NZ Truck & Driver May 2023

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| May 2023

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BIG TEST A 14 MAN effort | FLEET FOCUS Rising from the plains | FEATURE: Dual-fuel innovation

FLEET FOCUS

Rising from the plains

FEATURE

Dual-fuel innovation

A 14-- MAN

Issue 267

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CONTENTS Issue 267 – May 2023

4

24

41

44

News

The latest from the world of road transport including…. The official New Zealand debut of the new Kenworth K220 … Watercare introduces three new battery electric tippers…. Big changes at Transporting New Zealand head office…. More Brisbane Truck Show announcements…. and a Mack made from one million Lego bricks.

FEATURES: 60

65

Giti Tyres Big Test

A 14-MAN effort: We ride along with Guy Small in his bright red New Generation MAN TGX 26.340 and sample the latest big horsepower hauler from the German marque. Guy is right driver to talk with – he’s now owned and driven 14 MAN trucks since 1987.

70

Transporting New Zealand

Chief Executive Nick Leggett looks at the delayed roll-out of the roadside drug testing programme and looks ahead to the Transporting New Zealand election year conference in June.

75

Teletrac Navman Fleet Focus

Rising from the Plains: It’s not hard to find Thames Valley-based KT Cartage. In the shadow of the chimney of the old Kerepehi dairy factory you’ll find a transport company with some innovative gear which is owned and operated by a hardworking local young couple.

81

87

Movers and shakers wow Wanaka

An estimated 40,000 visitors enjoyed an Easter weekend packed with big machines at the third `Wheels at Wanaka’ celebration.

REGULARS:

Southern innovation

80/ Double Coin Tyres NZ Transport 81 Imaging Awards

A dual-fuel mix of diesel and hydrogen is how HWR Group will reduce carbon emissions from its huge truck fleet. We look at the first truck and how the project will accelerate the availability of hydrogen across a wide range of industries.

Recognising NZ’s best-looking trucks… including a giant pull-out poster of this month’s finalist.

93

Southpac Trucks Legends

Making dreams a reality. Trevor Hawkins looks back on the 40-year history of Martinborough Transport.

96

Direct from Europe

CrediFlex Recently Registered

March registration data saw the new truck market records re-set with Isuzu edging back to market leadership. Plus, this month’s photo gallery of new trucks on the road.

Truck Shop

New products and services for the road transport industry.

We travel to Melbourne for a first chance to drive the new Iveco S-Way which delivers the latest European truck technology and safety features.

COLUMNS

Back-to-back titles for Little

89

The NAPA Auto Parts New Zealand Super Truck Championship was wrapped up at Pukekohe in lateMarch with Alex Little claiming back-to-back titles.

And with Pukekohe now closed, we look back to New Zealand’s very first truck racing event there in 1989.

91

MANAGEMENT

Sunshine and sustainability

All the winners and grinners from the 2023 Southpac Trucks Truckers & Loggers finishing tournament held in the Bay of Islands at the end of March.

It’s Political

Each month New Zealand’s major political parties are given the opportunity to offer their opinions on issues affecting the road transport industry. This month the National and ACT parties offer their transport views.

National Road Carriers Association

Recent extreme weather events have isolated a number of communities.

Justin Tighe-Umbers looks at the impact of the Coromandel road closures on local transport operator.

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Publisher

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

Sue Woolston

Advertising

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EDITORIAL Editor

Colin Smith 021 510319 colin@trucker.co.nz

Associate Editor

Brian Cowan

CONTRIBUTORS

Olivia Beauchamp Gerald Shacklock Dave McLeod David Kinch Geoff Ridder

ART DEPARTMENT Design & Production Luca Bempensante Zarko Mihic EQUIPMENT GUIDE AUCKLAND, NORTHLAND, BOP, WAIKATO, CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND Advertising Trudy Woolston 027 233 0090 trudy@trucker.co.nz

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NEWS Kenworth’s new K220 range made its official New Zealand debut at the `Wheels at Wanaka’ show.

Photo David Kinch

New Kenworth stars at Wanaka

By Hayden Woolston

TRUCK ENTHUSIASTS HAVE HAD A FEW MONTHS TO spot the first examples of the new Kenworth K220 on New Zealand roads and at recent truck shows.

Now the next generation cab-over is officially here with the New Zealand launch taking place during Easter’s big `Wheels at Wanaka’ event. Four new K220s spent time in the spotlight with show goers keen to check out the refreshed exterior styling and the modernised interior.

A visit to the Southpac Trucks stand at Wanaka made it clear the new face was drawing the crowds. There was a queue to even climb into one with the public climbing all over the 6x4 tractor and 8x4 cab chassis demo units on display.

Once we managed to get in it’s very clear the direction Kenworth has taken.

The main focus is improved driver comfort and most of the major changes, even from the outside, are for the driver’s benefit.

The new roof not only improves the aerodynamics but also the head room New LED headlamps include integrated indicators and daytime running lights.

4 | Truck & Driver

inside and even triples the overhead storage space. The added tech inside the cab with high-definition digital dash, multi-function smart steering wheel and induction phone charging pad are great, but at the same time Kenworth have managed to keep much of that traditional feel with the use of wood grain surfaces and analogue gauges.

The 15-inch high-definition digital instrument display and multi-function `Smart Wheel’ are the biggest technology upgrades and transfer directly from the T680 which is Kenworth’s North America market flagship.

The exterior highlights include the new grille and headlights which feature integrated indicators and daytime running lights while the high roof no longer has vista windows.

On the day it was good to see two K220s already in customer livery. As always it’s better to see a truck with a new face in fleet colours before casting judgment on the looks and the K220 is a bold looking truck that can’t be mistaken for anything other than a Kenworth.

In terms of performance and driveability the big change we are looking forward to sample when we get behind the wheel is the new Eaton Endurant XD Pro 18-speed automated transmission. It’s the flagship of Eaton’s AMT line-up and the 18-speed is a different philosophy to the 12- and 16-speed units favoured by many brands.

The full K220 line-up boasts 6×4, 8×4, 8×4 tandem with lazy axle, 8×6, 10×4 tandem with lazy axle and 10×6 variants. Cab options comprise 1.7m Day Cab, 2.3m Flat Roof sleeper, 2.3m Aerodyne sleeper and 2.8m Aerodyne sleeper.

The introduction of the K200 nearly 12 years ago delivered a big step forward for the Kenworth cab-over model in terms of design and technology and the K220 repeats the same process with another full cycle of modernisation.

With the introduction of the K220, the K200 moves into its run-out phase and customers who had ordered K200s have had the opportunity to switch their order to a K220. In the early stages the K220 is making up 40% of upcoming cab-over orders with that number set to climb steadily before the K200 is phased out around mid-2024. T&D

NEWS

By Dave McLeod

EV trucks for Watercare

THREE NEW XCMG E700 BATTERY SWAP ELECTRIC tipper trucks in Watercare branding are at work on the $1.2b Central Interceptor project near Māngere.

The 8x4 electric tippers can each transport up to 13 tonnes of material, with an average range of 200km and are powered by a single battery pack.

Charging takes 90 minutes, or the 2,800kg battery packs can be swapped for a fully charged replacement using a dedicated gantry in around 10 minutes.

The 14.7km Central Interceptor wastewater tunnel due for completion in 2026 will improve the health of central Auckland waterways by significantly reducing wastewater overflows due to heavy rain. Since January 2023, the e-trucks have been transporting excavated material from tunnel and shaft sites to Puketutu Island, where Watercare is carrying out a rehabilitation project at a former quarry.

Central Interceptor executive programme director Shayne Cunis says the e-trucks are an exciting addition to the project’s overall sustainability strategy.

“This is a stand-out project in terms of safety, expertise and benefiting the environment,” he says.

“The e-trucks will not only provide huge carbon savings through zero emissions, but residents living alongside some of our 16 construction sites will benefit hugely from having almost silent truck movements. Being a good neighbour is very important to us.”

The e-trucks were manufactured by XCMG, a leading global electric truck and construction equipment manufacturer in China. Following extensive testing in Auckland, the trucks were sent to Rotorua where local truck trailer manufacturer Mills-Tui designed and installed the tipper bodies.

The Central Interceptor project is being delivered by Ghella Abergeldie JV (GAJV) and received $500,000 in co-funding for the e-trucks from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) under the Government’s new-look Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF).

GAJV Social Responsibility Manager, Sandra Edward has helped to

drive the project from its inception.

“Getting the trucks here has been a long process. The global pandemic certainly got in the way, but we’re thrilled they’re finally here and, on the road,” she says.

“We’re very excited by some of the specific design features such as reversing cameras and bin cameras, as well as an automatic tarp cover that slides over the top of the material for the journey to the tip site.”

Over the next four years, the trucks are projected to transport 66,000 tonnes of spoil and reduce at least 306 tonnes of CO2-e (the equivalent of driving from Cape Reinga to Bluff more than 800 times). For every 100,000km travelled, around 50,000 litres of diesel will be saved.

The eye-catching branding was designed in consultation with Watercare’s Mana Whenua Kaitiaki Managers Forum and includes graphics of ancient shells and a stingray, after a tooth and other three- to four-million-year-old artefacts were discovered during early site excavation.

Each truck has a QR code, which leads to Watercare’s website and more information about the Central Interceptor project and the e-trucks themselves.

The Central Interceptor team hopes to share the learnings of the e-tipper experience throughout the construction industry. T&D

Truck & Driver | 5

NEWS

Nick Leggett steps down APRIL HAS SEEN CHANGE AT THE TOP OF IA ARA Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand with Chief Executive Nick Leggett departing the role after almost four and a half years.

Leggett’s final day at Transporting New Zealand was Friday April 14. Transporting New Zealand Chair, Warwick Wilshier, says General Manager Dom Kalasih will become acting CEO until a new Chief Executive is selected.

Leggett is moving to a new CEO role with Infrastructure New Zealand, where he starts on April 24.

“I am grateful to have worked for an industry that literally moves New Zealand,” Leggett says of his time at Transporting NZ. “Road transport is made up of some terrific people who will drop everything to move freight for their customers. Most people don’t know the trials and tribulations of the work, because the industry does such a great job.”

Leggett says that with COVID, economic pressures, and now extreme weather events, New Zealanders have seen how effective and necessary road transport is to keeping people alive and keeping our economy productive.

“Road transport keeps moving even when the rest of us stop,” he says.

In the process of leaving the CEO role, Leggett has identified what he believes are key challenges for the industry moving forward.

“The industry struggles every day to project a coherent case and advocate effectively to Government because it continues to have three industry organisations, instead of just one. This makes no sense.

“Everywhere I go, people who work with the industry tell me that there should be one organisation. If you strongly believe that, I challenge you to do something about it. Please put your money where your mouth is. I’ve been proud to work for Transporting New Zealand because it’s the only organisation that actively supports a merger into one organisation.”

Leggett says he is also proud of his involvement with getting the “Road

to success” traineeship and qualifications programme off the ground. And he says seeing the businesses and the men and women who work in the trucking industry increase their profile has been hugely satisfying.

“The people who do the work day and night to keep the trucks moving deserve to have their stories told in the media and to government.”

But the industry must also face reality.

“When it comes to training, the only people who are going to invest to train and qualify drivers is you. Road to success gives all businesses, whether they are large or small, a nationally recognised training pathway with real qualifications.

“The collective mindset of the industry often is that training is someone else’s job and that people will just leave after employers invest in them. I think it was Bill Richardson who said that he’d rather train someone and see them leave, than not train them and have them stay.”

He says the industry must grow its own future workforce from a range of ages, different backgrounds, cultures, sexual orientations and beliefs.

Wilshier says Nick has brought a new dynamic to an industry that needs to embrace change.

“We need to empower our young people to lead and he has certainly created the platform for that to happen,” Wilshier says.

“The relationships that Nick has built and the profile that has been created is now in every New Zealander’s mind when they realise that through Covid, earthquakes and cyclones, their everyday necessities are delivered.”

Nick joins the infrastructure sector’s membership body at a time when that industry has both shared and similar issues to those facing road transport.

“I’m excited to be continuing my advocacy for vital industries and asking critical questions about how we fund what we need to build, who will be available to build it and how we minimise the impact of emissions when doing so,” he says. T&D

The departure of CEO Nick Leggett (left) will see Dom Kalasih (centre) take over as Acting CEO. Transporting New Zealand Chair Warwick Wilshier (right) says a new CEO will be appointed soon.

96 PO PH

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NEWS The latest Kodiak Driver system features enhanced sensors located in the side mirrors.

Fifth generation self-driving technology THE EVOLUTION OF SELF-DRIVING TRUCK technology has seen Kodiak Robotics introduce the fifth-generation of its Kodiak Driver autonomous truck hardware platform.

The gen-5 technology increases sensor redundancy and GPU processing power and notably, Kodiak has removed the roof-mounted “centre pod” sensor suite. The front-facing Luminar Iris LiDAR and wide field-of-view camera have been relocated to each of Kodiak’s proprietary mirror-mounted SensorPods.

By integrating sensors into the SensorPods and eschewing the “unibrow” sensor suite common in the autonomous trucking industry, Kodiak has unlocked faster upfitting for customers, greater maintainability and better perception capability. The move also doubles the LiDAR coverage at long range.

Relocating the sensors to the SensorPods on the side-mounted mirrors, Kodiak has also simplified the build process. And by having sensors located in an easy-to-reach location on the mirrors, customers avoid having to access the roof to maintain sensors.

Kodiak’s SensorPods are also designed to place sensors at the same height as a driver, maximising road safety and improving perception. The SensorPods offer a better dual vantage point, as they provide redundancy and visibility on either side of the truck, as opposed to the single vantage point above the cab.

In the event of a sensor damage, such as a rock or other piece of debris damaging a sensor, the dual-redundant front-facing sensors increase resiliency. Replacement of SensorPods, which are compatible with any truck platform, can be performed in as little as 10 minutes.

The fifth-generation Kodiak truck adds a second forward-facing LiDAR and additional camera to add redundancy in the left and right SensorPods.

The new system increases the total number of sensors on-board from 14 to 18, including one new LiDAR and three new cameras — bringing the total camera count to 10. Two wide-angle cameras were added to the hoodmounted mirrors to cover blind spots.

8 | Truck & Driver

Kodiak’s long-range sensor suite is split evenly between the two sidemounted mirror SensorPods. There are four ZF Full Range Radar for redundancy; two Hesai 360-degree scanning LiDARs for side- and rearview detection; two Luminar Iris LiDAR sensors, and 8 cameras, which include both wide and narrow field-of-views.

The new truck includes the new Ambarella CV2 perception system-onchip (SoC) which handles all camera data processing and improves image quality for longer range detections and unlocks improved dynamic range for night time driving.

“Customers and OEMs aren’t sensor experts, and they shouldn’t have to be, which is why they constantly tell us they love our modular approach that solves one of the biggest barriers to servicing and maintaining autonomous trucks,” says Don Burnette, Founder and CEO of Kodiak Robotics.

“By removing the sensors from the top of the truck and incorporating them at a human driver’s line of sight, we have designed a system for the real world. Additionally, having sensors on top of the cab is actually very difficult to service while on the road and requires specialised equipment, which is nearly impossible to find roadside.”

Kodiak also reduced the electrical power requirements for its fifthgeneration truck, while simultaneously improving the processing power of the system. In addition to 130% more GPU processing power, the new system provides 60% more central processing power, and additional system redundancy. The reduced power consumption allowed for a 50% reduction in the size of the fifth-generation power system, and also decreased cooling needs.

Like Kodiak’s fourth-generation truck, Kodiak’s fifth-generation truck includes Cummins X15 engines, and Bridgestone smart-sensing tyre technology. The introduction of this new generation platform comes during a period of substantial growth for Kodiak, including a 24-month US Department of Defense project to help automate future U.S. Army ground vehicles. T&D

NEWS

Above an below: The Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 working in winter conditions in the Arctic Circle.

Long-haul winter test for eActros RECENT TESTING FOR THE BATTERY-ELECTRIC Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 has included driving a tractor unit from the Arctic Circle to Stuttgart, Germany.

The six-day, 3000km trip is a long-haul test for a truck designed primarily for regional distribution roles and also subjected the eActros to a wide variety of climatic and topographical conditions.

Customers are not likely to use the Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 as a tractor unit for this kind of a long journey. However, being able to test the vehicle in real operation for several days at a time under the most varied climatic and topographical conditions is an ideal the opportunity for the developers to optimise its systems.

The truck tested was a near-series prototype of the eActros 300 tractor which celebrated its trade fair premiere at IAA Transportation 2022 in Hanover. Production is scheduled to start later this year.

Before the 3,000km journey, Mercedes-Benz Trucks engineers had already extensively tested the vehicle in winter conditions at temperatures down to minus-25degC in Rovaniemi, Finland.

In addition to handling on icy and snowy roads, the focus was particularly on the starting properties and protection of the drive components, software and interfaces from low temperatures. On the return journey, the main objective was to take a closer look at the eActros loaded to 25 tonnes in real traffic.

“The journey from Rovaniemi to Stuttgart showed that the eActros 300 as a tractor unit reliably masters all challenges before its market launch,” says Dr. Christof Weber, Head of Global Testing Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

“This applies in terms of energy efficiency and charging, as well as driving comfort and safety.”

From Rovaniemi the truck travelled via Stockholm, Malmö, Copenhagen, Nyborg, Flensburg, Hamburg, then on the A7 highway down to Würzburg and from there via the A81 highway back to Stuttgart.

Equipped with three battery packages – each with 112kWh of installed

battery capacity – the truck has a range of up to 220km.

“In advance, we planned the individual stages precisely and very conservatively with around 150km in order to be able to drive to the planned charging points without any problems, even in traffic jams or stopand-go traffic,” says Marc Schniederjan, team leader at Mercedes-Benz Trucks, responsible for the operation of test vehicles and who coordinated and supervised the return journey.

The eActros was charged on average three times a day at public DC high-power charging stations along the route. The truck was also preconditioned at charging stations in order to avoid using too much battery energy and thus shorten the range.

“With only minimal temperatures below zero, the loss of range was limited even without pre-conditioning,” says Schniederjan.

In addition to measuring the measuring the increased range offered by recuperation, the testing has also fine-tuned the operation of the safety and driver assist systems fitted to the eActros in extreme winter conditions including the second-generation MirrorCam technology. T&D

Truck & Driver | 9

NEWS

Isuzu adds new Traypak model TWO NEW ‘READY-TO-WORK’ variants have been added to the range of N-Series models available from Isuzu Trucks New Zealand.

Based on the popularity of `Ready-to-Work’ models offered in Australia, two new variants of the NLR250 are available in short and medium length wheelbase variants, with manual and AMT transmission choices.

The ‘Ready-To-Work’ range comes complete with a flat deck tray and tow bar fitted as standard.

“N-Series tippers have proven to be one of the best-selling models in our portfolio, offering both single and three-way tipping models, Crew cab variants and standard features such as two-way tailgates and body lockdown mechanism,” says Dave Ballantyne, General Manager of Isuzu Trucks New Zealand.

“With the introduction of the new NLR250 TrayPack model we are expanding the ‘Ready-ToWork’ range, which already features N and F Series tipper models that arrive in-country fully built-up from Japan.”

The TrayPack features a locally fitted drop side lightweight tray that will appeal to the industry in

New NLR 250 Traypak models expand the Isuzu ‘Ready-to-Work’ range.

general, especially tradies looking for more carrying capacity, who would typically use a ute for day-to-day work.

The TrayPack offers the advantage of having a GVM of 5,500kg, meaning it can be driven on a Class 1 licence.

“Our customers have expressed a strong desire for new ‘Ready-To-Work’ options in the N-Series

WWW.MTCEQUIPMENT.COM

truck range, so we’re pleased to be able to offer this enhanced level of functionality with the TrayPack,” said Mr Ballantyne.

“If the success of these ‘Ready-To-Work’ models in Australia is anything to go by, then they will be a real hit here in New Zealand and we will look at other opportunities to grow the range into different applications in the future.” T&D

James Murray

Free Phone: 0800 451 451 Mobile: 0212283246 Email: james.murray@mtcequipment.com

62 Greywacke Road, Harewood, CHRISTCHURCH

TD33140

Flatdecks

Tippers

Transporters

Trombone

TD33393

NEWS NEWS

Rotorua hosts wood transport conference ROTORUA IS GEARING UP TO HOST THE WOOD Transport & Logistics 2023 conference and trade show on May 24-25.

Billed as the first dedicated log transport industry event in five years, the event has been set up by the Forest Industry Engineering Association (FIEA) with support from key trucking associations as well as forestry and log transport companies.

A busy two-day programme including speakers from Australia, the USA, Chile and local experts has been confirmed on subjects as diverse as the development of off-road, in-forest log truck platooning, robotic and mobile log scaling measurements and new automated chain throwing and tensioning systems.

A prime focus of the conference is recent developments in hydrogen, dual-fuel and electric truck technology as well as innovations around new biofuels. There currently is an unprecedented level of innovation being seen in moving logs through the supply chain.

Among the Australian presenters are Lex Forsyth, GM and Co-founder, Janus Electric, Australia and Wendy Fennell, Managing Director, Fennell Forestry.

The Janus Electric exchange battery technology developed in Australia is providing a new zero-emissions solution for heavy trucks. Fennell Forestry in South Australia has converted a Kenworth T609 to electric power and is the second log haulage company in the world to make the shift to electric.

