Little Trucker Down Under, Autumn 2022

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LITTLE TRUCKER DoUnwn der $8.50 | Autumn 2022 | Issue 2

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Little Trucker Down Under is launched in December 2021.

It’s full of pictures, short stories,

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Hey there little truckers!

I’m Shannon and I’m the editor for Little Truck Down Under. What does an editor do? I pull together all the cool stories and photos so we have a fun, interesting magazine to share with you all. We put out our first issue of Little Trucker at the end of last year, our Summer issue. I hope you enjoyed it!

So, what a cracking summer we had! I don’t know about you, but I really enjoyed hitting the road, seeing the sights and splashing around in the ocean as much as possible! One of the best things about road trips is all the cool trucks, buses and cars you get to see along the way. From heavy vehicles transporting goods, trucks stacked with Christmas trees on the back, to really fun vehicles that people have turned into their homes... there has been so much to see!

Now autumn is upon us, we are back at work, back at school... and we’ve got so much to show you this issue - we Meet the Fleet at APL Direct, we go on a Talley’s pea run, we’ve got some Australian truck photos, plus a whole lot of fun puzzles and colouring-in pages.

Can you ever have too We even have a cool many dogs? board game!

Over and out,

Check out our brand new website Our brand new Little Trucker Down Under website is now live!!!

Head on over to www.littletruckerdownunder.com for photos, puzzles, fun stories and more!

The website is going to be a fun place where we can all come together and share lots of information, and it’s all about trucks!

.com r e d n u n w o kerd c u r t e l t t i l . www

Sh a n n o n

A Neil Mansell Transport Mack Titan glides up the Stuart Highway north of Katherine on a beautiful spring morning en-route to Darwin. It’s 511kW (685hp) making short work of the three trailers loaded with essentials

EDITOR

Shannon Williams Ph: 021 182 4803 Email: editor@littletrucker.co.nz

6 16

CONTENTS 3 Welcome to Autumn 6 On the Road with Milly

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Contributors Craig McCauley Milly McCauley Rochelle Thomas PUBLISHER

Dave McCoid Ph: 027 492 5601 Email: editor@nztrucking.co.nz For all advertising enquiries: Matt Smith Ph: 021 510 701 Email: matt@nztrucking.co.nz Pav Warren Ph: 027 201 4001 Email: pav@nztrucking.co.nz ART DIRECTOR

Ricky Harris

12 Little Trucker photo album

DIGITAL MANAGER/CONTENT

16 Top Truck

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

22 Restoring a classic truck

OFFICE

27 Puzzles & games

Louise Stowell Georgi George Long Haul Publications Ltd 511 Queen Street, Thames 3500 PO Box 35, Thames 3500.

40 Mini truckin 46 A day in the life

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48 Meet My Fleet, APL Direct 56 Transport Industry Jobs - Getting to know a boilermaker 58 Thank you to our sponsors

On the road with our junior reporters

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10 Jack 14 Ruby 18 Thomas 36 Dustin 42 Jesse 44 Max

Little Trucker Down Under 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 Little Trucker Down Under or Long Haul Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

This magazine is subject to the New Zealand Press Council.

Complaints are to be first directed to: editor@littletrucker.co.nz with “Press Council Complaint” in the subject line.

If unsatisfied, the complaint may be referred to the Press Council, PO Box 10 879, The Terrace, Wellington 6143 or by email at info@presscouncil.org.nz Further details and online complaints at www.presscouncil.org.nz FREE STICKER S AND

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On the road with Milly

Milly gets the details at Sollys

A trailer load of palm kernel gets unloaded

O Trip to Golden Bay Hey Little Truckers, I hope you have all had a great Christmas and New Year! I have been quite busy these holidays but I still managed to fit a really cool trip in.

n Christmas Eve 2021, I jumped in the cab with Dad, and we made our way over to Takaka, Golden Bay to complete a delivery and load up. We headed off at 6am on a journey of just over an hour, made a bit quicker than last time as the roadworks on the Takaka Hill had finally been completed after damage from Cyclone Gita in 2017.

We made it to the Sollys

Story and images by Milly McCauley

c The pulp left after oil is rendered from the kernel is formed into "palm kernel cake", used either as high-protein feed for dairy cattle or burned in boilers to generate electricity for palm oil mills and surrounding villages.

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Little trucker down under

Depot on Commercial Street where we tipped the trailer load of palm kernel off in the bulk store.

We unhooked the trailer and went to a farm at Hamama. When we arrived, we started to unload the truck load of palm kernel.

Palm kernel is popularly used as stock food for cattle. I had the pleasure of meeting a very friendly calf there, who came over to say hello, while Dad worked on unloading.

cow you doing?

He tipped half the load off before jumping out and borrowing the farmer’s tractor, to push the kernel up into the back of the shed. He was then able to tip off the other half of the load. He did this because the shed was too low to tip straight into and tipping it off altogether would result in a big mess, leaving the kernel out in the weather! This is a practice for many truck drivers, with some customers often Palm kernel is used as food for cattle

A cow in an earthqua ke is called a milkshak e Autumn 2022 - issue 2

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leaving their tractors, forklifts, and loaders nearby for them to use. Drivers being able to drive tractors, forklifts and loaders are skills that many drivers learn early in their career.

