NZ Truck & Driver April 2024

NZ TRUCK & DRIVER

$10.90 incl. GST

| April 2024

April 2024

The Official Magazine of

ISSN 2703-6278

BIG TEST Civil Service | FLEET FOCUS Strictly Old School | FEATURE: Momentum building at Ruakura Superhub

Issue 277

cciv ivilil sseerrvvicicee

CONTENTS Issue 277 – April 2024

2

News The latest from the world of road transport including… New truck launches and career opportunities at the TMS Show in Christchurch…

Hyzon introduces its Aussie-built single stack fuel cell electric truck… The latest on the Tyrewise endof-life tyre disposal scheme… A spec upgrade for the Fuso Canter… and a new round of LETF funding available for low emissions transport.

24

Transporting New Zealand Interim Chief Executive Dom Kalasih takes a look at the successes of industry sector groups and looks ahead to the Transporting NZ South Island Seminar in June.

44

FEATURES: 62 Southpac Trucks Legends Nothing By Half: Campbell Gilmour got his truck license on the day he turned 18. He’s been involved in multiple aspects of the transport industry throughout his career and when he gets behind the wheel today he still enjoys the driving.

Giti Tyres Big Test Civil Service: Hino enjoyed sales success in 2023 with its 700 Series. We spend a working day with Auckland civil construction firm Dempsey Wood putting one of its new FS 2848 truck and trailer units to the test.

41

fleet of 24 trucks in 25 years – plus all the other equipment needed to make things happen in Northland.

Teletrac Navman Fleet Focus Strictly Old School: Hard case and hard-working, Whangarei’s NorthEnd Contractors have built a

MANAGEMENT

67

Hydrogen’s New State-of-the-Art The technology supporting the use of hydrogen for heavy transport is advancing rapidly with Daimler Truck developing a new liquid hydrogen refuelling system.

77

Heavy Pair in a Special Light

Truck Show Wrap We take a look at the return of the Wellington Truck & Transport Show and visit the inaugural Otorohanga Truck and Ute Show.

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.

87

Building Momentum Development continues at the Ruakura Superhub in Hamilton as the new logistics centre for the `Golden Triangle’ begins to take shape.

73

81

CrediFlex Recently Registered February new truck registrations were level pegging with the same month last year and the market continues to track on a gentle growth curve. Plus, the monthly gallery of new rigs on the road.

COLUMNS 85 National Road Carriers Association CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers takes a look into the Government Policy Statement on land transport and what it means for the road transport industry.

The story behind the impressive artwork presented to the winner of the 2023 Double Coin Tyres Transport Imaging Award.

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Publisher

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

Trudy Woolston

Advertising

Victor Georgiades 021 925 600 victor@trucker.co.nz

Trudy Woolston Phone

Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

admin@trucker.co.nz

SUBSCRIPTIONS admin@trucker.co.nz 027 474 6033

NZ subscription $110 incl. GST for one year price (11 issues) Overseas rates on application ADDRESS

EDITORIAL Editor

Colin Smith 021 510319 colin@trucker.co.nz

Associate Editor

Brian Cowan

CONTRIBUTORS

Wayne Munro Olivia Beauchamp Gerald Shacklock Rod Simmonds Aaron Hunt

ART DEPARTMENT Design & Production Luca Bempensante Zarko Mihic EQUIPMENT GUIDE AUCKLAND, NORTHLAND, BOP, WAIKATO, CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND Advertising Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

AUCKLAND, LOWER NORTH ISLAND, SOUTH ISLAND Advertising Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

Phone Freephone Postal Address Street Address Web

+64 9 571 3544 0508 TRUCKER (878 2537) PO Box 112 062, Penrose, AUCKLAND 172B Marua Road, Ellerslie, AUCKLAND www.alliedpublications.co.nz

PRINTING & DISTRIBUTION Printer Bluestar Retail Distribution ARE Direct Publication: New Zealand Truck & Driver is published monthly, except January,

by Allied Publications Ltd PO Box 112 062, Penrose, Auckland Contributions: Editorial contributions are welcomed for consideration, but no responsibility is accepted for lost or damaged materials (photographs, graphics, printed material etc). To mail, ensure return (if required), material must be accompanied by a stamped, addressed envelope. It’s suggested that the editor is contacted by fax or email before submitting material.

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

www.facebook.com/nztruckanddriver

www.nztruckanddriver.co.nz Truck & Driver | 1

NEWS The debut of the SANY truck brand from China previewed it’s fully electric 8x4 concrete truck.

Electric trucks highlight TMS show THREE LOCAL DEBUTS FOR NEW BATTERY ELECTRIC trucks and the first public appearance of the most anticipated Western Star model for many years were among highlights of the TMS Teletrac Navman Technology | Maintenance | Safety Conference & Exhibition which opened in Christchurch on March 13.

The two day conference organised with the NZ Trucking Association and National Road Carriers was officially opened by the Hon. Matt Doocey, whose portfolios include Minister for ACC and Associate Minister of Transport.

Among the new trucks on display at the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre was an 8x4 variant of the new Western Star 48X, part of the brand’s new generation X-Series range of trucks being introduced to New Zealand later this year.

Another notable launch was for the SANY full electric E-Mixer concrete Volvo FM Electric and JAC Motors N60EV were on show in Christchurch.

2 | Truck & Driver

truck. SANY is the third largest construction equipment manufacturer in the world and its earth moving equipment is well established in the New Zealand market.

The 8x4 unit has been through homologation and testing in Australia, with support from Putzmeister Oceania and partners including Terramotive in the Australian and New Zealand markets.

Using an Australian-made Cesco superstructure with a 6.5 cubic metre bowl, the configuration is designed for dry batching methods and uses a 350kWh CATL battery pack.

Also on show was first 490kW Volvo FM Electric tractor unit to arrive in New Zealand and at the lighter end of the scale was an electric N60EV 6.0t light truck from the JAC Motors brand, which is relaunching in New Zealand this year.

NEWS

Above: NRC CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers with Carol McGeady and David Boyce from the NZ Trucking Association.

Right: Trucks on display in the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre.

Bottom right: The new Western Star 48X debuted at the TMS show.

Bottom left: Delegates enjoyed two days of presentations on transport industry topics.

An important focus of the TMS Expo is to showcase career opportunities in the transport industry. Early on the opening day 130 local school students and adults interested in a transport career had the opportunity to find out more about all aspects of the industry including driving, engineering, health & safety, technology and logistics.

“It was great seeing so many young people engaged in a potential career in transport,” says David Boyce, CEO, New Zealand Trucking Association.

“Opening their eyes to the range of opportunities the industry provides and helping them understand the industry is about more than being a truck driver.

We need marketers, administration, HR, communications, engineers, and supply chain experts – to name just a few. The Careers Expo is about being proactive in terms of attracting talent.”

Show organisers report over 50 exhibitors were in attendance, including Volvo, Penske, Isuzu, UD Trucks, Hino Trucks, Z Energy, Levanta Superior Workshop Solutions, NAPA, Transpecs, Alemlube, Milwaukee, and Waimea Engineering.

“It was fantastic to have transport operators and firms attending alongside service suppliers, manufacturers, telematics, agencies (e.g., MSD), regulators (e.g., NZTA), finance, insurance, and technology providers,” says Boyce.

“We’ve really enjoyed welcoming the Crane Association, Ground Spreaders Association, and the Heavy Haulage Association, along with our Australian partners the Australian Trucking Association, NatRoad, and TruckSafe Australia.”

Speakers addressed a range of topics including how to enhance fleet

productivity through performance-based designs, telematics, AI, and how transformational technology can be for the industry. Attendees were also challenged to think more deeply about the future of transportation fuels especially how diesel, hydrogen and electric can all play their part.

“Industry safety was central to the conference and delegates appreciated the opportunity to hear how industry-led initiatives such as HARMfree Transport and Logistics and TruckSafe NZ can enhance safety outcome and contribute to operator well-being,” says Justin Tighe-Umbers, CEO, National Road Carriers.

“The session on how to get a grip of your business costs via NRC’s Customisable Cost Index was particularly well received as operators struggle with increasing costs across the board, and attendees for given strong insights into what a powerful tool their people are and how business success is intrinsically linked to how you develop and invest in your workforce.”

A Wednesday night awards ceremony celebrated three industry leaders across the technology, maintenance and safety sectors.

The PartsTrader Technology Award for the company or entrepreneur who has a technological solution or product that enhances the future of our industry was won by TDRI Solutions.

Josh Verity, owner, TRUCKworks Mechanical & Engineering was named winner of the BP Maintenance Award, recognising the most outstanding technician who is dedicated to continuous improvement.

The late Rachel Lehen and the Fit for Duty programme were recognised with the ACC Safety Award for pioneering work in the area of sleep health and fatigue management.

Truck & Driver | 3

38 LOCATIONS 95 SERVICE TRUCKS 13 DRIVE-THROUGH SITES AUTHORISED AUTHORISED AUTHORISED OUTLET OUTLET OUTLET OF: OF:OF:

0800 0800 4 0800 CARTERS 4 CARTERS 4 CARTERS enquiry@carterstyres.co.nz enquiry@carterstyres.co.nz enquiry@carterstyres.co.nz

carterstyres.co.nz carterstyres.co.nz carterstyres.co.nz

TD33576

WHATEVER YOU DO

NEWS

The Hyzon Prime Mover developed in Australia is powered by a new single stack 200kW fuel cell.

TD33576

Hydrogen trials on the move?

LATE 2024 NOW LOOKS TO BE THE TIMELINE FOR the long-awaited start to New Zealand trials of Hyzon heavy duty fuel cell electric trucks.

The most recent update was provided at the launch of the first cabover configuration truck powered by Hyzon’s new single stack 200kW fuel cell (FCEV) powertrain in Melbourne on March 12.

The new prime mover was unveiled at the Kangan Institute’s Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE) in Melbourne where an Australian engineering team is leading the development of the cabover version.

The company expects to deploy 200kW cabovers in Europe and 200kW conventional trucks in the U.S. later this year and the first 200kW Prime Movers are also expected to begin operating in trials on Australian and New Zealand roads later this year.

“This is Hyzon at its best,” says Hyzon Chief Executive Officer Parker Meeks. “The Hyzon 200kW Prime Mover provides our customers with a powerful, zero-emission option for their fleets, showcasing our expertise in crafting state-of-the-art FCEVs.” According to Meeks, the single stack 200kW fuel cell system also may allow Hyzon to bring the same technology to industrial ecosystems beyond trucking, including mining, rail, marine, stationary power generation, and airport ecosystems.

The single stack 200kW fuel cell system for the Prime Mover was manufactured at Hyzon’s U.S. production facility in Bolingbrook, Illinois.

This system, expected to reach start of production in the second half of 2024, generates 200kW of power output from a single fuel cell stack.

Reaching 200kW fuel cell power typically requires two smaller units, but Hyzon has engineered a single stack 200kW fuel cell system that is 30% lower in weight and volume and estimated to be 25% lower in total fuel

cell system cost compared to two of its 110kW fuel cell systems combined.

By integrating high-power, compact fuel cell systems into familiar vehicle builds, Hyzon plans to offer a zero-emission option to fleets that can match the operational expectations of a diesel truck.

Hyzon Managing Director for Australia, John Edgley, says the Prime Mover was designed and assembled locally, which is a testament to the skills and capabilities of the company’s local workforce.

“We are assembling zero-emission heavy vehicles right here in Melbourne, Australia, using local skills and employing local people,” says Edgley.

“Hyzon established Australia’s first purpose-built assembly plant in Melbourne’s Southeast in 2021 to capitalise on the wealth of homegrown industry skills left behind when several global automotive businesses shut down their regional operations. We have grown our team to more than 50 local employees, including engineers, fabricators, welders, and designers to put this new 200kW vehicle on the road.”

Speaking at the event, Hyzon Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Dr. Christian Mohrdieck addressed the unique design elements of the Hyzon fuel cell and fuel cell system.

“Hyzon designs and manufactures fuel cell technology from the ground up. We apply our advanced engineering capabilities throughout the system – from the Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA), the heart of the fuel cell system, to the balance of plant to the software,” says Mohrdieck.

“This allows us to build a fuel cell system that fits the performance and durability needs of heavy-duty applications such as a commercial trucking.”

“The fuel cell system and powertrain integration and assembly work on our Prime Mover here in Australia demonstrates the skill of our local team, and the accelerated product development cycle highlights the advantage of Hyzon’s strong global and functional collaboration,” he says.

Truck & Driver | 5

NEWS Scania is testing the Level 4 capable autonomous trucks with a safety driver behind the wheel.

Level 4 autonomous for Traton THE VOLKSWAGEN-OW NED TR ATON GROUP H AS announced it is advancing plans for Level 4 autonomous trucking across its Scania, MAN Truck & Bus and Navistar brands.

Traton is launching an Autonomous Commercial Pilot Programme based on an autonomous solution powered by the leading technology stack from U.S. tech pioneers Plus.

The pilot programmes will expand the strategic development of autonomous hub-to-hub transport solutions and scalable operational concepts using the Level 4, fully autonomous Plus SuperDrive technology stack.

This new solution stands out due to its adaptability to customers’ specific routes and transport profiles.

“We are committed to developing fully integrated autonomous solutions.

This means technology that is fitted and supported directly from the factory and a solution that is designed to be operated by our customers in their existing infrastructure and operational flows,” says Peter Hafmar, Scania’s VicePresident and Head of Autonomous Solutions.

The expectation is that Scania’s autonomous hub-to-hub solutions will help increase its customers’ operating efficiency, lower their transport emissions and improve road safety, while also addressing the growing global driver shortage.

The launch and announcement are the latest stage on Scania’s autonomous journey. The company, which has already been testing autonomous transport solutions on Swedish roads since 2021, has plans to expand pilot operations with customers in other European countries during 2024.

“By expanding our autonomous hub-to-hub programme we are taking a leading position in providing autonomous solutions to our customers,” says Hafmar.

Scania trucks equipped with the Plus Level 4 autonomous driving system are already being tested on public roads in Europe, with a safety driver on board. The two companies will pilot commercial operations with fleets, then start series production and global commercial deployment at scale.

International models are being tested with the Plus SuperDrive technology.

6 | Truck & Driver

“Plus is delighted to be selected by Scania as their long-term autonomy technology partner. We will leverage our experience deploying our highly modular and flexible autonomous driving software globally to help accelerate their development of high performance autonomous trucks that will safely and easily integrate into customer operations and be deployed commercially at scale,” says Shawn Kerrigan, COO and Co-Founder of Plus.

“Through our combined expertise, we will bring to market safer, more efficient and more sustainable transportation solutions. This will transform how freight is moved,” Kerrigan says.

MAN Truck & Bus is also collaborating with the Silicon Valley, California specialists to explore driverless transport between logistics hubs.

“With Plus, we have gained a proven specialist for automated driving systems in commercial vehicle applications as a partner. The aim is to increasingly integrate driverless driving with practical projects in concrete hub-to-hub logistics transport and thus accelerate the series introduction of autonomous driving systems,” says Lukas Walter, Head of Sales Truck at MAN Truck & Bus SE. As a member of the TRATON Group, Navistar is also involved in the partnership with Plus to integrate its Level 4 autonomous SuperDrive technology stack into International vehicles.

Navistar says the high volume and scalability of hub-to-hub operations presents an immediate addressable market of 40 billion kilometres of longdistance freight on the U.S. interstate system. The company has strategically selected hub-to-hub operations as the company’s core segment for commercial viability of autonomous implementation.

International trucks equipped with SuperDrive by Plus are being validated with a safety driver on routes in Texas. Customer pilots are expected within the year, with commercial deployments expanding incrementally along strategic U.S. corridors.

“There is a strong business case for autonomous technology in the hub-tohub distribution model, specifically in long-haul transportation where there’s a compelling opportunity to increase operational efficiencies,” said Tobias Glitterstam, chief Strategy and Transformation officer, Navistar.

“Global partnership with a company like Plus allows us to leverage the technical strides they have made as we work together to focus on the commercial viability of Level 4 autonomous driving.”

The Plus Level 4 autonomous driving system SuperDrive is fully integrated into trucks, also providing solutions for maintenance, telematics, safety, and reliability.

96 PO PH

*TR EM

w

WWW.SPT.CO.NZ

*TRP assist 0508 22 55 77 EMAIL: info@spt.co.nz

www.spt.co.nz

TARANAKI Adam McIntosh

AUCKLAND Steve Willcocks 027 525 0015 Mitchell Redington 021 555 326

HAWKE’S BAY – MANAWATU – WANGANUI – WELLINGTON Mark O’Hara 027 2466 954

WAIKATO Adam McIntosh Tim Finlay

027 603 1023 021 452 805

BAY OF PLENTY - GISBORNE Tim Finlay 021 452 805

SOUTH ISLAND Mike Gillespie Chris Gray Richard Reid

027 603 1023

027 4322 491 027 2816 840 021 451 970

FIND OUT MORE

WWW.SPT.CO.NZ

TD34242

96-98 Wiri Station Road PO Box 76463 Manukau City, Auckland, NZ PHONE (09) 262 3181 FAX (09) 278 5643

NORTHLAND Mitchell Redington 021 555 326

THE HOME OF TRUCK STYLING PARTS Omnius Torpedo LED lights Nedking 95cm Air Horns Coles Custom Mexicano Sunvisor

Coles Custom Stoneguard – Normal

TRUX Bullbar Scania

Grille Covers R/S series – with spotlights Dirt Deflector Corner Shield

Eyelids Scania NTG LED

PLUS MANY MORE PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AT:

www.go-in-style.nz

TD34271

Coles Custom bumper spoiler

Fine-tuning ahead for new Tyrewise scheme THE MARCH 1 LAUNCH OF NEW Zealand’s Tyrewise scheme for managing the stewardship of `end of life’ tyres is revealing some early fee anomalies which are being worked through by the scheme delivery managers.

The Tyrewise fees scale for loose regulated tyres is based on 53 NZ Customs tariff code items, ranging from small motorcycle and ATV tyres through to large earthmoving and aircraft tyres.

The early days of the scheme have highlighted that some tyres have historically been imported under multiple Tariff codes for some time.

“It has highlighted there has been a lot of unintentional misdeclaration of Tariff codes by tyre importers, but that hasn’t impacted financially until now because there hasn’t been a monetary amount attached to the Tariff code,” says Adele Rose, CEO of 3R Group, the Tyrewise Scheme Delivery Managers.

“However, it matters a lot now because the Tyrewise Stewardship fee the importer will be invoiced for is driven off the Tariff item by which the importer declares at point of import, and further to that the tyre fits into a specific Tariff item based on its intended use,” Adele says.

One of the early anomalies has been confusion around some larger 20-inch tyres which can be used on SUVs or on light commercial vehicles.

These can be charged at $6.65 if they are declared for a passenger vehicle or $13.30 for a commercial vehicle.

“There’s also an issue at the top end with some large oversize tyres,” Adele says.

“The Tariff code items stop at a point where the maximum fee that can be charged for a large oversize tyre is $420.95, but some of the largest mining tyres should be charged a Tyre Stewardship Fee of around $2000 based on weight alone.”

“We have a Technical Advisory Group who will be working on this with NZ Customs and Ministry for the Environment to have a proposal in place to cater for these differences within the next three months,” Adele says.

NEWS

Phase one of the Tyrewise scheme began on March 1. The collection service starts from September 1.

The Tyre Stewardship Fee replaces the previous, ad hoc tyre disposal fees charged when tyres were removed from vehicles.

From March 1 a ‘tyre stewardship fee’ will be charged on tyres sold in New Zealand, loose, or on a vehicle and all importers and sellers of regulated tyres need to be registered with Tyrewise.

The goal is to avoid millions of tyres being piled in paddocks, illegally dumped, or sent to landfill in New Zealand every year.

“From 1 September, Tyrewise will be responsible for arranging the free collection of end-of-life tyres from registered tyre sellers, garages, and public collection sites around the country,” Adele says.

“The scheme will also ensure the tyres go to registered processors and manufacturers, so they get a second life in a new product, rather than being landfilled, stockpiled, or dumped.”

Once fully operational, Tyrewise will see a significant increase in the number of tyres being

recycled or used in the creation of new products and will also invest in the development of innovative, new, high-value uses for rubber from end-of-life tyres.

At present about 40% of the tyres which reach their end-of-life in New Zealand are recycled or used in the creation of new products.

“Tyrewise has set a target of 80% of tyres processed by the fourth year of operation and over 90% by the sixth year,” Adele says.

“The New Zealand market has a way to go in that regard, and we’re keen to see higher value products benefit the country as a whole.”

The following NZ Customs link provides FAQs regarding the tariff classification regulated tyres. It also outlines the process for applying for a Customs ruling on the tariff classification for specific tyres. https://www.customs.govt.nz/about-us/ news/important-notices/fee-for-regulatedtyres-under-the-waste-minimisation-tyresregulations-2023/ Truck & Driver | 9

NEWS A range of safety and resurfacing work is planned for the Remutaka Hill closures.

Overnight closures for Remutaka hill OVERNIGHT CLOSURES ARE BRINGING NEW ROAD safety improvements on State Highway 2 Remutaka Hill in coming months.

