New Zealand Trucking September 2019

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CONTENTS RA CONTENT XT

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Video ZTR

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24 Go East and conquer

also…

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40 ‘No one gets left behind’

Editorial Road Noise

Industry news

Top Truck

Pedigree Volvo herd

54

Just Truckin’ Around

56

International Truckstop

Drifting is all class

60 68 78

Aussie Angles

Low appetite KW

Cool Things

All for the good

Industry comment

Log books wired

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CONTENTS EDITOR

Dave McCoid ASSISTANT EDITOR

Gavin Myers

Ph: 027 492 5601 Email: editor@nztrucking.co.nz Ph: 027 660 6608 Email: editor@nztrucking.co.nz

For all Advertising enquiries for NZ Trucking magazine and Truck Trader contact: Matt Smith

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

Pav Warren

Ph: 027 2014001 Email: pav@nztrucking.co.nz

SUB EDITOR

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER

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

Ricky Harris

Georgi George

Long Haul Publications Ltd

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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.

64 Classic American No ute here people

This magazine is subject to the New Zealand Press Council.

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Tech Topics

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NZ Trucking Association

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EDITORIAL

Blinded by lights

I

t’s 2019, and that means it’s an IRTENZ conference year.

This is still my favourite conference without question.

People who know what they’re talking about telling people who want to hear. In many ways the sculptors and crafters of regulatory decisions talking to the receivers, who then interpret, apply, and innovate, so creating an endless cycle.

The theme this year was Technology and Infrastructure, and as such for much of the time the room was ‘filled’ with microprocessors, sensors, radars, screens, wires, force meters, geofences, over-speeds, in-ground scales, driver scores, adaptive braking, magical headlights, in-cab cameras, and data…endless data, providing correlations, outliers, standard deviations, and p-values, all designed to make things better.

I was excited, until I got a phone call from a member of a group not well represented at most conferences, a driver, the people caught in the midst of all this megabit mayhem.

We forget they’re still attempting to effect one of the world’s oldest and most valuable commercial transactions. The call was from one my oldest mates phoning from the cab of his truck somewhere in the country during a break. He asked me how it was going.

“Great,” I said. “Very interesting.”

“What’s the theme?”

“Technology and infrastructure.”

“Oh yeah?” And then he said this: “Has anyone come up with some technology on how to make it fun again?”

In a flash a bunch of conversations I’d had over the previous day came back to mind. Conversations with people who lamented a simpler time. Some had even used the word fun.

Fun is at the root of everything. Trucking, like so many other occupations, appears to have lost much of its fun. Adventure and personal autonomy is out, monitoring and critiquing is in. Given the chance, most good truck drivers are intelligent, independent, adventurous, opinionated, problem-solvers. It’s interesting, because even though we stack technology on top of technology in the name of efficiency, our roll-over rate has not been this bad in who knows how long, and national productivity – according to the boffins – is worryingly low.

There’s something antagonistic to the human condition going on here and it probably has some of its taproots in the prohibition of occupational related fun at an early age. The fun police have us caged.

We are not as sophisticated as we like to believe, nor are we that far removed from the origins of the species. At the end of the day, if the fun goes out of what it is we do, then society pays.

So, is it time to theme a conference on making work a place you want to go to again, for everyone in the community’s occupational strata? And if we did, what would the answers be? And maybe it’s time one or two ‘Navy Seals’ from each company’s driving pool were brought along to conference, so they could have some input to the next great thing. I’m sure it would be a fun experience for all concerned.

Dave McCoid Editor

Great news at New Zealand Trucking Media It’s been a big couple of months at New Zealand Trucking Media, and at last we can announce something extremely exciting. Gavin Myers has joined the team in the role of assistant editor. Gavin and his partner immigrated here recently from Johannesburg, and he comes with a wealth of transport journalism experience. His most recent role was eight years with Focus on Transport magazine, two of which were as the publication’s editor. Focus is the South African associate member masthead for the International Truck of the Year jury.

Gavin’s mix of youth, experience and expertise will help facilitate the continued growth of New Zealand Trucking Media’s multiple platforms, and ensure the country’s oldest trucking masthead continues to have a bright future.

Welcome to the team, Gavin.

adapted masthead.indd 1

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New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

8/02/2012 11:02:47 a.m.

Gavin Myers joins the team at New Zealand Trucking Media.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Finding road safety solutions should be more democratic

W

e are seeing democratic processes being eroded around the world, but we don’t want that to happen in New Zealand, do we?

Recently the RTF has experienced a situation where government has chosen process over form on the very serious issue of public consultation about road safety and strategies to reduce the road toll. And we have been told, repeatedly, we must follow the process for submissions on the Road to Zero strategy.

This would be ok, but for the fact that the process is flawed and seems to ignore some basics of democracy and government engagement with the people.

There are three main flaws – internet accessibility; the ease with which the survey process they have opted for can be skewed; and the depth of the process that is allegedly looking for lasting solutions to a complex problem.

The process involves filling in a commercial online survey tool of the type with which you rate a hotel/airline/restaurant/shopping experience etc. To be fair, it does give you an option to attach a document. But you must fill in the online survey, or your submission is not valid – we were told by the Ministry of Transport “we are not processing submissions outside of the tool”.

Commercial online survey tools are easily skewed by interest groups who get online and fill out hundreds of surveys, so it is disappointing to see the government put so much reliance on them. We feel this issue is a lot more serious than a hotel/ airline/restaurant/shopping experience where “95% of people rate our business as extremely excellent”. The insistence with which submitters are told to complete the survey suggests there are a bunch of nice infographics in mind to be littered across social media endorsing whatever the predetermined policy direction is. It doesn’t feel very democratic.

Nick Leggett, CEO Road Transport Forum

Which brings us to accessibility, in a country that does not have fast internet access everywhere, and an online survey that would be daunting to some age and socio-economic demographic groups who may not have computer access.

What about the rural parents who have lost kids in road accidents, but don’t have great internet access? This survey approach excludes them.

If I want to hand-deliver a handwritten note, barefoot, having walked kilometres to do so, democracy says Wellington officials should duly note my salient points, not turn me away and tell me to fill in an online survey.

And to the third flaw – there is more to finding long-term, effective solutions than agree/disagree statements. Complicated problems such as the high number of deaths by accident on New Zealand roads require more rigour than this.

Truck drivers who spend their working life on the road tell us the big issues affecting their safety are the condition of the roads themselves, and the behaviour and driving skills of other drivers.

We get the feeling these are not problems the government wants to know about when they can do a survey that tells them “95 percent of people want us to build more cycleways”.

Public consultation is not a referendum and should never be treated as such. Its purpose is to provide the opportunity for anybody to have a say on an issue that is relevant to them, in the form they choose. It is a basic democratic right of any Kiwi to express the depth of their view, and it’s their right not to be herded into a tick-box exercise that merely meets the needs of those running the process.

Those in the central Wellington bubble need to get out more and speak to real people who are, at the end of the day, paying their salaries.

Commercial online survey tools are easily skewed by interest groups who get online and fill out hundreds of surveys, so it is disappointing to see the government put so much reliance on them.

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September 2019

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WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Sime Darby on the road to acquire Gough Group

S

ime Darby Berhad’s subsidiary, Sime Darby (NZ) Holdings Limited, has entered into a conditional sale and purchase agreement with privately owned Gough Holdings Limited to acquire Gough Group Limited.

Gough Group has the Caterpillar dealership with service territory in New Zealand and interests in the transport and materials handling business in New Zealand and Australia.

The New Zealand Caterpillar dealership has a rich history spanning 90 years, making it one of the oldest dealerships of Caterpillar equipment outside of the United States. Separately, Gough Group’s transport and materials handling businesses span across construction, infrastructure, transport and power system industries, distributing a wide range of premium global brands, such as SAF, Palfinger and WABCO in New Zealand and Australia. Gough Group currently employs approximately 950 people across a network of over 50 locations in Australia and New Zealand.

“The Gough Group transaction, which would be the largest for Sime Darby Berhad since the pure play restructuring exercise in 2017, provides a rare opportunity for us to enhance our relationship with Caterpillar, and gain exposure to the construction and forestry sectors in New Zealand, further reinforcing Sime Darby Industrial’s footprint in the Asia Pacific region,” said Sime Darby Berhad’s group CEO Dato’ Jeffri Salim Davidson.

“The Gough Group’s transport and material handling portfolio will complement Sime Darby Motors’ commercial truck business in New Zealand, enable growth in aftersales operations and broaden our suite of franchises, essentially strengthening our position in Australasia.”

Gough Group grew its revenue by more than 18% in 2018 to NZ$540 million from the previous year, driven by improvements in sales for both its Caterpillar and transport and material handling businesses.

In Australia, Sime Darby Berhad is represented by Hastings Deering, one of Caterpillar’s leading dealers, as well as through Sime Darby Motors’ dealerships for BMW, Volvo, Ferrari and Rolls Royce in Brisbane and Porsche in Sydney.

In New Zealand, Sime Darby Motors operates under the Continental Cars and City Nissan dealerships in Auckland, representing brands such as BMW, Porsche, Volkswagen, Audi, Ferrari and Nissan. It also has a Commercial Transport arm representing brands such as Volvo, Hino, Mack and UD Trucks.

The transaction will be fully funded by bank borrowings, on a cash-free and debt-free basis and is subject to New Zealand’s Overseas Investment Office approval and the typical completion conditions. The deal is expected to be completed by 30 September 2019.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Cut tax to make a difference at the pump

I

f this government really wants to “make a difference at the pump”, they may want to consider their high tax take on fuel and their role in creating a competitive wholesale market before they criticise fuel companies, says Road Transport Forum chief executive Nick Leggett.

“The government appears to be confused around roads, cars, trucks and the use of fossil fuels,” Leggett says. “On one hand they are trying to close down use of fossil fuels in this country, and on the other they are criticising companies who sell them and probably see us as a ‘sunset country’ when it comes to their business. “[Today’s] preliminary report from the Commerce Commission into the retail fuel sector clearly shows the high tax take, particularly when you add the regional fuel tax that Aucklanders pay.

“The government’s reaction shows us once again, how anti-business they are. Shock, horror, large multi-national

companies have seen a weakness in New Zealand and to counter the cost of them doing business in a small market, they have gamed that.

“This government continues to show it does not understand basic economics.

“We look forward to seeing the government’s response to the Commerce Commission’s final report and how they will act to create an active wholesale market. Unless they cut their massive tax take on petrol, that will be the only way they can ‘make a difference at the pump’.

“Businesses who will still have to rely on fossil fuels for some time because alternatives simply don’t exist, are concerned about this government’s anti-business stance. In our industry they are also concerned that the tax take isn’t being put back into roads, which are deteriorating badly.

“The government runs the risk of running big business out of town.”

Scania changing up gears in NZ

F

or more than two decades, Scania trucks have arrived into the country then been customised, showcased and distributed by third party, CablePrice.

But no longer – Scania New Zealand’s localised presence is here.

Scania is making its largest investment ever in New Zealand, boosting an industry that sees a large proportion of freight moved by road.

Led by managing director Mattias Lundholm, Scania’s headquarters in Penrose and a satellite in Wellington are open for business. A satellite in Christchurch will follow.

Performance teams and service divisions will be in place soon.

Arriving from a six-year stint as vice president of Connected Services & Solutions at Scania Global, Lundholm is in the midst of a recruitment blitz.

Colin Bowden (network director), Rob Covich (performance director), Mattias Lundholm (managing director), and Deon Stephens (sales director).

Scania New Zealand’s full team photo.

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The number of staff will soon exceed 50, ensuring industry expertise and credentials of the Kiwi team marry up with the technology, safety features and fuel efficiency that characterise Scania trucks.

“It’s an exciting time and I’m confident that Scania New Zealand staff will follow through on a simple proposition to current and potential customers: we’ll be quicker to complete repairs and get the parts you need, and quicker getting you back on the road.”

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ROAD NOISE NEWS Two electric truck projects to receive funding from Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund

E

nergy and Resources Minister Megan Woods has announced 29 low-emissions vehicle projects are being granted funding through the latest round of the government’s Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund.

The announcement was made at Blackwell Motors Ltd in Christchurch, which has received co-funding to purchase and trial an electric truck to loan to their clients. The truck will be configured for clients to load and use for longer test runs than the norm, providing a test opportunity with realistic conditions and loads.

Dempsey Wood Civil Ltd and KAM Transport Ltd will also benefit from funding, allowing them to purchase and trial the integration of electric trucks into their businesses.

“These grants will include $4.5 million of government funding, matched by $12 million from the private sector,” says Woods. “This is the largest round of funding delivered so far, and shows how our smart investments in low emissions vehicles can unlock extra funding from the private sector.”

Initiatives like this have seen the number of electric vehicles on New Zealand’s roads nearly triple. In October 2017 there were 5363 registered EVs, compared with 15,453 now.

“With transport making up 19% of our emissions, this is a key part of our plan to tackle climate change,” says Woods.

The 29 projects range from increasing the number and availability of public charging stations to heavy electric truck trials.

“The focus of the fund is to continue to improve public charging infrastructure for EV drivers, increase use of electric heavy vehicles, and invest in innovative technology, such as smart charging. We want to make it easier than

ever for New Zealanders to get around in low emissions vehicles,” says Woods.

Other projects to receive co-funding from round six include: • KiwiRail will install EV chargers on three Interislander Ferries for passengers to use in transit.

• Kiwi Property will install 42 public EV chargers at popular shopping malls in Auckland and Hamilton (Sylvia Park, The Base, Centre Place).

• Holiday Parks will install 30 public double (i.e. allowing two cars to charge at a time) EV chargers at holiday parks throughout New Zealand, and, • ChargeNet will install New Zealand’s first high power charging hub at Bombay, which will be able to deliver up to 350kW per vehicle for up to four vehicles at once.

In total, the fund has committed $20.9 million in government funding to 120 projects, matched by $40.7 million applicant funding.

Round seven opened on Friday 16 August and challenged applicants to explore opportunities created by the new investment focus, which maintains support for the public EV charging network and low emission vehicles in a range of sectors, while also targeting smart charging technology innovation, battery refurbishment, recycling and repurposing, and demonstration of low emission vehicles in mobility-as-a-service. A further $3.1 million in government funding is available under this round.

Starting in round eight (opening in February 2020), the investment focus will also include support for publicly available secure e-bike storage facilities.

Vessels have to be shipshape

B

iosecurity New Zealand officers will soon be able to fine commercial and recreational vessel operators who don’t play by the rules.

The new offences come into force on 2 September, allowing officers to issue infringement notices to operators who don’t provide notice of a vessel’s arrival in New Zealand.

Vessels that don’t respond to an official request to declare what they have done to comply with risk management requirements will also face a fine, says Biosecurity New Zealand spokesperson Stu Rawnsley.

“Ultimately, we want masters to supply the required information to us as early as possible to ensure we can target our efforts at vessels that pose the greatest biosecurity risk to New Zealand.”

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The penalties for the offences are $400 for an individual and $800 for a corporation.

Rawnsley said the fines were aimed at lower-level offences that would have previously required prosecution to enforce, and the prosecution option remains.

The new infringement notices follow the April introduction of similar fines for containment and transitional facilities for actions that could allow invasive pests and diseases into New Zealand.

“We want to send a strong message about the importance of biosecurity across all vessel operators and the entire cargo industry.”

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Bapcor’s expanding commitment

B

apcor Ltd is Australasia’s leading provider of aftermarket automotive parts, accessories, equipment and services to both the domestic and commercial automotive industries, with respected brands BNT, TATP and Autolign. This position in the marketplace is currently being reinforced with the company’s expansion and streamlining programme well under way with the recent opening of its new flagship store in Wiri, South Auckland, and a similar facility about to open its doors in Hornby, Christchurch.

Clinton Williams, national sales manager for TATP (OEM), details how the organisation had searched nearly three years for a building large enough to accommodate all three of the group’s brands under the one roof. “It made good business sense to bring them all together, simplifying stock management as well as offering our customers a one-stop-superstore environment,” said Williams.

The new Wiri site covers 2160sqm, housing more than 10,000 products including a large covered area ideally suited to de-vanning containers directly to shelf. The extra space dedicated to warehousing now allows TATP to hold its complete FUWA axle stock as well as its competitive range of OEM trailer products including Alux Wheels and Knorr Bremse on site, thus expediting the shipping of orders from one location. Another benefit of the move to the new facility with increased inventory levels is rapid supply of urgent orders to the smaller BNT branches throughout South Auckland.

Another trailer set of FUWA axles ready to hit the road.

The new facility also offers education opportunities for both staff and clients alike, with a purpose-built meeting/ presentation room as well as live product display within the store. “The response from our customers has been extremely positive and we now look forward to the opening of the sister store in Christchurch on 26 August,” said Williams.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Reception and racking in the new IVECO New Zealand parts facility.

Guests look over the newly commissioned service facility.

IVECO parts and service open day

T

he good news continues for IVECO New Zealand and its customers with the commissioning of the new 33,000m3 national parts facility and 15-bay service facility at the recently opened national headquarters in Wiri. Customers and suppliers were invited to a function on 7 August to show off the new IVECO New Zealand facility. “Following the corporate opening of the new $16m headquarters site recently it was great to host customers,

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“The facilities consist of a world-class logistics parts warehouse for our service dealer network and our retail customers, complementing the new showroom and state-ofthe-art workshop,” said Keddie. “While it is nice to work in such a nice place, it’s the people who dedicate themselves to our customers who are the most important piece.”

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ROAD NOISE NEWS Tauranga Ruakura link increases the options

P

ort of Tauranga and the TGH-subsidiary Port Ruakura LP have entered a long-term partnership to support the development of the planned Ruakura Inland Port at Hamilton.

The agreement allows Port of Tauranga’s cargo trains running between Metroport Auckland and Tauranga to service Ruakura Inland Port, giving Waikato-based importers and exporters direct access to fast international shipping services calling at Tauranga.

Tauranga is the only port call for the biggest container ships visiting New Zealand.

Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns (left) with Tainui Group Holdings chief executive Chris Joblin.

Port of Tauranga chief executive Mark Cairns said the planned Ruakura Inland Port offered significant cargo handling capacity and scope to meet future needs. The 480-hectare Ruakura estate has 192 hectares earmarked for logistics and industrial uses, including the planned

30-hectare inland port.

