Author:mariska-morris

Resuscitating the South African BRT system

With billions invested and an underwhelming performance, the shiny newness of the South African bus rapid transit (BRT) systems is finally wearing off. MARISKA MORRIS ponders whether the system can ever live up to expectations. The disappointment in South African’s BRT systems was realised as early as 2016 when the Cape Town MyCiTi service made headlines for the R52-million deficit it faced for the 2016/17 financial year. The same year, the city spent and estimated R278 million subsidising the service. In […]

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Safety first on the long road

Bus operators and drivers are responsible for the lives of the commuters. Improving driving behaviour and undertaking regular vehicle maintenance could reduce the number of fatalities caused by bus-related accidents. MARISKA MORRIS reports Bus drivers face the tremendous responsibility of ensuring that commuters arrive safely at their destinations. For long-distance bus or coach drivers, the pressure of this responsibility is increased with the challenges of travelling long distances, such as fatigue. However, the South African luxury coach sector has a […]

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Electric future for South America

The profitability of commercial vehicle sales is expected to decline dramatically, while after-sales services increase over the next decade. However, electric vehicles (EVs) could be a saving grace for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) operating in South America The McKinsey Centre for Future Mobility, a division of McKinsey & Company, found in its January study titled: A regional view of truck industry profit pools, that after-sales profits will grow dramatically in the next decade. While OEM profits are expected to grow […]

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Conquering the pitfalls of transporting coal

Transport operators need to consider the rising black market for coal, while operators in the mine face challenging road conditions. MARISKA MORRIS investigates the obstacles encountered when transporting this valuable commodity. The mining industry is undeniably a valuable part of the South African economy. It contributed 6,8 percent or R335 billion to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017. According to the Facts and Figures 2017 report by the Minerals Council South Africa (MCSA), the industry exported minerals to […]

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New Act devastates Tanzanian transport operators

Tanzanian transport operators fear that, with a new Act implemented across East Africa, traffic through the Tanzanian Dar es Salaam port could be redirected to South Africa The East African countries established the East African Community Vehicle Load Control Act 2016, which has already been adopted by a number of countries including Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan. The goal of the Act is to curb overloading and associated damage to roads while reducing the number of road accidents. Tanzania […]

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Warehousing key to battling e-commerce

As e-commerce continues to grow and reinforces consumers’ expectations of fast, convenient delivery of goods, effective warehousing could be key to keeping logistics and transport companies competitive. MARISKA MORRIS reports Whether or not a company is in retail, e-commerce is dramatically impacting on the expectations of consumers and, in turn, on the logistics industry. With the convenience of ordering goods with the click of a button, which are then delivered within a few days (or hours) to a destination chosen […]

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Decades at the wheel of innovation

The MD of Netstar, Pierre Bruwer, might be new to the Altron Group, but with ten years’ experience in the telematics industry, he is no stranger to technology innovation. MARISKA MORRIS sits down with this captain of industry. Netstar has recently embarked on rebranding its logo and image. It has stripped away many of the intricate details (including the iconic arch) for a more-streamlined design closely resembling that of its mother company – the 53-year-old Altron Group. The same can […]

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Destined for Engen

At the age of eight, Bongiwe Bako, manager of marketing and business development at Engen, was already interested in petrochemicals with a passion for the Engen brand – then Mobil South Africa. MARISKA MORRIS learns more about her. There are few people who can say that they knew from a young age what they wanted to do and or where they wanted to work. This is not the case for current manager of marketing and business development at Engen, Bongiwe […]

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Braking: the new villain of air pollution

With high levels of air pollution globally, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and aftermarket suppliers are developing more eco-friendly vehicles and solutions, with braking systems being the new frontier. MARISKA MORRIS reports. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that globally 4,2-million deaths are caused by exposure to outdoor air pollution with 24 percent of stroke deaths, 25 percent of heart disease deaths and 43 percent of lung diseases and lung cancer attributed to air pollution. The WHO estimates that 91 percent […]

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A death sentence for the automotive industry

The voluntary Automotive Code of Conduct allows unregulated parts to be fitted on vehicles, potentially compromising safety, without breaching the vehicle warranty at participating dealerships. MARISKA MORRIS investigates the impact this will have on the automotive industry The National Automobile Dealers’ Association (NADA) believes that the voluntary Automotive Code of Conduct – which was implemented by the Competition Commission in October – will be catastrophic to the vehicle industry. This code proposes that vehicle owners can service a vehicle at […]

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