The night closures began in mid-March and will run until June to install new side barriers and motorcycle under-barriers between the twin bridges on the Featherston side of the hill and Marchant Road, Kaitoke. Road signs and markings on Remutaka Hill will also be improved and upgraded.

Mark Owen, Regional Manager Lower North Island/Top of the South, says Remutaka Hill is one of our country’s most high-risk sections of highway.

“Between 2014 and 2023 there have been 382 crashes on the route. Five of these were fatal crashes, and another 29 were serious injury crashes.”

“Over 60% of those who were killed or seriously injured were motorcyclists.

The new safety improvements being installed will help reduce this. Underbarriers are a proven protection system that reduces the rate of deaths and serious injuries for motorcycle crashes,” Mr Owen says.

“People make mistakes, and safety improvements like better barriers mean that when a mistake or crash occurs, there’s less chance of people being killed or seriously injured.”

Mr Owen says making the road safer brings other benefits too.

“This is a busy stretch of highway with over 7,000 vehicles, on average, travelling over the hill each day. If we reduce the number of serious crashes, we

cut the number of times the highway has to be closed to manage them.“ Road closures on the hill can cause significant disruption, with an approximate three-hour detour via the Saddle Road or Pahiatua Track, the only other road options.

The safety improvements are just part of the work to be carried out during the planned night closures.

Mr Owen says there will also be a tremendous amount of maintenance work done on the highway, including road resurfacing, clearing slips and rockfall, repairing potholes, and renewing line markings.

“It’s been four years since we introduced planned night closures to maintain the route. The old approach saw around 300 stop/go road works carried out on the hill yearly, which meant drivers encountered road work delays almost daily.

While over 7,000 vehicles use SH2 Remutaka Hill daily, on average, just over 300 use the route at night.

“Night-time closures are, overall, far less disruptive for drivers. Also, they let our work crews deliver high-quality work much faster,” Mr Owen says.

During the closure times there are escorted crossings available that must be booked in advance. However these are only for light vehicles.

All closures are 9pm till 4am. The planned dates are March 17-22; April 1419; May 19-24 and May 26-31; June 16-21.

Hannover anticipation starts to build EARLY INTEREST IN THE IAA Transportation 2024 exhibition in Hannover, Germany from signals strong response from commercial vehicle, transportation, and logistics companies.

Europe’s largest transportation expo runs September 17-22 and is attracting a diverse range of participating companies with the number of registered exhibitors already higher than the comparable figure for 2022, and the number of international exhibitors continues to rise.

“The positive response from leading companies worldwide underscores the immense commitment of our industry to position itself for the future. As a catalyst for innovation, the exhibitors at IAA Transportation have already set standards in 2022. In 2024, we return – stronger and with an expanded horizon, ready to provide a worthy platform for this progressive industry,” says Jürgen Mindel, Managing Director of VDA. 10 | Truck & Driver

Truck Industry heavyweights DAF, Daimler Truck, Ford Trucks, MAN, Hyundai, Iveco, JAC Motors, Quantron, Scania, Volvo, and others will present their visions for future heavy-duty transport and major suppliers including Bosch,

Continental, Denso, Mahle, Valeo, and ZF Group are already confirmed.

The preliminary exhibitor directory for IAA Transportation will be published in June at www. iaa-transportation.com.

Daimler Truck traditionally makes big announcements at the biennial IAA Transportation expo.

STOCK BUILDS AVAILABLE IN YOUR FLEET COLOURS

SALES - TAUPO NORTH

SALES - TAUPO SOUTH

TMC TRAILERS LTD

Phil Hawkes 027 701 4000 phil@tmc.kiwi

Paul (Skippy) Goodman 021 701 110 skippy@tmc.kiwi

www.tmc.kiwi

Auckland 8 Oak Road, Wiri

Hamilton 18 Evolution Drive, Horotiu

0800 862 496

Christchurch 56 Edmonton Rd, Hornby

NEWS

The new Cummins X15 is being developed as a fuel agnostic engine platform that can run on diesel, natural gas or hydrogen.

CUMMINS HAS REVEALED DETAILS of its next generation X15 diesel engine, its most efficient heavy-duty diesel engine ever and the latest addition to the new 15-litre fuel agnostic platform that now carries the HELM branding.

HELM stands for High Efficiency, Lower emissions, Multiple fuels and signals the new engine is being developed as a platform for diesel, natural gas and hydrogen combustion technologies.

In North America the new X15 diesel will be compliant with U.S. EPA and CARB 2027 aligned regulations at launch. It will be produced at Cummins’ Jamestown, New York facility.

The next generation X15 diesel will feature improved greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency benefits while retaining the same ratings of the current X15 (up to 605 horsepower and 2,050 ft-lb of torque). It’s optimised for integration with the latest Eaton Cummins and Cummins-Meritor powertrains.

“With higher efficiency, lower emissions, and multiple fuels, the Cummins HELM platforms give our customers control of how they navigate

their own journeys as part of the energy transition.

They can choose the fuel types that work best for them, their businesses, and their goals,” says Jane Beaman, Vice President Global, On-Highway Business, Cummins.

This next-generation engine is designed to have the capability to meet future emissions regulations beyond 2027 without the need for significant architecture changes. This investment will help the company maintain technology leadership for the next decade as it continues to fund future research and development in hydrogen and alternative fuel engines, battery electric and fuel cell powertrains.

“We have applied our decades of experience with the X15 to our next-generation product and believe these investments will serve our customers well into the future,” says José Samperio, Vice President, North America On-Highway at Cummins.

“The next generation X15 is the next evolution of technology, truly proving to the world that we never stop innovating. We are working hard to ensure the new product delivers our brand promise

The new X15 engines will be built at the Cummins plant in Jamestown, New York.

12 | Truck & Driver

to customers for the important jobs they need to do every day.”

From its inception, the next generation X15 was developed with Cummins’ fully integrated powertrain in mind. The X15 architecture utilises a belt-driven, high output 48-volt alternator and aftertreatment heater solution, optimised for increasingly stringent emission standards.

Customers taking advantage of EX ratings (requires Eaton Cummins Endurant and GPS look-ahead data) with Cummins Meritor axles, brakes and drivelines will experience additional optimised fuel efficiency and drivability through features such as predictive gear shifting, on-ramp boost, and hill roll out.

The Endurant HD and XD series transmissions are optimised to work seamlessly with the next generation X15 powertrain, improving efficiency and performance while maintaining drive comfort.

The HELM fuel agnostic 15-litre engine platform enables a series of engine versions that are derived from a common base engine which is then adapted to run on diesel, natural gas or hydrogen.

Below the head gasket of each engine will feature largely the same components while above the head gasket will have different components for different fuel types. Each engine version will operate using a different, single fuel. The X15N, the natural gas variant, is the first engine on the Cummins HELM platforms available to customers and as well as the X15 platform the HELM principles is being adopted on the B and X10 engine platforms.

The new X15 diesel is capable of using biodiesel blends up to 20% and renewable diesel blends up to 100%. Cummins was an early adopter of renewable fuels and continues to advance use of higher biodiesel blends and renewable diesel which have been proven to reduce carbon intensity of diesel fuel consumption.

TD34251

Taking the HELM on low emissions

C

NEWS

NZI begins 2024 rest zone series

Above: Luke McNulty takes part in the CPR training offered

by Wellington Free Ambulance.

Right: Craig Thorburn from Riordan & West Transport says the NZI Truckie Rest Stops are an outstanding idea.

TD34251

THE FIRST NZI TRUCKIE REST ZONES FOR 2024 WERE well received at Picton and Wellington in early March.

With support from Interislander, Hato Hone St John, Wellington Free Ambulance, and barbeque trailer provided by Fern Energy, the events were held at the Interislander ferry terminals.

The NZI Truckie Rest Zone events are a community collaboration, and part of NZI’s Fleet Fit initiative. They raise awareness about driver fatigue – a major cause of road accidents.

These events give truck drivers the opportunity to learn more about the issue of fatigue from NZI’s Fleet Risk experts, who want to make sure all truckies get home safely to their whānau.

The rest zones are an opportunity for drivers to recharge and refresh before the next leg of their journey with complimentary hot food off the barbeque, barista coffees, and fresh fruit, among other healthy snacks.

There is also a health focus with CPR training on offer and health checks for blood pressure and diabetes issues.

Truckies from a wide range of operators visited the NZI Truckie Rest Zone through rain and shine over three days.

Craig Thorburn from Riordan & West Transport said: “I think this event is really outstanding and there should be more of them to make drivers aware of their own health.”

NZI have more Truckie Rest Zone events planned around the country over the next six months.

021 309 884 Phone: 03 313 1786 www.cowantrailers.co.nz CONTACT GARRY Cell: Email: cowantrailers@xtra.co.nz 311 Flaxton Road Rangiora 7400

NEWS

The PACCAR Parts microgrid includes public charging at up to 360kW.

Charged and ready A ` MICROGRID’ RECHARGING SYSTEM DEVELOPED

by PACCAR Parts Europe has been installed as on-site power supply at BEST Trucks, DAF Electric Truck Centre in Barendrecht, the Netherlands.

The ‘microgrid’ consists of an Energy Storage System (ESS) with a battery storage capacity of 480kWh, an Energy Management System (EMS) and three super-fast charger outlets with a maximum output of 360kW. These are connected to the existing 750 solar panels on the roof, as well as the electricity grid.

Two chargers are installed in the workshop, available to power up electric trucks within one hour. A third fast charging point is publicly accessible.

The ESS provides reliable power availability so electric vehicles leave the BEST Trucks workshop charged to at least 80% of their capacity after servicing.

“Due to the increasing demand for energy, securing the energy supply is under pressure. You don’t want to choose between keeping the lights on in the workshop or supercharging your customers’ electric vehicles,” says.

BEST Trucks’ owner Ronald Janssen.

“This microgrid ensures a consistent and sustainable energy supply while also facilitating rapid charging. It remains operational even in unfavourable weather conditions or during periods of insufficient grid electricity. It is good to know we always can rely on the energy storage.”

The EMS monitors the expected hours of sunshine, energy usage, and peaks in electricity grid demand to achieve the highest efficiency and lowest energy cost. BEST Trucks will be able to trade in energy, storing it locally when tariffs are low or when there’s a surplus of solar energy and using it or selling it back during peak demand against peak tariffs.

Proven Performance Axles & Suspensions

TD33568

German engineered for a superior ride

Axle and suspensions shown may differ from those used by this fleet

bpwte.co.nz

this fleet

NEWS

New momentum for powered trailers US ELECTRIFIED TRAILER PIONEER RANGE ENERGY has secured new funding to accelerate customer pilot programmes and preparations for full-scale production of its electric powered trailers.

The Mountain View, California company has announced US$23.5 million in new funding led by Trousdale Ventures, with participation from UP.Partners, R7 and Yamaha Motor Ventures. The additional financing brings Range’s total funding to US$31.5M, inclusive of the company’s US$8m seed financing.

Range Energy says fleets are under immense pressure to decarbonise, yet electric tractors are years away from mass scale largely due to costs and capital planning, charging infrastructure, and reliability in inclement weather.

Electric trailers are a practical solution to these challenges as they help the commercial trucking market tackle new emissions mandates, are cost

Range Energy has developed electric powered trailers to reduce commercial vehicle emissions.

effective, and can be implemented with no operational disruptions.

“To date, consumer EVs have captured the attention of early adopters and are making inroads towards mass adoption, yet factors such as charging infrastructure, grid instability, and cost have all contributed to slower-thanhoped adoption rates,” said Ali Javidan, CEO and founder, Range Energy.

“Range is poised to ensure commercial fleets are able to adopt and transition to electric with speed and ease and our investors are committed to helping get our trailers into the hands of commercial fleet owners – and on the roads – quickly.”

Range says its electrified trailers can hook up to any modern dieselpowered truck to immediately improve fuel economy. A recent third-party on-road test achieved a fuel saving of 36.3% and Range’s powered trailers also can double the range of electric semi-trucks.

Greg Cornes (Director), Tim Miller (National Sales & Customer Support Manager), Mike Stevenson (Managing Director), Craig Jamieson (Director)

Introducing Our New National Sales & Customer Support Manager

It is our pleasure to introduce Tim Miller.

Tim has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the transport industry and is excited about this new role.

He is looking forward to meeting all of our customers throughout New Zealand and we believe he will be a great addition to Transport Trailers.

www.transporttrailers.co.nz . sales@transporttrailers.co.nz .

TransportTrailers

SHOGUN WALKS THE

510HP | 2500Nm The most powerful Japanese truck, ever!

FUSO SHOGUN 510 gives you the power and torque to dominate New Zealand roads, plus advanced safety features to get your team home safely – day after day, night after night.

Euro 6 | 510hp | 2,500Nm / 1,850 lb-ft | 12.8 Litre

LIMITED STOCK. CALL TODAY ON 0800 FUSO NZ

MITSUBISHI FUSO Authorised Distributor Fuso New Zealand Ltd www.fuso.co.nz/shogun510

SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE!

NEWS

Changes for the Fuso Canter revealed in Japan include new LED headlights (lower left) and a modernised interior (lower right).

Canter gets a makeover A NEW GENER ATION FUSO CANTER LIGHT-DUTY truck range went on sale in Japan in February.

In the upgrade the Canter’s interior design is renewed for the first time in 14 years and an expanded range of safety technology, functionality and driver comfort features have been introduced.

The revised cab interior features a streamlined design from the dashboard to the exit grips for improved ease of entry and exit. The new model also features a 10-inch full LCD instrument panel and the addition of easy-touse steering wheel switches, while an optional centre touchscreen display allows easy operation of both navigation and radio.

The new Canter has also been significantly enhanced with a range of advanced safety features. It now comes equipped with Active Sideguard Assist 1.0 (only on Duonic 2.0 AMT models), which reduces the risk of accidents during turns by monitoring the blind spot on the side of the truck and can further activate a collision mitigation brake system if needed.

All Japan market versions are equipped with Active Brake Assist 5 (ABA5) as standard, an emergency braking system with improved spatial recognition and pedestrian detection. The driver attention monitoring

system “Active Attention Assist,” that warns the driver of impaired driving attention is an optional feature, and “Traffic Sign Recognition” has been installed as a standard feature.

Additionally, a “Rear View Camera” is now fitted to the back of the vehicle to reduce the risk of accidents when reversing, complying with the new Japanese regulations that take effect in May 2024.

The new Canter is also equipped with LED headlights with integrated daytime running lights as a new standard feature. These lights are always on, even during daytime driving, and support safe driving by increasing the vehicle’s visibility.

The “Intelligent Headlight Control” feature detects traffic conditions and ambient brightness ahead and automatically switches to high or low beam; this is also newly equipped as a standard feature. The newly designed LED rear combination lights, which are already available with FUSO’s heavy-duty truck “Super Great” and the electric eCanter light-duty truck, are newly installed as an optional feature.

There is no confirmation yet on the availability and launch timing of the Canter updates for the New Zealand market.

Truck & Driver | 17

NEWS

Booth’s implements rail safety campaign A TRAGIC LEVEL CROSSING INCIDENT LAST YEAR, that claimed the life of an 11-year-old girl, spurred national transport company Booth’s Logistics to launch a rail safety campaign raising awareness among staff of the importance of safety at level crossings.

Mt Maunganui’s Jorja-Ray Smith was the daughter of one of Booth’s Logistics’ operators. She was struck by a freight train and killed at the Hewletts Road level crossing while biking home from Mount Maunganui Intermediate School on July 31, 2023.

Booth’s Logistics Safety and Wellbeing Advisor Michelle Griffin says the company was deeply affected by the tragedy and with the permission of her father Ray, they launched a comprehensive rail safety campaign to raise awareness among their operators of the importance of safety at level crossings.

“The loss of Jorja-Ray and another incident where an operator side swiped a safety barrier arm really brought home to the company the need to reinforce that level crossings should be treated as high-risk areas and not simply overlooked as routine parts of the road,” Michelle says.

With the help of TrackSAFE, Booth’s Logistics implemented a campaign across the business using the slogan, “The most important stop of the day.”

TrackSAFE posters sharing safety messages were prominently displayed across company facilities and text message alerts were sent to all staff members, reminding them to exercise caution and vigilance at level crossings.

Rail safety was also a focus topic at the company’s monthly toolbox meetings with its 800 drivers and all staff were given a quiz to complete to hit home the importance of the safety message. The quiz highlighted facts like how many level crossings there are in New Zealand, how long it can take a freight train to stop and the hours of operation for freight trains.

“We wanted to make the point; this is the most important stop. Our 800 drivers cover New Zealand and rail crossings are a big part of the roads they drive every day. We really wanted to hit home the message; ‘This is a rail crossing and you need to stop’,” says Michelle.

18 | Truck & Driver

“With more than 3,000 level crossings in New Zealand and freight trains operating around the clock it’s about being relentless and our staff thinking every single time they drive a crossing, this is a high-risk area,” says Michelle.

Michelle says the feedback from staff on the campaign was positive and rail safety will be an ongoing message continually shared at toolbox meetings.

“It is something all transport companies could easily implement, and it helps to keep rail safety front of mind for their staff,” says Michelle.

TrackSAFE Foundation Manager Megan Drayton says campaigns like that implemented by Booth’s Logistics are an integral part to keeping everyone safe at level crossings.

“Heavy transport operators cover a significant number of kilometres across New Zealand every year and the toll every single one of these incidents take on both train drivers and heavy vehicle operators is huge.”

Megan says a collision between a train and a heavy vehicle represents the biggest risk to human life from a road accident.

“It also poses an enormous threat to road and railway infrastructure because a heavy vehicle is more likely to derail a train than a collision with a standard motor vehicle.

“Where a heavy vehicle collides with a train carrying passengers, the outcome could be catastrophic.

“If we can prevent just one of these incidents through transport companies implementing internal campaigns on rail safety and continually reminding operators of the risk at level crossings then that reduces the toll on everyone.”

TD34274

Queen St, Pahiatua Ph: 06 376 0020 Contact: Trevor: Mob 0274 437 968 Email: trevor@jacksonenterprises.co.nz www.jacksonenterprises.co.nz

NEWS

M W

2

Fully electric refuelling AN ELECTRIC MERCEDES-BENZ EECONIC IS BEING used for aircraft refuelling at Stuttgart Airport in Germany.

The Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks division and tank specialists Esterer have developed the unique 18.5-metre long eEconic for refuelling service provider Skytanking. It’s a new application for the eEconic, which typically works in municipal roles such as refuse collection.

This is the first eEconic to be fitted with a tank body with the electrically operated 40,000-litre refuelling technology from Esterer drawing the energy for driving the pump directly from the vehicle batteries.

The all-electric drive reduces noise and heat generation and emits neither CO2 nor particulate matter. It’s an early part of Skytanking moving towards electrifying its ground handling fleet.

“Our tests with the new refuelling vehicle went smoothly. Its handling during battery charging, kerosene filling, and aircraft refuelling is simple and safe,” says Oscar Sanabria, Regional Manager CNE Operations & IT, Skytanking.

“With the installed battery capacity we expect to use the eEconic for aircraft refuelling for at least one day without intermittent charging. The objective of the project is to collect data that can support this and serve as a starting point for future planning in the industry.”

The low-floor design of the eEconic and its total height of less than 2.80m allows it to easily pass underneath the wings of an aircraft. This

20 | Truck & Driver

Sl The Mercedes-Benz eEconic has been adapted to provide a fully electric 40,000-litre aircraft refueller. allows the crew to stay directly under the aircraft tank, which is located within the wing body, when refuelling under the wing.

Other design elements of the eEconic suited to this role include the low panoramic window of the “DirectVision” cab and the low seat position which gives the driver a wide viewing angle during approach, providing excellent visibility among the various traffic participants on the apron.

With the heated Thermocontrol windshield, visibility remains relatively good, even in poor weather conditions. On the front passenger side, the floor-to-ceiling glazed folding door ensures unobstructed visibility.

The 40,000L Esterer tank body can refuel a wide range of aircraft. It draws directly on the electrical energy of the eEconic batteries that also power the vehicle. This concept of direct actuation of the pump is unique for use in aircraft refuelling.

With a flow volume of 1,500 litres per minute, a typical charter aircraft can be fully refuelled in under 20 minutes, although this is rarely necessary as aircraft tanks are usually neither completely empty nor – for weight reasons – completely full.

The single charging process significantly simplifies logistics compared to older vehicle concepts, which require diesel for driving operation while the body is electrically charged separately.

Stuttgart Airport has set the objective of reducing its direct greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2040, and by 2030, all aircraft handling at Stuttgart Airport is to be climate-neutral. Now that large parts of the handling fleet as well as all passenger buses and baggage tractors have been converted to battery electric vehicles, the focus is now on the electrification of the refuelling fleet.

The project is being financed in part by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.

W (1 (2

Th ar

R • • •

P

MEDIUM-DUTY TIPPER WITH SLIDING TRAY 2-IN-1 SOLUTION

Slide Movement With a push of “REAR” button, (1) Body tips up approx. 14 degrees, then (2) Body automatically slides down to the rear.

The movements of body and stabilizing roller are linked and automatically controlled.