The agreement provides Port of Tauranga with priority rail slots at the Ruakura facility for an initial term of 30 years. Port Ruakura LP will provide the necessary infrastructure, including a rail siding, hardstand and cargo storage areas.

AS Wilcox Driver – Mr Frugal

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Lister Cleary (left) receives his award from MTD’s Sean Webb.

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September 2019

ister Cleary from AS Wilcox has won the I-Shift Fuel Efficiency Challenge, a national competition run as part of Volvo Truck’s celebration of the FH model’s 25th anniversary. Under the watchful eye of MTD Trucks driver trainer, Sean Webb, 10 drivers each drove a 200km leg in their own backyard in areas as diverse as Whangarei and Dunedin.

“They all showed significant improvement as their driving leg progressed. Each leg contained different topographical challenges, so the I-Shift dual clutch was really put to the test over the length and breadth of the country.”

Webb said feedback from the drivers was consistent, with them talking about the unit under load being ‘effortless’.

“Lister really worked with the vehicle and took his driving to the next level, harnessing the truck’s ability and adapting quickly to the feeling and feedback he got from the truck. His anticipation was also very good, and he was very engaged with what was going on – load and road.”

Cleary said it was all to do with coasting as often as possible and for as long as possible to maintain a steady speed and using the truck’s momentum in your favour.

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First Freightliner eCascadia battery electric trucks headed to customers

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aimler Trucks North America LLC (DTNA) has built the first two Class 8 battery electric Freightliner eCascadias for customers at its research and development centre in Portland. The trucks are part of Freightliner’s Electric Innovation Fleet and built to test the integration of battery electric trucks into large-scale fleet operations.

“This milestone in electric is important as both today and tomorrow’s technology is progressing. Our purpose is resolute – we build for our customers,” said Roger Nielsen, president and CEO of DTNA. “Our team is incredibly proud to be leading the way for the industry, but prouder still to be working with our customers in a process of co-creation to make real electric trucks for real work in the real world.”

The eCascadia is built on the proven foundation of the Freightliner Cascadia, the best-selling Class 8 heavy-duty truck on the market. The initial customer shipments are the first heavy-duty additions to the 30-vehicle Freightliner Innovation Fleet. Real-world use of the Innovation Fleet and continuing feedback from the members of the Freightliner Electric Vehicle Council will inform the final production versions of both the eCascadia and the medium-duty Freightliner eM2 in a process of co-creation.

Co-creation is the central tenet of DTNA’s approach to

electrifying the future of commercial vehicles and a key enabler to the widespread adoption of battery electric trucks.

The Electric Vehicle Council brings together 38 Freightliner customers to identify and address all potential hurdles to large-scale deployment of commercial battery electric vehicles.

Issues at the forefront of the discussion include charging infrastructure, partnerships with other parties in the e-mobility value chain, vehicle specifications and vehicle use case.

Penske Truck Leasing of Reading, Pennsylvania and NFI of Camden, New Jersey are both members of the Freightliner Electric Vehicle Council and will be the first companies to employ the revolutionary eCascadia in their commercial operations. The eCascadias are destined for the Southern California operations of both companies and will arrive later this month. Additional deliveries of the Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet will continue throughout 2019.

The Freightliner Innovation Fleet is supported by a partnership between DTNA and the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) that focuses on improving air quality in the South Coast Basin and partially funded the Innovation Fleet with a nearly US$16m grant. The first of the medium-duty electric Freightliner eM2s began service earlier this year with Penske Truck Leasing and are operated within the South Coast AQMD.

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P HOT O: T OY OTA NE W Z E A L A ND

ROAD NOISE NEWS Light Commercials

Short haul redesigned Could this be the future of ‘last mile’ deliveries? Toyota says it designed this mobility vehicle specifically for the Tokyo Olympic Games, but it seems clear the 200 built for the event will also deliver a real-world evaluation for its suitability as a production delivery vehicle.

The low-speed battery-powered BEV is designed for short runs, and in passenger form features three rows of seating.

Passenger seats can fold to accommodate wheelchairs or goods, and the driver sits on an elevated central seat for better vision and safety, while access is available from both sides.

It’s also possible to fit a stretcher aboard. The 3.9m-long, 1.6m-wide and 2.0m-high vehicle travels at up to 19kph for up to 100km, and has a turning radius of 4.8m.

In the wellside – news snippets

22

Toyota’s Hilux has again scored a five-star ANCAP rating – the independent crash test rating for Australasia. The 2015 Hilux achieved five stars, but ANCAP tests have become more rigorous. The latest rating came after Toyota added auto emergency braking that recognises pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles as potential impact risks, plus active lane keep assist and advanced speed assistance. Toyota’s latest Hiace also scored five stars in the updated test.

Japanese electronics manufacturer NEC has flown a battery electric flying car in a safety cage. The NEC quadcopter climbed three metres, without a passenger.

Japan’s government hopes flying cars will carry cargo by 2023 to reduce the road burden there. Meanwhile, Google cofounder Larry Page’s electrical vertical take-off pilotless aircraft is reportedly testing in Canterbury. Uber, Boeing and Airbus are also looking at flying cars.

The World Economic Forum has recognised LDV as a global innovation leader, along with BMW – the two automotive manufacturers cited. The Chinese brand sells commercial vehicles here, including the EV80 electric van – with eight sold in New Zealand to the end of July. Some 1000 production sites were assessed by the independent jury.

Daimler has downgraded its earnings outlook this financial year, leading to speculation in Europe that Mercedes-Benz could drop its X-class ute from production.

Mercedes-Benz New Zealand says until speculation becomes fact, the ute remains an important model in its commercial range.

New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

P HOT O: M I T S U B I S HI NE W Z E A L A ND

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Triton means business Aftermarket specialist RVE has worked with Mitsubishi to release an RVE-pack Triton ute.

Sport-style leather seating, wheel arch flares matched to 20” wheels and Black Bear all-terrain tyres with aggressive tread and a new bumper overlay all suggest a wider stance, while a 19” light bar and grille insert help spot pesky possums at night – or negotiate the dirt track to that pylon in need of a fix.

The upgrade can be retrofitted, along with an electric rear lid to improve load security. 

For Service & Supply See Your Local Battery Town Specialist

Concept renderings of an electric ute under development now have hit news sites. Atlis Motor Vehicles became a company in 2014, with the idea of the electric ute. In the years since it has done computer modelling, testing of small-scale models, market research and fundraising – you can buy an interest in the company. The next stage is to build full-size working prototypes, and that is where it claims to be now. Four independent drive motors with direct drive to each wheel propel the ute, which rivals Ford’s F150 in size.

Several variants will cover tow ratings from 1200kg to 9000kg. Range when unladen will be anything from 480km to 800km, and Atlis targets a 15-minute full charge, rated so far on small-scale tests. Targeted on-sale date is 2020.

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September 2019

23

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MAIN TEST

Go East and

conquer Story by Dave McCoid Photos and video by Dave McCoid and Carl Kirkbeck 24

New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ

Hyundai’s Xcient drew thousands of inquisitive and interested pokers and prodders at The EXPO 2017. Now in the hands of owner Randall Transport Services, it’s raising eyebrows on one of our most formidable trucking tracks.

I

n a platform-festooned world it’s a rarity to have a whole new truck make landfall. When Hyundai New Zealand’s national truck manager Grant Doull asked us if we’d like to go to the Hawke’s Bay and see how the Xcient was going, we couldn’t get to the ute quick enough. Here was a truly intriguing machine, and word on the street was it had found a home on a daily freight run between Napier and Gisborne.

Having confidence in your Hwarang (ancient Korean warrior – with class) is one thing; throwing him into a real scrap for survival straight off the bat is another. But that’s the level of confidence Corey Randall, proprietor of Randall Transport Services (RTS) in Napier, had in the beast from the East following a 35,000km trail they were running for Hyundai New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

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New Zealand. There wasn’t a moment’s hesitation when the chance of purchasing the truck came about.

The road to the rough country

The Hyundai brand and suite of products managed to obvert the painful journey of acceptance many OEMs have on arrival in Aotearoa. Considering its relatively short-lived history here, Hyundai today is associated with quality of build and reliability, be it their cars, SUVs, LD trucks, or front-end loaders. You name it, the feedback is always positive. A clever and polished marketing strategy helps keeps that reputation real in the minds of punters as they also press upon us how much time, effort and resource the company puts into ongoing development and frontier technology.

The sheer size of the parent company is hard to comprehend and we won’t go into great detail here, suffice to say if you wanted to own a small car, big car, SUV, light truck, heavy truck, a bus, a loader, a digger, a ship, or a submarine, you need only visit your local Hyundai dealer…and even then we’ve not scratched the surface.

Hyundai’s foray into the local truck market has until now been focused on the lighter-duty side of things. Back in November 2015 we took a little HD75 for a spin and at the time felt there was a bit of refinement required to bring cohesion to the truck. Much water has passed under the bridge since then, and later this year the company will bring a whole new range of medium-duty maulers to the market...we wait with bated breath.

Anyone attending The EXPO 2017 witnessed Hyundai upping its presence in the HD truck market significantly.

There, front and centre, was an Xcient P520 QZ, the company’s big high cab linehaul offering. It presented as something entirely new and unrelatable in terms of offerings from an eastern OEM. Its huge cab looked and felt for all intents and purposes European, as did its power train. There was no oversized docile lump under these floorboards, instead a mid 12-litre Euro 5 that produced bulls-eye numbers for a fleet linehaul operation.

However, for all the interest, the truck wasn’t a launch vehicle but a test vehicle, brought here for evaluation and data collection in preparation for potential entry into the market sometime hence. In fact, the response at that very event was part of the evaluation. What would people think? What would the interest be?

“Interest in all events has been strong and people are very positive. I think they see something new, yet familiar. If I had a dollar for every time someone has said ‘Hyundai make great cars, I bet these will be great too’,” said Grant.

Its path immediately after the show comprised media drives, and field trials within target applications. When PBT contractor Corey Randall won a tender for RTS to provide a daily freight service from Napier to Gisborne, the Hyundai – still painted in its EXPO metallic grey livery – had just ended a trial period in his business. Corey had a night swap contract ex Napier to Palmerston North, a run he’d done since establishing his business about two years ago, and the Hyundai had been working away on that job. In 35,000km of trial the big Korean hadn’t missed a beat, and anyone gracing its lush in-cab environs didn’t appear at all keen to leave.

With the need to put wheels on the Gisborne run immediately, Corey called Grant and asked if he could buy the Xcient.

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New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

“It wasn’t on the plan to sell it right then, but we had a talk and did a deal. We still wanted data from the truck; it was the only one running here at that stage and I thought it would be a great job on which to prove its mettle,” said Grant.

And so that’s how the Xcient found its way to Gisborne… and back, every day, carting freight on one of our most unforgiving sections of state highway. If you believe in your truck, meaning really believe, then there’s no better road to subject it to.

Chalk and…chalk

Driver of the Xcient is Tanga Walsh, a 35-year trucking vet, and Gisborne born and bred. You’d think a truck from an Asian OEM wouldn’t be well suited to a Gisborne truckie in terms of ‘vibe’. After all, the Asian ‘thing’ is always perceived as detail oriented, serious, purposeful, and process driven, yet Tanga’s so laid back he almost has no need for mirrors. But no, it’s a beautiful union. The boy from the East is perfectly bonded to his machine from the East. The Hyundai glides along in silence, Tanga chatting to the truckies coming the other way about road conditions and enjoying the scenery as he breathes in the ionised air his best Korean buddy’s climate system provides him with.

“Oh, I love it. It’s a really good machine. It’s only 520 but it goes bloody well. I drove the FM before this, and I’d take this.

It’s really stylish.

“People would call me up at the start and say ‘Is that a Volvo?’ ‘Nah mate, it’s a Hyundai’. ‘A wha? No way?’ Na mate.

This’ll do.”

Day runner

In the world of PBT freight Tanga’s life is special in ways other than the uniqueness of the machine he drives. His is one of the few daytime linehaul jobs in the company, loading in the

Tanga quietly thunders through the Cricklewood region.

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ

The daily freight terminal routine. If they only knew what it took to get their ‘stuff’ to them.

Napier terminal each morning around 6.30am and heading off with a stop in Wairoa before ending in Gisborne. Once clear he loads whatever there is to come home and heads off.

It’s a five-days-a-week job and one that ticks all the boxes in his work-life balance; meeting people, making customers happy, getting home every night, and racing or working on his stockcar on the weekend.

We meet Tanga in the PBT Napier depot on a Monday morning, the first day in our two-day Hyundai adventure. The truck looks spectacular and there’s the feeling that it can at last call New Zealand home, resplendent in one of the nation’s

most recognisable and well-known trucking liveries.

“I’ve got to say a special thanks to Dave Cowan and his team in Hastings who painted the Hyundai and trailers,” said Corey.

As is often the case, freight is a fickle thing and there’s only 18 tonne to head north, giving us an all-up weight of just 37.5 tonne or thereabouts. Luckily on day two we were mid-40s.

As it happened, Tanga had loaded the truck on Sunday afternoon and so we were able to escape the growing frenzy that is a freight terminal in the 6am to 7.30am window.

The 12.4-litre Hyundai looking quite at home. All the daily checks are through the front flap and that’s been about it so far.

New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

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Power to earn

The Xcient’s proprietary D6CE52 12.4-litre 6-cylinder is a Euro 5 via SCR unit. It’s a single overhead cam direct injection jobbie and adds yet another contender in the white-hot 13-litre marketplace. Output is on a par with the rest of the peloton, the engine producing 388kW (520hp) at 1700rpm and 2500Nm (1850lb/ft) at 1200rpm. With the way the unit is set up for a gross of 46 tonne, that equates to a maximum potential workload of 11.3hp/tonne, well above the magic 10 mark. Even at 50MAX it’s still 10.4hp/tonne.

Boffins will tell you that’s a worthless yardstick, and not necessary to effectively pull a 50 tonne gross load on our roads, but the best counter we’d suggest for that argument is for them

to go and drive for five years. When you come from an era when a 400 Cummins Big Cam was ‘the gear’ and at 44 tonne the power to weight was 9.1hp/tonne, arguing the case for 10hp/tonne seems hypocritical. But times have moved on, the traffic flow is quicker (Hillman Avengers and Vauxhall Crestas are thin on the ground in 2019), the loads are bigger, and consumers less patient and less tolerant.

Behind the engine is a familiar and well-loved face, the ZF AS Tronic 12-speed AMT transmission. Although available with the retarder, the Xcient didn’t have that option.

Familiarity is gone again after that. Up front is a Hyundai Reverse Elliot ‘I’ beam front axle, rated at 6.5 tonnes, on tapered parabolic springs and shocks. Rearward is a DYMOS

The grand – heated – hotel Hyundai An Asian truck cab with the build quality of a European? Not hard to find nowadays.

An Asian truck cab with the build quality, space, and ambience of a European? Well, up until recently we’d have replied with something like, ‘Hmmm, tall order’. We can get you build quality and ambience, or space without the ambience and build quality in all fairness.

But, as we said, that was until recently. Enter the scene the Hyundai Xcient QZ. Golly! What a machine. Like nothing else we’ve ever seen out of the East, but certainly a lot like many things we’ve seen from Hyundai.

Looks-wise it’s sleek, swept back, and we would say slippery through the air. Asians can have a nasty habit of designing horribly ugly trucks (you’d have to say the little Hyundai HD75 was beaten with an ugly stick) but whoever put pen to cab design paper and came up with the Xcient was having a great day. Aside from some chunkiness around the lower jowls when viewed from side-on – it’s a handsome hunk of truck.

Moving indoors. If you own a Hyundai Santa Fe, then take a moment to go out and sit in it. Look around, take it in. In terms of ambience, quality, and workmanship, now you’ll pretty much know what the Xcient is like inside.

It’s a tall 4-step entry cab that’s on a par with anything Europe can come up with in terms of ingress and egress.

There are A and B pillar handles and you’re up and in before you know it, naturally bearing your weight on your feet as you ascend or descend.

Inside it’s a gargantuan cavity with 1.89m of clear front to back headspace when standing on the 190mm tunnel

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New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

Binnacle is clear and follows the modern convention.

running down the 2.3m long and 2.49m wide cab. While your UD, Fuso, and Isuzu drivers are whiling away the hours on a rainy cold night jammed either side of the central locker expanse, the Xcient driver could quite happily be doing his kettle squats to the instructor’s cues emanating through the sound system. Once you’re done with the exercise routine you can sit in the passenger seat and finish the paperwork on a fold-out desk – shades of Actros.

There are huge lockers front and overhead, mirrored on the back wall above the 800mm-wide bed. Under the bunk there’s pull-out storage that includes a fridge and a warmer.

The inside ‘stuff stashing’ facilities are rounded out with caddies and cup holders in the dash, storage slots over and in the doors as well as on the sleeper side walls, plus a crafty wee pull-out glovebox under the wrapped section of the dash. Outside on the sleeper flanks there are two big external lockers. Suffice to say, if your driver likes to shop in their 10

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ (affiliate company of Hyundai Motors Group) R178HT tandem axle set at 3.273:1 with diff and cross-lock rated at 26 tonne, on proprietary 4-bag air suspension with scales.

The truck has disc brakes with EBS and ABS, and electronic stability control, as well as modern AMT drivetrain coolness like eco-roll, Anti Slip Regulation, and hill start assist.

In a fleet setting you’d be hard pressed to find a better spec for on-highway running at 50MAX and under. On the lower profile tyres the rear axle ratio is probably a little low, and that may have shown up in the fuel numbers when the truck was running the higher speed gig to Palmerston North at night.

Cruising at 90kp/h the Hyundai was ticking along at 1500rpm, probably a hair too ‘spinny’ for a modern truck. Fuel burn at

that time was 1.97kpl, and you’d expect 2.00kpl to have been achievable in that work profile regardless of the presence of the Saddle Road. We think longer legs and more familiarisation with the eco-roll would crack the magic number easily. To put that into perspective, the consumption on the Gisborne run has only increased to 1.87kpl, which would indicate the gearing has less of an impact, as the total time spent at open road speeds can be counted in single minutes almost. In fact, in this work, the gearing’s a helpmate. And as for the eco-roll? Forget that for 99.8% of your day.

hours off, you could have a tare issue on your hands.

Ducking back to the bed for a moment, it has a reading lamp and remote for various in-cab functions – mood lighting, stereo volume etc.

