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WELCOME TO TruckWatch 2005 – the 9th edition of this popular annual which every year serves to add value to an industry sector which, in our opinion, is the most important in the country. To be honest, when we originally launched TruckWatch nine years ago, we never envisaged the vitally important role it would come to play in this industry as a working document and information provider. What really pleases is that this role has been driven by the industry itself where we are now told that TruckWatch is not a ‘nice-to-have’ or ‘nice-to-be-in’ publication. Rather, it has developed into a ‘must-have’ and ‘must-be-in’ document. Certainly it is a publication we at FleetWatch believe strongly in but more importantly, it is one our advertisers and target audiences believe in. The industry wants the product and sees it as adding value in many ways and to many audiences – both locally and internationally – and that’s what makes it so relevant.
When we originally launched TruckWatch, the intention was to consolidate truck specifications into one user-friendly publication. FleetWatch had, up to then, been inundated with on-going requests from transport operators for specifications of various truck models which we would then source from the manufacturers for our readers. It was obvious to us that there was a need to consolidate and it was thus that TruckWatch was born. While this intention has remained the same throughout the years, it is amazing how the target audience has grown and expanded – both locally and internationally. To give one example: In December, I got a call from one of the participating manufacturers asking for the approximate date this current issue would be available as the development engineers from his overseas parent company were on his back for a copy. "Is this the first time they’ve requested it?" I asked. "No, we’ve been sending it to them since you started it. They find it essential in ensuring they are competitive in terms of truck spec offerings," is what he told me. Wow! If TruckWatch is being used overseas where our trucks are being designed and developed, that is great news. The prime target audience remains, however, our local transport operators who find this an invaluable tool to compare the specifications of certain trucks models when considering truck purchases. In this respect, we are thrilled to announce that every manufacturer and/or supplier of trucks operating in South Africa - bar FAW - is featured in this edition thus giving operators a ready source of hands-on and up-todate information on every truck model available on the market. This year we are also pleased to welcome on board a number of our leading trailer manufacturers who – again responding to requests from our readers to have trailers included – have joined TruckWatch on its annual journey. We are thrilled to have you on board especially since trailing equipment is now gaining much more attention than it ever did in the past. FleetWatch, the parent publication of TruckWatch, has for some time pushed for this and it seems the message has got through. No longer are operators accepting pieces of steel stuck together with slap-dash welding done in someone’s backyard. As Frank Beeton points out in an article featured elsewhere in this edition, new vehicle technology such as electronic brake system management, is dictating a growing need for new-generation semi-trailers and equipment. Trailers are coming into their own as requiring specialist attention - a trend we heartily endorse and welcome. Engine suppliers are also once again with us as are many of the leading component suppliers in the market – some of whom are with us for the first time. A big welcome to all! Putting together a publication of this nature is not for the faint-hearted. In this regard, a dedicated team of FleetWatch staffers and associates have worked tirelessly to ensure you receive a publication that is up-to-date and accurate – not an easy task considering the many thousands of individual specification figures, telephone numbers, contact names, addresses etc etc that go into the publication. There are so many people who play a role in TruckWatch and I thank each and every one for linking hands as a team to ensure it all happens. You are stars and I am sure that through your efforts, TruckWatch 2005 will be a winner for all participating companies and for the industry as a whole. Let’s keep on trucking. PATRICK O’LEARY
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