Tag: economical
Driver shortage in the South African Trucking Industry
South Africa had been in the midst of social unrest since the start of 2021, with protests peaking in July at the Gauteng province, which includes the city of Johannesburg. The continuous unrest in the country brought the threat to the supply chain in focus, as MHCV sales declined by more than 8% on a y-o-y basis, halting the good recovery progress made in the industry. But another less obvious threat looming in the country for a past few years, is the lack of qualified truck drivers. Aspects of South Africa's truck-driver problems are unique; others are part of the broader driver shortage visible elsewhere, even in some of the largest truck markets.
July's unrest depicted how a pause in the movement of vital goods can lead to devastating situations in the country. The fact that road freight is increasingly surpassing rail as the medium of choice highlights even more the need for a reliable and efficient truck logistics sector. According to latest data, South Africa has a shortage of approximately 3,000 truck drivers, with the shortage continuously growing since the past few years.
However, the more significant concern is that employees sometimes have to work longer hours than usual to counter such shortages, which creates dangerous on road situations and increases the likelihood of accidents. With these supply chain concerns, delays in transport of essential goods and higher chances of accidents, it is vital to look at the factors causing these driver shortages in the country.
So, what exactly is the reason for vacancies in the medium and heavy commercial-vehicle (MHCV) driving jobs in a country where unemployment rate peaked to an all-time high of 34.9% in 2021? The answer isn't a straightforward one, as a myriad of factors is in play resulting in these shortages. Firstly, lack of skill and experience is the biggest hinderance in finding drivers. Drivers handling heavy freight need a range of skills such as driving in wet conditions; economical driving; heavy goods vehicle braking; straight reverse and ally docking, to name a few. It takes between 3-5 years to be experienced enough making it very difficult for entrants to get hired in the first place. Consequently, employers have difficulty finding apt drivers to carry the freight.
A second reason is the emigration of the already small driver pool to foreign developed countries in the search of better wages and much better working conditions and lifestyles. The trucking industry's turnover and emigration rates are very high as job conditions are challenging. Longer working hours are not just a consequence but also a reason for the shortage as more and more experienced drivers quit in search of better pastures in foreign lands. All these challenges have created a vicious cycle of low-skilled drivers and higher turnover rates in the industry. The income disparity between drivers in Africa and other developed countries such as the United Kingdom & the United States also attracts skilled drivers to emigrate and earn more in those foreign lands.
Lastly, unscrupulous players are sometimes alleged to dodge regulations related to safety or staffing costs, which may contribute to unsafe conditions and tensions in the labor environment. Such tensions recently culminated in acts of violence and protest in the country. The native drivers violently protested the increasing hiring of foreign nationals from poorer countries and blocked a major highway in the Eastern Cape—instances like these further increase the turnover rates for drivers willing for better working conditions.
All in all, factors such as lack of relevant experience in the market, emigration of skilled drivers for better wages & working conditions and higher turnover rates due to an unsafe, rigorous, and sometimes a violent industry have created a shortage for the most important freight mode of transport in the country. On the positive side, the government, as well as private bodies, are taking steps to try and improve the situation. To solve the issue of lack of skills, a few private organizations have started training academies and courses in the country imparting drivers with the necessary skillset to be hired in the market. The government has also announced its plans on implementing stricter border access controls and will be introducing new regulations to prevent undocumented drivers from operating in the country. In October, authorities also deployed a task team to check credentials of drivers passing by Middelburg in the Eastern Cape. Hopefully, such prompt measures will help prevent further damage to the already struggling South African economy.
The South African truck sales market remained strong even in the face of social unrests and recurring level 3-4 restrictions in the country, recovering by more than 22% post the 2020 covid slump to reach the previous 22k levels. However, we believe it has the potential to develop more and a functional and peaceful driver pool will not only improve the efficiency of trucking companies but also create a healthy work environment for drivers & operators alike, further growing the truck sales in the country.
