Capital Equipment News October 2017

IN BRIEF

FleetBoard Southern Africa to the rescue At the end of August, Daimler Trucks & Buses’ (DT&B) FleetBoard division and the South African Red Cross Society spearheaded a humanitarian initiative to hand over 25 000 ℓ of water to the impoverished area of Imizamo Yethu, in the Western Cape suburb of Hout Bay. The province is facing an unprecedented water crisis, with water supply dams still less than 30% full. This number does not paint the entire picture, as the last 10% of a dam’s water is difficult to use, so the useable water in the dams is approximately 20%. The lack of water goes far beyond just health crisis issues, as it impacts on so many factors of life. Time spent trying to gather water accounts for millions of rands in lost economic opportunities. In addition, access to safe water and sanitation saves time, giving families more time to pursue education and work opportunities. Unfortunately, the water shortage has hit the province’s poorest the hardest. “Thousands of residents from Imizamo Yethu were dealt a double blow when their informal homes were destroyed in a number of fires, a situation which was exacerbated by the water shortage. As a responsible corporate citizen, DT&B is merely fulfilling its obligation to assist wherever we can. Water is just one of the most urgent needs in this community, which is why we decided to play a role in providing the aid,” says Rowlands Peters, head of FleetBoard Southern Africa.

Iveco buses for Glenwood Boys High School

Durban-based Glenwood Boys High School recently took delivery of three Iveco Daily 26 seater buses from local agent KZN IVECO. “Considering how much the buses cost to purchase and operate, we looked at a fleet that would sustain us for a very long time. Our previous fleet were also Iveco buses purchased in 2000. With new tech- nology in the three new units, we expect to get extended replacement cycles,” says Andri Barnes, acting principal. The school has a high travel schedule so the buses are always in high demand and continuously on the road. The buses have a dual function in that they are used to transport pupils from Amanzimtoti, Hill- crest and Durban North, to and from school every day, as well as the sports teams to their various venues. “We were fortunate to have Craig Drysdale, a long standing tour operator on the SGB who picked up the ball with this project and was able to advise us on the various aspects of this purchase, ensuring that the correct formalities were in place, as this was a major expenditure item for the school,” says Rob Young, chairman of the SGB. “Three major bus suppliers were con- tacted in this regard and the financial package we obtained from Iveco, taking

into account the trade-in of the old units, provided a workable solution. KZN IVECO must be commended for its excellent over- all service in preparing the vehicles with full school livery, culminating in the han- dover ceremony,” adds Young. “The safety of the pupils was one of the main reasons for taking this route in pur- chasing new vehicles. In this instance we are in full control of our transport without having to rely on contractors and especial- ly the maintenance aspect which will be entirely in the hands of the dealer,” con- cludes Barnes. b

The buses are used to transport pupils to and from school every day, as well as the sports teams to their various venues.

Truck market gains more ground

Official figures show that the August truck market improved by 5,3% on July’s performance to conclude the month on 2 227 units. This is according to the latest results

also looking more positive with year- to-date sales tracking only 2,9% behind 2016’s sales in the corresponding period, with a total of 17 075 new trucks sold by the end of August. “These results are encouraging and in line with our expectations that some industry sectors are recovering,” says Gert Swanepoel, MD of UD Trucks Southern Africa. “It has also become evident that business continues to show resilience in the face of some of the bigger macroeconomic challenges that are prevailing.” Swanepoel believes many business- es still have long-term confidence in the country, which bodes well for new truck sales during the balance of the year, and for some growth going forward. “An investment in a new truck is a seri- ous consideration, as it takes a significant amount of money, time and other resourc- es to run a fleet efficiently and profitably. August’s positive results show us that fleet owners still consider the transport and re- lated industries as relatively sure invest- ments,” concludes Swanepoel. b

released by the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa, Associated Motor Holdings and Amalgamated Automobile Distributors. During the period, Me- dium Commercial Vehicle (MCV) sales increased by 5,9% to 633 units, Heavy Commercial Vehicle (HCV) sales were slightly down by 0,7% to 427 units and Extra Heavy Commercial Vehicles (EHCV) were up by 7,3% to 1 046 units. Bus sales also continued the upward trend with a 9% improvement on July’s sales to 121 units. The overall picture is

A total of 17 075 new trucks had been sold by the end of August.

CAPITAL EQUIPMENT NEWS OCTOBER 2017 36