There is also an historical focus with Paul Mahoney, Senior Heritage Advisor, Department of Conservation delivering a pictorial insight into the early years of kauri harvesting and log transport in New Zealand.

Huge kauri logs were moved from the rugged peaks of Coromandel to the large waterfront sawmills in downtown Auckland. The last large operation located near Thames ran from 1919 to 1927, a century ago.

The conference venue is the Distinction Hotel in Fenton St, Rotorua.

The Wood Transport & Logistics 2023 conference will also be livestreamed for international delegates.

Programme details and registrations are available on the event website www.woodtransport.events. T&D Delegates at the conference will hear about Fennell Forestry and its EV converted Kenworth logger.

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NEWS

Digital Documents, Checklists & Forms

Zero emissions and low noise make electric trucks well-suited to underground mining work.

Volvo e-trucks tested underground THE SWEDISH MINING GROUP BOLIDEN IS BECOMING one of the first in the world to start using battery-electric trucks for heavy underground transport starting 2023.

In mining environments, the electric trucks can deliver several big advantages – including no exhaust emissions, a safer workplace, and quieter working conditions.

A new cooperation agreement between Boliden and Volvo Trucks will see two heavy, electric Volvo trucks being used in Boliden’s Kankberg mine, outside Skellefteå in northern Sweden. If all trucks in the mine were to be electric, the CO2 emissions from the mine could be reduced by more than 25%.

“This is an exciting collaboration in an environment with very tough demands; steep slopes, heavy loads and humid air that wears on the vehicles,” says Jessica Lindholm, project manager at Volvo Trucks.

“The collaboration with Boliden will give us valuable knowledge about the performance of electric trucks when driven underground, and provide answers to questions about how the driveline and batteries are affected.

Reduced carbon dioxide emissions for mining transport also means that we, indirectly, will reduce our own CO2 emissions, because the mining industry’s raw materials are used in our trucks.”

The first truck to serve the Kankberg mine, a Volvo FH Electric, will be used to transport rock bolts and other equipment down into the mine and will be put into service in 2023. Based on the experience with the first truck, another Volvo FH Electric will later be put into operation and used for underground transport of rock and ore.

“We see the collaboration with Volvo as a fantastic opportunity to push the electric technology forward and at the same time learn how to adapt our operations for a transition to fossil-free underground transport,” says Dennis Forslund, project manager at Boliden.

“A major benefit of the trucks is that they will contribute to a more sustainable mine, both in terms of emissions and also the working environment for our employees.

“In addition, the total amount of energy consumed in the mine will be lower as electric drive is more energy efficient than a diesel engine, and it is possible to capture the electricity regenerated during engine braking on downhill slopes.”

The mining industry is going through a period of rapid change, with many operators shifting to more sustainable production methods to provide metals with a lower climate footprint.

Exhaust gases from diesel vehicles are responsible for the majority of the carbon dioxide emissions from Boliden’s mines and the company is committed to reducing its CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030. For Boliden to achieve its climate goals, electrification of transport will play a critical role. T&D A Volvo FH Electric will be the first truck used in the Kankberg mine.

Truck & Driver | 13

NEWS Pro Mechanical is now the Scania service dealer in Hamilton.

New Scania service in Hamilton PRO MECHANICAL IS THE NEW AUTHORISED SCANIA service dealer for Hamilton.

The dealership at 30 Earthmover Crescent in Burbush features a brand-new workshop facility, purpose-built for heavy diesel and truck servicing with the fit out including two CoF lanes.

Pro Mechanical director Wayne Crouch says he’s excited to join the Scania service network and will offer convenient hours for operators.

“We are open in the early hours of the morning and late into the evenings to meet customers’ needs and get them back on the road with no fuss,” Couch says.

Scania New Zealand Service Director Raul Rodriguez says Pro

Mechanical will help Scania meet growing demand for service in the Waikato area alongside the recently opened Scania branch in Cambridge.

“With Waikato being part of the ‘golden triangle’ and a key hub for transport, it requires a solid servicing network to keep trucks moving.

Having Pro Mechanical located in the northern part of the region in Te Rapa, and the Scania workshop in the southern area in Cambridge, we are covering all bases,” Rodriguez says.

Scania Waikato branch manager John Bailey says having Pro Mechanical onboard will be a great asset to the region and customers will be well supported thanks to the new partnership. T&D

Iveco keeps MotoGP on the move IVECO WILL CONTINUE AS THE OFFICIAL TRUCK supplier to the FIM Grand Prix World Championship (MotoGP) for the next four years.

In a new four-year agreement with championship organiser and commercial rights holder Dorna Sports, Iveco will supply 14 IVECO vehicles, mainly to transport the hospitality facilities to European circuits.

IVECO will provide support throughout this MotoGP season with 13 S-Way trucks and 1 Daily light commercial vehicle.

The vehicles will be customised with the MotoGP and IVECO logos and with a special white livery designed to reflect a strong racing style typical of motorsport.

“We are proud to support such an outstanding competition where leading-edge technology blends with unrivalled bravery and the courage The Iveco S-Way fleet will continue to support MotoGP events in 2023.

14 | Truck & Driver

to push beyond the limits,” says Luca Sra, President, Truck Business Unit, Iveco Group.

“This sponsorship reflects the same energy underlying IVECO’s commitment to creating the best solutions to our customers’ needs and the fighting passion that drives us to strive for excellence every day.”

IVECO is sponsors Repsol Honda Team and is the tractor unit supplier for Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Racing Team, supporting the teams’ logistics for the transport of the riders’ equipment to the MotoGP races held in Europe with its S-Way trucks.

The new season started at the Portimao circuit in Portugal on March 26 and will close in November at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain, with a total of 21 Grands Prix taking place across 18 different countries. T&D

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23-EX-024

NEWS A healthy diet can be a challenge for drivers spending long hours on the road.

New focus on driver health DIET AND NUTRITION ARE THE FOCUS OF A NEW TR Group online training course specifically designed for truck drivers.

Many truck drivers find maintaining a healthy diet can be challenging due to long hours on the road and limited access to healthy food options.

The course is designed to address these challenges and provide truck drivers with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed choices about diet and nutrition.

The free course is presented by registered dietitian, Angela Berrill, and also contains interviews with 10 experienced truck drivers.

A range of topics are covered, including the importance of a balanced diet, how to choose healthy snacks on the road, budgeting, and how a driver’s nutrition and hydration affect their abilities behind the wheel. It also provides practical tips for meal planning and preparation specifically for drivers.

“We understand the unique challenges that truck drivers face when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle,” says Shane O’Grady, TR Group’s

1958 Kenworth Bullnose sold for nearly NZ$320,000.

16 | Truck & Driver

National Sales Manager.

“That’s why we developed this course to provide practical, accessible information to help truck drivers make healthier choices.”

The course is available online via TR Group subsidiary, DT Driver Training, making it easy and convenient for truck drivers to access and complete on their own schedule. Until July 31 it’s available completely free.

“We believe that everyone should have access to quality education and training, regardless of their location or occupation,” O’Grady says. “We are proud to offer this course as part of our commitment to improve outcomes in the transport industry.

DT Driver Training is New Zealand’s largest provider of online driver education for the heavy vehicle industry and is a subsidiary of TR Group.

Every year, over 1.5 million people worldwide use DT to learn more about how to be a great driver.

To view the online diet and nutrition course for truck drivers, visit www. drivingtests.co.nz/course/diet-nutrition-training/. T&D

Classics auctioned TRUCKS FROM THE 1950S ACHIEVED SOME OF THE TOP prices at the recent Mecum Auctions 2023 Gone Farmin’ Spring Classic auction.

The event was held March 24-25 at Bend XPO in East Moline, Illinois, and featured 803 lots of tractors, vintage trucks, Road Art and relics on offer with a strong 93% sell-through rate attained.

The top seller of the auction was an Uncle Sam C20 tractor, believed to be one of only two that remain in existence, which sold for US$199,500 (NZ$320,000).

Top-selling trucks from the auction included a duo from the Legendary Gene Olson Collection.

A 1958 Kenworth Bullnose COE sold for US$198,000 (NZ$318,000), followed by a 1955 Peterbilt 350 COE, which sold for US$123,750 (NZ$199,000).

More than 400 lots of Road Art and relics were also sold at the Spring Classic. The top spot in Road Art sales was led by a John Deere two-piece single-sided tin sign which fetched US$20,060 (NZ$32,200). T&D

NEWS

More electric trucks for America Mack (above) and Hino (bottom) are introducing new electric trucks to the North America market.

THREE NEW MEDIUM-DUTY BATTERY ELECTRIC truck models from two manufacturers debuted at the National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA) 2023 Work Truck Show in Indianapolis in March.

Mack Trucks revealed its MD Electric, the company’s first electric vehicle in the medium-duty segment while Hino Trucks announced an expansion of its product range to include its first electric vehicles. The Hino models are electric versions of the M- and L- Series medium-duty trucks branded Me Series and Le Series available from 2024.

The Mack MD Electric will complement its diesel-powered MD sibling introduced in 2020. The addition of a zero-tailpipe emissions batteryelectric vehicle (BEV) to the Mack medium-duty line-up also supports the company’s long-term sustainability goals.

The MD Electric is the second electric vehicle introduced by Mack Trucks to the industry. The first was the Mack LR Electric, which went into production in December 2021.

The MD Electric’s three-phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous motor and all on-board accessories are powered by Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Oxide lithium-ion batteries, either in a 150kWh or 240kWH capacity. The MD Electric can be charged through AC or DC charging units while a regenerative braking system recaptures energy from the multiple stops the vehicle makes each day.

The MD Electric is available in 4x2 configurations featuring a sharp wheel cut for enhanced manoeuvrability in tight urban settings.

Similar to the diesel-powered Mack MD Series, Mack matched the bold styling of the Mack Anthem highway model, as a basis for the MD Electric grille and hood design.

“Mack established itself as an electrification leader with the heavy-duty Mack LR Electric refuse vehicle, and we’re excited to add the MD Electric to our zero-tailpipe emissions line-up,” says Martin Weissburg, global president of Mack Trucks.

“This is another important step in our efforts to drive decarbonisation and a more sustainable future, and we plan to continue investing in technologies that help improve the environment and society.”

The Mack MD Electric will be available like its diesel counterpart in Class 6 (10.4t Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and Class 7 (15t GVWR) models.

The Mack MD Electric will be produced at Roanoke Valley Operations (RVO) in Roanoke Valley, Virginia, where Mack began production of the Mack MD Series in 2020.

The MD Electric will meet the needs of trucking applications requiring dry van/refrigerated, stake/flatbed and dump vocations. The MD6 model does not require a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) to operate with non-hazardous payloads.

The new Hino duo will go into production integrating the SEA Electric SEA-Drive power system into existing platforms.

The Hino Class 5 M5e cab over and Class 6 L6e conventional models are equipped with battery capacities of 138kWh and 220kWh respectively.

“Starting in 2024, Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) mandates are starting to kick off in California which are growing the demand for electric vehicles (EV), and many of our customers want to add EV’s to evaluate operational capabilities,” says Glenn Ellis, President of Hino Trucks.

“Over the past several years, we have made significant strides in the push toward electrification. This strategic collaboration with SEA Electric is part of our plan to provide powertrain options to meet the needs for our customers and markets throughout the United States.”

Hino Trucks’ national dealer network is well prepared for the coming changes with dealers already high-voltage trained from Hino’s previous hybrid product. T&D

Truck & Driver | 17

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NEWS The Brisbane Truck Show will see the `Down Under’ debuts of the MercedesBenz eActros and the Eaton Endurant XD Pro 18-speed AMT.

More Brisbane show debuts announced RECENT CONFIRMATIONS FOR THE BRISBANE Truck Show which runs May 18-21 include the first Australian appearance of the all-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros and the release of Eaton’s latest suite of vehicle solutions and technology.

The ground-breaking eActros truck, which produces zero local emissions, will be the star of the Mercedes-Benz stand at Brisbane’s Convention & Exhibition Centre.

The battery-electric eActros is focused on heavy-duty short radius distribution and development trucks have been working in select fleets in Europe since 2018, impressing customers with its advanced design, strong performance and efficiency.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks will soon begin a local validation programme for the eActros in Australia and New Zealand.

The 2023 show will also be the first chance for the wider industry and Australian public to view the new Eaton 18-speed Automated Manual

Transmission (AMT), the Endurant XD Pro. The new AMT was recently released by the Eaton-Cummins Automated Transmission Technologies joint venture. Specifically designed and engineered for higher GCM applications, the new Endurant XD Pro is the lowest weight transmission Eaton has released for heavy-duty commercial vehicles.

Accompanying the new 18-speed AMT will be the Endurant HD 12-speed AMT, and a MD four-speed automated gearbox specifically designed for electric vehicle applications.

With a growing trend for alternate fuels and powertrains Eaton will also have a diverse display of vehicle solutions, including a range of products from its eMobility range for vehicle power management and control.

Eaton’s eMobility range of power management and protection products will include a ranger of power converter/inverters, super-capacitors, and circuit-protection technology. T&D

Volta Zero nears production WITH SCALE PRODUCTION OF VEHICLES ON TR ACK to begin in the second quarter of 2023, the pioneering all-electric Volta Zero electric truck has now received European Whole Vehicle Type Approval.

It’s another significant milestone for the 16-tonne urban logistics vehicle on its journey from concept to production.

The European Community Whole Vehicle Type Approval (ECWVTA) certification is the process used to ensure that all vehicles meet the stringent and relevant environmental, safety and security standards. It involves individual component testing on areas such as braking, steering, lighting and glazing, along with the vehicle safety systems.

Type Approval allows Volta Trucks to produce and sell the all-electric Volta Zero in volume.

The certification of the all-electric Volta Zero comes as the secondgeneration ‘Production Verification’ prototypes are soon to be delivered to customers across Europe as part of a Pilot Fleet of vehicles. These vehicles will be loaned to customers for extended periods of time, allowing fleet operators to fully understand how the all-electric medium duty truck will integrate into their operations.

Series production Volta Zeros will soon start rolling off the line of the

company’s contract manufacturing facility in Steyr, Austria.

The Volta Zero is a purpose-built all-electric 16-tonne vehicle designed for urban logistics, reducing the environmental impact of freight deliveries in city centres. Designed from the ground up with an operating pureelectric range of 150-200km, the Volta Zero will eliminate an estimated 1.9 million tonnes of CO2 by 2026. T&D The electric Volta Zero is designed for zero emissions urban distribution roles.

Truck & Driver | 19

NEWS

Ritchie Bros. opens Drury yard INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIAL MACHINERY auctioneers Ritchie Bros. has opened its first permanent yard in New Zealand.

Located at 25b Tegal Rd, Drury, the yard opened on April 13 with an IronPlanet auction.

Ritchie Bros. has opened its first permanent yard in New Zealandin Drury.

Established in 1958, Ritchie Bros. is a global asset management and disposition company, offering customers end-to-end solutions for buying and selling used heavy equipment, trucks and other assets.

“We are thrilled to launch our first permanent yard in New Zealand,” says Dom McGlinchey, Regional Sales Manager at Ritchie Bros.

“This facility will provide a convenient location for buyers and sellers to transact machinery, while also allowing us to expand our presence in the local market.

“By offering a wide range of machinery for buyers to inspect onsite and bid online, we are making it easier than ever for sellers to reach a large pool of potential buyers and get the best possible value for their assets. This new facility will provide a platform for New Zealanders to sell their machinery to a global audience, opening new opportunities for international trade,” McGlinchey says.

“We believe that the launch of our new permanent yard in New Zealand demonstrates our commitment to providing the best possible service to our customers. We are also committed to supporting the local economy and creating new job opportunities as we expand our presence in New Zealand.

“With our online platform, buyers can bid from anywhere in the world, making the purchasing process simple and convenient.” T&D

Nikola reaches 100 FCEV orders ZERO-EMISSION BATTERY-ELECTRIC AND HYDROGENelectric vehicle maker Nikola says it will begin North America market deliveries of its Class 8 Nikola Tre hydrogen fuel cell electric truck in the final quarter of this year.

Nikola dealers have now received 100 orders for the Tre FCEV which offers a range of up to 800km and an estimated fuelling time of 20 minutes.

“We believe Nikola is the only company in the U.S. with a Class 8 hydrogen FCEV available in calendar year 2023, engineered and assembled in the U.S., as well as a variety of upcoming hydrogen energy solutions,” says Michael Lohscheller, Nikola’s President and CEO “Customers are recognising this and are demanding zero-emissions trucking solutions to fulfil their shipping needs and to meet their environmental, social and governance goals.

“And it will have quite an effect, as one heavy-duty zero-emission truck equates to removing 23 gasoline-powered passenger cars from the road in

annual CO2 emissions.

Incentives offered by the California Air Resources Board (“CARB”) Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project (HVIP) have played a significant role in securing many of the 100 sale orders.

The HVIP programme enables customers of Nikola’s Tre FCEV to access a point-of-sale incentive starting at US$240,000 and ranging up to US$288,000 per truck, in 2023. Customers will also be eligible for a US$40,000 clean commercial vehicle tax credit from the federal government due to the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. California’s HVIP is an incentive programme intended to advance commercialisation and to help reduce the total cost of ownership of hybrid and zero-emission commercial vehicles in the state of California. The programme is unique in that it accelerates the adoption of zero tailpipe emission commercial vehicles on a first-come, first-served basis that does not require the retirement and scrappage of an existing diesel vehicle. T&D

The Nikola Tre is being developed in both battery-electric and hydrogen-electric versions.

20 | Truck & Driver

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HAMMAR 195:

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HAMMAR 130:

+ Versatile – handles two 20’ containers or one 40’ container via 3 cranes + Unique – middle crane folds into chassis to accommodate a single 40’ + Sliding – for maximum payload with a single 20’ option + Light – only 7.5 tonne tare + Strong – 16-tonne Safe Working Load (SWL) + Stable – legs extend for firm base and transfer + Reach – long outreach cranes + Ease – crane/stabiliser side-by-side design + SDS – Hammar Soft-Drive System + Flex – Trailer or Truckmounted

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NEWS

A Mack in a million (bricks)

Anthem builders (left to right) Nicole Laspa (Regional Commercial Manager), Luke Barnes (Area Fleet Manager), Michael Parker (Retail Sales), Brenda Riley (Brand Manager), Ben Craig (the “Brick builder”), Tom Chapman (Vice-President Mack trucks Australia), Alistair Roberts (Regional Commercial Manager), Tom Welsh (Product Manager), Steve Helms (Account Manager).

BUILDING A MACK ANTHEM FROM ALMOST ONE million LEGO bricks will set a Guinness World Record and celebrate 60 years of building trucks in the western corridor of Brisbane.

Mack Trucks Australia is teaming up with Ben Craig, “The Brick Builder” to build the world’s “largest truck made with LEGO bricks” using close to a million pieces of LEGO. A Mack Anthem takes eight days to be built in the company’s Wacol factory, while the LEGO brick version will take about two months to create at Ben’s Burleigh Heads warehouse.

The LEGO brick Mack Anthem will then be transported and activated at South Bank Parklands for the Brisbane Truck Show (18-21 May) and Australian Made Week (15-21 May). The activation will encourage community involvement as the final pieces are built in preparation for official Guinness World Record adjudication on May 19.

Vice President of Mack Trucks Australia, Tom Chapman, said big kids and little kids love Mack Trucks and building a LEGO version on

home soil is a fun way to celebrate being Australian made for over six decades.

“The culture at Mack is one of pride and passion; our Australian Made certification is one we wear as a badge of honour,” he says.

“Every Mack truck you see on the roads in Australia has been made in the western corridor of Brisbane. Designing and engineering our Mack trucks locally means we can meet and exceed the demands of customers, focussing on application excellence, providing reliability and durability.”

“Ben the Brick Builder” said the opportunity to create a Mack Anthem made from LEGO bricks is a dream come true.

“Mack Trucks are iconic and have a loved cult following. I spend a lot of time on the road and no other truck has the same appeal as a Mack Truck and its iconic bulldog,” Ben said.

The final piece of the build will be a LEGO brick version of the famous Mack bulldog, which will be added to the hood of the Mack Anthem on May 19. T&D

Anthem moves NASCAR team THREE NEW MACK ANTHEMS AND A SINGLE MACK MD Class 6 model are hauling winning NASCAR team 23XI Racing to the track.

Mack Trucks has signed a multi-year deal to be the truck partner of 23XI (twenty-three eleven) Racing, which is co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

The Anthems will haul Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota Camry TRD and Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD between races, in addition to hauling team equipment. The Mack MD model will be equipped with The 23XI Racing Mack Anthem and Tyler Reddick’s Toyota Camry TRD.

22 | Truck & Driver

a flatbed to transport the teams’ vehicles as they are being prepared for competition.

All three 505hp Anthem models are black, 70-inch stand-up sleepers with full aerodynamic fairings packages, including side, roof and chassis coverage for improved aerodynamics.

Transferring that power to the wheels is a Mack mDRIVE 12-speed automated manual transmission. The Anthems are also equipped with an electric Auxiliary Power Unit (eAPU). The Idle Free eAPU keeps the cab cool without having to run the engine, and as a result, reduces emissions.

23XI Racing made its NASCAR Cup Series debut at the 2021 Daytona 500 with rising star as Bubba Wallace and won its first race in October 2021 at Talladega Superspeedway.

For 2022, the team expanded to two cars, adding the No. 45 Toyota Camry TRD to the stable. The 2023 line-up includes Wallace and Tyler Reddick, who joined 23XI Racing at the start of the 2023 season. Reddick recently earned the team its first win of the 2023 season at Circuit of the Americas. T&D

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Heading south on the Desert Road, Guy Small’s new MAN is an impressive performer with 640-horsepower.

