Gearing up for Futuroad

It’s all systems go for Africa’s biggest truck and bus show – Futuroad

Futuroad – a comprehensive business platform for South Africa’s truck, bus and commercial vehicle sectors – is scheduled to be staged in September at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec, where it will form part of the multi-faceted Automechanika Johannesburg trade fair.

The event is billed as the biggest automotive exhibition in Africa and it is expected to attract visitors from across the sub-Saharan region. Scheduled to take place from September 18 to 21, Futuroad aims to provide a premier showcase for the display of commercial vehicles, with a number of brands having committed to the launch of new models at the show.

Volvo, UD, Daewoo, FAW, Tata, Powerstar, JMC and Fiat Professional, as well as bodybuilder Serco and component supplier Trailquip, have confirmed their participation.

Additionally, exhibits will include displays of vehicle-tracking and navigation systems, technology relating to fleet management, refuelling systems and cross-border services, as well as products from service providers to truck and bus operators.

Joshua Low, managing director of Messe Frankfurt SA, organisers of the show, says a test-drive venue has been established in the showgrounds so that visitors can experience at first hand the capabilities of vehicles that will be on display.

“Adding to this, we are pleased to announce that the Road Freight Association (RFA) and South African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) have confirmed that they will be hosting conferences alongside the Futuroad Expo.  Lastly, we have added free-to-attend skills development zones in the halls and experiential content, to strengthen the appeal of the event to a wider pool of visitors,” he says.

The opening of the event will mark the second time that Futuroad will have been staged in South Africa, the expo having replaced the SA Truck and Bus Show on the automotive calendar.