NZ Truck & Driver May 2019

NZ TRUCK & DRIVER

FREE GIANT TRUCK POSTER LIFTOUT

| May 2019

May 2019 $8.50 incl. GST

FLEET FOCUS BIG TEST Hop, Skip and a jump | FLEET FOCUS One-stop logging shop | FEATURE A legend in a legend

One-stop logging shop

FEATURE

A legend in a legend

The Official Magazine of the

ISSN 1174-7935 Issue 223

A new millennium begins Y2K passes without widespread computer failures Olympic Games in Sydney Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

Queen Mother dies

2000 2001 2002

Bali bomb kills 203 people Brazil wins Soccer World Cup Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

Boxing Day Tsunami causes widespread devastation First privately funded human spaceflight Janet Jackson suffers ‘wardrobe malfunction’ at Super Bowl

2003 2004

Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

Wikipedia goes online

Population of New Zealand exceeds 4 million Saddam Hussein is captured Space Shuttle Columbia destroyed during re-entry killing 7 astronauts Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

2005 2006

Italy wins Soccer World Cup Google purchase YouTube for $1.65m

Slobodan Milosevic arrested over war crimes Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ Five cent coins are dropped from circulation

9/11 Twin Towers are hit by passenger planes

Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans Prince Charles marries Camilla Parker Bowles Pope John Paul II dies Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

2007

Apple introduces the iPhone Bomb kills former Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto

Barack Obama elected first African American US President Global Financial Crisis Sir Edmund Hillary dies Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

First Canterbury earthquake causes widespread damage Julian Assange, co-founder of WikiLeaks, is arrested Chilean mining accident, remarkably all 33 miners rescued Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ Summer Olympics open in London

2008 2009 2010 2011

Willie Apiata receives the Victoria Cross, the first New Zealander since World War II Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

Michael Jackson dies First New Zealand rocket launched into space Swine Flu declared a global pandemic Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

U.S. troops kill Osama bin Laden All Blacks win Rugby World Cup

2012

Kate Middleton marries Prince William Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

Mars Rover successfully lands on Mars Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

Malaysian airliner goes missing

2013 2014

Russia is reportedly in control of Crimea ISIS take control of Mosul Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

2015

Pope Francis first Latin American elected Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, gives birth to a baby boy Nelson Mandela dies at age 95 Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

All Blacks win back-to-back Rugby World Cups Paris terrorist attack

Donald Trump elected US president

2016

Flowing liquid water found on Mars Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

NZ highest ever Olympic medal tally UK votes for Brexit Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

2017

Team New Zealand win the America’s Cup Facebook hits 2 billion monthly users

12 Thai boys and their football coach are rescued from a cave

2018

Jacinda Ardern becomes Prime Minister

Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

Meghan Markle joins the royal family New Zealand picks up 2 medals at the Winter Olympics Isuzu Trucks No.1 in NZ

ONE THING HASN’T CHANGED SINCE 2000.

Thank you for 19 consecutive years at No.1 in New Zealand.

ISZ14753_19-Years_NZDT_FP_R01.indd 1

8/04/19 16:58

CONTENTS Issue 223 – May 2019 2

News The latest in the world of transport, including….new FUSO Shogun launched; lawyer warns many more NZTA compliance actions likely; new littlebrother T series Kenworths revealed; Iveco makes $16million investment in NZ

20 Giti Tyres Big Test The new FUSO Shogun model had already been subjected to over five million kilometres of testing in Japan….but Fuso NZ decided it needed more. So Silverdale operator Skip Golden did another 46,000kms on a prototype 460hp tipper – working with Japanese FUSO engineers to fine-tune the AMT for NZ conditions.

We spend a day with him to see how that’s worked out

37 Transport Forum Latest news from the Road Transport Forum NZ, including…..road transport infrastructure demands longterm planning – not changes according to political whim; the capital gains tax will reduce the incentive to sell a business – prompting a slowdown; driver licensing changes a disappointment

44 Fleet Focus Father and son Peter and Brad Douglas have gradually, creatively, progressively turned a small earthmoving business into an impressively-diverse logging operation: They fell the trees, process them, forward

MANAGEMENT Publisher

Advertising

Trevor Woolston 027 492 5600 trevor@trucker.co.nz Trevor Woolston 027 492 5600 trevor@trucker.co.nz Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

EDITORIAL Editor

Wayne Munro 021 955 099 waynemunro@xtra.co.nz

Editorial office Phone

PO Box 48 074 AUCKLAND 09 826 0494

Associate Editor

Brian Cowan

CONTRIBUTORS

them, load them onto their own logtrucks to cart them to the port or sawmill – running on forest roads they’ve built!

91 TRT Recently Registered New truck and trailer registrations for March

FEATURES

COLUMNS

60 A legend in a legend

81 Sector Workforce Engagement Programme

Alf Quaife was the first driver of what is probably New Zealand’s most famous truck – the 1973 Detroit V12-engined Kenworth LW924R nicknamed the Concorde. So it was only right that when he died in March, the legendary logtruck took the equally-legendary truckie for his last ride

Driver licence stats confirm that there was a welcome increase in new Class 5 licences issued last year

85 RTANZ Posting videos on social media of truck drivers displaying poor driving is bad for the industry – and some of them are coming from other drivers!

69 Sucking it up There’s a new truck in town that’s cleaningup when it comes to no-mess, no-risk, nowater excavation in urban streets. It works like a giant vacuum cleaner – sucking dirt and gravel from around cables and pipes

87 National Road Carriers Association A blanket speed limit reduction on all roads in Auckland’s CBD is likely to add to the city’s traffic woes for transport operators

75 Full moon….full field This year’s Southpac Truckers & Loggers Fishing Tournament attracted a record entry…competing for its best-ever prize list

89 Truck Shop

80/ PPG Transport Imaging 81 Awards

New products and services for the road transport industry

Recognising NZ’s best-looking truck fleets….including a giant pullout poster of this month’s finalist

Gerald Shacklock Dave McLeod Hayley Leibowitz John Coker Robin Yates

ART DEPARTMENT Design & Production Luca Bempensante Zarko Mihic

EQUIPMENT GUIDE AUCKLAND, NORTHLAND, BOP, WAIKATO, CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND Advertising Don Leith 027 233 0090 don@trucker.co.nz AUCKLAND, LOWER NORTH ISLAND, SOUTH ISLAND Advertising Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

ADMINISTRATION Sue Woolston MANAGER accounts@trucker.co.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS Sue Woolston accounts@trucker.co.nz $80 incl. GST for one year (11 issues) Overseas rates on application ADDRESS Phone +64 9 571 3544 Fax +64 9 571 3549 Freephone 0508 TRUCKER (878 2537) Postal Address PO Box 112 062, Penrose, AUCKLAND Street Address 172B Marua Road, Ellerslie, AUCKLAND Web www.alliedpublications.co.nz NZ subscription price

PRINTING & DISTRIBUTION Printer Nicholson Print Solutions Distribution Gordon & Gotch Publication: New Zealand Truck & Driver is published monthly, except January,

by Allied Publications Ltd PO Box 112 062, Penrose, Auckland

Contributions: Editorial contributions are welcomed for consideration, but no responsibility is accepted for lost or damaged materials (photographs, graphics, printed material etc). To mail, ensure return (if required), material must be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope. It’s suggested that the editor is contacted by fax or email before submitting material.

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Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by, the publisher.

NZ Truck & Driver Magazine

Net circulation – ended 30/09/2018

11,889

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Truck & Driver | 1

NEWS

New FUSO...old (and famous) name FUSO HAS LAUNCHED ITS NEW HEAV Y-DUTY flagship in New Zealand – giving “the most advanced Japanese truck ever” an old (but famous) name.

“The legendary Shogun is back,” Fuso NZ announced at the launch. But this new-generation version – with its modern Daimler Group driveline and six-pack of high-tech safety features – is, it adds, “head and shoulders above its predecessors…and the competition.”

The new Shogun has two ratings for its new FUSO OM470 11-litre engine, derived from the Detroit DD11 – a 460 horsepower/338 Kilowatt version that produces 1622 lb ft/2213 Newton metres of peak torque….or a 398hp/296kW variant, with 1483 lb ft/2011Nm. They meet the Euro 6 exhaust emissions standard using a mixture of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR).

They’re mated with G230 or G330 ShiftPilot automated manual transmissions – FUSO adaptations of one of the latest Mercedes-Benz AMTs. The Japanese truckmaker says that the Shogun is its first heavy-duty model to make the most of it being part of the Daimler Group – the world’s biggest truck manufacturer.

Fuso NZ MD Kurtis Andrews is bullish about the Shogun’s sales prospects: “We’re pretty confident that the market will recognise the value Shogun offers and that it will grab a significant slice of the heavy-duty truck market share in the next 12 months.”

The Shogun’s launch, backed-up by a safety feature update for the lightduty Canter and “the inclusion of new five-year warranties, EasyPay ‘cents per kilometre’ service plans and some further product updates to come later in the year, will make 2019 the most important year since the launch of Fuso NZ,” Andrews adds.

The new-generation flagship is, he says, achieves a new level for FUSO customers – putting the make “back on the heavy-duty shopping list for a far wider range of operators.”

Andrews reckons that the new truck “is way ahead of the pack for safety, comfort and economy. Its new ShiftPilot transmission mapping, customised for NZ conditions, is a huge step up and drivers will appreciate the significantly quicker gear shifts – twice as fast as in the HD.” Problems, at least initially, with the outgoing FUSO HD model’s AMT performance have seen Fuso NZ go to exceptional lengths to avoid any repeat – fine-tuning the new G230/G330 transmission and its interface with the OM470 engine for NZ conditions.

Even after 3.3 million kilometres of Shogun testing in Japan, Fuso NZ had operators clock-up an additional 150,000kms on NZ roads, in 45-tonne tipper and linehaul tractor unit applications.

During that testing Fuso NZ says the test trucks used “up to 20%” less fuel than the old HD model.

There are savings in brake life as well, thanks to the OM470’s Jacobs engine brake, which delivers up to 460hp/338kW in three stages.

The new Shogun’s remarkable standard safety package includes active emergency braking, which will if necessary, brake autonomously to avoid a collision. It also has a lane departure warning system and adaptive cruise control, which maintains a safe distance to the vehicle in front – even resuming after a brief halt in stop-start traffic.

It also has active attention assist – an advanced driver fatigue monitoring system that monitors steering input, the truck’s path between lane markings and the driver’s head position and eye movement for signs of inattention and driver fatigue – issuing an alert if they’re detected.

A driver airbag, a high definition infra-red reversing camera – displayed on the touchscreen media unit (which also has hands-free calling and textto-speech functionality) – an emergency stopping signal (flashing brake lights), a speed limiter, hill start assist, ABS, EBS, traction control, inter-axle diff lock, trailer brake, brake override system, LED headlights with autosensing and levelling and auto-wipers complete the standard safety package.

Transmission functions include eco roll – allowing freewheeling when

More NZTA action co m THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY CAN EXPECT MORE enforcement action from the New Zealand Transport Agency “in the coming months and years,” a lawyer specialising in regulatory compliance and performance warns.

Nathan Speir says that “comments from NZTA’s lawyer including ‘…we are going to build to make sure we really demonstrate to the NZ public that they can be confident we have this under control,’ say it all.”

Speir, providing a an opinion piece on NZ Truck & Driver’s Road Torque news website, adds: “In some ways NZTA need to be seen taking active steps, in order to shrug a reputation for having ‘no teeth.’

“There are currently 663 open cases,” he says, “and that number could double. We don’t raise these numbers to scare readers, but rather as a reminder that it is important that transport operators and drivers 2 | Truck & Driver

be vigilant.”

Speir, of the law firm Rice Speir, recaps that the current NZTA compliance shakeup was triggered by concerns raised last September about the agency’s regulatory performance.

“The main concern was the backlog of compliance cases, covering vehicle certification, training, licensing, transport operators and drivers. Prior to this, NZTA’s focus was supposedly on education rather than enforcement.”

As Speir recounts: “The Minister of Transport started a review of NZTA, led by an external consultant – the focus including whether the Ministry should have identified performance issues earlier and whether it was adequately resourced.”

Speir suggests that “it seems inevitable, from Ministry of Transport and NZTA comments so far, that the answer will be no.

NEWS

Above: The new FUSO Shogun calls on its Daimler Group parentage for its brand-new driveline....and a six-pack of high-tech safety features Below: The Shogun has a driver-friendly dash and controls

possible during highway cruising – plus rock free and crawler modes. There’s also an eco-cruise mode to further improve fuel consumption.

The standard suspension comprises long taper leaf springs on the front, with double-acting shock absorbers, and six-rod steel or air suspension on the rear axles, depending on the model.

There will be nine Shogun variants in the initial lineup, including four 400hp models. They range from a 4x2 tractor to a variety of 6x4s and 8x4s in rigid, tractor unit and tipper configurations. Additional FS 8x4 airsuspension models in both standard and Hi Top options will be available later in the year.

Andrews says it was “an absolute no-brainer” to name the new model: “Shogun is a revered name in NZ trucking – and this new iteration will add massively to that legacy.” T&D For NZ’s first test of the new Shogun, turn to Page 20

o ming, lawyer warns “In October 2018 NZTA announced an extensive review of its open compliance files and that it was ‘getting tough’ on enforcement. It said that the public could expect an increased number of enforcement actions to be taken.”

Law firm Meredith Connell was engaged – “at a cost of more than $5million in taxpayer dollars…..to clear a backlog of more than 850 compliance cases that had built up under a model that prioritised education over enforcement.”

Speir says that as at April 2, 309 compliance actions were under way, the bulk of them relating to transport services – including 102 notices of proposal to revoke or suspend licences.

In his contribution to Road Torque he details that the Agency – in its compliance actions involving transport services – had also issued 70 warnings, 25 immediate suspensions and 18 revocations at that time.

It was also processing 34 notices of proposal to revoke/suspend licences of service providers (people or organisations responsible for certifying vehicles), along with 14 warnings, 30 immediate suspensions and six revocations.

Compliance actions involving course providers included three notices of proposal to revoke/suspend licences, four warnings, two immediate suspensions and one revocation.

In late March, the NZTA’s regulatory compliance lead Steve Haszard said it had investigated 1497 possible non-compliance cases in five months and taken 291 enforcement actions.

Haszard said that NZTA had made “significant progress in rebuilding our regulatory compliance function…”

The Agency, he added, continued “to work hard to remove transport operators and services who pose a threat to land transport safety.” T&D Truck & Driver | 3

EXPERIENCE TRUCK SERVICING BY THE MANUFACTURER & EXTENSIVE PARTS AVAILABILITY

IVECO’s new state-of-the-art service and parts facility in Wiri is open and ready to set a new standard in IVECO vehicle servicing as well as all other truck brands. With a team of factory trained technicians and our NZ national parts warehouse on site, we have all the resources to service your entire fleet at one location including:

ONE STOP,

STOP,

ENDLESS RANGE.

ANGE.

• Latest diagnostics and workshop equipment • Brake and suspension testing equipment • 15 service bays • Truck wash bay (servicing only) • Customer lounge and amenities • Oil analysis service SALE STARTS 11/03/2019 SALE ENDS 30/04/2019 • Emergency call out service • Saturday servicing – by appointment only • Brake Roller testing / Shaker plate

3/2019 SALE ENDS 30/04/2019

INTRODUCTORY OFFER! All vehicle service jobs done midweek will receive:

10% OFF

PARTS & SERVICE

(Offer available until June 30, 2019)

So if you’d like to experience New Zealand’s newest truck servicing with Auckland’s best facilities, parts availability and experienced technicians, call our Service Team on 09 953 3362 or email service@iveco.co.nz

$40.00 VISIT OUR NEW PREMISES AT:

1 Jerry Green Street, Wiri, Auckland 2104 (Access via Jerry Green St)

OPENING HOURS: Weekdays 7.30am – 5pm, Saturday 7.30am – 12noon

$17.00

$17.00

NEWS

Iveco’s $16m NZ investment

IVECO TRUCKS HAS MADE CLEAR ITS COMMITMENT to the New Zealand trucking industry – with the opening of a new $16million national headquarters.

At last month’s opening of what it terms “the benchmark in NZ truck dealerships,” Iveco’s dealer principal, NZ retail and wholesale operations, Jason Keddie declared: “Our intentions are clear. We’re not here to be alsorans – we’re here to make a statement.

“The (Iveco) product is an excellent product for the market – suits it very well. So we’ve got niches, we’ve got opportunities…we’re going to be aggressive.”

The opening, attended by senior management from Iveco Trucks Australia and parent company CNH Industrial, revealed a 15-bay workshop boasting state-of-the-art diagnostics and equipment, a warehouse that has trebled the size of its parts inventory, new NZ management offices and display space for over 50 trucks and vans.

As a dealership, says Keddie, the Roscommon Road, Wiri site “provides a complete end-to-end solution for our customers.”

But its opening, 29 years after Iveco entered the NZ market, also signals a push for Iveco to be a bigger player in the NZ new truck market.

While Keddie insisted that “at the moment I’m not chasing market share targets – I’m just trying to grow our brand,” he also conceded that, clearly, “we’re not staying where we are (in terms of market share).”

Last year, for instance, Iveco ranked ninth in the overall NZ market (above 4.5t GVM) – selling 252 vehicles, for a 4.88% market share. In the

heavy-duty sector (above 23t) it was 12th, with 72 sales and a 2.9% share.

In the first quarter of this year, its registrations in the overall market stood at 57, for a 4.4% share. But in the premium big-truck market, it only sold seven trucks – the equivalent of a 1% share.

Said Keddie: “We’re not getting ahead of ourselves and saying we want to sell triple the volume this year, and we want to sell double our parts volume….

“It’s incremental business for us. We’re looking at new opportunities.

We’re going to invite customers to come and see us when they’re in Auckland, we’re going to invite them to try our service, we’re going to be very competitive…we’re going to train our technicians thoroughly in our products.

“So the investment will pay for itself – I assure you.

“I think we’ve got a much bigger opportunity than what we’ve actually realised so far. To be fair we didn’t quite have the facilities previously to really deliver that – and now this is what is going to take us to the next level.”

Now, he suggests: “I think we need to work very hard on our brand recognition and our brand awareness. That’s an area where we’ve got a lot of opportunity in.

“We’ve got a great product – we’ve just got to get that out to the market.

Perhaps in a different style, a different way. Get more bums on seats, as they say.

“We’ve got some exciting new products coming through as well, which are very innovative.” T&D

Top: Iveco’s new $16m NZ HQ at Wiri Below, left: The company’s parts warehouse has trebled its capacity Below, right: CNH Industrial Asia-Pacific region COO Stefano Pampalone does the honours in officially opening the new HQ, surrounded by other Iveco and CNH Industrial execs. Jason Keddie is second from right

Truck & Driver | 5

NEWS

Four of the new T360 and T410 models, which are now going into production

Kenworth expands new T family THE KENWORTH T SERIES TRUCK family has grown – with PACCAR Australia adding new T360 and T410 models to the T610 launched 18 months ago.

The two newcomers, launched in Australia in late March with the catchphrase “The Best in the Business,” share the same 2.1-metre-wide cab as their big-brother T610.

The T610, says Kenworth, “heralded the beginning of a new era for Kenworth,” with “more safety options, greater visibility, improved ergonomics and superior space than anything that has come before it.”

Much of its focus was on driver comfort and ease of control – designers putting in three years of work to optimise the positioning of controls and displays for maximum driver friendliness.

Now, says PACCAR, it has taken the T610 cab’s best features… “and applied them and more to the all-new T360 and T410.”

The T410 has the PACCAR MX-13 engine, in 460 or 510 horsepower variants – the engine having “gained popularity and earned the respect of drivers and fleets alike” since it was introduced in the T409.

The truck, targeted at vocational, regional and longhaul distribution in rigid, single or multi trailer setups, can be rated up to a 70-tonne GCM. It has a new PACCAR 12-speed AMT, which the company says has “numerous industry firsts” – and integrates “seamlessly” with the MX-13 engine. It’s controls are on a steering column stalk, not on the dash as in the T409. For applications above 50t, an Eaton manual or UltraShift are options.

The littlest-brother T360 comes with the Cummins ISLe5 engine, rated from 280-400hp, and either an Allison 3000 or 4000 series automatic transmission – also with Eaton manual or UltraShift options.

The T360 and its T360A readymix concrete variant have a tight turning circle, are lighter and have a bumper to back of cab measurement that’s 100mm shorter than their predecessor – making them “an ideal choice for high-capacity metropolitan applications.”

The T360 comes in 6x4, 8x4 and 10x4 axle configurations.

Safety-wise, the T360 and T410 offer the full range of Kenworth electronic brake safety systems (EBSS) and improved cab access, with wideopening doors, well-positioned grabhandles and evenly-placed and inclined steps.

They can also be optioned with PACCAR’s state-of-the-art collision avoidance and mitigation systems – the package including active cruise control with braking and lane departure warning.

There’ll be a full report on the new Kenworths in the June issue of NZ Truck & Driver. T&D

The T360 is powered by 280-400hp versions of the Cummins ISLe5 engine

6 | Truck & Driver

This is Japan’s most advanced truck.

The new FUSO Shogun sets new standards in efficiency, comfort and safety.

— Efficiency The new 10.7 litre engine is available with 400 or 460 horsepower and, coupled with the new 12-speed ShiftPilot transmission, gives effortless power that is tailor-made for New Zealand conditions. The OM470 engine is more efficient, giving less fuel consumption and extended oil change intervals.

— Comfort The new Daimler-inspired seat has an integrated seatbelt and improved ergonomic cushioning. Add to this easy-to-use steering wheel switches and a new Silent Cabin Package and you get unprecedented levels of driver comfort.

— Safety Shogun’s new advanced safety features are based on world-class Daimler technology and take trucking safety to a new level. Shogun is fitted with Active Attention Assist - a driver monitoring system using an infrared camera which monitors the driver’s face and eye closure. It also features Active Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning and Adaptive Cruise Control.

— New 7” Touchscreen and Reversing Camera Featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for safe, hands-free communication and navigation via smartphone.

The new FUSO Shogun is a game-changer designed to get you home safely, night after night. Check it out at fuso.co.nz/shogun

We look after our own

NEWS

NZTA failures cause more trucking hurt ROAD TR ANSPORT OPER ATORS ARE “ONCE AGAIN… having to pay the price” for decades of regulatory failure by the New Zealand Transport Agency, the Road Transport Forum believes.

The RTF is “extremely frustrated” with the situation relating to the certification of towing equipment.

