Distracted by shiny objects
Let’s get one thing clear from the start—I would make a terrible commercial truck driver. I’m not very good at remembering driving directions, I barely have the attention span to operate my web browser, and my spatial awareness is maxed out whenever I need to do a three-point turn in our six-year-old family SUV, never mind adding a hinged trailer to the rear bumper.
So when that same SUV was in the shop last month to repair a dented fender (I told you I was a barely competent driver), I was thrilled when our rental car turned out to be a 2021-model-year crossover sedan with all the latest bells and whistles. This thing was loaded with features like a full-color display screen for the backup camera, an overlay on that screen that predicted where your car was headed as you turned the wheel, and a setting that turns down the radio volume when you shift the transmission into reverse.
In theory, those high-tech options should have been just the thing for correcting my ....
Other Transport News
C-BRTA welcomes reopening of Grobler’s Bridge and Stockpoort ports of entry
The Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA) welcomes the announcement by the Border Management Authority (BMA) that operations have actually resumed at the Grobler’s Bridge and Stockpoort ports of entry. C-BRTA CEO Lwazi Mboyi welcomes the statement by the BMA, as it will relieve traffic circulations along corridors to alternative ports that had actually been identified during the closure of Grobler’s Bridge and Stockpoort ports of entry.
AECI to dispose of ImproChem Public Water division, finalises Much Asphalt sale
JSE-listed chemicals group AECI will get rid of its wholly-owned water and process solutions subsidiary ImproChem Public Water service to a South African majority black-owned special purpose lorry, with water treatment speciality chemicals company Nsukutech as the managing investor and Junaco, integrated in Tanzania, as the minority shareholder. It has likewise effectively concluded the divestment of Much Asphalt. This disposal closed in line with the previously directed purchase factor to consider of R1.1-billion. The purchase consideration has been moved to AECI and will be utilized in line with AECI’s capital allocation structure, it says.
Bakwena toll route to launch contactless payments by end of the year
The Bakwena Platinum Corridor Concessionaire has actually revealed the fourth quarter of this year as the revised launch date for contactless payments along the Bakwena N1/N4 route. The new payment approaches provide improved security by allowing real-time payments while roadway users keep ownership of their cards throughout deals.
UNTU to ballot members after Transnet wage meeting ends without agreement
Labour union the United National Transport Union (UNTU) will ballot its members after a conciliation procedure to resolve a conflict between it and State-owned transport firm Transnet ended without contract on April 14. The last offer of a 6% boost in the second and first years and 5.5% in the 3rd year occurred within the context of a helped with and transparent wage negotiation procedure, and in acknowledgment that job security is vital for employee wellness and Transnet’s long-lasting sustainability, the State-owned entity said.
First phase of Sanral’s E Cape Intelligent Transport System project should be ready in June
The South African National Road Agency Limited (Sanral) has actually issued an upgrade on its Eastern Cape Intelligent Transport System (ITS) job. This is the very first such project in the province. The ITS will keep drivers informed of road travel conditions on the national roadways, in genuine time. “The innovation that is utilized on ITS enables us to respond quickly to occurrences on our nationwide roadways,” stated Sanral Eastern Cape provincial head Mbulelo Peterson. “Working together with police officials, the technology likewise helps us to further enhance and improve communication throughout cases of emergency situations on our roads. The ITS task will likewise assist to keep an eye on vandalism on Sanral’s R75 and N2 national roads in Gqeberha, as well as to respond to safety-related problems on the roadway network. The very first phase of the project is anticipated to be finished by June this year.”
Lack of road safety a significant burden on South Africa’s economy
South Africa has a few of the most unsafe roadways worldwide and the estimated expense of road accidents a year is about R164-billion, or about 3.4% of the nation’s GDP. The disturbance of supply chains and the motion of items and individuals affects the wider economy, increasing the expenses of logistics and for consumer products, presenting hold-ups and including threats, and decreasing its financial investment attractiveness, civil and facilities engineering company Zutari transportation economic expert Carole Mtizi stated on April 17.
Report reveals trends shaping Southern Africa’s trade potential
As trade corridors broaden and the demand for sustainable supply chain solutions grows, end-to-end services company Reload Logistics has actually released an industry outlook report, ‘Unlocking Southern Africa’s Trade Potential in 2025 and Beyond’, which lays out trends in facilities, trade combination and digital development driving Southern Africa’s logistics landscape. The report avers that Southern Africa’s logistics sector is at a critical turning point, formed by increasing trade activity, major infrastructure investments and the growing need for efficiency.
Southern African logistics landscape to be transformed by infrastructure investment by 2030 – …
By 2030, Southern Africa’s logistics landscape will be changed through facilities financial investment, much deeper regional combination and sustainability efforts. While significant challenges remain, the structures being laid currently place the region to capitalise on growing international demand for its mineral resources, states logistics business Reload Logistics in its ‘2025 Outlook Report: Unlocking Southern Africa’s Trade Potential in 2025 and Beyond’.
Truck firm set to bolster sustainable transport solutions
The sub-Saharan Africa arm of the Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer UD Trucks, UD Trucks Southern Africa (UDTSA), announced its plans to bring sustainable transportation services to the South African transportation and logistics sectors at a press conference in February. The business would improve operational performance and productivity by preserving finest practices at its nationwide dealership networks, guarantee “fit-for-purpose” products and aftermarket service for consumers, and provide original-equipment manufacturers with “outstanding” assistance, UDTSA President Filip Van den Heede stated at the time.
Webinar highlights challenges, opportunities for intercontinental transport and logistics in Africa Panelists in this webinar on intermodal transport in Africa highlight the impact of global trade instability on African trade, emphasising the need for infrastructure investment and intermodal transport systems.
In a well-attended webinar that concentrated on intermodal transport in Africa, market leaders assembled to dissect the extensive impact of international trade instability on the continent’s financial landscape. Arranged in partnership with Transport Evolution Africa Forum & & Expo under the banner of resolving critical difficulties and unlocking potential chances, the session highlighted the immediate requirement for robust infrastructure investments and smooth intermodal transport systems across Africa. Facilitator Joshua Low, dmg occasions South Africa VP, set the stage by highlighting the escalating uncertainties in worldwide trade dynamics, worsened by tariff wars and geopolitical stress. “These aspects,” he worried, “have not just interrupted established supply chains however have likewise underscored the crucial function of proactive steps in safeguarding Africa’s trade interests.”