NZ Truck & Driver October 2019

NZ TRUCK & DRIVER

FREE GIANT TRUCK POSTER LIFTOUT

| October 2019

October 2019 $8.50 incl. GST

BIG TEST Pioneer ProStar | FLEET FOCUS Jack-of-all-trades Jukes | FEATURE A new kind of special

FLEET FOCUS FEATURE Jack-of-all-trades Jukes

A new kind of special

Issue 228

PIONEER PROSTAR

The Official Magazine of the

ISSN 1174-7935

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 228 – October 2019 2

News The latest in the world of transport, including….huge backing boosts fuel cell electric truck developer Nikola; Countdown starts electrifying its online delivery truck fleet; proposed Ruahine Ranges highway design changes illogical, likely dangerous

20 Giti Tyres Big Test There have been lookalikes around before this, but Shane Bunnings’ new logtruck is actually the first of its kind in the world. Those others were Cats…his is an International ProStar…The truck those Cats were based on

37 Transport Forum Latest news from the Road Transport Forum NZ, including…..CEO Nick Leggett gets out and about, talking to operators nationwide – understanding the issues effecting them most; Rail Safety Week puts focus on levelcrossing near-misses; Road to Zero full of good intentions…but questionable road safety solutions

44 Fleet Focus

FEATURES 62 A new kind of special

REGULARS 80/ PPG Transport Imaging 81 Awards

Freightliner Trucks used to regard the New Zealand and Australian truck market as a “special project” – a status that delivered us a cabover no longer sold in the US….but also came with some serious drawbacks. So now we’re a different kind of special. The new Cascadia coming here next year will tell the story of just how special

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

97 TRT Recently Registered New truck and trailer registrations for August

81 Castrol Truck Driver Hero

COLUMNS 79 NZHHA

When a fire broke out in Summerlands Express Freight driver Deane Rodgers’ trailers in tinder-dry South Canterbury last summer, he did something that firefighters say likely avoided a fiery catastrophe

The NZ Heavy Haulage Association annual conference highlights that managing change will be an ongoing challenge for members

93 RTANZ

85 JRP raises the bar Each time Hawke’s Bay crane truck specialist JRP specced its latest addition, owner Paul Wheatley reckoned he’d never need anything bigger than that. Only to have to buy something bigger a year or so on. So this time, he’s gone REALLY big!

Road transport will be an easy target in New Zealand’s measures to reduce CO2 emissions

95 National Road Carriers Association

In its 100 years in the transport business in Gisborne, M.E. Jukes & Sons has stayed alive with one simple rule, reckons Trevor Jukes: “By diversifying as hard and as fast as you can!”

MANAGEMENT Publisher

Advertising

CONTRIBUTORS 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

Gerald Shacklock Dave McLeod Dean Evans Olivia Beauchamp

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 Dion Rout 027 491 1110 dion@trucker.co.nz

ADMINISTRATION Sue Woolston MANAGER accounts@trucker.co.nz SUBSCRIPTIONS Sue Woolston accounts@trucker.co.nz NZ subscription $80 incl. GST for one year price (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 PRINTING & DISTRIBUTION Printer Bluestar Retail Distribution Ovato Publication: New Zealand Truck & Driver is published monthly, except January,

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

NRC’s Future of Freight seminar finds operators thirsty for more information on sustainability

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.

Copyright: Articles in New Zealand Truck & Driver are copyright and may not be reproduced in any form – in whole or part – without permission of the publisher. Opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by, the publisher.

NZ Truck & Driver Magazine

Net circulation – ended 31/03/2019

11,360

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Truck & Driver | 1

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Simply striking

striping

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LEET COLOUR SCHEMES OFTEN DERIVE FROM A design chosen originally for its visual impact, and subsequently modified in an evolutionary fashion.

Less frequently, the choice of colours and layout is dictated more by the company’s business history – as is the case with Mainfreight-owned Chemcouriers, this month’s finalist in the PPG Transport Imaging Awards.

A Mainfreight spokesperson explains how it began: “Chemcouriers was originally a joint venture between five chemical industry clients of Daily Freightways and Daily Freightways itself, set up in the late 1980s to establish a dedicated route service for dangerous goods.

“At the time, several incidents had dented the DG industry’s reputation and the desire of the consortium was to put the cartage of their goods on a safer and more professional basis.

“Over time, the business developed and attracted new customers, though it was still running as a loss-making venture. The founding group were reluctant to continue subsidising what in part had become the cartage of their competitors’ goods as well, so Daily Freightways took it over completely and ran it as a specialised division.

“The big game-changer came in 1994 when Mainfreight purchased Daily Freightways and realised the potential that lay in Chemcouriers being run as a standalone part of the Mainfreight Group.

“The existing route-based model was scrapped in favour of setting it up more as a specialised hub and spoke model, with its own linehaul and depot-handling systems.

2 | Truck & Driver

Subsequently Chemcouriers has grown to be a leading player in the handling of hazardous goods in the local environment, which is demanding by world standards – both in terms of our roading network geography and our safety regulations. This expertise has led to a recent successful launch of the brand in Australia.”

A key element of the post-purchase reorganisation was a rebranding of Chemcouriers, whose vehicles had previously used a yellow and black colour scheme.

Under the remake, Chemcouriers took on a blend of the red of Daily Freight (the renamed Daily Freightways) and Mainfreight blue. This was by way of angled broad stripes of the two colours behind the trucks’ cabs. The name was picked out simply, in capitals, in a slightly lighter red – running horizontally across the cab doors – all on a white background.

This was repeated much larger on the trailer sides, with the slogan “specialists in hazardous goods distribution” underneath.

In an age when several fleets are returning to the past with elaborate scrollwork and striping, the simplicity of the Chemcouriers livery (virtually unchanged for the more than 20 years since) might seem stark when described thus…but it has an off-the-scale recognition factor, a fundamental attribute for a successful colour scheme.

There’s another reason as well for keeping it simple: In common with parent Mainfreight, Chemcouriers trucks are operated by owner-drivers, and in the interests of consistent branding, comparatively tight specifications are

TRANSPORT IMAGING AWARDS

laid down for the paint jobs.

However, the operators are given a little latitude in the area of murals on aerofoils, and this concession has been enthusiastically accepted by Nigel and Fiona Mouat, who own the Manukau-based Haz Haulage fleet, which has four Scanias working for Chemcouriers and another for Mainfreight.

The Mouats own and love rottweilers, and for several years have featured images of the dogs on the cab roof aerofoils on their trucks. The latest addition to the fleet and this month’s poster truck, an S620, carries a picture of three of the canines above the cab, the dogs exuding ubercool, with their mirror shades and neck chains.

The mural on the truck (which is appropriately nicknamed “Three Dog”) is hand painted – the work of Howick airbrush wizard Ron van Dam. The other Haz Haulage Scanias carry, variously, one, two and four-dog murals on their aerofoils – all from van Dam. Fiona Mouat admits that the artwork is close to the allowable limits of Mainfreight’s specifications: “We have

to get it signed off by our branch manager, and it is fully approved – but we probably couldn’t go much further.”

However, after conversations with Mainfreight and Chemcouriers’ execs, NZ Truck & Driver gets the impression that they’re proud of the style and professionalism of the Mouats’ trucks.

This professionalism has been taken to another level by the signwriting, carried out by Mitch Keys of Auckland’s Electric Creative. Instead of individual signwriting elements, the company uses a single-layer vinyl wrap.

As Fiona Mouat points out, it not only looks beautifully uniform in service, but is easy to remove when a truck’s being retired from the fleet.

The flashest paint job in the world will still cop inevitable scrapes and bumps. When that happens, the work is entrusted to Peter Maxwell at Auckland Truck Spray.

The finishing touch on the new Haz Haulage Scania is blue concealed lighting under the aerofoil, behind the grille and under the doors. T&D

Top: Chemcouriers’ simple livery has an off-the-scale recognition factor. This pic & poster - Gerald Shacklock Right: The red and blue stripes are striking, on both trucks and trailers. This is Dunedin ownerdriver Glenn Lloyd-Jones’ new International 9870 R8 sporting the colours Opposite page, left: The Mouats’ three-dog mural is up on the aerofoil

Opposite page, right: A more subtle version of the company name is all that can be accommodated on a new Kenworth T909 recently added to the Chemcouriers fleet by owner-operator Paws Trucking

Truck & Driver | 3

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The first of the Isuzus converted from diesel to battery electric operation is now working in Auckland

Countdown etrucks cut emissions SUPERMARKET GIANT COUNTDOWN IS PUTTING an electric home delivery truck to work in Auckland – the move marking the start of a planned fleet of them, servicing its growing online orders.

The light-duty refrigerated truck is the first of five Countdown Isuzu NLR 4x2s to be converted from diesel engines to battery electric power systems made by Australian-founded company SEA Electric.

And Countdown says it plans to convert and introduce more electric trucks into its fleet in the next couple of years.

The diesel-to-electric conversion programme for the first five etrucks is a partnership between SEA Electric and CAL Isuzu – the work carried out here and in Australia.

Countdown says it has spent almost $700,000 on the five trucks – supported by a $387,500 grant from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

The supermarket operator says it is New Zealand’s biggest online retailer, with a fleet of around 200 trucks delivering thousands of online orders daily, from its 180-store network.

The Countdown etrucks are expected to be able to drive around 220 kilometres between battery charges.

The first truck, based at Countdown in St Johns, Auckland, will service customers in St Johns, Greenlane, Remuera, Stonefields and St Heliers.

The next four of the SEA Electric-equipped Isuzus will be put to work in Grey Lynn (Auckland), Newtown in Wellington, Hornby in Christchurch and in Queenstown.

Countdown estimates that the five EVs will eliminate 350,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions annually.

Kiri Hannifin, Countdown’s general manager corporate affairs, safety and sustainability, says reducing emissions is an important focus for Countdown… “as businesses and consumers become more aware of the climate crisis.

“In the last three years we’ve reduced carbon emissions across our business by almost 15%. We believe that electric vehicles will play a really important part of NZ’s lower energy future and by investing in electric delivery trucks we’re not only generating fewer emissions, but also helping to futureproof our growing online business.

“Countdown’s online shopping service is hugely popular and we always review, tweak and change how we operate to make sure we can provide as sustainable a service as possible. Having more energy-efficient trucks is a step in the right direction,” says Hannifin.

Countdown says that the refrigeration units (including a separate freezer compartment) on the etrucks is a point of difference to other major retailers’ home delivery vehicles – ensuring “food safety and quality, particularly in warmer weather.

“There are some additional complexities running refrigeration in an electric vehicle. However, given our commitment to move towards a lowcarbon economy, this investment felt right.”

Countdown also has an EV charging station at its support office and has launched 15 stations at five Hamilton supermarkets, offering free charging. T&D

Daimler tests autonomous trucks in public

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DAIMLER TRUCKS IS TESTING autonomous trucks on highways in the United States.

Daimler and its recently-purchased subsidiary Torc Robotics say that the Freightliner Cascadias they are running in Virginia have Level 4 autonomous “intent technology.”

They have a qualified and experienced truck driver on board at all times, along with an

engineer – but the trucks are capable of running with minimal or no driver input most of the time.

The autonomous-tech testing has gone public only after “months of extensive testing and safety validation” on closed tracks.

The test track and onroad testing “play an integral role in establishing the essential building blocks for successfully advancing automated technology,” says Daimler Trucks.

Daimler board of management member responsible for trucks, Martin Daum, says: “Bringing Level 4 trucks to the public roads is a major step toward our goal to deliver reliable and safe trucks for the benefits of our customers, our economies and society.”

Torc’s system for automated driving has been tested in urban and long-distance routes as well as in rain, snow, fog and varying light conditions. T&D Truck & Driver | 5

NEWS

Auckland company Rock and Rubble’s spectacular new K200 and T909 Kenworths are guaranteed eyecatchers among the confirmed entries for the Bombay show. Photo Vandi Photography

Sold out...again!

NEXT FEBRUARY’S BOMBAY TRUCK Show is on the point of selling out….for a second time!

The organisers were able to arrange extra space for exhibits and visitor parking, courtesy of local market gardener Sutherland Produce offering the use of a paddock adjoining the Bombay Rugby Club fields, which are the focal point of the event.

Show co-organiser Marieka Morcombe says the offer is deeply appreciated: “Sutherland Produce will grass-seed and roll the area to ensure it can handle the traffic, all at no cost.

The good thing is that one of their trucks will

also be on display.”

From its original full-to-capacity 205 entries, the show currently has 275 confirmed and, Morcombe says, “a handful more might be able to be squeezed in.”

Around 30 of the entries are classics (and a few more in this category will be welcome), with the balance modern. At least 40 brandnew trucks – units which haven’t yet been delivered to their fleets – have been entered, says Morcombe.

“For several, their first time to be seen in public will be at the show. Kenworth is the most popular brand among the entries, followed by

Scania and Mack.

“The added room has enabled more space between the trucks, and has allowed us to offer visitor activities, like mini-diggers, that we just didn’t have the room for before.

“We can also host a greater number of trade exhibitors. We started with 14, and now there are 27.”

The scale of the response to the show has been totally unexpected, she adds: “We originally thought we’d put on a show basically for us and our mates, offer people a good day out, and raise some money for local organisations – but now look at it!” T&D

Komatsu adds to its autonomous fleet

Komatsu 930E dumptrucks undergo testing at its Arizona proving ground

KOMATSU WILL SUPPLY A FLEET OF AUTONOMOUS giant offroad dumptrucks to global resources company BHP for use in a new iron ore mine in Western Australia.

Forty-one of the 930E-5 trucks, which can carry over 300-tonne payloads (and run at 521t all-up) are set to begin work soon at the $AUS5billion South Flank project in the mineral-rich Pilbara region.

The automation-ready ultra-class dumptrucks will help BHP achieve its target of producing 80 million tonnes of iron ore a year.

Komatsu already has a long-established partnership with Rio Tinto, working together on the latter’s Mines of the Future programme – and with its autonomous trucks in operation at one mine.

Komatsu has said that while autonomous trucks don’t need drivers, they do require more technical staff to support them – and they improve safety by removing people from a potentially hazardous operational role.

Says Komatsu Australia chief exec and MD Sean Taylor: “People-powered technology is our central philosophy at Komatsu and it’s this people-first approach to technology that we feel we share with BHP. “Komatsu focuses on autonomous technology-driven job creation, with focus on safety, diversity, upskilling and an innovative, flexible workforce that marries our people’s needs with business goals. This is our blueprint for the future.”

Komatsu aims to add up to an extra 100 people to its 800-strong workforce in the region as a result of the BHP deal.

Komatsu says it has built 250 Autonomous Haul System (AHS) dumptrucks, with 180 of them so far in operation…on three continents.

They have carted over two billion tonnes of three different commodities – in “three of the harshest and most extreme environments in the world – more than all other commercial mining autonomous haulage systems – with zero resulting injuries.” T&D

6 | Truck & Driver

NEWS

Not a work truck...a work of art AN OLD VOLVO TRUCK HAS SOLD IN ENGLAND…FOR $NZ1.8million! That’s because it’s more a work of art than a working truck.

The 4x2 FL-6 17-tonne box-bodied Volvo just happened to be painted by legendary British street artist Banksy almost 20 years ago….before he became famous.

The truck came up for sale at an auction held by Bonhams last month at The Goodwood Revival – an annual motor racing festival celebrating cars from 1948 to 1966.

Bidding opened at 600,000 pounds ($NZ1.17million) for the large piece of graffiti-style art – which Bonhams says Banksy, then an obscure graffiti artist, was asked to paint at a New Millennium party in Spain.

The giant blank canvas was supplied by the Turbozone International Circus – a travelling Spanish theatre company. According to Bonhams, Banksy started painting it during the New Year’s Eve party, then completed it over the next two weeks.

The truck, which had worked all around Europe for the previous 11 years, then toured Europe and South America with Turbozone.

Banksy gave the work the name: “Turbo Zone Truck (Laugh Now But One Day We’ll Be in Charge).” It’s his largest-ever work, at 80 square metres.

The work’s described as “a fascinating record of how the artist’s calls for anarchy and social change were already central to his work. The images on

the truck show the silhouette of a male figure swinging a hammer towards metal cogs. The background depicts flying monkeys and red stars with the word circus stencilled across the back end of the truck.”

The other side of the truck shows a group of soldiers (or a SWAT team) running away from an elephant-like cannon.

Says one critic: “The over-riding message is one of anarchy: ‘It’s us against them and we’re going to win.’ The cumulative result is a resounding statement – both a direct call to arms against the establishment and the transformation of a mundane service vehicle into extraordinary work of art.” T&D

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Banksy painted the old Volvo over a couple of weeks in 2000 – before he became the world’s best-known street artist

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NEWS

RS O

Longterm crane deal for TRT MANITOWOC CRANES HAS RENEWED AND EXTENDED its distribution deal with TRT Australia, cementing the relationship with a new longterm deal covering Manitowoc and Grove cranes in Queensland.

In New Zealand, TRT has been a partner with Manitowoc and Grove since 1972 and is one of the longest-serving Manitowoc distributors internationally.

It became the distributor for the cranes in Queensland in 2016, as it moved to its current Murarrie, Brisbane location – a site previously occupied

by Manitowoc.

Around the same time, TRT began manufacturing and distributing its own TIDD PC25 articulating crane and also purchased B&N Cranes, an established Brisbane crane service and repair specialist.

This has enabled the company to support Manitowoc and Grove products in the area and offer customers remote field services and around-the-clock support.

Last year TRT expanded its facilities on the Murarrie site, adding

another 600 square metre workshop boasting a 10 tonne gantry crane and service facilities for cranes, general equipment and heavy-haul trailers, and increasing the overall capacity of the warehouse facilities.

Recently-appointed TRT Australia country manager Stephen Dance says the expansion reflects the company’s longterm commitment to Queensland customers: “We now have 24 fully trained technicians in the field and onsite, six of whom are factory-trained Manitowoc and Grove specialists.

“In addition, we now have a full parts and service backup 24/7, and we’ve invested in a number of new cranes to keep in stock at our Brisbane site. They include crawlers, all-terrain cranes and the latest TIDD PC28 articulated cranes. We know that business can’t wait when customers need equipment, so we’re here ready to deliver.”

TRT’s CEO Lawrence Baker says the commitment from Manitowoc to the company’s growing Australian operations is pleasing: “It’s in line with our strategic growth plans and reaffirms our commitment to our longterm presence both here in Queensland and Australia as a whole.” T&D

DAF builds 100,000 in two years DAF TRUCKS HAS BUILT THE FIRST 100,000 NEW-GENERATION CF and XF models in record time.

The landmark 100,000th DAF XF 450 FT Super Space cab rolled off the company’s Eindhoven assembly line just two years after the new-generation models were launched.

The milestone truck was handed over to longtime DAF customer, Belgian operatior Gheys Group, a bulk and container specialist.

“That we have reached this milestone so quickly is a testament to the quality and efficiency of this latest generation of trucks,” says DAF Trucks president Harry Wolters.

“Our customers praise the reliability, the fuel efficiency, the low operating costs.... not to mention the unsurpassed driver comfort. No wonder DAF is Europe’s number 1 in tractors.”

Gheys Group co-owner Luc Gheys says the company’s involvement with DAF trucks dates back to the mid-1960s, when his father started out with a DAF coach that had been converted into a removal truck.

“Following on from my father, we have included DAF in our fleet since 2015,” he adds, thanks to the company’s “excellent” experience with both the trucks and DAF’s local dealer.

“That’s why we currently have around 80 DAFs in our fleet – and this year we will expand that number further with another 25.” T&D

The keys to the 100,000th truck are handed over to Luc Gheys

by DAF Trucks president Harry Wolters (second from right)

Truck & Driver | 11

NEWS

UD goes auto

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A UD Quon drove autonomously on public and private roads in a Japanese first

UD TRUCKS HAS JOINED THE AUTONOMOUS TRUCK revolution – demonstrating a heavy-duty Quon on a short run on public and private roads around a sugar factory in Hokkaido, Japan.

A driver was behind the wheel – but was only there to intervene in case of an emergency and maintained a hands-off role.

UD says it is Japan’s first Level 4 autonomous heavy truck trial – L4 being one step below totally driverless operation.

The trial is a partnership with Nippon Express, one of Japan’s biggest logistics firms, and a Hokkaido agricultural co-operative….both of whom see autonomous trucks in controlled environments helping ease the country’s severe driver shortage.

UD Trucks president Takamitsu Sakamaki says: “We’d like to launch commercial operations (of Level 4 vehicles) in a confined area as early as next year.

“Japan’s growing labour shortage is a serious issue that must be addressed.

By combining the expertise of commercial vehicle manufacturers, logistics companies and the agricultural sector, we believe that autonomous driving

technology can play an essential role in finding the solutions we need,” says Sakamaki.

UD Trucks’ innovation roadmap aims to deliver solutions including fully-electric and autonomous trucks by 2030 and the truckmaker’s senior VP of technology Douglas Nakano says it is confident that L4 technology for heavy-duty trucks “will make logistics smarter when it comes to repetitive work in confined areas, including large-scale farming, in-plant and port operations.

“Utilising data collected from this trial, we will perfect our trucks to meet the most stringent demands for different types of operations, helping support more sustainable food production and the Japanese agricultural industry as a whole. We also aim to apply what we learn here today to larger-scale applications.”

Widespread implementation of autonomous operation is also a key focus for Nippon Express, which is already active in truck platooning, unmanned logistics centres that reduce labour costs and the use of artificial intelligence (AI), drones and advanced tracking systems. T&D

Hyundai hypes hydrogen KOREAN TRUCKMAKER HYUNDAI says it’s now pursuing a “two-track strategy” with its zero emissions trucks.

It will use hydrogen fuel cell electric technology for long-distance heavy-duty trucks, and focus on battery electric power for smaller metro trucks.

It also plans to expand its lineup of environmentally-friendly commercial vehicles to 17 models by 2025.

