Author:focus-on-transport
Two experienced Lego model makers have built what is probably the world’s biggest camper van – using some 400 000 Lego bricks. The full-size Volkswagen T2 (or Bulli as it is affectionately known in some markets) was unveiled ahead of the f.re.e Leisure & Travel Fair that took place in Munich, Germany, earlier this year. The vehicle that served as the blueprint for the model was the T2a camper van built between 1967 and 1971. Visitors to the show were […]
The 2018 World Bank Logistics Performance Index ranked South Africa at number 33 of the 160 countries assessed. While this sounds like good news, the country’s overall ranking was at 20 out of 160 just two years ago. Improving competence and quality in logistics is one way of improving. Bidvest Panalpina Logistics (BPL) believes a path to success lies in developing a robust, quality workforce through top-notch skills development. Sudashini Gounden, national learning and development manager at BPL, says: “Since […]
As national bus sales manager of Scania South Africa, Esaia Taunyane knows that long-term relationships and customer satisfaction are keys to success in the bus and coach market While both are built on relationships, the bus and coach industry is, arguably, a more personal one than the trucking and logistics industry. Indeed, the bus and coach industry is all about moving people – which means a direct impact is made on their lives. “Bus and coach customers are warm people. […]
The long-awaited replacement for the Mercedes-Benz Axor has arrived. GAVIN MYERS meets the impressive new Arocs. Alot has happened at Mercedes-Benz in the past year and, to date, two specific developments have been rather significant. The first was in the middle of 2018 when the new Actros finally made its local debut. This was noteworthy for the brand, as the popularity of the new model allowed it to claim a 19,4 percent market share last year and move back into […]
Exceptional total cost of ownership gives the Tata Ultra class-leading credentials In the South African truck market, the Tata brand is perceived to punch well above its weight – and no model more so than the recently launched Ultra, which competes in the 4,5- to 5,5-t payload segment. Described by Harneet Luther, executive director and CEO of Tata Automobile Corporation South Africa, as the rational choice for discerning truck owners, the Ultra line-up consists of a range of business utility […]
In the land of the commercial vehicle, the Mercedes-Benz V 250 d Avantgarde is as hedonistic as they come. However, says GAVIN MYERS, it does offer notable capability to the discerning van buyer for whom only the best will do. Let’s be honest, does anyone reealy need an eight-seat van-based people mover with levels of luxury high enough to please the most demanding minister of parliament, especially when it costs R1 195 040? That price, incidentally, makes the V 250 […]
GIANENRICO GRIFFINI has an exclusive interview with Eduard Nikolaev of the Kamaz Master Team, winner of the 2019 Dakar Rally trucks category Nikolaev and the Kamaz Master Team have enjoyed three victories in a row in the toughest rally in the world. That’s no mean feat! How did the team manage it? What was the secret to your performance this year? Your driving style and strategy? Your crew? The entire Kamaz team? Your truck? Was it a mix of all […]
Having unveiled its Eicher Pro 6000 series in October last year, Eicher Trucks, the product of a Volvo Group and Eicher Motors joint venture, is now on an expansion drive to have a countrywide network for sales and solid aftermarket support. Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VEVC), a Volvo Group and Eicher Motors joint venture, entered South Africa with a well-defined strategy of keeping aftermarket support at the nucleus of its entry into the market. This is something not to be […]
A volatile market means used-vehicle sales in the southern African region were much more stable than on local soil during 2018. However, it wasn’t all gloom, as GAVIN MYERS finds out. The used market in 2018 was like a yo-yo; there was no pattern to it. Each buyer had a different request and it was very dependent on stock on hand at the time,” comments John Wolff, director of the established used-truck dealership Wolff Autohaus, in Krugersdorp. “It was a […]
FOCUS explores the specialised funding options available to different operations and how these can be leveraged for maximum benefit. Getting the best funding option is not only about securing the best interest rate; it’s also about structuring a deal that aligns itself with the organisation’s business objectives. John Loxton, head of WesBank’s fleet management and leasing division, starts by explaining the difference between a cargo owner and a transporter. He says this is important because their objectives differ and this […]
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