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CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS
JUNE 2016
2
T
he RFA (Road Freight Association)
has concluded another successful
conference giving manufacturers and
transporters the opportunity to express their
opinions and concerns in view of losses to
the Rand, dwindling investor confidence,
low economic growth, rising interest rates,
labour costs and a plethora of political and
economic issues that have a direct bearing
on the industry.
With the impact of some of the proposed
legislation and the strategic issues facing
the industry, it behoves everyone involved to
speak up for the trucking industry and high-
light the important positions trucks occupy
in freight transport. Politicians are often on
about reviving the railway system to take
loads off the roads but this tactic could be
viewed as an excuse to delay repair to the
roadway system.
Trucks have shaped the course of economic
development since they have been available,
for about 100 years. They have evolved
through the mechanical age to the technical
marvels they are today.
The technological advantage of a truck is
what allows it to master the transport de-
mands of the modern economy more suc-
cessfully than other transport modes. It is
flexible and can reach almost any destina-
tion unencumbered by predetermined rout-
ing. It can also achieve higher speeds and
becomes a far quicker medium of delivering
freight.
These high-speeds are favourable for
moving valuable goods so the capital tied up
in the load can be freed without delay − as
opposed to other means of transport, such
as rail − which operate on a fixed time table.
Furthermore, a truck can be used to move
smaller loads economically compared to
rail, which only performs well when moving
bulk materials and large volumes of goods
over long distances. In addition, vehicle
manufacturers are continuously improving
their designs to meet global requirements for
significant reductions in truck emissions and
improvements in fuel consumption.
The value of the truck to freight transport
calls for vehicle manufacturers and road
haulers to make a concerted effort to mini-
mise any negative image surrounding trucks.
Transport operators should also make great-
er use of the truck’s load capacities to avoid
unladen journeys.
If our National Authority wishes to reopen rail
transport, let it open up to be competitive
with the current transport mode. Competi-
tion will ultimately lead to greater efficiency
and, in particular, its potential for long dis-
tance transport to increase its market share.
Enforcing unreasonable legislation to make
road transport more expensive in order to
increase the appeal of rail, would be going
backwards.
Pierre Sanson, Editor
COMMENT
THE RFA CONTINUES
as a beacon for the truck industry