NZ Truck & Driver April 2025

NZ TRUCK & DRIVER

| April 2025

April 2025 $10.90 incl. GST

BIG TEST Rock Star | FLEET FOCUS The University of Penrose | FEATURE: Charlie and the Bandit

FLEET FOCUS The University of Penrose

FEATURE Charlie and the Bandit

k c o R

Issue 288

Star

The Official Magazine of

ISSN 2703-6278

THERE’S A BIG REASON WHY ISUZU CONTINUES TO * BE NO.1 IN NEW ZEALAND.

We are proud to again be the best-selling Heavy Commercial Truck brand in New Zealand and wish to thank all of our valued customers across the country for being part of the Isuzu Trucks team.

isuzu.co.nz *Based on 2024 MIA sales data across light, medium and heavy duty truck classes.

CONTENTS Issue 288 – April 2025

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News The latest from the world of road transport including… Licence exemption opens up light-duty BEV options… SH1 Desert Road update… Bombay Truck Show funds distributed… New 8x8 rescue truck for Auckland International Airport… Next generation Cummins 10-litre engine platform…

Volvo reveals efficient new VNR… Tauranga’s vintage weekend.

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Reunion Showcase The old and new of the log transport industry were on show at the NZFP Reunion held in Tokoroa last month.

Transporting New Zealand 74

Fleet Focus

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80/ Double Coin Tyres NZ Transport 81 Imaging Awards Recognising NZ’s best-looking trucks… including a giant pull-out poster of this month’s finalist.

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COLUMNS: 61

Charlie and The Bandit A Smokey and the Bandit themed Kenworth is a popular attraction at local truck shows. We tell the story behind Charlie Bailey’s restored-toimmaculate rig.

CrediFlex Recently Registered February was a challenging month for new truck and trailer sales. We look at the registration data for the month and the breakdown of key market segments. Plus, the monthly gallery of new rigs on the road.

Showtime in the South A look at some of the Show & Shine stars from the TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show in Christchurch.

The University of Penrose: Jack and Bryn Tutill are the fifth generation of their family to run A.J. Tutill & Sons Carriers. They are bringing fresh energy to a 104-year firm that has created a unique space in the Auckland City general freight scene.

Self Loading Logging Trailer Timber transport industry innovator Peter Phillips wanted a safer way to load log trailers onto trucks.

The Safe-T-Loader is the solution he’s developed working alongside Patchell Engineering.

REGULARS:

Legendary Precision The new Sheldrake Haulage Kenworth W900 SAR Legend is the winner of the Double Coin Tyres Transport Imaging Award. We look at the special artwork created to celebrate the win.

Transporting New Zealand is looking forward to working with new Transport Minister Chris Bishop on key issues. And there’s an update from the Livestock Transport and Safety Group and a look at why a new SH1 bridge is needed at Ashburton.

MANAGEMENT

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Teamwork – on the job and on the pitch: Darrell Hoskin says its teamwork that keeps the wheels turning at Whanganui’s Dave Hoskin Carriers.

Giti Tyres Big Test Rock Star: Napier’s Berkett Earthmoving is the home of the first Western Star 48X at work in New Zealand.

It’s loaded with big rocks as we spend a day with the new star in the Hawke’s Bay sunshine.

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FEATURES: 64 Southpac Trucks Legends:

National Road Carriers Association Chief executive Justin Tighe-Umbers looks at energy sector challenges which New Zealand must address, and James Smith explains why concrete roads are a sound investment.

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Publisher

Trevor Woolston 027 492 5600 trevor@trucker.co.nz

Trudy Woolston

Advertising

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Trudy Woolston Phone

Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

admin@trucker.co.nz

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NZ subscription $110 incl. GST for one year price (11 issues) Overseas rates on application ADDRESS

EDITORIAL Editor

Colin Smith 021 510319 colin@trucker.co.nz

Associate Editor

Brian Cowan

CONTRIBUTORS

Ian Parkes Olivia Beauchamp Gerald Shacklock David Kinch

ART DEPARTMENT Design & Production Luca Bempensante Zarko Mihic EQUIPMENT GUIDE AUCKLAND, NORTHLAND, BOP, WAIKATO, CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND Advertising Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

AUCKLAND, LOWER NORTH ISLAND, SOUTH ISLAND Advertising Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

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NEWS

The Fuso eCanter meets the requirements of the Driver Licensing Exemption, with Class 1 licence holders now able to drive one at 7.5t loaded.

Licence exemption to boost BEV productivity A NEW DRIVER LICENSING exemption should offer greater scope to introduce light-duty battery electric (BEV) truck models to New Zealand business.

NZTA published the Exemption Notice on February 28, allowing drivers with a full Class 1 licence to drive some electric trucks up to a gross laden weight (GLW) of 7,500kg (instead of 6,000kg previously).

Keeping battery electric trucks below the 6,000kg weight threshold for driver licence Class 1 reduces payload, due to the weight of the batteries.

The exemption is to compensate for the weight of batteries and has potential to open up new roles for BEV trucks in sectors such as chilled food distribution and some traffic management work.

The Exemption Notice is for a three-year term, remaining in force till February 28 2028. It applies to BEV models which are a variant of an existing diesel model with a maximum GLW of 6,000kg.

NZTA consulted with a number of industry groups before granting the exemption.

Industry feedback has shaped the requirements for the trucks to not exceed the exterior dimensions of the largest variant of 6,000kg diesel 2 | Truck & Driver

models and the vehicle must be equipped with Regenerative Braking, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Electronic Stability Control along with either Lane Departure Warning or Lane Keep Assist functions.

There is also a requirement for the batteries to be integrated with the chassis.

NZTA says the intention of the exemption it that drivers of these trucks would be operating in a commercial environment and subject to Health and Safety workplace regulation. Employers have responsibility to make sure their drivers are adequately trained and are capable drivers.

The drivers of these trucks will be subject to worktime and logbook requirements and must work under a Transport Service Licence, which provides an extra safeguard for drivers in managing heavier vehicles safely.

The exemption means that fleets can introduce more practical EV models without needing drivers with a Class 2 licence.

As an example, previously Class 1 licence holders could drive the smallest (6t) version of the JAC Truck EV range (the N60 EV). The exemption will now allow them to drive the 7.5t N75 EV model.

Andrew Craw, General Manager of JAC New Zealand says the exemption provides more options for potential EV light duty customers.

“The new exemption for EV Trucks represents a huge opportunity for the industry to transition to EV as it takes away the barrier of having to have a Class 2 Licence for even more use cases for EV Trucks.

“JAC now has two variants of EV Truck that can be driven on a Class 1 Licence with both the N60ev (6T GVM) and the N75ev (7.5T GVM).

“We’ve already seen good uptake of the N60ev in areas such as food distribution, so the increase in potential payload is a great opportunity to get even more efficiency out of each run.”

The Fuso eCanter also meets the requirements of the exemption with the 7.5t model now able be driven by a person with a Class 1 licence.

“Refrigerated transport, building supplies, traffic management and waste collection operators are the industries that want to move to the eCanter 8, but have been held back from our current licencing rule. This now creates an opportunity for change to the future,” says Sophie Song, Marketing Manager for Keith Andrews Trucks.

NEWS “With this exemption the eCanter will be able to carry the same payload as its equivalent diesel vehicle, but still be driven by a Class 1 driver.

“We are thankful to NZTA and MOT and the ministers who can see that we need to look for solutions in legislation. Financial assistance helps but can only get us so far on the journey to a zeroemission future.”

The purpose of this class exemption is to improve commercial operators’ access to BEV’s with improved safety features and provides the sector an opportunity to makes gains in the decarbonisation of their fleet, while the government considers the growing demand for BEVs in the land transport system.

The exemption is a response to the current driver licensing system being a challenge to the introduction of EVs, imposing compliance costs on industry for no safety benefit.

This is a temporary solution while potential wider changes to the Driver Licensing Rule are progressed.

This new JAC N60EV has gone to work for Woolworths New Zealand, making emissions-free grocery deliveries to Wellington customers.

Windrose hits the show circuit NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST WINDROSE E1400 ELECTRIC long haul truck has been getting to see a lot of the country.

The China-built truck has been on show duty in the early weeks of the year, appearing at the Bombay Truck Show and Kamo Touch a Truck events before heading south to go on display at the TMC Trucking Industry Show in Christchurch on March 7-8.

The truck landed in New Zealand at the end of last year and Aucklandbased distributor Etrucks says the first series production models are due in February 2026.

“The interest is very high,” says Etrucks director Ross Linton.

“More than any other electric truck, it hits the trifecta of duration, weight and price.”

Linton recently travelled to China to confirm build slots and the final spec details for New Zealand’s first E1400s.

The E1400 is named as a reference to its peak 1400hp power output. It has a 729kWh CABL lithium iron phosphate battery pack and will be able to work in either B-Train or quad semi configuration at up to 58t GCM on HPMV permits. Overseas testing at 49t has achieved an estimated driving range of 670km.

Intermediate charging plays an important role in the long haul capability of the E1400. It’s estimated a 35-minute fast charge session provides up to 400km of operation.

There’s also a variant with a 352kWh battery, lower tare weight and a range estimated at 300km.

The actual E1400 on trial in New Zealand can claim to be a widelytravelled truck. It completed an Auckland-Wellington loop soon after landing here, but the same truck has been used for evaluation and demo work in both the USA and Australia.

“That truck has been across the `States and down the East Coast of Australia. It’s done a bit,” Ross says.

At its local truck show appearances the Windrose was attracting plenty of interest with a steady stream of visitors checking out its sliding doors, central driving position, and the hi-tech cabin and display layout.

The Windrose E1400 on show at the Bombay Truck Show.

Truck & Driver | 3

NEWS

Desert Road open after big rebuild TRAFFIC BEGAN MOVING THROUGH THE DESERT Road section of State Highway 1 on Friday February 14, after a two-month closure for major repairs.

The reopening is an important milestone for the Tīrau to Waiouru Accelerated Maintenance programme, New Zealand’s largest and most ambitious road maintenance project. The highway between Tūrangi and Waiouru (including the Desert Road) closed to traffic on January 13, with the works meeting the anticipated two-month timeframe.

Roger Brady, Regional Manager of Maintenance and Operations for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA), says a large amount of work has been achieved in a short time.

“In just over eight weeks NZ Transport Agency contractors have rebuilt and repaired 28 lane kilometres of road, which is 12 lane kms more than planned, and completely rebuilt the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge, 23 kilometres south of Rangipō,” Mr Brady says.

This maintenance work forms part of the government’s $2.07 billion investment into road and drainage renewal and maintenance across 2024-27 via the State Highway Pothole Prevention fund.

“By doing the work under full road closures, more invasive construction methods can be used which would not be possible under stop/go traffic management. It means SH1 is being brought up to a higher standard quickly, and New Zealanders can get back on a quality road surface sooner,” Mr Brady says.

In the week before the reopening, the team was laying an average of 500 tonnes asphalt per day.

While SH1 was closed the detour (from north to south) was via SH41, SH47, SH4, SH49 and back to SH1 in Waiouru. This added around 35-40 minutes to journeys.

NZTA advises there will be further works required to finish the final surface on the Desert Road later in the year. This work will, wherever possible, be done at night. The scheduling is still being worked through for when this 4 | Truck & Driver

Main: There are 28 lane kilometres of rebuilt and repaired road as a result of the two-month Desert Rd closure.

Below: The condition of the Desert Rd before the work began in January.

Bottom: A major part of the repair project was rebuilding the deck of the Mangatoetoenui Bridge, 23km south of Rangipō.

final surfacing will be done.

Across the wider SH1 project, including the central and southern Waikato, work is now complete on 86.78km lane kms (since September 2024).

At times there have been 32 contracting firms at work on the project, which has required approximately 162,609 tonnes of aggregate. Combined workforce hours for the road crews is now estimated at 85,000 hours on the project.

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NEWS This is how the Iveco brand came together back in 1975, combining Fiat, Unic, OM and Magirus Deutz brands.

50-year celebrations for Iveco AMONG THE MAJOR TRUCK INDUSTRY MILESTONES for 2025 is the 50th anniversary of the Iveco brand.

Iveco’s journey began in 1975 with the union of five leading European industrial vehicle manufacturers: Fiat Veicoli Industriali (which included Officine Meccaniche and Lancia Veicoli Speciali), the French Unic marque and German company Magirus-Deutz.

Together, they combined over 150 years of engineering expertise and innovation under one name: Iveco, an acronym of Industrial Vehicles Corporation.

Today Iveco has become one of the world’s largest and most recognised commercial vehicle brands with a manufacturing footprint that includes seven production sites and eight research and development centres in Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America.

These facilities are supported by global dealer network with 3,500 sales and service outlets supporting customers in over 150 countries.

To mark the 50-year milestone, a series of events will be held throughout the year including a four-day celebration at Iveco’s Turin, Italy headquarters from June 12-15 under the theme ‘50xBeyond’.

“Over the past 50 years, Iveco has thrived through collaboration and innovation. Our success is a testament to the collective effort of everyone who has been part of our journey – our employees, dealers, customers and partners,” says Luca Sra, President, Truck Business Unit, Iveco Group.

Iveco has announced it will also mark this significant milestone with the release of Limited Edition light and heavy vehicles bearing specially designed commemorative liveries.

The Limited Edition Iveco S-Way will be officially launched in May at the MotoGP round in Misano, Italy. Available in three colours, it will feature distinctive elements including a commemorative sticker, Anniversary logo and gold grille, as well as customised interiors.

Rest zones resuming

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THE NZI FLEET FIT TRUCKIE REST ZONE programme gets started for 2025 in Picton on Wednesday April 2.

The Rest Zone events are a chance to truck drivers to take a break with a complimentary snack and drink while talking to NZI’s experienced Fleet Risk Managers. There is a chance to learn about fatigue issues, healthy diet choices and free health checks are available.

NZI Truckie Rest Zones are delivered by NZI’s experienced team of who work to improve safety and performance via the NZI Fleet Fit programme. Fatigue is a major cause of road accidents and NZI wants to support drivers to get home safe.

Interislander has confirmed as a partner for the April event which takes place at the Interislander Commercial Truck Zone at Picton. The Rest Zone will operate 11:00am – 1:00pm and 3:30pm – 5:30pm.

Further locations and dates for later in the year will be announced soon.

The NZI Truckie Rest Zone are a chance for drivers to revive and learn about fatigue and health issues.

Truck & Driver | 7

NEWS

The 10-litre X10 joins the HELM line-up of multi-fuel engine platforms.

Cummins debuts new X10 range A NEW 10-LITRE ENGINE IS JOINING THE CUMMINS line-up with a global launch event at the Work Truck Show at Indianapolis on March 4.

The much anticipated X10 is a mid-bore heavy-duty engine which replaces both the L9 and X12 engine platforms.

The X10 is part of the Cummins HELM (Higher Efficiency, Lower emissions and Multiple fuels) platform, an approach that allows customers to choose the fuel type (diesel, natural gas or hydrogen) that best suits their needs.

“Designed to replace the L9 and X12 platforms, the X10 brings robust capabilities, exceptional durability and unmatched versatility to customers looking for heavy-duty performance in a more compact, efficient package,” says Jose Samperio, Vice President – North American On-Highway Engine Business.

“We’re confident the X10 will offer our customers the right engine to help them meet their operational goals.”

Cummins X10 provides two ratings sets to offer customers flexibility when powering their vehicles. For heavy-duty applications, the X10 delivers up to 450hp and 1,650 lb-ft of torque. For applications requiring

a medium-duty package, the X10 delivers ratings up to 380hp and 1,250 lb-ft of torque.

Cummins says the X10 boasts a class-leading power-to-weight ratio, offering customers a combination of exceptional performance and efficiency, designed to enhance productivity without weighing down vehicles.

For those needing flexibility in how power is used, the X10 provides increased Power Take-Off (PTO) capability of 590 lb-ft continuous and up to 664 lb-ft intermittent, providing vocational truck customers with enhanced power and versatility. This increased PTO output allows for more efficient operation of auxiliary equipment.

The engine will pair with transmission options including fully integrated powertrain offerings from the Eaton Cummins Joint Venture, ensuring smooth shifting and maximum uptime. When combined with Cummins Drivetrain and Braking Systems, including drivelines and axles, the X10 delivers a performance-driven solution, ensuring power is transferred efficiently to the wheels for maximum durability and control across diverse applications.

Cummins plans to launch the X10 in 2027, following extensive validation through millions of miles of on-road testing in real-world applications.

Traffic lights at Bombay bottleneck NEW TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT SOUTH AUCKLAND’S Bombay Interchange and the adjacent BP Bombay service centre exit were brought into operation at the beginning of March.

NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) began work in September last year to address safety and access concerns at the Bombay Interchange off-ramps and the Bombay service centre exit on Mill Road.

Regional Manager Transport Services Stephen Collett says early engagement with the Franklin Local Board on the SH1 Papakura to Bombay project had highlighted local concerns, and investigations undertaken in response had determined that traffic lights were needed at the interchange in the short term to improve safety.

In the longer term, a full upgrade of Bombay Interchange is planned as part of Stage 2 of the Papakura to Bombay project that will include widening the Mill Road overbridge across SH1 and the approaches each side to four lanes, which will address more capacity constraints.

“We know that installing traffic lights now will not resolve all existing issues, however, the lights will provide immediate and significant safety benefits for motorists using the interchange and service centre. The lights will 8 | Truck & Driver

also enable NZTA to manage queue lengths on the southbound off-ramp to prevent them backing up onto the motorway, as can happen at evening peak times” says Mr Collett.

“It’s great to be able to do something now to help make this busy interchange and service centre safer and more accessible for the many locals and inter-regional travellers that use it every day.”

As part of installing the traffic lights, the project team also widened part of the road, built new traffic islands, relocated underground utility infrastructure and installed new drainage, signs and road markings.

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Toyota advances Fuel Cell efficiency

TOYOTA MOTOR CORPOR ATION (TOYOTA) HAS Other gains include an improvement in fuel efficiency of 1.2x that of the announced the development of its third-generation fuel cell system (3rd prior generation, allowing for a 20% more cruising range and significant Gen FC System), as part of its continued efforts toward the realisation of cost reduction through innovations in cell design and manufacturing a hydrogen society. processes.

The all-new 3rd Gen FC System is designed to meet the particular The 3rd Gen FC System can be installed in a variety of commercial needs of the commercial sector with the same durability as conventional vehicles, passenger cars, and general-purpose applications, such as diesel-powered engines. stationary generators, rail, and ships. For passenger vehicles, the improved Additionally, the new system features significant improvements in fuel efficiency provides greater cruising range for further peace of mind. performance, including fuel efficiency gains and a significant reduction in For heavy-duty commercial vehicles, the new FC system offers a level costs compared to the prior generation version. of durability comparable to diesel engines and high power. In addition, by In addition to passenger vehicles, the 3rd Gen FC System will be designing the system to be more compact, it can be more easily integrated expanded for use in heavy-duty commercial vehicles, and is planned for into various commercial vehicles. introduction in markets mainly in Japan, Europe, North America, and China after 2026 at the earliest.

Toyota’s Gen 3 hydrogen Fuel Cell is more compact and more efficient than the The 3rd Gen FC System was unveiled at the recent previous generation.

H2 & FC EXPO (International Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Expo) in Tokyo, Japan.