RTF chief executive Nick Leggett says that the announcement that “the situation with the Patrick Chu-designed drawbars and drawbeams is worse than previously thought, will come as a significant blow to those road transport operators running the affected equipment.”

NZTA announced a programme for recertification or replacement of the affected drawbars and drawbeams, offering limited exemptions of three, six or 12 months – based on a risk-based assessment.

However, during the exemption period, trailer operating mass will be reduced to 75% of the current mass to provide for a sufficient safety margin on the equipment.

Says Leggett: “While the industry accepts that the staggered programme

is the only responsible way of protecting public safety, the reduction in operating mass will have significant financial ramifications for many operators and potential wider economic impacts, with a reduction in their ability to carry.

“There is no doubt that the necessary load reductions will seriously impact the ability of many transport firms to fulfil their obligated freight task and will prove very stressful for operators already dealing with extremely tight margins.”

Leggett insists that operators expect and “are entitled to assurance of quality when seeking a professional engineering service on equipment that assists them in safely operating their business and securing their livelihood.

“For NZTA to not have appropriate oversight of these engineering services is pretty unforgiveable.

“It is now absolutely critical that Minister Twyford and NZTA establish a new regime where such failures can never happen again. The industry is ready and willing to engage on that.” T&D

Earn $130,000 plus and only work 39 weeks of the year WE HAUL MILLIONS OF TONNES OF MATERIALS ACROSS THE PILBARA IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Jamieson Transport is looking for experienced Road Train Drivers who are interested in joining our Port Hedland operation. We provide FIFO rosters and accommodation while on site. We work with some of theleading mining and resources companies in Australia and our reputation for providing reliable and quality service to our customers is second to none.

You will be operating quad side tippers carting bulk materials from the mine sites to the port.

• Efficient operation of quad trailer road trains • Complete all necessary associated documentation (such as the preparation and signing of cartage dockets and service requests) • Be able to treat our equipment with care and respect • Candidates will be required to demonstrate a willingness to work within these environmental conditions As part of our employment process, all employees will be required to undertake a pre-employment medical and ongoing drug and alcohol screening To be considered for this role, successful applicants will possess the following: • Current MC licence or relevant experience • Current Commercial Driver Medical • Detailed (5 year) Driver History Report.

• Current National Police Clearance • Must have a minimum of 5 years’ heavy commercial vehicle experience • Current Drug and Alcohol Screen • Competent 18 Speed Road Ranger experience • Provide references Great ongoing prospects are available for candidates that have a fantastic attitude, demonstrate capability across all areas and have a proven commitment to both themselves and their employer Benefits • We are offering excellent wages (negotiable by experience) • Very friendly and flexible roster (Residential and FIFO) • Flight and meal allowance (weekly) • Accommodation and transportation provided

He

Please direct all enquiries about this position to:

Jam the min

hr@jamiesontransport.com.au If you are shortlisted you will be sent an application form via email.

You need to complete and return this as soon as possible to be considered for this role. Due to the high number of applications that we receive - only those applicants who are shortlisted will be contacted.

• Th a w • Th ti ex fo

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Specific Responsibilities

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NEWS

New top man at Mack THE RETIREMENT OF MACK STALWART MURR AY Sowerby after 38 years with the Bulldog brand has prompted the appointment of a new Mack national sales manager.

Stu Wynd, who has worked alongside Sowerby and the Mack team, in addition to managing logistics for the overall Motor Truck Distributors (MTD) group, took over the role last month.

Sowerby is staying on until the end of next month – helping to ease the changeover for the “large number of customers across New Zealand” who have shown “a strong loyalty to Mack and MTD Trucks.”

The three-month period in which Sowerby will work alongside Wynd will, says MTD Trucks general manager Clive Jones, “facilitate a handover and enable customers to meet Stu, and for him to better understand their business – so we can continue to serve customers’ truck needs into the future.”

Wynd has worked in the freight, logistics and transport industry for most of his career and says he’s looking forward to the challenge of taking the Mack brand into the future.

Jones pays tribute to Murray Sowerby’s “lifelong commitment to the Mack brand in NZ but, more importantly, for his unique and unwavering dedication to customers and the total ownership experience.” T&D

Stu Wynd

Earn $130,000 plus and only work 39 weeks of the year HEAVY DUTY DIESEL MECHANIC WANTED!!

d

Heavy Duty Diesel Mechanic Jamieson Transport is a family owned business based in the Pilbara. It provides bulk haulage services to leading mining and civil companies.

• This role will see you being responsible for providing a high quality of workmanship on our fleet of vehicles which are Mack, Western Star, and Kenworth’s.

• The Successful applicant to be considered for this fantastic opportunity you will be able to demonstrate extensive experience as a Heavy Vehicle Mechanic, as well as the following: Specific Responsibilities

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• Carry out truck and trailer scheduled servicing, maintenance and inspections • Maintain fleet paper trail on servicing, maintenance and repairs

• Carry out repairs as directed and parts change outs • Attend fleet roadside breakdowns • Maintenance schedule and operating manuals/procedures • Identify and record deficiencies relating to products and services.

Qualifications and Experience

• Relevant Heavy Diesel trade certificate (Heavy Vehicle essential) • Experience working with Heavy Duty Diesel Equipment Key Competencies/Skills

• Good problem solving skills • Ability to work safely and well in a regulated environment • Self-Motivation and the Ability to Work Autonomously • If this sounds like you, to apply, please send through your updated resume and cover letter outlining why you are the ideal candidate to hr@jamiesontransport.com.au

Please direct all enquiries about this position to: hr@jamiesontransport.com.au If you are shortlisted you will be sent an application form via email.

You need to complete and return this as soon as possible to be considered for this role. Due to the high number of applications that we receive - only those applicants who are shortlisted will be contacted.

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NEWS

A new component upgrade for Arborist 360’s Hiab X-HIPRO 638 is carried out at TRT’s Hamilton workshop

New Hiab support network in place RECENTLY-APPOINTED NZ DISTRIBUTOR FOR THE Hiab range, Tidd Ross Todd (TRT) says it has now completed a nationwide support network for the load-handling equipment.

Since its appointment last November, TRT says it has “worked to establish a nationwide support network of experts – both in-house and service and fitting agents – as well as stock of units and genuine parts.”

TRT engineering director Robert Carden says the company is “committed to supporting the iconic Hiab products in NZ,” and adds: “We have invested in the right people, the right stock levels and the right service agents.

“This has created a network of support customers can trust. We’re in it for the long haul.”

The Hiab product range available from TRT and its agents includes Hiab truck cranes and Zepro tail-lifts, Jonsered log recycling cranes, Multilift demountables and skiploaders and Moffett truck-mounted forklifts.

TRT now has a number of factory-trained service and installation

specialists to support the growing demand for Hiab products. The authorised service and fitting agents are based throughout the country. All of the Hiab and Zepro agents are experienced engineering companies with existing product experience.

Leveraging TRT’s already extensive truck and trailer parts stock programme and warehouse facilities in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch, TRT has increased the availability of Hiab products and parts – supporting customers and service agents and reaffirming its commitment to the brand, the company says.

TRT’s Hiab business development manager, Nathan Timoko, says customers will find a different level of service than “what they may have experienced in the past.” They will also be dealing with a specialist team.

Says Timoko: “We know how important it is to support all existing and new Hiab equipment. Zepro is the most popular and reliable truck tail-lift brand in NZ and we are focused on supporting the large number of units already on trucks and all new installations.” T&D

Isuzu boss joins AdvanceQuip LONGTIME ISUZU NEW ZEALAND GENERAL manager Colin Muir has left the No. 1 truckmaker to join Iveco Astra distributor AdvanceQuip.

Muir takes up the position of general manager with AdvanceQuip this month, after 10 years heading the Isuzu make here.

AdvanceQuip MD Steve McLean says that the GM position has been specifically created “as a direct response to the sustained growth trajectory and huge potential of AdvanceQuip’s core brands, CASE, ASV, and Iveco Astra.”

AdvanceQuip offers sales, parts and service support nationwide for those makes – with a product range including excavators, wheel loaders, bulldozers, graders and skid steers, as well as its Iveco Astra dumptrucks.

10 | Truck & Driver

The company also holds the Iveco truck and van dealership for Otago and Southland.

McLean points out that Muir led Isuzu “through arguably one of its most successful periods” – including an industryfirst in 2015 when it was No.1 in all three market segments. It repeated that achievement in 2016 and 2018.

Muir says: “To join a company like AdvanceQuip is a rare opportunity. I’m excited at the chance to lead an already-strong business, which has major growth aspirations beyond its current market position.”

Muir spent 10 years with the Caterpillar brand – in the United Kingdom as well as NZ – prior to his time with Isuzu, so is no stranger to the industries that AdvanceQuip operates in. T&D

Colin Muir

NEWS

ZF and Wabco were partners in the ZF Innovation Truck – capable of autonomously swerving to avoid colliding with vehicles stopping ahead

ZF + Wabco = global giant GLOBAL VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY SUPPLIER ZF Friedrichshafen has signed a deal to buy braking control system specialist Wabco for $US7billion.

The aim, ZF CEO Wolf-Henning Scheider says, is to create “the world’s leading integrated systems provider for commercial vehicle technology.”

The combined company will have sales of around $US45billion.

“For ZF, the acquisition of a specialist and leader for commercial vehicle braking systems means adding a stable and growing business segment and enables our existing commercial vehicle division to expand its expertise in vehicle dynamics control. This will create the foundation for ZF to offer comprehensive systems for safe and automated mobility solutions for passengers and goods to our customers.”

It is also, he says, in the best interest of ZF’s owners – “as the transaction will result in a sustainable strengthening of ZF.” The Swiss-headquartered Wabco is a leading global supplier of braking control systems, technologies and services that improve safety, efficiency and connectivity of trucks, buses and trailers, including integrated braking systems and stability control, air suspension systems, transmission automation controls, aerodynamics, telematics and fleet management solutions. It generated Euro3.3 billion in revenues in 2018.

Wabco chairman and CEO Jacques Esculier says that “joining forces with highly-respected ZF will create a leading global technology company, well positioned to capitalise on future demand for autonomous, efficient and connected commercial vehicles.

“We have a long history of successful collaboration to develop innovative technologies with ZF, with both companies sharing an uncompromising drive for excellence, passion for innovation and exceptional customer focus.”

The acquisition is part of ZF’s Next Generation Mobility strategy – expanding its reach to include (for the first time) commercial vehicle braking solutions….which, ZF says, will play a central role in the development of automated driving functions, including emergency braking manoeuvres for

trucks and trailers.

“Following the acquisition, customers of both companies will have a partner in ZF who can offer them a fully-integrated system approach, new drive systems for e-mobility and autonomous driving functions,” says the company.

“The combination of both businesses is expected to further accelerate the development of new technologies to enable autonomous commercial vehicle functions, making ZF less dependent on the economic cycle of the passenger car industry,” ZF also says.

Wabco’s Esculier says that, looking ahead at the commercial vehicle market, “we see great opportunities….but they will be more challenging to realise.

“It has become increasingly apparent that our industry will face a new level of strategic complexity and will attract new competition, including new entrants from outside the sector, able to bring unprecedented resources to the table.

“This demands Wabco make critical choices in the role it will play in the future industry value chain. Furthermore, it is anticipated that significant inhouse investment and new alliances will be necessary to address the full scope of required technologies for these new domains.

“Considering these factors, we strongly believe this is the appropriate moment to be joining forces with ZF, providing access to critical technology and the global size and scale to de-risk the return on investment required as the industry transforms.”

The planned buyout of Wabco fits with ZF’s goal to develop and deliver technology solutions that make cars and commercial vehicles see, think and act in order to reduce emissions and increase road safety.

While ZF already has sensor systems and computing technology for its see and think competence, through Wabco it will be able to complete the portfolio, by developing commercial vehicle technologies to allow vehicles to act. T&D Truck & Driver | 11

NEWS

Daimler buys into self-driving specialist

The new Freightliner Cascadia, capable of partly autonomous driving, parked outside Torc Robotics’ HQ – signalling a new combined force in the development of self-driving trucks DAIMLER TRUCKS AIMS TO SPEED up its development of self-driving trucks with a deal to buy a majority stake in an American company that’s been a pioneer in autonomous driving solutions.

The deal, which is subject to approval by US authorities, will see Daimler Trucks and Torc Robotics join forces to commercialise autonomous trucks on US roads.

Martin Daum, Daimler’s board of management member responsible for Daimler Trucks, says: “Bringing Torc Robotics within the Daimler Trucks family creates a unique and powerful team of innovators to put highly automated trucks on the road.

“Daimler Trucks and Torc Robotics complement each other perfectly in terms of resources, expertise and skill sets. We are

forming the ideal combination between Torc’s expertise on agile software development and our experience in delivering reliable and safe truck hardware.

“Together, we will provide a sustainable way for our customers to meet the ever-growing freight demand and benefit both the economy and society,” he adds.

Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) CEO Roger Nielsen points out that Torc “is not a startup, but one of the world’s most experienced companies for vehicle automation.

“Torc takes a practical approach to commercialisation and offers advanced, roadready technology, plus years of experience in heavy vehicles,” Nielsen says.

“Torc’s Level 4 system has been shown to operate well for both urban and highway driving

in rain, snow, fog, and sunshine.”

Torc Robotics CEO Michael Fleming says that with the “ever rising demand for road transportation – not the least through e-commerce – there is a strong business case for self-driving trucks in the US market and I believe the fastest path to commercialisation for self-driving trucks is in partnership with Daimler Trucks, the OEM market leader.

“This move is in line with our mission of saving lives and represents another major milestone for Torc…”

Torc has other self-driving technology partnerships, including one with Caterpillar for mining and agricultural applications, and another that’s scheduled to put Level 4 technology into commercial operation in a French electric, driverless shuttle-bus service this year. T&D

Road trip a dual celebration VOLVO TRUCKS NEW ZEALAND IS DOING A ROAD trip – to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Swedish truckmaker’s FH flagship…and mark the NZ launch of the dual clutch I-Shift at the same time.

The company has been running a competition to give 10 drivers the chance to get behind the wheel of a new 25th Anniversary Special Edition FH540 on this month’s tour.

The drivers will also be in with the chance to win the road trip’s fuel efficiency challenge – a VIP trip for two to Volvo Group Australia’s Brisbane truck assembly plant.

The I-Shift automated manual transmission with dual clutch – to be available here with engines up to 540-horsepower – uses what Volvo terms “sportscar technology” to deliver gearshifting with “a seamless transfer of power.”

Volvo Trucks national sales manager Paul France says that, while the dual clutch I-Shift is currently only available in the 13-litre engine, up to 540hp (it may in future also be an option with the 16-litre), the dual clutch 540 “would 12 | Truck & Driver

essentially give you the productivity and equivalent horsepower of a 600.”

With the dual clutch I-Shift, when a gear is engaged by one input shaft, simultaneously the other input shaft pre-selects the next gear. At the next gearshift the previously engaged clutch is disengaged at the same time as the idling clutch is engaged.

The result is an uninterrupted, seamless power transfer – maintaining torque (and thus road speed). The result, says Volvo, is more comfortable, efficient driving.

Volvo says that it’s the first transmission of its kind for seriesproduced heavy vehicles. T&D A 25th Anniversary Special Edition FH Volvo

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NEWS

LNG and mega-trailer trial THE COMBINATION OF AN LNGpowered tractor unit and a high-capacity megatrailer is being trialled in Germany as a means of dramatically reducing road transport emissions.

DHL Freight has begun a year-long trial using an LNG-fuelled 460-horsepower Iveco Stralis NP 4x2 tractor unit and a tri-axle semi-trailer.

The 13.68-metre-long Kassbohrer mega-trailer has an internal height of 2.95 metres – allowing more load capacity than a standard European semi.

And the LNG-fuelled Stralis NP (Natural Power), which has a Cursor 13 Euro 6 engine, is reckoned to deliver the same power and torque as its diesel equivalent….but with up to a 15% saving in fuel consumption.

The LNG Stralis has a 1500-kilometre range and Iveco says its exhaust emissions are much better than the levels required for Euro 6 diesels – cutting particulate matter emissions by 99% and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 70%.

DHL Freight CEO Uwe Brinks says that the

combination of the LNG truck and the megatrailer “is a promising sustainable solution…”

“We are able to meet the customer’s transport requirements in the best possible way, while also significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions along the supply chain.

“The increase in fuel efficiency and proven reduction of harmful emissions that comes with using natural gas help to make long-distance road transport more sustainable.”

The unit is dedicated to a daily shuttle run between a DHL logistics centre and a BMW Group production plant in southern Germany – the extra interior height of the trailer making it well-suited to work for automotive customers.

The LNG/mega-trailer trial is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group’s target to reduce all logisticsrelated emissions to net zero by 2050 – with DHL Freight increasingly investing in alternative drives for both short-haul and long-distance transport.

It already has LNG experience, running four heavy-duty, long-haul units in Belgium. T&D

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DHL Freight’s LNG-fuelled Iveco Stralis NP and its mega-trailer

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NEW ZEALAND TRUCK & DRIVER TURNED 20 IN March – and what’s a birthday without a cake!

So, at the annual Southpac Truckers & Loggers Fishing Tournament in the Bay of Islands – well supported by sponsors and teams from the road transport industry – attendees were invited to…eat our birthday issue!

Well, a cake replica of it anyway!

Here publisher Trevor Woolston and administration manager Sue Woolston cut the cake. T&D

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NEWS

Some of the last batch of 542 Ategos bought in the past year

by Hertz in Germany

Hertz loves Mercs NEVER MIND LOVE HERTZ….HOW about Hertz Loves Mercs! The evidence is in the 542 Mercedes-Benz Atego trucks that Hertz has bought in the past year for its German vehicle rental fleet.

With the latest delivery of 7.5 tonne and 15t trucks, the rental giant took its German fleet to

more than 1200 Mercedes-Benz with a GVM over 7.5t.

“By expanding our range of trucks by a further 102 units of the 15 tonne Atego....we want to meet the increasing large demand in this rental segment,” says Hertz’s Joachim Verheugen.

“At the same time, we have modernised a big

part of our fleet of trucks beginning at 7.5t and relying exclusively on trucks from Mercedes-Benz due to good experiences with the entire trucks segment.”

Mercedes-Benz says that the 15t Atego “is distinguished by its high payload and manoeuvrability in the urban area.” T&D

EROAD gears up for more growth ROAD TRANSPORT TECHNOLOGY SUPPLIER EROAD has made a raft of new appointments as it strengthens its leadership team – preparing itself for future growth.

EROAD chief executive Steven Newman says that the company’s focus will “always include delivering and improving the servicing of its existing customer base – while simultaneously managing the demands of continued growth.

“We’ve been very clear about our intention to strengthen the leadership team, with increased capabilities for our future growth. We’ve now completed this, with a strong and talented team in place,” Newman says.

In the process, the company has also changed the role of current chief operating officer Jarred Clayton to chief technology officer.

Newman says that Clayton, in his 11 years with EROAD, has been integral to the company’s success, which “has been largely due to its accuracy and reliability in regulatory telematics and the ease of use for transport operators and regulators.”

His new CTO role will give Clayton “the time to focus on continued delivery of our innovative platforms.”

Clayton says he’s “excited to refocus on our technology strategy to lead the solving of customer problems and disrupting the future through exploration in EROAD ventures.”

The major management appointments include the addition of Matt Dalton in the newly-created EVP global operations role, in which he’s responsible for 16 | Truck & Driver

delivering cohesive operational procedures across EROAD’s global markets for supply chain and business systems.

Sarah Thompson joins the company in the global role of VP product – overseeing product research and development for all EROAD markets. She was formerly at Orion Health.

Liz Barnett has been appointed to the new role of director of marketing (Australia and NZ) – establishing a new team to market EROAD products and services in Australasia.

Sue-Ellen Craig joins EROAD as its director of communications – another new role, covering PR and corporate communications globally.

Mike Sweet is the new chief people officer, overseeing recruitment and culture globally.

Alex Ball is the new chief financial officer, bringing significant experience gained working in NZX-listed utility and service companies.

Genevieve Tearle joins the company in the new role of chief marketing officer, directing global marketing activity.

EROAD, established to modernise NZ’s paper-based road user charging system, introduced the world’s first nationwide electronic road user charging system 10 years ago – and its technology is now used to collect around 80% of the electronically collected heavy vehicle RUCs in NZ. By last December, it had gathered $NZ2.3billion for NZTA in RUCs – for “the sustainability of the NZ transport network.” T&D

NEWS

Miner to take robot truck tech to town?

A driverless dumptruck operating at a Fortescue mine. Picture – Fortescue

A GIANT AUSTR ALIAN MINING COMPANY THAT’S been a pioneer in running autonomous dumptrucks at its mines is to explore how to take its robot truck technology to town.

Iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group, which has operated giant driverless dumptrucks at its mines since 2012, is opening a research centre to study ways of using its experience and knowledge of autonomous technology to apply it to urban settings.

The company shrugged off two recent driverless truck collisions at Australian mines – one involving two Fortescue robot trucks – in announcing plans for the research centre in Karratha, in the Pilbara mining region in north Western Australia.

CEO Elizabeth Gaines says that “the emergence of autonomy is one aspect in which our world is changing rapidly, and we intend to be part of the opportunities that it will represent for the mining industry, local communities such as Karratha, and beyond.

“We are at the forefront of this technology, with our mine operations set to become the first in the world to be fully autonomous and our fleet having safely travelled over 26 million kilometres since the first autonomous truck was introduced in 2012.

“By establishing the Fortescue Future of Mobility Centre in Karratha we will have the ability to develop, test and trial this technology, further contributing to Western Australia’s position as a world leading autonomous hub.

“We’ll be exploring all facets of the future of mobility including software, hardware and various forms of mobility solutions, to see where the opportunities lie,” she says.

Already planned is a trial driverless shuttle bus service in Karratha – this as the company is reportedly planning to introduce autonomous loading at ports and is expanding its autonomous dumptruck fleet with the addition of 100 more driverless trucks at one of its mines. It’s also beginning an autonomous light vehicle trial at another mine.

The most recent driverless truck collision involved two trucks owned by rival BHP – a company spokesman telling the media that unexpected heavy rainfall made the road slick and resulted in one autonomous dumptruck sliding into another at the Jimblebar mine.

A loaded truck was travelling at 27km/h, the other was empty and driving at 14km/h. The Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) said that BHP had not limited the trucks’ speed to take account of the rain and had been issued with an “improvement notice.”

