Author:jim-ward

Gershwin and the cats March 30, 2026 The International 4900 was a brutal, temperamental machine that every driver hated – except Gershwin. It was fitting, then, that one would eventually strand him on a mission farm and introduce him to two hubcaps full of milk and a lesson in grace. Among the seasoned drivers at our busy provincial distribution centre, we had an Umfundisi (preacher), Gershwin Tsabedze, who also happened to be the shop steward. THE MAN We often clashed […]

Blood money February 3, 2026 Our continent and country’s trucking industry runs on courage, fear and silence. As JIM WARD notes, behind every delayed load lies a human story that few in logistics ever stop to consider. Several interest groups are covering South Africa’s trucking industry. I try to keep tabs on those who seem most attuned to driver sentiment and the daily experiences they have, because it is both interesting and informative. Lately, it has also become very graphic […]

Outsourcing versus “rightsourcing” November 13, 2025 In transport, partnership is priceless but perilous. JIM WARD warns that while the rewards are rich when outsourcing becomes “rightsourcing”, every embedded relationship hides the risk of exposure and imbalance. The decision to outsource non-core activities in a business is usually made to sharpen focus on core competencies and avoid peripheral work that has become complex, time-consuming or too difficult to manage in-house. The phrase “let’s stick to the knitting” is often used when, […]

Padkos, panic and physics November 4, 2025 Planning a road trip this holiday season? Don’t leave without reading these wise words from JIM WARD… December is just around the corner. It’s that time of year, when South Africans begin their annual migration, travelling far across this enormous country. Many of you will be joining the great trek. The situation described below will happen to many.  You will typically leave much later than planned, pack too much into the vehicle and […]

Poking the dragon September 24, 2025 Once, tyres meant trusted brands, glossy adverts, and stocked shelves. Now, with imports flooding in and legacies fading, the road ahead looks uncertain. JIM WARD asks if we really know what we’re driving on. Anyone shopping for passenger-vehicle tyres recently will be familiar with this scenario: reputable dealers advise that the brand researched online is discontinued or unavailable, and there is no stock of the promotional specials for suitable tyres. Some alternatives exist, but […]

Let’s talk, man to man August 4, 2025 There’s a certain mythology around trucking – long hours on the open road; grit, grind, and a kind of toughman endurance. However, behind the wheel of that romanticised image, writes JIM WARD, lies a darker reality. A recent video clip circulating on trucking forums and social media has peeled back the curtain on just how strained – and dangerous – this world can become. There is a video clip on one of […]

Don’t shoot the messenger June 30, 2025 This month, JIM WARD tells a fascinating tale of fleet meeting fiction… when paper trucks drive phantom profits. Meet Sampson, who built an empire on essentials and the myth that his trucks actually existed, only to watch it collapse. It turns out that spreadsheets don’t haul cargo… The ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch first described an event embodying the expression “Don’t shoot the messenger”: “The first messenger that gave notice of Lucullus coming was […]

A hundred miles of bad road… all of it dirt May 20, 2025 Whenever things were going badly, if asked how he was doing a close friend of mine would usually reply: “I’m like a hundred miles of bad road, all of it dirt.” But when things were going well with him, he would answer: “I’m strong, Jim, strong like Russia in the sixties.”  Those were essentially his two life positions; mostly he was like Russia in the sixties. I […]

When arrogance pushes opportunity aside March 21, 2025 A careless first encounter can cost businesses dearly, as an international delegation discovered when dealing with a major transport group. JIM WARD discusses the priceless perception of service, and behaviour that influences first impressions.  Good service is a fragile, fleeting thing. It is hard to quantify, but good impressions and an organisation’s reputation can be created or destroyed early in a relationship – even by something small or seemingly insignificant.  A waiting […]