In terms of fit and finish the truck was exemplary, nothing rattled, banged or moved; and don’t forget, this cab’s been going to Gisborne and back every day now for 75,000km.

The dash and floor are in dark tones and the walls and ceiling in a light fawn. Heavy vinyl, rubber, and plastics make up the materials catalogue, and Tanga had laid down some extra protection in the high-traffic areas. It’s just what good drivers do.

To the business end, it’s a relaxed position in the driver’s fully adjustable – heated – air ride driver’s seat. The steering wheel – also heated – adjusts for height and rake so there’s no issue getting it right for anyone. Window and lock controls are on the doorsills, and looking out the mirrors are superb – again, heated – and electrically adjustable.

The dash is car-like, with the binnacle and wrap encompassed in a single fluid installation. It’s a well-finished, classy look. Front and centre are two main gauges for speed and revs, and two half rounds for fuel and temp in the lower section of the central data screen separating the two main dials.

You can choose what you want to look at on the telematics screen via the menu selection on the smart wheel’s righthand buttons and toggles. The menu comprises three clear headings: gauges, drive information, or diagnostics. Down to the driver’s right are the headlight and cab work light switches.

The wrap houses the usual park control, switchgear, infotainment, and climate controls. It even has an ioniser to eliminate smells and clear the air of allergenic nasties. Good grief!

Everything falls beautifully to hand and is clear and easily understood.

As we said, the menu selection is on the right-hand side of the smart wheel along with the cruise controls. On the left is the phone and entertainment management. Both of the smart wheel button panels are made of the grey plastic common to Hyundai dashes and are really the only areas of the cab showing rub-wear from use.

The left steering column wand takes care of indicator, dip, wipers, and windscreen washer (just like the ‘everything’ wand on a KW), and the right wand is the ‘Fat Controller’ for the ZF and engine-brake.

Above the driver are coms and more switchgear, including the button for the electric sun visors.

Outside and out front the grille lifts to reveal the daily checks, and there’s a fold-down step to allow the glass expanse to be washed. There’s underrun protection flanking the tractor - that doesn’t look hideous funnily enough – with steps incorporated to get to couplers.

If the quiz question were ‘summarise the Xcient QZ cab in one sentence’, the answer would have to be ‘A live-in cab from the East that raises the bar considerably’. It confounds the brain to think you’re sitting in a cab whose origins are Asian.

The space! Oh the space.

Up the torture track

Every region has its challenging roads, but some have corridors

It’s a whole new

Magnificent

world…literally. Well

entry with all

appointed and

your weight

manufactured, the

on the feet.

Hyundai has space and storage to burn.

The dash and wrap in a single flowing line.

New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

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WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ RUNNING ON SCR?... known the length and breadth of our wee nation for their ability to inflict maximum pain on a truck. State Highway 2 north of Napier would be one such rutted, slumped, hideous strip of broken bitumen ribbon. Its hidden treasures are instantly apparent by observing the calibre of kit operators attack it with. American, Scandinavian, and European marques, highly specced for durability and reliability. Looking more closely at the Hyundai’s set-up, the same applies – although it’s not immediately evident.

“One of the things I liked about the truck was the beefy chassis and cross-membering,” said Corey. “It may not be the lightest but it’s a bloody chunky piece of kit. And that’s why we run the 6-axle B-train also. It’s not set up for HPMV; we don’t need it. We run at 46 tonne max, but it’s the stability we’re after. The whole thing’s on disc brakes right through too. It’s the only way on that road.”

The Xcient has a GVM of 31,700kg and GCM of 70,000kg, and as is always the case the proof is in the pudding. So far in 75,000km of operation on the Gisborne run, the truck has continued on with its theme of being utterly reliable.

“Not one warning light, buzzer, nothing,” said Tanga. “It’s had its two scheduled services. You just get in, turn the key, and go.”

The expressway out toward Bay View is a tease considering what starts just past the Pan Pac mill up ahead. The Hyundai lopes long with in-cab noise in the 68 to 69dB range. The games begin at Tangoio and the start of the Devil’s Elbow section. The road narrows and starts finding its way through the gullies and low speed corners. There’s a constant stream of first round loggers coming toward us and Tanga plots his path in the tight spots via the CB. It’s a handy habit seen in certain areas of the country and not so much in others. You’ll find place calling common on the Coromandel but rare on the Takaka Hill. There’s nothing more reassuring than knowing a huge grille is lurking behind the outcrop you’re rounding.

“The guys who won’t call irritate me,” says Tanga. “Places like the pinch around the leg on the Mohaka Viaduct are bloody tight for two trucks. What’s it take to let someone know you’re there?”

The Hyundai affords a great view and mirrors are well placed. Interestingly the A pillar blind spot issue is less of a problem, not just because extreme traffic and intersections aren’t a big part of Tanga’s day, but due also to the fact there’s a heavy rake on the Xcient’s A pillars. Side-on the truck looks like an extreme Actros profile and it is impactful from the driver’s seat. Scania NTG wrapped the screen and Hyundai raked the hell out of the A pillar. The battle against blind spots rages on in the modern, uber-safe trucks.

The climbs, like the corners, come thick and fast. Up the Devil’s Elbow and White Pine section the lowest and slowest things got to was 9th at 1500rpm and 40kp/h, exactly the same further up the track on the Morere Hill. On day two with the load on the engine at around 44 tonne, both hills were clipped in 8th at 1500rpm and 35kp/h. It became apparent on both days that 1500rpm was the sweet spot for the engine. There’s a noticeable disinterest on the part of the Hyundai’s mid-range burning in leaving that rev, and it will hang on tenaciously.

Looking around the noticeably squeak-free internal environment, the big sleeper cab seems a massive overkill for a day runner of about 10 to 11 hours duration. But as is the case with truckers, there’s method in the madness. The Hyundai

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WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Where to from here?

“For us at Hyundai New Zealand it’s more a question of ‘why not?’ We are New Zealand owned and operated, we are passionate about our business and we are passionate about bringing great Hyundai truck product to Kiwi operators,” said Grant Doull.

Hyundai’s growth aspirations have seen the Xcient, traditionally a left-hand drive truck, appear in right-hand drive variant. There’s a plethora of new product on the horizon and that includes an expanded Xcient range.

Currently there are three evaluation trucks in the country, all 6x4s although there’s a rigid coming, and an 8x4 planned sometime down the track. Any rollout will be planned, staged, and supported. Hyundai New Zealand has no intention to launch a range of trucks to market it can’t support.

The next official model launch will be the automatic version of the Mighty, followed by a new mid-duty

truck range in the near future. For those wanting an Xcient the wait will be a tad longer with the full range expected to roll out sometime in 2020, so register your interest now.

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forms part of a small, young fleet, so it may need to leap into one of the other jobs on its return home, like local sideloader work, or the Palmerston North run should one of the other trucks need cover. And then there’s ‘that road’ again.

“Anything can happen on this road…anything,” says Tanga.

“Slips and prangs, you can find yourself cast waiting for the road to open. There’s no real other way around unless it was going to be closed for days. Mate, I’d rather lay out on the bed instead of sitting upright here. It’ll get used, don’t you worry.”

A big grin and a thumbs-up follow.

Tanga pulled into the drop-off point in Wairoa and unloaded the town’s freight at local firm Drager CL & Sons, who will complete the final leg to the end customer. Tanga has a great rapport with all his customers and as is often the case, the

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truck driver is the face of the company he represents. North of Wairoa things get easier, with large expanses of open plain skirting the sea before the last big obstacles, the Morere Hill and the Whareratas. Tanga steers the Hyundai through the higher speed sweeping bends, its steering manners impeccable, as are the brakes; mind you nothing else would be acceptable given the all-disc anchor set.

The north side of the Whareratas is a long, steady, winding descent with some low speed corners midway down, strategically placed to provide the ultimate seat-sucking experience for the inexperienced or foolhardy. Right from the start of the trip the Hyundai’s two-stage auxiliary brake seemed effective; with Tanga barely needing to tap the brakes on the descents. Stage one is an exhaust brake and two an exhaust

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ No place like home If you grow up in the Hawke’s Bay you’d be hard to please if you didn’t consider yourself among the planet’s truly blessed. Climate, lifestyle, and a bounty of fresh food, the Bay has it all. It’s certainly one of those places you’d always plan to come back to once you gave the rest of what the planet had to offer a once-over.

That was exactly the case with Corey Randall. Although born and raised in Wellington with parents Dave and Brenda and his two sisters, Corey finished high school in the Hawke’s Bay. Corey’s father Dave was an owner-driver and so trucks were always part of his life growing up, and Corey was always an enthusiastic co-pilot when he was able.

Once Taradale High School was done, he attended university in Palmerston North where he gained a business degree. Out of university he worked for a year before setting off on his own career in transport with Road Star, based in Auckland and working in sales and management. With three years under his belt it was off to see the world, and a three-year stint in London with girlfriend Mel. The two eventually wed and have been together for 22 years.

“I ended up working for Crown Relocations over there, and Mel was working with Allied Pickford. That proved interesting at times,” laughs Corey.

Returning home around 2005, Corey took an advertised position at Peter Baker Transport in the fledgling container operation in Auckland. Over the next 11 or so years Corey helped grow the division from three trucks to a fleet of 23.

“It was exciting work and I enjoyed helping grow the business. Because Auckland’s container scene is twentyfour-seven, the phone can go any time of the day or night. I didn’t mind, but it can be hard on the family.”

It was always their intention to return to the Hawke’s Bay when the time was right, and about 18 months ago a number of stars were starting to align. A commercial opportunity within the PBT business was becoming apparent, Corey was around 40 years of age, and children Tommy and Nina were of an age where a move to the Bay would allow them to enjoy the lifestyle that growing up in the region provided.

“When I hit 40 I decided I needed to do something for myself. I set some goals and off we went.”

PBT had by then established container operations in Mt Maunganui, New Plymouth, and Wellington, with Napier being serviced out of Palmerston North. Not having a presence on the ground in the Hawke’s Bay wasn’t ideal, so Corey bought a truck off Palmerston North-based PBT contractor Gavin Stewart, formed RTS (Randall Transport Services), and got stuck in.

Putting their core competencies – business, sales, teamwork, and good old fashioned hard work – to good use, he and Mel have grown the business to four trucks: the Hyundai, an FM Volvo, and two Freightliners.

Anchor work consists of the two PBT contracts, container devanning and delivery, as well as tipping container

Corey Randall, growing a young business with wife Mel. There’s no shortage of energy, endeavour, or desire.

discharge work for a growing client base.

“It’s a tough game and often those who aren’t in it or born into it find it hard. For me it’s a service business.

Transport is a service business. A lot of people forget that, but understanding it really is the key to it all.”

Tanga may get to knock off but the Hyundai doesn’t.

Corey whips a few ‘cans’ here and there as the sun sets.

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The view from the office window can be both challenging and magnificent.

and engine brake combo. Retardation power numbers weren’t available, but the hold back was the equal of competitors in the class we’ve sampled sporting the same set-up.

Tanga may know the road like the back of his hand, but once again we’re talking about a man who learned to go downhill properly. The holdback was certainly effective and hugely apparent, but so was the descending speed. The truck didn’t have the optional retarder, but you know where we sit on that argument. In this country, ending up in a big heap at the bottom of a ravine is easier done than said.

As is often the case, we saw big trucks on descents at speeds that meant homework wouldn’t be an issue for any poor kids who happened to get on the wrong school bus that day.

Sit, but don’t hang on

The first thing we thought when we saw the Xcient in the freight shed was ‘what on earth will this cab do on that road’, and ‘will we be seasick, achy, feeling the old sciatica, or all

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three’ by the time we get to Gizzy. Oh, how wrong we were.

The Xcient’s party trick is most definitely its ride. Standing 3.65m high it’s a huge shed to punt around. Sitting on a 4-airbag, shock and roll bar system, the truck is magically firm through the corners, very DAF XF105. It has that Euro feel through the ruts and bumps, absorbing and insulating, and an American stiffness in the corners, probably attributable to the lateral shock absorbers in the cab’s rear mounts and some hefty anti-roll bars. Neither was it a ‘pitcher’. There was no sign at all of fore/aft bobble. On arrival at the destination, after 212km of endless corners, climbs and descents, it was a case of step out and walk away, look back and shake your head at the ride you’ve just had in that expanse of a cab. If you want a reference point on life in the Hyundai’s cab, then think about a truck that sounds like a Volvo and rides like a DAF, and you’ll be in the ball park.

Although it’s a definite tip of the hat to the Korean engineers in terms of ride, it’s once again an equally big salute

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It looks all very business-like but this is one chilled out cab.

It takes a lifetime to make trucking look this relaxed.

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An iconic piece of New Zealand scenery forms the backdrop to a truck that may well become part of the landscape itself.

to the man from Gisborne at the helm. We’re sure in the wrong hands and hunted like buggery, we may have got out giddy and sore; physics will take over eventually, but driven well, this was a most impressive show.

“I come home on a Friday and it feels like I’ve done nothing,” said Tanga.

Summary

Arriving into a market like ours with a new heavy-duty truck is a big punt. We’re a discerning market, strong on opinion and low on conquest sales. But Hyundai isn’t your average peddler of product; it’s a brand with an X factor. They seem to be able to make anything and make it well, in their own way. The buzz around the Xcient’s presence at the EXPO two and half years ago wasn’t one of disdain and scorn, it was intrigue and inquisitive investigation. It was full of pointing and discussions themed around ‘Shit, if it’s as good as their other stuff…’ Then there was the look. The size and interior. The fit and finish.

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The space and comfort. If Hyundai launch an all-out assault on the market, then some of the more traditional players will be more than nervous. Would you rather stay in a cube hotel or a lovely homestay?

But what about reliability? Yes, it’s still early days, but 75,000km on the Gisborne road with not so much as a warning light; and neither driver nor owner would swap it. We know their cars are reliable, we know their loaders and diggers are. We’re sure their ships are, and who’d buy an unreliable submarine?

It goes well, and there are few trucks in this genre we’ve enjoyed being in more, certainly from an aches and pain point of view.

That leaves only one thing. Support. The ultimate truckselling KPI. Based on everything else they sell successfully, who’d bet against them being able to support this product? In fact, they probably make the spanners, grease-guns, hose clips, zip ties, filters… 

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Winning at life Who better to put on a Gisborne freight run than one of the region’s sons?

“This truck was made for the Gizzy run,” laughs Tanga Walsh. “Its number plate even says ‘KUZ’” Spend a day in the cab with this chilled-out, stockcarracing, career trucker and you’ll think you’ve been at a detox, life reset, values prioritising, retreat. For free!

“This window washing step is awesome, and the front access flap is great!”

We agreed, safe, easy access to the windscreen and all the daily checks right there in front of you. But no, Tanga’s not talking about any of that carry-on.

“Look, you put the window wash step down and the access flap up, and it’s awesome for your half-hour break! You can sit in the sun but the front flap is like a sunshade, churr. I hate having my break in the truck. You gotta get out. This is perfect.”

A lesson in value-add. As the two of us sat there mulling life over, we learned the windscreen step on the Xcient is not only a great tool, it’s good for 200kg at least!

Tanga (60) has been a trucker his whole life. One of 14 kids (10 brothers and three sisters), his dad Gavin was a bus driver.

Following a short work stint in Gisborne post-school years, young Tanga headed south to Hawke’s Bay where his driving really got started, carting produce for Barry Brothers. TK Bedfords, Dodges, and Isuzus formed the mainstay of the trucking hardware in those days.

“It’s amazing how far trucks have come. It’s the only job I’ve had in my life, trucking. I’ve been in it over 35 years now, and I just love it, eh. Meeting people and delivering the freight to my customers. That’s all I’ve ever done, general freight.

“I don’t play my music much, sorry, I just like to cruise along and chill out. It’s all about not getting worked up; if you’re late you’re late, you know? You won’t make it up by rushing.” You soon start to get an understanding why he’s the perfect man for this road.

Following Barry Brothers, Tanga spread his wings and took work at NZL driving an Isuzu GigaMAX on flat-deck work out of Napier. That got him farther afield, exploring the highways and byways of the nation, expanding his skillset and perfecting his craft.

From there it was more linehaul and more freight, this time the chilled variety for Hall’s Group where he worked for more than eight years, at which point he decided a break from linehaul was needed. That prompted the move to the blue and white of Peter Baker Ltd just under a decade ago, working for contractor Gavin Stewart on the Napier to Palmerston North night swap.

Eighteen months ago he moved with his FM Volvo across to Corey’s business after the establishment of the container business in Napier, and when the opportunity came up last year to do the Gisborne freight run, he took that.

“I like it, it gives me contact with home and the people

Everything a man needs for a half-hour break. A seat and a sunshade! Tanga Walsh style. (We’ve never featured the front access check in this way before.)

up there again. I don’t think I’ll ever go back to live in Gizzy, but I like being connected, you know? It’s good to be connected.

“It’s a tough road, one of the country’s real challenging ones I reckon, but it’s all about sharing. It’s not just for trucks, it’s everyone’s.”

Tanga lives in Napier with partner Lisa and outside of work his passion is stockcars. He runs a Honda Prelude with a VTEC H22A Red Top motor in the production saloon category, and he’s not just there to make up the numbers. In this year’s National Grand Prix held in Gisborne, he took out second in the production saloons from a field of 40.

“Mate, I was so excited! I can’t tell you. My daughter Hannah helps me and she had to do a lot of the packing up, I was buuuggerrred! And then the celebration. Oh, mate!” Tanga throws his head back in laughter.

“I love it, eh. Gives me a break from the trucks. I love nothing more than going out, doing some races and coming into the clubhouse and enjoying a couple of beers.

“North Island champs in Huntly on 30 November, mate, I’ll be there! Come over, come over.”

Tanga Walsh, a lovely bloke whose Gizzy approach to the mental and emotional side of truck driving is needed in the industry by the bucketful. Another professional well north of 50 who knows the craft inside out, making the difficult and challenging look incredibly easy, surrounded by satisfied, engaged customers, and a more than happy boss.

One of a generation of sorcerers who were denied their apprentices.

Corey Randall summed it up magnificently. “Tanga? He just turns up and does it, eh.”