I farewelled the calf and we made a quick trip back to Sollys depot to hook up the trailer. Shortly after we bounced on up to the Golden Bay Dolomite plant located at Mount Burnet at the northwest corner of the South Island. The views out to the Tasman Sea and along the coastline, from the deck of the site office there, are beautiful. While I was playing photographer and catching some action photos, Dad got on the loader and packed the bins full of dolomite. This load was headed for Canterbury, between Christmas and New Year. Before heading back over the Takaka Hill with its 360° corners, we stopped back at the Sollys depot for a drink, something off the barbeque, and a catch-up with some of the drivers who were enjoying the staff Christmas Eve shout. We made it back home to Motueka for lunch with the family eagerly awaiting Christmas the next day. All in all, this short halfday trip was efficient and accomplished all that was needed, while affording me a meeting with a very cool furry friend.

I look forward to the next trip!

Truck and trailer working together!

Truck drivers often know how to drive tractors, forklifts and loaders too.

a gorgeous Sollys R-Series Scania

What did the mama cow say to the baby cow?

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Little trucker down under

it’s pastu re bedtime!

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Improving safety

Talley’s pea run with Jack

The harvester picks up the whole plant and shreds it through until just the peas are left

Nine-year-old Jack recently went on the Talley’s pea run, and got to see how the peas are harvested, how they are transported, and what happens at the factory.

There are 9 field harvesting trucks at Talley’s

re as contains mo A serving of pe or g eg whole protein than a anut butter. pe of on po tables

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Little trucker down under

Hydraulics push the chaser bin up to drop the peas into the back of the truck

l

Talley’s will harvest about 20,000 tonnes of peas this season

Jack had a great day in the Scania R480

harvest in Rakaia for the pea Jack went to a farm

I

went with my friend’s grandad, Greg, to do the Talley’s pea run in a 2018 R480 Scania.

We went down to a farm in Rakaia for the pea harvest.

We worked with a harvester, a John Deere tractor towing a chaser bin, and some other Scania trucks. It was muddy!

The harvester picks up the whole plant and shreds it through until it’s just the peas - the rest comes out the back and lands in the paddock.

The harvester drops the peas into the chaser bin and then

the John Deere takes them to one of the trucks. The John Deere gets very close up to the truck and then the hydraulics push the chaser bin up to drop the peas into the back of the truck. Then the load of peas is ready to go to the factory.

Next, we headed down to the Talley’s factory. At the weighbridge, we got weighed, then a computer records which truck we were in, what we were carrying and who was the driver.

Greg backed up and

tipped the load of peas into the hopper ready to go into the factory and be bagged up to be sold in shops in New Zealand and around the world.

Finally, we washed the dusty and muddy truck.

Today was a great day in the Scania R480. I would love to do it again.

• Cooked Peas on the BBQ are mouthwatering.

• Talley’s will harvest about 20,000 tonnes of peas this season.

• There are 9 field harvesting trucks at Talley’s. All Scania or Isuzu.

• Talley’s has 17 Scania trucks in their fleet.

They range from 480hp to 730hp!

don’t worry we’ve all bean there

I pea’d on the floor

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

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n w o D r e k c u r T Little photo album Under

otos! Have h p r u o y g in e We love se ck? you and a tru f o to o h p l o a co gh to us at Send it throu ucker.co.nz editor@littletr

Harry giving it a nudge in a K200

Ewan, 3, helping with the clean Kasia with Dad, Mitchell checking out the end-of-year line up for Pacific Haulage

Ollie, 3

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Little trucker down under

Hamish, 7 months, and Ewan, 3, with Dad, Jamie

Ava waving goodbye out the office window

Quinn on a fuel delivery trip Quinn in the driver’s sea t

rk done Ava getting the wo

Ezra, 3

Caleb Huddleston, 9

NTA Kids mag pages March 2022.pdf 1 8/02/2022 10:29:15 AM

Trucking Cut Outs Cut along the dotted line and keep for your collection

Classic Truck

Kenworth

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Stock Truck

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Scania

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Curtain Sider

Western Star

Getting the work done!

Ruby has her very own uniform Ruby’s stepdad Reece owns Cranleigh Haulage, a rural-based transport company

Out on the job!

Ruby spends a lot of time out trucking with her stepdad, Reece. She shares some awesome photos out on the job!

H

ey guys! I’m Ruby, I’m 10 years old and live in Balclutha, South Otago, New Zealand.

My stepdad Reece owns Cranleigh Haulage, a ruralbased transport company.

I’m lucky enough to spend a lot of time out trucking.

I love going in any of the trucks, but mostly the stock truck. I love to get in the back

and use my stock whistle!

When I’m out trucking, I mostly love the views and some of the scenic routes you get in the middle of nowhere, especially when doing stock.

I also love hanging out in the workshop and doing a bit of truck maintenance.

Other than trucking, I’m really into Moto-X, I’ve even got a motorbike that I get to

Ruby loves the stock truck

Ruby lives in South Otago, NZ

ride often. I also enjoy art, and love rocks, minerals and all the information behind them.

Here’s some pics of me out on the job!

Ruby loves hanging out in the workshop and doing a bit of truck maintenance

End of a hard day’s work

Ruby loves getting involved

Time for a bit of lunch

Did you hear about the LEGO truck that crashed on the highway?

Authorities are still trying to piece everything together.

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

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Top Truck

‘Nothing Fancy’...

I don’t think so!

Story and photos by Craig McCauley

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It’s big, it’s fancy, and it carries a special message.

F

or this issue we are in Australia for the Top Truck, in a town called Julia Creek situated between Cloncurry and Hugenden in outback Queensland. (Why not see if you can find Julia Creek on a map? Then you know exactly where this big truck comes from).

Julia Creek is home to Tim and Sheree Pratt Cattle Transport, a two-truck livestock hauling business owned by husband and wife team Tim and Sheree Pratt, with loads of extra enthusiasm and support coming from their three children, Abbie, Sam, and Bronté. It’s a family affair!