Its current zero emission CV lineup, comprising a single battery electric vehicle (BEV) and one hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric vehicle (HFCEV), will grow to seven BEVs and 10 HFCEVs, including six trucks.

The automotive manufacturer announced last year that it will supply 10 hydrogen fuel cell etrucks in Switzerland before the end of this year – and will sell 1600 units there in the next six years…and then expand its HCFEV marketing across Europe.

Hyundai and Switzerland’s H2 Energy group aim to establish Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility to tap into Europe’s hydrogen mobility ecosystem with fuel cell trucks.

The 1600 Swiss HFCEV trucks will be leased to member companies of the H2 Mobility Switzerland Association, which includes major

refuelling station operators, transport and logistics companies and various other industry players promoting hydrogen mobility.

A tough Swiss national road tax on diesel trucks incentivises fleet operators to switch to zero emission vehicles.

Hyundai says that hydrogen fuel cell technology is better for large commercial vehicles, because it’s lighter and smaller than battery electric systems…and its cost efficiency increases with vehicle size.

Hyundai is fostering the growth of fuel cell technology with its FCEV Vision 2030 programme – including its expansion beyond the transportation sector.

The Korean manufacturer has also unveiled a new mid-range truck, Pavise – to sit between its medium-duty Mega and HD Xcient models. It has a 325-horsepower seven-litre diesel engine, a 13.5 tonne payload capability and safety systems including forward collision-avoidance assistance. T&D

Hyundai says it will deliver 10 heavyduty hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks in Switzerland next year

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12 | Truck & Driver

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Daimler boss Martin Daum takes an unusual role – as a moderator and interviewer – in the podcasts

Daimler boss goes online DAIMLER GLOBAL TRUCK BOSS MARTIN DAUM HAS launched an industry-first online presence – with monthly podcasts in which he chats with international guests about all manner of things effecting the industry.

Daum (who will become CEO of Daimler Trucks next month) discusses issues including climate change, digitalisation, electric and automated trucks, the future of the work world and modern international leadership topics in his Transportation Matters podcasts.

The online chats, aired on the first Wednesday of the month, see Daum adopt an unusual role for a board member – as a moderator and interviewer.

.

As he says: “Our business is very diverse and the range of topics is correspondingly broad. Some of these are quick to convey. Some need more space to be discussed in the requisite depth. For this deeper dive a podcast is, in our view, the optimal format. It can provide a lot of information, background and different points of view.”

Daimler Trucks & Buses PR head Florian Martens says the podcast presents “our company and CEO in an up-to-date and innovative format, in a profound way.”

The podcasts are accessible on: www.daimler.com/transportationmatters/en, Apple Podcasts (d.ai/apple-md), Spotify (d.ai/spotify-md) and YouTube (d.ai/youtube-md) T&D

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Road mods illogical, maybe dangerous A LATE MODIFICATION TO PLANS FOR THE NEW Manawatu-Tararua Highway “defies logic” and is likely to create a dangerous road, Road Transport Forum CEO Nick Leggett believes.

He’s appalled at the changes to the plans for the replacement to the slip-closed Manawatu Gorge section of State Highway 3.

The New Zealand Transport Agency has announced that three kilometres of the steepest section of the route will now be reduced to one lane each way, instead of the two each way of the initial design.

Leggett is urging the authorities to get it right – and not create a legacy of mistakes that will require expensive retrofitting: “The decision defies logic and it was bizarre to see the agency’s rationale for it, which included ridiculous statements such as it ‘reduces the perception that the new road is a motorway’ and is ‘more in keeping with the rural look and feel.’

“This seems to be a last-minute cost saving measure, wrapped up in some kind of landscaping-speak that frankly, is likely to create a dangerous road. It is a highway and its core function should not be forgotten.

“A single lane each side at its steepest point is an unnecessary design approach given the carriageway appears to be wide enough. Most light

vehicle users will be frustrated to be caught behind a truck when they find their passing opportunity evaporate in front of their eyes. This could well cause safety issues.”

Road Transport Association NZ Hawke’s Bay manager Sandy Walker says that trucking operators will be concerned by some of the design features in the latest plans: “A gradient increase by 2% will further slow heavy vehicles, and proposed roundabouts have not taken into consideration the heavy vehicles that will be using this road.

“Stock effluent dumping sites have been removed from the scope of works and will not be accessible before taking on the hill, which means effluent spillage all over the new road is likely. This may incur infringement notices, which will be heavily defended by our industry due to the lack of anywhere to dump that effluent.”

The proposed link between the Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa/ Tararua regions crosses the Ruahine Ranges between the Manawatu Gorge and the current primary link, the Saddle Road.

Construction of the four-year $620million project is due to begin next year. T&D Truck & Driver | 15

NEWS

Hino booming (and spending-up) in US HAVING JUST SPENT $NZ156MILLION ON A BR AND new, 93,000 square metre manufacturing facility, most truckmakers might choose to stop spending for a bit and work on earning a return on its investment.

Not Hino Motors Manufacturing USA: Within two months of the first deliveries from its new plant in Mineral Springs, West Virginia, the company has announced an additional investment of $NZ62million.

This will eventually see employment numbers in the plant rise from 550 to 800, and will boost annual production capacity to 15,000 units on a single-shift basis.

Hino has been building trucks in West Virginia since 2007. The previous plant at Williamstown, West Virginia, produced medium-duty models, but the Mineral Springs operation has added Hino’s XL Series Class 7 and Class 8 heavy conventionals to its portfolio.

Hino claims to be the fastest-growing premium brand in the USA, in both the medium and heavy-duty commercial truck markets. The company has seven facilities in five states, covering manufacturing, R&D, sales and parts distribution, and a national network of over 240 dealers.

It has a 10% share of the lease and rental market and on a recent visit to the USA, Hino Motors president and CEO, Yoshio Shimo, presented the keys of the 2000th truck delivered to Penske Truck Leasing to chairman Roger Penske. The 2000th truck was a 2020 model 268A medium-duty

conventional, which has a load rating of close to 12t.

During his visit, president Shimo formally opened the Mineral Springs facility, saying that Hino is committed to building its trucks and products in the markets it operates in. T&D Hino claims to be the fastest-growing premium truck brand in the US medium and heavy-duty markets

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Truck tipping risk minimised TIPPER LOAD VIBRATOR SPECIALIST ENMIN Vibratory Equipment has expanded its catalogue to include hydraulic and pneumatically powered options alongside its more common 12-volt and 24-volt models.

The general manager of the Australian-owned and operated company, Anthony Gallaher, explains that some transport applications require vibration to be applied for an extended amount of time, a scenario where the design characteristics of the hydraulic and pneumatic models come into their own.

“If required, they can be run continuously, rather than the more generally intermittent operation of the electric models,” he says.

Uneven ground conditions put trucks that are tipping at risk of falling over, and the situation is exacerbated if any of the cargo has compacted in the bin, meaning the weight stays higher and increases the tipping moment, says Gallaher.

“A properly placed and installed truck vibrator can help to manage the risk by ensuring a more complete truck emptying without extending tippers to unsafe heights or physically rocking the trailer.”

Enmin says the truck vibrators are easy to install and require minimal modification to a trailer body, making them a simple, lowcost addition that effectively manages the inherent risks of tipping a trailer. Under normal operating conditions they can often outlast the truck body, so if need-be can be re-installed on a replacement body.

“The benefits of using vibration technology stack up on many levels, from improved driver safety, reduced fuel and maintenance costs, to significant reduction in vehicle wear and damage,” says Gallaher. T&D

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Kiwi tech tops Hitachi competition NEW ZEALANDER SAM REECE HAS WON THE Oceania round of the Hitachi Top Tech competition.

Reece, who works for Hitachi distributor CablePrice in Greymouth, had earlier won the NZ round of the annual global event, then travelled to New South Wales to compete against the three finalists from the Australian Hitachi network.

This competition sees Hitachi-trained technicians from around the globe competing to be named the best in the world. It tests various levels of skills in finding and diagnosing faults in machines, as well as tackling written theory tests and reporting in front of a judging panel about various findings regarding the machine in question.

The competition has been running for 17 years. CablePrice has a proud history in the event, with its techs having won it twice and also placing as runners up on several occasions.

This year’s Oceania final started with a 90-minute practical session on the latest ZX-5B excavator. A number of faults had been programmed into the machine to prevent its proper operation. There were also a number of additional hidden maintenance-based faults.

Reece finished this practical round with the highest marks of the competing quartet, and maintained his lead through the theory and report phases.

He’ll now go on to represent Oceania in Japan at the Hitachi Top Tech world finals this month. T&D

Greymouth’s Sam Reece has won the Oceania round of Hitachi’s global contest for technicians

Northland rail funding welcomed TR ANSPORT INDUSTRY FIGURES have applauded the Government’s decision to invest significantly in an upgrade for the Auckland to Whangarei rail link.

The $94.8million pledged through the Provincial Growth Fund will help get more freight onto trains and open up Northland’s economy, says KiwiRail Group chief executive Greg Miller.

“The planned improvements to the NAL (North Auckland Line) will cut down train travel times and make the line more resilient to weather events,” Miller says.

And Mainfreight Group managing director Don Braid says he is delighted at the investment in the line: “It’s long overdue and 18 | Truck & Driver

Mainfreight looks forward to working with KiwiRail to establish a new set of freight services in and out of the Northland region.”

Stan Semenoff, former Mayor of Whangarei and head of Northland’s largest transport company, is also positive about the move: “It’s great to see this revival taking place, following the longterm under-investment in the line.

This will be significantly beneficial to the Northland local economy. We’re now looking forward to a future that combines road and rail for the greater benefit of New Zealand.”

Miller says that the planned work “will make our freight train services faster, more reliable and much less prone to disruption.

It gives more certainty for our customers

and will make rail an option for Northland businesses and exporters to get their goods to market.”

The work will include replacing or upgrading almost a third of the line, maintenance work on 13 tunnels, replacing five aging bridges, improving numerous drains and culverts, strengthening embankments and making safety and efficiency improvements at the Whangarei railyard.

There are dissenting voices, however. One is Kiwiblog’s David Farrar, who sees the decision as: “...$95 million to try and help Shane Jones finally win an electorate seat. The reality is only 1% of freight in Northland goes by rail.

This money won’t change that.” T&D

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20 | Truck & Driver

BIG TEST

Shane Bunning’s replacement for a long-serving International 9800 is the world’s first ProStar 8x4 logger

Truck & Driver | 21

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Widetrack axles, offset wheels and flared guards upfront give the ProStar a staunch look that Shane Bunning loves...but also give the unit great stability on forest roads, he believes

O

NCE UPON A TIME (WELL, THREE TO SEVEN YEARS AGO, to be more precise) New Zealand had Cat logtrucks.

Then, in 2017 the Cat headed off towards extinction, with no new progeny to be produced.

The short-lived Caterpillar experiment in selling its own brand of trucks – running re-purposed, re-engineered Cat C15 engines – was over.

Now though the first of a new breed of Cat lookalikes is being seen in the forests of New Zealand’s East Coast/Poverty Bay. Similar…but not the same.

This new beast answers to a different name: It’s an International ProStar R8 HD 8x4 logger – the first of its kind in the world, in fact.

It has a red engine (a Cummins X15), rather than the Caterpillar yellow donk, and a lot of improvements, refinements.

But other than that, this is the same truck…because the Cats were, of course, rebadged ProStars – built for Caterpillar by International owner Navistar, using its ProStar cab, chassis…. everything really, except the engines. Oh yeah…and the badges.

Kiwi International importer and local assembler Intertruck Distributors wasn’t allowed to sell the ProStar here during the Cat era – to avoid the siblings competing head to head.

But finally, with Caterpillar gone from the on-highway trucks scene (the last of them was registered here in 2017), two and a half years ago Intertruck was able to give the ProStar its long-delayed NZ launch.

And so here we are with what Intertruck MD Comer Board points out is “the first conventional logger that we’ve released into the market for as long as we’ve been an importer – 20 years.”

Gisborne-based operator Shane Bunning reckons that signing

up for this world’s first twin-steer ProStar R8 logger did carry an element of risk: “It was a bit of a gamble, I must admit – but I think it’s gonna pay off.” But he says it with a big smile – tongue firmly in cheek.

Because not only was the ProStar a Cat logger in a previous life… its chassis is also well-proven in Kiwi logtrucks – despite this being Intertruck’s first-ever bonneted International logger.

That’s because Kiwi-assembled International 9870 cabovers share the same chassis as the ProStar! And there have been plenty of ‘em built here.

Says Intertruck’s Board: “As far as what the differences are between the cabover and the conventional…in our build process – there’s virtually nothing.

“Because, for 10-odd years, the 9870 has been based off the ProStar chassis, as it just seemed to work better for us.

“So essentially, when we moved the actual true ProStar into the logging industry, we already knew that it was a proven chassis design. We had no real issues with anything in the redevelopment of the critical areas.”

As Board explains, the bonneted ProStar became a viable proposition as a logger in June, when the NZ Transport Agency released a new proforma high productivity motor vehicle (HPMV) design, comprising an 8x4 truck and five-axle trailer at overall lengths of up to 23.5 metres.

It has, he adds, “alleviated some of the concerns for conventional owners. The key thing is to get the weight proportions forward onto the twin-steer for the bolsters and then to take these big five-axle trailers on top of them.”

Board says it can be “tricky for the trailer builders to get Truck & Driver | 23

Above: The new proforma design allows an overall length of 23.5 metres, that including up to 1m rear load overhang

Opposite page: Kahu reckons that today’s trips are “cream runs” – around a 100km round-trip from Gisborne, south to Bartletts and back

everything to work properly.” But the payoff is that the 23.5m allowable length – this including a rear load overhang of up to 1m – enables the units to transport 6.1m logs (an industry standard length) as a two-packet load on the trailer.

TERNZ says that as well as this increased efficiency, the proforma units deliver “substantially improved rollover stability for negligible additional risk, due to the additional length.”

Shane Bunning was keenly aware of all of this. But also giving him confidence in his decision to opt for a ProStar as his latest logger was the fact that it was replacing an International 9800 – a 525hp Cummins-engined model in which he’d clocked-up over 1.5million Ks, mostly in the bush. It’s a truck he was very happy with.

He got started in trucking with a tipper about 13 years ago, working on forestry roading in the Coromandel.

He “branched off ” into logtrucks with a secondhand Foden and a four-axle trailer, working for Aztec, out of Thames. The Inter came later – after he’d owned a Western Star, then a Kenworth.

A logging downturn prompted the purchase of a logdeck and a matching trailer so he could do some freight as well as the logs.

Then he and his faithful Inter made the move to Gisborne about three years ago. He contracts to McIndoe Logging.

“I had the International for 11 years. She’s been everywhere – from up north, to right down to the Marlborough Sounds. And east….west. We covered a lot of ground with Aztec.”

The attraction to International runs even deeper than that: “I really like the brand…I was brought up with them – through the family really. My uncles had them in the forest back in the early ‘80s and didn’t get much trouble – they just kept going and going.

24 | Truck & Driver

“I find them a good hardy truck. Easy to get parts – they’re bolton bolt-off. Plus there’s good service. It’s all pretty local.”

Besides, he adds: “I was keen to give something new a go.” And the ProStar “ticked all the boxes.”

He specced it with the toughest Eaton Roadranger 18-speed manual transmission available – the RTLO 22918B – added Bendix disc brakes all around and 46,000 lb Hendrickson Primaax-EX heavy-duty air suspension on the drive axles, because “it’s a bit higher and more robust.”

For the rest, he reckons, the ProStar “had all the makings right there already anyway. And the tare weight is really great. It’s an amazing truck actually – it’s got incredible traction too.”

Still, he has added extras too – the ProStar boasting its fair share of what he calls “necessary” bling.

“There’s some chrome decals around the bottom lights. Offset wheels on the front – and they’re (Alcoa) Dura-Brights: Easier to clean.

“Presentation is a big thing. Gotta have twin exhausts ‘cos they look cool. You’re not a trucker if you don’t have twin exhausts!

“The missus asked where the twin air cleaners were: There’s none on this one – it might look a bit funny, I dunno.”

But overall, he adds: “I just love the finish that International did – an amazing paint job. Just gave me what I wanted, at minimal expense.

“Because it’s a world-first they went all out and put the premium package in there, tinted out the back windows (‘cos I don’t like back windows), added a few extra chrome things around the mirrors and a big stainless stripe down the centre. They’ve made the flairs for it and extra bits. There’s still some new signwriting to come too

For the rest, he reckons, the ProStar “had all the makings right there already anyway.

And the tare weight is really great” – at Christmas.”

Shane’s also happy with the job done by Mills-Tui on the truck’s logging gear and the five-axle trailer. It’s finishing-off work was “really good too: They put in extra lights and bits and pieces and did a bit of a different paint job – pinstriping it.”

He’s happy with Mills-Tui’s positioning of the lift points on the trailer: “You pick the trailer up and it doesn’t go way up in the air in the front.”

And he’s very happy with the versatility of the unit. The trailer can take two packets ranging from 3.1m to 6.1m long, or a single packet up to 11m in length, while the truck’s capabilities run from 3.7m lengths up to 8m.

Tare weight was also “a big thing: I wanted a unit that I could get low tare weight and get 33-34 tonne on and to be able to do three packets of 6.1 – that was a huge thing for me. There’s not many people doing that.

“Otherwise you’ve got one packet that’s really high and I don’t like that – I hate it. You see them twisting.

“If you keep everything nice and low, to me it’s a lot safer. Of course, you do have the overhang (at the back), but I’ve got some flags made up for that.”

The ProStar tares at 10,250kg and the trailer at 5750kg, giving the unit a 34t payload capability under its 50MAX HPMV permit.

Shane’s clearly very happy with his new Inter – but is there anything at all that he’d do different? “There’s always things you’d like to alter or change – like a few more longer chain hooks on it.

“But it’s all really superficial stuff – nothing really major. It did have a nice stainless (tool) box on the side. I took that off ‘cos it was just gonna be a target for logs. We’re only local so we don’t need the jacks and things.”

The sun is well and truly out as we wait for this unique ProStar logger at a metal stockpile on Paritu Road – a forestry road at Bartletts, on the coastal side of State Highway 2, about 50kms south of Gisborne.

When the distinctive-looking Inter, all black paint and shiny chrome, turns up, it’s toting a full-house – three packets of 6.1m K-grade logs.

Driver Kahu Tutahi jumps out and diligently checks the chains before joining us with a smile and a firm handshake.

It’s a good-looking, streamlined truck, with a sloping bonnet, vertical slat grille, big Ali Arc alloy bumper, almond-shaped LED headlights and, most distinctive of all, offset front wheels and Truck & Driver | 25

A modern dash display combines with classic North American features including touches of wood veneer and leather, plus pintucked premium trim. Also keeping it traditional is the gearstick for the 18-speed Roadranger

extended wheel arches (accommodating its Meritor MFS143 widetrack steer axles, which have a 10% wider wheel cut than the standard ones).

Kahu is heading for the port in Gisborne with the third of the four loads he’ll do this shift, which he started (as usual) at 1am and will see him through to around 3pm. The truck’s doubleshifted, with Shane Bunning doing the other stint behind the wheel.

This particular job is a real “cream run,” Kahu reckons – a mere 100km round trip: “You’re not driving hours to the skid – 40 minutes and you’re there.”

Much of the drive back into town will be flat highway driving, but it’s the run down the steep and winding Bartletts Hill that will give us a good idea of the ProStar’s performance. That and the trip in and out of this forest on the next trip.

Kahu looks keen to crack on, so we head off. The climb up into the cab is easy enough – the first of the two steps is a bit of a stretch, but the grabhandles are right where you need them.

It’d be nice if the door opened a bit wider…but that’s just being picky. Despite the black-tinted back window, the day cab itself is bright and roomy. The lighter-coloured premium interior trim helps, especially the pintucked vinyl roof lining.

The woodgrain-trim dash, with its turnout middle section, puts all the major gauges (including a modern-looking instrument cluster) in easy view and major controls well within the driver’s reach – including those for the Bigfoot central tyre inflation system.

There’s an Alpine radio/stereo system with Bluetooth phone connectivity, aircon, electric windows and a premium trim package including a leather-wrapped steering wheel (with fingertip cruise control buttons) and a leather air suspension seat. To make sure the driver can get comfy, the steering wheel and steering column are multi-adjustable.

26 | Truck & Driver

Getting the Roadranger into gear involves a bit of graunching: “The spider’s legs aren’t quite meshing,” Kahu tells me. I wonder if the hydraulic air-assist clutch needs a little tweak.

We pull onto SH2 in first gear, fully loaded, with just shy of 34 tonnes of logs, putting us close to 50t all-up, according to the SI Lodec onboard scales.

Kahu quickly works up to 4th Low – the gear he chooses to stay in all the way down Bartletts Hill.

“A lot of other trucks probably won’t stay in 4th – they’ll be in the gear up from me. I’m low 4th or I’m riding my brake eh.”

It’s a pretty steep descent and Kahu has the Cummins X15 e5 engine’s Intebrake compression brake on its second (maximum) stage (where it’s capable of pumping out up to 600hp/447kW of retardation). It sees us into the first 45k downhill bend with the Cummins at 1800rpm and our speed held back to just under 30km/h.

Kahu reckons: “That’s the proper speed for going around these corners – 10km/h under (the signposted speed), with a loaded logger. You see a lot of people at night come right up my arse…but you’ll see their brakes just lit up!

“You won’t see that on this puppa. I just sit in this gear and cruise. No rush eh.”

He sounds like a man who likes to be completely in control of the gearshifting – ie not one for automated manuals – and he confirms his liking for the Roadranger: “More control,” he sums up succinctly.

The Cummins is rated at 600hp/447kW (achieved at just over 1700rpm), but its power output actually peaks at 615hp/459kW at 1800 revs. The X15’s 2050 lb ft/2779Nm peak torque is available from 1150 to 1300rpm.