In February a Fortescue driverless truck collided at low speed with another robot truck that was parked, at its Christmas Creek mine.

Gaines said then that the incident was not the result of any failure of Fortescue’s autonomous haulage systems (AHS) – and media reported the likely cause as a dropout in the wi-fi link between the truck and the company control centre. T&D Truck & Driver | 17

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The prototype clocked up 45,000kms in Skip Golden’s hands as he helped Fuso NZ put the finishing touches to its new Shogun

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KAY, SO THIS IS THE FIRST NEW ZEALAND TEST OF FUSO’S brand new heavy-duty truck – the Shogun HDT Euro 6.

Fuso NZ and Daimler Trucks alike see it as a game-changer – THE most important new model in the make’s revival, both here and in Japan.

To me it’s best summed up as the story of a hop, Skip and a jump. Okay, so I confess that part of the reason for this is just pure happy coincidence: Doing a test on a truck based just up the road from where I live (on Auckland’s North Shore) is a cool novelty.

Golden Contracting, which has been running this pre-production prototype truck to help Fuso NZ put the finishing touches to the new model, is based in Silverdale – the proverbial hop, skip and a jump away from home.

And then I meet the boss – the man entrusted with providing feedback to FUSO to refine its engine and transmission settings to best suit NZ conditions…Mark Golden. Alias Skippy, or Skip.

And so to the jump. Reputedly a leap…or even a quantum leap, in fact. That’s the measure of improvement of this model over its predecessor, the HD Euro – according to Fuso NZ, according to Daimler Trucks….and according to those who’ve already driven it (like NZ Truck & Driver editor Wayne Munro – who briefly drove it in Japan last year).

It is, the way FUSO Trucks in Japan sees things, The Next Big Thing in Japanese heavy-duty trucks – “a huge game-changer,” says senior exec Ilan Elad.

“The most advanced, the best Japanese truck ever built,” reckons Fuso NZ MD Kurtis Andrews.

Elad says it’s the first example of FUSO taking full advantage of being part of the Daimler Group – really making the most of the best of the global giant’s technologies.

Thus it has the use of a 10.7-litre Detroit DD11 engine from Daimler’s global heavy-duty engine platform – aka a Mercedes-Benz

OM470, but in the Japanese make called a FUSO OM470.

The engine, which achieves the Euro 6 exhaust emissions standard using a mix of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technologies, delivers the same power and torque as the HD Euro’s OM457 12-litre engine…but is lighter and smaller and uses less fuel. It also includes a Jacobs engine brake, producing 338 kilowatts/460 horsepower.

The DD11/OM470 produces up to 338kW/460hp at 1600rpm, along with 2213Nm/1633 lb ft of peak torque at 1100rpm. Torque’s also near that peak from 1000-1500 revs.

FUSO has promised that NZ will eventually also get a 382kW/520hp version of the new-generation Shogun, courtesy of a DD13/Merc OM471 addition to the lineup.

When it comes to transmission options… it’s strictly automated manual time – the Mercedes-Benz G330 12-speed that’s installed in this prototype (but is actually designated as the chosen offering only for the Shogun FV2446 Hi Top linehaul model), or the G230 variant, which has a lower GCM rating than the G330 (55 tonnes, rather than 60t).

They come with FUSO ShiftPilot software that includes the latest eco-roll for cruising speed fuel efficiency, and rock-free mode.

They’re the same Daimler Group trans used in the Euro 6 Actros.

They’re two generations ahead of the HD Euro’s gearbox and their combination with the DD11 delivers up to a 20% improvement in fuel economy, FUSO says – this confirmed both in this test unit and a pre-production linehaul tractor unit also trialled in NZ. There’s also driver assistance and safety technology systems that come with the new FUSO, including Active Brake Assist 4, which will if necessary brake autonomously to avoid a rear-end collision, and adaptive cruise control that (just like the latest European Mercs and American Freightliners) is able to resume the set speed automatically after a brief stop.

Truck & Driver | 23

There’s also lane-departure warning, lane-changing assistance and active attention assist, which monitors the driver’s face and eyes for any signs of drowsiness…and sounds an alert if it detects a potential problem.

FUSO reckons that the new model has already been subjected to a total of five million kilometres of testing – and that’s all actual Ks driven on a test track or on roads, not simulated on computers.

Kurtis Andrews reckons that problems with the outgoing FUSO HD Euro AMT’s shifting and its seemingly problematic interface with the previous engine were eventually solved by a change in the ECU and transmission mapping software.

But, from the outset with this new model, he promised that it was “a priority to make sure we get that right” with the new Shogun.

So here we are, just 10 minutes from my place, at the Golden Contracting yard in Silverdale, with the truck Mark Golden has been putting through its paces for the past six months. You might think it’d be all kept hush-hush – and the FUSO is in disguise alright….but its camouflage colour scheme is so bizarre it actually makes it stand out even more.

Helping FUSO remap the engine and AMT on a new truck is something that Skip has done before – working to get the HD Euro’s driveline better-suited to NZ driving conditions.

Interestingly, Golden Contracting has ended up buying other makes besides FUSOS since then – as evidenced by the Scanias around here in the fleet’s distinctive gold (naturally) colour scheme.

The colourful Skip is also clearly a man with a lifetime of trucking stories and experience.

But he’s not here to talk about that, as he sums up succinctly, early on: “Let’s keep this all about the FUSO. I’m doing my shit for Fuso and that’s where it stands.”

Okay – with the ground-rules laid out….we continue: “My whole thing about this truck was to do it for NZ industry and Fuso – and, to be fair, you couldn’t have started with a better platform.”

Sure, as he clarifies: “We could go out there and say ‘why hasn’t it got this and this.’ But if you want all the extras, then go to big

brother (Daimler Trucks brother, that is) and get a Mercedes.”

Besides, as he adds, “if you did go out and spec this truck with a whole load of extras, the price wouldn’t be competitive in that part of the market.”

So, I’m wondering, given the amount of new technology that Fuso NZ says this newcomer already has, is there a lot more that it actually needs?

“No,” says Skip emphatically: “The turnaround circle, the fuel usage, the AdBlue usage is frigging mindblowing. This truck has so many advantages.

“And the torque is impressive. That’s what the best thing was – I could pull some RPMs out of it, so I could allow it to lug. Then if you changed the gradient meter (or inclinometer) – pulled some percentage out of the gradient meter, so you can select every gear you pull the gradient out of.

“So I played with 12th,11th,10th – pulled a couple of percentages out…was happy. But you’ve got to be careful when you remap a truck – that you don’t just beat the same track on the same road, otherwise you’re mapping for THAT road.

“So I went home and I was sleeping on it and I was ‘nah – it was good but I reckon if you give it back 1% and if it doesn’t make massive changes, then we’ll leave it at that.’ We did and it was sweet.”

Although Skip’s business is based on tippers, he was also asked to help finalise the AMT settings on a 6x4 Shogun tractor unit prototype, on test duties with a quad-axle semi-trailer.

Clearly, he has plenty of experience with this new Shogun – so how then does it actually compare with the previous model? “To me, the HD was an intermediate truck. So this truck is 10 years in the making – they had to bring in a truck to fill the gap and the HD was it. They did a bloody good job with what they had at the time but to be fair, the software didn’t run right….yada yada.”

NZ Truck & Driver, like many operators and drivers, discovered that the combination of the HD’s AMT, its engine and its software definitely didn’t amount to a match made in heaven.

The new Shogun reveals its true styling – our test truck with its camouflage removed

24 | Truck & Driver

Says Skip: “It was FUSO software trying to run a Mercedes box – and it didn’t work. We did a remap to get it to work to the best of its abilities and it has held out.”

He reckons that in his case, some of the reasoning behind switching to another make was driver-led: “Some drivers have brand and truck preferences and I needed to get some new drivers through the gate.”

In addition, he says, “in easy terms, the HD is a manual truck with an auto option. The new FUSO is an auto truck with a manual option. That’s the two different things.”

It shouldn’t hurt the Shogun’s market appeal either that it shares the same transmission as the new (and much more expensive) Merc Actros.

It is, he reckons, “perfect for us. The only time you go to manual on an auto truck is if you’re spreading metal – because you don’t want it to upshift. This is a big step up for the market.”

It is also, he adds, “a pretty impressive engine” – although it will probably necessitate some driver re-training: “They come out of a high-revving Japanese truck and all of a sudden you’re dropping them into a Detroit. So you’ve got to open up the pedal for more movement.

“This new truck has got a kickdown at the bottom of the pedal to boot it. That’ll cut it down a gear straight away.” And then, with a push of the P (for Power) button on the end of a steering column stalk, you’ve got the higher-revving shift mode.

“All the staunch FUSO operators will be all over this truck – they’ll love it”.

Although Japan requested that he do 25,000kms in the prototype, Golden has put about 46,000K on it in six months – time enough for him to come up with a list of must-dos….plus some extra wishlist requests, for the Japanese engineers.

Bearing in mind, he says, that it takes time to make changes at the factory level – even for small things – his recommendations may not all see the light of day initially.

But don’t bother asking Skip Golden about the new technology that’s loaded in the Euro 6 Shogun: “I hardly used any of it – I’m old school,” he declares.

“My thing was the transmission – mapping it to the engine. And mapping the engine to the transmission. The rest of the stuff works fine, but I was there to make the truck work in NZ – the onus was on me, because I was the one pulling over and telling the engineers to make the change. Right there and then.

Truck & Driver | 25

The OM470 (aka a Detroit DD11) delivers 2213Nm of peak torque and 338kW (460hp) maximum power....which proves to be plenty for the test truck’s 45-tonne VDAM rating

“The thing is, if you make a shift in the transmission….you also have the torque of the engine you’re having to play with too. You make one shift here….it changes five things there. That’s the thing with remapping.

“That’s why we clocked up so many Ks on so many roads. We hopped on SH1 and there’s a few nice gradients – and that’s where I came up with pulling it back 1%.

“It was great in 12th/11th, but hanging on just a little long before kicking-down. And it is an 11-litre – the bigger Detroits will pull down to 1200. But 1400rpm and shifting, to me, is bang on – so I gave it back the 1%.”

He’s happy that the gearshifting speed is a big step up from the HD’s transmission, plus manually-ordered changes are done with fingertip paddles: “Everything is at your fingertips.”

It’s time to hit the road. Climbing into the FUSO is an absolute breeze, thanks to recessed boot-sized steps, long front and rear grabhandles and a wide-access doorway. The sleeper cab is spacious and the modern cream-coloured interior is bright and clean. It doesn’t show up dust, marks or scratches and gives it a European feel.

There’s a good air seat for the driver but a non-air-suspension one on the passenger side doesn’t have you wanting to go on a long journey sitting on it.

There appears to be a good range of adjustability to the telescopic steering column, but Skip (being tall) would have preferred just a little more. Because the steering feels so nice and light, FUSO has made the steering wheel smaller. It comes equipped with the likes of audio and instrument cluster menu controls.

Skip reckons that the new Shogun is ideally suited to spreading metal, but unfortunately his current spreading work is up in 26 | Truck & Driver

Northland – and getting to that would mean a long (untaxing) SH1 drive – not exactly a big test for the prototype truck.

So we opt for a shorter run to Rodney Aggregate Supplies (near Whangaripo) to collect a truck and trailer load of metal. Then we’ll tackle the testing climb up and over the Matakana Hill to the township….and back (going both ways to demonstrate the truck’s pulling prowess). After that we’ll take the long way home to Silverdale – via the steep hills and bumpy surface of SH16, towards Helensville.

Says Skip: “Matakana Hill has a switchback, so the truck has to think. It comes around and all of a sudden it says ‘f***!’

“I’ve got the trailer (a Transfleet four-axle) on too and that weights it up, so that’s a good hill. We can turn and burn – come back over it.”

Heading out of Skip’s yard empty, the auto box engages 3rd for takeoff then quickly moves to 4th gear – so seamlessly that I don’t really notice.

From a driving position perspective, Skip is “happy as: The dash layout is so user-friendly.” There’s a scrollable digital display in the centre of the instrument cluster which Skip has set for speed.

We cut across the Silverdale industrial precinct’s side streets, with Skip barely touching the accelerator and the FUSO snappily upshifting. The bigger range of throttle pedal movement means it’s not sensitive, nor is the AMT threatening to regularly shift up or down. He points out that there’s a kickdown at the bottom of the pedal if you want it. This, as he colourfully puts it, “lets the big dog eat.”

A few junctions later and we’re on SH1, heading north, so I start to quiz Skip on the new FUSO: “The visibility is fantastic – a flat and convex big spotters duo as far as mirrors go. The convex spotters

give such a good line of vision and with the size of them you can back your trailer by them. And they’re not a throwaway – you can get new lens and new elements (if you break them).

“Fuso got a lot of NZ input around the mirrors”….which are actually wrapped around the frame, pushing them further forward than many – “so you just have to turn your eye to look.

“There’s no glare from the big semi-wraparound windows and the A-pillar is skinny and not laid back.”

Fuso has returned to a two-seat configuration (no jump seat), so the storage lost to the former three-seat setup, is now back. There’s even room for A4 documents in the centre console.

The lack of road noise is immediately apparent, but Skip says it’ll be even quieter in the production model. In this prototype, he explains, “underneath the sleeper and all around it’s got no sound deadening. So it’ll be quieter than this.”

In the weeks he’s spent behind the wheel in this truck, he’s been happy with its comfort: “Yeah good. The seat’s got armrests but I don’t use them, ‘cos back in the old days I had an armrest and I used it for years, but my arm got fixed in a bent angle and I’d walk around a supermarket looking like I was holding a handbag up!”

We change lanes and find another thing that impresses Skip about the truck: “I flick the indicator (stalk) and it’ll flash five times – great for merging.”

Heading up Schedeways Hill the AMT smoothly drops down to 9th as Skip feathers the throttle. To show off the gearbox a bit more, he dabs his foot down on the throttle pedal and the ShiftPilot immediately drops to 8th – returning to 9th again as he eases off.

“The steering is unreal, the weight (of it) is the bomb! It’s second to none.” He believes that it’s the same as the Mercedes-Benz

system – and he fully approves: “It doesn’t wallow – it’s precise. And the turning circle will near peel the tyres off the trailer.”

A noisy ‘brrrr’ comes from the speaker nearest me: “That’s just the lane assist,” Skip points out. If you stray over the lane markings, its warning “comes out of the speaker on the side that’s nearest the line.”

Coming down the other side of the hill, we’re in 11th. Skip paddles it down to 10th, just to show the speed of its shifting, then flips it back to 11th. Damn it’s quick.

We chat a little further about the technology. He’s happy with the lane keeping alert – but is also just as happy to switch it off.

On the other hand, the autonomous braking is “amazing. If a car stops in front, the truck will stop without me even touching the brakes. If a car pulls out, the system will warn you first. You can cancel it by indicating or accelerating.

“It’s got radar assist and adaptive cruise. I don’t use it – I’m a bit old-school when it comes to some shit. If I figured I needed to use it, I’d use it. But where we are, we just don’t need it.” Although, he adds, some of his drivers have used it.

I laughingly point out that although he reckons he never uses any of the technology, it actually seems as though he’s tried it all.

Yep, he says, it has been a matter of having to: “With changing the mapping, we needed to make sure that all the safety features still worked. So we used them all over the past few months.” Makes sense.

We pause conversation for a moment and listen to the engine.

After a bit Skip enthuses: “It’s got a beautiful sounding note on it when it’s pulling. Wait until we get a load on and listen to it on the Matakana Hill. You can tell it’s a Detroit and you can hear the turbo

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Above: Good grabhandles and steps make getting in and out of the Shogun easy Right: Skip Golden liked the prototype truck so much.... he’s ended up buying it

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underneath it. I like it.”

Then he directs my attention to the AMT: “There’s no clunking from the transmission – no lag, not even when we pull up at the lights under engine brake.”

He’s clearly a fan of the new FUSO: “The fuel economy, the AdBlue usage, the traction -– you can’t beat good old six-rod suspension.

There’s probably limited-slip options too.” Yes, he would like one of these in the Golden fleet.

Skip adds a little more information on the remapping process: “The good thing about this was it’s basically a software file, it’s not a disk. So for a few days there I tried to trick the f*** out of this truck, in all sorts of applications – forestry stuff and all over.

“And it always seemed to be one step ahead of me. But I also knew that we could match the engine to the transmission a bit better. The good thing was, the changes we made on the fly, they sent the files back to Japan, Japan looked at it – made sure everything was ok.

“The next day it was back and booted into the truck. So you may find that any other country outside of Japan may have this programme we developed here.”

We turn off SH1 and head towards Whangaripo and soon come across a slight incline with a 35km/h corner, the FUSO in 11th. As we round the corner, the AMT drops down to 9th, soon recovering to 10th and then 11th, with seamless shifts.

“You just let it do its own thing, just don’t think about it, and then you’ve got a good day. If only you could do that with your missus,” he jokes recklessly.

At the next junction we pull away in 2nd, the FUSO jumps from 6th

to 9th, the AMT of course sensing the light weight it’s dealing with.

“You’ll be impressed with how well this truck pulls and its recovery. If you’re going for fuel economy – still within the torque band – let it drop to the lower revs, let it skip one gear down and pull from the lower revs, because this truck will recover quick. It won’t bog down and go ‘I think I can, I think I can!’ ” In automated mode, the G330 AMT appears to be set up to shift down around 1400rpm and up around 1800. Skip looks relaxed and very casual.

“At the end of the day, we’re not creating an autonomous truck, so there’s still got to be shit for a driver to do. But the one good thing is…you don’t have to worry about changing gears, you just have to stare out the windscreen.”

As we pull into the quarry, the FUSO downshifts to 9th, then 7th – maintaining this as we roll to a halt for loading. The tare weight of the unit is around 17.5 tonnes, and with the longer trailer and longer drawbar of its seven-axle VDAM setup, it can run at 45 tonnes all-up, giving us a 27.5t load of aggregate. Next stop, the Matakana Hill.

Fully loaded, we leave the quarry in automated mode and 3rd, which immediately becomes 5th. Skip explains that we’ll head over the hill with the AMT in Power mode, then come back in normal Automated mode, to get a good feel for the capabilities of the drivetrain.

On the climb we get down to 8th before the upshifts come – up to th 12 , the shifts taken at around 1950rpm.

As the climb continues, there’s a downshift to 11th at 1600 and, at the first sharp corner it drops to 9th…..then (at 1500) to 8th, then Truck & Driver | 31

Steep hills and tight corners don’t faze the G330 AMT and its smooth interface with the OM470 engine

6th. It regains two gears before Skip kicks down on the throttle, provoking a downshift to 6th. He relaxes as the G330 drops down to 5th and gradually recovers to 6th again, much to Skip’s delight. We put the windows down to listen to the Detroit sing.

The gearshift is quick as it upshifts to 6th and has the engine show off its pulling power. There’s been no hunting up or down – the AMT seemingly very sure of each selection as it lugs down to 1300, upshifts at 1900.

At a 25km/h corner on a steep pinch the AMT is in 6th, in Power mode. It makes up its own mind when and where to shift – working back up to 10th by the summit of this challenging climb.

We make our descent in 7th with the engine brake holding us back. The tight and winding road seems to offer very little challenge – going up or down. So little, in fact, that we change our conversation to fishing and Skip forgets to engage the second stage (of three) on the engine brakes. Stage 1 is sufficient.

For the return Skip engages A mode and we hit the hill at 1300rpm in 11th gear, cruising. The AMT shifts itself down to 6th as we climb, then decides that 7th will be better. So, at 1600rpm on a steep hill, in 7th and fully loaded…we pick up speed. Further up the hill it downshifts to 6th as the trailer starts to drag a bit. We crest the hill and begin our descent effortlessly – 7th gear at 1700rpm, bumping up to 2200 when required.

With the hill test comfortably behind us, we start the loop back to Silverdale – stopping at Wellsford for a pie and a catchup with the rest of the NZ Truck & Driver team (and a bit of a leg stretch).

Test driver Trevor Woolston takes his turn behind the wheel. For his detailed thoughts about the new Shogun and its performance, turn to Page 34 and the Pirelli Trevor Test.

He’s giving it ticks of approval from the outset – with good access, good visibility, a comfortable-enough seat and a good feel 32 | Truck & Driver

from its ride on the bumpy SH16 towards Helensville.

“Positioning on the road is easy – no steering grab over this highway’s notorious undulations. No bump steer. In fact, it feels good – quite light.”

So far as the AMT and the engine combo, with finishing touches contributed by Skip, Woolston is impressed: “Our changes have been really crisp. We actually heard the changes from the outside as you climbed over the Matakana Hill. The engine made a nice little blip and the gear was through – and that was on a heavy uphill pull, so that’s really quite impressive.”

The FUSO transmission doesn’t hunt back and forth for the right gear and ends up on each climb “pulling with good torque. It’s set right where the engine is doing its work.”

When, at less than 20km/h, it quickly picks up three gears on SH16’s biggest hill – up to the Kaipara Harbour lookout – he’s even more impressed: ‘That was gutsy stuff!”

He climbs out at the end of his drive saying: “Real nice truck to drive actually. Comfortable…a big step forward from the previous model.”

For the last, basically uneventful leg back to Silverdale, Skip hops back into the driver’s seat – and we resume talking about fishing and V8s. Seems he’s a dab hand at both.

Tipping off the agg back in Silverdale showcases another of the FUSO’s attributes – a remarkable turning circle. It negotiates a relatively tight yard with ease. Job done.

Skip sums up: “I highly rate the truck – I highly rated it BEFORE I had anything to do with it. I’m not willing to compare it with the HD – it’s that much of a jump.”

So there it is – a quick hop on the motorway, a good test drive with Skip…and a truck that’s a great big jump up from its predecessor. T&D

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Trevor Test

I

T’S BEEN A FEW YEARS AND A FEW BEERS since I last caught up with one of Mark (Skip) Golden’s trucks – 13 years, in fact, since we tested a new 430hp Golden FUSO Shogun, fitted with an 18-speed Roadranger.

Compared with what we’re driving today FUSO has certainly come a long way, as we head into the new breed of the make’s heavyduty truck being launched in NZ. Today’s truck, as is obvious from its camouflage paint job, is an evaluation truck – brought into NZ to trial its new technology before the launch.

After the issues Fuso had with the FUSO HD Euro model it seems like a good idea – and who better then to put one of the evaluation units with but a longtime FUSO operator like Skip.

