Hauliers in the South African sugar industry face challenging times ahead...

Hauliers in the South African sugar industry face challenging times ahead and will need to operate as efficiently as possible to survive. It is therefore important that the cost of transport and the selection of the appropriate vehicle combinations are investigated and evaluated.

The industry uses an array of tractor and truck combinations, due to factors such as:

• Vehicles are used for different operations such as being loaded infield or from a zone.
• Haulage distances vary from short to long distances.
• Many emerging growers use older, less expensive configurations and systems.
• Some vehicles are older units which are paid off, do not have a high utilisation and will
not be replaced for many years.
• Some hauliers choose the latest technology vehicles and strive for high utilisation.
• Growers’ personal preferences.

There is also increasing pressure from a number of areas:

• Overload control measures and the inception of the Consignee/Consignor regulations.
• Self regulation, Road Traffic Management System (RTMS).
• Haulage tractor regulations.