5 Challenges in the South African Freight Industry

When you receive a packaged delivery, do you ever think of the journey it took between its starting destination and your house? South African Freight companies work tirelessly in providing a service that gets your packages from one destination to another as quickly as possible. However, you probably do not think about the challenges they deal with on the daily.

Challenges in the South African Freight Industry

We have compiled a list of 5 challenges South African Freight Industry are facing:

1. Cost of Petrol

The ever-rising price of petrol in South Africa has taken its toll on hundreds of South African businesses, one being the freight industry. Due to the industry’s major reliance on travel, this is a worrying matter for both the organization and the consumers, as their prices will have to increase to ensure they are remaining sustainable, whilst making a profit.

2. Safety on the Roads

Safety on our roads has become an increasingly concerning matter over the last few years. Bad road conditions have led to fatal accidents and truck hijackings are becoming more frequent. This is a challenge for freight companies, as they need to ensure the safety of their employees, as well as maintain their business. Due to the increases in the previously mentioned areas, freight companies are having to invest a lot more in insurance policies.

3. Climate Change

Many companies are making a conscious effort to curb their carbon footprint. Large ships are major contributors to environmental pollution due to the omission of greenhouse gases. There are several strategies that have been implemented annual greenhouse gas emission from ships. This is a challenge for businesses, such as the freight industry, as it has become important for owners to consider investing in these strategies for the benefit of the planet and to remain competitive with companies that have already adopted these strategies.

4 Shortage of skilled workers

Having a shortage in skilled workers is a challenge many organisations face. To ensure that the transport of packages between destinations is fluid, timely and reliable, freight companies need to ensure that they have competent, well-trained and professional employees throughout all process involved in shipping your package.

Regional Connectivity

Another major challenge the road freight industry is found in the environment in which they operate- the roads. Rough and damaged roads contribute to increased costs for the freight company, resulting in a cost increase for the customer. As the conditions of South Africa’s roads continue to deteriorate, rough and unkept roads contribute to not only the acceleration of wear and tear on the vehicle’s tyres and maintenance needs, but also increases a trucks fuel consumption, as they would have to operate on lower gears for prolonged amounts of time.

Call New Horizon Freight Solutions today

Our team at New Horizon Freight Solutions welcome challenges as an opportunity to prove to our customers just how devoted we are to delivering your packages in a timely and professional manner. Call us today and we will be happy to assist you!