Toyota views hydrogen as an important fuel in pursuit of carbon neutrality and is actively collaborating with partners across various industries. Toyota has been promoting various initiatives in the areas of “Create, Transport, Store, and Use” hydrogen in relation to its R&D activities.

To further accelerate the use cases and adoption of FC technology to achieve a hydrogen society, the continuous evolution of FC technology is necessary, and this 3rd Gen FC system represents a significant stepchange.

Toyota has been an early pioneer in automotive FC technology. In 2014, Toyota launched the MIRAI fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV),and has since sold approximately 28,000 units across more than 30 countries and territories.

Additionally, since 2019, Toyota began supplying FC systems for use in other applications, such as buses, railroads, and stationary power generators, supplying more than 2,700 units to more than 100 customers globally.

In Japan, Toyota works with many partners, particularly in Tokyo and Fukushima prefectures, to implement these systems in the commercial sector and help create a hydrogen society. The new 3rd Gen FC System was developed based on customer feedback and insights from proof-of-concepts and demonstration tests over the past several years.

The main attributes of the 3rd Gen FC System will include an improvement in durability - up to two times that of the prior generation - achieving durability comparable to diesel engines and maintenance-free design.

Truck & Driver | 11

NEWS

The Bombay Truck Show filled the Bombay Rugby Club grounds and surrounding property.

Bombay Truck Show raises $145K MORE THAN $145,000 HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO deserving charities and community groups following the success of the third Transfleet Trailers/ Allied Petroleum Bombay Truck Show held in January.

The three main beneficiaries of the January 18 show are Franklin Hospice, Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand, and the Bombay Rugby Club, each group receiving $42,500 from the show organisers.

Cheque presentations were made by truck show committee members Marieka Morcombe and Hayden Woolston, who visited the three organisations on February 28.

“Handing over this money, listening to the stories of how much this money means and what sorts of things it will be spent on, has made us realise we are making real difference to a lot of people,” says Marieka.

“It’s a great feeling to see the truck show bank account growing steadily over the year-long lead up to the big day, then getting to hit send on those payments.

“I don’t know what it was, but it felt bigger this year. I don’t think it was just about the amount of money, it was more about the relationships we’ve formed with each of them since the first show in 2020.

“There is some really exciting progress in trials happening here in New Zealand with the treatment of Leukaemia and Blood Cancer, and while we know our contribution is probably only a drop in the bucket in the big scheme of things, it’s certainly a great feeling knowing that we are helping.”

Four other groups will also benefit from the truck show fundraising efforts.

The Bombay Netball Club and Bombay Junior Rugby Club are sharing $13,982.70 from the gate takings.

12 | Truck & Driver

“We also managed to make a couple of extra donations this year,” says Marieka.

“Bombay School receives $1500 towards new maths equipment and Counties Manukau Rugby gets $2500 towards its fee free initiative for junior rugby players.”

With those donations the total amount distributed into the community from this year’s show is a massive $145,482.70. The figure takes the total funds raised from the three shows to over $296,000.

“We are so thankful for the wonderful donation from the Bombay Truck Show,” says Franklin Hospice CEO Lynette Donohoe.

“Franklin Hospice receives just over 50% of its running costs from Health NZ, so to have community donations such as this allows us to continue to offer services to our patients and their whanau.

“Thank you to the sponsors, all the folks who attended and of course the Bombay Truck Show organisers,” Lynette says.

The Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand was again thrilled to again be chosen as a beneficiary of the 2025 Bombay Truck Show.

“With eight Kiwis diagnosed daily with blood cancer or related conditions, the generous $42,500 donation directly supports our mission to care and vision to cure,” says CEO Tim Edmonds.

“These funds go towards us being able to provide crucial support to patients and families navigating a challenging cancer journey, while advancing research and advocacy efforts nationwide.

“Thank you to everyone that made this possible.”

KIW

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DEL & LO

Above: Franklin Hospice team members (left to right) Cailtin Davies, Jackie Thompson, Helen Lees, Alison Daldy, Jude Balle, Lynette Donohoe (CEO), and Sharon Amundsen presented with the Bombay Truck show donation by Marieka Morcombe and Hayden Wooiston..

Top right: James McRobbie, Bombay Rugby Club President, with Marieka and Hayden.

Each of the cheques display $41,500, but the actual figure deposited is $42,500.

Right: Hayden and Marieka present the cheque to Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand leaders Tim Edmonds (CEO), Jaidan Mason, Rachel Sims, and Faye Holahan.

Marieka says the three main cheques were presented on the same day.

“We finished up at the Bombay Rugby Club for a proper celebration. It was important to me that the Bombay Rugby Club locals understood how much their support means in running this show.

“We are a small committee of four, but having this huge army behind us is what really makes it all possible.

“We also made a little presentation to Leaderbrand [who grow crops on the property].

“They are also a huge part of making the show happen. Without their support it would be a tiny little truck show,” Marieka says. “We are hugely

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thankful to the Leaderbrand team.”

“I’d also like to thank our three main charity beneficiaries. They give a lot back to us as well by really embracing the show. They come along to support it and they make a big effort to be part of the event.

“I still can’t believe we have done three shows and each one is slightly different.

“In the back of my mind, the first one might always be my favourite but this last one was epic. It was just missing one person, he would have loved it too.”

The fourth Bombay Truck Show is planned for early 2027 with a date to be announced later this year.

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NEWS

Volvo leads European market New Volvo models took the marque to the top of the European sales charts in 2024.

VOLVO TRUCKS HAS TAKEN OVER AS EUROPE’S market leader in heavy truck sales.

In 2024 there were 56,331 Volvo Trucks registered in the Europe region, earning the marque leadership in the region for the first time ever with an overall market share of 17.9%.

Europe’s heavy truck segment is defined as 16t (GVM) and above and the region includes major non-EU countries including the UK, Switzerland and Norway.

The markets with the most registered Volvo trucks during the year were UK, France, Germany, Poland and Spain. ”This is clear proof that our customers appreciate the fuel efficiency, safety and

uptime of our trucks and that we have a very attractive product offering,” says Roger Alm, President Volvo Trucks.

“Our new FH Aero trucks that were launched in 2024 are just outstanding.

These trucks are available with electric, gas and diesel powertrains and they have quickly become very popular on the market. Transport companies choose Volvo because our products and services help them grow their business and reduce CO2.”

Globally, Volvo Trucks increased its market share in 25 countries in 2024. In Brazil, Volvo became the market leader in heavy trucks for the third year in a row with a market share of 23.7%. In Australia, Volvo’s market share was 18.2% and in North America (US and Canada) Volvo Trucks had a market share of 10.5% (10.2% 2023).

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NEWS

Isuzu on track with Supercars activation THE 13-ROUND SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON which began at Sydney in February sees the PremiAir Racing Chevrolet Camaros of Kiwi Richie Stanaway and team-mate James Golding carrying increased support from Isuzu Australia Limited (IAL).

This marks the second season that Isuzu Trucks and Isuzu Power Solutions has partnered with the Peter Xiberras-owned team, based on the Gold Coast.

Following a successful first year with the team, Isuzu is expanding its involvement, becoming a major team sponsor for the full 2025 season.

A key element of the partnership will be the continuation of the Isuzu Technician placement programme which enables eight technicians from Isuzu’s dealer network to join the race team on selected weekends, providing them with valuable hands-on experience.

“PremiAir Racing shares our commitment to excellence, and in the competitive world of Supercars, it offers a fantastic opportunity for Isuzu Trucks and Isuzu Power Solutions to engage with our mutual audiences,” says John Walker, Head of Marketing and Customer Experience at Isuzu Australia.

“2025 is a milestone year for Isuzu Trucks, with all new models set to hit the Australian market later in the year. PremiAir Racing will play a vital role in our showcases on and off the track.

“The technician programme also has great benefits for our Dealer Network technicians, giving them insights and new skills that they can take back to their roles within the Isuzu network — all of which flow through to providing a better service for our customers.”

The 2025 season introduces several changes to the Supercars Championship.

Queensland Raceway returns to the calendar, expanding the series to 13 rounds

for a total of 34 races—10 more than in 2024. An Endurance Cup will be awarded for the two-driver races at The Bend in September and Bathurst in October.

The biggest change is a football-style finals format. After the Bathurst race, the top 10 drivers’ points standings will be reset, and the championship will be decided over the final seven individual races.

The season culminates with the top four drivers battling it out on the streets of Adelaide on November 30.

Kiwi Richie Stanaway with his Isuzu Trucks supported PremiAir Racing Chevrolet Camaro.

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NEWS

Hi-tech 8x8 for Auckland Airport

AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAS BEEN putting its impressive new Panther 52.1400 8x8 fire rescue truck through its paces since it arrived in February.

Built and supplied by Rosenbauer International of Austria, the Panther 8x8 was scheduled to be fully commissioned by mid-March and join the fleet of four Panther 6x6 appliances in service with Airport Emergency Services (AES) at Auckland Airport since 2014.

The truck is specifically designed for the fire-fighting challenges presented by the latest generation Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 aircraft, with its key feature being the Stinger high-reach extendable turret (HRET) which operates like a crane boom equipped with a highpowered water cannon. It can pierce an aircraft’s fuselage to create an internal sprinkler system during emergencies, delivering up to 6000 litres per minute.

At the front of the truck the Rosenbauer RM15 C turret can deliver 2000 litres per minute.

The Panther 8x8 is also equipped with built-in thermal imaging cameras and a host of other safety and high-tech features for the crew of three.

Powering the Panther 8x8 are two 700hp Volvo D16 Euro V engines (combined 1400hp) driving to a 7-speed Allison automatic transmission.

The Panther has a top speed of 135kph and rides on huge 445/80 R25 tyres with a tyre pressure control system.

The 8x8 is 12m long, 3m wide and 4m tall and it can carry 12,000 litres of water, 1500 litres of foam and 250kg of dry powder. It’s maximum operating weight is 52t.

Airport Emergency Services operates a mix of first responder vehicles designed for tasks ranging from marine rescues to medical events at the terminal.

Truck & Driver | 17

NEWS Rowe Motors were well represented and its new Scania R 620 heavy salvage truck was a prize winner.

Taking a cruise at the racecourse THE CHUFF AND CLATTER OF VINTAGE TRACTORS, farm machinery and stationary engines provided the background soundtrack to a successful local truck show in Tauranga on Saturday March 8.

Truck rides and a display at the Tauranga Racecourse were a new addition this year alongside the popular Tauranga Vintage Machinery Club show which attracted a big turnout of both enthusiasts and young families.

Former Taylor Bros. Transport driver Terry Hobart is a Vintage Machinery Club member, and he saw the opportunity to showcase some trucks alongside the old machinery.

“The Tauranga Vintage Machinery Club has run this show most years,” says Terry.

“I put the word out and we ended up with 47 trucks on the day.

“One thing that Taylor Bros. used to do was give rides to the public. That’s

hard with Health and Safety these days, but the racecourse was a controlled environment where we could put four kids in a truck and just take a nice slow lap around.”

From there the idea blossomed and it was decided to also use the event to raise awareness and some money for Kidney Health Month and Live Kidney Donation Aotearoa.

“One of our drivers, Jason Saunders was born with one kidney and its failing. He’s on dialysis 12 hours a day and he can’t work,” says Terry.

“There are 500 people in New Zealand waiting for a kidney transplant, so we were trying to raise awareness around how people can consider donating a kidney.”

Along with Taylor Bros Transport, other supporters to jump onboard included Fulton Hogan and McFall Fuels, who put up $550 prize money

There was a steady queue of children - and some adults keen to take a ride in a Taylor Bros. Transport truck.

18 | Truck & Driver

NEWS

Clockwise from top left: Brett Marsh Transport arrived in force.. Alf Williamson has been busy at summer truck shows with his CAT powered Foden...

The truck show was a new addition to the Tauranga Vintage Machinery Club show... Familar names in BOP Transport supported the show - Colin Amrein Contractors, Tauranga Livestock, Pollock Cranes and Taylor Bros. Transport. across the People’s Choice, Best American, Best European and Best Japanese truck categories.

“Lee-Ann Taylor did a huge amount of work behind the scenes organising things to make it all happen,” says Terry.

The Saturday saw a constant line of children – and quite a few adults – queuing up to take a $5 truck ride around the racecourse.

“At one stage there were five trucks cruising around the racecourse,” says Terry.

“It’s something I’m really keen on because it’s how we can recruit drivers in the future.

“We’ve had a lot of feedback on how much people enjoyed the event,” says Terry.

Along with the truck rides the interactive activities included a chance to look inside the new Scania R 620 belonging to the Tauranga Livestock fleet.

Driver Grant Sellars says he spent seven hours cleaning the truck the previous day.

“I would have been disappointed if only three or four people wanted to take a look inside,” Grant says.

Instead, his efforts were rewarded by a steady stream of people climbing the steps to a close look at how the inside of a modern livestock truck is designed.

The public vote for Best Rig was won by the Rowe Motors 6x6 military Mack.

HEB Contractors won the Best Japanese truck with its Hino transporter and the Best American truck was the Grasshopper Transport Kenworth K200.

Rowe Motors also won the best European prize with its newly completed Scania R 620 heavy salvage truck.

Tauranga’s Brett Marsh Transport was judged the Best Turned Out Fleet on the day.

Truck & Driver | 19

NEWS The new Volvo VNR line-up will eventually be available with diesel, battery electric, and hydrogen powertrains.

Volvo launches North American VNR range

20 | Truck & Driver

CO2 emissions through enhanced aerodynamics, powertrain innovations and Eco-roll technology that will disengage the driveline on a downhill grade and let the truck roll for an optimal amount of time to help save energy.

Powertrain enhancements on the all-new Volvo VNR account for 3% of the up to 7.5% fuel efficiency improvement thanks to the next-generation D13 VGT (Variable Geometry Turbo) engine, standard on the Volvo VNR. A range of new safety features includes Volvo Active Driver Assist with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning. Integrated cab-mounted side curtain airbags are available on both the driver and passenger side. The Advanced safety and visibility features make the VNR well suited for urban areas with many pedestrians.

The fully integrated Camera Monitor System allows for smaller, more aerodynamic cab-mounted mirrors versus the large, traditional mirrors.

The Camera Monitor System provides superior visibility and supports safe manoeuvring for the driver.

The all-new Volvo VNR is available in a variety of configurations, including 4x2, 6x2, and 6x4 tractors. It comes in variants ranging from the manoeuvrable VNR 300 all the way up to the premium VNR 660, suited for regional but also long-haul trips.

Production of the new Volvo VNR will take place at the Volvo Trucks New River Valley Plant in Dublin, Virginia, with sales starting in the coming months.

TD34167

VOLVO TRUCKS HAS PUT ALL OF ITS LATEST technologies to the fore in the development of the all-new Volvo VNR for the North American regional haul market.

The VNR is built on Volvo’s new platform, making the new truck more fuel efficient, safer and more versatile. It’s the second truck model to be launched on Volvo’s all-new platform, following the introduction of the new long-haul Volvo VNL model in early 2024.

The new truck features a 90% redesign versus its predecessor including new efficient technologies and improved aerodynamics. This contributes to reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 7.5% compared to the outgoing VNR model.

The new platform is designed for all future propulsion technologies, including battery-electric, fuel cell and internal combustion engines running on renewable fuels, including hydrogen.

Also, a new 24-volt electrical architecture and active safety features introduced in this new generation of Volvo trucks will be the standard for the future commercialisation of fully autonomous trucks.

“The all-new Volvo VNR was designed specifically for the demanding nature of regional and urban delivery,” says Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America.

“Together, the street-smart VNR and our flagship VNL can address a wide range of fleet operational needs.”

With the new VNR model, Volvo has reduced fuel consumption and

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Story Colin Smith Photos Gerald Shacklock

BIG TEST

The first new Western Star 48X at work in New Zealand belongs to Berkett Earthmovers of Napier.

Truck & Driver | 23

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It’s a steep climb up Okaihau Rd to the Berkett Aggregates quarry.

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TD35138

NCE AGAIN NEW ZEALAND TRUCK & DRIVER HAS HEADED east to go west. Towards the East Coast to test a new Western Star that is.

This is the third time since 2018 a Big Test story has started from Napier for the test of a Western Star. But this time the product is all-new – the very first of the new generation X-Series models to go to work in New Zealand.

The 48X in Day Cab 8x4 spec belongs to Napier-based Berkett Earthmovers. It went to work a couple of weeks before Christmas, joining a small truck fleet and a CAT exclusive heavy equipment operation which is busy on civil works around Hawke’s Bay. Owner Brendon Berkett makes it clear the company priority is earthmoving, rather than trucks.

“We hate trucks,” Brendon says with a grin.

And Operations Manager Mike Beattie continues the theme.

“We see trucks as a necessary evil,” Mike says.

“Sometimes I think their main job is to drive around town and do our advertising for us.”

It’s a bit of a laugh of course, but it’s also an accurate assessment of the relatively small role that trucks – two Freightliner Cascadia 6x4s, a 1997 Kenworth K100E transporter, and now the new 48X – play in the overall Berkett Earthmovers operation.

Because alongside the four big trucks there are about 30 modern CAT machines – diggers, `dozers and Moxys – plus all the necessary gear to support them.

Brendon and Vikki Berkett founded the company in late 2012.

“I was a cop for about six years, and I left the police for a better lifestyle,” Brendon says.

But earthmoving is a major part of the family history with his father Ray being in the earthmoving business for many years while Brendon’s brother Shane owns Berkett Aggregates, and the two firms work together closely.

“I did work for my old man driving diggers when I was young, and I also drove trucks for Bruce Hill Transport back in the day,” says Brendon.

“We started [Berkett Earthmovers] with one digger and a year later I bought my first truck – a little Isuzu four-wheeler.

“Now we’ve got 30 machines and all the other stuff to go with it. We bought a couple of new CAT D6s last year and we’ve probably doubled in size since 2022,” Brendon says.

Nearly all the work is local in the Napier, Hastings, and Central Hawke’s Bay regions and includes river and foreshore erosion projects, residential developments and large retaining walls.

“We’ve just done the earthworks for the new Olympic size swimming pool complex in Hastings,” says Brendon.

The company relies on sub-contractors for much of its transport needs, but having some in-house tippers is beneficial to the workflow.

Initially the role was filled by a pair of 350hp Freightliner Columbias.

Those trucks were two years old when both – and about 10 machines – were lost to flooding at Berkett’s Awatoto yard as Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the region in February 2023.

A 500hp Freightliner Cascadia 6x4 was bought as a replacement, followed soon after by a 600hp version.

“We actually didn’t know the 600hp was available, or we would have got one the first time,” says Brendon.

For a company that says it `hates trucks’, the purchasing process with Penske salesman Darren Salt for the new 48X was mainly about emotion. And was almost instantaneous.

“Darren came in here with a brochure and we said: `that looks cool.

We’ll have that. Is it available’?” says Brendon.

Availability was certainly a key part of this deal. The truck was a Penske NZ demo unit, and it was available. Brendon was well aware of the lead times for some other truck brands.

“We signed it up from seeing the pamphlet,” Brendon says.

Brendon says he wanted a truck that stood out from the crowd.

“Everyone has got Mitsis or Kenworths, but the Freightliners are something different and they look cool. Same with the Western Star,” he says.

“It’s cool to have something different that no-one else has got. We are stoked with it,” he says.

Brendon says the 48X fits with the image and culture at Berkett Earthmovers.

