Author:vic-oliver

Counter-balancing the rising fuel price

With no end to its rise in sight, the fuel price can be offset to some degree by a proactive attitude. It is impossible to predict what the price of fuel will be in 2019, due to the many global political and economic uncertainties. In my opinion, the trend line will rise and we will be paying more for fuel during the year. American sanctions against the major oil-producing country of Iran, if applied, would create a major global shortage […]

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Coupling old trailers to new truck tractors

There are many items to check on older trailers to ensure that they are in a roadworthy condition and will not damage a new truck or truck tractor I was prompted to write this article following a recent call from an accredited used-truck dealer, who had sold a used 6×4 truck tractor to a customer. Two weeks after taking delivery of the vehicle, the customer contacted the dealer complaining that the truck that he had bought – with a warranty […]

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The truck that broke the bridge’s back?

Could overloaded heavy-duty trucks have contributed to the damage to the Kaserne Bridge? In South Africa, heavy-duty commercial vehicles travelling on most of the country’s national roads and highways are subjected to strict and professional policing, to ensure that they are not overloaded and confirm to the South African Road Traffic Regulations. Unfortunately, there is very little evidence of heavy-duty commercial vehicles being checked for overloading in the metropolitan areas of Gauteng. Could overloaded heavy-duty vehicles have contributed to the […]

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Trucks and traffic-light tragedies

A possible solution to reducing accidents involving heavy-duty trucks at traffic lights Serious and fatal collisions that occur at traffic-light intersections in South Africa often involve heavy-duty trucks that are unable to stop in time once the traffic lights change to caution (orange). Recent media reports have unfairly criticised reckless truck drivers after fatal collisions at intersections where traffic lights are in operation. However, what many drivers of light motor vehicles do not realise is that heavy-duty trucks that are […]

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The Menace of False Driving Licences

Because of the number of drivers in South Africa who use our roads with false and illegally obtained driving licences, it has become necessary for truck and bus owners to thoroughly test any new driver who they intend employing The numerous recent media reports regarding the alarming number of false driving licences issued are frightening – especially when an estimated one in three vehicles on our roads are being driven by drivers who may not have been taught the rules […]

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When every drop counts

Saving fuel has become a necessity for road transport operators. With the massive increases in fuel prices that we have witnessed over the last few months, commercial-vehicle operators have to take serious steps to optimise vehicle fuel consumption. The weakening of the rand against the United States dollar and the sharp increase of oil prices have been the main factors that have driven up the fuel price. With the instability of world economies, the escalation of fuel pricing is likely […]

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Become a Better Truck Driver!

Improving the skills of truck drivers will reduce the number of accidents and the risk of drivers being killed or seriously injured on our roads. Although many of the accidents involving trucks are not caused by professional truck drivers, following a defensive mode of driving and adopting a positive attitude will help drivers to stay alive. The first step for drivers to take to ensure they become more professional is to ensure that the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition, […]

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Avoid the winter chills

Prepare your vehicles for the winter weather. To avoid unnecessary and costly vehicle breakdowns and to ensure that a vehicle will start on cold mornings, extra care and maintenance must be applied at the start of winter. Cold weather makes starting a vehicle more difficult, because low temperatures make the engine harder to crank and, at the same time, reduce a battery’s power potential. A fully charged battery that delivers 100 percent of its full power at 27°C will deliver […]

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Managing smaller truck fleets

When transport is not a company’s core business, there are many benefits to be gained by professionally managing and controlling a small fleet of company-owned trucks. In many companies, management skills are often focused on the core business, and the operation of the delivery trucks is regarded as a necessary evil. To learn more about the tools and systems that are needed to professionally control and manage a small fleet of trucks, I went to see Donald Chalmers – a […]

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Managing Commercial Vehicle Operating Costs

The operating costs of heavy-duty commercial vehicles can be divided into fixed and variable costs, which must be monitored and controlled in order to lower total overall operating costs. In today’s highly competitive road-transport market, the steep increase in the price of new and used vehicles, as well as the cost of parts and maintenance, need to be managed as closely as possible. Many road-transport operators and logistics companies measure and control variable vehicle cost factors like fuel, tyres, maintenance […]

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