The downhill eases a bit and Kahu selects 5th Low, where the

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“It’s a beauty – a big difference from the old one. Heaps more comfort, the gauges aren’t as complicated” Cummins is at 1500 revs and our speed holds around 35-40km/h.

This will do, says Kahu, till the hill steepens again.

Kahu moved to Gisborne four years ago and that’s really when his trucking life began. He learnt to drive in an Isuzu, spent six months in a Western Star and then drove the old Bunning 9800 for a year before the ProStar arrived: “It’s a beauty – a big difference from the old one. Heaps more comfort, the gauges aren’t as complicated.”

Plus, he adds: “You’d have a sore back by now in the old one.

This whole unit is better.”

What’s more, with the Dura-Bright alloys, he doesn’t need to polish them twice a month, as he used to on his last truck.

We’re still on the windy, downhill stretch of our run – but the corners aren’t as tight and Kahu has the Roadranger in 5th Low as we head for a 65k corner, with the Cummins spinning at 1800 and our speed at 40km/h. It’s time to go up a half gear.

When the road winds and snakes a little more, with a series of 45k and 35k corners, Kahu explains that this is where “you’ve got to start hitting the right gears.”

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28 | Truck & Driver

The revs rise to 1900 and we’re at 45km/h before a dab on the brakes brings both back down. Even for a 35k corner, Kahu stays in 5th High.

Off the downhill and into the first climb, he settles on 6th High: “I’ll just sit in this gear, all the way up.” The revs only drop as low as 1400 as we maintain a 50k minimum.

“It’s a nice cruisy truck eh.” The world’s a pretty happy place looking at it through ProStar’s wide, curved windscreen on this bright, sunny day.

In fact, it’s not just the view that’s good – it’s the vision from the driver’s seat. The mirrors are large, with a flat one on top and convex one below. It’s easy to see down the full length of the logger and the logs.

The suspension – a combo that sees three-leaf parabolic springs on the front axles and the Hendrickson air on the back (with adjustable Panhard rods and crossbar stabilising beams) – the loaded ride feels great. There are no jolts and no bouncing around.

Kahu’s relaxed at the steering wheel.

We are on the look out for past staff and customers who would like to help us celebrate 100 years of business.

It will all be happening from 10.00am Sunday 27th October (Labour weekend).

Starting with a catch up and look around the depot, Camp oven lunch and finishing off with a trip on the fantastic Gisborne steam train WA165.

D

If you are one of these people and would like to join us please register your interest A.S.A.P by e-mail to mejukes100@gmail.com

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Top: Kahu negotiates the short amount of rough road running by taking it nice and easy

Lower left: Kahu is loving the new Inter - “a big difference,” he says from the 9800 cabover he hopped out of

Lower right: Shane Bunning opted for the ProStar having had a great run out of his old International 9800...and coming from a family background with Inters

The cab’s quite quiet as well, aided no doubt by the rubber floor mats and heavy-duty under-floor insulation (which also cuts any heat soak). The interior trim looks hard-wearing too.

The ProStar is only a month old, with 18,000kms on the clock from its routine doubleshifting.

We get onto our first big hill climb in 7th High and maintain that – the revs and speed gradually falling to 1400 and 55km/h.

“Not too bad eh, with the power it has,” says Kahu approvingly: “Thirty-four tonnes – that’s a tonne more than anyone else around here.”

The going is just as effortless as we close in on Gisborne city.

Forced to a halt by traffic at the first roundabout, the fully-loaded unit quickly and smoothly accelerates back up to 90k, Kahu upshifting at 1400, 1500 revs. Smooth as silk.

At the port, Kahu has the Inter idling along in second as we pull onto the weighbridge: “Oh mate, this was scary when we first got this, ‘cos it’s so wide. And I’d been used to a cabover. This scared us!” he laughs.

The tale of the scales is that we’ve got 33,640kg in logs – pretty much bang-on what the SI Lodec scales had already told us. That puts us at 49,640kg all-up.

The logs are unloaded and the five-axle trailer carefully relocated on the truck, piggyback style….and we head off back to the same patch of forest at Bartletts.

At the forest, we leave the highway and go past the stockpile where we met Kahu earlier. It’s three kilometres along Paritu Road – then another 3K to the skid site. It’s a rough road that’s clearly seen plenty of logtruck traffic.

Truck & Driver | 31

Left: It’s a decent stretch up to the first of two steps but good grabhandles (one built into the door) make getting in and out of the ProStar pretty easy Right: A Bigfoot tyre pressure management system helps with traction in tricky offroad situations

We start on a climb – empty in 4th High at 1500rpm and 25km/h.

It’s a pretty rocky and uneven surface, but the view’s nice – an impressive outlook over big forested hills.

Most of the way Kahu’s happy to ease his way along in 5th Low. At that speed the ProStar isn’t being banged and bounced around uncomfortably.

It’s all good, he says, “as long as you cruise through it eh – as long as you take your time. You watch some people come through here and you go ‘whoa!’ They come through way too fast.”

He points out one particularly rutted stretch of road that forces him down to 10km/h – virtually idling along at 1000rpm: “This is quite a tricky one coming up…”

We’re soon at the skid-site and it doesn’t take long for the H unit to be reloaded with another three packets of 6.1m logs – the same as the last load. Kahu reckons it’ll be right on 34t of logs…and the SI Lodec scales confirm his judgment.

Once the load’s secure Kahu climbs back behind the wheel and engages the ProStar’s crosslocks on the Meritor RT46-160GP drive axles, plus the inter-axle locks. He’s also taken the tyre pressures down, using the Bigfoot tyre pressure management system.

It’s nice and dry but still a decent climb as we start the trip back to town, climbing away from the skid site in 3rd Low, at 20km/h and a modest 1500rpm.

“If we didn’t have our locks on we’d have come to a standstill right there,” Kahu says casually.

Now he’s happy shifting between 3rd High and 4th Low, but then as another uphill looms, he “floats the gears” from 3rd to 1st – very swiftly….and without using the clutch: “For hillclimbs I use no clutch. It’s just easier for the gears to go in.”

Next – the tricky hill. Kahu selects 3rd High: “I’ll sit in this gear all the way up. It’s quite clumpy this part eh – and you can’t really button off on this climb, otherwise we will get stuck. It’s a hill you have to keep moving on.”

When we reach the crest, Kahu upshifts a gear and also reports: “This is where I start pumping my tyres up.”

It’s not a long stretch, this drive from the skid-site out to the highway, but it takes plenty of care and attention – the Intebrake on full, at a slow speed (30k) and in a low gear (4th High). The ProStar handles the rough stuff with relative ease.

32 | Truck & Driver

It’s in this sort of rough, uneven terrain that Shane Bunning reckons the widetrack front axles provide super-stability – justifying their extra cost.

At the same stockpile where we first met, NZ Truck & Driver publisher and tester Trevor Woolston swaps places with Kahu for the run back to the port. Read the Pirelli Trevor Test on Page 34 for his opinion of this unique logger.

Shane Bunning says the ProStar has created “a lot of interest” from other logtruck operators: “I’ve had a few calls from people asking about it.”

Intertruck’s Comer Board confirms it: “We’ve had a lot of attention from Shane’s truck. When we were doing the delivery, there was a lot of calls fielded already from logging operators wanting to know more about it. So we’re actually out there quoting….from the visibility of that truck in the area.”

Because Gisborne is a little remote for many logtruck operators to get to, Intertruck and Patchell are building a demo logging unit – so more potential customers can get to have a look firsthand.

Already Intertruck has come up with a few improvements, including a cab-mounted dual exhaust system, rather than the test truck’s frame mounting. Says Board: “There’s quite a bit of difference in getting the headboard or the cab guard closer to the cab….which allows longer log length.

“There’s also a second-steer air suspension which is ECAS (electronically controlled air suspension). We believe that this will be very beneficial for the loggers, because it creates better traction, a way better ride.”

So Shane Bunning’s ProStar, a world first – looks set to be a world first…of many.

Since this test, the unit was measured roadside by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team, and a surprised and disappointed Shane Bunning says he was told that the unit couldn’t legally carry three 6.1m packets after all.

The overall length was correct, but the measurement from the centre of the middle trailer axle to the rear of the load was noncompliant.

But Mills-Tui owner Dean Purves has allayed his concerns: It is, he says, just a paperwork issue – with an HPMV permit re-application required to sort it out. T&D

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E’RE BACK IN GISBORNE AGAIN, TESTING ANOTHER logger – this one the first of its kind in the world.

It’s really not that surprising that Shane Bunning’s International ProStar eight wheeler, fitted with Mills-Tui bolsters and towing a five-axle Mills-Tui trailer, is the first 8x4 ProStar logger….

Given that our use of eight-wheeler conventionals here in New Zealand is more common than probably anywhere else in the world.

In Gisborne, the ProStar stands out – with almost every other logger you see either a Kenworth, a Freightliner, or even a Western Star.

I jump into the ProStar’s cab at the metal stockpile just before the end of Paritu Road – where it joins State Highway 2/Wharerata Road, on the Bartletts Hill, for a run back to the Gisborne port.

We’re sitting right on 50 tonnes according to our SI Lodec scales, so the run down Bartletts will be a great test for the retarder.

Entry into the cab is great, with a couple of good steps and wellpositioned grabhandles both sides of the door.

Once inside it’s a familiar dash layout, as I drove a tipper spec ProStar last November – the only major difference being that this is a manual, as opposed to the automated manual in the Bulk Lines tipper.

In front is a nice tidy dash, with all major gauges easily seen through the steering wheel, and then a full switch panel in the centre of the cab within easy reach of the driver. The steering wheel

Trevor Woolston

itself has full cruise control on it.

There’s no problem getting comfortable in the cab, with a nice leather air suspension seat and a fully-adjustable steering column.

There is a nice stainless steel footrest to the left of the clutch pedal which allows you to stretch out your left leg when not using the clutch. My only complaint with it is that it’s slippery and your foot tends to slide down it. I’d be sticking a bit of grip-tread on it

The Mills-Tui trailer and logging gear on the truck, built to the new proforma 50MAX design, is an impressive bit of work

34 | Truck & Driver

• SPECIFICATIONS •

INTERNATIONAL PROSTAR R8 HD DAY CAB 8x4 Engine: Cummins X15 e5 SCR Capacity: 15.0 litres Maximum power: 458kW (615hp) @ 2000rpm Peak torque: 2779Nm (2050 lb ft) @ 1200rpm Fuel capacity: 435 litres Transmission: 18-speed Eaton Fuller Roadranger RTLO-22918B The ProStar handles well on the rough stuff, as well as on the highway

to give a bit more support.

From startup it’s a bit of a grind to get the Eaton RTLO 20918B Roadranger into gear. I suspect it needs a bit of adjustment on the clutch to allow it to slow the box from spinning and slot in the first gear.

Once in though the gearshifts are great, with a reasonably weighted hydraulic air-assist clutch and a nice easy stick movement.

Under the bonnet is the tried and true Cummins X15, rated at 600hp to 615hp and developing 2050 lb ft of peak torque. It’s hooked up to the Roadranger through a heavyduty Dana Spicer clutch.

As we start the run down Bartletts with the Intebrake retarder on full, I move up to 5th Low and then let the retarder do its thing. At first it seems to be running away, but once I let it get up to 2000rpm it really holds us back.

We’re able to run down this steep hill with full control in 5th and I push it up to 6th as we get towards the bottom and I’m still easily able to achieve the signposted speeds through all the corners.

As we get off the steeper section of the hill I move up to 7th gear and when we hit the one climb on the run to town, with a slow vehicle lane near the bottom of it, the ProStar makes it up in the same gear, no trouble at all.

The steering is very positive and it’s easy to keep the truck and trailer well within its lane on the winding, hilly road.

You have a large mirror housing on both sides, each with a lower convex mirror and

large flat mirror, together giving great visibility down the sides through the corners. They do however combine with the A-pillars to create a bit of a blind spot when you’re approaching intersections.

Forward vision is as good as any cabover, with almost no noticeable bonnet blocking your vision. In fact, at first it takes a while to get used to positioning the truck correctly on the left side of the road and I find I’m using my mirrors quite a bit to start with. However, once you get a feel for the truck, this isn’t an issue.

Once we drop down onto the coastal flats on our run into Gisborne the road is reasonably bumpy in places and we do feel this up through the cab.

The route also has us taking on roundabouts and turning into side roads and I find the gearbox a dream, with its good, easy shifts – with just a touch of throttle needed for nice, clean downshifts. It allows me to run up to roundabouts and intersections and then drop it into the required gear if the way’s clear for a smooth drive through.

Eventually, as we near the port, we get into city streets, but it’s no problem keeping the ProStar all tidy through the tighter roundabouts and traffic islands.

At the port it’s time to give Kahu his truck back. It’s been a good drive and it’s certainly a comfortable and easy truck to drive. It obviously won’t be the last eight-wheeler ProStar logger in NZ. T&D

Ratios: Low L – 14.40

Low H – 12.29

1st low – 8.56

1st high – 7.30

2nd low – 6.05

2nd high – 5.16

3rd low – 4.38

3rd high – 3.74

4th low – 3.20

4th high – 2.73

5th low – 2.29

5th high – 1.95

6th low – 1.62

6th high – 1.38

7th low – 1.17

7th high – 1.00

8th low – 0.86

8th high – 0.73

Front axles: Meritor MFS-143 Widetrack, 13,000kg rating Rear axles: Meritor RT-46-160GP, rated at 20,865kg/46,000 lb Auxiliary brakes: Cummins Intebrake compression brake Front suspension: Three-leaf parabolic springs Rear suspension: Hendrickson Primaax-EX HD air suspension GVW: 33,000kg GCM: 72,000kg

Truck & Driver | 35

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THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING

Greg Haliday (left), owner and managing director of Mainstream, with Nick Leggett

The best part of my job R

by Nick Leggett Chief Executive Road Transport Forum NZ

ECENTLY I SPENT SOME TIME IN Rotorua and Gisborne, meeting with operators.

I particularly enjoyed riding in the cab with Dick – a log truck driver for Seymour Transport Services – from Gisborne to Tolaga Bay. It was a great opportunity to have a chat about the challenges he faces every day out on the road.

It was also fantastic to meet with operations manager Carla Seymour, who is an impressive young leader in the industry, with a real focus on doing right by her drivers.

Since I began this role late last year, one of the most enjoyable aspects has been the time I have spent going around the country meeting with people like Dick and Carla.

I figure that if I am to accurately reflect the concerns of our industry to politicians, government officials and other key stakeholders, it’s really important I know what our association members are thinking and the kind of issues that are important to them.

No matter where I go, whether it’s to visit an operator in the Auckland metro area or a regional operator like Seymour’s there are real anxieties about the condition and ongoing maintenance of our roads. This is a nationwide problem and it’s something RTF continues to reflect to the New Zealand Transport Agency and government ministers at every opportunity.

Road user charges, like petrol excise, are increasing – but operators aren’t seeing any evidence of it being spent on the roads…which they need to complete the freight task.

Money that should be used on roads is being siphoned off for political gain to cycleways and rail – or not spent at all.

Operators are concerned about the internal issues at the NZTA and RTF maintains a close eye on that. However members are more interested in how these issues impact

their businesses, rather than the minutiae of how government departments operate. The management of contracts for both local roads and state highways, and the delay in fixing defects remain annoying to many operators.

There is also significant concern about the NZTA’s approach to the auditing process and a belief that there is no clear rationale as to why particular TSL holders have been targeted. The RTF has engaged with NZTA on these matters and we will stay on the case.

Operators are finding that getting the right staff requires more reasonable immigration pathways, so drivers from countries such as the Philippines can be guaranteed a longterm career and a settled lifestyle in NZ. They’re also keen to employ more local young people, but are finding it difficult to source staff who can pass preemployment drug testing.

The other key message from operators and drivers is that the emphasis on road safety needs to be broader than just a focus on speed. Professional drivers see distraction as a huge problem. Whether it’s car drivers blatantly using mobile phones, or other general distractions inside the vehicle, truckies are seeing little policing of it.

The other big threats to safety – alcohol and drug abuse – are, of course, still there. Legalising recreational marijuana use and the impact that will have on safety-sensitive businesses such as road transport, given the lack of any regulatory regime for road safety, is of serious concern.

RTF will continue to be your advocate on these issues in Wellington. I will also continue to visit and meet with operators, so if you would like me to come and chat with you and your team about what’s going on with regard to some of the issues discussed above, please let me know and hopefully we will be able to arrange something for the near future. T&D Truck & Driver | 37

THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING

Rail Safety Week fo c

H

OW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU WITNESSED someone rush across a railway level-crossing to beat the barrier arms coming down, or impatiently drive across railway tracks after the lights and bells have started to warn of an oncoming train?

It can be harrowing to watch, yet unfortunately, it’s actually a pretty common occurrence around New Zealand and is of increasing concern to KiwiRail and rail safety advocates TrackSafe NZ. This year’s Rail Safety Week campaign reflected this concern by focusing attention on near-misses with people and trains and the stress and trauma that those near-misses create for train drivers and those who witness them.

On average, a train driver suffers from being witness to a near-miss nearly every day around NZ – and every single one of those nearmisses has an emotional impact and has, sadly, led to a number of drivers quitting the job.

Close-calls at level-crossings affect other rail staff, witnesses, passengers and freight customers as well, not to mention the pedestrian or motorist who narrowly avoided the collision.

While no heavy vehicles were involved in the 18 public levelcrossing collisions for the year until the end of June, of the 299 nearmiss incidents it’s alarming that 39 involved heavy vehicles.

“Just because trucks were not involved in level crossing collisions last year should not give us a false sense of security,” says RTF’s Nick Leggett.

“Thirty-nine near-misses, which represents 13% of the total, shows that heavy vehicles are extremely susceptible to incidents around level crossings.

“Trucks, especially combination vehicles, are long and we know that there are hundreds of level crossings around NZ that are fairly light on safety infrastructure. Many don’t have barrier arms, bells or lights – and some also have short stacking distances. This means a long vehicle will not be able to safely clear the crossing before having to stop at an adjacent road intersection.”

RTF worked with TrackSafe to design a research project last year that focused on the safety of level crossings from the perspective of truck drivers.

Says Leggett: “It’s our hope that the findings of the research, which showed that truck drivers had developed their own strategies to make traversing level-crossings safer, will result in infrastructure improvements to make level-crossings safer for trucks and remove some of the instances of short stacking and poor sight lines.”

To illustrate the frequency of near-misses during Rail Safety Week, KiwiRail and TrackSafe installed a series of “near-miss memorials” at various locations around the country. The memorials acknowledge the hundreds of people who have narrowly avoided serious near-miss incidents around railway tracks. The memorials installed around pedestrian areas included a QR code that could be scanned with a smartphone to show a video clip of a real near-miss.

“While none of the videos specifically includes an incident with a truck, many do include motorists who have attempted to sneak across the level crossing before the train arrives,” Leggett says.

“The footage is actually pretty hard-hitting and shows just how close some people have come to tragedy.

“You really have to feel for the train drivers, who are absolutely

38 | Truck & Driver

Above: The launch of Rail Safety Week included stark reminders of the dangers of inattention and carelessness around railway lines Above right: Transport Minister Phil Twyford launching Rail Safety Week, surrounded by near-miss memorials

powerless to prevent these incidents. It’s easy to understand just how traumatic it must be from where they’re sitting in the train cab.”

The key messages for motorists out of this year’s Rail Safety Week are simple: • Obey the warning signs and look carefully in both directions for trains.

• Listen, be aware and pay careful attention to your surroundings.

• Trains can approach faster than you think, and can be quiet. They are heavy and cannot stop quickly.

• Always ensure there is space on the other side of the crossing for your vehicle.

If you’re walking or riding a bike at a level-crossing there are also some simple rules to follow: • Only cross at a formed level-crossing, overpass or underpass.

• Remove headphones, stop and always look both ways for trains before crossing the tracks.

• Only cross if you are sure there are no trains in sight.

• Obey the warning signs at the crossing – if lights are flashing or bells are ringing this means a train is approaching.

• If a train has passed or is stopped at the station, always check both ways again to make sure another train is not coming. Two tracks may mean there is a second train on the way.

The Rail Safety Week campaign, including all the near-miss videos, is available at www.nearmisses.co.nz T&D

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THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING

The NZ Truck Driving Championship will return in 2020, at the TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show

NZ Truck Driving Championship RTF DIARIES is back in 2020 TO BE DISCONTINUED R TF HAS JOINED FORCES with the NZ Trucking Association and TR Group to bring back the NZ Truck Driving Championship for 2020.

The competition, which until 2018 ran with a series of heats and a final held alongside the RTF Conference, has undergone a format change in 2020.

“RTF’s associations were finding it increasingly difficult to stage the heats that were fundamental to how the competition ran before,” says RTF’s Nick Leggett.

“It was therefore decided to change things up to relieve the associations from this burden and make the competition more exciting and sustainable into the future.”

The new format will see the competition take place as part of the TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show at the Canterbury Agricultural Park in Christchurch, with heats on March 20 and the final the next day.

The competition will include three categories – Class 2, Class 5 Tractor-Semi and Class 5 TruckTrailer. The heats will involve a theory test, pretrip inspection and a driving/manoeuvrability test.

The final, which will feature the top four drivers from each class of the heats will include another driving/manoeuvrability test and a road test.

“The NZ Truck Driving Championship is a fantastic way for the industry to show off the skills and knowledge of our drivers,” says Leggett.

“A lot of the general public do not really 40 | Truck & Driver

understand just what it takes to pilot a heavy vehicle safely, let alone manoeuvre it for loading and unloading. The knowledge that our top drivers possess with regards to the different types of loads they’re dealing with and the rules and regulations around heavy vehicles is truly impressive.”

Drivers can enter on their own or get their company to sponsor them.

Leggett says that the event is a great opportunity for road transport businesses to show off the skills of their top drivers “and we are really encouraging companies from all over NZ to have a driver there to represent them.”