You can tell the family has a great sense of humour because our poster truck, one of two Kenworth C509 model trucks they own, is called ‘Nothing Fancy’! That

16

will be the day.

The big blue and white Kenworth runs a Cummins X15 motor producing 448kW (600hp), with an 18-speed manual Eaton Roadranger transmission behind it.

It needs all that power and all those gears, because hooked behind are three huge Haulmark cattle trailers.

The truck carts cattle all over outback Queensland and into the Northern Territory. To keep the 62 tyres – plus spares – rolling through the vast country, the Kenworth carries 2000 litres of fuel on the truck, plus an 800-litre tank of fuel on each trailer. This fuel can be pumped into the truck’s fuel tanks when it’s getting a little low. It also holds 300-litre of Diesel Emission Fuel (DEF), a liquid used to help the big diesel engine run nice and clean.

Little trucker down under

The rear of the last Haulmark trailer with the hashtags directing people to the Dolly’s Dream movement.

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To make sure Tim gets the rest he needs out on the long runs, there’s a 60-inch sleeper on the truck, fitted with an ICEPACK air conditioner. You can see this machine in the pictures, it’s the small square box behind the sleeper on the left-hand side. Its job is to keep the sleeper cool without the need to run the truck’s big Cummins engine.

Handy!

On the back of the last trailer you can see the hashtags #speakevenifyour-

voiceshakes, #dollysdream, and #doitfordolly. They are there because the Pratt family are supporters of Dolly’s Dream, a programme created by Kate and Tick Everett whose daughter Dolly took her own life as a result of bullying. The Everetts and supporting families like the Pratts, work to prevent bullying in all its forms, and encourage young people being bullied to speak-up.

What great people, what a great machine.

C th

w

NTA Kids mag pages March 2022.pdf 2 8/02/2022 10:29:22 AM

Spot the Differences There are 6 things missing from the SML Log Truck, can you see them?

Circle the missing parts

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KIDS VIP TICKET

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The TMC Trucking Industry Show is the largest Truck Show in New Zealand and has a huge KIDS ZONE with all activities FREE! Bring your family for a really fun day out in Christchurch on Saturday 26th November 2022

Free kids activities include: 22m Mega Bouncy Truck Obstacle Course Truck Bouncy Castle 9-Hole Trucking Mini-Golf Course Colouring Competition and Chill Tent RC Haulers Radio Control Trucking Village Kids Club VIP Prizes Huge Sand Pits With Hidden Treasure (one for age group 0 - 6 and one for ages 7+) Vote for your Favourite Show & Shine Truck

Cut out the Kids VIP Ticket and bring it to the Show Shop for a free prize!

KIDS VIP SHOW TICKET Saturday 26th November 2022 Canterbury Agricultural Park Christchurch

www.truckingindustryshow.co.nz 0800 338 338

Thomas loves his trucks

Thomas has been taking photos since he was 5

Professional truck

photographer e making Our mate Thomas hails from Canterbury in New Zealand, and he loves loves loves taking photos of trucks!

in th

I

absolutely love trucks, and I love taking photos of them just as much!

I am 10 years old and I live in Canterbury, which is in the South Island of New Zealand.

I’ve been taking photos of some pretty cool rigs since I was around 5 years old, when

my dad gave me my very first camera.

One of my favourite things to do in the school holidays and at the weekends when I’m not playing sport is to go with my dad on callouts in his tyre truck in and around Christchurch.

It’s so exciting when I see a big rig coming in the distance! I can usually tell what company, make and model it is and if I haven’t already got it, Dad will try and pull over if it’s safe to do so, so I can get a photo.

We go to some awesome places and truck yards and

What does a photographer need to hang up his photos?

Jpegs

JPEG stands for “Joint Photographic Experts Group”.

It's a standard image format for containing lossy and compressed image data.

18

Little trucker down under

Resolution is a measure used to describe the sharpness and clarity of an image or picture. the higher the resolution the better the image quality.

Thomas, front and centre

Thomas loves to grab a photo of trucks he sees out on the road

What a stunning photo!

His favourite trucks are Kenworths

capture some cool trucking action!

My favourite truck make is a Kenworth, and I Iike the T909 and C509 models the most.

Here are some of my favourite pictures to share with you, I hope you like them as much as I do.

Keep on trucking! Over and out – Thomas.

Nice shot, Thomas

It’s exciting to see a big rig coming in the distance

gital st Di ed r i F The a Weigh r Came re Than a o M x LR 5 rn DS e Mod

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

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Korner Hi Kids, i’m Kennory,th Korner.

ing you Kenw each issue i’ll br photos of d Photos!! Send of fun, facts an ll fu ge page!! We pa is a is th This e them on d we will featur an s th or what to nw of Ke as in you have any ide page and if you e th ve lo u : yo nt sista hope an email to my as feature send me nz o. .c ng uc ki Sh an no n@ nz tr rp Ba rp Bye for Now, Ba

Kenny

What does SAR mean in Kenworth?

Short-bonnet Australian Right-hand drive Eliza, dropping a new Kenworth off at Kraft

Ryan, who is obsessed with kenworths as you can tell by his t-shirt

Kenny in earlier years and now. Chassis number 123006 model LW924R was assembled by Dalhoff & King, Palmerston North in 1971 and sold to Mike Lambert on 18-11-1971. Kenny is now proudly a member of the Southpac team and will be at a show near you soon!!!

