Focus April 2015

APRIL 2015 | R85.00

On Transport And Logistics focusontransport.co.za

INSIDE INDIA! Bollywood bling and bristling with beguilement Bumper LCV section

Trakker SR: lighter, stronger, everything you need

UD launches its game-changer Saboa 2015: bus industry in crisis

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b |FOCUS| April 2015

Cover

APRIL

Iveco’s Trakker SR is the all-round vehicle that its customers have been asking for. Turn to page 6 to find out more.

contents 27

On Transport And Logistics Published monthly by Charmont Global Unit 17, Northcliff Office Park, 203 Beyers Naude Drive, Northcliff, 2195. P O Box 957, Fontainebleau, 2032, South Africa Tel: 011 782 1070 Fax: 011 782 1073 /0360

16

EDITOR Charleen Clarke Cell: 083 601 0568 email: charleen@focusontransport.co.za Assistant Editor Gavin Myers Cell: 072 877 1605 email: gavin@charmont.co.za

15 FOCUS ON INDIA

SUB-EDITOR Jeanette Lamont Cell: 083 447 3616 email: jeanette@charmont.co.za

In this 12-page special, FOCUS goes truck racing in India, brings you insight into that country’s commercial vehicle market and drives the long-awaited Tata Prima on local soil.

JOURNALISTS Jaco de Klerk Cell: 079 781 6479 email: journalist3@charmont.co.za

27 CONNECTion IN TRANSIT Completing Ford’s local commercial vehicle model range is the new Transit Connect. It

Claire Rencken Cell: 082 559 8417 email: journalist2@charmont.co.za

headlines our eight-page light commercial vehicle special.

INDUSTRY CORRESPONDENT Frank Beeton Tel: 011 483 1421 Cell: 082 602 1004 email: frankb@econometrix.co.za

36 A NEW QUEST(ER) UD Trucks has traditionally produced vehicles for its domestic market in Japan, which were then adapted for other countries. The Quester has, however, been built with global

TECHNICAL CORRESPONDENT Vic Oliver Cell: 083 267 8437 email: voliver@mweb.co.za

developing markets in mind.

54 THE CYCLE NEEDS TO BE BROKEN

PUBLISHER Tina Monteiro Cell: 082 568 3181 email: tina@focusontransport.co.za

The word “crisis” sums up the overall mood among the delegates attending the Southern African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) conference and exhibition this year; with

ADVERTISING SALES Margaret Phillipson Cell: 083 263 0451 email: margaret@focusontransport.co.za

concerns for the industry’s future being top of mind.

60 DRIVING BEHAVIOUR CHANGE

Megan du Toit Cell: 060 503 3092 email: megan@charmont.co.za

Each time passengers board a bus, they put their lives in the driver’s hands. The driver also has the potential to influence the operating company’s reputation by his or her

CIRCULATION MANAGER Bev Rogers Cell: 078 230 5063 email: bev@focusontransport.co.za

attitude and behaviour. Proper, effective training is, therefore, of the utmost importance.

56

DESIGN AND LAYOUT Nelio da Silva email: nelio@focusontransport.co.za PRINTING Camera Press © Copyright. No articles or photographs may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without specific written permission from the editor.

charmont media global

2014

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REGULARS 2 Steering Column 4 Wheel Nut 8 Letters 26 Vic’s View 46 Global Focus 50 Short Hauls 51 Subscription form 52 Naamsa figures 53 FOCUS on Bus and Coach 62 Global bus 64 Hopping off

April 2015 |FOCUS| 1

STEERING COLUMN

Tata eyes

top four spot in SA Tata is far from content with its moderate market share in this country. It wants much, much more!

Charleen Clarke

I

am drinking tea at the Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida.

Just in case you’re not familiar with this circuit, it’s an F1 track some 40 km from Delhi. Bernie Ecclestone’s personal parking bay is a couple of metres away from me, but sod Bernie. I’m not interested in the king of global F1 racing. Rather, I’m keen to chat to Ravi Pisharody, executive director of commercial vehicles at Tata Motors, about the brand’s plans to become the king of global trucking – in emerging markets, that is …

Pisharody is feeling exceptionally upbeat.

Not that I can blame him. We’ve just watched the finals of the T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship (read all about it on page 16 of this issue of FOCUS). The crowd outside is baying its approval as Bollywood icons Badshah and Shankar-Ehssan-Loy take the stage.

Besides being happy about the success of the day, Pishardoy is also rather proud of the company’s recent achievements (not least of which is a 60 percent share of the Indian

2 |FOCUS| April 2015

truck market). And he’s rather excited about its aspirations.

South Africa obviously forms part of those plans. “Your country was one of our earliest international locations; our sales in South Africa don’t do justice to the awareness of the brand,” he notes.

The reason for this, says Pisharody, is simple. “In the past, we used to sell Indian trucks. We did not have the right product for international markets. We have come to realise that, in order to protect our position in this country, we need world-class products.

With trucks such as the Prima, that’s exactly what we have,” he contends.

As the dominant player in the Indian market, Tata finds itself in a very cushy position. “Our customers are not new. They are second- and third-generation customers, who have known and loved our products for decades. Tata is widely admired; we are seen as ethical. Within India, it is well known that we are not just trying to make a pile of money,” Pisharody tells FOCUS. Of course, that customer legacy doesn’t apply in the South African market. “This means that success in South Africa is never going to be easy. Having said that, we believe that if you offer a value proposition and you don’t make an operator’s life more complicated (because his truck is always breaking down), he will give you a chance – in South Africa and elsewhere in the world.”

Pisharody is confident that, given the attractive price tags of its trucks, Tata will meet with greater success in South Africa.

“We have a distinct cost advantage and operators buy trucks in order to make a profit. Plus, we have a unique product portfolio, in that we cover virtually all sectors of the market,” he points out.

Bearing this in mind, Pisharody would like to see Tata propel its market share upwards in South Africa. “We want to be among the top three or four players within all the market segments in which we participate,” he reveals.

Ravi Pisharody, executive director of commercial vehicles at Tata Motors, wants to treble the number of vehicles the company exports within four years.

The company is already operating successfully in Africa, the Middle East, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia.

It is about to target Russia. “We may not be in the top one or two in these markets, but our market share is growing constantly. If we end up with a ten to 12 percent share of lots of markets, that will give our business a fair bit of clout,” he notes.

This begs the question: With all these markets opening up, could Tata acquire another commercial vehicle player in order to meet demand? Pisharody doesn’t discount the possibility entirely, but he says that this won’t happen in Tata’s immediate future.

“We export around 50 000 commercial vehicles a year. We are looking at trebling this to 150 000 units over the next three to four years, but we have sufficient capacity in India. There is no urgency to look at any other acquisitions. We are good to go when it comes to servicing the emerging markets around the world,” he maintains.

The message is clear: spot an emerging market and you will spot a Tata. |FOCUS

STEERING COLUMN

You’re not buying this.

What you’re buying is so much more than a coach. It’s a commitment. A partnership.

A whole system designed and built around the working life of a vehicle. Founded on the principle that Total Operating Costs are more important than initial purchase costs.

Fuel, as we all know, is the big one. A significant part of the Total Operating Cost over the lifetime of a coach. So it makes more sense to buy an economical coach than a cheap one.

Which is why we make economical coaches. Not cheap ones.

Reliability is a huge deal as well. So you won’t be surprised to hear that Scania coaches deliver the highest levels of uptime in Southern Africa, and our wholly-owned dealer network focuses all its energy on minimising downtime.

Driver capability is another big cost area, which our driver training programmes are tailored to help you manage and develop. The same goes for our finance and insurance approach. We believe in understanding the daily needs of your business, rather than just looking at the risk.

Also our new Fleet Management System is the perfect embodiment of our partnership attitude, giving you access to amazing detail on everything from coasting to heavy braking, and then the coaching support you need to help manage not just your fleet, but your entire cost base.

So if you’re just buying coaches, we’re probably not the supplier for you. But if you believe what you’re actually buying is a partnership, a commitment, a total transport solution, then we should talk.

There is a better way.

April 2015 |FOCUS| 3

wheel nut

How much more

convincing is needed?

The untimely death of Public Service and Administration Minister Collins Chabane and his two bodyguards cannot be in vain. The road safety ball

Y

ou’ll have to excuse me ahead of time for using this column to make light of a terrible, terrible accident.

As we all know, Chabane was tragically killed during the early hours of the morning

Originally, it was claimed that the truck driver was performing a U-turn across the highway, it was then said that the truck was stationary. The truck driver, Amukelani Rikhotso, apparently tested positive for alcohol at the crash site.

is now firmly in government’s court

Poor visibility on the N3 doesn’t stop motorists from speeding.

Gavin Myers

on March 15. He and his two bodyguards, Sergeant Lesiba Sekele and Lawrence Lentsoane, were travelling on the N1 between Polokwane and Mokopane when their vehicle slammed into a truck on the highway.

A crash-scene investigator also reported that Chabane’s vehicle would have had to have been travelling at an estimated 180 km/h to cause such extensive damage.

I’m sure the full story will come out during Rikhotso’s trial.

FOCUS ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND TRUCK TEST RESULTS

Join the Focus Conference for a unique perspective on the future of road transport in South Africa.

Four industry leaders share their views on the key factors likely to impact transport operators in 2015 and beyond.

We have a line-up of utterly exceptional speakers, including: Paul Nordengen, Research Group Leader, Network Asset Management Systems, CSIR Built Environment; Adrian van Tonder, Senior Manager, RTMS and PBS, Barloworld Transport; Loan Sharp, economist, Free Market Foundation (FMF); and Jim Ward – Technical Manager Unitrans Logistics.

2015

4 |FOCUS| April 2015 ON TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS

Venue: Date: Time: Price: RSVP:

Automechanika, Nasrec, Johannesburg 8 May 2015 10.30 for 11:00 R1 400 per person including lunch, or pay R10 000 for a table for eight Tania Cleary | +27 11 782 1070

TRUCK TEST

wheel nut

Like day and night: a new, well-lit trailer and one of the many with no lights at all.

I hope it moves on quickly, because there are a number of questions that need to be answered and measures that now need to be taken.

First, if Rikhotso was, in fact, performing a U-turn – one has to ask why. There should be no need for a truck to make a U-turn on a highway.

Second, if Sekele – who had worked for Chabane since 2009 and, apparently, had never had an accident – was, in fact, travelling at 180 km/h, one has to ask why.

If I’m not mistaken (and please feel free to let me know if I am), there are no street lights on that part of the N1.

Travelling at that speed, the vehicle would be moving at 50 m per second, practically outrunning its headlamps. The assumption that there would be no traffic on that road in those early hours proved to be fatal.

Third, now that a high-ranking government official has been killed on our roads, is government actually going to prioritise road safety and law enforcement? Or will the problem just be swept under the rug?

Seriously, this really should provide all the impetus needed to take proper action. South Africa’s trucks, buses, cars, motorcycles, and their owners, drivers and riders, all need to be put in their place in a big way.

Simply prosecuting Rikhotso will not solve the problem. This will address only one of the causes of the accident, after the fact, and will not solve the underlying problems with South African motorists that actually lead to these accidents.

On page 32, you’ll read about a trip I recently took to KwaZulu-Natal’s south coast.

Unfortunately, what I couldn’t detail in that

piece was the appalling driving behaviour we witnessed coming into Pietermaritzburg on the N3. Happily, I can do so now ...

Heading south towards Pietermartizburg, at about 18:30, we came into some heavy rain, which, a few kilometres down the road, turned into some of the thickest fog I’ve seen in a while. We couldn’t see 50 m in front of us.

Short of the feint glow of the rear lights of the car ahead, we were blind. It did not feel safe to travel faster than 50 km/h. This didn’t stop countless cars, and trucks, from screaming past and overtaking as though there was 100-percent visibility. I’m surprised we didn’t come across any accidents.

With Pietermaritzburg behind us and clear, but now completely dark, skies, we pushed on towards Durban. In the few kilometres leading up to the city, I counted no less than five truck combinations, which had no lights on their trailers. Thankfully, they at least had reflectors and chevrons, so we could dodge them at the final second ...

This sort of behaviour and attitude is unacceptable. It’s no wonder our road death toll is so high.

In the wake of Chabane, Sekele and Lentsoane’s deaths, government has no excuse for not taking appropriate, prolonged action to solve one of this country’s very serious road safety problems. If it doesn’t, their deaths will have been in vain.

And, if that’s the case, how much higher rank does an official, who is killed on our roads, need to have to grab the attention of the authorities and ensure that change is set in motion? How many more road-safety balls will need to be knocked into government’s court? |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 5

COVER STORY

Onward and upward

at Iveco

Meet the new Trakker SR – one of the first models to roll off the production line at Iveco’s newly commissioned plant at Rosslyn, Pretoria. CLAIRE RENCKEN also speaks to the company’s head of sales, Jannie Badenhorst, and its head of network, Brian Steenkamp

I

veco’s new Trakker SR fits into the Iveco range between the dedicated off-road Trakker and the on-road Stralis. It is ideally suited for the medium distance side-tipping application with up to 60 percent on-road and 40 percent off-road (that is, good gravel road) capabilities.

It has a lighter tare mass, because it has a single reduction axle (a combination of two 10 500 kg axles with disc brakes to save weight) and a 7,7-mm-thick steel chassis. The SR model gives the operator an additional payload of at least 800 kg, when compared to the normal Trakker.

The SR’s tare mass is 8 970 kg. This weight saving means that the SR offers a fully optimised payload. It also results in better fuel economy and reduced running costs for operators. Despite the weight saving, the vehicle still retains Iveco’s legendary strength and reliability.

The SR cabin comes in a number of configurations, including a low-roof sleeper cab that is ideal for medium distance side-tipping applications. In addition, there is a high-roof model that can be used for long distances – especially cross-border transport.

Jannie Badenhorst, Iveco’s head of sales since December last year, is excited about the SR model: “In South Africa, we have a mix of on- and off-road conditions, calling for a combination of the two types of vehicles. Our

6 |FOCUS| April 2015

customers have been asking for this model this month,” Badenhorst adds. Iveco also for some time. The Trakker SR is an on-road has exciting things planned for the 2015 vehicle, with class-leading off-road capabilities.”

Johannesburg International Motor Show Badenhorst has been in the automotive (JIMS), to be held in October. industry since 1994, first in the oil industry for Brian Steenkamp joined the Iveco team two years, and then in the light motor vehicle as head of network in February. “Prior to industry until 2000, when he became involved with trucks. “I have worked in both retail and wholesale environments, and bring with me a sound knowledge of supply channels. My ability to link the manufacturing and sales sides of the business is an asset.

“With the R800 million investment in the Rosslyn plant, Iveco’s commitment to the African market is evident. It also has clear expectations regarding market Above left: Jannie Badenhorst, the company’s head of sales penetration. My vision for 2015 since December 2014.

Above right: Brian Steenkamp, Iveco’s new head of network. and beyond is to cement a top five position, in terms of market share, for Iveco in this, I was with Tata Motors as regional the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) head for Sub-Sahara Africa operations,” he region. tells FOCUS. “The company has more than doubled its “Our network is critical to the ongoing sales volumes in the past three years. There growth and development of Iveco in were 1 400 retail units sold in 2014. We southern Africa. My strategy is twofold: plan to double this number within the next two first, to establish and grow the existing years,” he says confidently. dealers in terms of sales, market “We are in the process of restructuring share and profitability; and, second, to identify our sales department. We are opening a new locations and establish operations number of new dealerships soon, and have in these key territories,” Steenkamp the launch of the 682 extra-heavy truck range concludes. |FOCUS

Book your spot at the FOCUS Conference and Truck Test lunch NOW! If there is ONE event you attend this year, then THIS should be it! We are referring to the first-ever FOCUS Conference and Truck Test lunch, which takes place on Friday, May 8, in Johannesburg This is a bumper event! Because, not only will you get to listen to a collection of truly fabulous speakers, but you will be among the first people in the country to hear the results of Truck Test 2015.

The event takes place at Automechanika, the trade show that is taking place at Nasrec. Naturally, we have also secured a free entrance ticket to the show for delegates – so you can browse through the show before or after the FOCUS festivities.

The event kicks off at 10:30, when you will have the opportunity to network with the who’s who of the transport industry.

Thereafter, a bumper-packed conference kicks off.

We have selected five highly qualified speakers, who will all provide delegates with meaningful insight.

The day kicks off with Adrian van Tonder, senior manager RTMS and PBS at Barloworld Logistics. His presentation is entitled: “Jailhouse rock: avoid six years behind bars!” In it, Van Tonder will explain the latest amendments to the National Road Traffic Regulations, how RTMS can be used as a risk mitigating tool and the possible implications on the consignor/ operator/driver/consignee.

Paul Nordengen, research group leader, network asset management systems, CSIR Built Environment, will deliver a paper entitled “Slashing transport costs and improving truck safety the SMART way”. In it, he will elaborate on PBS. Nordengen is a world authority on this system … his presentation is bound to be fascinating.

Loane Sharp, economist at the Free Market Foundation, is one of the most controversial and sought-after speakers in this country. The title of his talk will be “The future of labour in South Africa” – and we all know that the labour market is fraught with challenges! Sharp will be looking at all the key labour market phenomena – employment, regulation, unionisation, wages, productivity, and more – and making projections about the use of labour in various sectors, including the transport, distribution and logistics sectors. As Sharp points out, the South African labour market will be fraught with difficulty over the coming decade, and South African businesses need to accelerate their use of information and other technologies to economise on their use of labour. This is bound to be a riveting presentation!

Finally, Martin Dammann, managing director of HTM Transolve, will present the results of Truck Test 2015 in terms of payload, fuel consumption, average speed and payload productivity. Nine truck tractor plus tautliner interlinks and seven truck tractor plus tridem reefer rigs participated in the 2015 event. Dammann will explain the rules, the methods used to measure the various items, the challenges faced and how to interpret the results.

In typical transport industry fashion, there will be more to this event than informative and enlightening presentations. There will be lots of fun on offer, including a fabulous lunch, some marvellous networking with your peers and entertainment along the way.

Do join us at this event. Here are all the details: Next up is Jim Ward, technical manager at Unitrans Logistics.

He is known for being an entertaining and informative speaker and the title of his presentation is “Transport – an industry in balance”. Ward will speak about some of the profound challenges operators face in this industry sector, as they contend with trying to manage in a highly competitive industry, employing many first world technologies and concepts, and servicing several global players, whilst balancing this against our country’s unique mix of cultural, technical and operational circumstances and our human dynamics. During his presentation, he will explore some ways in which this might be achieved. Ward will also touch on the critical balance between maintenance and operations.