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Hyundai Xcient

SPECIFICATIONS

QZ P520 6X4 TRACTOR

38

Tare:

8560Kg (specs) 9202kg fuel and ready to load

Rear axle:

Hyundai R178HT single reduction hypoid 3.273:1

GVM:

31,700kg

Rear axle rating:

13,000kg (each)

GCM:

70,000kg

Rear suspension:

Hyundai 4-bag air suspension

Wheelbase

4650mm

Brakes:

Disc with EBS, ABS

Engine:

D6CE52

Auxiliary braking:

2-stage engine brake

Capacity:

12.3 litre

Fuel:

450 litre

Power:

388kW (520hp) at 1700rpm

DEF tank:

60 litre

Torque

2500Nm (1850 lb/ft) at 1200rpm

Wheels:

Alloy

Emissions:

Euro 5 SCR

Tyres:

275/70 R22.5

Transmission:

ZF AS-Tronic 12-speed

Electrical:

24 volt

Clutch:

Single dry plate

Additional safety:

ASR (Anti Slip Regulation), hill start assist

Chassis:

300 x 90 x 8mm

Cab exterior

All steel welded cab, electric cab tilt, heated electric mirrors, cab side skirts

Cab interior:

Air driver’s seat. Fridge and warmer, sleeper remote control, climate air with ioniser, infotainment centre, remote locking.

Front axle:

Hyundai ‘I’ Beam (Reverse Eliot)

Front axle rating:

6500kg

Front suspension:

Parabolic taper leaf with shock absorber

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September 2019

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of 4 years or 400,000 km from purchase.

of 4 years or 400,000 km from purchase.

Service Service Contract Contract Service Contract Powertrain Powertrain Service Contract Powertrain Vehicle Vehicle Powertrain Vehicle Maintenance Maintenance Vehicle Maintenance Inspection Inspection Maintenance Inspection Parts Parts Inspection Parts Preventative Preventative Maintenance Maintenance Parts Preventative Maintenance Wear Wear & Tear & Tear Preventative Maintenance Wear & Tear Brakes Brakes Wear & Tear Brakes Clutches Clutches Brakes Clutches Rubber Rubber Components Components Clutches Rubber Components Additional Additional Services Services Rubber Components Additional Services Roadworthy Roadworthy Inspections Inspections Additional Services Roadworthy Inspections Replacement Replacement Vehicle Vehicle Roadworthy Inspections Replacement Vehicle 2424 hr hr support support Replacement Vehicle 24 hr support 24 Towing hrTowing support Towing Towing

of 4 years or 400,000 km from purchase.

DOES DOESYOUR YOUR AMERICAN AMERICAN TRUCK TRUCK DOES YOUR AMER DOES YOUR AMERICAN TRUCK SERVICE SERVICEPLAN PLANINCLUDE: INCLUDE: SERVICE PLAN INC SERVICE PLAN INCLUDE:

Optional Optional Optional Optional Optional Optional

WE WEDO. DO. WE WE DO. DO.

Trucks Trucks & Trailers & Trailers LtdLtd | Auckland | Auckland | Palmerston | Palmerston North North | Wellington | Wellington | 0800 | 0800 327 327 777 777 T rucks &LtdTrailers Ltd | Auckland | 99 Palmerston Prestige Prestige Commercial Commercial Vehicles Vehicles || Christchurch | Christchurch | 0800 | 0800 37 9898 99 Trucks & Trailers | Auckland Palmerston North | 37 Wellington | 0800 327 777

0619-24

North | Wellingto Prestige Commercial Vehicles | Christchurch | 0800 37 98 99 Prestige Commercial Vehicles | Christchurch | 0800 37 98 99 DRIVER DRIVER DRIVEN DRIVEN DRIVER DRIVEN

I M A GE : DA I M L E R T R U C K A ND B U S A U S T R A L I A

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‘No one gets left behind!’

Story by Dave McCoid • Photos as credited

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F The rapidly approaching Cascadia. This is no local test regime, this is part of something that will have an impact on the pace of heavy truck development regionally...forever.

or the team at Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific, Freightliner’s journey in this part of the world hasn’t always been an easy one. But that’s all about to change on a scale difficult to comprehend, and the impact of that change will alter the heavy-duty truck landscape Down Under forever.

Where it all began

If you wanted to pinpoint the moment in time when life got challenging for the US cabover engine truck, you can. It was in 1982 with the Federal Highways Administration (FHWA) Surface Transportation Assistance Act, and its imposition of not just maximum allowable weights and dimensions that states must sanction, but minimum as well. It also decreed the network to which the new Act applied, prohibiting states from denying reasonable access. It was designed to eliminate once and for all boutique compliance irritations that existed in some individual states, things like overall length. It created a national network, and therefore a ‘national’ truck. That national truck was not constricted by overall length.

Sadly, by the time the Freightliner Argosy arrived in 1998, the swing away from cabovers as a premium tool on Class 8 OTR (over the road) applications was well under way. An already aging operator base now chose the unpenalised safety flat floor, ease of access, and ride as afforded by the conventional truck.

Being a cabover nation, we ogled over the brand new golden Argosy released here at Transport 1999, a truck that heralded a new era in room and safety for an American cabover. We weren’t the only ones. Our SANZAR mates were also cabover engine groupies, and in many ways it’s our combined weight of numbers that allowed the Argosy to remain relevant, and provide Daimler an ongoing return on its R&D in the wake of the truck’s short US life, which ended in 2005.

Rattling to an end

The first of a two-part series on the lead up to the arrival of Freightliner’s continent crushing Cascadia in this neck of the woods.

This month we’re starting with the background and answers to the ‘Why?’ question.

Last year the inevitable happened however, and we got the news that the Argosy story was about to end here also; the last majestic cheese-grater grille would reach a loyal customer base sometime in 2020. At the same time the rumour mill was abuzz with chatter about its replacement being a conventional truck, the Cascadia. In our minute corner of the world that made no sense at all and it got the burners going, the tarpots out, and chickens running for their lives.

Argosy in New Zealand has been an icon, a truck that gave operators a real three-way choice when considering the purchase of a US-style cabover truck. In our travels we rarely hear a bad

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Daimler Trucks North America’s gargantuan head office in Swan Island, Portland, Oregon. Waltzing Matilda and Hoki Mai are now very much on the company play list, and that has huge ramifications.

Argosy story, particularly from operators who have used the big ‘Freighty’ to stand a fledgling operation up, or take the dream to the next level. That alone speaks volumes for the machine’s mechanical integrity.

Obviously, we all know that the manufacturing and assembly quality around certain elements of the cab trim and fixtures in particular has over the years left a bit to be desired. At different times in the truck’s history local engineers have had to lend their talents to bespoke pre-delivery bracing. Although the last incarnation was the best Argosy ever, those issues certainly

The Argosy has been a loyal toiler for New Zealand operators but its place in history is now just that.

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meant that across the Tasman, the truck would never live up to its potential given the feral outback roads.

That said, its ultimate fate was largely determined by a far more strategic decision deep in the bowels of Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA).

Medicine man

Sometimes you just have to close your eyes and swallow the goop, knowing what you’ve taken on board, as horrible as it may be, will lead to better things. The shuddering many are going

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Cascadia has been through the US Class 8 truck market like a dose of salts since it appeared over a decade ago.

Three of the 2020 models in US trim at the CES show in Las Vegas this year. Genuine L2 autonomous trucks.

The truth is, the Argosy ended and the Cascadia is on its way; two separate events. Up until recently the DTNA platform has been just that, a North American platform, meaning the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Countries outside the platform’s region, countries like us, Aussie, South Africa, along with Chile and others in South America, were ‘special markets’ so to speak. That meant we never got automatic access to the full might of R&D and product development – and make no mistake, there’s a lot of might. That’s not the case any more.

“We were more ‘Special Projects’,” said Daniel Whitehead,

Steven Downes had every right to feel bullish about

IM A GE : DA I M L E R T RU C K A ND B US AU S T R AL I A

through here having ingested the news of Argosy’s axing pretty much lay at the decision-making feet of one man, Daimler Truck and Bus North America senior vice president for sales and marketing, and head of the Daimler Trucks Australia business unit at DTNA, Richard Howard. But wait! Hold the tar and feathers. He comes in peace. Now the story gets better…way better. Let’s start with a quote from the good man.

“Australia and New Zealand are key strategic markets for us.

Historically a place we wanted to bring our best, and now we have the chance to do that.”

his soon to be released charges at the recent Brisbane Truck Show.

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I M A G E: DA I M L E R T R U C K S NORT H A M E R I C A

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Richard Howard’s responsible for our neck of the woods at DTNA. He’s approachable, focused, and committed to his product and those who part with the readies to own one.

CEO Daimler Australia. “Our development programme had to be worked in around the core development programme. Now we’re part of that core programme. It’s difficult to convey what that means.”

Howard is a firm believer in being in the right markets and serving those markets to the best of your ability. There are no second-tier customers. If that means reducing your spread and exponentially improving the offering to those ‘in the club’, then well and good. The criteria for entry into the ‘Platform Club’ was 20% or greater US product presence in the market and it’s that statistical gem that blipped the tectonic plates of the global truck market. South Africa didn’t make it, but we and our old mate from the trenches did. The Argosy ended, and all of a sudden there was room around the DTNA campfire for everyone.

What’s it all mean?

In short, a lot. Sure the Argosy being axed probably resulted in a beer at a couple of residential addresses in New Zealand, say one in Wiri and the other in Mt Maunganui. In many ways there’s an element of tsunami about that though, meaning the moment when the tide retreats revealing a new expanse of beach only to find three minutes later there’s a 40-foot wall of water approaching.

There’s no question the Cascadia is not going to fill the gap the US 8x4 cabover leaves, but it’s a changing world and given the genre of driver emerging from the new stock, that may account for bugger all. Let’s test that theory out a wee bit. If someone said to any of us 30 years ago that one day a cabover Mack would be called a Volvo, we’d have choked. Count the

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FHs now quite happily driven by oldies who want a smooth ride, or young’uns who want comfort and tech. Daimler has now gone on a similar route. If you want a cabover Freighty it’s now the Mercedes-Benz Actros or Arocs. Oh, and by the way, you’d be a brave man to bet the house on what PACCAR’s premium cabover in these parts will look like a decade or so from now. No? Some things are sacred you say? How’s that red engine going for you in your new T410? Exactly! The lesson here is even the funkiest of uncles grow old.

Here’s a good trucking trivial pursuit question. Who owns the second largest fleet of trucks in Oregon? Answer: Daimler Trucks North America. No, they’re not in the freight hauling business, they’re in the PVE or Product Validation Engineering business… testing to the layperson.

At the huge DTNA headquarters at Swan Island in Portland, Oregon, there are trucks being shaken, crushed, bent, cooked, frozen, and blown on in labs and wind tunnels.

There are more trucks three hours east at the Madras test track also being beaten to destruction, and there’s a fleet of 30-plus trucks hauling loads out on the highways and byways, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Then there are the competitor trucks DTNA bought to destroy also. And that’s just the ‘local’ testing. There are trucks in other parts of North and South America as well as the new family members down here, now 18 months into their punishing existence.

“The trucks are on the ground here and have been for some time, working in real-world conditions,” said Freightliner Asia-Pacific director Steven Downes. “How long they’ll [the trial trucks] be here post-launch hasn’t been determined, but at some point test data becomes real data, meaning you go from evaluation to actual.”

That might be so, but being part of a platform means constantly evaluating the next new bit from the mothership, a task the team at the Australian end hasn’t had the luxury of being part of on an ongoing basis, until now. At least one of those evaluation trucks may have a long and tortuous life ahead down here. The cost of keeping it here may be high, but the potential benefit is much higher.

In the words of Richard Howard: “We want to break them before our customers do, so we can design, build and manufacture the best trucks in the business.”

Even though the level of durability testing and product development DTNA impose upon their model range – the golden child Cascadia in particular – boggles the mind, they have no choice. They are under a mandate from the global leader for Daimler Truck and Bus, Martin Daum, to work to an ‘Innovation Cycle’ that brings 5% reduction in TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) for the Cascadia every two years. Only big wallets can do that.

Has that strategy been successful for them? When you look at the way Cascadia has gone through the US Class 8 truck market like a dose of salts since its arrival in 2007, you’d have to say ‘Yes’. Freightliner today own 37.4% of that market.

The next iteration due on sale in the US this month [September] is the 2020 Cascadia, the first US conventional truck that’s truly a Level 2 autonomous vehicle. That’s the one we’ll be getting a variant of. From day one we’ll be bang up to date.

History is history, and there’s no way Daimler intend to have the golden child come south only to make an arse of itself.

Next month, a closer look at that golden child. 

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The 2018 Mack Trident heading through Wanaka mid autumn.

The Macks of Jolly Earthworks Story and photos by Craig Andrews

Hiding behind a stand of unassuming pine trees on the outskirts of Wanaka is a sight to behold for any bulldog fan.

W

anaka is a great part of the world for a truck enthusiast. With Central Machine Hire just down the road with their fleet of Macks, Maungatua Contracting across town with their Kenworths, and Upper Clutha Transport with their Volvos, Wanaka leaves you spoilt for places to visit. But today it’s Jolly Earthworks, where we catch up with a man who has a passion for yellow and orange earthmoving machines, and anything with a bulldog on the hood.

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Craig Jolly is a self-confessed Mack fan. His fleet of five beautifully presented Mack trucks support his 18-odd pieces of earthmoving plant, mostly on civil works in the form of subdivisions, drainage, and bulk earthworks in and around the greater Wanaka area.

Craig got his start with local contractors Maungatua Contracting, so he’s learnt with some of the best on how this sort of thing works. He obtained his drainlayers’ certificate in 1999, and in 2005 after 11 years with Maungatua he decided to give it a go on his own, and frankly has never looked back.

He bought a new digger on the advice of a friend who went halves with him in the new venture. At least with a new digger they knew what they had. Things quickly progressed to the point that it was time to buy their own truck. Jolly Earthworks was using external contractors to cart in and out of sites, so the decision was a relatively easy one. A new truck was out of

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ the question at this time, so they purchased a secondhand CH Mack. It was an ex Allied Fuels truck with 700,000 kms on the clock. Craig had it shortened, painted it the now standard silver, and fitted a clip-on body. It’s been a good truck to the company and they still own it today.

“It’s got around 1.1 million on it now and we’ve rebuilt the motor and had the clutch done,” said Craig.

Going out on his own was a good decision. The building boom was gathering pace and Jolly Earthworks was moving along with it. In 2009 another truck entered the fleet to help cope with the growing demand. This time they decided to go new. A 2009 Mack Trident became the second Mack to wear the silver colours. It was fitted with a swap body and pulled around a 4-axle trailer carting in and out of sites.

Roll on three years to 2010 and the digger fleet is now sitting at five and Craig bought out his partner’s shares so is now the sole owner of Jolly Earthworks. A 3-axle low-loader joined the company in the same year and the Trident pulled that around when required, again negating the reliance on outside contractors to move his big gear about.

As Jolly Earthworks got busier and the plant numbers slowly increased, the decision was made to buy a tractor unit to pull around the low-loader.

“We seemed to be constantly taking the tipping body off the

Trident to hook the low-loader up and move around plant, and that wasn’t ideal,” Craig said.

It didn’t need to be a new truck, but it had to be a Mack.

Enter ‘Jake’, the ex Jurgens Demolition 2006 LT Superliner.

Craig loves this truck. “I basically bought it sight unseen from Palmerston North. It also had 700,000s kms on it but I was confident as Jurgens had looked after it.”

When not pulling around the low-loader it can also be seen pulling around a 2-axle tipping trailer. But Craig admits that these days the LT leads a fairly pampered life. A lot of the plant is tied up on subdivision work so it tends to stay onsite for a long time.

Plant numbers and workload continued to rise and a second Trident was placed into work in 2018, and recently it was paired with a new 4-axle TMC tipping trailer. The Trident is a 399kW (535hp) version with mDRIVE. Rounding out the Mack fleet is some real coolness, including an E9 V8 Superliner, new on the road in 1986 for Chemical Cleaning Limited. Craig bought it off BTR in Christchurch in 2018.

“It’s a bit of a pet,” Craig said. The Super Liner lives in semi-retirement in the Jolly’s kennel but when needed it gets pressed into service pulling the 2-axle tipping semi or a 2-axle TMC bottom dump trailer. The Superliner took out King Rig

The latest Mack in the Jolly Earthworks fleet is

Craig Jolly. The man who started all of

this 1986 V8 Superliner. Simply perfection from all

this with a passion for Macks.

angles after its transition into Jolly’s colours.

Hiding behind the pines on the outskirts of Wanaka in their current but soon to be replaced depot is an immaculate line-up of Mack trucks.

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The company’s first loader and their first Mack, an ex Allied Fuels CH. Both still providing daily invaluable input to the Jolly’s operation.

at the Gore Truck Show this year and was a popular win.

Craig sticks with what works. MTD and Truckstops have been great for the company and the same can be said for CAT and Goughs, and CablePrice for the John Deere and Hitachi plant they operate. TMC Trailers is the preferred trailer supplier and a new 4-axle low-loader was due at the end of August to replace the current 3-axle one. A TMC unit as well.

“We bought a cheap bottom dumper from Whitestone Contracting and that’s also a TMC unit. It’s been very handy for us.”

Craig is happy with the current size of his operation and doesn’t see the need to get any bigger. “I just want to keep updating the plant. That’s key for us.”

A new CAT D6TXL recently joined the company and proved itself to be a great machine, and with a John Deere 672GP Grader the pair is proving invaluable to the operation.

With great machinery you need great staff and Craig is lucky here too.

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“It’s not an easy area to attract the right staff due to the cost of living in this part of the world.”

They have eight full-time staff and a number of them have been very loyal. As is the case for this industry, if they aren’t operating trucks or plant, staff are labouring. Being able to throw your hand up for this sort of work is gold for Craig.

His partner Maree Shaw looks after the administration side of things and Craig himself likes to be hands-on and spends a lot of time operating plant and general overseeing, making sure things run smoothly.

Jolly Earthworks, like a number of contractors in the area, is riding a wave on the back of a building boom that’s not showing much sign of slowing down.

Craig is currently setting up a new yard to cope with the size of his business, moving out to where their gravel extraction pit is. A new office and workshop will also be built there, and hopefully room for more silver Macks. 

