New Zealand Trucking February 2019

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A U C K IN G D I G I T

64 Ottmar Berrend Doing it his way

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Editorial

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Road Noise

Industry news

Special Report

Martin Daum speaks

Just Truckin’ Around

Trucks of New Zealand Post

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CONTENTS EDITOR

Dave McCoid ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES NZ Trucking – North Island

Matt Smith

Ph: 021 510 701 Email: matt@nztrucking.co.nz

Chris Merlini

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Truck Trader Frank Willis

– North Island

34 At last, the sun!

Ph: 027 492 5601 Email: editor@nztrucking.co.nz

Big show rising

Ph: 027 498 9986 Email: frksyl@xtra.co.nz

NZ Trucking – South Island Truck Trader – South Island Heavyn Parsons Ph: 027 660 6608 Email: heavyn@nztrucking.co.nz SUB EDITOR

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CONTRIBUTORS

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Faye Lougher Craig Andrews David Kinch Carl Kirkbeck Faye Lougher Craig McCauley Jacqui Madelin Niels Jansen (Europe) Howard Shanks (Australia) Will Shiers (UK) Paul O’Callaghan PRODUCTION MANAGER

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New Zealand Trucking magazine is published by Long Haul Publishing Ltd. The contents are copyright and may not be reproduced without the consent of the editor. Unsolicited editorial material may be submitted, but should include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. While every care is taken, no responsibility is accepted for material submitted. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of New Zealand Trucking or Long Haul Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

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ABC Audited circulation 7092 as at September 2017 Nielsen audited readership 95,000 as at 01–2016

regular columns 72

Tech Topics

Checking the anchors

88

New Rigs

90

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Little Truckers Club

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TTMF – Member Profile

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Fuel for Thought

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Truckers’ Health

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Health and Safety

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Legal Lines

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Share the Road

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NZ Trucking Association

What’s on/ Cartoon

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The Last Mile

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Road Transport Forum

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EDITORIAL

Nothing changed, and then nothing was the same

M

artin Daum, CEO of Daimler Trucks and Buses, made a significant announcement at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early January about Daimler’s strategic direction in regard to advancing the automation of commercial vehicles. It was an announcement that I took a great deal of interest in, an announcement that went a long way into my own personal consciousness, and has had me thinking hard ever since.

As a rule I treat the sensational PR coming from consumer computer electronics and software companies about their intentions to dabble in vehicle autonomy largely with complete disdain. Their marketing job of the past three decades is the stuff of genius. They’ve not only trained us to accept without question that a product purchased new will fail early in its life, but in most cases they’ve hoodwinked us into forming our own little time-wasting communities of complete strangers to figure out a cure. Add to this an at times cavalier attitude to personal privacy and you could argue they come to vehicle automation with no social, moral, or ethical equity whatsoever.

What does make me sit up and listen is when a vehicle OEM stands in front of the world and announces an intention to pursue with vigour the path to Level 4 autonomy. After all the talk, all the debate and prophecy, here it was. An OEM boldly signalling the arrival of a Level 4 truck on the public highway network, with a timeframe: within 10 years. There’s a hell of a lot riding on this announcement. We don’t walk out to our cars and trucks with the same trepidation we have when we liven up the computer every morning. We expect them to start, and run faultlessly for years with less and less intervention from maintenance people. Our expectation has probably been there or thereabouts for four decades. And Level 4 is big. Level 4 is no driver interaction when operating in certain conditions – that could be road type, geography, or geofence.

Daimler have a lot to lose here, so they must be confident there’s more to gain. So, what are the messages? Firstly they’re obviously happy with where propulsion’s heading. They must be confident that the battery is about to make a major leap, and/or that hydrogen is a key factor. Why? Well, I’d have thought from a planetary perspective all guns should be aimed at clean propulsion. I mean as a species, would we rather have a clean truck with a driver, or a confused contraption with

adapted masthead.indd 1

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February 2019

ill-defined environmental redundancy and no driver? I know what my preference would be. Secondly, he mentioned the company’s record year and high sales was the result of a history driven by customer centric innovation. Yes, he said, safety was the main driver, but if you’re in the corporate world today and the ‘S’ word isn’t the first thing out every time you open your mouth, then the rungs will soon start to break beneath your feet.

It’s obvious they – and their counterparts – are under incredible pressure to do something, and that’s a real warning shot for the world’s carriers. I’ve said before that carriers are rapidly becoming the unwanted middlemen in the transport game, and when it comes to validating our existence on the global stage we’ve largely underperformed. Our key contribution historically was consolidation and providing drivers. Within a decade, maybe two, the rapidly advancing world of computer-driven freight optimisation will have huge swathes of the globe’s products optimised any way you like, with the freight component paid for before it’s even arrived; and on the other count, show me a country that doesn’t have a chronic and endemic driver shortage. And that’s not even starting on the savings to OEMs from eliminating the life support cell at the front of the chassis.

Of course, as New Zealanders we can relax in our deck chairs, conveniently protected when it suits us by size, isolation, and topography. Or can we? Yes, I can’t see a Level 4 or 5 truck turning up to a sheep or beef station on the East Cape any time in my life. But that’s not just who we are.

With the exception of one, we don’t make trucks, we buy what the world makes. We laugh about the entire New Zealand annual supply being made at any one of leading OEMs’ plants on January 1 between clock-on and lunch. But maybe that laugh could be getting a bit stilted shortly. And what about application? If producers and manufacturers in other regions have taken a transformational amount out of the cost of their end product, how soon do you think it will be before our big exporters will be looking at the Waikato Expressway, Canterbury Plains, Eastern Bay of Plenty, making regular trips to the Beehive, and more than likely being met with a sympathetic reception?

Remember, the time frame for Daimler’s rollout in the US is within a decade, so I’m not talking next year or the year after. What I’m saying is, something’s been said by an entity with a hell of a lot to lose, and the message itself, as well as the messages within, are worthy of much discussion. 

Dave McCoid Editor

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Has your business registered for the Food Act 2014?

I

t’s the final countdown for existing businesses that make, sell and/or transport food to meet the 28 February 2019 Food Act registration deadline. This includes businesses that transport, store or distribute food products.

New Zealand Food Safety (a business unit of the Ministry for Primary Industries/MPI) is urging owners/managers of all existing New Zealand businesses that make, sell and/or transport food, that have not registered yet, to find out immediately if they need to register a plan or programme under the Food Act 2014.

The Food Act came into force on 1 March 2016 and introduced a common sense, risk-based approach to food safety.

New Zealand Food Safety’s food and beverage manager Sally Johnston said that under the Food Act, all people growing, making, transporting and selling food had a responsibility to keep it safe.

“Most New Zealand food businesses have now registered, which is excellent,” Johnston said. “New Zealand Food Safety, local councils and industry organisations are working hard to help all remaining businesses to meet the 28 February 2019

deadline for registration.

“If existing food businesses are not registered by the 28 February deadline, they will be operating unregistered businesses, their retail customers may refuse to accept their goods or use their services, and MPI and local councils may need to take enforcement action. So, immediate action needs to be taken to get registered.”

Under the Food Act, new food businesses have to register as soon as they start trading, and existing food businesses (operating under the Food Hygiene Regulations 1974 or Food Act 1981) had from 1 March 2016 until 28 February 2019 to register in stages, with different groups registering each year.

“If a business wants to find out what rules they need to follow and how to register, they can use the online tool Where Do I Fit? as a starting point – www.mpi. govt.nz/where-do-i-fit,” Johnston said.

“For questions about the registration process and deadline, please contact your local council, email foodactinfo@mpi.govt. nz, or call 0800 00 83 33.”

Record investment in low emission vehicles

L

ow emission transport will receive a record boost totalling more than $11 million. The funding is made up of $4.3 million of government co-funding and $7.3 million of funds from the private sector.

Energy and Resources Minister Megan Woods said this round of funding from the Government’s Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund was the largest round of new funding yet. It focuses on 31 innovative projects that expand the use and possibilities of electric vehicles and other low emissions technology in the transport space.

In total, the fund has committed $17.2 million in government funding to 93 projects, which was matched by more than $45 million applicant funding.

These projects are among those funded in the latest round: • Foodstuffs NZ will add four 100% electric trucks to its existing fleet.

• Alsco will invest in an electric vehicle freighter as part

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February 2019

•

•

•

•

of an electric vehicle feasibility trial for Alsco’s long haul commercial fleet.

TR Group will purchase three curtainsider freight trucks and make them available for hire to the general freight market.

As part of its hydrogen fuel demonstration project, Ports of Auckland and its partners will procure hydrogen fuel cell vehicles that will be used and tested as part of the wider hydrogen demonstration project in Auckland.

PPCS will buy a 10m3 electric rubbish truck to service Wellington City Council for 40 housing sites, covering 3000 to 4000 residences.

ContainerCo will introduce an electric heavy vehicle to its logistics terminals in Auckland and Tauranga to move shipping containers to port, rail and customers.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Extra boost for rural road safety

A

ssociate Transport Minister Julie Anne Genter has announced an extension of the Government’s Safety Boost Programme to prevent deaths and serious injuries on rural New Zealand roads.

The NZ Transport Agency will be investing $20 million to upgrade 670 kilometres of rural state highways across Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui and the West Coast this year.

“The Boost Programme will target 11 rural state highways that might not have high levels of traffic but still have plenty of risks like sharp corners and narrow stretches,” said Genter.

The programme includes simple safety upgrades that can be installed quickly over the summer period, such as rumble strips, roadside safety barriers in high-risk locations, shoulder widening, and improved signage.

“All drivers make mistakes from time to time. Safety improvements like these stop simple mistakes turning into tragedies,” said Genter. “Rumble strips can reduce fatal runoff-road crashes by up to 42 percent. Shoulder widening at high-risk sites can reduce serious crashes by up to 35 percent.”

The five Manawatu-Wanganui roads being targeted

are SH56: Makerua (SH57) to Palmerston North; SH57: SH3 to SH56; SH3: Palmerston North to Ashhurst; SH4: Wanganui to Raetihi, and SH54: SH3 to Feilding.

The two West Coast roads are SH6 and SH67: Murchison to Westport, and SH7: Hanmer Springs to Reefton.

The four Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay roads are SH2: Wairoa to Gisborne; SH35: Gisborne to Tolaga Bay; SH2: Gisborne to Matawai, and SH5: SH2 to Te Haroto.

Genter said the original Safety Boost Programme made improvements like these in Northland, Taranaki, ManawatuWanganui, Otago and Southland, delivering almost 2000kms of rumble strips, 30km of road safety barriers in higher risk areas, and intersection speed zones at high-risk rural intersections.

This summer’s Safety Boost is part of the $1.4 billion Safe Network Programme (SNP), a collaborative, prioritised programme of proven safety improvements on high-risk routes across New Zealand. The 670 kilometres of road upgrades in the Boost Programme is additional to the 870 kilometres of upgrades to high volume, high-risk state highways in the SNP.

Saddle Road new permanent speed limits

T

he NZ Transport Agency has set permanent speed limits for Saddle Road/Oxford Road/Woodlands Road/State Highway 3, one of the main bypass routes for the closed State Highway 3 Manawatu Gorge.

From 25 January the permanent speed limits are: • 80 kilometres per hour for State Highway 3 from Woodville to Woodlands Road, Woodlands Road, Oxford Road, and Saddle Road from Hope Road to Mangaatua Stream.

• 60 kilometres per hour on Saddle Road from Ashhurst to Mangaatua Stream.

Since the closure of the gorge in April 2017, traffic volumes on Saddle Road have increased from 150 to 5100 vehicles per day. Crashes have increased by 88 percent, including one fatal and two serious crashes.

“The increase in traffic and crashes, along with the narrow and windy nature of the road, means 60 kilometres per hour is the only safe and appropriate speed for Saddle Road. This is in line with the speeds people currently travel along the road,” said NZTA director safety and environment Harry Wilson.

“These permanent speed limits will only increase travel times by approximately 51 seconds across the 16-kilometre route, but it will help make sure people get where they are going safely.”

The setting of the permanent speed limits follows engagement with the police, the AA, and the Road Transport Forum, and consultation with the public.

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Wilson said during consultation, the public asked NZTA to consider more and longer passing lanes and slow vehicle bays along Saddle Road, improved signage, and more safety improvements to the roads. He said the NZTA was looking into opportunities suggested by the public to further improve the safety of the route, and some safety improvements were currently underway, including a stock underpass on Saddle Road, realignment of curves at Woodlands Road, and work to mitigate traffic noise and safety issues in Ashhurst.

“During consultation we were also asked about the permanent replacement route for the gorge. The proposed new route across the Ruahine Ranges is progressing, with construction expected to get under way in 2020 and completed in 2024.”

The new permanent speed limits are estimated to reduce the number of crashes by 20%. This will reduce the amount of time the road is closed due to crashes and reduce inconvenience to drivers.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

New Zealand signs Birmingham Declaration

N

ew Zealand has signed onto the Birmingham Declaration on Zero Emissions Vehicles, committing to a zero emissions future for transport.

Minister for Climate Change, James Shaw, endorsed the declaration during his visit to London in December.

“The transport sector has a critical role to play in the transformation to a low-emissions global economy,” said Shaw.

At the climate change conference in Katowice, Poland, reducing emissions from transport was identified as an important step in the global climate change response.

New Zealand officially reached 10,000 electric vehicles (EVs) in September 2018, and the proportion of light vehicle registrations that are electric reached approximately two percent of registrations in November 2018.

Shaw said EVs still made up a small proportion of New Zealand’s vehicle fleet and the Government was looking at policies to encourage the supply of

The Government is looking at polices to encourage the supply of EVs as part of a clean transport solution.

EVs, in order to bring prices down so they are cheaper and more widely available.

Signatories to the Declaration commit to accelerating the transition to low emission vehicles, enabling the growth of the low emissions vehicle market, and supporting the development of new zero emissions technologies.

The Birmingham Declaration has been signed by 14 other countries and states, including the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Denmark.

Fuso rises in the East

F

uso NZ has added East Coast Heavy Diesel and Machinery (ECHD) to its 20-strong dealer network, providing a one-stop-service-shop for customers in the area Father and son Glenn and Scotty Hale set up the business 10 years ago to create a comprehensive service solution for customers in and around Whakatane.

Covering a range of light to heavy-duty vehicles and machinery, the business prides itself on offering a full range of vehicle services under one roof – something that general manager Robert Gatward says sets them apart from local competition.

“We’re always looking for ways to work faster, smarter and better, so having access to the excellent training and facilities that FUSO has to offer is a great chance for us to polish up and make improvements in the business.

“We’re proud to join the FUSO network and are looking

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Scotty (left) and Glenn (right) Hale say they’re looking forward to their partnership with FUSO.

forward to building on our existing reputation.”

Fuso NZ managing director Kurtis Andrews said ECHD was identified as a potential FUSO authorised parts and service dealer for its proven experience and customer service focus.

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Making sure New Zealand’s import facilities can manage biosecurity risks

T

he Coalition Government is taking action to ensure a key part of New Zealand’s biosecurity infrastructure is up to standard, Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor has announced.\ “I’ve asked Biosecurity New Zealand to take a fresh look at the facilities where containers of imported goods are initially emptied and checked for biosecurity risks,” O’Connor said.

“I’ve also asked Biosecurity NZ to investigate new ways of dealing with the increasing threat posed by the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug and other emerging biosecurity risks. We must ensure the biosecurity risk is as far offshore as possible. We will work with industry to ensure every part of the biosecurity system is bolstered so it is agile enough to deal with new threats as they emerge.”

O’Connor said this action was taken after an imported stink bug was found in Tauranga late last year. There were 29 transitional facilities handling imports within two kilometres of where the stink bug was found.

“These facilities are dotted around our ports and airports, and are a key component of New Zealand’s biosecurity

infrastructure. They are on the frontline for keeping out unwanted pests like the stink bug, which could destroy our horticultural crops, cost our economy billions of dollars and literally be a plague on our houses if they become established in New Zealand.”

While no further bugs have been found in Tauranga following intensive trapping and detector dog surveillance, O’Connor said New Zealand can’t be too careful or handsoff when it comes to biosecurity.

“That is why I have requested Biosecurity New Zealand to take a fresh look at the country’s 4518 transitional facilities to make sure they have the capacity and expertise to properly handle increasing numbers of imports in a riskier global biosecurity environment.”

This builds on work last year bringing new fines into force for facilities that don’t have operators approved by Biosecurity New Zealand.

“We will do what it takes to keep pests like the Brown Marmorated Stink Bug from establishing here,” said O’Connor.

Oji and Ports of Tauranga keep a good thing going

I

n December Oji Fibre Solutions and Port of Tauranga confirmed their long-term relationship had been extended with the renewal of their operating agreement for a further 10 years.

Oji Fibre Solutions is New Zealand’s major manufacturer of market kraft pulps, container board, and packaging products.

The company has committed to consolidating the majority of its import and export cargo volumes through Port of Tauranga for the next decade.

Murray Horne, general manager of Oji Fibre Solutions’ logistics arm Lodestar, said the renewed agreement enabled the continuation of operational synergies across the export supply chain for Oji and their associated forest products export customers.

Oji leases a purpose-built, 22,000 m2 warehouse at Port of Tauranga’s container terminal.

Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns said the

agreement strengthened a mutually beneficial strategic partnership and assisted both companies to continue building their businesses.

New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

WW Ocean calls for strengthened biosecurity regulations

W

of scrutiny by the regulatory authorities despite reported W Ocean, the ocean transport division of instances of infestation. the global Wallenius Wilhelmsen group, • The DAWR has recently suggested that carriers refuse has appealed to the Australian Federal untreated cargo from countries that are not classified ‘high Government and New Zealand’s Ministry for risk’, rather than expanding regulation to these countries.

Primary Industries to introduce new biosecurity regulations This would create an untenable situation, with carriers to minimise the risk of brown marmorated stink bugs required to adopt practices that are out of step with (BMSB) becoming established in Australia and New regulation.

Zealand and to eliminate delays to imports of cargo that are The company welcomes Australia’s Freight & Trade Alliance critical to the countries’ economies.

(FTA) recent call for an independent investigation, and is BMSB have migrated from East Asia to the US, Canada also encouraging its customers to lobby the DAWR and MPI, and Europe, where they have caused significant damage either directly or through their industry associations, to: to agricultural crops and, without consistent and effective • Increase alignment of BMSB regulation, there is a danger risk areas, treatment windows of their spreading to Australia and seasons. and New Zealand and causing • Allow development and use major harm to both countries’ of near/on-shore treatment agricultural economies. solutions in Australia and WW Ocean now appeals to New Zealand. The DAWR Australia’s Federal Department of and MPI fully control the Agriculture and Water Resources framework/rules under which (DAWR) and New Zealand’s cargo is shipped, but they Ministry of Primary Industries do not take accountability or (MPI) to take action following provide support if those rules recent delays to cargo shipped are not effective. Hence, as to Australia and New Zealand long as shippers/carriers have that have disrupted businesses’ fully complied with DAWR/ supply chains. To prevent BMSB MPI rules and there are still from entering Australia and New insects detected upon arrival in Zealand all cargo shipped there Australian and New Zealand must be free of contamination of Can New Zealand and her ”ole mate across waters, the authorities should any kind, particularly live insects, the Tasman get organised quick enough to establish options for remedial and if from a country classed as stop this mongrel arriving? treatment upon arrival. high-risk, it must be treated prior • Initiate increased direct engagement between regulators and to loading. Ensuring compliance is the responsibility of the exporters/importers by analysing their supply chains to make importer, whilst the presentation of clean cargo at the port of sure BMSB and other pests do not contaminate cargo in the load is the responsibility of the shipper. According to WW first place, including via the use of ‘import questionnaire/ Ocean, however, the current regulations are neither consistent screening’ starting well upstream (life cycle of the cargo as nor effective. Specifically: opposed to three days prior to vessel arrival).

