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CLASS GLASS Issue 250
CARTER
The Official Magazine of the
ISSN 2703-6278
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CONTENTS Issue 250 – October 2021 4 Aeolus News
The latest in the world of transport, including….industry accuses Government of adding to COVID challenges; COVID disrupts two major industry get-togethers; investigations finds Police did not properly monitor heavy vehicle towtruck operators… that it had contracted
20 Giti Tyres Big Test
Safely, carefully carting 12 to 15 tonnes of glass 400 kilometres five days a week over the usual SH1 mix of potholes, bumps, patches and just plain rough road clearly takes some doing. Which is why a great deal of careful planning went into APL Direct’s new Scania tractor unit and Roadmaster B-train. We go along for a (hopefully smooth!) ride
39 Transporting New Zealand
Latest news from Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand – the brand-new name for the Road Transport Forum NZ – including….. the balance of power is shifting for transport operators; CEO Nick Leggett says rebranding of Road Transport Forum to Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is a case of “out with the old and in with the new”
48 Teletrac Navman Fleet Focus
FEATURES
Publisher
Trevor Woolston 027 492 5600 trevor@trucker.co.nz
Advertising
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
COLUMNS
Graham Sheldrake has done it all in trucking – a mechanic, truck driver, owner-driver and business owner. But it’s his voluntary work, “putting back into the industry,” that makes him a standout figure in road transport
81 NZ Heavy Haulage Association
Operators need to fully understand all of the safety requirements for transporting oversize loads
67 A sentimental (old truck) journey
When Daimler Truck recently sent a currentmodel Mercedes-Benz Actros from Germany to England, it was embarking on a sentimental journey – one that recalled its trucking beginnings, 125 years ago
83 National Road Carriers Association
How quickly things can change in this COVID world
85 Road Transport Association NZ
75 Towards a greener trucking future
The industry stays resolute in the face of an uncertain COVID future
Kiwi transport operators can reduce carbon emissions with technology already available here, suggest Teletrac Navman’s Mats Dahlstedt and Michael Barnard
REGULARS 80/ NZ Transport Imaging 81 Awards
Recognising NZ’s best-looking truck fleets…. including a giant pullout poster of this month’s finalist
CONTRIBUTORS Gerald Shacklock Dave McLeod Olivia Beauchamp Helena Williamson Kohan Wilson Cole Armstrong (Sniper Pix) Cory Gutsell ART DEPARTMENT Design & Production Luca Bempensante Helen Scott EQUIPMENT GUIDE AUCKLAND, NORTHLAND, BOP, WAIKATO, CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND Advertising Trudy Woolston 027 233 0090 trudy@trucker.co.nz AUCKLAND, LOWER NORTH ISLAND, SOUTH ISLAND Advertising Hayden Woolston
New truck and trailer registrations for August
64 Southpac Trucks Legends
Not yet turned 48, Jason Williamson has already been a transport operator for three decades. If you’re thinking he must have had an easy ride – becoming a truck owner as a teenager, now running a dozen trucks…forget it! His is a story of modest, gradual growth, hard graft, making the most of opportunities. And survival
MANAGEMENT
87 CrediFlex Recently Registered
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Truck & Driver | 3
NEWS
Government accused of COVID pain
Despite being affected by alleged Government inaction, the trucking industry did what it has done since COVID arrived in New Zealand – just got on with delivering essential freight
TRANSPORT OPERATORS WORKING DURING THE COVID-19 lockdowns have been riled by what they say is a lack of timely Government planning, seriously affecting the industry’s ability to carry out essential work. From the outset, the change to Level 4 was problematic, as Nick Leggett, CEO of Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand (the new name for the Road Transport Forum) outlined. NZ’s low vaccination rate and the threat of the Delta strain of COVID-19 arriving here should have meant the Government had a plan to quickly deal with any outbreak, Leggett suggested – but added: “We certainly aren’t seeing evidence of that.” Even before the nationwide L4 lockdown, the industry wasn’t being considered, he complained: “In an emergency situation, truck drivers are frontline workers. Yet, despite our attempts to get them higher up the vaccination queue, we have been directed by the Minister in charge to look at a Government website and wait our turn.” And then came the actual L4 lockdown – with the industry, despite it including trucking operations running 24-seven, given “no real notice of what the operating rules would be for this Level 4 lockdown…. particularly as we have been told this Public Health Order cancels out all the previous ones.” While truckies got on with the job regardless, many were confronted with the same problems they faced in last year’s lockdown: Sparse access to food and toilets on main freight routes… And no Government extension for drivers’ licences, endorsements 4 | Truck & Driver
and the likes of Certificates of Fitness that were expiring during the lockdown. Leggett asked for Government action to address that issue – just as it had in April last year, when a Government Order granted extensions. But 16 days later, he was still demanding action: The lack of it, he said, was putting transport operators’ insurance at risk – leaving them “with potentially business-destroying liability.” The situation could “take essential workers – truck drivers and their trucks – off the road at a time when they’re most needed,” he pointed out. The only response was that “it’s complex.” Leggett said that about 1000 CoFs expire each day – “so, 16 days on, that’s potentially as high as 16,000 (trucks without current certification). We understand that even in Level 3 areas, where there is limited ability to get CoFs renewed, that’s a high volume to process – and it’s banking up by the day.” Added Leggett: “Being told by the Government that the Police will go easy on truck drivers whose licences have expired and/or whose CoFs have expired means absolutely nothing.” That is, he said, “missing the point: A fine from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency is not the same as losing a $500,000 truck in an accident – and finding the insurance company says you’re not insured because you don’t have the right paperwork and/or the driver was not licenced to drive.” The Government, he said again, “should be getting better at this, but each day feels like Groundhog Day!”
NEWS Finally, on September 10, Transport Minister Michael Wood announced that driver licences, Warrants of Fitness (WoFs), CoFs, vehicle licences and licence endorsements that expired on or after July 21 will be valid until November 30. Leggett said: “We couldn’t be happier.” By then though the industry was dealing with another poorly planned Government COVID initiative – announcing that truckies and other workers crossing the Auckland borders would need to have been COVID tested within the previous seven days. The industry, said Leggett, had been “blindsided” by the move – hearing about it first from the news media, then having it denied as official policy by the Ministry of Transport…only to then have it confirmed by Government. All of this “without any engagement with the industry.” Unsurprisingly that angered transport operators, Leggett complaining that such Government behaviour threatened the viability of the supply chain, “at a time when, for most NZers, it is critical that it works like the well-oiled machine it is – without politicians and health officials from Wellington interfering.” The problem, said Leggett, was not the testing – if that’s what is needed to keep NZers safe from COVID-19: “What we don’t like is being blindsided by law changes on the fly, with no explanation of how they are supposed to work….even after the law came into play.” It was done with “no consultation whatsoever with those most impacted – truck drivers delivering essential goods all around NZ.
“Understandably, there was a lot of stress in our industry – a new testing regime was coming into force this week, with spot testing to begin… “But absolutely no word from Government how this would work for operators and truck drivers, who work long hours – including outside the hours testing stations and GPs operate. There was no information on how to prove testing had taken place. “Even the Police are scratching their heads about how they are going to police this – stopping one in 10 trucks and potentially having to safely turn them around if the driver cannot prove they have been tested in the past seven days.” The “lack of any process or plan from the Government” saw the testing regime delayed until September 17 (after this issue of NZ Truck & Driver went to print). As that deadline approached, Leggett said some operators had “started setting up their own testing systems, hoping the Government will accept them – when they finally get around to presenting a plan and a process and what they want as proof. “Someone in Government needs to show some leadership and take this in hand – now,” said Leggett. National Road Carriers also declared itself “very disappointed in the way this has been handled by Government and we share the frustration of the membership....” Their complaints, said NRC, had been made clear to Government officials – along with a call to urgently advise on a plan. T&D
Conference gone… Hall of Fame delayed COVID-19 FORCED THE cancellation of the Road Transport Forum’s annual conference, scheduled to be held in Invercargill late last month. It also prompted the postponement of the 2021 NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame till next month. The gala dinner and announcement of the latest Hall of Fame inductees will now be held on Friday November 12. The Forum, now renamed Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand, decided at the end of August to cancel the Road Ahead 2021 Transporting NZ Conference “because of the uncertainty around alert level changes around NZ.” The conference was scheduled for September 25 and 26 in Invercargill – followingon from the Mobil Delvac 1-sponsored Hall of Fame on the 24th. The Transporting NZ board said that ongoing uncertainty caused by COVID-19 meant “no decision has been made on
a replacement conference event. “We know those speaking, exhibiting, and planning to attend will be disappointed to miss the conference, but the circumstances are beyond our control – and we must act to keep people safe, and follow the Government’s COVID-19 rules.” Hall of Fame organisers say that “the latest
lockdown has thrown us a curveball”….but they are confident that next month’s timing will still allow it to be “another bumper event….with close to 500 guests set to attend.” Six new industry figures will be inducted into the this year’s HoF, which will be held, as usual, in the world-class Bill Richardson Transport World. T&D
Truck & Driver | 5
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NEWS
New FUSO Fighter extends range-wide safety
The new Fighter
THE SUITE OF SAFETY FEATURES IN THE NEW EURO 6 FUSO Fighter soon to be launched in New Zealand will complete “an industry-first safety offering” across the make’s light-duty, medium-duty and heavy truck classes. Fuso NZ says that the new Fighter, due for release before year’s end, will have autonomous braking, lane departure warning and electronic stability control, “plus a few extras,” as standard. The medium-duty model will thus join the light Canter and the heavyduty Shogun “in providing an exceptional level of protection for drivers and other road users.” And that, it adds, “puts FUSO first for safety” across the light, medium and heavy range: “FUSO continues to lead the way among Japanese truck brands.” In addition, Fuso NZ says, the new Fighter will be the only Japanese medium-duty truck here offering both Active Sideguard Assist (on all but one of the 23 models) and Euro 6 exhaust emissions compliance. Its standard spec also boasts Driver Attention Assist Monitoring. Fuso NZ MD Kurtis Andrews says: “It’s about doing our best to help everyone get home safely after every trip, which is central to our commitment that ‘We Look After Our Own.’ “It has always been our goal to provide a superior level of safety for operators across every vehicle class. With the introduction of the new model Fighter, we now have a united offering that delivers on that goal. “Fighter is proven in NZ over nearly 30 years and is something of an unsung hero in the FUSO family. We believe it is the best of its kind.” Fuso says that, in the NZ market, “no other Japanese truck in this class is
certified Euro 6.” The 250-horsepower/177 kilowatt 6M60T1 and 280hp/199kW 6M60T2 engines can be mated to five or six-speed Allison automatic or FUSO sixspeed or nine-speed manual transmissions. The engines each achieve the Euro 6 exhaust emissions standard by way of an SCR system and a diesel particulate filter. Fuso NZ says that 6M60T1 engine has been modified to improve performance, with more torque available lower in the rev range – up to a maximum 761Nm at 950-2270rpm. The 6M60T2 delivers 802Nm at 11002400rpm. The 23 Fighter models take in wheelbases from 4270-6530mm, in 4x2, 6x2 and 6x4 format – including a 4x2 factory tipper. It says that the Fighter has proven itself in NZ in a wide range of applications including general food and freight distribution, infrastructure, construction and refuse – using tipper, flatdeck, bin, box and curtainsider bodies. Interior features include a new multi-function steering wheel, similar to that in Shogun, a new instrument cluster with a central digital info screen and an ergonomically improved dashboard for easier control access. All of the Euro 6 models are fitted with an immobiliser for improved security and come with FUSO’s 300,000km/five-year extended warranty. T&D
Lots of orders for latest Kenworth Legend KENWORTH’S 50 TH ANNIVERSARY Legend SAR has commanded 27 orders from Kiwi buyers. The Legend SAR, modelled on the iconic W900SAR built by Kenworth Australia from 1975 to ’85, was revealed at this year’s Brisbane Truck Show… The special edition, loaded with heritage features including a retro grille, Kenworth bug and two-piece windscreen, went on sale for just one day – July 8. The latest Legend, celebrating Kenworth’s half-century of truck manufacturing in Australia, followed sellout limited runs of a Legend 950 in
2015 and a Legend 900 four years ago. Thirteen of the Legend 900s ended up in Kiwi hands. But, according to Aussie reports, the third Legend offering has attracted over 700 orders – reportedly surprising even Kenworth Australia. Southpac Trucks general sales manager Richard Smart says that the NZ buyers include some “first-time Kenworth buyers.” A few of the Kiwi Legends will be “anniversary or surprise trucks.” T&D Twenty-seven Kenworth 50th Anniversary Legend SARs will be coming to NZ Truck & Driver | 7
NEWS SSAB has begun trial production of green steel
“Green steel” for trucks, cars, machinery THE WORLD’S FIRST “GREEN STEEL,” MADE WITHOUT using coal, has been delivered to truckmaker Volvo. Swedish steelmaker SSAB says its trial delivery to Volvo – which will be followed by green steel supplies to Mercedes-Benz AG and to cargohandling machinery maker Cargotec – is “a crucial milestone” in its progress towards full-scale production of entirely fossil-free steel, as early as 2026. That, it says, will make it the world’s first steelmaker able to offer a fossilfree value chain – from the mine to the end-product. “The first fossil-free steel in the world is not only a breakthrough for SSAB, it represents proof that it’s possible to make the transition and significantly reduce the global carbon footprint of the steel industry,” says SSAB president and CEO Martin Lindqvist. “We hope that this will inspire others to also want to speed up the green transition.” Sweden’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Ibrahim Baylan, says that industries, “especially the steel industry, create large emissions – but are also an important part of the solution.” Volvo intends to use its trial delivery to start building prototype trucks and components from the green steel before the end of this year. SSAB says that using technology developed by HYBRIT– co-owned by SSAB, Swedish state-owned utility Vattenfall and mining company LKAB – its steelmaking “will be practically fossil free by 2045.” Currently, steel production using coal is reckoned to responsible for around 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. HYBRIT started test operations at its pilot plant for green steel in Sweden a year ago – working to replace coking coal, traditionally used in steelmaking, with renewable electricity and hydrogen. European reports say a rival Swedish operation, H2 Green Steel, is planning to have a fossil fuel-free steel plant in production before 2025, using its own sustainable hydrogen. Mercedes-Benz says it will begin making prototype parts for its passenger car body shells next year, using its trial supply of SSAB green steel. 8 | Truck & Driver
The HYBRIT technology fits well with Merc’s planned transformation to a zero emissions future – and its focus on avoiding and reducing CO2 emissions, rather than compensating for producing them. SSAB says it has also agreed to work together with Cargotec on the introduction of fossil-free steel to the cargo-handling machinery manufacturer’s products. Cargotec CEO Mika Vehviläinen says the company is “proud that we are paving the way in the cargo-handling industry” in using green steel: “This is an important step toward our vision of becoming a leader in sustainable cargo flow.” SSAB explains that the HYBRIT initiative, which began in 2016, avoids the blast furnace process that creates around 90% of the carbon dioxide emissions from traditional steelmaking. It’s replaced by electric arc furnace technology, using direct reduced iron, or sponge iron, obtained using green hydrogen. The new technology removes the use of fossil coking coal needed in the production of crude iron and the remaining fossil fuels needed in production will be replaced with biogas or by electrifying the processes. T&D
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NEWS Police failed to monitor heavy towing contractor
The Independent Police Conduct Authority investigation has found failures in Police oversight of the suitability of towtrucks contracted by Police to remove broken-down heavy vehicles on Auckland’s motorways
AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION HAS FOUND THAT for eight years Police failed to properly monitor whether a consortium of heavy vehicle towtruck operators – contracted by the Police – were compliant with the law. The Independent Police Conduct Authority finding, released in August, was triggered by a complaint from another heavy vehicle towing company about the circumstances under which the contract to recover vehicles on Auckland motorways was awarded in 2013…. And its concerns that since then the individual companies making up the contracted consortium had regularly used non-complying tow vehicles. The IPCA found that the 2013 contract was conditional on Police inspecting the consortium’s vehicles to ensure they were compliant and fit for purpose: “However, this did not occur, and despite renewals of the contract, Police had never undertaken any systematic inspections of operational vehicles,” says the report. Police had no knowledge whether the consortium complied with the requirements of the contract – and the IPCA says that Police should not have entered into the contract…nor subsequently renewed it… “as it had real safety and congestion-management implications for road users.” The Authority concludes that “the consortium has not had sufficient vehicles with the necessary towing capacity and have therefore been able to fulfil the terms of the contract only by using unsafe and non-compliant vehicles. “Although Police were aware of these non-compliance issues, they did not take appropriate action to address them,” says the IPCA. Authority Chair, Judge Colin Doherty, says: “Quite apart from contractual matters, the need to ensure the safety of road users makes it incumbent on Police to ensure any contractor is a compliant operator under the contract.” The IPCA also criticised the way Police responded to complaints about the consortium’s operation – finding its response “inadequate.” The only investigation into the complaints was “by an officer who was involved in the matters complained about and therefore lacked impartiality.”