“It’s our staff who make us look good. They look after the gear and it’s all mint. All of our utes (a fleet of black Isuzu D-Maxs) look Truck & Driver | 25

Far left: The Western Star 48X is the being driven by Shaun Millard.

Left: There’s plenty of room for some wide steps between the steer axles.

Below: An Ali-Arc bumper gives the 48X an imposing stance.

immaculate, and the trucks have just got a small motif on them which looks good.”

The new 48X runs the 600hp variant of the 15.6-litre Detroit DD16 six-cylinder producing 2050 lb-ft of torque at 1120rpm. It’s paired up with an Eaton Roadranger RTLO 22918B 18-speed manual, a 4.30:1 final drive ratio and Airliner rear suspension.

With the deal signed up the 48X then went to Whangarei’s Morgan Engineering to fit a 6.5m rock bin. It’s an all-steel bin for hauling large rocks, boasting an 8mm thick steel floor and 6mm sides. A big part of the truck’s workload is hauling the big rocks being used in foreshore and river work.

“We are carting some big rocks. Sometimes it might be only five to eight rocks in a load. The build probably costs us 1 tonne of tare weight, but the bins are really sturdy and there’s no dents in them,” Brendon says.

“Morgan Engineering do a very good job for us.”

The four-axle trailer is also a steel Morgan, built to the same rock spec. After the 48X arrived there was a reshuffle in the tipper fleet so the 500hp Cascadia is now working truck-only at jobs where the access is more restricted. The newest of the two trailers is paired with the 48X. The other stopover for the truck before it went to work was in Whanganui, where the impressive Ali Arc Industries front bumper was fitted.

“Because it was a demo it’s got quite a bit of bling on it,” says Brendon.

“But we haven’t worried about lots of lights and things like that because it’s only working 10 hours a day.”

The new 48X is being driven by Shaun Millard, known in the company as `Marmite’.

26 | Truck & Driver

“He started as a labourer with us about five years ago, but he already had his licenses. When we got the Freightliners, I said to him; `there you go, jump in one of those’,” Brendon says.

We catch up with Shaun at the Awatoto depot just after 7am and after some detail photography we head away empty on a superb midFebruary Hawke’s Bay morning.

Our destination is almost an hour away at Waimarama Beach, where Berkett Aggregates operates a limestone quarry on the hill at Okaihau Rd. Shaun tells us he is a third generation truck driver.

“When I was growing up I‘d go with Dad [Geoff, or `Puku’ as he is better known] in his truck every school holiday. He’s been driving since he was 19 and both my grandads were truck drivers as well,” says Shaun.

Shaun has just turned 30. He achieved his Class 4 license six years ago and has held Class 5 for two years.

“I stated here as a labourer, but I told Brendon I had my wheels, tracks, rollers, and my Class 4 [licenses]. I wanted to get into earthmoving, but I probably knew more about trucks than diggers,” he says.

When the Freightliner Columbias arrived, Shaun was given the chance to drive one. He also drove a Fuso 510 rental for a short time before the replacement Cascadias arrived, and he’s always happy to jump on a digger or bulldozer.

Above: bug deflector is a recent addition to the new Western Star.

“I can jump on a roller or one of the water cart trucks if needed, it doesn’t worry me,” Shaun says.

“I was also in the transporter for about eight months after the cyclone.

“It’s a lot of fun jumping in the Kenworth with the CAT 3406 in it. I like the sound of the CAT motors and the distinctive sound of the turbos on the 3406. It’s got a nice sound to it,” he says.

Both Columbias were manual transmission, the two Cascadias are automatic and the move into the Western Star puts Shaun back in a manual truck again.

“This is the first time I’ve driven truck and trailer in manual. I’m still learning,” he says.

It’s an easy run out of Napier in moderate traffic but after crossing the Tukituki River bridge the Waimarama road becomes narrow and twisty.

There are road works, steady traffic, hairpin bends and some steep hills.

Shaun says he’s particularly cautious in the narrowest sections.

“It’s the oncoming traffic I really worry about. Especially on a day like today because Waimarama is the go-to beach for Napier and Hastings and you get a lot of travellers coming out this way,” he says.

He says he’s enjoying the 48X. “I haven’t driven that many trucks, but this one is pretty quiet, it’s comfortable and it’s got plenty of power,” says Shaun.

“The auto in the Cascadia made most of the driving pretty cruisy but I prefer the manual, especially in the quarry and anywhere that it gets slippery because you have more control,” he says.

“The rear [Airliner] suspension is good because I can dump the airbags when I tip off the rocks.”

The trip to the quarry is a typical run for the 48X. “We’re always coming out to the quarry to bring back the large

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Above left: Brendon Berkett’s company has four big trucks and runs a fleet of 30 CAT machines.

Above right: Company graphics on the doors give the Western Star a clean and simple appearance.

TD34932

Below: There’s a wide mix of road conditions in the Hawke’s Bay.

Truck & Driver | 29

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limestone rocks and the lime overs to keep the yard [ACM’s yard in Severn St] stocked,” says Shaun.

“We’ve done a lot of big ones [rocks] out to Clifton Beach and a lot of work around bridges and reinstatement jobs.

“Sometimes we bring out a load of contaminated soil to dump at the quarry and we also do a bit of tree work and cart a small amount of sand.”

There have been a number of things to get used to in the switch to the 48X. “You’re sitting up quite a lot higher than in the Freightliner. I like the mirrors, they’re good but there’s a bit of a blind spot through the A-pillar,” says Shaun.

“It rides well when it’s empty and I think it sits better on the road than the Freightliners. That could just be the twin steer. I find the trailer follows along nicely most of the time but there are a few places with big grooves and divots in the roads around here that can flick it [the trailer] around at times.

“The longest trip I’ve done in it so far was up to Auckland to grab a whole lot of GeoGrid [mesh] which we needed in a hurry.

“I went up and back in a day and when I got home there was no ringing in my ears or anything. I don’t mind the longer trips.”

Shaun likes how the 48X feels half-way between the old Freightliner Columbia and the Freightliner Cascadia in terms of its technology level.

It has the Active Brake Assist 5 system, intelligent high beam, rain sensor wipers, and lane departure warning. Being a manual it doesn’t have the Adaptive Cruise Control function.

“The camera [part of the Active Brake Assist 5 system] can pick up some of the big road signs on sharp corners so it’ll brake automatically thinking you’re going to hit something. That puts you into the seat belt,” says Shaun.

The Pre-Trip Inspection function which runs through a remote check sequence on all the exterior lights is a very useful feature according to Shaun.

Above: Deep woodgrain dash has a tidy layout of gauges and controls angled toward the driver.

Below: A driver’s side diesel tank is 454 litres while the AdBlue tank holds 87 litres.

Truck & Driver | 31

Scenic Hawke’s Bay provides a big variety of photo opportunities.

“The layout of the dash works well and it’s easy to scroll through the info display if you need to. There’s a 12-volt cigarette lighter, two USBCs, Bluetooth and everything.”

One of the design aspects of the X-Series is that items such as the steering wheel and layout and the controls and gauges are shared with other modern Daimler Trucks product, most obviously Freightliner.

The tilt and reach adjustable steering wheel has controls for the audio, phone, cruise control and the info display. The right hand stalk controls the engine brake, and the left operates the indicators, lights and high/dip beam.

The high dash is angled around the driver and there are two large storage compartments above the windscreen.

“We’ve got CB, UHF and Bush radio, which comes in handy from time to time. There’s no rattles and the stereo is pretty good,” says Shaun.

“There are quite a few option switches on the dash which is good.

The only one we’re using at the moment runs my beacon light.”

With Shaun having the driver’s seat quite well forward there’s room for a jacket or some wet weather gear to go behind the seat.

32 | Truck & Driver

“The seat is comfortable, and it’s got a folding left hand armrest. It’s not heated or anything and the only thing it doesn’t have is a switch to fully dump all the air out. But it’s easy to adjust.”

Shaun has fitted an accessory fridge between the seats to keep his water bottles cool.

“It’s bungeed in and it sits there nicely,” he says.

“There are a couple of little things I think could be better. I reckon the gearshift could come forward a fraction because when I’m in top gear it feels a bit like I’ve got a `chicken wing’ left arm and it’s not quite where I’d like it.

“But with me being short I’ve probably got the seat further forward than most people would have. It might be sweet for taller guys.”

Shaun has also added a couple of exterior touches of his own.

“I’ve just turned the exhaust tips outwards which I think looks good and the bug defector was only just fitted last weekend.

“I put a black film on the bonnet of the old truck [Columbia] but on this one I’ve not had much glare coming off the bonnet, so you don’t really need it.”

The last part of the empty run out to the quarry is the steep climb up Okaihau Rd. “It goes up the hills well and doesn’t really die at all. It’s got a good range of torque,” Shaun says.

“It’s not really heavy enough to need all the power.

It’s never feels like it’s labouring along.”

We climb at 43kph in 6 Low, using about 1600rpm.

“I haven’t got my foot fully down. Normally I’m in fourth gear coming up the hill loaded, usually 4 Low, and I can split and go to 4 High after coming up through the S-bend.

“Going from 5 Low to 5 High, the split is sometimes a bit crunchy. I don’t know if that’s just me – it only happens occasionally.”

Above: Morgan Engineering steel rock body is built to handle big rocks.

Below: Indicators are integrated just above the dual headlights.

Bottom: Detroit DD16 delivers 600hp and 2050 ft-lb of torque.

Truck & Driver | 33

Shaun does a tare weight check on the quarry weighbridge, gets a load of rocks placed carefully in the truck and trailer and we cross the weighbridge again at 45.5t, which is a 24.5t payload.

“I’d quite like to have scales but whenever we are working out of the quarry we’re going across the weighbridge,” says Shaun.

The placement of the larger rocks in the bin is very important and Shaun says there’s good communication with the loader operators.

“You need them all locked together to stop them rolling around and you need the weight in the right areas. I take it easy with the bigger rocks because you don’t want them rolling into the sides. And I keep the tarps open because it’s possible if rock was to move, it could rip the tarps.”

The return run takes us down the steep incline at Okaihau Rd. It’s stage three of the exhaust brake at 17kph on the steepest section using 1300rpm in 4 Low. “The engine brake holds really well. I take it slow down here because its narrow and there can be other trucks coming up. And there are quite a few walkers on the road who come up from the beach to the lookout.

“The exhaust brake isn’t noisy either which is good when we are working around town.”

As the gradient eases and road widens a little, the speed climbs to 23kph using 1600rpm before stopping at the T-junction and rejoining Waimarama Rd. It’s almost immediately into the sharpest climb on the return run, initially in 5L at 30kph using 1500rpm.

Shaun shifts into 4L and we lug around a hairpin marked with 25kph road signs at 17kph using 1300rpm.

“It’s a narrow 25 kay corner and it’s quite steep,” says Shaun.

As the road straightens again the truck picks up speed on the next straight and Shaun shifts to 5L and we pick up speed to 31kph. It’s a steady climb to the lookout across Waimarama Beach.

With the truck typically working at about 45t and with 600hp there is plenty of performance available for the steep terrain. Shaun is already familiar with the DD16 from driving the Cascadia, but he says the 48X does have some different characteristics.

“One thing I have noticed is the [engine] fan doesn’t come on nearly as much. It must have better airflow under the cab and around the engine, which makes sense because the cab sits up a lot higher. The fan on the Freightliner is coming on all the time but this one barely comes on.”

We make a repeat run to Waimarama to give Hayden a chance to drive the truck and with the second load tipped off there’s time for a short third trip as the Hawke’s Bay afternoon nudges 30degC. We head to the new Parklands subdivision where we wait in a short queue to be loaded with dirt by a CAT 320 excavator. Berkett Earthmovers has plenty of gear working at this site, including a water cart to keep the dust down.

This run shows why moving rocks and dirt around in Hawke’s Bay isn’t all about big weights.

The route to the dump site via Taradale and Puketapu requires a lighter load – staying under a 40t limit because we are crossing the Dartmoor Bailey Bridge where Cyclone Gabrielle washed away the original bridge. The bridge is limited to only 10kph There’s still a lot of cyclone repair work happening on roads in the area and a reminder of the severity of that storm.

The Western Star 48X seems to hit all the requirements of Berkett Earthmovers. It certainly sets them apart with something different while the 600hp performance working at up to 46t and with a four-axle trailer means good versatility, bearing in mind there are plenty of limitations in the region on where heavier trucks can work.

“There wouldn’t be much point in having a five-axle trailer. I can’t get into our Onekawa yard now because it’s so full,” says Shaun.

As a young and still relatively inexperienced driver, Shaun says he’s proud to be driving New Zealand’s first Western Star 48X. “It’s a good truck overall I reckon.

“When I heard we were getting a Western Star, I didn’t realise it was a new one,” he says.

Although he had never driven any Western Star, Shaun says they have been his favourite truck for a few years.

“The old Western Stars were my favourite trucks. I’ve always just liked the look of them.

“So, I’ve kind of got my dream truck in a way. I must have done something right to have a new truck to drive when I turn up at work every day.”

Va

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New

New Heading past Te Mata Peak ready to another load of rock from Waimarama Beach.

New

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Wid

Mo Op Ta

34 | Truck & Driver

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T’S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING FOR WESTERN STAR, BUT THE new generation that brings the marque into the modern world is here.

That’s not saying the older model was bad, just that the new X-Series brings it more to a level playing field with its direct competitors.

As you can see it’s a more stylish look with sleeker lines while still keeping with the rugged look a Western Star is known for.

The truck we are testing is the 48X day cab 8x4 set up with a steel tipper body and matching 4-axle trailer. An 18-speed manual is somewhat a rarity for a test in the modern era.

This new 48X belongs to Berkett Earthmoving in Napier and they’ve arranged a couple of quarry runs on some steep and tight roads for us – and even turned on some brilliant Hawke’s Bay sunshine as well.

I take over my drive from the quarry at Okaihau Rd, which looks over Waimarama Beach.

With regular driver Shaun Millard (Marmite) in the passenger seat, we have a load of Lime Overs and weigh up at 45 tonnes on the weighbridge.

Entry into the cab is good for an American Day Cab with the grab handles well-placed and a much wider opening door than the older models. Once in the cab you can tell the brand has come a long way and that its relationship to the Daimler group really shines through – for example the steering wheel is the same as the Fuso, MercedesBenz and Freightliner just with a Western Star logo in the middle.

36 | Truck & Driver

This isn’t a put down because the buttons and functions on this wheel are ideally positioned, and the older models didn’t even have a button on them.

I really like the interior look inside the cab. They have made it a more modern feel, but you still know you are in an American truck with the gauges and switches lined up on the wraparound dash and plenty of wood grain.

Getting comfortable shouldn’t be hard in this truck but on this test, I’m carrying a leg injury so I have to have my seat far further forward than I would usually. Not a big deal in getting set up but it does give me issues further down the road.

As I pull out of the quarry and run a few kilometres down the steep hill to Waimarama Beach I get through the gears nicely with no issues. It’s a slow cruise all the way down with the engine brake on and this works well holding the truck and trailer back with a bit of help from the service brake.

• SPECIFICATIONS • At the bottom it’s a short run along the beach before we hit the hills, if you haven’t been out to this part of Hawke’s Bay, it’s a lovely drive and beautiful part of the country.

The first hill is the hardest on this run with a steep start then going into a 25kph hairpin corner that you need to use both lanes. As I get down a couple of gears, I absolutely mess up one gear shift and come to a stop.

As mentioned earlier, having the seat so far forward the gear stick is a little too far back for me and my amateur 18-speed experience also shines through.

Its back into first gear and hill start to get the truck back up to speed and around the hairpin.

This is where the Detroit DD16 really shines the 15.6-litre 600hp workhorse out in front has more than enough muscle to get the truck up the hills.

What I do really like about this truck is the vision out the front window, with the sloping bonnet providing a clear view for a bonneted truck. Lane placement on these tight roads isn’t hard, and by using the top of the Western

Star badge that you can just see below the bug deflector.

Also impressive is the steering and the noise levels inside the cab. For a tough drive on some tough roads, it does make it a bit nicer to drive in this truck.

My drive is over faster than I would have liked with the pain in my leg getting a little too much, so I pull over and hand the truck back to Marmite for the rest of the run.

It’s been a bloody good test for the new X-Series and the truck has performed well, but I’m disappointed in myself with messing up the gear changes.

Some avid readers will remember the last time I had this much trouble with an 18-speed was actually in the last Western Star I drove. I have driven plenty of others since and not had issues, so I’m left wondering is it me, or the box? I am going to have to test another in the future without a leg injury.

Special thanks have to go to Brendon, Marmite and the Berkett Earthmoving team for putting on such a great test for us.

Western Star 48X 8x4 Day Cab Engine: Detroit DD16 six-cylinder in line (US EPA10 GHG21 emission standard with DPR, EGR and SCR) Capacity: 15.6 litres Maximum Power: 600hp (447kW) at 1800rpm Maximum Torque: 2050 lb-ft (2779Nm) at 1120rpm Fuel capacity: Diesel 454 litres, AdBlue 87 litres Transmission: Eaton RTLO22918B Roadranger 18-speed manual Ratios: Low L – 14.40

Low H – 12.29

1st low – 8.56

1st high – 7.30

2nd low – 6.05

2nd high – 5.16

3rd low – 4.38

3rd high – 3.74

4th low – 3.20

4th high – 2.73

5th low – 2.29

5th high – 1.95

6th low – 1.62

6th high – 1.38

7th low – 1.17

7th high – 1.00

8th low – 0.86

8th high – 0.73

Reverse – High Rev H 3.43, High Rev L 4.03, Low Rev H 12.85, Low Rev L 15.06 Final Drive ratio: 4.30:1 Front axle: Meritor MSF14, 13,200kg rating Rear axles: Meritor RT-46 160GP, 20,900kg rating Brakes: Bendix disc brakes with ABS/EBS Auxiliary brakes: 3-stage Integrated Jacobs Brake Front suspension: Taper leaf springs and stabiliser bar Rear suspension: Airglide ECAS air suspension GVM: 27,400kg GCM: 106,600kg

Truck & Driver | 37

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Driving the economy

Transporting NZ is empasising the link between investing in roading infrastructure, increased productivity, and New Zealand’s economic recovery.

New Transport Minister doesn’t disappoint I TD35152

by Dom Kalasih Chief Executive Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

RECENTLY HAD A MEETING WITH NEW Transport Minister Chris Bishop and I was impressed by his attitude.

It was at the transport industry forum which as a quarterly meeting started by the former minister Simeon Brown. The forum also includes representation from AA, MTA and other similar groups.

For me, it was a chance to see what level of continuity Mr. Bishop would bring and he didn’t disappoint. While only three weeks into the role he’d read a solid briefing the night before so he had a grasp of the major issues. We’ve also shared our 2025 sector briefing with him and Associate Minister James Meager.

Minister Bishop also holds the Infrastructure portfolio, which is rather handy as we’re pushing the link between

investing in roading infrastructure, increased productivity, and New Zealand’s economic recovery.

The Minister sees no need to change the growthorientated Government Policy Statement on land transport policies. He sees the value of extending the life cycle of the National Land Transport Programme (NLTP) from three to 10 years which will bring much greater certainty, and he is aware of the risks to revenue streams for investment in roading.

I like that he wants to make a difference and that he appreciates that things need to happen to make that change.

In my opinion the downward slide in the polls of the Coalition Government is partly a result of things not happening across this portfolio and others, and there is now a stronger focus across Cabinet on making things happen.