COMPACTOR BODIES CAN BE SUPPLIED IN 4M3 TO 12.2M3

ISUZU FSR650 6-SPEED OR ALLISON AUTO

RECYCLE PACKER • Specially designed for recyclable waste

• Low emission thanks to idle speed operation

• 2, 3 or 4 compartment body for separated collection

• Flat-side design, suited for ads

Authorised distributor of

Grant Smith 027 544 8844, grant.smith@robertsonisuzu.co.nz Grant Garrett 021 190 1157, grant.garrett@robertsonisuzu.co.nz Phone (06) 355 5062 | 56 Railway Road, Palmerston North | www.robertsonisuzu.co.nz

TD33833

• Rear loading, rear discharge (tip out)

NEWS

Luxury liner PETERBILT CONTINUES TO EXPAND THE R ANGE of options for its new generation Model 589 which launched in North America in May last year.

The latest development is a new 72-inch low roof sleeper combining a sleek and long appearance with premium amenities to deliver enhanced comfort, efficiency and overall driver appeal.

Features include a full-height wardrobe and passenger side microwave tray, optional right-hand cubby, driver side workstation and storage cabinet

plus an optional refrigerator above the bunk shelf.

The 72-inch sleeper comes equipped with four standard 12V outlets, factory-installed inverters, plus aftermarket inverter installation provisions.

There are also mounting and power provisions for installing a 22-inch flat screen TV. Peterbilt expects the 72-inch low roof sleeper to be a popular platform for customers with plans to further customise the new Model 589 with chrome and other accessories.

Japanese giants set to merge A MERGER FOR TWO OF JAPAN’S major commercial vehicle manufacturers remains on the cards but is taking longer than originally anticipated.

Daimler Truck, Mitsubishi Fuso Truck & Bus, Hino, and Toyota Motor Corporation are still working towards a merger of the Fuso and Hino commercial vehicle brands and recently offered an update on the plans.

In May 2023, Daimler Truck, Toyota, MFTBC, and Hino concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on accelerating the development of advanced technologies and merging MFTBC and Hino.

According to the MoU, MFTBC and Hino plan to merge on an equal footing and collaborate in the areas of commercial vehicle development, procurement, and production.

The plan is to build a globally competitive Japanese commercial vehicle manufacturer, with Daimler Truck and Toyota investing equally in the (listed) holding company of the merged MFTBC and Hino.

22 | Truck & Driver

While the Definitive Agreement for merging MFTBC and Hino was targeted to be signed by the end of March 2024, and integration complete by the end of 2024, the process of obtaining necessary regulatory clearances and approvals under competition and other laws and regulations, as well as the pending investigations related to Hino’s engine certification issues, are still ongoing. As such, the original schedule has been extended.

The timing of the envisaged execution of the Definitive Agreement and the implementation of the business integration will be announced as soon as a reliable timeline for the pending investigations is available. Once all parties involved reach an agreement, they will move forward based on the approval of the relevant boards of directors, shareholders, and authorities.

In the update, the parties confirmed the merger discussions are continuing on a positive note and that the strategic objectives and logic of the proposed transaction continues to be valid.

NEWS The FH Electric will shuttle trailers in Brisbane and run overnight to Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast.

Aussie delivers first Volvo FH Electric BRISBANE’S FOLLOWMONT TRANSPORT IS THE FIRST Australian customer for the Volvo FH Electric, taking advantage of Queensland’s new road network for zero emissions heavy vehicles.

The FH Electric prime mover will shuttle trailers between Followmont’s Eagle Farm depot, servicing major accounts around Brisbane and running overnight linehaul to the company’s Toowoomba and Sunshine Coast depots.

The delivery coincides with the announcement of a zero-emissions heavy vehicle road network for Southeast Queensland with an increased axle mass allowance of 8 tonnes on the steer axle and 18.5t on the drive axles, specifically for zero emission heavy vehicles.

The revised axle mass weights will make the move to battery electric a smoother transition for transport customers.

The 666hp FH Electric is currently rated to 44t and has a range of up to 300km when the 540kWh battery pack is fully charged.

A 60kW charger has been installed on site at Followmont head office for overnight charging, with plans to install charging solutions further afield as the company seeks to increase reach and range.

“We’re thrilled to integrate electric trucks into our fleet, advancing our sustainability objectives and pioneering greener logistics solutions and are excited to receive the news that our road network is expanding to make the adoption of EV trucks easier,” says Mark Tobin, Managing Director Followmont Transport.

“The investment in this truck reinforces our commitment to driving positive change and supporting a sustainable future for generations to come,” he said.

“Together, we can drive positive change and build a cleaner, more sustainable future for the next generation.”

Followmont says it intends to collaborate closely with its business partners to champion sustainable practices and drive meaningful change within the industry.

New LETF funding round now open THE LATEST ROUND OF THE LOW EMISSION Transport Fund (LETF) offers up to $13 million in co-funding towards low emissions specialist vehicle and technology demonstrations.

The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) opened Round 13 of LETF funding on March 1 and applicants have until Tuesday, April 2, 2024, to submit their proposals. The successful projects will be announced from June 2024.

EECA’s focus is on targeting government investment into projects which provide public benefit and replication opportunity to help demonstrate what’s possible in the transport sector. And which would not otherwise happen without support.

There is significant scope in this latest funding round to support innovative low-emissions solutions.

Co-funding for vehicle projects will demonstrate low emission on-road and off-road vehicles with either a new business case, a demonstration opportunity in a new sector or use case, or address significant barriers in an organisation or sector. EECA is also seeking projects to consolidate existing fleet of vehicles.

Technology projects will encourage innovation in approaches and technologies that can result in transport decarbonisation. This could include smart charging and software to reduce or defer peak electricity demand.

Other possible criteria for technology projects include charging infrastructure

technology that address constrained power availability at charging locations of interest as well as initiatives for scale up of EV technology, especially in vehicle fleets, for example, fleet optimisation/transition studies for light or heavy vehicles.

There is also opportunity for co-funding towards new software applications that will accelerate the transition of the fleet to zero emissions, the development of low emission transport maintenance, repair and other support services and the development of battery recycling and repurposing services.

Another round of LETF funding, similar to the support for Fonterra’s electric milk tanker, is now open.

Truck & Driver | 23

cciv ivilil e c i v r e sservice Story Colin Smith Photos Gerald Shacklock

24 | Truck & Driver

BIG TEST

Truck & Driver | 25

ELECTRONIC HUBODOMETER

Accurate and Reliable • Easy To Read • Tested In Nz • NZTA Approved S E R U T A E F • Battery powered – 10 year life – low battery alert • No moving parts • Large digital display (SELF ORIENTATES) • On request displays: Distance Serial number RPK calibration • Tamper proof microchip installed

• Fully tested in NZ: Logging Line haul Dairy • Most accurate hubodometer tested • Can calibrate to any tyre size • Same physical size as non-counterweight models, ½ “ UNF mount stud • 5 YEAR WARRANTY or 500,000kms

NB: This particular STEMCO Electronic Hubodometer has been specifically configured/manufactured for TATES and the only model approved by the NZTA

EG31639

NZ DISTRIBUTORS

d

Dempsey Wood uses the 6x4 Hinos and four-axle trailer combination to work at construction sites around the Auckland region.

i

T WAS A CLOSE-FOUGHT SALES CONTEST – WITH FOUR brands separated by only 41 registrations – but one of largely unheralded achievements in the 2023 New Zealand new truck market belongs to Hino.

The H-brand was the best-selling of the four Japanese marques in the premium 23-tonne and above segment of the New Zealand market last year, claiming third place overall behind Scania and Volvo while pipping Fuso by two units.

The sales result is the work of the latest 700 Series, Hino’s range of 320-, 360-, 450- and 480-horsepower trucks which offer a broad choice of tractor and rigid models in both 6x4 and 8x4 configurations.

Among the recent new adopters for the 700 Series has been Auckland-based civil infrastructure and construction company Dempsey Wood. It put a foursome of new FS 2848 models to work in March 2023 – three units based in Auckland and one from Hamilton.

Ethan Gordon, the Transport Logistics Officer at Dempsey Wood says the company had primarily been a Fuso operator until the four Hinos arrived.

“We’d had positive feedback from some other operators who are running Hinos, and the availability was also good at the time when we needed them,” says Ethan.

“Hino’s parts supply and service back-up in New Zealand is good and we also liked the aggressive new look.

“Being Euro 6 was definitely a big part of the reason to go with the new Hinos. Dempsey Wood is a member of the Sustainable Business Network and we’ve got a number of environmental initiatives, and we are introducing hybrids into our vehicle fleet.

“So far, it’s been a smooth transition into a new brand and into a new servicing arrangement with TruckStops, who have been easy to work with. I think it’s good to have another supplier and not to be reliant on just one,” Ethan says.

New Zealand Truck & Driver first tested the updated FS 2848 model of the 700 Series in July 2022. That truck, belonging to Otago-based Eastern Concrete, was a 6x4 tractor unit and equipped with rear air suspension.

Dempsey Wood’s application is a seven-axle truck and trailer combination working mainly in city and suburban locations.

“At the moment you’ll see our trucks [the Auckland-based part of the Dempsey Wood fleet] working around Westfield, Hobsonville, out by the Airport and around Point Chevalier and Mount Albert,” says Ethan.

“It’s virtually all city and motorway work, from about as far north as Silverdale and down to Hampton Downs.”

The combined Auckland and Hamilton based fleet which Ethan looks after comprises 15 truck and trailer units, one eight-wheeler transport and one six-wheeler transporter – plus four smaller 4x2 Class 2 tippers mainly used for site work. The Hino quartet are additions to the fleet to work alongside older Fuso tippers.

The 6x4 tippers work on a number of Auckland region civil construction, roading and land development jobs with majority of the work being carting spoil to landfills and tip sites with back loads of aggregate or topsoil. Other tasks include gravel spreading on new roads.

The specification and performance of the FS 2848 in 6x4 configuration is proving well matched to the role.

“Four hundred and eighty horsepower is enough for what we do at 45 tonnes,” says Ethan.

“We’re not doing any really heavy work and the manoeuvrability around some the smaller and tighter sites is one of the most important things for us. That’s why 6x4 tippers are standard in our fleet.”

The Hardox tipper bodies and four-axle trailers built by Transport Trailers are a standard choice for the Dempsey Wood truck and trailer fleet and allow a 26-tonne payload (10t on the truck and 16t in the trailer).

Truck & Driver | 27

Two of the for new Hinos ready to haul material away from the Waikowhai development in the west of Auckland.

28 | Truck & Driver

The Hardox bins are raised by Edbro hoists, while manual Kiwi Tarps covers are fitted and there are slide-out side ladders in both truck and trailer.

For this New Zealand Truck & Driver Big Test our driver is Akbal `Iggy’ Hussein and the task is a couple of loads of spoil to be carted from the Waikowhai residential development near Mount Roskill to the EnviroNZ Southfill tip site at Ridge Rd, Pokeno.

Iggy has a 40-year driving career which began as a youngster in Fiji at the wheel of tractors towing sugarcane laden trailers. He’s been part of the Dempsey Wood team for eight years and is also involved with driver training for the company.

The Euro 6 spec 12.9-litre engine develops 480-horsepower for the FS 2848 model.

Truck & Driver | 29

T

Dempsey Wood says it’s had great public feedback regarding the teddy bears that ride along and keep watch ahead from atop the dash.

Ethan says Dempsey Wood calls on Iggy’s experience to introduce new drivers to the civil construction sector.

“Whenever we get a new driver, Iggy will go out with them to do an assessment and then do any training that’s needed,” says Ethan.

“A lot of it is learning about how the different sites operate because sometimes when we get new drivers, and their experience has been driving curtainsiders or something different.”

Iggy says safety – both on the road, and around the work sites and tipping sites – is very important to him.

“Dempsey Wood are a good company to work for. I have been with other companies where it’s been a race to be the first truck,” Iggy says.

“Here it is better to be safe than to squeeze in an extra load. When I train our guys, I tell them there is no rush and to drive the truck in a safe manner. Stay within its limits and always be prepared to stop.

“I’ve been able to train a couple of our drivers to get their Class 5.

I also train our boys on tipping and lifting the bin safely. It’s always about following the rules and being safe. I don’t like to rush things.”

The Hino is the first new truck Iggy has driven while at Dempsey Wood. The FS 2848 6x4 and its new four-axle tipper replace a 2014 model 470hp Fuso HD Euro which Iggy drove previously.

The Euro 6 version of Hino’s E13C-BK 12.9-litre engine develops 353kW (480hp) between 1600-1800rpm and has 2157Nm of torque available from 1000-1500rpm. The use of the ZF TraXon 16-speed AMT means close ratios, an overdriven top gear and integrated ZF IT3 transmission intarder in addition to a four-stage Jacobs exhaust brake.

Hino uses a diesel particulate filter, exhaust gas recirculation and selective catalyst reduction (AdBlue) to achieve the Euro 6 standard. AdBlue consumption isn’t high, and the tank is only 28 litres capacity.

The new combination is permitted for 45 tonnes and at 11 months into its working life it was about to tick over 70,000km. That’s been 30 | Truck & Driver

accumulated over 10-11.5 hour working days Monday-to-Friday with some occasional Saturday work when required.

“I’ve driven it all of that time apart from two weeks when I was away on holiday,” says Iggy.

Dempsey Wood is working alongside Hicks Construction as part of the Auckland Lead Alliance project at Waikowhai. It’s a Kainga Ora housing development where most of the current work is on stormwater, drainage and roading to repair major flood damage from the February 2023 cyclone events.

The trucks are hauling a mix of silt and clay out of the site and have also brought in topsoil and aggregate to stockpile for the next stage of the build.

“Sometimes we have another load to bring back but mostly we are empty on the way back,” says Iggy.

Iggy made his usual 6am start and had already completed one trip to Pokeno when we meet him at the Waikowhai site. He’s loaded and heading south again with the two other new Hinos not far behind on the same job.

Iggy has been impressed with the 700 Series in its first year and 69,000km of work. He says 480hp performance is well suited to the city and motorway working at 45 tonnes, but he rates the 16-speed ZF TraXon automated transmission as the single best feature of the new truck.

“This one is a little bit more powerful than the Fuso, but the main thing which is better is the gearchange. It’s much smoother and much quicker,” he says.

“It’s very fast to pick up the next gear and some of the shifts are so smooth you hardly feel them at all. After a while you learn you can shift with just a little change of the throttle pressure.

“If I compare it to the Fuso it doesn’t need to work as hard, and it’s because of the gearing and how it shifts better.

“And we can put it in manual when we need to shift it ourselves,” he says.

TD34229

e t a m i t l U e h T : 0 2 2 Trans Tex g n i k c e D k c u r T Power in

Dominate the Road with Trans Tex-220: The Ultimate Power in Truck Decking Unleash New Zealand’s Toughest, Most Reliable Plywood Decking Solution — Trans Tex-220. Engineered to Conquer, Built to Last.

Ph. 0800 900 905

plytech.co.nz/transtex220

YOU HANDLE THE LOAD.

LET PETERSON TAKE CARE OF YOUR LED LIGHTING

Be Sure to Spec Peterson Lights

PETERSON LUMENX LIGHTING FEATURES Designed by Peterson USA | Manufactured by Peterson USA | International sell brand Peterson USA Limited lifetime warranty, rated life 100,000 hours.

Mounting orientation, superior optics allow 360 degree compliance.

Heavy duty plug n play harness, insert moulded plug terminals, wire gauge 18 awg.

Integral mounting flange with skirt welded lens eliminates leakage points.

Trusted lighting manufacturer since 1945, LED lights introduced in 1995.

Proven in heavy duty applications, major usage by OE manufacturers and fleet operators.

Accredited supplier to Caterpillar and Harley Davidson.

www.cdlautoparts.co.nz ☎ 09 262 1417 sales@cdlautoparts.co.nz

by

Brighter, Safer, Better Looking & Made in America

TD33572

CDL AUTOPARTS LTD

TD33572

ES

Moving to a more modern truck has introduced Iggy to a new level of comfort and to advanced new safety features.

Since 2021 the 700 Series has ticked the boxes on a full suite of standard modern driver assist and safety technologies which are grouped under the Hino SmartSafe moniker.

The key features are a Pre-Collision System based on Safety Eye camera and millimetre band radar systems that provide Autonomous Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection functions along with a Lane Departure Warning System – which delivers a rather urgent sounding audible warning – and Adaptive Cruise Control.

A Driver Monitor camera located in the right side A-pillar detects signs of fatigue and provides a warning when required.

The powertrain electronics enable Vehicle Stability Control and ASR Traction Control functions while the drum brakes are ABS/EBS equipped. Other features include a Reverse Camera, Easy Start Hill Assist, and a driver’s airbag.

Also among the standard features are LED daytime running lights and low beam headlights, halogen high beam and cornering lights.

The Dempsey Wood Hinos have to work in some tricky site conditions, but they aren’t equipped with a CTI tyre pressure control system. Iggy says the inter-axle differential and cross locks have worked very well when soft and slippery conditions are encountered.

“We have go to some quarries which have some steep places and they have been easy to get out of,” he says.

“The only bad thing about the Hino is that

it’s a little bit too low in the front for civil jobs.

We’ve had a little bit of damage on the bumper where it’s steep, or where the truck sinks in the soft ground.

“An alloy bumper with some more clearance would fix the problem.”

Later, Iggy shows us where he’s applied green touch-up paint to the scratches and marks on the lower bumper corners.

Ethan explains the issue is related to some of the locations where the Hinos have been working.

“The scope of our work has changed a bit recently. A while back we weren’t doing as much clay and spoil work, it was predominantly gravel and aggregate.”

Iggy has a keen eye for the small details of truck design, and he says the Hino’s front tow hook – hidden behind a removable chrome panel in the lower grille – should be more easily accessible and also positioned lower for civil work.

“But we don’t get stuck very often,” he says.

Bumper scratches aside, the Hinos have been trouble-free in the first year of work.

“When we took then in for service at about 40,000km they changed the pumps for the AdBlue. I think they were changing them on all the trucks because they had been giving some problems,” Iggy says.

The cab of the Hino 700 combines modern technology and a high level of comfort.

The standard driver’s seat is a seven-way adjustable ISRI NTSC2 with integrated seat belt (including pretensioner) and the steering column has reach and rake adjustments to finetune the driving position.

Iggy says the forward visibility is excellent

Controls for the tipper bins are mounted on the centre console.

Power adjustable mirrors provide excellent visibility.

Truck & Driver | 33

NEW ZEALAND BUILT & DESIGNED AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY

6.9% interest

James Murray • Free Phone: 0800 451 451 • Mobile: 0212283246 Email: james.murray@mtcequipment.com 62 Greywacke Road, Harewood, CHRISTCHURCH

TD34197

WWW.MTCEQUIPMENT.COM

Y

Left top: Driver `Iggy’ Hussein says the smooth shifting transmission is the best feature of the Hino FS 2828.

Left: Large diameter speedometer and tachometer dials are easy to read.

TD34197

Above: Heading south towards Bombay on the Southern Motorway with another load to tip. while the large mirrors – which are power adjustable and heated – are well placed to provide a wide view or either city traffic or moving around in confined work sites.

The dash is angled across toward the driver with large and clear analogue speedometer and tachometer dials either side of a digital multi-info display. There is 6.5-inch LCD touchscreen on the centre stack for the audio and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

There’s plenty of room across the cab and between the seats to accommodate the tipper controls for truck and trailer without cluttering the interior. Iggy carries a small laundry basket filled with a variety of cleaners and sprays and has a tool and electrical repair kit stowed in the centre console compartment.

Iggy says he did most of his own servicing on trucks and tractors in Fiji.

“I can do any small repairs we need, and I can do anything electrical that has to be fixed.”

Typical of Japanese trucks, the Hino 700 cab has a narrow bunk behind the seats, but it’s never used in this role.

“We never sleep there, but we put our stuff there,” says Iggy.

As well as his suggestion about bumpers and two hooks on the truck, Iggy has one design improvement in mind for the trailers.

He shows us a gap in the rear framework where mud from the rear wheels splashes through in wet conditions.

“The mud comes through the gap, and it covers our taillights. We are forever having to wash the taillights,” he says.

Leaving the Waikowhai site and negotiating the road works on Richardson Rd we join the Southwestern Motorway at Hillsborough and head south via Manukau City. The Hino shifts up through the gears very smoothly to settle at 90kph using 1450rpm in the over-

driven top gear.

It’s a steady run at 90kph heading south from Manukau City in moderate traffic and with truck and trailer fully loaded the ride quality has a comfortably settled feel. The truck is quiet and there’s very little harshness or vibration being transmitted into the cab.

The FS 2848 can be optioned with either 6-rod leaf spring rear suspension or with Hendriksen 460 ECAS airbags. Dempsey Wood went with the springs while the trailer rides on airbags.

“I prefer a spring truck and an airbag trailer for this kind of civil work,” says Iggy.

“It’s the best combination in my experience. There’s better traction in the loose when the truck is unloaded with springs and the airbags on the trailer are good for towing and they give you a more stable base to tip from.