24 | Truck & Driver

BIG TEST

Truck & Driver | 25

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New Generation MAN TGX range includes the Extra Height cab selected by Guy Small.

IX HUNDRED AND FORTY HARD-WORKING GERMAN horses in the bold red Owens colours are powering Guy Small’s association with the MAN marque into a fifth decade.

Ramarama-based Guy bought his first MAN truck in 1987 and says he’s now owned and driven 14 of them over the years.

In late-January Guy put this New Generation MAN TGX 26.640 6x4 tractor unit on the road. The GX cab (extra height) unit replaces his 2015 model TGX with 560hp and after Easter was joined by a second TGX 26.640 that differs only in its GM cab (medium roof height) configuration.

New Zealand Truck & Driver teamed up with Guy for a run from Auckland to the Desert Road – part of his regular AucklandWellington run – to talk about the improvements MAN has made to the New-Gen model and why Guy sticks with the marque.

The days starts from Allnex NZ in Penrose. The new TGX is working with a 2020 Patchell-built Owens Tankers six-axle B-Train carting emulsion to be used in paint products by Dulux. This truck and trailer combination is 20.5 tonnes empty and for this run weighs up loaded at 47.8t on a 50MAX permit.

It’s a regular run for Guy although it sometimes means working with different trailers depending on the product and quantity.

The 640hp model is the flagship of the New Generation TGX range with the most powerful D3876 LF 16 engine variant producing 3000Nm of torque from 900-1380rpm. Like other versions of the D38 Series 15.2-litre in-line six-cylinder it’s Euro 6 (now Step E) compliant with both SCR and EGR emissions equipment.

While the 12-speed AMT is marketed as the MAN TipMatic 12.30 OD it’s a version of the ZF TraXon transmission used by a number of brands. Spring front suspension pairs up with MAN’s ECAS eight

bag electronic rear air suspension on Guy’s truck.

The new TGX is factory painted in Traffic Red with the scrolls and Owens’ signage applied by Royans. Guy chose the Premium specification with the only extras being a stone guard and monsoons. There’s also an Elite grade if you want a few more luxuries such as a 12.3-inch infotainment display, rotating passenger seat and electric roof hatch operation.

Guy selected the 385/65 R 22.5 front tyre option and 11R 22.5 drive tyres for the standard Alcoa Dura-bright Evo alloys. He says he prefers larger tyres, and the slightly taller rear tyres also raise the turntable height which in turn adds some slope to the tanker and makes for easier unloading.

There’s still a plan to add some exterior marker lighting “just to pretty it up a bit” and Guy says that while the electrician is doing that work there is some cabling to tidy up for the dash cam.

One of the biggest changes for Guy has been the purchase process for his new trucks.

“For the first time I had to order ahead. I had to order these over a year ago – I used to just rock in when I wanted to trade one and say `what have you got on the lot?’ Those days have gone.”

Pricing and changeover cost are among the leading reasons that have kept Guy in the MAN family, although he has also owned other brands.

“I’ve owned 14 MANs,” says Guy. “I’ve driven them all, some of them not very much. One I even owned twice.

“You do get locked into a brand because of trade-ins. If the dealer won’t look after you, no one else is going to. There’s always that advantage.

“Four years ago, I looked at a Mercedes-Benz. I priced it up and compared to the equivalent MAN there was only $100 difference.

Truck & Driver | 27

But there was $60,000 difference in the trade-in. So, you don’t have a choice really.

“Among the European trucks, MAN and I suppose Iveco now as well, have the best pricing. Volvo and Scania prices are frightening.”

For the most part Guy has enjoyed a good run with the MAN marque. He says there have been only a few bad experiences, mainly related to the EGR systems on some earlier models.

“All the D38s were Euro 6 right from the start. It had some issues because of that,” says Guy. “A one point I had to do the DPF filter, and it had destroyed the EGR on the way out…. so $20,000 later. Hopefully they are now far enough down the track to have solved those things.

“It was similar with the TGA 530s. The EGR gave a shit load of trouble. I had two 530s and I traded up to a 540 and it was a much better truck. I ran it for five years and the EGR gave up about a week before I traded it. On the first ones we were doing it at least once a year.”

“So, I’ve had a couple that have been dogs, but the rest have been fine.

Guy says those emissions issues aren’t unique to MAN. “Talk to anyone who bought an EGR Cummins, and they will tell you so many horror stories. If DPF filters start playing up you’re in a shit load of trouble.”

“Realistically nowadays I think all the trucks are up to a good standard. I’ve had a Kenworth with a CAT which flew apart at 800k and I’ve had a V8 Scania that I bought second-hand that did its best to bankrupt me.

“I generally run them from 800 to a million. I’ve had a couple that crapped out before 800 and others did a million without doing anything to them.”

Guy had been driving the new truck for about four weeks before our test and the odometer was approaching 10,000km. He says he’s still discovering some of the detail changes but is pleased with improvements across many aspects of the truck.

“I’m still learning about it. I read the first pages of the manual to 28 | Truck & Driver

get me going. I’ve still got 500 pages to go,” he says.

“I’ve heard that MAN surveyed 40,000 drivers before they built this new model. And it looks like they have listened because there are a lot of detail things that are an improvement over the older ones,” he says.

He offers an example. “You used to have to lift the grille to fill up the windscreen washer bottle. Now it’s inside the passenger door with a pull out tube. You can just pour it straight in.

“And the storage inside is a lot better. I can put pretty much everything away. There’s a lot of little bits and pieces that make life easier.

“The last model had a very high windscreen, so your storage space was no better than the standard cab and you spent your whole life with the sun visor half down.

“That’s something they have listened to as well. Plus, they would have had to previously build two different cab frames. Now there is one cab frame with a higher roof and one windscreen fits the lot.

“There was probably only half a dozen of the old model high cabs in the country, and somebody had to keep windscreens in stock for them.”

The 640hp rating makes the TGX the most powerful truck Guy has owned and driven.

“It’s the most [horsepower] I’ve ever had. The last one was 560 and it went well. These are quite surprising, and I can only imagine what a 770 Scania must feel like.

“To a degree it’s [640hp] overkill. I mean, we did these kinds of weights 30 years ago with 300hp, it just took longer.

“But it gives you a choice. You can do the same trip times with better fuel economy or do better trip times for the same or slightly worse fuel.”

Fuel efficiency is turning out to be one of the biggest benefits Guy is already seeing from the new truck.

“So far on fuel, this thing is brilliant. A big improvement on my old one,” he says.

Guy says his 560 averaged 1.6km per litre running at 50t and the new one is already achieving 1.9-2.0km per litre doing the same work.

Left: TGX interior offers generous overhead storage space and a modern dash and control layout.

Above: The MAN works with a variety of tankers including this Patchell-built 6-axle B-Train.

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Above: The Euro 6 spec 15.2-litre six-cylinder develops 640hp and 3000Nm of torque.

Below: The load for our Big Test was emulsion for paint products with the combination weighing up at 47.8 tonnes.

“On a trip to Wellington last week with a tri-axle trailer and 40 tonnes I reckon this one used 50 litres less than the old one would have. It’s a significant saving.

“Coming back empty the old ones would see 2.4 or 2.5km/litre and this one came back at 3.3.

“I’ve got the other truck sitting waiting to go on the road when the driver comes back from holiday and hopefully in a couple of months, I’ll be getting some big savings.”

The trucks do tanker work for Owens and the AucklandWellington run is a regular assignment. Guy says he also heads north to Maungaturoto as well as Hamilton, Rotorua and Taranaki.

You’ll see the MAN on the road with several trailer combinations.

“I change constantly. There are three tankers we use on the Wellington run depending on the load and the product.

“On my run next week, we’ll use the old tri-axle trailer because it’s a product that is very hard to clean out, so you don’t want to put it in new trailers. It’s 34 years old and all it does is one customer in Rotorua and one in Wellington.”

A veteran of the industry, Guy is 74 and started driving when he was 17. Bigger horsepower and improved fuel efficiency aren’t the only changes he’s seen in the industry, roading and traffic volumes.

“I still enjoy it, but if I had to work in Auckland, I would chuck it in. I couldn’t handle that,” he says.

“At the moment I might do a couple of days in town and then I won’t be in town again for a couple of weeks, and I can live with that. Much more than that and I couldn’t do it.”

It’s the open road where Guy shows us his new MAN at work. I ride along for the run south from Taupiri to Tirau before Hayden Woolston takes the wheel.

The high-torque six-cylinder is a relaxed performer and is ticking over at 1175rpm in the overdriven top gear at 90kph.

Heading past the east of Hamilton and Cambridge it’s not until the short climb just before the Piarere intersection that the MAN makes a brief downshift to eleventh gear. A few minutes later there are a couple more shifts as we approach Tirau.

“The auto is better than the last one. The shifting is quicker and smoother,” Guy says.

“Where you pick up on it is at traffic lights where you have just about stopped and then they change to green. The old one would hesitate, trying to work out what gear to go into and you basically had to stop. This one, no problem, you hit the power and it grabs a gear and you’re away.

Truck & Driver | 31

Top: Guy Small has had 14 MAN trucks since 1987.

Centre: Monsoons are one of the only accessories fitted to the TGX 26.640.

Below: Diesel tank capacity is 490 litres and Guy Small says fuel consumption is significantly improved.

32 | Truck & Driver

“It’s more decisive about what it’s going to do. Some of the downshifts are barely perceptible.

“In comparison the 560 was quite busy. There were places where if it didn’t downshift you did it yourself just to keep moving. Mine [the 560] was a 2015 and they brought the TraXon in about 2016 so mine had the earlier version of the ZF,” Guys says.

The transmission is officially called the MAN TipMatic.

“They all have their own name for it [the ZF TraXon] but that’s really for the shifting system rather than the gearbox,” says Guy. “It’s a more relaxed drive. You let it settle back and do its thing and the engine will lug down to almost 800rpm. I think it’s reading your driving, so if you’ve been powering into it then it will tend to shift quicker and hang on longer.

“Just cruising it shifts up about 1150rpm or even less. The green band runs from 900 to 1400 and we’re sitting dead centre on that cruising at 90kph.”

The MAN has an Adaptive Cruise Control that slows the truck to maintain a set distance to a vehicle ahead.

“I’m using cruise control about 70% of the time these days and I’m still learning about it. You do have to anticipate if you come up behind a slower truck on a hill or it will slow down before you can change lanes.

A supportive shape and plenty of adjustments for the air suspension seats (driver and passenger) provide excellent comfort.

“I actually think the ride is slightly choppier than the old one but that could be because the back of the cab is on springs and not on airbags. It’s one of those things – within a week you don’t notice it.”

Guy’s tyre choice means his TGX is slightly taller geared than standard.

“I hate 275 tyres. I can’t see any reason to own them, so I’ve put on 11Rs which makes it slightly higher geared. I had one truck on 275s because we had a height issue, but the driver didn’t like the way it rode and they [the tyres] wore out quicker.

“Many years ago, a Scania mechanic told me they had calculated it adds 2 cents a kilometre to your maintenance costs by running the smaller tyres.”

Maintenance cost is an area Guy is also hoping to make a saving with the new model.

“The servicing is based on the fuel burn and how you drive. Theoretically I should have about 60,000km but we’ll see. With 40 odd litres of oil at 15 bucks a litre plus filters you don’t want to be changing too often.”

Our chat turns to the interior layout and a roomy cab which boasts a mix of modern black and dark grey surfaces, generous stand-up ceiling height and plenty of storage space.

Guy says the storage is significantly improved with a fridge and a slide out compartment between the seats and ample storage space above the windscreen in the GX cab.

“There’s a big bin [under the bunk] that has my overnight bag. That used to just sit on the bunk before. I’ve got a company tablet plus my own and they are now down in the drawer instead of on the bunk.

“The paperwork, my logbook, and my diary are all out of the way. I’m pretty bad at throwing everything on the bunk as I get in and it accumulates – especially paperwork.”

Guy points out the storage above the left hand side of the windscreen.

Features of the new TGX 26.640 include Euro 6 engine technology (below left), LED lights with bending function (centre) and fridge unit below the bunk (right).

Truck & Driver | 33

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“We do a lot of corrosives, so I keep various hard hats and air hoods up there, to keep them separate from everything else.”

There are other conveniences including for USB ports in the dash – two for charging and two for input along with four more in the bunk area. There are 12V and 24V outlets on the dash to power accessories.

Guy says the instruments are easy to read.

“You really only have your speedo, rev counter, fuel, and AdBlue.

Everything else you bring up as you want it.

“In the testing station they were asking about the pressure gauges because there aren’t any. But the moment the pressure drops it comes up as a warning and clears everything else off and just shows the air pressure.

“Then we discovered you can actually dial up a bar graph that shows all the air tanks.

“There are a couple of little features like a hazard light switch and engine start button located in the driver’s door. It means the engine can be started with the cab tilted or you can switch the hazards on or off without being in the cab.”

The new cab has four coffee cup holders and operating the infotainment is done via a new controller with a fold out rest for the driver’s left hand.

“They’ve done away with touchscreens because they consider them a distraction,” Guy says.

Guy confesses it took a little while to get used to its operation.

When a call was finished, he would press the controller to hang up but redial instead.

“For the first week I rang everyone twice,” he says.

“The steering wheel is a bit smaller than the old one. I don’t notice it now, but I did for the first few days. It makes the steering just a little bit heavier, but it has probably got more feel to it. It’s nothing like as heavy as old trucks.

“I think the visibility better than the old one. There is still a little blind spot, but it doesn’t take as much to see around it and the only way you will alleviate that is by going to cameras.”

The New Generation TGX has a full safety and driver assist suite and Guy says he’s still getting used to some of its characteristics.

He says he switches off the Lane Departure Warning as his preference is to drive close to the fog line which can prompt a few unnecessary warnings. He’s also found the blind spot proximity sensors can be fooled when turning left if there is a building close by.

“But it’s quite handy on the motorway, especially if you’re in the centre lane. I think they are very good,” says Guy. He’s fitted a Guardian driver attention monitoring camera and says its been tricked to deliver a warning on an occasion when he was suffering with hay fever and another when he was turning into the bright sun and squinting.

So, is there anything Guy doesn’t like about the new model?

“The sun visors,” he says. “They do work but it seems like a backwards step from what we had, which was the blinds. I didn’t consider it when I was buying the truck because I didn’t know it was an option. And the TR ones I have driven have electric blinds in them and the 560 with the high roof had an electric one and that worked well.”

“There’s nothing much to grizzle about. The coffee cup thing is a thousand per cent better than the old ones – I don’t know when I’d have four cups of coffee, but I can.”

The MAN is quiet at highway cruising speeds with minimal intrusion from the engine note and low road noise. There’s some wind noise around the A-pillars, mirrors and monsoon which varies with the angle of attack into the breeze.

“The monsoons are quite a bit different. On the old truck, if it rained you couldn’t see the mirrors. These ones are set up a lot Truck & Driver | 35

The Extra Hight Cab and single bunk layout gives generous space in the TGX cab.

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better,” Guy says.

With Hayden drive complete I re-join Guy for the run south from Taupo and onto the Desert Road. The terrain is more challenging and a chance for 640hp to show what it can do.

There are stop-go road works at Waitahanui which means a standing start on the flat just before climbing the long hill. We get to ninth gear using 1400rpm and climbing at 45kph before the grade increases slightly and there’s another shift to eighth and a steady climb at 33kph.

“With the 560 I’d drop to about 25kph with the slow start like that,” Guy says.

As the climb eases, we are soon back to nearly 90kph using 11th gear at just over 1500rpm before we begin picking our way through the twists and turns of SH1 on the eastern side of Lake Taupo and the ever-changing speed limits on the way to Turangi. Guy says the B-Train tracks very well and is a lot easier to position on the narrow road than a quad semi.

The most revealing test comes beyond Turangi on the climb to the Desert Road where Guy says the 640 feels quite a bit quicker than the 560. Early on we are in tenth gear climbing at 51kph before a shift to ninth at 1150rpm as the speed drops to 44kph.

A brief shift back up to tenth seems unnecessary and the TipMatic shifts back to ninth again. As the grade eases we are up to 56kph, still in ninth and using 1500rpm. We reach the summit at 61kph using 1750rpm before a better timed upshift into tenth.

Now we’ve reached the twistier stuff, dropping into and climbing away from the gullies known as `The Sisters’.

The descent feels well controlled on the powerful TurboEVBec engine brake.

“On the engine brake it can jump up to about 2400rpm. It’s 36 | Truck & Driver

actually an engine brake now and not a retarder. It’s basically MANs version of a Jake, but it doesn’t make any noise, which is amazing,” Guy says.

“The figures give it 850hp which is right up there with retarder power.”

There are six stages controlled from the right hand steering wheel stalk.

“You can bring it on one stage at a time or just pull it hard back and it goes into auto and sets itself. It also reads your braking. If you brake on a hill it will pick up that speed and try to hold it.

“It’s a learning curve after the retarder but so far I am happy with it.”

At the first slow left hander in the bottom of `The Sisters’ we pull out in sixth gear at 26kph using 1500rpm and on climb the TipMatic shifts up to eighth with the speed increasing to 41kph.

“It handles that particularly well,” says Guy. Another measure of the improved performance is that Guy estimates the 640 is six minutes quicker than the 560 on the climb at Transmission Gully.

While still on the learning curve with the New Generation TGX 26.640 Guy Small is liking the experience and discovering a truck that is delivering better fuel efficiency, more relaxed performance and a host of detail comfort and convenience improvements.

“There’s quite a bit that’s different to the older one and you think `why have they done that’? Inside a week you have got used to it.”

He’ll get a second set of data and driver feedback when the other truck hits the road.

“My driver on the other one really loves the technology. He’ll go through the whole lot and tell me how half of it works.” T&D

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HEN TESTING A NEW TRUCK, YOU can’t ask for much more than the years of driving and brand experience which Guy Small has to offer.

Guy is 74 and has been driving trucks since he was 17. MAN trucks have played a role in his business since 1987 and he is one of those drivers who likes to really get to know his truck and notices the differences between model changes.

The NZ Truck & Driver team catch up with Guy and his New Generation MAN TGX 26.640 for one of his regular trips from Auckland to Wellington. Guy has a Patchell stainless 6-axle B-train on the rear loaded with emulsion for paint production.

The loaded combination weighs up at 47.8t which means we will have plenty of opportunity to put the new 640hp engine through its paces.

38 | Truck & Driver

I take over the wheel at Tirau for a run through to Taupo. Once in the cab it’s a modern feel with the high roof and flat floor making for a very spacious workspace.

Looking around the cab there is storage space everywhere and a fridge under the bed. With Guy staying overnight in this truck, everything is able to be packed away leaving a clean and tidy working environment.

The driver’s seat is very comfortable and in front of me the digital dash display is big and easy to read. As I get ready to pull away and head south from Tirau I’m already feeling very comfortable with the driver set up. Everything is at my fingertips or on the stalk.

The coolest thing for me in this cab is the new toggle on the wraparound dash that you use to control the infotainment screen.

Hayden Woolston

It has a flip cover which you use to rest your left hand on while using the buttons. It makes things easy when it’s bumpy, which is the perfect description for this section of State Highway 1.

Once on the open road it’s a typical European truck ride down to Taupo. The D3876 LF 16 is a 15.2-litre in-line sixcylinder which meets Euro 6 Step E with

• SPECIFICATIONS • both SCR and EGR emissions equipment. With a generous 3000Nm of torque available from 900-1380rpm, the new TGX pulls the B-Train along with barely any hint of effort.

The 12-speed MAN TipMatic AMT `box works really well with the engine lugging down to 800rpm and most of the upshifts are made at 1150rpm. At 90kph we are right in the middle of the tachometer green band which runs between 900 and 1400rpm.

Like most AMTs there are the odd instances on climbs where moving to manual mode allows you to hold a gear till reaching the crest of a hill to mitigate an early gear change.

The engine brake has six stages and is controlled from the right hand stalk. This is one of the changes for the new model - they have gone away from the retarder and now use an engine brake. It seems to work just as well and is also very quiet. I use all the stages as I’m driving, adjusting it to suit the terrain in front of me.

Between the many sets of road works on the run through to Taupo I also experiment with the adaptive cruise control. It works really well and has over run setting which I really like in

modern trucks. You can let the truck hold you at your speed on downhills without it running away on you.

The steering is nicely weighted and offers informative feedback. Guy tells me the steering wheel in this new truck is slightly smaller than the previous model, which could also contribute with the reassuring feel from the steering.

The vision from and the ride from the driver’s seat is typical of modern European trucks. I’m travelling at a relaxed pace between the road works with the trailer tracking nicely behind and it’s a very comfortable ride all the way to Taupo.

I don’t even find myself getting upset at all the roadworks interruptions, which is not really like me. I put this down to the comfortable double armrest seat, a quiet cab that offers an abundance of space and good conversation with Guy In the passenger seat.