Truck & Driver | 39

Driving the economy

increases for consumers and businesses, and support jobs and growth.

All in all, I think the study was a great endorsement that we’re doing a good job – communicating our member’s views in a transparent manner and ensuring the 30,000 people working in road freight across over 5,000 firms have their perspective represented across central and local government.

A country highly regarded for good traffic engineering increases its speed limits

Newly appointed Transport Minister Chris Bishop.

Proudly backing our industry advocacy Recently Transporting New Zealand and other leading transport associations (including the AA and MTA) were accused of utilising tobacco industry-like tactics in our submissions to government in order to “sustain car-dependence” and further the commercial interests of the so-called “road lobby”.

While the article, published in the Journal of Transport and Health, made for interesting reading, I think the conclusions were way off the mark. I’m proud of the fact that our advocacy is evidence-based, transparent, and driven by member feedback and priorities.

Responding to the article in the media, I said that Transporting New Zealand is firmly committed to decarbonisation, as demonstrated by our Green Compact emission reduction framework that guides our submissions and member projects, and our staunch advocacy around removing barriers to low and zero emission technologies.

However, we’re also clear that transport policy and investment must support the resilience of the supply chain, avoid unaffordable cost

As NZTA gets on with removing some of the blanket speed limit restrictions it had imposed and consulting on others, we’ve heard several media reports by experts that this will lead to more people dying.

The reversals and reviews were something we had lobbied hard for on the basis that the previous changes weren’t riskbased. As well, the variability in speed limits between local roads and state highways had created a situation where unless you saw a posted sign, it was a lottery trying to determine the speed limit.

That’s why I read with interest that in the Netherlands, which has a much better road fatality rate per 100,000 inhabitants than ours, is actually raising speed limits on some sections of highway. In 2020 the limit was cut to 100km/h but the Dutch government is now bringing back the 130km/h limit on sections of the A7 and A6 freeways where studies showed that proposed increased speed didn’t increase noise, pollution, and more importantly, accidents.

This country isn’t lowering speed limits, it’s raising them. Let’s hope this will help support our regulator make a shift in thinking to a more engineering and risk-based approach.

T O C

I ( e e

Interest in survey high I was also pleased to see media interest in the national road freight industry survey that is on till the end of March.

Often in our sector too much work is done based purely on perceptions and not hard data. In an era where there is so much change going on, both in technological change and change in customer demands, it’s important we base our strategies on solid evidence. This survey will help provide that evidence.

You can do the survey at: https://survey.researchnz.com/S2/1/RoadFreightReg/ And we’ve got a $500 travel voucher from House of Travel as a sweetener for one lucky person who fills it out!

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand’s team is available to asist our members around New Zealand Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand PO Box 1778, Wellington 04 472 3877 info@transporting.nz Dom Kalasih, Chief Executive 04 471 8285 • 027 441 4309 Dom@transporting.nz

Vicki Harris, Membership Benefits Advisor 027 534 3848 • Vicki@transporting.nz Keith McGuire, Membership manager Upper North Island 027 445 5785 • keith@transporting.nz Odette Geyer, National Membership Manager 027 274 0792 • odette@transporting.nz

Lindsay Calvi-Freeman, Membership Manager, Lower North Island, Upper South Island 027 556 6099 • lindsay@transporting.nz Jim Crouchley, Membership Manager Lower South Island 027 261 0953 • Jim@transporting.nz

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Driving the economy

Taking congestion off the city roads

By Dom Kalasih and Billy Clemens

NZTA will ultimately be in control of how the scheme is designed, priced, and where the revenue can be spent, though Treasury and the Infrastructure Commission have warned that this may discourage councils from initiating schemes.

The bill does have a backstop, with schemes able to be proposed by the government via NZTA, should local authorities fail to do so within three years of the bill’s commencement. However, it is difficult to see a scheme proceeding successfully without joint buy-in.

The select committee considering the bill will have to take careful note of submissions from councils to ensure the enabling legislation will actually deliver enduring time-of-use schemes within a reasonable timeframe.

Everyone ends up paying for congestion, either through time spent in gridlock, or paying increased freight and delivery costs for everyday goods.

C

ONGESTION CHARGING IS COMING. WELL, THE legislation is with the Time of Use Charging Bill having recently passed its first reading in Parliament.

It’s a contentious issue, and not many cities use it internationally but a law change will enable council’s to look at the option seriously.

Congestion charging is mainly aimed at changing travel behaviour rather than generating additional revenue. As a national road freight association, Transporting New Zealand supports the draft legislation, though we have some caveats.

Getting traffic moving in our urban centres is vital for commuters, consumers and the businesses who rely on the 93% of freight that moves via road. Everyone ends up paying for congestion, either through time spent in gridlock, or paying increased freight and delivery costs for everyday goods.

New Zealand’s largest cities are much more congested than their Australian equivalents, with Kiwis spending up to 35% longer commuting than those across the ditch, according to the TomTom Traffic Index.

(Cited in Regulatory Impact Statement: Time of use charging, Ministry of Transport, 2024, para 26).

Having reviewed the legislation and supporting documents, there are several key features that stand out from a road freight perspective.

New Zealand Transport Agency in the driving seat While the bill allows councils to propose time-of-use schemes, the process of designing and implementing the schemes will be led by NZTA and subject to Ministerial and Cabinet approval.

Having a degree of central control makes sense as it allows NZTA to use its expertise and resources, and ensures consistency across different cities’ charging schemes.

42 | Truck & Driver

Auckland-oriented approach While the proposed legislation would allow time-of-use charging to be adopted across the country, heavily gridlocked Auckland is clearly the primary candidate. Time-of-use charging in Auckland has already been investigated by Ministry of Transport in The Congestion Question, and this analysis is heavily referenced in the bill’s regulatory impact statement.

There is also firm support from Mayor Wayne Brown.

Despite congestion worsening in other cities including Christchurch and Wellington, it is difficult to imagine those cities joining the likes of Singapore, London, Stockholm, and New York in adopting congestion management schemes anytime soon. As with the now-repealed legislation enabling a regional fuel tax, Auckland may well go it alone.

Reducing congestion to school holiday levels Selling the benefits of congestion charging can be challenging, but a key example is repeatedly cited by government and Auckland Council: A successful scheme could improve peak traffic flow to school-holiday levels. Auckland Transport estimates holidays reduce traffic on arterial roads by about 10-15%. Ministry of Transport modelling suggests that a successful congestion charge could reduce congestion by 8-12% at peak times.

Fortunately, meaningful change can be achieved with relatively low charges. Ministry of Transport noted the experience with road tolling suggests that relatively modest fees can lead to substantial responses. A $2.50 charge can result in a 30% diversion. As always, the devil is in the detail, with the exact design of an Auckland scheme having a massive impact on its cost-benefit ratio. The Congestion Question indicated returns ranging from 70 cents to $1.80 for every dollar spent.

While the individual cost benefit calculation will be different for all road freight companies, meaningful improvements in trip times will outweigh modest congestion charges during peak times. According to Ministry of Transport analysis, an Auckland time-of-use charge could cut freight vehicle kilometres travelled in severe congestion by between 1.6-25.7%, depending on the scheme’s design.

Driving the economy

Livestock programmes look to the future A

RECENT MEETING OF LIVESTOCK SECTOR representatives discussed the possible amalgamation of two livestock auditing programmes - one for transport, and one for the farming sector.

The National Livestock Transport and Safety Group (NLT&SG) oversees the National Livestock Transport Assurance (NLTA) program, which ensures animal welfare across meat processing and transport industries.

The NTLA also makes sure drivers are trained, or are being trained, in animal handling and that the stock crates are fit for the animals transported in them.

Jim Crouchley, Transporting New Zealand’s sector group representative for the NLT&SG, says the programme is part of the processors’ commitment to meet the expectations of their overseas markets.

“There’s an audit process that’s currently in place run by Assure Quality, but there’s a bit of an upheaval at the moment because the processors are wanting to align that scheme with a body called the NZFAI, which is the NZ Farm Assurance Incorporated society.”

NZFAI is part of the supply chain and does the same role with farmers as the NLTA does with transport, which is making sure farmers are doing the right thing with stock at the farm end.

The meeting in Wellington on February 21 was about a push by the processors to merge the two programmes.

“It makes sense to do it,” Jim says, “but there’s a lot of work to be done to make sure the transport sector is adequately represented and is being treated fairly.”

Assure Quality wants to move out of its current role by April 20,

bringing forward the end date of the contract it had with Transporting New Zealand which was due to expire on June 30.

“After then, NZFAI will go to another auditing body – a company called QCONZ, and the auditing process will be managed by them,” says Jim. Jim says the current system has a lot of detail in it with every stock crate having a barcode for tracking and auditing purposes.

“So an inspector at the works can scan it and can tell if a crate is within its certification criteria.”

More talks are planned before a decision will be made.

Freight and public transport exemptions

vehicle movements overwhelmingly occur during the interpeak period (9am to 4pm)”. When a truck is travelling at rush-hour, it is usually because that’s the only time deliveries can be made.

A practical illustration of this is Port of Auckland’s container booking system, which hikes charges for trucks picking up or dropping off containers during peak times. The result has been minimal shifts in demand to offpeak times, higher freight prices, and an added administrative burden of apportioning charges.

The low margins and highly competitive nature of the road freight industry will ultimately see any congestion charge costs being worn by businesses and consumers, off-setting productivity gains. If we want to maximise the benefit of time-of-use charges to households and firms, road freight exemptions should be left on the table.

Transporting New Zealand will be consulting with our membership as the bill proceeds to select committee, and ensuring freight and supply chain considerations are properly considered.

With bi-partisan political support and constructive engagement from affected parties, this legislation can give councils and NZTA a valuable tool to improve New Zealand’s transport system and economic productivity.

We do have an issue with a lack of exemptions in the bill. Currently the only vehicles exempted are emergency vehicles, which makes sense.

But the restriction on exemptions is likely to be bad news for bus users and road freight businesses. The indicative benefit cost range of between 0.7 to 1.8 means that in some cases transport will cost more and road freight operators will have to pass those costs on to consumers.

Overseas schemes allow for wider exemptions. Around half of all vehicles in the London charge area are exempt or qualify for a discount. Ruling out exemptions entirely will prevent a context-specific assessment being completed, such as where a scheme operates on key freight routes or around freight or passenger hubs.

There is a good case to consider exempting goods vehicles from congestion charging. Heavy goods vehicles represent only around 6% of total vehicle kilometres travelled, making trucks a small element of urban congestion.

Charges are also unlikely to move trucks off the road during peak times.

Road freight is already moving largely off-peak where at all possible.

Auckland Transport noted in the Auckland Freight Plan 2020 that “Freight

Some of the livestock sector representatives, from left: Jim Crouchley (Transporting New Zealand), Derek Foley, Graham Lowes, Graham Neate, and Rodney Dow.

Truck & Driver | 43

Driving the economy

The 90-year-old Ashburton bridge carries nearly 24,000 vehicles a day.

By David Killick

Key bridge is badly needed T

HE NEED FOR A NEW BRIDGE IN ASHBURTON is easy to see at key parts of the day when traffic is backed up for kilometres on either side.

Ashburton mayor Neil Brown says a second bridge across the Ashburton River is vital for a lot of South Island traffic.

The current two-lane bridge on SH1 handles about 24,000 vehicles a day, which he says is way over capacity. As the town has continued to grow, traffic has increased, clogging up at peak times.

He says the congestion is hitting transport companies pretty hard.

“We hear they’re running out of hours, and that they are sitting in a queue for half an hour. That’s half an hour they’ve lost, and some of them cannot get to the destination in the time they’ve allowed for, so that has big implications.”

Ashburton mayor Neil Brown, left, and Transporting New Zealand Membership Manager Jim Crouchley on the main drag in Ashburton.

44 | Truck & Driver

Mayor Brown says the bridge is 90-years old and has limited life.

During the winter floods of 2021, one of the piers underneath was eroded, and one section of the bridge dropped, forcing SH1 to close for three days. The only way for traffic to get through from north to south was via the West Coast – hundreds of kilometres across the Main Divide.

“Food comes from Christchurch, as well as many other things, and having that bridge shut with nothing getting through, the supermarket shelves in Dunedin and Invercargill and the surrounding areas were getting bare.”

A second Ashburton Bridge, which has been determined to be a road of regional significance, will be built at Chalmers Avenue, about 500m east of the current bridge. It will be fully founded by the government, while the Ashburton District Council will fund the connecting road. Once detailed design work is done, the project will go to tender and then through the fast-track consenting process.

Brown says he expects the first sod will be turned later this year or early 2026, and the project will take about two years to complete. He says the alternative route will make a big difference.

“It will take the locals off the state highway bridge and put them on the local road bridge and that will probably drop the number of vehicles back to around 15,000 vehicles a day.”

The new bridge will also make it easier for locals to go between Ashburton and the north of the township of Tinwald in the south. The hospital and most medical facilities, as well as emergency services and most supermarkets, are on the Ashburton side.

“With the bridge out they were severely compromised, they were cut off on the other side, so they were missing out on those services.

The second bridge will alleviate that problem, so it fixes quite a few things.”

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FLEET FOCUS

John Tutill (left) has been easing himself out of the day-to-day operations at A.J. Tutill Carriers as sons Jack and Bryn become the fifth generation to run the Auckland company.

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The Tutill Carriers green trucks are a familiar sight around the Auckland region.

IT WAS ONLY 15 YEARS AGO WHEN JACK TUTILL WOULD PLEAD with his father John to take a day off from high school – so he could ride along in one of the olive green Tutill Carriers trucks or spend a day working at the company yard and warehouse in Penrose.

Today, Jack and his younger brother Bryn are the fifth generation at the helm of Auckland-based A.J. Tutill & Sons Carriers. A company which could alternatively be described as A.J. Tutill & Sons, & Grand Sons & Great Grand Sons, etc.

Multi-generation family transport companies are the fabric of Kiwi trucking. But few can trace their line as directly through 104 years and five generations as the Tutills are able to do. And they’ve never really diversified away from their core specialty, delivering a big city general freight service.

The company was founded in 1921 by Albert John Tutill with a 1918 Model T Ford truck. Albert had been an Auckland tram driver before launching into transport work.

A large part of Albert’s early work was collecting and delivering luggage and freight from the ferries and coastal trading boats calling at the Auckland wharf in the 1920s. He initially worked from the family home before setting up a depot in Ponsonby with an inner-city loading dock in Albert St. Albert retired the Model T and added a couple of Dodges to the fleet and as the following generations have guided the company, the truck numbers have grown steadily. The fleet now numbers 56 trucks.

A selection of `30s and `40s era Fords and Chevs followed the Model T and a 1955 Austin was the first truck to be purchased new. Later there were J and TK model Bedfords and Ford D Series models at work into the 1970s.

In the last 40 years the fleet has become exclusively Japanese brand trucks – primarily Isuzu and Fuso with a move into some UD product more recently.

And that green colour scheme? It’s virtually unchanged since

1959 and has become the company signature on the roads of Auckland.

“If people ask me where I work, I’ll say Tutills,” says Jack. “Then I’ll say `the green trucks’ and everyone knows them.”

A recurring Tutill theme across the years is for one generation of the family to put in the hard yards and then step aside to bring the next generation through at a relatively young age.

So, following Albert’s foundations the company has been run by his son Arthur John and next by his sons Doug and John. In generation four it was John Tutill (Doug’s son) in charge and the process of passing the baton to John’s two sons – Jack, 29 and Bryn, 25 – has been a work in progress for the last couple of years.

“We are in the process of changing the ownership. I am the sole owner from my dad and my uncle, but we are moving on and these guys are taking up a share of the business,” says John Tutill.

“My time is over. I’m 55 and I’ve been doing this since I was 16.

You’ve got to move on. I do a bit of cycling; I go to my beach house in Coromandel, and I travel a bit. Instead of getting up at 5.30am I get up at 7.30am now.

“It’s time to get out of the way and our customers want to see younger faces.

“I don’t want to be laying around in the south of France as the 100% owner while these guys do all the hard work,” he says.

John Tutill has already passed on the day-to-day responsibility and decision making to his two sons.

“Dad has been very good at trusting us and letting us prove ourselves. It takes time. I think he used to sit back and watch to see `what are Jack and Bryn going to do here’,” says Jack.

“Dad still comes in for a few hours, but he is semi-retired now.

I’m stoked for him that he’s at a time in life where he can do what he wants, because for years and years we both watched him just grind and work his arse off.”

While job titles aren’t a high priority at Tutill Carriers, Jack Truck & Driver | 49

Company founder Albert John Tutill and the Ford Model T he founded the company with in 1921. Son and successor Arthur is on the right on the running board, beside a mate.

defines his role as being the general manager while Bryn is the transport manager.

“I had no title until about two years ago and no one was going to give me a title, so I just started calling myself general manager,” says Jack.

“Maybe we could be more professional and have business cards with titles and our own personal emails, but then some customers would only send stuff directly to your inbox.

“That wouldn’t work. The way we work is so reactionary – everything comes into a big, shared mailbox and everyone smashes into it as soon as the work comes in, sorting out the queries and scheduling the jobs.”

Jack says there was never any doubt he’d take a role in the family business. But, in spite of the pleading – and even handwritten notes requesting to stay away from school – he did stay to finish his sixth form year.

“Every school holiday I was here,” says Jack.

“At the end of my sixth form, which was November 2012, I did two months full time. I went back to school for one day in 2013 and the next day Dad called me and asked `hey I could really do with your help today. Do you mind coming in?’

“I said `no worries’. Then at about 10am he shook my hand and

Right: Jack Tutill at his desk in the Penrose office.

said `you’re not going back to school’ and I said `awesome’. So, I only had one day in the seventh form.”

The end of his school days meant Jack graduated fulltime to what John Tutill likes to call the `University of Penrose’. It’s far from being academic, but it’s a fast-paced and hands-on business education where the philosophy is to say yes to customers and then figure out how to get the job done.

“It teaches you to get stuff done,” says John. “You don’t wander in at 9am with a mochaccino. You get going before 7am with a V and a steak and cheese pie.”

The `university’ has put both Jack and Bryn in touch with all aspects of the business.

Below: In 2009 Jack wrote this letter to his father, pleading his case for a day off school and a chance to spend the day at Tutill Carriers.

50 | Truck & Driver

John Tutill says he is semi-retired, calling into the Penrose yard for a few hours most days.

“February 1, 2013, was my first day. I got my license [Class 2] within a month, and I did some driving, then I did some time in the office, and I was also a storeman for a while,” says Jack.

“I’m sure I got my Class 4 sooner than I should of. I think Dad wrote in to them and by the time I was 18 I had Class 4. From there I was a floating driver for a few years and still doing a mix of office and store work.

“My longest stint in one truck was about six months driving a 6-wheeler Hiab. That was awesome fun. After that it was the start of mainly being in the office.

“Over time I became more valuable in the office and there comes a point when it’s `okay, you’re not on the road anymore’,” Jack says.

While Jack never had any doubts about joining the family company as soon as he could, Bryn says his interest took a bit longer to take hold.

“I got more into trucks a bit later,” says Bryn.

Bryn says he would come home from school and be unable to escape the constant talk around the dinner table of trucks and transport between Jack and his father.

“When I had my license and Bryn was about 14, I’d sometimes drag him along with me,” says Jack.

Bryn continues: “I was also here in the school holidays, and I became a storeman and a truck washer. Even when I got my Class 2, I was still more of a storeman and a relief driver.

