Three Routes to Success

Designed for both employees and owner-operators in the Commercial Road Transport industry, MITO’s micro-credentials provide foundational knowledge that will boost your career.

DRIVER SAFETY mito.nz/driversafety

Fatigue and health factors affecting the performance of drivers and safe night driving.

LOADING FUNDAMENTALS mito.nz/vehicleloading

Heavy combination vehicle dynamics, safe driving, loading principles and procedures.

MASS AND DIMENSIONS mito.nz/mass

Vehicle mass, dimensions and High Productivity Motor Vehicle permits for drivers.

Completed online, these micro-credentials are NZQA-approved.

Nic Sneddon

Ken Bell caught up with Nic Sneddon while he was waiting to ascend the access road to the new wind farm being built at Ferndale in eastern Southland.

Nic was driving a Kenworth C500 owned by McNeilly Heavy Haulage based in Dunedin and Timaru. The C500 is rated at 150-tonne GCM and powered by a Caterpillar C15 engine at 525hp. On this

Jason Birch

Alison Verran stopped for a chat with Jason Birch, when she saw his smart Western Star 4864FXC parked at the BP Truck Stop at Taupiri. Jason is the owner/ operator of Aurora Transport but was driving the Western Star for MOVE Freight while the usual driver was off sick.

Jason explains: “At Aurora, we’ve got two trucks that do chilled work and also have a flat deck unit. I also contract drive for other companies. This unit today is general freight, but for two months of the year, it carts beehives. It’s refrigerated and temperature controlled for the bees.”

Jason was brought up in the trucking industry. “My old man is a truck driver. When I was a kid, I rode with him a lot in the truck. It was the only way I got to spend time with Dad! I got my licence in Aussie when I was 19, then got my roadtrain licence when I was 20. I drove a lot up in the Northern Territory and have been driving now for 12 years, with the last five back here in New Zealand.”

Jason was heading to Auckland for load was a No.3 tower section, weighing 52 tonnes and measuring 37m long. Nic is a contract driver with a wide variety of experience, having previously worked for Fulton Hogan on oversize and heavy haulage work for three years. Prior to this he worked at Skevingtons on similar work, as well as for Alexanders on LPG deliveries around Otago and

Southland. He’s done seasonal milk transfers as well.

Outside of work Nic enjoys following his children’s sports and leisurely jet skiing.

When asked the vexing question, Jimmies or McGregors? (Otago people will get it), he replied: “Jimmies pies every time!” a load to take to New Plymouth. It was clear while speaking with Jason that trucking is his passion. “What do I like about trucking? Literally the freedom! I listen to music while I get paid to see the countryside. I go to places that most people don’t ever see.”

“What don’t I like? Haha! Car drivers!”

Jason also sees a major issue with the industry’s future. “Getting skilful drivers is a problem. The industry isn’t seen as a viable career and kids at school don’t get told that truck driving is a career.”

The vexing question of pancakes or waffles was met with a definite answer. “Pancakes! I’ve always been a pancake person… with butter, plum jam and cream. Mum used to make pikelets, but they were too small to feed us kids, so she increased the size to pancakes!”

CRAIG’S TRUCKIN’ SNAPSHOT

TRUCK & TRAILER WHEEL ALIGNMENTS SPECIALISTS

• Truck & Trailer Wheel Alignments

• Long wheel base vans / heavy vans and motorhome wheel alignments

• Tyre sales and fitting

• Induction heating and straightening of bent trailer axles and diff housings

• On & off truck wheel balancing

• Axle Camber Corrections