Shop Kenworth $25

$20

$4.50

$28

VIEW MORE PRODUCT ON LINE 20

Little trucker down under

$18

$25

This is Mack showing off Beckers’ Kenworth

Jordie, 4 ye ars old, from Hastings

Kenworth was founded in Portland, Oregon in 1912 by brothers George T. and Louis Gerlinger, Jr. In 1914, they built their own truck with a more powerful inline six-cylinder engine, the first put into a commercial truck. it was Harry Kent and Edgar Worthington that later bought the company and gave the name that we all know now.

9 yr old Meila is absolutely obsessed with trucks, especially Kenworths as her Dad, StepDad and both of her Poppas drive them. She’s off for a ride every chance She gets...Barp Barp!

o is with as ell irt

Brent, 5 is going to be a little trucker when he is older. It’s in his blood! He was ready for his big trip in the kenworth T659, leaving Townsville to Brisbane then off to Darwin then back home to Townsville QLD Editor comment: 0ver 7000kms!!! What a lucky little Trucker!!

This is Kaleb Davies, age 9 with “blue Stella” from Dynes transport

10% OFF

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Spotlight

a g n i r o t Res k c u r t c i class part 1

A labour of 1997 Kenw love - a orth W92 4

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Little trucker down under

Story by Rochelle Thomas and by Graeme Skou Photos by Rochelle Thomas

rong bones The 924 has st

There was quite a bit of corrosion that needed to be repaired

1997 Kenworth W924 – A labour of love with Graeme Skou.

W

e all enjoy seeing trucks on the road and at shows that make us go WOW! Have you ever wondered how they get them looking so flash? How much work goes into them? How are they put together? I may be able to answer some of your questions!

I met Graeme Skou and he has

shared two of his rebuild stories with us. Today we will look at his 1977 Kenworth W924.

Graeme has always been a Mack man at heart, but he chose to rebuild a Kenworth W924 because they look good and have strong bones. He bought the truck in 2016 and it took him five years to restore. It was never his plan to take that long, but due to

Graeme bought the truck in 2016 and took five years to restore it.

The Kenworth W924 came out with power steering in 1977!

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

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the truck previously living near the ocean there was quite a bit of corrosion/rust that needed to be repaired.

Different parts The original 350 Manual engine was replaced with a 620 Signature Cummins electronic engine. This was sourced from a 2011 Freightliner that had previously caught fire and sold as parts. The radiator and gearbox also came from the Freightliner. The gearbox is an 18 speed Roadranger.

All the original steel suspension was replaced with air suspension for a softer ride. The front springs were also swapped to air.

The sleeper was imported from America, it was

SPECIAL MENTIONS PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE REBUILD

originally black, and the paint was so thick they had to scrape it off! Graeme extended the bonnet by 300mm, purely to look good, then also extended

the chassis by 2 metres to balance how the truck looked with the longer bonnet. To do this a new beam was cut and welded onto the existing chassis behind the cab.

Alister and Geoff Duffy from RMD Marton helped put the cab on the chassis using a Hiab.

The original cab steel frame was rusted so was

of love” tered this “labour en ve ha e en el Graeme and Ra awards at both. s and took away ow sh k uc tr o tw in

a Wheels at Wanak ow Sh in st Be ing NZ Truck Kenworth Trucks

i Truck Mangatainoka Tu ine Sh Stop Show and ow Sh the Star of

*Brennan Chapman/ Amerikiwi Cab and chrome parts *Geoff Duffy/TWL Brakes and air *Hugo and Peter/ Autokraft Electrical *Gwyn Bliss-Bennett & James Rooke/ Rangitikei Truck and Diesel Setting up chassis with motor, gearbox and diffs *Tony Poynter/Total Truck Spray Painting *Willy Malcolm/ Malcolm Cab Solutions Refurbished cab and fitted upholstery *Tony Walton/ Custom Art Artwork and signwriting *Matt Avery & Nick Webster/Roadrunner Stainless and chrome fabrication What a stunning transformation

replaced with alloy and came from America. The upholstery was ordered and came from Seattle, USA then fitted in New Zealand. This process took two years! The cab is 1524mm wide.

The gauges, suspension and various other parts came from a Kenworth T404 in Tauranga. The air tanks also came from Tauranga out of an international truck.

excitement and nerves.

Excited because it was nearly complete and looking fantastic, and nervous because so much time and effort had been put into

restoring it. He just wanted it to be a success and it was!

Driving it for the first time, Graeme can only describe it in one word - “WHEW!” The first trip Graeme and

his wife Raelene took was all the way down south to Invercargill. Graeme laughs that he took an abundance of spare bolts and tape just in case.

The Kenworth W924 in all its new found glory

The finish line Although Graeme did a lot of work on the W924 himself, it wouldn’t have been a success without the help of many others.

Graeme spent many hours making cardboard cuttings for various parts including fabricated guards and the dash for the gauges. The cuttings were taken to Matt and Nick at Roadrunner Manufacturing in Bulls.

As the W924 started coming together, Graeme had mixed feelings of

, our little truckers Proud supporters of neration forward. moving the next ge

Kennedy Trailers is a family owned and operated semi trailer manufacturing business based in Bairnsdale, Victoria. We have a large range of semi trailers available for all your transport needs, we also have the ability to create custom trailer solutions for your unique business requirements.

Kennedy Trailers: 131 Forge Creek Road, Bairnsdale, 3875, P.O. Box 477 | Phone : 03 5152 6362 | Fax : 03 5152 5789 Autumn 2022 - issue 2

25

Future of Transport

ELECTRIC

Everything you need to know about

TRUCKS

BROUGHT TO YOU BY KEITH ANDREWS What is an electric vehicle? Why are they a good option? Are they the future?

What is an electric vehicle/truck?

The electric automobile is a motor vehicle powered by rechargeable batteries rather than fossil fuels. Petrol and diesel are fossil fuels.

