Author:focus-on-transport

FAW throws down the gauntlet

FAW’s recently launched, locally built 6.130 FL medium truck has been specifically configured to meet the needs of southern and central African markets, according to a statement issued by the company. Following in the wheel tracks of the popular 8.140 heavy truck range on which it is based, the newcomer features a similar looking cab, a chassis shortened to accommodate a 3,5-t payload, and a 2,8-litre Cummins ISF engine. Jianyu Hao, FAW’s CEO, says the decision to introduce the truck […]

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‘Exports crucial to auto sector sustainability’

Export-oriented business is crucial for the long-term sustainability of South Africa’s automotive industry, according to Neale Hill, managing director of the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA). Commenting on Ford’s development of its export programme for light commercial vehicles – spearheaded by the Ranger – Hill says he is delighted and encouraged by the expanding role the initiative is playing in the company’s global supply chain. “Over 400 vehicles are assembled each day at our Silverton plant – a […]

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Tata Motors brings innovation to India

Tata Motors is showcasing its strong position in India and abroad with innovative product and service offerings to grow key markets While it is a well-known and successful brand in South Africa, Tata Motors is a home-grown name in India, which the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) is reiterating as it flexes its muscles – starting with new products and services. In May, it launched the first compact truck for the small commercial vehicle market in India: Tata INTRA. The vehicle […]

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A light construction truck that’s no lightweight

The Iveco Stralis X-WAY is a light construction truck that offers best-in-class payload. JARLATH SWEENEY, from Fleet Magazine, tests it For operators of multi-axle trucks, especially eight-wheelers, it’s all about payload – particularly if running concrete mixers. When Iveco launched the Stralis X-Way, it raised the stakes in terms of providing a lightweight, durable, off-road application with the highest payload. Designed for on-road applications and light off-road deliveries, the X-Way offers the best of both elements within the Iveco truck family; […]

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Maximum gain, minimum effort

With a pedigree bolstered by a string of victories in numerous truck competitions – including the 2017 International Truck of the Year contest – Scania’s latest range of next-generation, long-haul thoroughbreds has earned an enviable reputation for delivering premium-quality engineering, cutting-edge efficiency and excellent driver control and comfort Recently released in South Africa, models in Scania’s latest long-haul line-up have attracted plenty of attention for their leading levels of refinement, outstanding fuel economy and spacious, tastefully trimmed cabins – not […]

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A slap in the face

For the past 15 months, South Africa’s trucking industry has been subject to a spate of violent attacks allegedly carried out in the name of protest action aimed at preventing foreign nationals from taking local jobs Ironically, one of the latest victims was a Cape-based truck driver, Bernard Groenewald, who died of injuries sustained when his vehicle was petrol bombed on the N1 near Touws River in the early hours of June 2. South Africa’s Road Freight Association (RFA), estimates […]

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MAN’s Fleet flagship refined

MAN Automotive South Africa adds Emergency Brake Assist as a standard feature. One of South Africa’s undisputed, preferred long-distance haulage trucks has won various accolades for performance efficiencies in recent months – and it was voted Truck Test Champion in 2017 for both fuel efficiency and payload productivity by this magazine. The TGS 26.480 6×4 BLS EfficientLine sports a number of technical specifications that optimise driveline efficiencies – such as the proven D26 Commonrail MAN engine, MAN TipMatic TX automated […]

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Government fiddles while trucks burn

FESARTA endorses a suggestion by the Road Freight Association (RFA) that perhaps South Africa needs a few “NO TRUCK DAYS” to bring home to authorities the importance of road transport as the lifeline for the survival of the country’s fragile economy The latest newspaper reports of violence perpetrated by so-called truck-driver associations all around South Africa are further evidence of the disconnect between government and the industries that are battling to keep a declining economy on track. The shocking statistic […]

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Mahindra commercials for SA?

With South Africa the designated base for Indian brand Mahindra’s expansion into Africa, company representatives discuss the prospects of introducing a greater range of commercial vehicles into the local market. Wynter Murdoch reports India-based business conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra is looking to expand its automotive operations in South Africa – a country which it regards as its second home. That’s the word from Arvind Mathew, the company’s chief of international operations, who was recently in Cape Town to attend the […]

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Truckers’ road to hell

Truck drivers and representatives of trucking companies are running a gauntlet of violence and intimidation – which includes loss of life and destruction of vehicles and property – as unrest grips South Africa’s road transportation industry. WANITA WALLACE reports For more than a year, newspapers and transport-focused websites around the country have carried reports of truck drivers being killed or injured – and their vehicles burnt or damaged – following acts of violence allegedly aimed at protecting the jobs of […]

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