Major sponsor, TR Group’s managing director Andrew Carpenter adds: “Inspiring the next generation of drivers and celebrating all that is great about our industry is exactly what we had in mind when the competition was relaunched in 2015, and we look forward to seeing an exciting competition that draws the crowds in Christchurch next March at the TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show.”

Results will be announced at the Teletrac Navman Industry Show Dinner and Awards Ceremony on March 21, with the winners of each category receiving a trophy, $2500 in prizemoney, merchandise and vouchers, and a trip for two to the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show.

Competitors can register for the NZ Truck Driving Championship at https://www.truckingindustryshow.co.nz T&D

THIS WILL BE THE FINAL YEAR of the RTF printed diary, the Forum board has decided.

With many in our industry now relying on smartphones and electronic calendars, the annual hardcopy diary is to be discontinued.

Over recent years, it had been an increasing struggle to recoup the significant costs in money and time that the diary demanded, says RTF. And as usage has dropped, so too has interest from sponsors.

“The burden on David Aitken and his staff at National Road Carriers, who undertook production of the diary, has been significant and the board has recognised this and made the understandable decision to discontinue the diary,” says RTF’s Nick Leggett.

“This will allow David and his team to focus on the things that matter to our industry, particularly their continued strong advocacy for roading improvements around Auckland.

“The technical information on VDAM and other operator requirements that currently resides in the front of the diary will in future be available through the RTF website.” T&D

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THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING

ROAD TO ZERO – A STRATEGY OF GOOD INTENTION T

HE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT recently released a consultation document outlining its approach to a national road safety strategy, Road to Zero.

The document states an ambitious target of a 40% reduction in death and injury between 2020 and 2030.

However, as set out in its submission, RTF considers the strategy to be overly simplistic in its treatment of evidence, detailed analysis of the problem, and the development of proposed solutions.

“Good public policy requires granulated analysis of data that does not exist in this strategy and therefore the public is only being presented with ‘headline data’ that will inevitably lead to a certain set of conclusions,” says RTF’s Nick Leggett.

“The likelihood is that these conclusions, while neatly fitting with the current Government’s narrative on road safety, will not necessarily address the root causes of accidents.”

Firstly, says Leggett, it’s critical that we address our inadequate roads: “Median barriers and acoustic edge treatments do not make up for fundamentally dangerous 42 | Truck & Driver

roads or poor road surfacing. These issues can only properly be remedied through investment in new, modern roads.

“Old roads don’t have the performance reliability, inbuilt safety design characteristics, or the structural integrity required for a modern, safe transport system.

“Our concern is that inadequate road repairs and retrofitting of median barriers to unsafe highways will be as much as we can expect in what has become an infrastructure-building vacuum under this Government,” says Leggett.

“Like the majority of New Zealanders, RTF is extremely frustrated at the inaction over transport infrastructure. The Government has significantly hiked RUCs and petrol excise…. but what have motorists got to show for it?”

On the issue of a possible blanket speed reduction, dropping the speed limit from 100km/h to 90km/h will remove the speed differential between light and heavy vehicles….which provides a limited speed window for light vehicles to pass heavy vehicles within the speed limit. RTF does not see a reduction in the heavy vehicle speed limit to 80km/h as the answer either.

THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING

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.

The lack of new transport infrastructure has the road transport industry and motorists frustrated

Says Leggett: “With the reduction of speed limits there’s always a disconnect between what people say they want and what they’re actually prepared to accept. Inevitably, policies that impede traffic flow and impact travel times for no measurable benefit are the ones that will generate the most opposition.”

RTF does not believe Road to Zero gives adequate attention to behavioural change and driver education.

“The fact is there is not enough information and analysis on how we can provide the right environment for NZers to become better and more responsible drivers. The waters are also being muddied by the Government’s desire to hold a referendum on the legalisation of recreational cannabis and the unknown impact such a major social change may have on road safety,” Leggett adds.

“RTF wholeheartedly supports the Government’s investigation into the practicalities of roadside drug testing and we hope this can lead to less drivers under the influence of drugs in future.”

Another focus area of Road to Zero aimed squarely at the road transport industry is the section on work-related road safety: The strategy proposes improving the data and knowledge around the WorkSafe provisions and the legislation that applies to transport businesses, as well as seeking to encourage best practice safety standards in the supply chain.

The latter aspect is encouraging, says Leggett, “but the focus seems to be on the commercial transport operator and largely ignores the fact that customers dictate the work-day programme.

“RTF is concerned that what is suggested fails to recognise how the supply chain operates. I do not want to see the industry held responsible for the lack of accountability in other parts of the supply chain that are beyond an operator’s scope of influence,” says Leggett.

“In our view, without significant investment in the fundamentals of our roading system and a concerted effort to change community attitudes to road safety, substanceimpaired driving and the dangers of distraction, we’re likely to see little real change. It would be a shame if all the drumbeating achieves is little more than a rebranding exercise and a beat-up on the road transport industry.”

The Government’s final road safety strategy and its first plan of actions, will be released later in the year. T&D

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

South Taupo/Turangi/Gisborne/ Taranaki/Manawatu/Horowhenua/ Wellington Sandy Walker 0800 367 782 (Option 3) 027 485 6038 swalker@rtanz.co.nz Northern West Coast/Nelson/ Marlborough/North Canterbury John Bond 0800 367 782 (Option 4) 027 444 8136 jbond@rtanz.co.nz Southern West Coast/Christchurch/ Mid-Canterbury/South Canterbury Simon Carson 0800 367 782 (Option 5) 027 556 6099 scarson@rtanz.co.nz Otago/Southland Alan Cooper 0800 367 782 (Option 6) 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 Northland/Auckland/Waikato/ Thames-Coromandel/Bay of Plenty/ North Taupo/King Country Scott Asplet 0800 367 782 (Option 2) 027 445 5785 sasplet@rtanz.co.nz

Truck & Driver | 43

JACK-OF-AL L JUKES Story Dave McLeod Photos Gerald Shacklock

Above: Mick Jukes driving a horse and cart team while working for a local sawmill, in 1905

Opposite page, main picture: Jukes has been expert at keeping old trucks going...and going, but lately has been buying a few FUSOs, like this one – seen here tipping off at Jukes’ own landfill

Bottom strip, left to right: A couple of 1960s Morris FH 140s lead a convoy of Jukes trucks carting spectacularly high loads of posts, back in 1969....this month sees the company celebrating its survival for 100 years...they start ‘em young in the Jukes family: Trevor and Colin, playing with their toy truck....1988 Ford Louisville LTL 9000 rests up awaiting its next job

44 | Truck & Driver

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Trevor Jukes reckons his task, in almost 60 years in the family business, has been to hold it...and grow it. He says that its survival has been touch and go at times

G

ISBORNE CARRIER TREVOR JUKES RECKONS THE KEY to it – how the family has managed to stay in business for 100 years – is simple.

“By diversifying as fast and as hard as you can! We’re not too proud to do the shitty jobs.”

Within a whisker of his 78th birthday, the man who’s spent almost 60 years in the family biz, happily provides more detail: “Let’s say you’re Charlie with a truck. You’re working for Fred – who’s got a job to cart some product to supply someone.

“If the supplier decides he doesn’t want the product, Fred’s out of pocket – and you’re in deep shit. All because one of the people in the link decides to change the thinking.

“So the trucking guys are very vulnerable – unless you have a secure base, secure workflow and utterly trustworthy people you work with.”

Trevor Jukes has got a truck and trailer full of stories to share about his time in trucking – but none ring true more than this one.

M.E. Jukes & Son is proof of that old adage – that necessity is the mother of all invention.

The Jukes story actually begins more than “just” 100 years ago – in the late 1800s. “The first work M.E. Jukes – my Granddad Mick – had when arriving in the Gisborne region in about 1897, was clearing bush and scrub with a gang of contractors at Tangihanga Station at Waituhi,” says Trevor.

“He’d made his way up to Gisborne from his arrival point at Bluff (originally as an illegal immigrant from Australia), working on the land and in flax mills.”

Then he landed this job at Waituhi, about 25 kilometres northwest of Gisborne – clearing land for a local farm development.

“He moved from this job into working with horse and bullock teams for the Drummond Bros who managed the Hall family

sawmills – firstly at Te Karaka (another 17kms north of Waituhi)…. and later at the Tapuhikitea Timber Company sawmill near the marae at Puha (15k further inland, into the bush).

“The logs were hauled from the bush to the sawmills on wooden-railed bush railways, with either horses or bullock teams.

The milled timber was carted by horse-drawn wagons to the railheads, first at Te Karaka and later at Puha, and carried into town.”

The closure of the mills was Mick Jukes’ first setback. So he went farming for a few years at Waingake (around 26k southwest of Gisborne), where his in-laws had a farm. Later on he moved into town and started driving teams for Jury & Parry, local carriers.

“Granddad Mick started the business properly in 1919 with a horse and dray, doing general carrier’s work. He was with a buddy, Alf Harvey. They operated together for quite a while and Granddad was renowned for his work – and for his care and respect for the horses.”

The Great Depression, triggered by the Wall Street sharemarket crash in 1929, was a traumatic time for NZ – and Mick Jukes and his family shared the hard times: “Granddad told tales of walking beside the horse and cart when travelling along country roads, cutting grass seed heads to dry – and then selling the seed to local merchants.

“And pulling the wool from fence wires – all to earn an extra few pence for the family.”

When Trevor’s Dad Arthur joined the business in the mid-1930s, the country’s severely damaged economy had begun to recover.

It didn’t take long before the business began the revolutionary leap towards motorised transport: “My Dad travelled to Wellington to pick up the two new 1936 Ford trucks they purchased when he joined up with Granddad – and had the challenge of driving the imported bare cab and chassis trucks home.

Truck & Driver | 47

Top, from left to right: A flashback to 1967, with a ‘67 Morris FH 140 in front, followed by an S Bedford and a ‘61 Morris FH 100....and even further back to this this 1936 Ford Colonial, carting some heavy timbers. It was one of Jukes’ first two trucks....and further back again – to 1931, with Mick and his horses, a dray and his two boys....Trevor (on the left) with his Dad Arthur and brother Colin, in 1963 Opposite page, main picture: 2003 International 7600 is one of several on the current fleet

“These trucks arrived in NZ with just bonnets and guards, with no windscreens or decks and very basic wooden seats for the driver. In those days you took the basic Ford Colonial type truck to your local coachbuilder/blacksmith shop and had a body built to suit your needs.

“Dad made the trip wrapped up in warm clothes – covered-over in sturdy oilskin wet weather gear….in rainy winter weather, on gravelly, muddy roads. By crikey they were real battlers in those days.”

The Jukes business carted a lot of building materials to backcountry farms, maraes and schools – and Trevor and his brother Colin went along for country trips.

The great majority of the business’ cartage work centred around timber mills and the building industry – carting gravel, sand, timber and general building supplies. The first goods service licences they were granted covered spoil, sand, gravel and general builders’ and construction supplies.

“Granddad never drove motor vehicles himself, despite having several very nice Ford V8 cars and the two new 1936 Ford trucks.

Apparently when Granddad was first having a go at driving, the fact that saying ‘whoa’ and pulling back on the steering wheel didn’t work to stop the vehicle was too great a problem to resolve!”

When the world’s next horror period arrived with the outbreak of World War 2, Mick and Arthur were part of what Trevor refers to as “the limping or the dead” who stayed in NZ, helping to keep the country running and supporting the Home Guard.

Says Trevor: “Getting enough petrol during the War was a problem, but the trucks were seconded by the army into the local Home Guard unit (The Lines of Communication Unit) and that helped a bit.

“I remember the hidden old greasy heavy-duty drums labelled waste oil that lived at the back of the truck shed – a hiding place for spare petrol if you were lucky enough to find some.”

Way back then, the family business was a diverse operation – doing way more than just cartage: “Dad and Granddad used to clean out the shavings and sawdust from various joinery factories and sawmill machines – shovelling the dusty mess onto trucks early each morning before the machines started and delivering it to local factories as boiler fuel.

“The dust from shovelling it affected them both quite badly and when compounded with smokes, this I feel led to Dad’s death from emphysema.”

The family business continued to evolve with each generation 48 | Truck & Driver

picking up the mantle, as Trevor details: “My brother Colin, who has now retired, started with the family a few months before me (in 1962), as I was still serving an apprenticeship as an automotive machinist at the time and learning how to fix machinery.

“One of Colin’s first tasks was camping out at a back-country farm near the Mangatu Forest (where Mick had spent some of his early days) for quite some weeks, carting and spreading river metal on farm roads with a sturdy 1952 Morris Commercial truck. This had a four-cylinder petrol engine the same as Nuffield tractors had, with a four-speed gearbox and a two-speed reduction box to help on steep hilly work.

“I got my truck licence the day I turned 18 and promptly took a couple of weeks’ holiday from work at the garage to cart gravel, driving the old 1936 Ford.”

It would be loaded up with “four yards (three cubic metres) of wet gravel – close to six tons, on a three ton-rated truck. This was a pretty normal load for the time.

“I soon learnt not to thrash the Ford too hard as steam billowing up from the radiator made it a bit hard to see the road ahead! And the time taken to cool the beastie down allowed others to overtake you, laughing their jolly heads off.”

Although the new generation of Jukes was now involved, Granddad Mick was still there to lend a hand, Trevor recounts: “It was wonderful to have my Granddad riding along to show us the tricks that make hard work into fun.

“Even at 82, and despite our best efforts to keep him from hard work, he would sneak a shovel off some other truckie and help us load sand and gravel. He kept the workplace tidy, cleaned our trucks and was a great and positive influence on our lives. He passed away at 84 years of age, after only a few days’ distress.”

The Jukes’ flair for innovation and invention was alive and well in the early 1960s: “We had a growing demand to unload fertiliser from rail wagons onto trucks,” says Trevor.

“This demand became so great that we couldn’t cope with the Nuffield tractor-mounted clamshell. So, after much discussion, the family took the risk of allowing me to build up a truck-mounted clamshell loader rig on an unused 1946 Ford.

“We purchased a Tracgrip excavator (clamshell) kitset and mounted it on the truck in a way that allowed road-legal travel to the various rail stations to load fertiliser onto Jukes’ and other carriers’ trucks.

“This machine worked three times faster than a tractormounted clamshell loader and with much less labour involved. It

handled thousands of tons of fertiliser in a year and proved to be a great investment, with far greater return than trucking.

“Dad would be in the office running the bookings like a bingo game – we were making more money than a bull can shit! Material handling and being able to trans-ship cargo efficiently is one of the keys. Guys would pay a premium to keep their trucks rolling.”

The mobility of this truck-mounted digger made it very useful and it was also used off-season for many other excavation and drain digging and loading jobs.

It even travelled way inland, to Lake Waikaremoana (150-odd kms west of Gisborne), and the 180k up to Hicks Bay, beyond East Cape, to install underground fuel tanks.

It was used constantly for years, until the railways disconnected the rail siding into the Jukes depot and scrapped its fleet of highside wagons, ending this flow of fertiliser.

By then the Jukes were already improvising and innovating in other areas. Around 1970, for instance, they decided to buy a Hiab crane and fit it to an S Bedford tipper they already owned.

It involved lengthening and strengthening the Bedford’s chassis,

but it gave them the first truck crane in the district and proved a great success – leading to the addition of many more Hiab crane trucks on the Jukes fleet and a whole new field of regular work for the company.

Says Trevor: “The Hiabs were a great help in building up a small scrapmetal recycling operation that has flourished and expanded over the years, resulting in the purchase of a large scrapmetal baler that handles and bales complete motorcars.”

When wet weather weight restrictions were introduced for heavy trucks on some local roads, it caused difficulties for many rural carriers…but not for the Jukes, who still had their “little lightweight Fords.” They were, says Trevor, “a great help in these times.”

And when transport licencing and the issue of vehicle authorities (VAs) came into effect – permitting each individual truck for cartage of specific freight within tightly specified areas – Mick’s wisdom helped steer the family in the right direction.

Trevor explains: “He said ‘go to the carriers’ meetings son. Keep your trap shut and eyes open. Watch, listen and learn. “ ‘Afterwards, outside on the footpath, watch them break up Truck & Driver | 49

into groups and set off to do exactly the opposite to whatever they agreed to in the meeting and generally doublecross each other in the process! “ ‘Don’t ever go to the pub to deal for work with company bosses, foremen or workmen. And never, ever poach the bread and butter work from any other operators.’ ” Mick’s advice didn’t stop there: “Another of Granddad’s gems was to watch your cash carefully and don’t over-commit yourself when election year comes around, as the promises made by one party were almost always cut back by any change of government – with the excuse that the other buggers had stuffed the economy.

“The work you thought was solid, disappeared within weeks of a change of government. This I have found to be pretty good information, but nowadays add in corporate restructuring and massive compliance changes that cause just as great disruptions.”

The Jukes’ business has always primarily been short-haul, local work, supporting the building and construction industries – with trucks to suit. They’ve never tried “to chase any type of work that was outside of our comfort zone or was another carrier’s traditional work.”

In 1991, the company did make an unplanned entry into log cartage – but not your traditional log-hauling out of the bush.

Trevor explains: “Over the years we have only played about with a few farm woodlot log cartage jobs. In general, log work is a bit outside my comfort zone.”

But in January ‘91 he got a surprise visit from the owners of Associated Stevedores in Mt Maunganui – “asking us to consider

setting up trucks and semi-trailers to load a log ship at the local port....in a few short weeks’ time!”

The job involved shuttle-running logs from the port’s log stockpile to a log-ship, 24/7.

Trevor believed there was longterm potential in the work and agreed – immediately calling “a short sharp team meeting with the troops” to come up with a plan for “setting up from scratch all the gear we needed to make the job a success.

“Firstly we whipped the decks off a few D Series Fords and fitted turntables, then fitted bolsters to a variety of semi-trailers in a hell of a hurry to get started.”

From a start that saw the likes of an old 90hp Ford D800 toting a load of 30 tons or more, the job continued – with Jukes progressively upgrading its shuttle fleet.

First Trevor put on a fleet of TM Bedfords “with those lovelysounding V8 71 Detroit engines.” They were hand-painted a rudimentary grey – so when a visiting British truck journo found them, he dubbed them the “grey ghosts.”

Continues Trevor: “When these fell apart we were fortunate enough to purchase a dozen or so Ford L8000 used trucks from the Allied Concrete fleet.

“By crikey (the late) Bill Richardson certainly knew how to spec up a sturdy bunch of trucks: These reliable, driver-friendly wee beasties became the mainstay of our operation and were absolute favorites with our workers.”

This shuttle truck operation at the port continued (and increased) until just four years ago, “when changes in operations

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True to a philosophy that diversity is a key to survival, Jukes includes concrete crushing and recycling and scrapmetal recovery in its current operations. Here the Ford Louisville is hooked up to the company’s scrapmetal baler

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Top, both pictures: In 1963 the Jukes “took the risk” of giving the young Trevor the responsibility of building a truck-mounted clamshell loader rig on an unused 1946 Ford. It was a huge success – transferring fertiliser from railway wagons to trucks way faster than a tractor-mounted loader could ever manage Lower: When the Jukes bought the region’s first Hiab truck crane around 1970, it started a line of business that rapidly expanded to this fleet of Hiab units

were made....that excluded our services.

“The job had become extremely demanding by then, with two separate stevedoring operations competing for work on the same site and I was glad to see the end of it – despite the significant loss of revenue. Less hassle and stress is always is a winner!”

And soon after Trevor and his brother Colin purchased their Granddad’s share of the business, they were encouraged by a group of Tolaga Bay residents to purchase a small, virtually defunct rural cartage operation serving the Tolaga Bay area – and Colin moved there to run it.

“It was quite a battle to get this up and running, with heavy competition. We mainly serviced the local farms, with general cartage and for a few years we were carting a little livestock for our local clients.

“We were also fortunate enough to get work with the local county council and the Ministry of Works most years and this was a great help.”

52 | Truck & Driver

When forestry companies started developing new pine forests in the Tolaga Bay area, the Jukes began carting gravel and metalling roads for them. Says Trevor: “This was prior to the government of the day’s efforts (he’s talking about Roger Douglas’ controversial rural restructuring) in the ‘80s, that damn near destroyed rural NZ.” The Tolaga operation was metalling over 30kms of forest roads each year and keeping about six trucks and drivers very busy.

One drawback was that the back-country roads inland from Tolaga Bay were narrow, steep and could only be worked on during the summer months.

So during the winter, whenever the weather permitted, the Tolaga crew carted and stockpiled roading metal as near as possible to the start of the forest roads so they could make good progress the following summer, concentrating on short hauls from the stockpiles. They were operating mainly Ford D Series 2014 and 2418 six-wheeler trucks that had been modified substantially to

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Main picture, below: The business sells sand, metal and landscape supplies....and firewood

Above left: Storm damage repairs in the wake of 1988’s Cyclone Bola kept the company trucks busy for a long time – helping it recover from very tough times

Above right: The sprawling Jukes yard and its sheds house a bewildering collection of trucks, machinery, spares...everything! Trevor reckons they’re the Jukes equivalent of a plumber’s ute full of tools and bits and pieces

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keep them out of the workshop.

“They were great performers in this extremely hard work. One of the mods we made was to overcome the overheating problem that occurred when, after climbing a steep grade on a hot day and stopping to open a farm gate, the engine boiled.

“We fitted rev lifters to the handbrake air system to keep the engine revs up and the fan and water pump working well, whenever the handbrake was applied. We had to unhook them for a CoF, but they saved us a fortune in engine repairs.”

Significant new forestry development became the hot growth business in the district and generated plenty of work, carting seedlings and spreading metal on new service roads: “Service work for forestry still keeps us very busy and is a key part of our business.”

In late 1978 the Jukes business moved to a site alongside the railway line, on Stanley Road in Gisborne.

Says Trevor: “Previously the land was the site of a city refuse tip and it needed a considerable amount of earthworks that we did with our own gear to clear, level and recompact the site.