Why electric trucks?

Electric vehicles are more energy efficient and have a lower environmental impact.

The environmental impact of an electric truck is very low when the truck is in use, in fact they produce zero emissions on the road and are very very very quiet. They are so quiet, manufacturers have to add sounds to the vehicles to ensure pedestrians and cyclists can hear them.

EVs are energy efficient. They convert more than 77% of the electrical energy from the

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grid to power at the wheels.

Conventional diesel or petrol vehicles only convert about 12%–30% of the energy stored in fossil fuel to power at the wheels.

Electric Trucks Down Under: The eCanter, an electric truck from FUSO, is the world’s first series-produced, fully electric light truck that is available in the New Zealand market. It is ideal for inner-city deliveries.

There are many manufacturers developing and road-testing batteryelectric, heavy-duty electric trucks such as the eActros from Mercedes-Benz and eCascadia from Freightliner, so expect to see more electric trucks on Australian and New Zealand roads in the not-todistanced future!

Little trucker down under

PUZZLES & ACTIVITIES

FIND 6 SPOT Turn to page 33 THE DIIFERENCES for answer

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

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Little trucker down under

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

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43

42

4

You got lost! Go back two spaces!

FOOD TRUCK

DELIVERY

GAME Your truck is packed full of food ready to be delivered! Can you get your goods delivered on time? Take turns rolling the dice and move around the board. The first person to get their goods to the supermarket wins!

You’ll need: one dice, some counters, and one or more friends to play with.

41 40 28

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27 26 Oh no! You got a flat tyre! Miss a turn!

Good job! You’re making excellent time! Roll again!

2

You g back

12 1

Start

3

Time fo to the

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3

2

3

0

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6

44 39

45 46 38

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You passed your driver safety course. Go forward three spaces!

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32

16 You got lost! Go back two spaces!

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35 34

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Time for a break from all that driving! Miss a turn!

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Finish

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You ran out of fuel! Go back to the nearest gas station!

5

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You ran out of Time for a break from fuel! Go back to the all that driving! nearest gas station!

Miss a turn!

30

Time for a snack! Go to the nearest Cafe!

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9 4

8 5

Time for a snack! Go to the nearest Cafe!

7 6

Oh no! You got a flat tyre! Miss a turn!

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

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Send us a photo of your colouring in page to shannon@nztrucking.co.nz and go into the draw to win a cool Little Trucker Down Under cap.

ANSWERS FOR 6 SPOT THE DIIFERENCES

© thewordsearch.com

Find two of the same pictures

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

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Send us a photo of your colouring in page to shannon@nztrucking.co.nz and go into the draw to win a cool Little Trucker Down Under cap.

Beckers Transport, from Oturehua deep in the Maniototo, run this superb Scania R620 drop-side unit, photographed here powering along Ida Valley – Omakau road

12 Name: Dustin Age: n, de ar Hails from: Haw y.

North Canterbur

r e t h g i n Over 0 0 2 K a in stin went on a u D , 0 0 2 K a in e m ti His first h his dad, seeing it w ie d a ro t h ig rn ve neat o ng the way. some cool spots alo

I was really annoyed when a truck parked in front of me at the drive-in theater.

But at least I got to see the trailer

36

Little trucker down under

Dustin got up at 3:15am to go for a ride on this K200

RIDDLE Why did the ice cream truck break down?

Turn to page 38 for answer

Drink up!

Unloading

time

So many cool sites to see on a road trip

O

Dustin helping out

otgun iding sh Dustin r

Photo op!

ne drizzly summer morning at 3:15am, there were alarms going off. I sprung out of bed and went out to the kitchen. I went into the pantry and grabbed some Weetbix, and I even made some for Dad. We got in the Kenworth K200, which has a 600hp Cummins engine, in the Christchurch yard and took a load of empty pallets down to Timaru. It was my first time in a K200, so I was pretty excited.

We unloaded and reloaded,

s created Maruia Falls wa ke ua hq rt ea an by

and headed north for Nelson.

We stopped in Hinds and saw my Nan. After that we carried on, and we stopped in Amberley and got fuel.

Our next stop was Maruia Falls where we had a halfhour break. Did you know Maruia Falls was created in 1929 in the Murchison earthquake? That’s pretty cool.

After a quick break we carried on and went to Brenics’ yard and parked the truck up. We went to the motel and l had some tea, then we watched some TV

before we went to bed.

The next day we woke up and went and dropped off the load at Sollys.

After that, we went back to the yard and we got another load of veggies that from Friday afternoon would end up in Invercargill - the whole length of the South Island by Saturday morning!

We pointed south, we stopped in Springs Junction to get some water, and then we carried on to Christchurch. We got unloaded, and that was the end of our fantastic trip.

A special thank you to Brenics Ltd for letting Dad drive, and to everyone else along the way who were all super helpful and very friendly.

Enjoying the day

started Dustin and his dad etbix We me so h the day wit what else!

Dustin really enjoyed his first time in a K200

ANSWER

Because of the Rocky Road.

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For enquiries email: info@scaled-rigs.com 12-0222

www.scaled-rigs.com

38

Little trucker down under

Body truck and multiple trailer combinations are more common in Western Australia than the Northern Territory. So seeing this Freightliner Argosy unit belonging to Ord Fuel Supplies in Kununurra running up the Stuart highway was extra cool

Spotlight

Mini Truckin

Henry, 8-years old

Hey kids, wanna drive your own rig? Check this out!

40

Little trucker down under

H

ave you guys seen this cool mini rig on social media yet?

Owned by Heikell Transport in Whakatane, the mini ride-on Scania is made by a company in Ireland called Scaled Rigs, and Heikell’s added it to its ‘fleet’ in 2020.

