Transport operators
see little hope of
good recovery before
Christmas after a year
characterised by “inconsistent”
volumes.
According to Kevin Lees,
managing director of Truckhire,
the first quarter of 2014 saw
volumes drop, although there
was a significant improvement
after Easter. “The third quarter
was also better than what we
had seen earlier in the year but
volumes have not increased to
the levels that were expected
ahead of the Botswana election
in October.”
With the local market
stagnant, it has been essential to
look for opportunities outside of
Botswana, said Lees.
“Movements into Zambia and
Namibia have been steadily
increasing,”
he added.
“There is a lot
of competition
on these routes
though and
being able
to deliver a
consistent,
reliable service
is therefore
very necessary.
“He said some
commodities
continued to perform well while
others were struggling to hold
their own.
“One has to be very aware of
what is going on and also to be
ready. In our business there is
always ongoing f leet replacement
to make sure we have the right
equipment.
Especially on
the bulk side
there is always a
need for tippers
for example,” he
said. “We also
focus heavily on
driver training
– not only
from a safety
aspect but
also to ensure
they are using
the equipment well and are
using fuel efficiently. All of this
has a long-term impact on the
business.”
INSERT & CAPTION
With the local market
stagnant, it has been
essential to look for
opportunities outside of
Botswana.
– Kevin Lees
