New Zealand Trucking June 2021

TRUCKING

NEW ZEALAND

JUNE 2021

JUNE 2021 400TH ISSUE

400

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CONTENTS

56

Big Journeys – Much to Celebrate

48

Taranaki Truck Show – Tasty Trucks

Official Sponsor

Plugged into Tomorrow – TR Powers Up

MAGAZINE O IAL

HE FT

OFF IC

30

WATCH T HE V IDEO IN T HE DIG ITAL EDIT ION

INTERNATIONAL TRUCK OF THE YEAR

Associate Member

EDITOR

Dave McCoid

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Gavin Myers

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

For all advertising enquiries for New Zealand Trucking magazine and Truck Trader contact: Matt Smith

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

Pav Warren

Ph: 027 201 4001 Email: pav@nztrucking.co.nz

SUB EDITOR

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

Tracey Strange

Georgi George PUBLISHER

CONTRIBUTORS

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

Long Haul Publications Ltd OFFICE

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PRODUCTION MANAGER

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10 Road Noise – Industry news

DIGITAL IMAGING

Willie Coyle

44 400th Issue – The Editors

DIGITAL MANAGER/CONTENT

Louise Stowell 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.

This magazine is subject to the New Zealand Press Council.

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

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

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60 Just Truckin’ Around 62 Good on Ya Mate – Hannah’s dream 64 Gallery – Rod Simmonds 66 Cool Things – Mini Mack 72 Rust in Peace 74 International Truck Stop – Hero of haulage 78 Light Commercial Test – Daily driver 82 New Rigs 86 New Bodies and Trailers

102 Special Report – Road to success 106 Industry Comment – Moving trucks, moving economy 108 EROAD Fleet Day 2021 110 NZ Trucking Association Summit – A new NZTA 112 Truckers’ Health 114 Health and Safety 116 Legal Lines 118 NZ Trucking Association 120 Road Transport Forum 122 The Last Mile

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EDITORIAL

400 NO REST TIME WITH

W

elcome to a special celebratory issue of New Zealand Trucking magazine.

There was a bit of toing and froing with the math, but in the end, June 2021 was unanimously agreed as the 400th issue, specials not included.

When Trev, Sue, and Jon kicked off all those years ago, I wonder if they thought she’d make it to June 2021 and the 400th issue. As a real treat, we have Jon Addison, Scott Wilson, Liam Baldwin, Margaret Murphy – speaking for the late John Murphy – and Peter Lynch to all contribute a little something about their tenures in the editor’s hot seat … along with yours-truly.

Our lead story features an OEM milestone truck and its owner’s incredible tale of personal growth that can’t help but inspire, in keeping with the theme of celebration and tenacity.

Four hundred issues through the most turbulent years in the history of information, yet here the magazine is in 120plus pages. Print and digital are not antagonists, they’re symbiotic, especially where a vocational read is involved.

Without digital, timeliness suffers; without print, history suffers. Simply put, if you want your story known far and wide, use digital; if you want it

remembered, use print.

Speaking personally now, being the caretaker of the editor’s role and part-owner of the masthead is a complete and utter privilege. I was of the ilk who held March 1985 in awe when it arrived. Coming from within the industry, I often feel the weight of responsibility to do every other driver proud every time an issue is produced. In the course of attempting that, I’m thankful every day for the people who work for Margaret, Matt, and myself. They all ‘get it’. We have an amazing crew.

Obviously, a huge thanks to our commercial customers for their support, but, as I say later in the magazine, the reason this issue is here on this day is because of you, the readers. You are the people who make the choice to part with hard-earned coin and use New Zealand Trucking magazine as a means to pursue a love and interest in the greatest industry ever.

Thank you all.

But, work goes on, there’s much to do. This last week, Stuff broke a story about driver work hours, with testimonials from drivers who had been pressured to work beyond the legal maximums.

That, in turn, sparked a flurry of discussion in the media and on the front lines of trucking regarding the arrival

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of compulsory electronic logbooks. I’ve fielded several calls recently from drivers and industry people on the subject of the transition away from mindless paper logbooks to mindless electronic ones. As always happens whenever this subject rears its head, the ‘for’ and ‘against’ appear split down the middle. Often, the ‘for’ vote resides in the older heads and the ‘against’ in those pushing through mid-life with mortgages and kids to feed and educate. That alone says so much about us.

Firstly, however, clarification.

The reason I regard both paper and electronic systems as mindless is that New Zealand’s driving-hours law has about as much to do with fatigue as Judith does in the organising of Jacinda’s wedding.

Am I in favour of electronic logbooks or not? In principle, and notwithstanding the above clarification, absolutely.

When they do become compulsory, electronic logs should be a landmark moment in restructuring cartage rates within the industry. With electronic logs, the ability of companies to intentionally price and execute work outside the compliance framework will be severely hampered. What needs to chase along right behind them though is roadside testing for emissions system abuse, drug abuse, and licence fraud.

What really irritates me is that it takes big brother to sort out our shit for us once again.

As long as I’ve known it, trucking’s been its own worst enemy in terms of rates and compliance, and all it achieves at the end of the day is a race to the bottom and a crappier lot for the poor buggers on the tiller.

What makes it worse is we have more supposed representation than you can shake a stick at, with an overall cost to the industry of heaven-knows what in terms of fees, yet the roads are poked, road pricing is broken, emissions is a shamble, fatigue management absurd – the list goes on.

When electronic logbooks do arrive as a requirement to operate, will their final incarnation be structured in such a way that suits both regulator and user? No, probably not. Currently, the cellular network isn’t up to supporting them, and there’s no provision for getting drivers who are less than 10km from either home or their rest destination to where they want to be without incurring a violation.

Sadly, until the regulator has more respect for us, and we have more respect for ourselves, history will continue to repeat.

Dave McCoid Editor

THE MODERN TRANSPORT GROUP

Congratulates NZ Trucking on 400 Outstanding Issues!

ROAD NOISE NEWS

CASCADIA GOES DIGITAL At the Brisbane Truck Show in May, Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific revealed a new-look digital dashboard for the Freightliner Cascadia conventional truck, the first traditional truck to be available with the feature when it becomes an optional item in Australia and New Zealand from the fourth quarter of this year.

The high-definition digital dashboard includes a 12.3inch display that replaces the traditional instrument cluster with a digital tacho and speedo as well as gauges, trip data and adaptive cruise-control system information. The 10-inch centrally mounted display features a touch screen for ease of use, allowing access to a raft of data and settings, but also features a row of traditional buttons for features a driver may want to control in a hurry, such as audio.

Information on both screens can be accessed through controls on the steering wheel, which features intuitive thumb control pads. The driver can still operate the climate controls with dials to the left of the central screen.

“The screens are easy to use and give drivers access to more controls and more information than ever before.

Furthermore, they look fantastic and we think our customers will love these displays, which are way out in front of anything else available in the conventional truck class,” says Freightliner Australia Pacific director, Stephen Downes.

50th-Anniversary Edition

LEGEND SAR F

ollowing the outstanding response to the Legend 950 in 2015 and the Legend 900 in 2017, the timing of the much-anticipated debut of the Legend SAR – at the Brisbane Truck Show during May – is aligned with Kenworth celebrating 50 years of manufacturing trucks in Australia.

The Legend SAR is modelled on the iconic W900SAR, built and sold in Australia from 1975 until 1985, and the first Kenworth model designed, engineered and built in Australia specifically for Australian operating requirements.

Although more than 45 years have passed since it first went into production and other SAR models have ensued, the allure of the original ‘SAR’ still remains and is reignited with the release of the third in the series of Legends.

Named “Son of Nugget” in tribute to the iconic W-Series limited edition “Gold Nugget” released in 1984, the Legend SAR includes a full suite of heritage-style limited-edition features that celebrate our journey in Australia’s road transport Industry.

Some of these include: • Flat windscreen B-series cab, with traditional doors and door handles complete with airlift windows.

• 36-inch and 50-inch sleeper cabs in both an Aero 1 and flat roof design. A dovetail air deflector atop the sleeper is available with the Aero 1.

• Two-piece (split) windscreen with chrome trim, topped off with bullet-style cab marker lights and dual round air horns.

• Heritage Kenworth and Cummins badges with an anniversary-edition red and gold traditional italic Kenworth bug, atop the authentically reproduced SAR grille.

• Round 4-inch front turn signals on the crown of the wheel arch reminiscent of the original SARs. • Side-mounted exhausts include a wraparound cover, just like the old SARs, with exposed chrome elbows and 7-inch curved pipes.

• The interior of the Legend SAR features diamond pleat trim with ‘Legend SAR 50th Anniversary Edition’ embossed into the rear wall and door trims, and a wooden plaque on the glove-box lid

to identify the unique build number of each truck.

• Stainless scuff plates adorned with the Legend SAR logo on door openings.

• A traditional Kenworth bug and Legend SAR logo embroidered into the leather seats.

• The gear lever of the manual transmission topped with a wooden gear knob featuring the original Eaton Fuller logo and a stainlesssteel Legend SAR surround fitted around the sock.

• A traditional flat dash layout with a full suite of handmade heritage-style chrome-bezelled and whitefaced gauges; featuring the traditional Kenworth bug, toggle switches with backlit graphics and a four-spoke leather steering wheel.

• On the truck’s body, traditional extruded aluminium tank steps run alongside round fuel tanks, stainless rear guards and tail-light bars are standard, as are black rubber mudflaps adorned with the traditional Kenworth bug.

• Under the hood is a Cummins X-15 engine, specially painted in beige to commemorate Cummins’ heritage.

New safety for Mercedes-Benz rigids

M

ercedes-Benz Trucks will extend the Active Brake Assist 5 advanced safety package to cover its entire Australian and New Zealand rigid highway range. The full suite was not previously available with the 8x4 Arocs model, given application-related packaging restrictions. The Active Brake Assist 5 system uses a radar and camera to try and prevent avoidable collisions. It has the capability to bring the truck to a complete halt when it detects moving pedestrians.

The system can also stop completely for moving or stationary vehicles when the driver may be distracted, something that is proven to save lives and reduce road trauma. The Advanced Emergency Braking System, called Active Brake Assist, is

designed to avoid or reduce the impact of collisions including heavy vehicles.

The rigid range is now also available with the optional Predictive Powertrain Control (PPC) feature.

PPC uses topographical information, including premapped three-dimensional GPS data, to enable the truck to make the best and most economical choice of throttle application and gear selection.

This could mean holding onto a gear, rather than changing up, just before the crest of the hill, or briefly selecting neutral to save fuel in the appropriate conditions.

Another option available for the rigid range is the MirrorCam system. The new Mercedes-Benz rigid range also features Lane Keeping

Assist, which alerts the driver if the truck drifts out the lane without the indicator on and Attention Assist, which alerts a driver who is beginning to drive in a fatigue-affected manner.

A popular part of the

safety technology suite is Proximity Control Assist, an adaptive cruise-control function that can modulate the truck’s speed in traffic, even when the traffic grinds to a halt.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS NEW MODELS

SHACMAN

launches L3000

A

t the beginning of 2021, New Zealand Trucking reported that Shacman had entered the New Zealand market and set up operation in Wiri, its range led by the heavy X3000 series.

The company has now expanded operations with the medium-weight L3000 4x2 12-tonne truck. The L3000 is designed for empty container work, flat-deck, carcarrier or Truss (school-bus) applications.

Powering the L3000 is the Cummins ISD245 50, 6.7-litre Euro-5 engine. Packing 180kW (240hp) at 2500rpm and 950Nm from 1200 to 1800rpm, the Cummins is paired with an

automatic Allison T280R six-speed transmission with retarder.

Wheelbase options range from 4000mm to the standard 6700mm, while the tare is a light 5000kg. GVM is 12,000kg. The front axle is rated at 4800kg, the rear at 8700kg. Parabolic springs are fitted at the front while the rear axle has ECAS air suspension, with stabilisers front and rear.

Safety is taken care of by disc brakes all-round, with Wabco four-channel EBS and ABS with ESC. LED daytime driving lights are fitted.

The standard fuel tank capacity is 200 litres, but an extra 100 litres can be had.

The DEF tank is 35 litres.

Standard features are generous and include airconditioning, electric cab tilt, electric windows, electric heated rear-view mirrors, aluminium alloy air reservoir,

central locking, Alcoa DuraBright alloy wheels, a reversing camera, and Shacman telematics with touchscreen.

Current order lead times are three to four months from ordering.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Scania NZ welcomes new sales and account managers

KEITH ANDREWS NAPIER FOR MERCEDESBENZ AND FREIGHTLINER Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific have confirmed Keith Andrews as an authorised MercedesBenz and Freightliner sales, parts and service dealer in Napier. Across parts and service only, Keith Andrews Napier will share the territory with existing Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner parts and service representative Jim Young Motors.

The announcement follows Keith Andrews’ purchase of First Commercials Napier, a dedicated Fuso dealer, in January. All three Daimler brands will be serviced from this same site under the Keith Andrews name.

“We are pleased to have reached an agreement with Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific, which will see Keith Andrews providing sales, parts and service for the three Daimler truck brands across six North Island locations,” said Keith Andrews managing director Aaron Smith.

“We look forward to working alongside Jim Young and his team to ensure Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner truck operators in Hawke’s Bay continue to receive the exceptional service they have come to expect.”

Keith Andrews now operates sales, parts and service dealerships for Mercedes-Benz, Fuso and Freightliner trucks throughout the North Island.

14 New Zealand Trucking

S

cania New Zealand has announced the addition of four new managers to its sales team. They are: •G arry Leitch, national sales manager •A dam Corbett, account manager, Auckland •C allan Short, account manager, Rotorua, Taupo, Hawke’s Bay, Ruapehu District •D amon Smith, account manager, south Auckland to Huntly and Coromandel region Scania New Zealand sales director, Deon Stephens said the sales team expansion is driven by Scania’s recent significant growth around the country.

“The combined experience of this team is critical to cementing customer relationships as well as being crucial to the success of our complementary focuses around maintaining vehicle sales and our leading market share position,” said Stephens.

“Garry brings strong commercial value to the role having had previous senior industry positions, most recently as dealer development manager for the lower North Island, and our three new account managers have more than 60 years industry experience between them.”

Garry Leitch.

Adam Corbett.

Callan Short.

Damon Smith.

David Aitken steps down as CEO of NRC

A

fter 13 years in the role, David Aitken is to step down as CEO of the National Road Carriers Association (NRC).

The countrywide organisation provides advice and advocacy to road transport companies.

Aitken has shown great leadership during his tenure and leaves the organisation in a strong position both financially and in terms of membership numbers and perceptions.

“When David was appointed in 2008, the organisation was in a shaky financial position, and he worked with the chairman at the time, Paul Chappel, to stabilise the situation and put it onto a firm footing,” said Don Wilson, June 2021

NRC chairman.

“NRC has grown substantially over the years with members from around the country joining us because they recognise the value of the assistance and representation David and his team provide,” said Wilson.

Aitken said when appointed he was almost immediately embroiled in a protest action with about 2000 trucks driving into Auckland city centre and more into other city centres around the country to protest Transport Minister Annette King’s proposed road user charge increases.

Other highlights of his time at NRC have included dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown last year that required almost round

the clock communications with authorities and trucking companies and meeting and working with people from the road freight industry.

“It’s an excellent industry – hard-working people providing an essential service. I am proud of the professionalism the NRC team has shown over the years,” said Aitken.

Aitken said he had decided it was time for new challenges.

He will remain in the role until the end of July.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

NZ police up mobile brake testing

T

he NZ Police commercial vehicle safety teams (CVST) will bring new brake safety monitoring technology into operation from June. Six new BM20200 mobile roller brake testers (MRBTs) are being rolled out nationwide to CVST as well as 84 hand-held thermal imaging devices to each CVST vehicle and each of the six weigh stations.

The MRBTs are equipped with the same electronics and software as the fixed inground roller brake machines that the NZTA will be installing in commercial vehicle safety centres (CVSC) as a part of its Weigh Right Programme.

Dylan Hunt, Weigh Right Programme manager, NZTA, said: “The roller brakes initiative is a fantastic piece

of work by NZ Police that complements the work we are doing.”

The MRBTs will enable roadside brake tests to be completed effectively for all vehicles up to a maximum axle load of 20,000kg and can be placed on an asphalt or concrete floor, as well as on an uneven gravel ground, such as sand and dirt.

“We have been working with Waka Kotahi to ensure the MRBTs being rolled out align with the fixed inground roller brake machines being installed in CVSCs, enabling the same high-test standard and data processing,” said superintendent Steve Greally, director road policing.

The MRBT set height is only 160mm, which ensures against bottoming out

when passing with very low vehicles, such as coaches and cars. Also, due to the low height of the roller set, the length of the ramps is only 1.25m on each side, with a total setup length of 3.5m.

“The design is simple and strong, but the main benefit is there are no particular requirements to the testing area surface – we can undertake a brake test anytime, anywhere.”

The thermal imaging devices will help assess a vehicle’s braking fitness without the need for a physical inspection.

“A TID displays the temperature of the brake drum or disk on each wheel.

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Although trucks are not involved in significantly more crashes per kilometre than other vehicles, heavy vehicle crashes are more likely to be fatal (more than 20% of road deaths).

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

TR Group adds EVs to rental fleet

T

R Group, New Zealand’s largest commercial vehicle leasing and rental company, has added electric vehicles (EVs) to its commercial vehicle fleet with three electric 11-tonne GVM 4x2 curtainside trucks suitable for the round-town pick-up and delivery market.

The company has purchased the vehicles with co-funding from the Government’s Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund, administered by the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

As a sign of the growing viability of battery electric heavy commercial vehicles, the three units will join a further ten EVs that are currently under build or at

work in TR’s lease fleet with customers such as The Warehouse, Noel Leeming, TOLL, and Civic Contractors.

“There is no doubt that EV technology has advanced to the point where in the not too distant future it will become an economicallyviable, operationally reliable option certainly in short-haul metro applications. And it is also one that I know our customers will embrace, given their desire to minimise their carbon footprint and meet their sustainability goals,” said TR Group’s managing director, Andrew Carpenter.

EECA Transport Portfolio manager Richard Briggs, said: “Around 20% of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions come from road transport, and heavy vehicles

have a disproportionate impact on that. TR Group’s new heavy electric trucks give road transport operators the chance to prove electric can work for them, and we look forward to seeing more businesses incorporating electric trucks into their fleets.”

“As a business that

supplies heavy commercial vehicles for rental and lease, we feel it is important to be at the forefront of offering this technology to our customers, and we are delighted to be working with EECA and our customers to make that happen,” Carpenter said.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Australian-first side airbag for Cascadia

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reightliner Australia will introduce a headprotecting side airbag on the Cascadia heavy-duty truck late this year, making it the only manufacturer to offer a headprotecting side airbag in a bonneted truck in Australia.

The Cascadia is still the only bonneted truck in Australia to be fitted with a steering wheel-mounted airbag.

“There is no good reason why conventional truck drivers in Australia should not be able to drive a truck fitted with the latest safety features,” said Daniel Whitehead, Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific president and CEO. “It doesn’t matter whether

you are driving a truck with or without a bonnet, your safety is just as important.”

The Cascadia’s headprotecting side airbag has been specially developed for the Australian market with partner RollTek by IMMI to ensure it caters for local preferences. As a result, it can be used with standard Cascadia ISRI seats.

In the United States, the RollTek airbag system is seat-mounted, while the seatbelts are mounted to the truck’s B-pillar. Australian drivers prefer the belts to be tethered to the seat instead of the B-pillar, allowing the belts to move up and down with the seat and the driver,

which is incompatible with the US seat-based airbag deployment system. RollTek instead developed an Australian head-protecting

airbag that is mounted on the truck’s B-pillar.

Customers can order the new head-protecting side airbag late this year.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Local Level 2 automation tests begin

M

ercedes-Benz Trucks has launched an Australian and New Zealand validation programme for an Actros that can help steer itself. The Active Drive Assist technology enables SAE Level 2 partially automated driving capability – a first for New Zealand heavy trucks.

The Mercedes-Benz Trucks validation programme will consist of five units in New Zealand and 15 units in Australia. The trucks will operate with a wide range of customer fleets on various

roads across both countries.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks will examine customer feedback and data from the validation vehicles before deciding whether to add Active Drive Assist as an option in the local market.

The Active Drive Assist system helps steer the truck and keep it in the centre of its lane, although the driver is still required to hold the steering wheel. It is one step ahead of some current systems that can push a truck back into the lane should it wander out. The

Mercedes-Benz Trucks system helps steer the truck in the first place and aims to prevent it from getting out to the edge of the lane.

The Active Drive Assist system is proactive rather than reactive. Cameras monitor the edge of the road and lane markings, and that data helps operate the electro-hydraulic steering system.

The driver can overrule Active Drive Assist at any time and can turn off the system.

Mercedes-Benz Trucks has already had a handful of

Actros models with Active Drive Assist operating with customers during the last few months, and the feedback has been positive.

“Level 2 automation has the potential to deliver a major safety boost and make life easier for drivers by helping to help reduce fatigue, so naturally we are very keen to validate how the system operates on Australian and New Zealand roads,” said Mercedes-Benz Trucks Australia Pacific director Andrew Assimo.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Harley Stephens 1971–2021

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R Group is deeply saddened to share news of another loss this year with the passing of teammate and friend Harley Stephens.

He fought a short but brave battle with an aggressive brain tumour, which was diagnosed only in early March. Despite battling with great courage, persistence and dignity, Harley was unable to keep fighting and passed away in the early morning of 10 May 2021, surrounded by his loved ones.

Harley was a great friend to many, a loving husband and Daddy-Harley to Charlie and Maddie Harley. He

was a dedicated man to everything he did, including his time in the army from 1993-1999, the Police force, and finally with TR Group, where he found the worklife balance he wanted – allowing him to spend quality time with his family, whom he cherished.

TR’s Auckland rental manager, Ryan Robertson, spoke on behalf of the TR Team: “We will miss Harley the most for his infectious laugh and cheeky grin – everyone knew just what he was up to, especially if there was food in the TR kitchen!

"Harley was close with his team and was passionate about supporting his mates

to do a great job within our Auckland Rental Branch.

“In the most recent of times, Harley married the love of his life Trudy, in a private family ceremony after knowing (and loving) each other for a few decades.

"Harley was well known for showing up in the office with one of Trudy’s famous roast dinners from the evening before and eating that for ‘lunch’ by 9am, therefore starving for the rest of the day. He just couldn’t help himself!

"He made an impact on his mates around him. He was a loyal teammate and friend, someone we could always depend on to be

Harley Stephens. warming up the office with his huge grin at 6.30am sharp, ready for the day ahead.

“Our world will be a different place without Harley in it. We will miss our dear friend and great mate.

"Rest easy, Harls.”

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and service network, continue to go from strength to strength, supporting a wide range of businesses from single-unit owner-operators to large multinationals.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS OVERSEAS

Iveco launches T-WAY heavy off-road truck range

I

veco has presented the new T-WAY heavy off-road truck, replacing the Trakker and completing the Iveco WAY range that includes the S-WAY, S-WAY Natural Power, and X-WAY. The Iveco T-WAY carries over its predecessor’s highresistance steel chassis with a 10mm thick frame, with a Rail Bending Moment at the top of the segment at 177kNm. The front axle has a maximum capacity of up to nine tonnes. Hub reduction on the rear axle is standard to maximise strength and performance.

The new heavy-duty rear-suspension system for tandem axles optimises

vehicle weight and improves off-road performance with greater ground clearance and a better departure angle.

With both rigid and articulated versions, it has the widest offering of driveline options on the market: partialwheel drive on 6x4 rigid and articulated and 8x4 rigid models; as well as all-wheel drive on 4x4 and 6x6 rigid and articulated, and on 8x8 rigid versions.

The all-wheel-drive range has been extended with new 4-, 4.2- and 4.5-metre wheelbase models, which can transport special loads with no modification to the chassis.

The Iveco T-WAY delivers all

the power needed for traction and PTO with Iveco’s Cursor 13 engine that develops up to 380kW (510hp). For lighterweight configurations, it is also available with the Cursor 9 engine.

The engines are coupled with the 12- and 16-speed HI-TRONIX automated gearbox, which now features new functions specifically intended for off-road mobility.

They include a Hill Holder function to help departure on steep slopes; Rocking Mode to help recover traction in slippery conditions; and Creep Mode for ultra-low speed when idling.

The Iveco HI-CRUISE system further enhances the

transmission’s efficiency on road. It includes predictive gear shifting, predictive cruise control and an ecoroll function that uses the vehicle’s inertia when travelling downhill.

The T-WAY has been designed for efficiency and productivity with a 325kg lower kerb weight than the Trakker, and new telematics features and digital services.

It offers a new fuel-saving solution for operations that require an occasional All Wheel Drive (AWD) capability: the HI-TRACTION hydrostatic drive system for 6x4 rigid and articulated models.

It operates at speeds of up to 25kph and is automatically

The World’s L

activated to provide additional hydraulic front-wheel traction when needed. It delivers significant benefits in terms of fuel consumption and payload compared to the AWD solution.

The Iveco T-WAY features the standard WAY range Connectivity Box, which provides telediagnostics and predictive maintenance. It also enables fleet managers to monitor the performance

of every vehicle remotely.

The constantly expanding portfolio of Iveco ON connectivity-enabled services is focussed on maximising the customers’ productivity and the vehicle’s durability, as well as minimising unplanned downtime.

The new HI-MUX electric and electronic architecture is fully compatible with the latest-generation control systems. The new PTO

line-up includes a new highperformance sandwich PTO that delivers up to 2300 Nm torque.

The cab of the Iveco T-WAY is available in two versions – AD short cab and AT long cab with standard or high roof. The entire driver area has been created to provide a practical and easy-to-live-in environment with excellent driver comfort.

Driver safety is paramount

in the harsh conditions typically faced by the Iveco T-WAY. The vehicle is designed to provide maximum protection, with safety features that far exceed the type-approval requirements.