This new model is another example of the spread of the European influence into the Japanese market. In this case we see world products like the Daimler Group’s 10.7 litre OM470/DD11 engine and the G330 12-speed AMT found in top-end Mercedes-Benz products.

I take the wheel in Wellsford, to head south on SH16 with a full load of aggregate on board. There’s no hiding from tough roads on this test, as Skip has already taken the unit, fully loaded, both ways over the Matakana Hill.

Climbing up into the cab’s a breeze, even with my newly-fitted “bionic” left knee still not fully operational. The combination of three well-spaced, wide and deep steps and fulllength grabhandles up both sides of the door makes it easy.

Once inside it’s also easy to get comfortable, with good adjustment on the driver’s seat and the steering column –

34 | Truck & Driver

and plenty of legroom.

There’s a new Daimler air-suspended seat, with integrated seatbelt and improved cushioning. It’s certainly comfortable, but I find the back a little flat. Maybe it could do with a little more lumbar support, but it certainly contributes to a nice smooth ride over some of the harsher corrugations we encounter.

The cream-coloured roof lining and light grey dash and centre console make the cab light and airy. There are easy-clean finishes on the trim – good for working in a dusty tipper environment.

All controls are closely positioned around the driver, with no need to reach for anything.

There’s an extensive array of controls on the steering wheel, including cruise, stereo, dash display and phone.

On the left-hand column stalk you have the AMT selector functions with Drive, Neutral and Reverse on a rotator switch and, on the end, a pushbutton to select Auto or Manual mode. By tapping this lightly you bring up Performance mode. In addition, the engine brake is controlled by pushing the lever forward. On the right are the indicators and wiper functions.

As we lift off the engine feels lively and we pick up gears very smoothly, with nice quick shifts.

Visibility is great outfront and two wellplaced mirror arms have an upper flat mirror and lower convex mirror. The arms are set back a bit, which allows good vision

Test driver Trevor Woolston between them and the A-pillar – avoiding any blind spot in the front right corner.

It’s not long before we encounter some pretty rough road surfaces and we go over these with minimal bounce in the cab and no noticeable effect on the steering, which is nice, light and positive – very similar to what you find in modern European trucks. Obviously it’s a benefit of its Daimler DNA. This truck is packed with features, one of which is Active Attention Assist – the sensor for this on top of the dash in front of the driver.

However, I do wonder if it’s very effective here as it’s supposed to monitor the driver’s eye action – triggering an alert if it detects signs of fatigue. But from my driving position I can’t see the unit, so I doubt it can see my eyes!

I imagine it’d be better-positioned above the windscreen, closer to the driver’s eye line.

Since our test, Fuso NZ has advised that the Active Attention Assist camera has been relocated on the production trucks.

There’s also the Lane Departure Warning system, which gives an audible warning on the side of the cab where a lane marking is crossed. This comes into play a couple of times on this narrow, winding road, but I don’t find it too obtrusive and it gives a good reminder of your road

• SPECIFICATIONS • FUSO SHOGUN EURO 6 FV2546 6x4 Engine: FUSO OM470 (Daimler Trucks OM470/Detroit DD11) Capacity: 10.7 litres Maximum power: 338kW (460hp) @ 1600rpm Maximum torque: 2213Nm/1633 lb ft) @ 1100rpm

Hayden Woolston

Fuel capacity: 400 litres position.

Also fitted is adaptive cruise control, however there’s not much chance to really see that at work on SH16 as there’s not too much traffic out here.

Also in the package is Active Brake Assist 4, to avoid or reduce the severity of rear-end collisions with vehicles ahead…or even laterally-moving pedestrians. But, once again, there’s no call for it on my drive.

Of more use on this road is the EBS and ECS stability control, which will minimise the risk of rollover or loss of control and will optimise braking. I don’t push it hard enough to see it in action.

We’re soon into some serious climbing up to the Kaipara Harbour lookout and we really see just how good this ShiftPilot AMT works.

Every change it makes is quick and clean and drops the engine right into the power band.

I’m running in Auto, without the power option engaged and the engine is shifting down at 1300rpm and upshifting at 1800. We drop down as low as 5th gear on two occasions on the climb, but in both cases as soon as there’s a slight easing in the climb it picks up a couple of gears – getting back up to 8th at one stage and 7th at another.

The upshifting doesn’t put the engine under any pressure…but it’s doubtful that you would dare try these shifts in a manual.

Once over the top it’s a long drop down the other side, but we start our descent in 8th gear – soon dropping to 7th, with the retarder in its highest setting, Stage 2. I only need a slight touch on the brakes a couple of times to steady it for some of the tighter corners.

It’s soon time for me to give Skip his truck back for the final leg back to Silverdale through Kaukapakapa.

This truck, a prototype – but very close to the actual launch truck – is a giant leap forward for the FUSO heavy product in NZ, and an outstanding example of what is now being delivered through

the global associations of the major European brands with other world markets.

This might be a Japanese-produced truck, but it’s got the Daimler DNA, offering features that are right up to date with the most advanced technologies.

It’s hard to see drivers wanting to get out of this new-generation FUSO Shogun once they’ve driven it.

Hayden Woolston adds to Trevor’s view: “To me the exterior of this new model looks very similar to any other FUSO. There isn’t much looks-wise to get excited about. But what I really want to get to know is how all the new tech in this prototype works.

“The first job is to tilt the cab to get a look at the 10.7 litre engine – this made easy with an automated lift. Some European trucks I’ve come across still have a manual cab lift.

“The climb into the cab is easy, thanks to good steps, well-placed grabhandles and a door that opens to nearly 90 degrees. I also feel comfortable inside, with very little need for cab familiarisation.

Everything’s at my fingertips on the steering wheel and the stalks on the left and right of the column.

“I’m driving from Rodney Aggregates to Wellsford, over a winding but not so hilly stretch of road. My impressions are good from the start, with quick gearshifts.

“I agree with most of Trevor’s appraisal of this truck, other than that I’ve got no complaints about the seat comfort – maybe it’s our age difference.

“I don’t get the opportunity on our test to experience the likes of the Shogun’s Proximity Control Assist adaptive cruise – but I do during some motorway driving at the media drive day for the new truck’s launch.

“It is a fantastic aid to the driver in typical surging motorway or highway traffic – slowing down and speeding up according to the speed of the vehicle ahead.” T&D

Transmission: 12-speed Daimler Trucks G330 AMT, with FUSO ShiftPilot Ratios: 1st 11.63 2nd 9.02 3rd 7.03 4th 5.45 5th 4.40 6th 3.41 7th 2.64 8th 2.05 9th 1.59 10th 1.23 11th 1.00 12th 0.77 Front axles: FUSO F900T I-Beam, rated at 7100kg Rear axles: FUSO D10 hypoid tandem drive, with inter-axle diff lock, combined rating of 21,600kg Auxiliary brake: Jacobs engine brake Front suspension: Long taper leaf springs, with shock absorbers Rear suspension: FUSO mechanical six-rod, with long taperleaf springs GVW: 25,400kg GCM: 55,000kg

Truck & Driver | 35

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To find out how you can stay safe, secure and comfortable on the road, visit www.mecedes-benz-trucks.com/en_NZ, or contact your local authorised Mercedes-Benz Trucks Dealer.

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THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING

Constant policy changes not working for transport J

by Nick Leggett Chief Executive Road Transport Forum NZ

UST BEFORE CHRISTMAS, ASSOCIATE Transport Minister Julie-Ann Genter announced a $1.4billion, three-year programme of investment in safety improvements to existing roads.

The funding will provide 900 kilometres of existing state highways with safety improvement infrastructure such as median and side barriers, rumble strips and shoulder widening, as well as contributing to an expanded investment in local road safety improvements.

Of course, such an investment in safety is welcome and I truly hope that it contributes to making significant parts of our roading network safer. However, the funding is also reflective of a broader change in direction from this government when it comes to the provision of transport infrastructure – and this is where I believe this country needs to rethink things.

The problem is that when it comes to infrastructure – and this goes beyond just transport infrastructure – investments are made for the long term....50 to 100 years ahead in many cases.

Very often the politicians who make these investment decisions aren’t around when the projects are realised – and, unless they have the longevity of Winston Peters, won’t be around to see their true benefits either.

This reality leads to short-termism. The three-year election

MITO chief executive Janet Lane speaks as a member of the training and qualifications panel at last year’s RTF Conference

Wellington’s Transmission Gully project, due to be completed in 2021, survived the 2017 change of Government. However, many other Roads of National Significance did not. Picture NZTA cycle, the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle, making sure you keep party activists happy, or even just the need to differentiate yourself from your opponents, are all in the front of the minds of the politicians making these decisions….and to me that is where the problem lies.

The last government invested considerably in new, modern highways as its flagship transport projects, but the current government has made a political point in pivoting 180 degrees away from that programme – and has now set off on its own programme, with its own political agenda and vision for the future.

I stated on radio recently that I believe New Zealand is too wealthy a country to have to face binary choices of new, productive roading projects or road safety. This is what happens when ideology trumps practical, need-based decisions.

The additional median barriers, shoulder widening and greater proliferation of rumble strips are useful improvements on existing routes, and will certainly help in some areas. But this Truck & Driver | 37

THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING

You could pretty successfully argue that the current government’s new policy direction seems to be designed, at least in part, to make sure it directly contradicts the policies of its predecessor.” latest investment does not exactly align with progress that the previous government made in building new, modern highways.

Now this is not intended to be a commentary on one government’s decisions over another’s, but it is pretty disappointing that we as taxpayers and RUC-payers watch millions and millions of our dollars being wasted as governments come and go…and projects that are well through their planning stages are mothballed in favour of others that are favoured by the incoming administration.

You could pretty successfully argue that the current government’s new policy direction seems to be designed, at least in part, to make sure it directly contradicts the policies of its predecessor.

Genter and Transport Minister Twyford would, of course, argue otherwise and point to the fact that all their decisions are based on empirical evidence. But the last guys said that too and, as we know, in this day and age evidence can be found to support whatever policy direction you wish to take.

However, there is a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

Recently it’s been announced that the Government is to establish a NZ Infrastructure Commission as an autonomous Crown entity.

The Commission is being set up to carry out two broad functions – strategy and planning, and procurement and delivery support.

In announcing the new entity, Infrastructure Minister Shane

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Jones made all the right noises when it comes to longterm infrastructure planning: “The new Commission will help ensure we are making the best decisions about infrastructure investment to improve the longterm economic performance and social wellbeing of our country,” Jones said.

“The Commission will develop a broad consensus on longterm strategy, enable coordination of infrastructure planning and provide advice and best-practice support to infrastructure initiatives.

“We want the Commission to be a well-respected public voice that has credibility among the private and public sector and helps integrate across our entire infrastructure system,” Jones added.

“A short-term, project-specific focus by previous governments, along with under-investment, means that NZ is now facing an unprecedented infrastructure deficit that this Government is committed to tackling.”

While everything Jones said is true – and I’m sure the Government has the noblest of intentions when it comes to this new Commission – it’s hard to get too excited about it.

Its closest relative is the NZ Productivity Commission, which was established in 2011 to provide advice on how government policy can help to improve national productivity.

The Productivity Commission started off with a hiss and a roar but, as time went on, even the government that set it up seemed to deviate further and further from its

recommendations, as political considerations trumped the Commission’s advice.

Now that the government has changed and policy emphasis has moved away from economic productivity, the Commission most certainly has the feeling of a toothless tiger.

Unless the new Commission can truly cut through the politics of the day and redefine infrastructure planning policy as a consistent, coordinated, non-political part of government, I fear that the entrenched partisanship of our major political parties will continue to hold us back from developing a truly modern, fit-for-purpose transport network.

Legislation establishing the new Infrastructure Commission is expected to be introduced into Parliament in the very near future, and it should be operational later this year, so I guess the best we can do at this stage is just watch this space and hope for the best.

The fact is that major infrastructure improvements require consistency of investment and planning that we’re just not getting from our current political leadership.

A far-sighted and mode-balanced plan for transport should be the goal – and one that is either bought-into by all sides of the political spectrum or is largely removed from the turbulence of politics by the likes of the NZ Infrastructure Commission.

The costs are too great if we don’t plan and responsibly implement the infrastructure improvements that safely support our increasing population and growing economy. T&D

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Capital gains tax effect on business

by Kirk Hope, chief executive, BusinessNZ

Kirk was one of 11 members of the Tax Working Group and one of three to oppose the capital gains tax recommendations. Photo: BusinessNZ

T

RANSPORT COMPANIES WILL BE AMONG many businesses wondering how they’ll be affected by the proposed capital gains tax.

Some important details raised by the Tax Working Group are yet to be worked through – for example, it’s not clear yet whether, or by how much, capital losses would be able to be offset against other income.

The Government has said it would indicate its views on the Tax Working Group’s recommendations by the start of this month.

So, at the time of writing there is no confirmed position that would allow transport companies to start planning for a new tax regime. However, the basic direction of the Tax Working Group’s proposals is well-known: A broad-based tax on the increase in value of most business assets.

I was a member of the Tax Working Group as a representative of business and appreciated the Group’s work in trying to find the fairest way possible to tax capital gains in New Zealand.

However, from a business perspective I’m not able to support the totality of the Tax Working Group’s recommendations. Along with two other members of the group, who are tax practitioners, I have concerns about how the recommendations would affect business growth.

A new capital gains tax would add to the tax burden on business and would reduce the investment that businesses could make in other areas. An extra tax bill for business would reduce the money that could be used to hire more staff, or purchase training, assets or technology to make the business more productive.

Enterprises in NZ already pay a high rate of corporate tax, and an additional tax would not help them grow their business and create jobs for NZers.

Transport companies might find a capital gains tax a fairly intrusive tax, covering vehicles, premises, land, equipment and other business assets. Shares and intangible property would also be covered and could be difficult to value accurately.

40 | Truck & Driver

There are also concerns about the mechanics of how the tax would operate, including the proposed “valuation day” approach. Under this approach, the capital gains tax would apply from April 1, 2021 – requiring the valuation of all business assets by this date.

This could lead to a log-jam of valuation work and increase the risk of conflicting valuations of assets. Overall, the approach would be good for valuers, accountants and tax advisers – but not so much for ordinary businesses.

From a wider viewpoint, I think taxing capital is not a useful move for a country with a very shallow capital pool – where many businesses already face difficulty raising capital for investment. Our tax settings should encourage capital growth to enable jobs and economic growth – not discourage it.

There are other details in the Tax Working Group’s proposals that would bring problems for business growth.

Taxing capital gain when an asset is sold would reduce the incentives to sell a business. But selling a business releases capital that allows new businesses to develop – so a capital gains tax would tend to slow down business sales and make the general environment more static.

The Tax Working Group has suggested exempting small businesses (those with an annual turnover of less than $5million) from the tax if the business premises are sold and the money is reinvested in a similar, expanded business. This would be a fairly arbitrary line however, and raises the question of why all businesses could not have a similar exemption.

Business owners might argue that they have worked hard to build up a business and should not be taxed on its increase in value when they come to sell it.

I believe that those who build and grow businesses are critical to the NZ economy and their efforts should not be discouraged by a capital gains tax. T&D

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RTF disappointed with driver licensing changes L

IKE A NUMBER OF INDUSTRIES, ROAD transport faces a significant workforce shortage. There are many reasons for it, but we do know that the complexity of our driver licensing scheme does nothing to help alleviate it.

For 15 years the Road Transport Forum has pushed for changes to the driver licence system – to make it simpler, more responsive to industry needs and help ease the significant workforce shortages many operators are experiencing.

Unfortunately, the Government’s recently-released proposal for driver licensing changes is largely a missed opportunity to do this, says Forum chief executive Nick Leggett.

“We are extremely disappointed at the proposed rule, as we don’t think it will do much to make it easier for young people wanting to get into the sector,” he says.

The proposed rule is little more than a recasting of the original discussion document of 2016, offering some minor improvements to the present driver licencing regime. Unfortunately, it falls far short of RTF’s expectations, particularly in the area of vehicle mass threshold limits related to classes of licence.

The proposal includes removing the nearly redundant Class 3 licences, removing the learner licences for Class 4 and 5, instituting a theory test for Class 5 and removing some wait times.

“Unfortunately, although the minimum three months’ wait time before moving to the next learner licence class for drivers over 25 years of age has been removed, it still doesn’t go nearly far enough,” says Leggett.

“To even have a chance of streamlining the process for young people wanting to get into the industry the 25-year-old threshold needs to be brought down to 19.”

The proposed changes do mean that those with lower class licences will be able to drive in the next class up if supervised. This is something RTF supports and should help operators assist their drivers through the licensing classes.

RTF’s suggested regime was that a Class 2L applicant must have held a full Class 1 licence for at least 12 months. After entry to Class 2L by way of a theory test, and following the completion of either approved or supervised training, the applicant is then subject to an independent competency test for the full Class 2 licence.

After a period of experience and a clean driving record, the applicant can progress to Class 5L.

42 | Truck & Driver

So, while our scheme may be heavily streamlined, a major aspect of the plan is to enhance the Class 2 theory and practical skills tests and more closely align them to New Zealand’s difficult driving conditions.

Says Leggett: “What RTF is trying to alleviate is the difficulty the industry has of trying to place drivers in vehicles or driving roles that simply don’t exist. Few companies have Class 2 vehicles that they can put aside for training and transition experience.

“Finding companies with single unit Class 4 vehicles is also difficult, as most operators make the investment in this vehicle and its mass capability to tow a heavy trailer.”

RTF also proposed expanding the vehicle weight options allowed

THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING

Forum chief executive Nick Leggett with the new Land Transport (Driver Licensing) Rule which has, he says, developed into something which is far too complex, at 125 pages long. The original Rule was only around 50 pages

Unfortunately, it falls far short of RTF’s expectations, particularly in the area of vehicle mass threshold limits related to classes of licence. for Class 2, thereby removing the common problem of gaining experience where vehicle availability is clearly limited: “We want the mass thresholds related to the licence levels to be widened in scope to make them more applicable to the real world and operators’ needs,” says Leggett.

“Another important aspect of our proposal the Government has not addressed is to unpick the situation we have now, where those that do the training also undertake the assessment. RTF considers this to be an incestuous aspect of our system that, unless strictly policed, is open to abuse.

“Overall, RTF believes the Government has missed an opportunity to make the fundamental changes that are required to make the driver licence scheme responsive to the demands of the 21 st Century transport environment and responsive to the needs of young people starting out in a career.

“RTF will submit on the proposal, but we do not expect significant changes to the package. It has been a long time coming and, while it is without a doubt a wasted opportunity for proper reform, the Government is unlikely to have the appetite to revisit the majority of its decisions.” T&D

Road Transport Forum was established in 1997 to represent the combined interest of all members as a single organisation at a national level.

Members of Road Transport Forum’s regionally focussed member associations are automatically affiliated to the Forum.

Road Transport Forum NZ PO Box 1778, Wellington 04 472 3877 forum@rtf.nz www.rtfnz.co.nz Nick Leggett, Chief Executive 04 472 3877 021 248 2175 nick@rtf.nz National Road Carriers (NRC) PO Box 12-100, Penrose, Auckland 0800 686 777 09 622 2529 (Fax) enquiries@natroad.co.nz www.natroad.co.nz David Aitken, Chief Executive 09 636 2951 021 771 911 david.aitken@natroad.co.nz Paula Rogers, Executive Officer 09 636 2957 021 771 951 paula.rogers@natroad.co.nz Grant Turner, Executive Officer 09 636 2953 021 771 956 grant.turner@natroad.co.nz Jason Heather, Executive Officer 09 636 2950 021 771 946 Jason.heather@natroad.co.nz Tom Cloke, Executive Officer 0800 686 777 021 193 3555 tom.cloke@natroad.co.nz Road Transport Association of NZ (RTANZ) National Office, PO Box 7392, Christchurch 8240 0800 367 782 03 366 9853 (Fax) admin@rtanz.co.nz www.rtanz.co.nz Dennis Robertson, Chief Executive 03 366 9854 021 221 3955 drobertson@rtanz.co.nz

Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa/Otaki to Wellington Sandy Walker 0800 367 782 (Option 5) 027 485 6038 swalker@rtanz.co.nz Northern West Coast/Nelson/ Marlborough/North Canterbury John Bond 0800 367 782 (Option 6) 027 444 8136 jbond@rtanz.co.nz Southern West Coast/Christchurch/MidCanterbury/South Canterbury Simon Carson 0800 367 782 (Option 7) 027 556 6099 scarson@rtanz.co.nz Otago/Southland Alan Cooper 0800 367 782 (Option 8) 027 315 5895 acooper@rtanz.co.nz NZ Trucking Association (NZTA) PO Box 16905, Hornby, Christchurch 8441 0800 338 338 03 349 0135 (Fax) info@nztruckingassn.co.nz www.nztruckingassn.co.nz David Boyce, Chief Executive 03 344 6257 021 754 137 dave.boyce@nztruckingassn.co.nz Carol McGeady, Executive Officer 03 349 8070 021 252 7252 carol.mcgeady@nztruckingassn.co.nz Women in Road Transport (WiRT) www.rtfnz.co.nz/womeninroadtransport wirtnz@gmail.com

Area Executives Auckland/North Waikato/Thames Valley Keith McGuire 0800 367 782 (Option 2) 027 445 5785 kmcguire@rtanz.co.nz Southern Waikato/Bay of Plenty/Taupo/ Poverty Bay Dave Cox 0800 367 782 (Option 2) 027 443 6022 dcox@rtanz.co.nz

Truck & Driver | 43

os Gerald Shacklock Story Dave McLeod Phot

h s g n i g g o l This 2018 8x8 Scania G480 bottom-dumper is part of Douglas Logging’s road-lining operation – creating new forest roads....like this one, in the Marapiu Forest, at Kaihu

44 | Truck & Driver

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The Douglases have four off-highway Scania 8x8s that shuttle-run cut-to-length logs from felling sites to super-skids, where they’re loaded onto on-highway log trucks. This one’s working in the Whatora Forest at Kaihu, north of Dargaville

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HERE’S A COUPLE OF BUSINESS PHILOSOPHIES that you often hear people going on about: Being agile – able to change direction whenever necessary (or whenever an opportunity present itself ), for one….

And another: Operating a business that is all things to all people in its line of work. No BS – a true onestop-shop.

In its own quiet way, Dargaville’s Douglas Logging has gradually, progressively and creatively taken its chances – one opportunity at a time…..

To turn what started out as a small earthmoving contracting business into what is now an impressivelydiverse specialist logging operation – involved in harvesting logs, forwarding them, processing them, loading them onto on-highway logtrucks (on superskids it’s created), and carting them to the port or the sawmill.

