Author:jaco-de-klerk

Interlinked mechanics strengthens supply chain May 3, 2024 We delve into the main challenges plaguing the supply chain industry and see how this year’s trends could help to address these problems. “Our global supply chains are stressed and under pressure, not only because of material shortfalls and shipping delays, but also due to labour shortages in key sectors,” writes Joe McKendrick in his Harvard Business Review piece, “How to Address the Supply-Chain Staffing Crisis”. It comes as no surprise that […]

Robots to the rescue? April 11, 2024 The global logistics industry serves as the backbone of international trade, but severe labour shortages are threatening to hamper future growth worldwide in this sector. A new generation of AI-enabled robots could, however, help to tackle these challenges. As demand has skyrocketed, companies have invested heavily in robotics and automation. As the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) points out, sales of professional service robots for the transportation of goods and cargo grew by […]

Can public transport drive social mobility? April 19, 2024 “A good public transport system is necessary for social upward mobility and economic growth,” notes the simplified version of the Draft National Public Transport Subsidy Policy. Truer words could not have been spoken. But hasn’t public transport already been subsidised for decades? The short answer is yes. However, there hasn’t ever been a national subsidy structure for public transport, as pointed out by Darko Skribensik, CEO of transport specialist consultancy Future […]

Factory roof-powered delivery vehicles! March 22, 2024 In the future, South African businesses could use their large solar installations to overcome loadshedding and fuel their road fleets, says Justin Coetzee, CEO of fleet technology company GoMetro. According to Coetzee, South Africa’s installed solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity increased 349% between March 2022 and June 2023. This was largely driven by businesses installing panels at their premises. “Given the interim tax incentives on solar installations, this figure is expected to grow exponentially […]

Top trends to address SA’s challenges March 4, 2024 We take a look at the top fleet management trends for 2024 and discover how these could address some of the challenges facing South African fleets. Geotab, a global provider of connected transportation solutions, believes that artificial intelligence (AI) and data will be the titans that drive connected vehicle insights to lower costs, improve performance, and adapt to changing demands. “Looking ahead into 2024, we foresee data and AI predictability as […]

Used, but still useful February 21, 2024 Times are tough in today’s economic climate, which is putting a strain on all. Transport operators and mobility providers could have an ace up their sleeves, however, in the form of used vehicles… The used trucks market in Africa is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% between 2022 and 2027, according to consulting, data analytics, and market research firm MarkNtel Advisors, which provides an extensive range of strategic […]

Your air taxi is landing! September 28, 2023 The concept of an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft emerged in 2009, when a video of the NASA Puffin eVTOL concept went viral. Fast forward 14 years and it seems the time of air taxis is nigh. Flying “cars” have moved from the realm of science fiction to a real world alternative for getting people from A to B. At least, they will have in little more than a year. […]

Fleet management will flourish October 24, 2023 Fleet management is set to flourish in the future, so we delve into the global and domestic markets to see what exactly is expected to drive this growth. The global fleet management system market achieved a volume of US$23.8 billion in 2022 and is set for significant growth in the future. Leading international market research company ResearchAndMarkets.com says that the sector is expected to attain a market value of US$43.1 billion in the next five years. “This […]

Terrific tyre trends September 14, 2023 The wheel has never had to be reinvented, but tyres are a totally different story. We take a look at the latest developments within this sector. First up is Continental’s drive to step up its activities towards a circular economy. Recently, the tyre manufacturer added recovered carbon black (rCB) to its newly produced Super Elastic solid tyres at its tyre plant in Korbach, Germany, thus reducing the fossil raw materials used and carbon dioxide […]

Spot the fake  July 5, 2023 Industry-leading brands recently joined forces in Malaysia to educate attendees about the potential harm that fake and counterfeit parts pose to the transport industry. Asian Trucker Magazine’s one day seminar, “Spot the Fake – Protect your Assets”, held at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel in Setia Alam, provided various pointers on how to identify fake or counterfeit parts – useful information to any transport operator. Labels and packaging One of the most obvious ways […]