Transport industry recovers!

The local transport industry is showing steady signs of recovery! A total of 27 075 trucks and buses were sold during 2021 in South Africa, an increase of 19% over 2020.

But Filip Van den Heede, managing director of UD Trucks Southern Africa, has warned that it’s not all going to be plain sailing for the industry. “While the local transport industry is showing steady growth, it will be a bumpy road ahead of full economic recovery, requiring interventions such as building smarter logistics with lower environmental impact and taking a value-based approach to managing supply chains,” says Van den Heede.

“As the saying goes, ‘In every crisis lies great opportunity’. The post-pandemic era presents the logistics industry with an opportunity to be part of working towards a greener planet. Logistics providers have also been part of the environmental degradation problem that our only planet is facing, and now is the time to go the extra mile and be an active part of the solution as well,” he adds.

Van den Heede is proud of the company’s proactive stance in the market. “Our long-standing commitment to providing trucks and services the world needs today and tomorrow has led UD Trucks to introduce Euro 5 trucks ahead of regulations in South Africa. Our Euro 5 model range will expand later in 2022 with the addition of two new models,” he reveals.

Van den Heede maintains that process enhancements such as automation, connectivity, and electromobility can help reduce the pressure on logistics. “At UD Trucks, we have long invested in smart logistics solutions, outfitting our trucks with connected devices and safety features that can analyse data in real-time to improve efficiency and safety.

“The use of UD Telematics system can help customers monitor factors influencing the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of their fleets – such as fuel consumption, utilisation, vehicle health, vehicle location, and driver behaviour – and then identify areas for improvement. Since 2021, in a first in the South African market, UD Trucks has offered telematics as standard on all new trucks sold in order for customers to take their performance and TCO to new levels.”

Van den Heede says the company will continue to focus on offering transport operators an excellent customer experience. “The strength of UD Trucks’ after-sales support continues to be just as important as the manufacturing of trucks. We provide quality after-sales service performed by qualified technicians using genuine parts, service planning, and service agreements, as well as vehicle handover training, to maximise fleet performance for businesses.

“In addition, we are continuously expanding our service network by investing in state-of-the-art facilities and retraining our aftermarket support staff. With the opening of a new UD Trucks dealership in the Vaal region in 2021, our customers can expect more choice and flexibility as we open a few more UD Trucks dealerships in the coming years,” he predicts.

Finally, the company is celebrating the 60^th anniversary of UD Trucks in South Africa. “This marks our continued commitment to improving lives, all while continuing to stay true to our Japanese heritage and the promise to deliver ultimate dependability with trucks and services the customer needs today,” says Van den Heede. “Our goal remains to become ‘the truck brand that our customers want to partner with’ and to be a desired employer to work for – today and in the years to come too.”