The company’s distinctive orange logtrucks even run on forest roads built and maintained by its fleet of tippers and bottom-dumpers.

Ah…and by the way, once upon a time Douglas Logging even loaded logs onto ships at the old Whangarei port. That’s one piece of the logging biz that the Douglases have actually got out of.

Nowadays, with a fleet of 14 trucks (and growing), over 120 machines of varying size and substance, a cast of over 80 people and a head office base that’s set on 25 acres of land in Dargaville, Peter Douglas and son Brad’s family business services the forestry

industry at quite literally, each and every level.

But, of course, things weren’t always this way. The story of this business effectively started back in 1966, when the Douglas family relocated from the lower South Island to Dargaville.

Says Peter: “My father had a farm and I worked a bit on that, so my brother and I started up contracting. It was more hay-baling at first, and then bulldozing.

“We bought our first secondhand bulldozer in 1970 (an Allis Chalmers HD6) and moved on from there.

Back then, there was development work everywhere: Clearing ti-tree, building dams….stuff like that.”

In 1980 the brothers decided to split the business up – Peter taking the bulldozers, while his brother took the diggers.

Peter parlayed his three bulldozers – an Allis Chalmers HD16 and two Komatsu D65s – into a good living over the next 10 years, servicing strong growth in the Dargaville area.

But development work in the area began to drop off as the ‘90s came around – and that, in turn, meant that the business naturally came to a bit of a crossroads.

Thankfully, something new was just over the horizon – a venture into logging.

It started, Peter recounts, when “a fella asked us to go and pull some trees. It turned out that he was a bit of a ratbag. There were a lot of them around in those days,” he adds with a hint of regret.

Nevertheless, that “ratbag” got Douglas Logging started on what’s turned out to be a highly successful Truck & Driver | 47

In the latest diversification in its work, Douglas Logging has added four onhighway log trucks – giving it more control of the transport of its own logs from the forests to the port or to mills

logging journey.

“We ended up getting an old skidder – a C7 Tree Farmer. We started doing woodlots (small-scale production) and then in 1992, when my son Brad joined the business, we added another crew.

“So eight people in total – doing New Zealand Forest Products’ work, all around Mangakahia Forest.”

If it seems like quite a leap for them to launch into NZ’s multi-billion-dollar forestry industry, understand that both Peter and Brad seem really relaxed with making big business decisions.

Peter says matter-of-factly: “We could see the work was in the forestry area and it was an easy move from what we were doing. Plus we didn’t want to move.”

Away from Dargaville, he means.

“So we took the bull by the horns and went for it.”

48 | Truck & Driver

When, around 1994, Forest Products sold out to Carter Holt, “we stopped doing the woodlots and just worked for them. Well, one gang with them and we put a digger onto the log boats – stacking and loading logs into the holds.”

There was no pussyfooting around when it came to making big investments in their chosen field, as Peter reveals: “We bought our first new John Deere skidder in ‘94 too – it was our first new machine – and then our first new digger in ’95. A Hitachi EX200 – probably one of the first new diggers in logging in the Whangarei area. It was a really important time for us.”

Again, these could be deemed ballsy decisions – going out on a limb, both in terms of business direction and, of course, financially. But the Douglases weren’t fazed.

As Brad explains: “Peter doesn’t use the crystal ball theory – he just does it. We don’t worry about the finances when we decide what we’re doing – but maybe our bank manager has had a few sleepless nights though,” he laughs.

The work opportunities in forestry continued to expand and subsequent to selling off the boat loading business as a going concern in 1997, Douglas Logging was left to focus on log harvesting – with around 17 staff running grapple skidders, bulldozers and diggers (mainly John Deere and Hitachi).

Says Brad: “In 2000 we bought our first harvester (a CAT 330) – but we were only allowed to fell with it.

We weren’t allowed to mechanically process, in case it would damage or bruise the logs.

“Then we got a second harvester (a Hitachi ZX370),

so we were working two gangs – up to 30 staff and manually processing.”

This system continued on until 2006 when, partially driven by a need for better efficiency, but also looking to better care for their working environment, the Douglases took a pioneering approach to log movement within the forest.

They introduced an all-wheel-drive on-highway/ off-highway stems truck, fitted with all-terrain tractor tyres, to do the job normally carried out by a skidder – moving logs from the felling area to a log-processing skid.

They figured that the truck would speed up the process, would shift more logs per run…and do less damage to the environment.

Says Peter: “During the winter some of the forests Truck & Driver | 49

Building and maintaining forest roads keeps three truck and trailer tipper units, plus the two Scania bottom-dumpers busy

were just too wet and way too steep to use the skidders – so we were shovelling logs to the sides of the road and loading them onto a stems truck and carting them up to a super-skid where we’d cut them up there. That’s why we first started doing it – the forests just got too wet.”

The first stems truck Douglas Logging put to work (in 2006) was a 6x6 MAN manual, regularly running with a trailer at 65 tonnes all up. Two years later they added a new 6x6 Scania P420.

The stems trucks were a Douglas success story – providing the company with year-round productivity and “having one decent skid that we could work on” meant much better working conditions.

Says Brad Douglas: “It was all set up for the long winter months. We could also mechanical process at the super-skids with the Woodsman processing heads.”

The runs from the harvested stockpiles to the skids were hardly what you’d call long journeys, but climbing and descending hills that could exceed 20% gradients – and negotiating roads that were muddy, rutted and generally “challenging” – many times a day, was not for the faint-hearted.

The stems trucks were retired from that tough task in 2009, when the next big change in the Douglas Logging business occurred: Peter and Brad invested in their own Madill 124 swing yarder – the so-called RollsRoyce of cable hauling.

And, due to problems with the forest infrastructure – trying to get full stems out on steeper roads meant they were cutting tyres – they stopped stemming and began cutting to length in the bush.

50 | Truck & Driver

This, in turn, meant they turned to a purposebuilt 8x8 G440 Scania (with a rated 28-tonne payload) to take 15 or more 20-25 tonne loads a day to a superskid….which could be easily accessed by on-highway logtrucks.

The Scania has a very capable DC13 Euro 5 EGR engine, delivering 440hp/324kW and 1696 lb ft/2300Nm. Behind that is a heavy-duty Allison six-speed auto transmission. The truck has an extrastrong double-skin frame and rides on wide flotation tyres. A transfer case enables full eight-wheel lockup and the unit has a tight lock for critically-important manoeuvrability.

Moving to the 8x8 was a big step – but sensible, says Brad: “It was a decision made over a coldie! It was all working okay, but we just needed more specific grunt out there.” Once this truck had proven itself, they added more – three of them over the next few years.

The 8x8s were initially joined by the two 6x6s stems units – but in 2012 the MAN six-wheeler was put to use in another new venture: Its bolsters were replaced with a bottom-dumper body, so it could help the company’s latest diversification – running a road-lining crew, building new forest roads and skid-sites….then maintaining them.

The Scania 6x6 ex-stems truck was also converted to a bottom-dumper a couple of years later and – while the MAN has since been sold to another company (which still uses it as a bottom dumper) – the old Scania is still in use in the road-lining operation. It was joined last year by a G480 8x8.

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Clockwise, from top: Father and son team Peter (left) and Brad Douglas have built their business into a true logging one-stop shop....the the early 1990s sees the Douglas crew on a farm woodlot job at Rotu, north of Dargaville....the distinctive West Coast Loggers tag-on to the company logo

By 2015, Douglas Logging was running two swingyarder crews and four 8x8 Scanias, as Brad details: “We were using the 8x8s to two-stage off smaller landings to super-skids – for our ground-based crews and our swing-yarder crews. Back then our job finished at the super-skids.”

But that certainly isn’t the case now, as the next stage of the company’s expansion added on-highway log transport. Brad explains that this new area of the business developed because, as Douglas Logging’s business and workload continued to grow, the demand to move stockpiled logs from a super-skid to the port increased. It was a situation caused by a variety of

factors, including the available driver workforce (or, actually, the unavailability of enough drivers) and Northland’s roading infrastructure.

So Douglas Logging again increased its truck fleet – to help move its own logs to the port and to the mills.

Initially it put on two new twin-steer R620 Scania highway log trucks, with five-axle trailers, both running 15.6-litre SCR V8 engines delivering 620hp/456kW and 3000Nm of torque, with 14-speed gearboxes. They both run as 50MAX units – unable to to cart higher weights because of the region’s poor roads.

And last year they added two new 600-615hp Cummins X15-engined Kenworth K200 8x4 nine-axle Truck & Driver | 53

It’s not only a huge amount of work…. it’s also largely predictable

Above: One of the company’s two Kenworth K200 highway loggers runs alongside the Hokianga Harbour at Opononi, heading for Marsden Point

Below: Douglas Logging’s purchase of its first Madill 124 swing-yarder in 2009 prompted a switch to crews cutting logs to length in the bush – necessitating the addition of a fleet of Scania 8x8s like this to shuttle run the cut-to-length logs to super-skids

54 | Truck & Driver

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Top: Two of Peter Douglas’ bulldozers – a Cat D6-9U and a D717A – clearing scrub on an Arapohue farm back in 1979

Above: The Douglases have never shied away from making big investments in new gear. The lineup here includes their first Cat330B harvester, Hitachi grapple diggers, a JD648 grapple skidder and a Cat-527 tracked skidder

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units, which also run on 50MAX permits.

This appears to be an opportune moment to tally up the Douglases’ current (but seemingly ever-expanding) fleet.

In addition to the four highway logtrucks there are four off-highway Scania 8x8s (one G480 and three G440s), one DAF CF and two Scania G480 6x4 truck and trailer tippers on bulk metal cartage, an old Freightliner water cart (with dropsides so it can also carry metal if necessary) and two bottom-dumper units – a 2018 Scania G420 8x8 and the old G420 Scania 6x6 ex-stems unit.

The need for the 14 trucks and 120 forestry machines in the Douglas Logging fleet is understandable, given the size of today’s operation.

Peter provides a staggering insight: “Back in ‘92, we started shifting about 2000 tonnes (of logs) per month.

Now, in an average month we move around 60,000 to 70,000 tonnes.” It seems incredible, so we have to check the figures with the Douglases – and Peter confirms it: “We did just under 700,000 tonnes for the year last year.”

It’s not only a huge amount of work….it’s also largely predictable – and right now, says Brad, the industry is buoyant: “For the next three or four years, it’ll be pretty stable for us.”

Peter says that through all of the company’s growth, there’s been “nothing that we haven’t known.” And there has always been the safety net of knowing that, “if things did change and If we were prepared to travel a bit there was plenty of work. Put it that way.”

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Truck & Driver | 55

Above, left: Debbie does all of Hart Haulage’s admin work, as well as running the Taekwon-Do studio

Above, right: Jessie is training to be a paediatric nurse, but has also been running the office at the Harts’ Glen Eden landscape supplies and metal yard

All pictures: Venturing into highway loggers was prompted by a desire to avoid logs stockpiling on the company’s skid-sites. Now it has four nine-axle HPMV units – two 620hp Scanias and two 600-615hp Kenworths. They all run on 50MAX permits

56 | Truck & Driver

the industry to achieve this.

The father and son operators have been pioneers often before, of course: Douglas Logging was one of the first – if not THE first – to introduce the off-highway 8x8s, certainly up north.

It’s not only about increased efficiency, Brad points out – it’s a system that also improves safety in the forest: “It means we’re keeping all the big machinery away from the main loadout points.”

Seeing the Douglas operation at work in forests north of Dargaville (Whatora and Monteiths South), the corporate brand is the first thing you notice. All of the Douglas gear, including the very visible, bright orange Scanias and Kenworths, wear the company’s distinctive Maltese cross and West Coast Loggers logo. It’s also easy to see that the branding mimics the logo of tv’s famed West Coast Choppers.

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But with a working area that runs as far north as the Waitangi Forest near Paihia, as far south as the Pouto Peninsula (running from Dargaville south, to the northern heads of the Kaipara Harbour) and to the Brynderwyns in the east, the Douglases see no real need to venture any further right now.

Theirs is a clearly an adaptable organisation – able to change its systems quite easily to suit the forests, as Brad explains: “We’re pretty much fully mechanised now, with tethered felling, grapple-swing yarders – and we’re able to switch gear around to suit the conditions or topography….whatever the forest throws at us. And all-year-round.”

Douglas Logging is quite a large employer in the Dargaville area, with its 80 staff. The company holds Safe Tree certification for its seven harvesting and two roading crews and for its on-road log cartage operation. The Douglas loggers were among the first in

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as apparent. It starts with the creation of forest roads, goes on to the log harvesting and processing…and then the cartage, in the forest and out on the highways.

The bulldozers and graders cut pre-surveyed paths through freshly-cleared radiata. The bottom dumpers lay down metal at an astonishing rate – forming roadways in days rather than weeks (or even months).

Its super-skids are well thought out and accessible – with smaller sites also created if necessary, to operate before the full production crew arrives and sets to work.

The Madills haul up the logs and hand ‘em over to the Waratahs. They’re cut to length…before the grapple-skidders almost gracefully load the 8x8 Scanias that transport them to the super-skid…where the orange Douglas logtrucks are loaded up and head out onto the highways.

There is a cohesiveness to the business in the way the members of the crew interact with one another.

It’s very smooth and fluid. Rather than the job being done by separate units or companies – each (maybe begrudgingly) playing their part – the unified Douglas Logging presence in each step means more care for the machinery and staff alike.

As veteran Douglas Scania driver Karl Thompson puts it: “The last thing you want is to be growled at by me in the break room – for loading my truck too hard eh.”

The Douglases reckon that, although it has a team of four mechanics and one engineer and a purposebuilt workshop back in Dargaville, the unified approach and greater care equates to less repair and maintenance work required….and ultimately less downtime.

Over the nigh-on three decades that Douglas Logging has been involved in the forestry industry, the company has, for sure, evolved.

Its adoption of the off-highway 8x8s to shift logs to the skid-sites is, Peter says, “definitely a lot easier on the environment. Not running the wheel skidders in the winter and using tracked machines in the cutover instead of wheeled machines in the clay soil leaves less physical scarring on the landscape.”

The Douglas crews adhere to the National Environmental Standards (NES) in terms of roading, sediment and erosion controls. And now it also manages the task of getting its logs to the port and to sawmills.

So is there any area of logging as yet untouched by Douglas Logging – something else to further diversify into? What does the future look like for this allpurpose family business?

“Probably much the same as what it is now,” says Peter. He and Brad, he says, are happy with the way things are right now and see “more of the same” as a very good thing. T&D

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Truck & Driver | 59

A legend…in

Story John Coker Photos Ed Mansell – Big Rig Fotos – & the Quaife family

Main picture: The mighty Concorde in its distinctive Alf Quaife colours. The combination of its long bonnet and Alf ’s comparative speed in the 475hp “hot-rod” earned the truck its name. Photo Ed Mansell, Big Rig Fotos Inset: Alf ’s coffin rests on Concorde for his memorial service

60 | Truck & Driver

FEATURE

…in a legend

Truck & Driver | 61

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Above: Alf at the wheel of Concorde, back in the day

Left & top left: Mourners follow Alf ’s coffin on Concorde

T

HIS IS THE STORY OF A SPECIAL MAN IN KIWI TRUCKING history….and a very, very special truck.

Tauranga’s Alf Quaife’s name was synonymous with the Concorde, a 1973 Detroit V12- engined Kenworth LW924R logging truck that rates as maybe the most famous truck in New Zealand… ever.

Alf drove it for its first owner, Mount Manganui’s Mike Lambert, and then bought it in 1976 – running it under his own name for four years. In just seven years together, Alf and Concorde had created their legend.

It was fitting that, in 2009, Alf helped current owner and avid classic truck collector and restorer Barry Caulfield drive it back from Wanaka to Caulfield’s Awakeri Truck Museum where it has a proud place today.

And it was even more fitting that, when Alf Quaife died in March at the age of 78, Concorde was used to carry his casket to a memorial service celebrating his life. Unsurprisingly, it was attended by several hundred trucking and construction industry friends and family.

Alf was “world famous” in the central North Island trucking,

logging and construction industry for more than 40 years, principally because of his exploits with Concorde.

“He got a name for being a speed hog,” says Caulfield, “but that was partially because of the Kenworth’s performance, which allowed it to pass other trucks and keep up to the speed limit.”

With Alf behind the wheel, the Kenworth very quickly acquired its nickname – reputedly from the loader drivers at Kinleith because of its performance, with the then-prodigious horsepower under its long bonnet.

As Mike Lambert told NZ Truck & Driver back in 2001: “She used to roar up and down the Kaimais like you wouldn’t believe.”

And Alf’s daughter Tina Glover recounts that “he blew the doors off some tiny car once and a policeman growled at him. Dad’s pretty blunt comment was that ‘if you’re getting passed by a loaded truck, you’re a ***** driver!’ ” Hauling logs to Mount Maunganui from Tokoroa, Kawerau and other towns that existed off the back of the region’s large pine forests, Alf soon gained a reputation for not being a slouch behind the wheel of Concorde.

It had the performance to pass all other traffic, with its potential Truck & Driver | 63

Above: Alf and Jeanie on a US tour

Top right: The sign on the lead vehicle in the funeral procession says it all Right centre: Alf drove for both HEB Heavy Haulage and Dibbles – and the fleets were represented in a guard of honour for his funeral

Right: Alf had one of the first Mack Super-Liner 440s in the country

harnessed to the full by the man behind the wheel, shifting the 13-speed Roadranger manual. The Concorde name stuck because of its speed with Alf behind the wheel.

Concorde was unique when Alf started driving it. The 475-horsepower 12V71 engine was non-turbocharged and Kenworth only agreed to spec it in Mike Lambert’s new LW924R after a telephone discussion with the Bay of Plenty operator.

He told NZ Truck & Driver 18 years ago that he ordered the Kenworth after “a bit of union hassle” left him thinking: “Perhaps we won’t have a big fleet of trucks – but p’raps we’ll have some bloody good ones.”

He’d read about an American operator who’d bought one of the relatively rare V12-engined Kenworths: “He said he’d go looking for mountains and he’d always take the tortuous route.” That clinched it for Lambert.

But he reckons that he got a call from Ken King, from then Kenworth importers Dalhoff & King, saying: “They won’t build our truck. The engineers have gone mental.”

So, continued Lambert, “I got this call from a Canadian engineer.

He said ‘I dunno whether we’ve got a misprint here….you can’t run those little axles in that truck.’ I said they’d be fine, but he said ‘well no, everyone who orders the 12V71 has the big axles that can handle 100 ton.’ I said ‘no – this is a highway truck.’

64 | Truck & Driver

“And then there was silence on the end of the phone. Then he said ‘ohhh, you want a hot-rod!’ He finally got the picture.

“So they agreed to build it then – with very strong criteria on it: If we were going to do anything silly with payload we were going to have our driveline on the road. I mean, we knew that – we just wanted a powerhouse.”

Says current owner Caulfield: “Four hundred and seventy five horsepower was a lot of performance back then.”

He rates it “a beauty – but bloody noisy.” Apart from the drive home from Wanaka with Alf, he’s taken Concorde on occasional classic truck rallies.

Alf himself summed up the magic of Concorde in an interview published by The Transport Archives (and posted to Facebook in March in tribute to Alf) he told Mike Turner: “It goes like a rocket.

It got its name from when it first went on the road because of the length of its nose and its speed.”

“Concorde has been like an old friend to me after seven years in its seat. It’s good to ride in because of its long wheelbase.”

Mike Lambert and Alf Quaife proved the worth of a V12 Kenworth in its application and Lambert actually added another similar unit – and Kenworth built 11 more units in 1976 for customers worldwide…. on the back of the interest created by Concorde.

Alf was an “old school” trucker from a time when there wasn’t a

Concorde in its original Lambert colours – but already with Alf ’s name on the door

lot of regulation and no logbooks. Lean and wiry, he was commonly called “hard case” and “a tough old bugger” – with a tone of serious respect.

Says daughter Tina: “Dad was hyperactive and couldn’t sit still.

When he saw something that needed doing it got done.”

Onetime business partner at Dibble Independent Transport, Barry Stamp recalls: “He had excellent work ethics. But he didn’t suffer fools. It was my way or the highway.”

Alf was born in 1940 at Whakapara, north of Whangarei. The big family – Alf was one of eight children – moved to Taingeihi on the Poutu Peninsula south of Dargaville, where Alf’s father worked for the local rabbit board and established a dairy farm.

Alf left the Te Kopuru School at the age of 14 to work on the farm and then, a year later, headed for Tokoroa, where he got a job planting trees. It wasn’t too long before he became a bushman at Te Whetu near Putaruru – cutting down pine trees!

Daughter Tina reckons Alf developed an “addiction to chopping down trees,” and subsequently one of the few things that scared her about him was “Dad turning up to my place with his chainsaw and starting it!”

In the bush he not only learnt to fell trees – he also learnt to drive on the forestry roads, in a R190 International.

Says Tina: “Dad used to miss the gang bus on purpose and catch a ride with Bill Pomare – and they’d swap drivers once they got onto the forestry roads.”

In the late 1950s Alf spent some time working on the Auckland Harbour Bridge and then drove diggers and graders at Whangamata before a stint in Waihi, driving a GMC logging truck.

Then it was on to Tauranga, where he worked as a deckhand on a fishing trawler. After that Alf spent a couple of years hauling metal for Ian Rorison (Rorison Mineral Developments), and then carted logs for Colin Day. In 1969 he started work for Mike Lambert, initially in an ERF and then in ’71 and ’72 Lambert put him into brand new Cumminspowered Kenworths.

Says Tina: “Mike saw Dad’s potential as a hard worker and his ability to look after machinery. And one day in 1973 Mike threw Dad the keys to his future and cemented the start of the legend.” The

truck was then brand-new.

Four return trips a day from Kinleith to the port at Mt Maunganui was the staple run for Alf and Concorde over these years and the unit held all the cartage records for the run.

On June 1 1976, Alf and wife Jeanie bought Concorde from Lambert and set up in business, operating out of Maungatapu – doing contract logging all around the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato.

Soon after they acquired Concorde it needed some panelbeating and emerged from the paint shop with a new look – a fresh black paint job with gold, orange and red stripes. It made the standout truck even more of an eyecatcher.

By the time Alf sold Concorde in 1980 he’d done over 800,000kms in her. As Mike Turner says in The Transport Archives: “To make a rig last for more than seven years and go half a million miles on 70% off-highway logging roads requires an extra degree of skill.