4 Easy Valentine’s Day Cannabis Gift Ideas
Valentine’s Day is around the corner, which means romantic potheads around the world will be looking for Valentine’s cannabis gift ideas. Today, we will be breaking down Valentine’s gifts into four categories: food, wellness, novelty and the very thing itself—all of which can be suitable for any gender. This should help make the gift selection […]
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Canada Jetlines and CAE Sign Exclusive 5-Year Pilot Training Agreement
Reasons Why Every Business is a Target of DDoS Attacks
20 Years of Data Science – DSJ Call for Submissions
Throughout 2022, the Data Science Journal invites submissions related to the evolution and future directions of data science (broadly defined), including recent advances, retrospective analyses, and community inspirations and provocations. When the first issue of the Data Science Journal was published by CODATA in 2002, it was perhaps the first publication dedicated to the new […]
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SecureYourCall introduced their most secure mobile phones in the…
SecureYourCall has introduced the latest version of the most secure phones. Presently, it is very easy to safeguard Samsung business-class mobiles against cyber-attacks.
(PRWeb January 30, 2022)
Read the full story at https://www.prweb.com/releases/2022/01/prweb18445131.htm
Hemp Car Batteries: 200 Times Cheaper To Produce Than Classic Batteries?
Hemp Car Batteries: 200 Times Cheaper To Produce Than Classic Batteries?
Researchers built the batteries from cooked cannabis pulp and processed it into carbon nanosheets.
The post Hemp Car Batteries: 200 Times Cheaper To Produce Than Classic Batteries? appeared first on The Fresh Toast.
“Everything is custom”: Behind the scenes of medical wire solutions
Flexible design and fast-paced manufacturing may sound like a pipe dream for high-quality customised medical wire, but utilising a small team that is experienced and passionate about engineering make this a reality for Custom Wire Technologies. Medical device manufacturers know exactly what they need, whether they know exactly how to get there. Custom Wire Technologies …
The post “Everything is custom”: Behind the scenes of medical wire solutions appeared first on Medical Device Network.
Are Asian Economies Heading for a Bumpy Ride in 2022
The Asia-Pacific region, which has emerged to be the economic hotspot in the last few decades, displayed a huge slump during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. However markets recovered themselves in 2021 to greater extent and the economists are forecasting an expansion of that steady growth in the year 2022 as well. This growth is accredited to the economic expansion and policy changes in countries like India. However, despite becoming the latest epicenter for sourcing and manufacturing activities, economic growth in certain countries is expected to slow down this year due to various reasons. This article is an […]
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Top Social Tokens to buy in 2022
Social Token is otherwise known as social money, creator coin, or community token. It…
The post Top Social Tokens to buy in 2022 appeared first on Coin Journal.
An Introduction to Top 4 Cloud Computing Models
This article was published as a part of the Data Science Blogathon. Introduction Whether you’re a company owner interested in migrating your on-premise infrastructure to the cloud or a student interested in learning about cloud computing, the first step is understanding cloud computing models. Three models will be encountered: IaaS, PaaS, and SaaS. These models have […]
The post An Introduction to Top 4 Cloud Computing Models appeared first on Analytics Vidhya.
The best laptops: Premium laptops, budget laptops, 2-in-1s, and more
Are you in the market for a brand spanking new laptop? If so, you've come to the right place. We curated a list of the best laptops available today. From traditional clamshells to swanky 2-in1's, we've got something for everyone. If you're working with an inflexible budget, don't sweat it, we've included Chromebooks and a few other affordable options. Every single one of these laptops has been tested and personally vetted by the crew at PCWorld as well. Read on for our picks for the best laptops around.
Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition – Best gaming laptop on a budget
The Asus ROG Strix G15 Advanced Edition is an all-AMD laptop that delivers fast CPU and GPU performance at a reasonable price point. It's packing an AMD Ryzen 5900HX processor, an AMD Radeon RX 6800M GPU (with 12GB of GDDR6), 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. According to our review, the GPU “doesn't outpace higher-wattage RTX 3080 laptop GPUs, but it's a worthy competitor for conventional gaming tasks.” Unsurprisingly, the Strix G15 is one chunky machine, measuring 28mm at its thickest part. Although the additional thickness allows more space for cooling components, it's not very portable. That said, so long as you don't plan on taking this laptop everywhere with you, it's a powerful gaming rig that's well worth the money.
