Opportunity Issue 106

INFRASTRUCTURE
Keeping roads in good condition is vital for the welfare of truck fleets. Credit: Sanral
The 410km N2 Wild Coast Highway, running between the N2
Gonubie Interchange and the Mtamvuna River bridge, is a key step
in government’s Strategic Infrastructure Projects SIP-3, South-Eastern
Node and Corridor Development.
While new roads are very much desired, refurbishment of existing
infrastructure is also certainly needed, and will drastically improve
the safety of passing motorists, something needs to be clarified
along with the announcement of new projects.
Webfleet Road Safety Report
In the recently published maiden Webfleet Road Safety Report,
which surveyed a large sample of fleet operators, it emerged that
7% of accidents are caused by poor road conditions. If this could
be reduced by 2-3%, it would save thousands of lives each year.
Government, supported by the private sector and local
communities, must also urgently repair the existing rail infrastructure.
Abandoned stations, overgrown gantries and rusted tracks could all
be brought back to life to further ease congestion and begin the
drastic improvement in road surface quality across the nation.
Fleet owners should be preparing for a massive evolution in
South African logistics. They will have to contend with more
customers upholding stricter contractual conditions, like large
multinationals. Lack of insurance or vehicle telematics, for
instance, will be a non-starter. Managers and those utilising their
service will want to keep an eye on the live on-board diagnostics
data, which will be relayed back to central command for directors
and customer to see the entire operation in detail, making for
quicker and better decisions on live route planning, vehicle health
and driver well-being.
The job now, during the construction of this new infrastructure
is to collect as much data a possible throughout the development,
ensuring that live traffic information is captured and fed back to road
users as close to real-time as possible.
Eventually, through technological refinement, devices fitted to
monitor vehicle statistics will become so sensitive, they will pick up
that a vehicle has gone through a pothole. If this can be mapped
out, it could expedite local government’s maintenance schedule to
further improve urban roads, the very heartbeat of the economy.
About Webfleet
Webfleet is Bridgestone’s globally trusted fleet management solution. Over 60 000 businesses across the world use it to improve fleet efficiency, support drivers, boost safety,
stay complaint and work more stainably. For more than 20 years it has been empowering businesses with data-driven insights that help them optimise their operations.
The Bridgestone E8 Commitment clearly defines the value Bridgestone is promising to deliver to society, customers and future generations in eight focus areas: Energy,
Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease and Empowerment. These provide a compass to guide strategic priorities, decision making and actions throughout
every area of the business. More information at: webfleet.com and www.bridgestone-emia.com
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