Massive cost savings make overnight road a prudent alternative

JOY ORLEK EXPRESS CARGO is not the sole preserve of airfreight, as Namibia Express has clearly proved. The company, which offers a daily overnight road service from Johannesburg to Windhoek, is finding increasing demand from customers keen to benefit from the cost savings. Cargo dispatched from Johannesburg arrives in Windhoek at 11:45 on the following working day compared to the 09:00 arrival for airfreight shipments, says owner Richard Briel. “This is not a big difference in time, but the cost savings are massive.” Launched four years ago, Namibia Express was an early pioneer of the overnight road service which runs Monday to Friday. The majority of goods moving on the route are high value computer equipment, with the remainder comprising motor spares and the like. Security is a big issue in view of the high value nature of the cargo, says Briel. “All vehicles are closed, and we’ve had no problems so far. Control in the warehouse is also carefully monitored.”