When we hit Taupo it’s time to give Guy his truck back. It’s been a minimum stress drive and the new MAN has done most of the work for me. All I have had to do is steer it where I need it to go. T&D

MAN TGX 26.640 6x4 BL SA Engine: MAN D3876 LF 16 six cylinder in-line, Euro 6e with SCR and EGR Capacity: 15.2 litres Maximum Power: 471kW (640hp) at 1800rpm Maximum Torque: 3000Nm (2212 lb-ft) at 900-1380rpm Fuel capacity: Diesel 490 litres, AdBlue 80 litres Transmission: MAN TipMatic 12.30 OD 12-speed automated manual Ratios: 1st – 12.92 2nd – 9.98 3rd – 7.67 4th – 5.94 5th – 4.57 6th – 3.53 7th – 2.83 8th – 2.19 9th – 1.68 10th – 1.30 11th – 1.00 12th – 0.77 Reverse – R1 12.03, R2 9.29 Final Drive ratio: 3.36:1 Front axle: 8000kg rating Rear axles: Hypoid tandem drive with differential lock (23,000kg max) Brakes: Disc with ABS/EBS and Advanced Emergency Braking Auxiliary brakes: MAN Turbo EVBec high performance engine brake (630kW) Front suspension: Parabolic leaf spring with stabiliser bar Rear suspension: MAN ECAS eight-bag air suspension with stabiliser bar GVM: 26,000kg GCM: 68,000kg

Truck & Driver | 39

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What’s on Show ? e-Mobility Electric mobility will fundamentally change the architecture of commercial vehicles, as well as the system requirements it must fulfil e-mobility products that are easy to integrate and ready for series production, such as the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system, ecompressors, and the SYNACT® family of modular disc brakes can be viewed at the Knorr-Bremse Stand

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and highly automated driving (HAD) Knorr-Bremse’s driver assistance systems reliably alert commercial vehicle drivers to potential risks in good time.

These products are currently available as part of the Bendix Fusion Advanced Emergency Braking System (AEBS) Knorr-Bremse will have an interactive display to demonstrate the benefits and features and future of FUSION technology

Trailer Technology iTEBS X Trailer EBS Among this year’s show highlights are the iTEBS X trailer EBS, which combines ECU, sensor technology and pneumatic control elements in a single compact assembly. Top quality and reliability are the hallmarks of this latest generation of Trailer EBS.

Award Winning OBM (On Board Mass) System iMass® on display Recipient of both AFIAA Application of Technology Award and HVIA Product Innovation Award; the Knorr-Bremse iMass® system provides industry leading accuracy of the combination mass data in real time and capable of communicating mass data to an In Vehicle ‘telematics’ Unit (IVU), all integrated with the TEBS G2.2 electronic braking module.

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Plenty to see

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Driving the economy

Lessons must be learnt from drug testing debacle

Transporting New Zealand considers roadside drug testing to be an important tool to reduce death and serious injuries on our roads.

I

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by Nick Leggett Chief Executive Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

T’S FAIR TO SAY, I AM DEEPLY disappointed and somewhat bemused by the failed rollout of roadside saliva-based drug testing.

Passed into law through the Drug Driving Amendment Act, which Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand strongly supported, roadside saliva-based oral drug testing was due to begin on March 11. It was determined at the last minute, however, that the tests currently on the market are not suitable for New Zealand because, rather than indicate the level of impairment, they simply test for the presence of drugs in a driver’s system.

The decision to suspend roadside drug testing is not only a missed opportunity to enhance road safety and protect the lives of road users but also a complete mess in terms of policymaking.

While I understand that new programmes, such as this, always come with technical challenges, it is highly irregular to pass legislation for something that cannot be implemented.

Some serious questions need to be asked about the quality of the advice provided to ministers and the Select Committee and how that advice was subsequently represented. We also need to ask as a country, where our priorities lie. Are we more interested in protecting drug users or improving road safety outcomes?

The presence of drugs plays a part in nearly a third of all road deaths in New Zealand (over 100 per year) and is a major

risk to professional truck drivers who spend their careers on our roads. For a Government that has been hell-bent on meeting the objectives of Road to Zero, the failed rollout of roadside drug testing comes across as more than a little shambolic.

The industry can be confident that despite this setback Transporting New Zealand will continue to advocate for the implementation of roadside saliva-based drug testing, and calls on the Government to take the problem of drug-impaired driving in New Zealand seriously.

In-service tyre standard inspections could compound COF issues Transporting New Zealand is expressing concern at a proposal from Waka Kotahi to add in-service tyre standard checks to COF inspections, reasoning that this move will further exacerbate the problems associated with the availability of COF inspectors and compliance for operators.

The road transport industry is currently suffering from considerable inconvenience associated with the availability of COF inspections with long booking lead-times and queuing delays extremely common. Adding additional compliance measures can only make this situation worse.

I am not sure officials understand that inspecting the markings on each tyre of a vehicle to determine wither they are standard or not is actually a fairly involved job that will add considerable time and cost to every COF. Twin steer trucks Truck & Driver | 41

Driving the economy

and five axle dog trailers are common in the New Zealand transport fleet and would require the individual inspection of 12 and 20 tyres respectively.

This will place a lot more pressure on an already stretched COF system.

Transporting New Zealand’s submission also questions the purpose of the proposal from a safety perspective.

For a start, any increase in on-road tyre blowouts is far more likely to be caused by poor road quality and severe potholes than the prevalence of

non-compliant tyres. Secondly, compliance with tyre standards is currently undertaken at the tyre’s entry point at the border and we do not see any reason to duplicate this practice during a COF inspection. For tyres manufactured or re-treaded in New Zealand then the inspection should really happen at the point where the tyre enters the market. If safety is the primary motivator here then surely having non-compliant tyres on the road at all should be something that the system is set up to avoid.

Lower Hutt Events Centre will host Transporting New Zealand’s 2023 election year conference.

Wood Transport & Logistics 2023 The Wood Transport & Logistics 2023 conference is also just around the corner. Supported by Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand, the event, which takes place in Rotorua on 24 and 25 May will feature insights into new innovations, tools, technologies and smart operating practices being employed by leading forestry, wood harvesting and log transport companies.

With news that the second-ever fully electric log truck has launched in

Transporting New Zealand election year conference Transporting New Zealand’s 2023 Conference will take place on 28-29 June at the Lower Hutt Events Centre.

With the election only a matter of months away this year’s conference will focus heavily on the politics around transport and road freight. Delegates can expect to hear from Transport Minister Michael Wood about the Government’s present and future transport programme, while National’s Simeon Brown, ACT’s Simon Court and Julie Ann Genter of the Greens will present their alternative views.

Information on the specific conference programme and speakers, as well as registration details for the event are available at https://www. transporting.nz/conference. Please also keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates.

Australia it is obvious that log transport is on the cusp of a major shift in technology. The transition to new electric, hydrogen and diesel-hybrid powered heavy vehicles has begun, and there is growing international uptake of automation and platooning. New innovations in log measurement, scheduling and logistics are finding their way into the industry here also, so if you want to stay on top of all these new developments then register for the conference at https://woodtransport.events/. T&D

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand’s Regional and Sector Advisors are available to assist members right around New Zealand.

Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand PO Box 1778, Wellington 04 472 3877 info@transporting.nz

Nick Leggett, Chief Executive 04 472 3877 • 021 248 2175 nick@transporting.nz Mike McRandle, Regional & Sector Manager 027 556 6099

www.transporting.nz 42 | Truck & Driver

Keith McGuire, Region 2 027 445 5785 Sandy Walker, Region 3 027 485 6038 John Bond, Region 4 027 444 8136 Jim Crouchley, Region 5 027 261 0953

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Kenworth K100G is considered the `Black Sheep’ of the KT Cartage family but has been a useful addition to the fleet.

N OLD ISUZU ELF AND SOME AFTER SCHOOL AND WEEKEND jobs around the rural Hauraki Plains were the humble beginnings for KT Cartage nearly 15 years ago.

Kelvin and Emily Fitzpatrick have been together through the growing pains and hard knocks of gaining a foothold in the transport industry.

And they provide a hard-working inspiration for other young people to follow their business dreams.

The couple went to high school together at Hauraki Plains College. Both now 30, their Kerepehi-based KT Cartage operation has grown to comprise six trucks and specialises in Hiab/crane work – the more unusual and challenging the better.

Kelvin spent his childhood around all kinds of trucks and machinery, building an interest in what each machine was capable of.

“At high school I had a little Isuzu Elf. It was mainly to cart the dirt bikes around, but I quickly worked out I could make a dollar doing a couple of jobs here and there – little bits of machinery among other things,” he says.

“A few people [from school] went off and bought themselves fast cars, where we looked at more practical ideas.”

On leaving school in 2010, Kelvin headed to Northland to help his mother and stepfather on a farm. Emily, who grew up at Kerepehi, joined him soon after and the teenage couple began to find their feet with a mixture of jobs and relatively modest goals.

The acquisition that got KT Cartage on the road was a 1996 Isuzu F Series 6x4 Hiab truck.

“She was a gem. She did it all,” says Emily.

“I look back now, and I do not understand how we made

everything happen with that truck. We did all our own servicing and maintenance because we couldn’t afford to get anyone to do it.”

Once the couple moved into their own place at Taipuha, Emily went out on her own doing firewood and the couple also had a weekend gig relief milking on a neighbouring farm to fill the gaps.

Emily says between the relief milking and her job, it was enough to get by while Kelvin spent the week trying to maintain and build a business with the ex-Terry Whittle F Series.

“It really helped that we had a decent landlady (Margie Baker) who understood what we trying to achieve with what we had,” says Emily.

“Margie was lenient and allowed us to catch up when things were tight. We are still in touch today and she was invited to our wedding.

Safe to say, she made an imprint in our lives.”

“At that point the truck wasn’t really supporting itself. So, we did anything we could – a bit of general contracting, milking and bulk firewood,” says Kelvin.

“We found business in Northland was tricky unless you knew someone in the industry or were driving log trucks or a milk tanker for someone else. It was quite hard to get into anything on your own.”

But one opportunity proved invaluable and built a relationship that continues today.

“We provided a great delivery service getting in and out of places Metalcraft Whangarei trucks found tricky – so we were called on when the going got tough and a can-do attitude went a long way,” Kelvin says.

From this a thriving relationship with Metalcraft in Whangarei was born.

Truck & Driver | 47

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“Paul McCullough, Metalcraft Whangarei’s general manager gave us our first chance with regular work and got us on the road,” says Kelvin.

“He’s an inspiration, such a down to earth person. One of those real genuine people,” says Emily.

“They gave us a guaranteed day each week while they took their truck off the road for maintenance. It was really good of them, and this really helped to get us out there,” Kelvin says.

It was often a big day with the FVZ 1400 making a loop through Northland to Kerikeri and Kaitaia to deliver Metalcraft roofing products.

At that point, Emily says “the truck paid to maintain itself, but that was about it.”

The Metalcraft Roofing relationship steadily expanded.

“This landed us a foot in the door with the United Group of companies throughout the North Island,” Kelvin says.

Things were busy enough to the point where the couple considered moving to Auckland.

“We thought about moving to Auckland, but the fast paced city life didn’t appeal to us after what Northland had to offer,” says Kelvin.

“So, we ended up moving down to Waitakaruru. At that point the Hiab truck had endured a hard life prior and the maintenance we 48 | Truck & Driver

had done was only the tip of the iceberg. Every COF had become expensive. It was continuous – brake re-lines, leaking hub seals, all sorts of things.”

The next step was something Kelvin says he still isn’t certain about. “I don’t know whether it was a good thing or not.

“We bought a contract with a container cartage company in Auckland which came with a truck and trailer [a CF75 4x2 DAF and semi-trailer]. UDC were happy to loan against this because it came with guaranteed work.”

The contract was enough for the then 22-year-old couple to secure the finance they needed.

“Emily was managing a café at the time, and we managed to put enough away to get the Hiab reborn.”

Kelvin looks back on the container work as a means to an end.

“Hiabs and trucking are where we always wanted to be. The container run wasn’t my cup of tea, but it was guaranteed work. It was a steppingstone.”

There were some costly engine repairs early on in the contract with the DAF which the couple put down to being part of the learning curve.

“It was hard to scrape back everything that came with that. We were on the back foot, but somehow, we managed to get the F series back on the road,” Kelvin says.

Above: The first new truck for KT Cartage was a 460hp 2016 Isuzu 8x4 built to Kelvin Fitzpatrick’s carefully calculated specifications.

Below: The current fleet is made up of four Isuzus along with the Kenworth and Scania.

Truck & Driver | 49

Emily and Kelvin Fitzpatrick have steadily grown KT Cartage into a six truck operation with a focus on Hiab and crane work.

“From there work for the Hiab began to pick up and we went on to price up a brand-new truck. We’d started doing more work with Metalcraft and United Group as well as an expanding base of customers which kept us busy with the Hiab.

“Our first new one was the biggest hurdle but also the best step.

Emily did all the hard work with the finance company to get it over the line,” Kelvin says.

Kelvin kept faith with the Isuzu brand and his first new truck was a 2016 Isuzu CYH460 8x4 which arrived in late 2016.

Emily talks with a mix of pride and disbelief when she describes Kelvin’s attention to detail in researching and specifying the truck and crane.

“It was designed to do as much as possible for as little as possible,” she says.

“You can see in this industry the ones who have driven the trucks and operated the cranes who then design the vehicles. Kelvin put so much time and effort into the project to get what we needed.”

Kelvin says it’s the crane configuration, and the overall truck length [it’s longer than normal], axle spacings and overhead racking set-up that set the Isuzu apart.

“It does a lot of the oddball tasks. A lot over over-dimensional jobs that don’t fit on your standard truck and that gives us a bit of an edge. We could take loads intended for truck and trailer and deliver them places those bigger units could never go.

“It was a win for us and gave us a good point to start from. We were never going to roll into your mainstream building product suppliers and get work from there because they’ve got trucks and people on standby waiting for a phone call. We had to find a niche market.”

50 | Truck & Driver

The Isuzu build was entrusted to Allcrane Ltd. “It was the first one for their engineering division and they were learning as well. They’d done a few bee-keeper builds and things like that, but it was their first heavy loader crane truck.

“Budgets went way out the window, but we got what we wanted.”

“There was a lot of time to plan the design to hit the ground running. I designed that truck four times over while sitting in traffic.”

And it wasn’t just a fledgling business that was keeping the Fitzpatrick’s busy in 2015.

“At that stage we decided to start our family and we already had our hands full with the business. This suddenly made the journey worth it,” says Emily.

The DAF was kept on with KT Cartage’s first employee, Pawky – who remains with the company. Pawky serviced the container contract, while Kelvin drove the reborn F Series while the new Isuzu was in build.

The next move was heavily influenced by increasing work for Kerepehi’s Pohutukawa Frame & Truss.

“The more we worked alongside Pohutukawa Frame & Truss, the more we came to realise a longer reach Hiab would complement the growing fleet,” says Kelvin.

“At this point a company we worked alongside, was downscaling their Hiab operations to focus on other aspects of their business.

We found an opportunity to acquire another Isuzu with a 12-month lease that would suit our heavy lift, long reach requirements.

“Forward thinking was the key here. We engaged UDC to estimate the plausibility of purchasing this vehicle at a later date. We needed to know what figures would be required per month to attain such an asset.

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Left: Isuzu 6x4 has been set up as a Class 2 unit as a “starter truck” for young drivers.

Right: Scania R 650 on the road with its load from Pohutukawa Truss & Frame.

“This figure was the baseline for our lease price. If we could make 12 months leasing and servicing this vehicle, we knew when the time came that we would have no problems purchasing this asset, which happened around 2019.

“During this time, we kept the F Series. The idea was when we got the brand new Isuzu, we were supposed to retire the F Series

because it was costing a lot to maintain,” says Kelvin.

“But when the new one came on, we were busy enough to take an employee on to drive the F Series.

“Then we sort of drew a line in the sand and said `we can’t keep flogging the old girl’.

“That truck has a story to tell – it taught me a lot. We started

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looking for another Isuzu to replace the F series for good this time.

We took the deck off the F Series and transferred it onto the newest addition,” Kelvin says.

“With all of this going on we were now looking for another driver to operate the leased Isuzu.”

Rob Pettifer came on board, taking a chance on an innovative

company who were still finding their feet. Rob recently celebrated five years with KT Cartage.

“We involved Rob in our next project, which was our new Scania.

This was going to be his pride and joy as much as it was ours, and it has certainly turned a few heads.”

The background to all of KT Cartage crane trucks is versatility,

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Above: The old Kerephi dairy factor provides an easy landmark to locate KT Cartage.

Below: Scania with a load of concrete pipes.

Facing page: The full fleet lined up for a family photo. Photo Luke Mitchell, Chilled Edge Photography.

54 | Truck & Driver

innovation and pushing engineering limits so that each truck can service ever-expanding customer requirements.

“We don’t want cookie cutter units,” says Kelvin.

KT Cartage also has a 2014 model Isuzu CYJ460 that Kelvin calls their `starting out truck.”

“This vehicle is a great step for those who are wanting to learn what this industry has to offer. It has allowed us to help the next generation coming through who only have a Class 2.

“It’s easy to drive and with some guidance and training, they move from a car to a large Class 2. Everyone goes through a round of knocks, scrapes and hiccups while they’re learning. Usually, you then move up to a Class 4 and have the same hiccups relearning the dimensions. With this truck you only go through this once.”

The newest truck in the KT fleet is the one Kelvin and Emily describe as their `game changer’. It had a prolonged order and build process, but the 2022 Scania R 650 10x4 is very much the company flagship.

“It’s the development of existing ideas that we’d had in the pipeline for a while,” says Kelvin.

It was a drawn-out planning process with a lot of back and forth with the Scania engineers and Allcrane before the specs for an R650 Scania with a rear-mount Fassi crane were settled.

“The initial order was going to be an 8x4 but upon further investigation and ever-changing attributes we settled upon a 10x4 + rear steer platform,” says Kelvin.

“At that stage the truck was too far into production to change it, so we had to cancel the order and place another.

“Despite the roadblocks we faced along the way it all worked out.

The Fassi 710 is a monster of a crane,” says Kelvin.

Kelvin explains some of the design details he wanted in the

Scania were very specific and kept the build interesting for all involved.

Again, Kelvin’s depth of research and a clear idea of what he needed came up with a unique truck and crane combination.

“The cranes all configure differently, and they all lift differently depending on the configuration you go with. We need to have one asset that’s capable of doing the job of three trucks.

“The Scania has been a turning point for us. We have added specifications that go beyond a standard build, and that allows us to stay versatile.

“The biggest thing with crane trucks is payload. If a crane truck can lift what it can carry, it’s a good truck. The problem is a big lifting truck cannot carry a lot due to the tare weight being too high.

“We did a lot of work to find that middle ground. I’d like to say we are at the top end of versatility for this design.”

The five crane trucks in the fleet are a definite contrast to the sixth truck in the KT Cartage livery – an ex-Halls 1999 Kenworth K100G 6x4 semi unit.

“It’s the black sheep of the family that has certainly had some money spent on it,” says Kelvin.

“It’s a flat roof sleeper and it’s a bit of a classic. It rattles, it’s not very comfortable and it’s noisy but everybody loves it. It’s been really handy to have.

“I spun Emily the yarn that we could buy it, do a couple of things to it and flick it to make some money. But it’s still here.”

Emily has the same enthusiasm for the Kenworth, a truck she calls “a diamond in the rough.

“Everybody loves it and so many people tell you they’ve had some connection to it,” says Emily.

“It’s a piece of kit. Honestly, it would be the people’s choice,”

Truck & Driver | 55

From top: DAF CF75 4x2 and semi-trailer played a key role in KT Cartage getting established... The company has moved several aircraft in recent years including this one from Mt Maunganui to Hamilton for repairs... Original Isuzu FVZ 1400 at work... Fassi front-mount crane at work on Isuzu 6x4 unit.

56 | Truck & Driver

Kelvin says.

Along with the expanded fleet, KT Cartage is also expanding its customer base although Metalcraft and Pohutukawa Frame & Truss remain key clients.

The work for Metalcraft now involves servicing the Auckland, Hamilton and Palmerston North branches, with the occasional job for the Whangarei branch.

“Because the branches all hold different machines, there could be a product specified by an architect that can only be made in Palmerston North. Which means we get to head down and collect it when the delivery is local to us,” Kelvin says.

“The building industry is something we have always supported. Portable buildings are huge now and moving them has become a big part of our day-to-day work.

“We’ve also been working alongside HEB and Downers.

We’ve been doing a lot of work at the new Peacocke’s Road Bridge by the Hamilton Gardens.

“We’ve recently spent a lot of time on the Peninsula after Cyclone Gabrielle, working alongside arborists trimming trees back and removing trees that have washed out under bridges.

“Another customer we work closely with throughout the Coromandel Peninsula is the team at Narellan Pools Coromandel.

“There are always plenty of interesting and challenging jobs. No day is ever the same as the last and some jobs require weeks of planning ahead of time.”

KT Cartage along with several other businesses are based at the old Kerepehi dairy factory, a corrugated iron and concrete landmark with a tall chimney rising above the plains.

Previously the company was run out of the couple’s home.

“We’ve been here coming up four years and are lucky to work with such a fantastic group of businesses,” says Kelvin.

It was during 2021 that the business really started to develop into what it is today.

“The tough times that everyone has faced over the last few years just added to our determination, and we are grateful that due to such a great client base we are still here to continue our journey,” Emily says.

“By Christmas 2021 I was at my wits end. I was still driving, trying to book in jobs and quote things,” says Kelvin.

“With three young kids and a company to run, the life work balance was no longer viable as it was.”

The couple had two daughters and a newborn son, and the decision was made to hire another driver and an operations manager.

“It was a turning point. That’s where it got real with an Ops manager and a driver in every truck,” says Kelvin.