“But I did have a Class 2 Hiab for about nine months which was my truck. Jack was quite jealous of how long I had that truck for,” says Bryn.

“At that stage learning about Hiabs was a big part of it for me.

They [Hiabs] were a bit of an obsession of mine for a while and they still are. Which is probably good because that’s where a fair bit of our growth has been in recent years.

“About two-and-a-half years ago I moved fulltime into the office and since then I probably drive a truck once every six months or so.”

The brothers constantly switch between accounts, sales and dispatching roles. Jack says he has more of an involvement in

hiring and training staff while Bryn’s main focus is scheduling jobs.

“Bryn and I do force ourselves out of the office every now and then to do a cool job somewhere. The last couple were in Kerikeri and Napier. We definitely cherry pick a good job,” Jack says.

Their father hasn’t been the only important influence in the University of Penrose education for Jack and Bryn.

Neil Bowman has worked at Tutill Carriers for 39 years, starting one week before John joined the company full time. He now works four days a week in the Operations Manager role.

“I’ve known Jack since he was about five years old and he’d come in here during the school holidays,” says Neil.

“John learnt it from his father and the boys are now learning it from John. It works.

“Watching Jack, it’s like a 40-year-old ops manager at work in the body of a 30-year-old,” says Neil.

“It’s great to see the young guys coming through and every business needs fresh blood. You can’t stifle them, and there’s always new stuff coming at us that the older guys like me don’t have the patience for.”

Neil says there are a couple of keys to the success of Tutill Carriers “John and I have never asked anyone to do anything we wouldn’t be happy to do ourselves, and it’s the same with Jack and Bryn,” he says.

“This business is built on relationships. It always has been like that, but it’s more so now than ever before with the integration of our systems with our customers systems.”

The work that Tutill Carriers does today is a direct evolution of the enterprise which their great-great-Grandfather began 104 years ago. The focus remains almost exclusively on general freight work for Auckland customers.

“The business model of this company has always been based on service, and it still is to this day. We like to think it’s our point of difference,” Jack says.

“Over 60% of the jobs we’ll do today will get in booked in today and they will be delivered today – whether it’s a full load on a Hiab Truck & Driver | 51

Bryn Tutill has followed his older brother through the `University of Penrose’ and fills the Transport Manager role at Tutill Carriers.

or just one pallet. And 90 to 95% are in Auckland.

“I’d also estimate 95% of the freight that goes on a truck stays on that truck until it’s delivered. It’s a very different dispatching model to most companies.

“All of our work outside of Auckland is for our customers in Auckland. It’s an extension of what we do for them around Auckland.”

Bryn adds: “All of our work outside of Auckland is charged there and back. We never worry about getting backloads. It’s always oddball freight that other people don’t want to handle, or it’s high value stuff that people want direct driven. Or it’s time critical.

“Some days we’ll have five trucks down in Hamilton. We’ve sent one down to Papamoa today and another one to Otorohanga, and we had one down in South Taranaki last week.”

Tutill Carriers also has more trucks than drivers. There’s always some gear in reserve or drivers are swapping between trucks depending on the specifics of the workload.

“Probably 90% of the time the drivers are in one truck but every day there are at least a couple of drivers who will swap trucks during the day. There’s always a bit of a scramble which is part of the fun,” Bryn says.

While the company has continued to grow, it’s always been a case of growing to meet the needs of their customers.

“We’ve got heaps of customers who’ve been with us over 20 years. Their businesses change and their names change as well over the years,” Jack says.

While the trucks may be smaller, the scale of the business is still impressive.

“We do roughly 300 deliveries a day. The big linehaul companies

may have bigger gear but they aren’t doing as many deliveries,” says Bryn.

“So, you have to have good people and good attitudes because your staff are interacting with the customers a lot more.”

Jack says he’s very proud of the team at Tutill Carriers.

“We’ve got a super crew at the moment with about a dozen guys under 35. I’d say it’s probably the best crew we’ve ever had.”

There’s a blend of youth and experience in the staff.

“Our longest serving employee is Jack Cash. He did 18 months part-time in 1972-73, started full-time with us in Three generations of the Tutill family 1976, and has been doing four days a pictured in 2010, 15-year-old Jack with his week the last few years,” says Bryn.

Dad John (second from right), Granddad Jack continues: “But the impressive Doug (left) and great-Uncle John (right). thing is he lives on Waiheke Island and has done the entire time.

“He walks to the ferry in the morning, walks to the Britomart and gets the train to Penrose, and then walks to work. And then he does the “We’ve got about 350 regular customers – exact same in reverse in the evening. which could be one job a month or 20 jobs a day,” says Bryn.

“He’s never once complained about the hours, but he does get “It’s a credit to Dad that we don’t have all our eggs in one stressed if the ferry is delayed.” basket.”

The Tutill Carriers customer base is primarily medium and small John Tutill believes that sticking to a core business has served size Auckland businesses. the company well.

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The Tutill Carriers fleet is 100% Japanese trucks, with this Fuso Shogun 8x4s among the newest in the line-up.

“We are still a general carrier and that’s why we’re still here.

Everybody has gone this way or gone that way, and it’s left a hole in the middle,” he says.

“People have turned themselves into 3PLs or 4PLs or whatever, or they just cart vegetables or something else. We are here when someone needs to move an incubator to Auckland Hospital or take a bench top somewhere. We can do all sorts of dumb stuff.

“If you turned up today it probably wouldn’t work. It’s only that we’ve grown that way, and it’s taken on a life of its own.”

The roll-call of the current Tutill Carriers 56 truck fleet comprises 25 Isuzus, 19 Fusos, 11 UDs and a single Hino.

“It’s Japanese, Japanese, Japanese. The old man tells up if we ever try to buy something that’s not Japanese, he’d have to slap us,” says Bryn.

“We’ve got one reasonably new Hino Hiab we bought secondhand but it’s mainly Fuso and Isuzu.”

It’s also mainly a mix of small-to-medium size trucks.

Of those 56 there are 28 4x2 units, eight either 6x4 or 6x2, plus 20 8x4 units. The fleet includes 27 curtain siders, 17 Hiabs, two box body trucks, eight flat decks, a chiller and a mid-size transporter.

The most powerful trucks in the Tutill colours are 470hp UDs and 460hp Fusos. The Tutill Isuzu Gigas are 380hp and most of the smaller trucks are either Isuzus or Fusos, typically 250hp with the Allison auto transmission.

“We never have questions about power. We’re not running Napier-Taupo with 50 tonnes,” says Jack.

Far more important is that trucks are the right size to work on crowded Auckland streets and make deliveries in confined spaces.

“We have quite a few smaller Hiab trucks. They can turn into driveways that a car can get into, and they are a really good stepping stone for the guys before they go onto the bigger cranes,” says Bryn.

54 | Truck & Driver

The main area of growth in recent years has been small and medium Hiabs.

“We’re a bit different to other Hiab companies. We always work and dispatch them as if they’re curtain siders. They’re not booked out days in advance, and we can get a Hiab out at short notice,” says Jack.

When it comes to finding skilled Hiab operators, the Tutills haven’t needed to look very far.

“All our luck with finding good Hiab operators has been with homegrown guys trained from scratch. We just find a good flat deck or curtain sider driver and get them on a Hiab and train them up,” says Jack.

Interestingly the conversation around the Tutill fleet ends with the trucks.

“I reckon we are the largest general freight company in the country with no trailers,” says Jack.

“We’ve got 56 trucks and no trailers. We actually don’t have a single Ringfeeder on any of our trucks.

“We’ve never had a trailer but never say never. If you came back in another 10 years that may have changed.

“And you might even say some of our trucks are overpowered because we have no trailers, but it means you’ve got a good cab and chassis and you’re getting good fuel efficiency.”

The olive green colour on almost all of the trucks and the signwriting script is old school and distinctive.

“The story I make up and my dad used to make up is the name and the colour has been around so long that it’s back in style, just like flares,” says John.

“The thing is we’ve got enough gear out there now that everyone knows who we are. Why would we change?

“Maybe 20 years ago we could have done something but now there’s no need to change. It’s an old, stable name when everyone else has Logistics 3PL or 4PL on their trucks.”

The Tutill lineup in the late 1930s or early ‘40s – with founder Albert on the left, in front of his two 1929 Dodges, driver Eric Liddell in front of the Model A Ford and longtime driver Jack Furley (who would become manager) on the right, in front of a ‘36 Ford V8.

Jack adds: “The painted rims and stuff, it’s who we are and it’s strong branding. When you say `the green trucks’ people know who you’re talking about.”

In the time Jack has worked at the company there’s been a significant shift in technology.

“We are effectively paperless using a full sign-on-glass drivers tablet. The GPS is brilliant and the integration between the GPS and the transport management software is brilliant, and at present we are looking to improve it again with the next generation.

“If you’re an Auckland trucking company you can’t be behind on technology. People expect to get things the same day or the

next day. Our service has become more responsive to meet that expectation,” Jack says.

The pace of change will only continue to accelerate.

“I’m excited in the next five to 10 years as AI starts to come in and help. It’ll be interesting for a business like ours to see how it might work with a lot of mixed freight, and whether it takes over some of the dispatch function,” Jack says.

“We are open-minded to it. Auckland will be at the forefront of change and in the big smoke you’ll have to be on top of your game.”

Jack says he’s also been keeping an eye on the feasibility of running EV trucks. He’s aware that it hurt the company in the

An interesting aspect of the Tutill Carriers fleet is that no trucks have ever worked with a trailer in 104 years.

Truck & Driver | 55

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Hiab trucks have been a growth area for Tutill Carriers in the past 15 years, with the fleet now numbering 17, including small 4x2 units.

late 1970s when it was slow moving from petrol to diesel engine trucks.

“One of the Old Man’s sayings to us when we were younger was; `You’re not going to be the first and you’re not going to be the last’,” says Jack.

“We’re obviously not the first because they [EVs] are already here.

“Some of our customers would love us to have them but the way we dispatch our trucks means it doesn’t really work for us yet.

With a new generation of batteries, it could start to look feasible.”

Not all of the modern technology has been beneficial to Tutill Carriers. Because of the specific nature of the work, Jack reckons they’ve encountered more issues than is usual with the diesel particulate filters and emission control systems fitted to late model trucks.

“Our trucks are in Auckland, and they aren’t running at high weights, so they don’t get hot enough for the reburn,” he says.

“And there’s a lot of stop-start running so they’ll reburn a couple of times a week.

“A Hiab can sit on site for 10 hours a day doing a lot of engine

There are two warehouses at Penrose, but it’s estimated that 95% of freight that goes on a truck stays there until it’s delivered.

Truck & Driver | 57

Not every Tutill Carriers truck is olive green.

This one celebrates the company centennial from 2021. hours but not getting hot enough. We struggle with that, and we’ve had to do a lot of training with guys around AdBlue and things.

“I believe we’ve saved a lot more on fuel over the last 15 years by using Google Maps than we have with new engine technology,” Jack says.

Among the trends that John Tutill has seen in recent years is increasing professionalism in the industry.

“I think we are regarded more like a professional service now,” he says.

“There are beautiful looking trucks out there and no one is line hauling in old trucks anymore. We are more of a trusted service now and I believe we are better regarded than used car dealers and politicians for instance, which hasn’t always been the case.”

John Tutill says the recipe for success is simple.

“You’re not going to be here after 100 years because you’re the best price town. You’ll only be here for 100 years because you’re the best service,” he says.

“I have plenty of sayings. Like, you might get a customer on price but you’re only going to keep them through service. If you keep turning up, you’ll keep them for a decade or more.”

In one respect the latest generation of the Tutill succession is different to the previous ones.

“Jack and I are keen on nicely-specced and well-built trucks, but the Old Man hates well-specced trucks,” says Bryn.

“He hates marker lights. Our first truck with marker lights was in 2015. It only took us 90 years to put a truck on the road with marker lights.

“Even though Jack and I like big and shiny trucks we are well grounded by the Old Man. If we told him we needed a big new 8-wheeler Hiab, he’d say, `no, you need two new four-wheeler Hiabs’.”

Jack shares the same enthusiasm for the best-looking trucks on the road.

“We like trucks. Bryn and I are always showing each other pictures of cool trucks. So, on one hand it’s always business first, 58 | Truck & Driver

but in another way we’re still kids at heart when it comes to a cool looking truck.”

There isn’t an in-house workshop to support the Tutill fleet.

Newer trucks still under warranty are serviced at the respective dealers and FleetFix in Penrose look after the rest.

“Sims Electrical have been good over the years and OTEL have completed all of the recent Hiab builds for us. OTEL have been brilliant,” says Jack.

“We really want to get to 12 month COFs. We didn’t know about it till April last year, but it’s achievable and it’s something we want to work towards.”

With the 104 year-old company now effectively in their hands, do the young brothers feel pressure?

“Ultimately there is a bit of pressure, but we don’t really think about it that much,” says Jack.

“Dad’s never said to us; `look guys, I’m off and it’s all on your shoulders. We are pretty young to be running a medium-size trucking company, but the company has done such a good job over the years that we just need to do the same thing and keep tweaking it.

“Both of us have got the energy and we’re happy to be here, and that’s what matters I guess. Bryn and I come in here and we are fired up and ready to go.

“I think it’s special that’s it’s been a direct line of succession through the family. There are companies that have been around for a long time but with cousins involved. But for us it’s a direct line.

“It’s really cool when you tell people you’re fifth generation. They can’t believe it.”

And will there be a sixth generation asking for time off school and a chance to prove they can guide the company?

“Who knows. My second boy was born this month and who knows if Bryn will have children in a few years. So, there’s no telling how the family dynamics will work in a few years’ time,” Jack says.

“But my oldest boy is three and he’s definitely showing some interest already. At the moment half his toys are dinosaurs, and the other half are trucks.”

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National Road Carriers

Addressing New Zealand’s Energy Crisis T

HE CHALLENGES FACING NEW Zealand’s energy sector have been in the spotlight over the past year. With electricity shortages leading to skyrocketing spot prices, businesses have been forced to reassess their operations. In some cases, this has resulted in closures, such as the recent shutdown of the Kinlieth Mill paper plant in Tokoroa. The economic and social consequences of these closures extend far beyond the affected companies, impacting transport operators and supply chains reliant on domestic manufacturing.

Compounding this crisis, New Zealand must also significantly expand its energy generation to support decarbonisation efforts across industry and transport.

The need for a strategic and coordinated response has never been more urgent.

A Plan for Change Recognising the gravity of the situation, the Auckland Business Chamber and the Northern Infrastructure Forum have put forward a ten-step Energy Action Plan titled Unlocking the Energy Sector to Unlock Economic Growth. This plan builds on discussions held by Upper North Island industry leaders on 4 December 2024 and presents a framework for ensuring a stable, affordable, and sustainable energy future.

National Road Carriers Association (NRC), a founding member of the Northern Infrastructure Forum and an Auckland Chamber of Commerce affiliate, strongly supports the initiative and its call for urgent action to increase energy supply. NRC is committed to fostering a sustainable lowemissions, climate-resilient future and will actively monitor and contribute to the plan’s implementation where necessary.

For New Zealand’s economy to flourish, reliable and affordable energy is non-

Justin Tighe-Umbers, CEO, National Road Carriers Association

negotiable. The ten key actions proposed in the plan include: 1. Creating a single energy regulator by consolidating the three existing energy regulators into one agency, to provide leadership and accountability.

2. Maintaining strategic reserves by ensuring sufficient back-up energy supply is in place, to provide support during prolonged dry spells.

3. Developing a New Zealand energy strategy, with aligned plans to meet projected demand across all generation types, and an infrastructure investment pathway for both generation and distribution.

4. Building cross-party support by securing a bi-partisan approach for the energy supply.

5. Ensuring generator-retailer model drives competition by analysing the impact of the gentailer model on competition, assess policy responses (including separation of generation and retail functions), set out implementation steps.

6. Greater use of demand response by developing new demand response tools that drive greater industry utilisation.

7. Secure energy generation security and investor confidence by facilitating the development of long-term contracts, drive demand through government procurement.

8. Unlocking New Zealand’s geothermal potential by formulating a sector development blueprint for geothermal energy, with a view to designing a regime that is as enabling as possible.

9. Removing red tape hampering distribution build, streamlining the planning and consenting framework around the delivery of distribution infrastructure.

10.

Developing an energy sector Warrant of Fitness to independently review

institutional arrangements and measure performance against key metrics.

The Role of the Marsden Point Special Economic Zone A significant new development in the energy landscape is the proposed Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Marsden Point. The government has acknowledged that while it cannot afford to reinstate the Marsden Point oil refinery, an SEZ could help attract private investment into key energy infrastructure projects. Energy Minister Shane Jones has indicated that Cabinet will consider using SEZs to support industries vital to national interests, such as energy security and fuel refining.

Channel Infrastructure, which manages the former refinery site, has outlined ambitious plans to transform Marsden Point into an energy precinct. This initiative includes potential projects such as a biofuel refinery and expanded jet fuel storage, contributing to energy resilience and decarbonisation efforts. If realised, these projects could provide a crucial alternative fuel supply while also stimulating economic growth in Northland.

Can New Zealand rise to the energy challenge?

New Zealand is at a crossroads. The success of this plan will depend on swift action, industry collaboration, and strong political will. The inclusion of the Marsden Point SEZ in these efforts is a promising step toward energy resilience and economic growth.

If implemented effectively, it could serve as a model for future energy infrastructure initiatives across the country. The coming months will be critical in determining whether the country can rise to meet this challenge.

Truck & Driver | 61

National Road Carriers

There are long-term economic benefits from building concrete roads.

Building roads to stand the test of time

N

James Smith, GM Policy & Advocacy, National Road Carriers

EW ZEALAND FACES A MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGE: we have a lot to build and limited funds to do it. So how do we ensure we get the best bang for our buck? Do we chase the cheapest upfront cost, or do we take a smarter, long-term approach – one that considers durability, maintenance, sustainability, decarbonisation, and fuel savings?

If we’re serious about the long game, then we must ask ourselves: why are we not prioritising concrete roads as the most cost-effective, sustainable option?

We’ve all heard the myths about concrete: it’s too expensive, too noisy, unsuitable for our terrain, vulnerable in earthquakes, and difficult to source locally. But here’s the kicker – none of these excuses stack up.

Recent Infometrics data shows concrete roads are, on average, 17% cheaper than asphalt over their entire lifespan and produce lower emissions. Countries with high seismic activity, like Japan and the US, use concrete roads successfully – so why wouldn’t they work in New Zealand?

Think back to this past summer. Many of us watched our asphalt roads melt in the scorching sun. A concrete road, capable of withstanding a four-hour fire, is far better suited to endure our summer temperatures. More durability means lower maintenance costs and a higher return on investment over time.

So, what’s stopping us? A lack of political courage. We need leaders willing to invest now for long-term benefits, rather than 62 | Truck & Driver

defaulting to short-term political cycles.

National Road Carriers Association (NRC) has been pushing for a 50-year roading infrastructure plan, independent of political agendas. The creation of a National Infrastructure Agency, tasked with a 30-year roadmap, is a step in the right direction – but we need more action.

We also need to rethink our industry’s reliance on imported, oil-based asphalt and bitumen – products subject to volatile oil prices. In contrast, concrete is largely sourced within New Zealand, usually within 90 minutes of its destination. Around 65% of our cement is produced locally, with stable pricing and a robust supply chain supported by Concrete NZ’s 200 batching plants nationwide.

