Time for SA’s biggest truck test!

Focus on Transport and Logistics, South Africa’s favourite road transport industry magazine, hosts the country’s biggest ever truck test in March.

Manufacturers and operators of heavy-duty trucks will be given the opportunity to participate in a first-of-its-kind truck test between Johannesburg and Durban in March next year.

The test takes place over two days and the route will take participants from Johannesburg to Durban on the first day and back the following day. All manufacturers and operators of extra-heavy trucks are invited to enter.

According to Fritz Hellberg of Hellberg Transport Management, one of the organisers, the purpose is to showcase the performance of trucks or concepts in a controlled environment, while providing results that can be transposed into day-to-day operations as benchmarks. “It will also provide an excellent opportunity to compare Euro-2 engines with Euro-4 or even Euro-5 engines,” he says.

According to Hellberg, the test has the potential to be repeated annually. “For the 2012 test we will run 6×4 prime movers coupled to semi, drawbar, or interlink trailers,” he explains. “Each entrant will use the configuration of his choice and must supply the rig complete with a load and driver. Results will be compared to simulation results generated by TransSolve.”

He says trucks will be monitored through pre-test checks to verify stock-standard specifications and compliance with mass and dimensional regulations. “Physical monitoring will also be done by an observer while travelling. Vehicle-tracking equipment will be used to monitor compliance with speed limits and to establish start and stop times during the test. Fuel usage is to be measured at the end of each run to calibrate on-board fuel flow meters.”

All suppliers to the truck industry are offered a once-in-lifetime opportunity to become involved in this exciting event through sponsorship. Manufacturers and operators interested in entering should contact Emma Bowden (emma@focusontransport.co.za) or Margaret Phillipson (Margaret@focusontransport.co.za) on 011 782 1070.