Mick Farmer's Blog (my outlet to rant and rave)

At OnCourse we teach a failed hill climb recovery technique that requires the driver to do a “key start” (this only relates to manual / stick shift vehicles). Over the years of instruction this technique is the only one we have confidence in. For instance, whilst doing training in DRC we had to use a route that included a very severe climb.

New bus guidelines were issued (in Uganda); no bus will be allowed to leave the terminal when a female passenger is in the front seat…

Good fleet management will have an overall effect of reducing fuel costs. We deal with the driver issue. This is one the major area where organisations can safe fuel, therefore reducing costs and harmful emissions.

When talking of the double cab pick up (dcpu), most of us in this region automatically think of the Toyota Hilux. The first 4×4 double cab version was made available in South Africa in 1984. I’m sure that any 4×4 enthusiast remembers the original leaf sprung model. Its robust reliability spoke for itself. It was a good, strong, simple vehicle.

10 years ago we started providing driver training. At the time we were running a repair shop in Kampala. We noticed that some of our customers’ vehicles were getting damaged, some severely so, and had an increase in wear and tear due to improper driving/misunderstanding of 4wd vehicles.