Then, early this year, stockcrates builder Nationwide Stock Crates from Mount Maunganui (which builds all the crates for Heikell’s fleet of stock trucks) handed over the custom tri-axle

I was wondering why the truck was getting bigger…

And then it hit me.

Why did the truck driver finally stop farting?

He ran out of gas.

Bbr Marley, a Bernese mountain dog, is 7 months old and already two-thirds of her 45-50kg adult weight

semi-trailer, completing the rig. Nationwide made sure the trailer is all kid-friendly, ensuring there are no sharp edges or surfaces that could cause harm – just like it does for the real crates that cart animals.

Both the truck tractor and trailer are done in full Heikell Transport livery. The awesome graphics on the side of the mini-Scania are a replica of that on fleet No.16, a Scania S650 8x4 known as ‘Legend II’.

There’s even working lights behind the cab and on the trailer – just like the real thing! It has real pneumatic tyres (meaning they’re filled with air), is battery powered and has forward and reverse gears. It’ll do a top speed of 6kph, more than enough to have some good fun.

And, when you put your foot down, the truck makes a realistic sounding engine noise.

Now that’s a cool toy!

rrr

e Washing th ls ee h w

p Fuelling u

8 Name: Jesse Age: R enworth T610 SA Can be found in a: K

Safety first, seat belt on Our author in action Jesse keeps us in the loop with all things safety when he goes out on the truck.

42

F

irst of all, welcome to my trucking adventures. Safety first, so remember to put your seatbelt on.

I’ve been trucking with my dad Mike since I was born. He works for Pyramid Trucking and drives a Kenworth T610 SAR. He

Little trucker down under

used to drive a Kenworth K200, but that’s off the road now.

When I get ready for a day out on the truck, I need to make sure I have my Hi vis gears, work boots and definitely enough lunch for my day.

When I’m at work with Dad

I get to do a few things with him, like washing the truck, rolling straps and the fun stuff of going out with one of the office girls to get donuts.

My main job at Dad’s work is just to keep safe, and enjoy the time with him.

What I really enjoy about being allowed to go out on

Keeping things tidy

the

rk s out when at wo Jesse always help with Dad

Jesse has been trucking with his dad since he was born

the trucks is that I get to see a lot of different places I haven’t been to before, as well as seeing all the awesome rigs on the roads.

Also getting waves back from other truck drivers (I think I’ve perfected my trucking wave!).

I have a few different trucks I really like, but I think

they are all awesome. The ones I like seeing on the road are Kenworths, Macks and Freightliners.

When I leave school I really want to be a truck driver like Dad and my big brother, who also drives trucks.

spick and span

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

43

Max loves big trucks

44

Little trucker down under

A Western Star Transporter with a Caterpillar 815 Compactor on the trailer

Max and his brother Miller

Visiting the truck

hospital

Max and his brother Miller love to visit their grandad who works as a diesel mechanic. They love to climb on the trucks at what they call the truck hospital.

M

y name is Max Ludman and I’m 5 and 3/4 years old and I love big

trucks.

My grandad is a mechanic for Hick Bros Civil in Silverdale, Auckland. I love going to the yard to see all of the different trucks and diggers.

This is their Western Star Transporter. There is a Caterpillar 815 Compactor on the trailer. The cab was

very high and I sat on the red leather seat. It had a wooden steering wheel! We looked under the bonnet and saw the engine, which is a Caterpillar C15.

There were lots of different machines in the yard, the biggest were two Caterpillar 627 motor scrapers.

I can’t wait to see what trucks are there next time I visit again with my little brother, Miller.

Behind the wheel

Max and Miller learning with grandad

Lots of different parts in the yard

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

45

A Day in the Life

If it’s broken, we fix it No two days are the same for apprentice mechanic Natarsha Smith, who is working hard to become a specialist in heavy diesel machinery.

N

atarsha works as an apprentice heavy diesel mechanic at Hyster NZ, which provides a range of forklifts and other handling solutions to business.

“We’ve got about 20 machines at this site with forklifts ranging from two and a half tonne right up to twenty-five tonne,” she explains.

“We fix anything on the machines that can break - so anything from the front mast to the hydraulics and the

So, I talked with my mechanic today. We chatted a bit about work, and I asked Her if she enjoyed being a mechanic. she said, “Yeah, but at the end of the day I feel like I’ve been through an engine. I’m exhausted.”

46

Little trucker down under

electrical and mechanical side. Whatever’s broken, we fix it – you never know what you’re going to get!”

With a day so varied, it’s no surprise that Natarsha’s favourite part of the job is problem-solving. “When you’re not sure what’s wrong and you figure it out, that’s

the best.”

Study study study Natarsha’s been working at Hyster NZ in Mount Maunganui for two and a half years and is well on her way through her MITO New Zealand Certificate in Heavy Automotive Engineering. The

I think the mechanic in my local garage has amnesia.

I took my truck for a new light bulb, and the mechanic asked me what year it was.

an Natarsha works as sel die y av he e tic en pr ap NZ r ste Hy at mechanic

Natarsha works across 20 different machines

Hyster NZ can fix anything on the machines that break

course is designed for people interested in servicing and repairing electric and nonelectric forklifts and other machinery used for moving and storing materials, goods and products.

“There was a job in Tauranga for materials handling and I thought that

RIDDLE

sounded pretty cool, so I applied and here I am! I’m really grateful it worked out the way it did. It feels like one of those things in life that’s meant to happen.”

Not just for boys Natarsha says that despite lots of people thinking the

heavy diesel industry is just for boys, it’s not true.

