‘Technology can help mitigate rising transport costs’

Despite negative sentiment
about the imminent toll costs
in Gauteng, the reality is that
companies who rely on the
use of these roads on a daily
basis need to start thinking
strategically about the impact
that this change will impose
on their business models.
They also need to take the
necessary action immediately
to manage and restrict these
costs as much as possible,
says Greg Vercellotti,
executive director of local IT
company Dariel Solutions.
“Research shows that
the Gauteng Freeway
Improvement Project (GFIP)
will cost the commercial road
freight industry an estimated
R1.2 billion every year.
Further studies show that
freight transport costs could
potentially rise by more than
20%, which will dramatically
impact consumer price
inflation.”
Vercellotti says the answer
for the freight and logistics
industry lies in technology.
“It’s critical that relevant
considerations are made for
businesses that will directly
or indirectly be affected
by these tolls, and one way
of doing this is to turn to
technology. Examining
a software solution that
is customised in a fully
integrated goods receiving
and delivery solution, for
example, can ensure that
fleets are managed effectively
and that costs associated with
this toll system are tightly
monitored and kept to the
bare minimum.”