The new braking system features EBS as standard, full disc brakes are available on PWD models, and new ADAS (Advanced Driving Assistance Systems) are available across the range.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS LIGHT COMMERCIALS

The Warehouse Group is trialling four custom EV trucks to service home deliveries, carrying whiteware, appliances and larger items in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Christchurch.

The purpose-built XCMG E300s operate within a 220km roundtrip radius from their distribution centres – they travel about 200km per full charge when half loaded.

These trucks were leased through TR Group with the help of EECA funding.

Still don’t believe EVs are the future? With Harley Davidson selling its Livewire in New Zealand, a GMC Hummer EV due in 2024, and now a Chevrolet Silverado EV ute with a 643km range all from previously grunty American brands, you may have to change your tune.

And speaking of that Hummer, both an SUV and ute will be available with either an extreme off-road package or optimal driving range. The off-road variant includes underbody armour, diff locks, heavy-duty half-shafts, underbody cameras, and more.

ABB and Amazon Web Services are developing a cloud-based digital solution for EV fleet management. It’s aimed at maximising efficient use of an EV fleet via charge planning, realtime monitoring and EV route optimisation. Currently being tested in Berlin, it’s expected to roll out globally later this year.

28 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

ICONIC UTE GOES ELECTRIC

T

hanks to its enormous popularity in the United States – it’s been the country’s best-selling ute for 44 years – Ford’s F-150 has become something of a hairy-chested ute icon in New Zealand. So the launch of an electric variant is big news, especially since it delivers more torque than any of its predecessors at a staggering 1050Nm while taking arguably the ultimate workhorse into the future.

And we’re not just talking about changes to the body structure and suspension. This ute allows proper hands-free driving on 160,000km of

divided highways in America and Canada.

Onboard scales use the truck’s sensors to estimate payload (to a maximum of 907kg) and, as greater payload cuts range, the scales are integrated with ‘Intelligent Range’ to tell you how far you can go before plugging in. Pro Trailer Hitch Assist (tow rating is 4.5 tonnes) auto controls steering, throttle and brake input.

Ford Intelligent Backup Power can use your ute to power your home, with 9.6kW available to keep energy flowing to lights and appliances during an outage for up to three days. Once power returns, the

VEHICLE INDUSTRY RECOVERS ute continues to recharge its own battery.

Pro Power On Board lets you plug power tools into the ute and use them until the auto cut-off, which ensures enough power remains to reach the nearest charging station.

Given there’s now no conventional engine under the bonnet, the space becomes 400 litres of storage and includes four electrical outlets, two USB ports and a drainable floor.

The F-150 hits LHD sales floors next year at prices promised to match the fossil-fuel versions, though there’s no news yet on whether we’ll see an RHD version any time soon.

This year, more new vehicles were sold in April than in any other year, with sales up 8.3% over the first four months of 2021 compared with the same period in 2018 – the previous record.

The numbers came in part as shipments delayed by Covid-19 arrived and deliveries caught up, with both passenger and commercial sales higher.

The nation’s favourite light-commercial vehicle in the yearto-end April was Toyota’s Hilux (3351 units), followed by Ford’s Ranger (3348) and Mitsubishi’s Triton (1941 – just 41 behind the top-selling passenger car). Toyota’s Hiace was the top-selling van in the same period (650 units), followed

by Hyundai’s iLoad and Ford’s Transit.

COVER FEATURE

BIG JOURNEYS Story by Dave McCoid

This month’s cover feature certainly won’t be like one you’ve ever read before.

Being our 400th issue celebration, we went off in search of a story befitting the occasion, something that would leave a message that resonated beyond the norm. We wanted inspiration, enthusiasm, passion, humility, and community.

Where we eventually found ourselves was standing in front of a magnificent gold Bulldog. A Centenary Mack Super Liner, no less. A truck that not only speaks to its owner’s passion for his industry and admiration for its people but, at an intensely personal level, resolution, with maybe an element of catharsis also. And as big as a Centenary Super Liner is, in terms of symbolising his journey, it’s barely adequate.

Photos and video by Gavin Myers, Craig McCauley and Carl Kirbeck

It’s moments like these…

If it wasn’t for the man walking the dog along Stanmore Bay beach late one evening 27 years ago, things for Mark ‘Skip’ Golden might have ended differently. In fact, they might have simply ended.

In hindsight, looking on, the scene as it stood was somewhat of a metaphor.

Although there’s nothing more assured than the fact the tide will turn, for some, it may turn too late, the damage is done and they’ve gone too far.

Given a chance, they might have made a couple of stakein-the-ground decisions, but all of a sudden here they are in a predicament of their own doing, and unrecoverable without some form of intervention.

That brings us to the old chestnut regarding your time being up. Whether it is, or it’s not, there’s nothing you can do about it. For Skip Golden, as dire and unrecoverable as it might have seemed with the tide lapping his unconscious ‘rag-dolled’ body, the arrival of ole mate and his pooch clearly signalled this energetic yet errant young fellow had something more to give.

Something the world required of him.

It’s also interesting how often that crucial ‘leg-up’ comes at the hand of a stranger – people with no agenda, non-judgemental, someone whose presence in

your life is both fleeting yet momentous. In terms of Skip’s life, and the lives of so many around him, what the stranger walking his dog helped set in motion, was indeed momentous. Somewhere out there is a man who has no idea that on that night, his actions would help far more people than the young bloke laying at his feet.

As it turns out, ‘leg up’ possibly wasn’t the most appropriate turn of phrase.

Had our man of the moment tried to effect that in a literal sense, he’d have quickly discovered both of Skip’s were in pieces, as were many other bones in this lanky, redheaded, limp, unconscious bag of skin and damaged organs.

The causes of this unfortunate scene lay just back down the beach. A reef of rock and a motorcycle, never an ideal combination, especially when the latter meets the former at speed… unexpectedly. It’s even a less perfect union when there’s a complete absence of light at the moment of impact. For those wondering, the lights on the good mechanical horse were working, but Skip had gone into ‘stealth’ mode, and hared off down Stanmore Bay beach, in the darkness, to confound her majesty’s finest as he effected a speedy escape.

“I forgot about the reef at low tide. I think I was doing

about 120kph when I hit it.

The handlebars broke a femur as I went over the front and into the air. I landed on my left foot and smashed all that side to the top, then was flung onto my right and broke the top half of that. It wasn’t pretty, aye.

Yeah man!”

Interestingly, Skip might well have stopped had he known the ‘Rozzers’ gave up the chase to go and attend a domestic, with the intention of coming back later to see if he’d got past the reef.

Maybe it’s just as well he didn’t know? It might have prevented the amazing story that followed over the succeeding 27 years from ever playing out. But then again, maybe it wouldn’t have.

Awakenings Yes, sometimes a moment’s pause from the frenzy of dayto-day life – work, substances, affiliations, running from police – offers a chance for reflection.

At the time Skip, his bike, and the reef all made each other’s hurried acquaintance, he was already recovering from a previous motorcycle mishap. Three months prior, he and his boss at the time, Guy Stucke, were checking out at a motorbike Guy was looking to purchase. Skip was taking it for a blast and pulled a wheelie that went a bit wayward courtesy of a non-conforming manhole cover. In order to keep the pre-purchase merchandise

New Zealand Trucking

June 21 31

unscathed, Skip martyred both kneecaps and both collar bones. He’d only been back at work for just under a month, and now here he was again.

Yet the accidents, time off work, and all that stuff were nothing. The decision to be made had to do with far more than merely Zen and the art of motorcycle mastery. It was time to ask the question, ‘Who is Mark Golden?’

Interestingly, Mark Golden was exactly the same charismatic bloke we all know and admire today - engaging, enterprising, savvy, courageous, generous, principled, loyal, and funny.

Trouble was, up to this current period of introspection, they’d all been nurtured in another world and manifested themselves in another way.

A native of the Silverdale area just north of Auckland, Skip’s mum and dad parted ways when he was nine, following which he and his deeply religious mother moved to Whanganui. Aside from the emotional upheaval and a constrained homelife, Skip was confronted with an education system in no way geared to extract a rich harvest from boys of his age, with his traits and talents, with

what he had to give the world.

As such, he found acceptance in a different part of town. The next 10 years in Whanganui were tumultuous, to say the least. There were regular runins with the law and a lifestyle best described as well beyond mischievous.

“There’s no question I was at rock-bottom between 14 and 21. I just rebelled and pushed away from everything.

“I always loved work, mechanics and engineering; I had no trouble there. I was never a shirker. Once I was instructed by the courts to work at a place called Mike’s Autos for two years without a wage in order to repay my debt to society. I disassembled and flushed auto transmissions and worked on a Holden Torana race car the boss was building up. I loved that thing.”

(See Time Traveller.)

However, at age 19, Wanganui culminated in the cops dropping our hero on the edge of town one night with clear instructions on not returning and even clearer ones on the consequences should he choose to ignore them. On this occasion, he decided not to choose option two.

Skip figured ‘north’ was the answer, so made his way back

home to Silverdale and a job at Gatman’s Tractors.

“I’d worked on cars and bikes in Whanganui, so now I was getting diesel experience.

Like I said, I’ve certainly never been work-shy. I enjoy interreacting with people, learning, always have.”

From Gatman’s, he moved to Whangaparaoa Engineering, owned by Guy Stucke.

“Yep, engineering, heavy plate, profiling, welding, machining, all that stuff.”

Three significant things happened while Skip was at Whangaparaoa Engineering.

First, Mack trucks. It was the early-mid 90s, and Skip was about 20 years old. Over the road from work was the yard of transport operator Dale Fenton.

“Dale had a Mack Super Liner with a 440 V8 and an R-Model with a 350 Econodyne. Every morning I’d hear those air starts. It made the hair on the back of my head stand up as they pulled out and headed up the hill. I remember thinking, ‘You got to get into that. That’s cool’.”

Second, Guy met Skip’s sister and today, Skip and Guy are long-time brothers-in-law.

If that needs explaining, you’re reading the wrong book.

Third, Skip started to consider and question his outof-work life.

“Guy was bloody good to me. Shit, he was good. I was hard work man! I tell you, I was hard work. I owe him heaps.

“I’d come north and just kept on going as I’d been doing down there. I was scouted by gang recruiters, got into all sorts of shit. By the time I was 20, I’d dabbled in much more than vitamins.

But I’d also started to think about things – inside myself, that is. I knew I was running out of life. Something was telling me I needed to get out of it. It wasn’t just the accident that triggered it – it had been brewing – but I remember laying in hospital thinking, ‘I’ve lived through it again, I may not live through the next one.

I’m running out of lives.

“I had that much steel in me when I got out, I triggered the airport security gates for a while until they got a bit more sophisticated. I’ve still got some in there,” he laughs now, almost three decades on from that watershed time.

“You know one thing, though, I have no regrets on the life I led in terms of who it made me today. Everything

moulds you into who you are, not just the good stuff.

Yeah, there’s things I did I’m not proud of, absolutely, but that era helped make me who I am today. Relationships with customers, subbies, suppliers and all that. Loyalty.

If I’m wrong, I’ll admit it, no problems, but if I’m right or I think someone’s shafted me, I’m not afraid to pick the phone up, make no mistake.”

Decision made. Course altered in the nick of time. The result of clarity of thought, good people close by, and a little help from a man and a dog … a helicopter and clever medical peeps. All those ‘Golden’ character traits could now be repurposed and redirected. Look out, world.

A Golden dawn Post-prang, Skip returned to work, but it became apparent he couldn’t stay. Not for any behaviour or character reason, rather the condition of the poor old bashed-up chassis.

“My bones couldn’t cope with the concrete floor. They needed a soft underfloor to help them heal, so I went and worked at Hibiscus Engineering Supplies in the parts department – a job on carpet. It was a good job

and a great place to learn more stuff, parts and bits and pieces, and I still had regular contact with people in the contracting game who I’d met at Gatman’s and Whangaparaoa Engineering.”

The whole time he was there, however, the truck thing niggled, and once fully recovered – which took some time – he began looking for an ‘in’ to the trucking industry.

His first big break was Hibiscus Tanks Ltd in 1997 and a three-year stint working for owner Brian Smith delivering concrete tanks all over the North Island.

“What a learning experience that was. Tanks normally go to the top of hills, to the most horrible places. I’ve seen some views you just can’t imagine.”

Skip started in a 504 Cummins-powered D-Series Ford, which was swapped out for a 903 Cummins-powered International 3070 in due course.

“One of my all-time favourite trucks, for sure. I towed a three-axle trailer, and where me and that truck went was second to none, the most remote parts of the North Island. It had a full lock-up rear end. With a 3.7-metre wheelbase, it spent half its

time off the front wheels.”

As was the fate of so many 3070s, the cab was slowly reclaimed by Mother Earth through the process of oxidation, and it was replaced by a UD CW51 before an ex-Fonterra 113m Scania took over. “The Scania was a nice truck. European comfort and all that. It had cross-locks, but the electric over-air switches gave issues at times. The 3070 was the king.”

With his inquisitive, engaging and courageous side constantly on the simmer, paid employment was always destined to be a stopover en route to something more fulfilling.

In March 2000, aged 36, the opportunity to purchase a 1995 FV330 Fuso for $75,000 came knocking. The truck was being sold by a local operator Grant Hopper, who was looking to cash up at the time, and better still, it came with an element of work. Big decision time. “I knew the truck – it’d done 200,000km, but it was well looked after. I knew it would do me right. I leased a trailer off Kelvyn Neville and took the plunge.”

And with that decision, Golden Contracting was born.

“It was a big thing for me.

I’d not long bought a house, so I was pretty hocked up. I just went hard, eh,” laughs Skip. “I was dark to dark every day. I was totally ‘green’ and had to learn everything about business.”

In hindsight, maybe not.

Pardon the pun, but what Skip soon realised is he’d already done much of the critical ‘ground work’ in the years leading up; what the pointy-shoe set of today call networking and what we from another time call meeting people.

“The associations I’d made at Tractors, Engineering, and Engineering Supplies was huge. I had so many contacts.

In well under a year, I had a pool of subbies working for me! Just to ramp it up, I also had a marriage that had gone west, so I was a solo dad, changing nappies on the fuel tank. Stopping work was not an option, so both Keeley and Brodie [daughter and son] saw a lot of that Fuso at a young age,” laughs Skip.

From the shadows Rules, principles, and respect for peers, mates, and associates. Compromising any of them in the world Skip grew up in for more than 10

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June 21 33

As big as the Super Liner is, it doesn’t look out of place in Auckland’s rural hinderland.

tough years didn’t result in discussion groups and counselling. Although he was now well into a change of tack, with big responsibilities to boot, the structures of his previous life’s hierarchy were all he knew, and as such, he applied them to his new life. They formed the framework of his business ethos.

Skip had resisted Kurtis Andrews’ [Keith Andrews Trucks] encouragement to replace his one-truck fleet, but that ended in 2004 with the arrival of a brand-new Fuso FV430. That truck was followed in 2006 with a second brand-new truck fitted with a Transfleet Trailers alloy bin and new four-axle trailer. Buying a second truck was a big decision.

“I didn’t want that truck to cut anyone’s lunch. I wanted to make sure I could work it without laying off any of the

34 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

subcontractors I had working for me. They were all good blokes.”

Buying a second truck presented another problem: staff. One man might be many things, but one thing he will never be is two men. Skip took on Andrew Carr, a bloke Skip rates as “off the scale”, his “right-arm”, and Andrew remains in the business to this day.

“Because I never chased the big corporates or contractual work, I was never a threat to the big fellas, so by and large, they never hassled me. I’ve never wanted to be the biggest blah blah and all that, never, still don’t. Never will. We can achieve high productivity and load percentage with huge truck movements across a day from working smart. At 4.00am you’re planning 6.00pm.”

Work ethic, humility, and a sense of

community usually pay off in terms of growth and opportunity, and the business grew steadily over the next decade and a half.

Again, the consequences of not paying your dues was probably a principle he was well-grounded in, and the Skip Golden mantra of ‘save then buy’, and not getting yourself into an unmanageable or highrisk debt burden, ensured growth was not only paid for but – equally important – manageable. It allowed him time to think, adjust, and accommodate growth as it came. It meant he could add people who saw things as either he did, or at the very least, as he asked them to see it.

Growth, gravel, and gigs With Golden Contracting tracking along just fine, opportunity again knocked, and

in 2011, Skip incorporated Silverdale Aggregate Supplies, located today just up the road from the Contracting premises on Peter’s Way in Silverdale.

Again, a business run on a community in commerce principle.

“The bulk boys feed into there primarily from the north, something I will never change or add to my fleet. Everyone deserves a slice of the pie, greed in any sector generally never ends well.

“The Trident I drive is painted in Silverdale Aggregate livery, and it’ll dive in and help if the pressure comes on.”

In terms of trucks, the Mitsubishi/Fuso brands remained largely the go-to until 2015, with one rather large exception.

“I bought a 1995 MH Mack sleeper with an E9 V8 off Paul Livsey in 2013. I reckon the MH is one of the coolest trucks ever.

It made the sound that got to me all those years earlier with Dale’s 440. Is that V8 the nicest-sounding engine ever or what?

I left it black with my livery on the door, and it towed a quad bottom dump semi or occassionally a tipulator. I loved that truck.

Still do. It was brutal, but cool.

“Trevor Jones in Queenstown was one of the truck’s early owners. He’d done some hard yards in it getting ahead; he raised his kids in that rig too, you know?

He phoned me every year asking if I wanted to sell it. One day he got me at the right time, when I was in the office on a Saturday afternoon sitting staring out the window, in one of ‘those’ moods, you know the ones? It was parked in the shed outside the window. I thought for a moment, ‘Yep, righto.’ We agreed a price and the deal was done. I’d had my time in

it. It meant a hell of a lot to him, more than me, really. He was connected to it. Trevor had a lot of his gear at the Wanaka show this year, and she’s next on the list for a rebuild evidently. That’s awesome, eh?

Can’t wait to see it.”

Back to 2015, and the arrival of a new heavy-duty, high ground clearance, G480 Scania.

“I just wanted to step it up a bit. It was Andrew’s truck, and he’d always liked the Scanias – a bit more comfortable, powerful, and capable. It had the retarder and traction aids, something we were begging for. We have added a few more along the way including one of the newgen Scanias. And I kept the Fuso Shogun I did all the development work on for Kurtis [Andrews, now Fuso New Zealand MD] a couple of years back. They’re a bloody nice truck, eh? They’ve done really well with those.”

The year 2015 also heralded the arrival of the first brand new Mack, the Silverdale Aggregates machine mentioned earlier.

“I went to the market for that. I wanted a 33.5-tonne payload on seven axles at 50MAX. I also wanted something manoeuvrable, easy to operate, and something that was me.

“I had Scania, MAN, and Caterpillar through here and nothing did it for me.

Then Mike Wintour at MTD called in with a Trident, one of a bunch they had in stock.

One drive around the block, and it was sold. It just fitted, felt good, and looked right. A bolted truck, not a riveted one.

I’d always loved my Macks, and it fitted like a glove – as if I’d been driving it for years. They painted it in my colours, and I still drive it every other day when the office isn’t calling. It’s a solid, dependable machine, fantastic on traction – that AP rear end will go anywhere.

“Body-wise, we’re a mix of steel and alloy – what suits, what fits. One’s way more versatile than the other, obviously, but comes with a weight penalty, so it’s horses for courses. My first new trailer was Transfleet back in the day and they’ve been the only supplier since.”

Skip’s original workhorse.

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June 21 35

Spectacular from all angles.

Build your own business “What’s good for the industry, not just me. That’s how you have to look at it, aye? I’ve never built or modelled what I do on anyone else or what everyone else is doing. I’ve built my own business. For me, business is relationships; the people you have working for you, the people you work for, and the people you work with.

“Andrew’s been in despatch now for six years, and he still drives the Scania. Not because he has to, because he wants to. I still drive the Trident. Aside from the fact we both love driving trucks, you have a far better finger on the pulse if you know the jobs you’re servicing.

“Service and communication are all it is. Communication is free. If the truck’s going to be five minutes later than you thought, pick up the phone, tell them. Reputation is a brand.

“I still don’t go near big corporate contractual work – that’s a relationships thing, working with others, as well a personal thing.

“That head-to-toe-covering BS. We play by the rules when we have to, but otherwise it’s ‘ruggas’ and a singlet in our world. I won’t subject our staff

36 New Zealand Trucking

to it and crazy stuff like that.

Not only is it oppressive in summer, where’s the dignity and respect for people and their own ability to manage their lives and think for themselves? They’re not dumb. Why do you have to treat people like idiots for them to be safe?”

Truck purchases today often signify something in the life or service of whoever is getting the truck, the truck at the heart of this story being no exception.

“I’ve never really had a driver issue. People who have left of their own accord have either left for personal reasons – moving away or something – or they haven’t turned out to be what they said they were.

“We’re small and tight.

There’s still only 14 people in the business – 18 trucks (not all worked), plus the subbies.

We just run the right people and gear you need to meet demand.”

No one reading this would deny transport’s a hard game.

As Skip said, even when you’re doing well, margins are good, and you have all the work in the world, it’s still a difficult game. But he doesn’t buy into the old adage that you can’t make money on rubber tires.

“No, rubbish, again, it’s June 2021

about who you work for and with. When I started, there was really only Kelvyn Neville and me up here. They’re bloody good people to be in the community with, and we’ve been working together for over two decades now with barely a cross word.

“Nowadays, there’s a lot more players in the area.

“Because of how I operate, I get offers of work all the time from people. But I’m not a ‘you owe me because I gave you this’ person. When the B-train turned up, the phone started almost straight away. There’s enough to go round. Everyone can prosper if no one’s a prick.

“I love seeing new guys starting up and having a go.

If they’re working for me, I’ll often tell the office to pay their bill the minute it’s in, shit, yeah! Every cent is make or break. Cash flow is king.

And hey, you don’t know where they’ll end up and what they’ll remember.

“Likewise, I’m loyal to suppliers who have worked hard and supported me – those who go to the trouble to actually build a relationship. I hate undercutters, walking in pedalling ‘a better deal’.

‘Dude,’ I say. ‘Fifteen years that guy’s been coming in,

and often just to say G’day, have a yarn, a cuppa. He knows me, our people, our business. I’m not going to jump for just dollars, here and there’.” Skip then laughs and tips his head back, “Mate! The worse ones are the guys who turn up again in a different shirt, working for the opposition, telling me theirs is now a better product. Oooh, that gets me!

Best f#$! off before I let the Huntaway loose.

“Every cent the place has ever made has generally gone back into it in some way. We kitted this workshop out as tools and plant are an extension of your hands. The yard, the gear…

“Yes, there’s been opportunity to go crazy, especially recently, but that’s not us. We’ve paid for everything all the way. I think there’s going to be a correction in all this craziness at some point, and we’re not going to go into it hocked up. Mate, if it all changed tomorrow, touch wood, we’d have a better chance of riding it out.”

Of course, the hardest thing to enact in business is succession. It’s scuppered more promising enterprises than almost anything else.

But when the founder is

The Super Liner parked at Golden HQ.

still intensely uncomfortable with any form of recognition and is at pains to reiterate, “Dude, I’m just Skip Golden”, you know the fine line that often separates achievement from ego is more like the Great Wall of China in this bloke. Thankfully our industry has many such people.

In my mind it’s never perfect employing, yet the onus is on you as the employer. What may save your arse for tomorrow will cost you next week if you go for the quick fix. But if you sift through the BS you can obtain and retain some amazing people, and I often remind myself we as a company would not be where we are without them!

“Both kids want to be involved, and I’m just stoked.

Keeley (18) is off next year to do law, and I think Brodie (15) wants to come straight in. That’s fine, aye? It’s all here; he can start steam cleaning, workshop, driving, office. But he’ll predominantly be learning how to spread, chains on! Yeah, man, absolutely.

“If I buy a new piece of kit even now, and don’t tell the kids, Keeley especially, I’m in the shit big time. Hell yes!”

Apples? Trees? Falling?

What is it, they say?

“Dude, I’m just Skip Golden” If there’s one word you could never associate with 47-yearold Skip Golden, it’s ‘just’.

He’s pushed boundaries and possibilities all his life, and in the act, looked into the abyss more times than most. Life in the middle of the bell curve is not his turf, never has been, never will be.

He has an innate sense of adventure and fun and gives off the vibe that he’s not crippled by overthinking.

He’s incredibly loyal to those in his keep, care and service, and this impacts the extent and quality of his networks.

His appears to be a simple philosophy; do the job to the best of your ability, send a bill, get paid, respect everyone involved, pay your own bills, and most of all, never think you’re bigger than the game.

Life for Skip is now a far cry from where it was in his formative years. A successful business, succession seems in hand and recently engaged to Jess.

As is the case with many of his ilk, nothing has changed in terms of work and focus.

“Yeah, I work too many hours probably. But hey, I love it – the trucks, people, the challenge. When I started, I didn’t have five cents, and

I’ve never been given a dollar.

“The Super Liner?

Obviously, I just love trucks, the Mack thing from way back. I love what I do. Like I said, when we buy trucks, it often marks something for someone, an anniversary in the company maybe. The Super Liner arrived 21 years to the month that I started in business, but that was pure coincidence; it wasn’t intended. There’s no launch in Gulf Harbour or HSV and all that – trucks are my thing.

This is something I can just feel a sense of achievement about as well as earn a buck with. It’s a personal thing.

That after everything that happened, I came through it, and maybe this truck tells me I did okay in the end. I’ve helped others; I did okay.”

If we were looking for the perfect 400th issue story, we certainly found it. Like it or not, some people can’t help living a life that carries a message, and our hope of all hopes is there’s someone out there at a cross-roads, confronted with a decision, who may be impacted by Skip’s story. His is a truly incredible one. He’s jammed more in half a century than the bulk of us would fit in a whole one.

Our own late, dear, John

Murphy had immense respect for this likeable larrikin from the north. It’s easy to see why. Principles, hard work, respect, and fun; they had a lot in common... must be a red hair thing?

But Skip Golden is also a living example of what a change in direction can yield. where ‘different’ decisions can lead. We say different because much of his business ethics today were, in all reality, forged in a furnace few of us have any comprehension of.