“When I train our boys, I tell them to be very careful when they are lifting the bins. Always follow all the rules and make sure they are tipping from a safe base.”

The gentle initial climb up the Bombay Hill begins in 16th gear at just under 90kph and the Hino makes its first downshift to 15th using 1550rpm at 82kph. As the slow vehicle lane merges back to two lanes and the incline steepens there’s another shift to 14th at 71kph.

Our speed gradually drops away before the next change into 13th using 1750rpm at 65kph at the Bombay exit.

“I don’t force the truck when the revs go down, I shift it down a gear,” says Iggy.

Thirteenth is as low as we go on the climb, and we pass the fruit and vege shop at the summit in 14th gear using 1600rpm and then it’s a downhill run using the 4-stage Jacobs exhaust brake to take the Nikau Rd exit and then cross the overbridge into Ridge Rd. Truck & Driver | 35

Above: Dempsey Wood specified wider 385/65 Super Single front tyres for the new Hinos.

Below: Across the top of the Bombay Hill where the 480hp 12.9-litre engine and 16-speed AMT has performed strongly.

From stationary turning into Ridge Rd, I notice the Hino moves away smoothly in fourth gear and on the steeper downhill run into the EnviroNZ site the truck holds on stage four of the exhaust brake in sixth gear till we stop at the weighbridge.

“The engine brake holds its really well and it helps us to save the brakes,” Iggy says.

It’s only a short run up to the tipping site with a short but steep climb where Iggy holds the truck in ninth gear. We’ve timed our arrival perfectly for some photography – the hole is clear of any other trucks which allows a few minutes some for photos and video work without holding up anyone else.

“We had a big queue here in the morning,” says Iggy.

While reversing into the tip site Iggy says the long drawbar makes it easy to position the trailer.

“And the PTO on this you don’t have to rev as much as some other trucks. You don’t go much over 1500rpm, and I’m told that’s because it has two pumps.”

The Dempsey Wood Hino quartet are almost standard trucks apart from the fitment of a stoneguard, LED roof beacons and a couple of other detail spec choices. After closing his grain locks and getting back in the cab, Iggy reaches for an airline to blow dirt out of the footwell.

36 | Truck & Driver

“I asked for one to be fitted so I could keep the cab clean,” Iggy says.

There’s also been a tyre size switch on the trucks. The standard fit Alcoa alloy wheels are shod with standard size 11R 22.5 Bridgestone M840 drive tyres, but Dempsey Wood has made a change to wider 385/65 R22.5 Kumho KMA12 steerers in place of the standard fitment 295/80 R22.5 front tyres. ”The stone guard seemed like a good choice because the trucks are on the road all the time and we went to the wider Super Single front tyres. They give us an extra tonne of payload, but they are also a stronger tyre so it’s mainly for safety,” says Ethan.

There’s another recent non-standard fitment to Dempsey Wood’s trucks and it creates a regular talking point.

Each of the trucks has a teddy bear along for the ride, keeping a watching eye from atop the dash.

“We had a truck in the St Patrick’s Day parade in Queen Street last year and decided to put a bear into the truck. People just seemed to like it and we got a lot of positive comments about it, so we rolled it out in all of our trucks,” says Ethan.

“The kids really like it, and we are quite often working near schools and childcare centres, so it’s a nice touch.”

The future is Super. And now it’s 8 % better.

While no one can say for sure what the future will bring, we’re confident that it’s a bright one. The new Scania Super powertrain is not only said to be the smoothest drive on the road, but also the most efficient we’ve ever built. It sets an entirely new industry standard in terms of powertrains and combustion engines, with a fuel saving of at least 8 %. Ready today to meet the challenges of tomorrow. A tomorrow that will be 8 % better for New Zealand.

The new Scania Super powertrain, with the combustion engine as its centrepiece, will deliver a fuel saving of at least 8 % compared to Scania’s current 13 l engine (DLU).

The comparison is made for long distance operations.

W

ITH HINO NARROWLY SECURING THE HONOUR OF BEING New Zealand’s top-selling Japanese brand heavy truck (above 23t GVM) in 2023, I thought we’d better go out and sample the 700 Series which delivered the sales success.

And what better way than to test a truck working in a true `bread and butter’ sector of the transport industry – civil construction work.

The Dempsey Wood team put four of the Hino FS 2848 units on the road last year. We met the truck and driver Iggy Hussein at a worksite in West Auckland on a day when he’s carting spoil to a dump site out at Bombay. Not the most interesting of jobs or routes, but all the same an important one.

Once Iggy has completed a return run to Bombay and back it’s my turn to take the wheel. The 6x4 truck and 4-axle trailer are fully loaded at 45 tonnes (10t on the truck and 16t tonne on the trailer).

38 | Truck & Driver

Hayden Woolston It’s an ideal weight and configuration for this kind of work as it’s hard enough trying to get around Auckland in a car most days, let alone a truck. The fewer axles you have to tow around the better in my opinion and this becomes evident very quickly as we leave the site.

• SPECIFICATIONS • There are some narrow suburban streets and tight turns to negotiate on our way to the motorway. The trailer follows along nicely along Whitmore Rd and the climb up to Hillsborough Rd. The 16-speed ZF TraXon AMT has close ratios and the transmission skips gears when possible.

The 12.9-litre Euro 6 engine with 480hp lets us cruise uphill and merge into the Hillsborough Rd with ease.

One aspect of this truck I especially like in Auckland traffic is the 4-stage engine brake. As we descend Hillsborough Rd and onto the motorway on ramp it’s just a matter of adjusting the engine brake from stage to stage to control the decent into the traffic without the need for constant braking.

Once heading south on the Motorway it’s all trouble free driving with the truck settled in a 90kph at a relaxed 1450rpm. There’s time to make a few adjustments in the cab and it’s very like other Japanese brands with not quite enough leg room for me. I have the seat back as far as it will go but would like just a little more legroom and I had already adjusted the telescopic steering wheel when I got in the truck.

It’s definitely nice to have adjustability and comfort of ISRI seats in the Japanese brands which really helps with driver comfort on a long working day. You see they have pulled some really good stuff from around the world and put it inside a Japanese cab to make a very nice truck.

As we cruise along, I set the adaptive cruise control, and it works very effectively in the

motorway traffic flow. These 700 models come with a big selection of standard safety features including a Pre Collision warning system based on safety eye camera and millimetre band radar system that provides autonomous emergency braking and pedestrian detection capabilities.

There is also lane departure warning and a driver monitor camera. It’s located in the right side A-pillar and monitors for signs of fatigue, providing a warning if it’s required.

It’s not long till we’ve joined the Southern Motorway and in the steady 90kph running I notice the steering is a bit light for my liking and I’m making quite a few minor adjustments on the wheel to keep centred in the lane.

Early on the climb up the Bombay’s we are at 90kph with the speed dropping to 73kph in 14th gear as we motor past a smaller truck working a lot harder on the hill.

At the top of the Bombays, I have to hand the truck back to Iggy so he can tip the load. I can see why he likes this set up, especially in Auckland with its traffic issues and tight suburban streets.

But what makes the Hino 700 the number one heavy truck in NZ in 2023? Only part of it is the truck itself with its 480hp and excellent transmission. All of the Japanese brands have come a long way in modernising their models with the latest safety and comfort features.

The test is only part of the answer. The Hino sales team, the aftersales back up and support as well as Hino having good supply since the disruptions of Covid could also play a part in its position as New Zealand’s best-selling Japanese heavy truck brand.

Hino 700 Series FS 2848 AMT Engine: Hino E13C-BK sixcylinder in line (Euro VI with DPR, EGR and SCR) Capacity: 12.9 litres Maximum Power: 480hp (353kW) at 1600-1800rpm Maximum Torque: 1590 lb-ft (2157Nm) at 1000-1500rpm Fuel capacity: Diesel 390 litres, AdBlue 28 litres Transmission: ZF TraXon 16-speed automated manual with ZF IT3 transmission intarder Ratios: 1st – 14.682 2nd – 12.048 3rd – 9.919 4th – 8.139 5th – 6.780 6th – 5.564 7 th – 4.565 8th – 3.746 9th – 3.216 10th – 2.639 11th – 2.173 12th – 1.783 13th – 1.485 14th – 1.219 15th – 1.000 16th – 0.821 Reverse: – R1 14.138, R2 11.602 Final Drive ratio: 3.9:1 Front axle: 7500kg rating Rear axles: 21,000kg rating Brakes: Drum brakes with ABS/EBS Auxiliary brakes: 3-stage Engine Brake Front suspension: Reverse I-beam with taper leaf springs and stabiliser bar Rear suspension: Hino 6-rod with taper leaf springs and stabiliser bar GVM: 28,300kg GCM: 63,000kg

Truck & Driver | 39

VARTA ProMotive AGM is designed to optimally support drivers and their trucks during their time on the road. Since the demand for nonstop transportation services requires trucks to be on the road every day, drivers spend more time in the cabin than ever before. The Varta A1 AGM truck battery leads with high vibration resistance, excellent charge acceptance, extended cycle life and increased depth of charge, allowing fleets to equip drivers’ cabins with hoteling functions without draining the battery, avoid downtime and maximise productivity.

It all starts with

Visit our portal to find your local supplier. www.varta-automotive.com/en-nz

HCB TECHNOLOGIES New Zealand's Battery Specialists NZ-Trucking_Varta_Commercial-A1.indd 1

TD33979

Proudly Distributed By

17/11/2020 12:35:42 pm

Driving the economy

The Log Transport Safety Council has shown how the various sectors of the industry are best placed to understand and prioritise what matters to them.

Time for an ecosystemic approach for our industry L

TD33979

by Dom Kalasih Interim Chief Executive Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

:35:42 pm

OOKING OVER THE LAST 12 TO 18 months, one thing is apparent to me: Things will get harder before they get easier. In my opinion, we need an ecosystemic, or holistic approach to make decent progress to address the increasing number of challenges in front of us.

Success has come when the other parties that influence or drive our members’ operational practices are well engaged.

In my last job, we had an approach called “Outside In” which was about learning about what goes on around you. It was recognising that we don’t have all the answers but by looking outside you might find the solutions.

Last year, I attended a Log Transport Safety Council meeting, and it struck me that, sure, there’s been great leadership by a diverse range of individuals and organisations, but a large part of its success is because it has buy-in and engagement from other parties key to that supply chain, such as the forest owners and the processors.

Various sectors are best placed to understand and prioritise what matters to them and sometimes that can be quite localised.

I got a good appreciation of this during the development of good practice guidelines for the transport of grapes and grape juice during harvest time in Marlborough.

I had incorrectly presumed that the approach would be the

same regardless of regions, and it was a valuable lesson for me to learn that wasn’t the case. Those guidelines relate to all the various parties involved in the transportation task at harvest time and I’m sure that the collaborative approach taken by the various parties in that ecosystem will be a big part of its success. If transport operators alone had tried to develop the requirements, I have no doubt it would have very limited success. I’m appreciative of all the parties and operators that were involved in this initiative.

I’ve also seen and am learning from a situation where Robert Burns’s words: “The best laid schemes o’ mice an’ men” played out. In this case, the Petroleum Industry Transport Safety Forum is implementing an initiative regarding electrical wiring which will ultimately result in a reduced risk of a tanker overflowing when being filled in a bulk storage terminal. That implementation hasn’t been as seamless as we would have liked, largely because we didn’t have all the various players and stakeholders quite fully aligned.

This is not a criticism in any way, or if there is to be anyone criticised then maybe it’s me because I’ve been involved in the initiative. For me, it’s more about learning from things, regardless of whether they play out well or not quite so well.

A final area where I’m seeing an ecosystemic approach Truck & Driver | 41

Driving the economy

The Distinction Mackenzie Country Hotel in Twizel will host the Transporting NZ South Island Seminar on June 22. starting to pay dividends is in livestock. Sure, it would be nice for things to happen faster, but the establishment of the livestock roopu, which gets the various players from farmers, stock agents, transporters, regulators, and meat processors around the same table, has been a step forward. Initiatives like the development of design guidelines for loading and unloading facilities and the work on induction into processing plants could not have been done without all the parties that influence and control the various transport stages collaborating.

I feel that we have gone through a generation where our industry has come up with lots of great ideas and implemented them. Often they are various systems and procedures and ultimately they are compliance driven.

However, pretty much with anyone I’ve ever met, things are done a certain way because that makes sense to that particular person and there are a host of reasons for not changing that.

Often, I don’t think it is a lack of knowledge or capability that is stopping people doing things a better way, it is more a case that there isn’t a compelling reason and there are other constraints and influences getting in the way of change. Therefore, for me, there is a deeper issue and challenge of better understanding the underlying reasons why those systems are missing, or why there are gaps in existing systems. Unlocking these issues is what’s needed to materially shift the dial and enable changes and improvements.

As things get tighter and more challenging in our sector, more than ever I believe we need to focus on value for money and return on investment.

For instance, I am far from convinced that simply introducing new systems and processes, which is what I see WorkSafe doing after an incident where a traffic camera operator was seriously injured, will return good dividends.

There is a risk we will continue to bring in more systems and procedures and really all they will do is add to direct and indirect compliance costs.

We need to bring those parties that are key influencers of our members’ behaviours along at the same time. We can’t and we shouldn’t do things on our own.

On a very sad note, my heart goes out to Kim Unahi, her family, and the wider team at McLellan Freight in Balclutha following the tragic loss of Alex.

I had the privilege of seeing firsthand some of Alex’s qualities in the areas of leadership and resilience and I found them inspirational. His passing is a great loss to our industry.

South Island seminar Finally, a heads-up that Transporting New Zealand’s South Island Seminar will take place at the Distinction Mackenzie Country Hotel in Twizel, on June 22. (With welcoming networking drinks on the evening before).

We are preparing a great line-up of speakers who will zero in on all the big issues facing our industry.

For more details, see our website, www.transporting.nz..

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand’s team is available to asist our members around New Zealand Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand PO Box 1778, Wellington 04 472 3877 info@transporting.nz

Dom Kalasih, Interim Chief Executive 04 471 8285 • 027 441 4309 Dom@transporting.nz Vicki Harris, Membership Adviser 027 534 3848

www.transporting.nz 42 | Truck & Driver

Keith McGuire, Regional & Sector Advisor Upper North Island 027 445 5785 John Bond, Regional & Sector Advisor Upper South Island 027 444 8136 Jim Crouchley, Regional & Sector Advisor Lower South Island 027 261 0953

The most important stop of the day.

208303 Tracksafe Heavy Vehicle Poster V2.indd 1

31/10/23 8:33 AM

FLEET FOCUS

One of NorthEnd’s tippers working under a digger alongside State Highway 1, on the Brynderwyn Hills

GPS Tracking – eRUC – Job Management – eLogbook 0800 447 735 44 | Truck & Driver

TeletracNavman.co.nz

Story Wayne Munro Photos Gerald Shacklock

GPS Tracking – eRUC – Job Management – eLogbook 0800 447 735

TeletracNavman.co.nz Truck & Driver | 45

ZMD

®

Shockless Ride Technology

Reduced

Maintenance Our Innovation Built In™ philosophy yields some of the most innovative, durable, lightweight and costeffective suspension systems and components for the global transportation industry. Hendrickson’s ZMD™ ZERO MAINTENANCE DAMPING™ eliminates conventional shock absorbers by integrating the damping function into the air springs.

Tel: +64 9 570 4721 www.hendrickson.com.au

Actual product performance may vary depending upon vehicle configuration, operation, service and other factors. ©2023 Hendrickson USA, L.L.C. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks shown are owned by Hendrickson USA, L.L.C., or one of its affiliates, in one or more countries.

Hendrickson_Truck&Driver_March2023_ZMD.indd 1

2/17/2023 3:40:44 PM

Allen (centre) hasn’t been able to work since one foot was partially amputated after a digger accident four years ago....so sons Axel (left) and Ethan are now running the business

e

HE WAY GEN 2 TRUCKIE ETHAN SMITH SEES IT, HIS FAMILY’S trucking and contracting business is “the last of the oldschool contractors.”

What he means is that, in the 25 years since Allen and Sheree Smith (yep, his Mum and Dad) started NorthEnd Contractors, some things haven’t changed: The business is still run in much the same way as it was in the beginning.

Although he and “little bro” Axel largely run the show these days, it’s still a strictly-no-bullshit, down to earth kind of an outfit – run by hard-case, hardworking people….

With zero regard for political correctness (like Ethan says, “a spade’s a spade – you know what I mean”). No corporate gloss or any of that sort of stuff. And a declared dislike of anyone who goes around pinching someone else’s work…or their drivers!

Same as their father, says Axel: “Dad’s never poached anyone else’s workers.”

Ethan adds that other companies have tried – sometimes successfully – to “poach ours: It’s a bit of a **** of an act, that.”

When the Smiths talk about a lot of their workers being like family, it’s more than a case of spinning a feelgood yarn. Says Ethan: “We still have a beer in the afternoon – stuff like that.

We think it’s good – everyone gives each other shit, talk about fishing…whatever.

“A majority of the staff are mates – we go fishing, hang out on weekends and things like that.”

Clients likewise: “I mean we’ve got such a good relationship with our clients that we know them on a first-name basis, we’ll have a beer with them at the pub…” See: Old-school.

And while these aren’t boastful people, there is a heap of pride

in what NorthEnd has grown into – ‘specially when it comes to acknowledging how well Allen and Sheree have done….from one of those good old one-truck startups.

Ask Ethan and Axel to give us an idea of just how big NorthEnd is these days, and – after a wee bit of head-scratching and then a check of the fleet list – they come up with a tally of 24 trucks…

Plus, adds Axel, “we’ve got 84 or 85 bits of equipment. That includes work utes, trailers, diggers, bobcats, graders, tractors...”

And then there’s the sprawling ex-Whangarei District Council depot at Kamo that the company now owns – along with its old depot just across the road.

And these days there’s 31 on the NorthEnd payroll.

So, as Ethan says proudly: “Not bad – from a fulla with a rubbish truck eh!”

Make that, as Sheree clarifies later, “a hard, hard working” fulla who’s widely credited with never stepping back from a good business opportunity – and then working his arse off to make it successful.

Trucks weren’t actually Allen’s first love – or, at least, they didn’t provide his first job anyway: Straight out of school in 1975, at just 15, he got into concrete work – first in Whangarei, then (in 1979) in Darwin.

“When I came back (in ’81) I wanted to drive – so I drove for a scrappie” – carting scrap metal in Whangarei in an old Commer TS3 crane truck.

Two years later, he moved on from that to begin what turned into a 16-year stint driving rubbish or bin trucks – starting out with Trigg Bins, carting jumbo bins.

When that business was sold to Waste Care, he switched to Truck & Driver | 47

3:40:44 PM

driving for the new owners – and, in 1990, he was offered the chance to become an owner-driver, running a front-loader rubbish truck.

He “snaffled it up: I’d always wanted to own my own truck. I thought ‘oh, try something for myself,’ you know.”

He bought a brand-new N Series Ford: “Think I paid $62,000-something for her. I could have bought a secondhand one, but you know I had a four-year contract and I didn’t want to have repairs, truck off the road…”

For him and Sheree – they’d married in 1982 and by then had three kids and a mortgage for their 10-acre farm property – “in them days it was a big deal taking on so much debt.” But it was also “a breakthrough.”

And to make it work….he worked. And worked: “So I just did the whole thing myself you know – like, I didn’t have any relief drivers.

I had to get out there and do it.”

Hard work? “In them days it was… But yeah, you had to do it. I never used to see the kids – I was never home ‘cos I was working all the time.”

Christmas/New Year was no holiday for him: He’d take on the job of emptying extra bins placed at the popular beaches close to Whangarei. The bins, that is, PLUS the overflow dumped on the ground beside them (rotting dead stingrays included!). He’d start at 4am, do the beaches, then do his regular contracted work.

And when he wasn’t working, he’d often be taking care of the Ford: “You know, like rubbish trucks get covered in shit, but I used to keep my girl nice and tidy.”

Funny then that one of his mates came up with the nickname

48 | Truck & Driver

Smelly – just because he was Al (i.e. Smell – get it?) the rubbish truck man.

“The nickname? It’s how they know me – most of my friends.

Doesn’t worry me.”

In fact, he embraced it – bought the licence plates “Smelly” and happily ran them on the Ford. Well…at least until Waste Management bought out the company. They came along and said ‘this doesn’t look good with that number plate. It’s as if the truck stinks.’ ” Soon after (but not because of that), Allen quit: “Oh there was all this hoo-hah goin’ on…so I got out.” As Sheree sums up: “He was over it.”

So, in 1999, they started NorthEnd Contractors – Allen selling his rubbish truck and converting an older N Series bin truck he’d bought years before, into a tipper.

He already owned an old tractor – and bought an old Nissan four-wheeler tipper as well: “And away I went – carting hay.”

It was, he concedes, “a bit of a worry” figuring out how he was going to keep the work (and the money) coming in once the haymaking season was done.

“Yeah, it was a big jump – because I’d had permanent work doing the bins. And I thought hell! Anyway, I started doing any work I could find.

“During the winter I picked up other work. Did that for two years.

Yeah, I survived.” It helped that in NorthEnd’s second year, Allen bought a small secondhand Komatsu digger.