“We fenced part of the site, we moved the parents’ house there for our office and built a new workshop. We installed a rail siding a couple of years later, built a shelter over it and work flowed steadily.”

However darker clouds were on the horizon. Government restructuring of primary industries like farming and forestry almost

broke the company in the late 1980s. So they sold the Tolaga Bay base and moved its business to Gisborne. They did continue to run a daily freight run into the area from Gisborne – and that operates still.

Trevor: “We diversified our activities and consolidated all our operations at the Stanley Road Base. Interest rates climbed from around 8% to 24% in a hell of a quick time and those business folk with large borrowings fell by the wayside almost daily.

“It was a very disheartening time and it was very sad to see so many dedicated, hardworking folk battered down. At this stage things were very tough: Work was short, we were pretty much broke and struggling to survive.

“The banks were bloody-minded and things were grim. In all honesty we were liquidation bait at this time, but too damn bolshy and stubborn to let it happen!

“Work was short, unemployment was high and things were starting to unravel. I had to make a hard decision that may lead to laying off several workers.

“Stressing about this, I went to the local Labour Department employment agency and discussed with them the challenge my workers would face going on the benefit while they searched for work…with minimal chance of success.

“It was awful. I was so bloody wild, Mum kicked me out for swearing – and I went around town knocking on doors. The result was amazing: Every call I made resulted in more and more work for

Truck & Driver | 55

the whole team!

“We kept rolling by the skin of our teeth and by diversifying into any other work opportunity that developed, whatever it was – to help pay the bills and keep workers employed….even cutting and selling firewood one winter.

“Within a few months we had fully recovered and stabilised our operations without a single layoff,” he says proudly.

“During the low point, I received some good advice from a mature businessman friend and mentor. He said to stop busting my guts working IN the business and to back off, delegate some of my workload, and start working ON the business by planning where we were going and why. These are some of the most important words I ever received and acted upon.”

Jukes started participating in a lot of demolition work and disposing of waste materials in various clean landfills: “Finding holes in the ground was difficult, so after a four-year saga battling to get resource consent we diverted the creek at the side of our property a little to gain space for rubble…and gain more work

space.

“We developed a green belt along both sides of the creek boundary to improve the disgusting ex-rubbish tip mess that previously existed and recompacted the area to result in the current (quite useful and presentable) worksite.

“We had previously been operating a (Ruston Bucyrus) 10 RB dragline, but to do this job we purchased our first excavator – a secondhand Priestman Mustang – and our staff did almost all of this job of work over one winter, while things were a bit quiet.”

Within this enlarged space the Jukes set up a weighbridge and gravel storage area to service the general public and small local operators with their day to day needs, and developed a major trade waste and demolition concrete recycling operation. They then tendered for a harbour reclamation job that involved digging a lake in a local golfcourse and using the spoil for fill material on the reclamation. This job went well, despite being interrupted in the summer of 1988 by Cyclone Bola, and kept them busy during a very difficult time.

Top left: Trevor and nephew Mike Jukes. He’s worked in the family business for 29 years Top right: A truck is loaded with commercial demolition waste destined for the Jukes’ landfill – having gone through the company’s shredder Above: The Jukes and some of their staff, back in 1968. At the back (from left) are Matt Haerewa, Colin Jukes, Dave Temiha, Alan Knight, Jim Mahuika and Gus Fitzmaurice...with Arthur and Trevor Jukes in front

Right: Company founder Mick, in 1963. He remained a guiding hand in the business (and a sneaky truck washer) into his 80s

56 | Truck & Driver

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This page, clockwise, from top: The Jukes got into livestock for a while after taking over a carrier in Tolaga Bay. Bay. This is a 1964 Morris FH 140 – with a 5.7-litre BMC diesel, a five-speed gearbox and an Eaton diff – posing with its Domett trailer..... Trevor’s son Tony, working out at the landfill..... The Jukes fleet in 1951 boasts (from left) a new Morris NCV (with a four-cylinder engine, four-speed box and a two-speed transfer box), a ‘46 Ford V8 (with, from left, Arthur’s kids Colin, Doreen and Trevor posing), and one of the two original 1936 Ford V8 Colonials Trevor: “Looking back, Cyclone Bola – despite having a hellish negative effect on many and disrupting our reclamation contract – was the saving of many rural contractors of the day.

“The whole district was on its knees in deep financial poo from the government’s recent economic restructuring. The following years of remediation work, funded by many millions of dollars from the government, saved many of us from going broke and kept our workers and the whole community busy.

“During the Bola event itself we were extremely busy with emergency repair work and our staff and vehicles were driven to extremes in the first 10 days, followed by a heavy workload over the following months until things eased up and we recommenced our harbour reclamation project.”

When that huge job was completed “we were struggling a bit for work, as there was a slowdown of activity after the Cyclone Bola recovery work dropped off.

“So, thanks to a bit of credit negotiating with some local workshops, we made up a feller-buncher head on the Priestman excavator and used it for several years high-topping and pruning trees on kiwifruit shelter belts.”

It’s typical of the Jukes’ historic commitment to always squeeze every ounce of potential out of every piece of its equipment. That approach has certainly applied to its trucks too.

Says Trevor: “Over the first few years (of his time in the business) since 1962, we had purchased several new vehicles, but after a spate of problems and some jolly bad decisions I made, I 58 | Truck & Driver

sure learnt not to believe sales talk.

“We began purchasing sound used trucks and rebuilding them as an ongoing winter project to keep staff employed year-round.

Our seasonal rural workload in those days made it very difficult to offer year-round employment to all our workers and this rebuild programme filled the gap nicely.

“Our vehicle replacement programme for many years has been based on buying and rebuilding high-mileage but sound used trucks. This has worked very well for many years and all the staff involved took great pride in their achievements and treated the gear with great respect.

“We had minimal compliance issues and no engineering failures in our mainly low distance local and rural transport work and continued to purchase new only for specific jobs.”

The Jukes’ yard is expansive and there are vehicles and pieces of machinery everywhere you look – so many of ‘em even Trevor finds it difficult mentally cataloguing them all: “I wouldn’t have a clue what we’ve got! When you really take a wild sweep at it, there’s about 70 pieces of plant, at least. There’s 20 trucks – 15 of them in day to day use.

“But I liken our lineup of trucks, loaders, forklifts, excavators etc that we’ve got as a business, to being a plumber: When he comes around to fix your drain, the back of his ute is full of bits and pieces – they’re the toolkit. Our yard is our toolkit.”

The company’s truck fleet moved from Ford V8, to Morris, then Austin, Then a Leyland Boxer, then S and TK Bedfords, then lots of

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D Series Fords, several Hinos, several TM Bedfords, then Ford Louisvilles…

Now it comprises a reasonably diverse lineup that includes Internationals, Hinos, Nissans, a couple of surviving Louisvilles and recent additions – four new FUSO Enduros and a FUSO Canter light truck…“to upset things and consolidate some operations,” as Trevor puts it. The Canter is specifically for learner drivers to start their driving careers in.

Trevor’s ambition for the business is and has been to hold it and grow it. From the outset, he says, one of his survival secrets was diversification and ME Jukes these days is as diversified as they come.

Aside from being a general cartage business – carrying “anything you can fit on a truck” – Jukes is also a parcel delivery business, a bulk haul operator, a supplier of bulk gravel and stone, a recycler of metal, concrete and other stuff….

Plus it’s a shareholder in a quarry operation in Nuhaka – 68kms south of Gisborne, down State Highway 2 – and owns a forest and landfill at Ormond Valley, 20k north of the city.

Says Trevor: “Twenty years ago our local council, in their wisdom, closed the Gisborne landfill down. We were – and still are – quite deep into recycling and scrapmetal and all that. If you get a motorcar and it’s going to go off to a

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foundry, you’ve got to get rid of the glass, the plastic, the tyres and the seats – the more crap you can get out of it, the more valuable the carcase is.

“We get premium prices because we can dismantle the cars, get all the debris out of them, put them into a baler and get that up to Auckland. But we had to get rid of the crap cost-efficiently, and the only way to control that was to do something ourselves.

“So we started some cleanfill operations – running them for quite a few years – then worked to the stage where we said, ‘let’s make a landfill.’

“So we bought a business that owned the land – it was a standalone forest investment business and we bought it lock, stock and barrel. Theoretically, the forestry and landfill operations have existed since ’97. We bought it in 2003 and it was all on: How to borrow a million bucks with no assets! It’s strictly a trade waste landfill though – not domestic.”

When it comes to the future of ME Jukes, the family’s next generation (and then some) is already involved.

Trevor explains: “Mike Jukes, my brother’s eldest son, joined the firm in 1990 after completing an engineering apprenticeship at the (Devonport) naval dockyard, and operates any and all of our machinery and specialises in handling the oddball challenges that crop up regularly.

“He also backs up in the dispatch office in an extremely competent manner, when we can catch him.”

Trevor’s son Tony joined the firm in 1996, after doing apprenticeship training on heavy machinery. He operated trucks for several years before working on plant maintenance in the

workshop and operating heavy machinery on the Jukes’ landfill development. He also spent five years running the dispatch office before returning to maintenance activities.

In fact, just about all of the family members have worked in the company at some stage as they grew up – doing anything from school holiday odd-jobs to fulltime driving and plant operations.

But Trevor is close to all his staff as well and believes in “making drivers, not buying them off others.

“Training-up apprentice motor mechanics and starting new drivers from scratch has been a passion of mine from day one – from youngsters sweeping the floor after school to the odd fellow the judge recommended to me as an alternative to his justice system. We give them a fair go, one and all.

“The reward for me is to see the progress they have made in life and the calls from the four corners of the world over the years checking their references – and, shortly after, people calling back to see if I had more chaps available with their cando work ethics and capabilities.”

Trevor reckons that key in the company’s survival over the past 100 years has been “the utter dedication and support we’ve always had from our wives and families, in behind and supporting us at all times....and totally complemented by the dedication of our very loyal staff.”

He finishes with some final words of wisdom. “Over my decades in the business I try to keep to this main theme: ‘Home for breakfast, dinner and tea – three square meals and a laugh out of life.’ What more could you want.” T&D

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Clockwise, from top left: Jukes has long run a recycling and scrapmetal operation, with its own baler....a Jukes Bedford gets loaded at the port logyard early on in its logtruck era.....a lineup of ex-Allied Concrete Ford L8000s ready to head to the port to help shuttle logs to another log ship.....Colin Jukes operates the Ruston Bucyrus RB10 dragline to load a company Hino ZM120 with metal for forestry roads inland from Tolaga Bay

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62 | Truck & Driver

FEATURE

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Editor Munro, at the wheel of a RHD Cascadia on the Madras test track, gets a taste of what’s coming our way next year. He gets out of the 600hp/2050 lb ft DD16-engined 126 model impressed

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T’S BEEN ONE OF THOSE GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS scenarios – this one involving Freightliner trucks.

So, it turns out that the new truck markets in little old New Zealand and big-bro Australia have long been bundled into one

by Freightliner owner Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), and given “special project” status.

Sounds good so far. Special is good – right? And, for sure, it has meant that even when the US trucking industry lost its appetite for cabovers and Freightliner withdrew the Argosy from the North American market in 2006, it kept right on building them. Just for us (well, actually, for Aussie, NZ AND southern Africa).

So this business of being treated as “special” has kind of served Freightliner and its customers well in this part of the world: The Argosy has, after all, been the North American make’s biggest-selling model here over the last 20 years – meeting the desires of operators who badly needed a relatively light, heavyduty cabover to efficiently and economically go about their work.

So why the “kind of” qualification? Because, it turns out that ultimately the “special project” status has also exacted a price on Freightliner DownUnder.

How come? Well because, while it has delivered us something we wanted, that something (the Argosy) has long since become pretty dated…old-school.

Meanwhile, in the States, the bonneted Cascadia model launched in 2007 as Freightliner’s up-to-the-minute flagship has become increasingly high-tech – clearly impressing the hell out of American transport operators.

They bought enough of ‘em between 2011 and 2018 to bump-up Freightliner’s Class 8 (heavy-duty) market share 20%.

And they’ve continued to buy them – encouraged, no doubt, by

a dedicated DTNA policy of model improvements (including good fuel efficiency gains) every second year.

Thus the Cascadia has become a runaway success story. It’s America’s best-selling heavy truck – carrying Freightliner to 90,000 truck sales in 2018.

While the Argosy…well, we were closing in on a 20-year-old truck (even given its second-generation update back in 2012). It was arguably way past its use-by date.

So there it is – the good news/bad news scenario: The “special project” arrangement – which saw DTNA’s production line accommodate our export oddities – resulted in our trucks getting further and further out of step with Freightliner’s mainstream North American models.

Until, I guess, it just didn’t make sense to keep on doing it. So, after years of rumours about the Argosy’s imminent demise, last year DTNA called time on its last cabover.

What’s only being revealed now though, during an Aussie and Kiwi trucking industry journos’ whistlestop US tour hosted by Freightliner – giving us an insight into the Cascadia before its launch here next year – is that with the passing of the Argosy, our “special project” status has also gone.

And Daimler Trucks Australia managing director Daniel Whitehead couldn’t be happier!

So now, with the upcoming introduction of the Cascadia, we’re a new kind of special – one of just four export markets that DTNA is now focused on (along with central America, Latin America and southern Africa/the Middle East).

The kind of special that means our flagship Freightliners are no longer going to be out-of-step models that lag way behind the truckmaker’s mainstream, current-model North American trucks.

In fact….they’ll be the same! Yep…the Cascadias that are Truck & Driver | 65

Left: Freightliner’s huge Cleveland plant (it covers more than one million square feet) is building around 106 trucks a day

Right: DTNA’s export sales and marketing boss Richard Howard says Freightliner is “100%” committed to the Australasian market – with a $US100m investment to prove it

launched here next year will be identical to the 2020 model US trucks – except, of course, for their right-hand-drive and the fact they’ll be made tougher and otherwise adapted to best suit Australasian conditions and needs (courtesy of what DTNA reckons is its toughest-ever test programme).

So not only is our market getting a model that’s ramped-up Freightliner’s heavy-duty truck sales in the US from 30.5% in 2011, to 37.4% so far this year (a spectacular 23% improvement in its market share)….we’re getting the latest version of it.

It’s why Whitehead is so happy: “This puts us right at the sharp edge…the advanced end…the same truck as America.

“And we should be relatively close to that going forward, because the technology updates, mappings, all come directly to Australia now – without us having to be a special project. So I think that this is a massive first step…we’re on the same boat.

“It’s an opportunity to reposition the Freightliner brand as the technology and innovation leader – exactly how they’ve done here (in the US) at DTNA – by bringing a new generation of products to the market for both Australia and NZ.” Being in step with the States is, he emphasises, “the most critical thing. By being on the same architecture and platform as the US – which means taking the US emissions standards rather than Euro 6….that means upgrades in technology….

“Every two years they basically have a new model. Which means we won’t get dropped off as a special project.”

And that, he’s certain is a very, very good thing – “because special projects, in a relatively low-volume market, is not the place you want to be. That’s the place where you end up with Argosy in the year 2019!”

What’s got us to this point in the evolution of an Australasian Cascadia is….first, a model that’s already seen as a landmark truck in the history of the Freightliner brand.

It is, says Richard Howard – DTNA’s senior VP sales and marketing (which also makes him Freightliner’s global sales and marketing boss) – a truck that was “a complete transformation” in terms of Freightliner product when it was launched in the US in 2007. And it’s only got better since.

In fact, he says, it’s a product that’s right “at the heart” of the development of DTNA itself.

Looking back to pre-Cascadia times, he reckons: “Not only in those days did we have a market share of plus or minus 18%... if you look at dealer satisfaction levels in those days, we were 66 | Truck & Driver

probably at the bottom of the end of the scale too. So certainly, as an organisation we had a lot to prove.”

Part of that proving process has been a commitment to a policy of nonstop improvement: “Not to brag….but one of the gamechanging approaches….is this constant innovation cycle that we’ve been going through.

“So, every two years, looking to improve – not only in terms of the technology platform, in terms of engine, transmission, powerplant performance and also aerodynamics. That’s been the roadmap….over the last 10 years or so, which has really enabled us to bring the best of the best….”

In 2013, with the launch of the Cascadia Evolution in the US, then DTNA boss Martin Daum (now Daimler Trucks’ global head) upped the ante: “So, every two years the mandate was to bring a new product to market where the overall fuel economy, the cost of ownership, is 5% better than the previous model.

“Certainly, that two-year innovation cycle, particularly with the Evolution, really started to set us apart from the competition, when I speak about total cost of ownership or real cost of ownership.”

Howard likes to talk about not just total cost of ownership, but “total ease of ownership: So, start making business easy, start making us a partner of choice for our customers and our dealers.”

Here’s some of the Cascadia’s key steps: Three years after the 2007 launch came the EPA10-compliant Detroit DD15 engine. Two years later, it was an advanced aerodynamic package, the Detroit DT12 automated manual trans in 2013…then the Cascadia Evolution in 2014. Followed by the New Cascadia in 2017 and now, the 2020 model (I guess that makes it the New New Cascadia?).

Richard Howard: So the Cascadia Evolution was “certainly a transformational product for us,” and the new Cascadia is nextlevel again – “substantially better than the previous product, not only in terms of the economics, but total customer ownership, drivability, safety, technology.”

And so here we are in 2019, with Freightliner now closing in on 200,000 Cascadias sold.

Freightliner reckons a key factor in that kind of success is the truck’s integrated powertrain: Between them, the DD13, DD15 and DD16 engines, for example, now go into 95% of all Cascadias built – while 77% of them have DT12 AMTs, 62% are specced with Detroit front axles and 35% with Detroit diffs.

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Virtual Technician able to translate fault data, with remote programming updates capability, vehicle performance analysis and wireless in-cab device connections…

And Detroit Assurance…which sounds a bit like an insurance scheme, but is actually a suite of safety features – the latest version including radar and cameras to deliver active brake assist, adaptive cruise (to and from a standstill), lane keep assist (which actually keeps the truck centred in a lane, with autonomous steering input)….

And full active emergency braking to avoid a moving pedestrian, side guard assist to avoid blind-spot collisions… even a system that uses the cameras to recognise road signs and display them on the dash. There’s also intelligent high beam headlight control. The system is now specced in 67% of all Cascadias sold in North America.

Howard says that while the iPhone changed the world….the connectivity and high-tech features in the new Cascadia make it “the biggest mobile device around!”

Under Daum’s leadership, DTNA “had a clear strategic view on undisputed market leadership.” Now, he says, “we expanded that – to undisputed market leadership…..in every direction!

“It’s not good enough to be a leader in total cost of ownership.

Connectivity is changing our world. Automated technologies are changing our world…. electric is changing our world.

“In the Class 8 highway space we probably have a market share of plus or minus 50% of all trucks travelling on the highways of North America today. And you think that doesn’t have some effect on things?

“Some of our customers…have said that with our safety technologies we’ve eliminated rear end collisions nowadays. So if you’re driving the latest trucks, they don’t go into the back of other vehicles – they stop before they hit. So saving lives and eliminating accidents, that’s a clear focus.”

Freightliner Australia director Stephen Downes has an informed view on how the Cascadia has become the runaway No. 1 in North American heavy trucks.

It’s down to Freightliner’s much-talked-about six pillars, he says: “One – fuel efficiency…. You’ve seen all the effort that’s gone into delivering really class-leading fuel efficiency in the NAFTA market, and we’re absolutely confident we can bring that to the domestic markets in Australia and NZ. “Pillar number two: Safety. New Cascadia will bring a suite of safety features to the conventional market in ANZ, the likes of which it’s never seen before.”

Then there’s quality and continuous improvement: “It’s a big opportunity for us there – being on the same platform as what NAFTA is…”

“Connectivity – that’s access to the Detroit Virtual Technician.

All the complex analytics that are in the software in the engine and the truck itself, behind the scenes.”

On our swift trip around the US, DTNA organises an amazingly insightful half-day visit with giant US carrier CR England in Salt Lake City. It’s at once an historic family business….and a cuttingedge operation that runs a huge fleet (4771 refrigerated and general freight units, to be exact). Over 93% of the trucks are Freightliners.

Truck & Driver | 69

Ask its execs seemingly anything about the business….and they’ll immediately give you deeply detailed info and figures, tapping into the data that comes off their trucks, ‘specially when it comes to improving fuel efficiency, running costs, safety.

They know and share info on the benefits or otherwise of fatigue sensors, reduced horsepower ratings, various axle ratios, retreaded tyres, speed governing, various engine oils, aerodynamic aids, low rolling resistance tyres….even perforated mudflaps.

It’s not for nothing that this business lives so much by the data its trucks provide: In 2005 its trucks were averaging 5.78 miles per gallon. So far in 2019 it’s at 8.02mpg. That’s the equivalent, in Kiwi terms, of improving from 40.69 litres per 100kms, to 29.32 litres per 100k. When you’re buying five to six million gallons of diesel a month (!) – which they are – the savings involved are huge.

Their depth of knowledge of exactly what their trucks are costing and why impresses us all – not least of all Downes, who makes the point that it shows exactly what’s possible in this age of connectivity: “I haven’t come across a company that understands its business to that level. And not only understands its business to that level, but actually manages it in such a way that if something doesn’t meet its ROI requirement, it simply doesn’t adopt whatever that option or that technology is.”

It uses the data to “really drive the efficiencies, work out what will deliver the ROI for them and make them the most money.”

Driver environment is another pillar of the DTNA philosophy, says Downes: “I think one of the things that historically we’ve been very strong on….is driver environment and the spacious

cab and that whole aspect. And that for me gets more important when you start talking about chain of responsibility and fatigue management – two things that are becoming increasingly important in our domestic markets.

“And, of course, the last pillar they talk to is, uptime. Because, for an operator, if the wheels aren’t turning you’re not making any money.”

So where do we fit into this Cascadia North American success story – and, just as importantly, how come? When DTNA’s doing so well in its home market, why bother about our relatively small conventional truck market?