We understand that the $1,650 price tag isn't “cheap” in the traditional sense, but this all-AMD laptop costs significantly less than comparable laptops in power. If you look on Best Buy or Nvidia's website for 3080 machines, they cost upwards of $2,200 to $3,000.
Microsoft Surface Pro 8 – Best 2-in-1 laptop
Microsoft's Surface tablets were already atop our list of best 2-in-1 laptops, but Microsoft reworked the Surface Pro 8 in numerous ways by adding a larger, higher-resolution, faster screen, a pair of Thunderbolt ports that replace the legacy Surface Connector, and a new inking experience, among other features.
While this generation of the Surface Pro tablet forgoes an always-connected LTE option as well as the choice of a cheap Core i3, performance still soared to the top of the heap. Benefits like how the increased display refresh rate improves inking are subtle improvements that matter, too. It's the most dramatic revamp of a Surface in years and it's all for the better.
Pixelbook Go – Best Chromebook
Google's Pixelbook Go is a perfectly good Chromebook, and that's exactly what the company set out to create. It offers a careful balance of quality features and economical compromises for a reasonable $649 starting price. And it's a darn sight better than the typical bare-bones model. If you're committed to the Chromebook universe, this is a laptop worth buying.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 – Best Lenovo laptop
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is one such laptop. It's packing a quad-core Core i7-1185G7, 16GB of RAM, and integrated Iris Xe graphics. That means it's well-equipped to handle “Office and other productivity apps” and “a variety of multitasking scenarios.” The real star of the show is the 16:10 display, though, as it gives you plenty of room to work with. If you consider yourself a business professional, you'll definitely want to pick this one up.
HP Spectre x360 14 1Q881AV – Best laptop for college students
When we think about the best thin-and-light laptop, it's always been a close contest between the Dell XPS 2-in-1 and the HP Spectre x360. This time around, we're giving the luxurious HP Spectre x360 14 some time in the sun. The Spectre x360 14, now sporting the same Intel 11th-gen Tiger Lake CPU available in the Dell XPS line, trades blows with its eternal rival in test after test. It rises to the top because of a few key advantages: It offers longer battery life (thanks to a bigger battery), a far better keyboard, and little things like a USB-A port and a physical webcam shutoff switch, all for a lower price. Well played, HP.
Dell XPS 17 9710 – Best 17-inch workhorse
Dell's updated XPS 17 boasts a huge 17-inch screen, 11th-gen Intel CPU, and GeForce RTGX 3060 GPU. By packing as much screen real estate into such a compact laptop, the XPS 17 is the poster child for what a content creation workhorse laptop is.
Asus Zenbook Flip 13 – Best convertible laptop on a budget
The Asus ZenBook Flip 13 offers a lot for the money. It's a beautiful laptop that offers decent battery life, very good graphics, and a lot of pep for most of what you'd do on a small 13-inch convertible laptop.
Some might fixate on its lack of a headphone jack, but that would be unfair to its impressive 11th-gen Intel Tiger Lake Core i7-1165G7 chip and its drop-dead gorgeous OLED screen.
HP Chromebook x360 12b-ca0010nr – Best Chromebook on a budget
The HP Chromebook x360 12b takes you a cut above the rock-bottom basic Chromebooks that hover around $250 (and continue to sell well). Get one of those for your kids—who cares if they destroy it? But you, the adult in the room, deserve this one, with its surprisingly good design and great battery life.
This is still a budget-grade Chromebook, so there are some compromises: Performance is mediocre, and the 3:2 display, while nice and tall, isn't very bright. Still, we think HP made reasonable choices to provide a productive and enjoyable experience without breaking the bank.
Acer Aspire 5 A515-43-R19L – Best laptop under $500
If this particular model of the Acer Aspire 5 looks familiar, it's probably because it's been sitting atop Amazon's laptop bestseller list for months. It's easy to understand why. This AMD Ryzen 3-powered Aspire 5 packs some enticing features for the price, including a Full-HD 15.6-inch display, a slim-and-trim chassis, and solid performance on everyday computing tasks.
