Barloworld Logistics has taken delivery of 44 Freightliner Columbias as part of its owner-driver programme for Pretoria Portland Cement (PPC), South Africa.

A fleet of 44 Freightliner Columbia truck tractors were delivered to 27 owner-drivers and 17 drivers of Barloworld Logistics, at the PPC factory in Dwaalboom recently.

This handover by John Williams Motors Bloemfontein marks the renewal of a five-year contract with Barloworld Logistics for rigs to service PPC Cement at this factory. The Columbias replace a fleet of 44 Freightliner Argosy truck tractors that were handed over to the owner-drivers in 2007.

"The 6x4 truck tractor is light enough to allow Barloworld Logistics to achieve required payloads. They will transport 20 cement pallets with a 40,400kg payload on an interlink trailer," Godfrey Hani, divisional manager for Freightliner, Fuso and Western Star at Mercedes-Benz SA.

Transport operator Barloworld Logistics has a long-standing relationship with PPC Cement and this five-year contract extension will take the relationship to 20 years.