TRUCKING SECTOR PULLS THROUGH FOR BIRTHDAY BOY OLLIE

The entire country applauded when the trucking industry united in Hamilton to celebrate the birthday of an eight-year-old boy.

Story by Shannon Williams Photos by Izaak Kirkbeck

When Ollie Johnson’s parents posted on Facebook for a truck ride for their truckobsessed son, they had no idea that no less than 64 trucks would answer ‘10-4’.

Ollie’s mother, Katherine, offered $50 to someone willing to take her son for a ride in their truck for his eighth birthday. She said Ollie was lonely and hoped a ride would cheer him up.

“All he wants to do is be a truck driver. He is just obsessed,” she said.

After seeing the post, Hart Haulage owner Barry Hart thought he could do better than just one truck and began planning a convoy just for Oliver.

Barry put out a call on social media, and 64 drivers turned up for Ollie’s birthday convoy on Sunday morning.

“At the end of registration, I had 34 people, and then I had some people call, and we got to about 45. So, reaching 64 is just unbelievable. It’s phenomenal,” Barry said.

“It’s the norm for truckers and our industry. It’s why we love this industry. Our story is that truckers saved our son’s life, and then to see this and give back… it’s just wonderful.”

Some truckers travelled more than 120km in their rigs to take part. “For all the guys to come along, it’s pretty cool,” Barry said.

Ollie was picked up from his home by Josh Hart and taken for a surprise ride in his Western Star. They then met the convoy, grouped at the Hart Haulage yard near Huntington in Hamilton. From there, it ran down the Waikato Expressway to Hautapu, finishing up at the yards of C&R Developments. For his ride in the convoy, Ollie jumped aboard the TR Group Anzac K200 with driver Daniel Collier.

C&R Developments opened its car and machinery museum for everyone to enjoy, while Service Foods provided free hot food and cold beverages via a food truck stall for the approximately 250 to 300 people there.

Katherine said Ollie was raised around trucks. “We are so grateful. This story has gone around the world. We are so humbled,” she said.

Dad Simon said the industry really came together. “Thank you doesn’t cover what happened today,” he said. “Many people have gone to a lot of effort to make today happen. And those people who couldn’t be here have helped us along the way. We really want to say thank you.

“And thank you to Hart Haulage, who has been on the same page the whole journey – we are just so grateful.”

And Ollie’s favourite truck of the show? The C509 Kenworth of RMS Contracting. He had a blast testing the air horns.