“Getting the office was a big step to having some work-life balance. We are still doing more at home than we would like, but this company has been a creation of our blood, sweat, and tears, and we will do whatever it takes.

“Most nights after we have had our family time and the kids are in bed, we are back at it.”

The roll call at KT Cartage is currently eight (including Kelvin and Emily).

“We have a really good team, and we are both very grateful for the morale and individual attributes each team member [Pawky, Rob, Jono, Fraser, Karl and Morgan] brings. It’s a fantastic group that we are proud to have onboard.”

Emily says the most important attribute is attitude, the ability to adapt to situations and to work as a team.

“When it comes to adding members to our team the right attitude and common sense goes along way,” she says.

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TD33310

• Rear loading, rear discharge (tip out)

Left: An office has helped the couple improve their work-life balance with Emily looking after admin, accounts and Health & Safety while Kelvin mixes relief driving and dispatching.

Right: The starting point for KT Cartage was a wide range of jobs with an old Isuzu FVZ 1400.

“Our drivers are our best asset. You can have the best gear in the world but if the wrong people are in them it doesn’t matter. We’ve been blessed with the guys we’ve got,” says Kelvin.

The Kerepehi location – on State Highway 2 between Ngatea and Paeroa – is another valuable attribute for KT Cartage.

“The location is fantastic for working out of Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Coromandel. Everything is growing and developing so quickly within an hours’ drive of us. Some people spend more than that on the motorway everyday just going to work,” says Kelvin.

The Fitzpatricks say that beyond Metalcraft and Pohutukawa Frame & Truss, a number of other individuals and companies have been key to the growth of KT Cartage.

“Allcrane have facilitated a lot of what we’ve done so far,” says Kelvin.

“Gary Walker was our `Crane Man’ and he used to work at Allcrane. He’s retired now but he will still ring and check in to see how it’s going.

“He’s a wealth of knowledge and he’s introduced us to some important contacts as well. We were given the opportunity to meet key people from Fassi Europe through Gary and team.”

Those contacts proved vital during the ordering and specifying of the crane for the Scania.

“All our mechanical work is done by Curly’s Mobile Mechanical from Ngatea. He’s been with us since we moved back down to the Hauraki Plains, and he’s seen the growth from what we started with to where we are today,” says Kelvin.

“We also work alongside my father [Terry Russell] who helps out with some of our piloting work,” says Emily.

“Terry has always been there with advice, He’s the person who you throw an idea at, and he’ll give you the most critical, worst-case scenario that could pop up and say `be prepared for that’. He’s always been there to point us in the right direction.” says Kelvin.

The Fitzpatricks say there hasn’t been a long-term business plan as such.

“When we are ready, we take the next step. There hasn’t been a 10-year plan, or anything set stone, we’ve taken it as it has come,” Kelvin says.

58 | Truck & Driver

“A lot of the additions stem from replacement, but the problem was we didn’t sell the old ones. By adding another truck, we were financially able to complete required maintenance and continue to service our day to day workload.

“It’s often a case of `you are better off with the one you know then the one you don’t.’ Things look good in theory but sometimes there is a good reason it’s up for sale” says Emily.

“Where do you draw the line?” says Kelvin. “Once you’ve replaced everything on an asset you think `do we sell it now?’ If we sell it, someone else is going to reap the rewards of a hassle-free truck, so we might as well keep it.”

“We have never really advertised and until last year we had never sign written our trucks. Once we did, we had a lot of people commenting on how often they see us about. All our work had come from referral and a lot still does, so I would like to think we must be doing something right,” Kelvin says.

“Just be humble. Treat people how you’d like to the treated and it goes a long way,” is how Kelvin describes his approach to business.

“You learn to take the good with the bad. Anyone who knows us can vouch that this has, and always will be, a learning curve,” Emily says.

“We have worked hard for everything we have. It has been very difficult at times and plenty of moments I have asked myself if it is all worth it? But when you look at the trucks parked up on a Friday night and look at what we have accomplished, that sense of achievement makes it worth it,” she says.

“The hard truth is we pay our employees more than ourselves, but we would rather keep money in the business for the next hurdle or venture we wish to take on,” says Kelvin.

“You put your all into the company and you will reap the rewards in the future.

“We’d like to get to a point where we can down tools for a while and go experience a fun family holiday, doing things we never had the chance to experience ourselves. We’re not at that point just yet and it’s going to take a little longer, but this is well within reach now,” Kelvin says. T&D

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FEATURE

Movers and shakers wow Wanaka

By David Kinch THERE’S NOTHING ELSE QUITE LIKE `WHEELS AT WANAKA’.

The biennial Easter event brings out smiles and excitement from all ages, with old friends talking about the good old days and young children dreaming of driving a truck or operating heavy machinery.

Preparation started early for this year’s show with the grounds being resown after a successful 2021 event and some changes were implemented as to where certain events were located

60 | Truck & Driver

within the venue.

Accommodation has been at a premium in Wanaka and surrounding towns for some time with visitors coming from far and wide for Australasia’s `largest all vehicle’ show.

First held in 2019, the growth of this show has been spectacular. After 12,000 people attended that first year, the attendance doubled to 24,000 for 2021. This year, however, saw the number of visitors explode to 40,000+, far exceeding the

Opposite page, Above: The Oceana Gold CAT 789 was a star attraction with crowds lining up to climb into the cab.

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This page, Above: The truck show is just one area of the huge Wheels at Wanaka event.

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expectations of the organisers.

With something for everybody around every corner, this show has become a ‘must’ for many people. There are six different arenas operating at any time including parades, static displays, the tractor pull competition and the huge Terra Cat Earthmoving Extravaganza.

One of the most popular displays this year was the refurbished Oceana Gold CAT 789 dump truck. Weighing 365 tonnes and rarely seen outside of the gold mine, the sheer size of this dump truck was immense and the public grabbed the chance to climb up into the cab and have a special photo opportunity sitting in the driver’s seat.

The CAT 789 dump truck even made a few appearances in the earthmoving arena and was loaded with nearly 200 tonnes of dirt in front of the large crowd. It dwarfed the other large machinery which included a D10 Bulldozer.

The truck show display increased in numbers, as it has done every year, with gear travelling huge distances to be a part of the show in spite of the unreliable Cook Strait ferry services.

Even though this is a very relaxed truck show, which is refreshing, the standard was very high and competition between the truck brands was evident.

International put together a great turnout in the parade ring while Kenworth put in a big effort to kick-off its celebration of 100 years of the brand. The standout parade went to the Mack owners who blew everyone away with a huge display.

Wheels at Wanaka is a charitable event raising tens of thousands of dollars through donations. This year’s fundraising amount is yet to be tallied, but it will be greatly appreciated by the causes chosen to receive it.

The fourth edition of Wheels at Wanaka is scheduled for Easter weekend 2025 (April 18 to 20). T&D

Above: The Wheels at Wanaka parade ground provides a chance for live demonstrations.

Below: International owners made a huge effort to celebrate the history of the brand.

Bottom: The popular Terra Cat Earthmoving Extravaganza is a chance to get up close to big machines at work.

Truck & Driver | 63

TD33176

FEATURE

New Zealand’s first dual-fuel hydrogen truck is a DAF XF 530 working in the Dynes Transport fleet.

By Colin Smith

TD33176

Southern Innovation FOR H.W. RICHARDSON GROUP THE FIRST BIG STEP TOWARDS alternative energy and significantly lower carbon emissions looks and drives just like the diesel trucks we are all familiar with.

The Southland-based family-owned company runs 1300 trucks across its fleets and this new DAF XF 530 8x4 doesn’t look much different to many of the others. Unless you note the small diamond containing an H symbol on the bumper and the five-high stack of carbon-fibre clad high-pressure tanks behind the cab.

The DAF is New Zealand’s first dual-fuel hydrogen-diesel truck and is working in the Dynes Transport fleet.

The dual-fuel technology means the Paccar MX-13 engine powering the DAF can run on a mix of diesel and hydrogen – or diesel only when hydrogen is unavailable. A 25kg supply of hydrogen can be carried in the five cylindrical tanks stacked vertically behind the cab.

The tanks are contained within structural protection which meets EU standards and the total additional weight is in the region of 950kg.

In a typical range of conditions, the truck will operate using a 60:40 diesel-hydrogen fuel mix. Because hydrogen contains no carbon, a 40% hydrogen blend achieves a direct 40% reduction in CO2 emissions [each litre of diesel combustion representing 2.68kg of CO2 output].

No internal engine modifications are required, and the Euro 6 emissions compliance and exhaust after-treatment systems aren’t compromised. The hydrogen is introduced to the engine via an injector

which mixes it with the intake charge.

HWR Group CEO Anthony Jones says the dual-fuel system is a transitional technology that leads towards zero-emissions fuel cell heavy vehicles. It avoids the payload and range compromises associated with battery electric trucks and creates an initial demand for hydrogen that will encourage the development of a fuelling network in New Zealand.

Key partners in the project are UK-based CMB.Tech (which provides the onboard components for the hydrogen system) and Christchurch company Fabrum which has developed the electrolyser units to produce hydrogen.

Electrolysers will be installed at HWR Group-owned Allied Petroleum service stations, the first site being in Gore which is expected to open later this year.

Transport Repairs commissioned the truck including the fitment of the hydrogen gas tanks and other standard tasks to get a new truck on the road. The project was overseen by a team of six engineers who form the Hydrogen team within HWR’s MyTransport innovations division.

“For us there isn’t a solution with battery yet for long distance and heavy mass,” says Jones.

“This truck is HPMV so it’s 58-tonne loaded. For industry that’s a big factor., there is no payload degradation.”

The DAF is the first of 10 dual fuel trucks which HWR Group plans to Truck & Driver | 65

HWR Group CEO Anthony Jones says the dual-fuel project has progressed quickly.

66 | Truck & Driver

have operating by early 2024 in the opening phase of trials. Other truck brands will be involved in the trial.

“The DAF units are the units which CMB have been using in the UK,” Jones says.

“Any internal combustion engine can be augmented, but for our first truck we chose the DAF because it’s a known quantity and because Dynes already has a lot of DAFs in their fleet.”

Jones says HWR Group began investigating hydrogen systems about two years ago and has moved quickly.

“We pride ourselves at HWR in the `can do’.

Most people are shocked when we say to them it’s 13 months since the decision was made to buy an electrolyser and double down on our dual-fuel strategy.

“We move pretty quickly in HWR. We had that truck on order and it was easy to flip the truck to CMB and get it augmented.

“They won’t be all DAFs. There will be some Volvos and so on in there. It will be a good mix of brands and industries.

“We’ll see how it goes on New Zealand roads.

We are confident – we see what they are getting out of it over in Europe and we are hopeful of getting 40 per cent displacement out of it.

“On a truck that is doing 100,000km a year, that is circa 70 tonnes of emissions abated. For us that is the right step going forwards.”

Hydrogen to power the trial trucks will be produced by HWR Group’s first 1.1 Megawatt electrolysis unit that will be installed at the Allied Petroleum site in Gore, providing a central location for the trial trucks in operate in the southern region.

“It’s a containerised 1.1MW system. A lot of the current systems are 0.25 or 0.5 of a megawatt,” says Jones.

“They are modular with the ability to duplicate.”

With its various transport operations and the Allied Petroleum network, HWR Group is uniquely placed to introduce the dual-fuel technology.

“For us at HWR we sit on both sides - the demand and the supply. For us it was a pretty easy decision to move forward and lead,” says Jones.

“We have our 1300 trucks, but we also have our fuel station network of 142 up and down the country.

“The part Allied plays is we bring our existing fuel supply chain to our customers and ourselves, so we have that ability to scale with our existing network.

“Once Gore gets up and running it will be able to fill a truck in 20 minutes. And we’ll be able to fill all 10 trucks a day from that facility.

“Our aim is look at some of our central nodes around Christchurch and even the North Island.

We have the ability to scale, so it will be how do we inter-connect the network.”

Jones says interest has been high from other transport operators and from Government agencies.

The HWR Hydrogen team of Yoyo Wu, Craig McKenzie, Kim Hill, Gareth Wishart, Kerryn Hamill with HWR Group CEO and Anthony Jones and Mike Webster of Transport Repairs.

“We’ve been bowled over by interest. The industry can see this is a great transitional step and if we could place orders for every genuine inbound interest, we would be very busy.”

Government has also shown an interest in the project although no financial support has yet been given to the dual-fuel initiative.

“Their focus has largely been in EV and how they support EV. But they recognise the challenges that EV brings to heavy industry,” says Jones.

“We are not anti-EV. We have a large concrete agitator fleet, so we are looking at some of those. We are talking to some of the

battery swap companies, and we keep an eye on all that emerging technology.”

The project has to date been fully funded by HWR Group.

“This has been done by our own balance sheet at the moment.

Government have shown an interest and they do want to support, and they are cautiously looking into that. But so far everything you see is HWR money,” says Jones.

Jones says the engineering team from HWRs Hydrogen Group will gain a wide range of data from the first truck, which has initially been configured as a milk tanker.

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Above: The DAF XF is an 8x4 initially configured for milk tanker work, then went on show at Wheels at Wanaka as a curtainsider and is also planned to do logging work.

Right: Touchscreen display allows the driver to switch between diesel and dual-fuel modes and provides detailed information on the status of the hydrogen system.

Far right: Five alloy tanks clad in protective carbon fibre store 25kg of hydrogen behind the DAF cab.

“The team is part of our Innovations team and part of our MyTransport business who are our innovators and creatives who just get stuff done working outside the normal business,” says Jones.

Jones says the dual-fuel project will play a pivotal role in the development of hydrogen in New Zealand.

“You have got to show industry that you can do these things and you can do them without a lot of change. Many in the industry are cautious about losing payload and cautious about losing productivity.

“By us demonstrating you can actually make a difference as an industry, and I think in 10 years’ time we will look back and say, `that was a bloody good decision’.

“It’s been a partnership to get to here. HWR probably showed the bravery to put the money forward, but it’s been about partnering with the right people and getting the right people on our team. I’m so proud of them, they have worked their backsides off to get to where we are from a genesis idea.

“You so often hear about why you can’t, but they have blown through all those barriers and got it done.”

The team Jones refers to has been led by Gareth Wishart, HWRs Group General Manager Innovation.

“I was part of an earlier programme where we put electrolysis on trucks to see what that would look like,” Wishart says.

“We learnt a lot in that process, and we evolved our thinking towards `what would it be like to have hydrogen onboard as a fuel source?’

“We went to find out what options we had to make that happen and there were a few players internationally that were doing it.”

Wishart says the inquiries led HWR to projects underway in the UK and Canada.

“They all come from the same source. The same technology business enabled Canada and the UK, and we plugged into the originating source.

“We were fortunate to meet them over in Belgium last year to start talking this through before they got very popular with their own programmes. The timing was perfect to start on this journey.

68 | Truck & Driver

“And what we asked for was `don’t just sell us a truck. Let’s learn together.’

“You know, `teach us to fish’,” he says.

“We spent a lot of time with them in the UK and a lot of time on calls to try get an understanding of how to make this work for trucks we already have and trucks that are coming into New Zealand.

“The programme has evolved from there. We are very fortunate to have a great team who have really enjoyed working on this project to bring it to this point.”

Wishart says it’s a multi-skilled team that has brought the first truck to reality.

“Our great Project Manager Kerryn [Hamill] is keeping everything in line because it’s not just a truck. It’s 10 trucks and a fuel station to build and everything else as well,” says Wishart.

“We were fortunate to have Kerryn join us in January last year. A lot has happened in 12 months. YoYo Wu came to use from Otago University with a renewable engineering degree and we also have Craig McKenzie.

“Craig and I used to work together at the smelter at Tiwai Point.

Heavy engineering and design are his background, so he was great fit for our team.

“I come from a mining and software engineering background. We are all trained in project management as well as iterating and learning with data.

“We have to understand how it impacts the truck and how it will work for the driver. It’s a really cool iterative approach to development and we are really happy with how it has turned out.”

The truck itself will also multi-task to accelerate the learning process.

“Today it’s a milk tanker. Next week it will be curtain sider and after that it could be a logging truck,” says Gareth.

“The Dynes Transport business has a very interchangeable system for what goes on the back.

“We are trying to put the 10 trucks on in pairs. We are making sure

we have a pair of trucks doing similar work so we can measure and record how they perform.

“Some of the trucks will be idling a lot - doing less kays while doing things like putting gravel on the road. We’ll learn how they respond with load and without load.”

Wishart says overseas experience suggests consistent speeds and heavier loads are likely to deliver the best results.

“Our partners in the UK have shared data with how they are performing and what we notice is where the trucks can keep in a consistent rev range and drive smoothly, it will displace the most diesel.

“For us it’s about following the diesel efficiency guidelines. The more you do that the more hydrogen it should use and the more you will displace diesel.

“It will be consistent driving, not a lot of stop-start [that is expected to deliver the most benefit]. But heavy or light? We’ll learn more about that in the trial.”

HWRs data will also be shared back to CMB.Tech to further refine the technology.

“I think the things we are going to do with the information that comes out of the truck will be interesting to them. Because you can turn it on and off, the driver has a choice to use it or not.

“We want to capture all of that information and make it something the customer get access to so they can use it for their reports and lower their carbon intensity.

“That’s not commonplace in Europe at the moment, but that’s what our business MyTransport is geared up to do.

“The drivers are going to drive these trucks just like they are currently doing for their jobs, and we are going to see everything that comes out of those trucks.

“Understanding what they’ve done that day and who they’ve done that work for. Then we’ll pull all the data together and go `is this working? What do we need to change?’

“It’s not a system you set and forget. It can be continuously

calibrated and tuned. Today it could be 40%, it could be 50% by the end of the year. We don’t know.

“We have committed to spend the time to learn, develop and calibrate. It’s a diesel truck first and foremost. If you run out of hydrogen or turn it off the diesel truck knows nothing about the system. Which is the beauty of it.

Project manager Kerryn Hamill says there are clear benefits for New Zealand in terms of having renewable energy to generate clean hydrogen.

“We have 85% renewable energy in New Zealand, so we are already ahead of most of the world in terms of having access to that. We are becoming a country that can create its own sustainable fuels,” she says.

The other advantage she points out is the dual-fuel truck doesn’t require significant training for drivers or technicians.

“It looks like a truck. It drives like a truck. It’s what people are used too so there is an existing workforce that can support the engineering and the maintenance of the truck,” she says.

“It’s not sci-fi and we don‘t need to build an entire industry to be able to service it.”

Hamill says she is looking forward to the early trial results.

“We have some really robust technology in the cab, so we are really confident with the data we are going to pull from this truck,” she says.

Wishart says getting the truck complete has very satisfying.

“It’s been a challenge like all good things, and it’s been frustrating at times. But we have learnt so much,” he says.

“We are very fortunate to have great partners – Transport Repairs, Fabrum and fi Innovations. We are very fortunate at this end of New Zealand to have the right people to pull this together.”

A future step for the dual fuel technology is to utilise liquid hydrogen.

“We want to get to that liquid hydrogen piece, so we don’t have to have the tank racks on the back. We are confident we have the partners around us in New Zealand to make that a reality.” T&D Truck & Driver | 69

LEGENDS

Making dreams a reality - Trevor Hawkins, Martinborough Transport

I

T’S BEEN SAID THAT ‘DREAMS ARE FOR THOSE THAT SLEEP’.

Martinborough Transport’s founder Trevor Hawkins would beg to differ. Not only did Trevor set his sights on owning a transport company but his hard work and diligence is proof that dreams can in fact become a reality. It’s for that reason (plus a few others), that Trevor is this month’s Southpac Legend.

“It was always my dream as a young kid to get into trucking,” says Trevor and this goal grew to owning one of the region’s biggest transport companies at that time, Martinborough Freighters.

Ultimately Trevor managed to achieve both objectives, but his success certainly didn’t happen overnight.

“I left school when I was 14 and worked with my dad, doing shearing and fencing. But right behind us they used to do the shed crates from McCarthy Brothers Transport, like I said, I always wanted to be a truck driver.”

Virtually as soon as he was able, Trevor went to work for Martinborough Freighters, he was about 18-years old at that point and says that Mac Carter gave him a start. He started off doing hay and then moved on to driving trucks, before eventually (after he got married at 22-years old) doing a lot of the running of the place.

“I knew all the cockys, I had a lot of friends and good drivers.”

Trevor recalls that back then in Martinborough there used to be about six transport companies. As time moved on, five of them joined up as one to become Martinborough Freighters (subsequently McLeod and Garrity’s) while Days Transport stayed on their own.

70 | Truck & Driver

“Then Days Transport did a deal to buy up Martinborough Freighters,” says Trevor, adding “the sale came as a bit of a surprise.

“I was loading up at the sale yards one Sunday and a guy called Mike Wiley came up to me and said, ‘I heard Days has bought Martinborough, you’d better go buy a truck and a licence and start up on your own.’ So that’s what I did.”

In all honesty, Trevor says that period of his life was a bit of a blur as things moved pretty fast.

“I married Carol in 1976 and in 1979 we moved into our new house.

We were married for a couple of years, had three kids and then I went out on my own.” He was still only 25 years old!

Trevor’s first truck was a 210hp Cummins powered Ford D1000 tipper he bought from a farmer.

“He had a licence and a truck that he bought in the early years, but he didn’t use it, he couldn’t get the work. So, I went to see him, and he agreed to sell it.”