ADRIAN VAN TONDER

Paul Nordengen

Date: Friday, May 8 Time: 10:30 – 15:30 Venue: Automechanika, Nasrec, Johannesburg Cost: R1 400 per person or R10 000 for a table of eight Contact details for booking: Tania Cleary – tan27823@gmail.com – or 011 782 1070 Or simply log onto eventrsvp.co.za/eventlogic/ paylogic/pay.aspx?refno=TRU002 We only have an extremely limited number of seats available – so do book immediately to avoid disappointment.

JIM WARD

LOANE SHARPE

2015

On Transport And Logistics

TRUCK TEST

April 2015 |FOCUS| 7

FOCUS

letters Forever a love of trucks Hello Charleen!

Thank you for the amazing story in your February Steering Column.

An update: My wife got her code 14 learner’s licence on, February 24. She wants to get her driving licence this year. She has a real love for trucks!

In April I will be leaving South Africa. Hope to talk to you again.

Dewald Coertse

I’m writing to tell you about a fantastic story I read online recently, about an initiative by VDL in Europe. The company’s vehicles will soon be available with Royal Philips onboard Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).

They are being offered as factory-fitted options. When a bus or coach operator chooses this option, their vehicle is delivered with a special “connected” AED kit on board.

VDL says that in the event of a resuscitation emergency, this gives users live support and coaching from first-aid responders at a central location. It also makes remote maintenance and service possible.

In addition, it is possible to see in real time whether an AED has been activated and determine its exact location via GPS. As a heart-attack survivor, I think this is an absolutely fantastic initiative

that will undoubtedly save lives. Well done VDL! Hein Henry

Thanks very much for sending us the info, Hein. It’s great to see how our readers have their finger on the pulse of international developments (if you’ll excuse the pun).

According to VDL, this on-board resuscitation system and emergency service is expected to increase the cardiac arrest survival rate of bus and coach passengers.

An estimated seven million people die as a result of sudden cardiac arrest in the United States and Europe each year.

Victims resuscitated within six minutes after cardiac arrest have a much higher survival rate (50 to 70 percent versus five to ten percent). – Ed.

V14903

Hi there Dewald, YAY to your wife getting her learner’s licence! Please keep us updated on her progress!

We wish you safe travels and hope to see you back on local roads soon. – Ed.

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8 |FOCUS| April 2015

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Truck Test 2015

The time

has come!

Truck Test 2015 will most likely already be on the road by the time you read this. CLAIRE RENCKEN gets some final comments from some of the entrants and sponsors in the last few weeks leading up to the event

S

id Beeton, divisional transport manager at One Insurance, certainly feels that Truck Test is a worthwhile event: “Providing feedback on the performance of trucks in actual work scenarios will be invaluable product information for the industry. Our company focuses on insurance for the transport industry, as well as on a ‘transport solution’ approach. We partner Phoenix Risk Solutions by providing a package of insurance covers for the cement products industry.

“Because of the product being transported by the participants in the Truck Test, it made sense to obtain exposure with our broker partners by providing free insurance coverage for the loads being carried. Apart from the load insurance sponsorship, we will also attend the awards ceremony for increased exposure and involvement.”

One Insurance started out as absolute underwriting managers, with a sole focus on the heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) sector. “We have developed into a composite insurance office, but we retain our special focus on this segment, and, at 40 percent of our total income, it remains very important to us,” explains Beeton.

“The correct truck for the job is an important aspect of the risk profile for a transporter. I am sure that the feedback from this event will assist the transporters to buy the vehicles best suited to their operations,” he says.

Sydney Bruckner, project manager: emission fluids, at Engen, is enthusiastic about Air1, Engen’s brand name for AdBlue, being featured in Truck Test. “With more stringent emissions and fuel economy regulations driving original equipment manufacturer (OEM) requirements and

industry specifications, the transport sector has been identified as a key sector that can contribute to reducing harmful emissions,” he explains.

“The Truck Test 2015 programme brings some structure to our communication strategies as we build the Air1 brand in the transport sector. The extra-heavy commercial vehicle (EHCV) segment is vital to creating a foothold for this product in the market. You can read all about Air1 on page 12.

“The annual truck test is a great way to showcase important new developments, and gives different stakeholders a chance to meet and discuss the industry,” says John Harrison, MD of Loadtech. “We are fitting tyre inflation systems and on-board weighing systems to the trucks taking part. The EHCV market is obviously very important to us.”

On Transport And Logistics

ONBOARD TYRE INFLATION

April 2015 |FOCUS| 9

Truck test 2015 will see revised Mercedes-Benz Actros (opposite) and DAF XF models returning. Unfortunately International (right) is no longer a player.

Dirk Meyer, brand leader: Freightliner Trucks South Africa, is excited because this is the first Truck Test event in which Freightliner will participate. “Other Daimler truck brands have entered into past events, however, and performed very well.” He adds that Daimler Trucks takes each and every opportunity to demonstrate why it is one of the world’s leading truck manufacturers.

“To do this, we participate in events such as these,” Meyer points out. “This is where commercial vehicles, such as our Freightliner Argosy Cummins 500, are tested under genuine road conditions that they have to endure on a regular basis.”

Christophe Longuet, Iveco’s marketing manager, shares what Iveco is hoping to get out of Truck Test 2015: “We hope to establish the Iveco ‘Born in South Africa’ campaign, which highlights the local manufacture

of specific Iveco products, as well as the company’s commitment to the local market.

“Our ‘Born in South Africa’ logo depicts a ‘stamp of authenticity’, certifying the quality of the Iveco commercial vehicles assembled at the new facility in Rosslyn, Pretoria – by a local workforce. This ‘stamp’ encircles the soaring five colours of the South African flag: black, yellow, green, red and blue – evoking the concept of unity. The commercial vehicles bearing this logo will be tailored for the African continent with its varied terrain and challenging driving conditions that demand specific vehicle requirements,” explains Longuet.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has featured in two of the three previous instalments in the Truck Test series, only skipping last year’s event because it focused on a segment in which the company does not compete. With the running of 6x4 truck tractors this year, however, the

company will be entering one of its newest additions to the Actros range – the Actros 2646LS/33.

The company had originally planned to enter the Actros 2644LS/33 model.

However, Christo Kleynhans, product manager at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, explains: “By the time the test is underway, the Actros 2646LS/33 will be on the market. It’s pretty similar to the 2644LS/33, just with a slightly different driveline.”

Kleynhans says it’s the vehicle he would recommend for pulling a tri-axle semi-trailer over a long distance. That’s the exact reason the company has chosen to enter this combination, running a GRW tri-axle reefer.

As always, this year’s Truck Test event promises great things. We look forward to bringing you the results in our next issue.

Watch this space! |FOCUS

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Lightweight

Truck Test 2015

wheels, heavyweight savings

With Alcoa sponsoring the upcoming Truck Test 2015, FOCUS recently had the opportunity to catch up with John Jewiss, MD of Alcoa South Africa, and Randall Scheps, vice president and GM, Alcoa Wheel and Transportation Products

“I

t’s an extremely hard sell to motivate the purchase of a wheel that’s four-times more expensive than one made from steel,” Jewiss explains. “But, eventually operators realise – after doing 20 000 to 30 000 km a month, and saving 250 to 300 kg on their horse and up to 400 kg on a trailer – these wheels can save a lot in terms of payload, fuel savings, increased tyre life and reduction in brake wear.”

“Many people don’t know that forged aluminium wheels are inherently stronger than steel wheels; they are more dent and pothole resistant. It’s one of the few parts on a vehicle that has such extreme functionality, but is also very nice looking,” continues Scheps.

It’s clear that these experts have a passion for aluminium running through their veins – Alcoa aluminium, in particular …

“What I think really differentiates us is the depth of our technology and our technological expertise. We have 600 researchers in Pittsburgh, in the United States (US), who think about nothing but aluminium every day. There is a huge technical resource that we can call on that our competitors can’t get close to,” says Scheps, who is based at the company’s European headquarters in Budapest, Hungary, which serves South Africa.

According to them, Alcoa is the only homologated forged aluminium wheel supplier in South Africa, with a dedicated office and warehouse. This allows Jewiss

and his team to supply the local market with just-in-time delivery and committed back up and service.

“That’s all part and parcel of our total commitment to the transport industry in South Africa,” he notes. “We set up our dedicated office and warehouse here ten years ago, and we’ve gone from strength to strength every year.”

Scheps notes that penetration in the US market is as high as 70 percent, while, with the advent of heavy Euro-6 emissions systems, European operators are increasingly looking to save weight where they can. “The great thing about our wheels is that they provide a ‘bolt-on’ weight saving that you can have instantly, and they pay for themselves in only 18 months,” he smiles.

Jewiss agrees: “If these wheels just looked good and didn’t have any functionality, we wouldn’t do the sales. Wheels are, however, a focal point, they make a massive difference … A clean set of wheels makes a vehicle look clean and customers, such as dairy farmers and transporters, like to see a clean truck …”

This is where Alcoa’s top-of-the-line Durabright wheels come in. “These are very popular where preventing downtime is of paramount importance: trucks can be washed in the depot and sent out to clients looking good, without the need to polish the wheels,” he says.

Despite all this, both men say that, locally and in Europe, the challenge is still to convince fleet operators that it’s worth making the

investment. This is one of the reasons Alcoa South Africa has partnered with Truck Test 2015.

“The segment under review in Truck Test 2015 – extra-heavy commercial vehicles – is of paramount importance to us. This is an unbiased test for original equipment manufacturers to showcase what their trucks can achieve,” explains Jewiss. “For me, what really matters is what the fleets will take home from this test – if it shows that even the best

Randall Scheps (left) and John Jewiss are passionate about the savings Alcoa wheels can bring to operators.

fleet can save one or two percent of the total fuel bill, this could equate to thousands of rand saved per year.”

Add Alcoa wheels to that and the savings will keep on rolling in. In today’s tough economic climate, a set of aluminium wheels might be a hard sell – but the benefits are certainly undeniable. |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 11

Truck Test 2015

Driving for

cleaner air Things are set to change within the transport industry with the focus shifting to lower emissions, better fuel economy and sub-Saharan Africa’s vehicle parc set to migrate to Euro-5 and Euro-6 emission standards in the very near future

L

ike

Sydney

“It’s unlikely, however, that the target

countries. South Africa is also committed

Bruckner, business manager

many

others,

date will be reached,” says Bruckner.

to reduce its gas emissions by 34 percent

of environmental solutions at

“Industry and government haven’t yet

by 2020 and 42 percent by 2025. Engen,

Engen Petroleum, is rather

agreed on how best to implement the

as a downstream petroleum player, and the

disappointed that this year’s Truck Test won’t

changeover. It will, most likely, only gain

other petroleum majors have a crucial role

feature any vehicles that adhere to Euro-5

traction around 2019/20.” (Diesel with

to play now and over the next ten years, if

emission standards (as it had in its inaugural

lower sulphur levels is currently available as

the national targets for the reduction of

event in 2012).

huge volumes are being imported – which

carbon dioxide (CO2) and mono-nitrogen

is a costly process.)

oxides (NOX) emissions are to be met …”

“Several South African based original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are now

“Currently, legislation in South Africa

Despite a lack of the usual market drivers to

actively working towards introducing vehicles

requires diesel vehicles to comply with

meet Euro-5 and Euro-6 emissions legislation

that meet Euro-5 and Euro-6 emissions

Euro-2 emission standards. There are,

in sub-Saharan Africa, the AdBlue business

standards,” Bruckner points out. “The use

however, truck operators and a number

is growing steadily in the region. “Currently,

of AdBlue in the catalytic system of trucks

of OEMs that have already embraced the

the market is in a period of development

meeting these standards is in tune with

higher standards. The number of Euro-4

rather than application, as a result, it is quite

predicted tighter emissions legislation.”

and Euro-5 configured trucks, fitted with

challenging to make the economics work,”

Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) units, is

Bruckner tells FOCUS. “As a company, we are,

growing,” Bruckner points out.

however, aware that we have a responsibility

It would, thus, be great if Truck Test 2016 could include units with higher Euro ratings, as it has been legislated that South Africa

He continues: “By 2020, it will probably

to promote a good environment in which to

should be running on diesel with 50 parts per

become compulsory, globally, to meet these

operate – for our customers and for the type

million (ppm) by 2017 …

standards, with the exception of a few

of products we market and manufacture.”

12 |FOCUS| April 2015

Truck Test 2015

truck owners have heard of Air1 and AdBlue, the chances are they may soon be driving vehicles that require it.”

This raises the economic concern of another operating cost being added to an industry already under some major pressure. “The extra cost of the emission fluid is negated by the efficiencies of the newer engines,” Bruckner reassures. “And while modern diesel vehicles, fitted with SCR systems, are an additional capital investment, fuel savings should cancel out this extra expense over time.”

Air1 is available at Engen Truck Stop outlets, select Engen service stations and Engen-supplied truck and car dealerships.

“Engen, as the leading downstream petroleum company operating in Africa, will not be focussed on today, but on planning for the future with the intent of moulding it instead of being moulded by it,” says Bruckner. “Increased environmental awareness

and

tougher

operating

conditions make it necessary to have a more diverse product portfolio and the AdBlue product is a natural fit to our business.”

This is exactly why the Air1 brand will be involved in Truck Test 2015, despite the lack of Euro-5 vehicles. “It offers us brand-building opportunities and a way of introducing this product to the market, which will certainly What is AdBlue exactly?

manufacturer of AdBlue in Europe and

be impacted when the lower emissions

“AdBlue is the generic industry name for

Australia, and has secured the exclusive

legislation kicks in.”

emission fluids, just as diesel is the generic

distribution rights for the Air1 brand (Yara’s

Bruckner adds: “We wish to assure all

name for a type of fuel, used in vehicles

AdBlue product). “Engen is the first major

our customers, such as fleet operators,

meeting the Euro-5 and Euro-6 standards,”

South African petroleum company to do

OEMs, truck and car owners requiring

Bruckner explains. “It is a 32,5 percent

so, ahead of its multinational competitors,”

AdBlue, that Engen is in a strong position to

solution of high-purity urea in de-mineralised

Bruckner points out.

make Air1 available when they do decide to

“The Yara/Engen alliance is another

water.”

change over.

AdBlue is used with SCR technology

major step forward in Engen’s ongoing

“We are going into uncharted waters,

and is totally safe and environmentally

environmental drive as we align our

but we are very confident that a number

harmless. “It reduces the level of pollutants

environmental sustainability goals with

of OEMs and fleet operators, in South

by up to 90 percent in the exhaust gases

company strategy, vision, mission, purpose

Africa, will adopt good green practices,”

of commercial vehicles, is non-toxic,

and values,” he continues. “Notably, the

Bruckner tells FOCUS. “At Engen we believe

non-flammable

and non-hazardous for

company’s own bulk-fuel transport fleet

that environmental drivers will sustain the

transport,” Bruckner adds. “The average

replacement programme focuses on models

market and create value in the not-too-

consumption of AdBlue is generally five

that run on low-sulphur diesel and comply

distant future.”

percent of diesel used – approximately five

with Euro-5 standards.”

litres of AdBlue is used for every 100 l of

Who knows, maybe Truck Test 2016

Bruckner adds that the availability of

could demonstrate exactly how Euro-5

Air1 in sub-Saharan Africa gives OEMs the

vehicles will fare on South African roads? It

Engen has entered this market through

flexibility to introduce their latest-technology

is just a matter of time before there won’t be

a strategic alliance with Yara, the biggest

vehicles into this market. “Whether or not

any other option. |FOCUS

diesel, for example.”

April 2015 |FOCUS| 13

Invitation

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Future trends, ground breaking and technical-innovations, that‘s what you’ll find at Automechanika Johannesburg 2015, the meeting place for the international automotive industry, from 6 – 9 May 2015 at Expo Centre, Nasrec, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.

We are looking forward to welcoming more than 500 exhibitors and many trade visitors from all over Africa......

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www.automechanikasa.co.za Automechanika Johannesburg is licensed to SA Shows Messe Frankfurt

On Transport And Logistics

T1 Truck Racing: Noise, colour,

action!

A new era as Tata’s Prima “world truck” rumbles in - we drive it!

Indian truck market: huge growth to come The ups and downs of transport in India

INDIA special

Truck racing goes to

Bollywood!

It’s crazy, wild … and utterly magnificent. CHARLEEN CLARKE joins 45 000 people for the 2015 T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship

B

eing blonde in India has distinct advantages. It means that you can go places – literally. I have just discovered this at the Buddh International Circuit outside Delhi. I have a seat in the hospitality section, overlooking the circuit, but I want to be close to the action. I want to walk the track!

Alas, the pits and the actual track are the holy of the holies. One needs special accreditation to gain access – which I don’t have. Never mind. I march up to the security guards, smile and walk straight through.

I am in!

All around me, all I can see is colour; not in the sky, which is decidedly grey, but elsewhere is a sea of colour. There are beautiful girls everywhere … mostly wearing decidedly blingedup outfits. The crowd of 15 000, which is exceptionally noisy, is growing by the second.

They are blowing on things that sound just like vuvuzelas.

I chat to one of the race officials and ask him about the instrument they’re blowing.

“Oh those are vuvuzelas,” he confirms.

“They arrived here for the Commonwealth Games four or five years ago. About 50 000 were imported from China. In India, we associate celebrations with noise.

Festivals like Diwali are always very loud …” he reveals.

16 |FOCUS| April 2015

Judging by the noise at the track, the crowd is in a decidedly celebratory mood – which is bolstered by the arrival of various forms of entertainment. Two marching bands take to the track (some of the members perform some quite impressive twirls) followed by lots of Bollywood dancers (all blinged to the nines).

Harley motorcycles blast past, their exhausts almost drowning the vuvuzelas (but not quite).

Then the trucks go onto the racetrack … and the crowd (which has grown to 45 000) roars its approval.

It’s patently clear that they love truck racing.

It’s also obvious that they love Tata trucks.

I say this because the entire track is filled with Tata Prima trucks, driven by exceptionally experienced British racing drivers. The spectators in the stands are all special guests of Tata.

Surprisingly, given the visual spectacle and the clear enthusiasm of the crowd, there is no entrance fee. One of the Tata employees explains that government tax would need to be applied to the ticket sales. “We are taxed to death in this country. It would be a nightmare trying to administer the sales and then paying the taxes … it’s easier just to hand out the tickets and avoid all these complications.”

There are 12 Tata Prima trucks on the track, representing six teams (Team Castrol Vecton, Team Cummins, Team Tata

Technologies Motorsports, Team Allied Partners, Team Dealer Warriors and Team Dealer Daredevils). Stuart Oliver from Team Castrol Vecton won the first-ever T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship (held last year) and everyone is wondering if he can do it again.

Once the Tata trucks have done a parade lap (accompanied by a marching band of course), the track is once again opened up to other entertainers – some with wheels, some not.

