NZ Truck & Driver June 2023

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| June 2023

June 2023 $9.50 incl. GST

BIG TEST Super Hero | FLEET FOCUS Owner-driver survivor | FEATURE: Ready to ACT

FLEET FOCUS

Owner-driver survivor

FEATURE

Ready to ACT

The Official Magazine of

ISSN 2703-6278 Issue 268

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CONTENTS Issue 268 – June 2023

4

24

41

44

News

The latest from the world of road transport including….A quick look at the Brisbane Truck Show…. Success for the Kiwi team at Scania’s Top Team global final… Business updates from Hall’s Group and PACCAR Australia…. A new trucking reality series on Kiwi screens…. A repair timetable for State Highway 25A and improved fuel efficiency for the Mercedes-Benz Actros 530.

FEATURES: 61 Ready to ACT

The Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in California provides a preview of future trucking technologies. This year’s event had a big emphasis on hydrogen.

70

Giti Tyres Big Test

Super Hero: A new V8 Scania is creating plenty of interest on the central plateau off-highway forest roads where American iron is the norm. We take a ride in Black Adam, Northern Linehaul’s new S 730 XT logging double working at up to 160 tonnes.

74

Transporting New Zealand

In his final column, outing Chief Executive Nick Leggett makes a call for a unified representation of the road transport industry and previews the Transporting New Zealand election year A Changing World national conference in late-June.

Teletrac Navman Fleet Focus

Owner driver survivor: Due to celebrate 40 years in business in November, Mark and Trish Grey look back to the beginning of Mark Grey Carriers and the workings of today’s 10-truck operation built on delivering flooring, shop fridges and vending machines.

MANAGEMENT

77

81

Southpac Trucks Legends

REGULARS: 80/ Double Coin Tyres NZ Transport 81 Imaging Awards

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

93

A tremendous career in transport: Neil Wood of Pokeno’s N & J Wood Ltd takes a look back at his family history in the transport industry and talks about his plans for a `relative’ retirement.

74: Sideloader Good Practice Guide

The New Zealand Intermodal Transport Safety Group is launching a Sideloader Good Practice Guide with endorsement from WorkSafe.

COLUMNS 89 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.

Cookie calls time

We look at the 47-year career of Brent `Cookie’ Cooksley at Motor Truck Distributors and his contribution to the local success of the Mack marque.

History in motion

CrediFlex Recently Registered

April registration data saw Fuso edge back ahead of Isuzu as a close race continues for leadership of the new truck market. Plus, this month’s photo gallery of new trucks on the road.

91

National Road Carriers Association

CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers wants the next government to commit to a 50-year roading infrastructure plan for New Zealand.

South Canterbury’s Kyle Park Transport Museum put on a display of classic trucks and vintage machinery as part of Anzac commemorations.

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

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Sue Woolston

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EDITORIAL Editor

Colin Smith 021 510319 colin@trucker.co.nz

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Brian Cowan

CONTRIBUTORS

Wayne Munro Olivia Beauchamp Gerald Shacklock Dave McLeod David Kinch

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

Isuzu’s new battery electric N Series made it’s southern hemisphere debut at the Brisbane Truck Show.

o t n i s e v i r d e n a b s Bri

e r u t u f e h t

THE 2023 BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW OPENED ITS doors on May 18 just as this issue of New Zealand Truck & Driver magazine went to the printers.

The biennial industry event was back to its traditional levels of participation and international relevance after the 2021 edition was staged in the midst of Covid-19 disruptions.

Following the theme of other international shows, the focus was primarily on electric, and hydrogen fuelled transport – both light-duty and heavy trucks.

Notable debuts included Isuzu’s new battery electric N Series and the next gen Fuso eCanter, both Japanese light-duty electric trucks making their first southern hemisphere appearances.

Also gaining a share of the battery electric spotlight were the DAF LF Electric and Iveco eDaily while Daimler Truck previewed its eActros and eEconic models, ahead of upcoming validation trials in Australia and New Zealand.

Kenworth grabbed the big hydrogen headlines with one of the T680 fuel cell electric trucks that feature Toyota developed FCEV technology and have been trialled in California.

New diesel trucks also had a notable presence with Iveco debuting the new T-Way that replaces the Trakker range and shares many of its features with the latest S-Way. Western Star had its new trio of X models on show.

In a quick turnaround from its global premiere in March, Isuzu Australia had a Japan market production version of the new N Series EV as the centrepiece of its Brisbane stand.

The battery-electric vehicle (BEV) model portfolio ranges from standard cab models of less than 3.5 tonnes in GVW to wide-cab models 4 | Truck & Driver

of up to 7.5 tonnes in GVW. The battery system for the N Series EV is based on multiples of 20kWh battery packs. The standard-cab model houses two battery packs with 40kWh capacity while the high-cab has three battery packs with a 60kWh capacity. Wide-cab long wheelbase models have five battery packs with 100kWh capacity.

Before the June issue of New Zealand Truck & Driver went to press, Isuzu New Zealand offered the following comment regarding the battery electric N Series and its introduction to the local market.

“Isuzu Trucks NZ will be watching with interest as to how the electric N Series is received by show goers. We are always in communication with Japan regarding future product opportunities, but don’t have anything to announce specifically at the moment.”

The second generation Fuso eCanter offers many improvements over the original with multiple battery, chassis and cab options to suit a wider range of applications.

The introduction of an electric power take-off (PTO) opens up new possibilities, for the truck’s electric power to operate tipper bodies, cranes, or even a fridge body.

And the introduction of an eAxle, with the electric motor integrated with the rear axle, delivers considerable efficiency and packaging gains while eliminating the need for a driveshaft.

A newly-developed electric motor develops maximum output of 129kW and 430Nm while an ‘engine brake’ system can slow the truck while harvesting energy at the same time, with four stages of regeneration.

Iveco’s battery electric eDaily light-duty model has made its `down under’ debut ahead of an evaluation programme starting soon in Australia.

NEWS

Top left: Fuso premiered the second generation eCanter in Brisbane.

Top rightThe PACCAR stand featured the zero emissions Kenworth T680 equipped with Toyota developed hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Lower left: The new Western Star X Series was a popular attraction including the new 48X model.

Lower right: Iveco will begin testing the eDaily electric model in Australia immediately after the Brisbane show.

The eDaily is the electrified version of the Daily, and will be the first Iveco BEV to be sold in the Australia and New Zealand markets.

The unit shown in Brisbane is a 70C cab chassis with 4350mm wheelbase, 7.2t GVM and three batteries. It’s one of several models that will be tested locally in preparation for roll-out of the broader eDaily line-up.

In other markets, the eDaily line-up is available in several van and cab chassis variants and with one, two or three batteries depending on configuration. At the top-of-the-range there is a combined battery capacity of 111kWh paired with an electric motor producing 140kW of power and peak torque of 400Nm. The loaded operating range will be up to 300km depending on model.

“The eDaily is a key element of Iveco’s product development strategy and transition roadmap as it pursues its decarbonisation targets through a multi-energy approach that includes a strong focus on electric propulsion,” says Michael May, Iveco ANZ Managing Director.

“The Iveco eDaily is already showing strong acceptance in Europe where it’s ideal for congested city environments; we believe it will also excel in these conditions locally, particularly in back-to-base operations.”

Being based on the conventional Daily range means existing eDaily owners will be familiar with the vehicle’s features and benefits. It’s a similar case for bodybuilders – all the main electric components sit within the conventional chassis with no protruding parts, and the chassis itself carries the exact same body mounting positions as the diesel product, to simplify body fitment.

The new Western Star 47X, 48X, and 49X were showcased on the Penske Australia stand.

The 47X has a short, sloped bonnet to yield payload flexibility, a setback front axle, up to 72.5 tonnes GCM, and comes in either a 6x4 or 8x4 configuration with the choice of Cummins or Detroit powerplants.

Billed as `Exclusive to the Australian market’, the 48X is powered by

the Detroit DD13 Gen 5 or DD16 engine. It’s available in 130-tonne GCM and features a set-forward front axle plus a choice of four sleeper cabs.

The 49X is powered by the Detroit DD16, has 200+ tonnes GCM capability, and is available with multiple cab options, including the 72inch Stratosphere sleeper.

The X-Series was unveiled at the end of 2022 and has so far been on an Australian road show preview for dealers and both existing and potential customers.

“Across the series, we are offering the 330-380hp Cummins L9, 450525hp Detroit DD13 Gen 5, and 500-600hp DD16 engines,” says Kurt Dein, head of Western Star Trucks, Penske Australia.

“Customers also have the choice of the Detroit DT12, Allison fully automatic, and Eaton Fuller manual transmissions.”

The new X-Series is billed as lighter, safer, stronger, and offers more cab space than any previous Western Star with benefits including premium noise and temperature insulation and triple door seals.

PACCAR grabbed attention with two zero-emission solutions – a hydrogen fuel cell Kenworth and a battery-electric DAF LF. The Kenworth T680 hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle is equipped with a 630hp electric motor and with 60kg of hydrogen gas stored at 700-bar there is enough energy for a range of 480km, with a 15-minute refuelling time.

The 19-tonne DAF LF Electric is a zero-emissions distribution truck with 260kW electric motor equipped with a 282kWh battery pack capable of a range of up to 280km.

One major truck brand had a conspicuous absence from the show, with Scania opting not to participate in 2023.

Full coverage of the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show will appear in the July issue of New Zealand Truck & Driver. T&D

Truck & Driver | 5

NEWS

Cog Swappers cash in THE CHRISTCHURCH-BASED “COG SWAPPERS” TEAM of Scania New Zealand technicians has finished runner-up at the global final of the Scania Top Team competition held in Sweden.

The Kiwi team comprising Pieter Meijer, Russell Dixon, Dave van Schie, Samuel Hison, Michael Long, Anthony Paddock and Timothy Broome finished second to the team representing Germany. Brazil claimed the third placing.

Cog Swappers team of Pieter Mejer, Russell Dixon, Dave van Schie, Samuel Hishon, Michael Long, Anthony Paddock and Timothy Roome scored second place at the Scania Top Team global final.

Since its start in 1989, the Scania Top Team competition has developed from a national training event into a global training programme with focus on practical and theoretical skills. The competition rewards the best of Scania’s 8,000 service technicians and parts experts from 70 countries.

The 2023 finalists were Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, New Zealand, Sweden, and Taiwan. The 12 service teams had qualified through regional and national finals for the eleventh international Top Team World Final.

The German team won the first prize of Euro50,000 while the New Zealand team’s runner-up effort was rewarded with a Euro30,000 prize.

Scania Top Team is a global competition for professional service teams within the Scania service network, competing in teams. It begins at every team’s workshop, with theoretical challenges in two parts. The best teams advance to national finals, where theoretical exercises are supplemented with practical.

Competition exercises require knowledge, team spirit, and discipline.

The competition format follows daily work patterns, the most essential objective being to satisfy the customer’s needs.

National winners meet at the international regional finals and from there 12 teams progress to the world finals.

The competition is a way of highlighting the importance of service personnel. There is a shortage of service technicians in the world. Scania alone needs to recruit more than 1,000 service technicians annually in the coming years. T&D

Hall’s Group expands and updates HALL’S GROUP HAS BEEN BUSY DURING MAY, announcing the acquisition of Brausch Transport as an addition to its cold chain logistics operation.

Based in Auckland and Palmerston North with similar operations in the chilled and frozen freight sector, Brausch Transport will begin trading as part of Hall’s Group from June 1.

The purchase expands the Hall’s Group nationwide cold chain logistics network and comes at the same time as the company begins the roll-out of a significant fleet renewal programme. Hall’s Group was purchased by the Talley’s Group in late 2021.

“We’re excited to be bringing Brausch Transport into Hall’s Group,” says Tonille Crombie, CEO of Hall’s Group.

“Along with our focus on Hall’s fleet renewal, this acquisition builds on our capability to service our customers reliably, and strengthens our national network servicing frozen and chilled freight.

“This acquisition will no doubt be noticed around the industry as a clear direction on where we’re headed as a business and we look forward to the opportunities this new chapter creates.”

Hall’s says the fleet update is progressing well, with a third of the new units now on the road with the order of 55 units – DAF and Scania trucks – starting to arrive in the country.

These trucks represent the 2023 Phase 1 roll-out with approximately 50 more units to arrive at the end of this year and early next year as part of the 6 | Truck & Driver

2023/2024 Phase 2 rollout.

The new trucks will deliver improved environmental performance with the switch to Euro 6 engine technology achieving an almost 80% reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions while improved fuel consumption leads to significant reductions in CO2 emissions.

Hall’s says the fleet renewal programme also introduces the latest driver comfort features and industry-leading safety technology. T&D Hall’s Group is moving through an expansion phase with its cold chain logistics operation.

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Truck & Driver 297x210mm Jan 2023.indd 1

12/01/23 5:15 PM

NEWS

It’s conference time in June THE IA ARA AOTEAROA TRANSPORTING NEW Zealand annual conference and industry awards function are being held in Lower Hutt on June 28-29.

Titled A Changing World, the conference speakers will include Transport Minister Michael Wood, as well as transport spokespeople from the other major political parties.

Other keynote speakers include Katherine Rich former National MP, former CE NZ Food and Grocery Council and Phil O’Reilly, the founder of policy advisory firm Iron Duke, and a New Zealand and global business leader and advocate.

Economist Cameron Bagrie will present his hard-hitting report on the economy and what is expected for the coming year.

Updates on a number of Transporting NZ initiatives will be presented at the conference including the Road to success training programme and the Livestock Fatigue Management plan.

A Green Compact panel discussion will include a Q&A session facilitated

by Transporting New Zealand policy advisor Billy Clemens.

Wider topics will also include the economy, diversity and attracting new people into the industry, and risk management.

From 6.30pm on Thursday June 29 the conference will conclude with the 2023 Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand Industry Awards which recognise best practice or behaviour and honour an individual, organisation, or company.

Nominations are now open for the main award categories: VTNZ

Supreme Contribution to NZ Road Transport, Fruehauf Outstanding Contribution to Innovation, ERoad Outstanding Contribution to Health and Safety, Teletrac Navman Outstanding Contribution by a Woman in the Road Transport Industry and ERoad Young Driver of the Year (under 35).

The venue is the Lower Hutt Events Centre and early bird bookings close on May 29. For more information, www.transporting.nz/conference T&D Cameron Bagrie will again present his view on the economy at the Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting NZ annual conference.

Bombay set for 2025 AN EARLY 2025 DATE HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR THE next Bombay Truck Show.

Confirmation of Saturday January 18, 2025, for the biennial event has been possible thanks to the re-commitment of naming rights sponsors Allied Petroleum and Transfleet Trailers and with the agreement of LeaderBrand who own the adjacent property used to the accommodate majority of the show and car parking.

The venue for the third edition of the show will again be the Bombay Rugby Club grounds.

With the success of the January 2023 event the organising committee isn’t planning any big changes to the organisation of the day which raised

$83,861 split among three local charities and community groups.

The attendance at this year’s show was estimated to be in the region of 16,000 to 20,000 and saw 465 trucks on display in the UDC Finance Show & Shine.

“It’s great to have both Allied Petroleum and Transfleet Trailers back onboard as the title sponsors for a third time,” says show coordinator Marieka Morcombe.

“All of the feedback we’ve had from the exhibitors, entrants and the public has been `don’t change things’. Our goal is just to fine-tune a few aspects of the event and its layout, so some of the details run a little bit smoother on the day.” T&D

The next Allied Petroleum/Transfleet Trailers Bombay Truck Show is confirmed for Saturday January 18 2025.

8 | Truck & Driver

NEWS The new Iveco S-Way duo was delivered to the Ferrari team at its famous Fiorano track test.

Iveco moves Ferrari F1 team THE FERRARI FORMULA 1 TEAM HAS TWO NEW IVECO S-Way heavy trucks to transport its cars and support equipment to Grands Prix in Europe.

Iveco is a long-time official partner of Scuderia Ferrari and the also sponsors the Ferrari Challenge Europe racing series.

The two S-Way trucks carry the traditional Ferrari red livery and `Prancing Horse’ shield and were delivered to the team at the historic Fiorano test track.

Both are equipped with a 570-hp Cursor 13 engine and 12-speed HiTronix automated transmission and feature an advanced Infotainment system with satellite navigation, Iveco Driver Pal and a 4G connectivity box.

Among the duties for the Iveco tractors will be transporting the Ferrari team motorhome that is the team’s base in Formula 1 paddocks.

“We are very proud of our brand being linked to such a world sporting legend. For the past 20 years, we have worked with Ferrari, which has entrusted our high-performance and reliable vehicles with the logistics and handling of its most important assets,” says Luca Sra, President, Truck Business Unit, Iveco Group.

The new Iveco S-Way takes fuel efficiency to a new level with a new engine line-up, advanced technologies, and outstanding aerodynamic performance. It is a 100% connected truck which opens a new era in fleet management and on-board living, supporting logistics operators and fleet managers by optimising the vehicle’s uptime and fuel efficiency. T&D

European markets on the rise TRUCK SALES IN EUROPEAN (EU) MARKETS INCREASED by 19.4% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year, reaching 86,445 units.

All member states except Denmark (-8.9%) recorded substantial growth, including the four largest markets: Germany (+20.9%), France (+12.4%), Poland (+19.1%), and Italy (+9.5%).

It was a strong first quarter across all commercial vehicle segments with registrations of vans up by 7.7% and buses by 15.5%.

Diesel engines remained the top choice for truck buyers in the EU, representing 96.1% of all new registrations in the first quarter of 2023.

Recording a remarkable 408.5% growth, electrically chargeable vehicles now represent 1.1% of all EU trucks, with 939 units registered in the opening quarter of this year.

EV models are gaining the most significant foothold in the bus market.

The sales of new electrically chargeable buses in the EU increased by 47.1% to reach 1,053 units, capturing a market share of 14.4% in the first quarter of 2023. The first and third largest markets, France and Spain, recorded triple-digit growth (+136.7% and +491.3%, respectively).

Electrically chargeable vans also saw strong growth and now account for 6.2% of all EU van registrations, up from 3.8% compared to the same period last year. T&D European truck sales have increased in the first quarter of 2023.

Truck & Driver | 9

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NEWS NEWS

DAF opens electric production line PRODUCTION OF THE NEW DAF XD AND XF ELECTRIC models will begin soon in a new facility adjacent to the main production line at Eindhoven.

The new DAF Electric Truck Assembly plant covers an area of 5,000m2 and includes two sub-assembly lines for the preparation of the battery packs as well as the Electric Drive Module, consisting of the front battery pack, high voltage junction box and electrified auxiliaries. These key components as well as the e-motor with integrated gearbox are installed onto the vehicle on the main assembly line which is almost 150 metres long.

Micky Adriaansens, the Dutch minister of Economic Affairs and Climate opened the new battery truck facility in late-April.

“DAF has been a leading player in the manufacture of trucks for many years and is currently playing a prominent and innovative role in the development of electric trucks,” she says.

“The transition to cleaner products and production methods is important.

Not only for the environment but also to ensure that the Netherlands retains its competitive edge. This new factory for battery electric trucks is a shining example of that ambition.”

The new XD and XF Electric are powered by PACCAR e-Motors and

equipped with between two and five battery packs (210 to 525kWh). The modular approach allows the trucks to be tailored precisely to customer requirements and needs.

DAF says full electric ranges of up to 500km are possible making 1,000 ‘zero emission’ kilometres achievable with careful planning of routes and recharging. With fast charging of up to 350kW, battery packs can be charged to 80% of their capacity in only 45 minutes.

“The commissioning of the new DAF Electric Truck Assembly plant represents another important milestone on the road to an even cleaner future,” says Harald Seidel, DAF Trucks’ president.

“To support our customers in the transition to zero emission road transport, we go further than delivering class-leading full electric vehicles.

Our comprehensive package includes a broad range of charging solutions, advice on planning of routes and charging, and the provision of dedicated training for drivers to get the best out of the vehicles.”

Production of quality validation trucks is about to start with series production of customer vehicles planned from mid-2023. DAF expects production to increase to thousands of vehicles per annum in the near future, in line with the increasing demand for fully electric trucks. T&D

Hino skills comp returns Skills Competition 2023

PREPARE TO BATTLE 18 October 2023

HINO TECHNICIANS WORKING IN TRUCKSTOPS branches around the country can now register for the national skills competition beginning in June.

The skills contest is being revived this year after last being held in 2019. Registrations close on May 31 ahead of fhe first of four online testing modules commencing in June, followed by further modules in July, August, and September.

From this, the three top-performing participants will be invited to compete in the final to be held in Hino’s Auckland showroom on October 18. This competition will run for the day with a dinner and prizegiving in the evening.