Police Assistant Commissioner, Deployment and Road Policing, Bruce O’Brien, says Police are “addressing the concerns highlighted in the report, including a national audit of heavy vehicle towing contracts to ensure best practice and compliance. “We accept that this was not good enough and not up to Police’s usual high standard of managing contracts.” He says that Police acknowledge that the contract awarded to ‘Company Y’ to remove broken-down heavy vehicles from Auckland motorways, “was conditional upon regular inspections being conducted by Police: These inspections did not occur. “We acknowledge the importance of removing heavy motor vehicles from the road and understand the potential impact failing to inspect these vehicles could have on road users. “Police will ensure going forward that there is a focus on the compliance of heavy vehicle towing contractors to ensure the safety of all road users.” O’Brien says that Company Y’s offered donation was not accepted and “was not a contributing factor in the score which resulted in awarding the contract with Company Y.” He says that Police continue to use Company Y for heavy-vehicle recovery on the motorways – “with the exception of vehicles in excess of 36,000kg.” Police have notified Company Y of “concerns regarding the company’s capacity to tow loads of more than this weight. “Police will not use this company for towing heavy vehicles with a weight in excess of 36,000kg until the matter is resolved…” O’Brien says that annual audits of Company Y’s fleet will be conducted in accordance with the contract obligations. And he says Police apologise to Company X “for failing to properly address the initial complaint. In retrospect, we also acknowledge that the officer who did eventually investigate the complaint should have been a different investigator to ensure impartiality.” He says that a process was introduced last year that involves supervisers from different CVST areas investigating complaints, “to ensure impartiality and mitigate conflict of interest risks.” T&D Truck & Driver | 11
NEWS
Terex dumped... Rokbak rules ARTICULATED OFFROAD DUMPTRUCK SPECIALIST Terex Trucks has been rebranded as Rokbak. The Scottish manufacturer – owned by the Volvo Group since 2014 – says the name Rokbak “represents an exciting new future” for the articulated trucks it’s been building since 1982. Rokbak managing director Paul Douglas says: “Our company has an incredible history and a proud heritage.” Becoming part of the Volvo Group “allowed us to make major improvements in every part of our business. Millions of pounds have been invested in improving our products, modernising our facilities, expanding our network and developing our people. It has been a process of continual evolution.” The company has introduced Stage V engines for better fuel efficiency and operation, a new transmission on the RA30, its Haul Track telematics “and a stronger focus on operator wellbeing and safety.” Adds Douglas: “That’s why we feel it’s right to recognise this evolution with a new brand name to launch an exciting new chapter in our history. And
we’ll keep investing to further improve our machines for our customers.” Rokbak says that for 40 years “the company has never wavered in its promise to customers to deliver powerful and reliable articulated haulers – and that legacy remains front and centre within the new brand.” Rokbak’s heritage dates back to 1934, when the American Euclid company built its first offroad dumptruck. Euclid was bought by General Motors in 1953 and the earthmoving division was renamed Terex in ’68. In 1992, five years after it was sold by GM, the new owner formed the Terex Corporation…which, 22 years on, sold the offroad truck business to current owner, the Volvo Group. Rokbak currently has two models – a 28-tonne payload RA30 and 38t RA40. They are, it says, “the most productive and efficient articulated haulers the company has ever made.” Douglas says Rokbak has “very healthy” orders for the new brand – “and we want to further expand our reputation, dealer network and market share.” The company has, he adds, “a clear vision for where we want to go and who we want to be.” T&D
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12 | Truck & Driver
NEWS KiwiRail NZ Connect will run five days a week between Auckland and Christchurch
KiwiRail adds new inter-island freight service KIWIRAIL SAYS IT HAS RESPONDED TO A GAP IN THE market by introducing a new weekday rail freight service between Auckland and Christchurch. The daily interisland service is called KiwiRail NZ Connect and has been launched to assist New Zealand businesses that are currently grappling with delays caused by continued disruption to ports and shipping lines. KiwiRail Group chief executive Greg Miller says the KiwiRail NZ Connect service, which starts early this month, will boost capacity and connections for moving domestic freight between the North Island and South Island, in time for the peak season. “We are heading into the country’s busiest period for freight, from October through to March, a time when businesses look to restock ahead of Christmas and New Year and when demand for products increases and exports rise,” Miller says. “Many businesses are still feeling the ongoing impacts of COVID on the
global supply chain and experiencing delays on imported goods. Shipping lines continue to struggle to offer certainty of capacity and delivery for the movement of freight between the islands. “KiwiRail has identified this gap in the market so is stepping up to relieve some of these pressures by offering a faster and more certain domestic service than currently is available from shipping lines alone.’’ The new service will depart Auckland each day, Monday to Friday, and connect with Interislander ferries before continuing to Christchurch. “Congestion in NZ’s supply route between Auckland and Christchurch will continue for the foreseeable future until global shipping capacity and reliability return,’’ Miller says. “Using 60-foot wagons, it will provide up to 300 TEU (20ft equivalent container units) of additional weekly capacity, alongside the weekly services we already offer.’’ T&D
Scania NZ gets new boss SCANIA NEW ZEALAND, currently the No. 1 in the NZ truck market’s premium division (trucks over 23-tonne GVM), has a new boss. Rafael Alvarenga took up the managing director’s role last month, succeeding Mattias Lundholm, who has returned to Sweden after three years here….during which he launched Scania NZ. “I am excited to start my new chapter with Scania in NZ and pick up where Mattias has left off,” says Alvarenga. “I look forward to continuing the growth and success of the NZ business and experiencing the Kiwi culture,” says Rafael. Scania says that it “significantly expanded its footprint throughout NZ last year and now enjoys
a stable of 24 nationwide service centres, of which 10 are company-owned and 14 are independent approved service providers. Alvarenga has worked in the automotive industry since 1996, spending eight years at Volkswagen Passenger Vehicles in Brazil before joining Scania Latin America in 2004. In 2005 he graduated as an engineer, and in 2011 received an MBA in Business Management. His Scania career has seen him fill a variety of roles including application engineering, sales, key account management and, most recently, services director – with Scania India. Scania NZ says it “offers heartfelt thanks” to Lundholm for “his amazing contribution to the business during the last three years.” T&D
New Scania NZ MD Rafael Alvarenga
Truck & Driver | 13
NEWS The Mack delivers Thurston to the rodeo arena
How Aussie is this! THREE AUSSIE ICONS HAVE teamed up to create a bit of a fuss in the Outback – Mack Trucks, tough wet weather gear maker Driza-Bone and rugby league legend JT ( Johnathan Thurston) heading off together to the Mt Isa Mines Rodeo. Thurston, fully clad in Driza-Bone gear, stepped down from a blacked-out 685-horsepower Mack Super-Liner onto the rodeo arena in the southeast Queensland town – delighting the crowd. The now-retired former league superstar, was also chuffed: “I’ve had an amazing few days with my first Mt Isa rodeo experience – and equally loved meeting so many locals, thanks to DrizaBone and Mack Trucks. “I can’t think of anything more Australian than arriving at the Outback rodeo, in a Mack
Super-Liner, head-to-toe in my Driza-Bone kit. It’s been a really cool experience.” Driza-Bone creative director Justin O’Shea said the coming together of the clothing and truck manufacturing companies “just made sense” – the products of the two hard-working Aussie brands both customised for challenging Australian conditions. “While our brands are vastly different, they are rich in Australian history and our respective products are built for surviving everything Australia’s big backyard can throw at you – be it the Outback, hinterland or bush.” As for including JT in the teamup, O’Shea reckons that was a no-brainer: “Johnathan embodies what our two brands represent, so it has worked out perfectly that he could be in Mt Isa.”
TransDiesel shows it values H&S CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT, diesel engines and transmissions supplier to the heavy-machinery industry, TransDiesel, has achieved two new industry recognitions. It has received Gold Sitewise certification and has retained its ACC Tertiary Accredited Employers Programme (AEP) status. “TransDiesel has a longstanding reputation based on providing the best sales and service 14 | Truck & Driver
backup to our customers, and it’s important to show that we, as a company, want to do the same for our employees,” says Shane Palmer, the company’s health and safety business partner. “Achieving accreditation illustrates the value we put on the wellbeing and safety of our people and demonstrates we’re committed to providing the very best workplace for our staff.” T&D
Rodeo guests had the chance to meet JT, win prizes from the two manufacturers and take a look at the Super-Liner, with its new standup sleeper and redesigned interior. T&D JT, fully clad in Driza-Bone gear, poses for a shot in the Outback with the Super-Liner
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NEWS
Battery electric breakthrough MAJOR UNITED STATES TRANSPORT OPERATOR Schneider has placed an order for 50 Freightliner eCascadias, in a breakthrough into mainstream heavy-duty trucking for battery-electric trucks. The trucking and logistics major will begin putting the eCascadias to work in Southern California next year. Its order comes with funding support from the Joint Electric Truck Scaling Initiative ( JETSI) – which is sponsored by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD), California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the California Energy Commission (CEC). Schneider’s Freightliner order follows six months of trials with an eCascadia through Freightliner’s Customer Experience fleet. Performance Team, a warehousing and distribution company that’s owned by Maritime transportation and logistics giant Maersk, is also going electric – with an order for 16 Volvo VNR Electric HD trucks. Volvo North America says it’s the largest order so far for its zero emissions model – the deal also part-funded by California’s South Coast AQMD. It meets the air quality organisation’s aims of reducing emissions in the transportation sector by replacing diesel power with electric trucks and creating new charging infrastructure. The Volvos will carry regional loads daily to customers across Southern California, servicing Performance Teams’ warehousing and distribution network of 45 locations – as part of a 215-truck fleet.
In New York, beer is now being delivered by a fleet of five Volvo VNR Electrics bought by Manhattan Beer Distributors. The transport operator has had a low-emissions focus since the 1990s and today operates more than 160 Volvo CNG trucks within a 400-strong fleet. Support funding for its new BEV Volvos have come from New York State and NY City’s Clean Trucks Programme. To support the charging of the VNRs, Manhattan Beer Distributors has installed three Level 3 DC fast chargers at its Bronx facility, capable of recharging the electric trucks in 70 minutes (up to 80%). Its trucks were the first full serial production VNR Electrics to be built by Volvo North America. T&D
Top: Schneider has ordered 50 electric heavy-duty Freightliner eCascadias
Above: Performance Team is getting 16 Volvo VNR Electrics Left: One of Manhattan Beer Distributors’ five electric Volvo tractor units at a charging point. Its fast chargers can provide an 80% battery “top-up” in 70 minutes
Truck & Driver | 17
NEWS TransDiesel pumps up its lubricant service
TransDiesel’s bulk lubricant delivery truck will cover the South Island TRANSDIESEL HAS EXTENDED ITS PUMP-OVER TRUCK bulk lubricant delivery service into the South Island market. “We first debuted a pump-over truck in the North Island about 12 months ago and, based on its overwhelming success, decided to launch one to assist our customers throughout the Mainland,” says Jason Steele, TransDiesel business manager for Shell Lubricants. The pump-over truck has, he says, achieved significant operational efficiency as well as cost reductions for customers as they only pay for what they use. The Scania R500 8x4 has lockable diffs to provide manoeuvrability, stability and traction. It can carry and pump from both intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) and barrels, as well as transporting smaller packs loaded on pallets.
It’s able to pump three products simultaneously at high flow rates to offload large volumes in a short period. This means less time spent onsite and fewer disruptions to the end customer, while eliminating drums and other packaging means significant space-saving in workshops. The delivery truck is capable of delivering consumables ranging from light hydraulic fluids all the way through to heavy gear oils. It will also be pumping a full portfolio of heavy-duty diesel Rimula engine oils for heavy-equipment users, and passenger car oils for automotive garages and commercial fleet operators. The heavy-duty truck will soon be joined by a smaller around town truck for local service. It can operate in tighter spaces, further enhancing support of TransDiesel’s 16 company-owned branches nationwide. T&D
VW to test driverless vans VOLKSWAGEN IS PUTTING FIVE FULLY AUTONOMOUS vans into testing in Germany. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VWCV) unveiled the VW ID.BUZZ AD (autonomous driving) at the recent IAA Mobility 2021 expo in Munich. The prototype driverless vans, based on the electric ID.BUZZ van which is scheduled to go on sale in Europe next year, are the result of a partnership between VWCV and Argo AI – a US tech firm specialising in autonomous driving technology. The Argo self-driving system can provide a 360-degree awareness of the vehicle’s environment. It can predict the actions of pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles while controlling the powertrain, braking and steering systems so the vehicle moves safely naturally, like an experienced driver. “An environment recognition system from six lidar, 11 radar and 14 cameras, distributed over the entire vehicle, can capture much more than any human driver can from his seat,’’ says Christian Senger, VWCV’s head of autonomous driving. A proprietary sensor Argo Lidar – which sits on the roof of the prototypes – can detect objects up to 400 metres away, while a patented Geiger-mode has the 18 | Truck & Driver
ability to detect even the smallest particles of light (a single photon), so that even objects with low reflectivity (like black-painted vehicles) are detected. Testing of the ID.BUZZ AD will take place at the Argo AI development centre near Munich. Mobility service provider MOIA (a VW subsidiary) will be the first user of the ID.BUZZ AD – introducing it in 2025 in a Hamburg ride-pooling service. T&D
NEWS DHL expands NZ storage GLOBAL LOGISTICS GIANT DHL has opened two new state-of-the-art storage facilities in New Zealand. DHL Supply Chain’s new Auckland and Christchurch facilities together add 12,500 square metres of floor space – about the size of two rugby fields – boosting its existing 120,000sqm NZ footprint. “This investment will empower NZ businesses and organisations with more resilient supply chain capabilities to support their respective growth plans and business models,” says DHL Supply Chain NZ MD Matt Casbolt. The Christchurch facility will service the healthcare sector and creates capacity for the distribution of critical healthcare products to the South Island. DHL says its industry-leading cold-chain operations will ensure pharmaceutical products can be stored at their ideal temperature range of 2-8 degrees Celsius, while specialised freezers will keep more sensitive products at ultra-cold temperatures. The facility is located close to Christchurch International Airport. In addition to reducing lead times for vital
healthcare products, it will ensure products can be delivered where they’re needed without disruptions resulting from natural events, cancelled ferry sailings or road closures. The facility has been MEDSAFE approved for secondary packing services of certain vaccines. “Healthcare is one of the most important industries, so ensuring we have the right infrastructure and capability onshore was a
priority,” says Casbolt. “This investment helps us manage the shortterm surge in demand for pharmaceuticals, but it also ensures NZ has a robust healthcare supply chain to meet future demand.’’ The Auckland facility will service the retail, consumer electronics and consumer personal care sectors. It is certified to store both food and pharmaceutical products. T&D DHL’s new Auckland storage facility
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Story Dave McLeod & Wayne Munro Photos Gerald Shacklock
20 | Truck & Driver
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The new Scania B-train unit is a good-looking thing....but the exterior’s still not as impressive as the thoughtful innovations under its skin
Truck & Driver | 21
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Running through the big hills of the central North Island – something the Scania does 10 times a week
HIS IS, IT’S CLEAR, A VERY SPECIALISED FREIGHT operation. That much is transparently obvious. We are, after all, talking about glass here. Hundreds of pieces of it….in a whole range of sizes – recently made by Architectural Glass Products (AGP) at its spectacular, state-ofthe-art new factory at Hautapu, near Cambridge… And now, closing in on 3am, this fragile load is about to head off on its way to Palmerston North – for transfer onto smaller trucks that’ll deliver it to factories making aluminium windows and doors, as part of the APL group. Okay, so that’s around 400 kilometres…and a helluva lot of potholes, slumps, bumps, washouts and the like – all with the potential to wreak havoc on fragile freight. But it’s okay: Just as AGP’s world-class factory has been purposebuilt, so too has this new Scania R500 B-train unit entrusted with carrying AGP’s glass products on its longest linehaul delivery run. The combination has been similarly well-considered and purposefully designed – and is now just-as-thoughtfully used – by APL Direct, the transport operation dedicated to carrying the products of AGP and its sister manufacturing companies within the PGL Group. The 6x4 tractor unit itself was specced for this single, specific job – running to and from Palmerston North five days a week. Just to make sure it was fit for purpose, it was then treated to a few aftermarket extras as well. Likewise, the Roadmaster B-train has been painstakingly designed and built with one thought: How to best load, transport and safely deliver 12 to 15 tonnes of glass – insulating it from the risks and rigours of this particular journey.