“It calls for close affinity with one’s machine, a seat-of-the-pants understanding of the engine and drivetrain, and the ability to find problems and to carry out repairs. It also needs energy, drive and a good measure of humour.”

Barry Caulfield is actually Concorde’s 10th owner. He says that when he bought the Kenworth in 2009 and invited Alf to join him to bring the truck back to the Bay of Plenty “he jumped at the chance.”

Until then, he says, “I knew of him – but that was when I got to know him.

“We tossed a coin to see who was going to drive first. Alf won and took off like a shot. It was like he’d never been away from Concorde. It was a great trip home over the three days.”

Caulfield has restored the Kenworth to its original Mike Lambert colours and installed a Roadranger 13-speed gearbox as per the original – even though Concorde had come from Wanaka with a perfectly good, more sophisticated 15-speed Roadranger.

Says Caulfield: “The truck’s dedicated to Alf. He is what made it so famous.”

When Alf sold Concorde it went through the hands of several forestry operators in the Bay of Plenty and South Waikato….before Mike Lambert bought it back.

He rebuilt and restored Concorde to its 1970s specification and then it went to South Island collector George Wallis – brother of Truck & Driver | 65

Top: Alf confirmed that Concorde “went like a rocket” Bottom left: Alf and Concorde together one last time

Bottom right: Alf setting a truck lap record at Baypark motor racing circuit – way before truck racing came to NZ

Warbirds over Wanaka founder Sir Tim Wallis. It stayed with him until Caulfield returned it to its historic home in the Bay of Plenty.

Concorde retains its Hendrickson suspension and Rockwell tandem diffs, with Gamma power steering, Jake brakes and a Horton fan clutch.

Alf bought into Dibble Independent Transport in 1982 and subsequently got behind the wheel of a succession of Macks – including R Models and one of the first Super-Liner 440s in the country, carting fertiliser. About this time the family moved to Te Puna, just northwest of Tauranga.

Other partners at Dibble included NZ Truck & Driver publisher Trevor Woolston, who remembers Alf well: “He was like a mentor to me when I was just starting out.”

Dibbles was one of a very few owner-driver groups that had its own business and, says Woolston, Alf “taught us about operating a business and how to go about it. Alf was a hard case bugger and was hard to keep up with. He was always looking for another load.”

Woolston already “knew of him – everybody did,” before they first met. He soon learnt, he says, that “he was an amazing driver. A natural – and smooth with it.”

The work could involve long-haul trips, taking burnt lime from Te Kuiti to Gore in Southland, for instance. On one occasion Alf arrived home from one trip the length of the country when the call went out 66 | Truck & Driver

for another load.

He set off, with little rest – intent on making the Cook Strait ferry.

On board, he found a couple of hitchhikers and, Dibble partner Barry Stamp reckons, “he asked them where they were headed.

“They said Dunedin. Alf said he’d take them if they kept him awake. He strapped their packs to the drawbar and they never shut up the whole way there. Job done on time.”

Tina used to accompany her father on jobs – sometimes to remote airstrips accessed by tricky, narrow farm tracks: “He used to ask me to lean out my window and see how much of the back tyres were on the track. Sometimes there wasn’t much. This wasn’t unusual for Dad.” Alf was very mechanical, says Stamp: He would do all his own maintenance, including changing tyres – either at the end of the day, or at weekends….so he was always available to work the next day.

“With no logbooks to fill out in those days there were some pretty big weeks and the bigger the better would suit Alf.” Woolston recalls Alf never had any problem with sleeping in the cab of whatever he might be driving on long-haul trips: “They were long hours and pretty rough times.”

Alf turned his truck into an impromptu school bus one day when the local bus broke down and he found all the kids walking home.

Says Tina: “He picked us all up and dropped each one at their gate.

Top left: Alf bought into Dibble Independent in 1982 and switched to Macks, starting with this R Model Top right: Alf giving Concorde a wash

Above: Alf ’s next truck after Concorde – a W924 Kenworth Kids were hanging off the outside of the cab. Yup, I had a cool Dad.” In 1988 Alf bought into Reliable Haulage, carting sulphuric acid – often to Kawerau. In 1990 he joined Albert Smith Industries and stayed with them for 25 years – the company morphing into McConnell Smith, Smith Bridge and, finally, HEB Construction.

He was regularly carting big construction machinery, equipment and cranes around the country.

He had a reputation for being stubborn and determined – this enhanced when he arrived at the Inter-Islander ferry with a large crane…which the crew clearly were not keen on having onboard on that trip.

They kept him waiting until the end of loading – then told him he’d have to reverse on, pretty sure that wasn’t going to be possible.

Alf accomplished the feat – much to the amazement of passengers and crew who lined the railings to see him performing the precision manoeuvre. There was a bonus: He was, of course, the first to unload in Picton.

Tina Glover remembers her father as a tough, uncompromising gentleman: “He expected 150% of himself – and the same from everybody else. One hundred and ten percent wasn’t good enough. That was just for girls’ blouses!

“Yet he was a gentle gentleman at home. And he never swore

around women, yet it was rife in the trucking and construction industry and he could swear like a trooper – with the best of them.”

Alf used trucks for everything, including pulling out overgrown mandarin trees and picking up drive-through KFC when the family car had just been sold!

Trucks were good for racing too. Alf established the first truck lap record at the old Baypark motor racing circuit, even before truck racing started in NZ. Alf was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and fought tooth and nail against the illness. He had 41 rounds of chemotherapy, but Tina reckons he “never had one bad day. He reckoned each chemo was like a can of V!” When Tina looked back over his life it was obvious he’d always been the same: At the age of three he survived falling out of the family Model A Ford – breaking his arm in two places – when a door flew open and he tried to close it!

“That probably started his high threshold for pain,” she says: “Later in life a Bailey bridge frame dropped on his leg, smashing it. It had to be straightened onsite – drug free! He was pretty tolerant to the pain that cancer gave him too.”

This legend, who drove a legend, is survived by Tina, son-inlaw Steve and two grand-daughters – Samara and Nadia. T&D Truck & Driver | 67

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FEATURE

Alliance Services’ two Scania air vacuum excavation units on a job in the Auckland CBD

Story & photos: Hayley Leibowitz

N

O-RISK EXCAVATION. NO WATER. NO MESS. NO WASTE. No service interruption. No harm. No damage.

When it comes to excavating in urban streets, building sites and the like, this may all sound just too good to be true.

But there’s a handful of air vacuum excavation trucks now in the country and one operator using them reckons that this is exactly what they deliver.

Auckland’s Alliance Services has two of the five Kiwi units, both based on Scania R500 and G450 8x4 trucks, fitted with powerful vacuum excavation units built by German specialist RSP. The German company says the suction systems provide a “gentle,” environmentally-friendly excavation alternative to conventional methods for trenching, repairs and maintenance around urban underground services.

The air vac trucks don’t come cheap – at around $NZ1million each! Not surprisingly then, Alliance Services’ Matt Fillmore says that the units typically are called in on projects “when the risks are too high.”

People call on one of the major advantages of the air vac system, which is to work around underground services, says Fillmore: “Traditional methods like diggers rip through the

ground, while the air vac truck lifts dirt straight out of the ground. Hydro-excavation, similarly, comes with hazards you don’t find with this new technology.

“If a digger or hydro-excavator damaged a fibre optic cable it could cost $50,000 to repair – not to mention all the interruption. It happens….and then Auckland falls apart.”

So, as he adds: “We come in when they don’t want to risk it with a digger – so we’re always at the coalface of multiple services and high-pressure situations.

“We’re digging around services every day and in the last year we’ve had zero strikes, zero harm and zero damage to services or to operators or employees – thanks to these trucks.”

At the site of what reputedly will be the biggest shopping centre in the Southern Hemisphere – the $790million Westfield Newmarket in Auckland – Alliance’s Ian Bedggood provides a rundown on what the company’s newest air vacuum excavator truck can achieve.

Bedggood, who operates and manages the two trucks (and is one of the four drivers who operate them) explains: “The kind of things you find under the ground, we can dig down underneath – power cables, telecoms, water – with no potential danger to ourselves, the site or what’s in the pipes.

Truck & Driver | 69

“And it’s really powerful, without the use of high-pressure water. You’ve got German technology on a Scania truck. It runs off the 500 horsepower Scania Euro 6 motor, run through a PTO and then an OMSI gearbox.

“If we dug all day it would burn as much diesel as driving to New Plymouth.”

Says Matt Filmore: “To give you an idea of how powerful it is, if we had 10 tonnes of metal sitting on the floor, we could pick that up in about eight minutes.”

Even with each unit’s $1million pricetag – which is about $200,000 more than a hydro excavation unit – there’s a oneyear to 18-month waiting list to get one into New Zealand.

Alliance bought its first unit off parent company, Auckland civil contracting and infrastructure company JFC….and was impressed enough to buy its second unit.

“A big part of the reason it’s so popular,” says Matt Fillmore, “is because this is a safer method of excavation around services, around tree roots. Power and water don’t really mix that well do they? So originally hydro was probably the safest method, but this new option is safer for the operator too.”

He and Bedggood both agree though that air excavation is not the death of hydro excavation but rather, will sit alongside it. Says Fillmore: “Hydro will always have a place.” But one drawback to hydro excavation is that half of the truck’s potential payload is devoted to the water needed for the system.

70 | Truck & Driver

Also, he adds: “When you’re digging that trench and you’re trying to cut away the sides, the water is actually undermining and weakening the structure of the trench, so it’s making it more collapsible.”

Nevertheless “there are certain times when those sorts of things don’t matter and you just want to get in, blast it out – a short, sharp job where it’s just one or two holes. Where the one tank from a hydro-vac is going to do the whole job.”

He says that when you’re working around water or gas pipes, hydro-vac is not a problem – “but you don’t want water anywhere around live power cables.”

Bedggood points out that the new truck actually does have a hydro facility – a water blaster – but they haven’t used it yet.

Substituting air for water is an advantage with certain types of clay and, says Fillmore: “If there’s 30 holes that have to be dug… our truck might be a little bit more expensive, but because we’re not using water we can give the contractor the control of his spoil – the dirt that comes out of the hole.

“Because it’s only been dug with air it’s not wet, it’s not contaminated, it’s not sloppy. We can tip it onto a truck, we can tip it on site. If it’s suitable material it can be put straight back in the hole, so we don’t have to cart the material away or cart new material back.

“But if it’s just a one-off hole or two little holes, pricewise hydro might be better. That’s why I think there’s a place for both.”

Above: While the Scanias don’t travel far, driving skill is required in manouevring them in tight confines

Opposite page, top right both bottom pictures: The 10-inch intake for the vacuum is able to work precisely around services, quickly sucking soil and gravel clear of pipes and cables Opposite page, top left: Alliance air vac operators Matt Fillmore (left) and Ian Bedggood (right), with importer Frontline Machinery’s Mark Gover

With no slurry to manage afterwards, the drainlayer or plumber can “hop straight into a nice dry trench rather than something full of water,” says Bedggood.

The air vac technology can also be used very effectively to excavate around tree roots without causing any damage, says Fillmore: “The compressed air sort of lifts the material off. It goes behind the object, bounces back and pushes it away.”

Seeing the newest Alliance Services Scania air excavation unit at work shows that a light and simple remote control directs the air vac, with no manual guidance required. Matt Fillmore reckons that younger guys have Playstation skills that make operating this a breeze.

The unit generates a high-volume flow of air by means of its triple air fans, which is quickly evident once the intake arm is positioned. This giant vacuum cleaner roars into action, effortlessly sucking up clay and debris.

As promised, it’s easy to negotiate cables and pipelines. The 10-inch intake hose is no match for large stones and rocks, reducing the chances of a blockage.

Within a few minutes a clean, dust-free trench has been excavated – avoiding all hazards along the way.

Maintenance and servicing of the air vac units is done locally, with just four people in the country qualified to work on them.

The German manufacturer also sent out its own representative to train the driver/operators, as Fillmore points

out: “We’re both digger operators – so we’re creating a new methodology with this machine…but incorporating it with a sort of hybrid of digger skills and the new skills.

“We’ve had the technology for a year now and our methodology of using the truck and going about jobs has changed. Just like anything, it’s constantly evolving.”

How exactly did Alliance Services – a traffic management specialist division of parent company JFC – come to be doing this sort of excavation work?

The air excavators are not only used during civil construction projects, they’re also employed during the planning phase of big jobs, as Matt Fillmore explains: “Quite often when a project’s in its design phase, the architects might have telecom plans, power plans, water plans, fibre-optic plans….but they’re not accurate.

“They’ll say there’s services in the ground, but that won’t tell them the depth. So, with a streetscape project putting in street furniture, redesigning heights and levels, we’ll go in at the preliminary stage with other companies. We’ll go through and maybe do 40 holes throughout a street or a road and assess what depths all the services are at, so then the architects can go away and come up with a plan.”

So the trucks are employed in the exploratory/design phase, in the construction period and in ongoing maintenance and repairs. They even tie-in with Alliance Services’ specialist traffic Truck & Driver | 71

“If they want to leave the material onsite and use it for backfill they can. Or, if they want to take it away with other material, they can also do that.” management work: “We’re used every step of the way. And at every part of that, traffic management’s needed, so there’s a synergy between the two.”

And it’s not just about physically carrying out the work – Alliance recognises that there’s work to be done marketing the air vac excavation technology, educating people about its capabilities…and training more people to carry out the work.

Says Fillmore: “We’ll arrive on a site and people who have been in the industry all their lives haven’t seen this technology.

They might know what hydro is, but this is different and it does offer more options. We’re still learning different ways of using it, to sell it, to market it.”

Even after the operators’ two-week intensive training on the systems, he says they’re still learning the intricacies of air excavation: “Every time we go somewhere, the ground is different. So we’re learning a lot about geology. And when we’re

pricing a job or we’re quoting we have to look at those things because that can make a huge difference in how long it’ll take or the approach to the job. Although in saying that, we haven’t really encountered something that’s been our kryptonite.”

In terms of operating the excavator units, Fillmore says it’s a bit like operating a crane truck. Although sometimes a unit may not travel more than 300 metres up and down a road on a job, the skills required can be tricky – particularly on a night shift…and manoeuvring the unit in tight spaces: “We’re talking millimetres of gaps sometimes. It’s all about angles and getting the boom in the right position. A small gap can make a huge difference to the angle that we need to work around the services that are in the ground.”

There is, of course, also the need to always be mindful of “the weight of our truck impacting the trench that we’re digging….we could be potentially undermining ourselves and creating a hazard.

This page, top left & right: The entirely self-contained air vac units are capable of sucking up about 10 tonnes of material in around eight minutes Left: Rocks? No problem – as Ian Bedggood demonstrates Opposite page, left: The powerful excavator is entirely controlled via this simple remote, held by Bedgood Opposite page, right: A maze of pipes, cables and other obstacles has been exposed by the air vac excavator

72 || Truck 72 Truck&&Driver Driver

“So yes, with the driving, we’re not cruising down the road from here to New Plymouth. But even though we’re not driving great distances, some of the actual core skills of driving are needed.”

Ian Bedggood reckons it’s a bit like driving a livestock truck: “You’ve got millimetres to spare and you’ve got to get everything right.”

NZ importer of the RSP air excavation units, Frontline Machinery, aggressively went after the distributorship after seeing it in operation in Germany about six years ago and immediately deciding it would be a good solution for NZ. It secured the dealership arrangement about four years ago.

Frontline director Mark Gover says that among many advantages of dry suction excavation, one that stood out for him was the ability to rehandle material: “The material’s dry so you’re not paying exorbitant dumping charges for wet material – you can rehandle the excavated material.

“If they want to leave the material onsite and use it for backfill

they can. Or, if they want to take it away with other material, they can also do that. So it leaves a really clean job site. Plus there’s the safety aspect: You’re not creating a new hazard.”

Gover says that air excavation is gaining traction worldwide: “I think people struggled to get their heads around the performance initially, but once they saw it…the machine sells itself. I mean, when you see it in action it really is pretty amazing.”

Although Frontline used to import hydro-excavation units, it has now switched its focus entirely to dry suction excavation.

RSP’s global market has grown exponentially over the last few years and, says Gover, “there’s a limited amount of trucks they can make – so each country’s on a limited supply.”

The company has another two air vac units on order for NZ, Gover summing-up the strong local interest: “I just think it’s a better all-round solution isn’t it?” T&D

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FEATURE

Truckers & Loggers

Fishing Tournament 2019

FULL MOON...

FULL FIELD W

ITH A FULL MOON OVERHEAD IT WASN’T THE greatest outlook for this year’s Southpac Truckers & Loggers Fishing Tournament, but that certainly didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the participants.

Setting new records, with 43 teams and 163 anglers preregistering, the tournament saw entries closed a week out from the event.

This year also saw a record level of prizes up for grabs, with over $75,000 worth of Shimano fishing equipment, power tools from ITM Haruru, Weber BBQs from Barrels 100% Whangarei, televisions and wireless headphones from Panasonic, blokey stuff from the Man Cave and retro ice bins and baggage and a Mavic drone from Castrol.

It was a very full prize table, which demands a reassessment on how to display all of the prizes next time.

Fishing on day one was very slow on the gamefish front, with only one marlin tagged – by the Kenworth team on Ata Rangi.

The snapper and kingfish boys were out measuring and releasing a good number of fish and it looked like it would be their tournament.

Day 2 and more of the same – with one lone tagged marlin (to Team DAF on El Torito), and plenty more snapper and kingfish. A few sharks were being tagged as well.

By day three the gamefishing boys were getting a bit desperate, but at last the marlin popped up – with several hookups and, eventually, five tags or landings.

So, after three days’ fishing, the results were in and the winners were presented with their prizes on Saturday night at the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club’s Paihia clubhouse.

The winning angler, team, skipper and deckie awards went to the Superfreight Team on the boat Diesel, with Clark McRobbie taking out top angler and the team also

Early morning fog shrouds the shore just outside Whangaroa Harbour

Trailermaker Trevor Jackson with what turned out to be the heaviest kingfish hooked up, fishing on Family Jewels

Truck & Driver | 75

Above: Team Superfreight, fishing off Diesel, cleaned up five major prizes. Receiving their prizes from SI Lodec’s Shaun Morse (standing, far left) are (from left): Rowan White (top skipper) Clark McRobbie (top angler), Mack Peach, Lance Peach (top deckie) and Colin Mariner Below, left: Mainstream’s Greg Haliday (left) picks up the prize for third in heaviest billfish, tagged and released, from Southpac’s Richard Smart Below, right: Snapper and kingfish were to the fore during the three days of fishing

comprising Mack Peach and Colin Mariner, with skipper Rowan White and Lance Peach as deckie.

Diesel also collected the Calcutta: Just shows it pays to back yourself.

The heaviest billfish first, second and third prizes respectively went to Bevan Wech (Matakana Moochers, on Centrefold) with a 182.6kg blue marlin, Clark McRobbie (Superfreight, on Diesel) with a 138kg striped marlin and Steven Hatch (Cummins 200, on Predator).

Tagged and released billfish first, second and third prizewinners respectively were: Steve

Currin (Kenworth, on Ata Rangi), McRobbie (Superfreight, on Diesel) and Greg Haliday (Mainstream, on Defiance).

Kevin O’Malley (AB Taupo, on Wakatu) won the heaviest snapper prize with a 10.64kg fish, while first, second and third in the snapper measure and release went to Russell Bill (Pyramid Trucking, on Anchorage) with a 76cm snapper, Kevin O’Malley (AB Taupo, on Wakatu) with a 74cm fish and Russell Bill (Pyramid Trucking, on Anchorage) with a 73cm fish.

The heaviest kingfish prize went to Trevor Jackson (NZ Truck & Driver, on Family Jewels)

Truck & Driver | 77

with a 17.1kg fish. Kingfish first, second and third measure and release went to Graham Laurie (Ocean Devotion, on Devocean) with a 111cm kingfish, Doug Wilson (Bad Habits, on Mad Max) with a 105cm fish and Don Wilson (Bad Habits, on Mad Max) with a 104cm kingfish.

You didn’t even need to catch a fish to win major prizes, as all the tuna prizes were drawn – including Shimano rods and reels and powertools for first, second and third.

There was also a good list of lucky-draw prizes, including a 65-inch Panasonic Smart tv, two Weber BBQs, two Shimano 80W reels and matching rods and a Shimano 50w reel and matching rod, a Makita jigsaw and large framed picture of a Scottish Highland bull.

This year enginemaker Cummins is celebrating

internationally its 100 years in business – and this was recognised at the tournament with a bar shout.

NZ Truck & Driver magazine also celebrated its 20th anniversary, with a cake replica of the latest magazine cut and consumed at the awards night.

This is the 17th year that NZ Truck & Driver and NZ Logger magazines have organised this tournament and by the sounds of it there will be many more to come.

A special thanks must go to our sponsors, Southpac Trucks – Australasian Kenworth Dealer of the Year for the second year in a row, Patchell Industries, SI Lodec, Castrol, Isuzu Trucks NZ, Cummins, Panasonic, Auckland Oil Shop, NZ Truck & Driver magazine and NZ Logger magazine. T&D

Clockwise, from top left: Bevan Wech (right) receives his heaviest billfish first prize from Castrol NZ’s Alister Craig...Trevor Jackson (left) picks up his best kingfish prize from Cummins NZ manager Phillip Wright...Panasonic’s Peter Walker shows off his kingfish...Clark McRobbie (right) picks up his best angler prizes from Shaun Morse

78 | Truck & Driver

Contact: Trevor: Mob 0274 437 968 Email: trevor@jacksonenterprises.co.nz Paul Hirst Mob 027 4437969 Email: paul@jacksonenterprises.co.nz

www.jacksonenterprises.co.nz

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Sector Workforce Engagement Programme

SWE P

The first intake of students is in the final stages of the Ara training programme – with seven of the nine already offered jobs

By Steve Divers Director – career pathways – road freight transport Sector Workforce Engagement Programme (SWEP)

LESSONS LEARNT I ’M HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE HAVE AGAIN SEEN an increase in new Class 5 licences issued – up 15% in 2018.

Having witnessed two years of successive growth we have followed a steer from our original strategy (produced by JB Wills & Company). This was a simple pipeline strategy of pushing a larger pool of Class 2 drivers – for the industry to pull these to Class 4 and Class 5.

I think the stats speak for themselves and while some people are concerned that the overall numbers (the total number of licence holders in C4 and C5) have dropped, don’t be alarmed – our new licences issued are growing.