When he wanted to buy that, Sheree recalls quizzing him: “I said ‘can you operate one?’ And he goes ‘well, it can’t be hard!’

“All I was thinking of was how the heck will we pay the mortgage! But it was my Dad who said, ‘Allen will make it work.’

We had faith in him.”

Sheree was “doing the books” and the company admin stuff from home – while also bringing up their four kids. The trucks, digger and tractor were also based at the house.

It was a bit of a breakthrough when Allen “got in” with Fulton Hogan. And soon he was getting “a lot of work out of them: ‘Oh we need another truck here….we need another digger.’

“So I ended up buying more gear. And then it was ‘oh well, I’ll have to employ someone.’ ” The company’s first employee started in 2000.

Allen always had an eye for opportunities: NorthEnd began to do “bits of concrete work….kerbing in town or whatever. Do the dig-out, do the kerbing…everything – the concreting as well.” They ended up getting “a lot of concrete work in them days.

“Then we got a bit more into siteworks – the odd house site, but mostly driveways and tidying up. Hotmix jobs as well…” Plus there was regular work creating and maintaining roadside water tables for the council.

Allen reflects: “We grew pretty quickly really.” He’d soon added a third truck, a second employee: “Then I got another guy, and another guy…ended up getting more and more staff.”

And, over the next six or seven years, as Sheree says, “it just grew and grew.” He’d say ‘I’m gonna buy another truck,’ and

sometimes I’d have to say ‘no, we haven’t got the money at the moment.’ ” Allen concedes: “It was a nerve-wracking time.” Not that there were any serious setbacks financially – just the worry that they might arise.

“We didn’t actually go too bad. But I was just borrowing more and more money and, you know, you were shitting yourself about it…

“But, you know, ‘if I don’t do this I’m gonna miss out!’ It’s the old story.”

And there were setbacks: Like, in the early days of the Fulton Hogan work, “I had an old 400-horse V8 Mitsi….and that shit itself.

He bought a tank to set up a water truck – “good for roading…. household water and all sorts” – because a customer said if Allen bought it, he’d hire it: “And then he didn’t get the work – and you go ‘aww shit!’”

Allen got into another new line of work in the early 2000s when “I started doing hotmix at nights for Downers – on road-sealing jobs” Because the nature of sub-contracting is, let’s say, fluid – and subbies can get “turned off and on like a tap” – Allen diversified: NorthEnd started doing hotmix work with Transfield…and others.

Same with the chip-sealing work that followed – good, regular work even if it means “you spend your life going backwards….

Main picture: Three of the fleet hard at work spreading metal on a road rehab job at Waiotira, south of Whangarei

Top of the page (from left to right): Allen working on maize harvesting in his four-wheeler Hino, around 2000.....the NorthEnd fleet at the Smiths’ home truck yard, in the early 2000s...

Allen competing in the Waste Care truck driving contest in Auckland in the mid-1990s

Truck & Driver | 49

slowly!” Reversing behind a bitumen sprayer, spreading metal chip on wet tar.

Both jobs have continued over the years – with seven trucks currently on chip-sealing work alone.

Along with the roading work, NorthEnd has specialised in creating and maintaining residential and farm driveways, right-ofways and cattle races.

“We started picking up more work here and there – for different people. Might be working under a digger or doing house sites…. or whatever. So we ended up getting another one…and another one…”

When an opportunity arose, “you’d think ‘shit! I haven’t got the gear.’ And then when it sits around you think ‘God, I’ve gotta pay a man and the truck’s sitting there.’ ” By 2007 the fleet was out to seven trucks – jamming-up their home yard: “I thought ‘shit, we gotta get out of here.’ ” A shift into Kamo’s industrial area came just before New Zealand went into an economic recession, triggered by the Global Financial Crisis.

The result was serious stress, as Sheree remembers well: “It was so quiet! We used all our money just to keep the staff. We had money saved….which was a good thing. And we got an overdraft.

“I think that was the hardest time… I remember us just stressing, not sleeping… ‘How the hell are we gonna get through this.’”

Allen: “I used to stress – ‘aw shit, how are we gonna keep these guys working.’

“I don’t think we ever laid anyone off. If there’s no work, you can work in the yard. I tried to keep everyone working…because people need a job eh.”

50 | Truck & Driver

Sheree: “We’ve tried to always run it as a family business. All the staff were friends…

“They all just seem to have grown (to be) like the family – they’ve been here forever.”

In fact, she reckons, their friendships extend beyond the staff, to other businesses – competitors and customers alike: “Allen’s always said there shouldn’t be competition – we should all work in together. A lot of businesses don’t do it that way, but…

“When he started, he got all the shit jobs – and worked our way up. He’s never ever trodden on anyone: Where other businesses may have squashed the small man to get to the top, Allen’s never done that. He’s just worked…and worked.”

That hard work ethic, she reckons, is how NorthEnd coped with that GFC crisis – and other setbacks: “We came through it. And then you chug your way back up again… Onwards and upwards.

Allen chips in: “It panned out. It always pans out eh.”

And so, by 2012, the fleet was up to 15 or 16 trucks…and by 2018 there were 19 of ‘em. That meant the depot was too small.

So they made their biggest financial commitment so far – buying NorthEnd’s current home, just across the road from the old yard.

Sheree: “We thought ‘how the heck are we gonna do it.’ But as long as we could pay the mortgage we’d be okay.”

How all this growth happened becomes clear when, every now and again Allen mentions things like: “Ten or 12 years ago, I

NorthEnd’s low-loader trailer, hauled by one of its FUSO tippers, shifts a roller working on the Hikurangi Swamp Scheme

WHY DOES TRAFFICA CHOOSE TO PARTNER WITH HINO?

BECAUSE HINO IS THE WAY TO GO. “I’m not a truck driver but even I can jump in one of these trucks and drive it. They’re reliable trucks, easy to drive, easy to maintain, and very efficient with what I need them to do.”

Scan the QR Code to learn more about Traffica and how their business has grown with Hino.

HINO.CO.NZ

0800 367 446

bought a tractor with an old mower on it. I thought ‘shit, we might pick up a bit of work for that.’ ” And he did – as a subbie to a company contracted to mow highway grass verges around Northland.

In fact, it worked so well “we bought another one that’s got blades on it – to cut hedges.” They’re still part of the business.

And another example: “Way back, I started an arborist business too. We had a couple of chippers. I’d try and do anything we could to keep the work rolling in.”

A pile of dirt in the yard (and a stockpile in a shed) is an indicator of yet another opportunity embraced: “We got into topsoil years ago” – when a local supplier closed down, “and I thought ‘oh there’s an opening there.’ ” Allen, now 64, showed no signs of slowing down from this hardworking, opportunity-grabbing lifestyle…until sometime in 2019, when Sheree says: “He did say ‘oh, you know – ‘I think I’ve had enough of this…’

“And we actually had a family meeting with the kids and said, ‘look, what do you guys wanna do. Do you want to come in and run the business, or shall we sell it?’

“Because we were getting to the stage where we didn’t still want to be working at 65.”

Allen and Sheree’s four children had, of course, grown up around the business – the three boys learning to drive trucks and operate diggers when they were kids. Ethan reckons Axel was “THE best digger driver….at the age of six.” And adds: “I taught him everything he knows!”

But they weren’t allowed to leave school and go straight into the family business. Ethan explains: “The old man said we couldn’t

leave school unless we had a trade, or we were doing a course.

And I hated school!

“He always said ‘you’ve gotta get trades…. If everything goes pear-shaped, you can always fall back on your trade.’”

Thus, by 2019, daughter Renee had long since created a successful career in nursing and oldest son Kyran, a qualified builder, had settled down in Western Australia (working in bitumen paving….which he got started in, in Whangarei).

Ethan, a qualified boilermaker, was living in Melbourne – following up working stints in Papua New Guinea, Sydney and Perth…

But between those boilermaker jobs he’d also had spells “working for the old man, doing all sorts” – and says “it was always in the back of my mind to get involved in the business at some stage. I’ve always loved trucks and diggers.”

Ethan: “So, I sort of thought well – we’d better step up and get in here. And yeah, we come home, jumped on a truck and started running the company.”

Axel too was keen – but was still finishing his diesel mechanic apprenticeship with Whangarei’s CDL. Ethan quickly settled into running the business: “Nah, it wasn’t really a struggle to be honest: I know what trucks can do what, who can go where….I’ve sort of always been around it.”

You have to understand, he adds, that “the good thing about working for the old man” earlier on was that “he didn’t just say: ‘You’re gonna run it.’

“Like, it started when I was in high school: It’d be school holidays and when all my mates were going to the beach, I’d have to be (doing) stop-go for the old man.

THE ALTERNATIVE INDEPENDENT NATIONWIDE 24/7 TYRE SERVICE OVER 500 TYRES IN STOCK AT ANY TIME TO SUIT ALL APPLICATIONS

ULTIMATE TYRES LTD TD33609

157-159 GREAT SOUTH ROAD, OTAHUHU PH 09 276 2200 WWW.ADVANTAGETYRESAUCKLAND.CO.NZ

52 | Truck & Driver

The Smiths have come to favour Hinos over the past decade – the make now accounting for nine of the company’s 24 trucks

WESTERN BOP & COROMANDEL 07 574 3001 AUCKLAND 09 558 3278 WAIKATO & KING COUNTRY 07 849 2943

LET US HELP YOU LOOK AFTER YOUR TRUCK

TD34235

Delo® 400 SLK with ISOSYN® Advanced Technology Delo® 400 SLK with innovative ISOSYN® Advanced Technology is here. Delivering industry leading durability, reliability and efficiency. It works in synergy with the changing conditions in your engine to maximise protection, optimise performance and extend oil life.

You will find us at: 17 Maui Street, Te Rapa, Hamilton Ph: 07 849 2943 hamilton@kandldistributors.co.nz

24 Eric Paton Way, St Johns, Auckland Ph: 09 558 3278 auckland@kandldistributors.co.nz

2 Curly McLeod Way, Mt Maunganui Ph: 07 578 3001 tauranga@kandldistributors.co.nz Truck & Driver | 53

TRUCK AND TRAILER TYRES Truck Tyres

HN257 265/70R19.5 275/70R22.5

ADC53

ALLROAD S+

11R22.5 275/70R22.5 295/80R22.5

385/55R22.5 385/65R22.5

ALLROAD D+

CONSTRUCT D

11R 22.5 295/80R22.5

11R22.5 315/80R22.5

Truck Tyres

Trailer Tyres ALLROAD T2

DA818

265/70R19.5 215/75R17.5 245/70R17.5

11R22.5

DD906 11R22.5 295/80R22.5

DT966 275/70R22.5

AGC28 265/70R19.5 255/70R22.5

Various patterns & sizes available New tread compounds for differing conditions New generation low rolling resistance compound improved fuel efficiency New pattern designs improve wet and dry handling Higher mileages Wider tread designs for increased road contact

Cliff 021 928 885 Magda 022 378 1964

0800 236 587 www.momentumtyres.co.nz

TD33952

New casing design with advanced casing technology and materials

s

s

87 nz

TD33952

Clockwise, from top: The fleet around 15 years ago, at its first dedicated yard in Kamo.....Allen and Sheree are proud of their boys stepping-up to take over running NorthEnd....Allen using his rubbish truck to shift his little tractor, in the late ‘90s

“Then….I was on the shovel. Then eventually, ‘jump on the digger,’ the trucks, help out the tree crews…. So like, we’ve always been able to do everything.”

Allen maintained an overview of things – but within a year, fate intervened in the way NorthEnd worked.

Allen was using time off work, enforced by 2020’s COVID 19 lockdown, to do some landscaping work around home with a little digger…when it tipped over. His foot was crushed…and he was trapped.

“Luckily,” says Allen, “Axel was there…. He was panicking…I was trying not to…” Axel raced to call an ambulance and get the big digger to free Allen.

Ethan reckons his little brother “really jumped up in the family ladder then.”

Well, Sheree says to Axel: “You saved your father’s life…”

But in the accident aftermath Allen faced months of surgery before the badly-damaged foot was partially amputated. He’s been unable to work since the accident.

That prompted newly-qualified diesel mechanic Axel to join Ethan in running NorthEnd and working in the inhouse workshop.

Soon after, he had to step up again – taking over running the

workshop when the shop manager left for health reasons.

Three years on, the family business has happily settled into its new management structure – “the boys” (Ethan is 33, Axel 25) running the show on a day to day basis.

They’ve also now become shareholders in NorthEnd, Sheree confirming that the plan is for them to buy in more – “but as Allen says, they’ll end up having it either way, won’t they!” she laughs.

There’s little doubt that the brothers are enjoying running the show: Sure, there can be challenges, says Ethan – like “when gear breaks down and you need more trucks…it does get stressful at times.

“But we’ve sort of learnt to work together pretty well and yeah, it doesn’t seem that hard to us anymore. Now we’ve got a handle on it.

“Obviously we’re learning shit every day. But me and Axel have got such a good working relationship… Like he runs the workshop and if he doesn’t have work…he’ll jump on a truck…

“Or if he needs a hand I’ll help him out. We still fight like f*** – but we’re over it in an hour and back to normal. So, that’s brotherly love.”

When Axel interjects, claiming “I normally win the fights!” Ethan Truck & Driver | 55

Clockwise, from above: Typical work for the company trucks – working under a digger on suburban roadworks... chip-sealing on the highway at Waipu... old N Series Ford, converted from a bin truck, was NorthEnd’s first truck... drivers Dean Griffiths (left) and Richard Ryan have been with the company for 18 and 16 years respectively

sighs dismissively: “Awhhh – he doesn’t mate.”

The job, he says, has been made easy for them – thanks to the work already put in by Allen and Sheree over the years: “Dad’s the one – he’s propelled it to where it is today. We’re sort of just getting the icing on the cake you know – it was all up and running.

He’s done the hard yards.”

Not that they haven’t made changes – easing back a bit on the diversity of the work, for instance: “Dad, he had a lot of things going on. We’re more directed towards….well pretty much predominantly trucking.”

While acknowledging that diversification can be good, they’ve dropped the arborist work: “It was just too hard getting arborists,” Ethan explains.

“See, if one of the (transport) boys isn’t here, well me or him can go jump in the truck – not a problem. But we can’t go climb a tree, with harnesses and chainsaws…”

Tippers are at the absolute core of the trucking side of the 56 | Truck & Driver

business – with the blue and yellow company trucks heavily involved in roading work for key clients all around the North – doing maintenance metalling on unsealed roads and supporting crews laying new bitumen or new road chip.

They also regularly work under the company diggers – on work ranging from roadside verge maintenance to building driveways, farm races, subdivision roading and the likes.

Trucks and company machinery also do a lot of work on the huge Hikurangi Swamp Scheme, building stopbanks for flood protection.

When required, trucks are adapted to water tankers – both for roading work and household deliveries at times of water shortages. Others do double duty as tippers and transporting the company’s earthmoving machines around.

Two tractors are still part of the lineup, doing roadside mowing or hedgecutting work.

NorthEnd’s far from being a sub-contracting business now

– with a couple of owner/drivers contracted to it…and up to six subbies working for the company some days.

While Allen and Sheree are regular visitors to the yard, the admin and compliance side of the business is now managed by Vanessa Adams, and Allen says happily that “Ethan and Axel actually run it now.

“But like, if they need a ‘oh we need to look at this truck’ and all this sort of stuff, I have a look at it all first and go ‘righto, we’ll do this or do that. Like, you know, with the two of them.”

The boys never call their Dad by his nickname, says Ethan: “He’s got a lot of names for us – and we’ve got a lot for him!

“He’s as stubborn as an old bloody goat. But you know, at the end of the day, we still pick his brain on stuff.”

Sheree says big decisions often get made by Ethan and Allen away from work: “Like Ethan came up home the other day and said ‘oh, looking at getting this big job – put some new trucks on.’ And so they sit there and chew the fat and have a coffee.”

But even big decisions like buying new gear is now probably more Ethan and Axel’s domain, Allen reckons – with NorthEnd currently targeting buying one new truck a year, to weed out some of “the old girls”…which include a 30-year-old Nissan CWB45 and four more trucks from the 1990s.

Even given Allen’s historic penchant to keep his old trucks rather than trade them, it’s reached the point now where 11 of the 24 NorthEnd trucks are less than 10 years old – seven of ‘em 2019 models or newer.

Whereas Mitsubishi used to be the favoured make (along with an occasional Isuzu or Nissan), all but two of the new trucks purchased in the last decade have been Hinos – the exceptions both 2021 Freightliners (a Century Class and a Coronado).

The Freightliners were cheap, says Allen – but he accepts now that conventionals are “not for our sort of work really. You know, you go down to a dump site and you’ve got a big old snout sticking out and you’ve gotta try and turn around and all this sort of thing.”

Truck & Driver | 57

Clockwise, from top left: Allen tipping off feed with the Hino about 24 years ago...even Ethan concedes that little brother Axel was one of the best digger drivers around when he was just a little kid...Axel is now NorthEnd’s workshop manager and reckons he only gets to “drive a spanner”...Ethan loves running the business – and, like Axel, is proud of what his parents created To be fair, Allen was already buying new trucks from 2004 on (the first, an Isuzu CXZ, still in the fleet). And he says that if he had his time over he “would have bought new trucks sooner.”

“But, you see, I didn’t know how work was gonna pan out. Nah, we were never really into contracts.”

Father and sons are Hino fans: “We’re having a good run out of them,” Allen reckons. They are, says Ethan, “absolutely perfect for what we do.”

Axel, understandably, is all for the Hino renewal programme: “Good for servicing – nothing really goes wrong. It’s all simple.”

Ethan: “You get no dramas for a few years – apart from your servicing and CoFs and whatnot.”

All of which, by the way – plus all mechanical repairs – is carried out by Axel and another mechanic.

When it comes to bulk bins (all steel) and trailers, NorthEnd has long dealt with just one supplier – Whangarei’s Underbelly Engineering.

Ethan is pretty happy with how the fleet looks, adding: “A lot of that comes down to the boys – we’ve got a pretty good crew and they look after the gear well.”

They’ve also got a heap of drivers who’ve been with the company a long time – the majority there for at least five years… while the longest server, Dean Griffiths, started with NorthEnd in 2006.

Moving to Whangarei for family reasons, he hopped out of a brand-new 430 Mitsi and into Allen’s old N Series Ford… “this thing that’s got the hoist control box sitting on the floor in a pool of oil!

58 | Truck & Driver

“And he goes ‘I told you ya wouldn’t want to drive the shit I’ve got!’ ” Clearly, it didn’t put him off: He’s off work now and his driving future is under a cloud – but only because of ongoing issues with the multiple fractures (shoulders, back, pelvis, one leg and ribs) he suffered in a near-fatal motorbike crash on his way home from work in 2016.

Allen and Sheree rushed to be with him at the accident scene, visited him in hospital…took him home…and “rescued” him when he tried walking before he should have, fell flat on his face….and couldn’t move.

Dean, 57, says that any doctor’s certificate for time off due to the after-effects is usually dealt with summarily: “Smell chucks it straight into the bin. (And says) ‘we know if you haven’t turned up you’re either on the side of the f***in’ road crashed, or you’re crook.’”

Richard Ryan has been with the Smiths since the then rubbish truck owner-driver figured “it was getting near the end of my working career” – so Allen bought his truck and took him on as a driver.

That was 16 years ago! Now he thinks he might actually retire at 70 – in two years’ time.

He’s also off work currently, with a shoulder injured shifting his boat. He’s impressed that Ethan “rung up the other day and, because I can’t push a lawnmower, he said ‘I’ll come around and mow your lawns.’ So that’s pretty good.”

Sheree says that’s a continuation of the way it’s always been:

The Sharpest Tool In The Box

Foton Aumark S

With 6 Job ReadyTM bodies to choose from, plus unique in-class features, there is really only 1 tool for the job.

The Foton Aumark S boasts Cummins power and a ZF 6-speed transmission, ensuring both power and durability.

Providing safety and security are features like a Wabco air brake system (that includes the park brake), a 24-volt power system, heated exterior mirrors and daytime running lights.

Its versatility and capability are demonstrated through its 6 to 9T GVM range and tight turning circle.

Standard equipment levels include alloy air tanks and fuel tank, whose purpose is to not only look good but also optimise longevity.

Contact your local Foton truck dealer today about Foton Job ReadyTM solutions.

foton.co.nz

Above: Coronado is one of two Freightliners bought in 2021

Below: The NorthEnd fleet at its present Kamo depot, soon after shifting into it, in 2018

“Quite a few times we’ve had to put the counsellor hat on. Or the bank manager hat – help ‘em out.”

Allen says that when anyone’s “had a hiccup – and they’ve all gone through different stuff – I always have a yarn to them…”

Apart from sort of becoming part of the family, staff do “get a few perks, here and there,” Axel reckons.

Like, says Ethan, “if they want to use a truck, or a digger, or want some metal… The way we see it is it’s swings and roundabouts. You help someone, it’s gonna come back and they’ll help you.”