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TOP TRUCK

Progressing with the

By Craig McCauley Photos by Craig McCauley and as credited

The two-tone green Volvo FHs of Otorohanga Transport and its associated companies have been synonymous with longdistance livestock movement since the mid 1990s. The current version is still a common sight on New Zealand’s roads.

T

he Barker name is synonymous with livestock transport the length and breadth of New Zealand, with lineage stretching back to 1963 when the late Jim Barker and Dennis Dow purchased local carrier Whittington Perry Limited and renamed it Otorohanga Transport.

New Zealand Trucking magazine’s Top Truck title has previously been bestowed on two families of two-tone green Volvos. The company’s first-ever FH12-420 was featured in the September 1995 issue, followed almost two decades later

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by one of the first new generation FH540 Volvo 9-axle HPMV livestock units to go to work in New Zealand.

This month’s Top Truck, a Volvo FH16-700, operates under the Stock Lines Limited banner, a name that has its origins in 2008 when the upper North Island Otorohanga Transport operation become wholly owned by the Dow family.

Otorohanga’s South Island-based trucks, along with the Nelson Marlborough Transport operation and latterly Manawatu Transport, combined to form Stock Lines, owned by the Barker family.

Today Stock Lines encompasses a fleet of 35 trucks based between Feilding and Ashburton, servicing the South Island and lower North Island. The company is owned by the Barker Family Trust and enjoys a close working relationship with OTL Group Limited (incorporating Lime Haulage Limited), owned by the Dow family, which services the rest of the country. Together both have a large livestock carrying capacity.

Owen Stewart drives the FH16-700 from its Nelson base.

Specified with a 5300mm wheelbase, the truck has a Domett 7.6-metre (25-foot) deck and Nationwide Stockcrates crate, while the Domett trailer that runs 17.5” wheels is fitted with an 11.2-metre (37-foot) crate.

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Stock Lines Limited has standardised on Domett decks and trailers along with Nationwide Stock Crates.

tried and true

Driver Owen Stewart enjoys the comfort of the FH16-700 cab.

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Both crates are three-deck-sheep/ two-deck-cattle combinations and the Volvo operates currently as a 50MAX combination, giving it good access to much of New Zealand’s hinterland.

The FH16-700 represents a significant evolution in terms of Volvo trucks put to work by the Barker family and their associated entities over the past two and a half decades, with substantial advances in terms of horsepower, driver comfort and payload capability.

A 16.1-litre Euro 5 Volvo D16G700 engine provides motive power, producing 522kW (700hp) and 3150Nm (2323 lb/ft) of torque. The engine can provide up to 425kW (570hp) of retardation, courtesy of Volvo’s VEB engine braking system.

An all-Nordic drivetrain transfers the horsepower to the highway using the 12-speed ATO3112F I-Shift transmission, which incorporates Volvo’s TP-LONG software package, ideally suited for fuel-efficient long-haul operation.

Rear axles are 3.40:1 ratio Volvo RTS2370Bs with full differential locks between the axles and wheels. This 23 tonne

rated bogie rides on an 8-bag RADDGR air suspension and the truck is shod with Alcoa Dura-Bright wheels.

Owen spends his working day inside what could arguably be described as one of the best-appointed cabs currently available on the New Zealand market. The Volvo SPL sleeper cab features a sunroof and has an internal height of 171cm, allowing ease of movement between the seat and reclining bunk. Multiple storage cupboards and a 33-litre fridge ensure the cab is well set up for nights away from home.

Driver acceptance was one of the reasons given by Stock Lines Limited director and general manager Paul Parsons when asked why Volvo had become the truck of choice for Stock Lines.

“The drivers seem to be happy to drive them, they are a good fleet truck, reliable, and there is a good network of dealers able to fix them when needed,” he said.

When it comes to the whys and wherefores of what defines a Top Truck, these reasons make the Stock Lines Volvo a worthy candidate for the September 2019 title. 

Today Stock Lines encompasses a fleet of 35 trucks based between Feilding and Ashburton, servicing the South Island and lower North Island.

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Just Truckin’

Around

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Alan De Penning Alan De Penning had stopped in Foxton when Faye Lougher spotted his 2019 Volvo 460FM, a truck that hadn’t been on the road that long.

Driving for Rainbow Park Nurseries, Alan does a weekly run between Auckland and Wellington, carrying houseplants and trees. He was returning from Wellington, and planned to stop in Taupo for the night.

Alan began his working life as a mechanic, and by the age of 18 he had his truck licence. He’s been driving for Rainbow Park Nurseries for three years, but also did a stint driving on the Gold Coast in Australia.

“When I came back from Australia I started looking for a job and just fell into driving. The problem is that a lot of drivers are inexperienced. Because there is such a shortage of truck drivers here I was offered two jobs.”

Alan says he really enjoys being out on the road.

“I just love being by myself and not having anyone breathing down my neck. And the freedom.”

As for the main thing he encounters, that would be “car drivers with a death wish”.

“Everyone is so impatient. They overtake on double yellow lines or over brows of hills.”

However, he was hard-pressed to pinpoint a problem with the industry.

“They have got to regulate the industry to maintain safety and I don’t really have a problem with that.”

Alan says he finds the line-haul truck drivers he sees regularly are a good bunch and he enjoys the camaraderie.

When faced with the vexing question of motel or camping, he went for motel.

Chris Mulligan Chris Mulligan was finishing his lunch in Foxton when Faye Lougher noticed the 2014 Kenworth K200 he was driving was parked in the perfect spot for a photo. The Gisborne driver was happy to have a chat, saying he had driven up from Wellington after collecting the trailer from the ferry, and was Auckland-bound.

“I work for Greaves Bulk Haulage and take the trailers for Weatherells – one down to Wellington and I pick up another to take back to Auckland. I carry chilled or frozen products.”

Chris said his truck was brought in from Australia and has a Cummins e5 motor and an Icepack fitted, and is permitted for 50 tonne.

Like many in the industry, Chris didn’t start driving trucks straight from school.

“When I was 15 my father woke me up and told me I either had to go to the freezing works with him, or work on the railways with my uncle, so I went to work on the railways.”

Born in Dunedin, Chris worked for the railways in Christchurch.

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New Zealand Trucking

“I just progressed from being the gofer and got my truck licence when I was 18.”

Chris has been working for Greaves for 17 months now, but previously he worked in logging for Watchorn’s.

“I just love the nature of it, I love being on the road in the big gear. I started it in 1978 and 41 years later I still love it. I like being by myself – I

September 2019

don’t play well with others!” he laughs.

Chris finds that increasingly drivers are being lumbered with things he doesn’t always think are their responsibility.

“Like the health and safety regulations and everything that goes with that.”

The vexing question of parachuting or scuba diving was met with an emphatic “scuba diving”.

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JUST TRUCKIN’ AROUND – Overseas Darren Mullan On a recent trip to Brisbane Carl Kirkbeck met up with Darren Mullan and his 2002 Kenworth T604 from Kaarimba in Victoria. Darren was tending to the T604 while resting up on a public holiday at the BP Truck Stop in Rocklea, waiting for the produce markets to open up the following day and collect his backload.

Darren freely admits that he is a proud lifetime truckie. He and wife Emma run three trucks from their ranch in Kaarimba where they also engage in their other passion, breeding Quarter Horses. What started out as a hobby with just one horse has now manifested into a thriving business, Xtreme Quarter Horses. They have on average 80 to 90 horses on the property.

“It is a great family orientated business that we all enjoy,” said Darren.

Darren’s fleet is made up of two Kenworth T604s and one T409. The T604 pictured here runs a 550hp C15 Cat with manual 18-speed Roadranger and has been a bullet-proof truck. It now has 2.4 million kilometres on the clock and just “fits like a glove”. In fact, over the previous nine days Darren had been pulled in by the RMS (Roads and Maritime Services), and put over the pit three times, all three visits

yielding not a single item or defect. “That’s a good truck,” said Darren.

Darren’s vexing question was Ford or Holden. Darren was very quick to reply “Holden, I have an old HZ in the shed at home”.

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INTERNATIONAL TRUCK STOP

‘Gypsy Airstream’ Story and photos by Niels Jansen

For decades Chevrolet was synonymous with mass-produced commercial vehicles – a good product but lacking any frills.

Harry Stock’s ‘Gypsy Airstream’ is the opposite.

U

SA-born Harry Stock lives in the Netherlands and at 71 he’s not shy of a bit of show. Harry is a real handyman and has over the years built a good number of unique custom cars and pickups. His newest creation is the ‘Gypsy Airstream’, a Chevrolet 7-tonner from 1949 transformed into a streamlined house truck. The classic commercial now shines with chrome and is lavishly coloured, yet in many respects it’s extremely functional.

For the purists among ‘oldtimer’ enthusiasts the Chev may be a nightmare, but the supporters of show cars love it. The story behind the exceptional truck begins about 10 years ago during an Oldtimer Festival in Belgium.

“I attended that show with my Ford F100 panel truck from 1955, and 1964 Airstream caravan. This combination proved a big hit among custom car enthusiasts. One man offered me a

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price for it that I could not resist. Because I enjoy working on classic vehicles as much as driving them, I sold the wagon and drag again,” said Harry.

Maybe because of his roots that lie in Cleveland, Ohio, Harry has always showed an interest in American cars and trucks. “I have owned several big cars and pickups from across the pond. Some I brought back to original condition, other vehicles I completely modified. Over the years I crossed the ocean many times to visit my father and go with him to classic and custom car shows, such as the famous Sema Show in Las Vegas. There you see really outrageous contraptions. They inspired me to build and beautify my own wagons. In Europe, these attracted a lot of attention too, and that led to the construction of the ‘Gypsy Airstream’, which is a cross between a vintage truck and an Airstream caravan. It had to become

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ house truck

The lavishly decorated

The ‘Gypsy Airstream’ is a cross between a Chevrolet

‘Gypsy Airstream’ is a

truck and an Airstream caravan.

rolling attraction.

Here Harry is seen working on the custom-built metal and wood superstructure.

something with a ‘wow’ factor. It was quite a challenge to build it, but I loved doing so.”

Harry tracked down the Chevrolet Roadmaster SX6708 in 2011 in Wetteren, Belgium. The 1949 chassis was equipped with a tipper body and had been used by a local coal merchant. It seemed in fair condition. But as often happens with old vehicles, after more thorough inspection, the driveline and sheet metal badly needed refurbishing.

“I had to replace the floorboards, door posts and part of the fenders. Luckily, I can do a lot myself, having a background as a fitter and welder. The driveline was typical American with a big 6-cylinder gasoline engine and a 3-stage auto box. This did not have many secrets for me. I dismantled the PTO, and removed one of the two sets of leaf springs because I do not have to carry a load.”

Splendid 1950’s colours and lots of unique gadgets! The custom wooden steering wheel took dozens of hours to build.

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The 1949 coal tipper as it arrived from Belgium eight years ago.

The old 6-pot was replaced by a potent gasoline V8 engine.

The DutchAmerican couple is justifiably proud of their unique house truck.

Not satisfied with the performance of the 6-cylinder fuel burner, Harry replaced it with a 5.7-litre V8 gasoline engine from a 1991 Chevy van. He also used the 4-speed automatic transmission, steering house and steering column, plus several other parts from the donor vehicle.

“I did have the V8 reconditioned first, though. And to save fuel costs an LPG tank was fitted. But to be honest, it is still an expensive truck to run. It is part Airstream, but only from the side.”

The unique camper body was almost completely homebuilt.

The skeletal is of metal, but the front and rear are wood. And so is most of the living quarters. Part of the outside panelling is stainless steel. Not everything was homemade though.

“The wooden rear doors and cabinets plus some other furniture came from an old gypsy cart. But part of the kitchen is genuine Airstream again. It is the best of both worlds.”

That Harry did something right was proved last summer when he and his wife Lilly captured first place with the ‘Gypsy Airstream’ at a large meeting of pimped RV vehicles. The placing in part down to the many unique features of wood and metal that Harry added to the exterior and interior, virtually all designed and handmade by himself.

Despite the unusual superstructure, the Chev looks almost modest in contrast, but appearances are deceptive. Under the skin a lot has been changed.

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“In the five years that the restoration took, a lot of hours went in the fabrication of unique details. These not only have to be fun to look at but also functional and improve the comfort. I fitted electrically operated windows and power steering. I also changed or altered nearly all instruments and switches in the cab and dashboard. The steering wheel is a story apart. I made it from a wooden wheel that was in an old Ursus tractor. I pulled it completely apart and rebuilt it spoke by spoke. That alone was good for many, many hours of work.

The large central console is also fully custom-built. And much of the upholstery and seating I made myself using aluminium sheet, hardboard and skai [imitation leather]. Also the standard front bench was exchanged for two luxurious captains chairs from a Chevy campervan.”

It looks just fabulous and because the interior is done in classic red and ivory it matches the exterior. The custom car enthusiast is certainly not lacking creativity. And it is not only a feast on the eyes seeing the streamlined house truck in day; at night it is illuminated like a Christmas tree. “All LED lights,” says Harry proudly.

The couple have covered over 5000kms with it throughout Europe. One of the more noteworthy moments of the travels was meeting up with the former owner in Belgium.

“The man was really flabbergasted and could not believe this was his old coal tipper! 

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AUSSIE ANGLES

T410’s winning edge Story and photos by Howard Shanks

Every premiership winning football team has at least one multipurpose utility player on their side. Kenworth’s new T410 certainly ticks the box as the company’s all-rounder.

O

ne of the key successes to the Sydney Roosters consistent winning is their utility player, Mitchell Aubusson, moulding seamlessly into any position without upsetting the line-up. It is a rare and acquired skill, and one head coach Trent Robinson knows only too well. He can trust Mitchell to easily play at least eight of the 13 positions on the field. Much like Mitchel Aubusson, Kenworth’s T410 is a model that can easily fit a wide range of applications.

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To find out first-hand just how well the new Kenworth T410 will fit into the team, we went to the trucking heartland of central NSW for a real-world road test.

Inland Truck Centre’s Chris McDevitt was waiting at Wagga Wagga Airport. On the way to the dealership he explained the key features of the T410 and said he’d had a large number of customers view and test the demonstrator. Customer acceptance had been extremely favourable.

Our route for the road test was a 600km trek north up to Gilbert and Roach’s Hexham dealership. This journey had a diverse collection of road conditions, from gentle rolling rural country roads, following freeways, and city congestion along Pennant Hills Road.

Whether it was good planning or merely the luck of the draw, we’d managed to leave Wagga Wagga shortly before midday. This afforded the opportunity for a few photos stops along the way before hitting Sydney’s notorious Pennant Hills Road right in the middle of peak hour. Given that a large

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ majority of this model will end up working in a metropolitan application, a real-world experience in rush hour traffic was certainly fitting.

Where does the T410 earn its multipurpose utility player reputation? In terms of market placement it’s a midfielder, but it can slot nicely into heavier duty applications as well as vocational roles, so it’s an extremely versatile truck. For instance, it can be specced as a day cab with a short 4500mm wheelbase, small fuel tanks, the new lightweight PACCAR 12-speed, and tare in just under 8-tonne. Couple this to a lightweight triaxle trailer and payloads close to 30 tonne can be realised with mass management. A perfect combo for metro/intrastate operations where maximum productivity is measured in cents/tonne/km.

The specification choice for this model is comprehensive and includes a selection of interiors, sleeper, engine power, transmission, final drive, and axle configurations. The T410’s PACCAR MX13 engine was rated at 381kW (510hp) and was coupled to the new lightweight PACCAR 12-speed AMT which delivered the power to the Dana DS/RDH40P final drives with a 3.90:1 ratio. The vehicle had the optional fuel haul kit. The PACCAR 12-speed is rated up to 50-tonne GVM; for higher GVM applications, such as B-double, the Eaton 18-speed or UltraShift is required.

This vehicle came with the full safety suite, including adaptive cruise with brakes, keeping the truck a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

The column-mounted gear shifter is new to the Kenworth product, sitting where the traditional trailer brake lever used to

be. The trailer brake is now operated by a small ‘duckbill’ switch mounted on the dash near the left side of the steering column.

The column-mounted gear lever is a multifunction tool for both gear functionality and engine brake operation. It works similarly for either the PACCAR 12-speed or Eaton UltraShift transmissions. For vehicles specced with a manual transmission, this lever only controls the engine brake.

Initiating downshifts is done by simply tapping the lever down, and an upshift by lifting the gear lever upwards; these can be done while in auto mode. When I wanted to hold a gear, I simply pushed the button on the end of the gear lever stalk to engage manual mode. Tap it once more to return to auto mode.

The engine brake functionality is easy to use; simply by pulling the lever towards the driver the engine brake engages.

It’s a three-stage engine brake with the third stage called ‘MAX’ mode, prompting a down change in the transmission to get the engine revs up into the maximum retardation area.

One handy feature on the transmission is ‘Urge to Move’, which activates as soon as the brake pedal is released, giving a passenger-car-like feel as the vehicle automatically moves forward. ‘Creep Mode’ is another feature that enables the vehicle to be driven at low speeds with enhanced control.

To engage ‘Low’ mode, it’s simply a matter of engaging the engine brake then pushing the gear change lever downward and holding it for a few seconds. A small ‘L’ appeared on the outside of the gear change indicator on the dash and the vehicle commenced downchanging rapidly.

This is a great way to wash off a lot of speed in a hurry

Somewhere in there is a PACCAR MX-13.

The PACCAR 12-AMT column-mount shifter, the first in a Kenworth T410 dash. Note the virtual gauges.

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WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ RUNNING ON SCR?... the short bonnet. The interior of the cabin is like the T610 without the need to touch the service brakes. reviewed earlier. There is room in the low line sleeper for a Power wise the MX13 has a big heart producing 2500Nm comfortable night’s sleep.