The winner of the 2023 Hino Skills Competition will receive travel to Sydney to watch the final of the Australian competition (date TBA), and in 2024 travel to Japan to visit the Hino Motors factory. T&D Truck & Driver | 11

NEWS

XCMG launches autonomous mine truck battery pack that can be swapped in about six minutes using a gantry.

As one of the few manufacturers that develop integrated mining solutions and large complete sets of mining machinery for open-pit mines, XCMG’s comprehensive mining product

XCMG has completely removed the cab from the XDR80TE-AT.

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CHINESE TRUCK AND construction equipment manufacturer XCMG has won an international design award for its new autonomous electric mining truck.

The autonomous XDR80TE-AT electric dump truck is among a range of new mining machinery products just introduced by XCMG. It was awarded an iF Design Award 2023 in the Automobiles/Vehicles category from among 11,000 entries.

XCMG has completely removed the operating cab from the XDR80TE-AT which can operate in two modes – remote control and fully autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) control.

The truck is equipped with multiple functions, including visual and acoustic sensors, laser radar, millimetre-wave radar, and cameras. Under the full autonomous mode, the AI technology can automatically set the destination and plan the routes following the mining operation system’s production schedule while enabling coordinated operation with other equipment regardless of automation.

The truck has two motors generating up to 800kW, an AMT transmission and a 525kWh

NEWS

The Worth plant (left) opened in 1961 and is now the home of the Future Truck Centre which is building electric models.

Sixty years Worth of truck history THE DAIMLER TRUCK MANUFACTURING PLANT AT Wörth, Germany will celebrate its 60th birthday later this year.

The first cab shell rolled off the Wörth assembly line on October 1, 1963 and from 1965 onwards, the plant’s workforce manufactured complete trucks.

Today the Mercedes-Benz Actros, Arocs, and Atego along with MercedesBenz Special Trucks Econic, Unimog, and Zetros are built at Wörth.

Up to 470 trucks built to customer specifications can leave the Wörth plant per day.

The plant has recently become the focal point of electric truck manufacturing with the Future Truck Centre. Series production of the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz eActros started in 2021, followed by the

second electric series truck Mercedes-Benz eEconic in 2022.

In the 60 years since production began, more than 4.4 million trucks have been manufactured in Wörth - including around 790,000 Completely Knocked Down (CKD), vehicle kits that are shipped to numerous overseas markets for final assembly on site.

With an area of almost three million square meters, Wörth plant is the world’s largest in the Mercedes-Benz Trucks production network.

With around 10,000 employees, it is also the second-largest employer in Rhineland-Palatinate.

For the anniversary year of 2023, a variety of activities will take place around and inside the plant. T&D

NEWS

A 1996 Western Star 4900 is one of the first restoration projects to feature on Aussie Truck Rehab.

Aussie truck show debuts on Discovery WELL KNOWN AUSSIE BIG TRUCK EXPERT JON KELLY is back on screen again as the lead personality in a new trucking reality show now screening on Sky TV, Discovery Channel.

Aussie Truck Rehab premiered on Wednesday May 17 in both Australia and New Zealand. The six episodes follow Kelly, and his team of restoration specialists as they set out to build the greatest truck rehab firm in the world.

Their goal: To return Australia’s most beautiful and banged up heritage trucks to their former glory – for show, or for profit.

Working with Jon are his elite crew of rehab specialists: Finance Manager

The Land family (left) entrusted Jon Kelly’s Heavy Haulage Assets with the customisation of a new Western Star.

14 | Truck & Driver

‘Dollar’ Dave Pattullo, Crew Chief ‘Driver’ Dave Pancino, Lead Mechanic Marshall Watego, Workshop Assistant Izaiah Watego and Truck Scout Jess Edwards.

Together, the Queensland firm takes on high stakes truck rehab missions by undertaking massive, one-off transformational projects that turn broken down wrecks into heavy hauling masterpieces.

Kelly lives and breathes to keep Australia’s most beautiful heritage rigs on its highways and restore its most iconic trucks to their former glory. As a third-generation truck obsessive, he pores over every last detail of truck restorations, determined to recreate the classic rigs that inspired him as a boy.

It’s this relentless passion and perfectionism that drives his one-of-akind truck restoration business – Heavy Haulage Assets.

“I’ve yet to find a bucket of bolts lying in a paddock that we can’t turn into treasure,” says Jon. Jon’s goal is to turn the firm into the world’s best, by assembling a collection of statement restorations – elite, historic trucks from the 1970s, 80s and 90s. With millions of kilometres under their belts, many of these road warriors have fallen into disrepair, gathering dust in rural barns, rotting away in forgotten corners of busy truck yards or damaged by hail and storms.

Aussie Truck Rehab is produced by Australian production company Ronde Media for Discovery.

Kelly previously featured in the 2012 series Megatruckers, an 11 episode reality series following his family business as they haul some of the world’s largest and heaviest loads across vast distances of treacherous Australian terrain.

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NEWS

Bridge to restore Highway 25A A NEW BRIDGE HAS BEEN selected as the fastest solution to reopening State Highway 25A between Kopu and Hikuai, restoring vital access to the Coromandel Peninsula.

Transport Minister Michael Wood says the bridge will cost an estimated $30-40 million and the highway is scheduled to reopen early next year. The highway has been closed by a massive slip since late-January following ex-cyclone Hale.

Bypass and retaining wall options were also considered for restoring SH25A. The bridge project is being funded through the Government’s $250 million top-up to the National Land Transport Programme fund to support the recovery.

“Coromandel communities and businesses need certainty that the investment will be made to repair and rebuild State Highway 25A,” says Michael Wood.

“A dedicated team of project managers and consulting engineers have been working tirelessly to find a solution. The Government has taken advice that a bridge will be the fastest, most resilient way forward and will commit the funding straight away.

“Waka Kotahi has already engaged with the construction industry and started the procurement process. By early June, there will be a contractor ready to start construction, with completion estimated early next year.

Wood says the SH 25A closure is leading to

A new bridge is the preferred option to rebuild State Highway 25A.

increased travel times and costs, creating huge disruption.

“This road is a lifeline for many people who travel across the peninsula to work or school. It also brings people from all over New Zealand onto the peninsula every summer, keeping businesses and the local economy afloat,” Wood says.

“I want to reassure communities that the government will make every possible effort to get the road open as soon as it is safe to do so.

“I know that for many in the community this will be a long time to wait to have this key connection restored. We’ve been working hard with the Thames-Coromandel District Council to repair and improve local roads ahead of winter and can confirm that the Tapu-Coroglen road will be open to light vehicles next month providing some extra connectivity across the peninsula.

We’re also continuing work to repair and fully reopen other key roads such as SH25.

“In the meantime, we’ll be working with local government and communities to develop a package of economic support to help businesses that usually rely on the direct route onto the peninsula to bring people onto the peninsula during the summer.

“We are acutely aware of the impact this road being closed has on businesses and will support them through this tough period.

“So far we’ve supported 400 businesses with grants up to $40,000, provided tax relief for impacted businesses, and will continue to work alongside Thames Coromandel District Council to support businesses.” T&D

New boss at PACCAR DAMIEN SMETHURST HAS BEEN APPOINTED managing director of PACCAR Australia.

The appointment is effective from May 8 with Smethurst taking over the role from Andrew Hadjikakou, who is leaving PACCAR and the road transport industry.

Smethurst has been with PACCAR Australia for 25 years and has held leadership positions of increasing responsibility including Director of Operations, Chief Engineer, and most recently General Manager PACCAR Parts Australia, where he has led the parts organisation to consecutive years of record levels of customer support and parts availability.

“I am honoured to have been entrusted with leading this amazing business,” says Smethurst.

“My focus is firmly on the people – our staff, our dealers, and suppliers – who make this organisation what it is, and on our customers, who are the reason for our existence. I am excited about supporting and empowering our teams, to foster a culture of operational excellence and innovation, and strengthening our relationships with customers across Australia and New Zealand.”

Smethurst says outgoing managing director Andrew Hadjikakou has worked tirelessly during his eight years leading PACCAR Australia.

16 | Truck & Driver

“He has championed many critical initiatives including our recent $50M factory expansion and leaves the business in excellent shape,” Smethurst says.

PACCAR Australia engineers and manufactures Australian-made Kenworth trucks, imports and assembles the DAF brand and offers aftermarket parts and service, finance, and leasing solutions to the transport industry. T&D Damien Smethurst

NEWS The MAN eTruck at work in the northern Sweden winter.

MAN completes eTruck winter test THE NEW MAN ETRUCK HAS COMPLETED A FOURmonth Arctic winter test in northern Sweden.

Driving functions and range, air conditioning and charging behaviour were the focus of thousands of test kilometres in ice, snow, and temperatures as low as minus 40degC. The December-March test programme moves the new eTruck towards series production and market launch in 2024.

“The winter tests were a complete success. Our engineers literally put the new eTruck through its paces day and night under the toughest conditions,” says Dr Frederik Zohm, Executive Board Member for Research and Development at MAN Trucks & Bus. “The maturity level is already extremely high, and the development team is working with great passion on the further trials to provide our customers with an optimal product for the switch to CO2-free road freight transport.”

Engineers braved the polar winter with freezing cold, snowstorms and only a few hours of daylight for around four months while testing the overall energy management, the cooling and thermal management of the battery packs, the interaction and control of the power-train components as well as the charging behaviour under the extreme winter conditions.

Four prototypes with different battery, e-motor, transmission, axle, and cab configurations were tested.

“Interdisciplinary teams are the key to making the eTruck ready for all customer requirements and operating conditions. Our goal is to be able to cover a large part of today’s application portfolio electrically with the new eTruck,” says Rainer Miksch, Vice President Vehicle Testing, MAN Truck & Bus. “The CO2-free long-distance transport of refrigerated goods in the classic semi-trailer combination will be just as possible as the collection of milk from the organic farmer with the electric food tanker or the low-noise and emission-free waste disposal in the city.”

The winter test is the beginning of a series of vehicle and component tests for the new MAN eTruck before its market launch. Batteries have to prove their resistance to open fire, immersion in water and a free fall to the ground. Individual components as well as the entire vehicle have to pass demanding crash tests, but also noise measurements and tests on

electromagnetic compatibility are just some of the numerous upcoming validations that will make the truck ready for series production.

In addition, the new eTruck will cover many hundreds of thousands of kilometres in continuous operation on European roads. In addition to winter testing, this also includes hot weather testing in the south of Spain with outside temperatures well above 40degC and strong sunlight. These conditions heat components to an extreme and place very specific demands on the temperature control of the batteries, the charging management system and also the powertrain components.

“Meeting the sometimes extremely different operating conditions with regard to the di-verse applications of our customers is the fine art of commercial vehicle development,” says Miksch.

“But now that the eTruck has more than fulfilled our expectations in winter testing, the entire test and development team is already looking forward to the upcoming validations and summer testing in order to get one step closer to large-scale production of the electric truck again.” T&D Testing includes charging performance in temperatures as low as -40degC.

Truck & Driver | 17

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NEWS

Autonomous trucking terminal TO SUPPORT ITS DEVELOPMENT OF self-driving technology, Aurora Innovation has announced its first commercial-ready terminal for autonomous trucks.

Aurora’s next-generation South Dallas terminal is designed with innovative features critical for driverless operations and will serve as a blueprint for Aurora’s future network of terminals.

On a daily basis, the terminal – located in Palmer, Texas – deploys autonomous trucks carting freight for Aurora’s pilot customers, including FedEx, Schneider, and Uber Freight, between Dallas and Houston.

As the company prepares for the commercial launch of Aurora Horizon, its autonomous trucking service, it will leverage a network of terminals to house, maintain, prepare, inspect, and deploy autonomous trucks between destinations.

The terminals will provide services including fuelling and weigh stations to enable autonomous Aurora is developing dedicated terminal facilities to support its self-driving truck fleet. trucks to continuously drive without additional stops and on-site maintenance to optimise fleet uptime and support safe operation of trucks on the road. meaning it has features and services to enable autonomous deployment and It will also offer specific capabilities for driverless operations such as optimise asset utilisation for customers, and is in commercial use today. sensor calibration and high-speed data offload.

In the past six months, the trailer traffic at the terminal has tripled, “Self-driving technology will fundamentally transform how we move which mirrors Aurora’s growth in pilot hauls. Aurora is currently hauling goods,” said Kendra Phillips, Vice President of Service Delivery at Aurora.

50 customer loads a week across its two commercial routes and expects to “It’s incredibly exciting to lead the way for how to deliver commercial increase its pilot hauls to 100 loads per week by the end of 2023. driverless operations to our customers and the broader industry.”

Aurora expects its Houston terminal to be ready for commercial operation Phillips leads a team of industry experts focused on developing the services in Q3 2023, which will enable end-to-end autonomous operation on its that will support Aurora Horizon. This includes terminal infrastructure, launch lane. customer services, and operating best practices to launch a valuable product.

The Aurora Driver is a self-driving system designed to operate multiple “This blueprint for next-generation autonomous terminals will be vehicle types, from freight-hauling semi-trucks to ride-hailing passenger instrumental as we deploy autonomous trucks at scale across the U.S.,” says vehicles, and underpins Aurora Horizon and Aurora Connect, its driverPhillips. as-a-service products for trucking and ride-hailing. Aurora is working with Terminals will also be key to keeping customers’ trucks on the road to industry leaders across the transportation ecosystem, including Toyota, haul freight 24/7/365 – a unique value proposition of autonomous trucks. FedEx, PACCAR, Volvo Trucks, Uber, Uber Freight, U.S. Xpress, Werner, Aurora’s South Dallas terminal was designed to be commercial-ready, Covenant, Schneider, and Ryder. T&D

Gore’s big day SOUTHLAND’S TRANSPORT INDUSTRY IS IN THE spotlight again at King’s Birthday weekend with the annual McDonough Contracting Gore Truck Show.

The popular trucking event has three activities beginning with judging and static display at the Transport Repairs yard in Falconer St from 9am and then a parade through the streets of Gore at 2pm.

Prizegiving is at 4.30pm followed by a buffet dinner and band at the Croydon Lodge Hotel.

The annual event has run for about 50 years and was originally an offshoot of Gore’s country music festival. More than 40 judging categories and the prized “King Rig” award are always keenly contested and the 2022 edition attracted a record 138 entries.

The main theme of this year’s Gore show – which takes place on Saturday June 3 – is a celebration of 100 Years of Kenworth trucks. T&D

The Transport Repairs yard is the judging and static display venue for the Gore Truck Show.

Truck & Driver | 19

NEWS

Benz brings more efficiency THE THIRD GENERATION MERCEDES-BENZ OM471 13-litre engine will power 530hp versions of the Actros range in the New Zealand Market.

Daimler Truck announced the upgrade to the OM471 in-line six-cylinder last year and the engine made its “down under” debut at the Brisbane Truck Show as the first customer trucks arrived in New Zealand at the same time.

The OM471 is the middle engine in the Actros line up, sitting between the 11-litre and 16-litre units. The main benefit to customers is a fuel saving of up to 4% compared to the second generation OM471.

“Mercedes-Benz Trucks and many of our customers are very excited about advanced battery electric trucks such as the eActros, which produces zero local emissions,” says Mercedes-Benz Trucks Australia Pacific Director, Andrew Assimo.

“We also think further advancements of our diesel internal combustion engine technology will deliver considerable fuel efficiency improvement and emission reductions across many fleets.

The upgraded OM471 13-litre engine will power 530hp versions of the Mercedes-Benz Actros.

Output figures are unchanged for the upgraded engine with 530hp (390kW) developed at 1600rpm and peak torque of 2600Nm produced at 1100rpm. However, several key engine elements have been redesigned to reduce friction and optimise combustion.

Engineers refined the design of the piston recess geometry, cylinder head parameters and injection nozzles. There is also a new engine oil pressure control valve and a newly developed low viscosity oil, which helps with fuel efficiency without increasing wear or reducing oil change intervals.

These improvements allowed for the compression ratio of the six-cylinder engine to increase from 18.3:1 to 20.3:1, which enables combustion with a peak ignition pressure of 250 bar.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has also developed new turbocharger tailored to further improve fuel consumption that is manufactured in-house.

A newly developed exhaust gas after-treatment system also helps deliver consumption savings and improve NOx conversion. As a result, the engine meets the strict new Euro 6e emissions standard. T&D

Ownership change at TRT TRT (TIDD ROSS TODD LIMITED) HAS ANNOUNCED a leadership change with Engineering and Technical Director, Robert Carden deciding to step down and sell his share of the business.

As a result, Robert will be resigning as a director and as a TRT employee.

His brother Bruce Carden, Director of Sales and Innovations - and his family - have acquired Robert’s shares in the business. This shareholding change gives Bruce Carden 100% control of the business.

In the last 12 months, several significant changes have been made to position the business for a successful future.

TRT Australia has played a significant role in restructuring the business for future success. Neil Webb officially took the post of new investment partner and 20% shareholder of TRT’s Australian operations in November 2022.

“With over 29 years of experience, extensive networks, and immense capabilities right across the industry, Webb has demonstrated notable success, taking TRT from strength to strength,” says Bruce Carden.

“The changes in New Zealand are also seen as an opportunity for the future. TRT was created by the innovative ingenuity and relentless hard work of its founders and I’m still very energised and motivated to pursue the legacy that started 56 years ago.”

“We will continue to prosper as a competitive and successful familyowned Transport, Engineering, Crane, and Defence business. Our loyal staff, 20 | Truck & Driver

growing customer base, and the size and potential of our current and new innovations reflect this strong confidence,” says Bruce Carden.

“Our focus remains the same, solving problems for our customers, it is at the core of everything we do. I want to reassure our customers that this change in ownership means the way we currently operate will continue.” T&D

Robert Carden (left) as exited his part-ownership of TRT Ltd, leaving his brother Bruce (right) with 100% control of the business.

Truck & Driver | 21

NEWS Two new Mack Anthems will move the Brad Jones Racing effort around the highways of Australia.

New Anthems for Supercars squad THE NEW GEN3 CHEVROLET CAMAROS CAMPAIGNED

by Brad Jones Racing are being hauled to Repco Supercars Championship events around Australia by new Mack Anthems.

Two Anthem B-double prime movers have been built specifically for the Albury-based team at Mack Trucks Australia’s Wacol factory in Queensland and were delivered to BJR following the Brisbane Truck Show.

Powered by a 535hp 13-litre MP8 engine and backed by a 13-speed mDrive HD transmission, both Anthems feature an integrated Bendix Wingman Fusion safety system as standard equipment as well as a 36-inch sleeper.

Trucks play a crucial role for a Supercars team, transporting cars and equipment to racetracks in seven states and territories, including crossing the Nullabor to reach Perth and up Stuart Highway, through the red centre to Darwin.

“No one could be happier about this than our two truck drivers, Simon, and Paulie. They put in some serious hours on the road and now they get to do it from the driver’s’ seat of a Mack Anthem - they’re over the moon,” says team owner Brad Jones.

“Partnering with Mack Trucks Australia is a massive boost for our team. Mack is an icon of our highways and having our team travelling around Australia in Australian-built machinery is something that is hugely gratifying.

“It’ll be a proud moment watching these two pristine trucks pull off the Hume Highway come around the corner to our workshop, I’ll stand out the front and greet them.”

BJR truck drivers Paul Eddy and Simon Odewhan agree.

“I’m very excited to be able to get in the Anthem, being able to represent Mack on the road and in the Supercars paddock means a lot,” says Paul.

Simon also took the opportunity to reflect on a long-term relationship with the brand.

“The Mack brand means a lot to me, it’s a return of a sort for me with us

22 | Truck & Driver

getting these Anthems. I’ve had a lot to do with Mack over the years and I’m stoked to get behind the wheel of one again,” says Simon.

BJR fields the number 8 Camaro raced by Kiwi Andre Heimgartner and the number 14 of Bryce Fullwood.

“It’s great to see the Mack brand taking pride of place on the rear wing of the number 8 and number 14 cars,” says Tom Chapman, Vice President, Mack Trucks Australia.

“The cars look great as do the two new Anthem prime movers.” T&D Brad Jones Racing fields the new Gen 3 Camaro for Kiwi star Andre Heimgartner.

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Loaded and ready to move out, the new Northern Linehaul Scania S 730 logging double has gone to work in a role normally carried out by American marques.

24 | Truck & Driver

BIG TEST

Truck & Driver | 25

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Black Adam is a newcomer to the central plateau off-highway forest roads.

TAUPO’S NORTHERN LINEHAUL LIMITED SEEMS TO HAVE few qualms about switching allegiances between DC and Marvel when it comes to selecting superhero names for its trucks.

But truck brand loyalty is another thing altogether and the Scania marque – in particular those big power V8 examples – is a clear preference.

Northern Linehaul owners Leon Edge and Julie Jackson both work in the business together, along with their daughter Poppy Edge who combines dispatch and driving duties.

