DURBAN-BASED freight and logistics group Access Freight has moved into road cartage with the establishment of a road transport division known as Access Transport. Peter Govender has been appointed to head up the new venture, which specialises in local cartage in and around the port and is also tackling long-distance transport throughout South Africa and further afield. Govender brings with him a long pedigree in road transport, having spent most of his working life in the maritime transport industry. He started his career with Freight Services in 1977 (later renamed Rennies) before moving to Roadwing in 1988 where he pioneered the owner/driver concept in road transport in South Africa. Fourteen years later he joined Bidfreight where he helped start their transport division. Shane Kynaston, Access Freight’s general manager for Durban, told FTW that volumes now being handled to and from the port made the move into cartage inevitable. He said that although the focus initially had been at a local Durban level, long-distance transport was also in the mix and agreements had been reached with eight preferred suppliers (truck operators). In terms of long-term contracts with these suppliers, ten vehicles operated by Manline already have the Access branding and others are in the pipeline, such is the extent of business already generated.