(1850lb/ft) torque from 1000rpm through to 1400rpm, while The multifunction driver display on the dash can deliver still punching out 2170Nm (1600lb/ft) at 1650rpm. The driver information tips and provide a driver score based on how smarts in the engine talk seamlessly to the transmission in the vehicle is being driven. The system coaches improvements what is called optimised gear selection. The transmission by showing drivers how to best optimise selects the appropriate starting gear the truck’s performance by coasting and makes optimised shift decisions, longer. skip shifting when appropriate, based I’d been told that the higher the on grade, vehicle weight, engine driver’s score the better fuel economy torque, and throttle position. In would be; needless to say, I was happy auto mode, the gear shifts are quick, to achieve an overall driver score of 92 smooth, effortless, and predominantly percent for the trip. encourage the engine to operate in The overall fuel economy for the the economical green band on the journey was 2.58kml (38.7l/100km) tachometer. which makes the PACCAR The rolling undulating highway MX-powered T410 one of the more provided the perfect opportunity to Fuel consumption. The numbers don’t lie. economical trucks to operate in the try out the fuel saving ‘Neutral Coast’ mid- to heavy-duty market segment. feature. It’s a feature that many transport companies are now Do the numbers stack up favourably for the new T410? It demanding. The feature activates when the vehicle is in cruise certainly ticks the light tare box and the PACCAR MX13 control and rolling down a gentle incline; the transmission engine is a mature engine with reliability and economy. Add in disengages a gear and the vehicle’s weight maintains the the new smarts like Neutral Coast and there’s another tick. It’s speed, enabling the engine’s revs to drop to idle. The feature is this last tick that is probably the most important: the economy. deactivated when the vehicle’s speed exceeds the droop settings As I climbed down from the T410 in Hexham that evening or the brake or accelerator is pressed. There is no interaction I reflected on the drive. The T410 is a multipurpose utility required from the driver other than to ensure that cruise truck and affords the versatility that can potentially pay huge control is set for Neutral Coast to activate. When another dividends. A vehicle that can easily fit into a multitude of vehicle pulls in front of the truck, Fusion Wingman intervenes applications and perform each one equally well. It’s a truck well and disengages the Neutral Coast feature. worth consideration.  Visibility wise the T410 has an almost cabover vista out over

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LIGHT COMMERCIAL TEST

Classic American Story and photos by Carl Kirkbeck • Video by Izaak Kirkbeck

The Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 4x4 LTZ Midnight Edition – modern and refined leather-clad interior with Cadillac panache; however, hiding beneath this persona we find the heart of a true working truck.

O

n arrival at HSV New Zealand’s headquarters to collect the Chevrolet Silverado we were immediately affected by the presence of purpose it commanded. This was not your run of the mill utility, here we had a vehicle designed and clearly built to another level entirely. Meeting with Andrew Lamb, New Zealand regional manager for HSV, we received the guided tour and background story of the truck, and we use the term ‘truck’ literally.

The Silverado is first produced in the General Motors manufacturing plant located in Flint, Michigan, USA, as a left-hand drive vehicle. From here it is shipped directly to the Australian HSV facility at Clayton South, Victoria, where the transformation to right-hand drive is implemented. It is a serious undertaking, however the team at HSV has the process down to a fine art. The task involves a complete strip out and

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September 2019

full removal of the cab from the chassis. It takes the team 100 man-hours over five days, and nearly 700 new parts are required to complete the swap. The end result is first class and feels ‘OEM’, leaving you searching for evidence of its former orientation…and failing. The use of factory approved materials and systems by HSV throughout the conversion process benefits potential owners of the trucks, with the vehicles backed by the HSV dealer network, providing a full threeyear/100,000km warranty alongside AA roadside assist; true peace of mind.

As we venture out of the HSV car park on to Great South Road into the thick of afternoon Auckland traffic, the trucklike characteristics become abundantly apparent. No, it is not a 9-axle HPMV unit, but that said it is most certainly not an Asian-sourced one-tonner. We are immediately rewarded with a pleasing rumble from under the hood as the 6.6-litre V8 Chevrolet Duramax diesel responds to the input from our right boot. It is enough of a growl to imply assertiveness towards the task at hand, without disturbing the peace when cruising at road speed. Statistics on the American iron under the hood are nothing short of impressive, with a staggering 332kW (445hp) of power on tap and 1234Nm (910lb/ft) of torque. To put this in perspective, a current V8 Supercar produces around 650Nm (479lb/ft), with a Ford Ranger Raptor sitting at 157kW (210hp) and 500Nm (369lb/ft). To handle the torque that the Duramax produces, the Allison 1000 6-speed automatic transmission with Haul Mode is fitted; this then feeds the matched heavy-duty locking differential.

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Rolling out of the city down the Southern Motorway, the Drury straights are a gentle meander at 100kph, cruise control engaged, with the Duramax ticking over at a leisurely 1375rpm. It is at this moment you understand how it must feel to drive the Silverado down Interstate 5 between Seattle and LA or the like, watching scenery slip by from the comfort of your favourite armchair. Rolling into Te Rapa we venture off the Expressway onto SH39 and head south. Hamilton’s city fringe gives way to Waikato dairy farms and the roads become more interesting. Fresh rain applied a slick finish to the bleeding tar of our ‘fit for purpose’ state highway network travelling the 55 – 65kph corners between Puketotara and Tihiroa, however the surefootedness of the Silverado’s 3616kg kerb weight kept things in order with minimal body roll. That said, the Silverado comes packed with a full suite of handling smarts, StabiliTrak stability control, Proactive Roll Avoidance, Traction Control including Electronic Trailer Sway Control, and Hill Start Assist.

Te Kuiti for a coffee break we reflect on the experience thus far. The first impression back at HSV in Penrose immediately springs to mind: ‘purpose’. This vehicle may look extreme, fair to say for some applications it is, however 200km under the belt we appreciate the true purpose this calibre of truck is built for – ‘payload’. On our initial walk around the Silverado we were stopped in our tracks at the rear of the truck; the engineering hanging below the factory bumper is a New Zealand-sourced and certified trailer hitch; this impressive option accesses the full potential of the truck. Backing up the substantial trailer hitch, on the right of the dashboard you find comprehensive factory installed controllers for electric trailer braking systems and underneath there are external engine oil and transmission fluid coolers fitted. These clues leave no question regarding this truck’s pedigree; looking at the technical data sheet we are not disappointed. Maximum braked

Watch the world go by from your new favourite armchair … and yes, it has an exhaust brake!

The business end of the stick – 6.6-litre V8 diesel Duramax/Allison auto combo.

Lethal Weapon – 9800kg GCM no worries.

towing capacity with a 50mm tow-ball is 3500kg; keeping things in perspective, this is the average Asian utility’s absolute maximum braked towing capacity, but from here it gets interesting. If fitted with the 70mm tow-ball, the Silverado’s maximum braked towing capacity hits 4500kg. If you then take it one step further and attach the pintle hook to the hitch, you then reach a mind-blowing maximum braked towing capacity of 5897kg; this giving a GCM of 9801kg. So yes, it would pay to ensure your Class 2 driver’s licence is in order.

As we roll off the Hiwi’s heading down into Taumarunui you imagine a sizeable fifth wheeler trailer connected to the rear and understand the Silverado’s that little bit more. With four-wheel disc brakes, Hill Descent Control and also Exhaust Brakes, this vehicle has seriously crossed the demarcation point that delineates between ute and truck; this is a real rig that is factory specced to handle safely, legally, and with ease, a near10-tonne GCM. With a touch over four hours under the belt, cruising up on to the Central Plateau past National Park and the Makatote Viaduct, we find ourselves extremely comfortable at the controls and impressed with how intuitive the layout has proven. Looking around the cab and instrument panel the Silverado offers a healthy array of instruments, controls and accessories to keep the tech-savvy amused. Chevrolet’s MyLink radio/navigation centre with 8” colour touchscreen incorporates a Bose seven-speaker sound system with sub and is Apple and Android compatible, has Bluetooth connectivity, and a wireless phone charging station within the centre console. Driver’s and front passenger’s seats are both heated and ventilated, and the

New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

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Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD

SPECIFICATIONS

4X4 LTZ MIDNIGHT EDITION Engine:

6600cc turbo V8 diesel

Fuel tank capacity:

136 litres

Power:

332kW

Fuel usage as tested:

7.22kpl – mix of both city and highway

Torque:

1234Nm

Kerb weight:

3616kg

Transmission:

Allison 1000 6-speed automatic

GVM:

4491kg

Wheels:

18” black aluminium RT4

GCM:

9801kg

Tyres:

Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac (Lt275/65 R18)

Min turning radius:

15.68m

Brakes:

Discs front and rear with DuraLife rotors and ABS

Overall body width:

2388mm

Overall height:

1985mm

Overall length:

6085mm

Stability:

StabiliTrak with Proactive Roll Avoidance

Traction control:

Yes, with Electronic trailer sway control

Hill start assist:

Yes

Hill descent control:

Yes

Exhaust brakes:

Yes

Airbags:

Yes – comprehensive

Park assist:

Yes – front and rear sensors

Rear view camera:

Yes

Wheelbase:

3886mm

Load bed length:

2003mm

Load bed width

(between wheel arches): 1296mm

Towing unbraked/braked:

750kg/5897kg (with pintle hook)

Seats:

Five

Options fitted at time of test:

Pintle hook coupling and LT400 certification

driver’s seat is also electronically controlled. The list of trick features as standard fitment is impressive, with Digital Steering Assist, power adjustable pedal set, front and rear park assist with rear view camera, and remote start to name a few.

Arriving at Waiouru it is time to hand over the keys and reflect on the past 400 or so kilometres with the Silverado.

Every step of the journey was effortless; the Silverado certainly has been well appointed for cruising many miles at a time. It presents big car qualities that keep behaviour on the road predictable and easy to manage for the masses; these attributes will be of great assistance when there is the best

Winter in Waiouru driving a Z71 4x4 Chev – perfect match.

Owner’s perspective

part of six tonne on a trailer connected to the hitch.

The job that HSV has completed converting the vehicle from left to right-hand drive is a credit to them; you are hard-pressed to find evidence within the finish, and more importantly within the drivability and performance of the rig heading down the road. The only comment we would share is the approach angle of the foot brake when applying. We found this a little on the steep side, but hey, we got used to it reasonably easily.

In summary, there are those who would say the Chevrolet Silverado has no place against a line-up of Asian utilities, and they would be correct; the Silverado is not a utility, it is a truck in every sense of the word, and with this in mind it sits proudly in an entirely separate class. 

Mark Stockler of MSR in Wellington has had a selection of tow vehicles over the years, but upon talking to Mark he is quick to say: “I have finally found the perfect match for my 3500kg transporter trailer with electric brakes; the combination just works”.

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New Zealand Trucking

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Our test vehicle was kindly supplied courtesy of the Wellington HSV dealer, Johnston Ebbett HSV. There are six HSV dealers throughout New Zealand that stock the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 trucks.

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COOL THINGS

As the classic turn of phrase says ‘less is more’. Manawatu girls doing their bit for breast cancer research.

All for a great cause Story and photo by Faye Lougher

A

group of women from the transport industry in Manawatu got together in June to show their support for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The women dressed (or undressed!) in pink and put on their biggest smiles for a photo that will be used in a nationwide fundraising calendar.

Palmerston North truck driver Amanda Bright said the women were a mix of admin staff, dispatchers and ownerdrivers contracted to Toll and other companies in the region.

Last year, Christchurch driver Kat Hall was behind the two fundraising calendars that were produced, one for the North Island and one for the South, raising about $1000 for the foundation. This year Judith Roessink and Nicki Cameron from the Australasia Female Truckies Facebook page are organising the calendar. Judith herself is a cancer survivor, having had two lumpectomies in the 90s and 2002.

“Nicki suggested a slightly different slant on this year’s calendar, along the lines of the original Calendar Girls movie

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New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

shots with a little bit more exposure of what we’re trying to beat – breast cancer,” said Judith. “We want to be around to see our kids and grandchildren grow up.”

The call was put out in May for suitable shots for this year’s calendar, which will sell for $25, with $5 from each sale going to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

“A whole lot of ladies are doing photos for the calendar,” said Amanda. “There will be 12 photos from around the country of women from the industry.”

Amanda said she put out a mayday call on Facebook for women to be in the Manawatu photo and was blown away by the support she got.

“Each of the women involved has friends who have had cancer and they all jumped at the chance to get together and do something like this.”

The calendars will be on sale in time for Christmas, and we will keep you updated on when and where they can be purchased. 

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PRODUCT UPDATE

My Trucking release Sign on Glass

My Trucking’s latest features.

P

roof of Delivery can now be accomplished via Sign on Glass, one of five new features from New Zealand transport management system company MyTrucking.

The Sign on Glass feature allows Proof of Delivery (POD) for operators and enables users to send a copy of this POD signature to customers straight away. This new feature is available in both the MyTrucking Apple and Android mobile app.

Job management software MyTrucking is the brainchild of Wairarapa couple Sam and Sara Orsborn. The software has brought online simplicity, automation and mobility to an increasing number of small to medium-sized trucking

businesses throughout Australasia.

Other new features include the software integrating with GPS tracking programme EROAD, delivering instantaneous cents per-truck-per-day revenue analysis.

As well, mobile app alerts are now available, allowing drivers to get notifications when new jobs come in, or there are changes to current jobs. This feature helps reduce the number of text and phone call traffic required.

The fourth new feature is a mobile app map, allowing drivers to open up a

map on the app and see where the job location is.

The MyTrucking system is integrated with Burst SMS, so a text can be sent to the destination when the delivery is on its way.

The progressive Kiwi company continues to add extra value for MyTrucking users, streamlining processes and so reducing costs.

A customer portal is currently under development that will allow clients and agents to add jobs to their MyTrucking account. 

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NEW MODEL

MAXICUBE

CLASSIC VAN 2 THICKER IS BETTER REEFER!

MaxiTRANS announces the new model MaxiCUBE Classic Van 2 into New Zealand market after two years of fully field tested and running in our Australian market.

The key features: • Changes in engineering design means weight savings. A lighter unit with improved thermal efficiencies.

• It has a modular design skid plate that is easier to repair or replace. A zinc coated version which is 10mm – a heavy-duty version that is easier for servicing.

• A reinforced rear frame coupled with stainless steel rear corner castings is better able to withstand impact during docking.

• Full-width apron plate improves durability at the front section of the van.

• Lighter weight double loaders bars • Easier to Handle – HSE impact • Gives a higher load rating: 670kg vs 500kg Thicker is better: • Thicker floor: 100mm • Thicker roof: 130mm • Thicker front wall walls:100mm infused process • Thicker rear door: 90mm with a one-piece

full seal per door • Thicker side walls: 45mm fully vacuumed bonded performance • Increased thermal performance of 10% + • 3-year warranty

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TECH TOPICS

Anatomy of a brake chamber

How to manually release truck brakes – advice Words and photos by Howard Shanks 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 have 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 to explore a tech topic for you.

I

n certain emergency situations, for instance when an air brake system has failed and you need to move your truck to a safe position, you may need to manually release the brakes. Before we get into this Tech Topics advice article, it is extremely important to understand that when a spring brake is manually released, that particular brake will not function and that wheel will have no braking at all.

First things first

What are spring brakes and what do they do? Heavy vehicle spring brakes are designed to provide two separate functions.

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Firstly they activate in an emergency if your service brakes fail, and secondly to act as park brakes. Regulations dictate that all vehicles with air brake systems must have a means of stopping the vehicle if the service brakes (air system) fails. Most heavy truck manufacturers combine this function of the emergency braking system with a parking brake system, using spring brakes as discussed earlier.

Unlike service brakes, spring brakes are not air applied. They only apply when air pressure leaves the spring brake chamber, which causes the large spring to expand and force the brake shoe firmly against the brake drum. They will only release when enough air pressure builds up inside the brake chamber to compress the spring. Spring brakes use a separate brake chamber from the service brakes. A combination brake booster that includes both service brake and spring brake sections is called a spring brake chamber and for most heavy trucks, it’s known as a Type 30/30. Some medium trucks may have a Type 24/30 brake chamber. The first number after the word ‘Type’ refers to the size of the service brake chamber, and the second number the spring brake chamber. For example, a Type 30/30 brake booster would have a size 30 service brake diaphragm and a size 30 spring brake diaphragm.

To accommodate the large coil spring, a section is added to the service brake chamber that is clearly visible and adds

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ

Step:1 Remove the release bolt assembly from the side pocket.

To do this remove the release nut and washer from the release bolt, then slide the release bolt out of the holder.

Clean the threads along the length of the release bolt as this will make it easier to tighten the nut later.

Step:2 Insert the release bolt through the opening in the rear of the spring chamber where the plug was removed, inserting it into the pressure plate.

Step:3 Turn the release bolt 1/4 turn clockwise in the pressure plate. This secures the cross pin into the cross pin area of the pressure plate and locks it into the manual release position.

Step:4 Assemble the release bolt washer and nut on the release stud.

Step:5 With a spanner, turn the release bolt assembly nut until the compression spring is 90 to 95 percent caged. You will find that the nut is hard to wind because you are manually compressing the high tension spring. While doing this, check to make sure the pushrod (adapter push rod or service push rod) is retracting. Do not overtorque the release bolt assembly. S-Cam Type 30/30 maximum: 68Nm (50ft/lbs).

Now the brake is mechanically ‘caged’ and the brake will not function. Extreme care should be used when moving a vehicle with the brakes in the ‘caged’ position.

significantly to its size. This spring brake section is piggybacked onto the service brake section and these two sections function as two separate chambers. The portion nearest the pushrod end is the service brake section and it works in the same manner as a separately mounted service brake chamber.

Most heavy vehicles require at least 60PSI (414kPA or 4Bar) of air pressure to compress or ‘cage’ the spring inside the brake chamber. When the brake’s spring is ‘caged’ or compressed the brake is in the released state and will require a delivery of air pressure from the brake pedal to apply. Conversely, if the air pressure in the vehicle’s air system falls below 60PSI (414kPA) then the spring releases and starts to apply the brakes as there is no longer enough air pressure to keep the spring compressed.

That is why it is important to ensure that both the primary and secondary brake systems are fully charged to 90 – 110PSI (690 – 758kPa) before driving the vehicle.

A word of caution about servicing spring brakes, DON’T – for two reasons.

Firstly, as the large coil spring used in the brake chamber is compressed under very high tension, it is extremely difficult to release the tension safely, let alone reinstall it once it’s apart.

Secondly, the cost of a new replacement Type 30/30 spring brake booster largely negates the risk entailed in servicing one. According to the Bendix Removal & Replacement

New Zealand Trucking

September 2019

73

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CAUTION Again, we cannot emphasise enough that this procedure should only be used in the case of an emergency and the brake system will need to be repaired by an authorised service centre at the earliest opportunity.

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Labour Allowance Schedule (BW1322) it should take approximately 0.9 of an hour’s labour to remove and replace a spring brake booster. Therefore, it’s cheaper to replace a faulty chamber with a new one, and it’s far safer too.