While we don’t currently have an industry geared for large-scale concrete roads, the expertise exists just across the Tasman in Australia.

If we want to lift New Zealand’s productivity and build roads capable of handling heavier trucks and increased freight, we must invest in infrastructure that makes financial sense long-term.

As we sit at the bottom of the OECD for productivity, we need a plan to change that. Concrete roads could be the catalyst for real economic growth – supporting business, reducing maintenance costs, and providing a solid foundation for the future.

It’s time to invest in infrastructure that truly supports productivity growth. The question isn’t whether we can afford to build concrete roads – it’s whether we can afford not to.

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LEGENDS

Teamwork - on the job and on the pitch Darrell Hoskin - Dave Hoskin Carriers

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OT ONLY DOES DARRELL HOSKIN OF DAVE HOSKIN CARRIERS believe in teamwork within his business, but the former Whanganui and Harlequins rugby player is evidently a big fan of it on and off the field too.

He has a ‘treat people how you want to be treated’ mantra, coaches the local 1st XV Collegiate rugby team and is a proud supporter of the Life Education Trust - for that and much more, he’s a Southpac Legend.

Born and raised in Whanganui, Darrell Hoskin’s story is interwoven with the fabric of his hometown, a place he fondly celebrates for its accessible lifestyle and rich sporting culture.

As a young man, he excelled in rugby and rowing, eventually donning the Whanganui jersey for eight or nine years in the heartlandgrade competition. Seeking adventure and the thrill of international competition, Darrell ventured to London in 1992/93 to play for Harlequins Rugby Club, savouring the unique experience of a rugby exchange across the globe.

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Despite his deep love for the game, Darrell’s rugby career came to a halt around 2002, opening the door to another major aspect of his life, the family transport business.

Established in 1977 by Darrell’s parents Dave and Gwen, Dave Hoskin Carriers has been a staple in the transport industry. Today, the company operates a diverse fleet of around 30 trucks, predominantly European brands including Volvo, Scania, and DAF, ensuring adaptability and efficiency in an ever-changing industry.

Darrell says, “We have just purchased one of the brand-new DAFs, that runs a 6-axle B-train. We’ve had a good run out of DAF, they’re a good fleet truck, very comfortable, reliable and cater to our needs.”

The company provides a wide range of services, from small deliveries to 40-foot containers, bin and skip hire, furniture removals, Hiab hire, storage facilities, oversized loads, and export and bulk containers. Operating daily across Wanganui, Palmerston North, Horowhenua, and the Hawke’s Bay, the team at Dave Hoskin

Carriers is constantly on the move.

Driving trucks was almost second nature to Darrell, having first perched in the driver’s seat of a truck and trailer at a tender age that is maybe too young to print. Darrell says that he doesn’t remember that truck (only the experience) but certainly remembers getting his HT license.

“Classic story really. When I was going to sit my HT, the old man wanted me to do it in an old J5 Bedford with a beer crate for a passenger seat. I refused because I didn’t want to fail. So, I ended up taking one of our Isuzu semi units instead.” recalls Darrell.

After spending eight years hauling freight, handling diverse jobs and gathering firsthand experience in the industry, Darrell transitioned into the operational side of the business in 2010 and eventually taking the reins of the family enterprise in 2014.

As a leader, he embraces responsibilities with his trademark humour and pragmatism. He works closely with his brother, who manages the store operations and container loadings, and a dedicated team of employees—some of whom have been with the company for over 30 years. His leadership philosophy centres around respect and building strong relationships.

“I learnt a long time ago, that you shouldn’t treat people like a number on a page. You should always treat people how you want to be treated,” he says matter of factly.

Having developed a strong people-first approach, Darrell values face-to-face interactions over emails, which has helped him establish lasting relationships with major industry players like AFFCO and Silver Fern Farms.

His ability to navigate challenges has been evident throughout his tenure, particularly during the catastrophic Hawke’s Bay floods in 2023, which left two of the company’s drivers stranded for three days. His belief in contingency planning and nurturing relationships has proven vital in overcoming obstacles, reinforcing the business’s reputation as a dependable and resourceful partner.

“I’m a people person. I’d rather not be a keyboard warrior; I prefer to connect with people especially in a place like Whanganui. The area is growing, and the industry and surrounding network is positioned well at the moment,” says Darrell.

Beyond business, Darrell is committed to his community. Dave Hoskin Carriers has been a significant supporter of the Life Education Trust since 1993, a cause his parents saw as an invaluable tool for educating children on health, hygiene, and personal well-being.

“Mum and dad saw it as a great thing for kids. It gives them more of an education for things that happen in schools but are not dealt with at schools. Health, hygiene and a bit about the birds and bees. It can’t be a bad thing,” he says.

Family plays a central role in Darrell’s life. He has a supportive wife and three sons. His eldest has finished his degree at the University at Otago and has taken up an internship at Deloitte in Auckland.

His middle son is in his third year at Canterbury University, while his youngest attends Cullinane College in Whanganui.

His youngest son, who has Down syndrome, participates in Special Olympics swimming and basketball, and Darrell is actively involved in supporting his endeavours on a weekly basis.

“When you have a child with a disability in the family, you are fortunate to experience a unique kind of parenting, one that leads you down a completely different path, meeting and forming relationships with incredible people. Our youngest son is a blessing and has taught

me so much. I carry those lessons into my work, ensuring I treat all people equally.”

Darrell’s passion for teamwork extends beyond the transport industry and into the world of rugby.

“At the moment I’m the forwards coach for the Whanganui 1st XV Collegiate Team. This is my third year and my passion.

“Although as a parent you do what you need to do so previously, I managed my eldest two boys’ school and rep hockey teams for seven years, and I even had a stint at managing an U18 Central Hockey team.

I like sport and being part of a team, so it’s not hard to do those roles.

Sports and teamwork go hand in hand. I enjoy being part of a team environment, coaching and mentoring feel natural to me.”

Darrell finds great satisfaction in guiding young athletes, referring to them as “sponges” because of their eagerness to learn.

“There’s a big gap between First XV and Super Rugby, and coaching at this level involves more than just tactics. Sometimes, you need to be a mentor, a counsellor, and a motivator all at once. I’m lucky that my job allows me the flexibility to dedicate time to rugby.”

For Darrell, managing a sports team and running a business share a common goal—building connections and bringing out the best in people. His leadership, whether on the field or in the office, is driven by a deep sense of responsibility and respect for those around him.

As for the future of Dave Hoskin Carriers, the succession plan remains open-ended.

“There’s no pressure on my sons to take over the business,” Darrell says.

“If they choose to, they’ll have to start from the ground up, just like I did, but that’s entirely their decision. Life is about having options, and I want them to find their own paths.”

Darrell Hoskin’s story is one of dedication to family, business, and community. Whether navigating the roads of Whanganui or coaching on the rugby field, his life is a testament to hard work, resilience, and the power of meaningful relationships. Whether navigating the streets of Whanganui or managing a thriving transport business, Darrell continues to drive forward – quite literally.

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FEATURE

n o i s i c e r p y r a d n e Leg By: Colin Smith

The new Sheldrake Haulage Kenworth W900 SAR Legend is the winning truck in last year’s Double Coin Tyres Transport Imaging Awards. Each year a painting of the top truck is presented to the winning owner.

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IT TOOK THREE YEARS FROM ORDERING BEFORE THE NEW Sheldrake Haulage Kenworth W900 SAR Legend hit the road. And only three weeks for renowned artist Paul Astwood to create the painting of the truck which now sits on the office wall at the Tokoroa company.

The Legend – build number 292 and rego LGDSAR to be precise – is the winning truck from the 2024 Double Coin Tyres Transport Imaging Awards run by New Zealand Truck & Driver magazine. The winner is judged selected from the 11 trucks featured on the monthly Double Coin Tyres foldout poster each year.

Company managing director Mat Sheldrake was recently presented with the painting at the new SHL office and workshop facility in Tokoroa.

“I’ve got it hanging on the back wall of my office,” says Mat. “It’s absolutely amazing. The amount of detail that’s in the painting is incredible and a couple of people have said to me they thought it was a photo.

“The more I look at it, the more details I notice that I haven’t seen before. The skill and talent of the artist is really outstanding.

“I’d really like to thank NZ Truck & Driver and Paul the artist for the painting.”

Mat’s comment about the detail of the work is exactly what Paul sets out to achieve with all of his paintings.

“My goal is that the closer you look at the painting, the more you can see. With a lot of artwork, the closer you look, the more things become blurred,” Paul says.

Paul says he doesn’t count the hours of work that are involved in his paintings.

“It’s impossible to count the hours. I know this one took me three weeks from when I started it, but I always have another couple of jobs on at the same time.”

Paul works from multiple photos to create his paintings with a key

focus on detail and accuracy.

“There’s a lot of work in the chrome for this truck and I used 2mm fine-line tape to the get the pinstriping right.

“I really enjoyed doing the background on this one because of the different textures in the scrub and the dirt on the ground. And also, in the tree planation in the background.”

Paul says the work might be painstaking in its precision, but it’s also enjoyable.

“It’s fun doing them. The paintings and the signwriting I do are precise art. You want people to notice the fine details and the accuracy, so you have to get it right.”

The Sheldrake Haulage W900 SAR Legend went on the road in

Hayden Woolston from NZ Truck & Driver magazine presents the painting to Mat Sheldrake.

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Artist Paul Astwood took three weeks to complete the painting.

Below are photos taken in the early stages on the project.

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mid-2024 as a nine-axle B-train curtainsider combination paired up with new Jackson trailers. Part of the extended build timeline was the result of Mat changing his order in mid-2022 – the truck was originally going to be a Day Cab logger but was switched to an Aerodyne sleeper for carting paper products.

The spec detail for the SAR Legend is definitely at the premium end of the Kenworth range. The powertrain features a 600.615hp Cummins X15 developing peak torque of 2050 lb-ft and driving to an Eaton RTLO 22918b Roadranger gearbox.

The Meritor 46-160 rear axles with dual diff locks have a 4.1:1 ratio and the truck has Kenworth Airglide 460 rear suspension and disc brakes.

The 36-inch (915mm) Aero 1 sleeper cab is fitted with dual sleeper doors and a dove tail wind deflector sits atop the cab. Other exterior features include lower sleeper stainless trim, drop visor, 11 grill bars and fuel tank bracket side trims.

The cab features a parchment interior colour along with dual ISRI 6860/870 leather seats.

Carrying the signature white, blue and silver Sheldrake colours, the finish of the truck combines the talents of Haddock Spray Painters for the cab paint, Southpac Engineering for the stainless work, and Tauranga’s Wrapped Auto Signs did the signwriting.

The SAR Legend model is of special interest to the Sheldrake family. Graham Sheldrake, Mat’s father who founded the business, bought one of the original nine Kenworth SARs that were imported and sold in New Zealand in the early 1980s.

Mat made certain the company signed up for one of the special editions when they were announced in July 2021.

Now it’s at work, the W900 SAR Legend is the flagship of the Sheldrake Haulage fleet and is being driven by Dave Adie.

“The truck is going really well. We’ve had no problems and it’s doing the job we wanted it to do. Dave is not only enjoying it, but he’s also looking after it,” says Mat. The truck is on a regular run carting paper products between Tokoroa, Levin and Hawke’s Bay. “It’s around the lower North Island where you’re most likely to see it on the road,” Mat says.

The detail in the foreground (above) and chrome grille are a signature of Paul Astwood’s talents.

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FEATURE

Impressive Pacific P10 was a forest workhorse from the NZFP era.

Reunion showcase By: Colin Smith

THE LATEST HIGH-TECH LOG TRANSPORT INNOVATIONS AND some of the historic gear from 60 years ago stood side-by-side in the Tokoroa sunshine recently.

A truck display was one element of the February 21-22 NZFP Truckies, Loggers, Garage and Engineers reunion weekend, with 260 registered guests attending.

The event brought together staff and contractors of New Zealand Forest Products between 1957 and 2000, and organiser Bruce Nairn says the weekend was very successful.

“We were very pleased with how it went. All of the plans fell into place, and we had a lot of people who hadn’t seen each other for quite a few years,” Bruce says.

“We took four bus loads out into the forest where they had a bush crew working on a Saturday. It was a chance to see the modern equipment at work – for some of the older guys it was the first time had seen an anchored loader in operation.

“One of the comments I heard was `how much things had changed over the years – from having a lot of people on the ground to it now being about having machines on the ground’.”

The display of trucks was coordinated by Graham Sheldrake and featured a range of loggers and transporters – old and new.

“I contacted all the guys to get a good range of the old and new,” says Graham.

“We wanted to display some of the history next to some of the latest innovation in the industry and all the guys were happy to help out.”

Yard space was provided by All Spark Electrical and Holster Engineering, both locations being very close to the reunion headquarters at the Tokoroa Club.

The line-up included the very first Kenworth (an 848) imported to New Zealand for NZFP and recently restored for the Kenworth 100 event in early 2024. The 848, Log Truck 57, is now a permanent exhibit at the NZ Timber Museum in Putaruru.

There was also one of the iconic Pacific P10s and a couple of `workin-progress’ restorations were trucked in on transporters, including a

Kenworth L923 that joined the NZFP fleet in 1967 as Logger #42.

Matamata’s Bradley Scott is in the process of restoring the L923 and piecing together its history. After its stint at NZFP the L923 was run by logging contractor Billy Moore and was later owned by Alan Forbes.

J Swap Contactors supported the display with a classic Terex 82-40 bulldozer and its restored International R190, which had been part of the NZFP transporter fleet until Swaps bought the truck in 1973.

There was also a classic International logger on show, the immaculate R.I & J.D. Ellis (Hamurana) International RD195.

At the modern end of the timber timeline there were some innovative new trucks on display. Among them was a Scania S770 unit featuring the new Safe-T-Loader technology which allows it to self-load it’s trailer.

The pioneering design incorporating ramps and a powerful winch is the vision of Aztec Forest Transport Developments director Peter

Matamata’s Bradley Scott is in the process or restoring this Kenworth L923 that joined the NZFP fleet in 1967 as Logger #42.

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Above: The NZFP Reunion attendees had a chance to look at the latest logging technology, including the Safe-T-Loader self-loading trailer system pioneered by Peter Phillips and Patchell Engineering.

Below: A pair of restored Internationals and a `work-in-progress’ NZFP fleet Kenworth.

Opposite page:

Top: Original Kenworth 848 from the NZ Timber Museum in Putaruru, alongside modern day and fully loaded RFH Kenworth K200.

Lower: Tokoroa timber industry fleets were well represented at the NZFP Reunion display.

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Phillips, working alongside forestry company Manulife Investment Management and constructed by Patchell Industries.

Rotorua Forest Haulage also had its new Kenworth K200 self-load trailer solution on show while the latest bin-in-bin truck-trailer design developed by Rob Dahm Ltd and built

by Mills-Tui showcased new ideas in scrap wood collection.

Local firm Sheldrake Haulage showed off its new Kenworth W900 SAR Legend and its 1984 W924 logger.

It’s the second time an NZFP reunion has been held in Tokoroa, the first being in 2012.

“We’ll have a wrap-up and work out where we go from here,” says Bruce Nairn regarding any future plans.

“All of the material from the event will go to the Timber Museum at Putaruru. They’ll have everything from the 2012 and 2025 reunions, but one of the jobs is to get the stuff from 2012 onto USB because it was originally saved on CDs.”

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FEATURE

Robert Jeffery took out the Truck of the Show award with his Kenworth K200.

TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show 2025 Story and photos: David Kinch WITH THE DATE FOR THE TMC TRAILERS TRUCKING INDUSTRY Show set way back in 2023, the expectations for this industry showcase were high.

Unfortunately the biennial event experienced a lower-thanexpected public attendance and a drop in Show & Shine entrants this time around.

Held at the Canterbury Agricultural Park, the TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show kicked off on Friday March 7 for trade customers only. This provided an opportunity for site holders to invite customers along and host separate functions at their trade stands.

Also on Friday, the CiLT Health, Safety and Well Being series

Left: Contestants in the TR Group Trucking Relay showcasing their skills in front of the crowd.

Right: Road Metals looked as good as ever as they celebrate their 70th year as a company.

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Gerard Daldry’s latest restoration project is this Milburn Cement 1988 Volvo N10.

was held which included a HARMfree connect event, CiLT Elevate Health, Safety and Well Being session, the launch of TruckSafe, and NZ Transport Women afternoon tea. An industry networking event was staged in the evening.

Because of traffic flow problems experienced at the last truck show in 2022, a different entrance was used this year. It was a good move, allowing the drivers of the trucks entered in the Show & Shine competition enough space and time to navigate to the rear of the venue.

Transport operators took the opportunity to arrive early on Friday as the weather forecast for Saturday wasn’t looking favourable,

However, the rain that did fall on Saturday morning passed quickly, and the weather improved throughout the day.

Although down on numbers, this year’s Show & Shine competition was very competitive, especially in the Best Fleet category. Large numbers were entered from SML, Road Metals, Mackleys, Hilton Haulage and Bascik Transport.

Truck of the Show was taken out by Robert Jeffery with his immaculate K200 Kenworth which is contracted to 4D Freight who in turn contract to Bascik Transport. Anja Liemburg took home the prize for Best Crane Truck with her Hilton Haulage Scania, which looked fantastic fully loaded.

The Scania of Hilton Haulage driver Anja Liemburg won the Best Crane Truck prize.

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FEATURE

Charlie Bailey and The Bandit have become a popular attraction at recent truck shows.

Charlie and The Bandit

Story and photos: David Kinch

Charlie Bailey’s tribute to the 1977 movie Smokey and the Bandit has been a big attraction at recent truck shows. The 1985 Kenworth has a story to tell from both sides of the Tasman.

ASK ANYONE IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, PAST AND PRESENT, and they would say that riding in a truck as a child with a family member or friend inspired them to one day become a truck driver themselves.

For Charlie Bailey, the school holidays meant exactly that. He would ride shotgun with his dad, Rob “Robbo” Bailey, while he was driving for Combined Haulage delivering Lemon & Paeroa up and down the country. When they were travelling in an Aerodyne Kenworth together, young Charlie would often climb up into the bunk and watch the countryside go by through the top windows of the sleeper.

Fast forward a few years and Charlie, now in his mid-forties, co-owns Auckland building company Team Salamander and in his spare time has taken to working on numerous muscle cars and bikes, bringing them back from obscurity and making them a showpiece once more.

In the American summer of 1977, a ‘little movie’ called Smokey and the Bandit hit the big screens and ranked second in earnings at the box office to the sci-fi phenomenon Star Wars.

Just like Star Wars, Smokey and the Bandit, captured the imagination and had a generation of children wanting to grow up and drive a Kenworth just like Snowman (Jerry Reed). Charlie Bailey was one of those children who had that dream, and finally he was in a position where he could make it a reality.

Charlie’s idea for this project was always to find an older truck – and eventually a trailer as well – and work on it with a team of skilled craftsmen to make his vision come to fruition.

A few truck owners were approached in New Zealand, but nobody was willing to part with their truck. Not one to be knocked back, Charlie started looking offshore. That’s when a 1985 Kenworth W925 AR caught his eye in Australia.

New to Blue Circle Southern Cement Ltd, the Kenworth was later purchased by Driver Classics from Danny Epema and used to transport classic vehicles for the Driver family.