• While cargo from countries classified as ‘high risk’ sources • Introduce consistent regulations and application of of BMSB has to be treated in line with DAWR and MPI regulations across all vessel types and transportation modes. requirements prior to loading, cargo from neighbouring “We are committed to doing all we can to maintain countries – some of which are known to be sources of Australia’s and New Zealand’s biosecurity and have worked BMSB – are not covered by regulation. The criteria for diligently with the DAWR and MPI to encourage consistent classifying a country ‘high risk’ have not been clearly defined and effective regulation to control the spread of BMSB,” by either the DAWR or MPI. The DAWR and MPI have said Simon White, WW Ocean’s chief commercial officer. not, as yet, aligned on which countries are ‘high risk’ or on “Regrettably, however, the current regulations are neither acceptable treatment methods. consistent nor effective; they continue to pose a risk to the • Implementation of current regulations is inconsistent agricultural industry, while delaying cargo that is essential to between different modes of transport. For example, if live many sectors of the economy. We appeal to both the DAWR or dead BMSB are detected on a RORO (roll-on rolland MPI to engage with industry to find a solution that will off ) carrier, the entire vessel is subject to scrutiny, often be effective before the next BMSB season begins in September. leading to delays of days or weeks, while their detection If no solution is found, the result could be devastating for the in a container generally is limited to that single unit. In Australian and New Zealand economies.” addition, airfreight cargo does not receive the same amount

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New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

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ROAD NOISE NEWS Overseas Meritor launches 22 electrification programmes with Global OEMs through 2020

M

eritor has launched 22 electrification programmes with global OEMs that are expected to put at least 130 fully electric medium- and heavy-duty commercial trucks on the road through 2020.

“These emission-free solutions offered under Meritor’s Blue Horizon technology brand have the potential to transform the industry by meeting the rising global demand for clean, electric-powered drivetrains that we

believe will deliver a high-efficiency solution that greatly reduces the total cost of ownership for our customers,” said John Bennett, vice president and chief technology officer for Meritor.

“These programmes position Meritor for future growth in an emerging industry segment.”

In the first half of 2019, a major fleet customer will begin operating the first of six medium-duty Peterbilt Model 220EV Class 6 pick-up and delivery trucks equipped with Meritor’s 14Xe electric drive systems

and fully integrated subsystems from TransPower, a leader in electrification technologies for large commercial vehicles. In 2017, Meritor announced a strategic investment in TransPower.

Peterbilt Model 220EV

No-deal Brexit threat to transport

T

he IRU, the global industry association for road transport, is deeply concerned about the effects of a no-deal Brexit on cross-Channel commercial road freight and passenger transport as well as the huge impact it will have on the UK and EU economies and their citizens.

The contingency plans from the European Commission and the UK Government will be unable to meet today’s operational needs of commercial road transport companies and their customers.

Matthias Maedge, leading IRU’s EU-related work, said a no-deal Brexit should not have been an option, but is now close to being a fact. He said trade and the supply of goods would suffer and costs would increase by at least 10%.

“On a normal day, up to 10,000 trucks pass through the Port of Dover alone. IRU remains unconvinced, despite all contingency planning, that the commercial road transport operators, their customers and governments can be ready for a no-deal scenario by 30 March 2019.”

Truck Trader in all the right places There’s no disputing the fact that if you’re wanting to sell or buy a truck or associated plant, parts, and accessories, Truck Trader’s the place to be seen.

Since midway through last year, Truck Trader has been inserted into both New Zealand Trucking and Deals on Wheels, giving the advertiser access to the trucking, farm, and construction markets. The latest ABC audit figures show an unrivalled circulation of 18,976.

Web traffic numbers to both Truck

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New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

Trader and Deals on Wheels sites show page views of up to 240,000 per month.

“The association with Deals on Wheels last year has been an outstanding success,” said sales and marketing manager for Long Haul Publications Matt Smith. “Bringing our individual resources to the table made sense not just for us, but it also opened huge opportunities for our advertisers, extending the reach significantly for every dollar spent.”

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Family

MAIN TEST

Story by Dave McCoid Photos and video by Dave McCoid and Carl Kirkbeck

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ties This month’s test is not so much

an out and out test of a machine as a story of the relationships in uncertain times, and one man’s approach to an industry for which he has an unquenchable passion.

Six years ago John and Janet Baillie invested in a Renault Lander, a truck strong on paper but with elements of the unknown. Now, following an exceptional run saddened by the marque’s withdrawal from the market, they’ve learned the true investment was dealing with suppliers of integrity.

K

eeping cool under pressure is where life is at, really.

The times we remained calm when the odds seemed stacked against us are always the cornerstones of our best life stories, not to mention the pearls of wisdom we pass on to the next generation.

If you want to see coolness under pressure, then a food distribution DC on the cusp of Christmas is probably the place to go. Sleeping peacefully in our beds on 17 December knowing the local supermarket will be burgeoning with the supplies we’ll need is one thing, seeing how that miracle comes about is another.

And so on 17 December at a ridiculously early hour, we found ourselves in Foodstuffs’ chilled and frozen distribution centre in Wiri with contractor John Baillie. He was loading pallets into his 15.1m tri-axle self-steer semi that was hooked to a brand new Volvo FH tractor, the whole unit gleaming under the floodlights of the DC’s yard.

Keeping cool in the pressure of the Christmas rush at Foodstuffs is no biggy for John. Aside from the fact the DC’s inside temperature is somewhere between 3° and minusridiculous, he’s an old hand at this game and one of life’s true pragmatists. But there’s another reason also. Baillie Transport Ltd, the business he and wife Janet run, has travelled an interesting and challenging course in recent times, a journey that’s required a calm and measured approach, a journey that started six years ago with a brand-new Renault Lander on the front page of New Zealand Trucking magazine.

Back we go…

Select ‘R’ on the I-Shift and back up six years. John and Janet Baillie took a punt investing in a brand spanking new 460.26 Renault Lander, an unknown quantity that was actually comprised of well known bits and pieces. The Lander seemed like the deal of the century, festooned with mother Volvo components, and robust things like hub reduction differentials and a construction spec chassis, all at a price between the Japanese steeds and the premium Volvo product. What the Lander faced though was…its face. Its cab was the one Renault had bestowed upon Mack back in the day to front the Ultra Liner’s replacement, and although the Qantum as the new model was called (no, that’s not a typo, there was plenty going against it in all reality) gave plenty of companies honest service,

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The Nordic room

Backed into Foodstuffs Chilled and Frozen at Wiri.

Loading with a pallet jack has been beneficial to both John’s health and the inside of the semi.

replacing Thor with Harry Potter probably ain’t going to go that well, regardless of Harry’s ability.

What had prompted the Baillie purchase was Foodstuffs’ requirement that all fleet replacements had to meet the Euro 5 emissions standard, come with ABS and EBS, and have a minimum peak torque of 2100Nm (1550lb/ft).

Like Foodstuffs itself, the Baillies had enjoyed great success from Japanese marques both in their Foodstuffs contract and in the Waste Management contract they’d had prior to the Foodies’ gig. However, at that time in history John and Janet’s preferred brands from the land of the rising sun couldn’t meet the brief. Renault however could, and the Lander was one of the trucks Foodstuffs pitched their cost models at when establishing the minimum requirement going forward.

Remember us saying John was a pragmatist? Well, he crunched the numbers and agreed the Lander was a tough wagon to go past. From a supplier perspective, agents Motor Truck Distributors (MTD) were bulletproof, and in all honesty they too must have thought the Renault was ripe to plunder the affordable, torquey, Euro 5, Euro truck market. After all, the French brand formed one of the big seven in Europe so why shouldn’t it go well with the right sales pitch in place.

At the end of Bryce’s test in 2012 the conclusion was one of an immensely capable truck, full of proven and robust mechanicals, that stood to do well if dogmatic Kiwis could eliminate the memories that cab shape rekindled. Under Volvo ownership, it was a completely different machine.

John Baillie too was smitten saying, “It’s not until you

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February 2019

It sounds like the name of a penthouse suite in some flash-as digs, and that’s pretty much what it is. If you wanted something as far removed from Cory Duggan’s Fat-Cab as you could get, the FH interior is it. It’s amazing how two approaches to the same task can be this far apart, yet each deliver something that’s so impressive.

The FH’s flat roof sleeper cab was subdued in tones of grey and beige. As you’d expect, the fit and finish is as good as it gets, with not a single extraneous noise to be heard anywhere and the materials used are of the highest quality.

If you’re into gauges and woodgrain then this truck will have you reeling and screaming. The FH dash takes austerity to a whole new level, looking like Mr Sulu’s instrument panel in the Starship Enterprise, with long sweeping lines converging in a central island-like structure, a common feature separating driver from passenger in the modern flat floor lorry. In front of the driver it’s all digital, so there’s a saving on gold bezels, that’s for sure. A large odometer with an embedded tachometer is flanked by bar-style graphic gauges on the side and warning lights top and bottom, with the headlight knob mounted on the right near the door. Switchgear and the navigation/coms/Dynafleet data screen occupy the wrap, and of course there’s a smart wheel with phone, cruise, and menu controls for the diagnostics interface. The wands accommodate indicators, dip, wipers, I-Roll and engine brake, and the innocuous I-Shift mount sits politely at the driver’s side, able to move aside when one needs full access to the pull-out storage drawer. The best quiz for non-Volvoians is spot the park brake. No huge appendages or garish yellow valves in the Nordic room; it’s that thing that looks like a coin holder on the wrap.

We found the mirrors took a bit of getting used to. The snazzy shape from the outside results in quite a severe angular top-line when looking from the inside. The good news is it’s just a familiarisation thing and you’re not missing out on anything even though your initial impression is that you might be.

Both driver and passenger get an air suspension seat so that’s nice, and in the sleeper there’s a 815mm bunk with a sleeper cab control panel. The modern near-

Not the shifter you’d attach a two-foot-long chrome tube complete with a skull and sapphire eyes to.

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ For a low roof sleeper the number places Volvo have found to store stuff is amazing.

The pull-out hand-wash is just awesome.

flat floor means even the 1060mm of headspace seems ample, and moving about is simple.

Every truck has a party trick that impresses and in the FH it has to be stowage. This is not the big-daddy Globetrotter remember, and yet there was obviously a challenge laid down in the Volvo cab design department when the FH was conceived a while back, along the lines of “who can factor in the most space for stuff?”

There’s storage in the back wall, lockers in the top rear of the sleeper, folder slides in the top of the door pelmets, lockers overhead above the screen, pull-out drawers under the bunk (that comes with a fridge option), access to additional space under the bunk, a glovebox, pull-out drawer and cup holders in the central island, and the moveable ‘birdbath’ oddments tray sitting atop the main dash. For all your admin requirements there’s a Volvo clipboard-come-table that attaches to the steering wheel with dire warnings about not using it while operating the good chariot.

Outside there are huge lockers either side of the cab, including one with a pull-out plastic hand-wash tank. Now that’s a treasure.

Access is easy with four steps to the cab floor, although it’s not in the league of the new Benz, which we reckon sets the bar on Euro/Asian style forward of the wheel entry. If you let the grab handles go on the Volvo, you’d be on your way back to base camp; in the Benz you’d probably just stand there.

Left: the wrap and central island with switchgear, climate, accessories, and yes, storage, including the quaint little moveable ‘Birdbath’ up on the dash.

Right: It doesn’t get any more clean and functional than the FH dash. Minimal distractions.

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get into something like this that you appreciate what the Europeans put on the road and how good they can be”.

The big unknowns were how would the Lander be after a few years’ graft, and would the brand be accepted on its own merits. Six years later history has given us the answer to both questions. Fantastic, and no.

The Landers delivered the food to local Foodstuffs outlets almost without a hitch, and the backup from Truck Stops was largely issue free.

“A waterpump, manifold gaskets, some window winder issues, consumables, and the usual dramas that most of us experience at some stage with those dreaded sensors,” said John.

Sadly, the Lander’s life in Aotearoa was not to be a long one, and in 2016 the curtain fell.

“I was gutted that the T Series [the Lander’s replacement] never made it here,” said John. “We’d have most definitely been lining up for them”.

It appears the cessation of the Renaults was a sad moment for the team at MTD also.

“The demise of the Renault product in New Zealand was driven by the Volvo Group, which made the decision to cease the supply of all Renault trucks to the South Pacific region because of insufficient total sale volume, which made it difficult to support the aftermarket. Volvo were also offering a similar specification product and UD were introducing product with the same or similar group components,” said Murray Sowerby, general manager MTD. A stark reminder that we swing on the coat tails of neighbours.

What next?

The demise of the Renault here must have deflated the mood at Baillie Transport and the like. By mid-2017 the couple

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had three Renaults all contracted to Foodstuffs North Island (FSNI), a potential headache come replacement But the real investment six years ago turned out to be the relationship formed with the people selling them.

“Our introduction to the Renault Lander was through MTD salesman the late Murray Officer,” said John. “Murray had great product knowledge, after sales support, and helpful advice. It signalled the start of an ongoing relationship.” And it appeared the foundations of that original deal remained solid when it came time for the first Renault to leave the fold at 540,000km.

Initially John was keen on one of the new UD Quons, having had a good run from an earlier example.

“I think they’re a great machine, right up to date, with all the safety fruit and a mechanical spec that suits our work. If I’m speaking purely from a business sense, there should be three of them hooked up to our trailers,” says John.

But a couple of things influenced what happened next.

Firstly, progression. There was the potential for the purchase of a Japanese truck to be perceived in a one-step-back sort of way for the Baillies. The business had already made the jump to a recognised European brand last time, and replacing them with a Japanese truck might be perceived negatively, by staff in particular. “Driver acceptance played a big part in the purchase.

We have three good drivers and our focus is on retaining the staff we have rather than replacing them. For them the vehicle they drive is right up there with the money, time off, hours worked per week, and the general support that we can give them when things don’t go to plan.”

MTD quite rightly stood by their customer. As the country’s Renaults reached the end of life they too stood to lose great customers to another marque, something a company with their long and celebrated history in New Zealand would surely find unpalatable. Regardless of how history has played out, the

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The Bailliee fleet today. The last remaining Frenchman and his two Swedish mates. The Renaults acquitted themselves fantastically well, and have left the Volvos reasonable sized shoes to fill.

Landers should fulfil their role as stepping stones up the Volvo tree. It’s not the Baillie’s fault the Renault was lost along the way.

“I didn’t want to have to sell the Renaults privately. We were worried that moving up to the Volvo was overkill, but I thought long term it’ll help retain the good men we have, and eliminate any concerns around replacement,” said John. “It also allowed a seamless transition, with simply handing in the trade and driving the new one out ready to work.

“And we’re not overly hard on the trucks. The Renaults will be great machines for future owners. I said to Murray Sowerby ‘all I would like is a trade-in price that is fair to both parties when the time comes’, and true to the people they are, that’s exactly what happened. I can’t speak highly enough of them.”

FM to FH

What rolled into the yard post the first Renault’s departure was a new Volvo FM sleeper cab with the 13-litre motor set at 343kW (460hp).

“It’s the perfect truck in the Volvo line-up for us. A metro/ linehaul distribution truck,” said John.

“We went for the 13-litre motor even though I could have had the smaller engine at the same setting. Once again, it’s about covering any unknown just around the corner, and comforting those who own the truck next.

“The FM’s a beautiful truck, it might even be my favourite,” he laughs. “With the low cab, access is fabulous on the Waikato run we do, and being a low cab, it handles like it’s on rails. There’s no question the Volvos are a next-level machine and although I’m known as a promoter of the ‘buy the truck you need, not the truck you want’ message, I don’t believe the Volvos we’ve bought overstep that mantra, all things considered.”

With the FM settling into life at Baillie Transport

splendidly, changes within FSNI Transport saw their current metro run changed to a regional route. This change would take the Baillie Transport brand deep into the King Country, delivering to Te Kuiti, Taumarunui, and on occasions the icon that is Manu Lala and his Kakahi General Store. The truck would run to 590km a day six days a week, and taking into account loading and unloading, time would be a key antagonist. It was a run where the importance moved away from prioritising things like ease of entry and exit, to things like comfort and ease of operation.

“Because of the extra distance we went for the FH on the Taumarunui job. Day to day there’s no problem getting through the run and it’s a relaxed drive south, but as anyone in transport knows, it doesn’t take much to bugger up the day.

The extra power and high cab with its abundance of room makes things that much easier for Mike.”

Handling the Volvo deal from the MTD end was Mitchell Redington, whose passion for trucks stands him in good stead for taking the baton from some well-known, respected and iconic names of the past.

“John and Janet initially contacted me regarding the purchase of their FM460 6x4 tractor for their Foodstuffs operation. The Volvo has been a great success for their business. With the new addition the decision was made on the FH540 due to the longer distances the truck would now run. John and Janet have been great to deal with. John’s history in trucking is extensive, and it really made the build process very straightforward, with John explaining in detail what and where he wanted everything. Both MTD and myself are proud to be a part of John and Janet’s journey.”

Out of the night

With all the chilled and frozen aboard it was around to ‘Fresh’, another enormous South Auckland Foodstuffs DC, this time in Mangere, for fruit, veges, and chicken. The Fresh facility recently benefited from a $26m addition, which was showing obvious signs of alleviating the seasonal pressure. In no time our trailer was loaded, paperwork was in hand, and with John at the wheel, we rolled gracefully toward the gate. Regular driver Mike Ruki-Willison was on a rostered day off, so John was staying in the hot seat.

“I cover all of our annual, sick and bereavement leave, along with the rostered days off. It works well and keeps me close to all the customers at the delivery points, the drivers themselves, the trucks, and all the compliance requirements. It works really well,” said John. “Finding good reliable relief drivers who hold all the required licence classes, site inductions, who can turn up for work drug-free, or even just turn up at all, without even starting on how they would look after your vehicle and contract obligations is now a big ask in Auckland. Having drivers on the three runs allows me to cover all of the above and the unexpected,” said John.

The instant we pulled away from the Fresh DC the Volvo’s ability was evident. With a worst-case scenario of 13.8hp to the tonne there’s little that is going to trouble this truck, and the key here will be self-control in the interests of extracting maximum efficiency.

“With this work we can’t earn ‘more’. Although there’s comfort in knowing what you will earn, the key is always increasing efficiency, that’s the only way to improve the net outcome,” John said. “I say to the guys that once the run is Continued on page 26

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Volvo man!

Regular driver on the FH is Mike RukiWillison. If Mike was a truck he’d be a Volvo; quiet, accommodating, intelligent, immaculately presented, well travelled, and up to anything you can chuck his way.

Born in Te Kuiti, 53-year-old Mike grew up in Kiritehere just south of Marokopa.

His dad was a supervisor at the New Zealand Steel iron sands operation at Taharoa and it was here that Mike’s working life started also. With his fixed timeframe job reaching an end, Mike was offered work at the Glenbrook site.

He took the opportunity, moved north and stayed on the job for 20 years, working a number of roles in both the hot and cold mills.

“The steel mill was great. Good people, good work, variation. It was just a case of getting a bit ‘same-old same-old’ and looking for something different.”

With an interest in driving he took a job with Trans Otway where he stayed for a couple of years before embarking on a bucket list adventure to drive trucks in the US. In the nine months he was there the work took him from his Midwest base all over the country, driving Kenworths, Peterbilts, classic Freightliners, and Volvos.

“The Volvos were my favourite, so quiet and comfortable,” said Mike. “It was a great time but by that stage I was married so that made it hard. If I’d been single I’d probably still be there.”

Returning home his old boss from the steel mill got wind he was back, and knowing the job and the people, Mike went back for another stint. Not wanting to get bogged down again he left after four years, this time to take on self-employment as a contractor to Playbase, laying safety matting in school and council playgrounds.

“It was good work, hard work, and long hours. It taught me a lot, managing staff and all the headaches you face in business.”

Following that he drove for Hughes Transport in the food distribution game before joining John and Janet just over four years ago.

“I enjoy working for John. He’s a straight-up bloke and the maintenance on the gear is right up there. I love the Volvo, it’s very much my kind of truck.”

Mike’s wife Lesley works in management at the Auckland University as a student facilitator, and son James (22) lives and works in the Nelson Tasman region.

In his spare time Mike enjoys photography and he and Lesley love to travel, trying to visit somewhere off the beaten path each year.

Born at the right time You hear it often, and it may sound a cliché, but if you’re looking for a passionate truck person you’d be hard-pressed to pip John Baillie a.k.a. JB, one of the real characters in our industry. Fifty-five-year-old John’s a perfect mix of diligence, selfassessment, and obsession, with a constant desire to be a better operator, and wanting to utterly embrace every second he’s able to contribute to the fabric of New Zealand’s transport history. His respect for the men, machines, and roads that have shaped his life is without boundaries, and he’ll be at pains to try and convey what a thrill and a privilege it’s been to be a part of it.

