this course
Tell us how many people need certifying and where they are based, and we will come back with dates and a quotation.