And then there’s the person in charge of all this out on the road – the Scania’s regular driver, Dave Littlejohn. The career truckie says that, yes – “you do have to change your driving method, I’ve found” to look after a load of glass: “Not so harsh on your brakes or steering – be smooth. Watch for potholes too – or you will break glass.” It maybe helps that he’d already been driving for APL Direct, delivering APL aluminium doors and windows for about 10 years, before switching to delivering glass when the AGP factory began production in mid-2020. Aluminium can also be prone to damage during transport, he points out: “You have to be careful with it. It’s in cases and you can’t stab it with the forks (of the forklift) when unloading. But the aluminium can be reprocessed…whereas the glass can’t!” APL Direct general manager Jake Lambert sums it up: Compared to transporting aluminium, carting glass “is a whole other realm. We started planning for this (delivering AGP’s glass) three years ago… No-one in our organisation had any experience in carting glass – and it is a very different product to aluminium.” One example, for instance, would be the potential problems in unloading loose pieces of glass on a windy day: “You’ve got to have your wits about you. It is a very unique product. “So… it’s been a big learning curve for us, but we’re extremely happy with the results.” Happy too with his team of drivers: “We couldn’t be happier with them. We’ve brought a lot of new people into the industry – guys who’d never carted glass before, never had anything to do with glass. “We’ve invested in them, and with the right training, they got up to speed. And the whole operation is running smoothly. It’s great.” Truck & Driver | 23
Main picture: A pause on the trip back to show off the good looks of the Scania and its Roadmaster B-train, with the Mangaweka Viaduct as a backdrop Top, from left to right: Dave Littlejohn is enjoying life in the Scania (even though he had been hoping for more power!).... An empty A-frame trolley used to safely transport the glass goes onto the front trailer, while the full trolleys on the back trailer await unloading.... On the kerb side of the B-train trailers, inward sloping racks are used to transport loose glass
Dave, for instance, initially got behind the wheel of a six-wheeler set up for glass a year ago. He’d meet an identical unit at Bulls, they’d swap and he’d head home again. Then, while the new R500 Scania and its Roadmaster combination were being built, he drove an existing APL Direct Scania 620 and an older B-train unit that was revised to take glass. “We had some success and we’ve had a few minor failures. The first load we took down in a B-train wasn’t very good,” he says, without further detail. Now, with the new tractor unit and trailers, “we’ve pretty much perfected it….between the night loaders, myself and my driving and how we handle it.” It’s no great surprise that the tractor unit chosen for the
24 | Truck & Driver
glass run is a Scania – given that around 80% of the 36 trucks in the APL Direct fleet (and all of its linehaul units) wear the Swedish truckmaker’s griffin emblem. The only exceptions are a handful of smaller DAFs and Hinos used for local delivery work. The Scania emphasis is a calculated one, Lambert explains. APL Direct likes the direction that Scania has been heading in over the last three to five years – and “it also aligned with what we were doing.” The Scania choice stands up, says Lambert: “We’re happy with the service, the product speaks for itself – it’s very good. I wouldn’t sit here and necessarily say that it’s a better vehicle than what else is in the market, but there’s a lot more that comes into it when considering gear like that – parts, aftersales, service, etc.”
Even so, when it came to building this particular truck, there was still “a lot of R&D that went in… We looked at a few options – but Scania ticked all the boxes for us. And to be fair it’s doing really well. It’s early days, but we couldn’t be happier, across the board.” What maybe wasn’t so predictable is that after much consideration, Lambert’s preference wasn’t a classic Scania V8, with heaps of horsepower and torque – the 16-litre available in NZ with up to 730hp/544kW and 2851 lb ft/3500Nm. Instead, he recommended the 500hp/372kW DC13 six-cylinder Euro 6 (SCR-only) engine, which puts out 1880 lb ft/2550Nm of peak torque. He explains: “I put a lot of time and thought into ‘do we go with the V8, or do we just stick with the six-cylinder.’
“I’d heard a lot of good things about it (the 500) from a few guys pulling similar B-train setups (but not necessarily with the same weights), so we thought we’d get on board with it fuel-economy wise. “We’re not that heavy heading south and we’re bringing home empty trolleys (rolling A-frames used to carry the glass safely), so it suits the application down to the ground.” Dave reckons he “tried to push Jake for a 540…. More horsepower is a truck driver’s dream. But it was going to be a 500. That was it.” And now that he’s driven it for four months – putting 56,790kms on the clock with his 800k per day routine – he concedes that more horsepower isn’t necessary: “It doesn’t need it, as we’re not carrying great weights.” The Scania package includes a GRS905R 14-speed transmission
Truck & Driver | 25
The B-train accommodates 15 of the A-frame trolleys, purposebuilt to securely transport most of the glass
with Opticruise automated shifting, a driveline retarder plus an exhaust brake, disc brakes all around, a tall CR sleeper cab and glass-friendly air suspension on the front and rear axles. The air suspension, says Lambert, “is almost a no-brainer for us. We’re pretty much everything on air – especially with glass. “You could have gotten away without a sleeper – but who knows where that truck will end up in the fleet.” The other sleeper cab benefit is that “the amount of time that Dave spends in the cab of that unit is right up there – and driver comfort, safety, all of that, is of huge importance to us… “So there wasn’t really anything else that we’d have him sitting in, to be doing that application.” Part of looking after the driver and operating safely saw APL Direct also install the EROAD vehicle tracking, electronic RUC management and fleet management system… And the now-integrated Seeing Machines Guardian face and eye tracking system, designed to detect fatigue and driver distraction. Jake Lambert and Dave Littlejohn are fans of both pieces of technology – the Guardian system vibrating the seat at any sign of fatigue or distraction…and sending an alert to the base. Says Lambert: “The Seeing Machine is the Gen 2 – the latest one. We’ve got them in quite a few of our higher mileage vehicles – and Dave’s doing high mileage AND big hours. “It’s there to support our guys….a tool for them and for us. Health and safety comes into it bigtime for us – it’s a big part of our business – so this is another tool to keep our staff safe. So why wouldn’t you have it.” The six-axle B-train is where a lot of the innovative stuff has been applied to the unit – developed over months of discussion between Lambert and Roadmaster’s engineering manager, Darren Cooke. Says Lambert: “He’s been integral to all of our trailer design over the last few years – but….he and I spent countless hours on designing this 26 | Truck & Driver
unit from scratch.” The result is the two stepdeck curtainsiders in the B-train – an SG unit at the front, a 3G at the rear, able to take 15 of the A-frame trolleys that have been purposebuilt to transport most of the glass on. The sheets of glass are loaded onto the trolleys inside the factory and are securely held in place by aluminium poles, with polymer blocks protecting the glass. The system is versatile – able to take double-glazed and single-glazed glass, sheets of many varying sizes and thicknesses. The trolleys are forklifted onto the driver’s side of the trailers, where their castors sit in channels running across the trailer decks. Once in position, they’re twistlocked into place for the trip. In addition to the trolleys, running the full length of each trailer, on the kerb side, is a ledge (APL Direct calls it a frail ledge) that sits below the level of the rest of the floor – built to accommodate loose/ individual sheets of glass, which are either loaded manually or using an electric suction lift, to be secured on racking leaning inwards into the trailer. It’s an integral part of the design, catering for loose pieces of glass that can’t be accommodated on the A-frame trolleys. Dave says he contributed to the design as well – suggesting that slide-out storage bins be built below the trailer decks, providing easily-accessed storage for the restraining poles from previous trips….which he brings back from Palmerston North, along with empty A-frame trolleys. “There are racks on the inside, but you’ve got to get in there and stack them and then get them out. I said: ‘Why don’t we put some bins on the side of them to make it easier for us’.” The combination, which runs to 23 metres long, courtesy of its performance-based standard (PBS) design, has Hendrickson INTRAAX air-suspended axles under the trailers, using Hendrickson’s ZMD (zero
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Still, this is strictly a day trip there and back maintenance damping). The system does away with shock absorbers – integrating the damping function into the air spring itself. Lambert says that APL Direct has historically used BPW axles for its trailers, but the attraction of the Hendrickson axles was the shockless technology, plus the fact that the INTRAAX axles integrate with Hendrickson’s TIREMAAX Pro tyre pressure control system. Another thoughtful touch with the Roadmaster combination is that, by making both trailers stepdecks, the B-train can be disassembled... and the rear trailer of the set hooked up as a tri-axle semi. Says Lambert: “That gives us the ability to cart nine trolleys – so we can run more efficiently if we do have a lower-volume day.” The capability has been used a few times already. The Scania and its B-train tare at 22,640kg – 9180kg for the tractor unit, 6440kg for the first trailer and 7020kg for the second. Thus, for this trip (as with most) the all-up weight will be somewhere between 34.5 and 38 tonnes. Even through bleary, 2.30am eyes, the unit certainly looks fantastic – the silver-painted Scania shining brightly under AGP’s fluorescent lights, contrasting well against the jet-black of the curtains on the trailers and the R500’s grille…plus the bold AGP branding on the
trailers. Dave does his pre-trip checks – oil and water levels, tyres and making sure that all his lights are working – and we’re ready to head off. I check my watch: It’s 3am…. which makes me yawn. Access to the cab is easy, the first of the three steps very low and with good grabhandles to pull yourself up with. The interior is expansive, tall. The Scania 620 Dave got out of when the R500 arrived was also a sleeper cab unit – “but this cab is bigger, especially in height. I slept in the last one and I used to be bent over trying to get dressed in the morning.” On the other hand, it did have “all the gear….a microwave, a fridge, a TV. This one only has a fridge.” Still, this is strictly a day trip there and back – Dave usually taking a break in Taihape. The early start is designed to have him in Palmerston North in time to have the glass in the B-train transferred over to two APL Direct Scania P410 truck-only units – so they can deliver it around the lower North Island. As Dave idles the Scania away from AGP’s factory, which is surrounded by fields, the LED headlights pick out a fluffle of rabbits (or a colony, if you prefer) darting everywhere: It’s like a scene from
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Clockwise, from top left: The high-roof CR cab is well-equipped, comfy and roomy... A gentle turnout helps keep everything close at hand for the driver. An EROAD screen and the integrated Seeing Machines Guardian driver fatigue and distraction monitoring system sit on the dash.... Plenty of controls are at the fingertips...... Low first step works with good grabhandles to make it easy getting in and out
Watership Down. Once clear of the factory, Dave flicks on the LED spots and night becomes day. These headlights are incredibly bright. He laughs: “Yeah, they’re awesome. LEDs all the way around. Everybody gets in and goes wow! It’s actually hard case, ‘cos I drive this through the night and then I get back into my own vehicle and go: ‘Duh – the lights in my ute are shit!’ I’ve been spoilt by this.” In no time we’re on SH1 and heading south, wipers on. Dave has been trucking for 30 years – starting out wanting to be a panelbeater, he found “it was hard to get an apprenticeship,” so at 18 he got his heavy traffic licence instead….and that was him. His career began behind the wheel of an International R190, driving for a Cambridge contractor, carting hay and bulk metal during the summer months – as well as working on the farm with his Dad. “Then it was the old split-window Commers. That was when I was driving for George Sinclair….for about six years.” After doing his big OE, he joined APL – and has been in Scanias ever since: “First a little wee six-wheeler, doing the Wellington run as we used to call it – delivering extrusions to Wellington, down through the Wairarapa, up through New Plymouth, Taupo and Napier. I did that for about nine and half years.” Until he got into the interim 620 at the start of the glass run, he drove a three-year-old 8x4 440 G cab and says that this has been a massive step up. “These things handle so superior, they’re very nice to drive. The quietness – all you can hear is the turbo whistle. Absolutely gorgeous.” Ask him for his likes and he reckons: “Where to begin? The power is better, the air suspension rides so smoothly. I tell people that it’s
like driving your own car, but it’s a top of the line car. You don’t rattle around in it and its appearance is so superior.” The air suspension helps for loading and unloading: “We can drop the suspension down, particularly when we need to take the glass off the rails.” The R500 gets a thumbs-up too for its forward visibility: “The thing that I do like about these new Scanias is that these A-pillars are a lot smaller. You had that big blind spot on the left-hand side before. That was one thing I did notice when I first got in.” The driver’s seat is really comfortable: “I do like the leather upholstery, of course. It’s very soft, and heated too. I haven’t driven it in summer yet – I might need a seat cover then.” On the other hand he doesn’t use the armrests. Dave feels that over the years the steering on the Scanias has systematically been improved, so that’s it’s now light – but not overly so. It’s positive and smooth.” The combination “sits well on the road….the only thing is, it’ll track on the grooves of particular roads because of the bigger tyres on it. They’re Michelins all around on the tractor unit (385/65R22.5 R S MI on Alcoa Dura-Bright alloys), with Firestones on the trailer.” Dave says that the TIREMAAX Pro tyre pressure management system is good….but adds: “The only fault with it is, if it tells you you’ve got a puncture, it doesn’t tell you what wheel. You’ve got 12 tyres to look around so it would be good if it had a system that could specify which one. “It’s still a step up from not having it: Especially due to the high Ks I’m doing, I really do recommend it. You don’t have to worry about inflation – it’s all taken care of.” He does like the technology he’s got at his fingertips: “I like the Truck & Driver | 31
APL Direct opted for the inline six R500 model for its specialist glass unit, rather than a V8 – taking into account the relatively light loads it has to deal with. The 12.7-litre uses SCR-only (no EGR) to achieve the Euro 6 emissions standard
(dash) display – it’s very clear and you can make it how you want it, except the speed and revs, of course. I can have the radio stations in the middle, but I could have the driver assistance, phone…you can set that all up with buttons on the steering wheel.” The tilt and slide-adjustable steering wheel offers fingertip control of the stereo, adaptive cruise control and downhill speed control. These last two he uses a lot. “The brakes will stop this truck on a dime, with the ABS and everything. It’s got a four-stage retarder but I don’t use the lever – well, very rarely. I use the one (control button) on the steering wheel. “If you want to go down a hill at 70km/h, you set it to 70 and the truck will stay at that speed. I call it one finger driving – cruise control and retarder.” Heading into Tirau, Dave adjusts the distance ahead that triggers the adaptive cruise control: “On the open road I stretch out the distance, and bring it back in as I near town. But normally it’s around the halfway mark.” He enjoys the night driving – except for “the idiots that overtake you on blind corners! They drive me insane. And there’s no need for it on our roads.” Unsurprisingly, given that he’s the guardian of all that glass onboard, he’s not impressed with the state of the roads either: “They’re not that good. They need to be upgraded and I feel that there’s places that rather than repair, they just put signs out. Some have been there for months.” Luckily, the Scania and the B-train just seem to soak up whatever State Highway 1 serves up to it – potholes, bumps, wet and greasy surfaces… We cruise on past Taupo. The Hatepe hill south of Taupo gives Dave a chance to show off the Scania’s much-liked downhill speed control – setting it to 55km/h: “The only thing that will make that change is if the wheels slip on the road. Fifty-five down here is safe – and it won’t go off on me.” The revs hold steady at 1500rpm and the green retarder indicator 32 | Truck & Driver
light on the dash comes on intermittently as it works to maintain the set speed. The Scania’s six-cylinder engine is virtually idling along as we negotiate the twisty stuff alongside Lake Taupo, around Toki Point – the Opticruise shifting down to ninth (at 1200rpm) as we negotiate the first of the two 25k corners around here. The hill that follows sees us back up to 48km/h as it smoothly shifts back up to 11th. Dave’s enthusiastic: “It’s got a tonne of pull.” We scarcely lose any momentum on the gearshifts and the loudest sounds are the turbo whistle and the knock of the wipers on the large windscreen. Dave calls ahead on the CB: “Southbound, Bulli Point.” The signposted 25k corner is taken in 8th gear, at 1300rpm. It’s all so easy. It’s the same story on the next challenging bit of road that the Scania has to deal with – the Three Sisters stretch of the Desert Road. The first Sister sees the AMT down to 8th, with the engine ticking over at 1000 revs, around the signposted 25k corner. From here on, the Opticruise is busy – but not overly. It just goes about its business smoothly, efficiently – the revs and road speed rising and falling with the terrain and the corners… The AMT is mostly in ninth and 10th…occasionally getting into 11th and 12th. The 13-litre engine isn’t working hard, with revs rising only as high as 1500…and dropping down to 1000, even 900 at one point as we ease around a tight corner. The road is wet and bumpy, and Dave is happy just to tool along here – relying on the retarder when necessary on descents…not touching the footbrake pedal: “The reason I’m taking it a bit slower is that the roads are a bit rough through here, and we have got fragile freight.” The air suspension handles it all well. On climbs he sometimes eases his foot off the throttle, so the Opticruise won’t upshift.
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Clockwise, from top left: Dave came up with the idea for the slideout bins to stow used trolley poles for the trip home.... Even after driving a 620hp Scania before the R500, Dave concedes that 500hp is good enough for this job....the Seeing Machines Guardian keeps an eye on the driver’s eyes and triggers a warning if it detects any sign of drowsiness.... Another extra on the fully air-suspended combination is the Hendrickson TireMAAX Pro tyre pressure control system integrated into the Hendrickson INTRAAX axles on the trailers
Having been up and down this road every day for a few years now, Dave obviously knows it all well. Probably every nasty bump, certainly every deceptive bend. So much so you might figure it’d all be getting a bit tedious. But nah: “I absolutely love my job,” he declares: “I should be retired but I’m not. I do a lot of fishing and we’ve got a motorhome. My wife can’t retire until next year so there’s no point in me sitting at home doing nothing. “I’m not sick of the road either: Every day something different happens on it, and it’s snowed three times already this year too. Most of the time I can still drive through, but one time I had to drive right around. “It’s my call in the morning…..what I’m going to do. I check the weather report and I make the decision when I get to work.” Inquire whether Dave still harbours any truck-driving ambitions he’d like to achieve before calling it quits – like steering a big Kenworth conventional, with all the bling – and he’s adamant: “Not after driving this. These things are so nice to ride in – very comfortable, quiet and getting in and out is much easier.” Essentially, there’s nothing about the R500 that he dislikes.