Messages, and takeaways from all this? Take your choice; there’s that many.

It’s never too late to do whatever it is you decide?

Every part of your life is of immense value and contributes to the outcome?

Your greatest investment will always be the relationships you forge?

Treat others as you want to be treated?

But let’s end where we started, and our man walking his best friend along the beach. His was a lesson well worth a thought, and in a way, one Skip’s applied to his business philosophy from the start – that we are indeed our brother’s keeper.

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June 21 37

MILESTONE

MACKS

1988

Bicentennial Limited Edition. Sixteen Mack Super Liners built to celebrate Australia’s 200th birthday, each one named after men of historical significance in the country’s journey to the double ton.

2000

Centennial Limited Edition. Mack Australia released a limited run of Mack Tridents in 2000 to mark Mack Trucks’ 100 years in truck manufacture.

The trucks were all named after famous Australian highways.

2013

Southern Cross Limited Edition. Fifty years of Bulldog production in the lucky country was honoured in 2013 with the production of the Super Liners and Titans. They were named after our hemisphere’s most famous constellation.

2019

100 Years in Australia Limited Edition. Mack’s Australian centennial was marked with 100 Super Liners and Tridents. Each unit carries two identifying numbers – that of the limited-edition production number, and a year nominated by the owner between 1919 and 2019.

38 New Zealand Trucking

TIME TRAVELLER Y ou’ll recall early in the main story Skip telling us that when he was “repaying his debt to society” at Mikes Autos in Whanganui, one of his jobs was to help build up the boss’ Holden Torana race car? Guess where that car is today?

“The boss did one-eighthmile drag racing, and he brought this LH Holden Torana. Whanganui Auto Wreckers were the first in the country to wreck a Commodore with the fuelinjected 308 V8, and he’d grabbed it for his project.

I worked on that car every day. I helped build that thing up, the nine-inch diff, T5 gearbox, the Panhard rods.

All the wiring had just been cut clean, and there were no computers or diagnostics in those days. Mike got a sparky from Waiouru to come for two full days a month and just

June 2021

figure it out. I’ll never forget the day we fired it up for the first time.

“He painted it up in Valvoline colours, he was the agent and all that – it was cool.

“I’d heard years later that he came on troubled times and the car was seized by customs on its way out of the country in a container. Then one day, just after I’d bought the first truck, and a house, I was pouring through an Auto Trader, and there it was, for sale. My car!

I couldn’t believe it, but I had not a cent to spare. It was gutting. Yeah, man!

“Turns out an aircraft engineer in Dannevirke bought it, and he sat on it for a couple of years and put it up again. This time I was in.

No way was I missing out.

I met him in Hastings and brought it home.

“He’d painted it white, but other than that, he’d just run

it. It had the same wheels, same AWA Clarion stereo. I lifted the bonnet, and there on the radiator shroud was the V8 firing order written in my handwriting when I was 16. I couldn’t believe it, eh? Just couldn’t believe it.

“Yeah, so she’s been away for one and a half years getting a progressive full restoration at Frost Auto Body in Silverdale. It’s been down to nothing, media blasted, a rotisserie rebuild.

Many custom parts have landed from Australia, some completely insane, but so was I once... Yet I can guarantee it won’t be a ‘look-at-me’ car.

It’s a sleeper.

“It’s street legal. I was so hoping to have it ready to take Keeley to the ball this year, but na, we’re not going to quite make it. All good. It is what it is.

“I’ll have it until I die, I tell you. It’s memories that car.”

THE

MACHINE N

ew Zealand got three of Mack’s 100-Year celebration trucks. One Trident went to that South Island bastion of all things Bulldog, Road Metals, and two Super Liners, one to Protranz Earthmoving in Christchurch and the Golden truck we’re featuring this month.

“I love the Australian outback thing and rural trucking generally, whether here or over there,” said Skip

as we all stood back looking on. “I saw the news item in the magazine when they launched these and thought, ‘that’s me, right there.’ So I phoned Nick Kale at MTD and made some enquiries. It’s a lot of truck – maybe not that practical – but there’s a lot more in this than just what it is. And, hey, I was looking at everywhere I went in the Trident the other day, and there’s nowhere I couldn’t have got this and the B-train.”

The initial impact when

you pull in the yard is the sheer size of the big gold Super Liner parked in front of the office. Those familiar with the outback will instantly think someone’s overshot the Cloncurry Saleyards or made a bum turn on the Sandover.

Mechanically, it’s nothing out of the ordinary for us.

Obviously, they’re a gold-dog truck, meaning proprietary components; the MP10 motor, 12-speed mDRIVE AMT, 2370B axles, and Air Ride

suspension. What gives the Aussie gigs their real point of difference is all the necessities required to survive in the red centre; 1550 litres of fuel, 200 litres of DEF, ground clearance, the big house on the back, the Icepack, and the bullbar, of course.

Skip drew the practicality line at the GCM and specified a rear-end not required to ever drag six decks of Brahman or Santa Gertrudis cattle from Brunette Downs to Darwin

MP10 with oodles of room.

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June 21 39

The operational department is burgundy Bulldog at it’s absolute best. The sleeper is a home, plain and simple, and there’s no missing the occasion this truck was built to celebrate. (even though he’d love to). As such, the Golden Mack sports a 70-tonne GCM. Even so, full of fuel, DEF, milk in the fridge, and the driver having just had lunch, the big fella tips the scales at 12 tonne empty.

The truck is dripping with 100-Year celebration additions both inside and out.

The entire cab and sleeper interior is decked out in Mack’s burgundy Ultra leather with a grouse illuminating commemorative logo on the sleeper’s back wall.

Both occupants get 100Year ISRI Big Boy air ride seats, the dash is woodgrain with full gauge pack, there’s commemorative infotainment

40 New Zealand Trucking

system, telematics, techy HVAC, fridge, TV, and storage for Africa… Sorry, Australia.

Interestingly, as road transport here has an ever more Cape Reinga-toBluff flavour, the Icepack ‘after hours’ cab coolers and electron suppliers are becoming increasingly popular, so seeing one hanging off the rails doesn’t look as exotic as it once did.

“I’m glad I got it when I did,” says Skip, “The burgundy is going with the arrival of the Anthem evidently. I made enquiries, and it’s already a ‘no’.”

Outside, the big visual impact comes courtesy of

June 2021

the 58” high-rise sleeper, the commemorative bonnet with one-off side plates, a custom square-cut grille with grab handles either side of ole mate ‘Bully’, and a special King Bars FRUP bullbar made especially for the occasion.

There’s also a logo-ed stone-guard, stainless-steel sun visor, extended intake snorkels with Ram intakes, 100-Year exhaust shields, stainless-steel monogrammed under-cab trim, polished alloy tanks, and guards. It looks superb.

Paint-wise, the base colours came ex-factory, and then Skip delivered the Mack to his mate and truck signage

supremo, Cliff Mannington of Truck Signs in Mount Maunganui.

“What he did was out of this world. He’s an artist with immense passion in every sense of the word.”

Cliff hand-brushed the scrollwork and pin-stripping on the truck, and the clean, classy result of his work belies what’s actually there. In every way, it’s a truck that draws you in, and the closer you get, the more you’re rewarded by Cliff’s talents.

Of course, ‘trailering’ a truck like this when you can’t hook three 5-axle Haulmark Boats behind to balance the overall look is not a simple thing. To

convey length on a rig like this in New Zealand, you need to keep the height down, so tipping gear is ideal. Enter Matt Gillies and Transfleet Trailers.

As it turns out, the 6-axle tipping B-train that resulted from his efforts made the unit even more unique and special.

“It was the last set-up built like this,” says Matt. “The VDAM rule change late last year means you can’t replicate these trailers as they are.

People have seen them, and I’ve been approached, but it’s a case of ‘sorry, we can’t replicate that set of trailers exactly’.

“Aside from that, it’s great when someone comes in and challenges the norm. It was an exciting project to work on for sure.”

The trailers ride on Hendrickson INTRAAX ZMD axles. “We designed and engineered the trailers to take the shockless axles,” says Matt.

“We wanted to do something a bit special at the back, too, so we made up the ‘Golden’ fill plate. It helps set the whole thing off.”

Utility is well accommodated with JOST electric landing legs and Razor roll-over covers. Watching the landing legs work is certainly impressive if you’ve been a ‘winder’ your whole life. The only issue really is, you do have to wonder where the calories are burnt anymore on a unit like this? Combine the legs with the Razor tarps, and if you’re really thinking about it, the absence of a gear lever, all the way down to no window winders even. Thank goodness for two things: one, you have to climb in, and two, Skip’s a whippet.

“It’s built to jack-knife tip if I want it to as well,” Skip says.

“Initially, I was a bit worried about the height. Once you’re over 3.4m, you start to limit the loaders it can go under.

But it’s come out all good there.

“Because the tractor is not

S P E C I F I C AT I O N S

EXTERIOR/ INTERIOR/100YEAR SPECS

MACK SUPER LINER CLX64T 100-Year anniversary limited-edition 58” high-rise sleeper 6x4 tractor Tare: 12,000kg

CAB EXTERIOR: Mack Fusion cab with high-rise 58” sleeper. Steel galvanised cab ECE-29 compliant. Twin 6” stacks.

Stainless-steel visor, air cleaner risers and Ram air intakes. Two-piece windscreen. Peep window.

Heated and electric mirrors.

Dual horns and LRD lighting.

GVM: 28,500kg GCM: 70,000kg Wheelbase: 5500mm Engine: Mack MP10 Capacity: 16 litre Power: 511kW (685hp) Torque: 3120Nm (2300lb/ft) Emissions: Euro-5 Transmission: Mack mDRIVE 12-speed AMT Clutch: Sachs CL801 single plate 430mm

CAB INTERIOR: Pleated Ultra leather burgundy trim. Leather grip steering wheel, woodgrain dash with full gauge pack.

Electronic actuated HVAC system. GME TX4500 UHF radio.

Chassis: 9.5mm thick frame Front axle: Mack FXL 16.5 Front-axle rating: 7500kg Front suspension: Parabolic springs with shock absorbers Rear axle: 2370B 3.78:1 Rear-axle rating: 23,000kg Rear suspension: Mack Air Ride (RADD-GR) 21,000kg Brakes: Disc/EBS Auxiliary braking: Mack Powerleash engine brake (power up to 570hp) Additional safety: Bendix Wingman Fusion Traction control Grade gripper hill start assist Fuel: 1300 litres DEF tank: 150 litres Wheels: Alcoa Dura-Bright Tyres: Front: 295/80 R22.5 Rear: 11 R22.5 Electrical: 12V Paint / Signage: Cab/chassis: Golden fleet colours ex-factory / Signage: Cliff Mannington Truck Signs, Mount Maunganui Cab exterior: Mack Fusion cab with high-rise 58” sleeper. Steel galvanised cab ECE29 compliant

going to suit everything – and to be honest, I don’t actually want it to do everything – other tractors will tow the train also. I’m looking at options there.”

Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels take care of the shoe

shine, and you’d be hard to please if you thought the whole thing looked anything but spectacular.

Time for a strop up the road to a local quarry in Muriwai. It’s a good old climb up into the cab, which

100-YEAR FEATURES: Premium Mack gold dog drivetrain.

100-Year custom bonnet, grille, and stone guard.

100-Year Bullbar.

58” high Rise sleeper IRSRI premium Big-Boy 100-Year embroidered driver and passenger seats.

Custom lighting, 100-Year badging.

Custom storage, trim and bunk layout with innerspring mattress. 40-litre Engel fridge, 2-litre microwave, and 24” TV/DVD. Haultech Icepak 2000ES Custom infotainment unit.

Mack telematics with 60-month subscription.

Mack heritage cab and chassis paint.

is classic, modern Super Liner. Look rearward into the sleeper though, and the visual impact of space engenders a flashback to Cory Duggan’s fat-cab K200 Aerodyne. In terms of feel, it’s very different, and with its level of amenities,

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June 21 41

this really is a home. You could live in this thing with zero issues, and plenty over the ditch do.

The MP10 is more than a match for any mass and at a mere 50 tonnes on this particular trip, the big Bully accelerated away up the hill from Skip’s yard easily ticking the mDRIVE’s cogs off the ‘to do’ list. Out on North Auckland’s winding hinterland road network, the big donk more often than not held the long sprocket as it crested the rolling country. Again, there is a lot of truck, but point-andgo is superbly stable, Skip chatting about all manner of things with a rock-steady tiller in hand.

One thing that was instantly apparent was its attentionseeking capabilities. Once a Mack was a chiropractor’s dream in terms of the ride dynamic, now, it’s the necks of those stealing a second or third look. It’s one of those trucks that would draw a second glance from an environmentalist librarian.

But for all that, this is no bull in a china shop. Even the tight tun off a narrow, hopelessly inadequate SH16 into the quarry, through a standard farm gate and onto a single gravel track, was a one-swing wonder. I’d argue a 909 or K200 K-Whopper wouldn’t have done that and got the rear trolley past the post.

Two amazing days, and here we were sitting in the quarry, quietly looking on at a spectacular piece of kit on a single glorious day that broke a rainy week. For that reason alone, I can attest there were more souls gathered looking on than a physical roll-call would account for.

It was all pretty cool, something almost 150 years in the making. The journey so far of a famous marque in this part of the world, and the journey so far of this particular truck’s owner.

One hell of a truck. One hell of a story.

42 New Zealand Trucking

Razor tarps and JOST electric landing legs make the day as easy as it could possibly be.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Thank you, Skip Golden for the privilege.

Thank you, John Murphy for the weather.

June 2021

“Shockless”

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400TH ISSUE CELEBRATION

THE

EDITORS

As part of our 400-issue celebration, we touched base with the previous editors and Margaret Murphy, who spoke on behalf of our business partner and previous editor, the late John Murphy, and asked them to reflect on their time in the hot-seat.

JON ADDISON March 1985 to May 2000 When you see the transport minister standing on the steps of Parliament waving your magazine in front of the assembled television cameras, you know you’ve done something right.

The minister was Labour’s Richard Prebble, who was such an enthusiastic railways supporter that truckers referred to rail as “Prebble’s Transport”. Oddly, Prebble went on to become an Act MP and long-serving

board member of Mainfreight.

Of course, the magazine he was waving was the first issue of New Zealand Trucking, launched in March 1985.

Hamilton owner-drivers Trevor and Sue Woolston actually established the magazine six months earlier and approached me to find an editor. As chief reporter of the Auckland Star evening newspaper for four years, I’d managed a team of more than 100 journalists, including

SCOTT WILSON April 2000 to January/February 2006 When I took over as editor of New Zealand Trucking in mid-2000, I was faced with a number of considerable challenges.

Not only was I trying to follow a direction that was already well-established by founding editor Jon Addison, but I was also trying to slip into the driver’s seat of a magazine that had established itself as a true industry leader and had a readership that was passionate, knowledgeable, and highly protective of the role they played in the way

the country operated.

I knew publishing, I knew magazines, I knew how to string some words together and take a photo… But, I didn’t know much about heavy vehicles and road transport. In fact, before taking over, then-manager Richard Hook asked me what I knew about trucks.

“If you park one next to a car, I can just about tell the difference,” I told him. My reply may have been tonguein-cheek, but it wasn’t far off the mark.

However, the response I

some 45 reporters. However, earlier that year I’d bought a little farm in South Auckland and was looking for a job that would enable me to spend more time on it.

This was bang in the middle of deregulation – the period between 1983 and 1986 when distance restrictions on road transport, designed to protect rail, were being junked. I sensed opportunity and joined the Woolstons as the magazine’s founding editor.

Their brief was essentially “copy Australian Truckin’ Life”, but I knew we could improve on that. Together, we established the heavy-truck road-test format that survives to this day as the heart of the magazine.

So where did Prebble come in? As a new title, we needed something that would get us noticed. I’d heard all about hubodometer rigging, so decided to run an expose on how the main brands of hubodometers were wound back to illegally dodge road-user charges, complete with photos of how it was being done.

The aim was obviously

got from those involved at the coalface of the road transport sector was refreshing. They understood I was new, they helped me when I needed it, and no one – not one – gave me a hard time about it. It showed me that the roadtransport industry in New Zealand thrives on the back of good people, and isn’t solely about the heady smell of diesel, the cost of RUCs, tares and loading tolerances.

And there are some bloody good people I met along the way, including the current crop at the helm of this industry-leading publication – Dave McCoid and Matt Smith in particular – both of whom I met during my tenure as editor. Add to those former

to blow the lid on an illegal activity rife within the industry at the time, but some people saw the article as an instruction manual. We were called a few names and subjected to more than a few threats. Prebble certainly wasn’t saying “buy this great magazine” on Parliament’s steps!

It didn’t matter to us – by the time the dust settled, everyone in the road transport industry knew we were there.

New Zealand Trucking magazine embarked on many campaigns over the years, including battling out-oflevel weigh pits and mobile weighing systems, driving hours and road conditions, but how to rig your hubodometer remains my favourite.

chief Addison, the late John Murphy and Guy Spurr, Wally Bowater … and others too numerous to mention.

Congratulation’s New Zealand Trucking on reaching 400 magnificent issues – what a trip! I wish the Long Haul Publications team all the best for the future and look forward to seeing what other developments you have on the horizon.

LIAM BALDWIN April 2006 to April 2008 It was a pleasure to be invited to contribute a few words to the 400th-anniversary edition of New Zealand Trucking.

It’s been 13 years since I sat behind the editor’s desk at the helm of a magazine representing an industry I knew little about initially.

Then, New Zealand Trucking was a completely different beast compared with today.

It sat within the stable of Fairfax specialty magazines, none of which related to the titles run by my editor brethren. In short, I was on my own trying to figure it all out as I went along.

I came to the magazine as a journalist with no transport industry credentials, knowing little about the people, the machinery and infrastructure vital to keep New Zealand running – and it showed.

My response was to quickly absorb the advice and guidance of those around me – former editor Jon Addison and Christchurch-based contributor Bryce Baird, for

example, along with the many drivers, owner/operators and industry players I met along the way. I will always be grateful for the education they provided.

Those two years in the hot seat sparked a lifelong interest in New Zealand’s transport industry. Even now, nearly a decade and a half later, I continue to check out every big rig I see on the road to work out what it is and ponder the configuration choices for the job it’s doing.

More importantly, I continue to monitor industry news with interest and sometimes despair because the same issues recur – time and leadership pressure leading to log-book falsification, regulatory problems, poor infrastructure across many regions, safety problems and underpaid contracts, which continues to be a race to the bottom for many.

However, what gives me hope is that the industry voice seems stronger as more

New Zealanders realise that talk of more rail-fewer trucks is a pipe dream and that rapid catch-up to manage increasing levels of freight movement is required to keep this country moving.

The outro for a pretty awful show I briefly fronted on Prime TV when I was editor of New Zealand Trucking summed up the situation then as it continues to do now – ‘without trucks, New Zealand stops’. That line was the best part of the programme, although I can’t claim credit for writing it.

Trucks are the red blood cells running through New Zealand’s veins, conveying the oxygen and nutrients we all need to keep running at every level. And, with the impact of Covid-19, the industry has become even more important. It needed to react and adapt to a changing landscape which, in many cases, led to increased transport traffic. As an example, a close contact of mine is involved in the international courier business.

During and since the beginning of the pandemic,

her business increased four-fold as international travel shut down. People were forced to maintain connections with family and friends in different ways.

People learned to do things differently, and those changes will have an enduring legacy.

Transport has been key during these times, and trucks are at the heart of it.

Congratulations are due to Dave McCoid and his team of supporters for picking up New Zealand Trucking when Fairfax chose to dump its specialist publications and no longer be part of what is our most important service industry.

Picking up the magazine’s mantle and ensuring it reached its 400th edition is a remarkable milestone in print publishing and can only happen with hard work, dedication, passion and unwavering optimism.

In his tenure as editor, he visited Australia multiple times (with trips from Adelaide to Alice Springs and Melbourne to Darwin all-time favourites), as well as Japan and Denmark. Later, as partowner, he visited Sweden, and he had a trip to India in his sights but, unfortunately, he became ill and passed away before the trip was scheduled to take place.

The editor’s role in the corporate environment is not always easy, John revelled in the autonomy gained by his eventual part-ownership of the New Zealand Trucking masthead.

The combination of working in an industry he loved, under a masthead in which he was a shareholder, was undoubtedly a highlight in his life.

JOHN MURPHY May 2008 to April 2014 John Murphy died on 6 October 2017. The following was written by his wife Margaret.

John wrote his first editorial in the May 2008 issue. There was always a vehicle of some sort in John’s life. He trained as a mechanic, owned a garage in Orewa, worked for VTNZ on more than one occasion, including in a training role, and Waka Kotahi NZTA as an auditor.

Trucks, in particular, were John’s passion, and he enjoyed getting out on the road whenever possible.

As editor of New Zealand Trucking magazine, John was fortunate to have a supportive team around him, contributing content, working in sales, design, production, and administration.

John was naturally inquisitive, and he enjoyed engaging in conversation with industry-related people to expand his knowledge. This also meant that the business’ travelling side suited him down to the ground, whether in New Zealand for road tests, truck shows, conferences and the like, or overseas.

PETER LYNCH May 2014 to May 2015 Stepping up to the role of New Zealand Trucking editor was a challenging but highly rewarding time for me.

I had worked as a truck driver in Australia for many years and done some writing, but this was a different ball game. Getting a high-quality colour magazine out to a well-informed industry every month without glaring errors and typos is not easy.

Then editor John Murphy, in his laid back manner, convinced me that I was up

to the job and that he would be there to lend a hand whenever needed (quite frequently). Sadly, John is no longer with us, but his enthusiasm for the industry and passion for getting that perfect cover photo is part of a legacy that continues today at New Zealand Trucking.

It was a time of major changes in road transport and the publishing industry.

The internet had arrived, and the dominant position of big print-based publishers, such as then-owner Fairfax, was

under threat.

Early starts and very long days were part of the job while our skilled and dedicated production people brought it all together. John Berkley and Paul Scott turned my ramblings and photos into good-looking articles, veteran journo Bob Howitt could spot a misplaced comma at 20 metres, while tech experts Oliver Li and Louise Appapa (now Stowell) got the digital edition up and running.

Auckland was a nice place

to live, but the best part of the job was getting out on the road and meeting professional transport operators around the country.

Congratulations to Dave and all at New Zealand Trucking on your 400th issue.

such there’s no shortage of work to be done improving the lot of both the industry and those who deliver our nation’s wellbeing.

Both Scott and Liam praised the people from within the industry for their support. I know John Murphy would have done the same.

In fact, our lead story this month was in part chosen for the regard John had for its protagonist. Speaking for myself – and as I have said many times – with few exceptions, every life hero I’ve ever had and have to this day came from within trucking’s ranks.

Like Scott, Liam, Margaret on behalf of John, and Peter, I also need to thank so many for the help I’ve received making it this far. For me, it wasn’t trucking knowledge that was the issue, but

publishing. To the original crew, almost all of whom are still with us, thank you so much for your patience and knowledge – you are all phenomenal people, and it’s an honour to work with you.

To Kate Coughlan, thank you for taking a punt on a humble trucker.

But, on behalf of all six editors, the greatest thanks must go to you – those who read and support the masthead. It is you who have got it this far.

DAVE MCCOID June 2015 – current

It’s funny – the last guy on the list pretty much owes his place in it to the first. The magazine’s arrival was hugely anticipated by the industry back in late 1984/early 1985, and one of the things Jon Addison did as founding editor was open the door to truck-crazed individuals from within the trucking fold, and let them be part of it.

People like Guy Spurr, Craig McCauley and myself took up the opportunity. Sadly, Guy is no longer with us, but Craig and I are still regular contributors, and I’m sure he agrees that the thrill of seeing your name as a by-line never grows old. New Zealand Trucking magazine still holds to that original model, allowing up-and-comers the same opportunity. Believe me, you can end up in the editor’s chair.

46 New Zealand Trucking

In his piece above, Pete talked about the transition to digital media. Today, the magazine is part of a suite of media platforms, all complementary. Print is as important as ever because it’s the only medium able to convey history to the eye without intermediary technology. As a civilisation, we must preserve print for this reason alone. As ironic as it may seem, I believe the legacy of the millennial generations will be those who lost the most information, purely as a consequence of the digital world’s speed, rapid evolution, and fragility.

Liam talked about the recidivist issues that plague road transport and discussed the proposition that the industry is, at times, its own worst enemy. He was on the nail with both and as

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TOMORROW Story and photos by Gavin Myers

Like it or not, the EV revolution is coming. With trucking, however, there’s a lot to consider in the move away from diesel. Early action is vital, so TR Group has recently added three SEA Electric Isuzu F-Series to its rental fleet. It’s time to get charged up about electric trucks.

W

hat you see on the pages before you is – essentially – a trio of Isuzu F-Series like any other. Except these aren’t.

Nestled between their chassis rails isn’t the familiar 6HK1TCC 7.8-litre, six-cylinder diesel engine and six-speed gearbox. Instead, you’ll find a couple of black ‘battery pods’ branded SEA Electric, which consist of a large group of lithium-ion cell modules.

To Joe Public’s untrained eye, the only outward sign that these aren’t like any other Isuzu (ignoring, for now, their unique, eye-catching branding) is the fact they’re utterly silent.

No diesel thrum, no gear

changes, no exhaust gasses.

Those who know trucks, however, will quickly pick up the differences.

But, before we get ahead of ourselves, why are we here? Well, as you’ll read in our interview with TR Group general manager Brendan King (see Doing the Right Thing), the company realises the need to act early in the move to vehicles powered by alternative fuels. This will allow it to learn about the technologies and figure out the long-term costs, while doing its bit to be a responsible citizen and help accelerate the uptake of the technology.

The company will use the opportunity to introduce its

clients to the technology, help educate the market and, hopefully, drum up some enthusiasm for an emissionsfree drive.

If there was a better Kiwi company to do this, we haven’t heard of it. TR Group runs the nation’s largest truck fleet, and undoubtedly this project will yield useable results.

It was a considered investment from the start, which is apparent the moment Mark Harvey, TR Group training and compliance manager, gives me a tour of the three mechanically identical SEA Isuzus, neatly reverse-parked ahead of their TransNet charging stations.