‘I want to break free!’

On a trip in the not too distant future you might find yourself stranded with a wheel that’s locked up because the brakes have jammed. Chances are you’ll be stuck on a lonely road, way out the back blocks, miles from phone range and little chance of getting a callout vehicle to come to the rescue.

The good news is, if you’ve read the article you’ll have a reasonable understanding of how the brakes on your truck function, so you’ll be able to get yourself rolling again rather quickly.

Once you have identified which wheel or axle has locked up, you need to slide under the vehicle and remove the dust plug on that faulty wheel or axle’s spring brake chamber. 

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TRUCKERS’ HEALTH

The outlook for Monday

T

ake time for yourself. You probably all just laughed at that, given your demanding hours, but it is crucial that you take time for yourself to do things that you enjoy.

Everyone has a hobby or interest that they find relaxing, fun or satisfying in some way. For me, I really enjoy boxing and find it a great source of exercise and anger management. Two birds, one stone.

Rest. That’s right, I just dropped the ‘r’ word. Rest doesn’t have to mean sleeping or lying on the couch watching Coronation Street. Many of us, including myself, are active relaxers. I personally find housework relaxing. But you could mow the lawn, garden, potter around the house, do some gaming, or anything that you find relaxing and calming. It is so important that you get as much rest as you can in order to power you through the cooler months and help you recharge for those long journeys.

Understand that you’re not always going to have a good week. Putting too much pressure on yourself will not make you achieve greater things, in fact, often the contrary. You are not going to absolutely nail every single week both at work and in your personal life. Some weeks may be a total write-off. But that is why Monday was invented. Monday is the unofficial day of the fresh start and the clean slate. The same can be said for our fitness and nutrition – no one is 100% clean and perfect, living off kale salads and going for leisurely 10km jogs.

Some weeks you barely move and find yourself indulging in a mince and cheese pie from your local gas station. Bring on Monday...

Create a habit. Being fit and healthy doesn’t mean living off celery and strapping yourself to a treadmill, but if you want to maintain a healthy body weight and keep fit, you do need to be consistent and keep a solid routine.

What works really well is on a Sunday, setting out what exercise sessions you want to achieve in the coming week. I find that clients achieve more when they set realistic goals for the week rather than just trying to ‘wing it’ and see what happens.

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New Zealand Trucking

Knowledge, the more you know the more successful you will be. This can be applied to almost anything in life, but of course, to your health and wellbeing.

Every day I am learning more and more about how to keep myself fit and healthy. If you’re not too sure what you should be eating to be as healthy as an ox, do some research into the kinds of foods that best nourish your body and make you feel energised throughout those long hours.

that at every social occasion you have to be laced to the eyeballs with ‘beersies’, it just means catching up with a friend or family member, getting out of the house and doing something positive that you enjoy. If you are a drinker and want an alternative to beer, a gin and soda or vodka and soda contain fewer calories.

Get outside your comfort zone.

A wise man once said ‘if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you’. I thought about that as I was completing

Cory Duggan from our January test this

a 100km walk in March. I think it’s important to try new things, extend and challenge yourself because you learn nothing within your comfort zone. Find something that you have always wanted to try but have been too nervous or scared to do, and give it a nudge. It is so satisfying when you overcome a fear or barrier and achieve something that you never thought you would. 

year has always played sport and been active. He takes food in the truck he’s prepared himself and finds time to get in a couple of jogs during the week.

Implement healthy eating into your daily routine. I know that you are often pressed for time but it is important to include plenty of fruits and vegetables and nutritious foods throughout your day. It is great for your energy levels and general wellbeing. There are now plenty of pre-prepared and packaged meal companies making cooking nutritious dinners and lunches quick and easy if you are tight on time throughout the week. Chucking pieces of fruit and veggies into your lunch bag also helps boost your intake over the day.

Never turn down a beer – or whatever your ‘thing’ is with a mate. Being social is so important for your mental health and overall happiness. It doesn’t mean

September 2019

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INDUSTRY COMMENT

Electronic driver logbooks – why not?

By Russell Walsh

A qualified motor mechanic, auto electrician and diesel mechanic by trade, Russell was transport manager and national fleet manager for NZ Post until 1995. He then did a number of industry-related contract jobs, including working with the industry training organisation developing qualifications. He was employed by the NZTA in a variety of roles before working for EECA in their Heavy Vehicle Fuel Efficiency programme. Now semi-retired, he is still involved with the industry and doing some volunteer work.

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or the benefits and improvements they bring, our industry is always quick to embrace new technology. If we look back to how we ran our businesses and what is available now, it is easy to see the impact technology has had. For some reason, this does not appear to be the case in the use of electronic driver logbooks (ELBs) to replace the paper ones that have been a requirement for 30-plus years.

The first ELB was approved for use in New Zealand in 2013. As with paper logbooks, ELBs have to be approved by the NZTA prior to use and must record the same information as paper ones; in the electronic version though, much of this is automated. Before approval is given, the person or organisation seeking approval must first demonstrate their product can meet the legal requirements for recording work time. There are other requirements as well, such as providing drivers with a warning when a rest break is due and when a full rest period has not been taken. ELBs must not impede roadside enforcement activity and must preserve legal chain of evidence requirements.

The minimum specification for ELBs is available on the NZTA website: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/ electronic-logbooks/docs/electronic-logbook-applicationspecs-2013.pdf Currently NZTA has approved six electronic driver logbooks.

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TrackIt http://www.trackit.co.nz/ Xlerate https://www.xlerate.co.nz/Xlerate/EDriverLogBook.aspx Many of these ELBs are part of a wider suite of electronic management documents that can provide business efficiency while at the same time assisting compliance, such as pre-use walk-around inspections and health and safety assessments.

They may be a simple add-on feature to the electronic dispatch and fleet tracking systems you are already using.

ELBs are a requirement in the USA and are close to being mandated in Australia so it is only a matter of time before this happens here. A comment in the September 2018 edition of Logistics & Transport NZ (https://cilt.co.nz/magazine/changesto-logbooks-on-the-cards-says-ministry-of-transport/) suggests changes to logbooks are on the cards.

ELBs have a number of advantages over the traditional paper ones, especially the automated nature of many of the required entries. ELBs must automatically send information to the transport operator at least once in every 24-hour period; this meets the requirement for the driver to give their employer the record or employer copy of the logbook, the yellow page.

The system stores this information for at least 12 months.

Enforcement officers wanting to take copies of the logbook at the roadside can email themselves the relevant pages via email.

Because individual driver approval to use an ELB instead of a paper one is not required, it is not known how many drivers are using these in New Zealand. Estimates vary, and one of the reasons often heard is that they – ELBs – are too precise, a rather strange comment given they are no more precise that the information that should be recorded now in paper logbooks.

If considering ELBs, talk to the various providers to see what else may be available as part of a wider suite e.g. electronic road user charges, electronic pre-use inspections, in-cab driver messaging, and health and safety advice and warnings.

Be careful though, as there are some suppliers offering electronic vehicle logbooks that are generally designed to track vehicle use, for example calculating FBT, and are not approved by the NZTA as driver logbooks.

Whether we like it or not, it’s inevitable that ELBs will be mandated in New Zealand, it’s just a question of when, not if. 

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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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Looking after remote workers

A

0919-22

mother shared with me a horrible situation her son had experienced. He was out of town for work and was attacked. He got back to his car and rang his boss who told him to drive to the hospital for treatment. They offered to put him up in a motel if he felt he needed it and gave him other support as they felt it necessary. This was done over the phone.

It made him feel not quite so alone.

Did they do enough? Did they demonstrate a robust duty of care? What more could they have done?

Firstly, I need to be clear that the attack was completely random. In no way could it have been foreseen and it was not connected to his work. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. However, the attack did take place during his working hours in a location where he was working. This makes it a workplace situation.

The man was working several hours’ drive away from his normal location. In this instance, there were other workers

from the same organisation in the same location. I would suggest that one of these workers could have been contacted and asked to go to and stay with the injured man. This would have given him better support in the hospital waiting room, having medical treatment, and undergoing police interviews.

Rather than accepting the offer of motel accommodation, our injured worker decided he would rather be home surrounded by his family. He was shaken and frightened. A night alone in a motel room did not appeal. So he thanked the organisation for the offer and drove himself home. I’m fairly confident that this was not a safe drive, for himself or other road users. It may have been awkward to achieve, but there

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must have been a way the organisation could have arranged transport so he didn’t have to drive.

Injury is unsettling to us all. Violent injury is significantly worse. The shock of being set upon is not something that many New Zealanders ever experience.

Possibly the organisation and the injured man took the actions they did because of the uniqueness of the situation, our ‘she’ll be right’ and ‘tough-as’ attitude.

I think the organisation’s care was inadequate, but maybe it’s a starting point on how we can do better. 

Tracey Murphy is the owner and director of Safewise Limited, a health and safety consultancy. She has more than 10 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 manager.

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LEGAL LINES

Vicarious liability and health and safety

I

have been asked by a reader to discuss the relationship between the chain of responsibility provisions in the Land Transport Act 1998 and the obligations on employers in the Heath and Safety at Work Act 2015. This month I will give a summary of the chain of responsibility principles and next month I will focus on the interface between this legislation and the new health and safety laws.

Chain of responsibility

Section 6C of the Land Transport Act 1998 contains three sections entitled ‘Offences relating to chain of responsibility’. The chain of responsibility is a principle that exists in New Zealand and comes from the concept of vicarious liability in which the superior has responsibility for the acts of their subordinate. In the context of the Land Transport Act it recognises that the people who influence drivers’ behaviour and compliance should and must be held accountable if that influence results in non-compliance with traffic rules and laws.

Vicarious liability

Extension of search warrant provisions

Section 6C of the Land Transport Act also extends the provisions for the issuing of search warrants so that the police are able to apply for search warrants for alleged breaches of the chain of responsibility provisions. That means a search warrant could be issued in order to obtain evidence relating to commercial vehicle drivers speeding or breaching work-time limits, or commercial vehicles being dangerously overloaded.

We’ve all heard of cases where employers or companies that engage truck companies set unrealistic schedules for drivers, causing them to speed or breach their work hours in order to meet contractual requirements. This is a totally unacceptable practice and it is also illegal. So, it’s not surprising that the police are likely to pursue those who breach the law more vigorously because this will be another tool they can utilise.

The law has always recognised the need for employers and businesses that use transport operators to act in a responsible manner, so this legislation does not place extra responsibility on them. However, when enquiries needed to be made into breaches, particularly those that involved the alleged actions of a third party, it was difficult for the police to obtain evidence of the offending. An example of a third party is a freight forwarder who is a transport operator’s client rather than the employer of a driver. However, under the chain of responsibility legislation, the ability to apply for a search warrant changes this and will hopefully ensure that unrealistic demands are not placed on transport operators or drivers. The same requirements that the police must currently satisfy when seeking a search warrant will apply to these search warrants. 

It is a necessary element of the charge for the prosecution to prove that the person knew, or ought to have known, the offence was occurring or was reasonably likely to occur. If an operator commits a breach, a maximum fine of $25,000 will apply and this is an increase from the previous maximum fine of $10,000.

People who influence drivers’ behaviour can include company directors, consignors, operators, packers, loaders, schedulers, dispatchers, receivers, and customers of a transport service. It shares rather than transfers the responsibility between the parties. It is a necessary element of the charge for the prosecution to prove that the person knew, or ought to have known, the offence was occurring or was reasonably likely to occur. If an operator commits a breach, a maximum fine of $25,000 will apply and this is an increase from the previous maximum fine of $10,000.

This offence recognises the role that operators play in setting the requirements for drivers and it places an added obligation on operators to encourage them to abide strictly by the law.

Examples of influencing behaviours

Behaviours that could lead drivers or operators to breach the rules or laws include: • Causing or influencing a driver to exceed speed limits • Causing or influencing a driver not to comply with worktime or rest time requirements • Causing or influencing a driver not to comply with logbook requirements (including a failure to maintain a logbook or falsifying logbook records) • Causing or requiring a driver to operate a vehicle that exceeds its maximum gross weight.

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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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NZ TRUCKING ASSOCIATION

Putting the passion back into your business

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Share feedback and stories from customers that show how emember when you first started out in business, they are making a positive difference. This is a powerful way to everything was new and exciting, and you had a inspire your team. passion that drove you to get the best out of it. But Show your team that you appreciate their efforts. Praise like many people in the trucking industry, you are them for a job well done, both individually and as a group. Set working long hours and may feel burnt out and bogged down rewards for large and small successes along the way. Having a in the daily grind. You’ve possibly lost sight of what gave you rewards programme in place that shares the business successes the passion and energy to get into your business in the first helps to keep them engaged. place.

Spend time developing your own management skills. You Running a business is a bit like a marriage; you need to keep need to be up for the task. If you don’t know how to put a working on it to keep the passion alive. Without passion in successful plan in place, then seek out professional advice and/ your business, life is going to be difficult, and the chances of or mentoring. Your team is relying on you for the passion and business success are greatly reduced. inspiration to lead them to success.

It’s time to get the passion Taking a holiday can be good for back into your business. Surround Further information your business. Turn off your mobile yourself with a great team that is as phone and stay away from your passionate about your business as you Website: www.truckingindustryshow.co.nz emails. Take the time to recharge are. At the New Zealand Trucking Facebook: www.facebook.com/ your batteries and seek inspiration.

Association, I am extremely lucky truckingindustryshow/ Away from the daily pressures of to have a phenomenal team that Contact: Rebecca Dinmore at New Zealand your business you will have time to is as passionate about the industry Trucking Association rebecca.dinmore@nztruckingassn.co.nz reflect, to see what has worked for as I am. Trust in your team is an you and what hasn’t, and to make important part of keeping motivation some plans for the future. If your high, utilising each member’s business won’t run without you, then you need to make some individual skills, rather than trying to micromanage everything. changes so it does.

Learning to delegate tasks to the team members who have the Look for inspiration from outside your business. Attend skills so you both focus on the things you’re passionate about is industry conferences, forums, and truck shows. These are a important. great opportunity to network. The world is always changing.

Communicate your passion and vision to your team. If they You need to get out of your own fishbowl and see what new don’t know what drives you and what your business is all about, innovations and trends are developing around the world. then how can they help you to reach your goals? Put in place a Learning new ideas will help revitalise you. On this note, clear communication strategy that clearly defines your business the biggest and best opportunity for you is the upcoming vision and purpose. Provide the inspiration and bring them 2020 TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show being held along for the ride. at the Canterbury A&P Showgrounds in Christchurch on The key to a passionate team is giving them a purpose.

20 and 21 March 2020. The biennial show is the trucking People who understand their wider purpose in the business are industry’s ultimate showcase of new happier, more engaged, and more creative. Most people want to innovation and technology. Put this know their work has meaning. Achieve this and your team will in your calendar now!  work harder, use their initiative, and help the business operate more efficiently.

Take time to step back and look at the big picture. There are four questions you need to ask yourself and communicate to your team: • Where are we going? (Goals) • What are we doing to get there? (Plans) • How can I contribute? (Roles) • What’s in it for me? (Rewards) To help keep your team engaged it’s important to provide feedback. They need to know how they are going against the business goals. Celebrate and reward the business’s success and highlight people who have been pivotal to the team’s success.

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NZ Trucking Association can be contacted on 0800 338 338 or info@nztruckingassn.co.nz

by Dave Boyce, NZTA chief executive officer

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ROAD TRANSPORT FORUM

Professional drivers in government crosshairs

R

oad transport operators and professional drivers are well and truly in the government’s sights at the moment. Whether it is the chronic lack of investment in new roads, the explicit desire to shift freight from roads onto rail, or the demonisation of trucking from a safety point of view, it is hardly surprising that the road transport industry is feeling somewhat under siege.

The constant anti-road, anti-truck rhetoric has become a theme from this government. In many ways it is expected from Ministers Twyford, Genter and on some occasions, the Prime Minister. However, we now have Justice Minister Andrew Little demanding a higher legal standard and tougher sentences for professional drivers involved in fatal accidents.

“In my view, professional drivers should be held to a higher standard,” Little told media. “They are subject to a number of regulations to manage fatigue with them. If sentencing is not reflecting a higher standard for professional drivers then I will look at the statutory guidance in the Sentencing Act.” Mr Little may not be aware that three pieces of legislation are already in place specifically to hold the behaviour of professional drivers to account. They are the Land Transport Act 1998, Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, and the Sentencing Act 2002 (section 32, sentence of reparation).

Now, this is pretty scary rhetoric to an industry that includes people who can do hundreds of thousands of kilometres per year driving some of the largest and most highly demanding vehicles on the road. Mr Little’s comments, on the back of some high-profile recent sentencing decisions, could also be seen as contrary to the independence of the judiciary and must be treading a very fine line as to whether he is breaching the rules around ministerial direction.

Mr Little knows full well that no driver, professional or not, sets out to have an accident. His comments suggest to me that he believes professional drivers do not take their responsibilities seriously, and once again it is an attempt to demonise workers and our wider industry for political gain.

RTF has approached Mr Little’s office for justification of his position and for evidence supporting that. We await his response with interest.

The industry will no doubt be aware that after much anticipation the government’s new road safety strategy, based on Sweden’s Vision Zero model, was recently released for public consultation. Road to Zero, as it is titled, is aimed at reducing fatalities by 40 percent over the next decade and includes work-related road safety as an area of focus.

The strategy makes the point that employers have a moral

and legal responsibility to ensure that work-related road travel is safe for their staff and the public. They also have the expertise, resources and influence to make a real difference to our road safety outcomes. About 25 percent of the deaths on our roads involve someone driving for work, whether as a commercial driver or as a secondary part of their main role. Ensuring that road safety is treated as a critical health and safety at work issue has the potential to significantly reduce this harm.

The document goes on to propose that regulatory settings as they relate to commercial transport and work-related driving be strengthened, while giving greater focus to fatigue management, including a review of logbook and work-time requirements. It goes without saying that RTF and the industry will take a particular interest in the specific regulatory changes that come out of this proposal.

The consultation document also makes the point that while trucks are not involved in significantly more crashes per kilometre than other types of vehicles, these crashes are far more likely to be fatal, and account for over 20 percent of road deaths.