Finding enough new drivers for the company to continue growing is “always a challenge,” Ethan confirms, but NorthEnd has been successful recently in encouraging more younger drivers: “We have got quite a few young fullas now…which is great.” One of them rates as probably “the best in Whangarei with a truck and trailer.

He’s incredible.”

Ask Allen what he’s most proud of with NorthEnd: “Oh, building it up so big. And proud of the boys coming in.”

He shakes his head at how it’s all evolved: “Nah I never thought it’d be like this.” When he started NorthEnd “I thought all me life I’d be on one truck – doing me job.” Having a whole fleet of ‘em “never was the plan.”

Now the Smiths Gen 2 are keen to grow it some more. Says Ethan: “I’d like to see it get bigger. Maybe look towards developing – subdivisions sort of thing. Residential. Not massive.

“I dunno – we seem to be going good, but there’s always areas you can improve on.”

Mum and Dad “laid the foundations. So now it’s our job is to keep it up.”

Axel: “Hopefully we can carry it on – make it bigger, and stronger…”

Truck & Driver | 61

LEGENDS

Nothing by half Campbell Gilmour

B

ETWEEN RUNNING TWO LARGE FLEETS, HAVING MEMBERSHIP of multiple industry and community groups across New Zealand and being the executive member and president of two branches of Transporting NZ, Campbell ‘Bill’ Gilmour of Pacific Haulage/Gilmour Transport fame seems to do nothing by half. But he’s also a humble guy that appreciates all the people that have helped him along the way – and for that, he’s a Southpac legend.

Campbell Gilmour was born in the deep south of Invercargill, however, grew up and did most of his formative schooling years in Alexandra.

Even from an early age he says that he was obsessed with trucks.

“As long as I remember I was always mad on trucks,” says Campbell.

“My father was a funeral director and mother was a homemaker and they both weren’t that keen on me being around trucks, they wanted me to do something else. But eventually they knew that’s what I wanted to do.”

He says that whenever he could he used to travel with a couple of local truckers, John Stewart, and Stan Barker [Alexandra Transport], recalling that they were always good to him.

“They used to take me every school holiday and I’m still in contact with them to this day,” says Campbell.

Inevitably, as soon as Campbell got to the age of 15, he wanted to leave school and work in transport, but Lex Thompson (manager of

62 | Truck & Driver

Alexandra Transport in those days) advised him against it.

“Lex Thompson was very good to me as well. He said `no, I want you to stay in school because you may want to move up the ladder at some point in your life’. And believe me, that was the last thing that both me and the teachers wanted to hear, that I was staying in school,” jokes Campbell.

He reluctantly stayed in school until he was 17 and upon leaving, went straight to work for Lex. “I worked in the yard moving trucks around and driving around hay paddocks, and then got my licence the day I turned 18. I got my licence in the morning and was in a truck in the afternoon,” says Campbell.

Campbell recalls that his first truck was a 1418 Mercedes and then he worked his way up to Macks. It was then that he got his ‘Bill’ nickname too.

“I was a young fella working in central Otago, they started calling me ‘Bill’ Gilmour because they thought Campbell was too long. And some people still call me that now.”

Having remained local for most of his life thus far, Campbell became a little fidgety and decided to leave the area.

“I was brought up in Alexandra and wanted to see something else, so [at 22] I moved to Christchurch, to work for Opzeeland Transport. I did

about six years there travelling inter-island, from Christchurch all over New Zealand, carting general freight and driving Scanias.”

From there Campbell started working for McCarthy and Wilshier Transport (MWT) in Rangiora on logging trucks, but the work didn’t seem to suit him initially.

“I wanted to give logs a go, but I didn’t really enjoy it at the start, I only did about 18 months and I left, went back to Alexandra Transport driving freight trucks,” he says.

Following a year stint driving three-trailer road trains from Perth to Broome and the diamond mines up towards Darwin, Campbell moved back to NZ, and worked for Normans transport in Morrinsville.

“In those days I was floating around, chopping and changing a wee bit,” he says.

After Normans, Campbell moved back to Christchurch, back at MWT in Rangiora in fact, and it was then that he got approached by Peter Dynes to buy a shareholding in the Dunedin Carrying Company.

“Dynes approached me with this opportunity, and I thought, something like this won’t come around again and I need to grab it with both hands. I didn’t want to be left wondering. I had to move to Dunedin, so it was a big jump, but turned out to be a very good career path too.”

Campbell continues; “So that’s when I came off the trucks and went into management. That was 2004. I would have been 33-years old,” he says. “I was at a point where I wanted a change, something I never thought would happen to be honest. I thought I’d be content driving all my life. I still do enjoy driving, but

Truck & Driver | 63

at that stage I wanted to move up the ladder.”

Campbell says that despite his lack of experience, he was pretty keen to make his mark with the move to management, and credits Anita, Peter and Jim Dynes for their help and assistance.

“It was good having their support, I wasn’t on my own and they taught me a lot. Peter always said to me ‘always have your facts. Learn about what makes the business tick’. In those days, there were only two of us in Dunedin, Peter and I. It was so small that Peter used to rent an office in the centre of Dunedin, and I looked after the yard. But that business has grown immensely.”

It was there Campbell got his first big exposure to Southpac too. He says that Dynes are strong Southpac people.

“I had a little bit to do with Kenworths over the years, drove a W for Warwick, and a few cabovers, but that was my real introduction, when I went into ownership. And have been involved with Southpac ever since.”

Campbell was a shareholder in Dunedin Carrying with Dynes for 10-years before he sold his shares back to them and became an employee. Then he moved back to Christchurch and set up their Canterbury division.

“I did that for five years and then in 2019 I moved to Gisborne to run Pacific Haulage for Warwick.”

In June 2021, Warwick and Campbell purchased log transporter Alan Forbes Transport in Tokoroa which was then rebranded Gilmour Transport, with Warwick and Campbell being 50/50 shareholders.

“I still run Pacific Haulage, but juggle both businesses,” Campbell says. “It’s pretty full on but I’m lucky because I’ve got very good people in both businesses.”

He adds that he has learnt a lot from Warwick and Mark McCarthy.”

They’ve both been very good to me, and I’m very appreciative of Warwick and what he has done for me.”

“Both companies run sizable fleets according to Campbell. At Gilmour Transport it’s a full Kenworth fleet of 25 trucks and at Pacific their near 83 trucks are mainly Kenworths with a few “specialised Scanias.”

While it could be said that running two large fleets is a feat unto itself, Campbell also gives back to the industry in terms of his associations involvement.

“I have been on the Log Truck Safety Council (LTSC) since 2005 and a member of the Executive since 2016. The LTSC has done a fantastic job of lifting the standard and maintaining the professionalism of the industry. Also, I am an executive member and president of two branches of Transporting NZ, I sit on the Executive of Region 2 and am also the president of the Eastland Road Transport Association.”

64 | Truck & Driver

In addition to this, Campbell also sits on various Industry and Community groups between Gisborne and Rotorua.

Campbell says that what he likes about the industry is the people, he says this extends really across the board but particularly in the Log Safety Council.

“Everyone gets on well, we share the same problems and work together. I’ve got a lot of good friends in the industry. There’s great support, anyone’s got an issue we all go and help out.”

But he also adds that it hasn’t all been plain sailing. “The awful times are if something goes wrong and there’s an accident, they certainly test you. When I was in Dunedin, there was a big forestry contract we depended on that was potentially going to shift to rail. For almost two years Pete and I were on tenterhooks. That was a challenging time, we wouldn’t go more than a couple of days talking about the ‘what ifs.

Luckily it stayed with us.”

Campbell believes that the industry has improved a lot over the past few decades.

“When I started driving it was open, with [the likes of] truck speeds and what you could do, but the industry has really shined and selfregulated. The standards are a lot higher and discipline too. Log carrying is very disciplined. Technology has vastly improved, telematics and GPS lets us know where everyone is.”

Aside from offering good advice, Campbell is also quick to praise those that have done well.

“The best part of my role is when you reward someone and they really appreciate it, there’s nothing better than that. There is a lot of loyalty in the industry and it’s good to pay it back.”

Outside of work Campbell just enjoys catching up with friends and does a bit of exercise. He’s also part of the ‘Tour of Learning’ guys, where they catch up and do local and international trips and truck shows together.

Campbell ends by saying, “I like working and like being busy. I still drive at the weekend or cover the holidays when no-one else wants to. I quite enjoy it, but I drive for fun now.”

Supporting Our Great Industry TO DRIVE INFRASTRUCTURE FORWARD IN 2024

Q U A L I T Y D O E S N ’ T C O S T, I T P AY S

Greg Cornes

Mike Stevenson

Craig Jamieson

Tim Miller

director

managing director

director

National Sales & Customer Support

Ingrained into T&G culture — uncompromising quality, a commitment to innovation, constantly improving, fostering long-term partnerships with our customers and suppliers, passion for our brand, nationwide service and support, a commitment to the transport industry and a 100-year vision for the company. This is who we are.

www.transporttrailers.co.nz . sales@transporttrailers.co.nz .

TransportTrailers

MANUFACTURED BY TRANSPORT & GENERAL ENGINEERING

INVEST IN INNOVATION, NOT IN THE GROUND START ELECTRIFYING THE RIGHT WAY There are many hidden costs in electrifying your fleet, from supply upgrades to ongoing monthly demand charges.

Peak Shaving

Maximum kW Level

In an energy-hungry world, Peak Shaving is the beacon of a sustainable future. With smart and efficient energy storage solutions, we’re not just shaving peak demand; we’re shaping a brighter, more resilient tomorrow.

Say goodbye to energy spikes and hello to a greener, cost-effective, and reliable energy landscape.

Join us in redefining the future of power with a Pixii Energy Storage solution.

yhienergy.co.nz

bess@yhi.co.nz

Peak Shaving Energy Storage Solution

YHI Energy

FEATURE

Building Momentum

The new Maersk facility at Ruakura represents a $140m investment.

By: Colin Smith

The trucks and trains have started to serve the key new logistics centre in the North Island’s Golden Triangle.

TWO YEARS AGO, New Zealand Truck & Driver TOOK AN trailers, operating 24/7 nationwide, and works with some of New in-depth look at early plans for the Ruakura Superhub, under Zealand’s foremost food companies and brands. construction at the eastern edge of Hamilton.

The new 1,000sqm facility being developed by TGH includes fridge Since then, the Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) development has and freezer space and accompanying offices. The building is specified seen its early commercial tenants begin operations, along with to a Greenstar 4 rating. Facility design and build is underway with further announcements confirming new projects as stage one of the main contractor Calder Stewart Construction targeting completion Superhub evolves. and being ready to operate in the last quarter of 2024.

Freight volumes are increasing through the Ruakura Inland Port “We see having a freight hub in the Waikato region as a necessity,” facility which opened for business in August last year, and the most says Roberts. recent build announcement is a new Refrigafreighters Ltd (RFF), “Many of our key customers already have a strong production and temperature-controlled transport, storage, and distribution facility delivery presence in the region, and we anticipate an even greater due to open later this year. increase in demand for food, and food processing, primarily in the RFF’s chief executive, Michael Roberts, says expected economic golden triangle. Our investment in growth at Ruakura will solidify our growth in the region was the driver for building its sixth depot network across the North Island and enable the delivery of highnationwide, and the first in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions.

Refrigafreighters new depot is planned to be open in the fourth quarter of this year.

“The dynamic of Auckland, Tauranga, and Hamilton as an economic growth engine for New Zealand pointed towards Ruakura as the best location for Refrigafreighters’ next depot,” he says.

The Superhub’s central location and proximity to the Waikato Expressway and rail links at the Ruakura Inland Port will support the operational efficiency and growth of RFF – which operates in the field of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and time-critical freight deliveries. The company has over 190 chiller/freezer trucks and Truck & Driver | 67

The new Maersk cold chain facility can house nearly 30,000 pallets of products in both cold rooms and blast freezers. Photo: Apollo Projects. quality service to our customers.”

The facility includes four truck docks and extra parking on a 5000sqm lot, providing plenty of growing room for its starting fleet of seven new delivery trucks. All trucks based at Ruakura will serve the Waikato and Bay of Plenty regions, with further operational support from the existing RFF network.

“Refrigafreighters is a welcome addition to the range of speciality logistics providers and distributors already located at Ruakura,” says TGH chief executive Chris Joblin.

“With MBIE forecasting that 700,000 more people will live in the golden triangle within 20 years, our region will need extra capacity in the food supply chain. Refrigafreighters adds to the supply chain options for our local businesses and will help serve the everyday needs of a fast growing population,” says Joblin.

A key aspect of the Superhub’s multi-modal logistics model is the Ruakura Inland Port facility where volumes continue to build since opening with two train services a week in early August 2023.

The 9Ha port facility is served by two 800m rail sidings and there

Big Chill’s 21,200sqm facility is now up and running serve retail and food service businesses via the company’s 180 temperature-controlled trucks and trailers.

68 | Truck & Driver

are now daily freight train service calls at Ruakura, each transporting up to 90 containers on journeys between MetroPort Auckland and Port of Tauranga.

Currently the main cargo flows are imported goods containers from MetroPort Auckland which unload at Ruakura, re-load with New Zealand made goods and produce, and carry on to Port of Tauranga for exporting.

Dave Christie, Supply Chain Strategy Director at TGH, says this cyclical process provides extra resiliency in the trade supply chain, decarbonises freight transport, and provides importers and exporters with more options with reduced costs.

“Sixty-five per cent of New Zealand’s trade travels through Auckland, Tauranga, and Hamilton. We’re now seeing an increasing portion of that freight volume move between these major economic nodes through rail-based, one-way movements, that take trucks carrying empty containers off our roads,” Christie says.

“This means our local businesses spend less on freight transport and can even expand their operations with increased accessibility to

There are already plans to expand the Ruakura Inland Port by a further 3Ha. our coastal ports.”

Ruakura Inland Port expects train services to increase through the first quarter of 2024 as operations at the recently opened Maersk coolstore facility ramp up to full capacity.

Currently the port operator (Quality Marshalling) and the empty container depot, ContainerCo, are both operating within the existing footprint of the inland port. As container volumes build on the inland port, TGH is now looking at developing a further 3ha for the empty depot provider to move and free-up space on the Inland Port.

The most recent opening ceremony at Ruakura Superhub was for the A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk) facility. The state-of-the-art, integrated cold chain facility was opened in February represents a $140m investment, the biggest New Zealand infrastructure investment by the global logistics supplier.

Maersk says the new facility effectively moves the ocean inland by offering customers end-to-end supply chain management including import, export, and cross-docking services. It enables the exchanging of goods between transport modes, such as rail and truck, creating a highly flexible and sufficient supply chain within the Waikato and wider New Zealand.

“The new facility’s ideal location now seamlessly links the ports of Auckland and Tauranga providing a supply chain for our customers and increases the volume of possible imports and exports to and from New Zealand, all while retaining the quality of the products,” says Kylie Fraser, Managing Director of Maersk Oceania.

The facility will be utilised by Fonterra to support its North Island production and other customers include BluePrint Global/NZ GrassFed Butter, Mega Foods, and Service Foods.

Maersk has ensured the facility meets the highest sustainability rating possible for a cold store, aiming to achieve at minimum, a Greenstar-5 rating with an aim to improve this to 6-stars, which will be the highest of any cold store in New Zealand. The cutting-edge design has enabled Maersk to limit its environmental footprint with the installation of solar panels on all rooftops, using CO2 instead of ammonia in all freezers, collecting and re-using rainwater and providing electrical charging stations for cars and trucks.

The multi-modal 18,000sqm facility has the capability to load 40ft containers holding 29 tonnes of product onto train carriages.

The cold chain facility allows customers to retain the quality of

their products during transit by housing nearly 30,000 pallets of products in both cold rooms and blast freezers. These blast freezers can freeze produce down to international food standards in less than 24 hours, locking in the quality and ensuring a fresher product when it reaches its destination. The multitude of rooms allows for various products to be stored at different temperatures satisfying diverse customer needs.

The other recent opening ceremony at Ruakura was for the new purpose-built cool storage facility for Big Chill Distribution. The facility is now fully operational after Big Chill began the move in process late last year.

The 21,200sqm facility on a 3ha site holds up to 16,500 pallets of chilled and frozen food ready to distribute to retail and food service businesses via the company’s 180 temperature-controlled trucks and trailers.

Big Chill chief executive Phil Clarke says the new site allows the company to better service its customers far wider than the Bay of Plenty and Auckland regions alone.

“We’ve been able to increase our warehousing capacity by 30% at Ruakura and can now increase same day and overnight delivery services. We chose the site for its location and increased access to a comprehensive network of road and rail,” says Clarke.

The opening of the new Big Chill facility (left to right) Tuku Morgan of Waikato-Tainui, Mayor Paula Southgate, Big Chill’s Phil Clarke, Freightways’ Mark Troughear, Tainui Group Holdings’ CEO Chris Joblin.

Truck & Driver | 69

Video Telematics

Reduce risk and create a more rewarding workplace Fully integrated into TN360, our diverse range of cameras deliver you real-time footage and data to help you improve safety, streamline coaching and protect drivers.

Now that’s choice.

0800 447 735 TeletracNavman.co.nz

At 40,000sqm, the Kmart distribution facility which opened last September is the largest of the builds to date in the Ruakura Superhub.

“It means we can spread the load between not only our Putaruru diesel-powered forklifts to electric units. and Auckland depots, but all eleven of our facilities across the The commercial developments are not the only activity ongoing at country to give our customers a more efficient storage and delivery Ruakura. TGH’s contractors are also working at Te Wairepo, the 10Ha service.” wetland reserve which forms an important native ecosystem for the Big Chill will also make extensive use of Ruakura Inland Port and Superhub. expects to move about 70 20-foot containers per week via rail alone.

A further half a million native plants – additional to the one million “Having the inland port and State Highway 1 a stone’s throw already in the ground – are being planted along with completion work away is creating efficiencies we couldn’t have achieved at our other for the 2.2 km of boardwalks and walkways around the reserve and depots,” says Clarke. putting in the final touches for public enjoyment such as information The upcoming Refrigafreighters facility along with the new boards and signs.

Maersk and Big Chill developments join the new Kmart North Island The Te Wairepo greenspace, once fully established, will become distribution centre and PBT operations which opened in 2023, a self-sustaining system which manages storm water for the entire the completion of internal roading at Ruakura and the opening of Ruakura precinct and provides a recreational green space open for the service centre at the diamond interchange with SH1 Waikato Hamilton residents and visitors to enjoy.

Expressway.

At 40,000sqm on a 9Ha site, the Kmart distribution Big Chill Ruakura’s chiller storage sits at 2 degrees and frozen goods are lowered to -23 facility which opened last September is the largest of degrees Celsius 03. the builds to date in the 92ha first stage of the 490ha Ruakura Superhub.

It serves as a strategic hub for Kmart’s North Island operations and beyond, succeeding the previous site in Wiri, South Auckland. It includes warehousing, distribution, storage, a container yard, and office facility.

PBT was the first occupier at Ruakura Superhub with the express freight specialist opening the doors on its new 2,800sqm building in October 2022.

The facility includes a 1,890sqm loading canopy and 250sqm of office space and is future proofed for future expansion and the addition of solar generation. As part of the move into the Green Star 4 certified building, PBT has also upgraded its previous Truck & Driver | 71

GOING THE EXTRA MILE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS Time is money. Specifically developed for the commercial vehicle sector, the advanced DELFLEET Evolution® paint system offers a complete range of high productivity solutions that are easy to use and achieve exceptional results. To boost throughput and get vehicles on the road faster, complete with outstanding durability, colour and gloss, Delfleet Evolution is perfect for the long-haul!

Follow us online!

PPG Refinish Australia & New Zealand

FEATURE

HYDROGEN’S NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART The hydrogen space in transport is seeing fast-paced development. Daimler Truck now has its hydrogen hopes pinned on the liquid, rather than gaseous, state of the element.

DAIMLER TRUCK AND GERMAN COMPANY LINDE ENGINEERING have jointly developed an efficient new refuelling process for hydrogen powered trucks which they aim to establish as the industry standard.

The sLH2 technology is a newly developed process for handling subcooled liquid hydrogen. When compared to gaseous hydrogen, this innovative approach allows for a higher storage density, a greater vehicle range, faster refuelling, lower costs and superior energy efficiency.

Refuelling a 40-tonne heavy-duty truck, such as the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 prototype, carrying 80kg of liquid hydrogen takes around 10 to 15 minutes using sLH2, providing a range of more than 1,000km.

The new process also lowers the required investment for a hydrogen refuelling station by a factor of two to three, and operational costs are five to six times lower.

Compared to regular liquid hydrogen (LH2) refuelling technology, the sLH2 process uses a new innovative pump to slightly increase the pressure of the liquid hydrogen. With this method, the hydrogen becomes subcooled liquid hydrogen (sLH2).

Hydrogen in this state, facilitates a very robust fuelling process that also keeps energy losses during refuelling to a minimum. Also, no data transmission between the refuelling station and vehicle is necessary, which further reduces the complexity of the solution.

At the same time, refuelling capacity is increased to new levels. The pilot refuelling station now operational at Wörth am Rhein in Germany has a capacity of 400kg of liquid hydrogen per hour. In comparison to regular liquid or gaseous hydrogen refuelling concepts, sLH2 is considerably simpler while delivering increased performance.

