SAQA

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SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY

REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE:

Determine, monitor and control transport operating costs

SAQA US ID	UNIT STANDARD TITLE
255797	Determine, monitor and control transport operating costs
ORIGINATOR
SGB Transport and Logistics Operations
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-
FIELD			SUBFIELD
Field 11 - Services			Transport, Operations and Logistics
ABET BAND	UNIT STANDARD TYPE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	CREDITS
Undefined	Regular	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	10
REGISTRATION STATUS		REGISTRATION START DATE	REGISTRATION END DATE	SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"		2018-07-01	2023-06-30	SAQA 06120/18
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT		LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30		2027-06-30

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard.

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD

This unit standard will be useful for people who are required to ensure that freight, including goods, passengers or livestock, is moved from origin to destination in terms of stakeholder requirements, and in compliance with legislative requirements and international codes and practices.

This unit standard will recognise the essential knowledge and skills required to monitor and control costs through systematic monitoring of operations, and development of effective controls and improvements.

People credited with this unit standard are able to:

Gather information on transport operating costs.

Analyse transport operating costs.

Implement preventative measures to control operating costs.

Contribute to vehicle procurement decisions.

LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING

The credit calculation is based on the assumption that learners are already competent in terms of the following outcomes or areas of learning when starting to learn towards this unit standard:

Communications and Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 4.

UNIT STANDARD RANGE

Specific range statements are provided in the body of the unit standard where they apply to particular specific outcomes or assessment criteria.

Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria:

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1

Gather information on transport operating costs.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Sources of operational information relating to cost are identified and described in terms of the insights they provide into costs and profitability of the operation.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Sources of information include:

Trip sheets; vehicle logs; fuel usage; breakdowns; tachometers; traffic/volume sensors; flow meters; tonnage throughput; maintenance schedules; equipment utilisation reports; accident reports; incident reports; time sheets; work crews/cost reports; depreciation allowance.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

The location of information is accurately identified together with means and requirements for access.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Location includes:

Manual filing systems; electronic storage.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Information gathered is comprehensive with respect to vehicle operating costs, and ensured to be accurate in terms of submitted data.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

Methods of allocating costs to the transport operation as a whole and specific assignments in particular are appropriate to the type of operation, and comply with industry standards and company procedures.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Costs include:

Fixed and variable.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

Final costs established form an accurate picture of the operating costs of the business in terms of the available information supported by appropriate evidence, in accordance with GAAP.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2

Analyse transport operating costs.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Industry and/or organisational benchmarks and norms relevant to operating costs within own transport mode are identified and accessed in preparation for analysis.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

Comparison of own operating costs to industry benchmarks identifies similarities and differences in relation to the accepted norm and own expectations.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Actions in response to minor differences are designed to improve operations and/or cost effectiveness in line with best practice, and without compromise to agreed service levels.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

Investigation of performance data in the event of serious variances establishes the root cause. Information is used to determine preventive and/or corrective action.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Causes include:

Vehicle/vessel utilisation; load/cargo weights; delays; flow rates and temperatures; fuel consumption; wear and tear; downtime.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

The possibilities of theft or fraud are investigated where variances are not explainable in operating terms.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3

Implement preventative measures to control operating costs.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Routes are carefully monitored for distance, conditions and time. Alternative routes are investigated where existing routes are not cost effective.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

Adherence to planned routes is monitored, and departures investigated in terms of impact on vehicle, vessel or craft operating costs and company service levels.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Corrective and/or disciplinary actions in response to unjustified route variations are appropriate to the circumstances, and consistent with company policy and current legislation.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

The performance of individual vehicles, vessels or craft is analysed for effectiveness in relation to industry benchmarks, manufacturer claims and company experience.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Corrective actions include:

Service; maintenance; repair; modification; redundancy.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

Modifications to vehicles, vessels or craft are carried out by agreement with manufacturers, and within the terms and conditions of manufacturer warranties.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6

Where excessive wear and tear is attributable to drivers or operators, preventative measures introduced are appropriate to the circumstances.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Drivers/operators include:

Road freight drivers; train drivers; ship's officers and seamen; pilots; pipeline operators.

Preventative measures include:

Training; monitoring; disciplinary action.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7

Preventative measures are monitored for their impact on operational efficiency and wear and tear.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 8

The outcomes of improved practice, and preventative and/or corrective action in response to variances are tracked in terms of their impact on operating costs and efficiency.