The flame ignited early, watching RFL trucks coming and going from the General Foods Tip Top site in Johnsonville across the road from the Woolworths store his dad managed.

Following a family move to Wanganui he began riding in the trucks of local carrier Wallace Transport. Riding soon became shunting trucks around the yard and working fork hoists.

Ironically his first driving job was for Wellington Foodstuffs’ contractor MCE Paul Ltd on rail transfers to the DC and store deliveries. A typical day

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would see John head down to the rail with a stack of empty CHEP pallets, park alongside the KP wagons, lay 10 pallets out on the deck then start handstacking bags of flour and salt (50 per pallet). He’d then head back to the Silverstream DC to unload, repeating until the rail was clear.

“We were so lucky to have lived through the era prior to, and then through, deregulation. It was a great time as the restrictions came off and it was game-on.”

By now John was working for Bruce Routley on an overnight mail and newspaper distribution run to New Plymouth out of Wellington, and it was then that ASC Flowers owner/operator Patrick Tito took the young Baillie under his wing. Once the night work was done John would head for the Flowers’ depot and be taught the fine arts of B-train unhooking and hooking-up, docking, loading, and Roadranger rowing. Once Pat was confident, John was given the opportunity to do some Friday night swaps to Turangi driving Pat’s new 270hp Black Belt Isuzu. A full-time stint with Ross and Dennis Fitchet on their Wellington – Auckland NZ Couriers run followed, before getting a berth on one of the iconic Retko Atkinsons. “I have

February 2019

fond memories of the Retko days. I still had a lot to learn and was fortunate in having Dave Alexander to swap with on the Auckland end. I learnt a lot from Dave, who set very high standards and if they were not met – you were definitely told!”

From there it was to DW Butcher in the famous orange Volvos, generally regarded as one of the premium jobs in Wellington.

“Driving a 270 horsepower N10 Volvo truck and trailer at Butchers, having come off the Atkinson and Scanias, I remember my first trip to Auckland fully loaded at 39 tonne heading up the Marton straights looking down at the speedo thinking ‘am I doing something wrong here!’ But it certainly did highlight the difference in power,” John laughs.

Changes in the ICI supply chain ended that job for John, with Terry Butcher organising a job for him with Wellington icon JD Lyons Transport Ltd. “I really enjoyed my time at JDL. I was allocated a near-new 400 horsepower Mitsubishi tractor unit. Ray Lyons and operations manager Mark Ratcliffe were hard taskmasters and expected a lot from their linehaul guys. Yeah, we worked bloody hard there, especially

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Left: Mike RukiWillison and John Baillie (right).

on the flat decks.”

In 1994 a move to New Plymouth saw a change to tanker work in the milk and fuel distribution chains, working in both islands. Married with two children, the need to move closer to Auckland and medical facilities for their profoundly deaf son Adam who had received a cochlear implant, not only signalled the end of the bulk tanker years, but also the start of business ownership. He and Janet took on a contract with Waste Management using a truck and trailer combination carting rubbish compactors to Hampton Downs as well as various other tasks in the greater Auckland region.

“Moving the family to Auckland along with going into business was a huge transition for us and there were times when we questioned ourselves.

The things I know now that I did not know back when we started are a bit scary, but I just put my head down and worked, taking every bit of extra work I could find. We bought a new Isuzu CXH 400 R to kick us off, and oh, what a machine. We did 770,000km during our five and a half year contract with only the odd tie-rod end, a new clutch under warranty, and a couple of torsion rod bushes. I can see how men like

Bruce Stephenson, Merv Solly and the like stood businesses up with turn-key Japanese trucks.”

The Foodstuffs opportunity came in 2011 and since then he and Janet have concentrated on building a business they’d be proud to drive for.

John’s fastidious nature and love of the industry has seen him progress his own journey, through yard boy, driver, business owner, and more recently industry representative, initially joining the National Road Carriers Association Inc. (NRC) and in 2016 being elected to the board.

Outside of work there’s an immaculately restored TK Bedford painted in Merv Paull’s colors that comes out on special occasions, as well as the Domett Fruehauf 42-foot self-steer semi that’s part of an ongoing project.

“Back in the day all the flash gear was at the northern end of the swaps and from the Wellington end a steady stream of VPZ Isuzus, Mitsubishis, N Series Fords and Hinos were seen plying their way north each night. I have an affinity with that era of truck. I’d love a 5032 N Series for the old semi,” he tells us.

At this point there’s no sign of dad’s fever in daughter Laura (19) or son

Adam (16), but life’s a journey and there’s a stretch or two to go.

“I couldn’t have learned from better people in a better era. Today, if a driver has done 10 years it’s considered special, and the measure of skill is more about the depth of polish rather than all the tyres being inflated. I remember seeing the roll of honour board signifying long service in the smoko room at Inglewood Motors.

Men with huge IP and investment in the company. There were heaps of places like that. I was so lucky to have men like Merv Paull, Patrick Tito, Terry Butcher, Dave Alexander and many others who have taught me prudence and work ethic, both literally and through their example. I have been fortunate to have received the benefit of extensive industry training through the oil companies and my time at Fonterra, along with our association membership at NRC which has been invaluable to our business as it has grown.

“I do have to say Janet and I are lucky with our staff. They’re all good blokes who seem settled and do a great job for us and our customer.”

From where we stand looking in from the outside, it might be luck, but it might be culture as well.

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complete, just cruise home, De-stress yourself and the truck, there are no prizes for being the first one back. Ambling along the expressway at 85km/h rather than 90km/h is going to make no difference to trip times, but the improvement in fuel consumption, tyre wear, and general efficiency can be significant”.

And driving a truck as well as you can is something John tests himself on constantly. It’s almost an obsession, and he marks himself sternly. Most readers will know John as the guy who has done consistently well in the NZ Truck Driver Championship in recent years, especially when it comes to putting a semi-trailer where it needs to go.

Nothing to prove

The FH was rolling through the Tron as the sun rose. Like all the manufacturers, Volvo have their own way of skinning the cat, and they’ve enjoyed huge success here over the last half century with almost every iteration of their product. Prior to the rise of the G series Volvo and L Series Scanias, MercedesBenz held the high ground on European offerings here, but the late 70s and 80s saw the majestic offerings from Sweden sweep the field as the Euro elite, so much so that in the mid80s Lowe and Mansell’s famous Cavalcade of Trucks book series devoted an entire volume to them. Then came the rise of MAN, the appearance and rapid acceptance of DAF, and lately

Backing in oldschool looks cool… and is apparently quite effective.

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Kiwiana to the core. A Four Square delivery truck meandering through the King Country.

the resurgence of the three-pointed star. There’s no doubt that today the European groupie is spoilt for choice with a plethora of brands offering exceptional products; however there’s no question the Viking and the Griffin still form the centre of the universe in the Euro truck’s recent history here in Aotearoa.

The bones of a rapid long boat

Under the floorboards of the FH is Volvo’s Euro 5 D13C540 engine at 12.8 litres displacement. The engine uses SCR to achieve its emissions status.

Behind the power unit is the company’s famous I-Shift 12-speed automated manual transmission with I-Roll, often

Getting in and out of Kakahi is not without its challenges.

considered one of the yardstick AMTs against which so many others are compared.

Up front the 6.5 tonne rated front axle sits on parabolic springs and shock absorbers, and at rear the Volvo RTS2370B single reduction tandem bogie at 21,000kg capacity rides on the company’s RADD-GR eight-bag air suspension.

Looking at the performance curves explains why life’s a doddle for the FH. Maximum power of 397kW (540hp) occurs between 1450rpm to 1900rpm and the peak torque of 2600Nm (1920lb/ft) sits flat from 1050 to 1450rpm. That would intimate one should operate the engine at around 1450rpm, and not surprisingly that’s where 90km/h crops up in the tacho’s 1000 to 1500rpm green band.

The Baillie fleet isn’t troubled by weight as a rule. A full load of mixed groceries on the deck plus the pallets aloft on the internal racking of the 15.1m Fairfax semi would normally see the 6-axle combination grossing well under the legal 39 tonne.

“We’d normally run around the 33 tonne bracket,” said John.

“Maybe 36 on a big day.”

The only ‘lump’ the Volvo ever sees with a complete load on heading south is St Stephen’s hill, the northern side of the Bombays just south of Auckland, and on the morning we were in attendance she loped over in top gear at 1200rpm.

By the time it gets to Waterfall hill or the Hiwis in the King Country, the Te Kuiti deliveries have been done so they’ll not pose their usual barrier to progress. On the days the truck goes to the Waikato it backloads palletised chicken from one of the Ingham’s facilities in the region. Depending on product ordered, even 40 to 50 pallets in total still sees the unit sitting under the 39 tonne mark. Of course this also means the threestage exhaust/engine brake with a maximum stopping power of 375kW (509hp) has little bother keeping the situation in check.

In short, if the Renaults represent a great buy as secondhand trucks, then you’d want to be first in the queue in a few haircuts’ time for one of the Volvos!

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The Maxiloda rails are invaluable for eking out every bit of productivity.

Right: Whoever said Taumarunui wasn’t ‘hip’ and groovy has obviously never been!

Note the JD Lyons style ‘Super toolbox’ in behind the cab.

Inside out

In the cab it all translates to a very relaxed groove. As you’d expect from a Volvo, interior noise levels are not a concern, with the meter peaking at 67dB when the truck was under load or the engine brake was ‘ablaze’. Of the big Euros we’ve sampled recently, you’d have to say the Volvo is the softest ride we’ve encountered, which is not surprising – it’s sort of been their thing over the years. The cab’s suspension, with a sprung front and air rear, soaks up the ever-increasing number of bumps and divots in our safety-railed state highway paradise with slightly more of a lilo/swimming pool relationship than other trucks. Obviously – and it goes without saying really – chassis dynamics are on point and directional control is superb, as is stopping via the all-disc ABS/EBS system – this is a Volvo after all. They just have a proprietary way of caring for the occupant’s spinal column, which is effective, albeit requiring a little adaption.

“You’ve got to get used to the FH over the FM,” said John.

“No matter how cautiously you enter things like a roundabout, or turning into a side road, she dips deep into it on the loaded side. The FM is on rails – unflappable.”

With the Te Kuiti drop done it was on to State Highway 4 and into the King Country. John’s 32 years in the industry and his unique mix of fastidious businessman over self-critical operator and lifelong truck-fanatic comes to the fore. He just lets the Volvo find its way to Taumarunui, never hunting it into corners, and keeping the speed well back. He’ll hold the truck in a higher gear on a climb, allowing torque to be ringmaster.

“There’s just no need. No need. This road takes no prisoners.

I’ve seen so much over the years and it’s a road that can really impact your R&M. I like the guys just to roll along and enjoy the trip. In a beautiful truck like this, how can you not?”

And while we’re on the subject of R&M, although living and working in Auckland poses a number of challenges, John said it’s the perfect place for running the kind of operation the Baillies do. There are three trucks in the operation, the two Volvos and one remaining Renault. Mike and Steve Murch drive the Swedish machines, alternating on the Taumarunui and Waikato runs, and Paul Gleeson does another Waikato run

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in the Lander. It all means the trucks run six days out of seven, and so even though the mechanical workload is not outrageous, there’s no room to move on uptime.

“The whole Sime Darby, MTD, Alliance Truck & Bus, and Truck Stops business scenario has been a good fit for our business. Their location in South Auckland with night-shift servicing and courtesy car is very convenient. We also have Fairfax and Transcold just down the road in Takanini, and Joe

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ John is going to catch up with Sean Webb from MTD in the New Year regarding a possible introduction of the Dynafleet system. He wanted the drivers to get used to the Volvos in their own time and did not want to push too much information their way. He felt that with trucks like these there’s a potential for information overload on the drivers.

“There’s so much opportunity to improve multiple areas of the business, but having everything dumped on you at once can be daunting. Take the I-Roll. Mike and I are constantly increasing our deployment of that function on the run, improving efficiency.

“The FH is sitting on 2.5kpl out of the box and I’ve touched on 2.9kpl at times. I’ve got 3.0kpl in my sights. All three trucks are speed limited to 90kph and FSNI Transport require us to run the Gen2 EROAD programme, which gives us access to more information on the vehicles’ operation. The drivers are achieving some very good results on the FSNI leaderboard regarding posted speed limit compliance.”

New friends Manuo at Specialised Fleet Servicing just around the corner, so we are well covered for any day-to-day issues.”

John and Janet didn’t opt for high-end features like adaptive cruise on the Volvos this time around.

“The Volvos are a next-level truck for us. Everything costs and at some point a line has to be drawn in the sand. Ironically, all that stuff would have come on the UD, even though it’s not perceived in the same light as the company’s premium brand.”

John laughs when he’s telling us about getting a few more waves along the road since the Volvos turned up.

“It’s a sign of the times and an indictment on how fast people progress to big gear nowadays. Back in the day we were all on a journey to the gear we aspired to drive, and everyone working their way there was just as much a truck driver as the next guy.”

John recalled Cory Duggan’s comments last month on the loss of camaraderie and agreed entirely.

The icon that is Manu Lala’s Kakahi General Store. John and Manu discuss anything that needs discussing. Manu’s been there since 1947, arriving as a boy with his Mum from India. His Dad took the business on 10 years earlier.

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“We grew up in a great time. The work was hard; there was progression, respect, but a lot of fun and high jinks in and around the workplace too. It’s interesting because we weren’t tossing them on their side at a ridiculous rate either.”

One area John was keen to comment on was using the indicator at night as a tool of acknowledgment between trucks – the death flick so to speak.

“It is a dangerous practice and has the potential to cause a serious accident. You see a lot of operators have now fitted separate switches to their marker lights”.

The Baillies like their trucks to look sharp but don’t go overboard on bling. The Volvo was prepared by Elite Truck Specialists and John said new owners Steve and Clifford did everything that was asked of them and were good to deal with.

One aspect that is worth a note, one that harks back to John’s earlier years in transport, is what he calls his JD Lyons’ toolbox – a full width bin sitting in behind the cab.

“The JD Lyons’ special,” laughs John when we said, ‘Crikey, that’s a toolbox.’ “The JDL trailers only carried tarps, the tractor units carried all the other gear. With wash gear, tools, safety equipment etc. it doesn’t take much to fill it.”

Bringing up the rear

Readers who recall the Lander story will recognise the trailer from that test. Six years on the 3-axle self-steer Fairfax semi hasn’t missed a beat, and with not a mark on it you’d be forgiven for thinking John had a new one built for the Volvo; testament obviously to the calibre of his staff, not to mention his own well-recognised ability with a semi. But that doesn’t explain the pristine white walls on the inside. In true Baillie fashion, the pallets were loaded via the pallet jack rather than using a fork hoist.

“It gives me some meaningful exercise each day, and helps prevents product damage, black marks and scraping on the inside walls. I can often have the trailer loaded in the same time that some drivers can spend waiting or looking round for an MHE [Materials Handling Equipment] to use. We do pick up a few bumps and bruises along the way as we are under attack on a daily basis from inexperienced forklift operators at some of our pickup and delivery points, so you are up against it in that respect.

“The Maxiloda double stacking system fitted to the trailer has been great for doubling up pallets that cannot be stacked on top of each other. It definitely improves route productivity.”

On the subject of self-steering semis…some people have boats, some Harleys, some planes or microlights, but John’s pride and joy is his pristine 1983 Domett Fruehauf 42-foot self-steer semi trailer, one of the last of its kind ever built. And what a magnificent piece of kit it is. John said it conjures up memories and stories from all those of the era who ever fix eyes on it, and like all Baillie kit it’s not a tow-and-show item, it’s gainfully employed each day dehiring empty pallets back to Loscam and CHEP from Foodstuffs.

“It’s just a joy to tow. All the work’s going on underneath and the deck just sits perfectly. It’s a great example of New Zealand trailer building and design history. In the future I would like to gift it to a transport museum or suitable vehicle collection.”

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Steering semi – early 80’s style!

Summary

Life’s a journey and not all of it will be plain sailing. That’s not a pessimistic view, it’s a pragmatic one. John and Janet are confident people willing to take risks, willing to go into business with the intention of building something of value for their family and their family’s future. But they’re not naïve or foolhardy. They buy on the assumption that some days the sun might rise behind a cloud, and prudence now will make it easier to navigate those days. That was what drove the original Renault Lander purchase, the desire to progress without biting off more than they could chew, and although the truck proved itself beyond doubt, its tenure was short, leaving them in an uncertain position looking forward. But what they also did was source the Landers from one of New Zealand’s oldest and most trusted suppliers, and when John and Janet said ‘Stand by me’, MTD did. And look how it all turned out. 

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Volvo FH13 HA 6X4 TRACTOR

SPECIFICATIONS

Tare:

9030 kg (cab and chassis)

Additional safety:

Traction control, hill start

GVM:

23,500

Cab exterior:

GCM:

56,000

Aero kit, stone guard, sun visor, integrated fog and driving lights, heated and electrically controlled mirrors, remote locking

Cab interior:

Heated and air suspended driver and passenger seats, 815mm wide mattress and cover, floor mats, bunk restraint, leather steering wheel, air conditioning

Extras:

N/A

Wheelbase

3600mm

Engine:

Volvo D13C

Capacity:

12.8 litre

Power:

397kW (540hp)

Torque

2600Nm (1920lb/ft)

Emissions:

Euro 5 (SCR)

Transmission:

Volvo I-Shift A2612F 12-speed with I-Roll

Front axle:

Volvo

Front axles rating:

6.5 tonne

Front suspension:

Parabolic leaf springs and shock absorbers

Rear axle:

Volvo RTS2370B single reduction tandem bogie at 2.83:1

Rear axle rating:

21,000kg

Rear suspension:

Volvo RADD-GR 8-bag air suspension

Brakes:

Disc with ABS/EBS

Auxiliary braking:

Volvo three-stage exhaust and compression brake

Fuel:

465 litres

DEF tank:

90 litres

Wheels:

Alcoa Dura-Bright

Tyres:

275/70 R22.5

Electrical:

24 volt

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February 2019

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At last, the sun!

Story by Dave McCoid

Photos by Carl Kirkbeck and Darrin Murcott

For sheer determination and a will to succeed, Karen Black takes some heading off, and her grit and fortitude paid off in spades at the Turners Truck and Machinery Show 2018, held on a glorious December Sunday at the Pukekohe Park circuit.

Y

ou couldn’t for one moment argue that Karen Black’s first two truck and machinery shows in 2016 and 17 weren’t successful. Considering the weather that’s attempted to dampen this gritty woman’s resolve, the turnout at both events has been great and the spirit of all those in attendance just fantastic. Everyone knew the need for a standout show in the country’s biggest village was long overdue, and the will to make it work has certainly been there right across the region. For the 2018 event Karen and her team moved the venue from Kumeu to Pukekohe – a generally more accessible location.

The weather forecasts on the days leading up to the event were horrific and for a moment a sense of déjà vu hung in the air. But come 2 December the gods couldn’t have been kinder and Pukekohe awoke to sun-soaked splendour and hordes of truck junkies and public pouring through the gates.

There was something for everyone: race truck rides, wheel changing competitions, excavator competition, truck reversing,

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The motor racing circuit made the parade so spectacular and easy to see.

People’s Choice and best Miscellaneous/ Specialised Equipment for its tanker, the Northchill T900 Legend series unit.

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Local firm Riordan and West drove off with the Best Fleet prize.

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Great to see the locals en masse.

stalls, entertainment, and best of all, 171 polished, gleaming, tyre-blacked beauties. Robbie Shefford (a.k.a you know what) and his roving mic kept the crowds entertained and informed, and served to keep all the various goings on part of a single atmosphere.

“The truck turnout was fantastic and they looked so good on the track,” said Karen. “I can’t thank the NRC team and everyone involved enough, all those who volunteered and also the sponsors. Next year we’re going to aim for 300 trucks.”

Benefactor on the day was the Pukekohe Volunteer Fire Brigade, who will receive a cheque for $2000. 

NJ Wood Ltd had their next magnificent contribution to

Special thanks to: Turners Truck and Machinery, UDC, National Road Carriers, Mimico, Deals on Wheels, New Zealand Trucking magazine.