And just like that (around 1980) TJ Hawkins Transport began, although Trevor says that he and the business actually had a lot of names back then, “because all my friends used to call me Hori Hawkins Heavy Haulage 4H, which was a bit cheeky.”

Trevor’s first job was a load of sheep, and he also carted a lot of stock and wool. But one of the biggest jobs he had at that time was carting potatoes to the market.

He’d cart stock all day, then metal. Then take the crates off and

load up bags of potatoes at a local farm, Mahaki. “I’d take them to the market at 5am, unload them and come back and put the crate back on.

“The spuds were a good job. It was hard work because you had to load them all by hand off pallets, stack them up on your truck and take them to the market. You’d have four or five guys with barrows, and they’d come on and you’d load them up. It was backbreaking stuff. But I’d be back in Martinborough by 6.30-7am to cart stock all day, then metal.”

To many, this ‘dream’ sounded more like a nightmare but that was exactly what he wanted to do, and he’d already been doing a lot of this work at Martinborough Freighters.

Trevor says that the business soon outgrew the small Ford and 2-axle trailer he borrowed from farmer John Donald.

“It carted bugger all. One of my other first jobs was carting 60 cattle beasts and that was a massive job for such a little truck. So, I knew I had to go bigger, it was just a matter of getting the timing right.”

The ‘timing’ it would appear was only a couple of months later, when Trevor sold his Falcon and (along with a loan) bought a brand new 310hp Mitsubishi tipper and added a 3-axle trailer from Total Transport.

“We were into it. That Mitsubishi didn’t stay long with me, 18 months later I sold that and bought a 400 International. Initially I got a small loan off Māori affairs to get started, but UDC were the main ones, they had a lot of confidence in what we were doing.”

The confidence was evidently validated as two or three years down the track Trevor had too much work on and added a little 6-wheeler, long nose 1418 Mercedes to the business.

“That did a lot of the wool and carted super. My brother-in-law, Aaron Hartnell drove that. I had that for a little while and then bought another International.

“Family has always played a big part in the business and there have been several brothers and nephews who have worked for us over the years. Even the sisters have gotten on board.”

One of Trevor’s most memorable stories was a Christmas Eve in the early `nineties when there was hay which had to be moved from a farmer’s paddock.

“I had told all the drivers to finish and go home and enjoy their Christmas break. But there was still the hay job to do. Our brothers and sisters were on deck as were our children. The kids drove the rigs around the paddocks and the rest of us were loading the hay bales. Around 1.00am Christmas morning we drove the loaded trucks around the square and back to the yard. We were tired but we had a real fun time working as a team.”

As Trevor’s business continued to expand, another carrier, McLeod

and Garrity, that had bought a licence off Martinborough Freighters, offered Trevor a shareholding in their business, so he bought 51%.

“They had four trucks [Isuzus] and a spreader, and I used to like spreading. They were bigger than me, but I had a lot more work than them.”

In purchasing the McLeod and Garrity business, virtually all Trevor’s original dreams were fulfilled.

“I said to my wife Carol that I had a dream about owning Martinborough Freighters, but it went the long way around. I bought a licence and Martinborough Freighters were sold to the competition, then opposition sold out to another outfit (Robbie Robertson/Days Transport).

“McLeod and Garrity bought a licence off Martinborough Freighters plus their yard, so buying 51% meant that I could move back into the yard where I used to work. So, it all worked out fine, part of my dream came true.”

Moving the operations to 47 Jellicoe Street certainly made life easier for both Trevor and Carol.

“In the early days the business operated from the new home we had built. We were able to purchase another two, quarter acre sections next door to accommodate the growing fleet and we began building a shed shortly before the McLeod and Garrity purchase, which we later dismantled and sold.”

Along with the takeover of McLeod and Garrity’s and the move into the yard, Trevor also changed the business name to Martinborough Transport in 1987. From there the business grew to about 15-16 trucks and they bought out Day’s Transport.

“That was 2002. So, then there was just one carrier in Martinborough. People can be negative about there being just one carrier, but if you do the job right, you’re not going to have any problems.”

During this time Trevor was also trying to get his sons to work for him. Daniel the older was a mechanic in the Army, the middle one Josh was at university, and all the youngest Jared wanted to do was drive trucks and play rugby, ‘so he was easy’. (He also has a daughter, Carlene who lives in Australia). Over time all three boys

Truck & Driver | 71

came on board and the fleet began to change.

“Once I got it established and started getting more and more new trucks, we had some Hinos, a couple of Freightliners, a few Volvos, and some DAFs. Plus, there were a few Kenworths with the owner drivers. It was a mixed fleet.”

Trevor recounts a funny story about the DAFs, he says that at one point around 2008 his son Jared (a devout Kenworth fan) kept pestering Trevor to get him a Kenworth. Trevor finally caved and traded one of the older DAFs for one.

“Then [a short while later] Southpac’s agent ‘the white shark’ called and asked if I wanted to buy it back, I said yep bloody oath.

I was so happy because I still had the crates for it, and I flew up to Auckland the next day to get it.”

On Trevor’s 40 years anniversary his boys bought him a brand-new Scania, one of the highest horsepower Scania’s in NZ. “40-years in business was written on one door and on the back of the cab it had Hori Hawkins Heavy Haulage,” Trevor laughs.

With the business running smoothly, Trevor decided to change things up again.

“I woke up one morning in 2009 and said to Carol, ‘the boys are taking over the business at the beginning of next month.’

So, I went to work that morning and told them. They said what?

Then the first of next month came and I said ‘see ya’.” `See ya’ is a relative term though as 68-year-old Trevor is still around, driving the trucks and the spreader, “but I mainly like my diggers and I’m still doing that.” He also made a trip up to Holland in 2015 to have a look at the DAF plant.

All three of Trevor’s boys have their part in running the business now. Jared runs dispatch, Josh is more the administrator. “He does all the legal stuff and accounts. He’s switched on that way and Daniel is a really good mechanic.

“They’re all hard workers, doing the hours in the truck if the drivers are sick. And they get on together too. I’m super proud of them, I think they’ve got around 35 trucks now.”

On the whole Trevor believes that the rough times have been minimal, just getting drivers and workers has been one of the hardest things.

“I had problems with that, and the boys still are,” he says.

Conversely, the highlights have been plenty, and he has a couple of guys to thank for that.

“Mike Wiley still supports me today, even though he’s retired. I tell Mike that if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here. The other guy is Mac Carter. He was running Martinborough Freighters and he was the one that hired me originally. And when they were sold to Days, he told me to carry on what I was doing, and it would be good. In the end he came and worked for me. He’s passed away now but he was a great figure for me to look up to.”

“I hate going into the office, I don’t like the office stuff, getting out of there was great. I like being out there.”

With his original goals well and truly covered, Trevor’s new dream is to retire, but says the phone keeps ringing with people wanting a job done with the digger and he still does stuff for the school for no charge, ‘just to help out’.

“I’ve got my own truck that I cart metal around in, and I do some spreading when it gets busy. It’s marvellous because you get to different farms every day and see different farmlands. That’s something that tickles my fancy, getting around and seeing the different places.”

Although he is happy behind the wheel of something, Trevor says that he also spends a lot of time at Ngawi [out by the lighthouse]. He and Carol have a property there where he ‘builds stuff’ and maybe does a bit of golf - a retirement dream we can all buy into. T&D

72 | Truck & Driver

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2/17/2023 3:40:44 PM

A brand of passion

Your ELF Range for heavy duty vehicles

totalenergies.co.nz/elf

FEATURE

The S-Way range is the new face of the Iveco marque and introduces the latest European technologies to the New Zealand and Australia markets.

Direct from Europe IN EARLY 2022 WHEN IVECO ANNOUNCED PLANS TO CLOSE its Dandenong assembly plant in Melbourne it was clear the structure of its operations and model range in Australia and New Zealand would see some significant changes.

The full line-up of Iveco models would in future be sourced direct from Europe with the Dandenong plant – which had built trucks since 1962 – transitioning to a Customisation and Innovation Centre (CIC) to serve specialist needs of the Australasian market.

The move to fully imported heavy-duty models will see the company’s latest models and innovations introduced almost in lock-step timing with European releases.

Previously about three-quarters of the Iveco product sold in New Zealand had been built in Europe with the Stralis and some X-Way and ACCO units built at Dandenong.

The bold face of this change is the new generation S-Way, Iveco’s latest flagship heavy truck model which delivers safety, comfort, fuel efficiency, emissions and connectivity benefits.

The new S-Way was previewed to New Zealand customers and media in February and New Zealand Truck & Driver has since driven the newcomer at a press event in Melbourne.

While the S-Way is fully imported from Europe, Iveco ANZ is eager to communicate that it still plays a significant role in shaping the final specification of the vehicles for the southern

hemisphere based on extensive testing and validation programmes.

The local S-Way features some unique content and specification choices not offered in other markets. As an example, on the AS cab B-Double model, there is a revised battery box and air tank positioning, the addition of a heavy duty crossmember to provide extra rigidity on demanding local roads, along with fitment of an additional fuel tank.

This model also features market specific air and electrical trailer connections, a trailer brake hand control and flat glass for side mirrors.

A load sharing front suspension on 8x4 models is also provided for local markets to deliver an extra 1000kg of capacity for the steer axles. Additionally, selected models feature revised air cleaners and all trucks benefit from optimised cooling packages to handle hot temperatures.

Prior to launch, the S-Way underwent extensive validation testing in Europe as well as in Australia. In local testing, three units in a variety of specifications operated at full operating loads amassing thousands of kilometres on routes from Melbourne to Brisbane return with considerable time also spent travelling through outback New South Wales.

Additionally, the S-Way drivetrains were testing using an additional four X-Way trucks which were driven over heavily undulating terrain in Tasmania and the South Island of New Zealand.

Truck & Driver | 75

Certain components used in the S-Way, such as the Hi-Tronix transmission and earlier versions of the Cursor engine range, were also fitted to selected X-Way trucks.

The new S-Way models are manufactured at Iveco’s facility in Madrid, Spain, with engines produced at the Bourbon-Lancy plant in France. Both sites are among the most modern facilities within the global commercial vehicle industry.

For New Zealand the S-Way is available in rigid 6x2, 6x4, 8x4 and 10x4 and tractor 4x2 and 6x4 configurations. There are three cab options, Active Day (AD), Active Time (AT) and the largest of all, Active Space (AS). Additionally, three cab height options are available across the line-up.

Power for the S-Way range is provided by the Cursor 9, Cursor 11, and Cursor 13 engines – with two levels of tune available for the Cursor 9 and 13 variants, providing buyers with five output choices. All powerplants meet stringent Euro 6 (Step E) emission requirements (Step E places more severe limits on engine cold start performance).

The engine range begins with the 8.7-litre Cursor 9 producing 360hp and 1,650Nm of torque from 1,200 to 1,530rpm. The 11.1-litre Cursor 11 develops 460hp and 2150Nm of torque from 925-1,500rpm.

The largest of the engine family is the 12.9-litre Cursor 13 which starts with output of 530hp and torque of 2,400Nm from 950-1,500rpm. A second Cursor 13 rating sees it produce 570hp with torque of 2,500Nm from 1,000-1605rpm.

All engines use Iveco’s HI-eSCR emission control technology – a single after-treatment system featuring passive DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) regeneration which does not require driver intervention. Reduced fuel consumption, a lower tare weight and no requirement for additional cooling (as passive DPF regeneration occurs at a lower temperature) are other benefits 76 | Truck & Driver

of the technology compared to EGR and SCR equivalents.

Coupled to the engines are ZF-sourced 12- and 16-speed HiTronix automated manual transmissions. The AMTs are direct drive units that deliver fast gear changes and also have the ability to efficiently select the correct ratio for the road and load conditions at hand.

To further improve the fuel efficiency of the S-Way range, all models benefit from an engine anti-idling function which automatically shuts off the engines after a predetermined period to avoid wasting fuel. The system can be disabled or adjusted to suit applications where the engine may need to run at idle to power auxiliary equipment.

An ‘Eco-Switch’ allows the driver to transition between ‘EcoFleet’ and normal operation. Eco-Fleet essentially maintains the Hi-Tronix transmission in automatic mode, operating in the optimal gear and within a torque curve that returns the best fuel efficiency.

If traffic or road conditions temporarily require the driver to manually override the auto mode, they can do so at the press of a button allowing them to drive in manual mode for 60 seconds.

If Eco-Fleet is activated, the available engine power and torque is limited – the vehicle itself will cleverly estimate the payload via on-board systems depending on the load and will adjust accordingly.

Additional efficiencies are also achieved through ‘Hi-Cruise’, a GPS-predictive driving system that integrates cruise control and certain automated Hi-Tronix transmission functions to manage speed control, gear selection and Eco-roll (a feature that disengages the driveline to use vehicle inertia when facing a moderate slope, maintaining kinetic energy for longer) in the most fuel-efficient way.

The system evaluates continually and in real-time,

Left: New frontal styling and a choice of three cab sizes are available in the S-Way range.

Right: Improved aerodynamics, modern LED lighting and a redesigned dash are features of the new S-Way.

considering the road profile in front of the vehicle using GPS, 3D maps and working conditions, considering GCW and overall drag coefficient. According to these parameters and driver settings, the truck selects the optimal speed and gear (including neutral) in order to conserve fuel.

The new generation S-Way offers a full suite of standard safety equipment. All models feature Advanced Emergency Braking System, Brake Assistance System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning System, Electronic Stability Program with ABS (disc brakes all round) and ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation), Hill Holder and Driver Style Evaluation plus Driver Attention Support (DSE + DAS).

DAS monitors the driver’s level of attention by analysing steering wheel movements. If a state of drowsiness is detected, a message on the screen and an audible signal prompt the driver to stop for a rest. DSE analyses data and provides driving advice in real-time – this is displayed within the instrument cluster or can be accessed on smart phones using the ‘My Iveco – Easy Way’ app.

New high output full LED headlamps are standard across the range. The headlamps include integrated DRLs and turn indicators along with fog light and cornering functionality. They’re also automatic using a twilight sensor located on the windscreen.

The S-Way also introduces even stronger ECE-R29.3 Cab Strength Certification while also meeting ECE-R93 Front Underrun Protection requirements.

Selected models also include a retarder and tyre pressure monitoring system as standard – this Truck & Driver | 77

Australian 6x4 Prime Mover specification has 530hp while rigid models are available in 6x4 and 8x4 configurations.

Prime mover proving ground

By: Hayden Woolston

IN MID-APRIL NEW ZEALAND TRUCK & DRIVER WAS INVITED TO drive Iveco’s new range of on-highway heavy trucks at the Australian Automotive Research Centre (AARC) near Melbourne.

The new S-Way range replaces the previous Stralis and X-Way models and introduces the brands latest generation products to the Australian and New Zealand markets.

When testing previous Iveco models, I have always enjoyed the Cursor engine and Hi-Tronix gearbox but have felt the cab and driver functions have been a letdown. To me this is where the big leap comes with the S-Way. With the closure of the Dandenong assembly plant in Melbourne, Iveco‘s destined for New Zealand are now manufactured in Madrid, Spain and the engines come from the Bourbon-Lancy plant in France.

Iveco claims both sites are the most modern facilities within the

78 | Truck & Driver

global commercial vehicle industry.

This gives Iveco NZ access to the most up to date European truck technology with the benefits which the Europeans deliver in terms of driver comfort and functionality.

When I arrive at the AARC track – the largest privately owned and independently operated automotive testing facility in Australia which occupies a 1000 hectare site near Anglesea, 125km southwest of Melbourne - there is a good range of new S-Way models to sample.

It’s easy to tell the new range apart with a completely new face for the brand. The new grill gives the trucks a more sleek and modern look which I personally like, but as usual it will be interesting when we start to see them in fleet colours.

When it’s time to take the trucks for a drive I jump at the largest truck on offer with the 13-litre 530hp engine (NZ is getting a 570hp flagship) teamed with an Australian B-Double unit.

The cab has some similarities to the previous model but you can tell that everything is new. The cab now has an almost flat floor that makes a big difference to the feel of cabin space.

The new interior has a more pronounced wrap around dash design with an updated entertainment unit while the steering wheel has all the functions any driver should need on it. There’s also a new electric park brake.

With the B-Double loaded the truck pulls away nicely with really clean gear changes and the S-Way is up to speed in no time. The test track for the B-Double is an oval with good camber in the corners

equipment can also be specified as an extra cost option for those without.

The contemporary design of the S-Way cab is highlighted by an aggressive grille that provides seamless integration with the front bumper assembly and headlamps.

The bumper features integrated deflectors and corner fins, and along with a reshaped roof, new aerodynamic kit (added cost option), integrated foldable step, optimised mirror design and new door and wheel arch designs, an improved 13.5% Cx (drag) has been achieved. This improvement in aerodynamics,

and slight variations in gradient.

With the first corner approaching I’m using the inside lane and am instructed to move to the right as they are currently fixing the left lane. During this lane change I do notice the steering is very light giving the feeling of oversteer. It takes a lot steering wheel movement to bring the truck back to the line I am looking for.

On the straight cruising at 90kph the coast mode kicks in and the engine revs drop as a fuel-saving feature. These new trucks come with gradient mapping as well, so the drive train knows the hills you are driving on. Iveco says that Australia and New Zealand are fully mapped for the S-Way. Before our drive the Iveco staff asked us to really test the engine brake. On the big B-Double it’s a 3-stage brake plus a transmission intarder.

It works really well and don’t need the service brake at all on this track.

You can drive the corners and come to a stop by adjusting the different engine brake stages.

My second drive is a 6x4 tractor with a 3-axle semi. The test route includes a gravel road which takes you downhill into a tight hairpin that I wasn’t ready for.

The ABS kicks in and I keep the truck pointing where I need it to go and the ABS does all the work. On this track there is some tight bush road with a steep hill at the end.

The truck pulls up without using full throttle.

Once back at the main park up area it’s nice to talk to the engineers and test drivers that have completed the extensive validation testing in Australia. Iveco Australia had these units running in a variety of specifications operated at full loads and covering thousands of kilometres between Melbourne to Brisbane plus considerable time spent in the Outback as well. I am surprised to learn that these are the very same trucks I have just driven.

Leaving the test track heading back to the airport and while writing this on the flight home I’m looking forward to seeing the first of the new S-Way models on our roads in local fleet colours and I can’t wait for a full NZ Truck & Driver Big Test in Kiwi conditions. T&D

Truck & Driver | 79

The Iveco demo fleet at the Australian Automotive Research Centre (AARC) near Melbourne.

Side mirrors have been repositioned to improve rear and side visibility. compared to earlier heavy duty Iveco models, can result in fuel efficiency increases of up to 3% on long haul routes.

A high efficiency A-pillar cover also reduces drag while minimising water stripes and droplets on driver and passenger windows when raining, improving visibility and safety. Side mirrors have also been repositioned to improve rear and side visibility.

The cab of the new S-Way delivers improved comfort and ergonomics with a low cabin floor allowing improved pass-through within the cab and easy access to the sleeper compartment for AT and AS models.

The lower floor also delivers generous in-cabin standing height allowances of up to 2150mm (for AS High Roof ) and increases overhead storage capacity by 250 litres (plus 15%), over earlier heavy-duty Iveco models. Overall, the S-Way cab volume is 0.7m³ larger than earlier Stralis models.

A new multi-function steering wheel comes in a choice of soft-touch or leather finish, and in a classic shape or with a distinctive flat base. A convenient start/stop button takes the place of a traditional key.

Seating comes courtesy of new ISRI driver and passenger suspension seats with additional adjustability while a lower 80 | Truck & Driver

seat and seat base height also provides extra space for the tallest drivers, while making it easier to enter and leave the cabin. Model dependent, seats are available in either a leather or fabric finish.

An ergonomically designed dashboard incorporates an integrated HVAC climate control system (parking cooler option available). For added convenience, visibility and lower current draw, interior cabin lighting is now also completely LED. A 7-inch LCD high-definition Infotainment system offers Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth connectivity and smart phone mirroring. Further features include in-built satellite navigation

by Tom Tom, multiple USB inputs and charging ports, 12V power socket and voice recognition. The system is also reverse and side camera compatible and integrates with Iveco Driver Pal (powered by Amazon Alexa), which is available as an option on selected models. This technology allows drivers to fully interact with their vehicles and operate all in-cabin controls through voice commands.

For fleet managers, additional analytics and vehicle performance can be tracked through ‘MyIveco’ telematics. All vehicles are equipped with telematics hardware which becomes functional upon subscription to Iveco telematics services. T&D

FEATURE

By Colin Smith

Back-to-back titles for Little ALEX LITTLE DIDN’T POST A RACE WIN DURING THE FINAL round of the NAPA Auto Parts NZ Super Truck Championship at Pukekohe, but he did enough to comfortably defend his national title.

Instead, it was Little’s Boss Truck Racing team-mate Brent Collins (South Canterbury) who top-scored at Pukekohe over the March 25-26 weekend and also claimed the honour of being the final race winner at the 60-year-old circuit which is now closing.

It was a hectic run through the second half of the 2022-23 championship with back-to-back race weekends for the truck teams.

The weekend before the Pukekohe finale the trucks had raced at Southland’s Teretonga Park circuit before making the run north for their first Pukekohe appearance in eight years.

Little (Upper Hutt) had extended his run of success at the Teretonga circuit by winning the Mobil Delvac 1 Trophy for the fifth time to tighten his grip on the championship lead.