DTNA director international sales and service Luis Vega explains that two years ago the company completed a major global strategy rethink.

It reviewed “what it is we’re doing internationally: Are we covering every single market that requires a truck, or are we going to be more selective.”

The decision was made and, Vega says, it’s “very clear: We want to be the best in every single market in which we compete.”

Discarded were potential export markets in which “we could offer a solution – but we can’t offer the full solution.”

And so Australasia was one of the four markets (outside North America) chosen – and now “those are the markets where we are putting our energy and where we are really going to drive…where we are putting new products and making all these investments.”

Richard Howard comments: “I think the fundamental point there is that before the international business was focused on multiple markets – tens of different markets – and strategically we reduced that to basically a handful.”

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Australia (and NZ), he stresses, is DTNA’s sole RHD market for Cascadia, and he adds: “I’m a great believer in focus on focus.

So yeah, if we focus on the focus, then we do the right things.

But when we have to look at multiple markets without the necessary investments, you tend to compromise on some of those decisions.”

So how’s it going – this ambitious aim to be undisputed leader in every market it’s in? Right now, says Vega, “if you’re talking about the US we are very close to being there – or we are already.

If you’re talking about Mexico, maybe we’re halfway. In Canada?

Very similar to US. “But the challenge for this company will be to now replicate everything we are doing (in these markets), in NZ and Australia…”

To achieve its place in the US market – and to achieve its constant innovation cycle – has clearly taken huge investment by DTNA. In its plants, in the Detroit factory and its now integrated powertrain offering. And in testing – so much testing: In laboratories, on the roads, in its own full-scale windtunnel within its Portland HQ complex and at its newly-built test track/truck proving ground at Madras, in the Oregon high desert.

The company’s product validation engineering division runs what Richard Howard says amounts to “the second-biggest truck fleet in Oregon” – just to test its trucks. It is, he adds, “constantly running our trucks and everybody else’s trucks. So overall, certainly nobody’s sitting on their laurels.”

To make this happen, the R&D spend is huge, as Richard Howard outlines: “We’re in the tune of a billion dollars every year – and you’ll see that in our products moving forward by having 72 | Truck & Driver

the same platform in Australia as we have here.”

Chief test engineer Al Pearson and his team push the products hard, Howard adds, “because we want to break them before our customers do.”

It’s the foundation – “how we can design, build, manufacture the best trucks in the business.”

Pearson reckons that his team, comprising 200 engineers and technicians, is “the conscience of the product. Our job is to make sure that the things that these guys design, work for our customers and don’t break…and they last reliably, deliver on fuel economy, noise, vehicle performance topics.

“Our job is to create an environment of healthy tension. We create some stress in the organisation: No design guy ever believes he designed something poorly. When we tell him it doesn’t work, his feelings are hurt. So we have to deal with that and we have to have a strong voice…but we have to work with our design colleagues to move things forward and make progress.

“Our catchphrase is ‘we’re the voice of the critical customer.’

We want to provide eyes and ears and we want to provide the feelings of the customer back to the design group.”

Most of the engineers have commercial driver’s licences: “We drive trucks all the time. We’re not the kind of people that sit in cubes or play video games so much. We’re kind of hands-on people by nature.”

Questions turn to the problems of Freightliners past in Australia and NZ – yes, including rattly, loose-fitting Argosy and Coronado dashes – but Daniel Whitehead is quick to point out: “We didn’t have this level of testing before.”

Al Pearson’s test team has long since done the proving work for the new North American Cascadia – but, as Downes observes, “it doesn’t mean that they’ve just turned off their engineering evaluation fleet. They’re still investing significant amounts of money running their own test fleet to make sure they keep in front of the curve. So they know before anyone else knows what the durability looks like.

“And the big advantage for us….we get the benefit of that experience….. So, another really positive example of why it’s important to go on the same platform as DTNA.” On top of the ongoing testing and development of the new Cascadia for the North American market, the extra testing and R&D done specifically for the Australasian trucks has been

extensive.

Says Downes: “It hasn’t just been a two-week operation where we take one truck and we run it around the track and tick, tick, tick – that’s fine. It’s gone through essentially the same indepth evaluation as any of the domestic product.

“We were very conscious of the fact that in the past we haven’t necessarily ticked all of the boxes from a durability and reliability perspective.”

So, he adds, “we wanted to make sure when Cascadia came around that we’ve done everything we needed to, to make sure it was absolutely, 100% fit for purpose.”

For the RHD Cascadia, the product validation process has involved 28 vehicles, including two LHD field test units that have

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Truck & Driver | 73

Above left: Chief test engineer Al Pearson reckons his 200-strong team is “the conscience of the product”...isn’t afraid to hurt designers’ feelings Above right: This dashboard will soon be another part of the brave new world of super-connectivity

Right: DTNA’s test trucks are reckoned to add up the secondbiggest fleet in Oregon

been in operation for more than a year. Others in the US have been put through the hoops to test their reliability, durability, and performance with braking, heat, cold, shaker testing…. That’s on top of the trucks out on the roads and at the proving ground.

The physical truck testing has included real-world performance data from Aussie LHD and RHD field testing, windtunnel, track and onroad validation to meet extreme Aussie temperatures, road conditions and up to 100-tonne GCMs. Unsurprisingly, Pearson says that damage encountered in testing for the Australasian market has been “significantly higher” than had been seen in testing for North America’s 80% onhighway operation.

In Australia a DD16 and DT12-equipped 126 sleeper cab Cascadia has been doubleshifted on rural fuel deliveries to farms in western Queensland – covering 350,000kms per year in hot weather and climbing an 8% gradient hill every day at its maximum legal weight, 68.5t.

So what exactly are we getting in these new Freightliners?

Starting with the Detroit engines, Daniel Whitehead believes they will “deliver the lowest emissions in the market.”

And he adds: “Without a doubt Cascadia will be the most aerodynamic truck that exists on the highway….. It will be a dominant player in that fuel-efficient space, not only because of its aerodynamics but because of that integrated driveline and all the things that they bring to it from a fuel efficiency perspective.”

When we visit the windtunnel, vehicle durability and reliability director Napolyon Isikbay says proudly that “the new Cascadia is the most fuel efficient, aerodynamic Class 8 truck – maybe in the world. Put it this way – our European colleagues are very jealous!”

Someone mentions the International ProStar often being talked about as “the most aerodynamic North American truck” and 74 | Truck & Driver

Isikbay is dismissive: DTNA is the only US truckmaker with its own fullscale windtunnel, he points out…

And adds that other makes are routinely tested here for comparison: “Our most aero package is clearly better than any rival product we’ve tested.”

Whitehead concludes his Australasian Cascadia summary: It will be “one of the safest, if not the safest truck on the road.

Providing superior driver comfort….and unprecedented levels of connectivity. All combining to deliver operators the lowest real cost of ownership. And for them, that’s essentially what it’s all about.”

Stephen Downes goes further – pinpointing his two key areas in what the Australasian Cascadias will deliver: “Clearly fuel efficiency has been a big one….. And of course, that’s driving what DTNA is doing here locally to continuously improve….to drive that fuel economy, to make it better and better.

“And for me the other big one and the real revolutionary leap in terms of what Cascadia brings to Australia and NZ, is the suite of safety products – all under that Detroit Assurance plan.

“It will revolutionise what a conventional truck looks like in Australia and NZ from a safety perspective. To the point where I will go out and say it will be the safest truck on the road in Australia.

“Detroit Assurance brings not only safety, but also innovation and technology leadership. And again, that’s something that’s going to revolutionise the market, particularly for American trucks in the Australian and NZ markets. That access to the data the operators will have and then, when they’ve got access to that data, making the most informed decisions and managing the fleet.”

It only takes a couple of (way-too-short) drives in a couple of

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Right: Busy workshop at the Madras proving ground is devoted to setting up test trucks, monitoring them and keeping them running – up to 8-10 of them at a time Above: Trucks aren’t the only hazard at the high desert test track!

new Cascadias at the Madras proving ground to determine that this truck is unlike any other Freightliner I’ve ever been in. In a very, very good way, that is.

First impressions are that this is a solid, well built, refined, comfortable and easy to drive truck. No rattles, no shakes. First I get 10 minutes or so behind the wheel of a LHD 126 sleeper cab equipped with a 400hp/1650 lb ft DD15 and Detroit’s DT12 AMT. Then about the same again in a RHD 126 with a 600hp/2050 lb ft DD16 – both pulling trailers to suit their specs…the latter, for instance, at around 80,000 lbs (36.3 tonnes).

In this very American spot, dotted with signs warning of the rattlesnakes that are a feature of this high plain, along with mountain peaks, moose and elk, I have to say this feels like a sophisticated Euro truck.

That’s only heightened by the fact that the first Cascadia gives me a cool, first-time, first-hand experience with one element of the Detroit Assurance safety package – namely its Lane Keep Assist, which seems to be pretty much the same as the partially autonomous steering I experienced (as a passenger) in Europe last year, in a Mercedes-Benz Actros with its Active Drive Assist package.

It’s an amazing thing – a great piece of driver assistance that kicks in when you’re in cruise control (adaptive cruise, of course – which operates down to a stop and a restart). As long as you’re running in a clearly-marked lane and you have both hands at least touching the steering wheel (albeit very, very lightly) the system will steer you through corners….with no actual steering input from you.

Look, in a brief drive, you can only get a feel for a truck. All I can say is this one feels good. Really good.

But, good as it appears to me – and good as everything we’ve heard about the Cascadia sounds….it’s still not enough, as Downes acknowledges: “It can’t just be a good truck – without the same support services that DTNA offers.

“Although product is a major success factor, it’s certainly not The Silver Bullet. Product will only get you so far. And we’re acutely aware of that too. So yes, is product an important key to success? Absolutely. And we’re convinced, new Cascadia will tick that box over, and over, and over again.”

There is a clear understanding by Daimler bosses that the quality of its service network from its dealers in NZ and Australia is critical to the Cascadia replicating its US success. As Downes says: “Yes the product is fantastic….but because they’re mechanical, things occur and they do break down. And it’s at that point in time when the network comes into play and they’re looking for the support.”

The close on 40% Class 8 market share that DTNA trucks (that’s Freightliner and Western Star) hold in the US is clearly the sort of thing to make Downes excited: “When you just think about that number – 40%! That’s two in every five trucks that go down the road…have come out of DTNA. “That is an outstanding achievement and it’s something that we would ideally love to replicate across Australia and NZ. Yes, the markets are different and there’s a different number of competitors, so it probably needs to be a slightly different expectation.

“But, certainly in the segments in which these trucks are competing, we have a clear ambition – to be trying to mirror that exact level of penetration.”

Richard Howard says that the Australasian market has never been more important to Freightliner.

In the US, he says, “not only is it (Cascadia) a truck that our customers love, I think certainly it’s a truck that continues to transform and be the benchmark for competitors to beat.”

Now it’s time to bring it Down Under: “We want to bring the best of the best to Australia as we’ve done it here in North America. We want to put our money where our mouth is, and we want to bring product to the market designed for the market, tested in your market.”

A measure of this market’s importance, he says, is the fact that the Cascadia’s launch in Australia and NZ is a $US100million exercise. It’s a very clear sign, he adds, that “our longterm commitment to Australia is absolute.

“The level of investment in that platform has gone way beyond where…well, I’d say it’ll take Daniel and Steve quite a while to get to the breakeven point with all the trucks we’ll need to sell to do that. But again, we’re leading with the long view.

“If we’re going to do anything we have to do it right. And doing it right and making the right decision is about commitment – not only of money. I would say that’s the easier part of it.

“It’s about the dedication and support of both the network and the people ready to build an organisation that can be undisputed market leader in Australia. We’re a long way from that today.

We’ve got to prove ourselves, like everything else in life. It takes time, but first it takes leadership commitment to do that. It takes resources, and it takes great product.

“But ultimately product alone can’t get you there. Then, of course, making sure you’ve got the people in the organisation that can deliver a world class truck and a world class customer service and…we’ve got to prove that. Words are dead easy – but we’re on that journey.” T&D Truck & Driver | 77

New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association

The conference covered a wide range of heavy haulage industry issues.... and future challenges

Change will bring challenges

By Jonathan Bhana-Thomson – chief executive, New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association

M

ANY SPEAKERS AT THE RECENT NEW ZEALAND HEAVY Haulage Association conference highlighted that managing change will remain an ongoing challenge for members of the oversize transport sector.

The Nelson conference included, in particular, two presentations from NZ Transport Agency staff highlighting that in the regulatory compliance space – as well as with the road designs associated with the Safe Network Programme – this will pose challenges for industry members.

The latter aims to improve 3300 kilometres of existing state highways and local roads with safety interventions, the most significant of them the installation of median and side road barriers.

The association has been raising concerns with the NZTA for some time about the design of these safety changes on existing roads, and the attendance of James Hughes – NZTA lead safety adviser for roads and roadsides – was a great way to engage further on this.

Hughes presented the rationale for the programme and there was some robust discussion with delegates about the way in which this was designed and consulted on. Industry members had concerns that consultation was not carried out early enough and that there needed to be sufficient budget to make mitigation changes to existing infrastructure such as light poles, signage and roadside vegetation to allow wide loads to continue to use these routes safely.

The increased role of the agency as an industry regulator was well covered by Kelvin Lloyd, the southern manager for road compliance.

He stated that the willing compliance model previously employed allowed too much liberty when there wasn’t good, active followup of compliance issues by the agency.

Since the end of last year there has been a rebalancing of the agency’s efforts to be an industry regulator, and this has included improved case management where there are compliance matters, as well as an even application of the requirements across the country.

The Operator Rating Scheme is being actively reviewed and it’s expected that within 6-12 months that a new model will be rolled out that will address identified deficiencies. The industry will be consulted before it’s finalised.

Load piloting came in for some attention – pilot group convenor Peter Bell updating delegates about many projects under way to enhance the traffic control performance of pilots, including the trialling of new rooftop signs.

The association has also been working on a new scheme for the entry assessment of the lowergraded Class 2 pilots in conjunction with NZTA and a new assessment Jonathan Bhana-Thomson provider, Aspeq. The new system, including a new guide book, pilot test and control requirements for applicants, will be available shortly.

The on-road performance of Class 2 pilots in particular was addressed by Senior Sergeant Mike Maloney of the CVST, who welcomed their new, improved requirements, but said that current Class 2 pilots need to lift their game.

An update on achievements and issues regarding overweight and overdimension permitted loads was provided by group convenor Mark McNeilly, association CEO Jonathan Bhana-Thomson and association chairman Carl Baker.

There were also presentations by the NZTA’s Ricardo Areosa about developments with permitting and by Andrew Morrison, of WSP-Opus – leader of the overweight permit issuing team. It was gratifying to hear that the agency is working on a better permit portal system – making it easier for members to manage their permitting requirements, which the association has sought for some time.

The association acknowledged members who “have gone above and beyond on behalf of the industry.” Huck McCready of Rowe Motors received a chairman’s award for his work in the promotion of an industry sector group within the association for heavy recovery members. Northland load pilot Wayne Norris also received a chairman’s award for his excellent liaison work with the NZTA and the region’s contractors as the association’s area rep. T&D Truck & Driver | 79

Deane averts disaster Summerlands driver Deane Rodgers (below) had the presence of mind – and the calm nerves – to drive five kilometres to the Makikihi hotel carpark....to avoid triggering a potentially catastrophic wildfire in the tinder-dry paddocks

Story Brian Cowan Photos Deane Rodgers & Ron Joll

T

RAVELLING THE STATE HIGHWAY network on a linehaul freight run, truck drivers are always aware of the potential for being involved in a traffic accident, or coming across the results of one...

But having their own load catch fire? Not so much!

But that’s just what happened to Summerland Express Freight driver Deane Rodgers earlier this year – and when it did, his calm and considered reaction to the situation averted what could have been a major catastrophe.

His actions make Deane a worthy nominee as a Castrol Truck Driver Hero.

Deane had left Dunedin not long after 5am on a bright February morning. His Iveco Stralis was hooked to a curtainsider B-train loaded with cartons of infant formula cans,

destined for Christchurch.

By mid-morning he was travelling through South Canterbury on SH1 when in his mirrors he saw that the combination was trailing a cloud of smoke.

Deane takes up the story: “The fire had obviously been burning inside the trailer for some time before smoke became visible in my mirrors. My first thought was that it must be a blown tyre or a mudguard rubbing – but that idea quickly went out the window when flames burst through the side of the trailer curtains!

“My immediate reaction was to slow down and pull over, but I then saw that there were paddocks of wheat crops and tinder-dry grass close to the edge of the seal. There was also a strong wind blowing.

“If I pulled over there was a good chance the flames would spread into the fields

Truck & Driver | 81

P

•

•

All pictures: Once at the carpark, Deane was able to disconnect the curtainsider B-train to at least save the tractor unit. Firemen – alerted by the Summerlands office – arrived at the scene to find the trailers beyond saving.... but, critically, were able to prevent the fire spreading further

straight away. Even if the grass didn’t catch, the highway would still be completely blocked by the burning truck, and it would take forever to clear.

“Then I realised the Makikihi Country Hotel was barely five kilometres up the road and it has a big open truck parking area, so I carried on. I called my manager, Dan Munro – told him what was happening and to direct the emergency services to the pub.

“It was really hard case! As I was getting along, other drivers were flashing their lights and blowing their horns to alert me, assuming I hadn’t seen the fire...but believe me, I was well aware of it!”

Getting off the highway at the hotel was merely the first step for Deane. By the time he stopped, the fire – which had started in the forward part of the back trailer – had spread to the front unit.

Ignoring the heat, which was beginning to become really intense, he lowered the trailer landing legs – enabling him to unhitch the tractor unit and drive it clear before it too was engulfed by the fire.

Soon after, the emergency services arrived and doused the flames, but both trailers and their cargo were written off.

Deane’s cool thinking and prompt action averted what at the very least could have resulted in a multi-million dollar loss of crops and property. The South Island had been experiencing one of the hottest summers on record, and fire restrictions had been in place in the region for a month. Just four days later the Pigeon Valley fire in the Nelson region forced the evacuation of several communities.

Fire investigator Ken Legat, who attended the scene within hours of the blaze, later confirmed that had Deane stopped on the highway and the fire spread to the adjoining paddocks, given the prevailing winds, it had the potential to escalate beyond the management of local fire crews and threaten vast areas and several nearby towns.

Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) assistant area commander Stephen Butler praised Deane’s actions, saying he did the right thing by continuing to the open space near the hotel.

His words have been echoed by New Zealand Transport Agency maintenance contract manager John Keenan, who said his quick thinking and risk mitigation ensured that highway users had very

82 | Truck & Driver

limited disruption – much less than would otherwise have been the case had he simply stopped on the road.

Local farmers too were vocal in their gratitude – particularly since several grain and hay crops in the area were close to harvest. One landowner commented that around $1m in potential damage to crops had been averted.

Deane admits that although he might have seemed calm from the outside, the experience left him pretty shaken, and seeing the trailers and their freight destroyed was tough.

Just as tough, he adds, was being tied up for some time in a debriefing with the Police and FENZ and not being able to contact his wife to tell her he was okay.

The veteran trucker has been behind the wheel for 33 years – the past 18 months with Summerland – and has extensive experience in freight, stock and container cartage, but reckons this episode was one out of the box: “In all my years, that’s the first time I’ve had to deal with something like that!”

However, it appears his experience was not unique and may have been the result of a problem with some trailers using mezzanine floors, supported by metal brackets on the side.

Summerlands general manager Grant Lowe, who nominated Deane as a Castrol Truck Driver Hero, says that investigation of the cause of the fire revealed that the floor’s metal edging was rubbing against these brackets as the curtainsider flexed, causing heat to build up.

In time, little shards of molten metal then started to drip onto the shrinkwrapped cardboard cartons of tins underneath. The shrinkwrap melted and it and the cardboard subsequently caught fire.

Several similar instances have been experienced around the country and trailer designs are being modified to ensure there are no repeats, he says. If there are, hopefully the drivers involved remain as calm and collected as Deane Rodgers.

As a Castrol Truck Driver Hero, Deane will receive a $500 prezzy card and merchandise from Castrol – and is now a finalist in the annual 2019/2020 Castrol Truck Driver Hero Award, which carries a $3500 travel voucher for the winner. T&D

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With its fly jib in use, JRP’s new Fassi F820 truck crane is capable of hoisting a onetonne load onto the top of an eight-storey building!

JRP raises the bar Story & photos: Dean Evans

Truck & Driver | 85

The impressive-looking 10x6 Isuzu and its Fassi F820RA is one of the biggest crane truck units of its kind in the country

W

HEN HAWKE’S BAY CRANE TRUCK SPECIALIST JRP got down to speccing the latest addition to its fleet, owner Paul Wheatley decided that making it a bit bigger than the last one just wasn’t going to cut it.

Wheatley, who started out in the truck-based heavy lifting business 16 years ago with a refurbished secondhand Isuzu Hiab unit, had since bought two more new crane trucks.

Each of them was a bit bigger than its predecessor – “and each time I thought ‘this is going to be my last one… I don’t need any bigger.’

“Then, a year later, I needed a bigger one! And then a year later (than that), I needed a bigger one again!

“But with everything getting so heavy now – with septic tanks and water tanks – we thought ‘if we’re going to do something, we might as well do it big!’” By that he means, REALLY BIG! So for JRP’s latest and fourth crane truck since starting out in the specialised business, Wheatley has taken a giant leap – speccing a Fassi F820RA, one of the largest truck cranes in the Southern Hemisphere….

And having an CYH530 Isuzu 8x4 converted into a beefed-up 10x6 to take it. It’s the largest crane to

ever go onto an Isuzu, Hawke’s Bay dealer Deakin Trucks Isuzu believes.

The project began almost a year ago, the challenges of the task aggravated by frustrations including delays due to the discovery of stinkbugs in import vehicles and containers.

