UD Trucks expanding its Ultimate Women programme

UD Trucks Southern Africa (UDTSA) has announced the expansion of its ‘Ultimate Women Programme’ in collaboration with the Commercial Transport Academy (CTA).

Following the programme's success over the past two years, the CTA has launched its inaugural Bus Driver Development Programme. This initiative is a joint effort involving the CTA, Southern African Bus Operators Association (SABOA), Clarendon Transport Underwriting Managers (CTU) and UDTSA. Around 30 women trainees will benefit from this transformative programme, and to bolster the training process, UDTSA has provided CTA with a new Croner Bus PKE 280 65-Seater.

The ‘Ultimate Women Programme’ by UDTSA was initiated in 2022 with the goal of promoting gender transformation within the transport industry. At its launch, UDTSA donated two new Kuzer light-medium duty trucks.

Nicci Scott, the founder of the Commercial Transport Academy, says: “We are delighted to partner with UDTSA in our shared vision of increasing female representation in the transport industry and fostering an equitable society. The programme has made significant strides since its inception and we are immensely grateful to UDTSA for their unwavering support and the profound impact this has had on the lives of these young women.

“With the new focus on training bus drivers, we are committed to working closely with all our partners to ensure the successful completion of the programme.”

Participants in the Bus Driver Development Programme will undergo a comprehensive 12-month training course that will include technical modules on vehicle operation and control, defensive driving techniques, traffic laws and regulations and route navigation or planning.

Additionally, the programme will feature a strong theoretical component, covering essential topics such as stress management, professionalism and effective passenger communication.

Filip Van den Heede, Managing Director of UD Trucks Southern Africa, remarked: “Our partnership with CTA has been transformative in our ongoing mission to empower women in our industry and make a lasting impact on the communities we serve. Expanding the programme to include bus driver training underscores the success of this important initiative and our commitment to creating a better life for people, the planet, and the logistics sector.

“We wish the new candidates a fruitful journey in the coming months and are confident they will contribute to a brighter future.”

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Colin-on-Cars - Lower truck mass equals greater loads

Lower truck mass means greater loadability and this is key for fleet operators considering the fluctuating fuel prices and other cost pressures – not the least of which is the increasing interest rate.

Fuel expenditure, which makes up 80% of total operating costs and approximately 60% of the total cost of ownership, depending on the application, can be alleviated with the ability to carry more payload to maximise the productivity and efficiency of a fleet.

The UD Trucks Quon extra heavy truck range solves this problem by a reduction of weight in the physical truck that allows operators to carry more payload. Fewer trips mean less fuel is used.

“The Quon is a highly productive range of vehicles optimised for the business needs of today and tomorrow,” explains Reytjie Laubscher, Managing Director of UD Trucks Lichtenburg. “These days the key to efficient transport is increased payload. Not only will a lowered tare weight increase payload, but also the productivity and profitability of your operations.”

Reytjie Laubscher

Every component on the Quon has been refined to realise an overall lighter vehicle, while achieving gains in load-carrying capacity of up to 200 kg, depending on the model.

The Quon GW26 460 - TT HR, for instance, has a low tare weight of 8 418 kg. This is achieved by using disc brakes and high-tensile steel rails for the main frame to reduce vehicle weight. In addition, the reduced height of the main frame cross section further reduces weight while maintaining strength, to further improve the Quon’s loading performance.

Laubscher explains this, for instance, means with a reduced tare weight, an operator can now typically transport a 36,5-ton load of cargo legally using an interlink with a twin bin side tipper trailer. (Afrit specification used for this example)

“There is an increase in payload of about 700 kg on average on the new generation Quon High Roof Truck Tractor compared to any other competitor in the market. This is the ideal set-up for fleet owners that specialise, for instance, in the coal transport industry,” says Laubscher.

Improved ease of loading, bodybuilding efficiency and smoothness at creeping speeds for approaching loading docks, also reflect UD Trucks’ commitment to boosting productivity for fleet owners.

Optimal

Quon’s air suspension features an increased adjustment range. This enables optimal height adjustment for loading docks and connecting the trailers, with an adjustable width of +140 mm upward from the neutral position. The uneven load adjustment function automatically adjusts any lateral differences in height on trucks, which improves handling when loading from the side of the truck.

The new Quon range boasts a fuel-efficient, powerful and clean 11-litre GH11 engine. 

It generates powerful torque from low revs up through a wide rev range,  and, to further support fuel-efficient driving, the Quon also features UD Trucks’ Nenpi Fuel Coach - a system that displays real-time driving advice to help drivers achieve further improvement in the vehicle’s fuel economy. 

“Our customers’ definition of the essentials needed in a truck, has changed.  Our focus, therefore, is to give customers reduced operating costs as related to things like fuel efficiency, payload ability and uptime.  Secondly, we are concentrating on the people factor within the transport business, making our trucks even safer and environmentally friendly,” says Laubscher.

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Colin-on-Cars - Growth of 5% possible for commercial vehicle market

An overall market growth of 5% for the commercial vehicle sector would be ideal for 2022 according to Filip Van den Heede, managing director of UD Trucks.

He believes this is achievable, saying: “The local transport industry is showing steady signs of recovery from the ongoing global impact of COVID-19. A total of 27 075 trucks and buses were sold during 2021 in South Africa1, an increase of 19% as compared to previous years.

“Despite all the unforeseen setbacks, over the past two years, the local transport industry is showing steady growth, it will be a bumpy road ahead of full economic recovery, requiring interventions such as building smarter logistics with lower environmental impact and taking a value-based approach to managing supply chains.

Opportunity

“As the saying goes, 'in every crisis lies great opportunity'. The post pandemic era presents the logistics industry with an opportunity to be part of working towards a greener planet. Logistics providers have also been part of the environmental degradation problem that our only planet is facing and now is the time to go the extra mile and be an active part of the solution as well.”

He says the company’s long-standing commitment to providing trucks and services the world needs today and tomorrow has led UD Trucks to introduce Euro 5 trucks ahead of regulations in South Africa.

“Our Euro 5 model range will expand later in 2022 with the addition of two new models. This latest launch also ensures greater resilience for businesses in a fast-changing world, be ever-ready for tighter regulations in the future.”

A Euro 5 system with SCR (selective catalytic reduction) technology is a globally proven technology reducing carbon footprint, lowering NOx (Nitrogen Oxide) levels and ensuring cleaner emissions.

Foundation

A better environment will also provide a stronger foundation to drive economic progress, helping businesses achieve sustainable growth and long-term value–especially amongst fast-growing economies, such as South Africa.

“Process enhancements such as automation, connectivity and electromobility can help reduce the pressure on logistics. We at UD Trucks have long invested in Smart Logistics solutions, outfitting our trucks with connected devices and safety features that can analyse data in real-time to improve efficiency and safety,” he says.

“The use of UD Telematics system can help customers monitor factors influencing the TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) of their fleet such as fuel consumption, utilisation, vehicle health, vehicle location and driver behaviour, to identify areas for improvement.

UD Trucks offers telematics as standard on all new trucks sold in order for customer to take their performance and TCO to new levels.

“With the opening of a new UD Trucks dealership in the Vaal region in 2021, our customers can expect more choice and flexibility as we open a few more UD Trucks dealerships in the coming years.”

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