SEA plus Isuzu The beauty of the SEA-Drive system is that it can be scaled for various applications and various vehicles. While SEA’s own series-produced vehicles (see Pushing the Envelope) are built on Hino 300 and 500 platforms, Stephen Fairweather, New Zealand general manager for SEA Electric, says Isuzus have made up the bulk of the company’s conversions so far. For TR Group, CAL Isuzu did the fit-out of the electrical components as a subcontractor to SEA. Mark tips the cab to show me those black pods, one beneath the cab where the engine would usually sit and one under the body more or less where the gearbox would be. Directly behind that, about two-thirds to the rear of the wheelbase, the permanentmagnet AC motor directly drives the standard Isuzu diff via a shortened driveshaft.

Upfront is the heater, and mounted under the body on the right-hand side are the braking system, 24-volt batteries, power steering pump and air compressor.

SEA has locked the more sensitive components in boxes on the left-hand

side. There, you’ll find the cooling system for the major components of the drive train (the pods themselves are passively cooled), as well as the ‘component box’ that houses the air-conditioning pump, high-voltage distributor, fuse box, and the computer that manages it all.

“If the system experiences an electrical fault, it is heavily protected and designed to shut down to prevent an incident or vehicle damage,” Mark says.

Accessories such as the Palfinger tail lift are powered by 24-volt batteries, charged by the truck’s onboard inverter. Ancillaries such as the air-con, heater, power steering and pneumatic brakes are all tied to the highvoltage system, and operate as you would expect. Most of these draw very little power, the biggest consumer being the 5kW heater. This runs to a temperature and then maintains its heat, switching on and off as required.

With a standard prestart check on an internal combustion engine, checking the coolant level would be the norm. On the SEA EV this is no different and just as critical – the coolant is

used to maintain the optimum temperature when driving or charging. Climb aboard, and it’s all typical Isuzu fare. Some standard switches and gauges (DPF regen, fuel level and coolant temp, among others) become redundant with the conversion so they have been blanked out. The tachometer has been left as it’s important for the starting procedure – it doesn’t work when driving.

Starting is simple. With the handbrake applied and the gear selector in neutral, turning the key makes the system ‘live’. The driver then presses the brake pedal and holds the key in the ‘start’ position, and the rev counter will cycle to maximum and back to zero, at which point it’s all go. The procedure can be performed only once every 20 seconds to protect the electrical system. Still, I found that it takes only a couple of starts before it feels as familiar as starting any other vehicle.

In the dash is Isuzu’s standard Android-based infotainment system, into which SEA has worked its software. This is the driver’s leading information hub and displays charge percentage, speed, range, energy usage,

TR Group is proud of its three new electric trucks. drive selector position and any faults or warnings.

The truck’s analogue speedo still works, as do its airpressure gauges.

Juicing it up If there’s one thing TR was clear on, it was the need to make every aspect of operating the vehicles as easy as it could be. “We’ve paid attention to the little things to set up our operators for success,” says Mark, taking

New Zealand Trucking

June 21 49

Soon to be a typical installation at a depot near you? The charging stations at TR’s Penrose office are designed to make things as easy as possible. me through the charging process on one of the three trucks.

Like the trucks, each of the three sheltered charging stations is identical, housing a permanent five-pin AC power lead and a Commander 2 touchscreen wallbox from TransNet. “We learnt it’s one thing to need to charge a vehicle; it’s another to have the infrastructure capable of doing it – a serious amount of power is needed,” Mark says, explaining that the trucks are charged at 22kWh on 32A. The power is provided from the grid via a direct connection, ensuring the supply remains stable.

The charging process is straightforward. The driver connects the power lead (the

actual charger and charging software is built into the truck) and then accesses the wallbox by selecting the truck’s rego and entering a PIN. Then the truck and the wallbox have a brief chat and, assuming everything is in order, the truck’s cooling fans kick in and the charging process begins. No power runs through the charging lead until this point.

The driver will know the truck is charging when a green light flashes on the truck’s connector. They can also check the wallbox or the mobile app, which allows them to control the charge remotely. The wallbox and the app display data, including the state of charge, amps, kilowatts and charging time.

Electricity costs can be

added into the background to give accurate session pricing per vehicle. Mark says the trucks take 10 hours to charge from 1% to 100%, which costs approximately $25. The charging software regulates the charge on threephase at 32A and 22kWh for the first five hours, taking it to 80%. For the remaining 20%, it drops to single-phase charging over five hours. This saturates the battery and prolongs its life.

It’s all effortless, and if the driver gets stuck at any time, TR has placed QR codes in the charging stations (along with printed instructions).

Codes have also been placed at the connector of the truck and in the cab, which the driver can scan to access charging/starting

quick-reference guides or the SEA Isuzu’s operator manual. If the operator would prefer to connect to their own three-phase power instead of returning to the TR charging stations, each truck also has a portable charge lead.

A calm day in Piha First up on our very loose test-drive schedule is one of the unladen units – just for a brief jaunt around Auckland to get a feel for the truck in its raw state. These units will, of course, find themselves being driven empty numerous times a day, or at least at the very end of it. Taking in some midday stop-start traffic and highway cruising, it was immediately apparent that the only difference to the drive is a lack of sound or gear

A battery pod under the body between the chassis rails. Right: Ancillaries are mounted under driver’s side of body, including braking system, air compressor and power-steering pump.

changes. Belt up, drop it into D, and mash the accelerator.

Or, as the kids would probably say, plug and play…

The ride without a load is slightly more comfortable than a standard F-Series (not that there’s anything wrong with it) because of the extra 700-odd kilogrammes the batteries add to the tare. You’re looking at 6740kg compared with 6000kg of a normal FRR600 with body et al. But you still get 4260kg to play with for an 11,000kg GVM. That’s what our second test unit was loaded up to – some palleted concrete and full-tocapacity water tanks neatly strapped down. We planned a roughly 100km round trip from TR’s Penrose head office through Auckland and out west to Piha. Why Piha?

Why not? It’s near enough but just far enough to give the SEA Isuzu a good run without risking range, takes in open road and city driving in equal measure, and has some undulating sections with a decent drop into and climb out of our destination. It’s perfect for testing most of the truck’s capabilities in one go.

Just on the point of testing, Mark and about half a dozen other TR team members have clocked up more than 1000km across the three trucks in simulated metro operations.

Multiple drivers, stop-start driving, backing, hill starts, using the tail lift – everything the trucks would go through in operation. To date, the highest range achieved is 172km, the lowest 135km.

“The trucks would rarely operate all day at 11 tonnes, so somewhere in the middle is probably reasonable,” Mark says. Much like any other vehicle, overall ‘fuel consumption’ is heavily influenced by the driver, so keeping an eye on the energy monitor should aid in getting the best out of it. What if a driver does run his truck out of power, though?

DOING WHAT’S RIGHT

“

T

here’s a belief in doing the right thing in this business,” says Brendan King, group general manager at TR Group. “We all have to do what we can do to abate environmental concerns.”

For TR Group, that means getting ahead of the curve and doing what it can, where it can, as early as it can to get alternative-fuel vehicles into its fleet. It’s no secret that hydrogen-powered heavy trucks are on the horizon in partnership with Hiringa Energy and Hyzon Motors. TR Group already has 20 electric vehicles in its fleet (including Fuso’s eCanter), either in operation with some of the country’s most prominent names in retail and logistics or soon to arrive. The investment in onsite charging infrastructure and the three SEA Isuzus in the rental fleet is the next step to proving the concept.

For Brendan and the team at TR, it’s also an opportunity to help develop the local market and learn about the technology.

“You wouldn’t go into electric or hydrogen trucks at this point for financial reasons; they’re not economical yet,” he explains.

“But we have a big part to play in the New Zealand transport industry, so we’ve taken a leadership role to learn about the technology and have some knowledge to share with our customers.”

And TR’s customers are

Brendan King.

certainly conscious of the need to explore alternativefuel vehicles. “Either because they’re genuinely interested themselves or because their customers are asking about it – the freight buyers are pushing in some instances,” Brendan says.

The hope is that these vehicles will help fill that gap. “We strongly believe in having the right gear. If you provide customers with lessthan-ideal equipment, they’re not going to rent it unless they’re really stuck. The best gear hires itself.”

Getting the ‘best gear’ in this instance meant an almost three-year-long process, exploring the technology available (easier said than done when it’s always evolving), talking with customers, getting the support of the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA), and developing the spec with SEA Electric.

Brendan makes special mention of EECA: “The trucks are co-funded by EECA, and they’ve been bloody excellent to work with; gone above and beyond to come to the party.”

That relationship could have only been a good thing, with the trucks being dearer than their conventional diesel-powered equivalents and TR needing to make a significant investment in charging infrastructure for these three rental units.

“There’s a lot for customers

to be aware of – it’s not just getting yourself an electric truck; you have to have the infrastructure, which is a lot more challenging and expensive than expected,” he says.

Won’t there be a payoff in lower energy and operating costs? “In theory,” Brendan says. “We will prove that over time – or not.”

There are also end-of-life costs to consider. “What’s an electric truck that’s past its use-by date worth? We don’t know, but we’ll find out. You can always find a new home for a diesel truck or rip parts off it, but all the expense is in the batteries with an EV. We’re always told the cost of batteries is coming down, and the quality, size, weight and capacity are all improving – so maybe in 10 years, they’ll be replaceable and go for two years without a recharge, who knows?”

There’s no doubting TR Group is committed to this, with another “10 years of learning to go”, says Brendan. “When we buy a diesel truck, we have an idea that we’ll own it for about 10 years. But we have to learn the whole lifecycle of a battery electric truck, see how long that is and what happens to the values when it’s no longer performing.”

No doubt those numbers will make for some interesting reading as the years go on.

New Zealand Trucking

June 2021 51

Clockwise from left: The tail lift runs off the usual 24-volt electrical system; No diesel engine under here … just a whole bunch of buzz; The brains of it all – usually locked up securely.

Unfortunately, that’s a dropped driveshaft and a tow truck. Technology hasn’t yet got to the point of a roadside jerrycan top-up for EVs. Says Mark: “Through testing, we have run one of the vehicles down to 1% energy level. I can assure you range anxiety is a real thing and I felt this. Planning your day is more important with an EV. There is a vehicle limp mode but utilising this energy all depends on how the operator runs out of their final energy supply.”

Our laden unit is charged to about 96%, and Mark (along for the ride) and I are keen to see how it does out to Piha.

“We’ve not thought of coming out here; it’s a real good test route for these,” he says.

Compared with the empty unit, the first point of difference is the need for more accelerator travel to get moving, but boy, does it still get moving. Electric cars are renowned for their immediate torque and bonkers acceleration and I can report

52 New Zealand Trucking

that electric trucks are no different (relatively speaking).

Consider that the SEA-Drive 120b offers up maximum torque of 2500Nm with just 11 tonnes all up. Talk about punching well above your vehicle weight class.

“Josh Vendrig, the SEA EV guru, has spent many hours with us testing and finetuning the vehicle software to achieve an economical vehicle that also offers fantastic performance. This can only come from on-road testing and the support from Josh and the SEA team has been excellent.”

Fair enough. These vehicles are all about managing the daily workload and not ripping down Meremere. Besides, even with the delicate balance of economy and performance, there is no lack of pulling power (as we’d later find out on the climb out of Piha).

Out on the motorway and the SEA Isuzu is gingerly calling on its 150kW of continuous power and 1230Nm of continuous torque June 2021

with the mildest use of the accelerator on my part to keep it at a steady 89kph, the maximum geared speed.

There’s only the wind rush around the cab; the only other noises one might notice are the cooling fans and air compressor coming on and off. I might face purgatory for this next statement, but it’s amazing how you don’t miss a diesel engine buzzing away beneath you when it’s not there. Okay, I’ll clarify that, at least not in the case of a smaller truck like this… ISXs, C15s, 6V-71s and V8s will always hold a special place.

Using the multi-stage regen controlled via the standard engine-brake column stalk, I can quickly and accurately manage the vehicle’s speed just as in a conventional diesel. In this case, the truck’s electric motor both slows it down and acts as a generator, and it’s suggested that drivers leave the lever fully engaged for maximum effect – putting as much energy as possible back into

the batteries and prolonging the range. However, I found this approach needs real sensitivity to move on and off the accelerator smoothly. No doubt that comes from time behind the wheel.

The roads between Auckland’s western suburbs and Piha are narrow, curvy and dip and rise all the way to the drop into the town. The regen came into its own through the descents with the brake pedal mainly called into action for tighter sections and to help keep the 11 tonnes at a steady 20kph as we descended gently, quietly, calmly into town.

It was much the same on the way back, with the Isuzu’s 4x2 drive and 5160mm wheelbase making it nimble and easy enough to thread along the road. With fair use of the accelerator, the climb out of Piha was easily made at 20kph to 30kph – and a lack of blaring combustion.

Other than those who came to quiz us about the ‘electric truck’ branding on our unit, the

residents of this picturesque seaside paradise were none the wiser.

Without the opportunity to drive a conventional FRR600 back-to-back, I ask Mark how he thinks one would compare on a similar climb.

“The electric truck will outgun a comparable diesel on an uphill section like that, especially because there’s no shifting interrupting the power delivery,” he reckons.

It doesn’t seem as though the climb has taken its toll on our energy range and, returning to the Penrose yard, the truck shows 34% left in the batteries for a range of 69km. Combine that with the 100km we drove and the 172km max range seems to be bang on.

“It’s no different to fuel – the more defensively you drive and the more alert you are, the more you can extend the range,” Mark comments.

To e or not to e?

I came away from my drive in TR Group’s SEA Isuzus largely convinced that the move to electric drive in light and mid-weight, metrobased trucks can only be a good thing. There’s the air and noise pollution aspect, and from the perspective of how easy and serene the drive is, I reckon we’re onto a winner. But moving to electric motoring in any sense comes with its compromises. Range and the time taken to ‘refuel’ will always be the foremost concern, though there will be some applications where hits of 172km will be sufficient.

Planning will be the name of the game here.

Then there’s maintenance.

With a conversion like this, there’s the need for ‘double handling’, meeting Isuzu’s and SEA’s requirements.

SEA generally aligns its maintenance schedule with that of the cab-chassis OEM to minimise downtime, mandating a six-monthly visual check of cables and connectors – a 90-minute job

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE Stephen Fairweather.

U

nquestionably, SEA Electric is a company on the move. Founded in Melbourne in 2012, it launched its first model in 2017 after five years of product development and field testing. Earlier this year, it launched volume production of its own SEA Electricbadged vehicles. It has a significant global presence and has been operating in New Zealand since March 2019.

This progress is all the more impressive considering the company’s approach to the industry it serves. “We’re not a truck company; we’re a technology company. It just happens that the technology fits into a truck,” says Stephen Fairweather, New Zealand general manager for SEA Electric. “The SEADrive system is what we’re all about.” (More on that later.)

There are 34 SEA trucks on the road in New Zealand, with a further six currently in build. The technology has been deployed into varied market sectors, from waste collection to home delivery and refrigerated units and different vehicle types. According to Stephen, New Zealand has a healthy appetite and eagerness for electric vehicles.

“Compared with Australia, the New Zealand market has always been stronger and more interested when it comes to individual companies and their management, and political support. Some companies are asking questions and

pushing the envelope of the technology – we align as closely as possible with the brief, and we take opportunities on their merits and work to make them happen if possible,” he says.

When it came to working with TR Group, Stephen says that the relationship has been fantastic, with both parties open about their expectations and desired results, despite some roadblocks. “The vehicle spec – a delivery unit with curtain sides and tail lift – is a simpler one, but TR was very clear about its requirements.

“SEA has five driveline systems for vehicles of various GVM, so matching the right vehicle with the drivetrain is the foremost consideration, and that comes from open discussion about where they’ll be driven, over what terrain – all those scenarios.

With TR Group, that was simple and easy. They know their business and did their homework,” Stephen says, adding he looks forward to the results.

SEA may be a technology company but it understands its customers’ businesses revolve around trucks – and they expect to be treated accordingly. Its involvement therefore continues, like any traditional OEM worth its salt, into driver training and aftersales support.

“We have a training component with all our customers; it’s not something you just throw a set of keys at,” Stephen says. Generally, SEA will spend training time

with drivers and maintenance staff, depending on how that’s being managed, and keeps up its involvement as its clients continue their electrically powered journeys.

Even before the vehicles enter service, a SEA technician will spend time in the cab with the customer, fine-tuning the vehicles over the routes the customer takes.

“It’s different depending on the vehicle’s usage – a vehicle on Waiheke Island operates differently to one in Auckland.

Each is tuned to deliver the best individual performance.”

The SEA-Drive system is, on first acquaintance, remarkably simple. Hardwarewise, anyway. As Stephen says: “The drive system is the drive system.”

It’s the software behind the technology and the components used that make the difference. The system’s design is patented in 57 countries, and it’s based around a plug-and-play architecture, so it can be updated as the technology is developed. Battery, cooling and ancillary systems are all constantly evolving.

The SEA-Drive system is designed to be 100% electric, so the ancillary systems are also electrically driven. “Five years ago, if you wanted an electric truck, you had to build all the ancillaries yourself. Now some companies specialise in individual components – from air-conditioning to drive systems,” Stephen says.

Yes, the EV industry is charging ahead.

New Zealand Trucking

June 2021 53

S P E C I F I C AT I O N S

SEA Electric Isuzu F-Series 4x2 curtainsider Tare: 6740kg GVM: 11,000kg Wheelbase: 5160mm Power system: SEA-Drive 120b Type: Permanent Magnet AC Motor Max peak power: 230kW (250kW/335hp standard) @ 450VDC Max continuous power: 115kW (150kW/200hp standard) @ 450VDC Max peak torque: 2500Nm/1844lb/ft standard Max continuous torque: 1230Nm/900lb/ft standard Transmission: Direct drive

1

2

Batteries: Lithium-ion – NMC Battery capacity: 138kWh Battery life cycle: Up to 10 years Battery energy density: 1277Wh/kg Front axle: Isuzu F041 Front-axle rating: 4100kg Front suspension: Tapered leaf springs Rear axle: Isuzu R077, 4.875:1 Rear-axle rating: 7700kg Rear suspension: Multi-leaf springs Brakes: Dual circuit air-over-hydraulic front and rear, ABS-controlled

3

Auxiliary braking: Multi-stage electric motor regeneration Wheels: Steel six-stud 6.75 x 17.5 Tyres: 235/75 R22.5 Electrical: 24V Additional safety: Handbrake alarm, EROAD, reverse beeper, reverse lamp, reversing camera, speed limiter, DG placards Cab exterior: LED day runners, roof air deflector, side deflectors, stone guard sun visor

4 1) A mobile app and Commander 2 touchscreen wallbox from TransNet make juicing up easy. 2) QR codes at the charge port and in the cab open quick reference guides – makes it easy for drivers. 3) Simple connection, simple instructions. 4) The portable charge lead connects to any three-phase socket and charges the truck like any charging station. with (usually) no consumables.

This will be done by SEA, though the company has held numerous component and technical training sessions with TR’s maintenance team so that they have some knowledge should a glitch creep in while the vehicle is out with a customer. Brendan King comments on the inevitability of an EV maintenance specialist joining the team sometime in the future.

Third are the costs. The

54 New Zealand Trucking

outlay in vehicle purchase and infrastructure set-up is markedly dearer than a diesel, but EVs are currently RUCexempt until 2025, and a full charge costs far less than a full tank of diesel. Maintenance should be much cheaper, too. How that all balances long-term remains to be seen – that’s why we’re here, remember.

Finally, if diesel engine technology has taken some significant steps in the past June 2021

Cab interior: Air-conditioning, ISRI 6860 driver’s seat, floor mats, seat covers, cord tail lift remote, integrated media centre Body: Kingsford Motor Bodies – double curtain, 39m3 Options: Car tow coupling – 3500kg, SEA-Connect telematics

decade (they’re more powerful, more efficient and cleaner than they’ve ever been), then that involving EVs has taken leaps. As Mark points out, the technology is changing so rapidly that these new vehicles are not actually as up-to-date as they could be.

“It’s so fast-paced and always has to be reviewed to make sure we’re offering the right options.”

Again, that’s why we’re

here. TR Group is embracing the technology and putting these trucks into its rental fleet early, which will allow the company to understand the technology, learn what works and futureproof itself. It’ll take some time for those results to show themselves, and we’ll be interested to see how things progress.

Electrically, would be my guess.

%

AUCKLAND

TARANAKI TRUCK SHOW

Taranaki Civil looking good.

TASTY TRUCKS IN

TARANAKI

Organisers shifted the Taranaki Truck Show from its usual Taranaki Anniversary Weekend date to Easter Sunday in early April on account of Covid-19. When the day finally fell, no one was disappointed with the turnout.

Story and photos by Clayton Haakma

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he weather on Sunday 4 April was kind, and the convoy of more than 128 trucks left New Plymouth’s Paritutu at 9am for Hickford Park in Bell Block, making a spectacular display.

Approaching the park, we could already see the team from Ian Roebuck Crane Hire.

All those registering received a gift from McCurdy Trucks as they drove through the

gate. Dennis Brown Transport brought its entire fleet up from Eltham, and Beale Trucking from Mangatainoka brought an icon of the town with them. Clive Taylor of Bulk Lines and many others added some out-of-town rigs to the many local trucks on display, such as those from G.J. Sole Transport and J. D. Hickman, among many others.

“We were overwhelmed by the support we received

by the public and all those who brought a truck to the show,” says Will Bishop, one of the organisers. “A large crowd, mainly families, lined the streets from the convoy start point through the front of town to the venue.”

There was plenty at the park to entertain the kids – a bouncy castle, mini car and mini truck rides, a merry-goround, face painting, and big truck rides – as well as a live

band to keep everyone in the family entertained. The food and drink stalls were aplenty, and it was a great day for all.

A special thanks to the sponsors and organisers and everyone who took part in making this great day happen.

All money raised from the show was donated to the Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter Trust. This year the team handed over a cheque for $11,882.84.

The Mack Transport R-series took out Best Stock Truck.

Best Freightliner went to Beale Trucking.

L.A. Schreiber team lined up for the show.

New Zealand Trucking

June 21 57

Roebuck Crane Hire took out Best Hiab and Best Vintage awards.

Express Vehicle Transport won best Iveco.

Taranaki Truck Show Winners

A couple of flash Americans from Beale Trucking

Clive Taylor Macks looking sharp.

Truck of the Show: Clive Taylor | 2019 Mack Trident People’s Choice: Jonathon Webb, TIL | Western Star Tug o War sponsored by Uhlenberg Haulage: Michielsens | The Bulkie Boys Best Fleet: Dennis Brown Transport Best Logger: Bourke Hualage | Kenworth K200 Best Tanker: Ixom | Volvo FH540 Best Curtainsider: Dennis Brown Transport | 2009 Kenworth K108 Best Flat Deck: JD Hickman | 2013 DAF XF Best Refrigerator: Dennis Brown Transport | 2013 Western Star 4884FXC Best Bulk Unit: Clive Taylor | 2019 Mack Trident Best Crane/Hiab/Swinglift: Roebucks | 2016 Volvo FMX Best Stock Truck: Mack Transport | Mack R-series Best Spreader: — Best Transporter: Central Housemovers | Kenworth SAR Best Recovery Vehicle: Jamieson Recovery | Mack Super Liner Best Concrete Truck: Firth | Hino 500 Best Tractor Unit: Laurie Schreiber | 1994 Kenworth T900 Best Classic: Uhlenberg Transport | 1979 Kenworth W924 SAR Best Vintage: Roebucks | 1936 Ford V8

Truck Winner

A pair of classic Uhlenberg Kenworths, the 1979 W924 claiming Best Classic and runner-up Best Kenworth.

Best Mack Clive Taylor | 2019 Trident Best Kenworth Bourke Haulage | K200 Ixom | FH540 Best Volvo Best Isuzu Osflo Fertiliser | 2020 CYZ400 Best Hino Firth | Hino 500 Best Cat GJ Sole | CT 630S Best Freightliner Beale Trucking | Argosy JD Hickman | 2013 XF Best DAF Best Mercedes-Benz SLR Haulage, Mainfreight | Mercedes-Benz Arocs Best Western Star Dennis Brown Transport | 2000 7584S Best Iveco Xpress Vehicle Transport | 2020 Stralis Best MAN TIL Best Fuso — Best Peterbilt Taranaki Civil Construction Best Scania Purchase Transport, Mainfreight | R620 Best International Taranaki Civil Construction Best Sinotruk JD Hickman Other Q Transport | Foden

Leading the way in used truck & trailer sales.

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www.trgroup.co.nz • 0800 555 678 • Auckland, Mt Maunganui and Christchurch.

Just Truckin’

Around

www.trt.co.nz

Jimmy Wilson

A few years ago, Faye Lougher wrote a Just Truckin’ Around on Micky Prendergast, who was driving the Mobile Health surgical unit truck that day. This time, Jimmy Wilson is the driver, and the Mobile Health 2001 Freightliner Argosy has been replaced with a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Actros 5.

Jimmy said the Freightliner had given nearly 20 years of service, and the Merc arrived late last year. “It took a bit of getting used to as the Freighty had a crash box, and this is a 12-speed auto,” he said. “It has a lot more horsepower – the old girl was 500, and this is 650.”

Although the truck is fitted with MirrorCam, Jimmy said they don’t like the system because the resolution isn’t there.

“We’ve had external mirrors put on because you just can’t quite see by the time you get to the back of the trailer [the length of the unit is about 20m], or at night.”

Jimmy has been driving for 35 years. Like a couple of the other drivers who regularly transport the mobile theatre around the country, he was formerly a tour bus driver, then drove the lithotripsy bus in the South Island.

In Levin for the day, Jimmy was off to Hawera the following day, then on to Tokoroa, Taumarunui and Rotorua.

“I love the variety of work we get – it’s not just driving. We look after the equipment too. It keeps us on our toes.”

Jimmy proudly showed off the cab interior with all its

modern technology. “It’s almost too smart, but we’re getting used to it.”