New Zealand’s road transport history present. For the most part it was on the Prestige International Ltd stand, and certainly wouldn’t have done their order books any harm.

RESULTS Turners Truck and Machinery Show Category Best Fleet New Truck Visual Impact Classic Tractor Curtain/Flat Deck Crane/Side loader Tipper Livestock/Logger Heavy Haul/Tow Misc/Specialised Equipment People’s Choice Company ute

36

Truck KW K200 Aerodyne KW K200 White 2066 KW K200 Scania R450 Freightliner Century Inter T-Line Kenworth K200 Kenworth K200

Tanker KW T900 Legend Holden Colorado

New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

Company Riordan and West Ltd Seay Earthmovers Ltd Wyatt Haulage Ltd Super Freight Ltd Northchill Ltd APL Direct Ltd Cargo Plus Ltd Luke Brinkley On Road Transport Ltd McRobbie Bros Ltd

Northchill Northchill Ltd VT Transport Ltd

Driver/Owner/Rep Nathan MacLachlan Kyle Middleton Lance Peach Neil Powell Craig Fryer Cyrus Sethna Luke Brinkly William Garrett Craig Williams

Shane Downey Shane Downey Nilesh Chandra

Wheel changing competition 1st Hamish Soppet (1 min 24 sec) 2nd Paul Price (1 min 49 sec) 3rd Shaun Reynolds (2 min 7 sec) Truck reversing competition 1st Cam Vernon, Vernon Developments 2nd Cyrus Sethna, Cargo Plus 3rd Shaun Reynolds, TA Reynolds MIMICO excavator competition 1st Daniel Smith, DK Smith Excavations 2nd Josh Stockwell, JS Contracting 3rd Micheal White, Micheal White Contracting

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Above, from left: NRC executive officer Paula Rogers, MC on the day Robbie Shefford, Karen Black, the tireless champion of the show.

(Notwithstanding the fine chap in the middle, it’s the old adage…if you want something done…)

Above left, and left: They even came from just down the road and in some cases did more than turn just a few heads.

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WOMEN IN TRANSPORT

Shuttle pilot Story and photos by David Kinch

What Caitlyn Lynch lacks in size, she sure makes up for in determination and a positive attitude.

A

t 29 years of age, Caitlyn Lynch is a ‘Coaster’, born and bred in the town of Greymouth.

Coming from a family with no previous history in the transport industry, Caitlyn’s interest in machinery initially came about while in the dairy sector, where she would use tractors on a daily basis.

About five years ago Caitlyn moved across the ditch to the Hunter Valley in New South Wales and started driving 40 tonne dump trucks; not a bad place to start at all! Since the job

Caitlyn’s pride in the gear she operates is clearly evident.

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was on private land Caitlyn wasn’t required to obtain a licence, which was somewhat of a bonus. “I worked with a really good crew of people,” said Caitlyn. “I also learned a lot from driving the dump trucks, especially how far you can push a truck to the point of falling over. Luckily this never happened to me,” she says with a cheeky grin.

In 2015 Caitlyn moved back to Christchurch and obtained her class 2 licence and also her wheels, tracks and rollers licence.

Downers then took Caitlyn on and put her to work driving a tipulator doing the ground work at the new Justice Precinct building site.

While going for a ride with one of her friends to Timaru, Caitlyn realised she wanted to pursue other areas of her driving career so she progressed to her class 5 learners and was hired by Kerry Inns at K&T Trucking. Kerry has since helped Caitlyn

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Determination and a positive attitude will get you anywhere you want to be.

Caitlyn Lynch behind the wheel of a Kenworth T401, one of the trucks she drives for K&T Trucking.

The Aerodyne Kenworth backed into the dock at Fonterra.

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A skilful operator of the crate hook also. The Christchurch shuttle run is no sedentary job.

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Battery & Auto Electrical Specialists Nationwide Battery Warranty Over 90 Locations

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New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

complete her class 5 licence and two years later she’s an integral part of the team. “She’s no problem at all, always doing what we ask of her and she sure looks after the gear,” says Kerry.

Caitlyn spends most of her driving time jumping between either a T401 Kenworth or a K108 Aerodyne on shuttles between Meadow Fresh and Fonterra in Christchurch. Averaging 55-plus hours a week, there is little time to spend with her fiancé, Mark Opie.

We commented on the angle of the dock at Fonterra to which Caitlyn replied, “Sometimes I have bad days (reversing in) but I don’t let it beat me.”

It’s a physically demanding job for someone slight in stature, but equipped with her trusty hook she manoeuvres the thousand-plus crates of Fonterra product around like a pro. Caitlyn will complete about four loads each day, backloading with empty crates. Sometimes a trip out of town will come up, usually to Timaru or Oamaru, but Caitlyn prefers to stay on her city run.

Caitlyn Lynch, a great role model for up-and-coming drivers. 

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SPECIAL REPORT

Martin Daum addresses the world’s media at CES 2019.

Boldly FORWARD

Martin Daum, CEO Daimler Trucks and Buses, from CES 2019 Story and photos by Dave McCoid

Cars, trucks and vans are now ‘transport solutions’, which is why automotive OEMs are flocking to events like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. With the world’s media gathered, Martin Daum, CEO of Daimler Trucks and Buses, advanced the reality of that new label by what he had to say.

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The CASE

As part of the introduction, head of global communications Daimler Trucks and Buses, Florian Martens, painted a strategic picture around the letters CASE, an acronym that encompasses the mega-trends driving mobility for people and products in the foreseeable future. Connectivity, Autonomy, Sharing, and Electric will form the pillars that guide Mercedes-Benz’s strategy for dealing with transformational technology in industry. He said the toughest challenges must be met with bold ideas, expertise, and consideration for the broader society.

Painting a picture

The venue for the presentation was the Keep the Memory Alive centre in Las Vegas, a globally recognised institute for brain research, and on taking the stage it was brains that Martin Daum wanted to discuss, artificial ones...truck driving

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ ones. Daum said Daimler’s EV programme is well under way, well documented, and well understood, and that today was about automation, starting with a reminder of the crucial difference between trucks and cars, that “Nobody buys a truck because he wants to buy a truck, he buys a truck because he has a job to do. Trucks are all about technology.

“The average highway truck today has 400 sensors and 100 million lines of software code,” he said, “constantly online sending data back to make the truck and usage of the truck better.”

He used Daimler’s record 2018 sales to emphasise that the company’s previous developmental paths are obviously on point, driven by listening to what customers want in order to make their businesses better.

“We are obligated to innovate,” he said, saying innovation has been the cornerstone of the company’s 120-plus-year history. The original truck had been built to make the cartage of beer more efficient; mechanical advances drove the early years; then came materials – the use of aluminium and composites; then electronics, and now software and artificial intelligence.

But he said technology for technology’s sake is never a key driver, and serving the transport requirements of customers and countries alike is key.

“We build to provide solutions. Automated trucks can take trucking and transportation to the next level and advance our economies and societies.”

No longer following

The first big announcement was the canning of any further research on platooning.

“We definitely won’t start another major project on platooning,” he said, although existing commitments would be honoured.

He said that platooning’s benefits were in fuel consumption and although in the lab environment it stacked up, in the real

world there were just too many variables and the payback wasn’t there.

“However, when we trialled the second truck following without a driver, that was a completely different story,” he said, emphasising that the investment in platooning (€50m as quoted in a media roundtable later in the day) not only helped clarify direction, but also contributed hugely to rapid advancements in autonomous systems, particularly the Level 2 ones we’re seeing today.

Level 4 needed to make a ‘CASE’

The key announcement though was the jump from Level 2 autonomy, bypassing Level 3 and focusing on Level 4 (potentially free of driver involvement but operating in a restricted environment).

“We will target Level 4 next. We are going to Level 4 directly from Level 2. Why skip Level 3?

“Technology must make a business case for the customer. It makes no sense having high levels of technology in a truck just to have redundancy for the human factor. We have to relieve the human driver from some of his responsibilities.”

Daum revisited comments he made in 2016, acknowledging his own scepticism at the time on the rate at which autonomy would prevail, saying, “We are far further than we were in those days”.

He emphasised the learnings they’d realised from the likes of the Freightliner Inspiration project, citing that as a tangible reference point for anyone doubting the company’s capacity to lead innovation. However, he was also at pains not to underestimate the size of the mountain they’d given themselves to climb.

“We have an aspiration to bring the technology to the road within a decade,” said Daum, but he emphasised the timing may not be precise due to the size of the unknown challenges.

He said the targets at this stage would be hub-tohub operations, within the US initially on account of its

The 2019 Cascadia bristling with Level 2 autonomous functionality and available to local customers in the States soon.

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Sitting quietly in the corner, the Inspiration’s lived up to its name in every way.

infrastructure and uniform traffic flow patterns, although the project would implicate Daimler’s R&D centres around the globe and tap into synergies in other divisions. €.5 billion has been set aside to commence the gargantuan task. How long that initial budget would last is unknown – four years was bandied about a little later on in the roundtable.

He emphasised that this was not a revolutionary situation but a step-by-step one that required absolute integrity in the finished solution, drawing a comparison with the relative simplicity of consumer electronics against the task they faced where technology attached to a truck had to work faultlessly year in, year out for millions of kilometres, in all weathers, never failing in its tasks, be that braking, lane keeping, navigation or understanding the difference between a car, person, tumbleweed, a rabbit, or a buffalo.

“It needs to be absolutely reliable and safe before we go on public roads.”

The chicken or its egg?

Of course safety was cited as the overarching reason behind the initiative.

“Level 4 even compared to the best Level 2 trucks will have significant further increases in safety.

“The improved safety comes thanks to a multitude of sensors and systems. It comes through redundancy. And it’s important because according to surveys, the safety of highly automated vehicles is still doubted by the majority of people. And on the other side, the majority of the accidents you see on our highways are due to human errors. We want to help to prevent those human errors. Technology can truly help to reduce those moments of fatigue.”

Second cab off the rank was efficiency and productivity. He said with the global freight task forecast to double between 2015 and 2050, there’s an obvious need to maximise asset utility and make the best use of freight and traffic optimisation technology. Drawing on statistical data he pointed out the correlation between a country’s prosperity and the efficiency of their logistics systems.

“It’s the only way in our opinion to cope with future volumes in a safe and sustainable way.

“We have to take steps to reduce the impact of more goods on the road,” he said, highlighting the fact autonomous trucks don’t need holidays or sick days and can work around the clock.

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“Highly automated trucks will cut the cost per mile considerably,” he said, pointing out the potential improvement even against the best drivers, compounded by the fact that not all drivers can be the best; the inference being that the further down the bell curve for driver quality the trucks infiltrate, the more dosh will be in the pot.

“Level 4 trucks are a great business case for our customers and more subsidies are needed for their introduction.”

Of course the key condition to all this is public acceptance.

“There is a crucial need for public acceptance and a regulatory framework. We are ready to work with all relevant authorities to develop consistent laws, rules, and policies. That will take time as well.

“We are fully committed to fostering trust in this technology.”

What about me?

The elephant in the room is what happens to the drivers, and the societal impact of autonomy’s rise. Not surprisingly, Daum addressed this also.

“What does it mean for truck drivers if highly automated trucks first operate on specific routes and then on more and more highways?

“As a leader in the trucking industry we take every question seriously, and we are convinced that a successful transition will be a joint effort between manufacturers and all relevant stakeholders.”

He then affirmed Daimler’s commitment to take responsibility, citing their founding membership in the industry-wide initiative ‘Partnership for Transportation, Innovation and Opportunity’, whose charter was to understand the impact of technology on jobs, establishing a transition council recommended by the OECD Transport Forum.

“We are very open to dialogue and additional research initiatives. We are dedicated to funding extensive research and education, and collaborating with stakeholders to help manage a transition to highly automated trucks.

“Automated trucks are a fascinating piece of technology and promise a lot of benefits for the future.”

As the session wound up, Daum teased the audience with a hint that there would be a Level 4 truck operating in the US before the year was out. “Stay tuned,” he said. 

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Just Truckin’

Around

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Ross MacMillan Faye Lougher had stopped to grab some lunch when she noticed a truck with a crane on the back lifting something a little unusual.

Ross MacMillan was the driver of the 2007 700 Series Hino with an 18-speed Roadranger that was parked on the Railway Land Reserve in Palmerston North. The truck was fitted with a Palfinger 60002 crane on the back and Ross was loading an old plane that had been part of a Halloween event.

“The plane was part of the haunted maze and had a mannequin in it,” he said.

Ross has been driving trucks for about 10 years and has been working for Lift Haulage ever since it was established three years ago.

“I used to drive stock trucks before that, but this has better hours,” Ross laughed. “Tradesmen’s hours!”

Ross said he loved the variety of lifting work the job provided – earlier in the day he had been moving house trusses, now a plane.

As for the biggest issue within the transport industry, Ross said it would have to be continually rising costs.

“Fuel prices and the rising cost of it all, even if it doesn’t affect me personally. It should also mean the rates go up too if the work is going to carry on.”

When given the choice of a pie or quiche, Ross said he’d definitely go for a pie. “Classic steak and cheese!”

Richard Thomas Richard Thomas from Dynes Transport was manning the Omarama ‘pump truck’, pumping milk over into other Dynes Transport and Temuka Transport trucks when Craig Andrews caught up with him just north of the small Mackenzie Country town.

Richard was born in Tapanui where he spent a fair chunk of his life painting and decorating for a living. He and his wife Karen moved to Australia in 2002 but moved back to New Zealand in May last year. Richard starting truck driving about 11 years ago in Australia, most of it on road trains, and mainly Kenworth and Mack.

He took up a position with Dynes in September last year to help carry milk.

The pump truck is a 2011 T408 Kenworth with more than 1.7 million kilometres on it now.

“She’s a bit of a rough riding thing,” says Richard.

But every day there is something

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different to see for Richard and he enjoys the scenery that this part of the world offers him. “Plenty of fresh air and sunshine.” He struggles to find a negative but believes some of our

February 2019

infrastructure could be better, saying it’s not that user-friendly sometimes.

Once his day was finished in Omarama, he then took a load of milk back to Clandeboye.

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Around the world

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Colin Brown

Although Colin Brown lives in Thornton-Cleveleys, close to the base of his employer, Ascroft Transport of Preston, the tartan pattern on his cab curtains gave Paul O’Callaghan an indication of the heavy haulage driver’s Scottish heritage.

The 46-year-old, originally from close to Stranraer on Scotland’s southwest coast, joined the British army at 17 years of age, just so he could drive trucks! After 10 years hauling tanks for the army, he left for the world of heavy haulage, something he would not change for the world. “During the recession I went on the fridges for a few years, driving for McCulla Transport of Lisburn, Ireland, purely for the money.

But I really love the heavy haulage work.”

The pair got chatting at Keele services on the busy M6 motorway in Staffordshire as Colin refuelled his Scania R730, which was moving a crusher from the Powerscreen yard at

Milton Keynes, up to Preston under escort supervision. “There is also a sister truck to this one, plus we have four R580s.”

Colin’s favourite part of his job is the pleasure he gets from driving his 730, which was grossing 110 tonnes with its Broshuis trailer. “Both my Dad and my

uncle are truck drivers so it’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”

Spending time away from home is the hardest part for him, adding that “you need a good woman behind you!”

Asked if he prefers Nike or Adidas, a resounding “three stripes all the way” was the response. 

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rom the early days until the late 1980s, mail was traditionally carried in canvas bags. Between towns and cities, the mail was moved by trains that sometimes included a Railway Traveling Post Office, the last of which was withdrawn in 1971. Mail would often be picked up, sorted and dropped off en-route, sometimes without the train slowing down or stopping. A loophole in the transport licensing rules at the time allowed for licensed bus services to also carry freight on scheduled routes; this saw a uniquely New Zealanddesigned bus that could carry goods at the back and passengers in the front; the composite. Ironically it was the Railways that operated many composite buses. Mail to and from overseas was also moved in canvas bags.

This picture shows three classic flat deck trucks of the 1950s and 1960s alongside the MV Wanganella in Wellington. Left to right they are: Bedford A, Ford Thames ET6 (Costcutter), and a Bedford OLB. From the ship’s side the mail would be taken to the Overseas Mail Branch for sorting and distribution around the country by rail or composite bus.

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TOP TRUCK

Magnificent Merc a driver’s dream Photos and story by Craig Andrews

The first big Mercedes-Benz dedicated to stock in the RTL operation, this month’s Top Truck is about as good as it gets when it comes to representing its brand, its owners, its suppliers, and looking after its occupants.

The Arocs looks stunning against the Southland backdrop.

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T

hose familiar with the Road Transport Logistics (RTL) company will know that any number of their units could be a Top Truck contender. Consisting of Beckers Transport, Buchanan Transport, Tuapeka Transport, West Otago Transport, and Clinton Waipahi Holdings, their liveries are familiar throughout the south, and on this occasion it’s a new Mercedes-Benz in the Clinton Waipahi Holdings colours that graces New Zealand Trucking’s pages.

There was homework to do before Shona Robertson, the group’s CEO, and the wider management team gave the go ahead to purchase the truck. RTL’s mantra is ‘working together’

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ and Shona says this doesn’t just apply at the operational coalface; it goes much wider than that.

“Working together with our clients, communities and staff.

Investing in smart gear ticks our responsibilities regarding environmental impacts, health and safety, animal welfare, efficiencies and driver comfort.”

RTL run nearly 70 trucks mainly on rural cartage throughout the lower South Island. The Arocs is the first Mercedes-Benz on livestock and is one of a few in the fleet solely dedicated to livestock work. But the company is familiar with the brand and the back up that Prestige Commercial Vehicles provide, with four Mercedes-Benz spreaders also in the Clinton Waipahi Holdings colours.

As is the case with many of their suppliers, RTL fleet manager Bruce Robertson’s praise of Prestige Commercial Vehicles is high.

“We have always had a great relationship with the team at Prestige. Russell Marr and Theo Ferreira are excellent at what they do, so that was one of the reasons for looking more closely at the truck.”

The fuel usage on the Clinton Waipahi Arocs is already

looking promising, Bruce says.

Bruce, Ken Thompson and Anton Hoffman, who help manage the RTL operation, also looked into driver comfort, driver safety, and the welfare of the livestock that they would be carrying with this unit. The chassis sits 20mm lower than the other Euros in the fleet so they have been able to make the crate pens a bit deeper to give livestock that little bit more room. Any less and ground clearance for the truck would be jeopardised.

“We travel into some remote stations with numerous river crossings and ground clearance was important,” says Bruce.

Having the pleasure of driving the unit is Garry Kennedy.

Garry comes out of an aging Argosy that was running under Buchannan Transport colours. “The Argosy was a good truck but the Merc is a huge step up.” Garry has been with RTL for four years, mainly on livestock cartage, and it’s something he really enjoys.

Vehicle utility and efficiency are key drivers at RTL and Garry essentially packs a bag at the start of the week, getting home on a Friday night or Saturday morning. Although he’s more than happy with the lifestyle, RTL have looked after

We know the big Benz’s cockpit well.

It’s a tough one to beat if you’re a Euro truck connoisseur.

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him, with driver comfort and safety being high on the agenda. ”It’s my home away from home. I’m in it for the week,” he says.

“We want to improve client service and keep the trucks loaded. Better gear with more HPMV units, with hopefully fewer trucks on the road,” adds Bruce.

“It’s just so bloody comfy,” says Garry. “Some trucks you have to move your arse around in the seat but not with this one; you enjoy being in it and I’m happy to go anywhere, including the North Island. I can stand up in the bloody thing!

The more I’m in it, the more I like it.”

The Arocs boasts the OM473 engine producing 470kW (630hp) at 1600rpm and comes with a three-stage compression brake. Behind the engine is the company Powershift 3 12-speed AMT transmission.

The truck’s not shy on standard creature comforts either.

Leather driving seats, leather multifunction steering wheel, electric glass sunroof, heated and electric rear vision mirrors, under-bed fridge, touchscreen multimedia with audio, navigation, and Bluetooth connectivity. Over and above the standard trim there’s a new 20” LED TV as well.