Well…maybe just the one thing: “The only thing I’d change is more horsepower,” he laughs. “Nah, I wouldn’t change anything on it. Jake and I talk about it and we think that it’s very adequate for what we do. It’s not over-specced – it’s the right truck for the job. I can get down to Palmerston in five hours ten. I was doing it with the 620 Scania in the same time – so that proves it: It doesn’t need the extra horsepower.” And APL Direct? How’s the company feeling now about the spec of this key unit? Jake Lambert is a very satisfied customer: “The trailers are fantastic. There’s not really much that we’d change on them, to be honest. We couldn’t be happier with the unit.” Specially considering, as he adds, creating a purposebuilt glass-carrying B-train was “new territory” – for Roadmaster and for APL Direct. And the R500? “It’s going really well. It’ll be interesting to see how the fuel economy goes. I mean, mileage-wise, it’s now just clicked over 65,000kms, so as far as fuel economy goes, I’d just like to see it run-in a little bit more before we get a real true assessment on that.” But so far, he adds, “it seems to be ticking all the boxes.” T&D Truck & Driver | 35
HT
Test
AYDEN REVOR
W
HEN YOU THINK SCANIA, YOU THINK V8 – WELL MOST do…and it’s the V8 that has gained an almost cult following (which will no doubt get bigger when it launches a 770-horsepower model next year). But we aren’t here for a V8 this time – it’s the six-cylinder 500hp engine that we are interested in. We start off in Cambridge at 3am – catching up with APL Direct’s new R500 model towing a stunning new Roadmaster six-axle B-train setup that was designed and built to cart AGP’s glass. The whole unit looks great, with nice clean colours and graphics and an amazing light show – even inside the trailers, where there are neon lights running down the centre. After a run down to Waiouru, through some snow on the Desert Road, it’s my turn to jump in the cab and finish the run to Palmerston North. The climb up into the cab is what you would expect from a European cab, with three well-spaced big and wide steps, helped by grabhandles on both sides of the wide-opening door. Once in the cab it’s a stylish design with plenty going on. The steering wheel looks to have more buttons on it than any other truck I’ve tested – with the infotainment controls on the left and on the right, the controls for the main dash display to sort through the
It’s 3am when the state-of-the-art Scania B-train leaves the state-ofthe-art AGP factory at Hautapu
36 | Truck & Driver
Hayden Woolston
different settings. Along the bottom are the cruise control functions and adaptive cruise control distance settings. The main dash has your two main dials (speedo and tacho) and a digital centre display for all the different settings a driver prefers to have on display. I prefer just the standard digital speed display. On the left stalk are the indicators and window wipers and on the right hand stalk there are drive functions and the engine brake control. Even the driver door has more buttons than any other truck, with interior lighting, headlights, mirror controls and electric windows. To the left of the driver’s seat on the dash is the infotainment display, aircon and more lighting buttons. Below this is a storage
tray with cup holders and draws. As I pull out onto the main road at Waiouru the noise levels are freakishly quiet. I gain speed, getting up to 90km/h in no time. As I cruise down the highway, I put the truck in cruise control, and it sticks to the overrun limits preset by the driver. This is good as you don’t get any over-speeding warning from the EROAD head unit. The ride is very smooth and positioning the combination on the road is easy: You barely have to worry about the B-train as it tracks so well. On this run the main hill to tackle is the Mangaweka Hill…which doesn’t seem to faze the six and the AMT, which work in unison to get the optimal gear changes delivered at the right times – changing at 1200rpm, then taking the revs back up to 1500. At the top we’re in 9th, doing 46km/h – but we aren’t heavily loaded. It’s the downhills that make this a fun truck to drive – using the separate downhill
cruise control. You set it at the top of the hill and the truck will take you down at the set speed, with limited over-run. This is a great feature that I really enjoy using – so much so I use it on nearly every descent. With the Mangaweka Hill behind us it’s a nice cruisy drive through to Palmertson North. I feel at home in this cab – it’s so quiet and smooth and there’s nothing to get in your way or annoy you. Once into the yard for the unload, it’s time to give Dave back his truck. I’m really impressed with the six-cylinder engine. Dave says he originally wanted more horsepower – but concedes now that he doesn’t need it, considering he’s running home almost empty most of the time. It’s a testament to the APL Direct team for putting the right truck on the right job and not getting carried away with wants over needs. T&D
• SPECIFICATIONS • Scania R 500 A6x4NB Engine: Scania DC13 165 sixcylinder, Euro 6 SCR Capacity: 12.7 litres Maximum power: 368kW (500hp) @ 1900rpm Maximum torque: 2550Nm (1880 lb ft) @ 1000-1300rpm Fuel capacity: 400 litres Transmission: Scania GRSO905R direct drive 14-speed, with Opticruise automated gearshifting Ratios: 1st – 16.41 (crawler-low) 2nd – 13.28 (crawler-high) 3rd – 11.42 4th – 9.16 5th – 7.19 6th – 5.82 7th – 4.63 8th – 3.75 9th – 3.02 10th – 2.44 11th – 1.92 12th – 1.55 13th – 1.24 14th – 1.00 Front axle: Scania AM640S, rated at 7500kg Rear axles: Scania AD200SA, with diff locks. Each rated at 9500kg Auxiliary brakes: Scania retarder Front suspension: Scania air suspension Rear suspension: Scania air suspension GVW: 26,500kg GCW: 50,000kg
Truck & Driver | 37
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Compared to the previous model. Please note: changes may have been made to the product since this publication went to press (July 2021). The manufacturer reserves the right to make changes to the design, form, colour, and specification of the product. The images shown are to be considered examples only and do not necessarily reflect the actual state of the original vehicles. Please consult your authorised Mercedes-Benz Truck Dealer for further details. © Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific Pty Ltd (ACN 618 413 282). Printed in New Zealand.
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Driving the economy
Smaller businesses, including transport companies, rely on being paid for their services within a reasonable timeframe
Balance of power shifting in the economy F by Nick Leggett Chief Executive La Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
IRSTLY, LET ME SAY HOW EXCITED I am by the rebranding of the Road Transport Forum into Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand. Replacing the tired RTF brand with Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand is about conveying what the industry does for the public and business in NZ – transporting their goods, to their door, when they need them; or their food, medicines and other essentials to the stores they shop at, so it is always there when they want it. You can read more about our new brand on Page 43 – as well as how it fits with where I see that the country needs to head to overcome this pandemic. Taking a look at other recent events that will impact our industry, I am delighted with the recent passing of the Fair Trading Amendment Bill into law. A lot of hard work went into this behind the scenes, starting with former RTF CEO Ken Shirley, who successfully lobbied then Small Business Minister Stuart Nash to look into the practice of unilateral
deferred payments that were becoming an issue for smaller operators in our industry. Transporters working for big players in the primary sector were forced to accept 60-90-day payment terms. If they didn’t, they would lose the business – and that threatened their livelihoods. Terms such as these have a major impact on many small NZ businesses, including those that make up a chunk of road freight transport. Typically, small businesses are not flush with cash and it is therefore critical that they are paid for their services within a reasonable timeframe. We lobbied for extending the provisions of the Fair Trading Act as a simple solution for dealing with this. We had argued for a contract threshold of $500,000 because in our industry, despite being small businesses themselves, many operators take on large contracts. Unfortunately, we didn’t win that one, but we feel we have won the war. The Bill targets the use of pressure tactics, deception, oneTruck & Driver | 39
Driving the economy
sided contract terms and practices that exploit the vulnerabilities of a consumer or small business. It adds to the existing protections put in place under the Fair Trading Act 1986 by: • Prohibiting unconscionable conduct in trade. • Extending unfair contract term protections to include small trade contracts worth $250,000 a year or less. • Legally empowering consumers and businesses to demand uninvited sellers, such as door-to-door salespeople, to leave their property, including through the use of ‘do not knock’ stickers. • Businesses that are found to act unconscionably – using practices that go beyond what can be deemed commercially necessary – will face fines of up to $600,000. Looking at the overall state of the economy at the moment, one of the biggest issues on the horizon is the growing rate of inflation and the associated increases in living costs. This is not good news, and many who weren’t around in the 1970s and 1980s, when inflation rates peaked above 12%, have no experience in dealing with this economic hit, particularly in an overheated property market. We’re a long way from those bad old days, but in the second quarter of this year the annual inflation rate hit 3.3%, up from 1.5% in the first quarter – the highest annual rate since 2011. Economists predict this is just the beginning, as the real costs of heavy government spending will be seen in rising inflation. This comes during the time of COVID, which has also hit the supply chain significantly, with high demand and low supply. With our indefinitely-closed border, the return of lockdowns, our small size as an international market, and our distant location from any other market, NZ will not fare well in the next couple of years when it comes to getting goods in and out of the country. Exports were already down 25% in the first quarter of this year. The silver lining of knowing what is coming, in a time of much uncertainty otherwise, is we can prepare in advance…as best we can. Now is the time to make sure your business practices and structures are positioned to ride the wave. In the road freight transport industry, the balance of power is shifting. Where many operators have been at the beck and call of customers who continue to drive prices and conditions down to the frankly unreasonable and unsustainable, it’s time for smart operators to rethink those relationships. When the supply side is constrained, longterm relationships matter, and the reality is those who continually undercut others won’t survive the rapidly increasing cost of doing 40 | Truck & Driver
The Commerce Commission found that Woolworths NZ and Foodstuffs use their buying power to unfairly disadvantage suppliers “Fruit” by Like_the_Grand_Canyon is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
business. We have seen the worst of the uneven balance of power in the release of the Commerce Commission’s draft report into competition in the retail grocery sector. It found that the duopoly of Woolworths NZ and Foodstuffs, without real competition, is able to exercise its buying power to push excess risks, costs and uncertainty onto suppliers. That can ruin small businesses. It’s the supermarkets’ way or the highway, and transport operators have been caught up in that. I am hoping this report will lead to suppliers having more power, especially when you consider they’re the ones who have kept the country running smoothly over the period since COVID-19 first reared its head in NZ. Some of the real heroes of the pandemic have been the farmers, growers, labourers, truck drivers, logistics workers etc, who ensured that the food, medicines and other essentials got to
those who needed them. The supermarkets were praised for staying open and allowing everyone to buy the essentials, but in reality they were just the last piece in the puzzle, and often the ones who enforced harsh terms and conditions on their suppliers. COVID-19 and the lockdowns are causing ongoing issues with limited supply of people and equipment, and I’ve heard that some established carriers can’t fulfil some of their longterm contracts. This presents the opportunity for operators to use their own networks and technology to improve efficiency. This might be worth exploring as an industry. There is always opportunity if you know where to look for it, as many who have been in the road freight transport business a long time will be aware. In the longterm, the rocky road ahead may, in fact, provide a better path to a sustainable business for many transport operators. T&D
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Driving the economy
New brand and new future for our industry “
OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW,” is how chief executive Nick Leggett describes the rebranding of the industry’s leading advocacy organsation – from the Road Transport Forum to Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand. “In 2019, we did extensive research on what road freight transport means to NZers and how they view the service the industry provides, the vehicles we use and the people involved in freight and logistics,” says Leggett. “Encouragingly, NZers have a generally favourable view of trucks and understand their critical role in the economy. “We feel Transporting New Zealand far better reflects how people perceive our industry, the fact that road transport is a significant contributor to growth in the economy, and having the verb ‘transporting’ in the name shows the action and movement that are part of our 24/7 operations.” The new logo has been designed so that the arrows represent the North Island and South Island and the vital road links within and between them. Ia Ara Aotearoa can be translated as “each and every road of Aotearoa.” The word “Ia” is also translated as a vessel or vein – likening the vehicles used to transport the “goods” to the very important role of the veins of a human body. “Ia” can also mean to flow, like the flow of movement of a river – again, similar to the flow of freight around the country. As Leggett explains, Transporting New Zealand had hoped to show off the rebrand at a launch event organised at Parliament, but this was cancelled due to the latest COVID-19 lockdown. “Unfortunately, COVID-19 has little respect for events and it was just too hard in such an uncertain climate to reschedule.
“Regardless, we know that Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand will be a brand that reflects a modern, forward-looking industry that is, every day, taking on its challenges; whether that be operating during lockdown, navigating our inadequate roading network, or consistently delivering the goods on time.” Right now, says Leggett, it is hard to consider any future without COVID-19 as a major part of it. NZ, he adds, “must start building up our psychological, physical, social and economic resilience to live with it. “COVID-19, whether it’s Delta or other future strains, is not going away. NZ may get back to a situation where we have no community cases but in the medium to long term, the world will never eliminate it and most other developed countries have accepted that. “The slow nature of the vaccine rollout and the lack of planning and preparation in our health system has left us pretty badly exposed, hence Level 4. However, lockdowns are not a sustainable method of control. We must vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate – and look to provide boosters when we need to. We cannot as a country stay closed forever and we need to do a lot more to protect ourselves for when we do open up. “A big thankyou to all the essential workers in our industry who have kept the freight moving over the last month or so. We all owe you a big pat on the back,” Leggett concludes. Finally, there’s been another casualty of the current Delta incursion – The Road Ahead: Transporting New Zealand Conference. Says Leggett: “With so much unpredicatability surrounding what the alert levels may be in different parts of the country the Transporting New Zealand board was forced to make a call in order to provide the industry, event hosts and event providers with some certainty. Registered delegates will be contacted by Transporting New Zealand.” T&D Truck & Driver | 43
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Driving the economy
Cobham Drive and the ASB Sport Centre, just west of Wellington Airport “2015_05_17_ewr-lax-akl-wlg_100” by dsearls is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Let’s Get Wellington Moving gets it wrong…again! T
HE ROAD FREIGHT INDUSTRY JOINS OTHER key economic sectors in wanting to keep the country moving, and can’t see any justification for the Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) proposal for a pedestrian crossing on the State Highway 1 route to and from Wellington airport. “Stopping traffic on such a vital route to make life easier for a handful of people who might want to cross this road where they don’t need to is a ludicrous idea,” says Transporting New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett. “ This will significantly disadvantage the 35,000 vehicles, commuters, travellers and businesses that use this road every day” “Cobham Drive is our main state highway and the only viable route to Wellington’s airport. We don’t want to see time added to that journey without strong evidence, which is currently missing in action.” The proposal for the crossing – to access the ASB Sports Centre – has met with strong opposition from business and community groups. An independent poll of residents in Wellington’s eastern suburbs shows they overwhelmingly oppose the pedestrian crossing, with 83% believing the proposed crossing will make congestion worse. “We have seen no cost-benefit analyses to underpin this crossing and it’s about time Let’s Get Wellington Moving started listening, because this will not only affect businesses, it will also affect thousands of local residents,” says Leggett.
“A controlled pedestrian crossing on an already-congested road will result in traffic being slowed to a stop when the lights are red, and to a crawl to get over the raised crossing.” LGWM is a joint initiative between Wellington City Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council and Waka Kotahi to develop a better transport system for the capital. It has so far been an unmitigated failure, according to Leggett. “I’ve said before, Let’s Get Wellington Moving is a misnomer and to get things moving, we’ve got to stop slowing things down.” Traffic congestion in Wellington and Auckland is growing day by day, yet local and central government seem hellbent on slowing traffic through cities and pandering to minority fringe interests, says Leggett. “Transporting New Zealand believes all road users need to operate in an environment where road safety, the impacts of transport on our environment and the transport of goods by road can co-exist. “What is concerning is that LGWM talk but they don’t listen. They can’t produce sufficient evidence to substantiate significant changes to the roading network that favour cyclists and pedestrians over motorists, and yet spend vast amounts of ratepayer and taxpayer dollars doing so,” says Leggett. “This kind of thinking is becoming commonplace, with the Government’s ‘bridge to nowhere’ cycleway in Auckland also shown Truck & Driver | 45
Driving the economy
“They only have to open the door and ask.” to be a costly folly. “The whole country is struggling right now – the lockdown in August coming just as things appeared to be getting back to normal – and yet there are decisionmakers who think spending $785million on a vanity project like this is warranted.” Leggett says solutions to the issues and opportunities that COVID19 has thrown up lie in the knowledge and expertise held by NZ’s businesses, rather than its bureaucracy. “COVID-19 has highlighted a critical need for better understanding
by Government and its officials about how the global supply chain works and how that flows through to moving goods into, out of, and around NZ. “Our economy is driven by exports and imports – goods that need to get where they are going as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible, given how far away we are from the rest of the world. “This is a well-oiled, logistics-driven machine, and Government could learn a lot from the businesses involved. They only have to open the door and ask.” T&D
Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand was established in 1997 to represent the combined interests of all members as a single organisation at a national level. Members of Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand’s regionally focused member associations are automatically affiliated to Transporting New Zealand.
Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand 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.nz www.natroad.co.nz James Smith, Chief Operating Officer 09 636 2951 021 667 131 james.smith@natroad.co.nz Paula Rogers, Commercial Transport Specialist 09 636 2957 021 771 951 paula.rogers@natroad.nz Jason Heather, Commercial Transport Specialist 09 636 2950 021 771 946 jason.heather@natroad.nz Steve Chapple, Commercial Transport Specialist – Lower NI. 027 244 9557 steve.chapple@natroad.nz Ian Roberts, Commercial Transport Specialist – Waikato/Bay of Plenty 021 193 3555 Ian.roberts@natroad.nz 46 | Truck & Driver
Road Transport Association of NZ (RTANZ) National Office, PO Box 7392, Christchurch 8240 03 366 9854 admin@rtanz.co.nz www.rtanz.co.nz Simon Carson, Chief Operating Officer 027 556 6099 scarson@rtanz.co.nz Northland/Auckland/Waikato/ Thames-Coromandel/Bay of Plenty/North Taupo/King Country Contact RTANZ Christchurch head office for assistance 03 3669854 South Taupo/Turangi/Gisborne/Taranaki/ Manawatu/Horowhenua/Wellington Sandy Walker, Senior Industry Advisor 027 485 6038 swalker@rtanz.co.nz Northern West Coast/Nelson/Marlborough/ North Canterbury/West Coast John Bond, Senior Industry Advisor 027 444 8136 jbond@rtanz.co.nz Otago Southland, South Canterbury , Mid Canterbury Contact RTANZ Christchurch head office for assistance 03 3669854
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
s k c u r Teen t on Story Dave McLeod & Wayne Munro Photos Gerald Shacklock & Helena Williamson
Williamson Contracting’s 2019 Mercedes-Benz Arocs blower truck delivers stock feed to a farm on the Poutu Peninsula, south of Dargaville. Driver Dan Merritt is controlling things
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Spreading Northland’s newest (and biggest) spreader, a 2020 Merc Arocs 6x6, goes about its work
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OT YET TURNED 48, JASON WILLIAMSON IS already an old hand in the bulk fertiliser groundspreading business. Remarkably, the Dargaville-based Williamson bought his first truck at just 18 – fully three decades ago! Now he and wife Helena own not just one, but two trucking operations – the Spreading Northland business, with its ninth truck due to go to work soon… And a modest contracting company with four bulk truck and trailer units that support both the fert spreading and the two diggers that the company also owns. It’d be nice to say that it’s been all plain sailing in the Williamsons’ 30 years in business….but, to put it bluntly, it hasn’t. Like many in New Zealand’s rural trucking industry, Jason’s story has been a mix of modest, steady growth – on the back of lots of hard graft – and an ability to adapt to changing circumstances, make the most of opportunities… And survival over setbacks, ranging from dud gear, rural downturns….even an horrific accident. Jason grew up on the family farm at Arapohue, about 11 kilometres south of Dargaville, on State Highway 12. He left school at 15, starting work in Dargaville as a panelbeating apprentice. But then, after two years, moved to Kaiwaka for work – 66 kilometres away from home: “I got a bit over the travelling. So I said to the old man one night: ‘I’m sick of this.’ ” His father, Phil – who’d been involved in contracting as
well as dairy farming –suggested that Jason buy a bulk groundspreader. He duly did exactly that. And thus, with the startup of Williamson Spreaders, he became a teenage transport operator – working in closely with longtime friend Michael Douglas (who had a truck and trailer and a digger). To say Jason’s secondhand, Northland-built Tructor purchase wasn’t the flashest or best groundspreader around would be a serious understatement: What it was, was affordable – just $15,000. It was, says Jason, “a built-up thing…..built out of anything that was lying around.” It wasn’t, he adds, “very good.” It had a home-made, oneman cab on it – solid steel, with a front window…but no window in the door. And not much in the way of brakes! It was more tractor than truck: “You didn’t cart with them on the road – we just went from job to job as it was classed like a tractor. It even had tractor tyres on it. “They were heaps of shit: I spent more time fixing it than driving. And you’d get two or three flat tyres a day ‘cos they couldn’t handle the weight. And that was just before cellphones – so life wasn’t easy. So I learnt quite a bit about fixing stuff.” On the other hand, he found good support from local farmers – and the business took off, with his mate Michael carting fert to the spreader. The reality that he needed good brakes was graphically brought home early on when he had a lucky escape: “I was doing one of the neighbours’ places and stalled it…ended up flying backwards down a hill and into a dam!” Truck & Driver | 51
Clockwise, from above: Jason paces the yard, past two-thirds of his groundspreader fleet – parked up, thanks to bad weather.... In 30 years Jason Williamson Contracting has become part of the recent history of the Northern Wairoa district. St Peters Church Anglican Church at Te Kopuru is much more historic again – built 119 years ago!..... The unloved Tructor spreader was Jason’s first truck, which he bought when he was just 18
Financially though he didn’t see he had much choice but to persist with it: “I used that truck for two or three years and just got absolutely sick of it in the end. Sick of using it, sick of spending money on the truck….and fixing it.” So, in 1994, a frustrated and fed-up Jason went and bought himself a Mercedes-Benz 1222 4x4 spreader: “We bought a brand-new cab and chassis and I put a secondhand bin on it.” By then it was clear, he says ruefully, that this is what he should have done from the start. “When we bought that truck it meant that we could cart out of the stores direct to the farms. That made life a whole lot easier. I just had to pay for it, that was the hardest thing!” Fortunately, there was plenty of work around Jason’s home area – enough to warrant buying an Automat self-unloading trailer after a couple of years. Then, says Jason, “we just kept plodding along like that for a few years – just doing the local stuff.” Downtime forced by wet winter weather prompted him to head off one year to Aussie, getting work in a goldmine in Leonora, Western Australia. Around 1999, the business added a secondhand Merc Unimog 4x4 spreader – and “a young fella, Andrew Perreau joined me. He was my first employee.” Adds Jason: “In true Unimog style, it fell over a couple of times, and needed fixing.” Around the same time as the spreading business expanded, “the old man bought a kumara farm near Dargaville and we (Williamson Spreaders) shifted from Arapohue to there, using it as our depot. It made life easier being closer to town, ‘cos Ravensdown is here. And Ballance.” And more change: Around a year later, Jason’s brother Craig joined the business and they changed the company name to Williamson Spreaders & Cartage. “We built the business up quite a bit. So in the early 2000s we bought our first tipper – an old 328 Mitsi and we used the Automat trailer out the back. “We used it to cart product to the spreaders…. Until then we 52 | Truck & Driver
were giving that work away to other people.” The family also began operating a limestone quarry on the dairy farm, and the bulk truck carted limestone out of there. A new three-axle bulk trailer was also ordered to go behind the Mitsi. Mike Shelford, Darrel Bradley and Colin Barwell were added to the driver lineup – in part because Jason had bought another secondhand Merc 1222 spreader: “It had been rolled over, but they put another cab on it and we finished it off. We used that for a couple of years.” Between 2003 and 2010 “plenty happened” and the workload continued to grow – prompting Williamson Spreaders & Cartage to form relationships with other local spreaders to help meet demand. Says Jason: “We worked in a bit with Les Sweeney, a groundspread operator from around here – then eventually we bought Les out. They had two Hino spreaders and two Automat trailers. We sold one of the Hinos straight away and bought a brand-new Merc 1528 Atego – and then bought a second road truck: A FUSO FV 430 and trailer. That was 2003.” Driver Colin Johnston (who still works for Jason) came over from Sweeney’s operation. And still new work kept coming in – so in 2004 a secondhand Mercedes-Benz Atego 1828 spreader was bought, its arrival coinciding with the departure of Craig Williamson to manage the family’s dairy farm….and with Jason’s younger brother Blair starting work in the business. It was time. Jason reckoned, for more diversification: “We bought a digger from a local operator we dealt with. The digging work was something we could do in the winter, because back then we didn’t do any spreading during winter. “So it created a bit of income. Plus we do our own maintenance over winter – we keep quite busy doing that.” And the spreader drivers “jump into the road truck when needed.” Diggers were an obvious addition to the company’s business, seeing as Jason had been operating them “since I was about 12 – ‘cos the old man always had one.”
Still, it was brother Blair who initially took on most of the digger work – the machine running in tandem with one bulk truck and trailer unit. The bulk cartage side of the operation built slowly – the groundspreading, more dramatically: Not long after Jason had been talking with local Duncan Wilson about buying his spreading business, the longtime Dargaville operator was killed in an accident. In the aftermath of the tragedy, Jason bought the business off the family – the deal resulting in the addition of one driver and two bulk spreaders to the Williamson operation. When Jason says that nothing has been straightforward about the evolution of the business, he means it: Brother Blair “left to do his OE – so I started driving the digger, as well as running the business,” he explains. And that was just the start of it: “We got rid of the Unimog and got a Mitsi Fighter 4x4. We had a couple of drivers leave and buy their own trucks. “Then I had my accident.” It sounds ominous….and it was – very, very bad. It happened not out on some treacherous
hillside during a spreading operation….but in the yard! On a Friday afternoon in October 2008, Jason was washing the bin and spinner on the smallest spreader, the Mitsubishi Fighter, with the spinner operating: “I slipped and it grabbed my foot and dragged me into the bin by my foot! “It degloved my leg (and yes, that is as horrific as it sounds) and they had to cut me out of it. I ended up in Middlemore Hospital Burns Unit for just over two months as plastic surgeon Murray Beagley reconstructed my leg. I was just lucky that the right surgeon was there at the right time.” Extensive plastic surgery, involving skin and muscle grafts, have seen him eventually return to near-normal walking – but he’s been told his leg will never fully recover. He doesn’t dwell on it now – just laughs wryly as he says: “So that put a spanner in the works for about a year or so! But the guys were great and kept the business going over that time.” Actually, on reflection, he reckons that he was actually only off work for about three months: “I just had to come back to work. I bought a second digger to catch up on the work.” Truck & Driver | 53
Above: Jason and Helena married 20 years ago, have worked together in the businesses since 2002 Right: The Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3348 6x6 bought last year is easily able to haul its own Automat trailer to jobs
And another thing: There was a need to separate the groundspreading and bulk cartage/contracting sides of the business into separate entities – prompted by Jason and wife Helena entering into a joint-venture agreement with fertiliser cooperative Ravensdown to co-own the spreader operation. The fert giant had approached Jason with the JV idea before his accident and it made sense, as he relates now: “It was something they were doing throughout the country with different operators and they wanted to set one up in Northland here. So about five months after the accident we started talking again and that’s when we did the JV. “We did the JV because they were looking around for people: Someone was going to do it in Northland – so we thought it might as well be us.” Thus in 2010 the business was divided, with the bulk tippers and contracting business renamed Williamson Contracting, fullyowned by Jason and Helena…. 54 | Truck & Driver
While the newly-created Spreading Northland was set up with Ravensdown and Williamson Contracting each holding a 50% share. The spreading business has four directors – two Ravensdown execs, plus Jason and Helena. In terms of the day to day running of the spreading business, nothing changed, Jason says – but the JV has brought benefits for both parties: “We just run it how we want to. But it meant a bit more support and security following my accident – and the technology side was evolving quite a bit as they had developed their own technology for the spreading computers in the trucks and the guidance systems.” Ravensdown’s computerised GPS-based spreading technology – which has evolved over the years into the current HawkEye system, is capable of setting and controlling various application rates. Spreadmark certification guarantees that fertilisers will be placed exactly “where they can be of the most agricultural benefit and the least risk of environmental harm.” The HawkEye
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technology includes proof of placement maps. For Ravensdown, as Jason says, the partnership guarantees that there’s always someone on hand, ready to apply its fertiliser. Happily, the deal allows for Spreading Northland to still do work involving other fert companies: “We’re not restricted to just doing Ravensdown. We spread from anywhere – they don’t worry about that either.” The two Dargaville-based businesses – Spreading Northland and Williamson Contracting – have, happily, had a much less
tumultuous period of calm and steady development since the spreading JV began. That’s included buying out Ruawai Groundspread about three years ago: “It was always a good business and in a good area – very flat. And I’d known Karl Wrathall for years. He’d been offered a job running Ruawai Transport so wanted to sell the spreaders.” Jason was keen to buy it – and there was no resistance to the purchase from the Ravensdown directors: “We just had to put a
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Opposite page: A flashback in time, with Williamson Contracting building a farm feed pad, with the help of a borrowed bulldozer and the digger from the family limestone quarry Above: Eight-year-old Scania P360 4x4 heads back to town from a coastal farm at Baylys Beach
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business plan together, and as long as the figures stacked up, everyone was fine.” The last decade and a bit has seen steady progress in updating the gear used by both the groundspreading and bulk cartage operations. Williamson Contracting now runs three bulk tipper truck and trailer units, and focuses on the cartage of palm kernel, fertiliser, limestone from their quarry and metal, as well as
supporting the contracting machinery in doing earthworks for dams and ponds. The company also owns a blower truck and trailer for delivering palm kernel and other products into silos. “We’ve got two Mercedes 2651 Arocs – one set up as a blower unit for filling silos – a 2014 Mitsubishi HD470 and an older Isuzu EX450 that’s our backup blower truck. We’ve also got two four-axle trailers, one three-axle trailer and two Hitachi ZX130 diggers.”
Clockwise from opposite page, top: The Merc Arocs 6x6 looked ridiculously tall when it arrived, but is proving to be a valuable addition to the fleet... Engineer Brett Ellis has been with the company for seven or eight years....Helena runs all of the admin side of the business.....The Arocs picks up another load of fert at the Ravensdown Greenleaf Lime works at Arapohue, near Dargaville..... FUSO Fighter 4x4 is referred to as “the mini-spreader”
58 | Truck & Driver
Truck & Driver | 59
Spreading Northland’s fleet is bigger – running to eight trucks (which soon will be nine), plus three Automat trailers and three side-tipper trailers. Jason runs through the list: “One 2002 Scania P340 4x4s and one Scania P360 4x4. One Mercedes Atego 1529 4x4, one Mercedes Axor 1833 4x4 and one Mercedes Arocs 3348 6x6.” Plus there’s a Mitsubishi FUSO 4x4 mini spreader (which the company converted from a 4x2): “And last month we bought out KD Spreaders and ended up with two more Mercedes Axor 1833 4x4s. Oh, and we’ve just got a brand-new Scania 410 XT waiting in the shed to get (a bin) built.” Working out of Ravensdown’s Dargaville fert store, Spreading Northland covers most of Northland – as far north as Kaikohe, across to Whangarei to the east and as far south as Wellsford. Things seem to be going okay right now – but Jason’s mindful of the challenges and likely setbacks in both businesses: “It’s the fluctuations in farming. You have your good and bad years, droughts, wet winters….and the payout. “It affects us bigtime what happens with farmers: If they’ve got money they’ll spend it and we’ll be busy. If they don’t, then we won’t. That’s the hardest thing – managing your cashflow around the farmers’ cashflow.” And he expects that environmental pressures are going to increase – adding extra challenges. “And compliance is getting harder and harder. Around four years ago they closed our local testing station down for CoFs – so now we have to go to Whangarei. It all adds extra downtime.” For the past seven or eight years, Jason has employed a
fulltime engineer, Brett Ellis, in the company’s workshop: “All our spreader gear we build inhouse – and we’ve even built them for other companies. “He’s a certified welder, but you’ve got to have an engineer to sign the work off and they won’t come here….they won’t even answer their phone. There’s just a lack of certifying engineers.” Finding and keeping staff is often on the list of rural transport company challenges, but Jason says that they’ve been fortunate in that area: “Getting the right staff is difficult, but it is getting a bit better. “I’ve got four staff on the contracting side and seven on
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Clockwise from top left: In 1999, Jason added a secondhand Unimog 4x4 to the new Merc 1222 he’d bought five years earlier. He also hired his first driver, Andrew Perreau – pictured here (on the left) with Jason..... Jason and Helena’s sons – Max, 17, and 12-year-old Ryan – have both taken an interest in the trucks and diggers, but Max will soon be off to Otago Uni to study politics, philosophy and economics..... 1997 Mitsi Shogun was added to the two spreaders and digger around 2003
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Clockwise from top left: Spreading Northland is a 50/50 JV between Williamson Contracting and Ravensdown.... The Williamson tippers specialise in carting stock feed, fert, limestone and other bulk loads.... The company’s workshop builds and refurbishes spreader bins for the operation..... Jason’s first tipper was this ‘85 Mitsubishi FV415, bought in the early 2000s.....New Merc 1222 cab and chassis (which Jason fitted the bin on) joined the Tructor, now boasting a replacement Ford cab, in 1994
the spreading side. We’ve also had a couple of drivers (Mike and Colin) who have been with the company for more than 13 and 15 years respectively.” They are, says Jason, part of “a great team – who we really appreciate.” However, the person who’s been by his side in both his personal and business life – working with him through all the challenges – is Helena. Their relationship extends back to “knowing each other in school.” They got married in 2001, following her return from an OE, and two years later had their first child. 62 | Truck & Driver
Helena joined the business fulltime in 2002 – and, coming from working in banking, immediately slotted into running the financial and administration side of the operation. She became a director in the business in 2004 and Jason says she’s probably had a fulltime job keeping him in line. But, while married couples working together for a couple of decades will inevitably experience “some issues,” Jason reckons that together he and Helena have forged a system that’s worked well. He reckons with a laugh: “She leaves me to it really – and tells me off when it’s not right…..which is often.”