The biggest problem Jimmy encounters is the condition of New Zealand’s roads, saying they’re shocking.

When faced with the choice of Richard Pearse or the Wright Brothers, Jimmy said he’d have to go for Pearse – “he’s a Kiwi!”

Tony Scoles

On route to Dunedin with a fresh load of logs for export out of the Herbert Forest in Coastal Otago was Tony ‘Mav’ Scoles. Craig Andrews bailed him up during a half-hour rest break and had a quick yarn.

Timaru-based, Mav has been with Dynes Transport for only four months and enjoys the work. He came from a fertiliser-spreading background, so carting logs out of skid sites came easy to him.

Mav is originally from the Rotorua area, and it was there he had his first drive of a truck – his dad’s Volvo Globetrotter at Rotorua Livestock. From that point, he was hooked.

He cut his teeth at Rotorua Livestock driving tractors, spreading, and washing sheep crates. Looking for a break after that he became a tour guide for Off Adventures in Rotorua.

From there came more spreading work, and a move down south saw him operating a Mercedes Benz 1833

60 New Zealand Trucking

Axor spreader at Rural Transport and St Andrews Transport before making the step up to log cartage with Dynes Transport.

He pilots ‘Blue Venom’, a 2013 K108E Kenworth with several hundred thousand kilometres under its belt. It still has plenty of sting and Mav enjoys piloting the truck, especially when

negotiating bush tracks throughout the region. When onsite, he enjoys catching up with the crews but is not much of a fan of standing out in the elements when the truck is being loaded.

Another upside is everything is electronic these days, something he is totally on board with.

June 2021

Roman, italic, bold, bold italic

Just Truckin’

Around

www.trt.co.nz

Just truckin’ around – overseas Marco Aschwanden & Emmanuel Stillhart

Marco Aschwanden, 27, and Emmanuel Stillhart, 26, have a lot in common as well as age. Both drive similar-looking Super Space Cab DAF 530s for Kummer Transporte of Hombrechtikon, in Switzerland.

Trucking is in their bloodlines – each has a father who was a driver. Emmanuel has eight years under his belt, while Marco has five.

Kummer Transporte operates an interesting fleet of 15 vehicles, primarily DAF and MAN engaged in domestic and international work. Furniture removal is one aspect of the business, and one of the trucks tows an ingenious lift, which allows furniture to be raised to apartment blocks. Then there’s a 3.5 tonne Iveco that pulls a drag trailer, complete with turntable and curtainsides, and a massive truck and trailer where the roof raises to double the truck’s height, then compresses foam insulation once it’s loaded. It’s worth a look on Google.

Paul O’Callaghan caught up with the lads when they were using more traditional-style trailers, although running on air suspension with small trailer wheels for maximising cubic capacity. “We go all over Europe, but primarily the

neighbouring countries of Germany and Italy, and we love our jobs,’’ claims Marco. The guys use their own money to customise the trucks, and each has added different accessories.

Emmanuel says that meeting new people is one of his favourite parts of the job, although traffic congestion and trying to find overnight parking are the aspects he dislikes most. In terms of their individual preferences for trucks, both praise the DAFs. However, Emmanuel said Scania is his brand of choice, while Marco says he’s definitely in the Volvo camp.

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GOOD ON YA MATE

ON A HIGH H Story by Gavin Myers

Kiwi Hannah Hughes has won the inaugural Women in Trucking Australia Driver of the Year competition.

A staunch advocate for women in the trucking industry, she’s come a long way from rural New Zealand to making her mark on the outback roadtrain scene.

annah is on her way back to Perth from Karratha in Western Australia when we manage to get her on the line. This busy, New Zealandborn truckie carts dangerous goods for McColl’s Transport Chemical Division and just this week, she’s moving her way through an 8500km schedule that’s taken her from Perth to the Pilbara and back, then up to the goldfields in Kalgoorlie and beyond.

Life on the road in a roadtrain – Hannah’s fulfilment of a dream.

62 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

Photos by Hannah Hughes and WiTA

These routes are pretty much as hard as they get – with 45-degree heat and no phone coverage. And Hannah relishes every minute of it.

“I love being out on the country roads and seeing some of the stuff you see.

This is a beautiful country, and I love it when it’s just me, my rig and the road pretty much,” she says.

Taking after the generations of truck drivers in her family, Hannah started driving rigids

in New Zealand. But driving outback road trains has always been her No.1 goal, and in 2011 at the age of 19, she leapt across the ditch.

She started with horses and hay and – chasing better opportunities – moved through the classes into general freight, then bulk liquids. Her road-train career took off when she moved to McColl’s four years ago.

“Road trains were just something I wanted to do

WITA WOMEN’S DAY AWARDS

Hannah Hughes – a Kiwi making big moves across the ditch. since a very young age. I visualised it for a very long time,” says Hannah. “I like the tanker work – unloading’s a lot easier, and I haven’t got bored of the chemicals yet.”

McColl’s helped her get her DG licence and trained her to deal with spills and emergencies. “The company is really good,” she says. “We take satellite phones with us, and there’s a 24-hour hotline if anything goes wrong.

Luckily, I haven’t yet had to use it. The trucks are also tracked so they can send help if a truck is stopped for longer than expected.”

It’s the type of challenging environment many of us would shy from, but Hannah says many more women are now carting chemicals.

“There are quite a few in WA, and the majority of them are Kiwi women, which is great,” she says. “We’re seeing more and more women in the industry. It used to be a rare sight to see a woman in a truck, but it’s now a lot more common.”

For Hannah, this is something she feels strongly

about and one of the reasons she got onboard with WiTA. But it’s not always been easy…

“There have been days where I’ve struggled and wanted to chuck it in,” she says. “But when I won that award, I was so glad I didn’t.

When I look back on those moments, I was so glad I pushed past them and didn’t let them get the better of me.”

Hannah says that women in the industry do feel they have to work quite a bit harder to prove themselves. “There’s so much doubt out there, but with more and more women coming through, that’s going away.”

Not being put off is one of the biggest lessons she can share with women contemplating getting behind the wheel. “It’s going to be rough because the industry is male-dominated. There are some out there who will try to break you down. But at the same time, they are freaking out that we’re doing what they’re doing.

“There’s a bigger reward at the end.”

In February of this year, Women in Trucking Australia launched its International Women’s Day Awards to recognise and publicly acknowledge female truckies as the resilient, capable, resourceful professionals they are.

This year, 21 female truckies from around Australia each received multiple nominations across two categories – Driver of the Year and Trailblazer Driver of the Year (recognising women who’ve hung up their truck keys).

The nominees represented the full spectrum of drivers – from young women to veterans of the industry, operating in environments from metro to outback road train work.

“Women not only maintain successful trucking careers. Many also raise families or care for older relatives at the same time,” says Adelaide-based MC driver and WiTA CEO Lyndal Denny.

With today’s massive social media presence, taking the vocation to the streets via a people’s choice award was deemed the ideal way to shine a light on the nominees, and platforms were predictably abuzz with chatter during the

week-long voting period.

“Their inspiring stories on the WiTA Facebook page highlight the enormous contributions these women make to their communities, including volunteering their time and trucking skills to deliver hay to drought-ravaged rural areas, evacuating injured livestock from devastated fire grounds and participating in community fundraisers like Convoy for Kids,” says Lyndal.

More than a million people – 500,000 on Facebook alone – had the opportunity to read the entrants’ quintessentially Australian stories, appreciate trucking as the viable, diverse, challenging, professional and interesting career it is – and vote for their favourite nominees.

According to Lyndal, the calibre of the nominees was outstanding. “These women are all high-performing, skilled ambassadors – advocates and role models for other women considering or advancing their driving careers.”

She believes their contributions have boosted the visibility of female truckies and helped debunk misconceptions that continue to contribute to a nationwide truck driver shortage.

2021 WITA WINNERS Driver of the Year – Hannah Hughes (McColl’s Transport Chemical Division) Driver of the Year runner-up – Bianca Clar (Eather Group) Trailblazer Driver of the Year winner – Jenny Coleman Trailblazer Driver of the Year runner-up – Michelle “Cuddles” McDonald

New Zealand Trucking

June 2021 63

BACK DOWN THE ROAD A BIT

The three Scanias heading to Wellington, pictured on the Remutaka ranges.

Peter Garrity (RIP March 2021) carefully sneaking through one of the Kaikoura tunnels.

90S LIVESTOCK

GLAMOUR You’ll find no more passionate truck ‘nut’ than roving Rod Simmonds. The personal archive he’s amassed from his work and leisure travels is vast, a true recorder of history as it happens.

M

any haircuts ago, Rod would take the train from Featherston to Wellington and sit on the side of the road hoping five rolls of film would last the day. After which, he’d then spend a fortune getting them developed and printed. [So

many of us remember that agony, and only then did you learn what came out okay – Ed.] Here’s what Rod told us: “The phone at our Martinborough home rings.

‘David here, want to come for a ride? Pack a bag and be at the yard 6am tomorrow. You’ll

need to navigate. None of us has been down south before.’

“And so the three-day trip to the Tekapo lamb fair began.

“As the crates were a tad over-height, we had to go via the Lewis Pass. It’s scenic for sure, but a pretty hard road for newbies.

“It was all pretty normal, ‘Come for a ride, meet you at the corner’, returning home 12 to 14 hours later after a run out to the coast, load up, through to Oringi, wash out, with fish 'n chips in Woodville

Bottom left: David Pope’s first truck as owner-driver to Transport Wairarapa in Masterton. A Leader A8 with a 325hp Cat engine and 14-speed Spicer. Bottom right: One of two S26-400 Cumminspowered Scammells ‘Camels’ in the David Pope fleet for a few years. on the way home in the dark.

It was great fun for a 16-yearold. Those V8 Scanias were the coolest trucks around.

“Whatever truck David put to work looked cool to me!

David Pope built up one of the country’s most impressive livestock fleets, working for Richmond Meats (now Silver Fern Farms) for over 20 years.”

Now part of the Martinborough Transport Ltd group, Wairarapa Livestock Transport continues to service the contracts today.

Stev Trail

D p o

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Mcle Trail Balc

“1990 Wellington Truck Show, Trentham. Best Fleet winners 1990. It was the first truck show attended by the small but growing Wairarapa fleet and they took out best Scania, Best Fleet and Best Ford from memory. There wasn’t a best Stock Truck category until next show!”

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COOL THINGS

Stev Trai

All aboard!

MINI MACK DOES THE MILEAGE Chris Westlake and his “Mini Mack” are an institution at Northland truck shows and other events throughout New Zealand.

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ew Zealand Trucking magazine first came across Chris Westlake at the Wellsford Roaring Lions Show a couple of years back, and again more recently at this year’s Kamo Touch a Truck Show.

Although technically not a truck, the converted Mini, replete with the classic

bulldog, mixes in well with the big fellas and is a crowd favourite.

Its powertrain is a 1275cc ‘Cummings’ engine (the nickname given to the Mini’s original A-series engine painted red by Chris), and it’s armed with discs on the front and drums on the back.

Chris does about 20 events a year, usually for charity,

using the Mini’s pull-trailer to give event patrons a unique ride for a gold coin donation.

Chris says he has fun doing it but takes his contribution to charity seriously.

In the five years he has owned the Mini Mack, he has earned hundreds of dollars for good causes. His favourite charity is KidsCan, a charitable trust working to help children in poverty.

As well as the shows, he fundraises by participating in the two-yearly Pork Pie Charity Run, involving Minis

Story by Michael Isle Photos by Chris Westlake only, and based loosely on the route taken by the Bondini gang in the iconic New Zealand movie Goodbye Pork Pie. This year, the event was in March and took the Minis on a 2500km trek from Paihia to Invercargill.

Chris completed the run in under six days.

Chris welcomes donations and sponsorship for the charity run and his other fundraising ventures. Contact him on 021 223 3300 or chriswestlake11@gmail.com.

D p o

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Mcl Trai Balc

Left: Chris and his dog Flash with the Mini Mack. Right: Always an attraction at any truck show.

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CLASSICS LOCKER

RUSSELLS’ RESTORATION THE

Volvo’s G88 continued a line of some of the marque’s most important 20th-century models; these comfortable cabovers gaining a dedicated following. Here’s the restoration story of one of New Zealand’s earlier G88s in some iconic colours.

Story and photos by Ken Bell IQ3526 was new at the New Zealand Road Transport conference in Invercargill in September 1977.

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alhoff and King introduced the Volvo G88 to the New Zealand market in 1972, and it stayed on its catalogue for most of that decade. Initially, the G88 was rated at 260hp (194kW), which was later lifted to 270hp (201kW). The model had a 16-speed synchromesh range change gearbox and Rockwell rear axles riding on Hendrickson suspension.

Aside from excellent power steering, other features making them a desirable ‘driver’s’ truck included fully sprung seating, individual heaters and a quiet work environment in the big sleeper cabs.

Northern Southland Transport Holdings bought a pair of Volvo G88 tractor units and an N1021 in 1977. The N10 and one of the G88s were on display at the New Zealand Road Transport Association Truck Show, held at the Invercargill Showgrounds in September 1977. These were among a

whole shipment of new Volvo trucks that were to wear the “IQ” prefix on their registration plates.

IQ3526 became Northern Southland Transport’s fleet No.3, based at Mossburn, while its purchase buddy would be based at Lumsden. Both primarily towed 42-foot Domett Fruehauf self-steer semi-trailers wearing Sutton stock crates. They also carried out general freight and oversize duties as required.

No.3 often towed a three-axle lowbed moving machinery as well as a bottom dump gravel semi on occasion, making it a versatile and variety-filled truck to drive.

Northern Southland Transport was formed in 1964 when George Hedley (Lumsden Transport), Cliff Bennetts (Mossburn Transport) and Terry Gilligan (Te Anau Transport) merged with Manapouri Haulage. The aim was to rationalise equipment in general rural

Bradleys Transport in Timaru carted tallow and coal and firewood with the G88.

The pair of G88s that Northern Southland Transport bought new carted livestock about 70% of the time. (Photo by the late Dave Carr.) cartage and undertake a fair proportion of the cartage to the giant Manapouri hydroelectric power scheme. This involved the movement of thousands of tonnes of materials and equipment. Another couple of small operators in the area were taken over as well, and some five years later, Wakatipu Transport at Queenstown joined the fold.

In 2014, Sandra and Chris Russell were looking for a truck to restore. They would have liked to have used the F12 they had operated as a milk tanker in their company Horizon Transport.

However, Chris had driven a G88 for a local farmer back in the mid-1980s and he always had a soft spot for them. He saw a pair of G88s for sale on an online auction, which he bought just ahead of a contractor who runs a fleet of them. One of these was IQ3526, and the other an ex-Ellesmere Transport unit. IQ3526 had been in the

South Canterbury area since its departure from Northern Southland Transport in the late 1980s.

It had been in the ownership of a Mount Cook Freightlines owner-driver before being sold to Warren Bradley, who used to haul bulk tallow tanks as well as work in his firewood business.

The bones of both Volvos were duly collected from Timaru with the aid of a lowbed on loan from the farmer Chris had worked for and the tractor unit of friend, neighbour and employer Brett Hamilton.

Brett, who had worked at the local Volvo service agency, would prove invaluable with both advice and practical skills throughout the whole restoration process. A donor cab was also retrieved from Timaru from classic truck restorer and advocate Bruce Anderson, along with much encouragement.

After a complete strip-down and

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1) The whole venture became a tribute to the late George Hedley, father of the G88’s co-owner Sandra Russell. 2) Most parts were photographed and labelled during the dismantling process. 3) Rust never sleeps: new inner rails had to be fabricated before reassembly. 4) The start of a complete nuts and bolt restoration. 5) Sandra and Chris stand in front of several years of hard work and dedication. The vehicle is a truly great addition to this country’s growing classic truck movement.

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With its stock crate off, No.3 was used to haul hay, wool and general freight as well as machinery.

The completed job – an excellent result.

Left: The upholstery and interior have been tastefully and accurately reproduced in velour fabric. clean-up of parts, it was decided to use the cab from the Ellesmere unit – which was the better of a poor selection – as well as many bits off the Anderson one. A progressive photo library was made of all stages, and all parts were numbered and catalogued.

Ken Bell drove the featured truck for about four and a half years at Mossburn, hauling stock and all types of cargo. It was an excellent job with a variety of work in some pretty spectacular countryside, with no two weeks the same. This made the whole job a great exercise for a young bloke watching and learning from some experienced men. N.B. NSTH No.3 was also involved in Ken’s courting days.

The chassis was in poor condition, with severe heave found when it was stripped and separated.

Local engineering company Fortune Brothers fabricated a new inner chassis rail.

Brett rebuilt the engine over the winter of 2017, putting in some long hours on chilly days and nights. Some parts, like bearings, were sourced globally and many others were picked as the best bits from the two engines. The camshaft was ground before reassembly. The gearbox would jump out of third and fourth gear, so a SR61 gearbox from an N10 was sourced from a local wrecker.

The rear axles were completely dismantled and rebuilt.

Many cosmetic parts, such as grille surrounds and footsteps, were fabricated.

Willie Stroud did the panel work, with a pleasing result. All the interior has been restored to a high standard with velour upholstery, curtains, engine covering and dashboard – all just as they were in 1977.

The whole project was done as a tribute to Sandra’s father, George Hedley, one of the co-founders of NSTH more than half a century earlier.

The new restoration publicly debuted at the Invercargill Truck Show in 2019 and has since paraded at truck shows and as part of the Southern Circuit Tour of the South Island. It has also travelled to Cromwell to meet now-retired Keith Turnbull, its original driver.

RUST IN PEACE

New Zealand is littered with trucks that have long since had their glory day. Some lay hidden in dusty back lots on the outskirts of town. Some stand in the middle of the nation’s paddocks, covered in moss, almost blending into the scenery. But each has a story to tell; each was once a valued partner on the road, someone’s first truck, someone’s million-miler. In this new series of pictorials, we’ll give these forgotten heroes one more moment in the limelight. And, where we can, share their stories.

NISSAN T DIESEL CK10G

A O R O P RE

he Bedford J6 in the dairy farm paddock on Broadlands Road, Reporoa, featured in the April issue, was not alone in its sorry state.

Just behind the dairy farm barn, sat a few used and abused farm implements, a brokendown tractor and this red Nissan Diesel CK10G. Not on display like the

Bedford, which almost looked like a piece of art, the Nissan Diesel sat covered in lichen, its windows murky, the oddpart missing here and there.

“Its batteries and brakes are gone,” said owner Calvin Thomas. A 1976 model, this CK10G was powered by a 6.8-litre diesel engine and had a 15,000kg GVM.

Story and photos by Gavin Myers

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FRE10392_ NZ Trucking FP_210x297mm_OL_FA.indd 1

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INTERNATIONAL TRUCK STOP

HERO OF HAULAGE Story by Will Shiers

Will Shiers takes a brief look at the life of Geoff Bell, who improved conditions for British truck drivers when he opened the Carlisle Truck Inn.

W

hen your only other option is kipping on the parcel shelf in a Bedford TK or on a homemade plywood sheet across the seats in an Atkinson Borderer, the thought of paying for a ‘proper’ bed in digs is probably quite appealing. Admittedly, you’d probably have to share the room with five other blokes and sleep fully clothed to

White DAFs in a row: Geoff’s second fleet of trucks.

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Photos by Geoff Bell, Joe Donaldson and Steve Dixon avoid catching hyperthermia or being bitten alive by the numerous creatures that shared the mattress with you. Still at least you’d get some decent shuteye. These were the conditions that British truck drivers were still enduring in the 1970s.

When 37-year-old entrepreneur Geoff Bell opened Britain’s first purpose-built truck stop in 1977, offering single- and

double-occupancy heated rooms, with clean sheets and a TV, he was onto a winner.

Throw live music and decent food and drink into the equation, and it’s no wonder that the Carlisle Truck Inn was an overnight success, frequently attracting 250 trucks per night, and making its owner a wealthy man in the process. But before we get to that, let’s rewind the clock to 1939, to when our

From left: The truck that redefined for Geoff what a truck should be – the F88 Volvo; Geoff about seven years old; Geoff Bell and his second wife, Celene; Geoff was best man at his nephew Ian Iceton’s wedding. The two were big pals. hero of haulage was born.

Geoff Bell grew up in Little Bampton, a tiny English village in Cumbria, about 5km from Carlisle, and just a stone’s throw from the Scottish border. His dad was a blacksmith, his mum worked for local farmers’ wives, and money was in short supply.

It was clear that Bell wasn’t work-shy at an early age, and before he’d even reached double digits, he was working on a local farm.

“I remember being really interested in a couple of Fordson tractors they had,” recalls Bell, who would visit the farm after school and at weekends. “By the age of 10, I could drive them and was ploughing fields.”

The hard-working Bell contributed to the family pot throughout his childhood, driving a tractor, picking potatoes, and doing a paper round. Two years later, a lifechanging event occurred when a farmer asked the 17-year-old Bell if he was interested in accompanying a lorry driver on a trip to Prudhoe, 20km west

of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the northeast of England.

“It was a Bedford 10-tonner, and we had a load of lime,” remembers Bell. “All the way back, I was thinking, ‘This is what I want to do; to be a truck driver.’”

Shortly afterwards, the farmer purchased a new Thames Trader, specifically for the enthusiastic Bell to drive. Being under 21, Bell was restricted to vehicles less than three tons, and with its 20-foot wooden dropside body, the Trader just crept in under the magic number.

Loads consisted mainly of slag from the steelworks, spread on local farmers’ fields, and hay.

The work was hard, the hours were long, but with £13 in his back pocket every week, Bell certainly wasn’t complaining. “I was on the road, and one very happy young lad,” he says.

When he turned 21, he landed a job with local haulier, Fred Brown, driving an elderly Albion six-wheeler.

It was slow and desperately underpowered, but at least it was a “proper truck”.

“It had the same engine as the four-wheeler and couldn’t pull my hat off,” recalls Bell. “It was snail’s pace up the hills and did not want to stop going down. Brakes? What brakes?” he recalls. But the best thing about driving the “old girl” was the money, with Bell clearing up to £23 per week.

He switched from job to job, gaining valuable experience and saving as much money as possible. He needed cash to fulfil his dream – to own a truck of his own.

“Then I found someone local who was selling a 10-ton Thames Trader with a B-licence, which permitted the carriage of building materials and farm requisites within a 120-mile (256km) radius and would allow me to work for any company that wanted these materials,” he explains.

There was just one hurdle – the £1000 price tag. Bell sold his Austin A35 van and added the money to his savings, totalling £350, but there was still a significant shortfall.

Unfortunately, the bank manager didn’t share Bell’s

passion or dream and refused a loan.

“But the seller suggested that I paid the money when I had earned it, and there was certainly no argument from me on that,” he says.

He started hauling for British Gypsum the next day, carrying bagged plaster and plasterboard, with return loads of grain. He was also working for local hauliers, including Fred Brown and Eddie Stobart, and shifting steel for British Steel Workington. It was tough work, which took its toll on the tired Thames. Shortly after paying it off, Bell traded it in for a newer model.

“I was on top of the world because this new truck was tip-top, with air brakes and a Minimec fuel pump,” he says.

With a good wage, Bell could afford a decent car too. So out went a knackered old Austin 7, and in came a second-hand Ford Zephyr Zodiac. “What a bird-puller that was,” he remembers fondly.

In the mid-1960s more trucks were purchased, including a six-wheel Ford D

Credit: Steve Dixon

One of the earlier DAFs. Credit: Joe Donaldson.

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Geoff – and the truckstop – makes the news. series, a Leyland Retriever, and an Albion with an all-important A-licence – which permitted him to carry out national work without restrictions.

Bell’s first tractor unit was a 1969 Ford D series with a 32-foot tandem trailer, but he wasn’t impressed.

The truck was plagued with mechanical issues and had to have its engine replaced three times under warranty.

It was beginning to sour his relationship with British-built trucks. Then, in June 1969, Bell had a test-drive in a Volvo F86 tractor. It was one of those epiphany moments.

“It was comfortable, had a very quiet turbocharged engine, an eight-speed synchromesh gearbox, and a tilt cab. I was very impressed,” he says. This was the final nail in the coffin of the unreliable D series, which Bell soon replaced with a Volvo.

He says the F86 proved to be incredibly reliable, and with so little downtime, profit increased. This gave him the

76 New Zealand Trucking

confidence (and the funds) to purchase more, and it didn’t take long until the fleet had expanded to five and then 10.

A garage was purchased, and a full-time fitter employed.

“We were getting good work, and the money was coming in very nicely,” he says. So much so that he purchased himself a oneyear-old Rolls-Royce. “What an achievement. In just a few years, I’d gone from making £2 7s 6p a week working on a farm, to running a fleet of Volvos and owning a RollsRoyce,” he says. But there was more success to come.

In the mid-1970s, a massive opportunity came Bell’s way when a half-built truckstop came onto the market. Up until recently, the government had been providing funding for truckstops, but this had been pulled, putting the project into liquidation. Now the 12-acre site, which included the shell of a three-storey building, was being offered for sale at £30,000. In addition to seeing June 2021

huge money-making potential, Bell also desperately needed a depot for his own truck fleet, and this ticked the box. A deal was done.

At the time, Carlisle, like many British towns, had a serious shortage of truck parking spaces, resulting in vehicles being parked up all over the town centre each night while drivers checked into bed and breakfast accommodation. “With this in mind, the local council bent over backwards to help me,” explains Bell.

Initially, just the 20 groundfloor rooms were developed – and to a high standard. With en suites, central heating, and a TV in each room, the truckstop was a massive improvement on anything else available to drivers.

What’s more, there was to be a communal games and TV room, a cafeteria, on-site security, a shop and a fully licenced bar for up to 200 people. “How could I go wrong? I was providing fivestar treatment for drivers.”

The Carlisle Truck Inn opened its doors on 16 March 1977, attracting 50 trucks and three overnight hotel guests.

But with nightly entertainment, word soon got around, and before long, the establishment was attracting 250 trucks per night.

