Author:charleen-clarke
Metallic makes musical magic: Nothing Else Matters June 13, 2024 I love my job. One of many reasons why is the opportunity to enjoy new experiences. Recently, that new experience involved being surrounded by men with black nail varnish. Iโve done all sorts of bonkers things in my time as a journalist. Being in a helicopter when the pilot deliberately cut the engine and we tumbled out of the sky was possibly the scariest (and the most idiotic). Iโve also […]
Air cargo impacted by black swan event May 3, 2024 Conflict in the red sea disrupting ocean freight services has been an immensely impactful โblack swanโ event for air cargo. Charleen Clarke reports that there have been +11% increases in global air freight demand for the fourth straight month, partially as a result of the unrest. The global air cargo market is on the boil! According to Global Market Insights, the global air cargo market was estimated at US$200 billion […]
When good truckers go bad May 14, 2024 A shocking book has revealed a gruesome pattern of women being murdered by truck drivers! Regular readers know that Iโm a big fan of truck drivers. I think theyโre generally underappreciated, and I feel sorry for them (especially those poor chaps who queue for days at border posts). However, a new book has made me view some truckers in a whole new light (please note the inclusion of the word, โsomeโ. Iโm […]
Driven: the BMW X1 May 15, 2024 South Africans are absolutely besotted with sport utility vehicles (SUVs) and Sports Activity Vehicles (SAVs). And weโre treated to a gazillion different SUV and SAV options. Some are cheap and cheerful; others are premium. The BMW X1 sDrive18i definitely falls into the latter category โ but is it any good? The car in a nutshell BMW is one of the most successful automotive companies on the planet. With a total of 2,253,835 vehicles […]
Daimler to launch e-trucks in South Africa! May 6, 2024 On 21 May, Daimler Truck Southern Africa will launch its e-mobility offering for Mercedes-Benz and Fuso Trucks. CHARLEEN CLARKE has already driven the companyโs electric trucks; she says South African truck operators are in for a treat. We donโt know exactly which trucks will be launched or whether they will be sold or leased; the details are a closely guarded secret. However, Iโm guessing that two trucks will feature in […]
โAs soon as the market is ready, we are readyโ April 25, 2024 When will Volvo introduce electric buses in South Africa? And what role will Volvo Buses play in shaping the future of urban mobility and smart cities? These were just two of the questions CHARLEEN CLARKE posed to Manish Sahi, vice president โ Middle East, Africa and CIS at Volvo Bus Corporation, in this exclusive interview. Sahi was, of course, one of the members of the management team […]
Volvo Buses enters new e-mobility era April 25, 2024 In what may well be THE bus and coach story of the year, Volvo Buses has launched the BZR Electric: a global platform for city, intercity, and commuter operations. CHARLEEN CLARKE travelled to Gothenburg for the launch, which was held at the remarkable World of Volvo. All the big guns were at the World of Volvo โ and they came out with those guns blazing. Volvo Group CEO and president Martin […]
Loud and proud! April 23, 2024 I need to tell you that I am mighty proud of our industry. Weโre doing a terrific job โ especially when it comes to saving the planet. โPerfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.โ Those wise words were uttered by a chap called Vince Lombardi (who is considered by many to be the greatest coach in American football history and one of the greatest leaders in the history […]
X-Series wins Truck of the Year Australasia 2024 March 22, 2024 The new Western Star X-Series is the 2024 Truck of the Year Australasia! It has emerged victorious after edging out competition from Scania and Volvo. I know what youโre thinking: why am I writing about a competition in Australasia? Well, when it was launched last year, I was invited to judge this extremely prestigious contest. I accepted immediately for two reasons: I think itโs very interesting for South African […]
SONA 2024: even more disappointing than expected February 14, 2024 We all knew that Cyril Ramaphosa would use his State of the Nation Address (SONA) for electioneering. Heโs a politician, after all, and he was speaking in an election year: he would never have been able to resist the opportunity. What we didnโt expect was a litany of lies and ridiculous promises. Anyone in transport and logistics โ and indeed the country en masse โ was hoping for positive news […]
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