The truck was also well known for being involved in a cigarette heist in Northern Victoria in its early days.

Originally fitted with a two stroke V8 GM Detroit Diesel model 8V92 Silver 400hp engine, the truck has since been repowered with a 430hp 12.7-litre Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine with a 15-speed Eaton Fuller Roadranger transmission.

Once Charlie had organised to see the truck, he had a very short window to get to Melbourne, view the truck and make the purchase.

The next step was figuring out how to get the Kenworth from Melbourne to Adelaide safely. Luckily the former owner was more than happy to take one last ride and deliver it to the port in Adelaide so it could make the voyage to New Zealand.

In the meantime, on the flight home to Auckland Charlie realised something. He now owned a truck but had no truck licence! He immediately booked a course to get his Class 2 licence and over the next 6 months acquired his Class 5.

Once the Kenworth landed at the Port of Auckland and was cleared it was picked up by ACE Towing and delivered to Charlie’s yard.

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Pictured on the day when Charlie picked up the old AFFCO trailer.

Charlie set to work and pulled the truck apart so it could get a full paint and panel job. For that he needed someone that shared his vision and passion, with an “old school” mentality.

It just happened that Jason from Convoy Truck Refinishers in Hamilton was just the man for the job. Jason travelled to Auckland and met Charlie at his yard and the pair quickly discovered they had much in common.

The Kenworth was taken to Jason’s yard in Hamilton and given the Smokey and the Bandit paint livery. Ten stud rims were added along with 8-inch straight pipes and a few extra lights. Recently Charlie gave the interior and sleeper box a birthday, so the old W925 AR Kenworth really is looking the part.

While the truck was being painted a Steel Bros 13-metre step deck trailer was purchased. Charlie was overseas at the time, but

All set up at the Mystery Creek KW100 Show last year with Pontiac Firebird Trans-am aboard.

78 | Truck & Driver

he knew it fit the vision he was looking for so he bought the trailer and had it dropped off to Jason who sandblasted and painted it after finished the truck.

Smokey and the Bandit fans know you can’t just have the Kenworth without the Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am. As Burt Reynolds said in the movie, “I gotta have a new car to block for the truck you know.”

Charlie says; “So as soon as I started getting into the idea, I just looked hard out on Trade Me and Facebook and this one came up down in Taranaki actually. It’s not a T-Top but the car has a big block 400 (6.6-litre) engine which is quite rare, and the car is quite mint.”

The 1979 Trans-Am is an auto version and was already fitted with a CB as it was owned by a former truck driver who was reunited

Interior is immaculate with polished woodgrain dash and Route 66 tribute artwork.

with his car in February, driving the car in front of the Kenworth at the Americana event in Taranaki.

There’s only one thing that would top the step deck trailer set up and that was a reefer trailer like the original Snowman towed behind his Kenworth in the movie. Charlie came across such a trailer on its last legs in Auckland and because he could see the potential he saved the old AFFCO 13-metre trailer that carried hanging meat back in its heyday.

“The registration was on hold which was a bonus. There was some surface rust underneath but nothing a sandblaster couldn’t fix so that’s what I did, and it looked mint,” Charlie says.

Once the trailer was painted, airbrush artist Ron Van Dahm worked his magic with a stunning mural on both sides and the rear of the trailer. A little-known fact is that there’s a copyright on the

Artist Ron Van Dahm creating a masterpiece on the trailer.

original mural used in the movie so no replica will be exactly the same.

Charlie knew he could invest in the trailer in other ways after securing it for such a good price.

“If I bought a newer trailer I wouldn’t have gotten the look I was after as I like the round curves on the top and the front as it matches the bubble top sleeper on the truck,” Charlie says.

Of course, this Bandit (Charlie) must have his Frog (Michelle) to whom he’d like to acknowledge for understanding his crazy ideas and always helping and supporting him.

Charlie Bailey is living proof that if you put the hard work in your dreams can be achieved and you can tell from the smile on his face as he’s cruising down the Auckland motorway that he’s loving every second of it.

The Kenworth when it was owned

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FEATURE

Peter Phillips has developed the Safe-T-Loader log trailer in partnership with Patchell Engineering.

G N I D A SELF-LO R E L I A R T G N I G LOG es By: Ian Park

Swinging trailers through the air on the end of a chain might be a staple operation in forestry but it comes loaded with risk. Enter the Safe-T-Loader.

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EMPTY LOGGING TRUCKS ON THE WAY BACK TO THE FOREST, with the trailer piggybacking on the truck, are a common sight in many parts of the country.

It happens hundreds of times a day. The log loader will unload the trailer, ready for the next load, and, at the other end, either at a processing mill or often a seaport, the trailer will be hoisted back onto truck, by a loader or a hoist on a gantry.

Running `trailer up’ is efficient on the road, and it also puts weight over the drive wheels for the truck to climb back up steep forestry roads to get the next load.

However, lifting trailers off the ground remains inherently risky.

Some years ago Peter Phillips, director of Aztec Forestry Transport Developments, very nearly witnessed a serious accident firsthand. He saw a chain snap as a trailer was being lifted. It slammed

to the ground, the free-swinging drawbar slapping the earth and bouncing up close enough to the driver to whip off his helmet.

“What’s the depth of that peak? Maybe 40mm? If he had been standing 40mm closer it would have broken his neck.”

Working with heavy machinery, often in remote locations, involves risk but the industry and organisations like the Log Transport Safety Council, manufacturers like Patchell Industries and operators have been working for years to drive down the risks.

Drivers receive detailed safety training on loading and unloading trailers. Trailer designs have also improved to the point drivers can now slew and latch drawbars under their trailers while the trailers are still close to the ground.

Tokoroa-based forestry owner Manulife Investment Management is also continuing to improve safety. In 2023, at a regular key Truck & Driver | 81

Other people did too. Rotorua Forest Haulage brought in a mechanical folding trailer system from Australia, but Peter was keen to work on his own solution. He has many innovations to his credit over his 42 years in the industry and he was keen to take on the challenge.

The obvious solution was the keep the trailer on the ground and winch it onto the back of the truck. But it wasn’t straightforward.

The dolly had to be locked, the brakes disengaged and the drawbar got out of the way, but you still needed the trailer brakes to activate work in the event of an equipment failure part way through loading.

The dream team

The new self-loading trailer concept is being trialled on a powerful new Scania S770 8x4. supplier distribution meeting, its health and safety manager challenged distribution contractors to come up with a way to reduce the risks in lifting 6-tonne trailers in the air or, as they put it, to eliminate ‘third party trailer lifting.’

“I put my hand up,” says Peter.

Peter turned to long-time collaborators Patchell Engineering and its talented engineering design team to turn his ideas into reality.

Peter’s relationship with Patchells began in 1983.

“I had a couple of ideas in mind. One was environmental, avoiding the risk of hydraulic oil spills. I also wanted to be able to retrofit this solution to any nine-axle logging unit. I wanted it to be universal so that if people got keen on the idea, it wasn’t going to break the bank to set this kind of system up.

Peter considers it kind of a dream team. He had the concept and a lifetime of experience in the field while the Patchell team had the technical skills to develop the design.

“So when you mix my enthusiasm, my coalface knowledge and creativity with their engineering and design skills then you are going to get a pretty good outcome. They invested a lot of their own money in it and so did I.” Patchell Group Sales and Marketing Manager Glenn Heybourn says working with operators like Peter and industry leading

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0 C 82 | Truck & Driver

organisations such as the Log Transport Safety Council has been in the Patchell DNA for over 50 years.

“The team did a great job of listening to Peter then adding value through design and on-the-floor engineering to complete the project,” Glenn says.

“They really enjoy the challenge of working on new concepts, especially on projects that make the industry safer for those working in it.”

Glenn says Patchell has focused on safety initiatives around trailer lifting for many years, developing many improvements that make the process safer and easier for the drivers. Their drawbar ramps designs, remote turning dollies, dolly locks and stops, and front locking pins all help avoid drivers having to get under or close to trailers during trailer lifting.

Glenn says further development of the Safe-T-Loader concept will allow for unloading of the trailer as well as loading, removing the need for this – albeit less risky – lifting operation.

“We are really proud to be part of an industry that is always putting safety for its people at the front of its focus. Working on projects such as this with Peter and with all our clients is what makes this industry such a great one to be involved in,” Glenn says.

One motivation for Peter was the fallout from a fatal accident at the Ports of Auckland. Maritime New Zealand had taken over responsibility for safety at ports and had identified gantries as a risk.

“The first thing that happened was the gantries at the Port of Tauranga were removed and replaced with excavator loaders.

“I always say ‘think big picture’ and I believe as we go forward

The truck has been called The Innovator, and the name applies equally to owner/designer Peter Phillips.

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Mid-way through the self-loading process.

you might not even be allowed to load a trailer on the wharf using any form of lifting equipment.

“With my set-up we don’t lift the trailer. The trailer is winched up ramps and onto the truck. We developed a breakaway system so that should the rope or winch equipment fail during loading the emergency breakaway system will activate the brakes on those three axles. They will snap on immediately, so that trailer cannot roll away.

“That’s probably my proudest achievement. I knew I wanted it to utilise the standard airbrake system – no hydraulics or electrics that could fail.”

In the event of an equipment failure, even total loss of air, the spring brakes will activate.

“The additional valves we applied are brake coded and certified,” says Peter. He says it was the Patchell engineers who came up with the way to make the system work.

The winch rope is attached to the trailer through a rocker mechanism, a lump of steel with holes at the top and bottom that rocks on a fixed pin in the middle. When the winch is activated, it pulls the top of the rocker forward, pushing the bottom back, which activates the spring brake control valve, releasing the brakes.

If there’s an equipment failure and pressure comes off the tow

The system has been developed with the ability to be retro-fitted on existing truck and trailer combinations.

84 | Truck & Driver

Some of the detail engineering and componentry which is part of the Safe-T-Loader system.

rope, the rocker swings back, deactivating the release valve so the brakes are re-applied. That all happens instantly, says Peter.

“That’s how modern trailers work. All I’ve done is used what’s there.”

But then…

“At that point I struck a speed bump. When you’ve let the winch rope out the first thing you need to do is stand your drawbar up.”

Running the winch rope around a roller at the base of the drawbar will do that but you need the trailer’s brakes on for the winch to pull against. In order to do that you have to override that brake release system you’ve just installed. That called for an override on the override, so another valve was fitted.

“Then you give the draw bar the last little push that latches it into the safety latch and then you can push the override button back in so the trailer can roll and you can winch it aboard.”

Two ramps which swing in and stow over each other horizontally across the back of the truck, like folded arms, were a simple addition. The trailer is then pulled up onto the folded truck bolsters.

“We put a fence along the bolster side arms and that guides the wheels along the top of the side arms into the wheel carriers.”

The 10-tonne COMEUP winch is designed and built in Singapore.

“It’s the first one in the country because electric winches don’t usually go to that kind of rating. That winch is wireless RF remote operated and it can be cable operated.”

The cable is actually Dyneema cord rather than steel, selected because it has no stretch. If it snaps, it doesn’t whip back; it just falls to the ground.

Freedom Peter was keen to give drivers independence with this system which meant they wouldn’t be held up by third party equipment failures.

Although safer, it is slower than getting an excavator to load a trailer.

“If there are three trucks getting their trailers loaded you will be leaving just after the third one,” Peter says. “But you can easily have more than that waiting at a loading facility.

“Although the winching time is only three and half minutes the whole process is between 8 and 10 minutes. But if the loader driver is on a break or there’s a mechanical fault, or he’s blown a hose it doesn’t take long and there will be upwards of 20 trucks lined up down the port waiting to put their trailers up. Remember it only takes three trucks and you are ahead.

“The other thing is because this truck has 770 horsepower, on

a good day you can pass three or four trucks going up the Kaimais anyway,” says Peter with a chuckle. It’s a 2024 Scania S 770 8-wheeler, towing a five-axle Patchell multi.

“If there’s any kind of mechanical breakdown in the loading system you are totally independent of that. In the forest if a loader driver had lifted your tailer off and then has a hydraulic hose failure, you could be waiting for quite some time for the hose doctor to come and fix it.”

In this scenario the driver could load his own trailer again and go to another loading site.

Peter says the system also has environmental benefits. It’s all electric and there’s no hydraulics involved, which means no oil being sprayed around during a failure.

“It’s less capital investment and less environmental impact,” Peter says.

There’s one more safety feature: if you need to, you can also cut power to the winch with an independent cutout master switch.

“Once we got the process going, Manulife said we needed to do a risk analysis. Some people might think, ‘oh man, here we go’, but I didn’t view it that way. It highlights things that will save you in the long run. You can sort it as you are building it, meaning there’s less downtime.

“We did this three times and in the end we came up with what I feel confident is a very safe unit. The last thing we want to do is build something and create a risk we didn’t have before.”

The Safe-T-Loader is designed to retrofit to existing tracks and it adds less than a tonne to the tare weight – significantly less than a hydraulic folding rig solution.

The big question is whether the concept will be adopted by the log transport industry. It met the Manulife brief and it satisfies Peter’s own preference for systems that make his operation more reliable. Peter’s philosophy, one that has made Aztec one of the most respected names in the forests, is to operate quality gear and systems that can be relied upon to perform and meet targets.

The Safe-T-Loader does take a bit longer to load, and that will be a critical factor for some, but the consequences of the kind of accident it was designed to avoid are so much more devastating than a few minutes extra in loading, even if there’s no waiting involved.

Peter isn’t expecting to win other operators over right away. He says, as usual, they will wait a while to see how it goes. Maybe he will be the only one to operate one for quite a while but then, Peter takes the long-term view. And if there’s a chance to innovate, he’ll be there.

Truck & Driver | 85

The red McCarthy Transport colours are being carried by a new Volvo FH16 750 8x4R Globetrotter logger based at Whanganui. Power comes from a 750hp Volvo D16G producing 3550Nm of torque. The Volvo I-Shift ATO3512 AMT has two extra crawler gears (14-speed) and there’s an RTH2610B hub reduction tandem drive rear end rated at 26t and high clearance RADD-G2 rear air suspension. Disc brakes are fitted with the Volvo advanced safety suite featuring LCS LKA, DAS, ACC, EBA, and passenger side view camera. Log gear by Patchell Industries, signs by Raymond Artist Signs and sold by Simon Wilson.

Still slow on both fronts NEW TRUCK REGISTRATIONS CONTINUE TO MAKE A slow start to 2025 with February numbers well down on the same month last year, and the trailer segment is also performing at a slower pace.

According to NZTA provisional data there were 271 trucks (with a GVM of 4.5t-plus) registered in February, nearly half of the 475 registrations in February 2024. Year-to-date total registrations of 610 units is down from 937 units (a 34.89% decrease) on the same period last year.

Registration data also shows low numbers for new trailer registrations.

The monthly total of 80 new trailers is well behind the February record of 133 registrations set last year and the YTD total of 167 units is down from the 280 registrations in the January-February period last year.

Isuzu regains truck market leadership with 53 registrations in February to lift its YTD number to 98, still a long way off the 194 registrations Isuzu had at the same time last year.

Hino follows with 31 registrations in February and 91 YTD while Fuso continues in third position with 39 registrations for the month and 79 YTD. Behind Isuzu, Hino and Fuso in the 4.5t to maximum GVM truck market, the February figures show 75 registrations for Scania (75/37) YTD to claim fourth position ahead of Kenworth (47/18). Iveco (44/12) moves into sixth position ahead of Volvo (30/13), DAF (26/9), Mercedes-Benz (26/11) and UD (24/13) to round out the top-10.

In the 3.5-4.5t crossover segment, LDV (50/27) edges into number one ahead of Fiat (48/24), followed by Mercedes-Benz (26/17), Ford

(14/6), Volkswagen (11/7), Renault (5/1), Iveco (3/0), Ram (2/0) and Peugeot (1/1).

The 4.5-7.5t category sees Isuzu (40/27) on top ahead of Iveco (26/8), Fuso (23/10), and Foton (14/5), while Hino (13/1), Volkswagen (13/6) and Mercedes-Benz (13/6) are tied in fifth position.

Hino (38/17) retains the lead of the 7.5-15t segment ahead of Fuso (32/18) and Isuzu (31/11), with these three brands gaining an 80.2% share of the market.

The small 15-20.5t category is led by Hino (12/5) with a clear lead ahead of UD (2/0) and Fuso (2/0).

The 20.5-23t segment shows three registrations for the month with Hino (4/2) taking over half the market share YTD ahead of Fuso (1/0) and Scania (1/1).

Scania (72/35) retains number one position in the premium 23t to maximum GVM category while Kenworth (47/18) holds onto second place ahead of Volvo (30/13), and Isuzu (27/15). DAF (26/9), Hino (24/6), Fuso (21/11), UD (21/12), Mercedes-Benz (10/3) and Iveco (9/2) round out the top-10.

There is no change at the top of the trailer market where Fruehauf continues with a clear lead with 12 registrations in February and 26 YTD. Second is Transport Trailers (15/5) ahead of Domett (13/8) in third and Patchell (11/4) in fourth.

TMC (9/4) and Roadmaster (9/5) are tied in fifth with TES (7/3) and MTE (7/4) tied in seventh while Transfleet (6/2) and Lowes (6/3) are tied in ninth to round out the top-10 trailer brands.

Truck & Driver | 87

Alex McKillop of McKillop Contracting in Dunedin has a new Mercedes-Benz Actros 2663 LS 35 operating in Transport South Island (TSI) Logistics livery servicing Foodstuffs supermarkets across the lower South Island. Sold and handed over by Tristan Duffell, the Actros is equipped with factory guards and a Jost sliding fifth wheel. Alex has also added his own custom lighting, with help from McCormick Motor Bodies for the stainless work, making the Actros’s sleek design pop even more at night.