The all-aluminium 2-deck cattle/4-deck sheep Delta stock crates were kitted out in Feilding and look stunning in the Clinton Waipahi blue. To help Garry, an electric winch has been fitted to the trailer crate ramp for ease of operation, and once again driver safety and wellbeing. Jackson Enterprises built the truck deck and 10.4m monocoque alloy chassis livestock trailer.

Although the popularity of the new Mercedes-Benz range is clearly evident in the market, this new RTL dedicated livestock unit is certainly turning heads throughout New Zealand. 

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Garry Kennedy at a great point in life. A new Mercedes-Benz Arocs and Lacy Kennedy, his truck-mad granddaughter.

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GOOD ON YA MATE

Colin and his wonderful community Story by Faye Lougher

P HOT O: M A C A U L AY M E TA L S

O

Strutting his stuff in public. Colin represents the time and effort of so many, given for the betterment of their Hutt valley community.

of us know someone who has used the hospice’s services at some point. The fact that Te Omanga needed funds for their earthquake related rebuild on top of trying to support their regular care activities meant that we were keen to try and raise as much money for them as possible.

“It was thanks to the generosity of Jeff Harris and Luke Mathieson (owners of Macaulay Metals and Real Steel respectively) that the Trade Me auction happened – not to mention the good people at Central Forklifts, Quality Demolition and Titan Cranes who have helped with moving Colin around the place.”

If you’d like to support Te Omanga Hospice, the link to donate by text is still live. TXT REBUILD to 833 to donate $3 to the hospice. (Please note: Each text message regardless of message content, sent to the code 833, will automatically charge your mobile account $3. Please ask the bill payer or mobile account holder. Texts not included in any text bundle agreement.) 

P HO T O: M A C AU L AY M E TA LS

ur Good on ya Mate candidate this month is a company that puts its money where its mouth is to support the Hutt Valley’s Te Omanga Hospice, a charitable organisation that is there for people when they most need them.

Macaulay Metals finance and commercial manager Rachel Lavis said they really enjoyed working with the hospice and were thrilled to be nominated for New Zealand Trucking magazine’s Good on ya Mate award.

“Te Omanga was the charity partner for the second HighLight: Carnival of Lights this year and we have been involved by creating a lighting installation both years. This year we worked in conjunction with Real Steel from Upper Hutt to create Colin the T-Rex from steel plate. We also ran a ‘scrap for charity’ promotion through our public buying sheds and held a fundraising sausage sizzle onsite in the lead up to HighLight as well.”

Macaulay Metals donated 100% of the scrap’s value – $4,510.16 – to the hospice. The sausage sizzle and donation boxes together raised $688.40, and the Trade Me auction of Colin added a whopping $33,200 to the total.

“We are extremely grateful for the support of local businesses in our community like Macaulay Metals,” said Te Omanga Hospice chief executive Biddy Harford. “We loved Colin the T-Rex and were amazed by the result of the auction on Trade Me. The funds raised will go towards rebuilding our earthquake-prone hospice in the Hutt Valley.”

Rachel said Macaulay Metals had been operating from their head office in the Hutt Valley for 60 years in 2019, and partnering with local charities is something that really resonates with the company.

“Many of our staff live in the Hutt, so pretty much all

At the Carnival of lights.

Colin’s benefactors certainly get their teeth into supporting the community they’re part of.

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GALLERY

The Dave Carr Memorial Run 2018 Story and photos by David Kinch

L

ate 2018 saw the third running of the Dave Carr Memorial Run, this year also in support of the Heart Foundation. The run travelled into North Canterbury, through Rangiora, Ashley, the Ashley Gorge, and on toward Cust, stopping to view private vehicle and machinery collections along the way. In the evening the participants gathered at the Highway Inn truck stop where a charity auction raised $5000.

Special thanks to Cam Lill and Dave Ching for organising another wonderful event. 

Above: The Protranz 143M Topline Scania.

Left: Mark Amer Transport’s Mack Superliner.

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Above: Texco’s T 2700 International in the North Canterbury hills.

Kevin McGrath’s beautifully restored TK Bedford.

Right: Topp Contractors and Cam Lill’s T2670 Internationals alongside the Mount Cook Landline bus.

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THE WAY WE WERE

Tapped out and rolling on!

Story and photos by Paul Chapman After six years in the trade, Paul spent 46 years working for the Ministry of Transport, Commercial Services MOT, VTNZ, Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA), Land Transport NZ (LTNZ), and then the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

B

rake testing hasn’t always been the high-tech affair we have today.

Some rural truck operators and drivers may recall brake testing carried out in rural areas in the early to mid-90s was conducted via a road test using a decelerometer (or Tapley meter as it was known by some). A relatively small device that was either clamped to the truck or placed in the cab to record braking efficiency or stopping ability of the truck and/or combination.

According to the regulations the test

The Tapley meter was indirectly responsible for random skid marks in many a yard all over the country.

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Brake rollers under the second steer. The mobile roller tester was huge step up from the Tapley meter, and in general worked well.

had to be undertaken on a “hard, level tarsealed roadway.”

Fully equipped testing stations in those days were using in-ground roller brake testers, and around the mid-90s portable or mobile roller brake testers were introduced into the rural scene, which resulted in a more reliable and consistent brake test regime for both rural and urban environments.

These roller brake testers were transported to rural sites on the back of small trucks. The brake machines were then lifted off, set up and calibrated at the operator’s yard, or rented premises.

The introduction of these devices did not always find favour with some operators. Most, however, found them to be an excellent tool in diagnosing inefficient, unbalanced, or poor overall braking performance.

As each axle was placed in the roller bed it was weighed automatically and the brake effort and balance recorded (as it still is today), and a pass or fail logged.

The system worked well.

One occasion on a first visit to a rural area with the portable brake tester, the operator asked where the little meter was that was usually placed in the cab to test brakes. He was advised that we were moving into the modern age and on this occasion the brakes would be tested using the device sitting at the other end of the yard about 50 metres away. He was asked to move over towards it and wait for instructions. Before another word could be uttered he drove at full speed towards the portable roller brake tester and slammed on the brakes just as the front axle hit the roller bed. After the dust settled it appeared that the

February 2019

truck, a 2-axle Ford D750 of about 12 tonne, had shifted the complete roller bed about two metres across the yard.

After fearing the worst and running to the scene, no significant damage was found, however the operator had a large grin on his face. “How’s that for good brakes, mate?” After relocating and a quick recalibration, proper brake tests were performed.

In those days axle tie-downs were not used and a load on the axles improved the chances of a pass. In 2007 all vehicles over 3500kg needed a minimum of 60% legal axle weight, and if that wasn’t achievable, tie-downs were employed to achieve the required load.

All the functions to operate the brake tester were carried out from a small handheld remote. These were also a horrendously expensive piece of kit.

They were usually put in a safe place at the completion of the brake tests. On numerous occasions when returning to the base station it would be found that the handheld control was still sitting on a ledge/shelf around the area where the last brake test was carried out.

An on-board generator supplied the power to drive the rollers and overall the whole set-up was extremely reliable.

The truck utilised in the early days to transport the roller brake tester was a small Daihatsu, which was a little under-powered but did a very reliable job.

A short while after brake testing in this format was introduced in rural areas, the CVIU brought several brake testers themselves for the purpose of roadside brake condition checks between the sixmonthly COF tests. 

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AUSSIE ANGLES

Road ripened Story and photos by Howard Shanks

The engineers call it ‘intensive linehaul application’: the operators call it their job.

Nevertheless, it’s one hell of a job: one truck, and a handful of dedicated drivers on a run that traverses the entire state of Queensland with time sensitive produce in high tech sophisticated modern machines.

I

t was little after smoko one Wednesday when my phone rang. It was Utchee Refrigerated Transport owner Graham Hampson. “What are you doing on Friday?” he casually asked. “Probably checking out one of your new K200s,” I cheekily replied. And, sure enough, that’s what he’d had in mind.

This K200 does a regular run from Far North Queensland, 1600-odd kilometres to the markets in Brisbane, with North Queensland-grown produce. Then it returns to Far North Queensland with much-needed supplies before reloading fresh produce again. It is a gruelling task on both men and machines.

Banana growers, like Graham, are often at the mercy of diverse scenarios from cyclones through to impassable flooded roads that all chip away at their bottom line and sometimes wash away a season’s income. It was during the Queensland floods of 2010 that Graham had five B-double-loads with 2200 cartons of produce stranded in each truck, all incapable of reaching southern markets. Graham was furious, he knew his freight could get through if only the trucks took the drier inland route, but the transport company he was using refused to run the inland route, even after the offer of additional money to go around the floods. Ironically the price per carton at the Sydney markets rose significantly as the supply of produce from North Queensland slowed due to the floods.

“We missed a rare business opportunity,” Graham lamented.

“It’s much the same in cyclone season. When growers can’t get their produce to market on time, they have to go another nine

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Not quite ripe just yet, but they will be by the time they get there.

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to 10 months without any income coming in.”

It wasn’t long after that episode that Graham purchased two K200 prime movers and B-double trailer sets and took total control of the family farm’s transport operation, sort of a ‘paddock to the plate’ service. Since their inception in 2010 their fleet size has grown considerably, to half a dozen B-double and a couple of road trains, as demand for their home-grown service has increased.

Produce like bananas are temperature sensitive commodities; there is a certain skill to get them from the tree to the market, requiring meticulous handling and where an error in timing can mean the difference between losing a crop or not.

Consequently, reliability of the equipment is paramount in such a time-sensitive operation where produce is harvested just before it matures and finishes ripening on the journey to the market. Kenworth trucks and Barker trailers with BPW axles are Graham’s preferred spec.

‘If you’ve got the best gear you can deliver the best service,” Graham added. “Sure, the best gear might cost a little more up front, but you don’t have the maintenance issues or downtime.”

The Utchee Refrigerated Transport K200s are typical fleet spec with 410kW (550hp), (peak power is 433kW (580hp))

and 2500Nm (1850ft/lb) torque, coupled to an 18-speed UltraShift PLUS transmission through to Dana D46-170 rear axles running a 4.10:1 ratio riding on Kenworth Airglide 460.

But that’s where the similarities with a typical fleet spec ends; these K200s boast a full complement of high tech safety features that include discs brakes on the front and rear axles on the prime mover as well as the Barker trailer B-double set, all matched up with electronic stability control (ESC) and electronic braking system (EBS).

Improving safety for his drivers was the driving force behind speccing the latest disc brake technology on the fleet of K200s.

Research indicates modern truck stopping distances have reduced almost 30 metres compared with trucks built before 2010, however over the past decade the tightening of regulations around the world regarding heavy vehicle braking is forcing brake manufacturers to improve braking performance, longevity and serviceability.

Graham is the first to admit that when it comes to which style of brakes – discs or drums – was right for his trucking operation, the disc brakes certainly won the head-to-head challenge in stopping distance, but didn’t necessarily tick all the boxes.

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Surprisingly, there is little difference in the weight of drum or disc, and on the long-haul interstate runs that Utchee Refrigerated Transport’s K200 and Barker trailers run, there was negligible gain in terms of weight with either technology.

However, when it comes to maintenance the discs offer considerable uptime benefits. Firstly, there is no required periodic lubrication schedule the way there is for a drum brake. To make matters even easier, most disc brakes have a visual wear indicator; this gives the maintenance personnel or even the driver a simple, quick, easy-to-see method to check remaining pad lining amount without removing the wheel to measure the pad. Not only does this save a significant amount of maintenance time in the workshop, it also negates the cost of purchasing additional lubricants for the brake system.

Secondly, most workshop service managers agree that when it comes time to replace the disc pads, there’s an approximate 50 percent time saving compared with a drum brake reline.

For Graham, the choice to go with the disc brake option was not only safety driven but also came with significant economic gains. Even though the initial purchase price of the disc brake option is roughly $6K more than standard drum brakes, it is the reduction in total cost of ownership over the life of the vehicle that really makes the disc brake option viable.

Pre-trip inspections can be performed easily on the new K200 via a bright finish stainless steel access door covering the filler tube and dipstick.

Yet it was how the K200 performed on the road in the heat of Far North Queensland that we’d come to experience. This particular K200 was powered by the Cummins X15 coupled to an Eaton 18-speed transmission. The Dana final drive on this K200 is somewhat taller than you’d expect to find on a B-double unit at 4.10 ratio, however this is what Cummins are suggesting; gear fast and run slow, with even taller ratios for some applications to enhance fuel economy.

It quickly became apparent that the new spec Cummins X15 certainly didn’t lack any punch and was more than willing to respond to each command of the throttle even from as low down as 1200rpm. The turbo-boost pressure gauge wound itself around to end as the throttle went down.

From a seat of the pants point of view it is interesting to note that even though there is plenty of power getting to the ground, it can be somewhat deceptive when you’re behind the wheel, because it is so quiet with the engine running at low revs.

Interior cabin appointments are first class and the instrument layout features the warning light cluster with easy to read Prestige gauges. Vision from the driver’s position is also fantastic in the K200 cabin.

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The drivetrain is fleet spec to a point, but then there’s added safety and productivity tweaks to give them an edge.

The upshot of the improved cylinder air volume from the high-speed turbo is that the engine braking capability is 15 percent higher through the engine brake rev range. In practice, the engine brake certainly does have the goods where it counts as it more than adequately held the fully loaded B-double on the descent down the Cardwell Range.

Graham admits the evolution in road transport is something he never would have envisaged when he first started sending his produce to market a few decades ago. “These new K200s will probably have a million kilometres on them in four years,” Graham said. “Compare that with the trucks that used to pick up our bananas back in the eighties and they never even came close to covering that sort of distance in that time. Back then you’d typically rebuild an engine at half a million kilometres and now we expect to get at least a million out of them before we put a spanner on them.

“There is no question we get a good run out of the Kenworth, Cummins and Barker product,” Graham added.

“Mind you, over the years we’ve had our occasional moments with them too, but in the end, we’ve been loyal to them and we do receive good service from Brown and Hurley and Cummins, which is ultimately what keeps us all going and why we specify Kenworth and Cummins products.” 

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Ottmar Behrend Doing it his way Story by Paul O’Callaghan Photos as credited

Ottmar Berend appeared in the Just Truckin’ Around the World section in our July issue last year. The retired international livestock haulier and trailer importer from Germany now deals in trailers and delivers them in his 4x4 MAN. His is a story too good to miss!

S

ixty-five year old Ottmar Behrend has never owned a yard. “I never felt the need to invest in a yard; I didn’t want to see them coming back to Jever!

All of my work was based further south in foreign countries.” When you realise where Jever is geographically located, right up in the northwest corner of Germany on the edge of the North Sea, you begin to understand his logic.

Born in the neighbouring village of Carolinensiel, Ottmar’s father was a cattle dealer running a small Bedford truck. After a brief spell buying and selling cattle himself, Ottmar turned his hand to truck driving, for another local cattle dealer.

With a desire to work for himself, Ottmar identified a niche in the international transport of live animals. The outgoing young German was on a on the path to becoming one of Europe’s largest international livestock hauliers.

But first he had to choose a truck. Planting the seed for a long relationship with the Scania brand, he bought a secondhand Scania 110 Super 4x2 rigid in 1977, replacing its refrigerated body with a locally built livestock one. After the 110 came a Bussing with an underfloor engine, then a Mercedes-Benz 1632, before returning to the Scania brand, this time a brand new 111.

The late 70s/early 80s were exciting times for the up and coming haulier, who was not deterred by the fact that he did not hold a licence to haul livestock within Germany. To the

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1981. Ottmar’s first 2-deck trailer, a KOPF. You could tip it over, pull back and carry on according to Ottmar.

contrary, it encouraged him to look further afield to emerging markets. “At the time, there was a big demand in France for slaughter horses,” which he says “was the best business ever”.

His main customer at the time was VanholsbekéSA, La Gorgue, France. “We did business for ten years, sometimes ten loads per week; they always paid their bill on time too. For such customers we also worked Christmas, New Year’s Eve and Easter.”

Although transporting horses from Poland to France was a lucrative business (diesel in Poland cost 10 cents per litre then), it was not without its difficulties. One tale he recalls of a driver

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143 twin-steer with a purebred US spec Wilson trailer.

Fearless, adventurous, and at times maverick; the brotherhood of Behrend drivers.

en-route from Warsaw to Marseille loaded with 22 horses.

“The driver had problems with two of the horses lying down in the trailer. Caring for his load, he unloaded the animals and bound five horses at two benches in the parking area on the Dijon to Lyon autoroute. After man and beast had taken a rest, the driver began to load his horses alone in the dark with only a torch. But the horses were gone and so was the bench.” After some searching and help from the Gendarmerie, the horses were safely loaded back onto the truck.

Heidi, Ottmar’s wife, took her turn behind the wheel also.

“My first time driving a truck was the new Scania 111 on the

way to Poland. Ottmar just told me to keep going straight, which I did. As I approached the Polish border, I tried to wake him but he was passed out.”

Ottmar laughs as he picks up the tale: “When I woke up Heidi was in tears as the border was right in front of us and she could not change gears!”

Horses weren’t the only livestock transported. Pigs, sheep, and lambs were also regulars and for this work Ottmar acquired the first 4-deck trailer in Germany, sourced in France and towed by a Mercedes-Benz 1632 tractor. “I drove this truck myself for a while. With any new purchase or innovation,

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I wanted to see how and if it worked. Then I understand what my drivers are telling me.”

To handle the increasing workload, in 1985 Ottmar established a separate company with a friend, based out of Thessaloniki, Greece, trading under the EURAB banner.

Lebanese importers bought lambs from Poland and the DDR (former East Germany), which needed to be moved to the port in Greece for shipment to Lebanon. In the 90s they also shifted more than 25,000 head of pregnant heifers per year from Germany to Turkey by truck and by train. “We had a monopoly from 1986 to 1993 for this type of work,” he says.

Further expansion came with the opening of an office in Warsaw in 1990.

As the business grew, so too did the fleet, with Scania being the main brand of choice. Ottmar progressed from his original 110 and 111, up to the 141, 142 and 143 models. “I had the first 143, 6x2 twin-steer tractor in Germany.”

As impressive as the top spec trucks were, it was his choice of trailers that really set him apart from others. While on vacation in the US with his family in 1988, Ottmar struck up a conversation with a cattle truck driver. “When he told me the weight of his empty trailer, I immediately became very interested. With my German trailers, the weight of a truck plus trailer was 24 to 26 tonnes, allowing 14 to 16 tonnes payload.

With a US trailer it would be 16 tonnes empty, 24 tonnes payload I figured.”

With extra productivity at the forefront, Ottmar drove straight to Wilson Trailer Company (WTC) in Sioux City, Iowa, initiating a business relationship with Wilson Persinger, CEO of WTC, something that would continue for the next 15 years.

“To succeed in business, sometimes you have to do something differently from the others. So I began to import Wilson trailers to Germany.” The first one was 100% US design with twin axles set right back at the rear of the trailer, hence the need for a 6x2 Scania. Later, Ottmar would ship BPW axles and brakes to the US so the trailers would meet European standards.

The big difference between the Wilson trailers and the European ones was the aluminium monocoque construction and no moving floors, eliminating the need for rams. “To me it did not matter, I had one driver, one truck, one trip per week.”

The sides were made of pressed aluminium, which Ottmar

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said was stronger. “The aluminium construction was so light, I couldn’t lose.”

Ottmar also became the European agent for WTC, selling them outside of Germany to countries such as Poland, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, but mostly to Greece.

Returning to his choice of trucks, Mercedes-Benz and Renault were also used in the Behrend fleet.

“I had the first Renault Magnum V8s in Germany.”

There were initially difficulties with TUV compliance, an obstacle Ottmar negotiated by importing the trucks as secondhand from France, thus needing only a single test in the former DDR. These high spec trucks had been standing at a dealer’s forecourt in France and were slow to sell.

“They had all of the extras, including a Telma retarder. I bought four as I really liked the American look with the set forward front axle.” When asked about reliability, he replies: “The engines were fine, but the gearbox and clutch could not match the power of the V8 engine. There were also problems with the front brake discs melting.”

Less glamorous were the trusty Renault Turboliners, which Ottmar says were doing the same job for two-thirds of the price and gave good service.

The company continued to grow, with a branch established in Hungary. To cope with the extra workload, Ottmar took on a number of subcontractors, many of whom towed Behrend trailers.