Although Bell knew he was facing ever-growing competition from sleeper cabs, he still had the confidence to continue investing in the venture, developing the other two floors and taking the total number of rooms to 100. It was another wise decision, and the fully completed Carlisle Truck Inn was frequently at capacity. What’s more, everything was paid for, including a brand-new gold Rolls-Royce for Bell.

Such was the success of the truckstop that Bell was frequently approached by other local authorities asking whether he’d build a similar one in their area. But he wasn’t interested. “There was

no point as I had everything I wanted. I would only have been working for the taxman,” he explains.

In the early 1980s, Bell founded a new haulage firm (Bell Holiday) with partner George Holiday – running an all-DAF fleet. In the meantime, the inn continued to thrive.

So much so that in 1986, Bell was approached by BP, which was getting into truckstops, and asked if he would sell. His response? “Everything is for sale at the right price.”

By Bell’s own admission, the offer came at just the right time, as he was starting to get bored. He was looking for a new project. The “right price” of £1.9 million was agreed and Bell walked away from the Carlisle Truck Inn a very rich man.

While this is the end of Bell’s involvement in the truckstop, it’s certainly not the end of his fascinating life story. You can read about what happened next, including how Bell was defrauded out of a fortune by a man he thought he could trust, in a fascinating new book The Geoff Bell Story – from Farm Worker to Millionaire. This 290-page paperback, published by Paragon Publishing, is available from all good retailers, including Amazon.

PATCH HE ELLLL PATC GROUP OF COMPANIES Congratulations to NZ TRUCKING on their 400th issue

LEADING TRAILER MANUFACTURER IN NEW ZEALAND FOR

YEARS

TRANSPORT PRODUCTS PROVEN BY 49 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE

NEW ZEALANDS' LEADING TRAILER MANUFACTURER Contact us for further information ALL ENQUIRIES: Glenn Heybourn 021 301 274 | glennheybourn@patchell.co.nz Paul Bristol 021 328 619 | paulbristol@patchell.co.nz HEAD OFFICE: 150 View Road, ROTORUA 07 348 7746 enquiries@patchell.co.nz

PATCH HE ELLLL PATC GROUP OF COMPANIES

www.patchell.co.nz

LIGHT COMMERCIAL TEST

The front has had a redesign, with its subtle body creases and curves made particularly evident in the blue wrap, applied as part of a Blues promo.

Story and photos by Jacqui Madelin

DAILY DRIVER Iveco’s latest Daily maximises load space options while remaining urban-road friendly.

I

veco’s Daily van hasn’t been reviewed by New Zealand Trucking before.

But it’s been a worldwide load-hauling fixture since 1978 and has introduced the likes of exhaust gas recirculation and directinjection diesel to light vans.

This Daily is a revamped version with a redesigned face and new features and options mainly aimed at safety – Crosswind Assist is standard, for example, while the infotainment system now gets satellite navigation and a much-needed reversing

The rear window is not designed for vision out: doors stop at 90 degrees or a wide 270 degrees.

Optional dialyour-weight for a separately suspended seat.

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camera. Much needed, because our test example was the three-litre with 16-cubic-metre load capacity and, believe us, any panel van more than seven metres long needs a reversing camera and good side mirrors – both of which are standard here.

The Daily’s lines minimise its sheer size until you get up close, and realise the cabin sits quite high.

Despite its size, the Daily is yet another example of just how far the humble delivery van has come in recent years. This tester has driven camper vans this size, but not in round-town delivery environments, and was impressed at how quickly even a large-van novice could get confident in the Daily.

I was doubly impressed, after conducting some bumpy rural ‘delivery’ drives, at how efficient the optional independently suspended seat is at ironing out bumps, too. It’s quick to adjust – and if your drivers vary widely in weight and swap round regularly, they’ll be equally comfy in a second or two.

If they vary widely in skill set, you can be assured that the standard safety spec will help keep them safe while working. As well as ABS and traction control, the Daily includes Hill Holder

(assisting uphill departure in manual variants), load adaptive control, trailer sway mitigation, roll movement intervention, rollover mitigation and crosswind assist. The latter is especially appreciated wherever strong side winds are expected: think Auckland Harbour Bridge or the Wellington seafront.

Clamber into the cabin and you’ll find an enclosed space – a bulkhead (here with an optional window) certainly makes the cabin quieter, safer, and easier to heat or cool.

Everything is clearly laid out, with a full suite of modern comfort and convenience aids, and dual front and curtain airbags.

Having the seats option meant no bench seat and fold-down table, but for longer hours on the road, I’d take the suspended seat any day. Plenty of storage includes two dash-top lift-top

cubbies, large dual storage pockets in the doors and a shelf above your head for clipboards. You’ll also find satnav and – a blessing when working on the road – good voice control for the phone and an excellent speaker for clear communication.

There is no central rearview mirror – it’d be pointless, as the length of the load area makes useful vision back there impossible.

The side mirrors and reversing camera make a great team, but without an extra battery of (expensive) cameras, there’s no getting away from the sizeable blind spot created by the panel van sides.

(We’re guessing blind-spot warning isn’t far away for vans to make lane changes safer.)

There is very easy access to the load area out back via the two rear doors and an

The floor mat and plywood sides are local fitment; plenty of tie-down points.

The interior is roomy with good ergonomics.

extremely wide side door.

The steel ribbed floor was covered by an optional mat to improve grip, with the walls panelled in gently curved ply – recommended to avoid putting dents in such large sheets of metal. Those rear doors hinge out with stops at 90 and 270 degrees, and there are interior lights at the side and rear.

Our original plan for a load fell through when our test slot was rebooked, so we can’t confirm laden performance.

We can say that the Daily is impressively wieldy to manage, tackling hilly ‘swervery’ atop Auckland’s Waitakere Hills with the confidence of a much smaller vehicle.

The auto’s gear-step choices were faultless, whether accelerating from lights or bends or descending Piha’s precipitous hill enroute to its store. In fact, the whole plot is so easy to use, we raised onlookers’ eyebrows with some tight perpendicular parking between closely parked cars (although naturally, it stuck out some way).

Also impressive is the Daily’s handling over a causeway battered by strong gusts of driving rain horizontal. No doubt that came at least partly thanks to the Crosswind Assist, despite the tendency of an unladen van to act as a sail.

As standard, this Daily’s RRP is $74,815 plus GST. However, the option packs fitted took the total RRP to $82,165, and that’s without the plywood lining and floor skin. The base price lets each buyer decide the packs that are most beneficial, rather than throwing everything at the standard van.

The Hi-Efficiency Pack offers tyre pressure monitoring and a Run-Lock function. The Comfort Pack includes auto air-con, leather for the steering wheel, the tyre-pressure monitoring, open storage with inductive

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S P E C I F I C AT I O N S

Iveco Daily 35S14V Euro-6 Engine: 3-litre diesel with direct injection, electronically controlled variable geometry turbocharger and intercooler Fuel tank capacity: 100 litres (diesel), 20 litres (DEF) Power: 132kW (180hp) @ 3500rpm Torque: 430Nm @ 1500rpm Transmission: 8-speed ZF auto Suspension: Double wishbone with transverse leaf spring (front), parabolic sprint with air suspension (rear) Wheels/tyres: Steel 6.5J, 235/65 R16 with single spare wheel Brakes: 300mm disc (front) and 296mm disc (rear) with ABS Safety: detects an imminent impact – an electric park brake, and active cruise control.

Finally, the Hi-Vision Pack includes LED headlights and auto high beam. Were it my money, I’d likely opt for the Hi-Comfort Pack for those heated, suspended seats, tyre pressure monitoring and auto air-con, with the other extras a bonus.

If my Daily were primarily a city runner, the Hi-Safety would have to be included for its auto emergency braking.

As for the Hi-Vision Pack, if your Daily does regular openroad runs and often strays into darker hours, auto high beam is a plus.

Altogether, it’s an impressive bit of kit, easy enough to drive so even staff more familiar with traditional passenger cars will get comfy fast, despite that 16-cubicmetre load space.

Min turning radius: 13.8m (kerb to kerb), 14.466m (wall to wall) Max payload: 1067kg Kerb weight: 2433kg Gross vehicle weight: 3500kg Cargo length: 4680mm Cargo width: 1740mm Cargo height: 1900mm (load floor, unladen, 685mm) Cargo capacity: 16m3 Towing (braked trailer): 3500kg Length: 7252mm Wheelbase: 4100mm Width: 2010mm (cab) Height: 2663mm (unladen) Seats: 2 Factory options fitted: S afety Pack – $2250 +GST Comfort Pack – $2750 +GST Vision Pack – $990 +GST Efficiency Pack – $1360 +GST Dealer fitted options: Floor – $900 +GST Ply lined walls – $1300 +GST Price (as tested): $74,815 +GST ($82,165 +GST)

From left: The mirrors do an excellent job – vital given Daily’s length; Plenty of cabin storage includes dash-top cubbies and tray, plus ceiling tray full width of roof; The dash design has Italian flair.

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plus USB charge and – a distinct plus for this driver – those suspended, heated driver and passenger seats.

To adjust the suspension, simply turn the dial to your weight. A separately suspended seat takes a couple of kilometres to get used to. But it doesn’t take much in the way of road bumps to appreciate it, especially if you swap drivers often, as it’ll cater to the heaviest and lightest of your staff equally well.

As for seat heating, if your driver has to hop in and out of the cab in winter, the air in there will never warm up, but a warm seat makes for a warm driver regardless.

The Hi-Safety Pack includes Queue Assist (auto only), the active emergency braking system – which will automatically slam on the brakes if the vehicle

Stability control, 4 airbags

w w w. f r u e h a u f . c o . n z

Leaders in trailer manufacturing

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both trailers and truck bodies.

The innovative approach to the industry and by working closely with NZTA Fruehauf NZ Ltd has introduced some highly successful products to the industry including: • Specialised chicken trailer • Walking floors • Libner curtainslider • Specialised B Train Skeletal

Our latest introduction to the New Zealand market has been the Fruehauf/Schmitz Cargobull refrigerated Trailer. The trailer has been very well received by the market place and is maintaining strong growth in the industry.

Both Feilding and Auckland have a Service and repair workshop for all our customers needs from small jobs to large.

0621-28

ruehauf is a name that has been associated with quality, craftsmanship and dedication to excellence since its establishment in the United States in the late 1800s. Under the 11 year, management of Phil Watchorn and Jeff Mear, Fruehauf NZ Ltd has become a New Zealand leader in the manufacture of road transport equipment for

Innovative Road Transport Equipment, Repairs and Maintenance FRUEHAUF AUCKLAND BRANCH: 21 Hobill Ave, Manukau, Auckland | Phone +64 9 267 3679 MANUFACTURING PLANT: 10 Mahinui Street, Feilding, New Zealand | Phone +64 6 323 4299 HEAD OFFICE: 21 Hobill Avenue Wiri, Auckland, New Zealand | Phone +64 9 267 3679

NEW RI GS ON THE R OAD SLICK LOOKING CONTAINER COLLECTOR UD QUON GK17-420 4x2 tractor OPERATOR: Singh Roadways, Auckland ENGINE: UD GH11TD 11-litre 309kW (420hp) TRANSMISSION: UD ESCOT-VI 12-Speed AMT REAR AXLE: UD RSS1344C REAR SUSPENSION: UD 4-bag ECAS BRAKES: Disc EBS SAFETY: Traffic-eye cruise and braking, emergency braking system, lane departure, UD stability control BODY/TRAILER: Tractor set-up, Ideal Services.

Hammar side-lifter FEATURES/EXTRAS: Air management kit, stone guard PAINT/SIGNAGE: Truck: Speedy Signs, Auckland.

Trailer: Hammar OPERATION: Container cartage, greater Auckland DRIVERS: Day – Narinder.

Night – Harry SALES: Marvin Fynn

ROAD METALS’ ROCK-SOLID WINNER OPERATOR: Road Metals, Christchurch ENGINE: Mack MP8 13-litre Euro-5 399kW (535hp) TRANSMISSION: Mack mDRIVE 12-speed AMT transmission REAR AXLES: Mack 2370B REAR SUSPENSION: Mack Air Ride BRAKES: Disc FIT OUT: Gary Douglas Engineering FEATURES/EXTRAS: Hydraulics, alloy toolboxes with integral

Mack Trident 6x4 tractor steps, off-set front rims, additional marker lights and Hella driving lights, window monsoons PAINT/SIGNAGE: Factory and Total Truck Spray.

Signage: Timaru Sign OPERATION: Aggregate cartage, Canterbury DRIVER: Marty SALES: Paul Bennett

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June 2021

THE RUN FOR HOME, AND ‘OUTTA’ THE BLOCKS! Kenworth K200 2.3m sleeper cab 8x4 rigids A fantastic pair of new rigs to have in this special issue of New Zealand Trucking magazine. This pair of new trucks speak to hard work, success, presentation, and lineage. Alan Forbes has taken delivery of his last new Kenworth as he prepares for retirement. Meanwhile, nephew Matthew Sheldrake has picked up the keys to his first new Kenworth after purchasing the family business, GJ Sheldrake.

Both names are synonymous with log cartage in the central island over the last half-century, and with the next generation of Sheldrakes taking the reins in that business, delivery is in safe hands.

OPERATORS: Alan Forbes Transport, Tokoroa.

GJ Sheldrake, Tokoroa ENGINE: Cummins X-15 15-litre 431kW (578hp) TRANSMISSION: Eaton Roadranger RTLO 20918 18-speed manual REAR AXLES: Meritor 46-160 REAR SUSPENSION: Kenworth AG 460 BRAKES: Disc

LOG GEAR/TRAILER: Evans 5-axle multi-bay trailers.

FEATURES/EXTRAS: Twin stainless-steel snorkels and ram-air intakes, RedDOT roof-mounted air conditioning, fridges PAINT/SIGNAGE: Factory paint. Signage: Wrapped Auto Signs, Tauriko OPERATION: Log-cartage, central North Island SALES: Adam McIntosh

Free phone: 0800 50 40 50 New Zealand Trucking

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NEW RI GS ON THE R OAD

ON PARR

Hino FG1628 4x2 rigid

OPERATOR: Groundvision Developments, Auckland ENGINE: J08-WA 8-litre Euro-5 206kW (280hp) TRANSMISSION: Hino MX06 6-speed manual REAR AXLES: Hino SH 16 hypoid REAR SUSPENSION: Hino semi-elliptical multi-leaf BRAKES: Drum SAFETY: Vehicle stability control with anti slip regulation; ECE-29 cab strength rating BODY/TRAILER: 4.5m bathtub tipper (Ideal Services)

TWIST AND SHOUT OPERATOR: Twist Trucking, Waipawa ENGINE: Cummins X-15 15-litre 459kW (615hp) TRANSMISSION: Eaton UltraSHIFT 20E318B-MXP 18-speed AMT FRONT SUSPENSION: Parabolic spring/ECAS second steer

FEATURES/EXTRAS: Super single front tyres for turf protection PAINT/SIGNAGE: Factory Hino White.

Signage: Signmax, Pukekohe OPERATION: Site work on golf courses SALES: Aaron Thompson

International ProStar R8A2 BT 8x4 rigid REAR AXLES: Meritor RT46-160GP REAR SUSPENSION: IROS BRAKES: Drum BODY/TRAILER: Transport and General Transport Trailers. New body and refurbished trailer FEATURES/EXTRAS: Premium Plus

w w w. t r g r o u p. c o . n z 84 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

trim, bug deflector, twin stacks SIGNAGE: Signbiz, Tauranga OPERATION: Aggregate and fertiliser cartage, Central North Island DRIVER: Wayne Johnson SALES: Jarod Maclennan

OUT OF THE GLEN OPERATOR: Alexander Bulk Gases, Auckland ENGINE: DC13 13-litre Euro-6 403kW (540hp) TRANSMISSION: Scania Opticruise GRSO905 14-speed AMT REAR AXLES: Scania RB662 SUSPENSION: Scania air front and rear

Scania G540 day cab 8x4 tractor BRAKES: Disc SAFETY: Adaptive cruise and advanced emergency braking, lane departure warning, side-curtain airbag BODY/TRAILER: Factory guards.

Tractor set up by Elite Truck Specialists FEATURES/EXTRAS: Air deflector and side-skirts, vertical exhaust, LED

headlamps and spot lamps in grill, live axle-load display, camera on rear of cab PAINT/SIGNAGE: Factory paint/ Signage: SignFX, Auckland OPERATION: Cartage based out of New Zealand Steel, Glenbrook DRIVER: Shift-driven SALES: Jared Keenan

MIXING IT UP Shacman X3000 8x4 OPERATOR: New Zealand TT Concrete, Auckland ENGINE: Cummins ISM-11e5 328kW (440hp) TRANSMISSION: Eaton AMT 10-speed REAR AXLES: HANDE HDZ425 REAR SUSPENSION: Shackman parabolic spring BAKES: Disc SAFETY: Lane departure warning, tyre pressure monitoring, driver monitoring, telematics, reversing camera BODY: Concrete bowl, ex-factory FEATURES/EXTRAS: Central locking, Alcoa DuraBright alloy wheels OPERATION: Concrete cartage, Auckland SALES: Wier Wang

Free phone: 0800 50 40 50 New Zealand Trucking

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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

Stocking up!

Contracted to OTL Group out of Otorohanga, JSB Trucking recently commissioned this new Scania stock unit to be hooked to an existing trailer. Total Transport Engineers LP in Mount Maunganui was tasked with building the deck.

Nationwide Stock Crates, also at the Mount, crafted the beautifully finished four-deck livestock-containment department.

The 7.6m stainless-steel deck with alloy combing rails sports snazzy alloy toolboxes and a water tank for keeping the hands clean.

Features: 7.60m stainless-steel deck with extruded alloy combing rails.

Total Transport Engineers LP

One trailer says it all Next up is this stunning refrigerated four-axle curtain-side semi-trailer from the team at Fruehauf NZ for Coolpack Coolstores in Timaru.

The new trailer is bristling with tech, sporting a Schmitz Cargobull Refrigeration unit equipped with telematics and GPS tracking.

The Fruehauf NZ quad-axle semi-trailer rides on Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels, and the new owner is making the most of the space available on the curtains and rear doors to communicate safety values, as well as ownership and services.

and integrated suspension, WABCO EBS brakes.

Features: SAF INTRADISC 22.5” wide-track axles

Fruehauf NZ / Schmitz Cargobull Refrigeration

KIWI 16/17

Contact John O’Donnell 027 226 9995, Jim Doidge 021 190 1002 or Hayden Jones 0800 549 489 | sales@kiwityres.co.nz |

0800 KIWI TYRES (0800 549 489) | kiwitrucktyres.nz 86 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

KIWI 175

Hook, line and landfill Once upon a time, refuse recovery and deposit was the realm of the mundane and ignored, but nowadays, that’s no longer the case. In 2021, waste trucks can turn on the eye-candy alongside the best of them. Christchurch-based WasteCo’s new TMC hook body and trailer unit is no exception. Built on and towed behind a new Isuzu CYJ530 truck, the combination is able to accommodate three different sized refuse bins.

reasons – side protection, and tips the scales at 5720kg.

Stainless-steel light bars, matching guards throughout, and Alux polished alloy wheels certainly take care of the ‘bobby-dazzle’.

Features: (Trailer) 19.5” ROR disc brake axles and air suspension.

TMC

The trailer sports a sliding drawbar – for obvious

Refer to the panel There’s no question this four-axle step-deck panel semi, built by TMC for Thompson Engineering 2002 in Washdyke, Timaru, rates highly on the ‘spectacular’ scale thanks to its cool blue and white tones, alloy tailboard and polished alloy wheels.

With fully adjustable panel support frames, container, and auxiliary equipment capability, the semi sits on the go-line at a smart 8100kg.

Features: 17.5” ROR drum brake axles and Hendrickson HT air suspension.

TMC

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

KIWI 17

KIWI 175

Wide grooves will not hold stones Heavy duty case Excellent mileage performance 17mm extra deep tread

The KIWI 16’s tougher twin Super heavy duty case Puncture resistant 17mm extra deep tread

Multi use tread pattern Urban/highway/off road Puncture resistant 17.5mm extra deep tread

265/70R19.5

215/75R17.5 265/70R19.5

265/70R19.5

New Zealand Trucking

June 2021 87

RHINO PHOTO OF THE MONTH COMPETITION

HAY HAY HAY!

D

C Trucking owner Duncan Campbell sent in a Rhino photo competition entry

that is on the money in every possible way.

The telehandler is an essential of modern mainland farming, and Duncan

snapped the image while the versatile implement loaded his immaculately presented Kenworth T909 with hay.

There’s no argument this

image is ‘Kiwiana as’.

Congratulations Duncan, you are our Rhino winner for June 2021.

GO IN THE DRAW TO WIN $800 TO SPEND AT RHINO NZ

PHOTO OF THE MONTH Each month we will select the best photo from readers and publish it in NZ Trucking magazine plus social media.

The industry leader in mudguards (aluminium, stainless steel, plastic), chassis poles, saddle and clamp mountings, toolboxes and a large range of accessories.

Visit www.rhinogroup.co.nz to see the full range.

Entrants agree to their name and photo being used by NZ Trucking and Rhino for marketing purposes.

Photos must be Hi Res 3MB+ showing Trucks working in our great NZ environment.

Email pics to editor@nztrucking.co.nz

88 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

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MINI BIG RIGS

1 3

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CHASSIS COMPONENT

INSTALLATION Back on the bench this month is our Ken Kirk Merc project, and it is time to fit the chassis components in preparation of primer and paint.

O

ur chassis is assembled, but we are not going far without a battery box, steering linkages, and air and diesel tanks.

So, this month, we fit these components before painting.

We are looking at steps 5 and 6 of the instruction sheet.

Again, identify the parts we are going to apply to the chassis and remove them from the sprue.

Because we are painting the

chassis, we will break steps 5 and 6 into stages to simplify the painting process. As such, we will not fit the completed engine and gearbox, wheels, tyres or rear mudguards. The installation of these items will happen after the chassis has been primed and painted, not dissimilar to how the life-size Mercedes-Benz is assembled.

Once you have laid out the required parts, complete the sub-assemblies as detailed on the instructions and

allow them to dry thoroughly.

While waiting for these to dry, install the steering box and linkages, parts 72A, 73A, 74A, 75A, and 76A. We need to burr over the ends of the pins on the linkage arms (72A and 76A), as we did earlier in step 2. Ensure that the tip of the blade is hot, then apply the heat quickly to each of the pins individually to achieve a fast melt of the plastic. This will result in a good burr effect.

A word of warning: when glueing part 74A to 73A, be very careful and use the glue sparingly so you do not accidentally get glue on the burred end of 72A – this would result in the steering being

1) The first step is to acquire all the parts required from the various sprues and lay out in their groupings ready for assembly. 2) Quick application of the heated tip of a hobby knife will achieve a good burr of the linkage pins and ensure that the steering works correctly. However, be very careful with the glue on parts 74A and 73A, as you do not want to glue part 72A in place accidentally and forever freeze the steering in situ. 3) The smaller chassis components now glued and fixed into place, with the larger sub-assemblies drying in readiness to be fitted to their chassis locations. 4) The completed chassis ready for primer and paint, and once dry, the fitment of the engine, wheels and tyres etc. 5) Our subject matter: Pilkington Automotive Glass/Ken Kirk circa 1992.

By Carl Kirkbeck

forever locked in position.

Once the large subassemblies are dry, install them onto the chassis. Gravity may mean larger items tend to be pulled down and want to fall off while the glue is setting.

Avoid this by fitting one at a time with the chassis lying on its side. Once that glue has firmly set, repeat the process for the opposite side.

There we have it, a completed chassis now sporting the major components ready for a session in the paint shop.

Do you build model trucks?

Would you like to share your stories and model builds with our readers? Please feel free to contact us by emailng carl@nztrucking.co.nz.

These pages are dedicated to supporting the hobby, and we would like to hear from you.

NZT 21

Kate Eggers – Lift N Shift

With their striking fleet of yellow crane trucks, Lift N Shift are bound to stand out from the crowd.

The Nelson-based company services the top of the South Island and has been owned and operated by husband and wife team, Steve and Kate Eggers, for 20 years. Their son, Reuben, has recently joined the business, carrying on the family involvement to the next generation.

When Steve left school he went to work for a 4-wheel drive and truck wrecking company, owned by two brothers, who also operated a crane truck business. He completed his diesel mechanic apprenticeship there and, when the brothers decided to spilt the business, the Eggers bought the crane trucks.

“That’s all Steve has worked for all his life. I had to come to love it,” Kate laughs. “He told me it would be worthwhile having our own business because we’d be free to do what we liked – I swallowed that hook line and sinker.”

“The fact I’ve used it for five years speaks for itself really.

I would recommend it – and I have recommended it.”

Favourite truck?

I like all the yellow ones!

Favourite place to get a pie?

Not a pie, but The Coffee Guy visits here every morning, I get a hot chocolate and Steve has a coffee.

Favourite MyTrucking feature?

Being able to attach a file.

Favourite saying or catchphrase?

We’re there when you need us.

Lift N Shift will shift almost anything you can think of, from frames and trusses to garden rocks, helicopters and even an old fashioned windmill once.

“We provide a lot of transportation for machinery – there’s no limit to what we have shifted. I often think our drivers must have an interesting job, because they do all sorts.”

The Eggers have 15 trucks, and recently added two mobile cranes to the business. “We had the opportunity to buy them from a construction company and felt it would extend our business.

They can lift heavier and more at a bigger reach.

“Our wee motto is ‘we’re there when you need us’. I like to think we are reliable and we run a professional business.”

Son Reuben recently graduated from Canterbury University as a mechanical engineer and has joined Lift N Shift on the logistics and dispatching side.

“Steve has always run it himself. It’s been a big thing to let go, but great to have Reuben involved in the business.”

Kate takes care of accounts and, prior to Reuben’s arrival, also worked on the dispatch side. She calls MyTrucking her lifesaver.

They have been using the software since 2016. Prior to that they were operating the traditional hand-written diary system. “Steve’s hand writing closely resembles that of a doctor, very short hand and difficult for the rest of us to work out.”

