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Hopping off

Regulars

Hopping Off

Our regular columns and sections are all contributions from leading industry figures.

March 15, 2018

Today, water … tomorrow, oil?

Cape Town’s water crisis and the cost of oil have more in common than you’d expect… Up to now, many people (including myself) have...

February 1, 2018

Coming to a pole near you?

This is the 50th Hopping Off column and I remain humbly aware that I have repeated myself several times by now. So, forgive me...

Page 3 of 31 23

focusmagsa

😝 𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹-𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲: 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝗙

😝 𝗔𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹-𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲: 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗹’𝘀!
The Central Energy Fund estimates a price increase on 1 April of almost R5/litre for petrol and more than R8/litre for diesel!

⛽️ Needless to say: be sure to fill up your tanks before the hike. We’re in for a rough ride…

#FuelPriceHike #CostofLiving #TCO #Inflation #FleetManagement #SouthAfrica #Fuel

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼

𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿

📢 FOCUS is proud to announce that WearCheck has joined Truck Test as an official partner in 2026.

🗣️ “As specialists in condition monitoring, we understand the importance of reliability, efficiency and predictive maintenance in the transport industry,” says Vanessa Evans, marketing manager at WearCheck. “Truck Test provides a valuable platform for showcasing performance under real operating conditions, and we’re excited to contribute our expertise while strengthening our presence in the transport sector.”

💡 Taking place from 3-5 Nov this year, Truck Test is SA’s most respected independent truck evaluation during which heavy commercial trucks undertake a rigorous real-world test, travelling from Johannesburg to Durban and back. Throughout the journey, key performance indicators such as fuel consumption, payload capability and driving time are carefully measured and analysed to determine the best-performing truck in the country.

#TruckTest2026 #WearCheck #ConditionMonitoring #OilAnalysis #Oil #FleetManagement

🛠️ 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 & 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹

🛠️ 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 & 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀

UD Trucks Southern Africa (UDTSA) has seen a sharp rise in the uptake of its service agreements. According to 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀𝗵 𝗕𝗵𝗶𝗺𝗮, GM: service agreements at UDTSA, this growth reflects a shift in how customers view maintenance. It’s no longer a reactive expense, but rather a proactive business enabler.

👀 Read the whole Uptime Edge story in our March issue of FOCUS: https://buff.ly/c4L8fR1

#UptimeEdge #ServiceAgreements #UDTrucks #FocusOnTransport #CostControl #Predictability

⛑️ 𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗸

⛑️ 𝗠𝗔𝗡 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗨𝗸𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲

Four MAN TGE 9-seater vans were donated to the Malteser Relief Service, which works closely in Ukraine with the Olena Zelenska Foundation.

🚚 The vehicles will benefit students in the Zakarpattia region, providing safe journeys to school and educational programmes, creating a sense of normality in the children’s everyday lives.

At the start of the conflict in 2022, MAN provided Malteser with three trucks for aid transports to Ukraine’s neighbouring countries.

👀 Founded in 2022 by Olena Zelenska, the wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the foundation is dedicated to long-term support for the people of Ukraine, with a special focus on children, families, medical care and education.

#MAN #MANTruckandBus #Ukraine #HumanitarianAid #Transport #MalteserReliefService #OlenaZelenskaFoundation

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗦 𝗶𝘀 𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘! 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱; 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆.

👉 https://tinyurl.com/2bf8dmbr

Inside this issue:
• Check out our cover story – the Amarok is proving itself as a serious business tool in tough conditions
• Truck Test 2026 is gearing up to be the biggest yet – with major industry players already on board
• Inside Ipelegeng’s operation – how resilience and strong partnerships (with Scania) keep buses moving
• From data to foresight – why fleets can’t afford to rely on hindsight anymore
• Fake job scams are rising fast – and AI is making them harder to detect
• Uptime = revenue – how UD Trucks is turning maintenance into a strategic advantage
• Can AdBlue go green? Read about the next frontier in fleet sustainability
• Profit lives in the planning – why DAF says smart fleet strategy is everything in 2026
• Tyres under pressure – local industry vs global innovation

If you’re in transport and logistics, this isn’t optional reading – it’s where the industry is heading.