SPECIFIC OUTCOME 4

Contribute to vehicle procurement decisions.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1

Analysis of performance data provides verifiable evidence of individual vehicle, vessel or craft operating costs.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2

Vehicle, vessel or craft operating costs are compared across similar classes and types to determine the best fit with own cost structures and operational requirements.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE

Comparisons include:

Load capacity; load body configuration; power and relative consumption figures; durability; technical specifications; service and maintenance intervals.

Operational requirements include:

Loads volume and dimensions; routes; type of work; utilisation.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3

Procurement recommendations are consistent with operational requirements, operating cost structures, and the financial position of the business.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4

New vehicles, vessels, craft or infrastructure are monitored in terms of industry norms and own expectations.

ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5

New vehicles, vessels, craft or infrastructure data is gathered systematically for use in future procurement decisions.

UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS

Accreditation Options:

Providers of learning towards this unit standard will need to meet the accreditation requirements of the relevant ETQA.

Moderation Option:

The moderation requirements of the relevant ETQA must be met in order to award credit to learners for this unit standard.

UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE

The following essential embedded knowledge will be assessed through assessment of the specific outcomes in terms of the stipulated assessment criteria. Candidates are unlikely to achieve all the specific outcomes, to the standards described in the assessment criteria, without knowledge of the listed embedded knowledge. This means that for the most part, the possession or lack of the knowledge can be directly inferred from the quality of the candidate's performance. Where direct assessment of knowledge is required, assessment criteria have been included in the body of the unit standard.

South African National Standards (SANS) codes.

Company policies and procedures.

UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME

N/A

UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES

N/A

Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO):

UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING

Identify and solve problems and make decisions using critical and creative thinking.

Note: Costing a transport operation involves identifying problems and making provision for them in realistic costing models that will enable operations to run profitably.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING

Work effectively with others as members of a team, group, organisation or community.

Note: Information will be gathered and discussed with others; negotiation is involved in setting tariffs.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO ORGANISING

Organise and manage themselves and their activities responsibly and effectively.

Note: An important part of ensuring that all factors are considered and monitored.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING

Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information.

Note: Critical - costing for tariff purposes must account for all relevant information. It must be critically evaluated to ensure realistic costing.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO COMMUNICATING

Communicate effectively, using visual, mathematical and/or language skills in the modes of oral and/or written presentations.

Note: Setting tariffs implies communication and negotiation.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE

Use science and technology effectively and critically showing responsibility towards the environment and health of others.

Note: Scanning information systems for data; benchmarking nationall and internationally.

UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING

Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems by recognising that problem-solving contexts do not exist in isolation.

Note: Consideration of all the factors that impact cost, internal and external, implies viewing the world in this way.

UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA

N/A

REREGISTRATION HISTORY

As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015.

UNIT STANDARD NOTES

Notes to Assessors:

Assessors should keep the following general principles in mind when designing and conducting assessments against this unit standard:

Focus the assessment activities on gathering evidence in terms of the main outcome expressed in the title to ensure assessment is integrated rather than fragmented. Remember we want to declare the person competent in terms of the title. Where assessment at title level is unmanageable, then focus assessment around each specific outcome, or groups of specific outcomes.

Make sure that evidence is gathered across the entire range, wherever it applies. Assessment activities should be as close to the real performance as possible, and where simulations or role-plays are used, there should be supporting evidence to show the candidate is able to perform in the real situation.

Do not focus the assessment activities on each assessment criterion. Rather make sure the assessment activities focus on outcomes and are sufficient to enable evidence to be gathered around all the assessment criteria.

The assessment criteria provide the specifications against which assessment judgements should be made. In most cases, knowledge can be inferred from the quality of the performances, but in other cases, knowledge and understanding will have to be tested through questioning techniques. Where this is required, there will be assessment criteria to specify the standard required.

The task of the assessor is to gather sufficient evidence, of the prescribed type and quality, as specified in this unit standard, that the candidate can achieve the outcomes again and again and again. This means assessors will have to judge how many repeat performances are required before they believe the performance is reproducible.

All assessments should be conducted in line with the following well documented principles of assessment: appropriateness, fairness, manageability, integration into work or learning, validity, direct, authentic, sufficient, systematic, open and consistent.

The following particular issues should be taken into consideration when assessing against this unit standard:

Assessment should include a practical component, either real or simulated through a case study.

Definition of Terms:

Terms have been clarified as far as possible through the use of range statements.

QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD:

	ID	QUALIFICATION TITLE	PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL	NQF LEVEL	STATUS	END DATE	PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
Core	61489	National Certificate: Transport Operations	Level 5	Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L5	Passed the End Date - Status was "Reregistered"	2023-06-30	TETA

PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD:

This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.

1.	Diversity technology Training Institute