With aim of establishing a common refuelling standard for hydrogenpowered trucks, Daimler and Linde are making the technology openly

available to interested parties via an ISO standard.

“Zero-emission transport needs three factors: the right batteryelectric and hydrogen-powered vehicles, the required infrastructure network and cost parity for ZEVs compared to diesel trucks,” says Andreas Gorbach, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler Truck AG, responsible for Truck Technology.

He says the transformation of vehicles is occurring rapidly while the sLH2 technology is a major milestone for hydrogen infrastructure.

“With sLH2, hydrogen refuelling becomes as convenient as today’s refuelling with diesel. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to fuel our Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck for a range of more than 1,000km. We now call on other OEMs and infrastructure companies to follow our approach and jointly make this technology an industry standard.”

The new public sLH2 refuelling station in Wörth am Rhein, sets a benchmark in terms of energy efficiency and performance. With energy consumption of only 0.05 kWh/kg, it requires approximately 30 times less energy compared with conventional gaseous hydrogen refuelling.

The refuelling station has a small footprint of just 50 square metres (not including the dispenser) and allows for configurations where several dispensers for parallel refuelling of trucks are possible, as well as back-to-back refuelling.

The liquid hydrogen storage tank has a capacity of four tonnes, sufficient for approximately 10 hours of non-stop refuelling.

Meanwhile, the capacity of the sLH2 fuel station can be increased to over eight tons per day with refilling. A lower initial investment and operational costs for the sLH2 technology is expected to ultimately result in lower total cost of ownership.

“Subcooled liquid hydrogen considerably increases the efficiency of hydrogen refuelling systems. The required investment is reduced by a Truck & Driver | 73

Above: In September 2023, a prototype Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck covered 1,047km of distance driven on one 80kg fill of liquid hydrogen.

Below left: It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to fuel the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck for a range of more than 1,000km.

Below right: The protective measures required for sLH2 refuelling are comparable to those required for diesel, with no need for special safety gear. factor of two to three, and operational costs are five to six times lower,” says Juergen Nowicki, Executive Vice President Linde plc and CEO of Linde Engineering.

“This and further advantages make sLH2 a practical, CO2-neutral alternative to diesel in the heavy-duty vehicle sector. The technology we have developed with Daimler Truck will help pave the way for the development of a robust refuelling network, which is essential to keep vehicles moving and supply chains intact.”

Daimler Truck and Linde Engineering aim to make sLH2 the leading hydrogen refuelling technology for heavy-duty trucks. As a result, both companies offer a high level of transparency and openness around the relevant interfaces of the jointly developed sLH2 technology. The technology has been standardised in an open ISO process and is available to interested parties – OEMs, infrastructure companies and associations - to establish a global mass market for the new process.

In contrast to current liquid hydrogen (LH2) refuelling, the sLH2 process is similar to the convenience of current diesel refuelling technology. Due to robust insulation the refuelling hose and the design of the interfaces between the nozzle and fuel tank, the process is safe without the possibility of spillage.

Therefore, the protective measures required for sLH2 refuelling are comparable to those required for diesel. During the refuelling process, cryogenic liquid hydrogen at minus 253 degC can be filled into two connected 40kg tanks mounted on either side of the truck chassis without the need for special safety gear.

The sLH2 technology allows for high flow delivery of more than 400kg of hydrogen per hour and filling 80kg of liquid hydrogen can be completed in 10 to 15 minutes.

The new process also avoids what are known as boil-off effects and

“return gas” (gas from the vehicle’s tank returning to the filling station) and therefore only one nozzle is needed to fill the tanks, making sLH2 technology easier to handle. The new refuelling station in Wörth will be provided with liquid hydrogen by Linde, which has the largest liquid hydrogen capacity and distribution system in the world.

Daimler Truck prefers liquid hydrogen in the development of hydrogen-based drives. In this aggregate state, the energy carrier has a far higher energy density in relation to volume than gaseous

KIW

215 235 26

74 | Truck & Driver

DEL & LO

The pilot refuelling station now operational at Wörth am Rhein in Germany can deliver up to 400kg of liquid hydrogen per hour.

hydrogen. As a result, the tanks of a fuel-cell truck using liquid hydrogen are more cost efficient compared to the carbon tanks used for gaseous hydrogen. And due to the lower pressure, they are also significantly lighter, enabling a higher payload and with more hydrogen being carried there is a significant increase to the trucks’ range.

This makes the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck, like conventional diesel trucks, suitable for long-haul transport. This was demonstrated in September 2023, when a prototype Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck approved for public roads completed Daimler Truck’s #HydrogenRecordRun, covering 1,047km of distance driven on one fill of 80kg of liquid hydrogen. The company aims to introduce the series version of the fuel-cell truck in the second half of the decade.

265/70R19.5

KIWI 20 11R22.5 295/80R22.5

KIWI 20+

KIWI 20 SUPER

275/70R22.5

385/55R22.5 385/65R22.5

KIWI 21 275/70R22.5

KIWI 24

11R22.5 275/70R22.5

11R22.5 275/70R22.5

Contact Us sales@kiwityres.co.nz 0800 KIWI TYRES (0800 549 4897) www.kiwitrucktyres.co.nz

ED AT

D & OPE R NE W

NZ O

KIWI Truck Tyres are available from all leading commercial tyre service providers - Contact your local tyre specialist today for pricing & availabilty in your area.

KIWI 23

AV

IL

A

DELIVERING PERFORMANCE DURABILITY & LOW COST-PER-KILOMETER.

UNIQUE COMPOUND

EXTRA DEEP TREAD

EXCEPTIONAL MILEAGE

E

KIWI 175

215/75R17.5 235/75R17.5 265/70R19.5

AB

ID

KIWI 16/17

From mid-2024, five companies are expected to take part in initial customer trials to gain first experience in CO2-free long-distance transport with Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Trucks. The semi-trailer tractors will be deployed in different long-haul applications on specific routes within Germany, and they will be refuelled at the now open public sLH2 refuelling station in Wörth am Rhein and at a refuelling station in the Duisburg area.

Daimler Truck and its partner companies aim to demonstrate that decarbonised transport with hydrogen-powered trucks is already possible today. However, for the transformation to succeed, it will be necessary in the coming years to build an international refuelling infrastructure and a sufficient supply of green liquid hydrogen

LE NZ

W

Weighing Equipment Proven Weigh Systems In NZ For Over 20 Years With: • Dedicated Personnel For Technical Support • Full Back-Up Parts Inventory

• Technical Support & Suppliers Of An Extensive Parts Range For Most Brands • Weigh Systems For Most Applications

Williams & Wilshier – Manufactured by Patchell Industries

Gilmour Transport – Manufactured by Patchell Industries

PTS Logistic – Manufactured by GDE Engineering

Addline Transport Ltd – Manufactured, truck by Koromiko Engineering Co and trailer by Transfleet Trailers

Weighing Equipment Is Our Business!!

North Island

17 Hyland Crescent, Rotorua, New Zealand • Ph: 07 349 4700

South Island

www.silodec.co.nz

TD34247

Sales and Service - Contact Mike Long 021 651 965

FEATURE

The completed painting for Porter Haulage, winners of the 2023 Double Coin Tyres Transport Imaging Award.

t h ig l l ia c e p s a in r Heavy pai

By Colin Smith

THE LIGHTING AND REFLECTIONS WHICH MADE FOR A spectacular photograph also provided a little more challenge than usual for artist Paul Astwood to produce the painting for the winner of the Double Coin Tyres Transport Imaging Award.

The winner of 2023 prize, for the best livery on a truck featuring on the New Zealand Truck & Driver magazine poster, is Porter Haulage.

Our July 2023 edition poster featured the pair of new Porter Haulage Kenworth T909 transporters loaded with machinery and photographed

by Gerald Shacklock at dawn, outside the company headquarters in Te Rapa.

It’s Paul’s task to turn the poster image into an original painting which is presented to the winning truck owner.

“It came out beautiful, but it was an interesting challenge with all the different light and reflections. There was light reflecting down onto the foreground, and also reflecting from, and back into, all of the chrome and polished stainless,” says Paul.

Truck art, most usually classic trucks, is a major part of the work produced by the Sydney-based Kiwi. He also paints historic buildings, hotels and sometimes aircraft and does `old school’ signwriting by hand. Paul’s work is highly detailed, and he says his signwriting skills – cutting and masking – are useful for achieving the sharp lines and the detail.

“I spent about two weeks on it full time,” says Paul. “As soon as I received the photo, I went to my friend of mine who is a printer, got it enlarged, printed out and traced onto the canvas. Then I started work the following day.”

“There is a phenomenal amount of light being reflected in the photo and I was working from quite a low resolution photo.”

Paul’s incredibly detailed work requires a lot more than one photo.

“I always search the internet for as many other reference photos as I can find. I use them to make sure all the details are accurate,” he says.

“Living in Australia, I can’t just pop down the road and take a look at the truck to check a few details.”

He says the Porters work was particularly satisfying.

“I really enjoyed doing this one. They are fantastic looking trucks and I think you get to see all the details and all of the reflections.”

The two Kenworth’s featured in the July 2023 issue, the pair together before splitting up to operate from Hamilton and Hayden Woolston (left) presents the painting to Robin Porter (centre) and Porter Haulage manager Jason Pilling (right).

Truck & Driver | 77

Christchurch respectively.

Getting the duo on the road was one of the last projects to be handled by the late Scotty Haberfield, the Mount Maunganui-based Southpac Trucks salesman who lost a battle with cancer last year. Tim Finlay took over after Scotty became ill.

The T909s have a 130-tonne rating and both work with MTE-built `three rows of eight’ widening trailers and MTE `two rows of eight’ widening dollies.

The 6x4s are identical twins numbered T126 and T127 in the Porter’s fleet. The specification features include 36-inch recess integrated sleepers along with 7-inch stacks, 12-inch drop visor, bug deflector and high rise air cleaners. They ride on Dura-bright alloy wheels.

The trucks are powered by the 615hp version of the Cummins X15 developing 2050 lb-ft of torque and working with an 18-speed Roadranger.

Among the options on the truck is Neway extra heavy duty rear air suspension and twin 450-litre fuel tanks. The Meritor MT23-168GP rear axles with twin diff locks have a 4.56:1 final drive ratio for heavy haul work.

Details include stainless trim to bottom of bumper, kick panels, battery covers, rolled front guard flare, tank wraps, skirt to rear of cab, bottom of grill, mirrors and headlight defenders. The stainless also continues to the back of cab light bar, air cleaner trim, step trim, stainless guards with KW infill logo, stainless Duomatic and hydraulic services box, stainless rear light bar and stainless tool boxes.

Lighting includes clear lens lights to roof, lights bottom and top of bumper, air cleaners, bug light, stacks, back of cab, and along tanks and toolbox, LED beacon bar to roof and flashers in front grill and rear load lights.

The tractor unit has tow points fitted front and rear. Inside the cab is the new Cummins driver display and Smart Air Wi-Fi weight system.

Putting the trucks on the road in a high specification and striking livery relied on expertise from within Porters and also outsourced.

The new Kenworth T909 at Porter’s company headquarters.

78 | Truck & Driver

The paintwork was completed in-house at the Porters paint and refurb facility and the signs were done by Graffito Signs in Hamilton.

Stainless work is by Southpac Engineering while TRT did the fifth wheel installations and Waikato Stainless Steel built the toolboxes.

The painting was presented to Robin Porter and Porter Haulage manager Jason Pilling by Hayden Woolston from NZ Truck & Driver.

“It’s a very cool piece of artwork and it’s now hanging on the wall in the glasshouse at our head office,” says Jason.

The opportunity to photograph the T909 pair together was a rare one.

“We got them together again for the Kenworth 100 and sometimes they’ll be working in each other’s territories, but they haven’t been together on many occasions since the photos were taken,” Jason says.

The T909s are the new flagships of the Porter Haulage fleet.

“They’ve gone down a treat and the feedback from our customers and internally from our staff has been really good. They certainly look the part and have a great presence on the road,” Jason says.

Paul Astwood takes commissions for both canvas and large board art works and can be contacted via Facebook.

Above, left to right: the artwork takes shape and the T909s were together again at the Kenworth 100 event (right).

Right: Artist Paul Astwood spent two weeks on the painstaking detail of the painting.

Truck & Driver | 79

The best advocacy Advice for your business success in the business

Building the next generation

• Connected to Government and regulators to further your issues

• With Te ara ki tua Road to Success we are delivering new drivers our industry• la Arato Aotearoa ,t, ,t, li ransport1ng li ransport1ng

• Major media voices for our industry • Real problem solvers on policybest and technical The advocacy The best advocacy in the business in the chalbusiness lenges • Connected to Government

• Connected to Government and regulators to further your issues to further and regulators la Ara Aotearoa • ,f. your issues

ransP..c!�!�!:?9

• Major media voices 'Ji for our industry • Major media voices for our

industry

• Real problem solvers on policy and technical • Real challenges problem solvers on

policy and technical challenges

la Ara Aotearoa • ,f.

ransP..c!�!�!:?9

'Ji

la Ara Aotearoa • ,f.

ransP..c!�!�!:?9

'Ji

• Partnership benefits such as discount fuel schemes

la Ara Aotearoa •

• Tools to improve your business viability eg. cost modelling & Transporting New Zealand Cost Index

• Strong promotional campaigns to drive industry growth

• Connections to legal advice and business tips

•Building Focus on alternative the fuels Building the next generation next generation and sustainabil ity

Advice for your

Advice for your business success business success • Partnership benefits such

as discountbenefits fuel schemes • Partnership such as discount fuel schemes

NEW ZEALAN�

NEW ZEALAN�

• With Te ara ki tua Road to •Success With Te tua Road to weara arekidelivering new drivers toare our delivering industry Success we

• Tools to improve your business viability eg.

• Tools to improve yourcost & Transporting modelling business viability eg. cost New Zealand Cost Index

• Strong promotional to drive •campaigns Strong promotional industry growth

• Connections to legal advice and business tips

• Focus on alternative fuels and sustainability

modelling & Transporting New Zealand Cost Index

• Connections to legal advice and business tips

new drivers to our industry campaigns to drive industry growth

• Focus on alternative fuels and sustainability

FEATURE

Modern Scania quartet from Pari Transport (right) and Nationwide Livestock.

Story & Pictures: Rod Simmonds

Otorohanga’s inaugural show A NEW ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY TRUCK SHOW CALENDAR saw about 100 trucks coming together for the inaugural Otorohanga Truck & Ute Show on February 24.

One of the key organisers – local legend, business owner, mechanic, driver, and YouTube celebrity Rodney Dow – hopes it will be a permanent show held every two years, combining with local classic car, hot rod, and ute enthusiasts in the future.

Naturally the largest fleet was from Rodney’s local Otorohanga Transport Ltd (OTL) and nearby Lime Haulage Te Kuiti (LHL) showing the latest Volvo, Scania and Kenworths plus the much-revered classic Mack Ultra-Liner restoration.

The crew worked tirelessly through Friday night to clean the late drivers and trucks a from busy week carting stock and every truck reflected the passion they have for their work.

Rodney commented it was also good to see many of his competitors showing up; “Bloody good turn out for a small town eh,” he says. Loyalty runs deep in the region.

Locals showed a strong presence with trucks from Hamilton, Auckland and Taupo making it to the town with a wide variety of makes and models. Vintage and army trucks including TK Bedfords, C57 ERF and tidy Foden Alphas also lined up alongside the very latest models.

The kai carts, sand pit and a paddling pool kept the little ones occupied, along with the miniature truck and train rides. The event was a true community coming together to support the local cause.

The first Otorohanga truck show delivered a real allcomers line up and a great showcase for the important local agricultural base everyone in the area depends on.

Below: Utes and military vehicles were part of the show line-up.

Right: Rodney Dow was pleased with the local support for the inaugural Otorohanga show.

Truck & Driver | 81

Above: Peoples Choice Voilvo

Left: Great to see the late Milton Durham’s Pacific, now owned by Quality Demolition at the show.

Left bottom: Just some of the Booth’s fleet that attended.

2024 Quality Demolition Wellington Truck & Transport Show – prize winners: Best DAF – Foodstuffs Northchill 2020 XF 530 (DAFTRK) Best Freightliner – Linked 2015 Coronado (LNN515) Best Hino – Placemakers 2020 Hino 700 (PPL660) Best International – Abbots 1949 KB6 (DU5208) Best Isuzu – JBS 2022 Isuzu CYJ (JBSWTR) Best Iveco – NZ Fire Service 2011 EuroCargo (FRD223) Best Kenworth – Kieran Oliver Contractors 2023 T610 SAR (QGZ474) Best Mack – Clive Taylor 2020 Trident (MSM611) Best MAN – Quality Demolition 2013 MAN TGS (DEMO09) Best Mercedes-Benz – PTS Logistics 2018 Arocs (LUZ592) Best Mitsubishi/Fuso – BOSCO 2019 Fuso HD (MBN666) Best Scania – Smiths Transport 2022 S 730 (PGG884) Best Volvo – Booths 2021 FH16 (PMM997) Best Classic – Murrays Haulage 1973 Kenworth LW924R (HEQ3) Best Other Brand – Quality Demolition 1989 Pacific P10 (PLZMOV) Best Tipper – Waikanae Bulk Haulage 2023 Kenworth T610 SAR (SARKW) Best Fleet – PTS Logistics People’s Choice – Yates Freight 2020 Volvo FH16 (Y8SFR8) Best Of The Show – Quality Demolition 1988 Kenworth K100E (LPKW)

82 | Truck & Driver

RMS Contracting Kenworth C509 looking tough

Story: Colin Smith Photos: Aaron Hunt

Wellington show back in business IT WAS A LONG TIME COMING BUT THE (USUALLY BIENNIAL) Wellington Truck and Transport Show was back in business on Sunday February 25 – for the first time in four years.

About 250 trucks, mainly from Wellington region transport companies and a few from much further afield, rolled into the Trentham Memorial Park in Upper Hutt for the Quality Demolition sponsored event organised by the Silverstream Lions Club.

“It was our first show for four years,” says organising

committee member Greg Fouhy.

“We just got 2020 in before the first Covid lockdown and then we cancelled 2022 just before the other lockdown.

“We tried to run in 2023 but had to cancel because of the cyclone and the park was just too wet. Everyone seemed so pleased to have the show back again at last, and the truckies really turned out in force to support it.”

The Wellington Truck and Transport Show dates back to 2008 when the inaugural event was organised by Richie Hoblyn. The

P.T.S took out Best Fleet and Best Mercedes Truck & Driver | 83

Taranaki show set for Easter NEXT UP ON THE REGIONAL TRUCK SHOW CALENDAR IS THE Easter Sunday (March 31) Taranaki Truck Show and Convoy.

Last held in 2021, the Taranaki show returns with naming rights sponsorship again secured by McCurdy Trucks and with a new charity set to benefit from the fundraising efforts.

This year the Taranaki Truckers Group event is supporting

Taranaki Retreat and Waimanako, a charitable trust working in the field of suicide prevention.

The venue for the show is Hickford Park in Bell Block. The truck convoy heading to the show venue departs from the corner of Port View Crescent and Centennial Drive, New Plymouth at 9am.

More information: www.taranakitruckshow.co.nz

Silverstream Lions have been involved since 2010.

“It’s a gold coin donation entry and all the funds raised go to the Life Flight rescue helicopter and air ambulance in Wellington,” says Greg.

“In the past the show has raised about $10,000 to $12,000 dollars but we are expecting this year’s final figure will be a bit higher.

“There were about 10,000 people here this year and some of the best comments we heard from people were about how it’s a great family event and really safe for children.

“We really appreciate the support of Shane Gray at Quality Demolition and also the Upper Hutt council who allow us to use the Trentham Memorial Park.”

The last Sunday of February 2026 has already been set aside for the next edition of the Wellington show.

A total of 19 prize winners were announced with the Best Of Show award going to Quality Demolition’s classic Kenworth K100E and People’s Choice being won by the Volvo FH 16 of Yates Freight which works in NZ Post colours. PTS Logistics won the Best Fleet prize.

Inset left: Nicely restored R-Model Mack belongs to Upper Hutt-based Ray Purser Digger Hire.

Inset right: Hog Haulage supported the show with its Kenworth line-up.

Main: Wellington’s Best of the Show was this K100E Kenworth owned by Quality Demolition.

84 | Truck & Driver

National Road Carriers

GPS will boost productivity, resilience, reliability and safety Justin Tighe-Umbers, CEO, National Road Carriers Association

W

HEN I INTERVIEWED SIMEON BROWN IN AN NRC pre-election webinar in September, it was clear that he was a man on a mission. He spoke with fervour on the urgency of fixing our failing road network.

Fast forward six months, newly minted as Minister of Transport, Mr Brown has been busy making good on his election promises.

On a rainy and unseasonably cold first Monday of March, the Prime Minister and Minister of Transport launched the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on land transport, or GPS as it’s known to Wellington insiders.