But now the Napier-based business has the impressive unit in work and, as Paul Wheatley says: “We’re absolutely stoked with the outcome – everyone has done a really good job. This is the cream of the crop.

“We can do anything from water tanks to crane work – we do trusses for Carters, frames, and concrete product for Hynds and Humes…we’re into everything. If we can lift it, we can shift it.”

The project has called on the expertise of Deakin Trucks Isuzu, AllCrane and Hendrickson – beginning with Paul Wheatley meeting Deakin’s Dion Butler and coming up with the plan for the tri-drive Isuzu and the Fassi 820 crane.

Says Wheatley: “I had a friend in Gisborne who’d bought a Fassi and he spoke highly of it. So I met with Gary Walker at (Fassi dealer) AllCrane, and we talked about it….and I thought ‘I’ve got nothing to lose.’ And right from the start, their professionalism and backup has been fantastic. So far, I’m very Truck & Driver | 87

Just like a bought one!

Deakin Trucks Isuzu turned a factory 8x4 Isuzu CYH530 with spring suspension into a 10x6, with the tri-drive riding on Hendrickson air.

The extra drive axle was installed between the two original diffs

impressed.”

Walker’s enthusiastic about the new unit: It is the fourth of this model in the country – “but this is the first of its type on the road with a fly jib – which is typically used for roof trusses, roofing iron, AC units on top of buildings. It can lift up to 21 metres and out to 14.5m horizontally with 1025 kilograms.”

That, he emphasises, is reaching up the height of an eight-storey building – and putting something weighing a tonne on its roof: “That’s the impressive part about the F820 – its abilities in high places. It has a 28.1m reach.”

The crane will also lift almost four tonnes at full horizontal stretch, at just over 16m hydraulically on the main boom, or 1200kg up to 31 metres.

With a touchscreen display on the crane itself, plus onboard scales, the operation is all handled through a remote, with lots of clever touches, like automatic foldout and unfold functions to preset positions.

So far as the truck goes, Deakin’s Dion Butler explains that “there are two big things that we’ve changed – the drive layout and the rear suspension.

“It’s six-wheel drive…. There’s a hell of a lot of 88 | Truck & Driver

work to turn it into a 10x6.”

The 530-horsepower 8x4 CYH530 came with a Roadranger 18-speed manual transmission. It also had spring suspension – “so we’ve removed that, reduced the wheelbase by 350mm and put in Hendrickson Primaax EX severe duty air suspension.”

It uses large-volume air springs, but requires less air pressure to lift and support the load.

Minimal pinion angle changes and an integrated stabiliser system helps deliver a smooth ride, improved vehicle control and minimal lean or sway through sweeping corners.

Adds Butler: “We do a lot of those suspensions in our trucks already. We put this suspension regularly into tippers…we do a dozen sets a year, so we’re pretty well versed.

“We have pre-made mounting plates and it was just a case of spacing – the hardest part was getting the centre-diff all set up and ready for placement.

“Once the calculations of sorting it out and all the detail design and prep was done, our engineer made it all look easy. He’s been with us for 27 years, and it’s been a love project really.”

The truck has an air suspension dump valve to

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Above left: Deakin Trucks Isuzu fitted the Roadrunner toolboxes, built the access steps, ladder, dunnage, crane footpad and chain storage

Above right: The handover of the new unit sees (from left to right) JRP’s Rhys Wheatley, Bex Nash, Paul Wheatley, Ava Nash-Wheatley, Jake Wheatley and Sue Nash, plus Deakin Trucks’ Sam O’Connor and Dion Butler and AllCrane’s Gary Walker Below left: Automatic fold and unfold presets make using the Fassi very easy – either using the touchscreen or (more often) via the remote Below right: The 10x6 has now had its clip-on, clip-off rear deck fitted by Deakins

maintain stability when the crane’s working.

The tri-drive was created by adding another (identical) heavy-duty diff – inserted between the two existing differentials. Beattys Driveline Technologies in Auckland manufactured the jackshaft to fit, working out all the driveline angles.

Butler: “It’s the kind of innovation these guys (JRP) wanted. The way the system’s set up, when one axle goes up, the other two go down – so there’s always positive traction on the ground.”

The Isuzu can be operated as a truck-only unit, or as a tractor unit, in front of a range of trailers when necessary. It’s rated to a 65t GCM. Since it went into service it’s been back to Deakins to have its small clip-on, clip-off deck installed.

Depending on whether it has the deck on or off, and whether or not the fly jib is fitted, the Isuzu tares between 22.6 tonnes and 23.8t, giving it a 6.2-7.4t payload capability.

Enthuses Dion Butler about the finished product: “The tri-drive has grip all over the show, but it’s more about the weight loading than the added 90 | Truck & Driver

traction in the odd places they need to go. There are more drive axles on the ground, and more wheels driving. There are also diff locks as a factory option.”

The truck has a spoiler kit, side skirts, Alcoa alloy wheels, Roadrunner toolboxes and storage for the crane’s front footpads, which are 800mm by 800mm and weigh 30-40kg each. The low exhaust was modified slightly and Deakins also built and fitted storage for a ladder and a dunnage box, a chainbox and an accessway…and did the checkerplate work.

Paul Wheatley reckons: “I was never into trucks, but I love the crane work and it just took off and grew – and it’s still growing today.

“And the whole family is involved.” Paul’s partner Bex Nash and his sons Rhys and Jake work in the business with him. And, he adds: “We’ve got a neat client backing and we’re pretty proud of what we do.

“We needed the extra truck anyway,” he adds – “and this new unit will be used for everything: It’ll cover the normal high work with the fly jib off, and with the fly jib on we’ll hit that crane market.” T&D

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97% 97% 97% reduction reduction reduction ininNOx inNOx NOx (Nitrogen (Nitrogen (Nitrogen Oxides) Oxides) Oxides)

40% 40%40% 40%

Above Above Above figures figures figures are are are applicable applicable applicable toto Mercedes-Benz toMercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz

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20% 20%20% 20% 10% 10% 10%10%Euro Euro Euro 6 66

Euro Euro Euro 6 66

Euro Euro 6 66 Euro

Euro Euro Euro 6 66

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ADBlue ADBlue Fuel Fuel Fuel Consumption Consumption Consumption ADBlue

Particulate Particulate Particulate NOx NOx NOx Matter Matter Matter (Nitrogen (Nitrogen (Nitrogen Oxides) Oxides) Oxides)

Trucks Trucks Trucks && Trailers &Trailers Trailers Ltd Ltd Ltd | Auckland | |Auckland Auckland | Palmerston | |Palmerston Palmerston North North North | Wellington | |Wellington Wellington | 0800 | |0800 0800 327 327 327 777 777 777 Keith Keith Keith Andrews Andrews Andrews Trucks Trucks Trucks Ltd Ltd Ltd | Whangarei | |Whangarei Whangarei | Hamilton | |Hamilton Hamilton | |0800 |0800 0800 44 87825 487825 87825 Prestige Prestige Prestige Commercial Commercial Commercial Vehicles Vehicles Vehicles | Christchurch | |Christchurch Christchurch | 0800 | |0800 0800 3737 98 3798 99 989999

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Road Transport Association NZ

Trucks are so highly visible out on our highways and city streets, they’re an easy target for emissions reduction measures

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By Road Transport Association NZ chief executive Dennis Robertson

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Cows, trucks and climate change

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OU WOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN A CAVE NOT TO BE REMINDED daily that we are confronted with what many are now calling a climate crisis.

We are about to see more student strikes, more councils and governments declare a climate emergency and all sorts of other activity as this issue is debated and the concerns that are growing find their voice.

For our industry this will be a real problem, sooner than you might think.

While we have seen some very good developments around lowemission engines and many operators are constantly looking to reduce carbon emissions and offset fuel use, we are going to be an easy target.

It’s true that the farming sector has a major challenge with the intensification of farming, especially dairying. Not only is farming increasing the methane and nitrate levels in the air and soil, it’s the source of the most CO2 emissions in New Zealand. However, farming is also the lifeblood of our exports and if we’re going to have an active farming sector, we have some big challenges to face.

Nevertheless, we (the transport sector) will be the easy target because no matter how many cows there are you can’t stop them farting.

What we need is a practical rather than another regulatory approach that treats all transport operators the same.

The fact is that to do business in the transport sector in NZ we have a wide range of vehicles and a wide age range within the fleet, which don’t all comply with the best Euro 6 emission standards. This is a reality for the sector, which is fiercely competitive and profit-poor.

Operators can’t just go out and replace vehicles. If we wait for electric trucks or hydrogen fuel cell technology to power vehicles, the reality is that this is a distant horizon…and it will not be cheap.

The problem we have is that trucks going down the road are highly visible throughout the entire country, including our towns and cities. You don’t see cows on our highways and city streets.

Because of this we are the low-hanging fruit and, as I said, an easy target.

The fact is, transport has been doing its bit for years. If you look at the advances over the last 10 to 20 years, we now potentially have a fleet that is capable of almost being emission-free; it just comes with a cost.

We could all just stop eating red meat, only drink artificial milk and use less timber to cut emissions from the trucks that carry them – but whatever we replace them with, those products will still have to get through by truck.

So we come back to the same challenge: We need to understand that climate change will have a cost, and we need to make sure that we are all committed to paying for it. T&D Truck & Driver | 93

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National Road Carriers Waste Management told the Future of Freight seminar that it will have 20 etrucks on the road by year’s end

Operators thirsty for more information on sustainability T

RUCKING COMPANY OPERATORS ARE THIRSTY FOR MORE information on sustainability, according to an attendee survey we ran after our Future of Freight seminar in July.

At the seminar, industry leaders and subject matter experts brought 125 NRC members and associate members from around the North Island up to date on new developments in biofuels, hydrogen, clean diesel and electric vehicles.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) also spoke about the Low Emission Vehicle Contestable Fund (LECV) that supports projects that encourage innovation and investment in electric and other low emissions vehicles.

A post-event survey provided very positive feedback: • Rating: More than 70% of respondents rated the event awesome or above expectations.

• More events: 32 out of 33 respondents wanted NRC to put on more events about sustainability.

• Recommend: All 33 respondents indicated they would recommend NRC events like this to others.

Survey respondents called for future seminars to cover case studies from different-sized operators about the practical things they’re doing to shave emissions and costs and a template pathway to emissions reduction for transport companies.

With practicality top of mind, a highly-rated presentation by Waste Management senior project engineer EV, Sam Donaldson, informed attendees that the company plans to electrify its entire fleet of around 800 vehicles, equating to a saving of around 100,000 litres of diesel a day.

The waste industry lends itself perfectly to electrification because rubbish trucks operate on short collection routes – up to 200 kilometres a day – and return to base in the evenings, so they can be recharged ready for the next day’s collections.

A municipal collection truck stops on average between 1200 and 1300 times a day. With a diesel vehicle all the stopping energy is lost through heat and friction on the brakes and tyres. An EV truck

By David Aitken, CEO of National Road Carriers Association can harness this momentum through regenerative braking to recharge the onboard battery pack. This not only provides additional charge for the batteries but also saves on wear and tear.

With support from EECA’s LECV fund, Waste Management set up a workshop in Mt Wellington, Auckland to convert diesel trucks to electric power. It started with a simple box body delivery truck, which was first built up as a diesel truck and then converted to electric with support and components from Dutch company Emoss. This truck has been at work since early 2017.

Waste Management then converted two side-load residential collection vehicles, and then a 14 tonne GVM rear-load truck and a 15 tonne GVM skip truck. The company now has eight EV trucks on the road, with another two currently being converted – and it plans to have 20 battery electric trucks on the road by the end of this year.

The transport sector is responsible for nearly 20% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions and it was great to see so many attendees from all around the country at the seminar and to get the feedback that members want to know what practical steps they can take towards sustainability. Waste Management’s story is clearly inspirational.

As a NZ-wide road transport association, National Road Carriers is taking a lead in making our members and the broader industry aware of sustainability and environmental policy – both to improve the environment and as a path to smarter business practice. T&D Truck & Driver | 95

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Agricultural equipment specialist REL Group has this new DAF 75 4x2 tractor unit and its purposebuilt two-axle trailer delivering silos around the country. Jeff Blackburn drives the unit, which has a 360hp 9.2-litre engine, with an AS Tronic 12-speed AMT. Pic Gerald Shacklock

Truck sales stay strong ....trailers slide S

ALES IN NEW ZEALAND’S NEW TRUCK MARKET remained strong in August, keeping 2019 sales at record levels.

Total registrations for the first eight months of the year ran to 3572 trucks in the overall market (4.5 tonnesmaximum GVM), according to official NZ Transport Agency registration data – a new year-to-date benchmark, albeit just 2% up on last year’s 3489 regos at the same point.

The month itself saw 476 trucks above 4.5t registered – down on August 2017’s record 508.

The heavy trailer market, on the other hand, continued its downward trend – the 125 registrations for the month well down on August 2018’s 166.

Similarly, the YTD tally at the end of August stood at

1035, 12.5% down on last year’s total 1183 sales at the same point.

In the overall 4.5t-maximum GVM market, August saw Isuzu extend its 2019 lead, with 103 units registered – pushing its YTD total out to 890, 246 ahead of second-placed FUSO (563/78).

Hino (489/63) held third position YTD, ahead of Mercedes-Benz (246/49), Volvo (217/22) and Kenworth (204/32) – the top six positions unchanged. Iveco (178/29) moved up two places into seventh position YTD, ahead of DAF and UD (both 173/20), who equalled each other for month and the year to tie for eighth position. Scania (132/21) retained 10th place.

(continued on page 100) Truck & Driver | 97

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23,001kg-max GVM 2019

4501kg-max GVM 2019 Brand ISUZU FUSO HINO MERCEDES-BENZ VOLVO KENWORTH IVECO DAF UD SCANIA MAN SINOTRUK FOTON FREIGHTLINER MACK HYUNDAI VOLKSWAGEN INTERNATIONAL FIAT WESTERN STAR RAM CAMC OTHER Total

Vol 809 563 489 246 217 204 178 173 173 132 76 71 53 39 38 29 27 21 12 11 5 3 3 3572

% 22.6 15.8 13.7 6.9 6.1 5.7 5.0 4.8 4.8 3.7 2.1 2.0 1.5 1.1 1.1 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.3 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.1 100.00

Vol 103 78 63 49 22 32 29 20 20 21 4 7 10 2 6 1 2 3 1 2 1 0 0 476

August % 21.6 16.4 13.2 10.3 4.6 6.7 6.1 4.2 4.2 4.4 0.8 1.5 2.1 0.4 1.3 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.2 0.4 0.2 0.0 0.0 100.00

Vol 22 11 2 2 3 2 4 0 1 0 0 0 47

August % 46.8 23.4 4.3 4.3 6.4 4.3 8.5 0.0 2.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.00

Vol 38 31 32 12 10 10 2 1 1 1 138

August % 27.5 22.5 23.2 8.7 7.2 7.2 1.4 0.7 0.7 0.7 100.00

3501-4500kg GVM 2019 Brand FIAT MERCEDES-BENZ FORD CHEVROLET PEUGEOT RENAULT LDV IVECO VOLKSWAGEN TOYOTA FUSO NISSAN Total

Vol 158 52 23 21 19 18 13 5 4 3 2 1 319

% 49.5 16.3 7.2 6.6 6.0 5.6 4.1 1.6 1.3 0.9 0.6 0.3 100.00

4501-7500kg GVM 2019 Brand FUSO ISUZU MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO HINO FOTON VOLKSWAGEN HYUNDAI FIAT RAM Total 98 | Truck & Driver

Vol 244 214 124 102 89 40 27 20 12 5 877

% 27.8 24.4 14.1 11.6 10.1 4.6 3.1 2.3 1.4 0.6 100.00

Paparoa’s Blue and Gayle Vallance have put this new Kenworth K200 8x4 to work for their Livetranz business, running under contract to OnRoad Transport. The 8x4, which is driven by Clendon Phillips, has a 600-615hp Cummins X15 engine, an 18-speed Roadranger manual gearbox and Meritor RT46 160 diffs, with full locks. It works all around the North Island.

Brand ISUZU HINO FUSO UD IVECO FOTON MERCEDES-BENZ HYUNDAI DAF VOLVO OTHER Total

Vol 335 161 144 35 24 13 11 7 5 1 3 739

% 45.3 21.8 19.5 4.7 3.2 1.8 1.5 0.9 0.7 0.1 0.4 100.00

2019 Vol 60 36 33 18 13 10 9 8 6 4 2 1 200

% 30.0 18.0 16.5 9.0 6.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.5 100.00

Vol 15 4 7 1 2 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 35

August % 42.9 11.4 20.0 2.9 5.7 8.6 5.7 2.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.00

20,501-23,000kg GVM 2019 Brand HINO FUSO UD ISUZU SCANIA DAF MAN SINOTRUK Total

Vol 26 12 11 4 2 1 1 1 58

% 44.8 20.7 19.0 6.9 3.4 1.7 1.7 1.7 100.00

% 14.0 12.6 12.0 9.5 9.0 7.7 6.9 6.0 5.4 4.2 3.7 2.5 2.3 2.2 1.2 0.6 0.1 0.1 100.00

Vol 38 22 32 19 20 14 19 14 12 4 6 10 2 6 3 2 0 0 223

August % 17.0 9.9 14.3 8.5 9.0 6.3 8.5 6.3 5.4 1.8 2.7 4.5 0.9 2.7 1.3 0.9 0.0 0.0 100.00

Vol 15 11 6 10 6 8 6 6 4 2 5 0 2 2 3 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 24 125

August % 12.0 8.8 4.8 8.0 4.8 6.4 4.8 4.8 3.2 1.6 4.0 0.0 1.6 1.6 2.4 0.8 0.0 1.6 0.8 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.8 1.6 0.0 0.8 0.0 0.0 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 19.2 100.00

2019 August Vol % 33 45.8 15 20.8 17 23.6 2 2.8 4 5.6 0 0.0 1 1.4 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 72 100.00

15,001-20,500kg GVM Brand HINO UD FUSO ISUZU SCANIA IVECO MERCEDES-BENZ SINOTRUK DAF MAN VOLVO CAMC Total

Vol 238 214 204 161 153 130 117 102 91 71 62 42 39 38 21 11 2 2 1698

Trailers

7501-15,000kg GVM 2019

Brand ISUZU VOLVO KENWORTH DAF HINO FUSO SCANIA MERCEDES-BENZ UD MAN SINOTRUK IVECO FREIGHTLINER MACK INTERNATIONAL WESTERN STAR CAMC HYUNDAI Total

Vol 3 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 8

August % 37.5 25.0 25.0 0.0 0.0 12.5 0.0 0.0 100.00

Brand Vol PATCHELL 129 MTE 88 ROADMASTER 79 FRUEHAUF 77 TMC 73 DOMETT 71 TRANSPORT TRAILERS 69 TRANSFLEET 42 TES 40 JACKSON 30 FREIGHTER 23 EVANS 17 MAKARANUI 17 HAMMAR 17 KRAFT 17 MILLS-TUI 16 NEWZELOHR 15 CWS 15 FAIRFAX 13 TIDD 12 TANKER ENGINEERING 11 MAXICUBE 10 CHIEFTAIN 8 HTS 6 MTC 6 MORGAN 5 KOROMIKO 5 MD ENGINEERING 5 WARREN 5 SEC 5 LUSK 4 LOWES 4 ADAMS & CURRIE 4 TEO 4 WAIMEA 4 COWAN 4 GUY NORRIS 4 PTE 4 IDEAL 3 DOUGLAS 3 WARNER 3 OTHERS 68 Total 1035

% 12.5 8.5 7.6 7.4 7.1 6.9 6.7 4.1 3.9 2.9 2.2 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.2 1.1 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 6.6 100.00

SIX OF THE BEST The HAMMAR 110 UL-UltraLight™ – the world lightest Sideloader in its class – works so well that TIL Logistics Group placed the first order of six for its fleet based on the impressive light tare weight, providing more payload for less fuel usage, the patented SledgeLeg™ for easy handling in tight spaces for placing a container near a wall or fence, and the SAFETY+ ™ system that monitors safe handling.

Like every Hammar, our new 110 is stable, strong and built to last and key features include: • • • •

Light – from 8.3-tonne tare Safe – optimal crane geometry Reach – long outreach cranes Weighing – by each crane or total

• • • •

Strong – 36-tonne Safe Working Load (SWL) Fast – new SledgeLeg™ technology, 50% faster Stable – legs extend for firm base and transfer Ease – Crane/Stabiliser side-by-side design

With more than 45 years experience in sideloaders and a reputation for quality of manufacturing and service, HAMMAR sets the standard.

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HAMMAR Sideloaders are Made in New Zealand from local and Swedish components to suit YOUR transport needs.

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» the brand by which others are measured «

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Taupo-based Richmond Heavy Haulage has this new sleeper cab Volvo FH700 carting bulk wood products around the central North Island.

The 8x4 has a 700 horsepower D16G engine with 3150Nm of torque, an I-Shift AMT 12-speed automated transmission and a high-sided Transfleet Roc-Tuff steel body….with a matching five-axle trailer. Both have powered covers and tail doors.

(continued from page 97) In the crossover 3.5-4.5t segment, Fiat (158/22) continued to open a huge gap on second-placed Mercedes-Benz (52/11), with Ford (23/2) third and Chevrolet (21/2) in fourth.

Peugeot (19/3) moved ahead of Renault (18/2) for fifth and sixth.

In the 4.5-7.5t category, FUSO (244/38) continued to lead YTD, followed by Isuzu (214/31), Mercedes-Benz (124/32), Iveco (102/12) and Hino (89/10) – all retaining their 2019 positions.

In the 7.5-15t segment, Isuzu (335/33), continued to be dominant – both for the month and YTD. The top 10 positions for the year were unchanged, with Hino (161/15) second, followed by FUSO (144/17), UD (35/2), Iveco (24/4) and Foton (13/0).

In the 15-20.5t class, Hino (60/15) was followed by UD (36/4) and FUSO (33/7). Isuzu (18/1) retained fourth, followed by Scania (13/2).

