After nearly two decades on the road, Ruah Transport has built a reputation for running trucks long and hard — and one brand seems to have earned their loyalty.
Founder Jacques Baird says his company only trades in its Hino trucks once they’ve clocked about 1.2 million kilometres, a figure that would make most fleet owners nervous. But for him, it’s proof of reliability, not risk.
Baird started Ruah Transport in 2007, the same year he bought his first Hino 500. “I was so impressed with the performance and uptime that I just stuck with them,” he told SA Trucker. “I’ve had my hands on the wheel myself, and I keep a close eye on fuel use, running costs, and downtime. The trucks just deliver.”
What began as a one-man operation has since grown into a serious player, now boasting 50 Hino trucks — including 32 link combinations and several 8-ton freight carriers. The latest batch added to the fleet were five 500 Series 1627 models, all with solid-panel load boxes.
Even though Ruah’s base is in Heidelberg, the company buys its new trucks through Hino Honeydew in Johannesburg, while Hino Pomona handles servicing. The trucks operate throughout South Africa and cross into Lesotho, Botswana, Namibia, and Eswatini, hauling goods for major clients across multiple industries.
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Hino South Africa’s General Manager, Itumeleng Segage, said the company appreciates the trust and long-term partnership with Ruah Transport, noting that consistent after-sales support plays a key role in customer retention.
While many fleets rotate vehicles far sooner, Ruah Transport’s 1.2-million-kilometre benchmark says plenty about how much faith the company puts in its maintenance, drivers, and trucks — proof that some machines are built to go the distance.
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