Author:focus-on-transport

Saboa Conference underscores operator resilience August 20, 2024 If one thing emerged from the 2024 Southern African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) Conference, it was the sector’s resilience. COLIN WINDELL reports that bus and coach operators appear eager to embrace operational changes and new technologies to remain profitable, sustainable, and able to offer improved services to customers. In the wake of several incidents involving school commuters and other bus users, discussions on scholar transport, electronic ticketing, and battery-electric bus services took […]

MCV launches cross-border city-to-city luxury bus August 19, 2024 MCV South Africa launched a new cross-border city-to-city luxury bus – the MCV S140 New Generation – at the Saboa Conference. Colin Windell reports that the new bus is ideal for African operating conditions. The decision to launch a new cross-border city-to-city luxury bus sends a positive signal to a market still recovering from the massively damaging Covid lockdown, a stagnant economy, and high interest rates. The introduction of the MCV […]

Female representation on the rise in SA’s transport sector August 23, 2024 As South Africa celebrates Women’s Month this August, it’s vital to highlight the transformative strides made by women in the transport sector. The Commercial Transport Academy (CTA) has been instrumental in driving gender neutrality within the transport and freight industry. However, this progress has been the result of collective efforts, with key contributions across the value chain from grant funders, employers, and partnerships between the private sector and […]

Grabbing the future with both hands August 15, 2024 Gabisile Fakude never planned to go into the transport business, but a chance meeting steered her onto a new course. As ROWAN WATT-PRINGLE discovers, the McCarthy Commercial Alrode dealer principal never looked back after seizing her opportunity. Fakude laughs when asked if she always wanted to be involved in commercial vehicles. “Definitely not! I planned to be a chartered accountant, but when I found myself in the industry my blood turned […]

Face to face with Hildegard Müller August 12, 2024 Ahead of the IAA Transportation, members of the International Truck of the Year jury were granted an exclusive interview with Hildegard Müller, president of the Verbandes der Automobilindustrie* (VDA). She says this year’s exhibition will be more global than ever before, while she believes that the transport industry still faces some challenges when it comes to carbon neutrality. Our first question concerns the IAA Transportation. How would you describe the sentiment […]

Powering your business August 13, 2024 In the extensive range of commercial vehicles available on the market, finding the perfect balance of power, reliability, and efficiency is crucial for entrepreneurs and seasoned business owners.  If you’re looking for a combination of robust performance and practical features, the answer is simple: the Kia K2700 and K2500.  The K2700 The K2700 powers your business with a 2.7-litre, four-cylinder diesel power plant and delivers 62kW of power at 4,150r/min and 165Nm of torque […]

The power of partnerships August 22, 2024 Collaborations between original equipment manufacturers and bus and coach operators are crucial when it comes to improving road safety, increasing uptime, and enhancing customer satisfaction, yet they are somewhat rare. CHARLEEN CLARKE meets with Intercape and Volvo Bus Southern Africa – and discovers that these two companies are truly realising the power of partnerships. Stephan Hamman, Intercape chief operational officer, was eight years old when the company took delivery of its first Volvo […]

Clean energy on the go August 8, 2024 In a world where environmental sustainability is no longer a mere buzzword but a critical imperative, the transportation sector is undergoing significant transformation. Among the most noteworthy changes is the rise of eco-friendly commercial vehicles – which don’t necessarily use the same oils, fuels, and lubes that we’re accustomed to… These innovative machines are reducing the logistics sector’s carbon footprint and paving the way for a cleaner, greener future. We look at […]

VIIs: additives that stick with you through thick and thin August 7, 2024 Condition monitoring specialist company, WearCheck, examines Viscosity Index Improvers (VIIs) – a very special class of additives that is gaining importance as the technical demands placed on lubricants continue to escalate. “VIIs are large-polymer additives that partially prevent the oil from thinning out (losing viscosity) as operating temperatures increase. They are also responsible for better oil flow at low temperatures, resulting in reduced wear and improved fuel […]