Despite many trials and tribulations, the Williamsons’ businesses have grown nicely – Jason putting that down to keeping it simple: “It’s just the opportunities that have arisen, buying out other businesses….and looking after our clients: I focus on them more than anything else really.” That’s as it should be, he adds, “when you’ve got such good, loyal clients.” So where to from here, for the spreading business? Jason: “I think there will end up only being a couple of big spreading companies in the whole of Northland – it’s just the way that things are going. A lot of the older operators want to
get out and there’s not many younger operators starting up. It’s so expensive to get trucks on the road – and knowing what I know, if I was younger now I wouldn’t start doing it.” The business does have its challenges: Regulatory requirements are becoming increasingly tougher by the year – plus “the trucks are more productive and there’s less fert going on than there ever used to be.” Come what may, after the challenges that the Williamsons have already experienced – and survived – you’d have to think that they’re going to continue to take it all in their stride. T&D Truck & Driver | 63
LEGENDS
Putting back in - Graham Sheldrake W
ITH A ‘WORKING LIFETIME’ of experience within the transport industry, Road Transport Hall of Famer Graham Sheldrake has essentially seen it all. He’s been a mechanic, a truck driver, a truck owner-operator and business owner, but it’s his ‘putting back into the industry’ mantra that makes him a Southpac legend. Sheldrake was born in Great Yarmouth, England, however his family emigrated to New Zealand in 1956, when he was just two. Of course he doesn’t remember the trip but says that he has seen early photos of them on the Captain Hobson coming through the Panama Canal. “Because my dad was a so-called ‘10 Pound Pom’, we came into Wellington and they sent us to Patea. Dad was an argon welder, able to weld aluminium and stainless steel, so he got a job at the freezer works there.” Sheldrake says that the family then shifted to Waitotara near Wanganui and then eventually ended up in Tokoroa after his father got a job at the Kinleith workshops, and a place where Sheldrake joined him after leaving school. “I left school and went straight into a petrol mechanic apprenticeship at New Zealand Forest Products at Kinleith, that was in the days before diesel mechanics apprenticeships.” As luck would have it, he says that by the time he’d completed the petrol apprenticeship, the diesel apprenticeship opportunity came along so he did an extra year on that. “Most of our work at Kinleith was with diesels anyway, bulldozers, loaders and trucks - so I ended up with trade cert in both Petrol and Diesel.” It was at that time that Sheldrake’s love of trucks came to the fore. “I always wanted to be involved in the truck side of things. When I was around eleven or twelve mum and dad had a dairy/
64 | Truck & Driver
restaurant type operation in Tokoroa where they served night time meals for truckers, I remember pestering them to take me for a ride at weekends or school holidays. I think mum and dad were quite pleased to get rid of me.” Sheldrake goes on to say that when he was eighteen, every time a truck drove past the workshop he looked out the window to see whose truck it was and who was driving. “Because we were driving trucks in the workshops, we all had our full licences, plus tracks and rollers, special vehicles and a lot of us had our pilot certifications too. However when I finished my apprenticeship I couldn’t get a truck driving job in Tokoroa because I was too young.” So Sheldrake went to Auckland and worked for a transport company in Grey Lynn. “They did Motor Specs work, picking up CKD containers and taking them to the rail heads and local deliveries, that’s how I started originally.” At the age of twenty Graham ventured on an O/E with his sister and brother-in-
law, taking a campervan around Europe for eighteen months. When he returned, a friend of his with a removal business in Tokoroa was looking for drivers and asked Sheldrake to drive his 5 speed TK Bedford furniture van, which he did for about four years. And that’s when he met his wife Jillian. After getting married in 1978 both Graham and Jillian headed back overseas to England. “Jillian and I were having a six-month holiday and got a call from New Zealand Forest Products (Kinleith) to say they had an opportunity for owner drivers with self-loading trucks. They needed people that had good mechanical ability, and was I interested? That’s when I started being in business on my own.” Sheldrake bought a brand new Kenworth SAR out of Australia with a Hiab crane, he called the truck Mork and the crane Mindy nanu, nanu. “A guy called Ken King from the Kenworth agency back then, he guarantor’d our loan so we could get our funding through but he said to me ‘as long as you’re in the trucking business you’ve got to own a Kenworth,
that was the deal. And I’ve always had Kenworth’s in our fleet ever since.” Sheldrake was essentially moving logs, picking them up in the forest and taking them to Kinleith Mill using the self-loading grapple crane. “The company grew from there. I had the first truck for about five years and then got the opportunity to have a second truck to work at Kinleith. Then I picked up a contract with NZFP carting logs up to Auckland. That was the mid 80s.” He says that contract meant more trucks and double-shifting and it also meant putting a truck on to the highway, which was a bit of a change for him, ‘getting drivers and running two 12-hour shifts’ running to and from Auckland. “The business just climbed and climbed, I built it up to about 30 trucks at one stage, 50% loggers and 50% curtainsiders, all our own fleet. In the forty odd years I’ve never had to chase customers, which is a good sign. It’s really important that we have customers that want to work with us.” According to Sheldrake he’s always thought that if you’re getting something out of something, (if you’ve got the ability or time) you should always put something back in. And ‘put back in’ he has. The formation of the Log Haulage Contractors Association came as a result of Sheldrake’s encouragement for operators to band together to get lower fuel and insurance prices, to have one voice when negotiating favourable discounts with various suppliers. He has been the driving force behind this organisation since its formation. In 1994, he joined the No 2 Region NZRTA, completing a term as President prior to becoming the Owner Driver Director on the RTF Board. He also represented the RTF on the Transport and Logistics Industry Training Organisation and has been a member of the Log Truck Safety Council since its formation in 1997, representing the RTF Board for numerous years on this Council. “I was an RTA member initially and knowing me, wasn’t quite happy with the way things were going, so I got involved to make some changes. I’ve been on the board of both the RTA and RTF, I was a representative of the owner-drivers on the RTF board for a number of years and then a region two Director and I’ve also been a Chairman for the RTA.”
Despite his heavy involvement in the industry groups, Sheldrake says that his Hall of Fame nomination and induction was a real surprise. “I do a lot of work for the North Island inductees, and they kept it secret from me, I had no idea I’d been nominated or chosen. I cottoned on that evening in Invercargill, as when I arrived my two kids and their spouses were there, I said ‘what the hell are you bastards all doing here’ then I clicked. I don’t think that I deserved it but am very humbled by the fact that the industry thinks that I’ve put something back.” He believes that his induction was for his input into the NZ Road Transport Association, the effort he’s put into the Log Truck Safety Council and the industry as a whole. “I’ve always been an executive member of the Log Truck Safety Council and the last five or six years I was there representing the Forum on the board, to make sure they had a voice and input there for the good of the RTF members.” Sheldrake has been involved on the committees and in the management of issues at the time when the LTSA had told them they were going to put logging trucks off the road if they didn’t fix their accident and rollover rates, “So we got stuck into that and got load heights reduced, load security, twitches and straps and we’re still developing it now.” However, at the heart of it all Sheldrake is a family man; he and Jillian have a daughter and son, Emma and Mathew and they also have six grandchildren.
Several years ago his son Matthew joined Sheldrake in the business and thanks to his tuition and guidance, now owns the business. “I sold it to Matthew about 18-months ago. He came back from Europe and wanted to be part of the business, so he and I worked together for the last eight to ten years while I trained him up and brought him up to speed. When he was ready, he was able to buy me out, it was a good succession for me.” But don’t think Sheldrake has hung up his work boots just yet. “I’m so called semi-retired, so I spend as much time as I can with my six grandchildren, I do a bit of fishing on the lake and at the beach too. But of late I’ve been doing some voluntary work for the RTA, they don’t have any area reps in the top half of the North Island at the moment, so I put my hand up to go and visit the members,” He says that at last count there are around six hundred members to meet. At the NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame it was said, ‘he has been a part of a number of successful industry organisations and has the reputation for tackling many of the difficult issues that the industry throws up from time to time. His organisational skills are second to none and the industry has used these skills to help make our industry better for everybody.’ Sheldrake says, “I’ve taken a lot out of the transport industry so I think it’s really important that I keep putting back where I can.” T&D
Truck & Driver | 65
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FEATURE
Gottlieb Daimler (far left) puts his new invention, the petrol-engined truck, on show in Paris in 1898. This five-tonner is the second evolution of the Daimler truck
) k c u r t d l o ( l a t n A sentime
journey
AIMLER TRUCK HAS SENT A CURRENT MODEL Mercedes-Benz Actros from Germany to England….on a sentimental journey. On board the Actros were two historic trucks – the first an accurate replica of the world’s first motorised truck, built by Gottfried Daimler and launched on August 18, 1896. Exactly 125 years later the Actros arrived in London from Stuttgart – ready for a British roadshow marking its anniversary. As Daimler Truck pointed it, it also just happened to be the 25th anniversary of the launch of the Actros model itself. So, a double celebration. No…a triple: The other historic truck on board the Actros on its trip to London – also for the roadshow – was an original 1898 Daimler. Back in the day (ie 123 years ago!), this was a notable evolution in the development of the truck. Gottlieb Daimler’s first truck, from 1896, was (unashamedly and unsurprisingly) based on a horse-drawn carriage – minus the drawbar and fitted with a four-horsepower, two-cylinder Phoenix engine. It was sold by Daimler to British Motor Syndicate, an automobile company in London. The rear-mounted 1.06-litre engine, originating from a car, was
linked to the rear axle by a belt. The engine had to be mounted on springs to avoid it being shaken up. As Daimler Truck explains: “The vehicle rolled on hard iron wheels, after all.” It says one of Herr Daimler’s greatest talents “was finding new areas of application for his engine. He invented the motorcycle, then went to the motorised trolley car, a motorised firefighting hose and then, almost inevitably, to the truck…” Daimler steered the leaf-sprung front axle via a chain: The driver sat up front on the driving seat – as you would on a horse-drawn carriage. The fuel consumption was approximately six litres of petrol per 100 kilometres. In the terminology of the day, that was “0.4 kilogrammes per horsepower and hour”. Adds Daimler Truck: “It is noteworthy that the first truck already anticipated.....the planetary axles that are still common today in construction vehicles: Because the belt drive sent the power from the engine to a shaft fitted transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle – both ends of which were fitted with a pinion. Each tooth of this pinion meshed with the internal teeth of a ring gear which was firmly connected with the wheel to be driven.” The genuine 1898 Daimler on that recent trip to the United Truck & Driver | 67
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Above: The new MercedesBenz Actros arrives to pick up the two pieces of Daimler Truck history – the genuine 1898 Daimler (left) and a replica of Gottlieb Daimler’s first truck Right: The 1896 truck’s outer planetary axle
Far right: The Phoenix petrol engine designed by Maybach didn’t need much modification to suit it to the first truck
Kingdom was an example of the second model developed by Gottfried Daimler – he and Wilhelm Maybach deciding to shift the two-cylinder, 6hp Phoenix engine from the rear to a new location under the driver’s seat, with a four-gear belt drive also transferred to the front. As Daimler historians note, “this solution still left a certain amount to be desired.” So, later in 1896, “the truck was given the design features which still apply up to this day for modern trucks – and were to pave the way to increased output and payload: The engine was then placed right at the front” – ahead of the front axle. “It conveyed its 10hp via a four-gear belt drive and a front-to-rear longitudinal shaft and pinion to the internal ring gears on the iron wheels at the rear. “For these vehicles, Daimler made the crucial improvement not only to the drivetrain, but to the engine itself. Instead of a hot tube ignition, the new low-voltage magnetic ignition from Bosch ignited the petrol-air mixture in the cylinders of the 2.2-litre two-cylinder engine. And the radiator had a completely new design. However, Gottlieb Daimler – probably because of the large number of innovations – was initially cautious about presenting this new fivetonner to the market. As a result: “The vehicle, which was highly modern at the time, underwent ‘customer testing’ for months.” Daimler subjected it to the daily grind of work at a brick factory in Heidenheim – painstakingly remedying each shortcoming that was revealed.