Those with wheels include a float of Tata trucks, depicting the world of Tata (one of the trailers is adorned with the pyramids, for instance) and my personal favourite … a truck and trailer combo carrying a special group of drivers.

Tata has paid tribute to these drivers in some sort of ancient ceremony, which involves draping a shawl over their shoulders. I feel quite humbled to witness this; it’s clear that Tata values the truck driver (I wish that more companies could apply this principle).

An army of Bollywood dancers floods onto the track. They are accompanied by some massively famous Bollywood stars – Badshah and Benny Dayal as well as Shankar-EhsaanLoy. These stars are celebrities in India … think of them as Indian Robbie Williams (sans the tattoos). Manish Paul, the rather dishy Indian television host, anchor and Bollywood actor is

INDIA special

the master of ceremonies and appears to be doing a great job.

After I watch the entertainment, I wander over to the pits. This area is obviously closed to someone without accreditation, but I blonde my way in – again.

I chat to some of the drivers, who are honestly the most approachable and nicest guys I have ever encountered in motorsport.

Despite the fact that they are gearing up for the eight-lap qualifying event (which will determine starting positions for the grand finale) they are hugely chilled and chatty.

I bump into Paul Alan McCumisky, one of the drivers for Team Dealer Daredevils, and start introducing myself. “I know exactly who you are,” he remarks. “I saw you dancing on the stage at the Tata event last night.” I remark that I hope that he drives better than I dance (I almost got dropped on my head). He

chuckles and concedes that, yes, he hopes so too.

As I wander off, I bump into Ben Horne, the other driver for the same team. We chat about how positions are determined for the final race (in Europe the trucks swap order so, after race one, the winner of race one starts at the back of race two). “Sadly that doesn’t happen here,” he says woefully. “Last year, I got hit. I was punted into the gravel in the first race.” He got hit? “Oh sure, this is serious racing. We are very competitive. Sadly, that meant that I had to start at the very back of the grid in the final race last year. I had absolutely no chance. I hope my luck will improve today.”

My next port of call in the pits is Team Castrol Vecton, and I come across Anurup Chatterjee, head product planning and strategy for Tata Motors, who also happens to be in charge of this team.

The eight-lap race is about to begin, but, like most other people at the circuit, he’s relaxed and friendly. Although he does point out that I’m not allowed to be in the pits. “But never mind, so long as you don’t get in the way … it’s fine,” he says with a smile. I promise not to step in front of a truck.

Chatterjee kindly takes the time to explain all the rules and intricacies of the race to me. “The trucks that we are racing today have an output of 370 hp (276 kW), which is ten percent more than the trucks in last year’s race. They achieve speeds of up to 130 km/h,” he explains.

The trucks are prepared by Tata Motors, meaning they’re identical in all respects.

“Obviously the teams can tweak things, like the suspension, to optimise their own trucks, but the ECU is sealed, so they cannot actually fiddle with the motor,” he reveals.

From left: A spectacle of colour, noise and celebration ahead of the race. R T Wasan, head – international business, commercial vehicles, at Tata Motors, explains that the racing series is unique within India and Asia. The racing was tight and competitive. The fans loved it all!

April 2015 |FOCUS| 17

»

INDIA special

The pit crew also work for Tata Motors.

“This is a wonderful incentive for staff members.

All these people work at our head office or in our factory and they are specially selected to be part of the team. It is a real honour,” Chatterjee explains.

While the pit crew members are all local, I mention that it’s possibly a bit disappointing that there are no Indian drivers in the series.

Chatterjee grins broadly. “Have you seen our roads? Here in India we don’t learn how to drive fast. Having said that, we will be starting an academy and we will be teaching Indian drivers to handle these trucks. I am sure that you will see local drivers behind the wheel in years to come.”

We have to interrupt our conversation momentarily – the Super Qualifier (the eightlap race) is about to begin and there appears to be a problem with Stuart Oliver’s Prima.

No one panics, however. Oliver, himself, sits in the cab quite patiently and even gives me a thumbs-up. Eventually he blasts down the pits. I enquire what was wrong. “Nothing serious. The nozzle spraying water onto the brakes had to be replaced. It was no problem …” Chatterjee explains.

I watch the Super Qualifier with utter fascination … largely because of the enthusiasm

of the crowd. They go quite ballistic when the trucks blast down the straight in front of the main grandstand – cheering, clapping and blowing on those blasted vuvuzelas.

Steve Thomas of Team Allied Partners is first across the finish line, followed by Oliver and his teammate, Oly Janes. Thomas is understandably chuffed. “It was really good to have finished first in qualifying today. It’s my second time racing here in India at the BIC. One of the main things we’ve learnt is that the T1 Prima race truck is very reliable. All the race trucks competing today are evenly matched, making for a very competitive final race. I am delighted to be here and hope to finish on the podium in the main race!” he enthuses.

I beat a hasty retreat from the pits and race upstairs to catch up with R T Wasan, head – international business, commercial vehicles, at Tata Motors. He is just as enthusiastic as the driver, noting that the day is a huge success (I cannot help but agree).

Wasan explains that T1 Prima Truck Racing Championship was conceived as a platform to showcase the Prima trucks. “The Prima is an international brand. We had to create hype around these vehicles. There is no one else who has done truck racing in this part of the world –

so our series is truly unique,” he notes.

Given the fact that the Prima is a global truck, does this mean that the truck racing concept could be exported to other markets?

“Certainly, but not immediately,” he tells FOCUS. “We are learning too; we are evolving.

Once we have reached a certain stage, we will certainly consider this.”

The truck racing is obviously also cementing Tata’s leading position within the local market. “We have 60 percent of the market; Ashok Leyland is number two with about 20 percent. We will never be complacent, however, as there are people who are eyeing our market share. As such, we will always try harder and harder to please our customers. Transporters all over the world are demanding – and rightly so. They are looking for a return. Their customers are demanding too,” he notes.

Tata aims to meet those demanding requirements by offering an ever-improving range of product. “In the past we were completely dependent on the local market and we made products for the local market. Now we are making products for the international market, and we happen to sell them in India too …” he explains.

The Prima is a typical example. So too is

From left: Marching bands accompanied the trucks on their parade lap. A driver wipes out - it’s all about the action! The drivers are currently all English; there’s an Indian driver academy in the pipeline.

18 |FOCUS| April 2015

INDIA special

the Ultra, a medium commercial vehicle that South Africans will see at the Johannesburg International Motor Show later this year. “We have tested this vehicle very thoroughly; we believe it will be competitive.”

His words spring to mind as I watch the 16-lap race finale. This turns out to be dingdong battle between Thomas and Oliver. It’s one of the most exciting races I have ever seen, because the lead changes often. Every time the lead changes, the crowd bays its approval. I ask one of the Tata employees which team or driver is most likely to win. “Oh, the crowd doesn’t care; they just want to see them overtaking,” he says with a smile.

And they’re in for a treat; there are lots of radical overtaking manoeuvres – to the point that I’m convinced that they’re going to take each other out. There’s considerable contact too – Oliver loses both his mirrors in the battle.

Ultimately, he crosses the finish line just a couple of seconds before Thomas, with Steven Powell of Team Tata Technologies clinching the third spot.

The affable Oliver is mobbed after the race … it’s akin to a Formula One event … but he takes time to chat. “It was an amazing experience. One thing I want to say is a huge thank you to all the fans coming out all this way,

all the flags, all the caps, everything. It made such a difference this weekend. I really, really, do appreciate it. Both Steve and Steven were phenomenal competitors. They did an amazing job today of keeping me on my toes; pushing me all the way up to the podium.”

He says the Prima was a great truck to drive. “The Tata Prima race trucks are fantastic.

It’s been an amazing championship, with so much improvement to the truck. It just goes to show the capability of the vehicle and how the sport can be scaled up. With more power and speed, it’s a delight for every motorsport fanatic.

I was clocking 142 km/h in the straights and 132 km/h in the curves with my Prima, which is even more than expected,” he says.

I ask him about the battle with Thomas. “Oh, it was great fun. The problem was I couldn’t see him most of the time. He took out both of my exterior mirrors, but never mind. Right at the end I thought ‘what the hell’ and took out one of his mirrors just for fun,” he responds with a huge (and, it must be said, rather naughty) grin.

So that was the 2015 championship.

An utterly brilliant affair. What does 2016 hold? Well, we can reveal that Tata plans to up the output of the trucks to 746 kW (1 000 hp). Some sources claimed that the trucks will run at 300 km/h. That won’t work

… the brakes and tyres will never survive, although 1 000 hp could be good enough to see the Primas scamper around the track at 160 km/h. And that’s good enough for me.

I’m booking my seat for the 2016 championship right now. The blonde will be back! |FOCUS

Memories of India My trip to India has left me with some fabulous memories. You had to be there to appreciate them … but allow me to share a couple of memorable incidents and memories …

• Driving through Delhi, we noticed internet cables up in the air next to the road, wrapped around poles and also wrapped around tree trunks.

• There is only one rule of the road: there are no rules whatsoever. If there is an empty space in front of you (or to your side for that matter), enter it. Otherwise someone else will.

• Hooting is a way of life. It is not done in anger. You’re telling fellow road users that you’re coming through. Even if this is clearly impossible, because the road is blocked.

• We were driving on the highway one day. Someone commented on a nice building. The driver stopped immediately – in the middle of the highway – and asked if we would like to take a photograph. We all thought we were going to die.

• It took us four hours to travel 200 km.

And that’s on an express highway.

From left: The 45 000 spectators couldn’t have asked for more of a show! Stuart Oliver from Team Castrol Vecton shows his excitement at his victory.

April 2015 |FOCUS| 19

india special Most commercial vehicle segments in India are expected to show growth in 2015. A stubborn inflationary pressure, however, is also likely to bring new risk factors this year, writes BHUSHAN MHAPRALKAR

F

reight rates rose in June 2014.

At around the same time, dealer inquiries edged up. Both these developments signalled a return to growth. It was perhaps too early to read all the changes, though. The head of the new government at the centre stressed the need to stimulate the economy. A big announcement came in October 2014, in the form of the de-regulation of diesel.

This was followed by a reduction in the price of diesel, which has resulted in better earning potential for transporters. According to analysts, there has been a 60 percent growth in sales in the heavy commercial vehicle (HCV) segment.

They also claim that, in the next six months, the light commercial vehicle (LCV) segment will start seeing growth. They are of the opinion that usually the heavy-duty truck sector sees the signs of recession, as well as the signs of revival, much earlier than the light and medium sectors.

New growth areas for the commercial

vehicle sector are expected to come from nontraditional avenues such as e-retail.

With the economy looking up, gradual improvements in fleet utilisation levels are taking place. Add the reduction in diesel prices to this, and the result is a stabilisation of the environment for operators. The demand for new, more-efficient and reliable vehicles is expected to drive sales, although the current trend indicates that most of the demand is coming from the replacement side.

Deepesh Rathore, director of Emerging Markets Automotive Advisors, predicts that the LCV sector will have a good year in 2015, drawing attention to the entry of new players such as the Maruti Suzuki.

Improvements in the market should be complemented by an improvement in the financing environment, which had become challenging (at least for small fleet operators and first-time buyers).

According to Eric Nesselhauf, MD and CEO of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, “It is

only a question of time – growth will come.” He estimates an optimistic growth rate of 20 to 25 percent for the truck industry; a ten percent growth rate for the medium-duty segment; and around 20 to 25 percent for the heavy-duty segment. He expects the growth rate of the bus industry to be in the region of ten percent.

In 2014, the bus segment dropped by three to four percent on average. In what could be termed as a slow return to growth in November 2014, the light commercial vehicle passenger carrier category recorded a 15,65 percent growth in sales.

The numbers were not as strong as trucks – 2 335 units were sold in November 2014, compared to 2 019 units in the corresponding month the previous year. The medium and heavy vehicle passenger-

What might 2015 bring for the commercial vehicle sector

in India?

20 |FOCUS| April 2015

india special carrier category recorded a 9,07 percent decline in sales in November 2014 – with 1 665 units sold, compared to the sale of 1 831 units in the corresponding month in 2013.

The bus segment, which contributes nearly 13 percent to industry sales, is also set to witness an improvement in sales after various state road transport undertakings recently placed orders for new buses.

Financing difficulties are, however, expected to continue for some time to come. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor, Raghuram

Rajan, did not change the interest rates on December 3, 2014. He refused to budge, despite pressure on him to cut rates.

HSBC, in its Emerging Markets Index (EMI), released on December 5, 2014, mentioned that manufacturing operating conditions in India improved in November 2014, supported by stronger growth of output and new work intakes.

Foreign orders and buying activity also rose, while employment remained broadly stable.

Inflationary pressure intensified, however, the report stated. While India was the only market

among the emerging economies to post faster growth since June 2014, the EMI mentioned that emerging-market growth fell to a six-month low in November 2014.

While 2015 is set to bring growth, there will also be risks. New models and new players are expected, which will lead to an increase in competition, at a time when the market has just emerged, or is emerging, out of the red.

Hopefully, the better part of 2015 will be spent watching most commercial vehicle segments return to growth. |FOCUS

As regular readers of FOCUS know, this magazine has been appointed an associate member of the International Truck of the Year (IToY)! FOCUS is the sole South African magazine to have joined this prestigious body. One of the advantages of this association is access to exclusive articles, specially written for FOCUS by ITOY jury members. This is one such article.

2014

April 2015 |FOCUS| 21

WORLD ON

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WHEELS India’s transport sector is large and diverse, but it has not been able to keep up with increasing demand, and is proving to be a drag on the economy. Major improvements are required to support the country’s continued economic growth and to reduce poverty. CLAIRE RENCKEN reports

W

ith India’s gross domestic product (GDP) growing at over seven percent per year (now estimated

at US$ 1,22 trillion or R13,54 trillion) and the manufacturing sector enjoying doubledigit growth rates, the Indian freight industry is expected to grow at a rate of ten percent per year. India spends 15 to 20 percent of its GDP on transport and logistics, compared to an average eight to ten percent in other developing countries.

According to research done by The World Bank, a major investor in the transport sector in India, transport caters to the needs of about 1,1 billion people. In

Can India

2007, the sector contributed about 5,5 percent to the nation’s GDP, with road transportation contributing the lion’s share.

The roads in India carry almost 90 percent of the country’s passenger traffic and 65 percent of its freight. The density of India’s highway network – at 0,66 km of highway per square kilometre of land – is similar to that of the United States, and much greater than that of China or Brazil. However, most highways in India are narrow and congested, with poor surface quality, and 40 percent of India’s villages do not have access to all-weather roads.

Looking at the rail sector, Indian Railways is one of the largest under single management. It carries roughly 17 million passengers and about two million tonnes of freight per day, and is one of the world’s largest employers.

Indian Railways plays a leading role in carrying passengers and cargo across the country’s vast territory. However, most of its major corridors have capacity constraints and require enhancement plans.

As for ports, India has 12 major and 187 minor and intermediate ports along its more than 7 500 km-long coastline. These ports serve the country’s growing foreign trade in petroleum products, iron ore and coal, as well as the increasing movement of containers.

keep up?

22 |FOCUS| April 2015

LD ON W

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E

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E

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OR

E

LS

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OR

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H

E significant for the development of the rural areas, which are home to almost 70 percent of India’s population. Although the rural road network is extensive, some 33 percent of India’s villages do not have access to allweather roads and remain cut off during the monsoon season. The problem is more acute in India’s northern and north-eastern states, which are poorly linked to the country’s major economic centres.

• All the country’s high-density rail corridors face severe capacity constraints. Also, freight transportation costs by rail are much higher than in most countries, as freight tariffs in India have been kept high to subsidise passenger traffic.

• Urban centres are severely congested. In Mumbai, Delhi and other metropolitan centres, roads are often severely congested during the rush hours. The dramatic growth in vehicle ownership during the past decade has reduced rush hour speeds, especially in the central areas of major cities.

W

Inland water transportation remains largely undeveloped, despite India’s 14 000 km of navigable rivers and canals.

In terms of aviation, India has 125 airports, including 11 international airports. Indian airports handled 96 million passengers and 1,5 million tonnes of cargo in 2006/07; an increase of 31,4 percent for passenger and 10,6 percent for cargo traffic over the previous year. The dramatic increase in air traffic in recent years has placed a heavy strain on the country’s major airports.

The major challenges facing the sector are: • India’s roads are congested and of poor quality. Lane capacity is low – most national highways have two lanes or less. A quarter of all India’s highways are congested. Many roads are of poor quality and road maintenance remains under-funded – only around one-third of maintenance needs are met. This leads to the deterioration of roads and high transport costs for users.

• Rural areas have poor access. Roads are

• Ports are congested and inefficient. Port traffic has more than doubled during the 1990s, touching 650 million tonnes in 2006/07. India’s ports need to significantly ramp up their capacity and efficiency to meet this surging demand.

• Airport infrastructure is strained. Air traffic has been growing rapidly, leading to severe strain on infrastructure at major airports, especially those in Delhi and Mumbai, which account for more than 40 percent of the nation’s air traffic.

The good news is that the Indian government has recognised the various deficits in the transport sector and is striving to modernise, expand and integrate the country’s transport services.

It is also seeking to mobilise resources for this purpose and to gradually shift the role of government from that of a producer to an enabler. In recent years, the government has made substantial efforts to tackle the sector’s shortcomings and to reform its transport institutions. |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 23

INDIA special

PRIMED and ready

It’s been a long time coming, but Tata’s Prima has finally been launched in South Africa – and the company is confident it will give the local extra-heavy commercial vehicle (EHCV) segment a headache.

GAVIN MYERS was there

W

e first saw the Tata Prima on local shores at the Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS) in 2011. This was to be the start of a two-and-a-half year journey to adapt the range to local conditions. At the same time, trials were started in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Russia – chosen for their extreme conditions ranging from -40 to 60°C. In early March, Tata Automobile Corporation South Africa brought key customers, financiers, industry partners and, of course, media representatives, back to where the company started its local testing – the Gerotek testing facility, near Pretoria – for the official local launch event.

Billed as a range of “world trucks”, the excitement among Tata’s staff was clear to see.

“For 18 years I’ve been looking forward to having a range of trucks like this to present locally. That day has finally come,

24 |FOCUS| April 2015

and we are going to associate ourselves with this range from here on,” says executive director for Tata Automobile Corporation, Sudhir Babshet.

“Tata vehicles have always been known as workhorses – how much comfort and appearance one could enjoy was secondary.

Owners and operators found the value for money in that, which is how we could put more than 25 000 trucks on this country’s roads.”

It’s these same owners and operators that the company turned to in its endeavour to get the Prima just right for local conditions.

“A year back we started seeding the first vehicles to specific customers and taking their feedback; redesigning where required and going back to them again. We started doing that in South Africa about eight months ago,” explains Rudrarup Maitra, head sales international business, commercial vehicles at Tata Motors.

