Introducing the Ultimate Women empowerment program represents positive steps towards changing the narrative about women in the transport sector.
UD Trucks Southern Africa has partnered with the Commercial Transport Academy (CTA) by sponsoring two Kuzer light-medium duty trucks and 15 Ultimate Women to join the CTA’s driver training program called Women Inspiring Women in Transport (WIWIT). Through the yearlong program, these ladies will be equipped with not only driving skills, but also knowledge on a variety of important topics such as entrepreneurial skills, to name a few. UDTSA is enthusiastic about the Women Inspiring Women (WiWit) program of the CTA, which emphasizes the importance of an inclusive and diverse society.
A ceremonial handover of the two Kuzer trucks took place on Tuesday, 8 November at UDTSA’s headquarters in Rosslyn. Among the key stakeholders who attended were the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Standard Bank, Hollard Insurance, Afrit, and Nicci Scott, founder of Commercial Transport Academy. In his statement, Filip Van den Heede, MD of UD Trucks Southern Africa, said, “The Ultimate Women program fills a narrow gap in the truck driver industry. As an OEM, we have been involved in various truck driver programs. However, the CTA takes a much broader view of this issue, addressing both hard and soft skills, as well as how they can continue to add value in a male-dominated industry.
Challenging the status quo
The reality is that our world is full of challenges; unemployment in South Africa continued to rise during the first quarter of 2022, reaching about 36.4% among women.
The purpose of our organization is to create a better life for logistics, people, the planet, and business. As such, Ultimate Women was designed to positively change lives and positively influence society. The vision extends beyond truck driving skills to identifying and meeting societal needs as we engage in meaningful dialogue with organizations such as the CTA and others.
Having achieved this recent milestone, we are poised to help our industry overcome current challenges and, thus, express our purpose of creating a better life for people.
Increased uptime and improved safety
The Kuzer’s used for this program have been fitted with UD Telematics so that vehicle uptime and fuel efficiency are maximized, while unplanned stops and operational costs are reduced. According to a recent study2, women tend to brake, accelerate, and corner more gently than males, which all contribute to increased costs, which should be eliminated at all costs to enhance profitability.
| Factor | Men | Women | Better Drivers? |
| Registered Vehicle Impacts (Hitting Potholes, Kerbs, Cars etc.) | 1.4% | 1.3% | Women |
| Harsh Braking | 22.8% | 16.9% | Women |
| Harsh acceleration | 10.0% | 4.5% | Women |
| Harsh Cornering | 18.8% | 13.2% | Women |
Global organizations and Corporate SA partnerships
UD Trucks Southern Africa’s participation in the Ultimate Women initiative will ensure the initiative empowers generations to come, changing women’s lives one at a time. The CTA’s WiWit program is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), as well as other SA Corporations.
https://www.carmag.co.za/news/data-shows-women-are-better-drivers-men
UD Trucks Southern Africa
Through the years, UD Trucks SA has been contributing to poverty alleviation within the communities it operates in as well as achieving other successes. Kenzo Adachi, our founder, leaves a legacy that runs deep in our culture, and the path he paved for our parent company in Japan to be able to support us and provide the solutions that were needed not only then but are still relevant today.