“The opinions of having girls doing this kind of work is improving greatly and I get really positive feedback.

Especially in heavy diesel, people think it’s going to be hard work and a lot of heavy lifting, but if something

A truck driver is going opposite traffic on a oneway street. A police officer sees him but doesn't stop him. Why didn't the police officer stop him?

Not just for boys!

weighs too much, there’s always another machine that you can use to lift it,” she says.

“I would definitely recommend this industry to anyone. It’s a lot of fun!”

Turn to page 48 for answer

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

47

MEET MY FLEET

The APL Direct fleet are instantly recognisable when out and about. Here is one of the latest additions, a Scania R500, towing a specialist glass Roadmaster B-train

APL Direct Story By Milly McCauley

They are an impressive head-turing sight wherever they are spotted. Milly McCauley was lucky enough to spend some time with APL Direct’s general manager Jake Lambert and meet the man in charge of one of the country’s sharpest line-haul fleets.

From riddle on page 47

LTDU: Who owns APL Direct?

Jake: APL direct is owned by the Plaw family.

LTDU: How long has APL Direct been in business?

Jake: APL Direct was established in 2003 and started out as a small aluminium joinery fabrication company. As APL grew, they faced problems and damages with third-party distributors, deciding therefore to take the distribution of their product into their own hands.

ANSWER

He was walking.

48

Images By Rob Van Der Hoek and Dave McCoid

Little trucker down under

APL Direct has now been operating for over 19 years.

LTDU: Where do you have trucks based?

Jake: APL Direct has four main depots; Hamilton, Hautapu, where the glass operations are based, Palmerston North where a smaller satellite depot is, and Christchurch where we service the South Island from.

LTDU: How many trucks does APL Direct operate?

Jake: APL has 38 trucks

What do you call a queue of trucks?

and 15 trailers in the fleet.

This number is continually growing!

LTDU: What makes of trucks do you have and how many of each?

Jake: The APL Direct fleet is mainly Scania, however Hinos and DAFs are there also, used for smaller metro delivery services.

LTDU: How many people do APL Direct employ?

Jake: APL has more than 60 employees throughout their dispatching, management and transport divisions.

p line A picku

The APL Direct DC in Te Rapa is as immaculate and organised as the rest of the operation.

Under’s Milly McCauley Little Trucker Down ’s Jake Lambert. ect (Left) and APL Dir

This number has grown substantially throughout the last years as APL Direct expanded with the growth of the glass business in particular.

LTDU: What type of loads do you cart?

Jake: APL predominately carts aluminium extrusion, hardware, rubber coils, sheet metal and glass.

LTDU: Where are the main areas you operate in around New Zealand?

Jake: APL delivers from Keri Keri in the north all the way down to Invercargill in the south, servicing a large expanse of fabricators throughout the country.

LTDU: What is your title at APL Direct and what are your responsibilities?

Jake: I am the general manager overseeing the whole operation at APL Direct.

LTDU: What’s your favourite thing about working in the industry?

Jake: Being able to provide people with opportunities, watch them grow in their work, and see their personal development.

LTDU: Did you always think you would work in transport?

Jake: No, I never thought I would work in transport but when the opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance. It was something completely different.

LTDU: What things would you like to see change for the transport industry over time?

Jake: I would like to see more done towards alternative energy, actually trying to narrow down which way the industry will head is a big issue. I would like to see some proper direction as we work towards a more sustainable future of transport.

LTDU: How long have you been involved with the business?

Jake: I have been working at APL Direct for five years, and in this role for just over three years.

LTDU: Do you have a favourite truck in your fleet?

Jake: No, no favourites in particular, I just like that APL Direct trucks are quite unique, noticeable and well presented.

LTDU: What would be some advice you would give to any young people who want to start a career in transport?

Jake: Having a good work ethic and a good attitude will get you a long way especially in this industry. Spend some time around people in transport and put yourself out there, as there is always opportunity to grow and progress.

LTDU: Can you tell me a fun or interesting fact about APL Direct?

Jake: The fleet runs 95% Euro-5 or better, with 40% now Euro-6. We are working hard on increasing Euro-6 numbers. APL Direct focuses heavily on sustainability, and is working on a number of recycling initiatives throughout all products and packaging.

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

49

A TeAkau Transport DAF CF85 Space Cab 9-axle stock unit parked at the TeKuiti saleyards

Looking for a truckload of fun?

Scania Kids Hub is just the place you’re looking for. With loads of activities ranging from word searches to spot the difference, colouring sheets to scavenger hunts, and even a Scania board game, Scania Kids Hub is the perfect place for truck lovers to bust boredom!

Scan the QR code below or visit https://bit.ly/scania-kids

Truck Safety

SAFETY TIPS FOR OUR ROAD USERS brought to you by Fuso

It’s not just those behind the wheel of a truck that need to think about safety while using the road.

Whether you’re out for a walk, on a bike, or driving a car, there’s lots of things to think about!

TIPS FOR PEDESTRIANS

T a h c

Walk on sidewalks, watch out for blind spots, and keep alert at all times! Don’t be distracted by electronic devices and make eye contact with drivers. And make sure you watch for trucks entering, exiting or backing up in parking lots and at job sites.

DRIVERS PASSING A SEMI-TRUCK It takes truck drivers much more time to stop than you - so keep a safe distance. They have bigger blind spots, so pass on the right side, at a safe, steady speed, and make sure you’re well beyond the truck before getting back over.

TIPS FOR CYCLISTS Look out for trucks turning left from beside or behind you. Don’t stop too close to the front of a stopped truck.

Never cycle up the left side of a truck stopped at a junction.