“Getting their feedback was interesting for us, because they had a lot of suggestions

to improve the vehicle. The vehicles are standing here today after recieving a thumbsup from the operators with whom we’ve been testing,” he continues.

With Prima, Tata is aiming to tackle the EHCV segment with three truck tractors (two 4x2s and one 6x4) and three tippers (a 10 and 14 m3 box-tipper 6x4 and a 19 m3 scoop-tipper 8x4). The range options cover the spectrum of 25 to 49 t.

The engine and driveline – Cummins and Eaton options from America, and ZF from Germany – is one of the many aspects that help define the Prima range as a world truck. The Cummins ISBe and ISLe engines produce between 198 and 283 kW (266 and 380 hp) and feature advanced technology such as Load-Based Speed Control (LBSC), Gear-Down Protection (GDP) and Vehicle Acceleration Management (VAM), idle shutdown and cruise control for enhanced fuel economy and driver convenience. Both Eaton and ZF gearbox options offer nine forward ratios.

INDIA special

“The Prima has received a thumbs-up from the operators we’ve tested it with,” says Rudrarup Maitra, head sales - international business, commercial vehicles at Tata Motors (right).

Sticking with the mechanicals, Tata has incorporated chassis-frame input from Mexican company Metalsa, as well as Hendrickson heavy-duty suspension to aid robustness, stability, speed and control. Antilock braking (ABS) is also incorporated.

With its sleek, modern looks, the cab was designed by a Tata-owned Italian design house. It was constructed using sheet-metal dies from Japan and Korea and a Swedish robotic weld line. A world truck, you see …

That cab (double-sleeper in the truck tractors and non-sleeper/day cab in the tippers) is designed on the outside for top-notch aerodynamics (it is very quiet inside). On the inside, for driver comfort, it offers air-conditioning, reclining seats, arm rests, an adjustable steering column, an audio system and GPS.

(Vic Oliver took the wheel of three new Prima models and gives us his driving impression over the page – Ed.) Despite the EHCV segment being one Tata has never entered before (at least locally) the company is keen to prove it has what it takes in terms of its product offering and back-up service.

“We are confident that these vehicles have been rigorously tested and that we will create sustainable relationships,” says Maitra. “The best way we feel we can communicate our brand commitment is with a best-in-class warranty of four years, or 450 000 km on the tractors and 5 000 hours on the tippers,” he reveals.

After-sales back-up is taken care of through a service network of 48 commercial

vehicle sales and service dealers in South Africa, 24-hour roadside assistance and roaming warranty cover in 14 southern African countries. “In some of these countries the brand is in a very strong position. In Tanzania, for example, we have a 36 percent market share,” Maitra notes.

“This range has made a good name in the Middle East and we have achieved great success in India. We expect similar success here and I have absolutely no doubt that we’ll achieve it,” adds Babshet. “Each of our customers can rest assured that neither we, nor the vehicles, will lag in terms of commitment and performance.”

In fact, Tata is so confident of this, it plans to launch even more variants at JIMS later this year. |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 25

INDIA special

One

giant leap

VIC OLIVER gives us his driving impression of the new Tata Prima

D

riving the new world-class

The new Tata Prima range of vehicles is

driver has under a severe emergency stop,

Tata Prima vehicles at the

extremely driver-friendly and easy to drive,

the vehicles were driven at high speed then

launch of this exciting range

with light foot-pedal controls, good visibility,

braked hard causing the ABS system to

of extra-heavy commercial

an easy-to-read instrument panel, cruise

function. At the same time, the driver was

vehicles, which was held at the Gerotek

control, factory-fitted air-conditioning and a

able to change lanes. It was amazing to see

vehicle testing facility, was an awesome

good music system.

how easy it was to complete this task, thanks

experience.

The driver’s suspension seat is fully

I was afforded the opportunity to drive

adjustable. However, I found that the seat

three of the models. The 6x4 truck tractors

was hard, which may cause some discomfort

were coupled to both tridem-axle and interlink

to the driver on a long journey.

trailers. The 6x4 tippers were fitted with endtipping bodies.

Once on the road, the first thing that one notices, as a driver, is the very low noise level

to the ABS system that allows the driver to remain in full control of the vehicle.

The engine valve brake – also known as the Jake Brake – works well, and is another safety feature that Tata has fitted to some of the Prima models.

Unfortunately, none of the vehicles were

and total absence of engine and drivetrain

With engine technology from the United

loaded, so a true driving experience of these

vibration. There is also very little wind noise

States of America and Europe, gearbox

units was not possible.

at high speed, thanks to the fact that the cab

expertise from Germany and Europe, chassis

has been well designed and built.

knowhow and design from Mexico and cab

The good-looking and stylish cabs fitted to this range of vehicles immediately reflect

Gear selection and change of the manual

the high quality of the product. The cab

transmission is very smooth and easy to

design from Italy, this Tata Prima range of

interior is, again, world class and one can

operate. When cruising at 80 km/h in top

Tata can proudly call its Prima “The

see that Tata Motors has taken cognisance

gear in the truck tractor models, the rev

World-Smart Truck”, and this new range of

of the importance of driver comfort and

counter is in the middle of the green band.

vehicles represents a giant step forward for

safety.

This proves the gear ratios are correct and

the company in South Africa. |FOCUS

vehicles is truly world class.

From the moment I climbed into the

that the vehicle has been designed to meet

cab and engaged first gear, I experienced

the maximum speed restriction set in South

Please note that this is not a comprehensive

the excellent build quality and world-class

Africa for this class of vehicle.

truck test, but rather a report on Vic Oliver’s

engineering of the vehicle. Good strong steps,

The brakes, which are fitted with the Anti-

driving impressions. The short distance of

wide-opening doors and sturdy grab handles

lock Braking System (ABS), work extremely

the tracks at Gerotek and the fact that the

make the entrance and exit from the cab

well. To demonstrate the short stopping

vehicles were not loaded make it impossible

easy and safe for the driver.

distance and the excellent control that the

to file a scientific truck test – Ed.

One of this country’s most respected commercial vehicle industry authorities, VIC OLIVER has been in this industry for over 50 years. Before joining the FOCUS team, he spent 15 years with Nissan Diesel (now UD Trucks), 11 years with Busaf and seven years with International. Do you have a comment or thought you would like to share based on this column?

Visit www.focusontransport.co.za and have your say!

26 |FOCUS| April 2015

Ford’s new

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Transit Connect: On Transport And Logistics Big-van capability, city-friendly packaging

April 2015 |FOCUS| 27

light brigade

CONNECTion in

Transit Yet another new commercial vehicle model from Ford has landed on our shores, giving the brand a comprehensive range of large, medium and small vans, as well as people carriers. GAVIN MYERS drove it at launch

T

he Ford brand is on a roll at the moment. The company is leveraging on its One Ford global strategy to systematically introduce a slew of new models; this year will see ten new models on showroom floors between its passenger and commercial vehicle offerings. Ford has also enjoyed high sales volumes over the past few months.

The Ranger is a prime example of this, enjoying four consecutive months of over 3 000 unit sales. Ford’s Transit/Tourneo range of panel vans and people movers isn’t doing too badly, either; fighting toe to toe with rival Volkswagen and outselling the van offerings from other rivals such as Fiat, Peugeot, Renault and Nissan.

“We launched the Custom range in the second quarter of 2013 and, since launch, we have had fantastic feedback and have seen the vehicles perform extremely well in the various segments,” says Dale Reid, LCV brand manager at Ford Motor Company SA. “We introduced the larger version, the two-tonne Transit, at the end of last year

28 |FOCUS| April 2015

and we have had positive feedback on the vehicle’s performance and capability.

This segment is very specific and fleetorientated and we are working hard to make inroads.” This two-tonne Transit is Ford’s biggest global seller.

Ford is now completing its local commercial vehicle range with the introduction of the third, smaller, Transit/ Tourneo family member – the Connect.

“Our intention is to build the commercial vehicle portfolio to have a full range of products. A lot of fleet buyers like to work with a single manufacturer, or even a single dealer. Having the ability to offer this service is what we’ve been trying to do by expanding the line-up,” says Mark Kaufman, Ford vicepresident marketing, sales and service for South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.

The full-sized, two-tonne Transit goes up against the likes of the VW Crafter and Fiat Ducato; the medium-sized Transit Custom rivals the VW Transporter, Nissan NV350 and Toyota Quantum; and the new, one-tonne Transit Connect aims squarely for the VW Caddy, Toyota Avanza and Nissan NV200.

So then, what does this 2014 International Van of the Year winner (the fifth overall for Transit) have to offer?

Built in Europe, the Transit Connect was designed to be a fully capable commercial vehicle that offers low cost of ownership, while giving drivers the comfort, features and ease of manoeuvrability they’d expect from a passenger car.

Although currently available only in long-wheelbase (LWB) format with a 1,6-litre Duratorque engine, the panel van’s credentials are nonetheless impressive. A full 1 004 kg payload, 2 405 kg gross vehicle mass and 3 205 kg gross-combination mass are available. The vehicle has a 3,6 m3 (3 222 l) load compartment.

That’s big enough to hold two Euro pallets, which can be loaded through the 180°-opening split rear doors, or through the single sliding door on the left-hand side. A full metal bulkhead separates the load from the occupants.

The 1,6-litre diesel engine produces 85 kW and 285 Nm and is coupled to a six-speed manual gearbox. Claimed

light brigade

Left: The versatile, car-like interior offers an array of configurations and storage bins.

Above: Transit Connect offers 3,6 m3 of load space and a 1 004 kg payload.

Below: Tourneo Connect is available with five or seven seats.

fuel consumption is a miserly 4,9 l/ 100 km. It’s a doddle to drive and, despite its “built for work” demeanour, really is as well spec’d (more on that later) and is as comfortable as a passenger car …

That’s where the Tourneo Connect comes in. Although, admittedly, aimed more at families on the move, or those looking for more of a lifestyle vehicle, the Tourneo does have an impressive mix of talents.

Four models are available: two short wheelbase five-seaters with Ford’s impressive 1,0-litre, three-cylinder EcoBoost engine; and two LWB Grand Tourneo Connects, with a 1,6-litre EcoBoost engine (only available with a six-speed automatic) or the same 1,6 TDCi Duratorq from its Transit sibling.

The LWB models are available with an optional third row of seats. With all the seats folded flat, 2 400 or 2 600 litres (LWB) of space is available. If the front passenger seat is folded flat as well, the LWB version can accommodate items up to three metres long.

A range of clever storage compartments are scattered around the cabin and, despite its relatively small outside appearance, the Tourneo Connect is exceptionally comfortable and spacious inside.

Both the Transit and the Tourneo Connect offer a comprehensive array of safety and convenience features. Transit Connect buyers enjoy Anti-lock Brakes with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution and Electronic Brake Assist; a driver airbag (the passenger airbag is a R1 800 option to allow for a driver-only configuration); traction, stability, trailer sway and load adaptive control; Hill Launch Assist; and a full anti-theft system.

Convenience features include electric windows and mirrors, a full overhead shelf, air-conditioning, a trip computer and Bluetooth connectivity.

Model-dependant, the Tourneo Connect adds the likes of passenger and curtain airbags (even for the third row of passengers); an anti-allergic interior; four

tie-down loops for securing cargo; Ford’s Sync connectivity system; cruise control and auto start/stop.

All models come with a four-year/ 120 000 km comprehensive warranty, five-year unlimited mileage corrosion warranty and three-year unlimited mileage roadside assistance. Petrol models have a three-year/60 000 km service plan and the diesel models that of four-year/60 000 km.

The Transit Connect is priced at R272 900, while the Tourneo models are priced between R269 900 and R367 900.

“This is a new segment for Ford, so we will see how the current models perform and then investigate the requirements for any additional derivatives,” Reid notes.

“We plan to be a main player within the segment ...”

And with vehicles such as the new Transit and Tourneo Connect, the competition will surely be sleeping with one eye open. |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 29

LIGHT BRIGADE

H100 hits the Apex

Hyundai Automotive South Africa is now producing its second model on local shores – and it’s another

S

ince its local introduction in 2002, nearly 60 000 Hyundai H100 bakkies have been sold, and the company has now begun assembling its evergreen 1,3 t workhorse in South Africa. The H100 is the second model to roll out of the company’s 32 000 m2 Apex Assembly Plant – located in Benoni on Gauteng’s East Rand – after assembly of the brand’s HD series of medium trucks began in September 2014.

commercial vehicle!

SA, the H100 vehicles being assembled

In February five engineers were sent to

in Benoni will be supplied only to inland dealers. It currently makes more economic sense for the coastal dealers to continue to be supplied with fully-built-up imported units.

Hyundai has 42 stand-alone commercial dealers in South Africa.

At full production, Hyundai expects to provide a total of 60 jobs at the plant.

Currently, the workforce has been increased

the plant by Hyundai Motor Company to oversee quality control procedures and to train and upskill the factory’s workforce. In addition, there is a full-time quality control engineer on duty at the assembly plant.

Also on site at the assembly plant, is Taylor Made Truck Bodies, an Imperial subsidiary owned by Hyundai. “This makes us the only assembler to have its own bodybuilder on site,” says Griffin. “The benefits are that we can deliver a complete vehicle directly to a dealer and offer customers versatile options to customise the body for their own requirements.”

While the company produces a range of body options for the HD series, it also offers a tipper conversion for the H100 – of which it currently produces between ten and 15 a month. Of course, there is always the H100’s popular canopy from Beekman (also an Imperial subsidiary).

Hyundai offers a range of genuine accessories to make working with the H100 that much more convenient. These include a genuine Hyundai tow bar (the H100 has a maximum brake-assisted trailer towing capacity of 1 250 kg), a Hyundai bull bar with a lifetime guarantee, and three different-sized exterior-mounted toolboxes.

According to Hyundai, one of the reasons why the H100 was considered for local assembly is because it is one of the most successful vehicles in the company’s local model range. Now proudly made in South Africa, it’s sure to continue moving the company, and its customers, from strength to strength. |FOCUS

Quality control is of utmost importance. Hyundai aims to produce 360 H100s a month.

The vehicles are being assembled in the semi-knocked-down (SKD) format, currently in batches of 60. By September, Hyundai hopes to have increased production numbers to batches of 360 vehicles a month.

According to Wade Griffin, director for commercial vehicles at Hyundai Automotive

30 |FOCUS| April 2015

to 51. “One of the important benefits of this extension of our SKD production is job creation. It also bears testimony to Hyundai’s commitment to the local automotive market,” says Griffin.

In assembling the H100 locally, Hyundai has not compromised on quality standards.

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April 2015 |FOCUS| 31

????? ?????

Celebrating the classics and the

Legends

Legend in the light of dawn.

Only two months into the year, GAVIN MYERS set off for the south coast – paying tribute to one of the country’s most legendary vehicles and classic holiday destinations.

An enjoyable drive, fine dining, gob-smacking views, and the inevitable sunburn, made it a trip to

I

hate sunburn. It always has a way of finding me – no matter how much I lather up, I will get burnt somewhere, somehow. It’s true: our beautiful, sunny weather is one of the many things that make South Africa so attractive.

Despite inevitably looking like a leather handbag, I do love spending time outdoors.

I also love the opportunity to get away (preferably to somewhere sunny, obviously).

So, I couldn’t resist when I was given the opportunity to head to the south coast only two months into the year.

Getting there would be no problem, either.

I had the perfect vehicle in mind. As the Toyota Hilux celebrated its 45th birthday (yes, 45!) late last year, and the current model is now up for replacement later in the year, this would be the perfect opportunity to give the current generation one last goodbye, while celebrating what is one of the country’s bestselling vehicles – and perhaps the classic South African double-cab bakkie, at that.

32 |FOCUS| April 2015

Our silver Legend 45 3,0 D-4D 4x4 double cab arrived and we were off.

No sooner had my better half and I set off, though, than we ran into a problem.

I, personally, have a principle issue with using Gauteng’s e-tolled highways, so a detour was made through Joburg and Alberton, to join the N3 at Heidelberg Road.

The Gauteng lunch-time rush was no problem for the Hilux, but Harrismith – that classic mid-way pit stop en route to Durban – could not come soon enough for its two hungry occupants.

The Hilux proved to be a surprisingly effortless cruiser … its leather-lined cabin is comfortable, it rides well and that three-

in 1x sunbur nt authoribitaGkinorgg e. an epic view at Or litre turbodiesel makes light work of overtaking.

It did, however, prove to be slightly thirstier than expected, but the on-board consumption readout slowly headed down to the eight-pointsomething level … A sixth gear (no doubt a feature on the forthcoming model) would definitely help with both this and the fact that the engine thrums quite heavily at cruising speed – the only uncomfortable aspect of the Hilux on a long run.

Our destination was Hibberdene on the

Umzumbe quaint , wit hsealfse-catering chalets: a view.

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KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) south coast – a classic destination for generations of South Africa’s inland holidaymakers. Only a few kilometres from Port Shepstone, the Umzumbe Chalets on the outskirts of this sleepy little town would be our base for the next few days.

Daylight on day two allowed us the opportunity to get to know our surroundings (there were four of us in the six-sleeper, selfcatering chalet) and make friends with the local peacock, buck and monkey population.

From our hillside vantage point, we could take in the picturesque south coast forest and sea view. We weren’t too far from the beach and the sun was shinin’ … Only one thing to do, then.

Damn, sunburn! I guess that’s the problem with having a beautifully clean beach practically to yourself for the day … As that unmistakable discomfort began to set in, we headed to Port Shepstone’s charismatic Jaxx Restaurant and Pizzeria for a feel-better dinner. Take it from me, if you find yourself in the area, in a foul mood from harsh sunburn, this place will lift your spirits. The food is outstanding, the staff friendly and enthusiastic, and the drinks, well, I’m just happy we didn’t drive there …

The off-road capability of the Hilux is one of its other legendary characteristics. Just as well, as we had planned to head out to the Lake Eland Game Reserve at the beautiful Oribi Gorge for its canopy zip-line tour … “Yeah, right, you want me to get into a harness with this sunburn?” The weather was overcast,

but, even then, it wasn’t gonna happen …

With two of us at the top of the 4,5 km zip-line (OK, I was very jealous!), my partner and I set out for some of the reserve’s challenging 4x4 tracks to see what this Legend could do.

The low-down torque (and, on the rougher stuff, the low-range capability) made light work of every track we came across (and there were many).

Happily, our exploration activities revealed a few more of the canyon’s secrets – we couldn’t do the zip-line, but we did find the suspension bridge and its awe-inspiring, freestanding look-out point. What an absolutely gorgeous view! Only 365 million years of erosion, by the Mzimkulu River cutting through the landscape, could create such timeless beauty.