Far more important than the dry sounding title suggests, a GPS sets out the Minister’s expectations. Officials are often in holding patterns under a new Government until these documents are released. They set the tone, direction, and policy goals of the new Minister.

The land transport GPS kicks off with a promising start - the first paragraph sets out the Government’s land transport investment agenda to “boost economic growth and productivity, resilience, reliability and safety.” Music to my ears, a tune not heard for some time. $7 billion dollars from the National Land Transport Fund (NLFT) and $1.5 billion from local government will be invested each year in state highway and local roading, rail, public transport, and other initiatives such as safety.

The GPS reflects exactly what the Minister said he would do, getting back to the basics of looking after what we’ve got, and building what we need to grow the economy. Sensible, predictable … almost boring? So much so I found myself saying in an interview with Mike Hosking that it wasn’t a glamourous GPS, there were no marquee projects. Mike didn’t agree, and on reflection I think he was right, I was selling it a bit short. There’s a lot to cheer about – just look at the list of Roads of National Significance (or Rons as they are known in the trade):

• Alternative to the Brynderwyns (essential given the five-to-sevenyear shelf life of the reworked State Highway 1) • Whangarei to Northport at Marsden Point • Warkworth to Wellsford four lane continuation • Cambridge to Piarere • Mill Road • East West link • Northwest Alternative State Highway • Second Mt Victoria tunnel • The Hope Bypass • The Belfast to Pegasus Motorway and Woodend Bypass The Warkworth to Wellsford and Cambridge to Piarere projects alone are estimated to unlock half a billion dollars economic contribution per year. Each. That’s one billion dollars of value, delivered, year after year.

Fiscal responsibility is at the heart of this GPS. If your house is falling down, you don’t build a swimming pool. Half a billion dollars has been ring fenced for a pothole prevention fund.

Squarely on the Minister’s hit list is the practice of local councils diverting roading dollars onto non-roading projects, while roading collapses. This practice will no longer be tolerated. Under the Local Road Pothole Prevention activity class, the GPS states the fund is “ring-fenced to fund resealing, rehabilitating, and drainage maintenance activities on local roads” and “The Government expects that funding in this activity class will not be used to make multi-modal improvements.” The signals could not be clearer.

Perhaps the greatest win to motorists of all stripes - the death knell has been sounded for the endless kilometres of road cones.

Temporary traffic management expenditure is being cut, but still expected to deliver the same safety outcomes. Safety is paramount, but it can be done smarter. Moving to risk-based management, and away from the one size fits all will save millions. Of dollars and cones.

If this is what a boring GPS brings … then sign me up for more.

Truck & Driver | 85

K&L Distributors BOP LTD K & L Distributors BOP Ltd

K & L Distributors Ltd 09 558 3278

AND HAWKES BAY

K & L Distributors Ltd is a locally owned and operated company run by Ken and Linda Rowe, who for the last 30 years have been providing lubricant solutions to the Waikato, King country. They have now been covering the Western Bay Of Plenty, Matamata and the Coromandel Peninsula for 8 years.

We pride ourselves in exceeding our customer’s expectations in terms of service, delivery and a premium range of products.

Westland Engineering Supplies 03-768 5720

So call in and see the team, who look forward to offering you a tailored and profitable Lubricant and Fuel solution for your business.

K&L Distributors BOP Ltd 2 Curly McLeod Way, Mount Maunganui.

Ph: 07 574 3001 Email: tauranga@kandldistributors.co.nz www.kandldistributors.co.nz

Delo® 400 SLK with ISOSYN® Advanced Technology

For your nearest Oil Shop Freephone 0800 372 374

TD34053

Delo® 400 SLK with innovative ISOSYN® Advanced Technology is here. Delivering industry leading durability, reliability and efficiency. It works in synergy with the changing conditions in your engine to maximise protection, optimise performance and extend oil life.

OP Ltd

AND S BAY

Truck and trailer sales both strong The sixth new Kenworth T610 8x4 logger has joined the fleet of Sheldrake Haulage Limited, based in Tokoroa. Built to Sheldrake’s custom spec the trucks all have a 550.578hp Cummins X15, Eaton RTLO20198B 18-speed Roadranger, Meritor 46-160 rear axles with full cross locks, non load share front suspension and Airglide 460 rear suspension. The latest T610 is called Honky Tonk Hero and is driven by Mickey Hepburn-Wright. Features include 6-inch pipes, stainless monsoons, illuminated grille bug light, painted visor and stainless mesh headlight covers. Sold by Adam McIntosh at Southpac Trucks Rotorua.

TD34053

NEW TRUCK REGISTRATION FIGURES FOR FEBRUARY continue the strong trend from January and are running ahead of the record registration numbers achieved in the first two months of last year.

According to NZTA provisional data there were 475 trucks (with a GVM of 4.5 tonnes-plus) registered in February – actually one registration shy of February 2023 but the YTD total of 937 units keeps the market 6.9% ahead of the 876 sales YTD February 2023.

Official NZ Transport Agency registration data shows trailer registrations are also achieving record performance. The total 280 YTD registrations are an impressive 25.5% up on the previous Feb 2018 record of 223 and well up on last years’ total registrations at the same time of 192.

The monthly total of 133 is also a new record for February.

Isuzu continues its reign in 2024 to lead the truck market with 110 registrations in February and 194 YTD. Fuso follows with 82 registrations in February and 131 YTD. Scania has also made a strong start with 51 registrations for the month and 116 YTD to hold a clear third position.

There was no change at the top of the trailer market with Fruehauf continuing in number one position with a market-leading 17 registrations in February.

Behind the leading trio of Isuzu, Fuso and Scania in the 4.5t to maximum GVM truck market, the February figures show 85 registrations for Hino (85/38) to claim fourth position ahead of Volvo (75/33). Sister brands, DAF (64/26) and Kenworth (64/27) are now tied in sixth place head of Iveco (48/38), UD (45/12) and Mercedes-Benz (32/11) to round out the top-10.

In the 3.5-4.5t crossover segment, LDV (36/14) is still the convincing

leader ahead of Mercedes-Benz (25/14) and Fiat (25/25) tied in second.

Ford (20/18), Iveco (12/9), Ram (7/3), Volkswagen (4/3) and Chevrolet (1/1) are next.

In the 4.5-7.5t market segment Isuzu (64/35) is the clear leader ahead of Fuso (41/26), Iveco (29/27), Hino (20/5) and Foton (15/9).

The 7.5-15t segment sees Isuzu (81/42) retaining leadership ahead of Fuso (58/39), followed by Hino (27/13). The three Japanese brands represent 90.7% of sales in this category so far this year.

The small 15-20.5t category has a tie for the lead YTD between Hino (12/5) and February leader Isuzu (12/12). UD (6/3) is third ahead of Mercedes-Benz (4/2) in fourth.

The 20.5-23t segment shows two registrations for the month with Fuso (1/1) & Isuzu (1/1) both registering one unit each.

Scania (112/50) is consolidating its clear number one position in the premium 23t to maximum GVM category by leading the February rankings.

Volvo (73/31) holds onto second place ahead of Kenworth (64/27) and DAF (63/26). UD (36/9) and Isuzu (36/20) are now tied in fifth place ahead of Fuso (28/15) and Hino (26/15). Mercedes-Benz (16/7) and Iveco (16/8) are tied in ninth to round out the top-10.

Fruehauf (37/17) were at the top again for trailer registrations in February. Roadmaster (26/12) ranks second ahead of Domett (24/15) and Transport Trailers in fourth. Patchell (18/9), M.T.E (16/9), TMC (13/5) are next while Freighter (11/4) and Transfleet (11/5) share ninth ahead of Jackson (7/2), TES (7/3) and CWS (7/3) with seven registrations each YTD. Truck & Driver | 87

Lift N Shift has a new Hino 700 Series based from Christchurch which is carting construction supplies, vehicles and other miscellaneous freight including spa pools and boats.

The Euro 6 FY3248 is an 8x4 with 480hp and equipped with 16-speed TraXon AMT, rear air suspension, inter-axle differential with cross locks, Jacobs retarder, load share twin steer axles and the Hino SmartSafe active safety and driver assistance package. The rear mounted Palfinger PK58.002TEC7 crane features telematics and P-Fold capability.

4501kg-max GVM Brand ISUZU FUSO SCANIA HINO VOLVO DAF KENWORTH IVECO UD MERCEDES-BENZ FOTON HYUNDAI MAN INTERNATIONAL SINOTRUK MACK VOLKSWAGEN FREIGHTLINER FIAT SHACMAN KAHU EV OTHER Total

Vol 194 131 116 85 75 64 64 48 45 32 23 14 10 8 8 5 4 3 2 1 1 4 937

2024

% 20.7 14.0 12.4 9.1 8.0 6.8 6.8 5.1 4.8 3.4 2.5 1.5 1.1 0.9 0.9 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.4 100

3501-4500kg GVM Brand LDV MERCEDES-BENZ FIAT FORD IVECO RAM VOLKSWAGEN CHEVROLET Total

Vol 36 25 25 20 12 7 4 1 130

2024

% 27.7 19.2 19.2 15.4 9.2 5.4 3.1 0.8 100

4501-7500kg GVM Brand ISUZU FUSO IVECO HINO FOTON CHEVROLET MERCEDES-BENZ HYUNDAI VOLKSWAGEN RAM FIAT Total 88 | Truck & Driver

Vol 64 41 29 20 15 12 11 11 4 2 2 211

2024

% 30.3 19.4 13.7 9.5 7.1 5.7 5.2 5.2 1.9 0.9 0.9 100.0

February Vol % 110 23.2 82 17.3 51 10.7 38 8.0 33 6.9 26 5.5 27 5.7 38 8.0 2.5 12 11 2.3 2.7 13 1.7 8 0.6 3 0.8 4 1.1 5 0.6 3 0.8 4 0.4 2 0.4 2 0.0 0 0 0.0 0.6 3 100 475

February Vol % 14 16.1 14 16.1 25 28.7 18 20.7 9 10.3 3 3.4 3 3.4 1 1.1 100 87

February Vol % 35 29.2 26 21.7 27 22.5 5 4.2 9 7.5 3 2.5 2 1.7 6 5.0 4 3.3 1 0.8 2 1.7 120 100

Isuzu building a clear lead 7501-15,000kg GVM Brand ISUZU FUSO HINO FOTON UD TRUCKS HYUNDAI IVECO MERCEDES-BENZ Total

Vol 81 58 27 8 3 3 2 1 183

2024

% 44.3 31.7 14.8 4.4 1.6 1.6 1.1 0.5 100

February Vol % 41.2 42 39 38.2 12.7 13 3.9 4 0 0.0 2 2.0 2 2.0 0 0.0 102 100

15,001-20,500kg GVM Brand HINO ISUZU UD MERCEDES-BENZ FUSO SCANIA VOLVO DAF IVECO Total

Vol 12 12 6 4 3 3 2 1 1 44

2024

% 27.3 27.3 13.6 9.1 6.8 6.8 4.5 2.3 2.3 100

February Vol % 5 18.5 12 44.4 3 11.1 2 7.4 1 3.7 1 3.7 2 7.4 0 0.0 1 3.7 27 100

20,501-23,000kg GVM Brand FUSO ISUZU SCANIA Total

Vol 1 1 1 3

2024

% 33.3 33.3 33.3 100

February Vol % 1 50.0 1 50.0 0 0.0 2 100

23,001kg-max GVM Brand SCANIA VOLVO KENWORTH DAF UD ISUZU FUSO HINO MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO MAN INTERNATIONAL SINOTRUK MACK FREIGHTLINER Total

Vol 112 73 64 63 36 36 28 26 16 16 10 8 8 5 3 504

2024

% 22.2 14.5 12.7 12.5 7.1 7.1 5.6 5.2 3.2 3.2 2.0 1.6 1.6 1.0 0.6 100

Trailers Vol Brand FRUEHAUF 37 ROADMASTER 26 24 DOMETT TRANSPORT TRAILERS 20 PATCHELL 18 M.T.E. 16 TMC 13 FREIGHTER 11 TRANSFLEET 11 7 JACKSON TES 7 CWS 7 6 FAIRFAX HAMMAR 6 MILLS-TUI 4 SEC 4 STEELBRO 4 KRAFT 4 LUSK 4 TANKER 4 TRT 2 EVANS 2 FELDBINDER 2 LOWES 2 TEO 2 COWAN 2 2 LOHR SDC 2 KOROMIKO 1 MTC EQUIPMENT 1 PTE 1 OTHER 28 Total 280

2024

% 13.2 9.3 8.6 7.1 6.4 5.7 4.6 3.9 3.9 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.1 2.1 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.4 0.4 0.4 10.0 100

February Vol % 50 22.2 31 13.8 27 12.0 26 11.6 4.0 9 20 8.9 15 6.7 15 6.7 7 3.1 8 3.6 3 1.3 4 1.8 5 2.2 3 1.3 2 0.9 225 100

February Vol % 17 12.8 12 9.0 15 11.3 10 7.5 9 6.8 9 6.8 5 3.8 4 3.0 5 3.8 1.5 2 3 2.3 3 2.3 1.5 2 3 2.3 0 0.0 2 1.5 2 1.5 3 2.3 3 2.3 3 2.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 0.8 1 0.8 2 1.5 1.5 2 2 1.5 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 0.8 12 9.0 133 100

Finch Contracting from Te Awamutu has added this new Volvo FMX 500 to its 11 truck fleet for agricultural cartage work in the Waikato region.

The 8x4 with high chassis spec option has a 13-litre 500hp engine and Volvo I-Shift transmission with crawler gears. A swappable body makes the FMX well-suited to offroad rural contracting including maize and silage work. Sold by Mark Ellerington at Trucks Stops Mt Maunganui.

Three new Kenworth K200s in 2.8 Aerodyne cab configuration have joined the Taupo-based Hog Haulage fleet. The K200s have Euro 5 Cummins X15 power in 600.615hp specification with Eaton Fuller 22918B transmissions, Airglide 460 air suspension and Meritor MT 21-165GP rear axles. Features include Kentweld bumpers, TVs and Dura-bright outer rims. TCC Solutions did the signage and Chris Stanley did the shiny bits. Sold by Tim Finlay at Southpac Trucks Mt Maunganui.

Swire Shipping and Pacifica Shipping are using a battery swap XCMG E700 6x4 electric truck to move containers in Christchurch. The new XCMG teams up with Mainfreight’s unit to cart containers at either end of Pacifica’s coastal service on the Auckland to Lyttleton run. This freight system effectively removes up to 5100 ICE truck journeys every year. Swire Shipping/Pacifica Shipping is partnering with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Hilton Haulage and Mainfreight for this latest initiative which has co-funding support from the Low Emission Transport Fund.

Truck & Driver | 89

Highly experienced driver Neil Holloway from Pukehina Beach is driving a new DAF CF 530 8x4 for Williams & Wilshier, Rotorua. The Euro 6 PACCAR MX13 develops 530hp and 1920 lb-ft of torque with TraXon 16-speed AMT, a 3.78:1 rear axle ratio and disc brakes. Heated seats and a driver’s fridge are fitted. The CF is equipped with Patchell log bolsters and a refurbished 5-axle Patchell trailer. Sold by Adam McIntosh.

Richmond Heavy Haul in Taupo have a new Kenworth K200 2.3m Aerodyne being driven in the central North Island by Wayne Pocock. A 600.615hp Cummins X15 powers the K200 with Eaton Ultrashift transmission, Meritor 46-160 rear axles with full X-locks and 4.1:1 ratio. There are 9.5mm chassis rails, load share front suspension and Airglide 460 rear suspension. Other features include twin 15-inch frame mounted stainless intakes with pre cleaners, stainless visor, stainless step infills and Dura-Bright alloys. Transfleet Auckland built the body and trailer, Fleet Image Te Awamutu completed the graphics and truck was sold by Adam McIntosh.

90 | Truck & Driver

18 JANUARY 2025

TD33501

th

A new Scania P 410 A4x2NA for Napier’s GHB (Galvanising Hawke’s Bay) is carting bare and galvanised steel products around the central North Island. A 13-litre, 410hp DC13 engine is paired with a Scania GRS895R AMT with 3500 retarder and R780 rear axle. The P Series rides on leaf spring front suspension and air rear suspension with ABS/EBS disc brakes. The custom set-up includes a 2-axle Kraft semi, factory turntable, chassis covers and headboard. Sold by Callan Short.

This new MAN TGS 35.520 14-pallet curtainsider unit working for Mal Singh at Brar Holdings in Tauranga is the first TG3 8x4 unit to be delivered in New Zealand. The 520hp sleeper with 12-speed Tipmatic transmission was sold by Penske’s Mitch James and does general freight work in the Bay of Plenty for Team Global Express. ECAS rear air suspension, disc brakes, and Alcoa alloys are fitted and the curtainsider body was built in Tauranga by Koromiko Engineering.

92 | Truck & Driver

A new CF 530 is the first DAF to begin working for Wiri-based SRL Cargo. The 8x4 tractor moves empty and loaded containers at Ports of Auckland and the Wiri container terminal using a quad-axle semi Hammar swing lift. Power is provided by a Euro 6 Paccar MX-13 developing 530hp paired with a ZF TraXon 16-speed AMT, RR1360 rear axles with diff and cross locks, plus ECAS rear air suspension.

IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE MONEY CrediFlex is built on credibility, flexibility, honesty, and integrity.

Our Financial Advisers put the right solutions in place to help you grow your business. It’s not about saying yes or no, it’s about understanding what you need and how to deliver the best result for you.

CrediFlex partners are nationwide, allowing us to get in and get it done, no matter where you are.

COMMERCIAL LENDING

WORKING CAPITAL

PREMIUM FUNDING

EG34179

ASSET FINANCE

0800 CREDIFLEX

crediflex.co.nz

C

-

E

-

E

-

-

T

EG33893

-

S

TRANSPORT, DIESEL & MARINE

THE RIGHT PARTS…THE RIGHT PRICES…RIGHT HERE! CAB COMPONENTS - Panel Parts - Mirrors - Glass - Bumpers

DRIVELINE PARTS

- Guards - Steps - Handles

- Rockwell - Meritor - UJ’s

- Yokes - Jackshafts - Seals - Diff locks

ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - Headlamps - Tail Lamps - Starter Motors

- Alternators - Sensors - Switches

ENGINE KITS - Filtration - Turbo’s - Injectors - Hoses - Cooling systems - EGR parts - DPD parts

- Disc Pads - Rotors - Drums - Valves - Linings - Seals - Studs & nuts - Gaskets - Speed sensors - ABS pulse rings - Hub caps - Brake shoes - Brake hardware kits

SUSPENSION

TRANSMISSION - Overhaul Kits - Roadranger - ZF Parts - Filters

HUB & BRAKE COMPONENTS

- Gaskets - Seals - Counter shaft brakes

CLUTCH KITS - Spicer - OEM - Pedal Shafts

- Forks - Clutch brakes

- Air Bags - Springs - Shock Absorbers - Pins & Bushes - Sensors - Valves - Torque rods & bushes

SUPPORTING ALL YOUR TRUCKING NEEDS

AUTO AIR CONDITIONING

AUTO ELECTRICAL

MECHANICAL SERVICE & REPAIRS

AVAILABLE AT OUR PENROSE & PAPAKURA LOCATIONS EG33893

Ph: 0800 501 133 www.tdm.co.nz

Specials valid while stocks last.

8 Prescott Street, Penrose, Auckland Email: ray@tdm.co.nz | john@tdm.co.nz

CLASSIFIED

TRUCK & DRIVER

NEED SPRINGS?

WE HAVE SPRINGS

Parabolic springs & leaves, multi leaf springs & leaves, coil springs, shackle pins, bushes and U/bolts

0+ ye6ar s in business

Rotorua:

35-37 Sunset Rd, Ph: (07) 348 0169

Auckland:

39 Tironui Rd, Takanini, Ph: (09) 298 4162

Hamilton:

0800 856 700 (09) 8186 287

EG28872

116 Colombo St, Frankton, Ph: (07) 847 9343

sales@hoisthydraulics.net

sales@autosprings.co.nz www.autosprings.co.nz

6860/875 PRO

6860/875

6860/870 NZ

6860/880

6500/517

OEM SEATS AND CERTIFIED BRACKETS AND HARDWARE TO WORK FOR ALL BRANDS!!

HINO, ISUZU, FREIGHTLINER, MERCEDES, KENWORTH, UD NISSAN, DAF AND MORE...

96 | Truck & Driver

EG30643

WHEN YOU NEED A REPLACEMENT HOIST it pays to ring Hoist Hydraulics

WE’RE LOOKING FOR:

• Workshop Foreman – Gore • Workshop Foreman – Dunedin • Auto Electrician – Dunedin • Mechanics – Blenheim, Canterbury, Dunedin,

Visit our website at www.trlnz.co.nz or apply at careers@transportrepairs.co.nz

TD33990

Central Otago, Gore and Invercargill.

mills-tui.co.nz

Mills-Tui Limited 16–38 Pururu Street, Mangakakahi, Rotorua 3015 P 07 348 8039 T 0800 MILLS -TUI (645 578) SALES Garth Paton 027 289 0300

Mills Tui Full Range Ad 2024-01.indd 1

8/02/24 15:54