With a pole position, a race win, a second and a third at Teretonga, Little had stretched his lead out to 36 points over former champ Troy Wheeler (Hicks Bay) who in turn was one point ahead of Collins in a close battle for the podium.

Pukekohe began with Little claiming his fourth pole position of the season and the first batch of points for the weekend with an impressive 1m 23.998s pole time that wasn’t bettered during the racing. Collins was next fastest while Wheeler and Kenworth racer Shane Gray (Wellington) lined up on the second row of an 11-strong grid.

It was race one where Little’s consistent season was interrupted with a diff breakage on the formation lap preventing him from taking the start.

“I felt a big jolt exiting the hairpin and lost drive, so I pulled into the pit lane,” says Little.

It was the second time the Freightliner had suffered a diff problem during the Pukekohe weekend.

“We had rounded off some teeth on the crown wheel on Friday and

Above: Brent Collins leading Alex Little as they race past early leader Ron Salter in spare the final raceLittle of the championship. Photo Geoff Ridder swapped to our diff,” says.

Below: Alex Little has raced to back-to-back NZ Super Truck titles.

Photo Geoff Ridder

Truck & Driver | 81

Pukekohe’s urban area continues to develop and the sale of land at the northern end of the circuit has forced its closure. Here Ron Salter is chased by Dave West. Photo Geoff Ridder “Then we broke the welds on the spare, so our team had to build up one diff from the good bits of two broken ones. The team worked really hard, and it was fixed in time for the second race.”

Collins took the win in the opening eight-lapper with Gray finishing ahead of Pukekohe’s Dave West (Freightliner) who passed Australian champ Steven Zammit (Kenworth) on the final lap.

Race two on Saturday afternoon was abandoned with only three laps completed. An initial red flag was for a mid-pack collision at the start that saw Steven Zammit spin and Aucklander Troy Etting glance off the outside wall as the field took the green.

And the second start saw Dave West run out of room making an inside run and he clipped the wall at the end of the pit lane. The resulting damage to the wall led to a lengthy delay and eventually postponement till the following day.

An early Sunday re-run of race two provided a commanding win for Wheeler while second place was enough for Little to move into an unassailable points lead.

“I only needed to finish fifth, so I worked my way through pretty carefully. I didn’t need to do anything crazy,” says Little.

Collins was third ahead of Gray - who was slowed by an injector problem - and West while Zammit’s Kenworth was sidelined by a cracked cylinder liner and was out for the day.

The final championship race was a relatively quiet affair with Ron Salter (Scania 143) enjoying three laps in the lead until he was caught by the pack. Collins and Little ran in formation and were separated by just 0.23ses at the finish with Wheeler in third and Salter taking his best finish of the series in fourth place.

The circuit was reconfigured to its older layout – without the rightleft complex interrupting the back straight – for the final races of the weekend including the 8-lap Super Truck Flying Farewell.

Salter again led the early laps before retiring the Scania and Collins headed the pace-setters on the run through the traffic to hit the front 82 | Truck & Driver

on lap three ahead of Wheeler with Little taking third place.

The win means Collins gains credit as the very last race winner before the circuit closes. A portion of land at the north end of the circuit has been sold for a commercial development.

Final standings see Little a convincing winner of the four-round championship with 214 points ahead of Collins on 196 who moved in the runner-up spot with his Pukekohe effort to secure a 1-2 result for Malcolm Little’s Boss Truck Racing operation. Shane Gray completed the podium with 178 points ahead of Wheeler on 163.

It proved to be a competitive 2022-23 series with a welcome increase in the number of trucks from the previous Covid-shortened season.

Little was the qualifying master taking pole position at all four rounds and he won three of the 12 championship races while Collins led the win stats with five victories. Wheeler also achieved earlier wins at both Timaru and Teretonga for a total of three victories and Shane Gray posted a win at Manfeild to make it five different race winners across the series.

Little is proud of making a clean sweep of pole positions.

“It’s pretty good to get pole because you also get points. It highlights the raw speed of the truck, and it puts you in the best place for race one and another set of maximum points.”

He also says this season has been more competitive than when he won his first title.

“Last year had its challenges battling with Troy [Wheeler] and this year the racing was closer with Shane Gray, Troy, Bones [Collins] and myself.

“Troy had a few issues with his truck while Shane’s truck is definitely faster than last year. This season was more competitive, and I had to drive fast to stay ahead.”

Little says having Collins as his team-mate has been a benefit.

“He knows how to get pace out of the truck, and he’s kept me on my toes. We’ve never been more than a few tenths apart in qualifying, and

Above: Troy Etting (Kenworth) tangles with the International of Marc King. Photo Geoff Ridder

Below: Alex Little chasing Brent Collins as the Boss Truck Racing team set the pace at Pukekohe. Photo Geoff Ridder at Pukekohe it was closer than that.

“There are no team orders in our team other than to give each other enough racing room, especially when we’re coming through the traffic.”

Little will aim for a title hat-trick next summer.

“I’m anticipating another hard season. All of the competitors are developing their trucks and making gains and we’ll try to do the same.

“I’d like to say a huge thanks to my team for all the work they do on the truck and also the competitors for making it a great championship.

“I’d also like to thank our series sponsors NAPA Auto Parts who have done a great job helping to lift up the whole series.”

NAPA Auto Parts has signed on to continue as the series sponsor for the 2023-24 championship which will kick-off at Manfeild over Labour Weekend (October 21-22). T&D

Truck & Driver | 83

How they finished 2022-23 NAPA Auto Parts NZ Super Truck Championship – final standings: 1 Alex Little (Upper Hutt) Freightliner, 214 points 2 Brent Collins (Pareora) Freightliner, 191pts 3 Shane Gray (Lower Hutt) Kenworth, 177pts 4 Troy Wheeler (Hicks Bay) Freightliner, 163pts 5 Dave West (Pukekohe) Freightliner, 146pts 6 Steven Zammit (Australia) Kenworth, 115pts 7 Connor Etting (Auckland) Volvo, 110pts 8 Ron Salter (Auckland) Scania, 88pts 9 Marc King (Timaru) International, 83pts 10 Troy Etting (Auckland) Kenworth, 62pts 11 Tony Brand (Rangiora) Bedford, 56pts 12 Colin Hooper (Auckland) Mack, 9pts

Brent Collins took the final round honours and climbed to second in the championship. Photo Geoff Ridder

13 Ricky West (Pukekohe) Freightliner, 9pts

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Where it all began THE LIFESPAN OF MOTOR RACING AT PUKEKOHE stretched from 1963 till 2023, and for the middle part of that 60-year history the big crowds were drawn to the circuit by the new sport of truck racing.

The big rigs first charged around the fast Pukekohe circuit in late-April 1989, when Truck Race Promotions staged the inaugural Caltex NZ Truck Grand Prix.

The sport had recently built momentum in Australia and the Pukekohe event saw six Australian teams up against the first race trucks to be built in New Zealand.

Kiwi drivers Denny Hulme, Paul Radisich, Robbie Francevic, Inky Tulloch, Calven Bonney and Ron Salter were among those who made their truck racing debut that weekend.

NZ Truck & Driver’s Trevor Woolston had set-up Truck Race Promotions and recalls the success of the first meeting.

There was live television coverage with the camera’s catching Australian Frank Gaffiero rolling his Kenworth in front of the Hill Stand during practice on Saturday. When the crash screened on the Saturday night TV news, the event had extra exposure which saw the grandstands and grass banks full the next day with a crowd estimated at 25,000.

“The truck was rebuilt overnight in Calven Bonney’s yard and was back on track the next day,” says Woolston.

“The crash was on the Saturday night news, and it did wonders for the crowd. The next day it was standing room only and the traffic getting to Pukekohe was backed up to Drury.”

Robbie Francevic won the inaugural Grand Prix driving a Volvo N12 ahead of Australians Arnold Ahrenfeld, Gaffiero and Paul Freestone in a trio of Kenworths. T&D

Top: The Mercedes-Benz of Inky Tulloch leads Ron Salter’s Mack and the classic International shared by Harry Thompson and Red Egan at Pukekohe’s inaugural Caltex Truck Grand Prix.

Above: Australian racer Arnold Ahrenfeld leads the Sieders brothers MAN and the rest of the field at the start of the Grand Prix.

Below: A huge crowd crammed into Pukekohe when truck racing was introduced to New Zealand in April 1989.

Truck & Driver | 85

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www.ppgrefinish.com.au

FEATURE

Truckers & Loggers

Fishing Tournament 2023

Sunshine and sustainability

A

FTER SOME TERRIBLE WEATHER THROUGH JANUARY AND February interrupting the summer fishing season, March and early April have delivered great conditions along the Northland

coast.

This year’s Southpac Truckers & Loggers tournament made the most of the improved conditions with 36 teams heading out for the March 30-April 1 event based in the Bay of Islands.

Conditions on the water saw marlin turning up right from the start along with plenty of Kingfish and Snapper.

Eight Marlin were tagged and released on the first day along with one Tuna. Boats spread out over Northland’s east coast and a good Marlin spot popped up just north of Stephenson Island and in front of Doubtless Bay. That drew in several boats to work the area with good results.

Crews worked both the Bay of Islands and the Cavalli Islands for Snapper and Kingfish with some very good action.

At night the Whangaroa Harbour was the anchorage of choice for many of the crews with several parties taking place and a few boats rafting up for a get together. While there were a few good hangovers, it’s the old story - what happens on tour stays on tour.

Truckers & Loggers has always been a good social tournament and this year was no different with many regulars attending, several who have attended all of the previous 20 tournaments.

The weekend is a great opportunity to meet up with transport operators, log transport and harvesters from all over New Zealand for both networking and competition.

Over $70,000 worth of prizes were on offer this year with the prize table stacked with Shimano fishing rods, reels, fishing tackle and equipment, Makita power tools from Bay of Islands ITM, Weber barbeques and televisions from Barrells 100%, plus products from the Man Cave Kerikeri.

Many of the prizes are lucky draws with prizes such as 50w and 80w Shimano reels, a 65-inch television, a set of four 4x4 tyres from Kerikeri Tyres and Weber barbeques.

This is all made possible by our sponsors, with Southpac Trucks as the naming rights sponsors supported by Cummins, Castrol, Keith Andrews Trucks, Patchell Group, SI Lodec, Diesel Services Ltd Auckland, plus NZ Truck & Driver and NZ Logger magazines.

This year’s winning team was Pyramid Trucking who caught a combination of Marlin and Snapper to take out a range of prizes with Team Most Points as well as the Top Angler, Top Skipper and Deckie awards.

The prize for heaviest Snapper catch went to Greg O’Grady team

Truck & Driver | 87

Marieka Morcombe tagging and releasing a striped marlin aboard Cum get some

Hammamas with a 11.4kg Snapper. In the measure and release section the longest fish was landed by Dougal Hollingsworth with a 72cm Snapper. In second was Steve Curin from team Prospector also with a 72cm fish (but caught later than the first place fish) and in third was Mark Beauchamp on Reel Evolution with a 70cm Snapper.

No Kingfish were weighed so the prize was drawn while in the measure and release section first went to Dave Lee on Animal with a 102cm fish, in second was Kobe Morcombe on Mrs Jones with a 98.5cm fish and third, also on Animal, was Shane Halloway with a 98cm Kingfish.

No tuna were landed but first prize was awarded to the team on Alive and Kicking.

Angler Steve Bowling tagged a very big tuna but missed getting it on the boat when it straightened the hook and got off.

Other Tuna prizes went as lucky draws.

No Billfish (Marlin and Broadbill) were weighed in either, so all three prizes were drawn. However, plenty were tagged and released with first going to Dean Pollock from team Pyramid with 1300 points, second to Darryl Croft on Alive and Kicking with 1000 points and third to Toddy Rotten

on Diesel with 800 points.

There is also a tournament Calcutta and that was won by the top team Pyramid Trucking.

The Southpac Trucker & Loggers tournament supports sustainable fishing practices and advantages teams who tag and release game fish, and measure and release non-gamefish species. This year’s results confirmed this with only three Snapper weighed and no Marlin, Tuna or Kingfish being weighed.

In total for the 36 boats fishing over three days there were 53 Snapper and 13 Kingfish measured and released, as well as 14 Marlin and one Tuna tagged and released.

The only kills for the entire tournament were three Snapper. The tournament is now very close to a `no kill’ event, which is great for the fishery sustainability and means more fish left in the ocean for the future.

Saturday night’s prizegiving at the Bay of Islands Swordfish Club was the usual party with a great turnout and over $3,000 was raised for Mid North Hospice.

The provisional date for the 2024 tournament is March 21-23. Mark it on your calendar and see you there. T&D

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It’s political...

WHAT THE POLITICIANS THINK ABOUT TRUCKING THE NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING INDUSTRY FACES many challenges – many of them influenced by Government policy.

Apart from the many problems currently created by the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s the ongoing driver shortage, the worsening state of the nation’s roading network and looming emissions reduction legislation…

So, who among our political parties offers any

salvation for the industry in these situations?

To have some insight into what politicians are thinking about issues impacting the road transport industry, NZ Truck & Driver has offered each of the major political parties the opportunity to voice their views on trucking matters each month.

The ACT and National parties have taken the opportunity to offer their views in this month’s issue. T&D

EXTREME RISK OF A LABOUR GOVERNMENT

Simon Court

By Simon Court, ACT Party spokesperson on transport WHEN EXTREME RISKS ARE IGNORED, very bad things can happen.

Waka Kotahi in 2020 published a document identifying 40 “Extreme” and 143 “Major” resilience risks to the State Highway network. The report states that; “If the Brynderwyn route is out, the whole upper north is out,” an “extreme risk” that should be addressed by upgrading alternative routes for heavy vehicles.

That work wasn’t done. When the Brynderwyn route was closed by slips in January and February at least one truck fell off the road trying to use an alternative route between Waipu and Kaiwaka. It is fortunate no one was seriously injured or killed as a result.

The report identifies “significant rockfall issues along the entirety of Waioeka Gorge for both the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne/ Hawkes Bay on State Highway 2.”

Rockfall would be a “very significant issue for the Gisborne community as in the event of a long closure communities have the potential to be isolated. Also affects time critical delivery of food produce to the port and Auckland. Supplies to the hospital could also become an issue quickly.”

In July 2022 a large underslip reduced State Highway 2 to a single lane near the

Motu Bridge. In February 2023 the road was closed by slips during Cyclone Gabrielle.

After reopening briefly further slips and closures brought traffic to a halt again on March 1.

The Suggested Solution in the National Resilience Programme Business Case?

Geotechnical improvements - combinations of rock fall protection, slope stabilisation, estimated to cost hundreds of millions over a multiple year programme. “In an ideal world you would do a multi-year programme across all significant sites”.

These are only two of the 40 “Extreme” risks to the State Highway network neglected by Labour. Instead of budgeting and spending money to reduce these risks, they have wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on pet political projects.

Labour has spent $51 million on consultants for the now-cancelled Auckland bike bridge, $94 million on a business case for Auckland Light Rail which is highly unlikely to proceed, and another $94 million to deliver a pedestrian crossing for Let’s Get Wellington Moving.

I asked Minister of Transport Michael Wood in Parliament; “Was the Minister aware that Waka Kotahi in 2020 published a document identifying 40 “extreme” and

143 “major” resilience risks to the State highway network, and, if so, why does he prioritise the ideological projects like an Auckland Harbour bike bridge, light rail, and forcing people out of cars and on to cycles and walking?”

Michael Wood replied: “Once again, the member sets up a false choice between investing in a resilient network and investing in climate-friendly infrastructure.

I am certainly aware of that information provided by Waka Kotahi and that is why, as I said, our Government has increased investment in the maintenance of our network by 50 per cent.”

Wood says it’s a false choice to say the Government must choose between resilience and his ideological projects. If this was true then our roads wouldn’t be falling apart while light rail consultants continue to cash checks.

Wood is out of touch. The Transport Minister should be directing his department to provide safe and efficient ways for Kiwis to live their lives, however they choose to do so.

The Government’s sole focus for the roading network should be getting people from A to B as safely and efficiently as possible. That’s what ACT stands for. T&D Truck & Driver | 93

It’s political...

THE KEY TO A SECOND HARBOUR CROSSING IS DELIVERY

By Simeon Brown, National Party Spokesman for Transport and Public Service.

WHEN THE LAST NATIONAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCED THAT it was starting the Roads of National Significance programme in 2009, a much-needed boost for New Zealand’s State Highway network was born.

The now opened Waikato Expressway, and soon to be opened Puhoi to Wellsford motorway connection, were two of the many significant roading projects that were part of the programme.

But fast forward to 2017 when Labour came into office, the programme was cancelled all together.

That’s right – a key roading initiative that was delivering real results was cancelled for, and replaced by, projects like an Auckland Cycle Bridge and light rail.

National has a proven track record of delivering key infrastructure projects, which has been rooted in our belief that projects delivered are much more important than projects announced. We also know that these projects deliver increased productivity, reduced travel times and significant safety benefits. What we’ve seen in the last six years under Labour is an approach to infrastructure that is more about the headlines and less about delivery.

The debate over whether Auckland needs a second connection across the Waitematā Harbour is not a new one – for years now National has been calling for a second connection, going so far to commit to beginning the construction of another connection at the last election. But the Government has been busy elsewhere spending the last two years talking about a cycle bridge instead.

After six years at the Cabinet table, with the ability to determine a future of resilient infrastructure in New Zealand, much has been announced, but very little has been delivered.

Labour’s rushed announcement of options for a second Waitemata Harbour connection is nothing but another desperate attempt to distract from their failures.

Years of announcements of failed infrastructure projects have taken place under this government, including the cancelled Auckland Cycle Bridge, the promised Auckland Light Rail which is yet to deliver a single metre of track, and the KiwiBuild housing scheme which delivered only 2,000 homes against the promised 100,000. Meanwhile, working Kiwis have been desperate for much needed roading infrastructure up and down the country.

Now that it’ an election year, Labour is trying to play catch up on listening to what Kiwis have been calling for since they came into office, now announcing five options for a second Waitematā

Simeon Brown Harbour connection.

The reality is that Labour has failed to initiate or complete any significant infrastructure projects since coming to power.

The announcement of these five options lacked crucial details too – Kiwis are yet to see any cost analysis, impact analysis, or benefit-cost-ratios for these five options announced. For the Government, businesses, and communities to succeed in utilising any second Waitematā Harbour connection, these metrics are a must.

This light provision of information concerning these options is making the important discussion around a second Waitematā Harbour connection much harder for everyone.

With 2023 being an election year, I am looking forward to the opportunity to talk about how critical a second harbour connection is for commuters and the transport sector in Auckland, and the role that a future National Government could play in making sure that it is done right.

If there is one thing that I’ve taken away from the last six years, it’s that delivery is key if we want to see a future of resilient infrastructure in New Zealand. Talk is one thing, but delivery is where it matters most. T&D

94 | Truck & Driver

116376

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TRUCK SHOP

Above and left: Shane O’Grady of TR Group and Rhino Manufacturing general manager Will Samuel with the locally recycled mudguards (right).

Bottom: TR Group is switching its rental and lease fleet over to recycled mudguards.

RHINO’S RECYCLING MOVE

T

RANSPORT INDUSTRY LEADERS RHINO GROUP AND TWL have teamed up to launch a new initiative to help reduce heavy transport emissions and limit waste going to landfill.

The pilot scheme, launched in Tauranga, aims to recycle Rhino plastic truck and trailer mudguards and provide a centralised dropoff point to streamline the collection process. If successful, this scheme will be rolled out across the country.

This latest development follows the launch of Rhino’s innovative recycled mudguards in 2021.

“This is the next logical step with our recycled mudguards,” Rhino Group General Manager, Will Samuel, says.

“If we can set up centralised drop-off points throughout the

96 | Truck & Driver

country, we’ll be able to recycle more used guards and reduce waste previously going to landfill.”

Mr Samuel says Rhino wants to make circular products a way of life.

“We understand the pressure trucking companies are facing to reduce emissions and want to support more sustainable solutions for the heavy transport industry.”

With 20 branches throughout New Zealand, TWL National Sales Manager – Commercial Aftersales, Mike Brears, says the company is excited about its leadership in the pilot programme.

“TWL is pleased to be on this journey with Rhino. Recycling mudguards and mudflaps is a great way to reduce waste. We’re excited to do our bit, in partnership with Rhino, to make the process easier for everyone involved.”

Rhino has seen a strong uptake from large transport companies since the launch of its recycled mudguards in 2021. New Zealand’s largest heavy vehicle rental and lease company, TR Group, is now switching to the use of solely recycled mudguards on its fleet.

“The increase in volume of guards being recycled has been steadily growing, and our recyclers have recently invested in more equipment to ensure they can keep up with demand. Statistics on recycling returns will be available for companies who have environment or sustainable reporting,” Mr Samuel says.

The Tauranga collection point will be at TWL’s depot at 86 Hewletts Road, Mount Maunganui. More information about guard recycling eligibility is available online at the Rhino website: www. mudguards.co.nz T&D

National Road Carriers

Coromandel could be a model for supporting isolated communities

By Justin Tighe-Umbers, CEO, National Road Carriers Association Justin Tighe-Umbers

T

RANSPORT OPERATORS SERVICING THE COROMANDEL Peninsula have raised serious concerns about the viability of supply chain for the region. These same concerns have been echoed by road transport operators serving isolated communities in Northland or Hawke’s Bay and the East Coast.

Our recent extreme weather events, including Cyclone Gabrielle, have highlighted that without affordable freight transport services there is a danger some of these communities could become unviable over the long term.