The company operates a fleet of 20 general freight and forestry trucks from its Taupo base. There are two Kenworth stems trucks out in the forest and a flat-deck for highway work while the other 17 are from the Swedish marque.

Scania New Zealand sales have grown significantly in recent years and the modern R and S Series are one of the most common sights on Kiwi highways. But NLLs latest big Swede is largely out of sight, working the off-highway network in the central plateau pine plantations and hauling loads far in excess of those permitted on the public roads.

Black Adam – named after last year’s DC movie – is a new Scania S 730 XT 6x4 off-highway double unit working at up to 160-tonnes (GCM). The truck had been on the road for six weeks at the time of this New Zealand Truck & Driver Big Test.

“I’m not hateful on American stuff at all,” says Leon Edge explaining his Scania loyalty.

“But Scania works for us for a multitude of reasons including driver comfort, ergonomics, the maintenance and warranty plan and a good relationship with Scania New Zealand. The people out in the field are the same people we’ve been dealing with for a few years.

“And I like Scania because it’s one-stop shopping. The trucks are

all their own parts – it’s not a component truck.”

Plenty of thought went into the configuration and specs for Black Adam with the XT-spec 730hp 6x4 tractor teamed with a pair of new Kraft Engineering three-axle semi-trailers either side of a twin-axle dolly.

The 11-axle combination works at up to 160-tonne GCM, measures 37.5-metres long unloaded and up to the max 40m in length with logs onboard. With its heavy duty chassis and running gear the truck is rated to work at 185t GCM. Unloaded the S 730 and the first trailer weigh 25-tonnes and the second trailer is 14-tonnes. A full load is typically about 60-tonnes of wood on each trailer.

The specification chosen by NLL includes the 12-speed GRSO935R Opticruise automated transmission, 4100Nm 5-stage retarder, P604 prop shaft, and RB835 rear axles with 4.72:1 final drive ratio suited to heavy work.

Axle ratings are 9t at the front and 30t for the rear bogie set.

Scania’s 958 chassis (9.5mm thick with 8mm flitch right through) provides additional strength and the S 730 rides on spring suspension – 4x28 parabolic front leaf springs with steel bushes and 8x30/90 leaf springs in the rear.

“We did a lot of study with the Scania engineers looking at the topography and the loads. We are very innovative in what we do with an eye on productivity,” says Leon.

“It’s not only built for moving a lot of wood but also some specific sizes and lengths of wood.”

The Kraft gear with ExTe automatic tensioners allow several combinations of log lengths to be carried and the unit could be used to do short stems work if required.

While there was plenty of input from Scania’s engineering team, Truck & Driver | 27

the truck is primarily a central North Island build, not only with its Kraft trailers.

“Damon Collins Engineering in Taupo did the fit out on the tractor including building the headboard,” says Leon.

“It’s a very serious headboard and it really accentuates the size of the cab.

“Harris Auto Electrical in Taupo did the lighting and Caulfield Signs (Rotorua) did the silver graphics.”

There are other interesting features of Black Adam including the third set of Big Foot CTI on the front axle.

“It’s just to monitor the steerers. The system costs about $1000 per tyre and if it can save you a puncture or two then it’s paid for itself.

And if you get a puncture, CTI will keep up with it until you can get to a location to get it changed,” says Leon.

“There is also a ball race below the turntable for better oscillation,” says Leon.

“The turntable can’t act as a pivot point and the ball race is the turning point. You get better traction and it’s more stable.”

The Kraft trailers run air suspension with lift axles to save wear and tear when the truck is running unloaded. And lifting an axle at low speeds can shift some extra weight onto the driving wheels when pulling out of muddy skids.

The steer tyres are 13R 22.5 Bridgestone M-Steer 001s while the

28 | Truck & Driver

drive tyres are 13R 22.5 Bridgestone M-Drives.

In a marked contrast to the rugged chassis and driveline the Highline S Cab sleeper is all about comfort. It boasts full Scania V8 trim including twin heated leather seats, an after-market roofmounted air conditioning system and the bonus of fridge, microwave and coffee machine to keep the driver fed and watered on the job.

Taupo drivers Anthony Smith and Karl Chambers are double shifting the new NLL Scania. The truck is working around the clock five days a week with Karl starting at 2am and handing over to Anthony at 2pm.

“Good drivers make the business,” says Leon.

“Karl and Anthony have been mates for about 12 years, and they’ve been sharing for the last four years.”

Driving Black Adam means double the weights of The Hulk, their previous assignment. The Hulk is a Scania R 620 truck and trailer unit working off-highway at typically 80-tonnes. Much of the specification of Black Adam has been decided based on Anthony and Karl’s experience with The Hulk.

“It worked at about 80-tonne with two packets of 3.9s [3.9m logs] on the truck and two packets of 5.9s on the trailer. It’s an XT, but it wasn’t specced solely for off highway work,” says Anthony.

“It was supposed to work off-highway on night shift and onhighway during day shift, but it ended up mainly working off-highway.

Above: Loading almost complete with a fourth packet of 7.8-metre timber.

Below: The 16.4-litre V8 develops 730hp... Modern interior includes wraparound dash and tidy control layout... Big Foot CTI on the front axle helps avoid steer tyre punctures... Northern Linehaul drivers Anthony Smith and Karl Chambers double shift the new Scania.

Truck & Driver | 29

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Above left: Impressive headboard was built by Damon Collins Engineering in Taupo.

Above right: Leon Edge says Northern Linehaul built the Scania to carry specific sizes of wood.

Below left: Fridge is located under the sleeper bunk.

Below right: Caulfield Signs applied the livery to the cab.

“It did handle the job but the biggest thing with Black Adam is it’s specced to do this job.”

Leon involved both drivers in the process of deciding how the truck should be specified. Anthony says there was early discussions about building another truck and trailer unit before the double was settled on.

“We had a Scania technician come out with us and get the gradients. The idea is there is less wear and tear on the truck with a double because you are towing the weight. There is less weight on the truck itself.”

Anthony says Black Adam has already created plenty of interest among other off-highway drivers.

“There’s a been lot of interest in the truck. People are watching it and asking a lot of questions,” he says.

“Kenworths are really all that anyone has ever known out here.

There was one Mack out here but now there are three. So, the times seem to be changing, and people are going more for the comfort side of things.”

Both Anthony and Karl join us for the Big Test.

We meet Karl where High Level Rd crosses SH5 near Iwitahi and

Truck & Driver | 31

11:53 AM

Left: Cab features Scania’s high grade V8 leather trim package.

Right: Arriving at the Murupara rail yard for unloading.

there’s a 30-minute unloaded run south to a working skid site in the forest behind Waitahanui.

Karl has driven trucks for 20 years but his connection to trucks goes back to his childhood.

“My mother worked at a sawmill in Tairua and when I was about 12 years old, I would hop in the trucks and get taken up to the Whangapoua Forest,” says Karl.

“That’s what sealed the deal on trucking for me. It was all Kenworths and Macks back then and I grew up around them.

“I did 10 years on freight, five years on milk tankers and now just under five years of logging.

“I had been doing some relief work for Leon for a few years while I was on the milk tankers and one day, he rang me and said `I’ve got an off highway truck with a day shift, do you want it?’

“I said `Yep, sign me up’. That was it. I have never looked back since then.”

Karl is happy to be away from busy highways and likes driving in the forest.

“Everyone out here works together. I found after a while on the linehaul the CB chatter tended to die, and you didn’t have that team thing happening. Out here everyone seems to communicate and work together. It’s a real good environment to work in.

32 | Truck & Driver

“After 20 years I was looking for a bigger challenge, so it was choice when Leon said he was going to build one of these. The timing was right for me.

“People say `don’t you get bored with looking at trees? No, this is my tranquil happy place out here.

“And they go on about the forest industry being dangerous, but I think it’s safer out here than on the public highway. And the roads are maintained better than the highways. There’s bugger all potholes it’s probably better than Highway 1.”

Karl’s driving experience includes time behind the wheel of Internationals, Macks and Kenworths during his early linehaul time and more recently Volvo and Scania products.

“I’ve driven stem truck Kenworths and compared to them this thing is just a dream. Comfort-wise, the automated gearbox lets you relax.

“You only need to put it into power mode on the real steep stuff when you’re loaded. The rest of the time you just leave it in the automated mode. Being a 730 it’s got so much torque behind it.

“The trailer tracks beautifully for how long it is, and we’ve got the option of lifting axles to give us traction.

“It’s hands down the best truck I’ve ever driven,” says Karl.

There’s an immediate sense of camaraderie in the forest during our trip to the skid site. There’s plenty of forest radio traffic as the drivers

advise their location and direction of travel on the way in and out of the logging skids mixed with some friendly banter.

For this test our load is four packets of 7.8m logs to cart from the skid site to the Murupara rail log yard about 90 minutes away. It’s a typical load for Black Adam but the truck can also haul logs from The Web at Kaingaroa to both Murupara and along the off-road highway to Onepu for the Kawerau mill.

The versatility of Black Adam and its Kraft Engineering trailers means it can also carry six packets of 5.2m logs or a 5.9-3.9-5.9 combination on each trailer.

Not surprisingly the terrain that seemed reasonably gentle in a 39-tonne unloaded truck with 730hp becomes harder work at such big weights.

This section of forest is mainly long gentle inclines and descents on wide roads with one slightly steeper section through a sequence of sweeping bends.

“I probably don’t go over 60kph max on the gravel,” says Karl. “It’s just better on the tyres. We can do 80kph, but I reckon it’s too hard on the tyres and the guys who do that seem to get a few punctures.”

At the steepest section of the run back to the SH5 crossing we’re climbing at 14kph in third gear using 1800rpm. As the gradient eases we pick up speed to 22kph in fifth gear and continue to build

momentum to 27kph in sixth.

In the lower gears the tachometer settles at a sweet spot at about 1800rpm where maximum horsepower is being developed and the torque curve has only just begun to fall away.

Karl says he bought a load that was about 20-tonnes lighter over the same section of road and the Scania was two gears higher and climbing at 20kph on the steepest section.

While the speeds are low the level of focus needs to be high with 32 metres of wood to position on the road.

“There is more concentration needed and you have to be on your game at all times. There’s the length factor as well as the weight factor to consider in everything you do.”

Karl says the S 730 has immediately impressed him.

“At just shy of 40 tonnes empty it just sings along effortlessly. A lot of trucks on the highway are just over that when they’re loaded.

“The automated transmission has definitely stood out to me for the fact it can actually do the job and not really have to be put into manual. I was a bit sceptical whether it would.

“And the way it grips and gets good traction out of skids and up hills is really good. I was a bit concerned about that when I was first jumping onto it having never driven one [a double] before.

“I was just wondering how the double was going to handle different Truck & Driver | 33

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Kraft trailers and twin-axle Dolly provides 11 axles to carry the big loads.

to a truck and trailer unit.

“We’ve had some damp conditions already and winter is on its way, but we are quite lucky having the CTI as a back-up .”

“The front CTI is a tyre saving measure. We were running a tyre pressure sensor in our last truck and that saved countless steer tyres.

It’s the same theory, you’ll know when its leaking and you can keep it up or find somewhere to stop before it wrecks the tyre. And it’s safer too, 100 per cent.

“The height was another thing I was concerned about but so far nothing has come close to it. It’s hard case compared to the other doubles where the load is higher than the truck. In our case we are as high as the load.

“A lot of people comment `you guys need an escalator to get up into that thing’. I think that adds into the ride because it’s got so much travel and you’ve got better visibility.”

Karl says he’s noticed detail improvements in the design of the latest Scania generation.

“The thing about these new Scanias is everything has been improved on them. You’ve got better mirrors, better visibility out the front and the ergonomics of where everything is located in the truck is better and easier to use.

“Everything is in your sight. For instance, where the power divider is - in the old shape you couldn’t see it, you had to physically feel for it.

They have improved everything over the previous model.”

A five stage retarder is operated from the right hand steering column stalk.

“I try to go down the hills starting in the third stage and use the fourth and fifth stage to maintain the speed. That way you’ve always got some back up before you have to use the brake. You try not to use the brake at all on downhills, especially when you’ve got this many brake linings.”

What other features is Karl enjoying?

“The cab spec. Leon was really good about it. He was like `what colours do you want? We wanted the red trim and the leather interior.

“He said `what about anything else? I asked `how about a coffee machine?’

“It’s also got a fridge and the aftermarket air conditioning. And the

microwave. I say to those Kenworth drivers that it’s my motel room on wheels. It’s got everything bar a toilet and a shower.

“We’ll sometimes catch a nap if we have to wait to get loaded or unloaded. It’s a big bed and you can adjust the air conditioning with a remote.”

“There’s plenty of headroom and no shortage of storage for what we have to carry around. I keep my wet weather gear, gloves and helmet in the storage box on the driver’s side and some tools in the left hand side.”

“I feel very privileged to work for Leon and to get a truck like this. I consider myself lucky.”

After Hayden Woolston has completed his drive, I get to ride with Anthony to the Murupara rail yard. This run is mainly tarseal and also mainly downhill.

Anthony’s logging experience is about seven years and says he’s found his home away from the public highways.

“I can’t stand driving on the highway. Off-highway logging is where it’s at from a drivers point of view. Karl and I prefer this kind of work,” he says.

“But It’s not for the faint-hearted. It takes a bit to get 40 metres in and out of some of the skids.”

“Attitude is the big thing out here because if you make a mistake, it’s likely to be a big one.”

Like Anthony, Karl says there is a lot of interest in the Scania double.

“I got bombarded for the first two weeks or so. It was `How’s it going? What’s the truck doing. How is it riding? What does it pull like.

And with the lights on it we definitely stand out. We can’t hide in the dark.”

With The Hulk working as an 80t truck and trailer unit, Anthony says the experience on that unit definitely helped with the step into Black Adam.

“The Hulk was designed to get the big logs out. We got it into some out-of-the-gate places,” says Anthony.

Anthony says that he and Karl have very similar driving styles and achieve high scores on the Scania’s driver assessment system.

So, it’s no surprise his comments about Black Adam are also very similar.

Truck & Driver | 35

One of the only places Black Adam is seen in public is crossing State Highway 5 at Iwitahi.

“The gearbox is nice. It’s another level. The gearbox set-up is quite hard to compare because every Opticruise seems to be set-up and specced differently and diffs are set up different but this one works really well.

“Most of the time you don’t need the power mode and you leave it in auto.

“On any of the steeper bits you try to keep it just on 2000rpm and use the horsepower more than the torque. If you keep the revs up, when it does change, you’re not going to bog.

“The Off Road mode seems to be quite aggressive. I think you ‘d only use it in winter on soft ground which will help take the impact out of the driveline.”

But its comfort and ease of driving which are the best attributes of the S 730.

“Scanias are made for driver comfort and for not taking your attention off what you’re doing,” says Anthony.

“Towing this sort of weight and trying to keep mindful of the length and road position, you don’t want to be pissing around wondering `where’s that button?’

“The trailer does bump and bounce around a bit which is to be expected on airbags.”

We are in the forest in mid-April with the logging trucks kicking up plumes of dust. Anthony says he’s already had the chance to drive in damp conditions.

“You want a little bit of dampness out here to keep the dust down, but it’s a fine line before it turns from just right to crap.”

He’s expecting the truck will perform well during a wet winter.

“I reckon it will probably do a bit better in the muddy spots because most of the weight is on tractor unit. That’s going to be the test, but I reckon it will be all good.

As for the comforts of home which the Scania cab delivers, Anthony is already a big fan.

“On night shift I’ll take the dinner my wife has cooked with me, and it’s mean. And Pak N Save does those macaroni cheese and lasagne meals which are so cheap. When you’re driving the off-highway there’s no service stations to stop off at.

“It’s really nice to not be eating cold meals. And there’s nothing like a milo or a coffee out here in the early hours.

“I’ve already used everything in the truck, I tested it out in the first week.”

“With the coffee maker you can grind the beans, but we 36 | Truck & Driver

mainly use it as a jug so there’s less cleaning to do.

Anthony says the microwave and coffee maker have prompted “a bit of banter” in the forest.

“Someone will come on the radio and ask if I’ve whipped up a batch of scones for them.

“Like any new brand new truck there have been a few minor teething issues but the only thing I’d like to change is a bit more lighting for when we are loading at night.

“At the moment we are doing a good job of lighting up the trailers and our logs but not really the area around the truck.

One thing Anthony likes is the automatic tensioners. It’s the safety as much as the reduced workload.

“You can’t go wrong with automatic tensioners. No matter how tight you get a load manually there is also one log that can move just a bit. It [automatic tensioning] gives you the peace of mind that you are never going to have a log come off.”

It’s Anthony behind the wheel on our run into Murupara. He’s a smooth driver who lets the truck carry momentum on minimal throttle and he gently scrubs of speed ahead of the descents he knows are ahead of us.

We begin the steeper final downhill stretch into Murupara using stage 3 of the retarder in 8th gear using 1700rpm at 38kph.

When Anthony goes to stage five there’s a downshift to seventh, the revs climb to 2000rpm, and we are at 37kph.

“It won’t go any faster than that and I haven’t used the brakes yet,” says Anthony.

Even using 2000rpm on stage five the retarder is quiet from within the cab.

Considering its big loads and that it’s 39-tonne without a log aboard on the return trips the early fuel consumption average of 1.1km/litre is an impressive result.

It’s obvious that Anthony shares the same sense of pride in the Scania that Karl described earlier in the drive.

“Karl and I got to have quite a bit of input into the truck. Not only some of the spec and the features and we also wanted black and silver with the subtle graphics that stand out when the light hits it,” he says.

With the interest it’s already creating and the capability it’s showing, Anthony expects Black Adam won’t be the last new Scania double working on the central plateau forest roads. T&D

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T

HIS SEEMS TO BE ARMCHAIR DRIVING on another level. As most readers know I like to describe the top-of-the-line European trucks as armchairs, a reference to the comfortable ride the driver enjoys in the latest Euro models.

With this Scania S 730 XT 6x4 off-highway logging double it feels even more like I’m driving an armchair around, a feeling exaggerated by just sitting back and letting the truck do the hard work of moving the 160 tonne weight (GCM).

I had first seen this truck when it was getting its livery applied at Caulfield Signs in Rotorua. When I learned it was going into the off-highway network doing doubles work, I knew we had to get in and test it.

Using a European truck with an automatic gearbox for heavy off-highway work is not the norm.

We catch up with Northern Linehaul’s Leon Edge and regular double shifting drivers Anthony Smith and Karl Chambers in Taupo ahead of a day out in the forest.

In early discussions with both Anthony and Karl I’m eager to hear what the bush radio has been saying about the newcomer.

They report that everyone is keen to know how it’s going. The answer is so far, so good from early accounts.

Having a fridge, a microwave and even a coffee machine in your cab is something new in this sector of the transport industry, and even the bed is something most drivers wouldn’t experience doing this type of work.

Once the truck is loaded and Karl gets it back to the Napier-Taupo highway

38 | Truck & Driver

crossover, it’s my time to get behind the wheel. As always with the new European trucks the climb into the cab is nice and easy. It’s a bit further to climb than the traditional Kenworth, Mack and Western Star loggers that are out here in the bush, but once in the cab it’s a whole different story.

The big cab with the flat floor feels like a home away from home, with so much space you can move around very easily. Once seated everything is to the modern Scania standard with all the important functions on the steering wheel and stalks.

Once in gear and ready to take of I’m paying very close attention to the way the truck handles the load as it gets moving. As I ease on the gas it pulls away smoothly.

My next obstacle is crossing the NapierTaupo highway. It’s a Stop sign, and you need a clear gap in the traffic to get the 37.5m long unit across the public road.

It doesn’t take too long to be clear of traffic in both directions, and we cross with ease. I am instructed to put my foot flat by Karl - which I’m reluctant to do. I’m trying to void putting too much loading through the driveline, but the 12-speed Opticruise transmission and the 730hp engine take it all in their stride.

We get up to about 70kph on the wide and straight sections of sealed road, keeping the unit centred as the crown of the road can affect the rear trailer a lot in these configurations. But also, you do not want to drop a wheel over the edge in these trucks.

After some nice armchair driving on straight tarsealed roads, we have some gravel to get through. Other than dropping the speed slightly there isn’t much difference in the ride comfort and noise levels. The Scania cab keeps the noise down inside and the nicely weighted steering gives an accurate feel with very little correction needed.

The scariest thing about the gravel comes

Hayden Woolston

when passing another truck going the other way. There is 30 seconds of almost `white-out’ blindness from the dust on dry day out here.

When testing these trucks, it’s important to have the regular driver in the cab with you talking you through the roads conditions and upcoming intersections, along with the corners and gradients ahead.

You need to be thinking well ahead of yourself as stopping and turning takes a lot more road space than a traditional on-highway truck.

It’s here the Scania really shines in my opinion with the 5-stage retarder being used in every stage coming down hills and approaching intersections. You can cruise along and ease your speed off in each stage. It’s like being on-highway, but in slow motion.

