Storah Farming near Ixopo in KwaZulu-Natal has increased the number of Hino trucks in its fleet from one to 12 over the past four years.

The business uses 700-Series 2845 truck-tractors to haul livestock and wood chips, while freight carriers transport wooden logs, often over rough and unmade roads, in forests and farms.

“The basic design of the trucks is fairly simple, making them well-suited for tough off-road use while also being easy to service,” explains Evan Storah.

“It also has a wide network of dealers and we enjoy a particularly good relationship with our local dealership in Pietermaritzburg,” he adds.

The first Hino in the fleet, a 700-Series 57-450 model, was bought as a used truck and is still operating in the fleet with more than 800 000km on the odometer. Well-driven, it’s brake linings were only replaced at 700 000km.

Much of the regular maintenance is carried out weekly on the company’s premises on a 20 000km cycle, with any repairs necessary being carried out by the dealership in Pietermaritzburg.