They saw an advertisement for MyTrucking and thought it was worth a try – they’ve never looked back.

“I’ve found it a lifesaver, especially as our business has expanded.

Now, the drivers have got all the information and details they can actually read.”

The feature Kate loves most is the ability to attach files to jobs.

“We shift a lot of containers so I can attach the container release, job orders, emails with specific instructions on how to access a site, and release information for stuff off the port. It’s invaluable to us and is a huge time saver, as we don’t have to re-type everything.”

Kate says MyTrucking is simple to use and she also likes the search function, meaning she can see the job histories easily.

my trucking www.mytrucking.com

NZT 21029 MyTrucking - Kate Eggers.indd 1

7/05/21 1:14 PM

LITTLE TRUCKERS’ CLUB

TRUCKING

NEW ZEALAND

JUNE 2021

JUNE 2021 400TH ISSUE

400

TH

HI LITTLE TRUCKERS!

‘BULLY’ WITH A TALE

New Zealand Trucking including Truck Trader

Winter is now upon us. I have my fire roaring – it’s so cosy, and it’s great to curl up in front of it with a copy of New Zealand Trucking and catch up on our monthly fun facts and puzzles. Congratulations to 10-year-old Leo Bent, who found our Little Truckers’ Club logo on page 70 of the April issue. Keep an eye on your mailbox – something cool is on its way to you.

Don’t forget that if you would like to see yourself here in Little Truckers’ Club, all you need to do is email your photos and/or drawings to me at rochelle@nztrucking.co.nz along with a small paragraph telling us about them, your name and age – it’s easy. I do enjoy seeing them all.

Have a fantastic month, kids.

ISSUE

$9.50

TEST OF PAST PERFECTION TOMORROW TODAY REBORN

Includes

gst

9 413000 047578

Official magazine of the

Long Haul Publications

NEW ZEALAND

400

TH

ISSUE

CELEBRATION

Did you know that the very first edition of New Zealand Trucking magazine was published in March 1985? That was 36 years and three months ago – or 400 issues, to be precise.

In celebration of passing the 400th-issue milestone, we want YOU to design the ultimate New Zealand Trucking magazine cover. Choose your favourite truck, go wild with colours, use your imagination and get creative.

We’ll choose our favourite and – if it’s possible – we’ll make it into reality.

Send your designs, with your name, age and location, to editor@ nztrucking.co.nz before 10 July.

An Isuzu Elf from 1959.

OUR TOP TOPTRUCK TRUCK– Whatever – Big Peterbilt it islooks goesperfect here by Day DECEMBER 2018

TRUCKING

NEW ZEALAND

DECEMBER 2018

INCLUDING

New Zealand Trucking including Truck Trader

OUR TOPTRUCK TRUCK – Whatever it is goes here OUR TOP – ARGOSY – Nelson’s latest logging Freightliner

OUR TOP TRUCK – Granite deposit in Northland

NEW ZEALAND

NEW ZEALAND

NZ Express

Turning

$8.10

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S HEAD

including Truck & Machinery Trader

in the big blue

JUNE 2015

New Zealand Trucking

INCLUDING

FIND THE LITTLE TRUCKERS’ CLUB LOGO

TITAN up top IAA Wrap-up

Official supporter

GORDON HAYES – icon of the South $8.50

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Long Haul Publications

Our Top Truck – K200 a garden in Eden NEW ZEALAND

TRUCKING TRUCKING TRUCKING ALL TEETH MAY 2018

NZ TRUCKING including Truck & Machinery Trader

MAY 2018

HINO Motors was founded in 1942 as the Hino Heavy Industry Co. The company can trace its roots right back to 1910 and the founding of the Tokyo Gas Industry Company.

ISUZU built its first truck in 1959, the Isuzu Elf. We know this model today as the N-Series. The factory was built the year before at Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.

UD Trucks was founded in 1935 in Ageo, Saitama, Japan.

The brand used to be known as Nissan Diesel. UD is commonly thought to mean “Ultimate Dependability”.

Mitsubishi FUSO Truck and Bus Corporation was established in 1932. The headquarters are located in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan. Currently, Daimler AG owns 89.29% of the company, and Mitsubishi 10.71%.

INCLUDING

OCTOBER 2015

Euro 5 Fighter on the ground for DHL

Fairfax Media

Top Truck 2014 – 2015 ALT’s brightest Star A Nyhon 25 year improvement project Industry icon passes

Includes

CHRISTCHURCH does it again

NO LIMIT Josh Gemmell going places

UP FOR THE FIGHT

Fairfax Media

a must-read

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October 2015

including Truck Trader

SWEP’s Steve Divers on progress

Includes

$8.50

TOR TRUCKS The Canadian giant $8.50

June 2015

New Zealand Trucking

The Little Truckers’ Club logo is hidden somewhere in this issue — find it and let me know where it is, and you may win a prize. You can email me at rochelle@nztrucking.co.nz.

gst

Kiwi history on wheels

Long Haul Publications COVER jun15trkg.indd 1

92 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

5/05/2015 12:25:56 p.m.

COVER oct15trkg.indd 1

1/09/2015 1:23:21 p.m.

ONE STOP SHOP COF INSPECTIONs Truckstops offers everything you need to get your truck and trailer Certificate of Fitness sorted. We offer a complimentary reminder service where you can book in a time that suits you. Our Pre-CoF inspections provide a

detailed assessment on the condition of your vehicle. With your approval we can undertake any repairs required before handing over to our dedicated CoF team to facilitate your CoF Inspection. Truly a one stop shop!

OUR FULL COF SERVICE INCLUDES: Complimentary CoF reminder service

Corrective repairs if required

Book in a time to avoid waiting in queue

CoF Inspection*

Pre-CoF Inspection * Not all branches can issue CoF Certificates on site but will facilitate the CoF through to completion on your behalf.

keeping trucks moving

Ask about our Pre-CoF Plus to get your Pre-CoF and A-Service ticked off at the same time.

truckstops.co.nz

WHAT’S ON McDonough Contracting Gore Truck Show 5 June 2021 Transport & Engineering Repairs, Falconer Road, Gore Contact: goretruckshow@gmail.com Facebook: Gore Truck Show

NZ Civil Contractors Conference 29 and 30 July 2021 Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington Website: contractorsconference.nz

Alexandra Blossom Festival ATL Haulage Trucks 39th Annual Truck Parade 25 September 2021 Fulton Hogan Yard, Dunstan Road, Alexandra Website: blossom.co.nz

RTF Conference 25 and 26 September 2021 Ascot Park Hotel, Invercargill Contact: forum@rtf.nz Website: rtfconference.co.nz

94 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

Gisborne East Coast Truck Show 27 November 2021 A&P Showgrounds Gisborne Contact: Peter de Denne, 027 434 4727

Bombay Truck Show 12 February 2022 Bombay Rugby Club Contact: bombaytruckshow@gmail.com

TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show 11 and 12 March 2022 Canterbury Agricultural Park Contact: truckingindustryshow.co.nz, or email info@nztruckingassn.co.nz

All scheduled events may be subject to change depending on weather conditions etc. Please 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.

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98 Moving Metrics 102 Special Report – Road to success 106 Industry Comment – Moving trucks, moving economy 108 EROAD Fleet Day 2021 110 NZ Trucking Association Summit – A new NZTA 112 Truckers’ Health 114 Health and Safety 116 Legal Lines 118 NZ Trucking Association 120 Road Transport Forum 122 The Last Mile B R OUG HT TO YO U B Y

MOVING METRICS

THE SALES NUMBERS New Zealand Trucking reveals how the economy is travelling via key metrics from the road transport industry. From time to time, we’ll be asking experts their opinion on what the numbers mean.

(ii) has three wheels and a gross vehicle mass exceeding one tonne.

Note: vehicle classes are not the same as RUC vehicle types or driver licence classes.

Summary of heavy trucks and trailers first registered in April 2021 This information is compiled from information provided by the NZ Transport Agency statistical analysis team and through the Open Data Portal.

The data used in this information reflects any amendments to the data previously reported.

Vehicle type This summary includes data from two heavy-truck classes and one heavy-trailer class.

Vehicle class

Description

NB (medium-goods vehicle)

A goods vehicle that has a gross vehicle mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes.

NC (heavy-goods vehicle)

A goods vehicle that has a gross vehicle mass exceeding 12 tonnes.

TD (heavy trailer)

A trailer that has a gross vehicle mass exceeding 10 tonnes.

A table of all vehicle classes can be found in Table A of the Land Transport Rule Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2016 Rule 41001/2016 https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/rules/docs/vehicledimensions-and-mass-2016-as-at-1-june-2019.pdf

First registration of NB, NC and TD class vehicles year on year to date

A goods vehicle is a motor vehicle that: (a) is constructed primarily for the carriage of goods; and (b) either: (i) has at least four wheels; or

First registration of NB and NC class vehicles for April by major manufacturer

98 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

First registration of TD class heavy trailers for April year-on-year by major manufacturer

First registration of NB, NC and TD class vehicles for April year on year

First registration of NC class vehicles year to date 2018 – 2021 by major manufacturer

First registration of TD class heavy trailers year to date 2018 – 2021 by major manufacturer

New Zealand Trucking

June 2021 99

This information is put together from information provided by the NZ Transport Agency. New Zealand Trucking acknowledges the assistance of the media team at NZTA for providing this information to us.

ROAD USER CHARGES Total value and distance of road user charges purchased between 1 January 2018 and 30 April 2021 by purchase year

RUC purchase for April 2021, all RUC types In April 2021 there were 41 different types of RUC purchased for a total distance of 1,319,394,466km at a value of $184,484,958.

A description of RUC vehicle types is available at https://www.nzta. govt.nz/vehicles/licensing-rego/ road-user-charges/ruc-rates-andtransaction-fees/ Please note data may differ slightly from that reported for the same period previously due to adjustments being made to the base data.

Purchase period

Distance purchased (km)

Value of purchases

1 Jan 2018 – 31 Dec 2018

15,736,558,458

$1,875,364,397

1 Jan 2019 – 31 Dec 2019

16,166,434,103

$2,041,939,272

1 Jan 2020 – 31 Dec 2020

15,421,400,378

$2,069,615,049

1 Jan 2021 – 30 Apr 2021

5,459,840,110

$755,187,918

RUC distance purchased for RUC type 1 vehicles

Purchase period

Distance purchased (km)

Average monthly distance (km)

1 Jan 2019 – 31 Dec 2019

11,502,905,782

958,575,482

1 Jan 2020 – 31 Dec 2020

10,952,303,565

912,691,964

1 Jan 2021 – 30 Apr 2021

3,867,694,557

966,923,639

RUC type 1 vehicles are powered vehicles with two axles (except type 2 or type 299 vehicles. Type 299 are mobile cranes). Cars, vans and light trucks that use fuel not taxed at source (i.e. diesel fuel) are generally in this RUC type.

RUC purchases all RUC types

100 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

The top eight RUC type purchases, other than type 1 in descending order RUC Type Description 2

Powered vehicles with one single-tyred spaced axle and one twin-tyred spaced axle

6

Powered vehicles with three axles, (except type 308, 309, 311, 399 or 413 vehicles)

43

Unpowered vehicles with four axles

14

Powered vehicles with four axles (except type 408, 414 or type 499 vehicles)

951

Unpowered vehicles with five or more axles

H94

Towing vehicle that is part of an overweight combination vehicle consisting of a type 14 RUC vehicle towing a type 951 RUC vehicle with a permit weight of not more than 50,000kg

33

Unpowered vehicles with three twin-tyred, or single large-tyred, close axles (except vehicle type 939)

408

Towing vehicles with four axles that are part of a combination vehicle with a total of at least eight axles

Average monthly RUC purchases by year (all RUC types)

RUC distance purchased year to date for selected RUC types

RUC purchases April 2021 for selected types

The red dots represent the cost of RUC purchased for that RUC type for the year to date April 2021 only. Thus for RUC type-6 vehicles, powered vehicles with three axles, (except type 308, 309, 311, 399 or 413 vehicles), the higher value results from the high cost of RUC for these type vehicles above 12 tonne.

SPECIAL REPORT Left: Nick Leggett’s opening address emphasised that the programme is very much about industry taking the lead in finding solutions to the challenges it faces.

ROAD TO SUCCESS THERE FOR THE TAKING

By Dave McCoid

Background Like most western economies, for the past two decades or more, New Zealand has had a shortage of class-5 heavy truck drivers. With the freight-task forecast to double between 2017 and 2050 and the average age of truck drivers currently sitting around the mid-50s, the magnitude of the issue confronting the road transport industry, and the economy, is fast becoming biblical.

Trucking is a highly competitive, low-margin industry and there are many reasons for its lack of appeal in wider society, with the main contributors being long hours and absence from home, remuneration, and a lack of formal qualification.

The solution to any or all of these problems won’t come with a silver bullet; this is now a chronic, generational issue.

“The work that the Road Transport Forum (RTF) and others have done reveals that

102 New Zealand Trucking

we’re going to have to do some work and get innovative if we want a workforce that looks and feels more like the New Zealanders we serve,” said Michael Wood, the Minister for Transport, Workplace Relations, and Safety.

Te ara ki tua Road to success Thursday 27 April 2021 has the potential for being a landmark day for the New Zealand Road Transport industry. The RTF officially launched its industry trainee programme, Te ara ki tua Road to success, at the home of Auckland transport operator Carr & Haslam. In attendance were cabinet ministers for social development and employment, and transport, workplace relations and safety, the chair and senior RTF personnel, representation from the three industry associations, a modest June 2021

number of road transport operators, three programme trainees, and media.

In terms of optimising transport industry operator presence, Thursday wouldn’t be your first choice of days for such an event, but if you want two cabinet ministers in the same place at the same time, that’s what it had to be.

However, in terms of what is needed for the industry to help address some its most pressing issues, the timing of Te ara ki tua Road to success could not be better.

“Trucking has an ageing workforce, and we want to bring a new and diverse range of people into the road-freight industry. We want trainees to be clear on a career path and be rewarded for their success,” said Road Transport Forum (RTF) CEO Nick Leggett.

How does it work?

Training is a mix of practical and theoretical components

designed to lead directly to qualifications relevant to the industry. Qualifications are in the form of NZQA-endorsed micro-credentials, completed online and delivered through MITO, which has made the micro-credentials fee free until the end of 2021.

Potential trainees register with Te ara ki tua Road to success, either directly or via referral from another initiative, e.g. Kiwi Can Do, or the Ministry of Social Development.

Their application is screened and considered

by Te ara ki tua Road to success staff employed by the RTF, and if all goes well, they are matched to a suitable registered transport business and given full-time paid employment as a trainee.

Then starts a 12-month engagement between the Te ara ki tua Road to success team, the trainee, and the employer as the trainee progresses through microcredentials, licence levels and working life. At the end of the year, there’s a graduation and the trainee either secures an ongoing full-time position with their employer or alternate employment is sourced.

Depending on the trainee’s pathway into the programme, there may be government assistance for the employer if the employee is a registered job seeker with the Ministry of Social Development.

Present at the launch were three trainees: Betty Heremia Sola, Liana Manarangi and Shaun Tomai. All three were from the Kiwi Can Do programme and are currently employed by Carr & Haslam.

“Betty, Liana and Shaun arrived well prepared to do the job,” said Carr & Haslam managing director Chris Carr.

From left: Chris Carr, managing director at Carr & Haslam; Michael Wood, Minister of Transport, Workplace Relations and Safety; Betty Heremaia Sola, Road to Success trainee at Carr & Haslam; Carmel Sepuloni, Social Development and Employment Minister; Shaun Tomai, Road to success trainee at Carr & Haslam; Liana Manarangi, Road to success trainee at Carr & Haslam; Nick Leggett, CEO of the Road Transport Forum; and Greg Pert, chair of the Road Transport Forum.

“Not to the standard we will be asking them to get to, but certainly to a standard that any education facility could prepare them for. We were dealing with people who knew what they were doing to start with.

“One thing they came with was a great attitude; you can train people, but you can’t train attitude.

“The thing with this programme is the mentoring support that will follow it up so we can all help them maintain that attitude while we increase their knowledge in what we do. And while part of what we do is specialised, the support that comes with these new drivers is such that they will earn and take qualifications away from us that they can take to another job, wherever they go. These are qualifications that will remain with them permanently.”

They’ve done their bit “Often there’s a view that young people need to change to fit the workforce. We’re

taking the opposite view,” said Leggett. “We recognise that the industry has to change to fit the desires of the modern workforce – that means qualification, structure, on-the-job training, and licence progression, as we are short of willing class-5 drivers in this country. The challenge for our industry is many of you only have class5 vehicles, so it’s harder to train, but not impossible if we work together.”

Speaking at the launch, Carmel Sepuloni, the Minister for Social Development and Employment, proved high office was well briefed on the predicament road-transport faced.

“The Road Transport Forum conducted research in 2020 directly with road-freight transport operators. Thirtyfive percent of respondents identified a shortage of drivers being a problem for their business, and 53% had a shortage of drivers in the past three years,” she said.

Both Leggett and Sepuloni lauded the collaboration and cooperation between

government ministries, agencies, and industry in bringing the traineeship programme together.

“Minister Wood and I were talking before formalities started that we love it when things are joined up, when government agencies work together, and where programmes feed into each other,” said Sepuloni.

Putting aside the mildly unnerving aspects of that comment, the good news is this has all come about without reinventing the wheel to any great extent – something not always easy to pull off when aspirational people are looking for somewhere to put their signature.

Te ara ki tua Road to success, therefore, is both a collaborator of internal and external programmes that already exist – Job Seeker, Kiwi Can Do, and unit standard MITO education – and a facilitator for the people journeying through those programmes into the industry via a trainee scheme.

There have been tweaks

within some programmes to make them work – for instance, the microcredentials within MITO’s unit standards that allow online study within busy lives.

Te ara ki tua Road to success also takes a broad view of the industry, and trainees are fully informed about the world of potential beyond the wheel, from freight-shed floor to boardroom table, a course navigated by many of today’s industry leaders, albeit informally.

Will it work?

“This is very much about industry taking the lead and finding solutions to its own challenges,” said Leggett.

If you take the view that the windscreen’s 90% bigger than the rear-view mirror because one’s for looking forward and the other back, Te ara ki tua Road to success appears to be a powerful solution to many issues restricting industry recruitment – access, clarity of pathway, cohesion, and education to name few.

The big risk is industry

New Zealand Trucking

June 21 103

will not take a moment for a bit of reflection on the past 20-plus years, and won’t invest in the scheme for the benefit of a wider solution.

Of course, industry-wide ‘buy in’ is not something the industry is inherently or historically comfortable with. With a human resource crisis approaching its third decade, getting on board with something that ticks all the boxes this does might seem like a no-brainer, but this is an industry known for parochial stances often founded in sector, character, competitive, or inter-regional jaundice.

Hope however might come from the level of industry engagement that’s occurred right from the outset. When names such as Sheldrake, Carr and Pert can be found in the genesis, formulation, and as flag bearers of Te ara ki tua Road to success, real attention needs to be paid by

one and all.

“Yes, there’s a cost,“ said Chris Carr. “But what’s the cost if we don’t?”

The answer, then? Yes, Te ara ki tua Road to success is a positive and appropriate initiative that has come about through the sweat and toil of many, including champions from within our ranks who know the industry’s plight first-hand. The biggest hurdle is convincing operators from Cape Reinga to Bluff that the way forward is in fact viewed through the windscreen.

New Zealand is generally regarded as one of the only countries to keep Covid-19 at bay, but would an equally significant contribution to the long-term economic health of the world be that of the country that finally nailed the driver shortage? That potential might be in our industry’s hands.

With an industry-wide

“Yes there’s a cost, but what’s the cost if we don’t?” says Carr & Haslam MD Chris Carr. His company has taken on three trainees and he laid down a clear challenge to the road transport industry to back the programme. scrum, and the success of collaborative programmes such as Te ara ki tua Road to success, we may see a day when our wider society’s first thought – rather than their last – is to leave the toilets and amenities open, when only the truckies are left working.

Chris Carr’s final comment:

“A moving truck is a moving economy, and I’d like to congratulate the team at the RTF and MSD for the work they’ve done in getting this programme established. I challenge my fellow operators to now get off their arses.”

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INDUSTRY COMMENT

A moving truck is a moving economy

By Carmel Sepuloni, Minister for Social Development and Employment

A

bout 365,000 people in New Zealand currently receive a main benefit. About 122,000 of those are what we would consider work-ready. The rest have barriers to employment. For example, they could be disabled, sick, caring for someone who is disabled or sick, or a sole parent caring for a child.

The 122,000 people on the Job Seeker Work Ready Benefit represent a big pool of people ready and able to work. But, that doesn’t mean they can immediately fit into any industry and begin work tomorrow.

Many people who have gone onto the benefit during Covid-19 have come from the retail, hospitality or tourism sectors. These are the sectors that have been hit hardest, and to help these people move back into employment may require an intervention in the form of a training course to build their skills and move them into the available jobs.

This is why we have industry partnerships. They exist to help remove barriers to employment and address the needs of businesses, which are keen to employ New Zealanders in jobs they desperately need to fill.

Lately, many of these industry partnerships are focussed on construction. It’s no secret the construction sector is growing at a rate not seen since the 1970s. We need to build houses, we need to build them now, and we need to get people skilled and ready to take on the available jobs that this growth creates.

But, like all of New Zealand’s industries, the construction sector relies on the hard-working people in the road-transport sector to do its job.

The trucking industry delivers the vital product, plant and equipment to construction sites. You are the part of

106 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

…like all of New Zealand’s industries, the construction sector relies on the hard-working people in the roadtransport sector to do its job. the economy that makes commerce possible, and throughout Covid-19, you kept working. Now we’re looking at an economy that is doing much better than we thought possible.

The Road Transport Forum has been quick to highlight a shortage of drivers and that something needs to be done.

This is where some of the 122,000 people on Jobseeker can help. But, as you can all appreciate, it takes time and training to pilot a truck and trailer unit around town and across the country.

So the government and the Road Transport Forum are joining up to do something about it. On 29 April, I had the pleasure to join Transport Minister Michael Wood and CEO of the Road Transport Forum Nick Leggett at Carr & Haslam in Auckland to launch a new industry partnership focussed solely on your industry.

Te ara ki tua Road to success is our first pilot programme that aims to provide a career path to people receiving a main benefit to take up work as drivers starting on a class-2 licence, progressing to a class-5 licence.

This is a fantastic opportunity and the young people I spoke to on the programme were really excited about it.

The vast majority of people receiving a main benefit want to work. But, sometimes, they just need a little bit of help to find a career and reach their full potential.

This industry partnership is a great opportunity to bridge that gap and remove the barriers for people who want to join your fantastic industry.

Thank you to everyone who was involved in bringing this pilot to life.

I’m looking forward to seeing it develop further over the coming year. 

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EROAD FLEET DAY 2021

FLEET FOCUS The 2021 EROAD Fleet Day, cancelled last year, returned to the Claudlands Park convention centre in Hamilton during May.

W

ith a line-up of 10 speakers, Fleet Day 2021 kicked off with a word by the chosen charity for 2021, the Brake Charity.

New Zealand director Caroline Perry said the road-safety record in New Zealand was not great.

“Travel restrictions in 2020 didn’t make a huge difference. Our numbers are high compared with Australia and Europe. We have lots to do in New Zealand,” she said, stating that there had been 109 road deaths so far in 2021. Perry said that the social cost of crashes amounted to $4.9 billion.

Every death cost $4.56 million, while serious and minor injuries cost $477,600 and $25,500.

She advised fleets to calculate the true costs of incidents. To do so, they should focus on reporting and recording and make drivers understand the importance of this, identify the extent and causes of incidents, and reward drivers for reporting even near-misses. Drivers should be interviewed following serious incidents,

108 New Zealand Trucking

and fleets should review incident reports regularly.

“Brake can assist with support, policies and procedures, and employee assistance,” she said.

Looking after the team Representing WorkSafe, Ruth Cook stated that 1500 people a day in transport and warehousing were not at work because of injury during 2020. “Real change in vehicle-related harm requires courageous action – those with the most influence need to lead. We can’t push down the risk to the people least able to influence their situation or business stability,” she said.

In helping companies prioritise their actions, Cook suggested following a hierarchy of controls and prioritising the most effective steps (the ones at the top of the scale).

“Your legal duty is first to consider if the risk can be eliminated. Consider, can the journey be avoided altogether? Can you separate vehicle movements from an area where pedestrians are?

Can you install overhead walkways? If not, possibly consider other options going down the hierarchy, ending at admin controls because these are the least effective.”

Cook reminded the delegates that they weren’t only responsible for their June 2021

workers but also for how the nature of the work influenced those workers. “Do you know when operators go onto someone’s site that there are safe systems in place to look after them? Do you know if the subcontracted drivers are safe? If you buy transport, does the contract make sure the vehicles are fit and the work is well planned, so people aren’t under undue pressure? It’s going to that extent that we’ll make change.”

Investments pay back Iain Rossiter, NZTA’s compliance manager central North Island, took to the stage with senior sargent Lex Soepnel, CVST area manager, to continue talking about crashes and compliance.

“While the numbers have tailed off a bit, between 2013 and 2018, the road toll went up 40%, though total kilometres only rose by 10%,” said Rossiter. Heavy vehicle crashes had gone up with fleets’ numbers and accounted for 19-22% of the road toll. Rossiter pointed out that the truck driver was not necessarily at fault in these instances.

Soepnel added that in 2020, 2246 crashes involved heavy vehicles (with 56 deaths). Looking at a national average, 55% of heavyvehicle drivers were at fault or partially at fault. “Prevention

Story

by Gavin Myers

is key,” said Soepnel. “We’re working with other agencies and industry, and in 2020, we conducted 46,113 HMV stops and 71,458 inspections.”

The duo commented on the importance of using available technology (dashcams, electronic logbooks, etc.) to avoid collisions and how valuable this may be in crash investigation.

Simon Coyle, general manager of StraitNZ, also joined the stage and spoke about how emphasising systems changed his business after a health and safety prosecution in 2014.