Once my drive is completed it’s time to hand the truck over to Anthony. We do the changeover at a spot commonly known as the `The Rock’ - an appropriate place as Dwyane `the Rock’ Johnson plays Black Adam in the movie this truck is named after.

It’s fair to say this truck has passed the Truck & Driver test with flying colours but perhaps its biggest test can only be passed with time. Can it challenge the traditional American trucks with the ruggedness and longevity for doing off-highway work? T&D

• SPECIFICATIONS • Scania S 730 A6x4HZ XT Engine: Scania DC16 108/730 V8 SCR + EGR (Euro 6) Capacity: 16.4 litres Maximum Power: 537kW (730hp) at 1900rpm Maximum Torque: 3500Nm (2581 lb-ft) at 1000-1400rpm Fuel capacity: Diesel 2 x 400 litres, AdBlue 105 litres Transmission: Scania Opticruise GRSO935R 14-speed automated manual Ratios: Crawl Low – 13.258 Crawl High -10.625 1st – 9.148 2nd – 7.331 3rd – 5.813 4th – 4.659 5th – 3.750 6th – 3.005 7th – 2.439 8th – 1.955 9th – 1.550 10th – 1.242 11th – 1.00 12th – 0.801 Reverse – 11.932 Final Drive ratio: 4.72:1 Front axle: 9000kg rating Rear axles: RB835 tandem drive with differential lock (30,000kg max axle loading) Brakes: Drum with ABS/EBS and Advanced Emergency Braking Auxiliary brakes: 4100Nm 5-stage retarder Front suspension: 4x28 parabolic front leaf springs with steel bushes Rear suspension: 8 x 30/90 leaf springs GVM: 39,000kg GCM: 185,000kg

Truck & Driver | 39

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Driving the economy

Industry unity must prevail

The industry that keeps the country moving deserves unified representation, according to recently-departed Chief Executive of Transporting New Zealand, Nick Leggett.

B

by Nick Leggett Chief Executive Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

Y THE TIME THIS MAGAZINE HITS THE shelves I will have left Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand to take up a new role as Chief Executive of Infrastructure New Zealand. It is with some sadness that I leave the road transport industry as I have thoroughly enjoyed four-and-a-half years representing it.

There is so much to be admired about the industry here in New Zealand. As I have consistently stated in my public advocacy, road transport is what literally moves New Zealand. The fast and efficient movement of goods is key to this country’s sustained economic success and trucking is right at the heart of that. The industry is also is made up of hardworking, resourceful people who really go the extra mile to satisfy the demands of their customers and make sure our supermarket shelves are stocked and our exports get to port.

I am proud of the successes we had during my time.

The Road to success industry traineeship and qualifications pathway has created a route for new people to enter the industry and really make a career out of working their way up through road transport. It also provides a means through which operators can recruit and train up new staff utilising the support of the programme. I want to congratulate the operators who have embraced Road to success and are already helping to bring through those who will be the future of the industry.

It is hard not to reflect on the last few years without thinking of the pandemic and lockdowns. For most New Zealanders this is something they’d rather forget but for me a silver lining was the critical role that trucking played and just how impressive it was to see the industry roll it sleeves up and get on with the job. I really want to acknowledge all those that stood up during this time as it is something we should all be very proud of.

While I leave specific advocacy for this industry behind, you can be sure that in my new role I will be keeping the pressure on when it comes to the provision of infrastructure, including new, modern fit-for-purpose roads.

New Zealand has a massive overall infrastructure deficit, which Treasury estimates to be over $200 billion. Transport, communications, underground and social infrastructure is all in a parlous state. This will take decades to reverse but we must start now and you can be sure at Infrastructure New Zealand that I will be leading that charge.

As I leave, I really want to impress upon the industry again, just how important unity of representation is and how the present structure, with three representative bodies, does a disservice to all New Zealand’s transport operators.

Every day Transporting New Zealand strives to make our industry’s case to Government, whether it be in the Beehive or working quietly away with public servants as they develop policy. However, that work is constantly compromised because Truck & Driver | 41

Driving the economy

of the division within the industry. In some extreme cases the other two associations have literally been at cross-purposes to what Transporting New Zealand has been trying to achieve. Plainly, this is crazy in a small place like New Zealand.

So, my final plea to all members of the associations is leave behind the baggage that is holding this unity back, get your heads together and positively move towards one organisation. That is what Transporting New Zealand wants to see and I know that its leadership will continue to work

towards it.

Finally, I want to thank Chair Warwick Wilshier and the Transporting New Zealand Board who have provided me with so much support over the last few years. I also want to acknowledge Transporting New Zealand’s staff who work so hard on a daily basis to support the industry and advocate for the interests of its members. I know I leave an organisation in good heart with Warwick and Interim Chief Executive Dom Kalasih at the helm. T&D

Conference tickets on sale T

RANSPORTING NEW Zealand’s election year conference, A Changing Wor ld, is fast approaching and tickets are on sale now.

The conference, to be held at the Lower Hutt Events Centre, will provide the industry

with a unique opportunity to engage with the transport spokespeople of our major political parties. Transport Minister Michael Wood, National’s Simeon Brown, Julie Anne Genter of the Greens, Simon Court from ACT and NZ First’s Shane Jones will all be there to

Josie Pagani (left) will MC the conference while Ex-National MP Katherine Rich is a keynote speaker.

debate what the future of transport should look like in New Zealand.

To be MC’d by political commentator and columnist Josie Pagani, the conference will also address a number of other issues facing the transport industry. Cameron Bagrie will present on the state of the economy and what we can expect in the future, Transporting New Zealand’s Green Compact will be discussed, and keynote speakers Phil O’Reilly (former head of Business NZ) and Katherine Rich (recently-departed Chief Executive of the Food and Grocery Council) will provide their take on advocacy for business.

Alongside the formal aspects of the programme there will be plenty of opportunity to network and celebrate the ongoing success of our industry. The conference will conclude with the traditional industry awards dinner.

Tickets can be purchased for the full conference, individual days or either of the two dinner events through the Transporting New Zealand website. More information can also be found on the conference programme, accommodation options and speakers.

Please go to https://www.transporting.nz/ conference. T&D

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Dom Kalasih, Interim Chief Executive 04 471 8285 • 027 441 4309 Dom@transporting.nz Mike McRandle, Regional & Sector Manager 027 556 6099

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VETERAN AUCKLAND TRANSPORT OPERATOR Mark Grey reckons he’s one of the last of a dying breed….

That is, he’s a survivor of the days when Auckland’s metro freight scene was dominated by owner-drivers.

He started Mark Grey Carriers in 1983, buying a four-yearold TK Bedford from an OD working for bedmaker Sleepyhead – and taking over the work and the goods service licence that went with it.

He thus became one of “a whole bunch” of owner-drivers working fulltime for Sleepyhead.

Those were the days, says the 60-year-old, “when Auckland was covered with owner-drivers, you know. There were bloody hundreds of us….I don’t think there’s many left now.”

Forty years on, and here he is – bigger now, for sure, with not one but 10 trucks….but still very much in the same line of metro delivery work.

The days of manhandling heavy-as beds are gone (although his Sleepyhead work did last all of three decades)….but Mark Grey Carriers trucks are still running around town – now delivering a variety of flooring and commercial catering and vending machines.

His past is so ingrained that when he was asked (about eight years ago) to extend the flooring deliveries to Hamilton and beyond, he was hesitant.

“At first…well I’ve always been a metro carrier. And then I thought ‘no, bugger it! Let’s treat the Bay of Plenty and Waikato like suburbs of Auckland.’ ” So now his “Auckland metro” area generously takes in Tauranga, Rotorua and Taupo…and everywhere in between.

With Mark Grey Carriers’ 40-year milestone due to click over in November, the Drury-based operator is reflecting on where he’s at…and how he got here.

Born and brought up in Papatoetoe, Mark had some early

exposure to trucks via his late father Eric’s nursery business in Great South Road: He always ran his own truck.

And he continued to when he closed the nursery and developed it as a residential subdivision…and then when he took over the family farm at Waikaretu, south of Port Waikato.

Mark reckons that he was 17 or 18 – and in his last year of high school – when a teacher told him he was dyslexic, prompting an unintentionally hilarious response: “Oh, will it clear up!” He insists he didn’t have a clue what the hell dyslexia even was.

What he did know though is that he pretty much hated school: “I was always a year behind….oh nothing clicked. I had no idea what the f*** was going on.”

The revelation that there was a reason he’d always struggled academically came “too late. I was really pissed off no-one had picked it up (before then).”

Still, at least his De La Salle College principal had something positive to say in his reference: “Mark’s not afraid of hard work.” It was something his Dad had taught him…and it’s stood him in good stead ever since, he reckons.

His self-deprecating motto is this: “Just keep plodding along.”

At 18, Mark left school and started work in one of New Zealand’s first furniture mega-stores, Irvin & Stern, in Otahuhu – first as a storeman, then as an offsider on a delivery truck.

Mark’s not a real truck lover and he’s a bit vague about the “long-nosed Bedfords….real old gear, you know.” His overwhelming memory is simply that “delivering furniture to houses is just…hard work eh.”

Mark’s Dad helped him get that first job…and three years later it was older brother Stephen who passed on info from Sleepyhead management that one of their older owner-drivers was finishing up.

“So I go knock on his door – a fresh-faced 21-year-old – and say to him ‘oh I believe you’re selling your business.’ And he goes: ‘Am Truck & Driver | 47

Flooring products go onto one of the Mark Grey trucks, for deliveries around the Auckland metro area

I?’ He didn’t know! I was the guy who gave him the bad news!”

Awkward….but (because the writing was on the wall, maybe) a deal was brokered for Mark to buy him out for $30,000 – “$15,000 for the truck and $15,000 for the goods service licence. And I had to go to court to prove to the judge that I could support myself and pay my loan.”

His Dad’s bank came up with a loan – and Eric topped it up with $9000, to make it happen: “But after about two months,” says Mark, “he said to me, ‘we’ve just realised that the boundary fences on the farm need replacing. We’re going to need that money back!’

“I’m like ‘Jeezus!’ All my mates were climbing on planes and heading off on their OEs and I had this frikkin’ big mortgage.”

Probably just as well then that “I was still living at home” – so he was able to pay off the debt in about a year.

The work? “Back then Sleepyhead had little factories everywhere – one in Pitt Street (in the city), one in inner-city Richmond Rd (in Grey Lynn).” Others were added progressively.

The ODs were kept busy picking up bases, foam, springs, hessian, flock and so on from suppliers, and delivering it to Sleepyhead’s splintered factory operations. Then they carted the finished beds to commercial customers around greater Auckland.

“You’d go up to Richmond Road and load up all the wooden bases, bring them back (to Pitt St) to where they put the springs on them. Then, later on, you’d come back, pick them up and take them to where they put another bit on them…

“And I shifted big bales of hessian and huge bales of coconut fibre. And rolls of wire.

“They had a warehouse off Richmond Road and a foam plant at Douglas Street (in Ponsonby): How I backed into that building I have no idea! I had to back up and around a corner…with that much space either side! (This as he indicates like a centimetre or so). It made me a good driver very quickly.

48 | Truck & Driver

“It was all just go, go, go. There was never a break. Because you were shifting beds, I was fit-as. You ran all day…”

He started off thinking that the TK, with its Bedford 330 engine and four-speed box, was “quite a nice truck,” but soon grew to dislike it: “It was so loud in that truck, I put a stereo in it….and I couldn’t hear it. It used to chug along, loaded up with beds.

“I punished myself for 12 years in that bloody thing.”

By then “it was jumping out of gear and I was using more oil than diesel! It kept going…but I was sick of it.”

Then he (and the TK) had a chance encounter with veteran Auckland transport operator (the late) Alven Bonney, who looked at the old Bedford and demanded: “What the hell are you gonna do with this thing!”

When Mark said he was thinking of getting a second-hand Japanese import, Alven was adamant, he reckons: “No – bugger that!” He told Mark he needed to “go down to see Bob Cook at Nissan and ask him to take you for a drive in a CM180 Nissan.”

Continues Mark: “He said ‘they’re the bees’ bloody knees, these things.’ ” And so, a week or two later, he did as he was told.

“So I jumped in this brand-new Nissan. I’d got a new aluminium and steel body built for it by old Marin (Jaksic) at Boss Motorbodies. It was a bigger truck than the Bedford – longer.

“And then I thought ‘oh shit – I don’t know what this is gonna be like.’ I hadn’t driven it with a load on. All I knew was the Bedford.

“So, down to the factory the first morning – load it chocker with beds for Farmers, went up Richmond Road and I thought my load had fallen off!

“Why did I persist with that f***in’ Bedford!” The Nissan “had power steering, awesome stereo….I thought I was the bees’ knees man. It was the business.”

By then he and wife Trish had been married five years – and she’d begun helping Mark out, by looking after the company’s accounts.

Mark got started in business in 1983 when he bought this 1979 TK Bedford from a Sleepyhead beds owner-driver Given her own demanding work as a nurse, the accounting stuff wasn’t always easy to fit in. Mark explains: “Trish struggled with handing it over – like ‘oh I don’t anyone to see what we’re making…blah, blah, blah.’

“But every month I was like ‘you’ve gotta do the accounts!’ ” Trish continues: “So eventually it got to the stage where there was no cashflow! So we couldn’t pay the bills – because I hadn’t invoiced! It was just getting uglier and uglier…”

So at each month’s end, “Mark and I were ready to kill each other again!”

That continued till about five years ago, when “we got our wonderful Michelle (Skelling)” to take over the accounts, says Trish: “The difference was huge when she came in.”

In the late 1990s, Mark was offered some regular work outside his Sleepyhead OD duties, prompting the purchase of a second truck – a new Nissan Diesel MK205, with a body that was half hard-sider, half curtainsider….with a tail-lift as well.

Its job was to pick up mufflers from Southwards Engineering in East Tamaki and deliver them to Repco and Pit Stop outlets.

Initially, that amounted to just a couple of days a week. So, to keep it busy, as Mark explains, “I needed to find more work.

In an opportune move, he cold-called on fruit juice and energy drink producer Frucor, asking if there was anything he might do for them: “It turned out that they were starting to get into glass-door chillers. So we started doing one or two a week for them…and then they took over the Pepsi brand….whooofff!!”

What he means is that work took off – and for 25 years now it’s been a mainstay of Mark Grey Carriers’ work.”

The extra work saw the business expand to four trucks by around 2013 – all Nissans (or Nissan Diesels). That, in turn, prompted an end to parking his trucks at home. The company bought a brick and tile house at Drury as the company base and its truck park.

Around that time, the company picked up an urgent job for carpet company, Flooring Brands – a delivery that their driver couldn’t do.

Then, says Mark, “we ended up doing more and more jobs their driver wasn’t prepared to do….”

The diversification away from solely carting beds proved to be very, very important when, in 2014, Mark’s three decades of work for Sleepyhead “all of a sudden ended.”

He reckons his long-time employer asked if he could quickly take over Sleepyhead’s carrying requirements for all of the North Island….“knowing full well I couldn’t just start up tomorrow.”

He reckons they really just “wanted the ODs gone.” And so, within a few months, his Sleepyhead days were over. With the perspective of time past, Mark has long since got over any bitterness at how the long relationship ended – saying only: “Well, they were good while we worked for them…”

It was a pretty worrying time, as Mark recalls: “When the Sleepyhead thing happened, it was like ‘Oh my God!’ But then, all of a sudden, the carpet thing just followed straight in behind it – because they knew the service we were giving.”

The “carpet thing” is Flooring Brands’ deliveries: When the Sleepyhead work ended, Mark proposed taking over all of the flooring company’s Auckland deliveries, telling them: “I’m ready to start tomorrow. Sleepyhead’s gone – I’ve got the truck.”

So he became the company’s Auckland carrier. And, after a while, he was asked to also do deliveries to Hamilton stores.

Better still, carpet manufacturer Cavalier Bremworth came on board as well.

Next, Mark was asked: “Hey, do you want to go a bit further than Hamilton?’ ” The thing is, he reckons, general freight operators previously doing the work weren’t running trucks dedicated to the flooring products – instead adding it to mixed loads….and on trucks much Truck & Driver | 49

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They’d discover that they “couldn’t get behind shops and that…. so the carpet goes out onto the ground.” Or it was going on top of other freight – or under it – and getting damaged.

The Mark Grey Carriers point of difference, he says, is that “we take their gear straight to the customer” – on trucks designed for the work.

“The direct delivery….it means no double-handling. There’s no depot, no loss, no damage. A customer puts a roll of vinyl on our truck – and they put it on, not us – and when it comes off, it’s their client (unloading it).

“So the loss and damage has just disappeared – and they just think we’re the bee’s knees.”

The carpet work has since widened to include other flooring products for other manufacturers – vinyl rolls and tiles and ceramic tiles.

Happily for Mark, the Frucor work also spun off into delivering soft drink vending machines as well as the fridges – for Frucor, then for another supplier.

These days, that’s expanded into vending machines for a company that’s “into it in a big way: Drinks, snacks, anything. We take them into all sorts of places.”

It has also developed into carting fridges and other kitchen equipment to restaurants and cafes around Auckland.

One early hiccup in adapting to the new freight going onto its trucks came in the form of the company’s trucks themselves – particularly when it came to the out-of-town flooring deliveries: “I had the four Nissans, so I asked those trucks to become longdistance trucks.

“It didn’t work: They snapped fanbelts, they had breakdowns… and it was REALLY stressful.”

So he ordered two new UD 4x2s in 2015 – got one on the road, and was then told “they’d sold the second one to someone else.

“I was stressing to hell in my front office and this young joker Jared Keenan, pulls into the driveway in a CAL Isuzu ute.

“He introduced himself… ‘can I be of service to you?’ ‘Yes you can!’ And we’ve now bought truck, after truck, after truck from those guys. Their service is good.”

The first of the Isuzus arrived in 2016 – and currently there’s eight of them (a mix of FRR600Ls and FSD650s – all 4x2s), plus an older Hino bought second-hand and a MK11 250 that was the last UD bought.

Four of them are usually on the out-of-town flooring deliveries, the rest – all with tail-lifts – sticking to the greater Auckland area.

None of this Mark Grey Carriers evolution has happened without a cost – particularly health-wise – to Mark himself.

First off there was the physical aftermath of toting heavy beds and mattresses for 30 years. Says Trish: “So his body’s stuffed from trucking…. He’s carried beds forever.”

During the Sleepyhead era, for instance, “I could be taking three to four truckloads a day to Farmers. I would have got up to 40 sets of bed bases and mattresses on per load.”

Given all that it’s no surprise that Mark recently forked out $12,000 for an electric stair-climbing hand-truck to cart vending machines, fridges or other equipment upstairs in city buildings.

The impact on his body of the heavy lifting he’d done for years eventually told: In 1996 he had his first back operation – the surgeon telling him: “You can’t go back to lifting and driving trucks and stuff.”

Of course, after nine months off – recuperating – he did go back to it. And when, in 2011, he needed another operation, the surgeon said simply: “Do you want to end up in a wheelchair? He looked at the scans and said ‘holy f***! How have you been walking?’ ”

All pictures – top to bottom: In the 1990s some of the trucks carried Sleepyhead branding on their bodies.... But the blue and white Mark Grey Carriers livery has been very visible around Auckland for three decades or more..... The company fleet of Nissan Diesels in the late 1990s..... Mark and Trish did the 2011 Pork Pie Charity Run in their 1982 Mini

Truck & Driver | 51

Left: Mark and Trish Grey reckon that the trucking business has been great.....even though it has inflicted some major health issues on Mark

Right: The company’s point of difference is that it runs trucks dedicated to either flooring products or beverage fridges/ vending machines/commercial kitchen equipment – carting them direct from manufacturers to flooring retailers, cafes and restaurants....with no doublehandling

working with his Dad as an offsider in one of the trucks – but opted instead for a career in building and construction.

Mark: “He said, ‘Nah, I don’t wanna be a stressed-out, grumpy bastard like you Dad.’ The kids (they also have two daughters – neither of whom are involved in the business either) have all seen it, you know.”

All of this has taken its toll as well. While he’s very happy with his current staff – “we’ve got some great guys now” – it hasn’t always been the case: “We have had some real problems with staff.”

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Lately, he’s just had a bit more “repair work” done on his body – getting a damaged ankle fused.

On top of the physical impacts, there’s been plain, straight-out stress. Nurse Trish observes that “he was very stressed for a long time.”

To such a degree, for instance, Mark says Trish was never interested in setting up an office for herself “down at work – because I’d be going off me nut about stuff.”

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Truck & Driver | 53

Above left: Trish runs her own business from a home office

Above, right: General manager Phil de Jong has eased Mark’s stress

Below: Six or seven company trucks spend all their days working in the Auckland metro area

And stress, he points out, “can contribute to a heart attack.” He knows….because he had one six years ago.