52

Little trucker down under

C

FIGHTER is This mid-sized truck y, fet sa for n a champio t helping drivers detec e it. sid ng alo ing rid cyclists

SHOGUN CANTER

e first FUSO character was th This plucky little es to help ur at fe ed safety truck with advanc the road. on s rie ju ts and in prevent acciden

a real hero This giant of the FUSO range is if it looks on the road. It can ‘talk’ to drivers driving. like they are getting sleepy while

advanced Another first from FUSO – andard safety features are now st in all of these trucks!

e h t d An ! ! ! s i r winne ring comp u o l o c r u o ions to Congratulat picture! Your r u o y d e v o l ! We winner, Jack s way. prize is on it Jack Jett

Walter Archie

Roko

54

Little trucker down under

Lucas

Max

Jackson

Jordy

ES 32 AND G A P T U O K CHEC MORE COLOURING 34 FOR MPETITIONS!!

CO

Hannah

FInd Trucky and his little friends Find Little Trucky and his 7 friends hidden in the pages of this issue. Write the page number under the correct Trucky on this coupon.

Email your answers to: shannon@nztrucking.co.nz Put in the subject line: FIND TRUCKY – Autumn include your name, address and phone number.

Entries close 30 April 2022. The first correct entry drawn will win a free subscription to either Little Trucker Down Under or New Zealand Trucking magazine. Winners will be announced in the next issue of Little Trucker Down Under.

Summer 2021 truckies were hiding on pages: 14, 24, 26, 29, 36, 39, 44 and 50

Page:............

Page:............

Page:............

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Congratulations to our winner of our Summer 2021 issue, Jaxon Hodgetts from Hamilton, NZ. Autumn 2022 - issue 2

55

It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle!

Jobs In Transport

1

Michael’s job as a boilermaker is to weld steel together to make trailers. He works off a drawing that shows him which pieces need to go together. It’s kind of like a big jigsaw puzzle.

Welding is a very fine art, it takes lots of practice, patience and precision to get your welds nice and straight and strong. If you leave the welder in one spot for too long, it burns a hole straight through – but if you don’t leave it long enough, the trailer will not be strong enough! So it’s safe to say that the welder has a lot of responsibility and needs to be concentrating at all times.

When a welder gets the perfect weld, it is a great achievement.

One year into the job, we get to know Michael Baylis over at Kennedy Trailers who tells us all about being an apprentice boilermaker.

Little Trucker: How long have you been on the job?

Michael: I started my apprenticeship 2.5 years ago and have been at Kennedy Trailers for just over a year.

Little Trucker: What kind of training did you do for your job?

Michael: I’ve been attending trade school and they provide my training as well as learning on the job.

Little Trucker: What are some of your main responsibilities?

Michael: One of my main responsibilities is fabricating cabguards.

Little Trucker: What is your favourite thing about your job?

Michael: I most enjoy fabricating and getting to learn new skills and put them to use.

2 Little Trucker: And what is your favourite type of truck?

Michael: I find heavyhaulage trucks pretty interesting!

What are some of your hobbies outside of work?

Michael: Outside of work I spend my time fishing, 4WD, or camping. I also like country music.

WELDING IS LIKE SEWING WITH FIRE

A family-owned business, Kennedy Trailers is a semitrailer manufacturing business based in Bairnsdale, Victoria in Australia.

The business prides itself on custom transport solutions with more than 30 years experience!

Photo captions 1) Michael has been working with Kennedy Trailers for just over a year

3

2) He loves learning new skills and putting them to use

4

3) Michael is welding out a tipper body for a side tipper road train set 4) Michael really likes heavy haulage trucks 5) Welding is a very fine art

5

What kind of music do welders like?

an ad that read, A man answered ur.” $18-$24 per ho “Hiring welders have to take a he was told he’d When he arrived of welds. One turned in 2 sets welding test. He mess. wa , the other s a was a great weld d this, he ked him why he di When the boss as $24/hr.” is r he ot $18/hr, the is ne “O , ed pli re

Heavy metal Autumn 2022 - issue 2

57

Kraft Engineering designs and manufactures trailer units to meet individual specifications for a range of manufacturing clients. In operation for more than three decades, Kraft Engineering’s commitment to innovative engineering solutions means the team stands by their craft.

Thank you to all our sponsors

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Palfinger New Zealand makes Aotearoa’s coolest truck-mounted cranes, and we’re proudly committed to raising the next generation of little crane operators.

Smart and modern, UD Trucks strikes the optimum balance between features, cost, and efficiency.

58

Little trucker down under

Keith Andrews represents FUSO, Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner trucks, buses and vans and is New Zealand’s largest commercial vehicle dealership with locations across the North Island. We’re always looking for talented people to join our team!

Paving the way for the next generation of truckers

We would like to thank our sponsors who have contributed to put copies of Little Trucker Down Under into local schools throughout NZ and Australia.

NZT Group are the trusted experts in second-hand truck sales across New Zealand. Our team has decades of experience that will see you getting the best service and value for money. Whether you are buying or selling, contact the NZT team today!

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Putting our experience to work for you.

Autumn 2022 - issue 2

59

Creating a better tomorrow today.

Our world is such a special place, and the team at TR Group believe that together, we can help make it a greener and better place.

Whether it’s putting your rubbish in the correct bin, recycling, or even just walking to school . For us at TR Group, we help – you can play a big role in the future we all want to see the environment by giving options to our customers for greener, Earth-friendlier trucks!

So get your friends and family to join us! Make small changes that create a big difference in taking care of the environment, and together, we can enjoy our special planet ! even more

Creating a sustainable transport future today www.trgroup.co.nz

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