However, as with all businesses, nothing ever stays the same and changes loomed on the horizon. With the disappearance of the Iron Curtain in 1991, Eastern Bloc hauliers entered the market. “They could do the job cheaper than me for sure.

Better? I don’t know.”

With the market saturated with cheap competition, Ottmar wound down his livestock haulage operation, concentrating on refrigerated business.

“Some of our drivers had been there from the beginning.

With good drivers you can still make money, no matter what work.”

The fridge work was conducted within Germany as well as in foreign countries, with double-deck trailers added for the transport of pharmaceuticals. Arguably the most unusual and impressive truck Ottmar owned was the Renault Magnum AE500 rigid and drag fitted with Chereau fridge bodies built in France. This truck delivered hanging meat all over Germany

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ 200 in 20! primarily, with occasional ventures into Poland.

Like all transport stories there are highs and lows. “My AE with a refrigerated semi trailer was returning empty at night from Koln when the engine stopped. The driver made it to the emergency parking bay on the autobahn and was pumping the fuel hand pump. A sleepy driver in another truck ran into my truck and killed my driver. The truck had already been twice in the garage to find a hairline crack in the fuel line. Eventually, they found it, but too late for him.”

Ottmar is open and frank when he speaks of some of the bad times he experienced in transport, able to add some humour when appropriate, like the time two brothers bought his 1985 Scania, wanting to pay for it by subcontracting. “My mistake,” he recalls. “I accompanied them on their second trip in my French Mercedes 1632 with the four-decker. We loaded sheep in DDR which were to be unloaded in Greece onto a ship bound for Lebanon. Anyway, after loading and into the next morning I was still driving, by now very tired, when suddenly, I came around a corner after Poznan in Poland and the road was full of sheep. My truck with trailer was lying on the side, just a few metres in front of a bus station. When the brothers crawled out of the cab through the broken front screen, they were asked by two Polish guys: ‘Do you have coffee?’ I had other questions for them. I had to pay more than the value of the sheep for housing them at nearby stables.”

Along with the dangers attached to transporting animals on trailers with a high centre of gravity, the trucks also passed through some dangerous regions, such as the Balkans in the late 80s. Backhanders were commonplace, and clever drivers always carried some spirits or cigarettes for tricky situations.

Ottmar quotes the old adage of: “Who lubricates well, drives good!”, meaning a liquid gift can get the truck moving quickly again!

In later years, the Behrend trucks were not all painted green.

“When running hard, of course you will have some problems with the authorities,” Ottmar adds with a grin. After taking some of the first Scania 144s in factory demonstration mustard, he decided to paint two Mercedes-Benz 1844s in the same shade. “I bought those two Eurocab 1844s from Denmark, unseen in 1996. They were new but had been standing outside for many months with road salt, which had not been washed from the chassis. As I had bought them unseen, I later had to haggle for a reduced price, to pay for painting the chassis. But

Far left: 1991, the first Renault AE Magnum registered on German plates.

Left: Launched in 1991, the Renault AE500 with a Mack V8 was a revolutionary truck.

Fulfilling a lifelong dream, in 2017 Ottmar accompanied Paul O’Callaghan on a run in the Kenworth cattle road train he drove at the time for RTA in the north of Australia.

“To see that was something very special, and something I thought I would never see. When I see 220 cattle loaded in 20 minutes, I could not believe it,” said Ottmar.

Ottmar joined author Paul O’Callaghan on his day job as a cattle road train driver in the north of Australia in 2017.

these were some of the best trucks I owned. The first Actros I bought in 1997 was terrible, however Mercedes paid all of my expenses, even for the higher than promised fuel consumption.”

The later Actros Megaspace 1843 MP1, and 1846 MP2 were a much better truck, he claims.

For the first time, DAFs were added to the fleet in 2001.

Four Super Space Cab 430s were acquired on a lease with a buyback option at the end of the contract term. “Big mistake.

When they were under warranty, they were good and the fuel economy was ok too, but as soon as it expired, everything started to go wrong and they ended up costing me a lot of money.”

The last Behrend truck was sold in 2005, the end of an era. But Ottmar has no regrets. “I have had a great life since I got out of the trucks, travelling all over the world, meeting interesting people. Every year in my home town we have a reunion with my old drivers.”

Today Ottmar keeps busy by buying and selling livestock trucks, primarily MAN, Mercedes and DAF. “I travel within a 400km radius of home, buying and selling to clients I know and trust.”

To get his trucking fix, Ottmar relies on his 4x4 MAN camper that he bought new in 2007 and customised to his own design. “I wanted the biggest cab available. They told me I couldn’t have it, but I got it!” He then added a caravan body and a box behind the caravan for transporting his BMW and KTM motorbikes. “When I drive in the MAN, I feel like I am back in my trucking days.”

The MAN is not just for fun. Ottmar often uses it to deliver livestock trailers for his truck dealing business. “I don’t need a speed limiter as it is officially a camper. Some people on the Autobahn get very annoyed if I pass them with a big livestock trailer at 110kmh,” he laughs.

Typical of Ottmar Behrend style, finding a way to do things his own way, even to this day. 

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February 2019

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TECH TOPICS

What to look for DRUM BRAKES

By Howard Shanks Images supplied

Howard Shanks is a qualified fitter, machine operator and truck driver and a leading technical transport journalist. His working knowledge of the industry and mechanical components has seen high demand for his services as a technical advisor and driver trainer.

You can contact Howard on techtopics@nztrucking.com if you’d like him explore a tech topic for you.

H

eavy vehicle duty cycles, their type of operation, how the truck is driven, along with inspection practices and weather, all play an integral part in establishing good brake maintenance procedures.

Brake maintenance, particularly maintenance intervals for trucks at the heavy end of the market, depends more than anything else on the vehicle’s work cycle.

There is a massive difference between a garbage collection truck that experiences 200 to 300 heavy brake applications in a single shift, and an interstate B-double that may have three or four applications a day, one for each fatigue break and then one at the end of the day.

Interstate trucks might see a rise to 50 to 65°C in the brakes on average, where a refuse truck may well have brakes running at 232 to 260°C. These severe applications can result in shoe linings wearing out in as little as two months, with drum replacements maybe every third time the shoes are exchanged.

However, at least it’s predictable and service can be scheduled.

As far as interstate trucks are concerned, brake servicing is usually performed when the truck chassis is routinely lubricated by looking through the access holes in the dust shields, if fitted, to discover how much ‘meat’ is left on the brake lining. For a vehicle operating in a heavy application the life expectancy of the conventional S-cam brake linings might be around the 400,000 to 500,000 kilometres mark. However, most good drivers can get double that life out of a set of linings.

S-cam brake slack adjuster inspection

Firstly, if working under a truck it is advisable to wear gloves and safety glasses.

Park on level ground then securely chock the wheels to prevent the vehicle from rolling.

Make sure the air system is fully charged with air and release the parking brake so you can move the slack adjusters.

Manual slack adjusters

There are two options: if you are performing the inspection by yourself, do the following to measure the slack adjuster stroke.

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• Using firm pressure pull hard on each slack adjuster to move it through its stroke, and measure the distance it travels.

If you have a friend to assist: • Get your friend to sit in the truck and apply the brakes with the foot pedal. Measure the stroke of each slack adjuster.

As a rough rule of thumb, if a manual slack adjuster moves more than about 25mm (1 inch) where the push rod attaches to it, then it probably requires adjustment.

Conversely, most vehicles built since 1994 will have automatic slack adjusters. Even though, as the name suggests, automatic slack adjusters will adjust themselves during full brake applications, they still must be checked.

During their life cycle automatic adjusters should not have to be manually adjusted except when brake maintenance is carried out or during installation of the slack adjusters when new linings are installed.

Automatic slack adjusters inspection

During preventive maintenance on an in-service brake, check both the free stroke and the adjusted chamber stroke using the following procedure: • Check brakes when the temperature of the brake linings is cool and the system air pressure is above 620 kPa (90 psi) but no more than 827 kPa (120 psi).

• Release the parking brakes to allow the slack adjusters to retract.

• Measure the retracted pushrod length from the face of the brake chamber to the centre of the pushrod pin.

• Have another person apply and hold the brakes one full application, measure the same distance.

The difference is the pushrod travel distance (applied stroke).

Verify the result is within the correct range (see Table 1).

Correctly installed and functioning brakes (automatic slack adjusters) will produce the strokes listed for each chamber type.

Test the vehicle to ensure that the brake system is working correctly before returning a vehicle into service.

TABLE 1

Automatic brake adjuster application Air chamber type 20 to 24 16 30

(size)

Brake pushrod Front Front Rear

Travel (applied stroke) 25 to 44mm 19 to 34mm 38 to 51mm

If the pushrod travel exceeds the above specifications, check the slack adjuster installation. Inspect brake adjuster and anchor bracket for damage.

If adjustment is necessary and the slack adjuster is working,

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2

3

4

5

6

the adjusting hex nut will rotate during the chamber return stroke. Installing a spanner on the hex nut will make this easier to see. On each stroke after the first, the amount of adjustment and chamber travel will be less.

Constant manual adjustment of automatic slack adjusters can shorten the life of the adjuster’s internal clutch. If the installation appears to be free of damage, but the applied stroke range could not be achieved, the slack adjuster must be replaced.

The brake adjuster alone does not ensure proper brake operation. Inspect all brake components. All brake components work together and must be checked periodically to ensure the brake system works properly.

Brake function test

After any service work has been carried out to the brake system and as part of your daily pre-start inspection, test the brake operation to ensure both the parking and service brakes are operating correctly.

To test the park brake, stop the vehicle, apply the parking

brake, and with the vehicle in a low gear, gently ease out the clutch to the friction point to test the vehicle will hold.

To test the full combination’s service brake operation, ensure the air system is fully charged and release the parking brake.

Move the truck forward slowly at approximately 5kph and apply the footbrake firmly. Take note if the vehicle pulls to one side or there is an unusual feel or delayed stopping action.

To test the trailer’s brake operation, again ensure the air system is fully charged and release the parking brake. Move the truck forward slowly at approximately 5kph and apply the trailer hand piece. Take note of how the trailer pulls up.

These tests may show you problems you otherwise wouldn’t know about until you needed the brakes out on the road.

Even incorrectly adjusted brakes may seem to work when brakes are lightly applied. This could result in a dangerously performing brake system under moderate to heavy braking, on a downhill descent. Cast iron brake drums expand when heated, causing the slack adjuster to increase its stroke further the higher the temperature rises.

On long downgrades, the expansion of hot brake drums can cause a total loss of braking and result in a runaway vehicle.

Should your brakes require maintenance, have them serviced and repaired at a reputable workshop.  New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

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Some like Bidfood have already taken up the 6x2 opportunity.

Consider 6x2

By Russell Walsh

Russell was employed by the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA) for two years from 2014 and was involved with their Heavy Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Programme.

F

or many years tandem rear drive axles have been the preferred options for multi-drive axle trucks in New Zealand. Current legislation requires these if you want to operate a combination with a GCM greater than 39 tonnes. The principle behind preferring 6x4 over 6x2 is to maintain sufficient traction under most operating conditions. However, modern load shifting, sharing, and traction control technologies make the 6x2 a viable and cost-effective option and have all but eliminated the potential for the traction differences traditionally experienced between two variants.

In Britain and Europe 6x2 drivetrains have been in common use for many years. During 2013 the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE) released a study report

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relating to the use of 6x2 axles in the United States. The study involved practical testing and interviews with significant fleet operators and equipment suppliers. Vehicles evaluated during the study included Mack, Freightliner and Volvo. Some of the test vehicles were converted from 6x4 to 6x2. The study identified that while the use of the 6x2 configuration was not great at that time, more and more OEMs were offering these as an option.

In addition to a reduction in weight, the study found that 6x2 vehicles achieved on average a 2.5% reduction in fuel use, with improved stability under some operating conditions. The report also says that in conditions where there was a potential for a 6x2 to lose traction, a 6x4 may have also struggled.

The NACFE report can be summarised thus: The 6x2 needs less maintenance because there are fewer components, it’s simpler, weighs less, and saves fuel. All good reasons to give 6x2 trucks due consideration. 

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TRUCKERS’ HEALTH

New Year’s realsolutions A new year and new start. But is this about resolutions or real solutions to age-old challenges?

H

ave you made any New Year’s resolutions yet? As the years go by, my resolutions seem to become more elaborate and less realistic. So this year I have decided to make New Year’s REAL-solutions – goals that are actually achievable and not as daunting as ‘exercise every day’ or ‘drink no gin this year’. Because let’s face it – we need treats to keep us sane.

I’ve set myself some pretty ambitious goals for 2019. I’m planning a 100-kilometre charity walk from Thames to Waihi (return) to raise crucial funds for the Cancer Society. I also hope to get my nutrition qualification so I can better guide and help people to live a healthy and active lifestyle.

Having more specific and achievable goals to work towards not only keeps you on track, but also makes you feel less disheartened if you happen to fail at achieving your mammoth goal – “damn I didn’t walk to the North Pole unassisted this year”.

On the tail end of the silly season it’s always difficult to get back into the routine of healthy eating and exercise (or for the first time). Many of my clients have mentioned that they feel as though they have put on weight or lost their mojo over

No frills – bodyweight circuit 40 seconds of work. 20 seconds of rest. If you don’t have a timer simply do 10 to 15 of each. Aim for 2 to 3 rounds.

• Star jumps (Lower impact option: Legs together, alternating side steps.)

• Sit-ups/crunches Curl shoulders up. Don’t lift back off floor. Focus on ceiling with eyes.

• Squats (Lower intensity option: Sit on chair, then stand again.)

• Press-ups (Low intensity option: Off the knees. Knees under hips for even lower intensity.)

• High knees Jog on the spot. (Low impact option: High steps walking on spot.)

• Plank hold (Low intensity option: Off the knees – make sure there’s no back pain.)

• Lunges 20 sec each leg. (Low intensity option: Shallow.

Between chairs for support.)

• Narrow press-up Hands shoulder width apart, keep elbows in. (Low intensity option: Off the knees. Knees under hips for even lower intensity.)

See how you go. In next month’s column I’ll take you through each exercise to tidy up any bad habits.

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New Zealand Trucking

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Feeling satisfied after conquering 10 flights of the ‘painbow’.

the holiday period, after indulging in Christmas ham and one too many glasses of their chosen poison. There is a quote I love: “Don’t worry about what you eat between Christmas and New Year, focus more on what you eat between New Year and Christmas.” January is a time to reset and realign your focus to what you’d like to achieve and work towards in the coming year.

Given that truckers are constantly out on the roads soaking up the beautiful New Zealand scenery, I understand that you don’t always have access to a gym or exercise facility. But you would be amazed at what you can do without a single piece of equipment. Just like a small dog, I get agitated if I don’t get any exercise, so if I am travelling, I always research different walks or hikes in the area so I can still get my exercise fix.

There’s a beautiful set of 136 rainbow painted stairs right on my doorstep called Jacob’s Ladder, which I dub ‘the painbow’.

My favourite part about doing Jacob’s Ladder is seeing it in my rear vision mirror as I leave. But there’s an immense satisfaction when you conquer a beast such as the painbow.

If you can’t manage to scope out a nice local walk/hike, I’ve popped in a no-fuss, bodyweight circuit (left) that you can do absolutely anywhere. No frills, no gear – just you and hopefully some good tunes blasting from your truck. 

Laura Peacock Personal trainer TCA Fitness Club

T001-0219

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Using the best risk controls

I

23031

was reading a media release from EMA recently about a sentencing outcome. A company had an employee who lost the sight in one eye when he was splashed with hazardous substances. Safety glasses were available: he was not wearing them. The company was prosecuted for failing to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of its workers while at work. The court suggested that the company should have a system for ensuring workers are using personal protective equipment (PPE) appropriately before starting work.

At first glance, this perhaps seems a little unreasonable. After all, safety glasses were provided, there must be some personal responsibility. However, the risk was high enough for a worker to lose the sight in one eye.

Firstly, personal protective equipment is the bottom of the hierarchy of control. If How can the hazardous substance was Safewise such a high risk, it would be help? more reasonable to pipe it We work with in. This removes the human organisations element and makes it more that need more likely that the substances health and safety are not able to cause harm. knowledge, or more Any control which relies time, than they on people to do what you have in-house. For expect people to do is not more information, always effective. check the website Secondly, it doesn’t seem www.safewise.co.nz unreasonable that there is a system that ensures that workers are compliant when the risks are high. There should be a system for ensuring that workers have adequate and appropriate PPE and know how to use and maintain it. In higher risk situations, where we are relying on PPE and on human compliance, there should also be a control step that ensures this is being done. After all, I’m sure we all saw the news article about the hang glider passenger DANI1 wasn’t TRUCKING AD.pdf on.27/5/10 3:12:58 PM who hooked

Take time to consider what hazards and risks you have in your organisation. How serious are they? Are you relying on PPE as your major control? What checks do you have in place to ensure the PPE is adequate, appropriate and available?

How do you know it is in good condition and that it is being worn correctly? This is also a good time to ensure that you have appropriate emergency plans in place in case there is an incident. Hazardous substances, particularly, may have different requirements; water may be a great eyewash for one substance but may cause major complications for another – check the safety data sheets. 

Tracey Murphy is the owner and director of Safewise Limited, a health and safety consultancy. She has more than eight years’ experience working with organisations from many different industries. Tracey holds a Diploma in Health and Safety Management and a Graduate Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health. She is a Graduate Member of New Zealand Institute of Safety Management and is the Waikato Branch Secretary. Tracey is also registered with HASANZ.

Danielle L. Beston Barrister At Law Log Book & Driving Hours Transport Specialist Work Licences Nationwide Road User Charges Contributor to New Zealand Trucking ‘Legal Lines’ Column Telephone: 64 9 379 7658 mobile: 021 326 642 danielle.beston@hobsonchambers.co.nz Referral Through Solicitor Required and Arranged

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New Zealand Trucking

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LEGAL LINES

New WorkSafe guideline judgement

F

ollowing on from last month’s discussion about the role of restorative justice in relation to health and safety sentencing, I wanted to share with you the decision of Stumpmaster v WorkSafe New Zealand [2018] NZHC 2020, 9 August 2018, (‘Stumpmaster’) which helpfully provides some certainty around sentencing outcomes under the Heath and Safety at Work Act 2015 (‘the Act’).

The facts

Stumpmaster was fined $90,000 after a tree fell on a passer-by, causing serious injury. The company had the equipment to set up pedestrian detours around dangerous areas, but this had not been used. The company had an unblemished record and there was a dispute over their ability to meet a fine, as they were a small, one-person company. There was consideration of their ability to pay the fine and financial evidence was submitted.

After consideration of the matters raised regarding the fine, the appeal was dismissed. In reaching their decision, the judgment of the High Court provided welcome clarification in relation to the four-step sentencing process, the guideline sentencing bands, and the impact of mitigating factors on starting points for sentences.

The main strict liability offence

The majority of prosecutions fall within section 48 of the Act, which is failing to comply with a duty that exposes an individual to a risk of serious injury or serious illness. The maximum penalties under the Act have increased to six times more than the similar predecessor strict liability offence. The High Court in Stumpmaster adopted a four-step sentencing process, which is as follows: • Assess the amount of reparation; • Fix the amount of the fine by reference first to the guideline bands and then having regard to aggravating and mitigating factors; • Determine whether further orders under sections 152 to 158 of the Act are required; and • Make an overall assessment of the proportionality and appropriateness of the combined packet of sanctions imposed by the preceding three steps, including consideration of the defendant to pay or whether an increase is needed to reflect the financial capacity of the defendant.

Guideline sentencing bands

Offending is placed into a sentencing band depending on the culpability assessment for each defendant. There are four bands and the top of each band is compared with a percentage of the maximum penalty. The table below illustrates the comparison between the sentencing bands under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 and the new Health and Safety at Work Act 2015.

CULPABILITY

1992 ACT

2015 ACT

Low

Up to $50,000 (20%)

Up to $250,000 (16.6%)

Medium

$50,000 – $100,000 (40%)

$250,000 – $600,000 (40%)

High

$100,000 – $175,000 (70%)

$600,000 – $1,000,000 (66.6%)

Very high

$175,000 – $250,000 (30%)

$1,000,000 – $1,500,000 (33%)

The very high culpability band would not be expected to be used often as it is reserved for offending classified as the worst of its kind, such as serious health and safety breaches resulting in multiple fatalities or offending occurring over an extended period of time by repeat offenders. Alternatively, offending at this level may also fall under the section 47 offence of reckless conduct, which has a maximum penalty of $3,000,000.