Coromandel Peninsula could become a model of how we, as a country, support communities isolated by road closures caused by natural disasters.

Delays reinstating both SH25a and SH25 north of Whangamatā mean general freight, towing and courier services are facing journey times anywhere from two to three and a half times longer than usual.

The road closures have had a direct impact on the public and businesses who are now being hit with much higher transport costs.

The risk is that isolated Coromandel communities either become unviable for transport companies to service or the added cost of goods they are transporting make it unaffordable for people to live or visit there.

It is the not knowing how long it is going to last, and what support is available that makes it so much harder, for transport operators and residents. At the time of print the solution and timeframe for re-opening State Highway 25A are due from the Waka Kotahi project team, which may deliver some muchneeded certainty.

We would like local and central Government to work with NRC

to urgently look at ways they can support transport businesses in the Coromandel that could serve as a model for any isolated community while road networks are being restored.

We do not think this requires long-term support, but a relatively short-term bridge until roads are restored to help keep the supply chain intact and ensure the economies and societies of these regions do not go into a downward spiral.

For the Coromandel, being able to provide services to visitors is critical to the livelihood of those communities.

Equally integral to the region’s future success is an affordable, functioning supply chain dedicated to serving the needs of the people and businesses that call the Peninsula home.

Businesses on the eastern Coromandel are suffering with revenues down due to holiday makers and tourists avoiding the region and this also affects their ability to absorb the higher transport costs.

There is a real concern that if holiday makers don’t accept the current roading situation is the ‘new normal’ so to speak, that when they do return the shops, cafes, and communities they enjoy will no longer exist.

This sentiment is echoed by others in the Coromandel transport industry who are being slammed by increased journey times, decreased demand, and rising costs. We are concerned that without central or local Government intervention the fragile network keeping these isolated communities connected will fail.

If we can land on a well targeted interim Government support package for freight to the Coromandel, this could serve as a model to ensure other regions do not decline as a result of road closures caused by future natural disasters. T&D Truck & Driver | 97

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Midlands Rural Transport now has the last of three new Scania S 730 stock units on the road.

The S 730 B8x4NA is moving livestock nationwide with a new Kraft deck and 5-axle trailer fitted with Nationwide crates. The 730hp DC16 Euro 6 drives to an Opticruise GRSO926R 12-speed gearbox with 4100D retarder and RB662 hypoid rear end.

Suspension is leaf spring at the front and airbags at the rear with CTI, Dura-bright alloys, Scania scales, disc brakes with EBS, ABS and AEB, plus Adaptive Cruise Control. The sleeper cab with drop visor has V8 leather trim, a fridge, coffee machine, microwave, and overnight AC unit. The finish combines factory chassis paint with cab paint by Fleet Image and signwriting by Caulfield Signs.

Record levels for March COMMERCIAL VEHICLE REGISTRATIONS (GVM OF 4.5 tonnes-plus) continue to gain momentum with record numbers achieved during March.

The previous best-ever figure for a month of March had been of 511 registrations (March 2022). An impressive 652 registrations during March 2023 easily eclipses the previous record.

This record total monthly figure also lifts the YTD total to 1528 units, the strongest first-quarter performance on record. The monthly total of 652 represents an increase of 27.6% over March 2022 while YTD the market is now 16.9% up on the previous record of 1306 units set in March 2022.

The trailer market is also moving back towards pre-Covid registration numbers. The best-ever month of March remains 2018 with 161 registrations and the March numbers for this year almost match that with 158 registrations. However, YTD trailer registrations of 352 units is still 8.3% down on the 2018 record of 384.

Isuzu enjoyed a good month to move ahead of Fuso in a tight 2023 sales race. Isuzu leads the 2023 market with 155 registrations in March and 316 YTD. Fuso currently has 310 YTD registrations after registering 127 new units in March. Hino also continues its strong start to the year with 87 registrations for the month (209 YTD).

Behind Isuzu, Fuso and Hino in the 4.5t to maximum GVM truck market, the March figures show Scania (150/58) holding fourth position, well ahead of Volvo (89/29) and Kenworth (81/25).

Strong March sales moves UD (73/39) ahead of Iveco (72/34) and DAF (64/25) while Mercedes-Benz (58/27), and Kenworth (42/13)

complete the top-10.

In the 3.5-4.5t crossover segment, Fiat (53/11) remains the outright leader ahead of Ford (41/15), Mercedes-Benz (37/9), Iveco (23/12), and RAM (18/7).

In the 4.5-7.5t market segment Isuzu (145/60) enjoys a clear lead ahead of Isuzu (87/48), Iveco (47/23), Hino (38/11), and Hyundai (16/6).

Isuzu (73/38) also leads the 7.5-15t segment, well ahead of Hino (58/26), Fuso (42/15), Foton (24/10), and Iveco (12/4).

In the small 15-20.5t category Hino (21/9) is the leader ahead of UD (15/9), FUSO (13/3), and Mercedes-Benz (7/4).

Only two March registrations in the 20.5-23t segment sees for Hino (5/1) leading from Isuzu (2/1).

Scania’s impressive 56 registrations for the month consolidates its top spot in the premium 23t to maximum GVM category to lead with 144 registrations YTD. Fuso (90/33) holds second ahead of Hino (87/40) moving up to third ahead of Volvo (85/29). Isuzu (76/42) climbs into fifth at the expense of DAF (60/25) while UD (57/30) moves ahead of Kenworth (42/13) and Mercedes-Benz (34/16) edges ahead of MAN (33/8) rounding out the top-10.

There is no change at the top of the trailer market with Fruehauf (44/20) extending its lead ahead over Patchell (35/15).

Next is Transport Trailers (28/11), Roadmaster (27/14), TMC (24/12), Domett (20/9), and M.T.E (17/6). Transfleet (11/6) moved ahead of TES (10/2) and TIDD (8/2) and Fairfax (8/3) tied in tenth position to round out the first quarter of 2023. T&D Truck & Driver | 99

11:09 AM

Eagle Scaffolding of Karaka has a new Isuzu FVY1400 to move scaffold and rigging equipment around Auckland and the Waikato. Supplied by CAL Isuzu, Wiri, the 6x4 with 6470mm wheelbase has a Euro 5 300hp six-cylinder engine, Allison 3000 Series six-speed auto transmission and RT40-145 tandem axles. A rear-mounted HMF 1920 hydraulic crane supplied by Crane Sales NZ is fitted on a 6.5-metre hardwood deck built by GT Engineering in Huntly.

4501kg-max GVM Brand ISUZU FUSO HINO SCANIA VOLVO UD IVECO DAF MERCEDES-BENZ KENWORTH FOTON MAN HYUNDAI VOLKSWAGEN MACK FREIGHTLINER WESTERN STAR SINOTRUK FIAT INTERNATIONAL SHACMAN OTHER Total

Vol 316 310 209 150 89 73 72 64 58 42 38 35 23 13 12 6 5 4 3 3 2 1 1528

2023

% 20.7 20.3 13.7 9.8 5.8 4.8 4.7 4.2 3.8 2.7 2.5 2.3 1.5 0.9 0.8 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 100

3501-4500kg GVM Brand FIAT FORD MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO RAM CHEVROLET VOLKSWAGEN RENAULT LDV PEUGEOT Total

Vol 53 41 37 23 18 16 16 7 4 1 216

2023

% 24.5 19.0 17.1 10.6 8.3 7.4 7.4 3.2 1.9 0.5 100

4501-7500kg GVM Brand FUSO ISUZU IVECO HINO HYUNDAI MERCEDES-BENZ FOTON VOLSWAGEN FIAT OTHER Total 100 | Truck & Driver

Vol 164 87 47 38 16 14 14 13 3 1 397

2023

% 41.3 21.9 11.8 9.6 4.0 3.5 3.5 3.3 0.8 0.3 100.0

March Vol % 23.8 155 127 19.5 87 13.3 8.9 58 29 4.4 39 6.0 34 5.2 25 3.8 27 4.1 2.0 13 3.1 20 1.2 8 1.4 9 1 0.2 1.1 7 0.5 3 3 0.5 1 0.2 1 0.2 0.3 2 0.3 2 1 0.2 652 100

March Vol % 11 14.5 15 19.7 9 11.8 12 15.8 7 9.2 7 9.2 10 13.2 1 1.3 3 3.9 1 1.3 76 100

March Vol % 76 41.5 48 26.2 23 12.6 11 6.0 6 3.3 6 3.3 10 5.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 183 100

23,001kg-max GVM

Fruehauf extends trailer market lead 7501-15,000kg GVM Brand ISUZU HINO FUSO FOTON IVECO HYUNDAI VOLVO MERCEDES-BENZ UD TRUCKS MAN DAF Total

Vol 145 58 42 24 12 6 4 3 1 1 1 297

2023

% 48.8 19.5 14.1 8.1 4.0 2.0 1.3 1.0 0.3 0.3 0.3 100

March Vol % 60 50.4 26 21.8 15 12.6 10 8.4 4 3.4 3 2.5 0 0.0 1 0.8 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 119 100

15,001-20,500kg GVM Brand HINO UD FUSO MERCEDES-BENZ SCANIA ISUZU DAF IVECO MAN Total

Vol 21 15 13 7 6 6 3 2 1 74

2023

% 28.4 20.3 17.6 9.5 8.1 8.1 4.1 2.7 1.4 100

March Vol % 9 28.1 9 28.1 3 9.4 4 12.5 2 6.3 4 12.5 0 0.0 1 3.1 0 0.0 32 100

20,501-23,000kg GVM Brand HINO ISUZU FUSO Total

Vol 5 2 1 8

2023

% 62.5 25.0 12.5 100

March Vol % 1 50.0 1 50.0 0 0.0 2 100

Brand SCANIA FUSO HINO VOLVO ISUZU DAF UD KENWORTH MERCEDES-BENZ MAN MACK IVECO FREIGHTLINER WESTERN STAR SINOTRUK INTERNATIONAL HYUNDAI SHACMAN Total

Vol 144 90 87 85 76 60 57 42 34 33 12 11 6 5 4 3 1 1 751

2023

% 19.2 12.0 11.6 11.3 10.1 8.0 7.6 5.6 4.5 4.4 1.6 1.5 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.4 0.1 0.1 100.0

Trailers Brand Vol FRUEHAUF 44 PATCHELL 35 TRANSPORT TRAILERS 28 27 ROADMASTER TMC 24 DOMETT 20 M.T.E. 17 TRANSFLEET 11 TES 10 8 TIDD FAIRFAX 8 JACKSON 7 7 HAMMAR MJ CUSTOMS 6 FREIGHTER 6 KRAFT 6 MILLS-TUI 5 MTC EQUIPMENT 5 CWS 5 ADAMS & CURRIE 4 EVANS 3 LOWES 3 KOROMIKO 3 MAKARANUI 3 SEC 3 STEELBRO 3 TEO 3 PTE 2 LUSK 2 OTHER 44 Total 352

2023

% 12.5 9.9 8.0 7.7 6.8 5.7 4.8 3.1 2.8 2.3 2.3 2.0 2.0 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.6 0.6 12.5 100

March Vol % 17.8 56 33 10.5 40 12.7 29 9.2 13.3 42 25 7.9 30 9.5 13 4.1 16 5.1 2.5 8 7 2.2 1.9 6 1.0 3 3 1.0 1 0.3 2 0.6 0.0 0 1 0.3 315 100.0 March Vol % 20 12.7 15 9.5 11 7.0 8.9 14 12 7.6 9 5.7 6 3.8 6 3.8 2 1.3 1.3 2 3 1.9 4 2.5 2.5 4 1 0.6 2 1.3 2 1.3 2 1.3 3 1.9 4 2.5 2 1.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1.9 3 2 1.3 2 1.3 1.3 2 0 0.0 1 0.6 24 15.2 158 100

* **

i T a a

7178_C

A SMALL STEP ON OUR PATH TO CHANGE FROM 2021, ALL CASTROL PRODUCTS WE SELL IN NEW ZEALAND WILL BE

COMMITTED TO CARBON NEUTRALITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH PAS 2060** A SMALL STEP TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

* **

in accordance with PAS 2060, see www.castrol.com/cneutral for more information.

The C02e emmisions are calculated in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s Product Life Cycle Standard and includes life cycle emmisions. The demonstration of carbon neutrality will be assured by an Independent Third-Party and certified to BSI’s PAS 2060 carbon neutral specification. See www.castrol.com/cneutral for more information.

7178_CANZ 210x297 W 5mm Bleed.indd 2

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•Building Focus on alternative the fuels Building the next generation next generation and sustainabil ity

Advice for your

Advice for your business success business success • Partnership benefits such

as discountbenefits fuel schemes • Partnership such as discount fuel schemes

NEW ZEALAN�

NEW ZEALAN�

• With Te ara ki tua Road to •Success With Te tua Road to weara arekidelivering new drivers toare our delivering industry Success we

• Tools to improve your business viability eg.

• Tools to improve yourcost & Transporting modelling business viability eg. cost New Zealand Cost Index

• Strong promotional to drive •campaigns Strong promotional industry growth

• Connections to legal advice and business tips

• Focus on alternative fuels and sustainability

modelling & Transporting New Zealand Cost Index

• Connections to legal advice and business tips

new drivers to our industry campaigns to drive industry growth

• Focus on alternative fuels and sustainability

A new International 9870 T6 SkyRoof is being driven by Reece Etwell for Rolleston-based Tranzstar Freighting. The 6x4 tractor unit is being used NZ-wide for general and oversize freight, vehicle movements and works with a variety of trailers.

Power comes from a 550hp Cummins X-15 developing 1850 lb-ft of torque with an Eaton MXP Ultrashift Plus transmission and Meritor 46-160 axles. Extras fitted to the NZ-built truck include an alloy bumper, stone guard, and fridge.

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Buttar Transport of South Auckland has taken delivery of two new Iveco S-Way 570hp 6x4 high roof sleeper tractor units. Key features of the new S-Way include the Cursor 13 engine which meets the Euro 6 Step E emissions standard. Safety tech includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure Warning System, AEB, ASR, Driver Assessment System and 463kW 3-stage engine brake. Auto LED lights with bending function and rain sensor wipers are standard and the cab is equipped with fridge/freezer and double sleeper bunks.

CAL Isuzu has delivered another new unit into the TSS Sensitive Freight fleet. The FVY 1400 6x4 has a 6470mm wheelbase and is powered by a 300hp Euro V six-cylinder matched to an Allison 3000 Series 6-speed auto and Meritor RT40-145 tandem rear axle set. Wairau Truck Bodies at Silverdale built the Alimax 9.01m box van body equipped with 3t Anteo 2.81m alloy cantilever tail lift which is used to carry sensitive and fragile freight based at the TSS Airport Oaks depot.

Truck & Driver | 103

A new Volvo FH700 has gone to work for Lauder Transport of Thames contracted to Farmers Transport. A.J. Lauder is driving the 8x4 livestock unit with Fruehauf deck and 5-axle trailer fitted with Nationwide stock crates. The D16G engine develops 700hp and 3150Nm of torque driving to an I-Shift 12-speed AMT and Volvo RTS2370B rear axles. Extras include a fridge and microwave, cab cooler and heater, full safety and driver assist package and factory load indicator.

Auckland’s Grewal Enterprises has put a new Iveco Stralis 6x2 with an Elite curtain sider body to work in Mainfreight colours. The low roof sleeper unit features Lane Departure Warning, ABS, ESP and ASR safety systems, a tag axle with air drop, diff lock and cool box.

104 | Truck & Driver

A new Foton Aumark S BJ1088 has been added to the Williams Salvage fleet operating from Frankton, Hamilton. Dion Ward-Allen is driving the 4x2 unit with tilt and slide tray used for recovering cars, utes and vans around the Waikato. The Aumark S has a 150hp 3.8-litre Cummins ISF engine developing 500Nm of torque and driving through a 6-speed ZF manual transmission.

Trimac Services

K & L Distributors BOP Ltd

Auckland Oil Shop

Trimac Services is owned and operated by Irene & Bruce McPherson. We have a long association with the supply of oil and lubricants to Northland with the majority of this time representing Caltex.

We pride ourselves in exceeding our customer’s expectation in terms of delivering product and service to our business partners.

Talk to us for quality Caltex lubricants to suit your specific requirements.

AND HAWKES BAY

Westland Engineering Supplies 03-768 5720

Trimac Services Kioreroa Rd (behind Caltex Diesel Stop) Whangarei PH 09 4380 258 Email: office@trimacservices.co.nz Bruce McPherson 0274 932 914 Call Rhys McPherson 0274380258 Email: rhys@trimacservices.co.nz

Delo® 400 SLK with ISOSYN® Advanced Technology

For your nearest Oil Shop Freephone 0800 372 374

TD31098

Delo® 400 SLK with innovative ISOSYN® Advanced Technology is here. Delivering industry leading durability, reliability and efficiency. It works in synergy with the changing conditions in your engine to maximise protection, optimise performance and extend oil life.

2025 DATE

TD33404

COMING SOON

Above: Normans Transport has its first new DAF CF 530 8x4 working in the company’s recently updated livery. Based at the Morrinsville depot the CF is powered by a Euro 6 Paccar MX-13 with 530hp and automated TraXon 16-speed transmission. It carts general freight daily in the Waikato, Auckland and BOP with a Domett curtain side body and 5-axle trailer. Fleet Image painted the cab and chassis.

TD33404

Below: Joining the ranks of modern loggers working in the Central Plateau region is Northern Linehaul’s new Scania R 770 B8x4HA equipped with new shorts set-up and 5-axle multi trailer from Kraft Engineering. The Euro 6 DC16 16-litre with 770hp drives to a Scania Opticruise GRSO926R 12-speed AMT with 4100D retarder and RB735 hub reduction rear end. The High Chassis configuration rides on spring front suspension and rear air suspension fitted with disc brakes and ABS/EBS. Scales, CTI, Dura-bright alloys, drop visor and lower light bar are fitted and the cab features leather trim and a fridge. Fleet Image completed the cab and chassis paint with signwriting by Caulfield Signs Rotorua.

Truck & Driver | 107

TRANSPORT, DIESEL & MARINE

THE RIGHT PARTS…THE RIGHT PRICES…RIGHT HERE! DRIVELINE PARTS

CAB COMPONENTS

- Rockwell - Meritor - UJ’s - Yokes

- Panel Parts - Mirrors - Glass

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

HUB & BRAKE COMPONENTS

- Disc Pads - Rotors - Drums - Valves - Linings

- Headlamps - Tail Lamps - Starter Motors - Alternators - Sensors

ENGINE KITS - Filtration - Turbo’s - Injectors - Hoses

SUSPENSION

TRANSMISSION

- Air Bags - Springs - Shock Absorbers - Pins & Bushes

CLUTCH KITS

- Overhaul Kits - Roadranger - ZF Parts

- Spicer - OEM - Pedal Shafts

SUPPORTING ALL YOUR TRUCKING NEEDS

AUTO AIR CONDITIONING

AUTO ELECTRICAL

MECHANICAL SERVICE & REPAIRS

EG31777

AVAILABLE AT OUR PENROSE & PAPAKURA LOCATIONS

Ph: 0800 501 133 www.tdm.co.nz

Specials valid while stocks last.

8 Prescott Street, Penrose, Auckland

Fax: 09 525 6161 l Email: ray@tdm.co.nz | john@tdm.co.nz

Time for a new rig?

E S

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CrediFlex can help keep you on the road.

Whether you’re looking for a small truck, a big truck or even a whole new fleet, we’re in the business of making things happen.

At CrediFlex we will secure the right finance solution for you, every time. It’s that simple.

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0800 CREDIFLEX

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RON SMITH LTD & DIRECT TRANSPORT

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

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.

For your copy contact: Postage: Gavin Abbot, 34 Elliott Street, Opotiki 3122 Or email: clamyhen@xtra.co.nz Truck & Driver | 111

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NEED SPRINGS?

WE HAVE SPRINGS

Parabolic springs & leaves, multi leaf springs & leaves, coil springs, shackle pins, bushes and U/bolts

0+ ye6ar s in business

Rotorua:

35-37 Sunset Rd, Ph: (07) 348 0169

Auckland:

39 Tironui Rd, Takanini, Ph: (09) 298 4162

sales@hoisthydraulics.net

EG28872

0800 856 700 (09) 8186 287

EG30643

WHEN YOU NEED A REPLACEMENT HOIST it pays to ring Hoist Hydraulics

Hamilton:

116 Colombo St, Frankton, Ph: (07) 847 9343

sales@autosprings.co.nz www.autosprings.co.nz

HAWKES BAY FARMERS TRANSPORT LTD

This is the story of one of a young man (Roy Sherwood) who started one of those companies and with his progressive ideas moved to being one of the leading operators of his time.

LIMITED EDITION

For just $55-00 plus $10 postage For your copy contact: Postage: Gavin Abbot, 34 Elliott Street, Opotiki 3122 Or email: clamyhen@xtra.co.nz 112 | Truck & Driver

TD32268

The first 50 years of the story is written by Mr C.J.Wilkie in 1980.

He was also a pioneer carrier who later became a director of Hawkes Bay Farmers Transport.

www.transportrepairs.co.nz

P: 09 264 1666 M: (64) 027 2661233

Shacman New Zealand Limited Distributor for SHACMAN Truck

264 Roscommon Road, Wiri, Auckland 2104

www.shacmantruck.co.nz Bobby Khan P: 09 264 1666

TD33386

Bobby Khan

Shacman New Zealand