He’d already stopped driving fulltime – initially taking on all the dispatching and management of the growing fleet….

Then, letting go of some of the control when he took on general manager Phil de Jong about eight years ago – the onetime London truck driver and European tourist coach driver starting out doing three days a week, before stepping-up to his current fulltime role.

Mark reckons it had been hard enough taking on his first driver – after thinking that he was the only guy who could do the job properly. “And then the driver comes in and you go ‘oh okay. Well yeah – you can do it.’

“And then having someone managing your business! With Phil I was always in the office…..looking over his shoulder.

“And now it’s at the point where he has to train me how to do it.”

54 | Truck & Driver

Well, on the computer front, at least (which, it’s generally agreed, is not one of Mark’s strengths).

Although all of the trucks have GPS systems, the Fleetpin system used doesn’t have electronic RUC management, so that’s still done manually…

And Phil likes to manage truck loadings each day using Excel spreadsheets: “We do have some product that’s very heavy. It’s more the carpet we worry about really, because in the tail-lift trucks (delivering fridges, vending machines and commercial kitchen equipment) you’d fill the space up with the machines well before you got overweight.”

What it amounts to are loads of two to three tonnes on the taillifts and up to 5.5 tonnes on the flooring trucks…whose loads can comprise rolls of carpet or vinyl, or pallets of carpet or ceramic tiles.

Right: One of the fleet heads away from the Drury depot at the start of the working day

Below, left to right: Tail-lift unit drivers and offsiders are experts at delivering beverage fridges and vending machines to shops

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Truck & Driver | 55

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Mark still has his first workbook, from starting out with the Bedford in 1983. Even though the rookie owner-driver worked solely for Sleepyhead, the first page of the book details a typical working day that was crammed with short trips, all over the city

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In the flooring work, each delivery can be as small as just one roll of carpet.

Factoring in Auckland’s notorious traffic congestion into delivery times “is hard to do precisely,” Phil concedes.

Route planning is key – so “there’s no criss-crossing of Auckland” – and allowing some leeway is a must: For timespecified deliveries “we try to do them within a two-hour window.”

But, for instance, on the day before this year’s Easter holiday “it took two of my guys three hours to get from Devonport to here (a distance of about 50kms). What can you do.”

Since there are no set runs for the company’s trucks, things can get stressful when the next day’s delivery orders start coming in the previous afternoon….with a sudden surge in quantities.

The flooring, for instance, normally runs at between six and 11 tonnes per day, Phil explains: “But sometimes I get 20t dumped on me. And I never get any warning – it just comes,” he says with a wry laugh.

Mark says Phil is “very much part of the business. My clients really like him. He’s probably a bit calmer than I would have been: I can be a bit of an aunty with stuff.”

Mark recounts how another operator wanted to know how Mark could afford to employ a manager: “How could I not?” He responded. His health, he says, is more important. Phil “takes the

pressure off.”

The way Trish sees it, the current management setup leaves Mark able to maintain a valuable oversight of the business: “Mark is good at standing back now and seeing how best to achieve what a customer is actually looking for – ‘let’s try and do it the most sensible way.’ ” Why have an expensive track and trace system, for instance, if it actually adds little (if anything?) to Mark Grey Carriers’ direct, client-retailer work.

His role also leaves him free to deal with the company’s “fantastic” line-up of clients. He’s the owner of the company and, as Trish says, it’s important – “they’re dealing with you.”

He is, she adds, “also very good with the drivers.” Mark’s style is to chat over washing a truck, for instance.

At times like that, says Mark, “it’s just him and you.” So he’ll ask: “Are you enjoying your work here – ‘cos this is your life and your time as well….if something’s pissing you off, don’t let it build up and tell everybody else about it – come to me and talk to me about it. I’m the only one who can fix it.”

There are, of course, downsides to being in the trucking business – the absolute worst of them the heightened risk of being involved in serious road crashes.

For Mark Grey Carriers, a 2016 crash involving one of its trucks Truck & Driver | 57

All pictures, top to bottom: Mark solved the problem of the Ardmore Marist Rugby Club having no covered spectating - supplying his trucks as hospitality areas..... Mark posing at the wheel of the Bedford on his wedding day, in 1990.... Mark called off this attempt to shift a load of furniture to Waiheke Island one weekend. The private barge was “too scary”

returning to Auckland through Huntly, was the worst of the worst: A southbound car crossed the centre line, collided head-on with the truck…and went under the front of it. A man and two young boys were killed.

“That accident,” says Mark, shaking his head as he struggles for the right words – eventually having to settle for: “It was hard going.”

But for the most part – such awful tragedy and the physical and mental stresses aside – Mark and Trish say the business has been a great thing.

Looking back over his 40 years as an owner-driver and carrier, Mark reckons he was lucky enough to just catch the end of an era when he started, in the early 1980s: “I saw stuff that was like a hangover from the Fifties! Like the old hand trucks…like guys working away in these little warehouses.”

A couple of people stay vividly in his memory: An “accounts guy” he used to see “in his tiny little office…. He had white hair, but it was all nicotine-stained! He was like from another age!”

And another: “There was a United Carriers depot in Pitt Street and there’d be a lady on the R/T: ‘I need someone out to Te Atatu to pick up a box and bring it into the city.’ And that’s how it operated.

“Your Tutills and Goddards and guys like that were around, but owner-drivers dominated.”

Mark reckons he had a moment “when we clicked over 30 years: I was a bit down. I thought ‘shit, I should be a lot bigger than this…. probably should have about 50 trucks now…and blah blah blah.’ ” But then, Grant Turner – a National Road Carriers Association executive officer at the time – offered some much-appreciated perspective: “He said ‘try to remember all the carriers that were around you – that aren’t around you anymore. It’s not an easy game man. You’re in a niche market and you’re ticking along real good.’ ” Trish chips in: “Like he said – ‘yeah you could be a lot more cutthroat…you could go out and do a lot more. But what do you want in life?’

“And we both looked at each other and said: ‘Yeah, we don’t actually need to be millionaires.’ ” Mark adds: “If I’d done some things differently we could be a hell of a lot bigger than we are. But I think I pushed my personal boundaries. I’m happy.” T&D 58 | Truck & Driver

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FEATURE

Ready to ACT IT’S NOT STRICTLY A TRUCK SHOW AND IT’S ALSO relatively new on the calendar, but the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo has become one of the most significant international showcases for future truck technology.

The 12th edition of the ACT Expo was staged at the Anaheim Convention Centre in California over four days in early May. It saw a raft of key announcements from major manufacturers, start-ups and technology pioneers.

This year’s ACT Expo also attracted a record attendance, with 11,000 participants, up from 8,500 in 2022 and 5,200 in 2021.

And the timing and location holds further significance as the expo opened just days after California regulators announced new emissions rules for trucks that will begin the phase-out of combustion engines as early as 2024 (see sidebar, p63).

Hydrogen technologies gained a big share of the headlines generated from Anaheim.

Cummins and its new Accelera zero-emissions technology brand revealed both hydrogen fuel cell and hydrogen combustion powertrains as well as electrolysers to produce hydrogen.

It was the first major expo event for the Accelera brand which launched earlier this year, and CEO Amy Davis, was among the keynote speakers at the annual clean tech event.

Davis says the technologies that work to reduce and eliminate emissions in light-duty markets will not necessarily work for commercial solutions and vehicles.

Accelera is currently pursuing multiple paths forward, not betting on one single technology, while also developing multiple product lines of batteries tailored to meet the demands of specific applications.

“Given the variety of commercial applications, it will take multiple technologies to decarbonise,” Davis says.

“I bet I’m not the first person to talk about the debate between batteries and fuel cells, and I know I’m not the first person to say we need both. The key factors to determine which technology will be the amount of work or power needed coupled with the distances or overall hours of operation,” says Davis.

The H2-ICE concept truck is a Peterbilt 579 fitted with the new Cummins X15H hydrogen combustion engine.

Infrastructure will play a key role how fleets choose the clean technologies that will work best for them. From access to chargers or fuelling stations to the length of time to refuel these different vehicles, to training drivers and technicians to work with these technologies — fleets have to ask the questions, do their homework, and partner with the right solution providers.

“There’s a lot more you need to think about than the technology,” says Davis. “The U.S. will need 1.2 million public charging stations, but perhaps more relevant, we need 28 million private EV charging stations by 2030 to meet the federal targets.”

The H2-ICE hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine concept truck was a star of the Accelera display.

Featuring the 15-litre Cummins X15H hydrogen internal combustion engine, the H2-ICE is a proof-of-concept offering up to 500hp (372kW) and 1900 ft-lbs of torque plus a 700-bar pressure 80kg high-capacity hydrogen storage system.

Accelera says the H2-ICE concept highlights the opportunity for heavy-duty truck applications to operate on zero-carbon hydrogen fuel with a range of more than 800km. The hydrogen conversion is not expected to compromise truck performance, cargo capacity or payload and Accelera says the integration of the 15-litre hydrogen engine with the existing driveline highlights the ability for fleets to quickly deploy quickly solutions with limited investment.

The new X15H engine platform features cutting-edge technology to enhance power density, reduce friction losses and improve thermal efficiency. Performance is equivalent to a similar displacement diesel engine and compatible with the same transmissions, drivelines and cooling packages. A further benefit of the X15H is significantly quieter running than a diesel.

Hydrogen is set to play an important role in `Destination Zero’, Cummins’ strategy to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and the air quality impacts of its products and reach zero emissions by 2050.

“To fully develop the hydrogen economy, we need to spur demand for hydrogen,” says Jennifer Rumsey, Cummins President and CEO “We are developing a range of hydrogen solutions and believe H2-ICE powered trucks alongside wider adoption of fuel cell Truck & Driver | 61

Left: Amy Davis, CEO of Accelera was among the keynote speakers.

Right: A record of attendance of 11,000 took part in the four-day expo. electric vehicles can help encourage development of hydrogen fuel infrastructure. In this way, hydrogen engines and fuel cells are complementary technologies, working together to drive the hydrogen economy forward.

“At Cummins, we are actively scaling electrolyser manufacturing, encouraged by the increased demand we are seeing. Electrolysers are one of the key pieces of technology for green hydrogen production and will help decarbonise our economy and advance the clean energy transition.”

An electrolyser splits water into oxygen and hydrogen, which can be used immediately or stored as a liquid or gas and transported. When powered by renewable electricity, like solar or wind, the hydrogen produced is completely carbon-free.

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Accelera’s display at ACT included the 2.5 megawatt (MW) proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser stack, which is the heart of its large-scale HyLYZER electrolyser product line.

In contrast to hydrogen combustion engines, hydrogen fuel cells turn hydrogen stored onboard a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) into electricity to power an electric powertrain. This creates efficient, zeroemissions power for demanding applications with longer ranges and harder duty cycles.

Accelera displayed its FCE150 Gen 4 fuel cell engine which features increased power density, efficiency and durability. It is available in 150kW and 300kW configurations with the flexibility to decarbonize a range of heavy-duty applications.

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electric vehicle (BEV), Accelera provides a full portfolio of batteries and electrified products. This includes a range of nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) and lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) technologies.

Accelera also provides ePowertrain and traction systems in its electrified portfolio. At ACT, the brand debuted the next-gen 14Xe ePowertrain, featuring increased power, peak torque and motor efficiency.

Another brand with a hydrogen focus at the ACT Expo was Hyundai

which debuted the commercialised model of its class 8 fuel cell electric XCIENT 6x4 prime mover for the North American commercial vehicle market.

“Our hydrogen fuel cell technology has pioneered the industry, with a real-world proven track record of its efficiency and durability,” says Ken Ramirez, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Commercial Vehicle and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Business at Hyundai Motor.

Continues on page 65

California’s new rules questioned THE AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION (ATA) is at odds with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) over new regulations it says will force carriers to purchase zeroemission heavy trucks before the technology is mature.

CARB has approved a first-of-its-kind rule that requires a phased-in transition toward zero-emission medium-and-heavy duty vehicles. Known as Advanced Clean Fleets (ACF), the new rule helps put California on a path toward accomplishing Governor Gavin Newsom’s goal of fully transitioning the trucks that travel across the state to zeroemissions technology by 2045.

However, ATA President and CEO Chris Spear says the CARB decision ignores the fact that these trucks are early-stage technologies and the infrastructure to support them does not exist.

“Today, an unelected Board in California voted to force trucking companies to buy zero-emission trucks,” says Spear, reacting to the regulations.

“Fleets are just beginning to understand what it takes to successfully operate these trucks, but what they have learned so far is they are significantly more expensive, charging and refuelling infrastructure is non-existent, and ZEVs are not necessarily a one-for-one replacement – meaning more trucks will be needed on California roads to move the same amount of freight.

“California is setting unrealistic targets and unachievable timelines that will undoubtedly lead to higher prices for the goods and services delivered to the state and fewer options for consumers. As it becomes clear that California’s rhetoric is not being matched by technology, we hope the Board will reverse course and allow trucking companies the freedom to choose the clean technologies that work best for their operations.

“ATA-member companies work tirelessly to deliver the nation’s freight while deploying the cleanest technologies available. Over the past 35 years, those efforts have produced a 98% reduction in truck emissions. We

continue to say, ‘Yes’ to advancing cleaner technologies, but achievable targets and realistic timelines matter.”

Under California’s new rule, fleet owners operating vehicles for private services such as last-mile delivery and federal fleets such as the Postal Service, along with state and local government fleets, will begin their transition toward zero-emission vehicles starting in 2024.

The ACF ruling includes an end to combustion truck sales in 2036.

The rule includes the ability to continue operating existing vehicles through their useful life. Due to the impact that truck traffic has on residents living near heavily trafficked corridors, drayage trucks will need to be zeroemissions by 2035.

All other fleet owners will have the option to transition a percentage of their vehicles to meet expected zero-emission milestones, which gives owners the flexibility to continue operating combustion-powered vehicles as needed during the move toward cleaner technology.

CARB says the flexibility is intended to take into consideration the available technology and the need to target the highest-polluting vehicles. For example, last mile delivery and yard trucks must transition by 2035, work trucks and day cab tractors must be zeroemission by 2039, and sleeper cab tractors and specialty vehicles must be zero-emission by 2042.

According to CARB, the new rule could generate US$26.6 billion in health savings from reduced asthma attacks, emergency room visits and respiratory illnesses.

Furthermore, it says fleet owners will save an estimated US$48 billion in their total operating costs from the transition through 2050.

While trucks represent only 6% of the vehicles on California’s roads, they account for over 35% of the state’s transportation generated nitrogen oxide emissions and a quarter of the state’s on-road greenhouse gas emissions. California communities that

sit near trucking corridors and warehouse locations with heavy truck traffic have some of the worst air in the USA. California is set to invest almost US$3 billion between 2021–2025 in zero-emission trucks and infrastructure. This investment is a part of a $9 billion multi-year, multiagency zero-emissions vehicle package to decarbonise the transportation sector that was agreed upon by the Governor and the Legislature in 2021.

CARB estimates that about 1.7 million zeroemission trucks will hit California roads by 2050. To support the needed infrastructure and services to make this transition, agencies across government have committed to the Zero-Emission Infrastructure Joint Agency Statement of Intent. For more than a decade, California has been making investments in infrastructure to support the adoption of zero-emissions vehicles.

The Joint Statement lays out the tools for communication and collaboration between CARB, the California Energy Commission, the California State Transportation Agency, California Transportation Commission, California Department of Transportation, the Department of General Services and the Governor’s Office of Economic and Business Development.

These agencies will plan, develop, deploy and help to fund the network of electric charging and hydrogen stations required to help get California to zero-emissions by 2045.

ATA President and CEO Chris Spear Truck & Driver | 63

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Above left: Hyundai has now developed a 6x4 prime mover version of its XCIENT Fuel Cell for North America.

Above right top: Freightliner introduced its new eM2 medium duty electric trucks.

Above lower right: Volvo showed off the cellcentric fuel cell powertrain it will use in future FCEV models.

Bottom: Launching the new Rizon brand is Daimler Truck’s plan for introducing the Fuso eCanter to North America, Continued from page 63 “We are leveraging these merits to further transform transportation with hydrogen energy for a broad range of mobility applications, including commercial vehicles, marine vessels and even air mobility. We now look beyond mobility toward an integrated hydrogen ecosystem, from production of hydrogen to its storage, transport and delivery. Hyundai is uniquely positioned to cover all aspects and deliver a seamless solution across the value chain.”

First launched in 2020, XCIENT Fuel Cell has been deployed in five countries, including Switzerland, Germany, Israel, Korea and New Zealand. It is the only heavy-duty fuel cell electric model with a proven record of real-world application and technological reliability.

To suit the North American market, Hyundai has developed a 6x4 prime mover version of the XCIENT equipped with two 90kW hydrogen fuel cell systems (total 180 kW power) and a 350 kW e-motor. Its maximum gross combination weight is 30,194kg and offers a driving range of 724 kms per charge even when fully loaded.

Interestingly the North America market XCIENT stores hydrogen at 700-bar, twice the pressure of the 6x2 rigid trucks which are being trialled in New Zealand.

PACCAR and Toyota announced an expansion of their joint efforts to develop and produce hydrogen fuel cell (FCEV) Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks powered by Toyota’s next-generation hydrogen fuel cell modules.

The expanded agreement supports ongoing development and commercialisation of zero-emission Kenworth T680 and Peterbilt 579 models, featuring Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell powertrain kit.

PACCAR and Toyota have collaborated on FCEV truck development for the past several years, including a successful pilot programme which deployed 10 Kenworth T680 FCEV trucks at the Port of Los Angeles. The pilot provided both Kenworth and Toyota with realworld feedback that further enhanced the performance and range of the vehicle.

Designed for use in heavy-duty commercial vehicles, Toyota’s heavy-duty fuel cell electric powertrain kit was recently awarded the Zero Emission Powertrain certification by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Toyota will begin assembly of the modules in the United States in late 2023 and initial customer deliveries are planned for 2024.

Truck & Driver | 65

Volvo has developed an upgraded version of its VNR Electric with increased range.

Battery electric trucks were also in the spotlight and Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) launched a new brand with the debut of medium duty battery-electric Rizon models for the US market.

A quick glance at the design and specifications confirms the Rizon range is a rebrand of the new generation Fuso eCanter models launched last year. Rizon will offer a mix of battery-electric applications in class 4-5 (medium-duty) configurations. It’s an interesting move from DTNA which withdrew the Fuso brand from the US market in 2020.

Three model variants, the e18L, e16L, and the e16M, will be the first

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trucks available under the Rizon brand. The L models are equipped with three battery packs (124kWh) while the M designates two battery packs (83kWh).

The brand will offer a versatile mix of configurations and options suitable to each customer’s unique requirements to optimise day-today operations and productivity.

The class 4 and 5 medium-duty battery-electric vehicles, ranging from 7255kg up to 8162kg GVW, are able to run from 177-257km for L size variants with three battery packs and 110-177km for (M variants with two battery packs) on a single charge.

Rizon will target businesses involved in urban retail logistics, last-mile deliveries and municipal work with these models. Starting Q4 2023, Rizon trucks will be distributed in the United States through an exclusive agreement with Velocity, an established name in the commercial vehicle industry with around 80 global outlets.

DTNA’s Freightliner brand unveiled the series production battery electric eM2 for Class 6/7 pick-up and delivery applications, with production to start in Q3 this year at its Portland truck manufacturing plant.

“With its versatility, the eM2 will be the perfect fit for pick-up and delivery customers who require an adaptable electric solution,” says David Carson, senior vice president, sales and marketing, DTNA. Built on the best-selling M2 106 Plus platform, the eM2 is being introduced on the heels of the series production Freightliner eCascadia Class 8 tractor, to expand DTNA’s eCO2-neutral transportation to the medium-duty segment.

“Utilising the production experience from the eCascadia, the eM2 is the result of extensive co-creation with our customers and years of real-world testing,” said Rakesh Aneja, vice president and

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chief of eMobility, DTNA. The eM2 features a proprietary, fully integrated, battery electric Detroit ePowertrain, including Detroit eAxles and batteries. The vehicle minimises energy cost per mile by removing the drivetrain and other mechanical components in favour of a lighter, simpler design, which packages the electric motors and two-speed transmission directly onto the drive axles. Multiple battery size options are available, allowing customers to find the right balance between range/runtime and price.

For pick-up and delivery applications, the eM2 Class 6 has a single motor providing up to 190hp, a 194 kWh battery and a typical range of 180 miles on one charge.

The Class 7 dual-motor version provides up to 255hp, and has a 291kWh battery allowing a typical range of 250 miles on one charge.

Also a BEV pioneer, Volvo Trucks North America showcased its latest generation Volvo VNR Electric model at the ACT Expo.