Oh, and if heights make you a bit queasy, you can still appreciate the view from the safety of Africa’s longest longdrop; “The Loo with a View”. I s-h-1-t you not.

All too soon, it was time to head back to the “big smoke” (sunburn beginning to ease marginally). Back on the road, the Hilux covered in a mix of sea spray and mud, we managed to eke out a commendable 8,7 l/100 km average fuel consumption for the 1 400-odd kilometre trip.

Whether on- or off-road, in town (big or small), or driving through the country, the

Crossing the suspension bridge gives full access to the Oribi Gorge’s tree-lined magnificence.

Well , the picture says it all, really . .

Legend 45 is a reminder of just why the Hilux is such a mainstay in South Africa’s culture. Sure, by now this seventh-generation is showing its age and in many ways lags behind its newer rivals (it is a ten-year-old design, after all).

We know, however, that Toyota takes this vehicle very seriously, and has no doubt taken much notice of its competitors’ latest offerings. Like the KZN south coast, the classics never die; and the forthcoming generation will almost certainly be something worth waiting for …

I foresee another classic road trip, in about a year’s time. |FOCUS

This story is republished from Cyberstoep.co.za.

Published by Charmont Media Global, Cyberstoep.co.za is the only lifestyle website you need! Come visit us on our stoep for the latest in travel, dining, entertainment, motoring, home, opinion and more!

Seventh-generation Toyota Hilux 3,0 D-4D 4x4 D/C Legend 45 Umzumbe Chalets Jaxx Restaurant and Pizzeria Lake Eland Game Reserve/Oribi Gorge

The Legend 45 pauses on the bridge at the bottom of the gorge.

6,5/10 6/10 8,5/10 8/10

April 2015 |FOCUS| 33

light brigade

Ever impressive

Having received minor upgrades for the 2015 model year, Chevrolet’s Utility 1.4 Sport passes through DEON VAN DER WALT’s hands

O

ne thing South Africans love, as much as a braai and rugby, is a bakkie. The South African half-tonne bakkie segment used to be a playground for the Opel Corsa, Nissan 1400, Ford Bantam and its relative the Mazda Rustler, as well as the Fiat Strada.

Today, however, only two exceptionally successful players remain in this segment. The Opel Corsa has evolved into a more refined bakkie, while the popular Nissan 1400 evolved into the NP200. Both have stolen the hearts of South Africans.

Our test bakkie was a high-spec, yet still tough, Chevrolet Utility 1.4 Sport. I have to admit that, on initial encounter, I wasn’t very impressed with any specific aspect of the bakkie. One of the first things that troubled me was that, although it is branded a Sport model, it didn’t look the part.

It looks similar to other Utility models only with flashier rims, sport badging and an interestingly shaped spoiler on the roof. The Chevrolet Utility 1.4 Sport also boasts 15-inch alloy rims. Overall, it is a very good-looking bakkie – although, personally, I wish it stood out a bit more.

Looks and flash don’t stop it from being a good half-tonne bakkie, however, and it is a worthy successor to the Corsa …

The interior is put together using a tough, scratch-resistant plastic, and has a modern feel to it. True to Chevrolet form, the Utility

34 |FOCUS| April 2015

1.4 Sport also has rotating air vents and an abundance of hiding places.

Unfortunately, the lidded cubby on top of the dashboard has been lost on the Sport model, due to the addition of an infotainment screen for the revised sound system. Behind the fold-down seats is an impressive amount of storage space, making it the perfect place for items such as a modestly-sized toolbox.

The Chevrolet Utility 1.4 Sport has a series of upmarket features inside, which can rival those of compact sedans. It features an on-board trip computer, a manual airconditioner with an electronic interface, and a new radio/CD player – which upholds the Sport’s premium standards with USB and auxiliary input, as well as Bluetooth connectivity. The sound system’s clarity and sound quality are excellent.

The USB port is rather awkwardly situated, which is probably why the owner’s manual recommends using a USB extension cable.

Although there is a clock, it was a chore finding it, as it is buried within the trip computer. I also found reading the speedometer a bit tricky, as the figures are squashed into a somewhat small space.

Driving this bakkie was generally a pleasure, but the occasional hiccup did arise. While the gearbox and clutch were as smooth as silk on the road, engaging reverse gear was sometimes difficult and a source of slight frustration.

The 1.4 Sport delivered overall good performance in town. When pulling away or steering it into a turn, it felt like a “sporty” bakkie. The 1,4-litre engine produces 68 kW at 6 000 r/min and 120 Nm at 3 200 r/min. I thoroughly enjoyed the low-end torque the engine offers.

After a mix of some “sporty” driving, as well as being stuck in peak-time traffic, I managed to get the fuel consumption down to 8 l/100 km, which is admirable considering the manufacturer claims 7,2 l/100 km.

The Utility 1.4 Sport has a payload capacity of 713 kg – the smallest in the Utility line-up. It comes with Chevrolet’s five-year/120 000 km warranty and roadside assistance as well as a five-year anti-corrosion warranty The Chevrolet Utility 1.4 Sport was a joy to drive around town, with plenty of character and the spirit of the old Corsa running through its veins. While the price of R193 700 might seem a bit high, this bakkie is aimed more at everyday life – but can still be used to deliver goods to a client.

While some might feel the slightly cheaper Club version would be the one to go for to get the best mix, the Sport does it in style. |FOCUS

*Deon van der Walt is the South African Guild of Motoring Journalists’ bursar student. He recently spent a month with FOCUS, where he was exposed to the local commercial vehicle industry.

April 2015 |FOCUS| 35

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QUESTER LAUNCH

A new

Quest(er) UD Trucks has traditionally produced vehicles for its domestic market in Japan, which were then adapted for other countries.

The Quester has, however, been built with global developing markets in mind

36 |FOCUS| April 2015

QUESTER LAUNCH

S

ays Rory Schulz, managing director of UD Trucks Southern Africa: “Traditionally UD products were developed with mainly the domestic Japanese market in mind. The Quester range is the first in a new generation of UD Trucks specifically developed for growth markets across the world, including the very unique African market.”

The development of this new extra-heavy truck range started back in 2007, when the company joined the Volvo Group as one of its global brands. The UD Trucks project team then travelled to customers in eight developing markets to get feedback, and experience each site’s unique operational environment.

“This is a milestone and a new era for UD Trucks,” emphasises Torbjörn Christensson, president of the Volvo Group Southern Africa.

“Research and development costs are extremely high in today’s business environment.

For many individual brands, it is really difficult to finance such a big project. The strength of the Group has, however, enabled us to develop this unique range that is aimed specifically at emerging and developing markets.”

UD Trucks definitely did its homework …

“More than 400 full-time experts from different nationalities have contributed to the design, development and production of the Quester range and all its offerings,” Schulz points out.

“We have spent 1,5 million engineering hours and 65 000 test hours to ensure that Quester delivers on its promises in actual operating conditions.”

These labours enabled UD Trucks to produce 13 model derivatives including freight carriers, truck tractors, rigids and specific construction applications such as tippers and mixers. “The Quester offers us the opportunity to have a dedicated 6x2 unit. For the first time, we have now gained access to the 8x4 segments in the market,” Schulz explains.

He continues: “We have two engine options: an eight litre and an 11 litre, to provide the correct power and torque that will be required for the applications for which the Quester is intended.” This new addition to the UD stable is, according to the company, ideally suited to industry segments such as agriculture,

forestry and paper, public utilities, building and construction, mining and petrochemical.

UD specifically developed the engines with wide torque bands to adjust to all operating conditions, such as high-traffic scenarios, as well as for operations on tarred and gravel roads, and, of course, for cruising conditions.

The eight-litre GH8E engine is turbocharged with an air-to-air intercooler and delivers 243 kW at 2 200 r/min, as well as 1 200 Nm of torque between 1 400 and 1 600 r/min.

The 11-litre GH11E engine offers 1 734 Nm at low revolutions and delivers 278 kW of power at 1 900 r/min. The UD Extra Engine Brake, which uses the engine as an auxiliary braking device, is offered on the 11-litre engine derivatives. “We are also mindful of future changes to emission regulations,” Schulz points out. “We can bring vehicles up to a Euro-5 level into the country in the future, so that will be taken care of as we go forward as well.”

Quester utilises UD Syncro transmissions.

For the 11-litre engine there are nine- or 12-speed options available, while the eight-litre engine range has a nine-speed transmission. It has an input torque of up to 2 000 Nm on both transmissions.

For rough and hilly operations, the Quester offers hub reduction for the 6x4R, 8x4R and 6x4T configurations. The Quester’s rear-axle housing is made from fabricated steel to handle heavy loads. The 6x2R configurations can be provided with a bogie lifting axle, which is used to lift the axle in an unladen condition.

The Quester brings with it another first for UD Trucks … a new, interactive telematics system, which can monitor fuel economy and even fuel theft, has been included as standard on all Quester models. The system, which is managed by the UD Trucks call centre, basically monitors the “heartbeat” of the truck.

It provides real-time positioning, information on preventative maintenance and manages the breakdown assistance. It gives fleet owners and UD dealers all the information they need to do the required preventative maintenance on time, and to schedule standard services more efficiently.

“The operations centre will be able to see

if a particular driver is continuously driving the vehicle in an efficient manner. If not, the driver can be contacted and the behaviour corrected,” says Schulz. “So, a lot of interaction is now taking place between the vehicle and the operations centre where we can monitor the vehicle.”

The Quester comes standard with a fuel coaching system. “Here we are able to tell drivers whether they are driving the vehicle efficiently, enabling them to spend as much time as possible in the green band,” he adds. The in-vehicle diagnostics, including engine performance and early warning of malfunctions, through pop-up messages and warning lamps, appear on the 4,5-inch screen on the dashboard.

“Quester gives fleet owners 100 percent control of their fuel expenses while saving 30 percent on diesel costs,” says Schulz.

It is clear that UD Trucks aims to do things differently with the new Quester. “This is a new range for the group, designed for emerging markets. We are doing something that we haven’t done before,” says Christensson.

The Quester range will be manufactured in the new UD Trucks factory in Thailand and assembled at the Rosslyn plant, in Pretoria, for the local market.

“We will offer a 150 000 km/three-year basic service contract as part of the vehicle,” Schulz points out. UD Trucks still has to release the pricing information for the Quester, but says that it will be competitive with other products aimed at emerging markets.

“Ultimately, Quester addresses the top concerns of every fleet owner – namely fuel consumption, durability, productivity and maintenance – in a smart and modern fashion,” Schulz emphasises.

“It has been specifically adapted to the required transportation requirements, including a high load capacity, increased productivity, minimum downtime, low operational costs and a long service life. And all of this is supported by accredited workshops and trained experts within our regional dealer network. This is why we believe the new Quester range is certainly a game-changer.” |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 37

Parts distribution

Volvo group

goes big!

The Volvo Group Southern Africa has consolidated three parts warehouses into one – with huge benefits for its dealers and their customers. GAVIN MYERS attended the opening

O

ne group, six brands, 13 000 m2, 52 000 parts and a R60 million investment – that’s the Volvo Group Southern Africa’s brandnew regional parts distribution centre (PDC) in numbers. Officially opened during March after 15 months of construction, the new facility in Boksburg, on Gauteng’s East Rand, is being hailed as a critical step forward for the Group’s future growth in the southern African region.

Serving the Volvo Trucks, Volvo Bus, Volvo Penta, Volvo Construction Equipment, Renault Trucks and UD Trucks brands, the new facility holds R280 million worth of stock to support all southern African countries up to the DRC. The facility is manned by a total of 68 employees.

Speedier parts deliveries, more streamlined and efficient operations, as well as increased warehousing capacity were the goals when designing the new warehouse.

“The merger of our warehouse facilities under one roof is a strategic investment in our future and will enable us to support our customers more efficiently, especially in light of the significant volume growth our brands

have experienced over past few years,” explains Torbjörn Christensson, president of the Volvo Group SA. In all the countries in which it operates, designing, managing and optimising the group’s logistics services falls under the auspices of Volvo Group Logistics Services within the Group Truck Operations (GTO) division.

“One of the keys to our continued success in South Africa is having best-in-class logistics processes and facilities, as we now have here,” says Christer Svärd, senior vice president of Volvo Group Logistics Services.

“This new facility is a great asset and enables us to better serve the customers in the region. It also demonstrates the commitment of the Volvo Group to southern Africa,” he continues.

Colin Govender, general manager, Logistics Services, for the southern and East African region, says that having a common system and warehouse processes to manage all the brands allows the workforce to easily develop new skills. “The workforce has had to adapt and understand the differences brought about by the change, in order to cope

with the expected demands from dealers.”

The set standard is a same-day delivery policy to dealers within 50 km of the facility, and there is a 24-hour set-up in place for emergency parts. Overnight and next-day deliveries cater for the remaining dealers across South Africa, while those outside the country are served by twice-weekly dedicated deliveries.

In addition to increasing efficiencies, the new facility is also designed to reduce the need for energy resources. High ceilings with transparent panels allow for an abundance of natural light, while motion sensors automatically switch lights on and off as workers make their way in and out of the isles.

Health and safety processes are also important, and speed control will be included in a new range of forklifts, says Govender.

“Increased uptime for our customers is one of our core objectives within the Group,” says Christensson. “Customers are rightly demanding exceptional parts availability – something we believe we will be able to achieve with the new facility, its innovative systems and skilled workforce,” he concludes. |FOCUS

With three warehouses in one, Volvo Group Logistics Services has catalogued each item with meticulous detail. Unveiling the plant are, from left: Sisanda Mtwazi, director at Department of Trade and Industry; Anders Hagelberg, Swedish Ambassador in South Africa, Christer Svärd, senior vice president Volvo Group Logistics Services; and Mondli Gungubele executive mayor of Ekurhuleni.

38 |FOCUS| April 2015

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April 2015 |FOCUS| 39

FLEET

MANAGEMENT Proper fleet management can reduce mileage and save fuel. Service providers need to structure fleet solutions to meet individual requirements, in order to meet the ever-changing needs of South African fleet operators. CLAIRE RENCKEN speaks to a few companies that are getting it right

A

n

increasing

southern companies to

asset

number

of

“The system boasts an on-board global system

(GPS)

that

driving styles.

African

mining

positioning

tracks

“Today’s transport industry faces many

are

turning

vehicles and manages on-site productivity.

new challenges and we are committed to

management

A combination of labour unrest and financial

working with our customers to tackle them,”

solutions; which are capable of improving

constraints has led to an increase in demand

says Van der Westhuizen.

fleet efficiency by locating multiple mobile

for QIC-FLEET in local mining applications,”

“Scania’s fleet management system

assets, and then rerouting them to areas of

he states. Using a complementary CAN-BUS

utilises state-of-the-art technology and driver

greater importance by contacting the vehicle

add-on, the system plots the data on a map

education. Customers benefit from improved

operator directly.

with GPS positions to identify the cause of

fuel consumption and driver behaviour, live

an incident, and the precise location where

performance monitoring and reduced spend

it occurred.

on repairs. This provides added value to our

Asset management solutions provider, QCIC, is making significant inroads in this industry through its flagship QIC-FLEET

Another advantage of the CAN-BUS and

global system for mobile communications

QIC-FLEET combination is that it has the

(GSM) fleet management solution, which can

ability to warn of a potential engine failure

Furthermore, the system is user friendly,

be installed on all mining-related vehicles

or dangerous situation through an in-cab

easy to understand and there is no complex

including forklifts, handling plants, bulldozers,

buzzer, based on the set-up of the device

start-up or installation. “All that is required

loaders, articulated dump trucks, rigid dump

installed in the vehicle.

is a reliable internet connection with an

trucks, cranes, as well as on transport

Original

interact with them,” he adds.

manufacturers

email account. With the free Scania Fleet

vehicles such as buses used to transport

(OEMs) also recognise the importance of

Management app, you get access to the

labourers.

effective fleet management. Theunes van

fault-reporting function and your drivers

QCIC director, Brian McKenzie, says that

der Westhuizen, connectivity manager at

can instantly report problems and supply

QIC-FLEET enables fleet owners to effectively

Scania South Africa, explains that Scania’s

photographs directly from the site of the

and affordably manage numerous variables

fleet management solution helps operators

incident,” explains Van der Westhuizen.

related to the location and performance of

to reduce mileage and save on fuel, by

For more than four years, Engen has also

individual vehicles and equipment. It does this

offering customers access to information

been doing its bit to offer peace of mind and

by transmitting relevant data on the GSM

and reports on the fleet’s performance, as

more control to fleet managers across the

network, via a preferred network partner.

well as insight into the drivers’ activities and

continent in the form of its 1-Card. This card

A fleeting

equipment

customers and gives us new opportunities to

glimpse 40 |FOCUS| April 2015

»

??????? ???????

AnnuAl MAintenAnce AgreeMents For optiMAl eFFiciency GEA Refrigeration Africa can analyse your fleet requirements and recommend a suitable service and maintenance agreement which will ensure that your equipment receive regular inspections, preventative maintenance and proper calibration.

A fixed cost agreement guarantees a stable maintenance budget, offers predictable life cycle savings and prevents problems before they occur.

GEA Refrigeration Africa (Pty) Ltd 19 Chain Avenue, Montague Gardens, 7441, RSA P.O.Box 36815, Chempet, 7442, RSA Phone: +27 21 555 9000, Fax: +27 21 551 4036 transport-sa@gea.com, www.gearefrigeration.co.za

engineering for a better world

GEA Refrigeration Technologies April 2015 |FOCUS| 41

FLEET

MANAGEMENT

system has been developed to offer a secure

an overview of fuel expenditure. Find more

almost impossible to achieve through manual

fuel payment system. What’s more, it is able

information about 1-card on page 51.

installation. Therefore, it is important that

to operate in areas where connectivity is not

Telematics

companies carefully consider any camera

operations director, Craig Lovell, the road

investment to avoid potentially spiralling

Administered by Engen, the 1-Card

transport, fleet and insurance sectors face

insurance costs,” he says.

costs a fraction of bank-issued petrol cards

huge losses each year, due to inaccurate and

Steven Sutherland, sales director for

and has no transactional fees or monthly

inadmissible evidence needed to defend or

MiX Telematics in South Africa and Africa,

administration charges. The system can be

mitigate insurance claims. Therefore, there

explains that a properly implemented

is now massive interest

fleet management solution can deliver an

in forward-facing camera

average of ten-percent savings on fuel costs

technology.

alone. “Savings like this are critical when

always optimal.

