By Eamonn Ryan
Part two: smarter trucks and PBS innovation in perishable freight.
Paul Nordengen, chair of the Smart Truck National Steering Committee. © Cold Link Africa
While rail reform is essential, trucks will remain indispensable to South Africa’s cold chain. This makes safety, productivity and environmental performance critical factors for perishable logistics. At the same briefing, Paul Nordengen, chair of the Smart Truck National Steering Committee, shared insights into the Performance-Based Standards (PBS) project – an innovation that has already delivered dramatic results in South Africa and comparable countries such as Australia.
The PBS pilot, active since 2007, allows for truck designs that exceed conventional limits provided they meet strict safety and infrastructure performance criteria. Instead of prescriptive vehicle lengths, PBS rigs must pass engineering simulations for rollover stability, lane-change manoeuvres, and braking performance. For reefers, this means longer combinations can safely transport more cargo with fewer trips.
Results are compelling:
- 31% fewer trips on average
- 28% reduction in kilometres travelled
- 12% savings in fuel and greenhouse gas emissions
- 40% fewer crashes in South Africa (with a 55% reduction recorded in Australia)
Nordengen stressed that these gains are directly relevant to refrigerated freight. Fewer trips mean reduced exposure to accidents and less risk of temperature excursions from delays. For example, in Namibia, PBS vehicles cut 85 truck trips per day transporting frozen fish and table grapes to port – improving safety, cutting costs and strengthening cold chain reliability.
He added that PBS requires operators to be certified under the Road Transport Management System (RTMS), ensuring compliance with vehicle maintenance, driver hours, overloading controls and safety audits. This safeguard prevents unroadworthy vehicles from undermining the system – critical when transporting perishables that cannot withstand delays or spoilage.
For South Africa’s inland cold chain exporters – grapes, citrus, stone fruit, avocados and meat – the combination of inland terminals like the Port of Gauteng and PBS-compliant trucks offers a route to resilience. By reducing turnaround times, balancing road and rail, and introducing safer, more efficient rigs, the country can strengthen its reputation as a reliable supplier to global markets where cold chain integrity is non-negotiable.
As Nordengen concluded: “We cannot afford not to get rail right. But smarter trucks are equally important. Both must work together to deliver a sustainable future for South African freight.”