What’s happening here is that the drop in total numbers is due to historical holders of licences either retiring or no longer renewing their licences.

But in all classes of heavy vehicle licensing we ARE seeing strong gains in new licences and this bodes well for the industry – and is the sum of all initiatives being taken.

Often, on our SWEP journey we have taken a couple of steps forward…with the landscape then changing and forcing us to retrace our steps: That has occurred with the car licensing in schools project, which was being investigated by the Ministry of Education. A change in policy has meant that this is now on hold for a bit longer – but other initiatives, such as the National Driver Training Centre, will have a positive impact.

Another step change was the accelerated licensing process (ALP). It has taken some time to put this back together with the right approvals, proof testing and then beginning to market it…

And then came the recent notice of a policy change: The licensing review has been dusted off and is open for feedback, with a proposal to remove the ALP. And, while the proposal to change the over-25 age group licensing regime will likely remove the need for an accelerated pathway, sadly for the under-25s it may be a case of legislative mistakes made twice.

This is something we intend to discuss with the NZTA, as our shortfall age group is the under-25s – so this is where a robust accelerated pathway would allow earlier entry into our industry.

Part of the lessons learnt is how we develop and support our tertiary programmes while the whole sector is under review.

So I’ll focus on the Ara Institute of Canterbury course supported by our South Canterbury cluster group of operators. We had the chance recently to invite a number of operators to a breakfast function to highlight the course and garner more support and feedback on how the course has gone so far, and this generated some robust discussion that allows the team to hone and modify (and improve) the course.

This course is unlike any other in the country because of the way the students receive some level of income Truck & Driver | 81

Sector Workforce Engagement Programme while training, and because of the significant input that local industry is investing in time, money and resources.

The first intake of nine students is in its final block course of training and currently seven of the nine have had job offers. The aim of the course was to train and provide a pathway to local employment, with a memorandum of understanding between operators expressly allowing offers to only come once the students embarked on the final training period.

The course is overseen with input from a panel made up of representatives of the participating operators – Aoraki Development, chairperson Alle McGrath (chief people officer – Hilton Haulage) and Laura Handy from Ara. The time between pushing the go button on the course and recruitment for the first intake was a matter of a few weeks, and those students became our pilot cohorts. We have now recruited another 13 on the course that has now started, following an industry/ Ara-supported intake assessment process comprising: • Drug testing • Practical manual vehicle driving assessment (with light trailer) • One on one interviews with each student • Ministry of Justice checks • Transport Operator Register Online (TORO) and licence confirmation What struck me with the second intake of students was who we were marketing to – particularly those students who have made a career change choice. One such student had been in his industry for 20 years and was seeking a change. Without this course he and many

SWE P

of trainee colleagues would not have this opportunity to embark on a transport career, because of family commitments or financial needs.

This second intake shows the value of the Ara course – the increased interest from the students showing the support for a concept that has the support of the industry, that provides the students the time and the means to gain industry experience…while also being supported financially.

Of course, with 13 students, more space is required – and hence a call for other industry partners to come on board.

I have encountered the perception from our industry that these programmes don’t produce trained drivers. And as I have previously responded: How can they, without opportunities to train afforded to them by the industry? I wonder sometimes if those that criticise such programmes have ever been part of an actual programme?

We have two industry choices: Develop a programme and train someone yourself….or be part of a programme with others and spread the cost. Either choice has cost, time and resource implications for you as a business.

The Ara programme does present an opportunity to become involved, with a judge-it-for-yourself attitude. From my own experience the operators supporting the programme have shown themselves to be bold and they bring their business acumen with them. It is these people who will make a success of the course and leverage the students completing the programme.

If you are interested in hearing more on this programme, please contact me –steve.divers@truckingcareers.nz or Laura Handy: laura. handy@ara.ac.nz T&D

SPECIALTY PRODUCTS

SWE P

Sector Workforce Engagement Programme

SWEP Licence Information - New Issued & Total Accumulated

NZ Heavy Vehicle Full Licences Issued 11,000 10,000 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000

2F

4,000

4F

3,000

5F

2,000 1,804

1,000 0

1,798

2,259

1,956

1,803

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2F

7,810

8,036

8,543

9,165

10,093

4F

3,541

3,627

3,841

4,180

4,961

5F

1,804

1,798

1,803

1,956

2,259

NZTA statistics show that the number of full licences being issued has grown across all licence classes for the past four years

Total NZ Heavy Vehicle Licences 180000

Lower North Island Fuso Sales

160000

Noel Macdonald 027 603 5658 noel@firstcommercials.co.nz

140000 120000 100000

Year 2F

80000

Year 4F

60000

Year 5F

40000 20000

Year 2F

2014

2015

62910

64980

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2016

2017

2018

67388

69868

72580

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Road Transport Association NZ

Dennis Robertson

We live in a fish bowl

By Road Transport Association NZ chief executive Dennis Robertson

I

HAVE BEEN INTERESTED TO NOTE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A significant increase in social media interest in the trucking industry of late.

Like the recent news stories on bad driving by Chinese drivers and all the social media hype that this caused, this is also trending in our sector.

Most of the interest is based on video footage from cellphones or from the video clips that drivers download from in-cab cameras.

It seems that more and more people are posting on social media platforms examples of driving that’s seen as less than safe. What is happening as a result is that the traditional media is also starting to run this same information. Combined, this exposure has a very large public reach and is a very big concern for the industry.

The reality is that anyone with a smartphone and a social media account is a full-scale film production unit these days, and it seems that there is no limit to what people want to share on social media.

Worse still, many of these posts with their offending videos come from truck drivers, which has to be one of the dumbest things they can do because, from the public point of view, a truck is a truck…

And while those posting might think that they are making a point, it will only continue to confirm any negative attitude the public has about the industry, which is really unhelpful.

Recently we tried to highlight this – not to bring any embarrassment to any specific operator or individuals, but rather to elevate this as a developing issue for the industry and to look

at what we can do about it.

The problem is that there seems to be very little you can do legally. Anyone can take a video of you in the public space and post it and can do this legally. Not only that, when this is on social media it can be shared millions of times and can end up in the mainstream media. We have all seen cellphone coverage on the six o’clock news.

So, what can we do? Because some of these videos will show people making mistakes and, at times, breaking the law, it’s important to have this higher in the minds of those at risk.

The first thing to do is to develop in-house policies on what employees can share on social media while at work. If we all make it an unacceptable behaviour that could attract some form of disciplinary action, then most of it would disappear overnight.

But clearly the most effective thing we can do is to highlight this and show staff what people post so they know how this works – and how they could very easily be the subject of a post.

Prevention is the best defence: If you’re not doing anything wrong, no one will want to video you. Videos will be posted only if you are doing things wrong.

The next thing to do is monitor truck-related sites to stay on top of what is happening.

And lastly, if this happens to you, have good processes in place to deal with this. Treat it like any health and safety incident, investigate it and deal with the issue quickly and fairly.

This is the new world we live in – with very little which is private, and life is not fair. T&D Truck & Driver | 85

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National Road Carriers

Reduced Auckland CBD speed limit a setback for road transport

By David Aitken, CEO of National Road Carriers

C

UTTING THE SPEED LIMIT THROUGHOUT AUCKLAND’S CDB is likely to add to the city’s congestion and transport costs and may not even make our roads safer.

Auckland Transport (AT) is moving to reduce the speed limit to 30km/h in all Auckland CBD streets. It’s doing so in the name of road safety, but there appears little evidence that the change will have a positive impact on safety or anything else, other than AT’s revenue gathering ability.

As the country’s largest road transport organisation – representing 1600 members, of which 900 are based in the greater Auckland area – National Road Carriers Association has a vested interest in road safety….and we are all in favour of evidence-based change that will make the country’s roads safer for our drivers. A key part of our role is to advocate for such change on behalf of our members.

But AT’s blanket approach to the CBD is at best a very blunt instrument and at worst, part of a cynical nationwide push to reduce speed limits as a substitute for road infrastructure investment. And it’s a very poor substitute.

There is no evidence that the 30Km/h limit is the best solution for Auckland’s CBD – or even that it is a genuine solution to a safety issue. Can it be true that there are safety issues on each and every one of the CBD streets? If so, show us the evidence.

Many of our members are regulars on the CBD streets, completing last-mile goods deliveries to retailers and consumers.

They would tell you that currently CBD traffic volumes during the day frequently dictate lower speeds than the 30km/h proposed.

A blanket reduction won’t change anything during the busy times and will simply see enforcement resources wasted and motorists frustrated at lower traffic volume periods.

Potentially even more concerning are the impacts of this initiative on surrounding roads and arterial routes. It appears AT has done no modelling to gauge the impacts on the roading network surrounding the CBD. But you only have to look at what impacts

At the very least, Auckland’s proposed 30km/h CBD limit should NOT be inflicted on major arterial routes, such as Nelson Street (pictured)

the Quay St reconstruction works have had on traffic volumes on The Strand and Stanley St – massively increased congestion – to see what the CBD slow zone will do.

And there will be a ripple effect, potentially slowing transport to and from major freight generators such as the Clevedon quarries, Glenbrook Road, and industrial areas such as East Tamaki.

The New Zealand Institute of Economic Research has already put a $1billion per year cost on Auckland’s congestion and we need solutions that reduce congestion, not add to it. It’s hard to argue that the CBD slow zone proposal will do anything other than add to freight transport costs.

In the rush to make the CBD more resident, cyclist and pedestrian friendly, it looks like the impact on freight transport has been totally overlooked.

Like it or not, the country’s biggest and busiest container port sits at the base of Auckland’s CBD and it’s not moving any time soon. It is a strategic asset and the routes to and from the port must be treated as strategic corridors for freight purposes. The ability of the city, and indeed the country, to generate economic benefit from trade depend on it.

But there is nothing in AT’s proposal that suggests this has even been considered.

At the very least there are a number of major arterial routes within the currently proposed slow zone – Fanshawe St, Nelson St, Beach Rd etc – that need to retain a 50km/h limit.

NRC strongly supports road safety interventions…where all the evidence and all options are considered and the chosen solution will make a positive difference. A win-win for all.

But it’s hard to see any of this reflected in AT’s approach, which appears to lack consideration of all the evidence, evaluation of a range of options and a solution that will make a single positive difference.

Its process appears to be seriously flawed and, not surprisingly, so does the proposed solution. T&D Truck & Driver | 87

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The Hangcha mini pallet truck is now available in NZ

Electric mini pallet truck

A

NEW, FULLY-ELECTRIC HANGCHA MINI walking pallet truck has been launched in New Zealand by importer and distributor Northern Forklifts.

The mini pallet truck is powered by lithium-ion batteries which provide it with three and a half hours of operation between charges….which take two hours.

Northern Forklifts says that the mini pallet truck’s running and charge times make it “ideal for all-day, everyday use in a variety of work environments.”

Northern Forklifts managing director Dexter Hyland says the Hangcha pallet trucks are particularly well-suited to use in the transport industry – especially for truck drivers who self-load or unload: “They are very easy to use and manoeuvre in all aspects. They’re also very well suited to the warehousing sector,” he says.

In addition to its long-life battery technology the mini pallet truck is lightweight and easily manoeuvrable. Weighing 130 kilograms, it has a turning radius of 1300mm, making it well-suited to use in large or small work spaces – “and is great at navigating narrow aisles,” says Northern Forklifts.

The removable battery contains the latest lithium-ion technology that, the company says, is guaranteed to still operate at 70% of its capacity after 1200 cycles, with minimal power loss when the battery is off. Hangcha is offering a three-year or 6000-hour warranty.

Hangcha materials-handling machines have been sold in NZ for 13 years, Hyland says – with steady market growth over the last six years “due in no small part to its product range providing the perfect balance between reliability and excellent value for money.”

The Hangcha range extends up to 48-tonne diesel-engined container lifters. T&D

Aislemaster gets exclusive NZ distributor

A

N EXCLUSIVE NEW ZEALAND distributor for the Aislemaster range of articulated forklifts has been appointed by manufacturer Combilift Ireland.

Aislemaster NZ, a JV formed by Auckland’s Northern Forklifts and The Independent Forklift Company from Christchurch, will import the forklifts and distribute them to current resellers of the product and directly to end-users who don’t have an existing supply relationship with a reseller.

The dual-capability Aislemaster can operate in aisles of less than two metres wide, while lifting to more than 11m…

It can also be used as a standard counterbalance forklift for loading and unloading trucks and general pallet movements.

There are electric and LPG variants – all, says Aislemaster NZ, with “a reputation for highquality design, engineering and build quality.”

Aislemaster NZ will work closely with Combilift Ireland’s NZ rep David Edmonds, who will provide information to customers on the range’s products, advice on potential Aislemaster applications and quotes for sales or leasing.

The close working relationship between the

JV and Edmonds will “ensure a smooth and easy process for Aislemaster clients – from the initial enquiry to final delivery and commissioning on site.”

Aislemaster NZ will manage product support and warranties and a “comprehensive parts holding” will be established here, allowing a rapid response to parts requests. It will also provide technical advice and support for its own service agents nationwide and for resellers’ service teams.

The JV will contract assembly and pre-delivery checks to Northern Forklifts for North Island orders or The Independent Forklift Company for machines landing in Christchurch.

Those companies will also provide all after-sales service for machines sold direct by Aislemaster NZ from their own branches and through a service agent network. Aislemaster users who purchase from other resellers will be supported by their own chosen suppliers….who will also benefit from the overall product support available from Aislemaster NZ. Aislemaster NZ director Dexter Hyland says the agreement with Combilift provides “a great opportunity for us as the distributors of

Aislemaster to improve the whole Aislemaster experience for all users.

“Until now Aislemaster sales and service in NZ were somewhat fragmented, with individual resellers operating independently of each other and without any defined channels of communication with the factory.

“By and large they’ve done a great job of selling the product and supporting their clients and Aislemaster NZ is keen to see that continue – alongside Aislemaster NZ’s own network.”

Until now, he adds, “the Aislemaster product has not enjoyed widespread and co-ordinated marketing.”

Hyland believes that many NZ businesses with warehousing and storage sites could at least double their capacity with Aislemaster technology: “The sad thing is that many of these people don’t know about Aislemaster and it’s amazing narrow aisle performance.” Changing that is Aislemaster NZ’s task.

Hyland says that Aislemaster NZ is keen to work with other existing forklift supplier resellers, explaining that “we’re looking to work with people rather than compete for the same customer, when we both have the same product.” T&D Truck & Driver | 89

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Rotorua’s CT & MA Papuni Transport has put this new Kenworth K200 logger to work, with Charlie doing the driving. It has a Cummins X15 engine, an 18-speed Roadranger manual transmission and Meritor 46-160 diffs.

It has Mills-Tui logging gear and a matching five-axle trailer

Record repeat N

EW ZEALAND’S NEW TRUCK MARKET continued to run at record levels in March – with the overall market’s best-ever figures for the month.

The 495 registrations of trucks with GVMs over 4.5 tonnes was 6.7% up on March 2018 and 2.3% ahead of the previous record of 484, set in 2017.

The 1300 trucks (4.5t to maximum GVM) registered to the end of March was also the best first-quarter performance ever, almost 10% better than the old mark.

The trailer market, while still buoyant – with 153 March registrations – was eight short of last year’s record March and the 371 YTD total was also down on last year’s 384.

In the overall 4.5t-max GVM market Isuzu was in its usual

No. 1 spot, with 104 registrations its best monthly total since last November, taking its YTD sales out to 291.

Second-ranked FUSO (215/75) similarly had its best month since last September – and Hino (171/68) had its best since August last year. Volvo (119/50) though did even better: Its 50 March registrations total amounted to its best month in four years.

Kenworth (79/29) held fifth, while Mercedes-Benz (65/28) overtook DAF (64/23) for sixth.

Iveco (57/27) moved up to ninth behind UD (60/25), with MAN (40/9) dropping a place. Scania (36/16), Sinotruk (22/10), Foton (15/9) and Freightliner (15/6) were next.

(continued on page 94) Truck & Driver | 91

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23,001kg-max GVM 2019

4501kg-max GVM 2019 Brand ISUZU FUSO HINO VOLVO KENWORTH MERCEDES-BENZ DAF UD IVECO MAN SCANIA SINOTRUK FOTON FREIGHTLINER MACK VOLKSWAGEN HYUNDAI INTERNATIONAL FIAT WESTERN STAR RAM OTHER Total

Vol 291 215 171 119 79 65 64 60 57 40 36 22 15 15 14 12 10 7 4 2 1 1 1300

% 22.4 16.5 13.2 9.2 6.1 5.0 4.9 4.6 4.4 3.1 2.8 1.7 1.2 1.2 1.1 0.9 0.8 0.5 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 100

March Vol % 104 21.0 75 15.2 68 13.7 50 10.1 29 5.9 28 5.7 23 4.6 25 5.1 27 5.5 9 1.8 16 3.2 10 2.0 9 1.8 6 1.2 3 0.6 4 0.8 4 0.8 1 0.2 1 0.2 2 0.4 0 0.0 1 0.2 495 100

3501-4500kg GVM 2019 Brand FIAT MERCEDES-BENZ CHEVROLET FORD PEUGEOT LDV RENAULT FUSO TOYOTA NISSAN IVECO Total

Vol 67 19 13 10 8 7 6 2 2 1 1 136

% 49.3 14.0 9.6 7.4 5.9 5.1 4.4 1.5 1.5 0.7 0.7 100

March Vol % 30 49.2 9 14.8 4 6.6 4 6.6 2 3.3 3 4.9 4 6.6 2 3.3 1 1.6 1 1.6 1 1.6 61 100

4501-7500kg GVM 2019 Brand FUSO ISUZU IVECO MERCEDES-BENZ HINO FOTON VOLKSWAGEN HYUNDAI FIAT RAM Total 92 | Truck & Driver

Vol 85 66 38 24 20 12 12 7 4 1 269

% 31.5 24.4 14.1 9.3 7.4 4.4 4.4 2.6 1.5 0.4 100.0

March Vol % 30 28.6 27 25.7 19 18.1 9 8.6 7 6.7 7 6.7 4 3.8 1 1.0 1 1.0 0 0.0 105 100

Bombay’s N&J Wood now has this new Volvo FM 500 bulk tipper in its fleet, working around the Auckland region. The 6x4 has a Transfleet bin and pulls a matching five-axle trailer – the bins carrying imaging for customer Rock and Rubble

For the third consecutive month, Volvo (119/50) led the YTD standings in the 23t-max GVM premier division 7501-15,000kg GVM 2019 Brand ISUZU HINO FUSO IVECO UD DAF FOTON MERCEDES-BENZ HYUNDAI Total

Vol 127 64 50 8 8 4 3 3 1 268

% 47.4 23.9 18.7 3.0 3.0 1.5 1.1 1.1 0.4 100

March Vol % 34 37.0 31 33.7 16 17.4 4 4.3 2 2.2 2 2.2 2 2.2 0 0.0 1 1.1 92 100

15,001-20,500kg GVM 2019 Brand HINO UD FUSO ISUZU SCANIA IVECO MERCEDES-BENZ SINOTRUK MAN DAF Total

Vol 22 15 14 10 7 4 4 2 2 1 81

% 27.2 18.5 17.3 12.3 8.6 4.9 4.9 2.5 2.5 1.2 100

March Vol % 6 18.2 5 15.2 6 18.2 3 9.1 5 15.2 3 9.1 3 9.1 0 0.0 2 6.1 0 0.0 33 100

20,501-23,000kg GVM 2019 Brand FUSO HINO UD MAN SINOTRUK Total

Vol 5 4 2 1 1 13

% 38.5 30.8 15.4 7.7 7.7 100

March Vol % 1 14.3 2 28.6 2 28.6 1 14.3 1 14.3 7 100

Brand VOLVO ISUZU KENWORTH FUSO HINO DAF MAN MERCEDES-BENZ UD SCANIA SINOTRUK FREIGHTLINER MACK INTERNATIONAL IVECO HYUNDAI WESTERN STAR Total

Vol 119 88 79 61 61 59 37 35 35 29 19 15 14 7 7 2 2 669

% 17.7 13.1 11.8 9.2 9.2 8.8 5.5 5.2 5.2 4.3 2.8 2.2 2.1 1.0 1.0 0.3 0.3 100

March Vol % 50 19.4 40 15.5 29 11.2 22 8.5 22 8.5 21 8.1 6 2.3 17 6.6 16 6.2 11 4.3 9 3.5 6 2.3 3 1.2 1 0.4 1 0.4 2 0.8 2 0.8 258 100

Trailers 2019 Brand Vol PATCHELL 48 ROADMASTER 31 TMC 30 TRANSPORT TRAILERS 27 FRUEHAUF 26 MTE 26 DOMETT 25 JACKSON 12 TES 11 TRANSFLEET 10 KRAFT 8 EVANS 8 FREIGHTER 8 MILLS-TUI 7 HAMMAR 6 CHIEFTAIN 6 MAKARANUI 6 FAIRFAX 6 TIDD 6 CWS 4 KOROMIKO 4 LUSK 4 MAXICUBE 3 LOWES 3 TEO 3 DOUGLAS 2 WARNER 2 HTS 2 IDEAL 2 MORGAN 2 ALPINE 1 BARFORD 1 GUY NORRIS 1 WAIMEA 1 WHITE 1 COX 1 FELDBINDER 1 MORBANK 1 MD 1 MTT 1 PTE 1 TOPSTART 1 TROUTRIVER 1 20 OTHERS Total 371

% 12.9 8.4 8.1 7.3 7.0 7.0 6.7 3.2 3.0 2.7 2.2 2.2 2.2 1.9 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.1 1.1 1.1 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 5.4 100

March Vol % 20 13.1 9 5.9 10 6.5 12 7.8 15 9.8 8 5.2 8 5.2 5 3.3 4 2.6 3 2.0 5 3.3 3 2.0 3 2.0 4 2.6 4 2.6 3 2.0 3 2.0 1 0.7 1 0.7 3 2.0 1 0.7 1 0.7 3 2.0 1 0.7 1 0.7 2 1.3 2 1.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 0.7 1 0.7 1 0.7 1 0.7 1 0.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 0.7 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 12 7.8 153 100

Trimac Services

K & L Distributors BOP Ltd

Auckland Oil Shop

Trimac Services is owned and operated by Irene & Bruce McPherson. We have a long association with the supply of oil and lubricants to Northland with the majority of this time representing Caltex.

We pride ourselves in exceeding our customer’s expectation in terms of delivering product and service to our business partners.