According

to

Intelligent

“Any camera will help to

we consider the rising cost of fuel and the

mitigate claims, but as the

highly competitive climate in which these

insurance sector becomes

organisations operate,” he adds.

more technically aware,

Yet, many operators are not yet taking

it will become critical to

advantage of such solutions. Sutherland

ensure that GPS accuracy

believes that the initial expense of a fully

and g-force measurement

fledged solution is the main reason. “This

provides

reliable

really shouldn’t be the deciding factor, as

data on impact speeds

substituting true value for a low upfront cost

and forces, to prevent any

will very likely cost fleet owners more in the

challenges to the validity of

long run.”

highly

data,” he explains.

Currently,

QIC-FLEET can be installed on all mining-related vehicles, including forklifts, handling plants, bulldozers, loaders, articulated dump trucks, rigid dump trucks and cranes.

Eqstra Fleet Management offers its many

clients an integrated solution, which makes it

cameras capture data at

simpler for fleet managers to set up effective

only one second intervals,

controls to measure and manage costs.

meaning

that

these

“We have never come across a fleet

solutions are often able to

budget that could not be improved by at least

provide impact speeds only

five percent,” says Murray Price, managing

before or after an accident.

director of Eqstra Fleet Management.

tailored to the individual needs of each fleet

Lovell says companies need to insist on

“Most fleets are managed operationally.

– whether a pre- or post-paid account is

cameras that capture data at ten times

Very few companies consider the total cost

preferred.

per second, to ensure impact speeds are

of ownership when making fleet decisions.

identified at the exact point when an accident

We assist our clients by offering them a

occurs.

total overview of their costs, benchmarked

Fleet managers have improved control over fleet expenses, as they can determine when and where each 1-Card can be used as

“It is also essential that a camera is

against researched norms. This enables

well as how much can be spent on the card.

mounted perfectly square on both horizontal

fleet managers to make the most efficient

In addition, fleet operating businesses are

and vertical planes to have a zero g-force

decisions relating to the operation of their

able to receive a monthly itemised report with

reading when stationary; something that is

fleet.” |FOCUS

We are passionate about delivering measurable value to our customers

By integrating all fleet solutions into one view 42 |FOCUS| April 2015

Contact us: info@eqstrafleet.co.za, +27 (0) 11 458 7555 or www.efm.co.za

??????? ???????

April 2015 |FOCUS| 43

focus on ports

SEAS of change

The ocean plays a major part in how the world moves freight. FOCUS takes a look at what role the Eastern Cape plays in our country’s maritime economy and features the province’s latest port

M

fundo

Piti,

economic

of the province and indeed the country.”

manufacturing industry will make the

infrastructure development

An important indicator of the province’s

manager at the Coega

(and our country’s) growing maritime

future shipbuilding activities in the ocean

Development Corporation

economy is the Port of Ngqura, 20 km

economy,” explains Piti.

(CDC), says it best: “With thousands of

northeast of Port Elizabeth. “Adjacent to

kilometres of coastline, South Africa is in a

the Coega IDZ, the deep-water seaport is

logistics services, skills related to the

prime position to maximise on its ‘blue gold’.

becoming the fastest-growing terminal in

automotive and manufacturing industries

The Eastern Cape, with two major port cities,

the world, according to Drewry Maritime

as well as other ancillary services from the

and two established industrial development

Research,” says Piti. “Seaports help to

manufacturing industrial base will be highly

zones (IDZs) is particularly well placed. This

transform underdeveloped regions into

attractive for domestic and foreign direct

will enable Nelson Mandela Bay and East

important trade centres, which in turn

investment.”

London to become leading hubs of maritime

support job creation,” he notes.

economic activity.”

province

an

“Existing

He

excellent

expertise,

continues:

contender

skilled

“While

for

labour,

automotive

He adds that world sea traffic passes by

manufacturing is the dominant industry in

He adds that government’s plans,

the Eastern Cape on the east-west pendulum

both Nelson Mandela Bay and East London,

unveiled at the beginning of this year, aim to

trade routes, opening up major opportunities

the expertise of these industrial hubs

address widespread poverty, unemployment

for ship building and repairs in the region.

should be extended to the ship building and

and socio-economic inequality by building an

“Last year, the world merchant fleet

operational, turnkey ocean economy. “Two

comprised 106 833 vessels shipping goods

This is exactly what Transnet Port

decades from now, it is believed that South

and commodities between the continents,

Terminals (TPT), an operating division of

African maritime-oriented economic activities

including visits to the three ports of the

state-owned logistics company Transnet,

will contribute an estimated R177 billion to

Eastern Cape,” Piti points out. “During

is doing. To meet the growing demand of

gross domestic product,” Piti continues.

2013, about 5 944 container ships,

vehicle exports, TPT’s East London Multi-

vessels and tankers were commissioned

Purpose Terminal (MPT) has initiated

for construction by various countries.”

innovation in the form of containerisation

“Ports have always been at the forefront of

maritime

economic

organisation,

other industries.”

catalysing economic growth through the

Currently, South Africa’s ship-building

of cars, rather than driving them directly

trade of manufactured goods, commodities

industry holds international credibility

onto the vessel. This is expected to ensure

and raw materials,” he points out. “As both

with activities taking place at shipyards in

faster turnaround times for the terminal,

entry and exit points, the two Eastern Cape

Cape Town and Richards Bay. “However,

as well as economic spin-offs for the region.

ports are critical to the present and future

the Eastern Cape’s world-class industrial

This new car containerisation project,

44 |FOCUS| April 2015

focus on ports

which

has

been

in

operation

since

December 2014, is set to increase automotive volumes by 22 000 per annum and increase 20-ft equivalent units (TEUs) by 14 600 TEUs per annum. TPT has invested R200 000 to ensure that the East London MPT has adequate infrastructure needed for the project.

Says

Prince

Mangayi,

operations

manager at the East London Car Terminal: “TPT is excited to implement this new method of transporting cars. It will provide our clients with access to new export markets and innovative supply chain solutions. In addition, this project will boost the much-needed volumes for the auto sector, building foreign direct investment confidence for East London.”

Siyabulela Mhlaluka, TPT’s general manager for the Eastern Cape operations, adds: “In support of economic growth in the region, Transnet Port Terminals continues to find ways of diversifying its services to meet customer demand.”

The

wonderful

thing

about

containerisation is that the containers can be moved between ships, trains and trucks without re-handling the contents, thereby increasing production output. Mangayi adds: “Since the inception of this new

The West Coast also delivers …

In the main article, the importance of

and installation of 37, V100-1.8 MW,

the east coast in our country’s maritime

wind-turbine generators (WTGs) with hub

economy is highlighted, but the west coast

heights of 95 m, at a new wind farm in the

holds equal stature – especially the Port

Western Cape.

of Saldanha …

“We were responsible for receiving

As stated on the Transnet National

all components transported to an

Ports Authority’s webpage: “Situated some

intermediate handling area, which enabled

60 nautical miles north-west of Cape

quick vessel discharge, at the Port of

Town, the Port of Saldanha has, since its

Saldanha,” says Theo van Wyk, account

discovery in 1601, remained the largest

and brand manager of ALE’s South

and deepest natural port in the southern

African brand.

hemisphere. It is able to accommodate vessels with a draft of up to 21,5 m.

“There

were

three

shipments

containing blades, towers, nacelles and

“The port covers a land and sea surface

hubs. From there, the components were

of just over 19 300 hectares, within a

re-loaded and transported to the wind

circumference of 91 km, with maximum

farm, situated approximately 60 km from

water depths of 23,7 m. Saldanha is

the port.”

unique in that it has a purpose-built rail link,

He adds that this was no small

directly connected to a jetty bulk-loading

undertaking. The scale, volume of cargo

facility, for the shipment of iron ore.”

and time pressure required careful

ALE, an international heavy transport

planning and scheduling. “With the WTG

and installation contractor, discovered

components being grouped per tower, it

that this port was also perfect for another

was imperative that all components were

purpose. The company was awarded the

handled, tracked and supplied correctly,

contract for the port operations, transport

to ensure a smooth and continuous

to site, mechanical and electrical erection

operation.”

project, the East London MPT showed a three percent increase in volumes.”

Nelisiwe Mbenekazi, terminal manager

There are exciting things ahead for

are key role-players and benefactors

at the East London MPT, continues: “It

the maritime activities of the Eastern

of the ocean economy. It is especially

is expected that the project will promote

Cape and South Africa. “There are many

necessary because in the Eastern Cape

job

development,

signs that we are on the right track,”

poverty remains widespread, deep and

thereby positively contributing towards the

says Piti. “Nelson Mandela Bay and East

intergenerational, in relation to other

TPT business and the East London economy.”

London should be united in ensuring we

provinces.” |FOCUS

creation

and

skills

April 2015 |FOCUS| 45

GLOBAL FOCUS

Volvo’s hugely important link with

Dongfeng passes regulatory muster

In his monthly review of global news for local truckers, FRANK BEETON updates the Volvo/Dongfeng partnership while discussing some of its prospects, takes a modern-day look at Mack (the Bulldog brand), and comments on reports of Hyundai’s commercial vehicle plans

L

ast October, while carrying out our assessment of future prospects for global truck manufacturers, we had this to say about the Volvo

Group: “Early in 2013, it was announced, in a highly significant move, that Volvo had paid $US 890 million for a 45 percent shareholding in Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles in China.

This association was a logical progression, given that UD Trucks and Renault Trucks already had connections with Dongfeng. The implications of this association included the

46 |FOCUS| April 2015

creation of a potentially world-leading alliance (in 2010, Dongfeng was already at the top of the > six-tonne GVM world rankings with more than 300 000 unit sales).

“Recent media reports have suggested that the formalisation of this relationship is imminent, and its subsequent rolling out into the global environment will be of immense interest to industry observers.”

In late January 2015, Chinese government regulatory approval of Volvo’s investment in the DFCV joint venture was confirmed. In the supporting media release announcement,

AB Volvo’s president and CEO, Olaf Persson said: “This strategic alliance is a milestone and entails a fundamental change in the Volvo Group’s opportunities in the Chinese truck market, which is the largest in the world. At the same time, it will provide the opportunity to become involved in growing DFCV’s international business in a manner that will benefit us and our Chinese partner”.

The media release went on to say that representatives of both companies would make up the JV’s board of directors, with Dongfeng providing the chairman, and its

GLOBAL FOCUS

The addition of Dongfeng Commercial to the Volvo Group creates a potentially world-leading alliance.

Dongfeng-branded product line-up would include heavy and medium trucks, buses, special-purpose vehicles, and their constituent components. Volvo will provide technological support and global sales experience.

As we pointed out last year, Volvo AB has risen to become one of the most influential groups in the global commercial vehicle business, with a portfolio that includes Volvo Trucks and Buses, Renault Trucks, UD Trucks, Mack Trucks, Eicher Trucks, Prevost Buses and Nova Buses, in addition to some marine and construction-related products.

Volvo’s global structure has assigned clear lines of major geographic responsibility to Mack for the Americas; Volvo/Renault for Europe, the Middle East and Africa; and UD for the Asia-Pacific region.

However, the rolling out of this strategy is still a work in progress, and it will be very interesting to see how Dongfeng fits in. Clearly, adding DFCV’s enormous volumes into the Volvo Group “mix” (the Chinese manufacturer

sold more than 170 000 medium and heavy trucks in 2013) will provide substantial opportunities for component and cost sharing, and broaden the portfolio of product availability.

Bearing in mind the relative historic concentration of Volvo, Renault, Mack and UD at the upper end of the payload spectrum, there appears to be a huge opportunity to play more substantially in the light and medium truck sectors, building on the still-unfolding efforts of Eicher in that arena.

Given the magnitude of the task, Volvo’s still-emerging global strategy has, understandably, been quite a drawn-out process. One of the most important elements to have materialised, thus far, has been the global engine programme, which took shape during the first decade of the 21st century, through the use of common 11- and 13-litre engines across the Volvo, Renault and Mack ranges.

More recently, we have seen the Volvo Group’s “Common Architecture Shared

Technology” programme initiated in the form of new five-, seven-, 11- and 13-litre power units developed by Volvo Powertrain in Ageo, Japan. It was also announced that VE Commercial Vehicles (the Volvo-Eicher Indian joint venture established in 2008), would act as the production source for 85 000 of these engines each year.

There have been other areas of product exchange, including the supply of Volvo’s 16-litre engine to Mack, for installation in its own products with MP10 branding, and the use of Volvo’s I-shift automated transmission technology in some Mack, UD and Renault products.

As intimated earlier, Dongfeng has been working with manufacturers now residing within the Volvo Group for some time. In fact, the initial cooperation with Nissan Diesel (now UD Trucks) was established in 1985, and in 2002, RVI (now Renault Trucks) licensed the manufacture of its 11-litre diesel engine to the Chinese group.

April 2015 |FOCUS| 47

»

GLOBAL FOCUS

From this we can assume that Dongfeng is no stranger to Western manufacturing processes and quality standards, and should be able to do anything asked of it, by the present-day Volvo Group, with little disruption.

The prospect of Dongfeng products being distributed by Volvo and its subsidiary brands in export markets is, therefore, very real. We can only say that the formalisation of the Volvo-Dongfeng alliance is probably the most significant single event to have occurred in the global truck industry for a number of years.

Where is Mack?

While several of the Volvo Group brands are currently active in the South African market, and others appear likely to arrive soon, there is one significant absentee: Mack Trucks.

Mack trucks, with their distinctive bulldog bonnet mascots, were something of a novelty in South Africa until 1973. They then went on to become very successful players in the local market, primarily as extra-heavy-duty prime movers.

The most important feature of Mack trucks, at that time, was the combination of Maxidyne high torque-rise diesel engines and five or six-speed triple-countershaft transmissions – while most of the company’s American competitors specified nine-, 13- or 15-speed multispeed gearboxes.

Somewhat surprisingly (to the competition), the Mack recipe, with its considerably reduced workload demand on drivers, delivered classleading performance and fuel economy, and was soon established as the favoured choice in many prominent fleets. Unfortunately,

with the compulsory introduction of Atlantis Diesel Engine fitment in South Africa from 1982 onwards, the punitive duties that were attracted by non-compliant vehicles argued against Mack’s continued use of its own power units, thereby cancelling out its technical advantage. In due course, Mack departed from the local market.

Over time, the Maxidyne philosophy fell foul of ever-tightening international emissions standards, and Mack reverted to more conventional driveline thinking. In 1979, Renault initiated a progressive takeover of Mack Trucks, and completed the process, under the RVI banner, in 1990. Mack then passed, along with Renault’s other trucking assets, into Volvo ownership in 2001.

The brand had many enthusiastic supporters, and there was widespread concern that it might disappear completely under foreign ownership, especially as Volvo had its own American truck-making operation, following the takeover of White Motor Corporation in 1981, and the absorption of GMC and formation of Volvo GM Heavy Truck Corporation in 1988.

In 1997, Volvo bought out the General Motors shareholding, and has operated in the United States (US) under its own name ever since. The Mack brand has prevailed however, and continues today as a fully fledged member of the Volvo Group.

The current North American range has imaginative model names, such as “Pinnacle” (on-highway hauler), “Granite” (vocational applications), “TerraPro” (cabover/lowentry refuse/vocational), and “Titan” (heavy

haulage), while power is provided by 11-, 13and 16-litre Volvo Group engines, designated MP7, MP8 and MP10, respectively, in their Mack identities.

Mack also builds and markets trucks in Australia, and the Granite and Titan names are used there too, to do similar work, but (predictably) hauling heavier tonnages than their siblings back home.

Mack Australia also has its own unique models, namely “Super-Liner” (road trains and interstate haulage), “Trident” (B-Double and “tipper and dog” applications), and the “MetroLiner”, which comes in rigid 6x4, 8x4 and 10x4 configurations, albeit with its second steer axle placed under a normal control (bonneted) cab. This model is configured specifically for (relatively) light construction and regional distribution tasks.

Will Mack ever come back to South Africa? It seems unlikely, given the plethora of other Volvo Group products already here, or potentially on the horizon, and that Mack exclusively uses a bonneted layout for all its models.

The equivalent products from other US manufacturers achieve only limited acceptance locally, because of their limitations when used in full-length interlink combination applications, and the difficulty of achieving optimum payloads and load space on bonneted vehicles.

However, there is no doubt that Mack remains an iconic name in the trucking community, and the appearance of the bulldog mascot on any special import will always be a matter of considerable interest to local enthusiasts.

Hyundai’s Xcient heavy duty truck range includes numerous axle configuration alternatives.

48 |FOCUS| April 2015

GLOBAL FOCUS

The Mack Granite handles vocational applications in the North American market.

Hyundai about to BECOME bigger in commercials?

Overseas media reports have recently suggested that Hyundai Motor Company is planning a major new offensive on the global commercial vehicle market. The reports say that the South Korean company will spend around $US 1,8 billion (R21,6 billion) by 2020 on increased production capacity in its home country, and research and development relating to vans, trucks and buses.

According to Reuters, the Hyundai family, including Kia, currently holds only 2,1 percent of the global commercial vehicle market outside of China, and will be looking to this market to help drive it from its current global production level of around eight million vehicles per annum, to a target of 10 million.

The group currently manufactures a comprehensive range of 4x2, 6x4 and 8x4 trucks with power ratings of up to 390 kW (520 hp), as well as city buses and touring coaches. Local readers will be familiar with the H100 light truck, H1 panel van, Kia K2500 and K2700 light trucks and Hyundai HD series of MCV load carriers marketed in South Africa.

The heavier Hyundai models are currently restricted to South Korea, China and certain emerging markets, although South Africa did receive some Hyundai coaches during the runup to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. At the mid-September 2014 opening of its Apex assembly operation, Hyundai Automotive

South Africa said that it was studying the possible introduction of the latest generation

It seems that, following very extensive research, Hyundai is looking at a new market

Hyundai Xcient heavy-duty truck range to the local market.

In February, we provided preliminary details of Hyundai’s new H350 integral 3,5 t gross vehicle mass (GVM) panel van. The Turkishbuilt H350 is aimed squarely at the European market. However, the recent migration of several Eurovan designs across the North Atlantic suggests that the H350 has the potential to follow them there.

Of even more importance to Hyundai’s North American aspirations, is the Santa Cruz crossover truck concept that appeared at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. This was something entirely different to a number of Hyundai pickup concepts that had been seen before, and the manufacturer stressed that, with no emphasis on ground clearance or towing capacity, this vehicle was not intended to be truck-like.

Based on the new Tucson crossover utility (CUV) platform, the small pickup concept is said to be aimed more at “younger buyers” than the latest generation compact pickups, typified by the Chevrolet Colorado.

Features of the concept include aggressive styling, an extendable tailgate, a 2,0-litre turbodiesel engine, upright hexagonal grille, honeycombed headlamp projectors and rearhinged doors.

niche, which is more closely related to the CUV segment than any genuine truck category. It is clearly aiming at recreational rather than business use, and at buyers who would like a basic CUV package with an open load box.