That said, a Windows 10 laptop this inexpensive has its compromises. In this case, we're talking a scant 4GB of RAM and a cramped 128GB solid-state drive, while battery life falls significantly short compared to similar Aspire 5 models that don't cost much more.
How we tested
The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we've tested. Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests. It wouldn't be fair or possible to run the same kinds of tests on a Chromebook, as they're Chrome OS-based machines. Below, you'll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them.
Windows laptops
- PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is how we determine how well the laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and so on.
- HandBrake: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It basically measures how long a laptop's CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
- Cinebench: Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a short period of time.
- 3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips.
- Video rundown test: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10's Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.
Chromebooks
- CrXPRT 2: The CrXPRT 2 benchmark tests a Chromebook's battery life.
- Speedometer 2.0: This test determines a Chromebook's web browser performance. It simulates this by adding, completing, and removing a to-do list.
- Basemark Web 3.0: This benchmark gauges how well a Chromebook can handle web-based applications.
- Kraken 1.1: Kraken 1.1 is a JavaScript performance benchmark.
- Jetstream 2: Jetstream 2 is a combination of WebAssembly and JavaScript benchmarks. This is a way to gauge how well a Chromebook runs advanced workloads.
What kind of laptop should I get?
Ah, here we are at the billion dollar question. Do you spring for a basic Chromebook or go for a Windows laptop with more features? Well, it really depends on your personal lifestyle and what you plan on using your laptop for. For example, Chromebooks are a great low-cost option for those who just want the basics. I use a Chromebook as my primary work laptop, as it has everything I need for both editing and writing. If you travel a bunch for work, it's probably a good idea to invest in a laptop with solid battery life. If you're still unsure, don't sweat it. I've put together a list of quick tips below.
- Laptop type: The first question you should ask yourself is what kind of laptop you're looking for. There's traditional clamshells, 2-in-1's, Chromebooks, and much more. The displays on convertible laptops (aka 2-in-1's), for example, can swing around 360 degrees. This allows you to use the laptop like a tablet. They can also be propped up like a tent for viewing movies or participating in video calls. Chromebooks, on the other hand, exclusively run Google's web-focused Chrome OS and are generally used for everyday tasks. All you need is a Gmail account and boom, you're in. There are pros and cons to each of them. Chromebooks are affordable and generally have good battery life whereas convertibles are normally lightweight and portable.
- CPU: If it's CPU power you're looking for, the cream of the crop is the Intel Core i7-1185G7. It's a quad-core, eight-thread CPU with “awesomely high clock speeds.” It can hit up to 4.8Hz on boost, too. However, a Core i 7 is more suited to gaming and more intense work than everyday tasks. Intel processors are available in Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, and Core i9. The higher the number, the more powerful the CPU. If you don't need a ton of power, Intel Core i5 processors are your best bet, as they offer a good balance of performance and price. Basic office and web work gets along just fine on a Core i3, however.
- Graphics: You'll want a discrete graphics card for hardcore gaming or editing videos. It's separate from the processor, so you can expect higher performance out of it. Integrated graphics, on the other hand, are attached to the CPU and uses less power as a result. This is perfectly fine for everyday tasks, especially if you're not doing anything that's graphics-intensive.
- Display size: If you're a video editor or someone who does a lot of multimedia work, you'll want a display that's anywhere from 15 to 17 inches. The sweet spot is really anywhere from 13 to 14 inches, though. The bigger the display, the heavier your laptop is going to be. A 13- or 14-inch display is the best in terms of portability and value.
- Battery life: If you plan on taking your laptop anywhere with you, aim for something that can last 10 to 12 hours on a single charge. That's more than a full work day, so it should theoretically get you through long flights or a day of classes. Obviously, more is always better. Just know that the bigger the battery, the heavier the laptop.
- Price: The price really depends on your budget. If you're strapped for cash (been there, trust me), go for a Chromebook or an entry-level business laptop. These laptops are good choices for students or young professionals. If you can afford to spend more, the versatility of a 2-in-1 laptop is really worth it.
- Ports: A wide array of ports is always a plus in my book, as it eliminates the need for an adapter. I'd recommend a laptop that has both USB-C and USB-A. An HDMI port is good, too. This is especially useful for when you want to hook up to an external monitor.