The enhanced Volvo VNR Electric 6x2 tractor, currently operated by Performance Team, is equipped with a six-battery-pack configuration with 565kWh total battery capacity and a charge rate of up to 250kW DC. The VNR Electric develops 455hp and 4,051 lb.-ft. of torque driving through a two-speed I-Shift automated manual transmission.

The truck is one of 126 Volvo VNR Electric trucks that are being deployed by Volvo Trucks’ customer Performance Team, a Maersk Company.

“ACT Expo is the premier event to showcase the development and deployment of Volvo Trucks’ expansive electromobility ecosystem that supports our VNR Electric models and display the innovative technologies that will support future generations of trucks,” says

PACCAR and Toyota are jointly developing fuel cell versions of the Kenworth T680 (left) and Peterbilt 579.

Peter Voorhoeve, president, Volvo Trucks North America.

“We are proud to lead the shift towards sustainable transport solutions, working with three technology paths to reach our 2030, 2040, and 2050 goals of a net zero future.

Volvo Trucks also displayed its fuel efficient D13TC (Turbo Compounded) engine, which can be paired with the award winning I-Torque package which maximises fuel efficiency without compromising performance, drivability, or productivity.

The Volvo booth also featured future innovative technologies including the cellcentric hydrogen fuel cell and the e-axle electric driveline concept. Both were announced at the IAA 2022 Transportation expo in Hanover, Germany and the ACT Expo marked their introduction to North America.

Dates and venues for the next two ACT Expo events were announced during the 2023 event. The Las Vegas Convention Centre is set to host the 2024 event (May 20-23) and the 2025 event returns to the Anaheim Convention Centre (April 28 to May 1 2025). T&D

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Powered trailers promise 40% saving

Range Energy in California has developed the RA-01 trailer equipped with e-axle, battery pack and smart king pin technology.

ELECTRIC TRUCKS ARE GIVEN A BIG SHARE OF THE headlines as the transport industry moves to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

One California company however is focusing on trailer technology to make transport cleaner. Range Energy, based in Mountain View, California (near San Jose) has developed a 53-foot electrified semi-trailer that offers fleets an alternative way to reduce emissions.

The RA-01, the first of Range’s RA Series of vehicles, was presented at the recent Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California.

Range says it’s the most cost-effective solution towards carriers’ decarbonisation goals, as it provides an estimated 41% reduction in diesel consumption over the product lifecycle.

The RA-01 was designed to reduce diesel consumption during yard operation, at the dock, while idling, and in a multitude of other scenarios. The trailer’s electrification platform and equipment set - inclusive of an e-axle, battery pack, and smart kingpin - provides power to auxiliary devices, enables zero-emission pre-cooling with Transformer Rectifier Units (TRU), provides the ability to move trailers with reduced emissions, and increases the overall uptime of tractors.

By equipping a trailer with electric drive technology the amount of power needed from a truck’s diesel engine under acceleration, moving away from standstill and climbing hills can be reduced. Energy is recaptured under deceleration and stored in the battery pack, the capacity of which is scalable depending on the application.

An electrified trailer can work with any vehicle and importantly provides the opportunity to extend the range of battery electric trucks.

“We’ve reached a turning point in freight transportation. Fleets are looking at ways to reduce emissions without negatively impacting operations. At Range, it is our goal to help our commercial partners - and all freight carriers - during this critical transition, and to do so expediently,” says Ali Javidan, CEO and founder, Range Energy.

“The RA Series is our answer. With a unique, practical solution that can quickly be deployed at scale, Range is providing commercial fleets the ability to immediately reduce emissions and costs, while avoiding any disruption to their operations.”

To meet both immediate decarbonisation needs as well as long-term fleet 68 | Truck & Driver

transformation ambitions, Range’s powered trailers are compatible with today’s diesel tow vehicles and tomorrow’s innovative all-electric tractors.

With this timely, unique approach to the opportunity of electrification, Range is positioned to reach mass market adoption before the first electric semitrucks are deployed at scale. In just a few months, the Range team has already begun testing multiple prototype powered trailers as it advances towards full scale development vehicles and testing alongside commercial partners.

“Range was founded on the vision that cleaner, safer, and more efficient towing is attainable today. Our powered trailers seamlessly meet fleet owners’ short- and long-term decarbonisation goals by easing the transition to electrification while simultaneously mitigating the risks of economic penalties associated with emerging mandates,” says Javidan.

“Given our team’s extensive battery and powertrain experience, we are uniquely positioned to successfully bring powered trailers to market quickly and efficiently. We’re excited to be a first-mover in this market and most significantly, to accelerate commercial transportation’s trajectory towards its zero emissions goals.”

Range was founded in 2021 and is led by a team with deep EV industry expertise from Tesla, Zoox, Honda, and more. The company is backed by leading investors including UP Partners, R7, and Yamaha Motor Ventures. T&D The Range RA-01 can work with both diesel and electric tractor units.

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A Tremendous Career in Transport – Neil Wood

EIL WOOD (AND HIS WIFE JOANNE) ARE THE FOUNDERS OF Pokeno-based bulk cartage and earthworks business N&J Wood Ltd. It’s a family run operation that, at its core, hauls feed and aggregate the length and breadth of New Zealand.

However, not only does this hard-working entrepreneur run an incredibly sharp looking fleet of trucks, but he has also influenced the next generation with his daughter instigating the highly popular Bombay Truck Show. Neil’s latest retirement project involves hundreds of acres of farmland that will house thousands of native trees - and for those reasons he’s this month’s Southpac Legend.

According to Neil, for a lot of people, trucking is in their blood and says that the same is true with him.

“My father had them, my great great grandfather had them and I suppose it was always just there for me. I used to like cruising around when dad had the trucks and I used to go with drivers at the weekends and school holidays.”

Neil recalls when he was really small that his dad had a 3-tonne tipper and went into car transporting, setting up his own business, which he called Trailer Transport.

“He used to shift the cars off the rail yard and out to all the dealers.

He had four small car transporters.”

However, rather than simply joining his father’s firm upon leaving school, Neil opted to go into farming.

“I did six years of farming, milking cows and driving farm trucks. I then ended up working for myself and needing a truck, so I bought a little D-Series Ford. I was about 26.”

70 | Truck & Driver

Neil began his solo career doing fencing contracting ‘because he knew how to do that’, and initially, because he had no money, tore the back seat out of an old Mark II Cortina.

“I threw all my tools in it and away I went. I did that for a few years and got to a stage where we needed a digger to tidy up fence lines and I got sick of waiting for other people, so I bought my own. Then I needed a truck to cart the stuff, so I bought one (the D-series Ford) and it flowed on from there.”

Neil says that following on from the Ford he moved to some old Fusos and then bought an old Mack truck that although was sold to upgrade, was later found by his kids, restored and the old R Model is pride of the fleet once again. Though it now enjoys retired life and is only out of the shed for truck shows and weekend cruises with Joanne.

“I ran that work for about six years, and slowly moved out of the fencing and farm side of things, the elbows and wrists weren’t surviving well with the continual hammering so moved more into the machinery, so diggers and more trucks and it just grew.”

He says that when he got to about the 5-6 truck stage, he felt that his white trucks with a green stripe were going around unnoticed “cruising around among all the other white trucks with a stripe on them”. Then in 2012/3 he bought a Lonestar and that’s when his sharp new blue fleet colour was decided upon.

“The [blue] Lonestar stood out like nothing else and that became the fleet colour and still is now, 10 years later. It changed the business a lot.”

Not only did the transport side of the business change but Neil says

that they also decided to broaden their operation. It was about this time Neil’s son Ryan came back from working in Australia and stepped into the family business with fresh ideas and new perspectives.

“We dabbled in clean fill/landfills, we’ve got diggers and earth movers and we’ve got a workshop where we do all our own, and outside, mechanical work - they all complement each other.”

If it sounds like a busy workload, you’d be right, but work is something Neil has never been afraid of.

“Nothing’s ever easy but there’s no substitute for a lot of hard work and going without, which a lot of people won’t do. I mean my wife and I didn’t go on holiday for years and gave up drinking because we didn’t have the money and we wanted to pay everybody. If there was nothing left over, we didn’t get it.” He continues, “my wife is of Dutch descent and she worked just as hard as I did. She did 42-years working in a chemist shop. When the kids were young, when one of us came home the other would go to work.”

Neil’s daughter Marieka recalls his dedication, “Dad has always been a hard worker. Growing up, he was gone before we got up in the morning and home late. But that was quite normal for that generation.

They really did know the meaning of hard work.”

And this hard-working, ‘customer-first’ business ethos is something that they still do now. Neil, and his children pride themselves on the working relationships they have built. While business has grown, they like to think the business hasn’t lost that family feeling. When you call N&J Wood, you still get one of the family answering the phone.

As it is with many transport businesses, Neil has had to deal with his fair share of financial issues but has proudly conquered them all.

“Unexpected bills and costs can do a lot of damage, but my wife and I decided many years ago that we would tighten our belts. We went through the GFC and share market crash. At the time we were working for millionaires and two months later they were broke.”

On the flipside, when it comes to help and advice, Neil has taken both when necessary.

“When I was in my 30s, I had these clever guys who were in their eighties telling me about things that could go wrong and what causes it, mainly borrowing too much money. So, if we wanted something we’d save the money and then buy it. That reduces your exposure to things going wrong.”

Then there are people like Peter Pascoe from P&I Pascoe that have been a rock for Neil from the start.

“I’ve known Peter since I got my first truck and we’ve had a great working relationship since then, that’s 30 odd years. He’s someone you can talk to about a number of things, and he’s not bad to share a beer with” When it comes to their fleet Neil says that the business has around fifteen trucks now and not really looking to get any bigger. It’s a bit of a mixture too, ranging from several Euro’s to the classics.

“We’ve got Scanias (coming soon) and Volvos, a Peterbilt, DAFs, Macks a 909 Kenworth, a K200 and an SAR Legend that we’re waiting on.”

Neil is convinced that the iconic truck brands like the Kenworths are a big draw card for drivers.

“You could take the seat out of one of these Kenworths and put a beer crate in there instead and the driver will tell you that he’s having a ‘kin wonderful day’. Even if his arse is rare by the end of the day he’ll be back tomorrow because it’s a Kenworth.” Neil laughs and adds, “You could literally have him sitting on a brick and he’d be loving it.

That’s the cult status thing that Kenworth has gained over the last forty years. You can’t beat the acre and a half of chrome out the front, the great big bonnet and all the shiny shit. They’re good trucks and if you want to get some of the driver’s in, that’s what you have to do.”

But Neil is also quick to add that although climbing in and out of a K200 all day is something that young guys would kill for, he’s at the stage now where he’d quite happily sit behind a bonneted truck or a nice big comfortable Euro.

“I still enjoy driving but it’s getting different now, as I’m getting older,

Truck & Driver | 71

I’m getting more picky. I drive an old V8 Mack right now, otherwise it’s nice to hop into a nice big Volvo, click go and it does everything for you.”

Neil is 65, his wife Joanne has just retired and according to Neil he’s semi-retired. His son (Ryan) and daughter (Marieka) pretty much run the business and he goes in and does whatever is needed.

“I have very little to do with the business now, but we do discuss the bigger decisions over dinner or at the bach, mainly around the reasons for buying certain things - or not. I’m very proud of what they’re doing.

The biggest problem for me was not being in control. I’m now quite comfortable with what they’re doing, nothing’s changed, the numbers are still good.”

Neil says that he’s still getting used to the idea of retiring though, something highlighted on a recent trip with his wife to the home show.

“I went to pay, and they asked if I was a pensioner, I said I suppose I am and I saved a couple of bucks. We had a bit of a giggle about it.”

But retirement is relative as they’ve just bought a farm as a bit of a retirement project for Neil, which will double up as a place to enjoy for the whole family.

“So, in my retirement I’ll still be able to work a 10-hour day. I have plenty of maintenance to do, like planting native trees, we’ll plant

72 | Truck & Driver

thousands of them all around the creeks and drains. And if not that my wife and I will go to the beach and go fishing and catch a bit of dinner.

But I still enjoy watching the trucks go past.”

Neil says that it’s been an interesting ride.

“It’s been a lot of hard work, my wife and I have worked seven days a week because that was what had to be done, to get ahead. At times that really did feel like hard work, but most of the time I’ve just been happy to be trucking.”

As for the future of N&J Wood Ltd. “My son is 35 and daughter is a couple of years older, and they’ve got their retirement plan sorted out. They’ve got five kids between them but whether the business gets handed over to the grandkids remains to be seen. Either way it’ll be around for a while though I imagine. It will be great to see where it goes with the current generation, the business has grown substantially in the last 8 or so years. While trucks are where it began, diversifying protects businesses and that’s what is happening now with Ryan and Marieka” Marieka smiles as she says, “I don’t believe for a minute that he will ever actually retire, but it’s kind of nice to see him go nearly full circle and back to his farming roots. Generations from now will enjoy those patches of mature trees…. thanks to Dad.” T&D

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FEATURE OEMs Patchells (main), Steel Bros (bottom left) and joined with ransport operators, industry associations, and industry training provider Mito with the objective of reducing risk associated with sideloader operations.

Sideloader Good Practice Guide launches with WorkSafe approval THE NEW ZEALAND INTERMODAL TRANSPORT SAFETY GROUP (NZITSG) has received official endorsement from WorkSafe on the Good Practice Guide: Safe Operation and Maintenance of Sideloaders (Good Practice Guide) and the programme is now being launched across the transport industry.

The NZITSG was established to address intermodal safety concerns, and is made up of transport operators, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), industry associations, and industry training provider Mito.

“The group came together with a mandate to work collaboratively across the wider transport sector with the overall objectives to reduce risk associated with sideloader operations, improve health and safety outcomes, increase industry and worker engagement. NZITSG worked to deliver a Good Practice Guide designed to meet the practical and professional needs of transport operators and ensure the New Zealand transport industry is recognised as high performing, safe and sustainable,” says Murray Young, Chairman NZITSG. “Statistics show that when using a sideloader, there is a higher chance of injury to truck drivers. NZITSG is equipped to comprehend the dangers and difficulties associated with sideloaders as they are essential to our supply chain transportation operations, sideloaders play a pivotal role in our businesses. Mitigating risk and reducing harm for our people is vital.”

“The Good Practice Guide is a strong tool that puts control into the hands of the transportation sector, allowing us to demonstrate leadership by actively enhancing health and safety outcomes related to

74 | Truck & Driver

sideloader operations,” says Murray.

“Development of the Guide has been a real journey for the industry, we have come together, as experts in the field, aware of the safety risks with a common goal to create a set of standards that will prevent sideloader injuries,” says Stephen Woodward, National Road Carriers, Commercial Transport Specialist.

“The experience from the working group is country-wide with representatives from across the entire supply chain – this means the Guide is not one-dimensional. Manufacturers right through to operators have provided input to shape the programme and help ensure usability.

“It’s fantastic to be able to support such a valuable tool. Health and safety is an important issue and being able to provide a practical resource to help lift awareness, processes and standards is a really positive move for the industry.”

Dom Kalasih, Interim Chief Executive of Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand adds, “This is another great example where a key part of our industry clearly understands its activity and risks and it has invested and led a targeted across supply chain continuous improvement initiative.”

The Good Practice Guide has distilled the key safety information across all sideloader user manuals into one standardised guide.

Relevant content has been collated, simplified and formulated in a way that is easier to understand – shining a spotlight of sorts onto the critical health and safety information supported by a formalised annual certification process for sideloaders. The process is robust and ensures safety, sustainability, productivity, and excellence within the industry is

prioritised and celebrated.

Murray says, “Launching the Guide is just the first step. Maintaining it and keeping the standards current, will be an ongoing process.

The Guide is supported by an Industry Accord that stakeholders and transport operators can sign up to. This demonstrates compliance and support for the Guide, which will be continually improved to take into account technology advancements, training and the unit standard will be refreshed to reflect its evolution.”

“The Good Practice Guide will deliver clear benefits to the transport industry. This is an excellent illustration of the transport industry taking the initiative to use its collective expertise and knowledge to reduce risk and create practical solutions that can be easily put into practice. End-to-end supply chain support can now occur with transport customers now able to ask for their providers to adhere to the Good Practice Guide, and operators can demonstrate with pride that they are part of the programme – demonstrating industry leadership,” says Dom. “All three OEM’s, Hammar NZ Ltd, Patchell Group, Steelbro, have been on the same page, we see the importance of safety training for operators and good maintenance to ensuring that side loaders are fit for purpose,” says Ian Johnston, Hammar NZ Ltd. Formal endorsement from WorkSafe sends a clear signal to the industry that the Guide is supported and meets the standards required to deliver better health and safety outcomes. To receive endorsement guidance such as the Good Practice Guide, must meet the same quality requirements as WorkSafe’s internally developed guidance WorkSafe’s policy dictates that guidance such as the Good Practice Guide, must meet the same quality requirements as their own internally developed guidance. The strict criteria for endorsement provides assurance that health and safety guidance is aligned to regulatory requirements and accurately reflects good health and safety in New Zealand.

“WorkSafe encourages industry groups (such as NZITSG) to develop our own products and to use our distribution channels to reach out to relevant parties, as we are well placed to do this quickly and efficiently,” says Murray. “The Good Practice Guide is a great example

The original NZITSG members from 2019 (left to right) Coral Carlyle, Mark Purdue, Richard Smith, Jason Heather, Ian Pauling, Clint Burgess, Grant Darrah, Murray Young, Calven Bonney, Ross Wallace, and John Anderson. of how industry can collaborate to lead and deliver a really strong safety programme that promises to make a meaningful difference.”

WorkSafe has extended congratulations to NZITSG on the achievement of developing and obtaining endorsement of the Good Practice Guide.

The sideloader Good Practice Guide will be freely available for all transport operators on the web from early July and National Road Carriers (NRC) will be coordinating delivery of the certification labels to the OEMs (see panel).

The New Zealand Intermodal Transport Safety Group (NZITSG) is made up of industry associations, representatives, transport operators from around the country, along with all three OEM’s.

NZITSG members include John Anderson (LG Anderson), Greg Bailey (Steelbro), Calven Bonney (LW Bonney & Son), Clint Burgess (Pollock Cranes), Grant Darrah (Reliance Transport) , Ian Johnston ( Hammar NZ), Dom Kalasih (Transporting New Zealand), Don Patchell (Patchell Group), Ian Pauling (Coda), Mark Purdue (HWR Group), Stephen Woodward (National Road Carriers) Richard Smith (Mackleys), Murray Young (NZ Express Transport). T&D

Certification is an annual process requiring the core elements to the Good Practice Guide to be undertaken: 1. Sideloaders are certified once a year by the OEM’s or their approved service agents, and an approved certification label is attached to the sideloader – similar to a vehicle certificate of fitness (COF) 2. All lifting chains and lugs are certified annually 3. New sideloaders are certified, and an approved certification label applied at manufacture 4. Operators must receive general training that covers the principles of a sideloader and specific training on the make and model of equipment they will be operating 5. All sideloader operators hold NZQA Unit Standard 17679 certification, confirming they are competent to operate a sideloader 6. Complying with the Good Practice Guide’s requirements allows operators to demonstrate they are doing all that is reasonably practicable to manage the risk associated with the task, generally guidelines can help PCBUs (persons conducting a business or undertaking) and workers meet their duties under the HSWA 2015.

An operator that is compliant with the Good Practice Guide is much better positioned to prevent an incident.

Truck & Driver | 75

ADVERTORIAL

“It’s a wrap” After two years of planning, countless meetings, a trip to Germany and even shipping displays all the way from Munich, for Knorr-Bremse, the 2023 Brisbane Truck Show comes to an end.

Without doubt, Knorr-Bremse achieved everything it set out to do at the Brisbane Truck Show We really wanted to showcase pioneering road safety solutions and provide a view into future technologies for the commercial vehicle industry said Michael Roche the General Manger for Knorr-Bremse Australia.

We were fortunate to have Hon Scott Buchholz (Federal Liberal National Party of Queensland at our stand.

Mr Scott Buchholz acknowledged the important role that the revolutionary technologies displayed by Knorr-Bremse, are at the forefront of safety and sustainable solutions for the ever-increasing freight task.

Mr Sal Petroccitto CEO NHVR and Gavin Hill GM Strategy and Delivery and Chair International Weigh In Motion, could also be found at the Knorr stand discussing the various product innovations.

Above from left to right: Gareth Lawless - Sales Business Manager, Brett Nicoll - Engineering Manager, Michael McLellan - Managing Director, Michael Roche - General Manager, Stefan Pahl Director Application Engineering and Technical Sales.

The continuing improvement of traffic safety has always been part of Knorr-Bremse’s DNA and plays an essential role in automated driving and emobility. With a broad-based product offensive covering commercial vehicles, buses and trailers, Knorr-Bremse, the global leader for braking systems and a leading supplier of other rail and commercial vehicle systems, is taking the next steps toward fulfilling the “Zero Accidents” vision.