👉 Click. Read. Stay ahead.

#Transport #Logistics #FleetManagement #Trucking #SupplyChain #FOCUSMagazine

𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗴 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝘆𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁

𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗴 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝘆𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿

We’re proud to announce that @bandag_sa is the official and exclusive tyre partner of Truck Test 2026.

As one of the world’s most respected names in tyre retreading and fleet solutions, Bandag’s involvement reinforces the importance of tyre performance, durability and total cost of ownership in the commercial transport sector.

Truck Test 2026 will push the industry’s leading trucks through real-world operating conditions, and tyres play a critical role in everything from fuel efficiency and safety to uptime and fleet profitability. With Bandag on board, the test programme gains a partner with deep expertise in helping fleets maximise tyre life and optimise operating costs.

“Truck Test provides a unique platform to demonstrate how tyres influence the real performance of commercial vehicles,” says Monal Naik, Marketing Manager. “At Bandag, we are committed to helping transport operators achieve greater efficiency, sustainability and value from every kilometre. Partnering with Truck Test 2026 allows us to showcase the role that advanced retread technology and tyre management play in modern fleet operations.”

The FOCUS team will soon reveal more details about the trucks participating in Truck Test 2026.

Stay tuned – the journey is just beginning.

#TruckTest2026 #Bandag #FOCUSOnTransport #FleetEfficiency #TruckingIndustry

🚆 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀

🚆 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗮 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀

Thanks to a collaboration between CMB.Tech Namibia, TransNamib and Africa Global Logistics, Namibia could become the first African country to operate a heavy-duty freight train powered by green hydrogen.

🛠️ Currently being assembled in South Africa, the locomotive should be operating using locally produced green hydrogen later in 2026 – not only modernising Namibia’s rail sector but also helping it decarbonise.

🗣️CMB.Tech stated that “Namibia has a large fleet of idle locomotives that can be repowered with this cost-effective and future-proof technology. By converting an operational locomotive, the initiative aims to show how hydrogen can be integrated into freight rail without the need for new rolling stock or major infrastructure changes.”

👀 More info: https://buff.ly/CGtMIRi

#GreenHydrogen #GreenRail #HeavyDutyRail #FreightTrains #Namibia #SouthAfrica #FreightRail

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has officially entered Truck

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has officially entered Truck Test 2026, which will take place between 3 and 5 November 2026. (The exact Actros model is firmly under wraps for now.)

Truck Test 2026 is organised by FOCUS on Transport & Logistics, with specifications and results independently compiled by their expert partners at TruckScience, ensuring a transparent and data-driven evaluation process.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks stole the spotlight at the Truck Test 2022 by achieving the best payload productivity factor with the Mercedes-Benz Actros 2652LS/33 RE and setting a formidable benchmark for efficiency and performance.

The Mercedes-Benz Trucks team is optimistic about the results that can be achieved this year: “The FOCUS Truck Test has long served as an important performance benchmark in the industry, and we welcome the opportunity to put our Mercedes-Benz Actros to the test once again. We have unwavering confidence in the engineering, efficiency and productivity of our vehicles, as well as the skill of our drivers. Our team works tirelessly to develop solutions that maximise value for our customers, and we believe our Truck Test entry will reflect that commitment,” says Olaf Petersen, Vice President: Sales and Marketing at Daimler Truck Southern Africa.

He adds: “We view the Truck Test as a chance to demonstrate how our trucks perform under standard operating conditions. True to our philosophy, we will enter a standard production vehicle without modifications or non-standard accessories. Our drivers will operate the truck as closely as possible to real-world conditions to deliver results that are meaningful and relevant for our customers.”

Stay tuned for more details as we build up to the industry’s ultimate test of productivity and performance.

Learn more about the Actros and its performance in Truck Test 2022 here: https://tinyurl.com/kexfdt5m

#TruckTest2026 #MercedesBenzTrucks #FocusMagazine #TruckScience #PayloadProductivity

Something big is coming from FAW Trucks… and the F

Instagram post 17878543947521971

Instagram post 17878543947521971

💥 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝗔’𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽

💥 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝗔’𝘀 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆

South Africa’s growing reliance on diesel and petrol imported from refining centres in the Persian Gulf means that war-related disruptions could have a significant impact on fuel availability and prices in our country.

