Author:focus-on-transport
NP200, NP300 and Navara – three names inextricably linked with the Nissan brand and engrained in the psyche of South Africa’s bakkie-buying public. Nissan has been producing commercial vehicles – and bakkies, in particular – for more than 80 years, while on local shores the company enjoys a proud heritage of manufacturing and retailing bakkies that have become household names. It doesn’t take much to see why… NP200 Before the NP200, there was the Nissan 1400 – a vehicle for […]
It is believed that sales of light commercial vehicles will increase in the coming years. GARETH GREATHEAD finds out why this is so and what the industry is doing to prepare itself for these changes. In South Africa, light commercial vehicles (LCVs) include everything from luxury double cabs to single-cab workhorses and vans all weighing in at less than 3 500 kg. LCVs may also be used as passenger or commercial vehicles, or a mix of the two. Aiden Castille, […]
INBAL AXELROD discusses how customer demands and the evolution of e-commerce are reshaping last-mile delivery. The digitisation of the shopping experience has led to a disruption of the retail landscape as we know it. Now, more than ever before, customers are demanding delivery solutions that suit their lifestyle needs – and at no extra cost. For retailers, undertaking to provide last-mile delivery is very complex in today’s market, and requires changes and improvements to be made by all players in […]
Bakers SA Limited and Mercedes-Benz South Africa have a relationship that stretches back more than 40 years. With more than 650 units in the current Bakers Transport fleet, the two parties have just celebrated the latest addition of 77 Euro-5 Actros prime movers. GAVIN MYERS joined the celebration. Bakers and Mercedes-Benz are like good cheese and fine wine – a classy combination; they both go well together and get better with age. Their more than 40-year relationship is testament to […]
We’ve all heard about fleet management, driver management, fuel management or operations management – but nobody ever really talks about tyre management… That’s right, tyre management. GAVIN MYERS gets talking. Most operators would lump this in with fleet management, and that would be an end of it. However, to truly get the most from a vehicle’s tyres – to ensure they last a full service life, contribute to keeping running costs down, and maintain vehicle roadworthiness and safety – will […]
The bakkie power war seems to be hotting up… GAVIN MYERS spent some time with the most powerful, most expensive double-cab bakkie currently on sale in South Africa: the Mercedes-Benz X 350 d V6. There was a time when almost all makes of douoble-cab bakkies were offered in South Africa with a V6 engine – usually petrol powered. Mitsubishi Colt Rodeo, Ford Ranger, Toyota Hilux and Nissan Hardbody all once offered large-capacity, naturally aspirated V6 power. Until recently, the Hilux […]
Running vehicles on alternative fuels is becoming more common the world over. A South African entity now offers a suitable solution to the local market – with savings in fuel consumption and emissions. Tetra4, a subsidiary of Renergen, listed on the JSE Alt-X, is developing a unique gas field in Virginia, in the Free State, where methane gas, produced from microbes underground, is being harnessed for the South African market as an alternative fuel to diesel and liquified petroleum gas […]
On-board diagnostic (OBD) scan tools have become a staple in all modern workshops. GARETH GREATHEAD finds out what they do and how their use contributes to a healthy return on investment. Pieter van Zyl, owner of Roodepoort Auto Diagnostic, explains that diagnostic tools are essential in order to understand, maintain and repair modern vehicles. In addition, many service and repair procedures can be performed only with a diagnostic device. “Modern vehicles have complex modules and sensors which all work on the controller […]
Steep ascents, sharp rocks, shale, mud, dust and sand are just some of the obstacles vehicles operating in the forestry industry encounter daily. What is the state of the industry and what role does vehicle technology play? Gareth Greathead finds out. Logging is defined as the cutting, skidding, bucking and then loading of logs onto trucks. According to Forestry South Africa, the sector employs approximately 150 000 people and contributes 0,6 percent (or R31 billion) to the gross domestic product […]
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