By Angus Mackintosh Hino launched their new 700 Series at the Toyota Gazoo Racing HQ, Zwartkops Raceway on 17th July with a good attendance by the media. Toyota/Hino always put on a good show and this was no exception. The event was opened by Anton Falck, who reiterated Hino’s success in the past and their hopes for the future. Hino’s initial commercial market forecast for 2023 was in the region…

Safety, wellbeing and health are critical to long-distance commercial drivers and the current landscape falls short of providing high standard stops with the required facilities to contribute to this. The SaferStops Association (SSA) was founded by Nicci Scott-Anderson, founder and owner of the Commercial Transport Academy (CTA). CTA is focussed on the development of women drivers and gender…

Vehicle Review By Howard Keeg Electric Avenue One of my favourite songs is Eddie Grant’s “Electric Avenue”, which came out in 1983, and it referred to Electric Avenue in the south London district of Brixton, which was the first market street to be lit by electricity Grant was also referring to the Brixton riots of 1981, and his choice of vehicle in his music video was a motorcycle. I prefer to…

During July 2023, whilst mulling about what subject would qualify to make the Phoenix in our July/August/September issue, I received an extremely relevant email from Lightstone Auto, in which managing director Pieter Wessels analysed the issues the automotive industry is facing, and what options there were to mitigate long and short-term effects. My immediate thought was, my readers need to hear…

by Fingal Wilde I have always regarded myself as being pretty hot when it comes to satirical writing, but when I read the following piece from the Daily Maverick sometime in June 2023, penned by Richard Poplak, I realised that I had a long way to go to reach the summit of satire. I bow down to the master, and give my readers a classic piece of satire, laced with sardonic humour, and deserving of…

by Baron Claude Borlz #1 - Talk to yourself. There are times you need expert advice. #2 - “In Style” are the clothes that still fit. #3 - You don't need anger management. You need people to stop pissing you off. #4 - Your people skills are just fine. It's your tolerance for idiots that needs work. #5 - The biggest lie you tell yourself is, “I don't need to write that down. I'll remember it.” #6 -…

Customer C.A.R.E. Dr Trilogy Module #126 South Africa never ceases to amaze me, and when it comes to customer care South Africa takes the unthinkable to new levels every single day. Not the private sector, mind you, I am in the main talking about our dysfunctional civil service. No rational person could ever come up with what happens to our long suffering population, courtesy of our bloated…