Above from left to right: Brett Nicoll Knorr-Bremse Engineering Manager, Gareth Lawless - Knorr-Bremse Sales Business Manager, Honourable Scott Buchholz - MP Federal liberal opposition, Mr Sal Petroccitto - CEO NHVR, Stefan Pahl - Director Application Engineering and Technical Sales, Les Bruzsa Chief Engineer NHVR, Michael McLellan - Knorr-Bremse Managing Director

We were truly taken back by the volume of people that came to our stand over the whole 4 days of the show.

It’s evident that people from all walks of life are interested in the future technologies and also our initiatives in regard to sustainability, not just for our products but also our initiatives in higher levels of recyclability and energy efficiency.

It’s evident that electric mobility is also at the front of people’s minds as this was a hot topic for a number of OEM’s that came to see what systems and components Knorr-Bremse has developed to address the changing architecture of commercial vehicles.

We would like to thank all the visitors that came to see us at the show. We hope you enjoyed the experience of the newly designed interactive stand as much as we enjoyed hosting you It certainly did require a lot of planning and a lot of support from our overseas colleagues, but it was certainly worth the effort.

Knorr-Bremse Team.

TD33472

Another standout was the number of customers and general visitors we had from New Zealand.

Knorr-Bremse has an ever-growing OEM market presence in NZ supported by key distributors and a significant service network with over 60 Truckservices service partners across both north & south islands.

FEATURE

Left to Right: Cookie, Murray Sowerby, Dean Bestwick (Vice President – Northeast Region Mack Trucks North America), Tom Chapman (Vice President Mack Trucks Australia).

‘Cookie’ calls time PALMERSTON NORTH’S BRENT ‘COOKIE’ COOKSLEY HAS retired after dedicating 47 years of his life to the Mack Truck brand.

Cookie’s career stretches across six decades and spans almost half a century, making him one of the most experienced and knowledgeable people in the New Zealand heavy transport industry. It’s fair to say that no one knows more about Mack trucks than Cookie.

Cookie began his career with Motor Truck Distributors Ltd (MTD) and the Mack brand in 1976, at the tender age of 21, working as an auto electrician.

“I received a call from then manager Stuart McKegg who had heard I was looking for a job,” says Cookie.

“I rocked up one Saturday morning and asked for Mr McKegg – I found him underneath a truck covered in grease with a pink

shirt on and no overalls – a fag hanging out of his mouth.

“Stu showed me around. He was a quiet spoken guy and asked when I could start. Just like that, no asking for qualifications or anything. That’s the way it was done in those days.

“I said `I’ll have to give my old boss some notice’. Stu pulled out his order book and wrote out an order for two weeks’ worth of work and said to give this to my boss. I started straight away.”

From that point onwards, Cookie went from strength to strength. He started as a leading hand in charge of the cab section, then moved on to Assembly Manager in 1993. Cookie was MTD MOD Centre Manager until the end of 2020 when he stepped down to go part time. When Jason Voice took over the role from Cookie, he certainly had some big shoes to fill.

Truck & Driver | 77

A highlight for Cookie was the building of New Zealand’s 1000th Mack in 1987. The Super-Liner was specially branded to mark the occasion and was a star attraction at last year’s Mack 50 Years celebration in Feilding.

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Throughout his tenure, Cookie has been a key member of the Mack Trucks NZ team, consistently delivering high-quality work and contributing to the brand’s success in New Zealand.

“His attention to detail, dedication, and hard work have made him a respected figure among his colleagues and the wider New Zealand transport industry. Oh, and he is actually a pretty good bugger too,” says Jason Voice.

Reflecting on his time in the industry, Cookie says that a lot has changed.

“The first trucks brought into New Zealand came out of Brisbane, Australia as SKD (semi knock down). When the plant was damaged due to flooding in 1974, Ron Carpenter, owner of Motor Truck Distributors Ltd, started getting the new F Model trucks from the USA. In 1976, Ron sourced CKD (completely knocked down) trucks which meant we needed to build the trucks from scratch.”

Mack Trucks were assembled in New Zealand right up to 1999 which marked the last of the MH Model. In 2000, MTD built Quantum’s - a fully built up and groomed Renault cab placed on an 8-wheeler Mack chassis.

The Quantum represents an interesting chapter in the history of Mack Trucks. “The Quantum was half French, half American, half 12 volt and half 24 volts,” Cookie jokes.

Although Cookie largely ‘cut his teeth’ on the job, there were opportunities to upskill which included training trips to Australia every time a new model was released like the CruiseLiner, MH and CH. He even travelled to New Guinea in 1982 on behalf of the USA. “Four of us went over for about three weeks to strengthen the

With a Bigfoot onboard With a you’ll Bigfoot monster any onboard you’ll surface

Above (L to R): Murray Sowerby & Cookie Above (L to R): Murray Sowerby & Cookie cut a cake to celebrate Mack USA’s 100th year (2000).

Below: The Mack NZ team win the International Distributor of the year award in 1987.

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Truck & Driver | 79

The 2021 Mod Centre Team (left to right): Clive Christensen, Brent Cooksley, Paul Gilligan, Jason Voice, Chris Hill, Heather Mitchell and Warren Doherty

cabs of several Macks with plates. We were right in the middle of the New Guinea jungle, there was absolutely nothing there.

All we could do was drink the beers they had brought in for us!”

When asked about the most satisfying aspects of his career Cookie replies “building the trucks from scratch. It was cool to see them come in as a bare set of rails and a cab and go out as a completed truck. Back then the workshop and assembly areas were next to each other, where the MOD Centre currently is, all under MTD. We even had a paint and tyre shop on site.”

High on his list of fond memories is the relationships that Cookie forged with customers.

“There were a lot of owner drivers and small fleet operators in the early days. Customers loved coming in to watch their truck being built.”

They often came in on a Thursday afternoon to enjoy a few with the team at the infamous Mod Centre Thursday night drinks.

“Some pretty wild things happened in those days. You couldn’t get away with them now, that’s for sure,” says Cookie.

Another highlight for Cookie was the building of New Zealand’s 1000th Mack in 1987. A special 1000th Mack Superliner was beautifully built and branded to mark the occasion. A three-day celebration ensued which included an evening at the Palmerston North Racecourse where Billy T James’s band entertained. Any customer who purchased a Mack during the year was eligible to go on the 1000th Mack Tour of the USA in 1988. The trip also included a tour of the Renault Truck operations in France and visits to London and Hong Kong on the way home. Cookie went on the tour which included guests such as the great Bill Richardson and a number of other key Mack customers.

80 | Truck & Driver

Cookie is grateful for the opportunities that the Mack brand has given him.

“I’ve been fortunate to work with so many great people at Mack Trucks. The social element was one of the things that kept people around. Everybody worked hard, but we had fun.”

Ron Carpenter, the first person to bring Mack Trucks into New Zealand and a NZ Transport Hall of Fame Inductee, was an influential person for Cookie.

“We worked a lot of overtime often to 9pm at night most Saturdays, and on the odd occasion when an export truck needed to get on a boat, we worked all night. Ron was always there, bringing us pizza,” says Cookie.

Stuart McKegg, Ron’s right-hand man and the person who employed Cookie was also a very important person in Cookie’s career, as was Mack Legend Murray Sowerby.

“Murray contributed immensely to the success of Mack in New Zealand and has become a very close friend over the years,” says Cookie.

MTD has been a second home to Cookie for almost five decades. When asked how the nickname came about Cookie replies; “the name came within the very first couple of days and is obviously a play on my last name. Sometimes it was ‘Bear’, or ‘Cookie Bear’ then it became just ‘Cookie’. I have been called a few other, less PC names over the years too,” he laughs.

As Cookie prepares to embark on a new chapter in his life, he’s keen to do as little as possible while spending time with his eight grand kids and two great grand kids.

But that doesn’t mean Cookie’s technical tinkering days are over.

There will always be a few projects on the go, with classic cars, motorbikes, vintage tractors, and farm machinery all in various stages of completion at his family farm in the Manawatū. T&D

FEATURE

Above: A lineup of trucks greeted visitors as they entered the museum.

Below left: A 40mm Bofors Anti Aircraft Gun along with Simon Waldron’s new Western Star.

Below right: A large military vehicle display to was on hand commemorate ANZAC Day.

South Canterbury’s history

in motion LIKE MANY CLUBS THE SOUTH CANTERBURY TRACTION ENGINE Club started with a group of enthusiasts getting together for a chat.

The first meeting of the club was held in April 1964 and since then an impressive collection of vehicles has been assembled representing the transport history of the South Canterbury region.

In the early 1970’s the club negotiated a deal with the Levels County Council for some land at their yard in Washdyke. The land was part of the Kyle family farm who were foundation members of the club.

Story and Photos: David Kinch

The Kyle family originally subdivided the land off and in 1983 leased it back to the club for $100 per year until November 1988 when the freehold land was gifted to the South Canterbury Traction Engine and Vintage Steam Club with a condition that traction engines were only allowed to operate 24 days per year.

“The Kyle family have always had a strong connection with the club.

They have a vision to keep and preserve this important part of farming history for future generations,” says museum President, Gordon Handy.

Truck & Driver | 81

Above: The main shed at the Kyle Park Transport Museum which holds approx 50 classic trucks.

Below: A recently restored Mercedes Benz which is part of the Protranz Classics Collection.

82 | Truck & Driver

Above: A good crowd came out to enjoy a well organised event with a real family atmosphere.

Below: A special lineup celebrating 100 years of Farmall tractors.

Fast forward to 2018 and a new museum was built on the site to display trucks that helped the South Canterbury region develop into what it is today. With the collection growing rapidly another shed was added in 2021.

Just before the 2022 Horsepower Rally (an event which the club stages every two years), Venture Timaru assisted the club with some money for marketing so the club and the Horsepower Rally event could get the professional marketing they needed to lift their profile. The marketing company suggested the club choose a name that had marketing appeal and meant something special to the club.

In late-April the club held an open day which was attended by Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen. Mr Bowen, along with the Kyle family,

unveiled “Kyle Park Transport Museum” as the new name.

The open day was a huge success with a fantastic family atmosphere. A large ANZAC display, a line up celebrating 100 years of Farmall tractors, a fantastic collection of restored trucks and tractors, rides for the kids in traction engines, fire engines and an army tank kept all ages entertained for hours.

The museum is located at 33 Brosnan Road, Seadown, Timaru. It is open on Mondays and Saturdays from 1-4pm with an entry fee of $10 per person.

Other visits to the Kyle Park Transport Museum can be arranged via the website kylepark.nz or by contacting Bruce Anderson on 027 4372448. T&D

Truck & Driver | 83

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National Road Carriers

Now is the time for investment in our roading infrastructure

By Justin Tighe-Umbers, CEO, National Road Carriers Association Justin Tighe-Umbers

A

S THE ELECTION DRAWS CLOSER, WE ARE SEEING politicians starting to put a stake in the ground on the things their parties stand for. It is National Road Carriers (NRC) role to make sure that trucking operators get the policy settings they need to enable the efficient and safe movement of goods regardless of which party, or parties, are in Parliament following 14 October.

NRC is advocating for the development of a 50-year roading infrastructure plan that delivers a safe, productive and resilient roading network and helps New Zealanders and businesses connect to each other, and to the world.

This ask is not without its challenges. For decades, investment in New Zealand’s local and national roading infrastructure has lagged well behind what’s needed for a safe, productive and resilient roading network. The lack of investment is increasingly visible across New Zealand’s roading network – from routes that are not resilient to weather events, to damaging potholes, to roads and lanes that are too narrow and unsafe.

Aside from the impact on truck drivers and the wider transport industry, the state of our roads is seriously hitting our country’s productivity. Investment in roading is easy for local and central governments to delay in the short-term, often for legitimate reasons, and in the short-term without obvious consequences.

But as we are seeing now, the impact when it occurs becomes simply more and more expensive to fix. This approach is unsustainable and effectively pushes the cost of maintaining and improving today’s roads on to the next generation of New Zealanders.

In March, Waka Kotahi released a refreshed version 30-year

plan for the land transport system. This is a key step towards getting the roading network we need. However, without reliable funding and governance to implement, free from conflict with short-term government priorities or other interests, it is difficult for the trucking industry and the infrastructure businesses building our roads to plan and invest for the long term.

Any long-term plan needs to address the elephant in the room - we have a poor track record in delivering big infrastructure projects on time in full. It needs to meet New Zealand’s broader long-term economic, social and climate objectives – supported by a pathway that includes understanding what engineering and construction methods, labour and technology needs are anticipated over time, as well as attracting investment where necessary.

The funding model needs to consider the total value quality roading infrastructure provides to New Zealand including the economic and social return on investment. NRC favours an investment-based funding model rather than the current consumption-based funding system.

And all of this must be underpinned by evidence and expertise.

Quality long-term solutions need to be based on modelling that reflects expected demand, technology evolution and climate change. Planning and maintenance decisions should draw on the experience of those using the road network – collaboration is key.

So, NRC’s commitment to the industry is clear and we intend to hold Government to account on these important issues. We have drawn a line in the sand on what road transport sector needs to be safe, productive and resilient. The time for action is now. T&D Truck & Driver | 85

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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.

Even during an election year it is still the National and ACT parties who take up this opportunity to offer their transport views. T&D

SPEED LIMIT REDUCTIONS GOING AHEAD DESPITE ‘POLICY BONFIRE’

By Simeon Brown, National Party Spokesman for Transport and Public Service.

AT THE PRIME MINISTER’S ‘POLICY bonfire’ back In March it was announced that the Government would no longer pursue its blanket speed limit reductions.

However, Labour’s speed limit reductions are set to remain with Transport Minister Michael Wood’s Land Transport Rule still set in place.

The Government may think that it is fooling New Zealanders with its policy bonfire announcement, but with a response to an Official Information Act request I lodged now confirming that Auckland Transport has already prepared a proposal for slower speed limits, and new revelations that Wellington City Council is actively considering reducing speed limits to 30kph on the majority of their local roads, it’s clear that Kiwis are continuing to be forced to slow down under Labour.

These speed limit reductions on our local roads didn’t happen by chance either.

Labour’s ‘Road to Zero’ policy, which was launched in 2019 by Phil Twyford and features a new speed limit rule approved

by Michael Wood last year, mandates reduced speed limits on our local roads.

The Land Transport Rule outlines how Road Controlling Authorities must set speed limits, with almost no public consultation.

Under previous rules, councils had

discretion and were required to consult with the public extensively. However, Labour’s new rule requires that all councils adopt a ‘Speed Management Plan’, mandating speed limits based on what the Government defines as safe.

What the Government defines as safe is shown on an NZTA dashboard called Mega Maps, which provides advice to local councils on what these ‘safe’ speeds are for local roads. This dashboard is locked to the public, and it’s no wonder why – some of the speed limit recommendations are crazy.

Currently, Mega Maps recommends that most suburban roads be set to a 30km/h speed limit, that most arterial roads be set to a 40 or 50km/h speed limit, and that most rural roads be set to a 60 or 80km/h speed limit.

To make things worse, this new rule also requires that a Speed Limit Committee be set up, costing ratepayers and taxpayers significant amounts of money, with each member being paid to enforce these slower speed limits.

Congestion on our roads has only worsened over the last six years under Labour, and this is only set to continue with these speed limit reductions. Labour claims that it is focusing on reducing the congestion on our roads, while at the same

Simeon Brown time choosing to slow Kiwis down through Michael Wood’s Land Transport Rule.

New Zealand is a nation that thrives on an economy that continues to move forward.

Slowing Kiwis down on our roads has significant impacts on our economy, putting at risk the important level of productivity seen within the transport sector.

National has promised to reverse this speed limit rule if elected in October, allowing councils to exercise discretion while setting their own speed limits.

Common sense tells us that reduced speed limits should only be implemented when they are targeted, such as at peak hours around schools.

National understands that both safety and efficiency need to be balanced, which is why we will ensure that variable speed limits are put in place around schools during peak hours, instead of reducing speed limits around schools 24 hours a day, seven days a week, as Labour’s rule requires.

I have enjoyed hearing from the transport sector on the issue of blanket speed limit reductions, which has had significant impacts on the sector. As we approach the election, I look forward to continuing the discussion on what role a future National Government could play to balance safety and efficiency on our roads. T&D Truck & Driver | 87

It’s political...

INDECISIVENESS IS COSTING OUR COUNTRY DEARLY

By Simon Court, ACT Party spokesperson on transport

Simon Court

THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT HAS PRIORITISED EXPENSIVE and unrealistic light rail, walking, and cycling initiatives instead of road building and maintenance.

The government has put large-scale roading projects on hold or cancelled them altogether, only to resurrect them when it becomes clear that they were necessary all along. This type of indecisiveness has cost our country dearly in terms of lost economic opportunity, hampered productivity, and unnecessary deaths and injuries.

One of the prime examples of this government’s failure to prioritise roading infrastructure is the lack of an East-West Link for businesses around South East Auckland. That project would unlock housing and commercial development by taking heavy trucks off local roads and allow the inland container terminals in Onehunga and Otahuhu a safe and efficient connection to Port of Auckland.

The expressways will not be extended south of Hamilton or north of Warkworth under the current government. As a result, road users and society as a whole suffer from congestion, delays, and unnecessary deaths and injuries. It is not just Auckland and Waikato that is suffering; all parts of New Zealand are struggling due to poor infrastructure.

In comparison to other countries of similar size and economic strength, New Zealand spends its infrastructure budget poorly. Projects are announced and cancelled by successive governments, resulting in wasted resources and lost opportunities. It is time for structural reform to return discipline and efficiency to decision-making about infrastructure.

As an ACT MP, I am proud that we have produced policies that set out a better way forward. Our policy proposes replacing road 88 | Truck & Driver

taxes with road pricing, which would provide sustainable funding for road building and operations while cutting congestion and saving lives. We would establish a new State Owned Enterprise - Highways NZ - to own and operate the state highway network.

This would create an incentive for Highways NZ to deliver projects promptly and affordably, and easy to maintain.

We believe that senior managers of Highways NZ should have their pay docked if the roads are not up to scratch, incentivising them to provide high-quality roads. Additionally, Highways NZ would be regulated by the Commerce Commission, like Chorus and Transpower are, to ensure transparency and accountability.

Road pricing would pay for policing and ACC. Road owners, Highways NZ, and local councils, would be subject to fines from a re-established Land Transport Safety Authority for any loss of life or serious injury on their roads. This is taking safety seriously and ensuring that all parties are held accountable for their actions.

Despite what environmental activists have been claiming since the 1970s, that too many motor vehicles will destroy the planet and that we will run out of energy to run them, it turns out that people who work in the transport industry can solve these problems. The technology for electric and hydrogen vehicles is developing rapidly, and we believe that New Zealand should embrace this technology to reduce our carbon footprint while still having a robust road infrastructure.

The government’s failure to prioritise roading infrastructure is unacceptable. It is time for a better approach that prioritises efficiency, safety, and sustainability. ACT proposes a clear path forward, and we are committed to working towards a better future for all New Zealanders. T&D

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Beverage deliveries in Auckland and the Waikato for Hancock’s Wine, Beer & Spirit Merchants are the job description for a new Isuzu NQR 500. The long wheelbase (4475mm) 4x2 is powered by the 4HK1-TCC Euro V engine developing 188hp with the Isuzu MZZ-6F 6-speed AMT and Isuzu R066 rear axle. The 6m 10-pit Flexisider body, Zepro tail lift and alloy platform were built

by Boss Motor Bodies with a roof kit, stone guard and sun visor from Visor Distributors. Custom black paint by CFX and printed curtains from Structurflex.

Truck market remains strong THE NEW ZEALAND NEW TRUCK MARKET CONTINUES to break records with 424 registrations (trucks with a GVM of 4.5 tonnes or more) during April.

It was a 4.1% improvement on the previous best-ever April registrations tally of 407 units recorded last year according to official NZ Transport Agency data. And year-to-date for the first four months of the year the total is 1952 units – a 13.9% increase on last year’s 1713 registrations and also a record number for January-April.

The trailer market – while buoyant with 104 April registrations – is still 42 units shy of 2018’s record April performance of 146 registrations. The YTD total at the end of April stands at 454, 14.3% behind the 2018 YTD total of 530 but 13 units ahead of the Jan-April 2022 numbers.

In the overall 4.5t to maximum GVM new truck market, Fuso is back into the leading position for the month with 106 registrations – taking its 2023 YTD total to 416. Fuso’s market share year-on-year has increased from 20.5% to 21.3%.

Isuzu holds a close second place with 90 registrations for the month of April and 406 registrations so far in 2023. Isuzu has also increased its share YOY to 20.8%.

Fuso and Isuzu are edging clear of third-placed Hino with 257 registrations YTD (down from 289 last year). Hino’s market share is on a downward trend, dipping from 16.9% last year to 13.2% this year.