Starting points and mitigating factors

Following Stumpmaster, the High Court has indicated that under the new sentencing bands, a starting point of a $500,000 to $600,000 fine is likely to be common. Reductions of 30% for factors in mitigation from the starting point (which was previously routine) should only be expected in cases that exhibit a number of mitigating factors including reparation already being paid, remorse, previous good safety record, and cooperation, to a moderate degree, or one or more of them to a high degree. However, the court confirmed that genuine efforts by the defendant to assist a victim from the outset merited particular credit. 

Please note that this article is not a substitute for legal advice and if you have a particular matter that needs to be addressed, you should consult with a lawyer. Danielle Beston is a barrister who specialises in transport law and she can be contacted on (09) 379 7658 or 021 326 642.

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New Zealand Trucking

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SHARE THE ROAD

Sandeep carefully picking up a bin.

What is a cyclist doing in a waste collection truck?

Ever wondered what happens to your rubbish after you put your bin out? I spent a day out in a waste collection truck to see just what takes place.

T

he pedal from Hillsborough to the Waste Management Limited Penrose depot took me by some newsworthy transport infrastructure. Containers were being carried out of the Onehunga Port, now owned by Auckland Council, and earmarked for a Wynyard Quarter-type development. I am still not sure how the Auckland Waterfront Consortium (in their efforts to get their CBD stadium project over the line) thought car

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New Zealand Trucking

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carrier ships could cross the Manukau Harbour bar. The old Mangere Bridge that was the main road south when we moved to the area is now permanently closed, to be replaced sometime. Then it was on the path along the route of the much talked about East West Connection past Metroport.

After crossing the double (maybe soon to be triple) railway lines the depot was in sight where I was introduced to Sandeep, who was to drive our side load collection truck for the day.

At 5:30am the motorway traffic was light. Even so, I was surprised at the drivers who cut in front of us into a space barely a car length long. A feature of the day seemed to be motorists treating our truck as a piece of street furniture, not giving way, and passing with impatience. However, the locals in the streets whose bins we were picking up were warm and friendly, waving and smiling to Sandeep in response to his greetings. From time to time, despite being extremely alert,

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Every street had cars parked on the road, requiring delicate positioning of the truck to get the lift arm through to their bins. he had to stop everything as a resident dashed towards the lift arm in order to drop that last bit of refuse into their bin. What were they thinking? Likewise, we had to wonder why some bins were carefully placed behind power poles, necessitating Sandeep having to climb down out of the cab, move the bin, and then get back into the cab.

Every street had cars parked on the road, requiring delicate positioning of the truck to get the lift arm through to their bins. None of this seemed to bother Sandeep as he deftly manoeuvred the 21 tonne truck in and out, aiming to pick up an average of 180 bins an hour. Potential hazards were numerous: joggers who didn’t want to break their stride, little dogs – difficult to see – on extendable leads, small groups of toddlers on their trikes and scooters intrigued by the noise and movement of the pickup process. Even though he has big windows, good mirrors and a rear view camera, Sandeep tucks away in the corner of his mind the location and potential trajectory of every hazard, like a dashcam on rolling record. A cleaning cloth was always handy for polishing the screens and

mirrors to ensure they remained spotless. Interestingly, while we saw a lot of cyclists in the urban streets, it was not while we were moving; they all passed us with care, with no close calls at all.

After 600 bins had been picked up we headed north to the Redvale Landfill & Energy Park where a highly mechanised operation managed what Sandeep had collected. Methane trapped and collected from the landfill produces enough electricity to power more than 12,000 homes.

I returned home encouraged that Sandeep remained completely focused on what he was doing despite the multiple potential hazards around him, and still cheerfully engaged with those we shared the road with. We all expect our waste to be just taken away, out of sight, out of mind. The challenge for all of us is how to make less of it.  For more information about the Share the Road Campaign, contact manager Richard Barter 021 277 1213 richard@can.org.nz www.sharetheroad.org.nz

Richard Barter, manager of the Cycling Action Network’s Share Road campaign.

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NZ TRUCKING ASSOCIATION

Why don’t men talk about their health?

I

f you look at the preschool days, boys are different from girls. They think differently, and they play differently.

For years men’s health was not looked at individually.

The old kiwi “she’ll be right” attitude was prevalent, and still is today. In 1992 John Gray published a book Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. The book shocked a lot of people; however some of the memorable quotes began new conversations, which was a positive first step.

“Men are motivated when they feel needed, while women are motivated when they feel cherished.”

Maybe it is time to read this book again and try to understand that health is not high on the priority list for a lot of men.

Men’s health groups are certainly doing a lot of good work, but we are a long way off any huge changes in behaviour. Using celebrities to speak openly about their health issues is a great way to get publicity and this is encouraging some men to seek help.

We must find a way to communicate better with men and encourage them to have regular health checks. In the trucking industry the average age of a truck driver is 57 and there is a high number of drivers who suffer from obesity, sleep disorders, diabetes and other lifestyle and age-related illnesses. While there is no register to record occupational health related issues it makes it hard to put any real numbers on the problems. Maybe if a register could be developed, then agencies could develop programmes targeting the right audiences to address those issues. I fear that New Zealand probably follows overseas countries, with diabetes, heart disease, and depression high on the list of common truck driver health issues.

The Safety MAN Road Safety Truck has been visiting transport companies and running a Healthy Truck Driver programme that was launched just over a year ago. The purpose of the programme is to raise awareness of some very common health issues such as fatigue, sleep disorders, diet and exercise, mental health, and substance abuse. The programme has a short video that only touches on the subjects; the important part of the programme is the booklet each driver receives. It expands on each topic, giving more detailed information. It also includes lots of helpful tips and advice and references on where they can go to get more help. This programme is supported by a website that contains even more information and helpful links: www.roadsafetytruck.co.nz.

While visiting transport companies with the Safety MAN

and providing free health checks thanks to St John Ambulance, it was shocking to find more than 50% of the drivers had not had regular checks with their doctor. In some cases, some men were proud of the fact they had never seen a doctor or had their blood pressure checked.

The results spoke for themselves. Those who did have regular checks with their GP had normal blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and most of those who did not have regular checks needed to consult a doctor immediately due to a high blood pressure reading or abnormal blood sugar levels. The Safety MAN will continue to get out there and see as many truck drivers as it can and encourage them to get their free tests and take home some valuable resources.

Blood pressure and diabetes testing can be the first step in getting a man along to the doctor. This is very easy to do and companies could incorporate this easily as part of their health and safety plan. Just hire a nurse and have her hold a clinic at your premises every six months. It’s another way you can show that you care about your staff ’s health.

Truck drivers work long hours, so making an appointment with a doctor during the day is a huge barrier. After-hours clinics are expensive. Companies could offer to pay for an after-hours doctor’s consultation if their staff ’s schedules do not allow for time off during the day. It’s a small cost and may save lives and money if it helps avoid a disaster on the road arising from a truck driver’s health issue.

If someone can solve the mystery of how to get men talking about their health, that would be a miracle. In the meantime, we have to try and remove barriers that prevent our drivers seeking medical help. 

I fear that New Zealand probably follows overseas countries, with diabetes, heart disease, and depression high on the list of common truck driver health issues.

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New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

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ROAD TRANSPORT FORUM

Days are numbered for late payers

S

mall businesses were given some good news prior to Christmas with the release of a government discussion document to consider additional legal protections against ‘unfair’ commercial practices.

Particularly encouraging is that specific provisions have been suggested to deal with the issue of unfair contract terms and unilateral deferred payments (UDP).

Unilateral deferred payments are basically the alteration of contract terms by a customer, allowing them to defer payment for the service provided. Typically, this is a practice undertaken by large corporates seeking to extend payment times to their suppliers beyond what is normally considered acceptable. The benefit to these corporates is that from an accountancy point of view it saves them money by using small suppliers and transporters as a cheap source of finance.

The reason why some companies get away with UDP is that in a number of regional locations there really is only one game in town. If you are not supplying services to the dominant customer then you probably aren’t in business at all.

As many readers will know, the Road Transport Forum has lobbied hard for a legislative solution to UDP. It first came to our attention a couple of years ago when a number of transporters dealing with some very large primary sector companies were given no choice but to accept 60- to 90-day payment terms.

Obviously this created a significant amount of distress for those transporters because the reality is that the fixed costs of running a transport business don’t just wait for the next time you get an invoice paid. Small businesses do not hold large reserves of cash; money coming in tends to go straight back out! It is therefore critical that small businesses are paid within a reasonable timeframe.

It is very encouraging that the new Government and Ministers Nash and Faafoi have taken the plight of small businesses and transporters to heart and are willing to tackle the issue of unfair commercial practices head-on.

The simplest solution from our point of view and what we have lobbied extensively for is to extend the provisions of the Fair Trading Act that currently protect consumers from unfair contract terms to also apply to small business contracts as well.

This would mean that for standard form contracts companies would not be able to include terms that would, in the first instance, cause a significant imbalance in the parties’ rights and obligations arising under the contract; secondly, are not reasonably necessary; and finally, cause detriment if they were enforced.

While it was predicted, the RTF is nevertheless concerned that the proposals for change seem to have adopted a dual approach to incorporate unfair contract terms alongside a much broader approach that would introduce ‘unconscionable conduct’ into New Zealand law.

Unconscionable conduct applies where courts consider it unfair or ‘against good conscience’ to allow a party to enforce its contractual rights against another party which is deemed to be in a weaker position and is forced to accept what is on offer.

Contracts would therefore not be enforceable if a court decides they are ‘unconscionable’.

WHEN CONSIDERING the unconscionable conduct option the last thing the Government should want to do is to inadvertently put into law provisions that prove insufficiently robust to achieve a fair outcome, unnecessarily increase corporate litigiousness or have a negative impact on doing business in New Zealand.

At the very least unconscionable conduct would increase uncertainty for businesses entering into contracts and compromise the freedom of businessto-business contracts beyond what is actually necessary.

As the discussion document itself states, it is not the role of government to protect businesses from every transaction that they might ultimately regret. Nor is it government’s place to stop businesses from competing fairly with each other or negotiating the best possible outcome for themselves with their customers and suppliers. Those are key aspects of a competitive and robust business environment and must be protected. It goes without saying that the RTF will be reminding officials of this when we submit on the proposals.

The discussion document is titled Protecting Businesses from Unfair Commercial Practices and is available on the MBIE website.

The RTF will be submitting on behalf of our industry and we are keen to incorporate the views of as many operators as possible. We would really appreciate your feedback to help inform our submission, so please don’t hesitate to contact me at nick@rtf.nz. 

It first came to our attention a couple of years ago when a number of transporters dealing with some very large primary sector companies were given no choice but to accept 60- to 90-day payment terms.

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New Zealand Trucking

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Nick Leggett Chief executive officer

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Caption Renault Lander 460.32 8x4 Renault Lander 460.32 8x4 Kenworth K200 2.8 Aerodyne 6x4 tractor unit Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Operator: Frank L J Paul Ltd Driver Richards Driver Frank Richards Engine: Cummins X15 Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Engine Transmission:0Xi11, 460hp Roadranger RTLO22918B Transmission Transmission Optidriver Optidriver Rear axles:Renault P2191 Meritor with full cross locks Rear axles with46-160 hub reduction Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub reduction Rear suspension: Airglide 460 Truck body Flat deck with front mounted PK12000 Truck body Flat deck with front mounted PK12000 Domett 6-axle curtainsider B-train Palfinger crane Trailer: Palfinger crane Features brakes, Bluetooth, Features: Disc Setup by the Southpac workshops Features Disc brakes, Bluetooth, Dura-Bright alloy wheels with Chis Stanley finishing touches and

Dura-Bright alloy wheels Operation roofing material around imaging

by Truck Signs Operation Carting Carting roofing material around thethe Bay of Plenty area Bay of Lance Plenty area Driver:

Twin TwinTippers Tippers Renault Lander 460.32 8x4 Renault 460.32 8x4 Coronado KingLander Country

Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui FreightlinerFrank Coronado 114 8x4 tractor unit Driver Richards Driver Frank Richards Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Operator: PGF Transport Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Transmission Optidriver Transmission Optidriver Engine: Detroit Diesel DD15 417kW (560hp) Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub reduction Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub reduction Transmission: Roadranger UltraShift PLUS Truck body Flat deck with front mounted PK12000 Truck body Rear axles: Flat deck with front mounted PK12000 Meritor 46-160 Palfinger crane Rear suspension: Palfinger crane Airliner Features Disc brakes, Bluetooth, Features Disc brakes, Bluetooth, Features: Dura-Bright 34”alloy sleeper cab, painted fuel tanks, wheels

Dura-Bright alloy wheels leathermaterial seats around Operation Carting roofing Operation Carting roofing material around Operation: the Bay ofTransporting Plenty area roading stabilisers from the

the Bay of Plenty area

Waikato and BOP into Auckland

FuelHauling Hauling FH Fuel Waiotahi v1.0FH

Shooting Star Shooting Star Waiotahi v2.0

Renault Lander 460.32 8x4 Renault Lander 460.32 8x4 MAN TGX26.640 sleeper cab 6x4 tractor unit

RenaultLander Lander460.32 460.328x4 8x4 Renault MAN TGS35.540 day cab 8x4 tractor unit

Operator Roadex Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Operator logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Operator: Waiotahi Contractors Ltd Driver Frank Richards Driver Frank Richards Engine: MAN D38 477kW (640hp) Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Transmission: Transmission Optidriver Transmission OptidriverMAN TipMatic Rear axles: Renault MAN Hypoid Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub reduction Rear axles P2191 with hub reduction Rear suspension: Truck body Flat deck with front mounted PK12000 Truck body Flat deckMAN with front mounted PK12000 Features: 120 tonne heavy haulage rating, Kelsa bar,

Palfinger crane Palfinger crane hydraulics, front mud flaps, polished alloys Features Disc Disc brakes, Bluetooth, Features brakes, Bluetooth,

Dura-Bright alloy wheels Dura-Bright alloy wheels Operation Carting Carting roofing material around Operation roofing material around

thethe Bay of Plenty area Bay of Plenty area

Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Operator: Frank Richards Waiotahi Contractors Ltd Driver Driver Frank Richards Engine: MAN D26 402kW (540hp) Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Transmission: Transmission Optidriver Transmission Optidriver MAN TipMatic Rear MANwith Hypoid Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub reduction Rear axlesaxles:Renault P2191 hub reduction Rear suspension: MAN Truck body Flat deck with front mounted PK12000 Truck body Flat deck with front mounted PK12000 Roof mounted wind deflector Features: Palfinger Palfinger crane crane Features Disc brakes, Bluetooth, Features Disc brakes, Bluetooth,

Dura-Bright alloy wheels Dura-Bright alloy wheels Operation Carting Carting roofing material around Operation roofing material around

the Bay of Plenty area the Bay of Plenty area

November 2015

88 New Zealand Trucking February 2019 10 10 NZNZ TRUCKING TRUCKING November 2015

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ

Mellow Miles & Michelin Men Canterbury Condor Renault Lander 460.32 8x4

Carperton Argosy Kruck’s Truck Renault Lander 460.32 8x4

UD PK16-280 Condor 4x2 tipper Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Driver Frank Richards Operator: Professional Plumbing Services Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Engine: GH7 208kW (280hp) Transmission Optidriver Transmission: MPS63B 6-speed manual Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub reduction Rear suspension: Spring Truck body Flat deck with front mounted PK12000 Body: PalfingerWinter crane Engineering Ltd Features: Sun Bluetooth, visor and stone guard Features Disc brakes, Operation: Dura-Bright Christchurch and surrounds alloy wheels Drivers: Rob ormaterial Ryan Hutcheon Operation Carting roofing around the Bay of Plenty area

Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Driver Operator: Frank Richards James & Karyn Kruck – Kruck Logging Ltd Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Engine: Detroit Diesel DD15 417kW (560hp) Transmission Transmission:OptidriverRoadranger RTLO20918B manual Rear hub reduction Rearaxles axles: Renault P2191 Meritorwith 46-160 Truck Flat deckAirliner with front mounted PK12000 Rearbody suspension: Palfinger crane Logging equip: Patchell Features Disc brakes, Bluetooth, Trailer: Patchell 5-axle Dura-Bright alloy wheels Features: Twin chrome air intakes, CTI, stone guard Operation Carting roofing material around Operation: the Bay of Double-shifted carting export logs to Plenty area

Superb Super Liner

Dew’s Jewel

Renault Lander 460.32 8x4

Renault Lander 460.32 8x4

Strong Foundations

Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Driver Frank Richards Mack Trident0Xi11, 6x4 rigid Engine 460hp Transmission Optidriver Operator: Piling & Drilling Services Ltd Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub reduction Engine: MP8 398kW (535hp) Truck body Flat deck with front mounted PK12000 Transmission: mDRIVE 12-speed AMT Palfinger crane Rear axles: Meritor 46-160 Features Disc brakes, Bluetooth, Rear suspension: Mackalloy AL460 air suspension Dura-Bright wheels Body: Ltd Operation Carting Rowe roofingEngineering material around Features: steel sun visor, bug deflector, the BayStainless of Plenty area

polished alloys

Freightliner Argosy 8x4 rigid

Eastland Port from throughout the East Cape

McRobbie Heavyweight

Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Driver Frank Richards Kenworth K200 Aerodyne 6x4 tractor unit Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Transmission Operator: OptidriverMcRobbie Bros Ltd Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub Engine: Cummins X15 reduction Truck body Flat deck Roadranger with front mounted PK12000 Transmission: RTLO22918B Rear Axles: Palfinger crane Meritor RT50-160 with full cross locks Features Disc brakes, Bluetooth, Rear Suspension: Kenworth KW6-60A 21t low profile alloy wheels Features: Dura-Bright Stainless steel sun visor, light panels, guards, Operation Carting roofing material around polished alloys, stone guard the Bay of Plenty area

Operation:

Heavy haul movements and operations

Making heavy vehicle fleet management easy for you www.trgroup.co.nz

0800 50 40 50

New Zealand Trucking February 2019 89 11 November 2015 NZ TRUCKING

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ RUNNING ON SCR?... new kiwi bodies & trailers New Zealand Trucking brings you New Kiwi Bodies & Trailers. Bodies and trailers are expected to last twice as long as trucks. What’s more, there’s new technology and advanced design features showing up almost every month.

New Zealand has a rich heritage of body and

trailer building and we’re proud to showcase some recent examples of Kiwi craftsmanship every month. If you want a body or trailer included on these pages, send a photo, features and the manufacturer’s name to trailers@nztrucking.co.nz

Great business sense A recent delivery out of the Mills-Tui workshops was a refit of a late model Scania for the MC Pope fleet from Mangatawhiri. The truck is now fitted with a new alloy bathtub with matching Mills-Tui Low Rider alloy bathtub 4-axle trailer. Bodies are a flush internal style running 8mm floors.

Features: Dual swing tail doors and electric tarps.

Trailer is running Hendrickson disc brake axles with TIREMAAX, EBS and Mills-Tui alloy wheels.

Mills-Tui Ltd

Woolston’s Wagon Bill and Debbie Woolston, contracting to Ongarue Transport of Taumarunui have received a replacement for their original Total Transport Engineers stock trailer.

The new trailer has a 10.36m (34’0”) stainless steel deck.

Features: Hendrickson air lift axle kit fitted to the fifth axle as well as a Wabco SmartBoard, Colas and E-TASC variable suspension control. Completing the build is a Nationwide Stock Crates ribbed side crate.

Total Transport Engineers LP

KIWI 16, 17 90

New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

KIWI 175

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ

Fit for purpose A fresh build out of the Modern Transport Trailers workshops of Invercargill has been put to work by the Sollys Freight 1978 Ltd fleet of Golden Bay. Their new Isuzu CYH 530 is equipped with a 9.8m lift-out side 5-axle full tipping trailer and matching 7.3m lift-out side deck on the truck.

Features: SAF INTRADISC air bag suspension, SAF INTRADISC axles (rear axle lifting), Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels, Wabco EBS braking system, Rothe Erde turntable, Base Engineering radio remote tipping controls, Hella LED lights, stainless guards and toolbox doors, SI Lodec scales on both units.

