Surviving Stormy Seas...

The global economic crisis has all of us questioning our own financial security, both in business and on a personal level. As bankers and car-makers around the world record unprecedented losses with some forced to accept bail-out packages from their respective governments, the global trucking industry seems to have made it thus far relatively unscathed. The million-dollar questions for the road freight industry in South Africa right now are: “Will the global economic crisis attack local trucking and what can transport operators do to ensure long-term business sustainability?  Paul Collings gathers some wisdom.

Collaboration is Key...

Knowledge sharing is an integral part of the value chain that exists in the SA trucking industry and in the tough economic climate we face today, operators should mine this resource as extensively as possible. Paul Collings explores some of the rich veins of expertise available to transport operators to assist them in the effective day-to-day running of their fleets. There are many others. Use them. 

Actros hits Guinness Book of Records ...

One has to hand it to European heavy truck manufacturers - when it comes to setting engineering milestones, they’re no slouches. The latest coup comes from Mercedes-Benz whose Actros has just made it into the Guinness Book of Records in the ‘most fuel efficient truck’ category.

Flexibility makes for a winner...

Truck sales might be down but manufacturers have not been, and will not be, holding back on bringing to South African truck operators the best the world has to offer. An example is Volvo, which towards the end of last year launched its new FH and FM models. Max Braun was there to bring you his impressions. 

Safety lifeline – compressed air...

When last did you pay attention to the air compressor on your truck? Because it is usually tucked away near the engine timing gears, your ‘techies’ probably look past it from a maintenance point of view and it seems nobody bothers about this component until there is a major problem - and a major problem in braking means critical reaction times accompanied by insufficient force to stop writes FleetWatch technical correspondent Dave Scott. 

Our Western Cape Brake and Tyre Watch exercise shared the fact that just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did! Such a pretty mountain surrounded by lousy trucks. 

Brake and Tyre Watch ...

Cape of Wreck...

BALD & UGLY...

FuelWatch Contents...

This issue of FuelWatch reports on current trends and developments in biofuels and the growing focus on the need to determine specifications for cleaner future fuels that contribute to improving air quality and allow the introduction of Euro 4 and Euro 5 engine technology.

Learn how to cope with change in
a tough business environment to
beat competition ...

more... 

You and Your Driver

FleetWatch has always held the view that the driver holds the key to a trucking company's success.

more...