The company had gone international with its truck invention very early on: England, the home of industrialisation, bought that very first truck, for instance. There the Daimler truck shared the road not only with horse-drawn carriages, but also the steam-driven vehicles that had long since made the shift from rails to the roads (and, in fact, didn’t completely disappear from the roads until the 1950s). Nevertheless, says Daimler Truck, in 1901 a diesel truck proved itself to be superior to a contemporary steam-driven wagon in a comparison test carried out in Liverpool. But these Daimler contraptions made their mark in France too. Gottlieb Daimler travelled to Paris in mid-1898 to publicise his new product at the World Exhibition. There, an automobile show was held in the Tuileries Park, following a contest organised by the Automobile Association of France on the subject of “motorised vehicles for city travel.” At the exhibition, Daimler presented his new five-tonner: “Huge crowds of people, many vehicles of all kinds and our truck are very popular,” Daimler’s wife Lina noted happily. In the United States, Gottlieb Daimler also had a partnership with William Steinway, of the piano manufacturers, Steinway & Sons – the New York-based company selling Daimler engines for yachts and launches as well as for commercial vehicles such as buses and trucks. But the path to global success with his invention wasn’t without Truck & Driver | 69
its pitfalls and problems: In 1897, behind the company founder’s back, the board chairman of Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft (DMG) sealed a deal with Berlin-Marienfelde company Ad. Altmann & Co. to build motorised vehicles…based on Daimler’s latest designs and patents. Production of those vehicles began in Berlin in 1899, creating stiff competition for Daimler’s own vehicles, made in Stuttgart. Cars with electric motors based on patents of the American manufacturer Columbia were included in the range, as were carriage-like passenger cars and a wide variety of commercial vehicles. After the death of Gottlieb Daimler in 1900, the DMG shareholders voted to take over the company located in Berlin-Marienfelde. The now much larger business was divided into two car plants in Stuttgart, with truck and bus manufacturing carried out at the BerlinMarienfelde factory. The second generation of Daimler trucks, manufactured from 1899 to 1903, consisted of new models with a payload of between 1.25 and five tonnes, with 4hp to 12hp two-cylinder and four-cylinder engines. In 1905 the DMG range comprised light vans with 500kg, 1000kg or 1500kg payload capabilities, powered by two-cylinder engines with 8hp to 16hp. The heavy-duty van class offered 2-5t payloads and had four-cylinder engines with 16-35hp. Says Daimler Truck: “In 1900, Karl Benz took the plunge – progressing from the van to the real truck. The first range consisted of three models: The lightest version (1250kg payload) was powered 70 | Truck & Driver
by a 5-7hp one-cylinder engine, the medium-duty version, for a 2.5t payload, a 10hp one-cylinder engine…. And the heavy-duty model, for a 5t payload, had a two-cylinder Contra 14hp engine. What all three had in common was that the engine was no longer in the rear, but at the front, and positioned horizontally, and it drove the rear axle via a four-gear transmission and chain. As Daimler says, the basis for the truck was now in place: “The Industrial Revolution picked up speed and mass-produced goods came on the markets. The demand for distribution haulage grew. “The history of road transport and the history of trade and roadbuilding are more closely linked than generally thought.” Daimler is also now closing in on the 100-year anniversary of Karl Benz’s launch of the world’s first air-injection diesel. In 1923, his Benz & Cie. presented the first diesel truck to the world. It was a five-tonner, powered by the four-cylinder OB 2 diesel engine with an output of 33kW/45hp at 1000rpm. Compared to a petrol-driven truck of the same design, the efficiency of the diesel truck was immediately impressive – the diesel achieving fuel savings of 86%. Work on the new truck engine began in 1922 and 10 OB 2 engines were ready for testing later that year. Daimler Truck says: “The first test drive was carried out in a challenging, hilly area around Gaggenau… The engineer’s report
Clockwise, from top left: Daimler’s new front-engined model, created in 1898....Daimler (on the far right) with his truck in Paris....The first Daimler, with the engine installed at the rear....a new-generation Daimler in 1904....in England, the Daimler inventions competed with steam-powered trucks, which continued to have a presence on UK roads till well into the 20th Century
assessed the vehicle: “The favourable consumption is particularly impressive. Supplied with brown coal tar oil, the OB 2 requires around 25% less than a petrol engine with the same power.” The sensationally low fuel costs were due to the fact that the tar oil was cheaper than the petrol. And in addition to the tar oil, the new engine could also be “driven with gas oil, kerosene, Texas oil and yellow or brown paraffin oil,” as Benz & Cie advertised in 1923. The Benz engineers installed the diesel in the chassis of the Benz 5 K3 truck, designed for 5t payload. During the test drives, the OB 2 diesel proved itself – and in early 1923 it was decided to go into series production. The prechamber OB 2 diesel engine was capable of an output of 37kW/50hp at 1000rpm. Meantime, since 1911, Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft had begun development of a compact diesel engine for commercial and agricultural use. While Benz & Cie. was developing the diesel truck,
DMG was building an air-injection diesel engine to be fitted in a truck, boasting almost the same power. The finished product was a four-cylinder engine with an output of 29kW/40hp at 1000rpm. The engine proved its road capability during a series of test drives – also in 1923. A Daimler truck powered by the diesel engine did a return drive between DMG plants in Berlin and Stuttgart (around 1300 kilometres) in 10 days in September 1923 – creating a sensation. The tests drew huge publicity due to the “enormous distances,” and on the back of that the first Daimler 5 C commercial diesel vehicles produced in Marienfelde – a truck, a three-sided tipper and a bus – were presented in October ‘23 at the Berlin automobile exhibition. In 1926 DMG and Benz & Cie. merged – and Benz’s prechamber principle prevailed against the air-injection diesel engine. The first
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jointly-developed prechamber diesel engine was the six-cylinder OM 5 engine from 1927 (55kW/75hp with a displacement of 8.6 litres). The Mercedes-Benz L5 truck was fitted with either the new OM 5 diesel engine or a petrol engine, type M36 (74kW/100hp at 2000rpm). The five-tonner was the only model with a diesel engine included in the new Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicle range in 1927. The 1.5t and 3.5t vehicles were initially only available with petrol engines – a sign of M-B’s concern at customers’ “great scepticism of the diesel engine.” The OM 5 that went into series production in 1928 was fitted with a new Bosch injection pump, which Robert Bosch had been working on for six years. In 1924 he’d been an early buyer of a diesel truck from Benz & Cie. and was convinced of the diesel engine’s superiority. The improvement brought by the systematically developed injection
technology contributed to the acceptance of the diesel, says Daimler Truck. Initially sales were very slow because opponents of the new truck design criticised the diesel’s “loud and harsh running.” But, just as it had 40 been years earlier, England was positive about the new German technology. In June 1928 a 5t diesel truck was delivered to British MercedesBenz Ltd. Specialist magazine Commercial Motors praised the characteristics of the truck in five consecutive issues. Then in the autumn of 1928, the Royal English Automobile Club awarded DaimlerBenz AG the Dewar Trophy, which was presented annually for special performances in the field of motor vehicle construction. It was another important step in the history of the company that is now the world’s largest truck manufacturer. T&D
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Left to right: The two historic Daimlers now on tour in the UK....the Benz OB 2 engine – said to be the world’s first diesel....the Mercedes-Benz Type 5 K3, with the OB 2 engine installed
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FEATURE
The technology available to truck drivers and operators to help them work safely and more efficiently is vast
Towards a greener trucking future N
EW ZEALAND’S COMMITMENT TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE gas (GHG) levels by 30% (on 2005 levels) by 2030 poses “a special challenge” for the road transport industry. Because, with heavy freight haulage reckoned to account for nearly 25% of NZ’s road transport GHG emissions, transport operators have limited options, suggest Teletrac Navman’s Mats Dahlstedt and Michael Barnard. “The industry has far fewer commercially viable options for non-diesel alternatives than the light vehicle industry, where EVs and hybrids are becoming commonplace,” says transport solutions specialist Barnard. “Heavy freight haulage can’t easily be substituted – the power requirement to haul tonnes of goods is enormous and it isn’t as simple as electrifying vehicles. Fossil fuel-powered vehicles are the most flexible mode of transport in our long, narrow, hilly country and the primary mechanism to bring goods to our stores and homes – so a fundamental piece of the economic jigsaw.” As things stand, according to the Road Transport Forum, the transport industry employs 32,868 Kiwis (2% of the workforce),
has a gross annual turnover of $6billion, and transports 93% of the total tonnes of freight moved in NZ. “Try substituting that!” says Barnard – adding that, in order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, the industry’s emissions need to decline by around 30% before 2030: “On the current trajectory, the Paris targets will not be met. “The good news is that there are many ways to reduce emissions and fuel consumption, and they do not all require an expensive revamp of your fleet. “In fact, reducing carbon emissions can be done with the technology available to us today – it’s a matter of uptake across the industry and the population, not just for the government to undertake new policies. But what can we do?” Barnard answers his own question, suggesting that Teletrac Navman’s Australian-based Mats Dahlstedt and Temuka truck driver Johnny Baxter have some practical ideas on how operators and drivers can significantly reduce carbon emissions from their trucks. “You can start today by using simple insights from technology Truck & Driver | 75
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Top left & above right: Temuka Transport driver Johnny Baxter started out with the simple motivation of beating a workmate in driving fuel efficiently by using the onboard technology in his Volvo....and ended up winning Volvo Trucks’ global Fuelwatch Challenge in 2017 Above left: Teletrac Navman’s Mats Dahlstedt
and adjusting driver behaviour,” says solution integration specialist Dahlstedt. He says that he and his team “spend most of our days helping customers reduce their overall carbon emissions. We do this using insights from fleet management technology – by translating data into effective actions and decisions that companies can adopt straight away. “These reductions not only help their bottom line, but improve their sustainability profile, something that’s getting more important by the day, as consumers and businesses share a heightened environmental awareness, and contracts for jobs now citing sustainability practices as a requirement. “Potential customers are actively seeking information on the green credentials and sustainability efforts of any brand or business. This includes the provenance of goods, the methods of production, and how they’ve been transported. “If you can be seen to make a positive step in tackling a major polluting part of your business, it can help you maintain existing contracts and pick up new ones in the future.” Besides helping reduce emissions, tracking technology also provides fleet operators with a measurement on the total carbon emissions generated by their fleet, says Dahlstedt. “To further increase your sustainable profile and be the operator of choice, transport companies can use this fleet data to partially or fully offset your carbon emissions with a NZ carbon offsetting provider, such as CarbonClick, Enviro-Mark Solutions and Ekos Rainforest Carbon Boutique. “This way you help invest in beneficial climate projects like planting forests or green energy projects, while at the same time minimising your company’s carbon footprint.” Dahlstedt continues: “EVs are a great option for companies running light vehicles, that require their team to run about town and whose tasks are short. Yet for businesses running heavy vehicles or requiring a lot of country miles, that is not yet a realistic solution. “While the battery range of passenger EVs is increasing with every new model, there is still some way to go before electrified truck technology gets to a point where it’s feasible and cost
effective to drive long distances with heavy cargo. “Currently, trucks using hydrogen-powered fuel cells look to be a viable option for the future – yet they’re still not quite there on range compared to fossil-fuelled vehicles. “When working to short deadlines, delivering goods from the bottom of the South Island to the top of the North Island, you can’t afford to compromise on range. “Instead, as we’ve seen at Teletrac Navman, transport operators have started to look towards technology and the insights that it provides to reduce fuel usage and emissions.” According to Teletrac Navman’s 2019 telematics benchmark report, by adopting technology like telematics, companies have saved an average of 12.7% in fuel costs annually, with a corresponding reduction in emissions. Barnard turns to the performance of Temuka Transport driver Johnny Baxter four years ago, when he was crowned the most fuel efficient truck driver in the world – by winning Volvo Trucks’ Fuelwatch Challenge in Sweden. Baxter, then 27, was the youngest driver in the competition and beat more than 4000 truckies from 13 countries – outperforming his nearest rival in the final by more than 10%. Volvo says that the Fuelwatch Challenge is “a testament to the fact that skilled driving can have a direct impact on safety, fuel consumption, profitability and carbon footprint.” Says Barnard: “Translated into a real-life context, the competition margins offer significant emission reduction potential. For instance, during an average long-haul operation of 150,000 kilometres, the on-road fuel efficiency margins could result in 46,500 fewer litres being used per truck each year. “The combined fuel savings of the winners in each category were more than 15%. In other words, fuel efficient driving, in itself, has the potential to take us halfway towards the goal of a 30% reduction by 2030! “Initially then, the goal for the trucking industry should be to take maximum advantage of existing technologies to reduce emissions quickly, while also stepping up its R&D efforts on zeroemissions technology. “Battery charging and hydrogen fuel cell infrastructure will Truck & Driver | 77
Above left: Transport operators should take maximum advantage of existing technology including Teletrac Navman’s fleet management solutions to quickly reduce emissions Above right: Michael Barnard Below: Volvo says that skilled driving, utilising its existing onboard technology, can have a direct impact on safety, fuel consumption, profitability and carbon footprint. Baxter, at the wheel of his Temuka Transport Volvo, has provided the perfect example of what’s possible
also need to be standardised to enable wider rollout. But until low-emissions and zero-emission trucks become a viable option for businesses, fleet management technology goes a long way to reduce your company’s carbon emissions. “GPS technology provides the data needed to make operations as efficient as possible and assist operators in measuring and benchmarking the fleet. Teletrac Navman software can capture and evaluate fleet fuel usage, trip distance and CO2 emissions, enabling operators to set and measure sustainability goals and report on these successes to their customers. Having said that, a large number of transport businesses who use GPS fleet tracking are still not utilising the CO2 emissions tracking features.” Continues Barnard: “Don’t forget maintenance. A well-maintained fleet is the foundation of any fuel efficiency drive – from engine maintenance, to tyre health and wheel alignment. “Telematics technologies can help you stay on top of vehicle maintenance, allowing you to track and monitor the engine, transmission, steering and other systems to ensure they’re always fit for use.
78 | Truck & Driver
“Fuel use, tyre rotation, idle time and fluid levels are constantly monitored to ensure a greener and more efficient fleet. By checking that vehicles are used efficiently and that drivers aren’t expending fuel unnecessarily; technology can even help turn all your drivers into an army of Johnny Baxters.” Speeding, sharp cornering, harsh braking and other bad driving habits are “not only unsafe, but they also contribute to unnecessary fuel burn. In fact, aggressive drivers who accelerate and brake rapidly use between 15% and 30% more fuel on the highway,” says Barnard, calling on evidence in a government study. “Alerting drivers whenever these behaviours occur allows them to correct themselves and improve their habits in the future.” Barnard concludes: “Emissions targets represent challenges for the transport industry, it’s true – particularly when operators have to balance societal demand to minimise environmental impacts against staying competitive and meeting customer deadlines. “By taking advantage of technology and training drivers in efficient fuel-saving driving techniques, the industry is headed for a greener, cleaner and brighter future.” T&D
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New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association The category of an overdimension load determines what safety measures are required
Know your oversize load categories
T
HE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR OVERSIZE LOADS ARE directly related to the size of the load – a combination of width, forward distance, height, overall length, as well as forward and rear overhang. The rules for these combinations are primarily determined by the category of the load in the VDAM Rule, but also the overall height and length of the load/vehicle. There are four different categories that overdimension loads are divided into, and this is primarily based on the combination of load width and the forward distance of the loaded vehicle. Normally, assessing the width of the load is straightforward – but bear in mind that the trigger widths need to be exceeded to move to the next category. So a load has to be wider than 5.0 metres in order to be regarded as a Category 4 load. In addition, note that a written permit is required for Category 3 and Cat. 4 loads – and a condition on these permits is that the width of the load has to be within 500mm of the maximum width dimension written on the permit. However, in most cases, permits do not have the actual dimension noted on there – so there is generally no liberty to exceed the stated dimensions for each category. The assessment of forward distance can be a more complex calculation, which generally is the distance from the rear axis to the king-pin – but for combination vehicles there may be other factors to take into account. Consult the VDAM Rule or an oversize transport specialist for the details of how this affects the forward distance of an individual load. The combination of both width and forward distance primarily determines the category of the load, and the graph provided in the VDAM Rule dictates the boundaries where the load steps to the next category. In addition, the overall length of the load can move the load into
the next category. For example, if the overall length exceeds 25m then the load is automatically at least a Cat. 2 load. The category of the load determines the range of safety measures that are required. This can include: 1. Signage on the vehicle and load – such as the hazard panels and OVERSIZE signs 2. Lighting on the load and the load vehicle 3. Travel restriction times that restrict oversize loads from travelling at peak times 4. Load piloting requirements to provide advance warning to other road users. The Rule contains the mandatory numbers and classes of pilots, which vary depending on the category of load – but the transport operator can elect to provide more load pilots if required for the safety of a load on a particular route. Another set of factors that can make a difference to the category of a load is its front and rear overhang, and this can push the category of the load to a higher level if, for example, it exceeds 7m rear overhang….or an extra load pilot may be required. The height of the load doesn’t affect the category of the load, but it does affect what extra permissions and approvals are required from NZTA and overheight asset owners – such as power line owners. Note that if a load is only overheight then there may still be permit and piloting requirements – as specified in the VDAM Rule. There are many different factors involved in the transport of an oversize load, and for each individual load the dimensions and category of a load determine the conditions for travel, and the safety warning requirements. Transport operators need to be across all these requirements to ensure that they comply with the rules – and provide the required safety measures to ensure that other road users are kept protected from the risks associated with transporting an oversize load. T&D Truck & Driver | 81
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ROLLERCOASTER By James Smith, COO of National Road Carriers Association James Smith
A
UGUST AND SEPTEMBER SHOWED HOW QUICKLY THINGS can change in the COVID world. Once again, the daily routine was disrupted and our industry changed down a cog or two – and stepped up to face the challenges the Delta variant threw at us. Any hope it was going to be a short-lived lockdown were dispelled as the number of contacts rose sharply, highlighting just how fast this variant can spread and just how mobile a population we are. All in all, this time around was smoother than last year. We had, after all, been there and done that. There was comfort that support packages would kick in and that the basic concept of lockdown-hard was the right strategy. What was disappointing and somewhat surprising was the lack of clear and concise guidance from Waka Kotahi on what steps would be put in place to ensure that trucks would still be able to function. Despite having been there and done that, Waka Kotahi was very slow to respond to basic questions raised on day one – such as the Certificate of Fitness expiry process, the driver licensing process and other back-end systems that simply stopped. The team at the Road Transport Forum was quick to engage and ask the questions. The team at National Road Carriers already had the communication channels up and working the day of the announcement. We knew it was only a matter of time before Delta escaped for a wee romp around New Zealand, as we were one of the few countries Delta had not visited. So why was there no blueprint that could simply be enabled? Likewise, the Ministry of Health had gaps one would have thought should have been covered by now. Where was the plan to get essential workers vaccinated? Especially highly mobile essential workers – to keep supermarkets stocked and essential industry running. There was also some initial confusion as to how to manage those deemed to be contacts. When were they safe to return to work? One positive was that all freight was deemed essential by the Ministry of Transport and Police were quick to respond with their priorities regarding enforcement.