All of the top five brands in the small 20.5-23t segment held their places, with the top three – Hino (26/3), FUSO (12/2) and UD (11/2) – all adding to their totals. DAF (1/1) joined the segment in August.

In the premium 23t to maximum GVM category, 2019 leader Isuzu (238/38) consolidated its lead, followed YTD

by Volvo (214/22) and Kenworth (204/32). The rest of the 100 | Truck & Driver

top 10 in this segment also remained unchanged in August with DAF (161/19) fourth and Hino (153/20) fifth, ahead of FUSO (130/14), Scania (117/19), Mercedes-Benz (102/14), UD (91/12) and MAN (71/4).

It was still a no-contest at the top of the trailer market, with Patchell (129/15) extending its already-considerable lead, followed by MTE (88/11) and Roadmaster (79/6) retaining third position despite a big August performance from Fruehauf (77/10)….which closed to just two behind and moved ahead of TMC (73/6).

Domett (71/8) was sixth, going away from Transport Trailers (69/6),while Transfleet (42/6) also moved clear of TES (40/4), and Jackson (30/2) held 10th.

An analysis of how the NZ truck market (4.5t GVM and above) compares on a provincial or city-by-city basis over the past 10 years, as at the end of August each year, unsurprisingly shows that Auckland continues to dominate – accounting for 36% of all registrations (which is on a par with 2018).

Its sales equalled the combined registrations in Hamilton, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Wellington, Napier and New Plymouth.

The only significant change year on year is Christchurch’s share of the national market decreasing from 11.5% to 9.3%, that picked up across the board by the other regions….except for Wellington, where sales dropped from 6.8% to 5.2%. T&D

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S Dannevirke’s Central Wool Transport has added this new International R8 9870 to its fleet, carting general freight all around the North Island.

The 8x4 has a 615hp Cummins X15 engine, an Eaton UltraShift MXP AMT and Meritor 46-160 GP diffs, with a Jackson curtainsider body and matching five-axle trailer.

re’s erhis

Auckland bulk cartage operator ProFloors has added this new FUSO Enduro tipper to its Takanini-based fleet, working around the city. The 8x4 FO model has a 285hp/210kW engine and a nine-speed manual gearbox.

Nelson’s Chambers & Jackett have put this new sleeper cab DAF CF85 tipper to work in support of its general contracting business in the region. Stuart Albon drives the 6x4, which has a 510hp PACCAR MX engine, an AS Tronic automated transmission with live drive and a four-axle trailer.

Truck & Driver | 103

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Dunsandel’s Ellesmere Transport has added this new Mercedes-Benz Atego 1630 AK/33 4x4 spreader to its operation. It has a 300hp 8-litre engine and a nine-speed manual transmission, with a 16-tonne GVM and 32t GCM.

Heikell Transport contractor ME Transport has this new Volvo FH700 Globetrotter carting livestock around the North Island, based out of Whakatane. In addition to its Volvo running gear, the 8x4 has disc brakes, Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels and driver-pampering features including a fridge, microwave, coffee maker, tv and a parking cooler/heater. It has a Jackson Enterprises deck and a Nationwide stock crate.

104 | Truck & Driver

Cromwell’s Blaze of Glory Holdings has put this new Kenworth T909 to work in the colours of Southern Lakes Logistics. The 6x4 tractor unit has a 600hp Cummins X15 engine, an 18-speed Roadranger manual transmission and Meritor RT50-160 diffs. Among its extras is a Kentweld alloy bumper.

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New Jack-Knife warning switch with in cab Jackknife warning light

In cab warning light for non engaged coupling

-IRA TRACK TEST HAVE CONl RMED THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST PRODUCTS EVER PRODUCED BY !RVIN -ERITOR 2/2 4HE TRAILING ARMS FEATURE A @# CROSS SECTIONAL PROl LE WHICH PROVIDES A MORE EFl CIENT ENGINEERING STRUCTURE AND FURTHER REDUCES SUSPENSION WEIGHT

4RAILING !RM

KEY BENEFITS

0ERMITS REALIGNMENT DURING SERVICE WHICH IN TURNS IMPROVES HANDLING AND TYRE WEAR

l Lightest 50mm coupling sold in NZ @ 43kg l Highest 2OAD FRIENDLY REDUCES ROAD DAMAGE rated 50mm coupling sold in NZ with #ONTROLS THE EFFECT OF WHEEL END SHIMMING VIBRATION D Value of 330kN 0REVENTS OVER EXTENSION OF AIR SPRING l Highest Vertical load @ 2500kg 4HE ARMS ARE RIGIDLY ATTACHED TO THE AXLE IN A SPECIAL PATENT l ManualPENDING

security lock with inA cab warning JOINT THAT PROVIDES PROTECTIVE AXLE @GRIP THAT ACTUALLY EXTENDS THE AXLE LIFE DUE TO THE STRESS SMOOTHING (if mechanism not closed) DESIGN 4HE TRAILING ARMS WILL LAST THE LIFE OF THE RUNNING GEAR

0IVOT %YE 4RACKING

l Long handle – easy to open l Bronze Bushed on all wearing surfaces $AMPERS l Anti-rattle guide mouth centre spring l Surface hardened pin – better life l !XLE #ONNECTION Easy to dismantle and repair l Jack-knife alarm optional

)NCREASED FOR AND AFT STIFFNESS )NCREASED ROLL STIFFNESS AND TRAMP COMPLIANCE 0REDICTABLE PROGRESSIVE ROLL STIFFNESS ADDING TO SAFETY 2EDUCED INDUCED STEER

0IVOT "USH The V Orlandi brand has been sold in NZ by TATES for 20+ years

4HE DIRECT TRAILING ARM JOINT TO THE AXLE ELIMINATES @5 BOLTS

EFFECTIVELY REMOVING MAINTENANCE AND WEIGHT 2EDUCED TRAILER OFF ROAD TIME

-AINTENANCE

LIST PRICE $1700+GST

TD30019

If you would like to view a E551 coupling please contact the NZ Distributor.

299 7777 $ISTRIBUTED IN .: BY 4 ! 4 % 3 .: ,TD

CLASSIFIED TRUCK & DRIVER

Airplex Industries Ltd 21 Saleyards Road, Otahuhu, Auckland Phone +64 9 276 9826 Toll Free: NZ 0800AIRPLEX Fax +64 9 276 9836 Email: info@airplex.co.nz

the auto accessory specialists Manufacturers & Distributors of:

TD29737

• • • • • • •

Roof Mount Air Deflectors Sunvisors Windscreen Stoneguards Headlight Protectors Door Weathershields Bonnet Guards NZ Made Truck Accessories!

Ute Accessories: SteelTop® Ute Canopies, Hard Lids, Nudge Bars, Bonnet Guards, Door Weathershields, Tailgate Assist - Prolift, Bed Liners, Ironman 4x4 Winch Bars, Sports Bars, Tonneau Covers, Side Steps, Slide Drawers, Roof Racks, Towbars..... and so much more!

CHASSIC STRAIGHTENING SERVICE

BEFORE

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TD30041

Contact: JASON 021 148 7482 – LES 027 491 2933 – DANNY 027 518 7025 Ph 09 276 7206 • 09 276 7207 • Fax 09 276 7205 20 Kahu Street, Otahuhu, Auckland • tsrltd@xtra.co.nz

www.trucksmashrepairs.co.nz

106 | Truck & Driver

Stemco Engine Mounts INTRODUCTORY OFFER

AM11762 Front (Pair) To suit Kenworth

270.00

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QwikKit® King Pin Kit AMK141S QwikKit® King Pin Kit AMGK931R

TRUCK SEATS

Choosing the right seat will make your day or night easier! Help reduce fatigue, improve safety and your health.

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KAB 554BKW-R Pilot Supreme KAB New Gen GSX

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to talk with our parts team!

Ham: 07 849 4839 Akl: 09 262 0683 Chch: 03 741 2261

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CLASSIFIED TRUCK & DRIVER

UPGRADE YOUR SLEEPER CAB MATTRESS

NEED SPRINGS?

Talk to us today about custom building your mattress to suit your requirements and comfort.

We manufacture mattresses for trucks, boats, caravans, motor homes with a full range of beds for your home.

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WAIKATO BEDDING

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Come in and see us now Mon – Fri. 9am – 5pm Sat 9am – 2pm.

Riverlea Rd, Hamilton Ph 07 856 0393 sleepland@waikatobedding.co.nz

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sales@autosprings.co.nz www.autosprings.co.nz

Protect your back and reduce driver fatigue CALL US NOW!

108 | Truck & Driver

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

TD29912

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.

TD27586

The World’s Best Driver’s Seat

TRUCKERS & LOGGERS FISHING TOURNAMENT

2020

19th to 21st March 2020 Paihia, Bay of Islands. Hosted by the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club (Inc)

REGISTER ONLINE NOW:

www.nztruckanddriver.co.nz/truckers-loggers.html

TEAM NAME:______________________________________________________________

BOAT NAME: ____________________________________________

MOB NO:

VHF RADIO:

______________________________________________________________

YES

NO

ANGLER: 1. _________________________________________________________

4. _________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________

5. _________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________

6. _________________________________________________

IF MEMBERS OF YOUR CREW ARE NOT MEMBERS OF A CLUB AFFILIATED TO NZ SPORT FISHING INCORPORATED A TOURNAMENT MEMBERSHIP OF $25 PER ANGLER IS REQUIRED. PLEASE TICK BOX IF TOURNAMENT MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED FOR ANGLERS.

TOURNAMENT MEMBERSHIPS REQUIRED No: __________________ @ $25, TOTAL: $ _________________ (Tick Box Alongside Anglers Name) $125 PER ANGLER, No: ___________________________________________ TOTAL: $ _________________ GUEST ENTRY (non anglers) $50 each, No: ___________________________

TOTAL: $ _________________

WE WILL BE FISHING FROM ANOTHER AREA ON THURSDAY MORNING:

YES

NON-REFUNDABLE 25% DEPOSIT with entry to Tournament. Balance payable no later than Wednesday night briefing. Cheques payable to: Truckers & Loggers Fishing Tournament.

DEPOSIT: $ ____________________________

NO

TEAM CONTACT NAME: ______________________________________________________________________

PH:________________________________________

ADDRESS: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ EMAIL:___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

TD29912

VISA

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EXPIRY DATE ________/ _________ AMOUNT: $ _______________

SIGNATURE: _______________________________________________________________

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CLASSIFIED TRUCK & DRIVER

EASTERN BAY STOCK Every rural community in New Zealand used to have their local and sometimes more than one local rural carrier. These fleets provided a full range of rural services from picking up hay delivering sand and metal and carrying live stock.

STE

FIVE WAR

Through the many rural downturns one by one many of these companies disappeared and slowly the rural carrier became a thing of the past.

Today many of these fleets are gone for ever but once again Gavin Abbot has brought them back to life with yet another of his collector series of books compiled from his extensive photo library, order your copy now of this limited edition collectors series.

LIMITED EDITION

For just $45-00 plus $6-50 postage and handling $51-50

TD29487

Those that survived did so by diversifying and expanding into national operations.

For your copy contact: Postage: Gavin Abbot, 34 Elliott Street, Opotiki 3122 Or email: clamyhen@xtra.co.nz

CLU

SAE1 STD M K367 $400

OPOTIKI TRANSPORT CO.

JAP

$25.0

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.

LIMITED EDITION

EG30030

For just $40-00 plus postage and handling $7-00

TD28770

The full story of this pioneering company complimented by Gavin Abbots fine photo library, another collectors must have.

For your copy contact: Paper Plus Opotiki, PO Box 37, Opotiki Ph 07 315 6263 Fax 07 315 7133 Email opotiki@paperplus.co.nz

S 110 | Truck & Driver

TRANSPORT, DIESEL & MARINE

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SELECTION OF YOKES, COMPANION FLANGES, UJ’S, STRAP KITS $POA

APPLICABLE TO RRL20-145 REAR/REAR INPUT R945009 $60.00 EA+GST

SAE1 STD MOUNT HALO K3671 $400.00+GST

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NATIONAL SEATS HI & LOW BASE

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USUALLY

EG30030

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 Email: ray@tdm.co.nz | john@tdm.co.nz

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Post PO Box 112062 Penrose, Auckland 1642

Ph 09 571 3544

Email accounts@trucker.co.nz

www.alliedpublications.co.nz

Tick boxes NZ TRUCK & DRIVER 1 year (11 issues) for $80 incl. GST NZ LOGGER 1 year (11 issues) for $70 incl. GST NZ TRUCKBODY & TRAILER 1 year (4 issues) for $30 incl. GST

3 TITLES $160 incl. GST

Please tick appropriate magazine title box

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SEE US FOR BIG

FLEETGUARD FILTRATION SAVINGS

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CROSSFIRE DUAL TIRE PRESSURE EQUALIZATION SYSTEM

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PIUSU AdBlue Pumps, Dispensers, Hose and Nozzle accessories

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Core Charges Apply

NOW AVAILABLE

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OFFERS END 31/10/2019

Contact your nearest Transport Repairs for more details: INVERCARGILL

03 218 3059 9 Kinloch Street

GORE

03 208 1618 25 Falconer Road

CROMWELL

03 445 4525 14 Ree Crescent

DUNEDIN

03 478 8324 24 Donald Street

CHRISTCHURCH

03 349 6597 96 Branston Street

T610 SAR

*TRP assist 0508 22 55 77 EMAIL: info@spt.co.nz

www.spt.co.nz

FIND OUT MORE

TARANAKI Adam McIntosh 027 603 1023 HAWKE’S BAY – MANAWATU – WANGANUI – WELLINGTON Mark O’Hara 027 2466 954 SOUTH ISLAND Mike Gillespie 027 4322 491 Chris Gray 027 2816 840 Steve Herring 021 377 661

WWW.KENWORTH.CO.NZ

TD29977

96-98 Wiri Station Road PO Box 76463 Manukau City, Auckland, NZ PHONE (09) 262 3181 FAX (09) 278 5643

NORTHLAND Mark Tucker 021 276 6428 AUCKLAND Steve Willcocks 027 525 0015 Mitchell Redington 021 555 326 WAIKATO Adam McIntosh 027 603 1023 Andrew Haberfield 027 4798 588 BAY OF PLENTY - GISBORNE Andrew Haberfield 027 4798 588

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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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Simply striking

striping

F

LEET COLOUR SCHEMES OFTEN DERIVE FROM A design chosen originally for its visual impact, and subsequently modified in an evolutionary fashion.

Less frequently, the choice of colours and layout is dictated more by the company’s business history – as is the case with Mainfreight-owned Chemcouriers, this month’s finalist in the PPG Transport Imaging Awards.

Mainfreight’s business development manager, Shayne Porter, formerly national manager for Chemcouriers, explains how it began: “Chemcouriers was originally a joint venture between five chemical industry clients of Daily Freightways and Daily Freightways itself, set up in the late 1980s to establish a dedicated route service for dangerous goods.

“At the time, several incidents had dented the DG industry’s reputation and the desire of the consortium was to put the cartage of their goods on a safer and more professional basis.

“Over time, the business developed and attracted new customers, though it was still running as a loss-making venture. The founding group were reluctant to continue subsidising what in part had become the cartage of their competitors’ goods as well, so Daily Freightways took it over completely and ran it as a specialised division.

“The big game-changer came in 1994 when Mainfreight purchased Daily Freightways and realised the potential that lay in Chemcouriers being run as a standalone part of the Mainfreight Group.

“The existing route-based model was scrapped in favour of setting it up more as a specialised hub and spoke model, with

2 | Truck & Driver

its own linehaul and depot-handling systems. Subsequently Chemcouriers has grown to be a leading player in the handling of hazardous goods in the local environment, which is demanding by world standards – both in terms of our roading network geography and our safety regulations.

This expertise has led to a recent successful launch of the brand in Australia.”

A key element of the post-purchase reorganisation was a rebranding of Chemcouriers, whose vehicles had previously shared the red livery of Daily Freightways (subsequently renamed Daily Freight under Mainfreight).

With the makeover, Chemcouriers took on a blend of Daily Freight red and Mainfreight blue, by way of angled broad stripes of the two colours behind the trucks’ cabs. The name was picked out simply, in capitals, in a slightly lighter red – running horizontally across the cab doors – all on a white background.

This was repeated much larger on the trailer sides, with the slogan “specialists in hazardous goods distribution” underneath.

In an age when several fleets are returning to the past with elaborate scrollwork and striping, the simplicity of the Chemcouriers livery (virtually unchanged for the more than 20 years since) might seem stark when described thus… but it has an off-the-scale recognition factor, a fundamental attribute for a successful colour scheme.

There’s another reason as well for keeping it simple: In common with parent Mainfreight, Chemcouriers trucks are operated by owner-drivers, and in the interests of consistent branding, comparatively tight specifications are laid down for

TRANSPORT IMAGING AWARDS

the paint jobs.

However, the operators are given a little latitude in the area of murals on aerofoils, and this concession has been enthusiastically accepted by Nigel and Fiona Mouat, who own the Manukau-based Haz Haulage fleet, which has four Scanias working for Chemcouriers and another for Mainfreight.

The Mouats own and love rottweilers, and for several years have featured images of the dogs on the cab roof aerofoils on their trucks. The latest addition to the fleet and this month’s poster truck, an S620, carries a picture of three of the canines above the cab, the dogs exuding uber-cool, with their mirror shades and neck chains.

The mural on the truck (which is appropriately nicknamed “Three Dog”) is hand painted – the work of Howick airbrush wizard Ron van Dam. The other Haz Haulage Scanias carry, variously, one, two and four-dog murals on their aerofoils – all from van Dam. Fiona Mouat admits that the artwork is close to the allowable limits of Mainfreight’s specifications: “We have

to get it signed off by our branch manager, and it is fully approved – but we probably couldn’t go much further.”

However, after conversations with Mainfreight and Chemcouriers’ execs, NZ Truck & Driver gets the impression that they’re proud of the style and professionalism of the Mouats’ trucks.

This professionalism has been taken to another level by the signwriting, carried out by Mitch Keys of Auckland’s Electric Creative. Instead of individual signwriting elements, the company uses a single-layer vinyl wrap.

As Fiona Mouat points out, it not only looks beautifully uniform in service, but is easy to remove when a truck’s being retired from the fleet.

The flashest paint job in the world will still cop inevitable scrapes and bumps. When that happens, the work is entrusted to Peter Maxwell at Auckland Truck Spray.

The finishing touch on the new Haz Haulage Scania is blue concealed lighting under the aerofoil, behind the grille and under the doors. T&D

Top: Chemcouriers’ simple livery has an off-the-scale recognition factor. This pic & poster - Gerald Shacklock Right: The red and blue stripes are striking, on both trucks and trailers. This is Dunedin ownerdriver Glenn Lloyd-Jones’ new International 9870 R8 sporting the colours Opposite page, left: The Mouats’ three-dog mural is up on the aerofoil

Opposite page, right: A more subtle version of the company name is all that can be accommodated on a new Kenworth T909 recently added to the Chemcouriers fleet by owner-operator Paws Trucking

Truck & Driver | 3

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Gordon Wilcock is proud his team which uses its skills and knowledge to efficiently support heavy appointed to the PPGofFleetPool Network.

Gordon Wilcock proud operators of his team whichthe uses its skills and knowledge to efficiently“It support vehicle fleets andisowner around South Island and, indeed, nationwide. makesheavy sense Gordon Wilcock isowner proud operators of his team whichthe uses its skills and knowledge to efficiently“It support heavy vehicle fleets and around South Island and, indeed, nationwide. makes sense for vehicle operators to choose a business that minimises their vehicle’s downtime, while maximise vehicle fleets and owner operators around the South Islandtheir and,vehicle’s indeed, nationwide.

“It makes sense for vehicle operators to choose a business that minimises downtime, while maximise its appearance. Customers know they can leave a vehicle with us and, whether it’s a respray, accident for vehicle operators to choose a business that minimises their vehicle’s downtime, while maximise its appearance.

Customers can leave a vehicle and, whether damage or a restoration, it’sknow goingthey to come out exactly thewith wayus they want it.” it’s a respray, accident its appearance.

Customers can leave a vehicle and, whether damage or a restoration, it’sknow goingthey to come out exactly thewith wayus they want it.” it’s a respray, accident To ensureoreach job leavesit’s with a superb paint Gordon relies a long-term partnership with PPG damage a restoration, going to come outfinish, exactly the way theyon want it.”

To each job leaves withbecome a superbpart paint relies on a long-term partnership with PPG andensure he is now pleased to have offinish, PPG’sGordon FleetPool Network – the second ChristchurchTo ensure each job leaves withbecome a superb paint Gordon relies on a long-term partnership with PPG and hetruck is now pleased to do have offinish, PPG’s Network – the second based specialist to so. “As well part as getting theFleetPool best products from PPG, we getChristchurchplenty of and hetruck is now pleased to to do have become part of PPG’s Network – the second based specialist so.

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“As well as getting the best products from PPG, we get plenty technical support, along training sessions to ensure our painters are always working with of the latest products and techniques.” From supplier partnerships through to customers, Gordon believes trust is a technical support, along with training sessions to ensure our painters are always working with the latest products and techniques.”

From supplier partnerships through to customers, Gordon believes trust is a key factor. “I really enjoy the relationship with customers – many have been coming here for a long time. products and techniques.”

From supplierwith partnerships through tohave customers, Gordon believes trusttime. is a key factor.

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PPG Industries New Zealand Pty Ltd, 5 Vestey Drive, Mt Wellington, Auckland Call 0800 4 PPG CT (0800 4 774 28) PPG Industries New Zealand Pty Ltd, 5 Vestey Drive, Mt Wellington, Auckland Call 0800 4 PPG CT (0800 4 774 28) PPG Industries New Zealand Pty Ltd, 5 Vestey Drive, Mt Wellington, Auckland Call 0800 4 PPG CT (0800 4 774 28)