🛢️ SA imports about 19 billion litres of finished petroleum products per year and roughly 13 billion litres of crude oil. Only about 25% of the crude oil imports comes directly from the Gulf region; the rest comes from African producers, Nigeria being the largest supplier at 29%.

🚢 In 2023 South Africa imported refined fuel products consisting mainly of:
• Diesel (67%)
• Petrol (23%)
• Liquefied petroleum gas (5%)
• Jet fuel (4%)
• Illuminating paraffin (2%)

🚨 As local refining capacity has declined, SA relies increasingly on diesel and petrol imports from the Middle East. This significantly raises the risk of fuel supply disruptions and price hikes, particularly with the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz as well as the targeting of oil refineries in the region.

👀 Read more: https://buff.ly/gCUuvhJ

#OilSupply #FuelSupply #OilCrisis #War #MiddleEast #FuelPrice #Inflation

☢️ 𝗛𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲? 🚢

☢️ 𝗛𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲? 🚢

Approval in Principle (AiP) has been given to a hybrid nuclear-ready power concept developed with Australian ship design group Seatransport to deliver long-range vessels with significantly reduced fuel dependence and emissions.

📢 The announcement was made by Lloyd’s Register, a technical & professional services organisation and a maritime classification society that collaborated with Seatransport on the project for several years.

⚛️ The design enables nuclear Micro Modular Reactors (MMRs) to be combined with conventional diesel-electric systems for 73m and 90m amphibious stern landing vessel (SLV) designs. A 73m SLV was used as the trial platform.

👉 Benefits of incorporating hybrid nuclear-ready capability included:
- Effectively unlimited operational range
- Significantly reduced reliance on conventional fuels
- Extended endurance for sustained missions
- Enhanced operational flexibility
- Reliable operation in demanding environments like remote beaches

🛡️ Lloyd’s Register is working closely with national authorities to ensure that safety, compliance and operational standards are fully addressed. Wider adoption is anticipated in the early 2030s.

#Shipping #Nuclear #HybridNuclear #MaritimeInnovations #Logistics #LowCarbonSolutions #SeaTransport

📢 𝗠𝗔𝗡'𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗴𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴-𝗵𝗮𝘂𝗹 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗼

♀️ 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹

♀️ 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻’𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆

Women are significantly under-represented in Africa’s road transport sector, facing gender stereotypes, harassment, limited access to finance and training, and unsafe working conditions.

🗣️ This was pointed out by Caroline Barber, CEO of 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗶𝗱, whose organisation works with communities, partners and governments to address transport challenges across sub-Saharan Africa. Over 60,000 professional drivers and 200 trainers have been trained since 1998.

💡 When women’s rights are upheld within transport systems, communities become safer, more resilient and more inclusive, she noted. That’s why Transaid is committed to ensuring women have equitable access to skilled employment, safe transport and life-saving healthcare.

𝗖𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲:
🏍️ Motorcycle training giving women economic independence & the confidence to challenge stereotypes on the road.

📚️ Training on harassment and sexual and gender-based violence that helps create safer minibus taxi services in South Africa.

🚴⚕️ Training a bicycle ambulance rider to help deliver timely maternal healthcare in rural Zambia.

👀 Read more: https://buff.ly/6CNMIBm

#InternationalWomensDay2026 #WomenInTransport #Empowerment #Training #Jobs #Equality #GBV #Skills

😬 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻

😬 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆?
Jim Ward fears it might. As he writes in our February issue, behind every delayed load lies a human story that few in logistics ever stop to consider.

🚚🚨 Take the unusually high level of violence featuring on trucking posts and videos. In Africa, it’s not just accident clips, though – it’s scenes of young, skinny gunmen with AK-47s emerging from the bush (particularly in the DRC) and holding drivers to ransom at gunpoint, either for their cargo, fuel or personal belongings.

