In 2016, South Africa was ranked as the 5th most traffic-congested country in the world, with Saffas spending over 40 minutes extra per commute in traffic.
As a fleet manager, helping your drivers avoid congested areas is crucial to keep your fleet operations productive, your services efficient, and your fuel and maintenance costs low.
Luckily, you don’t have to go far to find the answers — we’ve got them all below.
There are quite a few reasons why we experience traffic congestion, and while some causes like weather conditions are common globally, South Africa also has a few unique ones that contribute to especially stuffy, slow-moving traffic.
Depending on the geographical location, different weather conditions will affect traffic conditions.
Excessive rainfall, flooding, and infrastructure damage or road accidents caused by weather conditions contribute to traffic congestion. So, the weather is not always directly responsible for the traffic jams but rather the after-effects of weather events that obstruct roads, leading to congestion.
Apart from being just an irritation for roadgoers, these projects can significantly impact traffic flow. Lane closures, detours, and merging zones can create bottlenecks, causing delays and frustration. Additionally, construction material deliveries during peak traffic hours can make congestion even worse. The workers themselves, travelling to and from sites, can contribute by adding to the overall traffic volume.
Tailgating, aggressive driving, speeding, and sudden lane changes can all cause accidents and slow traffic flow. Similarly, distracted driving, like texting while driving, can also lead to accidents, causing congestion and backups on otherwise congestion-free roads.
Ever feel like you're stuck in a sea of brake lights, wishing there were more ways to get around? Inadequate public transport plays a big role in this frustrating reality. When public transport lacks sufficient capacity and coverage, people just don’t have the option of using it, pushing them towards private vehicles that clog the roads, worsening traffic congestion.
These road craters aren't just a nuisance; they're legit traffic flow disruptors. Studies show potholes can slow down traffic, impacting overall flow and efficiency. In the UK alone, 90% of drivers have encountered them, contributing to their commute frustrations.
Potholes can damage vehicles, forcing drivers to slow down or pull over. On top of that, they are common culprits to congesting roadways, causing other cars to have to navigate around them. Potholes can also lead to accidents and road closures, slowing traffic and causing frustration.
Load shedding is an only-in-Mzansi nightmare, heavily affecting traffic congestion and other local issues like poor road conditions. What makes it worse is that load shedding is prone to short-notice level changes, making it difficult to plan effective fleet routes as nobody’s ever sure which traffic lights will be working. Intricate road networks are designed to function optimally with working traffic lights, and without them, traffic is an absolute disaster.
No matter where your fleet operates, there are bound to be infrastructure issues, as it’s a common problem in many cities and towns across the country. Infrastructure problems include a lack of new roads, bridges, highways, and even roadworks caused by the construction of new infrastructure.
Overall, there’s a dire need for re-engineering, fixing broken traffic lights, and road maintenance in most cities to alleviate congestion and divert heavy traffic. Fleet managers, however, can make smart route-planning decisions with advanced fleet management software to avoid this mess altogether.
While it seems obvious why nobody would want to be stuck in a traffic jam, fleet managers have specific reasons why they’d want their drivers to avoid these at all costs.
At Cartrack, we’re focused on helping you increase productivity to boost profits. Here’s how Calgan Recliners, a major South African furniture manufacturer, benefited from our route optimisation software:
Cartrack Delivery's route optimisation feature helps businesses reduce delivery distances, leading to faster deliveries and increased cost-efficiency, ultimately improving productivity and customer satisfaction.
We know how important optimal productivity is for increased profits and fleet management success. Contact us today to start navigating your fleet out of traffic jams and into next-level efficiency.
Don’t wait until your fleet is stuck in traffic again. Contact Cartrack today and boost your fleet and business’s productivity and profits.
Discover how to liberate your fleet from traffic congestion. Unveil real causes & solutions to avoid congestion-related issues.
