FleetWatch Online - The Definitive Trucking Site- March 2005

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Past Issues

March 2005

One man making a difference...
It took a personal tragedy and a burning sense of purpose to get the Arrive Alive campaign into the digital domain. Paul Collings spoke to the man behind arrivealive.co.za.

VW is coming...
Volkswagen of South Africa has announced the arrival in 2006 of a range of medium and heavy commercial vehicles, a move that could considerably change the local trucking landscape.

Cover Story

STRIKE OUT!...
Were there any winners in the truck driver's strike that gained so much publicity in March? FleetWatch reckons not and if certain critical issues are not addressed, more trouble is set to follow writes Patrick O'Leary who spent a day with the strikers on the streets of Johannesburg.

Eye Screening project

Still running blind...
In a repeat of our August 1995 project, FleetWatch once again linked hands with Engen and the SA Optometric Association to screen the eyesight of truck drivers on our roads. This time we added blood pressure and diabetes testing. The results are not good.

Special Interest report on aluminium

Unheavy Metal...
One material that is helping transporters achieve lower tare mass is aluminium. FleetWatch's Paul Collings investigates the trends and issues surrounding aluminium's role in the trucking industry.

ENLIGHTENMENT Please...
With stricter enforcement on overloading transgressions now ruling out the 'easy' route to maximizing profits, operators are looking at running rigs with the lowest possible tare weight that allow for the greatest possible loading potential within the confines of the law.

Mass Appeal...
A visit to any aluminium trailer or truck body manufacturing plant is a walk through a latter-day renaissance in metal fashioning.

It's Hardly New!...
FleetWatch correspondent Jack Webster relives a bit of aluminium history on the home front. It hasn't 'just arrived' as many would believe. It's been with us for a long time.

A FleetWatch Special Supplement...
In this special supplement, FleetWatch highlights the history and achievements of GRW Engineering, one of our leading tanker builders.

FleetWatch launches Training Academy...
After many months of research into establishing some of the more pressing training needs of the industry, FleetWatch is proud to announce the launch of the FleetWatch Training and Development Academy.

Vehicle Selection

Choosing the right truck for the job...
FleetWatch correspondent Max Braun gives readers some thoughts and tips around the subject of choosing the right vehicle for the job. There is no simple standard method so take note of what he writes and adapt what best suits your circumstances.