If sufficient consumer and media interest is forthcoming from exposure on the US auto show circuit, Hyundai is ready to get cracking with a production version on an accelerated basis, cutting the normal four-year product launch cycle to three years. The possibility of opening up the Santa Cruz to global markets is also on the cards.

The foregoing is evidence of a rather scattered approach to increased penetration of the global commercial vehicle market, but it is a start, nevertheless. It can be safely predicted that the intended research will result in a more rational strategy, with Hyundai targeting markets and segments where it sees the greatest opportunities.

There is a great deal of disparity between the marketing of CUVs in North America, and selling heavy-duty trucks anywhere in the world, and this is sure to result in the emergence of a structured approach. Hyundai will be looking to its remarkable growth to fifth position in the global vehicle industry for inspiration, and will, no doubt, expect similar levels of success in respect of its commercial vehicle aspirations. |FOCUS

Global FOCUS is a monthly update of international news relating to the commercial vehicle industry. It is compiled exclusively for FOCUS by Frank Beeton of Econometrix. Do you have a comment or thought you would like to share based on this column?

Visit www.focusontransport.co.za and have your say.

April 2015 |FOCUS| 49

SHORT

HAULS AA Technical College bridges skills shortage gap Recognising the shortage of skilled artisans in the automotive industry, the Automobile Association (AA) of South Africa has expanded the premises of its AA Technical College to accommodate more students.

The college has experienced steady growth and is attracting up to 1 500 students a year due to the service it provides in training, up-skilling and qualifying students in the automotive sector. The college has expanded its training premises in Johannesburg to include two new classrooms, which will be used for theoretical training of apprentices.

Werner Wandrey, national technical training manager, principal for the AA Technical College, says: “Our core business is apprenticeship and learnership training, which typically takes anything from one to four years. We also offer specialised courses that are customised to industry or client needs.

These may vary from a couple of days to a full apprenticeship programme.

“The theoretical learning is mostly self-study based; however, difficult concepts and operations do get discussed in class with the aid of presentations and video clips. Then it’s off to the workshops, where guided simulation training is implemented to transfer this knowledge into practical skills. Reinforcement of these skills is conducted in the workplace, where the apprentice receives real-life exposure to the field of work he or she is studying.

“While employers are making an effort to increase the female intake into our industry, to our knowledge, less than five percent of employees in these fields are female. So, there certainly is an opportunity for more women to get involved in the industry,” he concludes.

Get up to speed with labour amendments Most of our readers should be aware of amendments to the Labour Relations Act (LRA), no 66 of 1995, which came into effect on January 1.

Some key features of the amendments to the LRA, pertaining to the fleet industry in particular, include that companies using labour brokers for seasonal employment will now have to ensure that their contracts meet the requirements as set out in the LRA. Hugo Pienaar, director in the employment practice at Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, explains: “The amended LRA seeks to more actively regulate non-standard employment relationships. This ambit includes the employees of labour brokers, employees who are employed for a fixed period and part-time employees.

“Employers must pay careful attention to the various amendments when making use of seasonal workers, labour brokers or successively renewing fixedterm contracts of employment. These amendments invite closer scrutiny of the labour practice,” he cautions.

Fixed-term employees, who earn below the current Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997 threshold, are protected by placing limitations on the right to employ people for a fixed period of employment.

“The amendments are primarily intended to limit the use of these employees to true short-term contracts; being agreements equal to, or less than, three months.

“Without limiting the grounds upon which employers can rely, the LRA now identifies specific justifications including replacing another employee, who is temporarily absent, or persons employed to work exclusively on a specific project that has a limited or defined duration,” Pienaar concludes.

T 011 872 8740 | F 086 771 3372 E sales@anteosa.co.za | www.anteo.co.za A comprehensive range of tail-lifts for all freight-handling segments of the commercial vehicle market. Manufactured from high-grade industrial aluminium - light weight, hard wearing, aesthetically pleasing. 50 000 fatigue cycle tests ensure safety and reliability.

50 |FOCUS| April 2015

18-month full-cover warranty, extendable to 36 months.

Operator training offered at no additional cost.

Fully equipped workshop based in Germiston, Gauteng.

Round-the-clock assistance with breakdowns and services anywhere in South Africa Column Lifts • Contilevers • Disability Lifts • Tuck Away Lifts • Light Commercial

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SHORT ???????

HAULS

1-Card fuels it all

Tap in to your vehicle’s brain

Engen’s 1-Card now offers commercial customers in Africa a reliable

GPS Tracking Solutions, a company in the Eqstra Holdings

and safe cashless payment system. Developed to offer the most secure

Group, has introduced a new plug-and-play diagnostic device

payment system, 1-Card can be used in areas where connectivity is not

that utilises leading-edge onboard diagnostics II (OBD II)

always optimal.

communication platform for data gathering. The device

The 1-Card costs a fraction of bank-issued petrol cards and has

can read diagnostic information from the vehicle electronic

no transactional fees or monthly administration charges. It provides

control unit or onboard computer (ECU/OBC) to

fleet managers with improved control over expenses, as they can now

capture location and operational data, sending it to a

determine when and where each 1-Card has been used and how much has

back-end server for real-time remote diagnostic

been spent. Fleet operating businesses receive a monthly itemised report

and tracking purposes.

with an overview of fuel expenditure.

This communication platform enables

“We wanted to give our loyal customers the convenience of cashless

fleet owners to drive the benefits of data from

payments, eliminating the need for drivers in their fleet to carry money and

actual manufacturer-designed systems as it is not an

allowing them to have better control over their fuel expenditure through

additional third party device for data gathering. The plug-

our reporting system,” says Drikus Kotze, GM of Engen’s International

and-play element ensures seamless installation as no wiring,

Business Division.

joints or harness cuts are required.

The system uses an advanced technology platform that can

It is suitable for use on both passenger and commercial

accommodate offline transactions. Chip technology ensures that all the

vehicles and is OBD II/EOBD, J1939 and J1708 compliant.

information needed at point of sale is stored on the card, in case of unstable

Warning messages are sent to the driver or fleet manager

connectivity. This information is relayed to Engen’s servers at least once a

in the event of speeding, high revs, hard acceleration, hard

day.

braking, low power, excessive idling, battery malfunction,

To help curb theft and fraud, each card is issued with a unique pin

ignition on/off detection, fatigue driving and excessive exhaust

number and a vehicle identification tag. This is affixed to the windscreen of

emission.

vehicle and must also be scanned during

“Reducing downtime on vehicles, thereby reducing costs

the transaction.

and raising performance, has become an essential element

The 1-Card offering is available at Engen

in efficient fleet control,” says Graeme Steyn, director of GPS.

sites in: Burundi, Democratic Republic

“This unit allows managers to closely monitor their vehicles in

of Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Mauritius,

real time, eliminating problems and improving driver behaviour

Mozambique, Reunion, Rwanda, Tanzania,

to increase vehicle efficiency.”

Zambia and Zimbabwe. Customers can apply for the card at Engen offices in all these countries.

SUBSCRIBE TO FOCUS on transport and logistics YES! Please add my name to the FOCUS on Transport & Logistics mailing list for 12 issues per annum at R998,00 including VAT / postage (valid for postage within RSA borders).

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Postal Address: Company’s main product or service:

Signature: Postal Code:

Fax to 011 782 1073 or post to PO Box 957, Fontainebleau, 2032

April 2015 |FOCUS| 51

naamsa

Commercial vehicle sales report for February 2015 Note: For the time being, Great Wall Motors SA (GWM) and Mercedes-Benz SA (MBSA) will only report aggregated sales data. The GWMSA and MBSA commercial vehicle market split volumes are estimates based on historical trends and forecasting techniques. The totals listed below do not include MBSA figures.

Light Commercial Vehicles < 3 501 kg AMH Fiat Group Ford Motor Company GMSA GWM – estimate Jaguar Land Rover JMC Mahindra Mazda South Africa Mercedes-Benz SA – estimate Mitsubishi Motors SA Nissan Peugeot Citroën SA Renault TATA Toyota Volkswagen SA

Total: 13 460 621 67 3 163 2 640 271 37 61 191 132 14 80 2 451 14 14 107 4 721 555

Medium Commercial Vehicles 3 501 – 8 500 kg AMH Fiat Group Ford Motor Company GMSA Iveco JMC Mercedes-Benz SA – estimate Peugeot Citroën SA TATA Toyota Volkswagen SA Volvo Group Southern Africa

Total: 637 32 11 9 109 127 20 167 3 35 183 57 15

Heavy Commercial Vehicles 8 501 – 16 500 kg FAW GMSA Iveco MAN Mercedes-Benz SA – estimate Powerstar TATA Toyota Volvo Group Southern Africa

Total: 280 22 104 2 5 49 4 49 99 90

Extra-Heavy Commercial Vehicles > 16 500 kg Babcock DAF FAW GMSA Iveco MAN Mercedes-Benz SA – estimate Powerstar Scania TATA Toyota Volvo Group Southern Africa

Total: 532 11 46 46 14 103 299 42 186 27 38 222

Buses > 8 500 kg MAN Mercedes-Benz SA – estimate Scania TATA Volvo Group Southern Africa

Total: 72 50 21 10 7 6

*Source: National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa).

52 |FOCUS| April 2015

??????? ???????

On BUS AND COACH Introducing

the RR9: MAN’s new all-rounder

Funding woes continue for SA bus industry

A good attitude will positively change drivers’ behaviour

April 2015 |FOCUS| 53

Saboa

“I

’m scared that in five or ten year’s time we’ll be discussing the same problems. The local bus industry is in crisis – we need to find solutions for the future,” said Jack van der Merwe, of the Gautrain Management Agency, and master of ceremonies at the conference.

While, in her keynote address, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga, mentioned the great advancements made by government in the area of public transport in the recent past, the mood among delegates was one of uncertainty regarding the future.

In fairness, Chikunga did acknowledge the many challenges still faced by the public transport sector. While the need for better rural operations and improved driver health and safety featured, her address centred mainly on funding.

“Unfortunately South Africa’s public transport challenges are compounded by

serious service backlogs, as a result of years of neglect and underinvestment in the sector.

The cumulative shortfall has not yet been adequately addressed, and to do so will take a significant amount of time,” she stated.

“Very little has changed in rationalising public transport subsidies, since they are still mode based. To execute a progressive programme of improvement across South Africa and to address the backlogs and fund implementation of policy, the current funding allocations will need to be sustained and increased. The current systems, and the way in which funds are allocated, have been reformed to support a sustainable Integrated Public Transport Network (IPTN),” she continued.

The topic of financial constraints and the subsequent battle for survival – due to nearly two decades of interim contracts and industry stagnation – was raised among conference delegates and speakers alike, particularly those taking part in the CEO forum.

The cycle needs to be

broken The word “crisis” sums up the overall mood among the delegates attending the Southern African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) conference and exhibition this year; with concerns for the industry’s future top of mind 54 |FOCUS| April 2015

“The bus commuter sector is in a straitjacket that locks us into an unsustainable business model. Operators cannot react to market conditions, reduce operating costs, increase revenue or introduce additional routes. We also cannot pass the shortfall on to passengers,” noted Thys Heyns, executive director of the Putco Group.

Heyns pointed out that the interim contracts, initiated as far back as 1997, are still in place and have been extended more than 150 times. They are old and outdated – operational requirements, and the cost-basis of the contracts, have changed dramatically since 1997. Many are simply no longer financially sustainable.”

To illustrate his point, Heyns noted that since the introduction of the Division of Revenue Act (DORA) in 2009, the expenditure of a typical bus company has increased by 50 percent, while subsidies only increased by 13 percent. “This has resulted in problems with

Saboa

service quality and ability to deliver,” he said.

In his overview of the South African bus industry, Professor Jackie Walters also noted that the Public Transport Operational Grant (PTOG) is due to be reduced by a total of 12,2 percent (R407 million) between the 2015/6 and 2017/8 financial years. “This is very problematic as no operator can plan its financial affairs effectively with a continuously changing financial environment, especially at such short notice,” he noted.

“The Department of Transport wishes to increase public transport ridership by three percent per annum – but we’ve had an expansion moratorium in place since 2001.

There is no sign that it will be lifted, or that Treasury will change its stance on addressing the current funding issue,” said Walters.

“Where do we fit in as current service providers?” asked Norah Fakude, MD of Buscor. “The longest contract we’ve had since 2007 was 12 months. You can’t even finance a small car over that period, let alone a bus, yet we are expected to provide service. I don’t think our input is taken seriously. If it were, we would be given the comfort of longer-term contracts.

“Where do we get money to even maintain what we have? There is demand for extended services, but the subsidies don’t cover that.

They are based on the kilometres we have signed for. Government doesn’t understand what operators are going through,” she continued.

Allied to the issue of operating contracts was the “favouritism” that is felt to be given to IPTNs over conventional bus services.

“Yes, bus rapid transit (BRT) is a worldclass service, but it comes at a very high price.

It is about five to six times more expensive than conventional services,” noted Nick Cronje, chairman of Golden Arrow Bus Services.

Walters noted that the BRT “value for money” proposition also needs to be relooked, in line with South Africa’s low urban densities, the infrastructural and operational cost of these systems (both now and to maintain them in the future) and the potential opportunity costs of investing these funds elsewhere in the public transport system and gaining much higher passenger/kilometre benefits.

Heyns continued: “There is a funding disparity in favour of IPTNs, at the expense of conventional bus services. Conventional services have been neglected to the point where the industry faces a serious crisis … the system that has to form the backbone of bus transport in years to come is being destroyed.”

Fakude agreed: “We appreciate IPTNs, but government can’t let us die and then say it wants to integrate – because there will be nothing left with which to integrate. We need to sit down, get the points of view of government and operators, and move forward from one basis.”

“We must get the balance right and build on what we have, or we will destroy the sector,” Heyns emphasised.

Cronje continued: “If the industry is not secure and sustainable, it also has a much wider effect on the South African economy as a whole, affecting chassis suppliers, body builders, component suppliers, and so on.

Government needs to be our partner and not be destructive in the process.”

After detailing the over R1 billion investment GABS has made in its operation over the last ten years – to become more efficient in terms of reliability of service and cost effectiveness – Cronje warned that not all shareholders in South African bus operations can be “as brave”.

“Investment in bus companies needs to be formulated and based on long-term contracts with the knowledge that it will be financially sustainable and that they are partners with government.

“In the near future this will all come to a decisive point, where government will have to decide if it wants to promote public transport or not,” he concluded.

Clearly, the ball is in government’s court. |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 55

Saboa

An exciting vehicle for a maturing

market

MAN Truck & Bus South Africa made its return to the annual Southern African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) conference showing its exciting new product. GAVIN MYERS brings you the details

T

he Saboa conference this year saw an exciting number of luxury coaches on display. “It’s like looking at the fancy cars at a car show; the coaches are flashy and people like to look at them,” says Philip Kalil-Zackey, head of bus sales at MAN Truck & Bus South Africa.

Of course, there were also commuter and city buses that delegates are more accustomed to seeing at the conference. This year, MAN showed off perhaps one of the most intriguing vehicles that made its debut at the conference – the company’s RR9: a highfloor, rear-engined city bus with a MAN Lions City R body.

56 |FOCUS| April 2015

“MAN is a key supplier to the passenger transport industry,” says Geoff du Plessis, MD of MAN Truck & Bus SA, adding that the RR9 complements traditional city buses by being “a nice in-between vehicle that can be used in commuter and city applications”.

It can be used in bus rapid transit (BRT) as well, adds Tiago Dias, head of department: national accounts responsible for buses at MAN Truck & Bus South Africa, as it is configurable with doors on the right-hand side.

“This is made possible by the fact that the RR9 chassis is modular; made of front, centre and rear modules, so one can configure it how one likes with different axles, engines, overhangs, and so on,” Dias

continues. However, while this certainly gives bodybuilders more flexibility, at the moment the local offering consists of one configuration with 65 seats.

“We’ve optimised it for South African conditions,” notes Kalil-Zackey, “to give the market exactly what it wants.”

This includes air suspension for good ride comfort and all the safety bells and whistles, which include Anti-lock Braking (ABS) with Electronic Brake

Saboa

The vehicle is powered by a 184 kW (250 hp) Euro-5 six-cylinder engine. “It’s part of the D08 family. We know the technology well,” says Kalil-Zackey. He is keen to point out that the Euro-5 standard is met without the need for AdBlue, by employing the use of an oxidation catalytic converter and doublestage turbocharging.

One of MAN’s key customers has been running the RR9 for six months, and the company is happy with the positive feedback it has received from the customer, its passengers and its drivers. “There has also been a lot of interest in the bus at Saboa; a few of our big customers, as well as some of the cities, are very interested in the unit,” says Kalil-Zackey.

“It fits nicely into the MAN family line, because we now have front engine high-floor, rear engine high-floor and rear engine lowentry buses,” adds Dias. “We have something to offer the whole spectrum of market requirements at the moment.”

Kalil-Zackey also notes that the local market is maturing: “New products and operations will come to the fore. The old traditional ways will change … BRT and the city operations are moving there already. If

integrated to work in tandem. Tshwane is interesting, because it has just implemented BRT as well as new city buses and the two systems are working together, not against each other.”

Dias adds: “It’s how you cover the gaps that determines whether people will use the system or not. While the majority of the population has to use public transport, to get motorists out of their cars will be tough.

They won’t walk kilometres to a bus stop …

In Europe you don’t need to walk more than 500 m from anywhere to a bus stop. We also have to implement through-ticketing.

Once we have that there will be a very good system.”

Of course, these are just the sort of topics debated at the Saboa conference.

Du Plessis, Kalil-Zackey and Dias are equally impressed with the platform for networking and interaction that the conference provides.

It allows the staff of MAN the opportunity to touch base with many of their component suppliers, who are also present, and see what’s new on the market.

“It’s nice to have everybody around. The staff get a chance to see what’s happening and have an opportunity to interact. It’s

Middle: Tiago Dias (left) and Philip Kalil-Zackey are enthusiastic about the new MAN RR9, and positive about the local bus industry’s future.

System (EBS), Traction Control, a kneeling function, a two-piece curved windscreen, two emergency-exit roof hatches, and LED lights.

The body (which is built at MAN’s bus plant in Olifantsfontein, and the chassis assembled at its Pinetown facility) complies with the required 80 percent local-content legislation.

you really want to get people out of cars, you have to make it convenient and give them an incentive – safety, air-conditioning, something modern and accessible.

“We can’t stop one type of operation and implement another. There is a place for all types of operations in our market. BRT is BRT, the city buses must still function to feed them. They need to be pulled together and

important that they get to see what our competitors are offering and get feedback from customers. It’s not often they get to meet the end user,” they note.