Another major player gaining market share is Scania (YTD 185/April 35) to rank fourth YTD with 9.5% market share - up from 7.2% YTD last year (123 registrations).

Volvo (100/11) retains fifth ahead of UD (94/21), Iveco (93/21), DAF (91/27) and Mercedes-Benz (72/14) all retaining their positions while

Foton (51/13) moves ahead of Kenworth (49/7) to round out the top-10.

There are no surprises in the crossover 3.5-4.5t GVM segment, with Fiat (73/20) continuing to open up an already-dominant lead on Ford (47/6) and Mercedes-Benz (41/4).

In the 4.5-7.5t GVM class, Fuso (214/50) continues to hold a significant lead ahead of second-placed Isuzu (109/22) and Iveco (61/14) in third.

In the 7.5-15t GVM category, Isuzu (190/45) is opening up its lead on Hino (75/17) and Fuso (59/17). Foton (31/7) retains fourth ahead of Iveco (13/1).

In the 15-20.5t GVM division, Hino (29/8) retains the lead ahead of second-placed Fuso (18/5). UD (17/2) holds third, ahead of Scania (9/3) in fourth and Mercedes-Benz (7/0) in fifth.

In the tiny 20.5-23t segment, Hino (5/1) continues in the top spot ahead of Isuzu (2/1) and Fuso (1/0), the only three brands to register any trucks in this market.

In the premium 23t to maximum GVM division, Scania (176/32) consolidates its hold on the No. 1 spot YTD. Fuso (124/34) retains second place ahead of Hino (106/19) while Isuzu (99/23) moves ahead of Volvo (95/10).

DAF (86/26), UD (76/19), Kenworth (49/7), Mercedes-Benz (46/12), MAN (35/2) complete the top-10.

In the trailer market, Fruehauf (54/10) is holding its 2023 lead over second-placed Patchell (48/13) while Roadmaster (35/8) is up to third ahead of Transport Trailers (34/6). TMC (31/7), Domett (26/6), MTE (22/5) and Transfleet (13/2) all remain in unchanged positions while Tidd (11/3) and Fairfax (11/3) are now tied and move ahead of TES to round out the top-10. T&D Truck & Driver | 91

Fuso moves back to number one 4501kg-max GVM Brand FUSO ISUZU HINO SCANIA VOLVO UD IVECO DAF MERCEDES-BENZ FOTON KENWORTH MAN HYUNDAI VOLKSWAGEN MACK WESTERN STAR FREIGHTLINER OTHER SINOTRUK FIAT INTERNATIONAL SHACMAN Total

Vol 416 406 257 185 100 94 93 91 72 51 49 40 32 14 13 8 7 6 5 5 4 4 1952

2023

% 21.3 20.8 13.2 9.5 5.1 4.8 4.8 4.7 3.7 2.6 2.5 2.0 1.6 0.7 0.7 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 100

3501-4500kg GVM Brand FIAT FORD MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO VOLKSWAGEN RAM CHEVROLET RENAULT LDV PEUGEOT Total

Vol 73 47 41 31 24 23 16 8 5 1 269

2023

% 27.1 17.5 15.2 11.5 8.9 8.6 5.9 3.0 1.9 0.4 100

4501-7500kg GVM Brand FUSO ISUZU IVECO HINO HYUNDAI FOTON MERCEDES-BENZ VOLSWAGEN FIAT OTHER Total 92 | Truck & Driver

Vol 214 109 61 42 23 20 15 14 5 5 508

2023

% 42.1 21.5 12.0 8.3 4.5 3.9 3.0 2.8 1.0 1.0 100.0

April Vol % 106 25.0 90 21.2 48 11.3 35 8.3 11 2.6 21 5.0 21 5.0 27 6.4 14 3.3 13 3.1 7 1.7 5 1.2 9 2.1 1 0.2 0.2 1 3 0.7 0.2 1 5 1.2 0.2 1 2 0.5 0.2 1 2 0.5 424 100

April Vol % 20 37.7 6 11.3 4 7.5 8 15.1 8 15.1 5 9.4 0 0.0 1 1.9 1 1.9 0 0.0 53 100

April Vol % 50 45.0 22 19.8 14 12.6 4 3.6 7 6.3 6 5.4 1 0.9 1 0.9 2 1.8 4 3.6 111 100

23,001kg-max GVM

Fire & Emergency New Zealand in Tauranga has a new Hino 500 Series hose layer truck in service. The 4x2 Hino 500 FC 1124 riding on spring suspension has the 240hp engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The truck is equipped with the Hino SmartSafe System including a Pre-Collision System, Pedestrian Detection, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Vehicle Stability Control, ABS, Lane Departure Warning System, and Adaptive Cruise Control.

7501-15,000kg GVM Brand ISUZU HINO FUSO FOTON IVECO HYUNDAI VOLVO MERCEDES-BENZ MAN DAF UD TRUCKS OTHER Total

Vol 190 75 59 31 13 8 5 4 2 2 1 1 391

2023

% 48.6 19.2 15.1 7.9 3.3 2.0 1.3 1.0 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.3 100

April Vol % 45 47.9 17 18.1 17 18.1 7 7.4 1 1.1 2 2.1 1 1.1 1.1 1 1 1.1 1 1.1 0 0.0 1 1.1 94 100

15,001-20,500kg GVM Brand HINO FUSO UD SCANIA MERCEDES-BENZ ISUZU DAF MAN IVECO Total

Vol 29 18 17 9 7 6 3 3 2 94

2023

% 30.9 19.1 18.1 9.6 7.4 6.4 3.2 3.2 2.1 100

April Vol % 8 40.0 5 25.0 2 10.0 3 15.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 10.0 2 0 0.0 20 100

20,501-23,000kg GVM Brand HINO ISUZU FUSO Total

Vol 5 2 1 8

2023

% 62.5 25.0 12.5 100

April Vol % 1 50.0 1 50.0 0 0.0 2 100

Brand SCANIA FUSO HINO ISUZU VOLVO DAF UD KENWORTH MERCEDES-BENZ MAN IVECO MACK WESTERN STAR FREIGHTLINER SINOTRUK INTERNATIONAL HYUNDAI SHACMAN Total

Vol 176 124 106 99 95 86 76 49 46 35 17 13 8 7 5 4 1 1 948

2023

% 18.6 13.1 11.2 10.4 10.0 9.1 8.0 5.2 4.9 3.7 1.8 1.4 0.8 0.7 0.5 0.4 0.1 0.1 100.0

Trailers Vol Brand FRUEHAUF 54 PATCHELL 48 35 ROADMASTER TRANSPORT TRAILERS 34 TMC 31 DOMETT 26 M.T.E. 22 TRANSFLEET 13 TIDD 11 11 FAIRFAX TES 10 FREIGHTER 10 9 JACKSON HAMMAR 9 CWS 8 KRAFT 7 MJ CUSTOMS 6 MILLS-TUI 6 MTC EQUIPMENT 6 SEC 5 PTE 5 LUSK 5 ADAMS & CURRIE 4 MAKARANUI 4 LOHR 4 EVANS 3 3 LOWES 3 KOROMIKO STEELBRO 3 TEO 3 WARREN 3 OTHER 53 Total 454

2023

% 11.9 10.6 7.7 7.5 6.8 5.7 4.8 2.9 2.4 2.4 2.2 2.2 2.0 2.0 1.8 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.3 1.1 1.1 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 11.7 100

April Vol % 16.2 32 17.3 34 19 9.6 23 11.7 5.1 10 26 13.2 9.6 19 3.6 7 12 6.1 2 1.0 6 3.0 1 0.5 3 1.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 0.0 0 0.0 0 197 100.0

April Vol % 10 9.6 13 12.5 8 7.7 6 5.8 7 6.7 6 5.8 5 4.8 2 1.9 3 2.9 3 2.9 0 0.0 4 3.8 1.9 2 2 1.9 3 2.9 1 1.0 0 0.0 1 1.0 1 1.0 2 1.9 3 2.9 3 2.9 0 0.0 1.0 1 3 2.9 0 0.0 0.0 0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 1.0 14 13.5 104 100

Andy Lord is driving Wairua for his Hawke’s Bay Lord Logging operation carting for Pan Pac. The new Scania R 650 B8x4NA sleeper cab has new Patchell logging gear and 4-axle multi trailer. The 650hp Scania DC16 V8 drives to a manual GRSO926R 12-speed transmission with 4100D retarder and RB735 hub reduction rear end. The truck rides on spring front suspension and rear air suspension with ABS/EBS disc brakes. Features include scales, CTI, V8 leather trim, fridge, LED light bar and Dura-bright alloys with drop visor and stone guard by Broshmik. The cab chassis paint and sign writing is by HRPP.

Gellerts Nurseries of Karaka has added an Isuzu FRR 600 Long AMT to its three vehicle fleet moving plants and horticulture products. The 4x2 5160mm wheelbase F Series has a 6.5m Flexisider body with Palfinger tail lift and alloy gate built by Elite Truck Specialists with a roof kit, stone guard and sun visor supplied by Visor Distributors. The 260hp 6HK1-TCC Euro V engine drives to an Allison LCT 6-speed automatic transmission and Isuzu R077 axle.

The first MAN has joined the Blue Ice Logistics fleet is driven by Richard Arnold on Interisland general freight work based out of Christchurch. The new TGX 26.640 Elite 6x4 with 640hp MAN D38 engine is equipped with MAN Tipmatic transmission and Retarder 35, rear ECAS air suspension, disc brakes, a 3.08:1 final drive ratio and Dura-Bright Evo alloys. The MAN works with a Roadmaster 6-axle curtainsider B-Train and has a JOST JSK37C2 fifth wheel coupling. Signage work was completed by Caulfield Signs.

Truck & Driver | 93

Hamilton’s Prestige Building Removals has added another Western Star to its fleet. The 4864FX 6x4 Day Cab is powered by a 600hp Cummins X15 with Eaton Fuller RTLO-22918B 18-speed manual, Meritor RT50-160GP rear axles and Neway AD-246 air suspension. The Western Star is on house removal duty fitted with a TRT heavy haulage push-pull ram. King Signs Hamilton did the paint and signage and other details include a King Bars heavy duty alloy bull bar, stainless drop visor and bug guard, Alcoa alloys and straight cut exhaust stacks.

A new Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3258L is carting recycling and general waste for Northland Waste Ltd. The 8x4 is fitted with a Morgan Engineering 7.2-metre alloy bin with Donovan double flip mesh cover system and tows a Transfleet 5-axle walking floor trailer. The 580hp engine works with a 12-speed Powershift AMT and Mercedes-Benz 13T hypoid rear axles.

Supplied by Keith Andrews Trucks Whangarei, the Arocs is based at the Whenuapai depot and works in West Auckland and the North Shore.

94 | Truck & Driver

Takanini-based SBS Tranz/R & G Trucking is delivering chilled and frozen goods with a new Isuzu EXY 530. The VC67 model Super High Roof 6x4 (4300mm wheelbase) is working around Auckland and the upper North Island.

The Euro V 6WG1-TCS six-cylinder with 520hp is teamed with the 16-speed Isuzu MJX16 automated transmission and RT210 tandem axle with inter-axle lock.

The tractor set-up was completed by Elite Truck Specialists in Auckland with a stone guard from Visor Distributors.

18 JANUARY 2025

TD33501

th

A new Scania R 770 B8x4NA logger is on the road for N J Higgins Contractors working in the Central Plateau region. The Euro 6 DC16 770hp engine is matched to an Opticruise GRSO926R 12-speed AMT with 4100D retarder, RB735 hub reduction rear end, front spring/rear air suspension and EBS/ABS disc brakes. Equipment includes scales, fridge, CTI, Dura-bright alloys, Broshmik drop visor and stone guard plus a light bar. Patchells built the shorts set up and 5-axle multi trailer and also painted the chassis. Signwriting by Caulfield Signs Rotorua.

A new Isuzu FTR 750 has gone to work for Viridian Glass from its Highbrook depot. The 5550mm wheelbase 4x2 is fitted with a Glazier Truck Frail body refurbished and fitted by Glass Tranz Auckland. The roof kit, stone guard and sun visor was supplied by Visor Distributors. The 260hp 6HK10-TCC engine is Euro V spec and is teamed with an Allison LCT2500 6-speed automatic transmission and Isuzu R092 rear axle.

96 | Truck & Driver

A new DAF CF tipper has joined the Ward Demolition fleet alongside the company’s hard-working Kenworths.

The CF 530 FAT 6x4 is powered by a 530hp Euro 6 PACCAR MX-13 producing 2600Nm of torque between 1000-1425rpm and matched to a 16-speed ZF TraXon transmission. The Transfleet Trailers ROC-TUFF 5m steel tipping bin is teamed with one of Ward’s existing 5-axle trailers. Signage work was completed by John Moulden from the Sign Shed.

Former Fonterra tanker driver Arnup Gill from Taranaki has become a Mainfreight owner-driver with a new MAN TGX 26.340 Elite 6x4 sleeper cab. The D38 engine develops 640hp and 3000Nm driving to a MAN Tipmatic 12.30 OD transmission with retarder and hypoid 3.08:1 rear axle on ECAS air suspension. The TGX works with a Road Master 6-axle B-Train and features a JOST JSK 35 fifth wheel, adaptive cruise control, lane guard and lane assist, fridge, electric blinds, glass moon roof, subwoofer, LED headlights and Alcoa Dura-Bright Evo wheels. The paint was done by Haddocks Spray Painters with signage by Signs Direct, both in Whakatane.

Heavy haul work moving drilling rigs, cranes and earth moving gear is the job description for a new Kenworth T610 SAR in the South Auckland-based Spiral Drillers fleet. The highly experienced Kim Moore is driving the 600hp Cummins X15 powered 6x4 with an Eaton 18 -speed RTLO-22918B transmission, Meritor MT23-168GP axles and Neway AD246/10 rear suspension. The T610 SAR is uprated to 131 tonnes and the cab choice is an Aero 860mm integrated sleeper. MTE in Hamilton engineered the tractor and hydraulics while features include a custom Kentweld front bumper with a very handy external tow hook. Clint Herring from Headcase Designs applied the signwriting to the new pride of the Spiral Drilling fleet.

Truck & Driver | 97

This new CJY 530 joins the other Isuzus at Les Harrison Transport and looks great with Tauranga Canvas curtains carrying a special tribute to the upcoming centennial of Hamilton’s Fraser Tech Rugby Club. Number 38 was put straight to work carting dairy products around the North Island. Driver Caroline thinks the new Giga is awesome and enjoys the power and comfort of the big cab. The 8x4 has 530hp and 16-speed AMT transmission matching up to factory RT210 diffs. A Roadmaster body and 5-axle trailer make this unit a head turner.

Northern Linehaul has added a trio of Scania S 770s to its Taupo-based fleet doing inter-island trailer swap work for Move Logistics. The S 770 A6x4NA tractor units are powered by 16-litre Euro 6 DC16 engines with 770hp driving to Opticruise GRSO926R 12-speed AMTs with the 4100D retarder and RB735 hub reduction rear ends. The trucks ride on spring front suspension and air rear suspension with ABS/EBS disc brakes plus adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and autonomous emergency braking. The tractors work with 6-axle Roadmaster B-trains and feature factory fifth wheel, chassis covers by Sheetmetal Industries, scales, V8 trim, fridge, Dura-bright alloys, leather interior, drop visor, Euro-style stone guard, light bar, coffee machine and microwave. Signwriting by Caulfield Signs.

98 | Truck & Driver

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$

ONLY

$95

ONLY

INCL. GST

INCL. GST

Saving $10

Saving $8.00

(INCLUDES EQUIPMENT GUIDE)

(INCLUDES EQUIPMENT GUIDE)

4 ISSUES

4 ISSUES

10%

9.5%

36.00

$

36.00

$

$32

ONLY

$32

ONLY

INCL. GST

INCL. GST

Saving $4.00

Saving $4.00

6%

6%

NEW ZEALAND’S LEADING INDUSTRY PUBLICATIONS

4 SUBSCRIBE EASY WAYS TO

Post PO Box 112062 Penrose, Auckland 1642

Ph 09 571 3544

Email accounts@trucker.co.nz

www.alliedpublications.co.nz

Tick boxes NZ TRUCK & DRIVER 1 year (11 issues) for $95 incl. GST

FOR ME

NZ LOGGER 1 year (11 issues) for $80 incl. GST

Renewal of current subscription:

No.

NZ TRUCKBODY & TRAILER 1 year (4 issues) for $32 incl. GST

RECIPIENT DETAILS FOR GIFT SUBSCRIPTION NAME:

GROUNDSPREAD MAGAZINE 1 year (4 issues) for $32 incl. GST

ADDRESS:

3 TITLES $180 incl. GST

Please tick appropriate magazine title box

MY DETAILS NAME:

SEND A GIFTCARD TO (tick one):

EMAIL: VISA

MASTERCARD

CARD HOLDER NAME: SECURITY CODE:

EXPIRY DATE: SIGNATURE:

TO ME

TO RECIPIENT

Terms and conditions: Subscription rates and a free copy of Equipment Guide are for NZ orders only and only for NZ Truck & Driver, NZ Logger and Groundspread Magazine subscriptions. Rates include GST and postage.

For overseas prices please enquire.

PHONE (day): PAYMENT

PHONE (day): EMAIL:

ADDRESS:

AP21327

A GIFT

CLASSIFIED

TRUCK & DRIVER

TRANSPORT, DIESEL & MARINE

THE RIGHT PARTS . . . THE RIGHT PRICES . . . RIGHT HERE!

THE RIGHT PARTS…THE RIGHT PRICES…RIGHT HERE!

6109 AND 8209 REMAN TRANSMISSIONS AND PARTS AVAILABLE

HUBO’S FIVE YEAR/500,000KM WARRANTY

ALL FULLER ROADRANGER TRANSMISSION PARTS

CLUTCHES POA

RECONDITIONED EXCHANGE OPTIONS AVAILABLE

TDM DRIVELINE RANGE

SELECTION OF YOKES, COMPANION FLANGES, UJ’S, STRAP KITS POA

HI & LOW BASE

SPRING BRAKE CHAMBERS

GENUINE PARTS

2424 / 2430 / 3030 From $65.00 EACH + GST

RTLO18918A-AS3 RECONDITIONED AUTO SHIFT TRANSMISSION

$40.00 EACH + GST

Auto Air Conditioning

Auto Electrical

$6000.00 + GST EXCHANGE Bare unit no electronics

Mechanical Service & Repairs

Available at our Penrose and Papakura locations

EG33316

JAPANESE TORQUE ROD BUSH

Can’t find the parts you need? Call us we can help

www.tdm.co.nz

TRANSPORT, DIESEL & MARINE

Ph: 0800 501 133

8 Prescott Street, Penrose, Auckland  Email: ray@tdm.co.nz I john@tdm.co.nz Truck & Driver | 103

CLASSIFIED

TRUCK & DRIVER

GOT SURPLUS

EG31450

EQUIPMENT?

LET OUR PROVEN, FULL SERVICE SOLUTION TURN YOUR IDLE INVENTORY INTO CASH....

Fast

Talk to our team today WHEN YOU NEED A REPLACEMENT HOIST it pays to ring Hoist Hydraulics

TRUDY WOOLSTON – M: 027 233 0090 – E: TRUDY@TRUCKER.CO.NZ

0800 856 700 (09) 8186 287

HAYDEN WOOLSTON – M: 027 448 8768 – E: HAYDEN@TRUCKER.CO.NZ

EG30643

sales@hoisthydraulics.net

AUCKLAND, NORTHLAND, BOP, WAIKATO, CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND AUCKLAND, LOWER NORTH ISLAND, SOUTH ISLAND

Offering: ❏ Heavy Commercial Vehicle Collision Repairs ❏ Sandblasting ❏ Fiberglass Repairs ❏ Plastic Welding ❏ Automotive Refinishing ❏ Industrial Painting & Protective Coatings ❏ Rust Repairs for COF ❏ Windscreen Replacement

Waitara • Rotorua • Tauranga (2 sites) • Wellington

www.brokersunited.co.nz 104 | Truck & Driver

TD33492

Email: estimates@brokersnz.co.nz | Ph: 0800 45 88 45

www.transportrepairs.co.nz

mills-tui.co.nz

INNOVATIVE

BUILT TO LAST MAXIMISE Your

BOTTOM LINE

Mills-Tui steel tippers are innovative and built to last, manufactured tough from high-wear resistant steel. We’re ready to help build New Zealand’s infrastructure so gives us a call now on 0800 MILLS-TUI

Mills-Tui Limited 16–38 Pururu Street, Managakakahi, Rotorua 3015 P 07 348 8039 T 0800 MILLS -TUI (645 578)

Mills-Tui A4 Tipper Advert 2023-01.indd 1

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