Author:focus-on-transport

You find yourself in the middle of an intersection trying to make sense of the chaos. Your vehicle is smashed to bits, thanks to an inattentive driver who ran a red light, and tow trucks are closing in from every direction. It can happen to anyone… So what should you, or your drivers, do in such an event? The Automobile Association (AA) advises all motorists to be aware of their rights to avoid falling prey to unscrupulous towing operators. “We […]

The new Volkswagen (VW) Crafter is officially available in South Africa, bringing with it the title of 2017 International Van of the Year. As the first Crafter to be wholly designed and built by VW since 1996, this new model moves the game on in terms of flexibility, technology and operation. According to VW, the new Crafter is based on a completely new design concept that caters to the needs of various customer groups. Currently available in six basic derivatives with […]

Mahindra South Africa has begun operation at its new vehicle-assembly plant at the Dube TradePort Special Economic Zone in KwaZulu-Natal, where it will assemble the complete range of Mahindra Pik Up single- and double-cab bakkies – its single best-selling commercial vehicle. The facility represents an initial investment of R10 million in facilities and equipment. According to Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa, the decision to assemble vehicles in Durban follows the company’s exceptional growth since it first established an […]

Consistently one of the top-two selling bakkies in South Africa each month, the Ford Ranger will come in for a significant refresh in 2019. However, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa has already revealed some details… “The current-generation Ford Ranger has been a phenomenal success, both in South Africa and internationally, and the updated models that will be released next year will raise the bar further in the highly competitive light commercial vehicle sector,” comments Ockert Berry, vice-president operations, Ford […]

Through the Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire, operator of the N1N4 highway, Total South Africa has donated Road Safety Cubes to eight primary schools along the route, to teach children the importance of road safety. The Cube road-safety programme, an initiative of Total worldwide, involves using practical demonstrations and interactive sessions to educate young learners about road safety and create awareness of the road rules and signs. Bakwena is sponsoring all the training sessions and implementation activities. “These educational aids are […]

Fuchs Petrolub SE, the world’s largest independent manufacturer of high-quality lubricants and related products, has opened a R 116,8-million grease plant expansion at its Isando factory in Gauteng. The state-of-the-art plant will manufacture a large variety of specialty grease grades to meet the rising demands of African customers for ever-increasing quality and responsiveness. “This new facility is a fully automated and very modern grease plant. It will serve the South African market and allows us to export high-quality grease into […]

Reliability, efficiency and safety are the three core characteristics that define the new Mercedes-Benz Actros. With over 25 000 vehicles sold in South Africa since it was introduced to the market in 1998, the Actros family has been a significant success story in the heavy-duty truck sector, with the current Actros being the market leader in this segment. The new Actros was launched in Europe in 2011, available then only as a Euro 6. In order to meet the high […]

Ctrack recently launched its Drive mobile application software aimed at small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) with fleets of 30 vehicles or less. It is suited for companies not solely focused on fleets and who may not have a dedicated fleet manager. The software is designed to assist these organisations in managing unforeseen costs and inefficiencies. The Drive solution has all the fleet-management tools transport operators will need. The software, for example, can be viewed on multiple mobile devices, such […]

It’s never too late to brush up on your knowledge, and the ever-evolving world of trucking and transport is certainly no exception. As such, the University of Witwatersrand’s School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering is offering a number of postgraduate short courses in the 2018 academic year. In July, it will offer a course on the mechanics of heavy-duty truck systems. Taking place between July 9 and 13, the five-day event will focus on the dynamics of trucks. It […]