Easter – when wise drivers stay off the roads

It is that time of the year again, when wise truck drivers stay off the roads to make way for Easter’s annual wave of impatient holidaymakers rushing to their deaths.

US and China not good places to be a driver

Despite a slew of reality truck shows portaying a rosy scene, driving jobs in the US still  still see a 100%-300% turnover each year.

Truck drivers are suffering in the world’s two biggest economies. We highlight some of the recent issues raised by truckers on social media platforms in the US and China.

Avoid unsustainable freight rates

Grain trucks await loading at private silos in Mpumalanga.

The continued weak rand and more effective sanctioning of Russian oil buyers during March are putting more pressure on the diesel prices, which means truckers can expected to pay even more for diesel in April.

The expected diesel price rises comes in the wake of steep increases of R1,44/ℓ for 500ppm and R1,58/ℓ for 50ppm in March.

SA's most expensive truck licences

Expect far fewer FS plates on trucks now that the Big Sky province got greedier than its Banana Farming neighbour.

KwaZulu-Natal is no longer the most expensive province in South Africa to licence a truck and trailer in. 

Birth of the Damifuhito

Hyundai's hydrogen-powered fuel-cell drone, or ebogie.

What would you call a truck built by Daimler, Mitsubishi, Fuso, Hino and Toyota?

Using the first two letters of each company creates the word “DaMiFuHiTo”.

Said aloud, “damifuhito” sounds good in any language and here in Mzansi, such a brand even suggests a damn fine truck, haibo!

And a damn fine truck, or bus, is what the collaboration aims to achieve, alongside the lofty goals of achieving carbon neutrality and creating a prosperous mobility society. 

In India, trucks are art

“When we decorate a truck, when we drive a truck… it  should look like a beautiful bride.” 

This is the view, quoted on the 2012 documentary “Horn Please”, is shared by over 20 million truck drivers in India, most of whom drive in trucks that are painted and decorated inside and outside to reflect their religious, sentimental and emotional viewpoints.

Australia's very long drawbars

A Mack truck pulling a dog trailer in Australia. Photo: Grays Auctioneers

A common sight in Australia is a three-axle truck with a very long drawbar pulling what Aussie truckers call a Dog Trailer.

Overseas drivers always ask why waste all that space between the truck and trailer using a drawbar that is up to 4.5 metres long?