4501kg-max GVM Brand ISUZU HINO FUSO SCANIA KENWORTH IVECO VOLVO DAF MERCEDES-BENZ UD FOTON VOLKSWAGEN HYUNDAI FIAT SINOTRUK MACK JAC FREIGHTLINER SINOTRUK INTERNATIONAL SANY OTHER Total

Vol 98 91 79 75 47 44 30 26 26 24 18 13 11 7 4 3 3 3 2 2 1 3 610

2025

% 16.1 14.9 13.0 12.3 7.7 7.2 4.9 4.3 4.3 3.9 3.0 2.1 1.8 1.1 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.5 100

Vol 53 31 39 37 18 12 13 9 11 13 7 6 7 3 3 1 1 2 2 2 0 1 271

3501-4500kg GVM Brand LDV FIAT MERCEDES-BENZ FORD VOLKSWAGEN RENAULT IVECO RAM PEUGEOT Total

Vol 50 48 26 14 11 5 3 2 1 160

2025

% 31.3 30.0 16.3 8.8 6.9 3.1 1.9 1.3 0.6 100

Vol 27 24 17 6 7 1 0 0 1 83

4501-7500kg GVM Brand ISUZU IVECO FUSO FOTON HINO VOLKSWAGEN MERCEDES-BENZ FIAT HYUNDAI RAM JAC Total 88 | Truck & Driver

Vol 40 26 23 14 13 13 13 7 5 3 3 160

2025

% 25.0 16.3 14.4 8.8 8.1 8.1 8.1 4.4 3.1 1.9 1.9 100.0

Vol 27 8 10 5 1 6 6 3 3 1 1 71

Feb

Feb

Feb

% 19.6 11.4 14.4 13.7 6.6 4.4 4.8 3.3 4.1 4.8 2.6 2.2 2.6 1.1 1.1 0.4 0.4 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.0 0.4 100

% 32.5 28.9 20.5 7.2 8.4 1.2 0.0 0.0 1.2 100

% 38.0 11.3 14.1 7.0 1.4 8.5 8.5 4.2 4.2 1.4 1.4 100

Isuzu moves ahead of Hino in February 7501-15,000kg GVM Brand HINO FUSO ISUZU IVECO HYUNDAI FOTON MERCEDES-BENZ SHACMAN SCANIA UD Total

Vol 38 32 31 8 6 4 3 2 1 1 126

2025

% 30.2 25.4 24.6 6.3 4.8 3.2 2.4 1.6 0.8 0.8 100

Vol 17 18 11 2 4 2 2 2 0 1 59

15,001-20,500kg GVM Brand HINO UD FUSO IVECO SCANIA FREIGHTLINER Total

Vol 12 2 2 1 1 1 19

2025

% 63.2 10.5 10.5 5.3 5.3 5.3 100

Vol 5 0 0 0 1 1 7

20,501-23,000kg GVM Brand HINO FUSO SCANIA Total

Vol 4 1 1 6

2025

% 66.7 16.7 16.7 100

Vol 2 0 1 3

Feb

Feb

Feb

% 28.8 30.5 18.6 3.4 6.8 3.4 3.4 3.4 0.0 1.7 100

% 71.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 14.3 14.3 100

% 66.7 0.0 33.3 100

23,001kg-max GVM Brand SCANIA KENWORTH VOLVO ISUZU DAF HINO FUSO UD MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO SINOTRUK MACK FREIGHTLINER INTERNATIONAL SANY Total

Vol 72 47 30 27 26 24 21 21 10 9 4 3 2 2 1 299

2025

% 24.1 15.7 10.0 9.0 8.7 8.0 7.0 7.0 3.3 3.0 1.3 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.3 100

Vol 35 18 13 15 9 6 11 12 3 2 3 1 1 2 0 131

Trailers Brand Vol FRUEHAUF 26 TRANSPORT TRAILERS 15 DOMETT 13 PATCHELL 11 TMC 9 9 ROADMASTER TES 7 7 M.T.E. TRANSFLEET 6 LOWES 6 CWS 5 JACKSON 4 FAIRFAX 4 KRAFT 4 TRT 3 SEC 3 TANKER 3 MD ENGINEERING 3 WARREN 2 STEELBRO 2 EVANS 2 TEO 2 MTC EQUIPMENT 2 HAMMAR 1 HTS 1 MILLS TUI 1 OTHER 16 Total 167

2025

% 15.6 9.0 7.8 6.6 5.4 5.4 4.2 4.2 3.6 3.6 3.0 2.4 2.4 2.4 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.2 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.2 0.6 0.6 0.6 9.6 100

Vol 12 5 8 4 4 5 3 4 2 3 3 1 1 2 1 1 2 2 0 1 2 2 2 0 0 0 10 80

Feb

Feb

% 26.7 13.7 9.9 11.5 6.9 4.6 8.4 9.2 2.3 1.5 2.3 0.8 0.8 1.5 0.0 100

% 15.0 6.3 10.0 5.0 5.0 6.3 3.8 5.0 2.5 3.8 3.8 1.3 1.3 2.5 1.3 1.3 2.5 2.5 0.0 1.3 2.5 2.5 2.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.5 100

Two identical Kenworth T610 SARs have hit the road for K&S Freighters of Cambridge, purchased to haul containers. Both trucks are powered by 550.578hp Cummins X15 engines with the new Eaton Endurant XD Pro automated 18-speed transmission. The spec includes Meritor MFS73 7.3t front axles, Meritor MT21-165GP rear axles with RR diff lock, Airglide rear suspension, Michelin 385/55 super single front tyres and 275/70 rear tyres mounted on Alcoa Dura-bright rims. A factory fitted JOST fixed fifth wheel, Rhino guards, stainless bug deflector, monsoons, factory sun visor and twin factory 5-inch exhaust pipes are fitted. Sold by Aaron McIntosh.

The A.J. Tutill & Sons Carriers fleet has a new arrival with a UD Quon 6x4 flat deck crane truck going to work. The CW26-400AS has a 400hp GH11TB engine, ESCOT-VI AMT, 8-airbag rear suspension, disc brakes, Traffic Eye Brake, Cruise Control with auto stop, LWDS, and Blind Side info. OTEL built the body and a front-mount Palfinger PK19 crane is fitted. Sold by Mike Waaka.

A new S-Way 6x4 tipper is the latest Iveco to join the Westroads fleet working in the Westland region.

The 570hp S-Way with standard height sleeper cab is powered by the Euro 6 Cursor 13 engine with a 12-speed AMT and is fitted with an Adams & Currie tipper for general contracting and road maintenance work based at Whataroa. Sold by Struan Syme.

Truck & Driver | 89

A

The highly experienced Murray Peake is driving the first new Kenworth T909 in the C&R Developments fleet at Cambridge. The new truck joins four older Kenworths moving C&R’s heavy equipment to work sites around New Zealand. The T909 has a 600.615hp Cummins X15, Eaton RTLO 22918B manual 18-speed Roadranger, Meritor MFS 7.3t front axle, Meritor RT52-185G rear axles and Neway AD246/10 air suspension riding on a 5500mm wheelbase. It’s rated for a 155t GVM. The 36-inch Aero roof integrated sleeper with a flat rear wall is fitted with a factory roof kit and Grey Graphite interior. Features include dual ISRI 6860/870 Pro air ride seats and dual sleeper doors. A Kentweld front bumper with a single drop in tow pin is fitted and there are twin exhausts with 6-inch mitre cut pipes and C&R Developments laser cut in the exhaust shields. The stainless work is by Chris Stanley Custom Truck & Chrome with the marker lights and wiring by Southpac Trucks prep department. Sold by Aaron McIntosh.

Carleys Transport has a new Te Kauwhata-based Volvo FH16 600 8x4R Globetrotter for livestock work around the North Island. A Dometts subframe is fitted with a Total crate. The 600hp D16 is paired with an I-Shift 12 speed AMT and the FH16 is equipped with rear air suspension, disc brakes and the Volvo advanced safety suite including LCS LKA, DAS, ACC, EBA, and passenger side view camera. Signs by Fleet Image, Te Awamutu.

90 | Truck & Driver

Andrew and Toni Howell, owners of Howell Transport Services from Bell Block, are celebrating 20 years in business this year and have added a new DAF CF 530 8x4 Day Cab for a PBT Express Freight Network run in and out of Taranaki. The factory ordered Day Cab allows the maximum body space in the Fruehauf curtain side body and the CF tows a refurbished 5-axle trailer. Features include a TraXon 16-speed AMT, DAF rear axles with full cross locks, B-pillar blind spot camera system, Adaptive cruise control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, and Lane Departure Warning. Sold by Adam McIntosh.

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Tokoroa log truck driver Simon Anania is celebrating 25 years of driving Kenworths with the timeline of his previous trucks printed on the side locker of his new Gilmour Transport K220. The 8x4 2.3m flat roof sleeper cab with air ride cab suspension is powered by a 600.615hp Cummins X15 teamed with the new Eaton Endurant XD PRO 18-speed automated transmission. The K220 has non-load share front suspension, Airglide 460 rear suspension, Meritor MT21-165GP rear axles with RR diff lock and Dura-bright rims. The cab features an ISRI 6860/870 Pro driver’s seat and 30-litre refrigerator and the exterior is highlighted with a stainless drop visor, lower grill panel, kick panel infills, twin air intakes with pre cleaners mounted to cab guard, and Eagle intake snorkels.

The first new Kenworth for Taupo-based Northern Linehaul Limited is a factory order K220 with pretty much every box ticked. The 2.8m Aerodyne has a 600.615hp Cummins X15, Eaton RTLO 22918B 18-speed Roadranger, Meritor 46-160 rear axles with full X-locks, Primax rear suspension and disc brakes. Features include a King single bed, dual sleeper doors, dove tail roof spoiler, CB and UHF radio, microwave oven, Smart TV, night heater and 10 grill bars. Johnny McIlroy is driving the K220 which can be seen all over the North Island. Truck deck built by Damon Collins Engineering (Taupo) and signs by Caulfield Signs.

92 | Truck & Driver

The new Kenworth W900 SAR Legend for Mark Amer Transport from Christchurch has gone on the road towing either a 6-axle refrigerated curtainsider or a refrigerated quad hardsider. The 600hp Cummins X15 is paired with a 220918B Roadranger 18-speed, Meritor 46-160GP rear end with full cross locks, and Airglide 460 suspension. The drum brakes have ABS/EBS. Factory paint combines with graphics by Timaru Signs and Graphix and the extras include Armoury chrome rims, extra fuel tanks and lights. Mark `Magpie’ Amer is driving the Legend, mainly between Christchurch and Nelson and sometimes further afield. Sold by Richard Reid.

Golden Bay Cement has a new Volvo FM16 8x4 tractor unit for bulk cement work in its Auckland-based fleet. The 600hp D16 engine drives to a 12-speed I-Shift transmission and RTS2370B single reduction tandem drive rear end. Sold by Blair Stapleton.

The Matamata depot of Taylor Bros Transport is home for a new DAF CF FAD Space Cab rigid tipper unit fitted with a Transfleet Clip Chip bulk woodchip body and trailer.

The CF has a 530hp Paccar MX-13, ZF Traxon 12TX2620 16-speed automated transmission, Paccar SR1360T rear axles with dual diff locks and Paccar air suspension. The safety system includes driver assist, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation with autonomous emergency braking. An under bunk fridge and Alcoa DuraBright wheels are fitted along with extra marker lights to sun visor and mirrors, LED roof beacon light, and Right Weigh digital scales. Cab and chassis painting by Fleet Image (Te Awamutu) and sold by Tim Finlay.

Truck & Driver | 93

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96 | Truck & Driver

WHEEL SEALS WHEEL WHEEL WHEELSEALS SEALS SEALS Four outside diameter seal points to ensure Four Four outside Four outside outside diameter diameter diameter sealseal points seal points points to ensure to ensure to ensure Four outside diameter seal points to ensure Unique multi-zone labyrinth design provides theUnique best protection andlabyrinth thedesign lowest friction Unique Unique multi-zone multi-zone multi-zone labyrinth labyrinth design design provides provides provides multi-zone design provides theUnique the best the best protection best protection protection andlabyrinth and the and the lowest the lowest lowest friction friction friction the best protection and the lowest friction

Roadranger Rebuilt and or Factory New + Spicer Clutch to suit – $POA Rubber front face protects from brake heat Rubber Rubber Rubber front front face front face protects face protects protects from from brake from brake brake heat heat heat Rubber front face protects from brake heat reduces run-in period, reduces required torque and keeps the seal cool from therequired outset reduces reduces reduces run-in run-in run-in period, period, period, reduces reduces reduces required required torque torque torque run-in period, reduces required torque andreduces and keeps and keeps keeps the the seal the seal cool seal cool from cool from the from the outset the outset outset and the seal cool from theprevents outset Largekeeps crumple zone/safety gap internal damage Large Large Large crumple crumple crumple zone/safety zone/safety zone/safety gapgap prevents gap prevents prevents Large crumple zone/safety gap prevents internal internal damage damage damage 2ND HAND internal internal damage Wide inside diameter with three rubber-ribbed points toinside ensure proper sealing capability Rebuilt Wide Wide inside Wide inside diameter diameter diameter with with three with three rubber-ribbed three rubber-ribbed rubber-ribbed Wide diameter with three rubber-ribbed points points toinside ensure to ensure to ensure proper proper proper sealing sealing sealing capability capability capability Rebuilt points points to ensure proper sealing capability

Core Change may apply RTLO14918 RTLO16919 RTLO18918 RTLO20918

Rebuilt RTLO18918AS3 FO-18E318BMXP Rebuilt FO-20E318BMSP Rebuilt Factory New & RebuiltSEAL RANGE MERITOR WHEEL MERITOR MERITOR MERITOR WHEEL WHEEL WHEEL SEAL SEAL RANGE RANGE RANGE RTLO22918 RebuiltSEAL MERITOR WHEEL SEAL RANGE SKF Part No. INDUSTRY CODE E-BARRIER RTLO18918AS3 Rebuilt CLASSIC SKF SKF SKF Part Part No. Part No.No. INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY CODE CODE CODEE-BARRIER E-BARRIER E-BARRIER Part No. INDUSTRY CODE E-BARRIER

MER0113 MER0113 MER0113 MER0113 MER0113 MER0123 MER0123 MER0123 MER0123 MER0123 MER0136 MER0136 MER0136 MER0136 MER0136 MER0143 MER0143 MER0143 MER0143 MER0143 MER0164 MER0164 MER0164 MER0164 MER0164 MER0173 MER0173 MER0173 MER0173 MER0173

40136 40136 40136 40136 40136 42623 42623 42623 42623 42623 35066 35066 35066 35066 35066 46305 46305 46305 46305 46305 43764 43764 43764 43764 43764 47697 47697 47697 47697 47697

708 708708708 708 701 701701701 701 704 704704704 704 702 702702702 702 705 705705705 705 709 709709709 709

MER0213 MER0213 MER0213 MER0213 MER0213 MER0223 MER0223 MER0223 MER0223 MER0223 MER0236 MER0236 MER0236 MER0236 MER0236 MER0264 MER0264 MER0264 MER0264 MER0264 MER0273 MER0273 MER0273 MER0273 MER0273

40129 40129 40129 40129 40129 42627 42627 42627 42627 42627 35058 35058 35058 35058 35058 43761 43761 43761 43761 43761 47692 47692 47692 47692 47692

808 808808808 808 801 801801801 801 804 804804804 804 805 805805805 805 809 809809809 809

Part No. INDUSTRY CODE E-BARRIER Part Part No. Part No.No. INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY CODE CODE CODEE-BARRIER E-BARRIER E-BARRIER Part No. INDUSTRY CODE E-BARRIER

EASY-FIT & TOUGH DESIGN FOR SUPERIOR EASY-FIT EASY-FIT EASY-FIT && &TOUGH TOUGH DESIGN DESIGN DESIGN FOR FOR FOR SUPERIOR SUPERIOR SUPERIOR PROTECTION & OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE. EASY-FIT &TOUGH TOUGH DESIGN FOR SUPERIOR PROTECTION PROTECTION PROTECTION && &OPTIMUM OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE. PERFORMANCE. PERFORMANCE. PROTECTION &OPTIMUM OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE.

STEMCO NATIONAL 37 VOYAGER STEMCO STEMCO STEMCO NATIONAL NATIONAL 373737 VOYAGER SKF STEMCO CLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC NATIONAL VOYAGER VOYAGER NATIONAL 37 CLASSIC VOYAGER 40136 370036A 373-0113 40136 40136 40136 40136 42623 42623 42623 42623 42623 35066 35066 35066 35066 35066 46305 46305 46305 46305 46305 437643 437643 437643 437643 437643 47697 47697 47697 47697 47697 SKF

370036A 370036A 370036A 370036A 370065A 370065A 370065A 370065A 370065A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370025A 370025A 370025A 370025A 370025A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370003A 370003A 370003A 370003A 370003A NATIONAL

373-0113 373-0113 373-0113 373-0113 373-0123 373-0123 373-0123 373-0123 373-0123 383-0136 383-0136 383-0136 383-0136 383-0136 373-0143 373-0143 373-0143 373-0143 373-0143 383-0164 383-0164 383-0164 383-0164 383-0164 393-0173 393-0173 393-0173 393-0173 393-0173 STEMCO

APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION

TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - STANDARD - STANDARD - STANDARD FORGE, FORGE, FORGE, DANA DANA DANA TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA TRAILER - FRUEHAUF PROPAR TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - FRUEHAUF - FRUEHAUF - FRUEHAUF PROPAR PROPAR PROPAR TRAILER PROPAR STEER -- FRUEHAUF MERITOR, EATON STEER STEER STEER - MERITOR, - MERITOR, - MERITOR, EATON EATON EATON - MERITOR, EATON TRAILERSTEER - MERITOR GENERAL PURPOSE TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - MERITOR - MERITOR - MERITOR GENERAL GENERAL GENERAL PURPOSE PURPOSE PURPOSE TRAILER - MERITOR GENERAL STEER - MERITOR FL941 -PURPOSE MFS STEER STEER STEER - MERITOR - MERITOR - MERITOR FL941 FL941 FL941 - MFS - MFS - MFS STEER - MERITOR FL941 - MFS DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE - MERITOR, - MERITOR, - MERITOR, DANA DANA DANA DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA

APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION

Factory New EATON FS-8309A Transmission – ONE ONLY. Needs to be moved, Priced to sell.

PLUS XL SKF SKF SKF SKF PLUS PLUS PLUS XLXLXL PLUS XL 40129 40129 40129 40129 40129 42627 42627 42627 42627 42627 35058 35058 35058 35058 35058 43761 43761 43761 43761 43761 47692 47692 47692 47692 47692

5NATIONAL STAR NATIONAL NATIONAL 5NATIONAL STAR 5 STAR 5 STAR 5 STAR 380036A 380036A 380036A 380036A 380036A 380065A 380065A 380065A 380065A 380065A 380001A 380001A 380001A 380001A 380001A 380048A 380048A 380048A 380048A 380048A 380003A 380003A 380003A 380003A 380003A

DISCOVER STEMCO STEMCO STEMCO STEMCO DISCOVER DISCOVER DISCOVER DISCOVER 373-0213

TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA 373-0213 373-0213 373-0213 TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - STANDARD - STANDARD - STANDARD FORGE, FORGE, FORGE, DANA DANA DANA 373-0213 TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA 373-0223 TRAILER - FRUEHAUF PROPAR 373-0223 373-0223 373-0223 TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - FRUEHAUF - FRUEHAUF - FRUEHAUF PROPAR PROPAR PROPAR 373-0223 TRAILER PROPAR 383-0236 STEER -- FRUEHAUF MERITOR, EATON 383-0236 383-0236 383-0236 STEER STEER STEER - MERITOR, - MERITOR, - MERITOR, EATON EATON EATON 383-0236 STEER - MERITOR, EATON 383-0264 STEER - MERITOR FL941 - MFS 383-0264 383-0264 383-0264 STEER STEER STEER - MERITOR - MERITOR - MERITOR FL941 FL941 FL941 - MFS - MFS - MFS 383-0264 STEER - MERITOR FL941 -UNITISED MFS 393-0273 DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA, K-HITCH AXLE 393-0273 393-0273 393-0273 DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE - MERITOR, - MERITOR, - MERITOR, DANA, DANA, DANA, K-HITCH K-HITCH K-HITCH UNITISED UNITISED UNITISED AXLE AXLE AXLE 393-0273 DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA, K-HITCH UNITISED AXLE

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Mills-Tui steel tippers are built tough, manufactured from high-wear resistant Hardox steel. We’re ready to help build New Zealand’s infrastructure. So give us a call now on 0800 MILLS-TUI.

Mills-Tui Limited 16–38 Pururu Street, Mangakakahi, Rotorua 3015 P 07 348 8039 T 0800 MILLS -TUI (645 578) SALES Garth Paton 027 289 0300

Mills-Tui A4 Tipper Advert 2024-11.indd 1

12/11/24 17:26