This is a narrow use of evidence that does nothing to help the perception of our industry and does not reflect the reality of heavy vehicle accidents. No mention at all is made of the extremely relevant fact that for all the serious and fatal accidents that trucks are involved in, less than a third of them are the fault of the truck driver.

RTF will always be supportive of initiatives that make our roads safer. However, what we want are safety solutions that work, and as far as I can tell, better, more modern, laneseparated motorways are the best long-term investment in safety we can make, while ongoing improvements to road surfaces and shoulder-widening are also required.

Unfortunately, this government seems to want to cherrypick the initiatives that are politically convenient to it, while neglecting those, like motorway network expansion, that aren’t.

Finally, don’t forget, the RTF Conference is nearly upon us. The full programme, registration details, accommodation, and sponsorship packages for the event on 24 and 25 September are available at www.rtfconference.co.nz. 

His comments suggest to me that he believes professional drivers do not take their responsibilities seriously, and once again it is an attempt to demonise workers and our wider industry for political gain.

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New Zealand Trucking

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Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui Operator: Frank Richards Sharp As Linehaul Ltd Driver Engine: Scania DC13 368kW (500hp) Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Transmission:OptidriverGRSO905 Transmission Rearaxles axles: Renault P2191 Scaniawith hubhub reduction Rear reduction Truck body Flat deckNDA with Engineering front mounted PK12000 Tanks: Ltd PalfingerTransport crane Trailer: Engineering Southland Features Operation: Disc brakes, Milk Bluetooth, collection and delivery for Open Dura-Bright alloy wheels Country Dairy Operation Carting roofing material around the Bay of Plenty area

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New Zealand TruckingNovember September 2019 89 11 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

The CAT’s Whiskers Straight out of the Mills-Tui workshops for CAT Logging is this new build on their Kenworth T659. Featuring a complete MillsTui log truck set up with matching Mills-Tui F175 5-axle multi bolster trailer.

Features: Truck and trailer are fitted with MillsTui manufactured hi-tensile bolsters, LT safety tensioners and 6mm chain. Truck has been fitted with tank guard, cab guard and CTI. The trailer is hi-tensile running Hendrickson INTRAAX axles with TIREMAAX, Hendrickson air suspension, Knorr-Bremse EBS, Alcoa Dura-Bright alloys and finished off in Aztec fleet colours.

Mills-Tui Ltd

Completing the Build Ready for the road and assisting fleet expansion for Davidson Cartage Contractors Ltd of Silverdale is this sharp build by the team at Rage Engineering Ltd. It will go behind a 6x4 UD that Rage has already outfitted for Davidson Cartage Contractors late last year. The unit will be working on a variety of infrastructure duties along with general bulk cartage throughout the upper North Island.

Features: Full Hardox 24m3 body, Edbro CS ram, FUWA K-Hitch disc axles and air suspension, Knorr-Bremse EBS braking with TIMS module, alloy wheels and KIWI 16 tyres, full Hella slimline LED lighting including mid-body and drawbar indicators, fabricated I-beam drawbar, tare 6240kgs.

Rage Engineering Ltd

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WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Thinking outside the square The combined effort of Mills-Tui, Intertruck, ExTe, and client Musson Logistics Ltd of Rangiora has resulted in the development of the first 50MAX self-loading log truck capable of piggy backing its own 5-axle trailer. Many hours of design work by MillsTui were required, alongside Intertruck’s ability to react immediately to the client’s request and custom build the 9870 with a double-skinned chassis fresh out of the factory. This saved an immense amount of build time for the Mills-Tui team.

Features: ExTe lightweight bolsters, SI Lodec scales, Hendrickson INTRAAX disc brake axles with TIREMAAX, Hendrickson air suspension, Bigfoot CTI, LT safety tensioners and 6mm chain, Knorr-Bremse EBS, Palfinger Q170Z crane.

Mills-Tui Ltd

An Active Solution A clean new build for the Active Contracting Ltd team of Kumeu, north of Auckland. The new TT4HT7.25 4-axle trailer is fresh out of the Transport & General Transport Trailer workshops in Hamilton with a Hardox tipping body riding on ROR SL9 air suspension axle sets fitted with 19.5” disc brakes.

SmartBoard, Edbro hoist, Alcoa 19.5” wheels with Dura-Bright alloy wheels on the outside, Hella LED tail lights, Peterson LED side lights, T&G manual winding PVC sliding cover system, heavy duty Quicksilver nylon liner, two-way swinging tail door with auto-door closer system.

Features: Wabco EBS multi volt brake system with

Transport & General Transport Trailer

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

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MINI BIG RIGS

Wellington Airport Fire Service

Mills-Tui Stryker Crash Fire Tender – Rescue 1 Story by Carl Kirkbeck

With perseverance comes reward, and this scratch build project by Tim O’Halloran, some 14 years in the making, is testament to this.

T

im O’Halloran is an experienced hand at model truck building, starting at age nine. As life got busy the model building had to take a back seat; however working alongside a fellow model truck builder in 2003 reignited the passion for Tim, and the production line was kicked into gear again.

Tim’s working career has involved all manner of trucks and machinery; from tippers and diggers through to linehaul, there is not much Tim hasn’t driven. In 2005 Tim seized an opportunity to move into a role with the Wellington Airport

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Fire Service. During a conversation one afternoon with workmates, Tim’s boss challenged him to have a go at building a scale model of the R1 Mills-Tui Stryker crash tender resident at their station. For Tim it was “Challenge accepted”.

The build started immediately, collecting photographs and data from the actual machine. Tim based the calculations on a 1:24 scale build, beginning with bare sheets of plastic, a ruler and a knife. The model is 99.9% scratch built, right down to the wheels. The off-highway wheel and tyre sets were formed by resin casting, where a pattern of the individual wheel and tyre is handmade, then used to form a rubber mould that the resin is then cast into.

The tender is powered by a Series-60 Detroit. This proved troublesome as off-the-shelf solutions proved to be out of scale, so a pile of donor parts and a session of scratch building was the solution, forming a scale correct power plant for the model. One cool feature is the exhaust plumbing exiting the turbocharger made from flexible drinking straws.

WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Right: Tim’s daily drive and inspiration for the build.

Left: The completed scratch built model belies the 14 years of blood, sweat and tears that went into its creation by Tim O’Halloran.

The level of detail in the build is impressive: peering through the windows into the cab you will see a BA set in the passenger seat alongside a box of surgical gloves positioned exactly as it is in the real tender.

The paint used was left over from the painting of the real Stryker back in the 80s and was found by Tim’s son Regan.

Signage was provided by Kapiti Signs.

Tim tells how he lost track of the time spent on this model.

“I started it in 2005 and finally finished it just in time for the

Easter Nationals in Napier this year, so some 14 years on the work bench. There were days that I could not stand the look of it; the ladder on the roof for example took four attempts to get it right, but here it is done.”

Seeing first-hand the build quality of this one-off model you can appreciate there would have been those days of frustration where you would have regretted accepting the challenge, however top marks to Tim’s resolve to stay connected to the build and see it through to completion. 

Our own build - tools We’re under way on our model build.

This month we’re looking at basic tools.

Like any task, the quality of the finish comes down to having the correct tools for the task. This does not imply you need to invest heavily. Your local hobby store will assist with selecting the basics, but here’s my list of essentials..

Hobby knife – you will use this every stage of the build, cutting parts from the sprue (grid) as well as cleaning and moulding flash from parts. It should be kept sharp. Most good hobby stores stock a starter kit that comprises a knife handle and assorted blades.

Needle files – when you cut parts away from the sprue, invariably there will be flash or residue that can compromise the fit. Use a needle file to ensure a nice, clean and straight fit between parts.

Tweezers – a common everyday set of tweezers is a must-have in the toolbox. These are helpful for many tasks, especially holding smaller parts during final assembly.

Glue/cement – the liquid-based solvents of today don’t suffer from the stringing like glues of the past. There

Tools of the trade – It may seem daunting, however a modest selection to get you started is the key.

are two common methods to apply modern solvents 1 – Directly to the surfaces being bonded, softening the plastic. Once the parts are together a little more can be applied with a brush.

2 – Bring the two parts together dry, then while held in place apply the solvent with the brush directly to the seam. Capillary action draws the solvent directly into the connecting seam.

Acrylic putty/filler – you can certainly build a model without this, however it does improve the level of finish.

Packaged similar to toothpaste, you apply it with a small modeller’s spatula (old butter knives are great as well),

over the dry bonded seam between two parts and leave to dry. The drying time varies depending on products, the amount applied, and humidity, however you can generally work the putty/filler after 24 hours.

Sandpaper – plastic is fragile, so a fine grit sandpaper is required. An initial light sanding of a bonded and filled seam might require a 240-grit paper to work the surface into shape, moving towards 400 and 800 grit in preparation for paint. The trick with sanding is patience, Paints – purchase a small selection of primary and common colours. Take the time to have a think about any specialised colours you might require that are specific to the model you are building e.g. engine block and gearbox colours. Most paints today are water-based acrylics, making cleaning easier and extending brush life.

This month’s task is to compile your inventory of tools and supplies and ready a space to set up your production line for the upcoming project.

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LITTLE TRUCKERS’ CLUB Winners and workers!

Hi kids, it’s spring time, my favourite season, and with the weather warming up it’s the perfect time to be getting out and about with dad or mum. The photos of you all out at work with dad and mum are coming in, and with Father’s Day upon us it would be fantastic to see some more. If you would like to share your photos, please send them to me at rochelle@nztrucking.co.nz. I am so excited to see what you get up to when you are out there at work.

Thank you all for your entries into the quiz that went with our most recent ‘A day in a life of a trucker’ story featuring Ben Bryers from APL Direct Ltd (August New Zealand Trucking magazine, p. 98). If you haven’t sent your answers in, don’t worry, there’s plenty of time, you’ve got until 8 September.

So, grab the mag, sit down with mum or dad and go on a ride with Ben for the day. We’ll draw a lucky winner out of the correct entries and send out some cool New Zealand Trucking merchandise!

All kitted out in his hi-vis and hard hat, 13-year-old Billy Adams looks as though he could just leap aboard the processor and get stuck in. (Below) He’s been at this truckin’ and machine gig for some time now, here he is 12 years ago as a toddler doing the pre-check!

Harley Shingleton from Himatangi is 13 too, and looks pretty cool and confident with the big K-Whopper in the background. Harley asked us if we could give the biggest shout-out to his wonderful dad Noel, and said he wishes him the happiest birthday on 30 August.

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WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Rochelle working on a 2011 R730 Scania commission.

Christmas is coming!

Auto Art by Rochelle

– hand-painted truck portraits

Clear the shelf!

Congratulations to Jai Olgie from Matamata! I had the pleasure of meeting Jai and giving him the prize he won in the Scania colouring competition we ran a couple of months back. Jai was so excited to get his model and had it unwrapped in no time! A great addition to his already impressive truck collection he proudly showed me. Enjoy your prize Jai and thanks so much to Scania New Zealand for their support.

R

ochelle Thomas is an automotive artist based in Tauranga. Her outstanding skills are not only recognised here in New Zealand but also internationally. All her work is commission-based and her portfolio is impressive to say the least. Every piece is hand-drawn and painted using acrylic paints onto block canvas from a reference photo her customers send electronically.

We are proud to have Rochelle help us promote the trucking industry to our young through the Little Truckers’ Club, and to have Auto Art by Rochelle as one of the sponsors of our annual Top Truck of the Year competition.

We highly recommend her work.

If you would like to immortalise your truck onto canvas, Rochelle’s contact details are: Email: rochelle3131@yahoo.co.nz Phone: 0277043438 Facebook art page https://www.facebook.com/autoartbyrochelle/

Eagle eyes Reegan Sinclair (7) has the eagle eye when it comes to finding hidden trucks. His name was drawn from the correct entries in the latest ‘Find that truck’ competition. For those who couldn’t see where the CPT MercedesBenz Actros was, it was in the background of Laura’s exercises in the Truckers’ Health column on p. 73 of the July issue.

Stand by Reegan, there’s a wee prize on its way.

(Above) Volvo fleet, Temuka Transport. (Below) KW T909.

C & T Dwyer Heavy Haulage, Oberon NSW.

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WHAT’S ON RTF Annual Conference

24 to 25 September 2019 Wairakei Resort, Taupo Contact: RTF 04 472 3877 forum@rtf.nz

Road Transport Hall of Fame

Gala dinner and awards ceremony 27 September 2019 Bill Richardson Transport World, Invercargill Contact: Adam Reinsfield adam.reinsfeild@transportworld.nz 027 223 3588

Alexandra Blossom Festival Truck Show

28 September 2019 Contact: www.blossom.co.nz/events/truck-show

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.

Mitre 10 Mega Ride in a Truck Day

12 October 2019 Assemble Mitre 10 Napier 9am sharp/Mitre 10 Hastings 9.15am sharp.

Register: www.littleelms.co.nz/truck-day-registration/ Contact: Marie Torr 0274 572 787

Invercargill Truck Show

27 October 2019 Contact: www.facebook.com/SouthlandTransport-Invercargill-Truck-Parade

TMC Trailers Ltd Trucking Industry Show

20 – 21 March 2020 Canterbury Agricultural Park Christchurch Contact: Rebecca Dinmore 0800 338 338 rebecca.dinmore@nztruckingassn.co.nz www.truckingindustryshow.co.nz

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INDUSTRY SHOW

TRUCKING INDUSTRY SHOW 20-21 March 2020

CANTERBURY aGRICULTURAL PARK Christchurch FRIDAY 20 th

Industry Trade Day Transport Careers 2020 TR Group NZ Truck Driving Championships

saturday 21st

Public Open Day, Show & Shine, Classic Trucks, Working Displays, Industry Compe��ons, Show Dinner & Awards Ceremony

www.truckingindustryshow.co.nz 0800 338 338 | rebecca.dinmore@nztruckingassn.co.nz

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Thank you Media Partners

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THE LAST MILE

The ducks are lining up

W

e are well aware of the expression ‘getting your ducks in a row’, and I suspect this is what is happening in the bowels of government right now, they are getting their ducks lined up: against us. The signs are all there that something is about to happen. Let’s look at just a few of them.

First of all we have the crackdown on heavy vehicle certifiers largely because the NZTA had failed to undertake the audits over a number of years, and who paid the price? We did.

We can be sure that one of the outcomes of this will be cost increases that customers will have to pay.

Then we have a very visible increase in the number of operators who are under investigation by the NZTA for noncompliance issues. Now, I am not supporting those operators who have been pushing the non-compliance boundaries for years and have finally been caught out, but I suspect there are many of us out there who have been using the ORS reports supplied by the NZTA as an indicator of regulatory performance. Now we learn that there is a review of ORS under way because the system is really not fit for purpose. And who will pay the price for making it fit? Us, and the $5 million it cost to develop the system will be just written off as a trial cost.

Following the recent report released by the Ministry of Transport into the social costs of road crashes and injuries, we read the government will shortly be releasing a new road safety strategy. One thing we can be sure of is it will be focused on cycling, walking, and the use of public transport, and again, it will cost. Where will most of the funding come from? The

National Land Transport Fund naturally, and the majority of funds for that come from us, the road users.

We also need to look at some of the deferments in roading programmes. The Peka Peka to Otaki Expressway has been deferred because of the need to include a shared pathway in its design – that includes making a provision for horses. The Levin bypass has been relegated to a single lane each way. The Petone – Grenada link has had planning deferred for at least 10 years, and may never go ahead. Mind you, we should all be happy because funding has been approved to build a five-metre shared pathway on the harbour side of State Highway 2 into Wellington.

Anybody who has ever driven this road when a southerly wind is blowing across Wellington Harbour and waves are breaking over the railway line – and even the road in some places – will know few, if any, will want to cycle along it, let alone walk.

I recently caught up with a former work colleague who is now employed by a consultancy firm doing work for the government, including looking at future freight options. Ironically he is now doing the same work he was when employed by the government and his position was disestablished, but as he said, the money is a lot better now. Anyway, during the conversation he said there is a school of thought that road freight as we know it now will disappear in the future. 3-D printing will remove the need for some commodities to be transported, drones will take over more of the freight task, and what remains will be delivered by autonomous vehicles.

So be prepared, the ducks are lining up and we are likely to be one of the first to be shat on.

The accidental trucker 

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WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ MEMBERS’ REVIEW Regal Haulage NZTTMF member since: 2001 Regal Group is a family owned and operated bulk haulage and logistical solutions business. Based in Tamahere on the outskirts of Hamilton, the company delivers unique high-volume storage and transport solutions to customers throughout New Zealand.

The company’s beginnings can be traced back to 1960 when Rob McHardie left school and started his own contracting business, Tauwhare Contractors. Fifteen years later, a fleet of trucks was introduced to the business.

Regal, as it is known today, was born on 8 August 1988 and after a number of aquisitions, over many years, has a purpose-built fleet of 112 truck and trailer units. They also manufacture their own trailers and truck bins, giving Regal the ability to provide the best logistical solutions to their clients.

This includes an intricate in-cab weight system, which provides details of all axle set weights, individual truck, trailer, and unit weights, and truck and trailer payloads. The system tells drivers how heavy the truck is to prevent over- or under-loading by taking pressure from individual axle set airbag suspensions and hydraulic ram pressure in the truck.

A calibration calculation then converts

these pressures to weights that are displayed to the driver on the screen of the in-cab smartphone.

They designed and manufactured a trailer with a sloped front and an even longer trailer tip body. This allowed for longer axle spacing to achieve maximum weight distribution.

By leaning the front (headboard) of the body back, they were able to tip these units off with minimal increase in tip height when compared with the previous industry standard 4-axle trailer.

The team also came up with a completely new design of a high capacity unit. It is based on tried and tested Automat technology, which is used in the fertiliser industry. It incorporates a ‘live floor’which provides for lower unload height, greater cubic capacity and improved weight distribution.

All in all, the design team at Regal have taken some of their more difficult challenges and turned them into innovative solutions for their customers.

WHO:

Regal Haulage.

WHERE:

Hamilton.

WHAT:

Bulk Haulage and logistical solutions.

WEBSITE:

http://www.regalgroup.co.nz/

EMAIL:

enquiries@regalgroup.co.nz

PHONE:

+64 7 856 9149.

WHO TO ASK FOR:

Brett McHardie.

WHAT TO ASK FOR:

Custom-made logistical solutions.

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