PDTU & FAQ

Andrew Ssejjemba is a 54-year-old father of four, teacher by profession and one of the two master trainers at Safe Way Right Way’s project, Professional Driver Training Uganda (PDTU). Until a few years ago, Andrew was driving a van, making deliveries to complement his teaching job. He later graduated to truck driving while continuing to teach. Eventually he was recruited as a full time bus driver and decided to commit himself fully to a career in professional driving. From his experiences on the road, Andrew’s concern for road safety continued to grow as the roads became more dangerous. At the time of despair, an advert came in from Safe Way Right Way looking for good drivers who could be trained to become driving instructors; right there he knew that was his opportunity if he was ever to contribute to safe driving in the country.  With support from his family, he decided to apply to be trained so as he can train other drivers.

Safe Way Right Way’s Professional Driver Training Uganda (PDTU) Project aims to improve standards in Uganda for drivers of trucks and buses, improving driver behavior and making Uganda’s roads safer places for all road users.

In May 2017, Andrew started training as a trainer for the PDTU. Despite his 53 km journey to the training centre in Mukono every day, and the long days, Andrew persisted and made use of the skills he had developed as a teacher. “I stay far away from Mukono where the facility is but because I knew this training was very important to me and my family, I persisted with travelling the long distance every day to come and do the training, and right now it’s worth it”.

   “People from my old job had doubted me and some of them had discouraged me from taking up a career as a professional driver since I already had my job as a teacher but they have now realised that I am doing what I love and it makes me happy and comfortable”.

Andrew taught his first intake of students in February 2018 and has since had a hand in training approximately 150 drivers in Uganda.  

 “I do enjoy training drivers because I play a part in changing their lives. Several of the drivers I’ve taught didn’t have jobs before and now they do, so I’ve helped improve their lives”.

PDTU also aims to train master trainers so that the capacity to deliver further training of trainers exists in Uganda as and when demand requires it. As one of the best performing trainers, Andrew agreed to undergo additional training to become a master trainer.  

“The best I can do is train as many trainers as possible so I can make more of an impact… We will get there in the end as a team”.