Talk to us for quality Caltex lubricants to suit your specific requirements.

Westland Engineering Supplies 03-768 5720

Trimac Services Kioreroa Rd (behind Caltex Diesel Stop) Whangarei PH 09 4380 258 Email: office@trimacservices.co.nz

TD29407

Bruce McPherson 0274 932 914 Call Rhys McPherson 0274380258 Email: rhys@trimacservices.co.nz

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(continued from page 91) Notable among the rest was Western Star – notching-up its first two registrations of the year.

In the crossover segment (3.5-4.5t GVM) Fiat (67/30) continued to dominate – way ahead of second-placed Mercedes-Benz (19/9). The class saw two newcomers – Nissan and Iveco, with one registration apiece.

In the 4.5-7.5t GVM class, FUSO (85/30) eased out its lead on second-placed Isuzu (66/27), while Iveco (38/19), in third, opened a gap on Mercedes-Benz (24/9) and Hino (20/7).

In the 7.5-15t category Isuzu (127/34) remained the runaway leader YTD, but only narrowly beat Hino (64/31) for the month – the Hino performance seeing it overtake FUSO (50/16) for second place for the year. Iveco (8/4) moved up one place to fourth-equal YTD with UD (8/2). DAF (4/2) and Foton (3/2) each gained a spot, while Mercedes-Benz (3/0) lost one.

In the 15-20.5t division Hino (22/6) slightly increased its YTD lead on UD (15/5). FUSO (14/6) and Isuzu (10/3) were in order behind. MAN joined the category with two registrations.

In the tiny 20.5-23t class, FUSO (5/1) retained its lead over

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Hino (4/2), UD (2/2) and MAN and Sinotruk (both 1/1).

For the third consecutive month, Volvo (119/50) led the YTD standings in the 23t-max GVM premier division – also claiming No. 1 honours for the month. Isuzu (88/40) overtook Kenworth (79/29) for second place, while FUSO and Hino continued to fight over fourth place – both registered 22 in March and so extended their 2019 tallies to 61 registrations.

DAF (59/21) and MAN (37/6) retained their places, while Mercedes-Benz (35/17) joined UD (35/16) in eighth-equal.

Scania (29/11) held 10th, while Sinotruk (19/9) and Freightliner (15/6) each moved up one place – both at the expense of Mack (14/3).

Newcomers to the segment were Hyundai, with two 6x4s, and Western Star – the latter posting its first sales of the year.

In the trailer market, No. 1 Patchell (48/20) increased its lead over Roadmaster (31/9) and TMC (30/10). Transport Trailers (27/12) improved two places – as did did Fruehauf (26/15), which was fifth-equal with MTE (26/8), which lost a spot.

Domett (25/8) dropped two places YTD, while Jackson (12/5) retained eighth – ahead of TES (11/4), and Transfleet (10/3), which slipped to 10th. Well back, MaxiCUBE registered its first units for 2019. T&D

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Contact: Brent Soper Freecall: 0800 722 108, Mob: 021 722 108 Email: admin@everlastkiwitarps.co.nz 94 | Truck & Driver

TBT28606

• Avoid health and safety issues with Kiwi Tarps ground operated tipper tarps.

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AC Palmer & Sons’ Brightwater fleet has this new DAF CF85 addition now in work, carting fert and aggregate in the Nelson region. Allan (Frewie) Frew drives the 8x4, which has an MX 510 engine, an 18-speed Roadranger manual transmission and Meritor 46-160 diffs

With a Bigfoot onboard you’ll monster any surface TM

Make light work of any surface using the OptiTraction footprint with a Bigfoot Central

devcich.co.nz/bigfootTA

T&J CHARLTON TRANSPORT

Features of the Bigfoot Central Inflation Tyre System Designed and tested in some of the worlds harshest conditions

T. 07 347 7066 / info@bigfoot.co.nz

TD29406

Easy to use in-cab control unit Built in safety features prevent operating outside safe Lor emlimits for selected tyre pressure Precision manufactured in New Zealand using only ipsu Lore Full after m sales service and parts network Full manufacturers warranty

The brain behind the Bigfoot system is the Bigfoot OptiTraction control module. and makes monitoring and adjusting tyre pressures simple. The display also provides visual and audible alarms.

www.bigfoot.co.nz

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Bipendra Ram has put these two new Volvo FH16 700 tractor units to work, running between Auckland and Wellington for NZ Post. The Silverdale-based Ram’s Logistics sleeper cab tractor units have adaptive cruise control, lane change assist and lane keeping assist safety systems

5

96 | Truck & Driver

Northland’s Otaika Valley Eggs delivers its products around the country with this new MAN TGM18.340. The day cab 6x2 has a lifting, steering lazy rear axle, a 340hp MAN engine and a TipMatic AMT. It’s fitted with a Fairfax chiller body and a DHOLLANDIA tail-lift.

AP21327

Brian Stanaway has put this new DAF CF85 tipper to work out of Napier, carting metal for new forestry roads.

Lee Hawkes drives the 6x4, which has a PACCAR MX 510 engine, an 18-speed Roadranger manual gearbox, Meritor 46-160 diffs and a Transfleet Roc-Tuff bin. Extras include Bigfoot central tyre inflation and Right Weigh scales.

Grabasub

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Ramarama’s Rainbow Park Nurseries has put this new Volvo FM on the road, carting plants around the North Island. The 6x2, which has a liftable tag axle, runs a 450hp engine and an I-Shift AMT.

Benneydale operator PGF Transport has added this 8x4 Kenworth T659 tractor unit to its fleet. Graeme Samuelson, 16 years with PGF, drives the newcomer, which has a 28-inch IT sleeper, a 550578hp Cummins, an 18-speed Roadranger manual and Meritor 46-160 diffs.

Te Kaha-based Brendon Symons, a contractor for Williams & Wilshier, has put this new Kenworth K200 Aerodyne to work, mostly hauling logs from the East Coast to the Bay of Plenty. The 8x4 has a 600-615hp Cummins X15 engine, an Eaton UltraShift AMT, Meritor 46-160 diffs and new Patchell logging gear, plus a matching trailer.

This new FM Globetrotter tractor unit is one of six new Volvos going into Big Chill Distribution’s fleet. The Aucklandbased 6x4 tractor unit, which has a 500hp engine, carts chilled foodstuffs nationwide.

CENTRIFUSE BRAKE DRUMS STEMCO CentriFuse brake drums set the standard for lightweight durability, improving fuel efficiency while reducing maintenance.

Lightweight Up to 232 pounds lighter than other brands, increasing fuel economy or revenue-producing payload.

Safety Permanently bonded steel shell provides proven resistance to heat cracks.

Longer Life Patented alloy provides superior heat absorption, resulting in reduced fade and wear.

Contact one of our parts experts today!

TractionAir Central Tyre Inflation

Forestry, harvesting, spreading, tankers, stock trucks, access equipment and ag work - if your fleet travels off-highway for any reason, TractionAir CTI can improve your performance.

Better tyre life with optimal pressure on any surface at any speed.

Reduction in damage to off-highway sites.

Improved operator safety travelling

off-highway with reduced wheel slip.

Improved site access off-highway with greater traction.

Reduction in the risk of tyre damage moving between road surfaces.

Call us about your options today!

CALL US TODAY

to talk with our parts team!

Ham: 07 849 4839 Akl: 09 262 0683 Chch: 03 741 2261 www.trt.co.nz

Smarter logistics, Smarter together logistics, toget Smarter logistics, together

RECRUITMENT TRUCK & DRIVER

Smarter logistics, together Smarter logistics, together

Smarter logistics, together

Sm

We are looking for full time, casual and owner drivers to join us for immediate start.

Day and night shift, metro runs Class 5 FCL, ECL container operators with side-lift experience Road ranger gearbox

We looking full time, casual and owner drivers to join usstart. for immediate Westart. are looking fo Weare are looking for full time, and owner drivers to join us for immediate For more info come tofor our open at casual 373 Neilson Penrose on March 16 at 10am We are looking for full day time, casualSt,and owner drivers to join us for immediate start.

Day Day and and night night shift, metro metro runs Day and night Send yourshift, CV to careers@tapper.co.nz or contact Nadine on 021 907 523 Day and night shift, metro runsruns Coda are looking for Full Time Permanent Swinglift Operators to join us driving within our Tapper fleet Class Class 55FCL, ECL ECL container container operators operators with side-lift with experience side-lift experience Class 5 FCL, E 5FCL, FCL, ECL container operators with • Class Class 5 Licence, Dangerous Goods Endorsement • Dayside-lift and Nightexperience Shifts available, We operate 24/7 start.

We are looking for full time, casual and owner drivers to join us for immediate CAB Road ranger gearbox Road ranger g Road ranger gearbox • FCL ECL Side-lifting container experienced • Must have excellent communication Road ranger gearbox WITH • Skilled driving for a Road-ranger gearbox We are looking full time, casual and owner drivers to join us for immediate start.

Day info and night shift, metro runs $41.8 For ForFor more more info come come to to our to open our day atat day 373 at 373 St, Neilson Penrose St, on Penrose on 10am March 16For at 10am more info com Sign up with us and take advantage ofopen ourday “Driver Incentive Scheme”. more info come our open 373Neilson Neilson St, Penrose onMarch March16 16at at 10am Day and night shift, metro runs Class 5 FCL, ECL container operators with side-lift experience Coda promotes drug and alcohol-free workplaces.

Class 5 FCL, ECL container operators with side-lift experience Road ranger gearbox Send your CV to careers@tapper.co.nz or contact Nadine Send 523 y Send your CV totocareers@tapper.co.nz ororcontact on 907 Send your CV careers@tapper.co.nz contactNadine Nadine on021 021 907523 523 on 021 907 Road ranger For more info gearbox come to our open day at 373 Neilson St, Penrose on March 16 at 10am For more info come to our open day at 373 Neilson St, Penrose on March 16 at 10am

Send your CV to careers@tapper.co.nz or contact Nadine on 021 907 523 Send your CV to careers@tapper.co.nz or contact Nadine on 021 907 523

General Manager – Heslops Group

MIT PED

$900

Successful privately owned Nelson based heavy vehicle servicing and engineering company.

• Senior role reporting to the Board • Lead all elements of strategy, people, operational and financial • Values based culture The Heslops Group comprises Lloyd Heslops Motors, Heslops Marine and Heslops Engineering as well as their property management division, Barnicoat Developments. A successful company, they have a proud history and excellent reputation with their customers. Authorised dealers for major international brands such as Scania, MAN, Western Star and Iveco, their services are delivered through highly experienced teams, extensive workshop capabilities and to the highest safety, quality and environmental standards. They have a unique and special culture, strong family values and commitment to the future workforce through their apprenticeship programmes.

Reporting to the Board, the General Manager has responsibility for the overall leadership and development of the Heslops Group.

With 6 direct reports and 42 staff, they are seeking an inspiring values based leader to guide the business through its next evolution. You will have full responsibility for operational and financial performance across the group, including business planning, Board reporting and liaison, customer development and supplier management as well as strategy development to deliver growth.

An experienced business manager, you have demonstrated success managing diverse operations across people and plant with a high regard for health and safety. A natural people person with exceptional relationship management skills you know how to get alongside your people to create a positive, forward thinking culture. You will have the ability to work in a family business and operate effectively in this environment. Senior management experience and exposure to working with a Board is required.

EG29409

This is an exceptional career opportunity to lead the next exciting phase of this very successful business. The added bonus is that you also get to experience the lifestyle benefits of living in the stunning Nelson Tasman region.

Applications close 10 May 2019.

For further enquiries please contact Odette Shearer, Talent Partner at Intepeople on 021 2708657

TD29468

To view the job description and to apply please go to www.intepeople.co.nz.

S 100 | Truck & Driver

r full time, casual and owner drivers to join us fo

TRANSPORT, DIESEL & MARINE

THE RIGHT PARTS…THE RIGHT PRICES…RIGHT HERE! NATIONAL SEATS

ISUZU GENUINE PARTS

HI & LOW BASE

MERITOR NEW DRIVE HEADS $POA

CAB BLOWER KIT

CARLISLE 4515 BRAKE LININGS

WITH FITTINGS $41.80+GST

$52.00+GST PER AXLE SET

EATON 6109, 8209, 8309

FACTORY REMAN TRANSMISSIONS AND PARTS AVAILABLE

MITSUBISHI CLUTCH PEDAL SHAFT $900.00 EA+GST

SPRING BRAKE CHAMBERS

2024 / 2424 / 2430 / 3030 $62.00 EA+GST

RECONDITIONED EXCHANGE TRANSMISSIONS + GENUINE PARTS

EG29409

Can’t find the parts you need? Let us find them for you

Ph: 0800 501 133 www.tdm.co.nz

Specials valid while stocks last.

8 Prescott Street, Penrose, Auckland Fax: 09 525 6161

Email: ray@tdm.co.nz

CLASSIFIED TRUCK & DRIVER

Isringhausen leads the way in the application of modern technology to driver’s seating.

ISRI has a full range of driver’s seats to suit every application.

Note: Seat fabric may vary from what is shown. Armrests and head restraints are optional accessories.

Protect your back and reduce driver fatigue CALL US NOW!

ISRI 6860/875 NTS

ISRI 6860/870 NTS

ISRI 6860/880 NTS

Automatic Self Levelling NTS Air Suspension Seat Integrated Head Restraint Integrated 3-Point Seat Belt

Automatic Self Levelling NTS-NZ Air Suspension Seat Integrated 3-Point Seat Belt Armrests & Head Restraint Optional Extras

Automatic Self Levelling NTS Air Suspension Seat, Armrests & Head Restraint Optional Extras

Geemac Trading (NZ) Limited.

Phone (09) 630 1856 or Fax (09) 630 1855 email: sales@geemac.co.nz www.geemac.co.nz www.isringhausen.co.nz

TD27586

The World’s Best Driver’s Seat

New Zealand’s First 1000 Macks

To order your copy please email: mansell@orcon.net.nz or grant.gadsby3@xtra.co.nz

102 | Truck & Driver

TD28429

From the stock carriers of the South Island to the off-highway loggers of Kaingaroa, Mack trucks were seen hauling the biggest loads in every corner of our country.

Soon these mighty machines will be celebrating 50 years of service to Kiwis and to commemorate the occasion, Ed Mansell, Paul Livsey and Grant Gadsby have collected the best photographs of these trucks, supplied by many of New Zealand’s top truck photographers, to combine into a book of the finest photography.

The book follows the “lives” of the first thousand Mack trucks assembled at Motor Truck Distributors in Palmerston North, from brand spanking new, through their subsequent owners until their inherent demise, or in some cases complete preservation or restoration.

Due for release in 2022 to coincide with fifty years of service, we are asking for expressions of interest in purchasing this complete anthology of New Zealand’s first thousand Mack trucks.

The book will be a hard covered, coffee table styled book in full colour, of approximately 500 pages. We intend to limit the number to one thousand copies, allowing any Mack owners the possibility of purchasing their trucks equivalent book number.

Once your order is placed you will be guaranteed to receive a copy should you wish to proceed at the time of publication. No payment is expected at this time, but we may require a deposit be paid early in 2022.

A price indication is approximately $135 plus, but this may change due to the quantity finally printed, and inflation, over which we have no control.

Numbers will be limited so get your name on the list for this once in a life-time book.

This book will not be reprinted after the initial production run.

JOST Towing Efficiency

ROCKINGER from JOST the market leader • • • • • • • •

RO*500 The universal 50mm towing hitch High load rating. Includes vertical load capacity Low maintenance through special grease filling Easy to service through ROCKINGER modular system Pneumatic or mechanical remote control option Coupling and jack knife sensor option No dust ingress due to sealed head unit Road Train preferred-especially in arduous conditions.

Call Toll Free: 0800 567 869 www.jostnz.co.nz

CLASSIFIED TRUCK & DRIVER

OPOTIKI TRANSPORT CO. It all started with the Opotiki flood of 1918 when farmer S.S Brewster lost his farm and started suppling fire wood in Opotiki to provide an income for himself. Starting out with a horse and cart then as motor vehicles became available he purchased one and started the Opotiki Transport story.

The full story of this pioneering company complimented by Gavin Abbots fine photo library, another collectors must have.

LIMITED EDITION

TD28770

For just $40-00 plus postage and handling $7-00

For your copy contact: Paper Plus Opotiki, PO Box 37, Opotiki Ph 07 315 6263 Fax 07 315 7133 Email opotiki@paperplus.co.nz

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Manufacturers & Distributors of:

TD26073

• Roof Air Deflectors and Side Skirts • Fibreglass Sunvisors • Windscreen Stoneguards • Weathershields • Headlight Covers • Bonnet Bug Guards • Tipper Skirts

104 | Truck & Driver

Available from your local truck dealership or: Te Apunga Place, Mt Wellington, Auckland. P.O. Box 62182.

Phone (09) 276-9086. Fax (09) 276-2909. www.visordistributors.co.nz

0

CROMWELL

GORE

DUNEDIN

INVERCARGILL

FULLY AUTHORISED PARTS & SERVICE DEALER FOR OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND Contact your nearest Transport Repairs for more details:

03 445 4527 14 Ree Crescent CROMWELL

03 478 8324 24 Donald Street DUNEDIN

03 208 3008

25 Faulkner Road GORE

03 218 3059 9 Kinloch Street INVERCARGILL

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YOUR QUALITY PARTS SPECIALIST NOW IN MT MAUNGANUI AUCKLAND • WIRI • SILVERDALE • KUMEU

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TD29405

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Entry Form

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Enter your fleet colour scheme in the PPG Transport Imaging Awards: Just fill out this entry form (or a photocopy of it) and send it into New Zealand Truck & Driver.

Be in with a chance to win in the annual PPG Transport Imaging Awards.

Contact name name & position in company: ________________________________________________________________ Location:

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone numbers: __________________________________________________________________________________________

TD16163

Fleet or company name:___________________________________________________________________________________

Please send a selection of photos of one particular truck in your fleet colours. It’s desirable (but not compulsory) to also send shots of other trucks that show off the colours. Make sure your images are supplied as large format files taken on a fine setting on a digital camera. The files must be at least 3MB. All entries become the property of Allied Publications Ltd. All entries property of AlliedIMAGING Publications Send yourbecome entry tothe PPG TRANSPORT A Ltd. S AWARD Send your entry to: PPG TRANSPORT IMAGING AWARDS 1642 or email to waynemunro@xtra.co.nz Allied Publications Ltd PO Box 112062 Penrose Auckland Allied Publications Box to 112062, Auckland 1642, or email to waynemunro@xtra.co.nz (Remember do not reduceLtd, size PO of images transmit Penrose, by email, send two at a time on separate emails if large files.)

(Do not reduce the size of images to send them by email – send large files one or two at a time in separate emails if necessary).

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T’S A SIDE-EFFECT OF HAVING TRUCKS WITH AN eyecatching livery that RAC Group director Andrew Boyhan finds amusing.

“We’ve only got 15 or so trucks….but the fact that they look good and they’re out there working all the time, people think we’ve got hundreds of them!”

RAC is a Christchurch-based company specialising in civil construction work and road transport – heavily involved in the post-earthquake rebuild, infrastructure development and new residential and commercial developments.

Last year, after getting-by with a fleet of secondhand trucks for its first eight or nine years, the company bought its first new trucks – a pair of DAF CF85 truck and trailer tipper units.

It decided that to mark this new-truck milestone, it would upgrade and improve its relatively plain truck livery – a stylish but simple RAC logo in orange, on white cabs.

The RAC directors – with input from transport manager Spock O’Donnell – decided to bypass signwriters for the redesign, opting instead for a dedicated creative design team.

As Boyhan relates, the company hired Marc Wilson’s MMW Design to come up with something memorable – the result shown to great effect on the DAFs, which earn RAC the honours as this month’s finalist in the PPG Transport Imaging Awards.

2 | Truck & Driver

The result takes in an orange RAC, angled on the doors of the mostly-white cabs (with orange bumpers), above a giant tyre tread print – also in orange.

Things are pretty much reversed on the Transfleet tipper bodies and trailers – the bodies in bright orange, the RAC logo in white and the tread prints in silver. Simple….but damn eyecatching!

In the company’s brief to the designers, the orange colour was a given, since that’s been the colour of the RAC logo since the company was formed about 10 years ago. The tyre tread imaging had also been used previously, as an adjunct to the logo, on truck cabs.

One of the hardest things, says Boyhan, was matching the company’s original orange, because that had been mixed by RAC’s inhouse painter for the company’s first transporter.

“But then, when we wanted to replicate it, we couldn’t get it right.” Finally they found a match and now there is a uniform RAC Orange.

TRANSPORT IMAGING AWARDS

Main picture: The new livery was first seen on the two DAF CF85s bought last year – the company’s first brand-new trucks Above, left: RAC director Andrew Boyhan, here with the company’s new UD Quon, is delighted with the rebrand Above, right: The branding works just as well on the company’s new FUSOs

The signwriting, which was done by Academy Signs in Christchurch, includes reflective material for the tyre tread imaging on the bins: “In the evening it reflects in headlights and looks really good.”

Unsurprisingly, Boyhan says the company is delighted with the result of the rebrand: “It looks bloody good. We get a lot of very positive comments about it.

“I don’t get overly enthused about trucks, but when I see ours on the road they do look good.

“I bump into people at a show, a pub, a restaurant or whatever and people comment on how good they look. A lot of people actually praise us for spending money on the livery – because some people don’t…..which is stupid, because they’re a moving billboard aren’t they.”

Ask him to sum up the difference between the look of one of the older RAC trucks and one of the DAFs and he says: “Ohh, massive – it is. The comments we get are really quite encouraging.

“People say ‘shit, it looks good on the road.’ ” That’s great, he

adds, considering that the trucks “are one of our biggest mediums to advertise ourselves.”

It’s understandable then that another handful of new trucks bought since the DAFs have all been given the same branding – and by Boyhan’s judgment, the two new Isuzus, a UD Quon, two FUSOs and a Volvo FM look just as good.

Now though Boyhan says that the company will rationalise its new truck purchases to just three makes – just as it’s been exclusively Caterpillar for its excavators: “All the truck and trailer units will be DAFs or Volvos, and the truck-only units will be Isuzus.

“But the other makes we’ve already got, we’re going to hold onto.”

The RAC fleet, which is now split between Christchurch, Auckland, Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill, mostly comprises bulk tippers, but also includes a handful of heavy haulage units to shift earthmoving and construction machinery and equipment. T&D

This photo & poster Gerald Shacklock

Truck & Driver | 3

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