👀 Read all the shocking details here: https://buff.ly/P7OpgPg

#Crime #TransportCrime #CargoTheft #Hijacking #InsuranceRisk #Africa #Logistics

🛠️ 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀: 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗲

🛠️ 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘀: 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀

In the latest Uptime Edge column in FOCUS February, UD Trucks SA shares insights from one of its in-house experts.

🗣️ This time it's Steven Fabricius, GM service commercial, who says the company’s latest advances in 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 are helping fleets manage rising operational pressures while extending the lifespan of their vehicles.

👉 Predictive maintenance, tailored servicing plans and data-driven workshop planning are becoming essential tools for transport operators seeking greater cost control and uptime. This is why UDTSA’s maintenance scheduling focuses so closely on these aspects.

👀 Read all about it here: https://buff.ly/c0zj2Ll

#UDTrucks #PredictiveMaintenance #FleetManagement #Transport #Logistics #UptimeEdge

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀 🫨 A surprising p

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗱𝘀
🫨 A surprising proportion of heavy trucks moving along major Southern African transport corridors are running empty for significant stretches of their journeys.

In logistics, an empty truck represents wasted fuel, avoidable CO₂ emissions, higher transport costs across the value chain and unnecessary strain on roads and border infrastructure.

💡 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? A regional digital freight-matching marketplace, says Thembani Sibanda, who writes for our February issue of FOCUS. This could cut costs and emissions, as well as unlock trade efficiency across borders.

👀 Read about it here: https://buff.ly/00y3Npl

#TransportEfficiency #Trucking #Transport #FocusOnTransport #SouthAfrica

🎢 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿? Those ga

🎢 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿?
Those gains we enjoyed in 2025 with the gradual dropping of the fuel price? 𝗘𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 - at midnight on Tues 3 March (tonight!)

📈 The diesel price increases by 62-65 cents per litre. (Also: petrol, paraffin and LPG prices rise.)

🏝️💥 Why? The international crude oil price is skyrocketing following hostilities in the Middle East. Several production facilities and export terminals across the region have been bombed and the Strait of Hormuz is closed to commercial ships (it handles +20% of global oil supply).

😬💸 This places an immediate cost burden on consumers as well as on the daily operations of commercial transporters, all of whom must prepare for more shocks to come...

#Diesel #FuelPricing #OilCrisis #MiddleEast #CostofLiving #CrudeOil

📢 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗼 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗦𝗼𝘂

📢 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗼 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮

Potter takes over from Waldemar Christensen, who led the organisation since 2022 and now assumes the role of CEO at Volvo’s Designwerk Technologies in Switzerland.

💡 Part of the Volvo Trucks family since 2014, Potter has been involved in the commercial vehicle and transport industry for the past 33 years. He began his career as a heavy commercial vehicle technician and has since built extensive experience across a variety of leadership roles within the aftermarket, retail and operational areas of the business.

💓 “The heartbeat of the commercial vehicle industry is its people,” said Potter. “Fleet owners operate in a very real world with significant challenges. That is why keeping people at the centre of what we do, building trust and long term partnerships, is essential to ensuring we support our customers every step of the way.”

🚚 Potter believes that the Volvo Trucks dealer network in South Africa plays a pivotal role in customer success.

👉 Volvo Group Southern Africa’s head office is located in Jet Park, Gauteng, and the organisation operates a Volvo Trucks assembly plant in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Local operations include Volvo Trucks, Volvo Penta, Volvo Bus and Volvo Financial Services, employing approximately 750 people, with operations supported by a dealer footprint of 20 dealers, 12 wholly owned and eight privately owned across the country.

#Leadership #VolvoTrucks #PeopleManagement #Dealerships #Transport #SouthAfrica

We're excited to be attending Drive360 today, an e

We're excited to be attending Drive360 today, an exclusive MAN media event.

We are looking forward to the launch of a new MAN truck! We will also be gaining insight into how MAN continues to drive efficiency, safety and end-to-end business solutions across the industry.

It is always great to see innovation in action and to connect with partners shaping the future of mobility.

Stay tuned for updates.

#Drive360 #Innovation #Mobility #MAN #IndustryLeadership

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