Futuroad Expo, the premier platform for showcasing cutting-edge innovations in the truck, bus and commercial vehicle sectors, is set to take place from 19 to 21 November at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, Nasrec. Organised by Messe Frankfurt South Africa, this highly anticipated event will bring together industry leaders, innovators, and stakeholders from sub-Saharan Africa, to explore the latest trends, technologies, and strategies shaping the future of transportation.
A major highlight at this year’s event is the Fleet Safety Awards hosted by MasterDrive. The awards recognise fleet managers and companies for their dedication to promoting road safety in South Africa. During the inaugural ceremony in 2022, more than 100 entries were submitted, which culminated in the awarding of the first Best Fleet Manager and the first Best Company Award.
Since then, the focus of the Awards has grown to include new categories and a wider variety of individuals and fleets.
“Through interaction with judges, nominees, winners, companies and attendees combined with the support of the event, the time was right in 2023 to take the Fleet Safety Awards to the next level,” explains Eugene Herbert, CEO of MasterDrive. Types of vehicles were then analysed according to their unique requirements and challenges. Differentiating the vehicle classes and considering one group against like-minded competitors further improved the quality, value and importance of the Fleet Safety Awards.
Herbert adds: “For 2024, our expectations are huge. We are anticipating a substantial increase in the number of entries and, as such, stiffer competition which in turn, raises the bar. This makes the awards a vital contributor to road safety in South Africa, Africa and the world at large.”
It is co-located alongside Automechanika, the Futuroad expo is a display of the latest commercial vehicle trends, cutting-edge technologies, and industry expertise.
With a focus on driving sustainable and efficient road networks, Futuroad Expo 2024 will feature an extensive exhibition displaying a wide range of products, including new heavy, medium and light commercial vehicles, trucks, trailers and superstructures, truck bodies and refrigeration, buses, mini-buses, bus and coach bodies, specialised utility vehicles and more.
Michael Dehn, Managing Director at Messe Frankfurt South Africa, expresses his enthusiasm for the upcoming event, stating: “Futuoad Expo is not just a trade show; it’s a platform for collaboration, innovation, and progress. We are excited to bring together industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators to drive meaningful conversations and catalyse positive change in the transportation landscape, while celebrating the continued progress in fleet safety through the MasterDrive Fleet Safety Awards.”
Rink Ruler
Ryan Bacher originally set out to develop and sell technology that would allow retailers to transition to online. But at the time, no other retailers were looking to transition, so they decided to showcase how profitable the technology could be and launched NetFlorist. \”Our plan was to run the site for one day to prove that we could do it. And then we got R30 000 worth of orders. That was the equivalent of a whole month\’s revenue at a flower shop,\” explains Bacher. 19 years later, the delivery giant almost single-handily defined and established ecommerce in South Africa. NetFlorist now operates in major countries and cities around the world, offering its game-changing same-day delivery.