Of course, judging by the enthusiasm surrounding the new RR9, MAN will undoubtedly have had many a happy delegate leaving the Saboa 2015 conference. |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 57

saboa 2015

Mastering the

midis Bus operators in all sectors need now look no further than the Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) stable … With its new midibus chassis, MBSA offers a fully comprehensive product line-up.

GAVIN MYERS finds out more

I

t’s been a long while since MBSA had a midibus product on offer. The brand has, however, now launched the OF 917 RF – a dedicated bus chassis for this application.

It made its first official appearance at the Southern African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) conference held in early March, and the aim, says Dirk Ansorge, head of MBSA Bus & Coach, is to offer a wider product range to customers.

“We’re not stepping back, we want our customers to come to us for all the applications in which they might need to operate,” he proclaims, adding that the chassis will be offered to the market at a very affordable price level, while, at the same time, offering Mercedes-Benz quality and value-chain offerings.

Targeting smaller group transport operations, such as schools, churches, small organisations and shuttle services, the new chassis can also cut it in a coach application. It will be available in 22- to 40-seat capacity with bodies from any of MBSA’s current partners, including Marcopolo, Busmark, MCV and Buscor.

“It’s a proper bus chassis – a bodybuilder need not do any conversions,” adds Ansorge. “We will listen to the customer, while we interact with the bodybuilders, to offer exactly what the market needs,” he continues.

The chassis comes to South Africa from the new Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) plant in Chennai, India. Ansorge points out, however, that it is manufactured to fulfil all the requirements of South African operators. (Once volumes make it viable, the chassis will eventually be brought in completely knocked down (CKD) and assembled at MBSA’s East London plant.)

58 |FOCUS| April 2015

Above left: Dirk Ansorge, head of MBSA Bus & Coach, wants to be able to provide customers any bus they need.

Above right: The new OF 917 RF dedicated bus chassis took pride of place at the MBSA stand.

A raised-floor bus chassis, it features the company’s front-mounted 126 kW (170 hp) 4D34i engine, tuned to deliver a flat torque curve for enhanced pulling power and early gear shifts. Particular attention has been paid to the engine cooling system for peak performance in all operating conditions, and an exhaust brake system comes as standard fitment.

“This coach is optimised for fuel consumption; we understand this is a very sensitive segment and that customers calculate cost per passenger,” Ansorge notes.

A six-speed manual Mercedes-Benz gearbox is fitted, as are Anti-lock Braking System-equipped drum brakes and front and rear leaf springs with shock-absorbers. The gross vehicle weight is nine tonnes.

The chassis was designed with passenger and driver comfort in mind, offering entrance step heights designed for easy entry and enough space for the driver to manage long trips.

“The new Mercedes-Benz OF 917 RF bus chassis is the perfect example of what happens when Daimler’s trusted expertise is combined with our valued customers’ inputs: the perfect product,” says Ansorge.

“We are very excited about it. It’s an exciting new segment and we look forward to bolstering our already impressive buses with the new midibus,” he concludes. |FOCUS

Moving

saboa 2015

with the times

Fuso Trucks South Africa is looking back to its founding roots in order to move forward with an all-new bus offering, reports GAVIN MYERS

S

outh Africa is known for having a highly competitive vehicle market – whether you’re talking private passenger vehicles, trucks or buses. Diversity, adaptability, reliability and accountability are buzzwords for survival in this increasingly difficult marketplace.

It’s thus that FUSO Trucks South Africa has entered the local bus market with a 30-seater midibus based on its new Canter LIFT chassis. It was launched with much interest at the recent Southern African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) conference and exhibition.

“South Africa is a tough marketplace right now, so we have to look at new markets, one of which is definitely that of buses,” says Ziyad Gaba, national sales manager for FUSO South Africa.

Not that FUSO is new to the world of buses – the company’s very first vehicle, launched in Japan back in 1932, was the P46 bus.

So what about the new Canter Bus? Godfrey Hani, head of FUSO Trucks South Africa, is decidedly upbeat about the company’s new baby: “What the Canter Bus does extremely well is to maximise efficiency

and lower the total cost of ownership, while being one of the most practical vehicles to own and operate.

“As a vehicle that is set to dominate the transport industry, the Canter Bus offers newly developed drivetrains. Our FUSO designers and engineers went beyond the ordinary and put everything they know about powertrain technology and efficiency into the new Canter Bus.” This powertrain is the 4P10, threelitre, common-rail diesel engine, which is Euro-3 compliant and produces 110 kW and 370 Nm. “Over one million units of this engine have been sold worldwide – it is proven, reliable and perfected technology,” says Gaba.

The prototype unit on display at Saboa was fitted with a five-speed manual transmission, but production versions will feature the six-speed Duonic automated manual transmission (AMT), as launched with the Canter LIFT last year.

This is a dual-wet-clutch transmission.

It provides soft shifts and is maintenance free – all to the benefit of passenger comfort and running costs. FUSO is proud that this is the only dual-clutch transmission currently available in a bus.

Ziyad Gaba, FUSO national sales manager, says it is important for the company to be present in the local bus market.

Among other features of the bus are: front and rear stabilisers, disc brakes all round with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), airconditioning and central locking.

The Canter LIFT chassis is assembled at Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s East London plant, before the 30-seat body is fitted by Busmark. ro em has also homologated 40-, 50- and 60-seater versions on its different chassis.

“We are ready to enter the marketplace.

We are targeting the commuter side, with a focus on staff, mine and school transportation applications,” says Gaba. “We have to offer value for money and that’s where we will position ourselves.” This extends to service intervals of up to 25 000 km in some applications and a two-year unlimited kilometre bumper-to-bumper warranty.

“This is a new chapter for us and we expect to grow our market share from strength to strength,” Gaba concludes. |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 59

bus safety

Driving behaviour change

Each time passengers board a bus, they put their lives in the driver’s hands.

The driver also has the potential to influence the operating company’s reputation by his or her attitude and behaviour. Proper, effective training is, therefore, of the utmost importance

I

t was ironic that a Johannesburg Metrobus driver lost control of his vehicle, and ploughed off the side of the city’s Queen Elizabeth bridge, just days before the 2015 Southern African Bus Operators Association (Saboa) conference and exhibition was scheduled to begin.

Apparently, the driver had been speeding on his way to the depot. Thankfully, this meant there were no passengers on board.

Miraculously, no bystanders were injured either. Nonetheless, with images of the bizarre crash splashed across the country’s news media, the topic of driver safety was, once

60 |FOCUS| April 2015

again, shunted into the spotlight and was one of the topics top of mind at the conference.

“Most of our big bus companies have experienced having one of their buses on the front page of a newspaper,” said Koos van Zyl of Karos and Kambro, at the conference.

“In all the years I have been involved in the bus transport industry, millions of rand have been spent on driver safety, and I dare say, with little effect … Traditional training is done ‘till it comes out of our ears, mostly by talking, and half of the time the participants fall asleep.”

Van Zyl was at the conference to demonstrate Karos and Kambro’s driver

behaviour and road safety programme: an interactive initiative that makes use of industrial theatre as a training and communication tool.

According to the company, industrial theatre engages employees both intellectually and emotionally; it makes the learning process more effective, with a long-lasting impact; and is an extremely powerful tool for positive behaviour change.

It has to be said – after witnessing the demonstration performance at the conference and the audience reactions thereafter – that Van Zyl’s programme is certainly effective.

South Africa is not alone in its need for

bus safety

improved driver safety standards, as noted by Jason Vallint, business development director at AA Driving Services in the United Kingdom (UK). “While the South African industry is facing challenges, it’s no different elsewhere,” he said, taking the stage after Van Zyl. “In the UK we also have driver shortages, for example, and we worry about it too. Other countries have gone through the same things and developed some solutions,” he continued.

According to Vallint, buses were found by Transport Statistics Great Britain to be the safest mode of passenger transport, with a negligible fatality rate, per billion passenger

kilometres, between 2003 and 2012.

However, while buses are relatively safe for occupants, they present a disproportionate threat to other road users, particularly pedestrians, per kilometre driven.

“These buses operate in dense urban environments, but what is a pedestrian to a bus operator?” he asked. “A potential passenger, so don’t run them over!”

According to Vallint, electronic safety devices have recently been introduced to many of the UK’s bus categories; including Electronic Stability Control (ESC), lane departure warning and Advanced Emergency Braking (AEB).

Vallint challenged whether they will have any significant impact on the statistics. “A very large proportion of accidents are driver related,” he noted. This is not a good thing, as the drivers are the face of the company …

“They’re a key passenger interface, assisting with a broad range of passenger needs. They are first in line in managing complaints, conflicts and difficult situations.

They control vehicle damage, third-party damage and claims, and are able to avoid passenger injury and associated claims and litigation.”

He continued that most of the issues are management related. It is up to management to instil a “safe culture” and manage risks.

“Are you maintaining your vehicle properly; communicating your messages properly; preselecting, developing and looking after your drivers?” he asked. “All these things influence driver behaviour.”

So, what should be done? “There are two components to risk – company specific and driver specific. It’s imperative to have your company processes in order before you focus on your drivers,” suggests Vallint. “But, what is the area in which most of our clients immediately ask us for help? Their drivers; because, of course, they’re always at fault …

Actually, this needs to be a balanced picture.”

Regarding the topic of driver risk, however, the procedure begins by performing a driver situational and behavioural risk assessment.

Drivers are also asked to perform a self assessment. Using all this information, on-road training and driver performance assessments are undertaken with a coach who points out weak points.

“In London, Driver Quality Monitoring has been implemented, which is a fourpart improvement cycle. It begins with infrastructure and standards training, which is then put into practice and observed. Data is collected by monitoring the driver covertly and then further action and reviewing take place, before the cycle starts again.”

It’s clear that effective driver communication, training, evaluation and retraining are imperative in changing driver behaviour. However, it’s also up to the operating company to have all areas of its own house in order. Nonetheless, by implementing innovative training solutions, as demonstrated by Van Zyl, and worldclass procedures, as detailed by Vallint, local bus companies can begin to influence their drivers for the better. |FOCUS

April 2015 |FOCUS| 61

global bus

Mercedes-Benz rocks it

in Rio

FRANK BEETON reports on front-engined (and other) bus news from Mercedes-Benz Brazil

E

nthusiasm for front-engined bus chassis among South African operators is an established fact. This is mainly due to the relative lack of technical complexity, efficient engine cooling and suitability for operation on less-than-perfect road surfaces that are characteristic of that layout.

The inevitable trade-offs in the areas of chassis-frame height, narrow and steep entrances and greater interior noise have generally been deemed acceptable in the interests of greater reliability.

However, the global bus market has, in past decades, moved increasingly towards standardisation on rear-engined chassis and monocoque (chassisless) buses, and this has sometimes led to questions being raised over the continuing local availability of front-engined ladderframe chassis from major international manufacturers.

In the local market, long-time bus sales leader MAN has continued to produce and promote its Lion’s Explorer and Volksbus frontengined ranges, alongside similar products from Scania, Mercedes-Benz and VDL. This may seem contrary to the global trend, but, over the past few years, we have also witnessed a welcome reawakening of interest in the front-engined configuration from the important bus markets of South America and India.

In Global Bus we have reported on some new model introductions from the likes of

62 |FOCUS| April 2015

MAN, Iveco and Volvo in those markets, and have more recently noted new model launches from Mercedes-Benz’s Brazilian operation, which confirms that manufacturer’s continued commitment to the front-engined layout.

Mercedes-Benz first introduced its OF series of front-engined, ladderframe buses in the 1970s, as part of a successful strategy to break the historic dominance of British chassis manufacturers in bus markets over much of the developing world.

Since then, many thousands of OF series chassis have entered service worldwide, including South Africa, where the range continues today in the form of the OF 1726 and OF 1730 models.

Brazil is an important manufacturing base for the OF series, and at the FetransRio show, held in Rio de Janeiro towards the end of 2014, the company exhibited two new derivatives of its OF 1724 chassis; one equipped with an automated transmission, and the other with a dual-fuel version of its OM 926 engine.

The OF 1724 chassis with automated Mercedes-Benz G85 six-speed transmission has a hydraulic coupling transmitting drive from engine to gearbox, an overall length of 13,2 m, and a design gross vehicle mass – as indicated by its designation – of 17 t.

The Euro-5, 7,2-litre OM 926 diesel engine develops 177 kW (238 hp). This model is also available with full air suspension, making it suitable for city, charter or staff bus

applications. Both the multi-fuel and dual-fuel version of the OM 926 engine, can operate on compressed natural gas (CNG), biodiesel or conventional diesel fuel, and tolerate up to 70 percent gas in the “mix”.

This dual-fuel option has been under test in Rio de Janeiro for four years, and MercedesBenz says it is to be made available for export to Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, South Africa, Indonesia and India.

Other Mercedes-Benz exhibits at the FetransRio show included the Superarticulado four-axle two-element articulated bus. It is suitable for bodywork with a total overall length of up to 23 m, with a capacity of more than 200 passengers, in low-floor and high-floor variants.

At the other extreme, was the 9 400 kg GVM LO 916 minibus, which is suitable for urban or short-distance intercity operation, with bodywork lengths ranging from 8 500 mm to 9 100 mm.

The 500 series long-distance bus or luxury coach chassis line-up appeared in both 6x2 RSD and 8x2 RSDD versions. Features of this range include: an engine of 304 kW (408 hp) output, eight-speed Mercedes-Benz PowerShift fully automated transmission, integral retarder, electronic stability program (ESP), electronic braking system (EBS), antilock braking system (ABS), traction control and disc brake fitment. The 500 series is suitable for both double-deck and low-driver coachwork configurations. |FOCUS

BUS

STOPS Next-generation fuel-cell buses coming to Europe Belgian coachbuilder Van Hool N.V.

manufactures zero-emission fuel cells,

has signed a grant agreement with the

and Van Hool have partnered in the

European Union (EU) Hydrogen Fuel Cell

deployment of numerous fuel-cell buses

Joint Undertaking for the deployment of

in Europe. The companies are in the

21 fuel-cell buses in Europe, as part of the

process of finalising an equipment

3Emotion Programme.

supply agreement (ESA) for Ballard

The EU Hydrogen Fuel Cell Joint Undertaking is a public-private partnership supporting development

research, and

to supply 21 next-generation fuel-cell power modules.

technological

Ballard anticipates receipt of purchase

demonstration

orders, under the ESA, which will lead to

demonstrations for the period from

activities in fuel-cell and hydrogen energy

delivery of these fuel-cell modules to Van

2008 to 2014.

technologies. It provides subsidies for

Hool in 2015 and 2016.

eligible projects through a cost-share

The next programme, Horizon 2020,

Under Framework FP7, the European

extends this initiative to the year 2020,

Commission and industry each committed

with an incremental budget of â&#x201A;Ź700

Ballard Power Systems, a Canadian

â&#x201A;Ź470 million (R6,1 billion) of funding

million (R9.1 billion), including 50 percent

company that designs, develops and

for fuel-cell and hydrogen research and

cost share from the industry.

mechanism.

April 2015 |FOCUS| 63

HOPPING VIC’S VIEW OFF

CATALYTIC – OR

PARALYTIC?

History has shown that in the past the City of Johannesburg was enthusiastic about advice given to it regarding public transport. So why the decline? And when will we see action again?

B

eing on pension means I have been able to start trawling through about 30 000 pages of public transport documents, reports, newspaper cuttings, theses and conference proceedings, collected over a period of 50-plus years.

The oldest is a 1927 Durban tram timetable. The second oldest is the 1934 Spencer Commission report on the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) transport department.

After 81 years, it remains the best public transport advice ever given to, and taken by, the city. Actually, the report wasn’t even that good – it’s merely that much of the “research” since then has been mediocre, while the CoJ has stonily ignored good advice.

The new government took over in 1994.

It’s had 21 years to start fixing the mess, but, sadly, it has merely continued to churn out reports containing nausea-inducing words …

“Strategic, integrated and holistic” and, since 2006, the term “catalytic” – now being applied to various projects, including bus rapid transit (BRT) in a number of cities.

Perhaps “paralytic” would be more appropriate. As I write, a BRT drivers’ strike in Johannesburg is now entering its sixth week.

That’s more than ten percent of a year. Any serious public transport researcher will tell you that once people have been forced to use other modes for an extended period, many don’t come back.

(After the last, record strike for BRT – of

eight weeks, back in 2011 – it took at least six months for it to recover).

We need to get worried. Whatever the reasons for the strike, the response from the authorities is hardly encouraging. Lisa Seftel, the long-standing executive director for transport in the CoJ, says the process of “formal takeover” of the latest BRT rollout should be concluded during the first six months of this year.

That’s scary. We need to question these drawn-out BRT management takeovers. Apart from the huge cost and inconvenience of rebuilding our streets, how long will it take to roll out Gauteng’s 740 km of busway? How many taxi associations will we have to pacify?

Then there is the member of the CoJ mayoral committee for public transport, Christine Walters, who has appealed “for patience from commuters”. No, Christine, that’s not good enough – commuters won’t wait for you to get your act together. On the CoJ website you describe your portfolio as an “all boys club”. It would be nice to see the women showing us male dinosaurs how to run things, but I’m not too hopeful.

In 2009, I advised your predecessor, Rehana Moosajee, to back off BRT and focus on fixing Metrobus (Business Day August 26, 2009). She paid no attention, so I’m repeating myself.

In 1993, I remember the first female operations director of Metrobus, Jenny Gray, asking for extra time to “stabilise” the

service before introducing some desperately needed reforms. These never happened and Metrobus has continued its long decline.

Perhaps Transport Minister Dipuo Peters needs to read this as well.

Who benefits from this mess? Definitely not the general public, but I can think of three groups that might.

First, the construction lobby. The BRT bus lanes, stations and buses have been built and will have to be paid for, no matter whether they stand empty or not.

Second, the fuel industry. Hardly any cars have been taken off the road by BRT in the CoJ so far, but crawling along in a congested lane, right next to an empty BRT lane, increases my fuel consumption by 25 to 30 percent.

Third, the taxi bosses and even some government and municipal officials (remember the city managers at Buffalo City). Do any of them have one foot in the informal taxi industry and another foot in the guaranteed-income BRT business? It’s all very well firing 150 BRT drivers, but will any BRT “managers” be scaling down on their SUVs? We are in for a bumpy ride, and this column does not claim to have all the answers, except to say that there are simpler, cheaper and faster ways to address public transport problems.

Getting hopelessly entangled in “paralytic” projects is not the way to go. Men have a shorter life expectancy than women, and I’d like to see some action before I die. |FOCUS

Vaughan Mostert developed a love for public transport early in life, which led to a lifelong academic interest in the subject.

He recently retired as a senior lecturer from the Department of Transport and Supply Chain Management at the University of Johannesburg. Through Hopping Off, Mostert leaves readers with some parting food for thought as he continues his push for change in the local public transport industry.

64 |FOCUS| April 2015

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