“It was a long journey, but we had to put a line in the sand.

The hardest part was getting our people on board. We now have good procedures among the management team.”

Coyle said some of the key differences included screening employees, looking at processes, and pre-employment inductions.

Drivers’ hours had been reduced to an average of 58, wages were lifted, and bonuses added. The company had been 26 months lost-time injury-free along linehaul and freight haul.

“You need to make the investments; the payback is 10-fold. Our culture has lifted unbelievably. We put it down to health and safety.”

Coyle commented on the issues he saw affecting the transport industry in the future. “There is a shortage

N

of drivers – young drivers and skilled drivers – ready and fit for work. We need cadetships.

Drug use is major among drivers; it’s disappointing, and drivers who get fired will move on to the next company.

“There needs to be an even playing field. Some continue to operate illegally while we have standards, this drives margins down. Finally, the government needs to show appreciation for the value of the work road freight does for this country – they need to wake up.”

Rethinking transport Richard Cross from the Ministry of Transport talked about the current and future challenges faced by transport.

“There has been a big shift in the way New Zealand thinks about transport. We don’t move things just for the sake of it; transport is a support to other activities and about providing access. We need to

NZ largest resource of truck drivers

recognise there are different ways to achieve that.

“Transport is complex but interacts with other systems in positive and negative ways.

It accounts for 20% of total greenhouse gas emissions in New Zealand – nearly a quarter from trucks, the fastest-growing source of emissions,” noted Cross.

He commented that the transport sector was often seen as low-hanging fruit when it came to reducing emissions, but in reality, increasing the uptake of EVs was not easy. “Only 3.3% of new registrations are EVs.” Cross said that other aspects of transport could be focussed on. These included better city planning, designing the transport system to impact on people’s health positively, and refreshing the approach to road safety.

Cross acknowledged that transport was an economic enabler and the backbone of tourism and commerce.

In

He said road transport accounted for 92.8% of all freight tonnage, with just over 144,000 trucks travelling 3.1 billion kilometres. “The cost and speed of moving goods have a direct impact on household expenditure.

We saw the impact on supply chains from Covid.”

Cross said that it was difficult to develop solutions that solved all these problems, and the Transport Outcomes Framework attempted to capture the considerations. “Technology will play a big part in the future,” he said.

“The Green Freight Project, which kicked off two years ago, looks at technology for reducing road-freight emissions. It focusses on biofuels, electricity and green hydrogen and aims to objectively consider their strengths and weaknesses and how the government could support them over 30 years.

“All three technologies will have an important role to play; each has strengths and weaknesses,” acknowledged Cross.

“In the short term, the government must create the right conditions for the biofuels market and incentivise early adopters of electric and hydrogen power.

Closer to 2050, there will need to be stricter measures such as disincentivising fossil fuels. Industry must have time to prepare.”

Cross also touched on the topic of autonomous vehicles – a polarising issue surrounded by cynicism, he said. “The key message is it’s still happening.” There was a possibility that autonomy in controlled conditions would emerge within New Zealand in the next five to 10 years.

“It’s not a top priority at the ministry at the moment, but it’s good to start having the conversations.”

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NTA INDUSTRY SUMMIT

Brett Aldridge.

A NEW NZTA The 2020 New Zealand Trucking Association Industry Summit took place on Saturday 21 November at Riccarton Racecourse, Christchurch.

B

rett Aldridge, senior manager, safer commercial transport, NZTA, outlined the agency’s new path as it follows its Tu ake, tu maia regulatory strategy until 2025. The plan sets out a path for the agency to return to its core functions by getting the basics right and getting smart about its regulation.

“The regulator’s getting its act together and improving its statutory function,” he said.

Aldridge said that the commercial transport industry would see a different regulator.

Rebalancing – “We have many tools, and it’s about us using the right ones at the right time. We’ll use whatever tool we need to get the desired result.”

Safety and compliance outcomes – “The outcome is not about successful prosecution or reputational loss or fine; those are tools that help the outcomes.

Where we find an issue, we won’t drop it till it’s resolved, be that compliance is achieved or someone’s removed from the system.”

Engage with industry – “We need to understand your

drivers and frustrations so we can understand how to best work with you so industry can flourish but with some boundaries. We want to meet, work through issues and understand things. You’ll see a regulator that communicates clearly in a language that can be understood.”

Relationships and partnerships – “All of us want a safe transport system, and none of us wants deaths and injuries. We’re really just paving how to get there and how we can achieve that.”

Consistency – “Regional differences will be minimised.

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In time, we will act and feel the same up and down the country.”

No surprises – “We’ll hold you to account, and there will be consequences for those that don’t operate as they should; we won’t apologise for that. There have been surprises, and that’s not okay. You’ll be made aware of what you need to do and any action long before it comes, and you’ll be given every opportunity to do what’s required.”

Level playing field – “Without that, it can become a race to the bottom.

Compliance must be an asset, not a disadvantage.”

With the basics in place, Aldridge discussed how the regulator would get smart about how it regulated. “We will increasingly take a system view to compliance; we’ll be delving less into logbooks and GPS and more into operators having the systems to manage those risks. Our

interest is that risks are being managed and transportservice operators are taking responsibility to ensure the performance of their drivers and operations – that’s what we’ll hold them accountable for.”

Aldridge said the main risks the regulator would be interested in were fatigue, speed, fleet maintenance, impairment, distraction, and dangerous goods. “The ideal is for transport service operators to manage their drivers’ performance, and the expectation is good operators will have systems in place to do that.”

Aldridge said the regulator would also expect more from professional drivers when driving personal vehicles. “It’s not okay or appropriate to be safe at work and do what you like after work…”

He said the agency would increase the effectiveness and efficiency of its permitting function and wanted to

provide the right incentives to drive-safe operations.

“We want to reward safe operators who invest in safety technology. Permitting allows us to hold permitted operators to account for their performance; a permit should not be considered a right. There’s potential for long-term permits for better performance and investment in safer technology. We want to hear industry views on the types of incentives that will encourage safer performance.”

Finally, Aldridge said the regulator would work to leverage the expertise, tools and legislation at its disposal. “We’ll look to use all our regulatory tools to address regulatory issues.

We’re looking to be far better connected with our regulatory partners, specifically the police and the commercial vehicle safety team, wider policing units and WorkSafe.”

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for the regulator is to consider how it can perform its regulatory role differently and influence safety performance in the wider commercialtransport sector and beyond the individual operators that come onto its radar.

“We’re dealing with huge numbers – too high to expect a standard compliance monitoring approach is going to influence behaviour. My unit probably touches 1.5% of operators per year. There’s no way that’s creating a level playing field. In a low-margin industry that provides the wrong incentives and allows poor operators to flourish,” said Aldridge.

“I’ve consistently heard from industry that we need to level the playing field, need to be a strong regulator, engage, and up our performance. I intend for us to meet that challenge and change the status quo.”

TRUCKERS’ HEALTH

We’re all different – find the exercise and food regime that works for you.

One of us ain’t like the other

D

o you have a friend who can eat whatever they want, barely exercise, and never put on any weight?

Me too; it can be annoying. But regardless of how frustrating it is, moaning about it doesn’t burn any calories. I think it’s important to accept that every person has a different metabolism and body shape. We all respond differently to the way we fuel and move our bodies.

For example, if your friend Debbie lost 10kg by eating only one hamburger a day for 30 days and doing a 30-minute walk every three days, that doesn’t mean that you would get the same results, even if you followed the identical food and exercise regime.

For a regime to be successful, you need to choose foods and types of exercises that you enjoy and that work well for your body type – no one else’s. I have friends who eat large amounts of carbohydrates daily, whereas I eat a relatively low carbohydrate diet. Because I am a celiac, I cannot consume gluten and struggle to process too many starchy carbs.

Another important aspect is working out what is realistic for you regarding your food and exercise regime. For example, I have a fairly busy life, but I do not have any children, so my time and schedule is relatively free compared with someone with three children who may have many after-school commitments and errands. Think about how much time you could realistically set aside to exercise over a week. If that’s 30 minutes a day, five times a week – that is great. If you decide to exercise every day for at least an hour, your schedule may put that goal completely out of reach, leaving you feeling disappointed and disheartened. I find it helpful to sit down on a Sunday and spend 10 minutes working out when I can realistically commit to exercise. That way, I set an expectation and affirmation that, yes, I do have the time.

The other thing I find useful in terms of being realistic is allowing myself ‘treats’ throughout the week, rather than just

112 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

trying to jam them all into the weekend in the form of a good old-fashioned binge. If you know you can enjoy things during the week, you’ll feel less urgency to jam-pack your weekend with all of the foods you love because you know you won’t be getting them again for another five days. This doesn’t mean filling your diet with junk every day. It just means allowing yourself the option to have a treat throughout the week to prevent yourself from feeling deprived.

For example, you may be having a nice dinner out, so allow yourself to have dessert. If you wanted to be mindful of portion sizes, you could always share your dessert or doggybag some for the next day. It is just about being aware of what you’re eating. You know that you had dessert yesterday, so you may choose not to have a dessert the next day – it’s all about balance, not deprivation. Your chosen treat comes down to preference. For me, a caramel slice is my go-to treat. For some, it might be a pie. Just make sure it is something that you feel like and know will satisfy you.

There is nothing worse than being on a health journey and hating every day of it because you’re not able to eat any of the foods you love and are having to do exercise that you don’t enjoy. I encourage you to explore different types of exercise styles and branch out with your nutrition to find the training and food regime that works for you. Ask yourself, “Can I see myself still doing this in two years?”

There is your answer as to whether it is sustainable long-term. 

Laura Peacock Personal trainer TCA Fitness Club

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Does your equipment meet current standards?

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e all love a bargain, a chance to get something cheaper than it would be if it were new – a favourite piece of equipment, clothing or vehicle we’ll appreciate forever. It’s not as flash as brand new, but it still works, and we don’t want to let it go.

Whether equipment is bought at a bargain or is a trusty old friend, we need to be sure that it is safe and meets current standards. Unfortunately, ‘but it’s always been like this; it was top of the range when I got it’ is no excuse if something goes wrong.

‘I’m the only person who uses it; I wouldn’t let anyone else near it’ is no better.

Regardless of how good a bargain it was – or how old a friend – we must ensure our business equipment meets current standards.

This may be guarding, emissions, fireproofing, reflection or any one of a dozen things.

How do we know when standards change? For starters, if it’s

a bargain, ask why. If an organisation is selling it to upgrade, there is a high chance that standards have changed.

If you have had your old friend since Adam was a boy, there’s an equally high chance that standards have moved on.

One quick way to identify changes – or just the current standards – is to check out WorkSafe New Zealand’s website. It has a list of most of the current guidelines and Approved Codes of Practice. Some of these are on the industry association’s website. The WorkSafe website would normally tell you this.

An even quicker way is to ask your health and safety consultant. They may not know every guideline or code, but they should understand where to find it and interpret it.

You might not necessarily need to let go of the bargain or old friend, but you may need to give it a birthday and bring it into the modern-day. 

If an organisation is selling equipment to upgrade, there is a high chance that standards have changed.

How can Safewise help?

We work with organisations who need more health and safety knowledge – or more time – than they have in-house. For more information, check the website, safewise.co.nz 23031 DANI1 TRUCKING AD.pdf

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About Tracey Murphy Tracey Murphy is the owner and director of Safewise, a health and safety consultancy. She has more than 12 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 professional member of the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management and is on the HASANZ register.

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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

114 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

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LEGAL LINES

The relationship between transport and mental health

S

pending too much time in the car could be affecting our mental health. A new report by the University of Auckland for the New Zealand Transport Agency on the relationship between transport and mental health identifies several key concerns and recommends ways the transport sector can support psychological wellness.

Psychological distress is on the rise

The transport sector has an important influence on our ability to move, make connections and meet basic needs for income, food and access to health services, all of which impact mental health. According to the New Zealand Health Survey, the prevalence of psychological distress has increased from 4.5% in 2011/12 to 8.2% in 2018/2019.

Sources of distress

A person’s wellbeing can be impacted beyond just sitting in traffic. Heavy car usage leads to busier roads, which can cause anxiety for parents when walking with children. It also leads to greater background noise and hypervigilance in avoiding injury.

Low-income communities can experience transport poverty, with budget advisors reporting that it is common for people to forego food to pay for transport to get to work.

Then there is the concept of community severance, which is the idea that transport infrastructure is eroding our neighbourhoods. People who live in really heavy traffic areas can find that their social connections shrink as inaccessible street environments can reduce the number of friends that adults and children have.

Private car use

Some new trends, such as rising private car use, associated noise pollution, lengthening commutes and increasing traffic stress for active commuters, are also likely to contribute to worsening mental health outcomes. Roughly four out of five commutes are done in a car. This is concerning when this mode of transport is most associated with poorer mental health outcomes.

Research shows that car trips of 15 minutes or longer can lead to poorer life satisfaction, reduced family life satisfaction, declining community participation and lower productivity at work. Ownership, usage and time spent in cars have all risen in New Zealand in the past two decades. Meanwhile, active modes of transport such as cycling, typically associated with better mental health outcomes, have declined since the 1970s.

Optimising psychological wellbeing

The report highlights the positive contribution that walkable environments, reduced commutes times, increased active commuting, lower costs and increased public transport comfort

116 New Zealand Trucking

June 2021

can make to mental wellbeing. It also recommends more active monitoring of the transport needs and experiences of groups with higher levels of psychological distress in our communities such as Maori, Pacific peoples, women, youth and people living on low incomes.

The report suggested that commutes played an enormous part in life satisfaction and wellbeing. Factors of significance included a combination of how much control you have, how long it takes to get somewhere and how stimulating the journey is. For example, if you compare people who drive a car with people who ride a bike, both receive high levels of stimulation because they have to concentrate by observing their surroundings and being reactive. The main difference is that there can be more stops and starts in a car in congestion, so people who drive were the most likely to find their commute stressful. By contrast, people who rode a bike were most likely to find their commute exciting because they had more control in traffic-congested areas, resulting in a journey less prone to interruptions.

Conclusion

Some 83% of journeys to work are done in a car while the remaining modes – foot, bike, bus or train – only account for 17%. The average commute in Auckland is now 23 minutes.

Those who took public transport were most likely to find their commute boring, with low levels of stimulation and control, while walkers were most likely to find it relaxing. Overall, studies showed active transport, such as cycling, was better for the mind.

“We tend to think that transport is a slightly annoying part of our day, but it can have quite a strong negative impact on our mental health,” says the lead author of the report, Dr Kirsty Wild. “Conversely, it can have some quite positive impacts depending on how we configure our transport system.”

Let’s hope that the New Zealand Transport Agency takes on board some of the recommendations in this report as I’m sure we’d all like to see some innovative improvements in this area. 

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. Contact her on (09) 379 7658 or 021 326 642.

Danielle Beston

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Attract, retain, develop

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2020 survey by the Road Transport Forum (RTF) shows 37% of New Zealand’s road-freight operators have a shortage of drivers. About 25% of drivers are currently over 60, and it is estimated that within five years, almost 20% of today’s driving workforce will need to be replaced.

The New Zealand Trucking Association (NTA) actively drives change in the industry, addressing the issues associated with the driver shortage and ageing workforce. These challenges are too big for just one organisation; it will take a collaborative approach with everyone involved in influencing our future transformation.

Proactive Drive – Driver Education Trust and the NTA are working to create better, safer drivers for life, promote road-safety education, and raise awareness of the many career pathways offered by the transport and logistics industry.

Career development is critical. By attracting, retaining and developing its workforce, the industry achieves the resilience required to survive in an increasingly progressive and turbulent business environment.

Future recruitment and development require a collaborative approach with the education sector. New Zealand’s education system was designed for an industrial economy that is now being automated and requires transformation – from a system based on facts and procedures to one that actively applies that knowledge to collaborative problem-solving.

Working towards a dual pathway for secondary school students, founded on support and qualifications that take a fresh approach to training and employment, the National Trade Academy is delivering a suite of New Zealand Qualifications Authority-endorsed unit standards in partnership with Proactive Drive.

This range of stackable National Certificate of Educational

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Achievement credits is designed to progress students towards their class-1 driver’s licence and certify achievement of a specific set of industry-focussed foundational skill sets.

In collaboration with industry partners, combining the unit standards’ theoretical components is well supported with practical training. This learning approach will enable students to further their education while experiencing future employment opportunities across the industry.

Once a student has achieved their class-1 licence, they can apply for a traineeship in the Road to success programme recently launched by the RTF. Te ara ki tua Road to success provides a career path for people who want to become a truck driver.

Trainees will:

• be matched with a suitable transport business that will employ them for the traineeship; • have a hands-on approach to learning; • receive a liveable wage – earn while you learn; • get nationally recognised qualifications; • progress their licence class.

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



By Carol McGeady, executive officer NZ Trucking Association

1119-37

ROAD TRANSPORT FORUM

Extension of emergency powers impacts people and businesses

T

he world has been living with the Covid-19 pandemic for more than a year now. It’s the new normal, yet the government is extending for another two years its emergency immigration law – the Immigration (COVID-19 Response) Amendment Bill – put in place at the height of the pandemic.

Our industry is not a significant employer of casual migrant workers; we do everything to employ New Zealanders, including developing our own industry driver traineeship.

But we do hire people from other countries who are settled in the community, are valued by their employers (who want to keep them here) and who, before Covid-19 struck, were on their path to New Zealand residency.

Since this bill was put in place, their immigration status has been uncertain. Immigration New Zealand has told them that they will have to give up jobs in our industry and get different ones if they want to progress with their residency applications.

It is concerning because these people have been here several years and the stress and uncertainty are taking a toll.

Emergency powers are only ever intended to be temporary – for the eye of the crisis, as it were. They extend broad sweeping powers designed by just a few politicians, and they are largely beyond scrutiny.

There is no regulatory impact statement, no consultation with external stakeholders, no consideration of unintended consequences, and no economic assessment.

The Road Transport Forum contends that three years – the original amount of time for which this bill was put in place, plus the two-year extension – cannot be considered ‘temporary’.

It’s the length of a full parliamentary term.

Extending emergency powers for two years – in effect, being in place for three years – signals to the rest of the world

that the New Zealand border is closed for a long time yet.

Not allowing workers into New Zealand, or to stay in New Zealand and/or be joined by their families – other than those who can get special dispensation – for a further two years will be an ongoing restriction for employers who cannot find appropriately skilled workers in the labour market.

We believe the landscape is very different from 12 months ago, and the time for emergency powers has passed. New Zealand needs to be very clear about its Covid-19 recovery strategy, and resuming normal immigration processes must be part of that.

We aren’t the only ones saying a two-year extension to this bill is too long. We believe six months should be enough to knock into shape the policy development we presume has been underway since May 2020 and inform permanent changes that will fix existing immigration laws.

We also want to know what guarantees there will be to ensure this bill is not extended again.

The ‘state of emergency’ that filled the early months of the pandemic response should be well over now – more than one year on – as New Zealand adjusts and plans for recovery and the vaccine rollout provides herd immunity, allegedly by the end of 2021.

As such, reliance on emergency powers should no longer be necessary other than in exceptional circumstances. As the pandemic will be with us for years, there has to be a move back to normality, rather than fostering fear and exclusion for years to come.

We are uncomfortable with a government that wants to pull up the drawbridge, fill the moat, and shut out the world while governing under emergency powers. 

Registrations open for RTF Conference After a tumultuous 2020 that once again illustrated the strength and adaptability of New Zealand’s road transport sector, the Road Transport Forum looks forward to gathering the industry together to reflect on recent challenges and discuss the opportunities we have to shape New Zealand’s transport future.

Registrations are now open for The Road Ahead 2021 – Transporting New Zealand conference on 25 and 26 September at Invercargill’s Ascot Park Hotel, following the NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame event on the evening of the 24th.

Newly appointed Transport Minister Michael Wood and Opposition Leader Judith Collins headline an exciting line-up of speakers.

V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy will talk

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about the importance of driving skills training, Cameron Bagrie will provide his usual insightful commentary on the state of the economy, and Road to success project coordinator Fiona McDonagh will lead a session discussing that programme.

There will also be dinners and events to mix and mingle and an interesting partners’ programme that will show off the best Invercargill and Southland have to offer.

Make your conference booking by 31 July to take advantage of the early-bird registration discount. You can register and get more information about the conference programme and accommodation options at rtfconference.co.nz.

Nick Leggett chief executive officer

ROAD SAFETY TRUCK The New Zealand Road Safety Truck initiative is only made possible with support from Industry. The New Zealand Trucking Association proudly designed and deliver the road safety programmes. The association is a non-for-profit trade organisation and the Road Safety Truck is one of the community-based initiatives that the association undertakes on behalf of its members and the industry.

Our industry sponsors and Partners provide valuable products, services and funds to help us do this important work. We want to thank them for making road safety a priority in their business.

Penske sponsor the 640HP MAN tractor unit. This truck generates a huge amount of inspiration and awareness. Many people have never experienced the inside of a truck cab and when they get to have a turn sitting in the driver’s seat, to see what the driver can and cannot see, it’s a light bulb moment when they realise how big a truck is and how vulnerable they are on the road. The MAN is a showcase of the latest technology with all the safety, economic and comfort features that comes standard with a MAN. It is surprise to most people just how high-tech and comfortable this truck is. TOLL sponsor the classroom-style trailer. This is a unique space, which

BP supply fuel throughout the year. Bluebridge sponsor all the ferry crossings. The New Zealand Trucking Magazine sponsor the printing of all the resource booklets and provide a page in the magazine for our roundups. TR Group sponsor driver training and cash to help with expenses. Cleanco Truck Wash make sure the truck is gleaming before and after each visit. Talleys held fund visits by providing cash. NZI generously keep the truck and trailer fully insured. Also a special thank you to the Association’s Partners, who join us to support the work that we do and a large portion of their membership helps fund the Road Safety Truck. If you would like to support this initiative, consider joining the Association as a Partner too, contact the team for more details: Carol.mcgeady@nztruckingassn.co.nz

Key Sponsors of the Road Safety Truck

the team at New Zealand Trucking Association designed to create an engaging learning environment. It has completely transformed to become the perfect platform for the road safety programmes.

Delivering truck-related road safety messages from the inside of a truck that has full graphic walls and large TV screens (sponsored

by Samsung) makes for a truly inspirational experience. High-speed Wi-Fi internet is kindly sponsored by Spark and enables the students to access the activities from the Samsung tablets. Teletrac Navman take care of the RUC so the Road Safety Truck stays compliant, plus the drivers are monitored through the Navman telematics. Carters Tyres generously sponsor the truck and trailer tyres and keep them well monitored and maintained. Z for Business supply fuel to get the truck from A to Z. 3M supplied all the materials needed for the graphics on the inside and outside of the truck and trailer.

New Zealand Trucking Association Partners

Become a supporter of the Road Safety Truck - Join the New Zealand Trucking Association as a Partner, volunteer to help at an event, or make a donation to help keep the initiative running.

Join us today! 0800 338 338 www.nztruckingassn.co.nz

Safety MAN magazine spread June 2021 Issue.indd 1

WWW.ROADSAFETYTRUCK.CO.NZ 29/04/2021 3:43:31 PM

LAST MILE

Stop the world, I want to get off

M

ore senior readers may remember the 1966 Warner Brothers movie Stop the World I Want to Get Off, which is exactly how I felt when reading some media stories recently. In no particular order I have read: The government will review its $12 billion capital infrastructure investment programme because of the effects of Covid-19. I have a more straightforward explanation. When these much-hyped projects were announced, they came with more than a fair share of organic fertiliser spread around the money tree. This forced the tree into a growth spurt, spurred on by even more liberal applications of fertiliser.

Unfortunately, because of climate change, we have not had the amount of rain we should have, so the tree is now shrivelling and dying.

The auditor general’s office has said the government acted illegally, as it did not have the required approvals when it paid close to $30 million to purchase the land at Ihumatao. The government’s response to this was that it was only a technical breach of the law, and the intent was there. Next time you get pinged for non-compliance such as underpaid road-user

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charges or worktime breaches, base your defence around that: it was only a technical breach, and the intent was there. See how far that gets you.

The cost of the shared pathway alongside Wellington Harbour, SH2, has increased by $50 million since February.

The reason given is the need to provide additional protection against erosion along the harbour’s edge.

How this has only recently been identified beats me. Erosion has taken place ever since the harbour was formed – it is a natural event. I have to wonder if the academics actually realise that the volume of water entering and leaving the harbour each day has changed little over time.

When it gets into the harbour it spreads out and covers whatever area it can. It occurs to me that if you reduce the area over which the water can spread, and the same volume of water is still coming at it, the deeper the water will be, and its erosion effects will increase.

The government has moved to ban the export of live cattle by sea. According to the Agricultural Minister, Damien O’Connor, the impact of this on farmers’ income will not be substantial, at about 2%. At the same time, we are all under increasing pressure to reduce our country’s carbon emissions, which are about 0.02% of the world’s total and our efforts can make a substantial difference. It has been a long time since I learnt basic arithmetic, but I do recall that 2% of a whole was greater than 0.02%. But, then, that’s old-school thinking.

The government is spending close to $1 million each day providing emergency and transitional housing, but it seems it cannot put a number on how much it is paying out to those who own the properties to repair damage caused by the occupants. How can this be? As more than one commentator has said, haven’t they heard of Excel spreadsheets? Try running your business this way and see if your accountant or IRD will accept it.

While all of this is going on, I also read that Starship Hospital in Auckland is asking for public donations to help finance the new kiddies’ intensive care unit. In Wellington, the new children’s hospital, built privately but gifted to Wellington, is also seeking donations to help fit out the hospital and supply comforts to the patients. What am I missing here?

Finally, many will know that the NTZA publishes a regular update of roading activity that could impact the movement of road freight. You’ll find it at nzta.govt.nz by searching ‘potential restrictions affecting the freight and heavy haulage industry’. It is good information, but wouldn’t it be nice if the agency also published a list of its inactivity that also has the potential to impact the movement of road freight?

Maybe rather than hoping I can get off this world, I should just stop reading?  The Accidental Trucker

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June 2021

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