NZ should have been better prepared. After all we have one government, one ministry, one transport regulator and one police force. Aside from Police and Ministry of Transport, the other standout agency was the Ministry of Social Development, which had the support packages up and functioning with dedicated liaison staff in place to smooth the way and answer (that’s right, actually answer!) questions. This will happen again because, if not Delta, some other variant will pop up. Hopefully next time we will be ready to press the ACTION buttons and simply change down a cog and carry on delivering essential services with a team of exceptional people. That’s enough of a rant: Onto more positive things. My first couple of months in the role have been filled with member meetings and catching up on projects that needed completing. It was especially good to attend the Taranaki meeting in August – the week prior to the COVID Level 4 lockdown. It was well attended, with some great speakers. As I said on the night, we will do a lot more of these as soon as we get the all-clear to travel and gather, so look for invitations to take part. On the way back to Auckland, NRC chairman John Baillie and I stopped off for the opening ceremony of the Awakino Bypass which, despite the rain, was a festive event. The volume of trucks going past the ceremony was testament to how vital that corridor is. Speaking with some of the iwi delegates, there was an opportunity to answer questions about why good roads are so important: No viable alternative for any of the loads that passed by, other than the trucks that carted them, showed just how much the supply chain has changed post deregulation. The questions asked highlighted the communication gap between our industry and the public. We have work to do to increase the awareness of how trucks fit into the supply chain. What seems obvious to us is not always obvious to others. As always, contact the team at the first sign of an issue, as issues are like fires – a lot easier to put out the sooner the team with a hose arrives. Call 0800 686 777 or enquiries@natroad.co.nz to get in touch. T&D Truck & Driver | 83
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Industry stays resolute in face of uncertain COVID future By Simon Carson, Road Transport Association of New Zealand chief operating officer
F
OURTEEN MONTHS AGO, THE COUNTRY FACED A LEVEL 4 COVID lockdown – and now, as I write this, here we are again faced with an uncertain future….this time due to the Delta variant of the virus. It’s likely that most of the country – and our industry – was better prepared for this, as most transport businesses either carried on with their jobs moving freight around the country…. Or others, such as logging and furniture businesses, downed tools and waited for a reduction in lockdown levels. Once again, a wage subsidy covered some of the costs for people unable to work. But in reality, the allowance doesn’t cover much at all, especially when there is uncertainty about the coming weeks, months, or even years. Will an annual flu-like vaccination be the new norm for protection from a mutating virus, or will herd immunisation crush out the virus in our population? Time will tell. The evening the Government’s announcement came, the association fielded calls from operators who were seeking assurance that public facilities would be open in our cities and towns – and that essentials such as fuel and food could still be sourced….safely. We worked for the first few days after the announcement was made to ensure we put together a list of utilities that drivers would have access to. Most local and regional councils were cooperative and understanding towards the needs of the industry, which was pleasing to see. Other important issues were addressed with the appropriate authorities. It has now been more than a week since industry asked Waka Kotahi NZTA to clarify the position on transport businesses operating vehicles with expired CoFs, and having drivers with expired licences… And, in the case of an incident, what the impact on insurance and other business liability might look like. It’s not as if this is something new – industry was faced with an identical position 14 months ago and quickly received a clear operational order, Yet, after continual pressure applied to Waka Kotahi NZTA by the Road Transport Forum, this time we still do not have an answer. Hoping that turning a blind eye and trusting the Commercial Vehicle Safety Team and insurance businesses will use their discretion fairly is simply not good enough: Where is the Government’s operational mandate for the transport industry through COVID? It is likely we will see regional checkpoints to control what goes in and out of COVID-infected regions. RTANZ is ensuring industry
Simon Carson
has a say on where these are placed, and the ability of each site to efficiently handle the thoroughfare of heavy vehicles transiting between areas. It is important that freight of all kinds keeps moving. Operational updates that are distributed to association members may have answered some questions, with many more remaining a work in progress. Updates are sent to members as soon as they become available, and as conditions in our industry and across our nation continue to evolve. On August 27 and 28, RTANZ and the Department of Health put together – at very short notice – a priority COVID vaccination trial for truck drivers at Cannons Creek in Porirua, Wellington. Members in the immediate vicinity were identified and contacted by RTANZ staff, with the offer of sending available drivers to the clinic to receive priority vaccination. Many members accepted the offer and RTANZ provided drivers’ details to the clinic. With the trial under way, drivers were processed quickly and were able to queue-jump, with priority status. Members that RTANZ engaged with seemed to have a clear understanding of who among their staff had either received one or both vaccinations, and those who were booked for appointments. It was an encouraging sign that association members in this area had already taken steps to ensure the safety and health of their employees and their businesses. Sadly, I have to pay tribute to a well-respected and longtime RTANZ member who has passed on. A few weeks ago Temuka Transport’s Aitken family lost their much-loved matriarch and valued team member, Margaret Mary Aitken – affectionately known as Topsy. Margie passed away peacefully, surrounded by family at her home, on August 5. She was the treasured wife of Melven (Rowdy), loved mother and mother-in-law of Garry (Gutsy) and Vicki, Brian (Slim), Brendan, and Lisa. I was fortunate enough to attend what was a very large funeral – with many having to stand outside the Alpine Energy Stadium in Temuka. My visits to Temuka Transport in past years were memorable and treasured because of Margaret’s larger-than-life presence. She could often be found at the front desk of their Temuka premises, and was never short of a story to share on the history of the business, the town, and its people. Rest in peace Margaret, you will be missed by many people. T&D Truck & Driver | 85
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TD31936
Ken Rowe Brent Rowe
Auckland-based TAA Logistics has this new Kenworth K200 2.3m Aerodyne 8x4 now carting general freight nationwide. It has a 600hp Cummins X15 engine, an Eaton UltraShift AMT, Meritor RT46-160GP rear axles on Airglide 460 air suspension and a Domett curtainsider body, with a matching five-axle trailer.
COVID strikes...again
N
EW ZEALAND’S NEW TRUCK AND TRAILER market came down with COVID-19 again in August – the country’s Level 4 lockdown decimating sales. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency statistics show that the overall truck market (over 4.5 tonnes GVM) plunged to just 283 new truck registrations for the month. That was a 34% drop on the previous month’s 429 total, and 29% down on August last year (with 399 registrations). The trailer industry fared worse: The month saw just 75 new trailers registered – down 44% from July’s 134….and a 33% drop from August 2020’s 112. Year to date truck registrations at the end of August stood at 3084 – still ahead of last year’s COVID-ravaged 2646 (following our April/May 2020 lockdowns). Similarly, the trailer market’s 930 registrations at the end of August was also ahead of the same point last year, when the total stood at 795. In the overall truck market (4.5t to maximum GVM) Isuzu (580/31) held its YTD lead, but second-placed FUSO (563/39) closed the gap a little. Both were topped in August registrations by third-placed Hino (462/49) and Scania (279/52), in fourth. They were followed by Iveco (195/16), Mercedes-Benz (164/10), Kenworth (151/15), Volvo (137/5), UD (116/16) and DAF (101/15) – all holding their positions to round out the top 10. In the 3.5-4.5t GVM crossover segment, Fiat (258/11) extended its lead, ahead of Volkswagen (85/4) and Mercedes-Benz (50/7). In the 4.5-7.5t division, FUSO (287/26) added to its lead,
comfortably ahead of Isuzu (220/11), with Hino (111/11) retaining third. Mercedes-Benz (92/7) and Iveco (89/5) stayed fourth and fifth. In the 7.5-15t class, Isuzu (236/13) remained the runaway leader, ahead of Hino (152/18), FUSO (120/8), Foton (39/2), Iveco (30/4), Hyundai (11/2) and UD (9/1). In the 15-20.5t GVM category, Hino (55/3) continued to lead from FUSO (39/1) and UD (21/2). Iveco (11/0) held fourth – but only by one ahead of Scania (10/0) and Isuzu (10/3), the latter having matched the category leader for the month, with three registrations. In the tiny 20.5-23t GVM division there were just two registrations – Hino (12/1) going ahead of Isuzu (11/0) for the lead. FUSO (7/0) remained third. In the premium 23t-maximum GVM category, Scania’s standout 52 registrations further extended its already comfortable YTD lead, with 266 sales. It actually beat its July total by two registrations – and eclipsed August 2020’s 28-truck tally. Kenworth (151/15) remained a distant second YTD, ahead of Volvo (135/5), while Hino (132/16) closed in, but stayed fourth. FUSO (110/4) was fifth, ahead of Isuzu (103/4), DAF (97/15), UD (86/13), Iveco (65/7) and Mercedes-Benz (59/3) – all holding their places to complete the top 10. Longtime trailer market leader Patchell slightly extended its comfortable YTD lead by registering eight trailers and taking its 2021 total to 129. Fruehauf (90/5) held second, but Domett (78/8) closed a little. MTE (56/5) edged clear of Roadmaster (55/4), while TMC (51/4) was joined in sixth-equal by Transport Trailers (51/6). Freighter (44/2), Transfleet (34/3) and CWS (28/2) completed the top 10. T&D Truck & Driver | 87
Chilled and general freight is carried NZ-wide by this new Kenworth K200 2.3m Aerodyne put to work by Booths Transport. The 8x4 has a 600hp Cummins X15, an Eaton UltraShift AMT, MT21-165GP diffs on Airglide 400 suspension and a Jackson refrigerated curtainsider body, plus a matching five-axle trailer.
23,001kg-max GVM
4501kg-max GVM Brand ISUZU FUSO HINO SCANIA IVECO MERCEDES-BENZ KENWORTH VOLVO UD DAF FOTON HYUNDAI MAN FREIGHTLINER FIAT VOLKSWAGEN SINOTRUK MACK INTERNATIONAL WESTERN STAR SHACMAN Total
2021 Vol 580 563 462 279 195 164 151 137 116 101 90 54 45 30 24 23 20 19 18 10 3 3084
% 18.8 18.3 15.0 9.0 6.3 5.3 4.9 4.4 3.8 3.3 2.9 1.8 1.5 1.0 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.3 0.1 100.0
Vol 31 39 49 52 16 10 15 5 16 15 8 4 5 3 2 8 1 2 2 0 0 283
August % 11.0 13.8 17.3 18.4 5.7 3.5 5.3 1.8 5.7 5.3 2.8 1.4 1.8 1.1 0.7 2.8 0.4 0.7 0.7 0.0 0.0 100.0
Vol 11 4 7 4 0 1 0 0 1 28
August % 39.3 14.3 25.0 14.3 0.0 3.6 0.0 0.0 3.6 100.0
Vol 26 11 11 7 5 6 2 2 8 78
August % 33.3 14.1 14.1 9.0 6.4 7.7 2.6 2.6 10.3 100.0
3501-4500kg GVM Brand FIAT VOLKSWAGEN MERCEDES-BENZ FORD PEUGEOT RENAULT LDV ISUZU IVECO Total
2021 Vol 258 85 50 31 12 12 5 1 2 456
% 56.6 18.6 11.0 6.8 2.6 2.6 1.1 0.2 0.4 100.0
4501-7500kg GVM Brand FUSO ISUZU HINO MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO FOTON HYUNDAI FIAT VOLKSWAGEN Total 88 | Truck & Driver
2021 Vol 287 220 111 92 89 51 43 24 23 940
% 30.5 23.4 11.8 9.8 9.5 5.4 4.6 2.6 2.4 100.0
The trailer industry fared worse... 7501-15,000kg GVM Brand ISUZU HINO FUSO FOTON IVECO HYUNDAI UD MERCEDES-BENZ DAF SCANIA SINOTRUK Total
2021 Vol 236 152 120 39 30 11 9 5 1 1 1 605
% 39.0 25.1 19.8 6.4 5.0 1.8 1.5 0.0 0.2 0.2 0.2 100.0
Vol 13 18 8 2 4 2 1 0 0 0 1 49
August % 26.5 36.7 16.3 4.1 8.2 4.1 2.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 100.0
15,001-20,500kg GVM Brand HINO FUSO UD IVECO SCANIA ISUZU MERCEDES-BENZ MAN DAF FREIGHTLINER Total
2021 Vol 55 39 21 11 10 10 8 6 3 2 165
% 33.3 23.6 12.7 6.7 6.1 6.1 4.8 3.6 1.8 1.2 100.0
Vol 3 1 2 0 0 3 0 1 0 0 10
August % 30.0 10.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 30.0 0.0 10.0 0.0 0.0 100.0
20,501-23,000kg GVM Brand HINO ISUZU FUSO SCANIA VOLVO FREIGHTLINER INTERNATIONAL Total
2021 Vol 12 11 7 2 2 1 1 36
% 33.3 30.6 19.4 5.6 5.6 2.8 2.8 100.0
Vol 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 2
August % 50.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 100.0
Brand SCANIA KENWORTH VOLVO HINO FUSO ISUZU DAF UD IVECO MERCEDES-BENZ MAN FREIGHTLINER SINOTRUK MACK INTERNATIONAL WESTERN STAR SHACMAN Total
2021 Vol 266 151 135 132 110 103 97 86 65 59 39 27 19 19 17 10 3 1338
% 19.9 11.3 10.1 9.9 8.2 7.7 7.2 6.4 4.9 4.4 2.9 2.0 1.4 1.4 1.3 0.7 0.2 100.0
Vol 52 15 5 16 4 4 15 13 7 3 4 3 0 2 1 0 0 144
August % 36.1 10.4 3.5 11.1 2.8 2.8 10.4 9.0 4.9 2.1 2.8 2.1 0.0 1.4 0.7 0.0 0.0 100.0
Vol 8 5 8 5 4 4 6 2 3 2 2 3 0 3 3 2 2 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 75
August % 10.7 6.7 10.7 6.7 5.3 5.3 8.0 2.7 4.0 2.7 2.7 4.0 0.0 4.0 4.0 2.7 2.7 0.0 0.0 1.3 1.3 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 2.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.0 100.0
Trailers 2021 Vol % Brand PATCHELL 129 13.9 FRUEHAUF 90 9.7 78 8.4 DOMETT MTE 56 6.0 55 5.9 ROADMASTER TMC 51 5.5 TRANSPORT TRAILERS 51 5.5 FREIGHTER 44 4.7 34 3.7 TRANSFLEET CWS 28 3.0 TES 26 2.8 24 2.6 JACKSON TIDD 16 1.7 MILLS-TUI 15 1.6 FAIRFAX 15 1.6 MTC 14 1.5 HAMMAR 13 1.4 11 1.2 EVANS 10 1.1 MAXICUBE LUSK 10 1.1 KRAFT 10 1.1 MAKARANUI 7 0.8 LILLEY 6 0.6 SEC 6 0.6 HTS 5 0.5 MD 5 0.5 LOWES 5 0.5 SDC 4 0.4 WARREN 4 0.4 TANKER 4 0.4 WAIMEA 4 0.4 4 0.4 ADAMS & CURRIE DOUGLAS 4 0.4 COWAN 3 0.3 PTE 3 0.3 KOROMIKO 3 0.3 OTHER 83 8.9 Total 930 100.0
Stocklines contractor Harvest360 has put this new Volvo FH600 8x4 XL Globetrotter livestock unit to work. The nine-axle HPMV unit has a Jackson Enterprises deck and five-axle trailer, with Delta stock crates.
Winton’s R. Jack Contracting has put this new International 9870 R8 Sky Roof to work, transporting livestock South Islandwide. Nick Driver has at his disposal a 550hp Cummins engine, a Roadranger 18-speed manual gearbox and Meritor 46-160 diffs. The unit pulls a five-axle SEC trailer, with a Delta stock crate.
Truck & Driver | 89
Bulk groundpread operator Ryan Winiata has this new Iveco EuroCargo 150-280 4x4 in work. It has a 280hp Tector engine, a six-speed manual gearbox and Iveco hub reduction axles on parabolic leaf springs.
Nelson’s BD Transport has put this new Iveco Stralis X-Way high-roof tractor unit to work, hauling general freight in the Nelson/Marlborough region. The 6x4 has a 530hp Cursor 13 engine, a Hi-Tronix AMT and Meritor MT23-150 diffs.
This is one of two new DAF FTT sleeper cab tractor units recently added to the fleet of Auckland-based Refrigafreighters, carting refrigerated loads nationwide. The 6x4s have 530hp MX13 engines, ZF TraXon AMTs and Paccar SR1360T rear axles on air suspension. They come with full safety packages and tow quad-axle reefer trailers. 90 | Truck & Driver
Daily Freight contractor N&L Transport has put this new DAF FAD 8x4 curtainsider truck and trailer unit to work, hauling general freight nationwide. The Space Cab DAF has a 530hp MX13 engine, a ZF TraXon AMT, Paccar SR1360T rear axles on Paccar air suspension and a Roadmaster body, with a matching five-axle trailer.
PGF Transport, the Benneydalebased operator now closing in on 60 years in business, has added another Kenworth to its 38-strong fleet. Otorohangabased Ben Rangiawha drives this T610 mid-roof sleeper 8x4 tractor unit, which has a 550578hp Cummins X15 engine, an 18-speed Roadranger manual transmission and Meritor 46-160 diffs on Airglide suspension.
Truck & Driver | 91
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TD31744
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Forest Products Ltd in Tokoroa were looking for suitable replacements for their iconic fleet of International logging trucks. In 1964, two 848 model off-highway Kenworth’s were finally put to work hauling logs in to the Kinleith mill, and so started New Zealand’s love affair with the legendary Kenworth brand. Over the next 31 years, nearly 1000 various model Kenworth trucks arrived to ply the nation’s highways & byways. Edwin Mansell, Grant Gadsby and Paul Livsey have embarked on their next literary endeavour to encapsulate the photographic history of the ownership of these trucks over that 31 year period.
This edition, follows on from the successful sell-out of the Mack 1000 books. With an approximate price of $195+ postage, it is envisaged that the Kenworth book will be published Mid 2024 to coincide with Kenworth’s 60th anniversary of the first Kenworth to go NZ roads. Now is the time to place your order for this set of two books approximately 500 pages each coffee table styled books. It will be the perfect partner for the Mack books in your collection Email Ed, Grant or Paul to advise your interest in this once in a lifetime Kenworth pictorial history.
mansell@orcon.net.nz grant.gadsby3@xtra.co.nz Paul.Livsey@trgroup.co.nz
RON SMITH LTD & DIRECT TRANSPORT
S This is the story of a gentlemen who purchased a small carrier’s business in Opotiki in 1940. With his leadership he built this up to be one of the major transport companies in New Zealand. His foresight and sincerity in dealing with people encouraged others to join him. Once Opotiki was established he shifted to Rotorua. With his very able accountant he formed Direct Transport (Holdings) Ltd. This was achieved by joining with Lightning Nelson Interests in 1966. He retired and continued his social work with church and service clubs. Ron Smith died in 1992. After Ron Smith shifted to Rotorua, the Opotiki operation was run by Des Lysaght and Gavin Abbot. Des retired in 1968 and I carried on as manager till I retired in 1985. This story mainly deals with Opotiki Depot and trucks until it closed when Dawes took over Direct.
LIMITED EDITION TD31544
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For your copy contact: Postage: Gavin Abbot, 34 Elliott Street, Opotiki 3122 Or email: clamyhen@xtra.co.nz Truck & Driver | 95
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Mills-Tui A4 Advert 2019-09.indd 1
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