Modern Transport Trailers

Bulk Lines quadruplets A quadruplet of new 5-axle aluminium bathtub tipping trailers has recently made its way into the Bulk Lines fleet. The new trailers, supplied

by Total Transport Engineers, are each based on an 8.3m body length with a side height of 1.8m.

Features: Hendrickson axle/suspension assemblies, Alcoa aluminium wheels, Wabco EBS Brake System with SmartBoard, Razor Tarp remote control tarping system.

Total Transport Engineers LP

Spec your trailer on KIWIs – the new tyre of choice for KIWIs KIWI 16

KIWI 17

KIWI 175

Wide grooves will not hold stones

The KIWI 16’s tougher twin

Multi use tread pattern

Heavy duty case

Super heavy duty case

Urban/highway/off road

Excellent mileage performance

Puncture resistant

Puncture resistant

17mm extra deep tread

17mm extra deep tread

17.5mm extra deep tread

0800 KIWI TYRES Matt – 021 190 1002

John – 027 226 9995

www.kiwitrucktyres.co.nz New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

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KIDS CORNER

Little nth’s is mo e th r to fo th e much elcom w o s , S s b k D han e clu HI KI lub. T ng th n ers c star ti etitio to e Truck omp s c n o g p th urin t res t mon grea y colo . Nex man d e e th iv . e and -outs e rec tand the s we’v four s e entrie day in th r u p u o t t ff pu t wha ick o we’ll we k rn jus a th le n o can This m o you river. ries s e s g to uck d tr life a gettin to be bout e a njoy k li d e it’s you e excit e p o o s Ih ntact I am and an co c u all, u z o o y .co.n lub. Y know cking ers C u k tr c z u n r T ers@ Little truck t little a e m

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One for the truck, two for the trailer. That’s a big loader!

A day in the life of a TRUCKER! Mike Verran – bulk truck and trailer driver, J Swap Ltd

How does driving a bulk tipping combination sound? Let’s see what a day in the life of J Swap Ltd driver Mike Verran looks like.

I

t’s 4.20am and we meet Mike at J Swap’s Mount Maunganui yard. We travel by car with two other drivers to the company’s Matamata yard where the Kenworth Mike drives was parked. Mike had pre-loaded the afternoon before at one of J Swap’s Waikato quarries, and left the truck at Matamata. Because the load was going to Hamilton, it didn’t make sense to take the truck home to Mount Maunganui. Leaving it in Matamata saves money, and keeping costs low is an important part of running trucks.

Mike has been driving trucks for 34 years and has a lot of experience in many different types of trucks. The truck he drives for Swaps is fleet number 1082, a 2007 Kenworth T404 with a Caterpillar C15 engine.

Mike does his vehicle inspection – things like checking oil, water, and tyres – then starts the truck, allowing the engine time to warm up. While this happens Mike starts his logbook for the day ahead.

The Kenworth and trailer combination has seven axles – three on the truck and four on the trailer – with a large aluminium bin on each that carries anything able to be put in with a loader or hopper, and then tipped out at the customer’s site.

Mike’s truck has an 18-speed Eaton automated manual transmission, meaning the truck can change gear by itself, or Mike can do it if he’s in tricky places. Out on the road, the

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truck makes easy work of the load. The trailer has more axles than the truck, but no engine, cab, or driver. This means it weighs less than the truck when it’s empty, and so can carry more load. The truck carries 10 tonne and the trailer 19 tonne.

At 6am the sun is just rising and Mike is tipping off the gravel. Today he tips the trailer, then unhooks it and tips the truck. Often he jackknifes the unit, meaning he tips the truck and trailer without needing to unhook.

“There are power lines here and jackknifing could be dangerous,” says Mike.

Even though everyone else is just starting to wake up, Mike is now on his way back to Matamata for his second load.

Back at the depot Mike washes out his bins ready for a load of stock feed heading for Te Kuiti in the King Country. It’s important for tip truck drivers to keep their bins clean. Imagine carting coal and leaving the coal dust in the bins and then loading something like stock feed? The cows wouldn’t be happy would they? They’d have black teeth!

The stock feed is loaded in the clean and shiny bins and the truck and trailer weighed on a weighbridge to make sure the farmer is getting the right amount, and that Mike’s truck is not too heavy for the roads. The most his truck and trailer can weigh when fully loaded is 45 tonne.

The load on this trip is what truck drivers call a ‘split load’, meaning half will go to one property and half to another.

Before getting too far down the road Mike stops at a roadside café to grab some lunch and have his break.

The first farm we arrive at is muddy and gumboots are needed. Mike takes great care of his Kenworth and making sure no mud comes back into the cab is important. He treats the inside as if it were his own house.

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Mike Verran

loader loads the truck with just one bucket full, and the trailer with two. Wow! Now what does Mike do next? That’s right, he weighs the truck and trailer to make sure everything is right.

This load is heading for Rotorua along State Highway 5 over the Mamaku Ranges. That’s a great piece of road on which to see lots of big trucks. Mike and his Kenworth have no trouble getting over the hills and the big Caterpillar engine rumbles away happily. We arrive in Rotorua at 3.30pm.

Mike gets to show off his jackknifing skills, tipping off the truck and trailer without needing to unhook. Mike’s day is now done, and it’s just as well because the rain started to fall.

All that is left to do is drive home to Mount Maunganui. As we drive along Mike tells us why he likes truck driving so much.

“I enjoy meeting lots of people, and seeing so much of the countryside. There’s just about no other job where you can do both these things every day,” he says.

By the time the Kenworth’s engine shuts down it’s 5pm.

We’ve been all over the Waikato, down to the King Country, and also to the Bay of Plenty. You can sure pack a lot into a day driving a bulk tip truck at J Swap Ltd. We say goodbye to Mike as he heads home to have a nice meal and rest up, ready to do it all again tomorrow.

Delivering to farms means Mike sees a lot of the country and meets lots of people.

Thanks so much Mike and J Swap Ltd – you guys ‘rock’… get it?  Jackknifing is when the driver tips the truck and trailer off without unhooking. Like this. Clever!

Mike tips the trailer into a shed, being careful that the trailer bin doesn’t clunk on the roof as it goes up! He stops the hydraulics that lift the bin (‘the hoist’ in truckies’ language) just under the roof of the shed, and then slowly moves forward. As he does the feed slips out of the bin. At the next farm he tips the truck’s load onto an outside pad so he can put the hoist right up. ‘Wooosh!’ Out it all goes.

By now its 12.30pm and we leave Te Kuiti to head for Taotaoroa in the Waikato. This is where J Swap Ltd has its biggest gravel quarry. What happens next? Yep, you guessed it, Mike washes the bins again, ready to load. He then drives to the designated gravel pile and waits for the loader. The huge

Tell us what you’ve learned

Now you know all about a bu lk tip truck, an questions. Se swer these nd your answ ers along with to rochelle@nz your address trucking.co.n z. We’ll draw of lucky nam out a couple es and see w hat’s in the pr ize bin.

1: How man y axles does Mike’s truck an 2: Where is J d trailer have Swap Ltd’s bi ? ggest quarry 3: What kind lo cated? of truck does Mike drive?

4: What does Mike do ever y time he go yard after de es back to th livering a load e ?

5: How man y tonnes can the truck and trailer carry?

Competition closes 1 Mar ch 2019.

New Zealand Trucking

February 2019

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MEMBERS’ REVIEW

Homan Engineering NZTTMF member since 2017 At Homan Engineering Services, transport manufacturing is firmly focused on building premium quality vehicle bodies, both standard and custom builds.

Standard builds include tipping decks, bathtub tippers, flat decks, box bodies, curtainsiders, and skeletals. In addition to the builds, the company offers its transport clients certified towbars, drawbars and drawbeams, trailer hydraulics, tail lift fitting, mounting of truck-mounted cranes, and set up of trailer units.

Homan clients have the advantage of previewing their requirements in realistic computer-generated 3D image before the build begins.

In fact, diversity is the cornerstone of the Homan business.

Owners Luke and Vanessa Homan have invested heavily in design software and training. Luke Homan leads the design process, combining his first-hand experience and knowledge of manufacturing and the transport industry, and the result is the ability to meet any design challenge. They see themselves, essentially, as solution providers.

Homan Engineering Services is an efficient and wholly

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February 2019

professional service provider to the transport sector. Those are all dynamics the sector expects. But what Homan Engineering Services adds to the mix is the personal service. Luke Homan is very much a hands-on owner and manager.

He is there at the beginning of the build and continues to manage and guide his strong team through every aspect of the build through to fruition.

WHO:

Homan Engineering Services.

WHERE:

Hastings.

WHAT:

Plant and site management, design and projects, and transport manufacturing.

WEBSITE:

http://homan.co.nz/

EMAIL:

admin@homan.co.nz

PHONE:

+64 6 879 5255

WHO TO ASK FOR:

Luke Homan.

WHAT TO ASK FOR:

The Homan human interaction— hands-on management.

NZT914

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ

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WHAT’S ON Roaring Lions Truck Show

Brisbane Truck Show

Sunday 24 February 2019

16 to 19 May 2019

Centennial Park, show starts 10am

Brisbane Convention Centre

Contact: Bruce Wilson 0274 932-751 wil.co@xtra.co.nz

Contact: www.brisbanetruckshow.com.au

Taranaki Truck Show

Reunion – former transport staff NZCDC Te Awamutu

Sunday 10 March 2019

Queens Birthday Weekend 2019

Hickford Park, Bell Block

Contact: Lloyd Jackson 027 370 6485 pamandlloyd@xtra.co.nz

Contact: www.Facebook/taranakitruckshow

Eric Riddet 021 127 2018 erdriddet@xtra.co.nz

Tui Truck Stop Show and Shine Sunday 31 March 2019 Tui Brewery Mangatainoka Contact: www.tuihq.co.nz Facebook Page events@tui

Wheels at Wanaka Cars, motorcycles, trucks, tractors/agricultural, earthmoving equipment 20 and 21 April 2019 (Easter weekend) Three Parks, Ballantyne Road, Wanaka Contact: info@wheelsatwanaka.co.nz

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All scheduled events may be subject to change depending on weather conditions etc. It is suggested you check the websites above before setting out.

Show organisers – please send your event details at least eight weeks in advance to: editor@nztrucking.co.nz for a free listing on this page.

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ

SUNDAY 31ST MARCH 2019 AT TUI BREWERY SUNDAY SUNDAY 31ST 31ST MARCH MARCH 2019 2019 AT AT TUI TUI BREWERY BREWERY SUNDAY 31ST MARCH 2019 AT TUI BREWERY SUNDAY 31ST MARCH 2019 AT TUI BREWERY COME ALONG FOR A DAY OF LOOKING AT WELL TUNED BEAUTIES, AND COME COMEALONG ALONGFOR FORA ADAY DAYOFOFLOOKING LOOKINGATATWELL WELLTUNED TUNEDBEAUTIES, BEAUTIES,AND AND COME ALONG FORA DAY AJUST DAYOFOF LOOKING ATWELL WELLTUNED TUNED BEAUTIES,AND AND COME ALONG LOOKING BEAUTIES, WEFOR DON’T MEAN THE AT TUI BREWERY GIRLS. WEWEWE DON’T DON’T JUST JUST MEAN MEAN THE THE TUI TUI BREWERY BREWERY GIRLS. GIRLS. DON’TJUST JUSTMEAN MEANTHE THETUITUIBREWERY BREWERYGIRLS. GIRLS. WE DON’T

SPECTATORS WELCOME! SPECTATORS SPECTATORS WELCOME! SPECTATORS WELCOME! SPECTATORS WELCOME! WELCOME!

• • •• •• • •

TIMINGS: TIMINGS: TIMINGS: TIMINGS: TIMINGS: 11am to 6pm - Gates open

11am toto6pm 6pm - Gates - Gates open •11am 11am to 6pm - Gates open Muster at either ofopen the below for the convoy: • 11am to 6pm Gates open Muster atateither of oftheofthebelow below forforfor the the convoy: convoy: •Muster Muster ateither either the below for the convoy: • Woodville Railway Station 10am Muster at either of the below forfor the convoy: Woodville Woodville Railway Railway Station Station for 10am 10am Woodville Railway Station 10am departure Woodville Railway Station forfor 10am OR departure departure • departure Pahiatua Post Office Hotel for 10.15am OROROR Pahiatua departure Pahiatua Post Post Office Office Hotel Hotel for for 10.15am 10.15am OR Pahiatua Office Hotel 10.15am departure Pahiatua PostPost Office Hotel forfor 10.15am departure departure • departure • 10.45am - Arrive and park at Tui Brewery departure • •• •10.45am 10.45am Arrive Arrive and and park park at at Tui Tui Brewery Brewery 10.45am - Arrive park at Tui Brewery • 11.30am Registrations close 10.45am ---Arrive andand park at Tui Brewery •• •• •11.30am 11.30am Registrations Registrations close close 11.30am - Registrations close 11.30am -Registrations Judging startsclose 11.30am -Judging •• •• •11.30am 11.30am Judging starts starts 11.30am - Judging starts 2.30pm -Judging Prize Giving, with a truckload of 11.30am -Prize starts •• • •2.30pm 2.30pm Prize Giving, Giving, with with a truckload a truckload ofofof 2.30pm Prize Giving, with a truckload prizes from our sponsors • prizes 2.30pm - Prize Giving, with a truckload of prizes from from our our sponsors sponsors prizes from our sponsors prizes from our sponsors

• •• • • • • • • •• •• •

THE DAY: ONON ON THE THE DAY: ONTHE THEDAY: DAY: ON DAY: Free Public Entry - spectators welcome

Free Public Public Entry - spectators - spectators welcome •Free Free Public Entry - spectators welcome Selection ofEntry Celebrity judgeswelcome including the Tui Free Public Entry spectators welcome Selection Selection of of Celebrity Celebrity judges judges including including the Tui • Brewery Selection of Celebrity judges including theTuiTui Tui Girls - no bribes takenincludingthe Selection of Celebrity judges the Brewery Brewery Girls Girls no no bribes bribes taken taken Brewery Girls - nobribes bribesper taken $10 entryGirls fee (cash only) truck- a donation Brewery - no taken entry entry fee fee (cash (cash only) only) per per trucktrucka donation a donation •$10$10 $10 entry fee (cash only) per truckdonation to Mangatainoka Reserve Restoration $10 entry fee (cash only) per truckaadonation toto Mangatainoka Mangatainoka Reserve Reserve Restoration Restoration Mangatainoka Reserve Restoration Free Brewery ToursReserve at 12pm,Restoration 1pm & 2pm totoBrewery Mangatainoka Free Free Brewery Tours Tours at at 12pm, 12pm, 1pm 1pm & &2pm 2pm • Tui Free Brewery Tours at 12pm, 1pm 2pm Brewery Kitchen, Shop and Museum open Free Brewery ToursShop atShop 12pm, 1pm &&2pm Tui Tui Brewery Brewery Kitchen, Kitchen, and and Museum Museum open open • all Tui Brewery Kitchen, Shop and Museum open day Tui Brewery Kitchen, Shop and Museum open allallday day day allallday

JOIN OUR FACEBOOK EVENTS @TUI TO SEE ALL EVENT DETAILS. JOIN JOIN OUR OURFACEBOOK FACEBOOK EVENTS EVENTS @TUI @TUI TOTOSEE SEESEE ALLALLALL EVENT EVENT DETAILS. DETAILS. JOIN FACEBOOK EVENTS @TUI EVENT DETAILS. JOIN OUROUR FACEBOOK EVENTS @TUI TOTOSEE ALL EVENT DETAILS.

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THE LAST MILE

Action needed – not more words

W

e now know that more than 380 people lost their lives on our roads during 2018 and, as expected, the ‘experts’ are coming out in force giving their views on what must be done to stop this carnage. It is unfortunate that the self-interest of some is easy to see, as these views often stifle healthy debate and give a jaundiced view of the problem. It is disturbing to read that the Associate Minster of Transport has now acknowledged that it will be decades before our road toll drops substantially, a bit of a change from what was being said just over 12 months ago.

Over the holiday period a very close relative of mine passed away. He had not been well for some time but a motor vehicle crash that he was involved in late in November has been cited as exacerbating his illness and hastening his death. The crash involved a vehicle traveling in the opposite direction crossing the centre line and hitting my relative’s car on the right front corner.

The crash occurred on part of SH1 that hundreds of cars

F

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DOES YOUR BUSINESS MEET LEGAL REQUIREMENTS? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAVE MONEY? Safewise has many services to help with your health and safety needs.

Let us help you protect your people, process, property and your profit: 4 Meet your legal compliance requirements.

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and trucks travel daily. It is not a good piece of road but like any other road it does not do anything but lie there connecting communities along the way. Like all other roads in the country it does not move, unless by natural forces, so it is hard to accept the road was a contributing factor. There is no evidence of mechanical issues with either vehicle, which leaves just one likely cause of the crash: the driver of the vehicle that crossed the centre line. It is hard to fathom just what has gone wrong with our society when a small number of road users have little or no regard for the rights of others to travel freely and safely on the road.

It is tiring to hear the advocates for median barriers championing their cause; yes, these barriers do work, but it is the actions of at least one driver that make these barriers as effective as they are. Lowering the speed limit on some roads is another of the actions many advocate. Lower speed limits would only work when they are rigidly enforced, and anyway, a speeding vehicle reflects the actions of its driver. Aren’t you getting sick and tired of the same old things being brushed off and repeated time after time as if talking about the problem is action enough. Where does individual responsibility come in?

For most of us who have a legal driver’s licence one thing we should have all learnt is the absolute need to drive to the conditions – very simple and easy to apply, so what has happened that some of us don’t do this anymore? In my view it’s about respect – respect for others. Every day we hear how we must respect the views and rights of others. We hear how we must be sympathetic to all people while acknowledging that they have an equal place in this world alongside everyone else, so why doesn’t this apply to the few idiot drivers who occupy some of our road space? Let’s call them what they are, road space thieves.

As professional drivers, maybe it’s about time our industry took the lead on road safety. Forget about telling the population how vital we are to the economy and how short we are of drivers, nobody is listening anyway, let alone taking any notice. Instead, why don’t we start publishing the dash camera footage of those idiots we see every day on our roads, and whose respect for others on the road shows all the intelligence of an amoeba? Mind you, as an industry we are far from perfect and would have to accept the negative aspects of this as well, especially from the anti-truck lobby who would be more than happy to see us going back to the days of bullock carts or having a man with a flag walk out in front. But then bullocks have rights and these must be respected; aside from which, having a man walking in front with a flag would surely be a health and safety issue.

Oh well, time to stop dreaming and get back to the real world, where people dying or suffering life-changing injuries as a result of the actions of others on our roads is simply business as usual.  The accidental trucker.

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WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ EROAD wins prestigious Fleet Safety Award EROAD has been announced as the winner of the Fleet Safety Product Award for 2018

by Brake – the road safety charity.

The Fleet Safety Awards recognise the achievements of those working to help reduce the number of road crashes involving at-work drivers.

This award acknowledges the positive impact that the EROAD Ehubo2 in-vehicle telematics solution can have to help create safer drivers, vehicles and roads.

Promoting better, safer driving A high standard of driving across your fleet doesn’t just protect your business’s reputation and improve your bottom line, it protects your drivers and can reduce incidents and accidents.

The award winning Ehubo2 from EROAD, combined with EROAD Depot software delivers a single, consistent platform for your drivers. You can monitor live vehicle and driver behaviour and deliver coaching and scoring to a driver directly in-vehicle.

NZT511-1218

Contact us for details eroad.co.nz • 0800 437 623

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200718_Scania_Urban_v2

A new urban Generation

As cities grow bigger, so does the urge for smart transport solutions. Luckily, being smart is not only your thing, it´s ours as well. We know you must be one with your surroundings and that every city is unique.

No matter if you are distributing goods, collecting waste or moving freight, thanks to our modular design, we stand ready to tailor a solution that offers you the best in performance, reliability and economy.

That is why the new low entry L-series, urban P-series and CrewCab, together with the 7-litre, 9-litre and 13-litre diesel engines can be tailored to meet your environment.

Ultimately, a truck that is built for the only business that matters. Yours.

582-0119

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