New Zealand Trucking September 2021 by NZTrucking

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New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 3

CONTENTS

EDITOR

Dave McCoid Ph: 027 492 5601 Email: editor@nztrucking.co.nz ASSISTANT EDITOR

Gavin Myers Ph: 027 660 6608 Email: gavin@nztrucking.com For all advertising enquiries: Matt Smith Ph: 021 510 701 Email: matt@nztrucking.co.nz Pav Warren Ph: 027 201 4001 Email: pav@nztrucking.co.nz SUB EDITOR

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

Tracey Strange

Georgi George

CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER

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

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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 SUBSCRIPTIONS / RATES:

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REST 6 Editorial 8 Road Noise – Industry news 46

Unsung Heroes

48 Top Truck – Elite UD 52 Just Truckin’ Around 54 Aussie Angles – Bulldog’s big tail 62 Wanaka Memory 64 New Rigs 68 New Bodies and Trailers 70 Rhino Photo Comp 72 Light Commercial Test – Navara steps up 76 Gav’s licence journey 78 Mini Big Rigs 80 Trucking good art – Rochelle Thomas 82 Little Truckers’ Club

84 What’s On/Cartoon

VOICES IN THE TREES

Business for all the Right Reasons

88 Moving Metrics 92 Incoming Cargo –

NZ’s hydrogen future

96 Tech Topics – Wheel alignment 98 Business Profile – HCB Batteries 100 Vipal – Knowing your retreads 102 Industry Comment – Why work-time? 104 Truckers’ Health 106 Health and Safety

108 Legal Lines 110 NZ Trucking Association

RIGS AND SKIDS My Way is the Highway

112 Road Transport Forum 114 The Last Mile INTERNATIONAL TRUCK OF THE YEAR

Associate Member

BROU GH T TO Y OU B Y

EDITORIAL

HARD AND EARLY

bviously, anything I had on the list of potential editorials went out the window on Tuesday 17th at 11.59pm, the moment we were plunged into a second nationwide level-4 lockdown. There’s a stark difference between this nationwide economic blackout and the first one on 24 March last year: there was a better than good chance we could have prevented this one. Last time, Covid-19 had the world where it wanted it, a bug on the loose with a target host that had little in its immediate defence armoury beyond isolation and sanitation. Since then however, mankind has hit back with an effective vaccination. No one would argue that our single biggest advantage

in keeping Covid at bay through this whole nightmare has been our isolation. Yet, we have not used the precious time that advantage gave us to effectively massvaccinate our people, fortifying not just their health, but incomes also. Instead, we’ve used it to justify a far more apathetic stance on the urgency of vaccination, even with the Delta variant firing warning shots at us form our leaky border on several occasions. New Zealand is not home to Amazon, Google, Apple, Microsoft, or Walmart; the spinal column of our economy is made up of SMEs, small to medium enterprises. Most are impacted by the vagaries of the global economy and/ or our relevance to it. It does our cause zero good telling a global supply chain, already

struggling to stay interested in us as they cope with big economies high on a sugar hit of cash, that ‘sorry, we’re shut’. The vaccine strategy reflects the politics of the nation at this moment in history. The modus operandi of this government is one of reacting at the 11th hour to any issue. The answer will be again to print more money as a mechanism to control the damage, but as we know, that’s all borrowed, and as it stands, the sum of all New Zealand debt – central, local, and personal – now stands at about $130,000 per individual. If you were going to dole out dosh, wouldn’t the better option have been to do whatever it took to get the vaccines in the first place and then incentivise individuals to get jabbed? In my mind,

you’re far better off giving out money in an economy that hasn’t stopped functioning rather than in one that has. ‘Go hard, go early’ in early 2020 had an entirely different meaning to what it should have had in early 2021. In 2020, it was about the disease; in 2021, it should have applied to the vaccine roll-out. Grant Robinson spent billions saving the economy in 2020. That he didn’t spend some of what was left ensuring it stayed on its feet in the first half of this year indicates a yawning gap in his understanding of the resilience and vulnerability of that over which he presides.

Dave McCoid Editor

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

CABLEPRICE WINS AT FUSO NZ TECHNICAL SKILLS COMPETITION

uke Heesterman from CablePrice Christchurch has been named the overall winner at the Fuso NZ technical skills competition for 2021. The Fuso Technical Master Competition is designed to find the best technicians from across the country. CablePrice put forward three Christchurch-based technicians for the national knockout rounds. All three made it through to the national finals. Fellow CablePrice technician Tom Trotter came in second place, and Alan Robson rounded out third place. The top five technicians were invited to a two-day practical and written assessment at Fuso NZ’s Auckland training facility on 3 and 4 August. They did five one-hour-long assessments – two theory and three practical – covering technical knowledge, customer service, diagnostic process and overall efficiency. “While not the first time I’ve competed in a competition at this level, this Fuso competition proved to be relatively stressful and challenging,” Heesterman said. “The contestants were of high calibre. I feel this experience will serve me as a great learning curve while helping me improve as a technician.” As the overall winner, Heesterman was awarded a new toolbox, laptop and a fourchannel Pico oscilloscope.

Keith Andrews Palmerston North for Mercedes-Benz Vans

eith Andrews has been named an authorised MercedesBenz Vans sales, parts and service dealer in Palmerston North, extending the company’s Mercedes-Benz light commercial and van representation to four major centres across the North Island. Additionally, MercedesBenz light commercial and van parts and service

support is being provided by Keith Andrews from its existing sites in Seaview and Porirua. Keith Andrews already represents Mercedes-Benz light commercial and van in Whangarei, Auckland South and Hamilton, providing sales, parts and service support at all three sites, as well as Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicle service and parts support in

Whangarei. Keith Andrews managing director Aaron Smith said the appointments in Palmerston North and Wellington further strengthened KAT’s relationship with MercedesBenz Vans and continued the momentum towards a unified offering across KAT’s recently expanded North Island network.

Fair trading amendments a win for the RTF

he passing of the Fair Trading Amendment Bill’s third reading in Parliament recently – which effectively makes it law – was in part thanks to a lot of hard work by the RTF, said RTF CEO Nick Leggett. “That work was started by Ken Shirley during his time as CEO. It is also worth noting that the development of the industry’s initial case was supported by our lawyers, Gibson Sheat, and that their fees were funded by the E.J. Brennan Trust.”

The bill targets the use of pressure tactics, deception, one-sided contract terms and practices that exploit the vulnerabilities of a consumer or small business. It adds to the existing protections put in place under the Fair Trading Act 1986 by: • Prohibiting unconscionable conduct in trade. • Extending unfair contract term protections to include small trade contracts worth $250,000 a year or less. • Legally empowering

consumers and businesses to demand uninvited sellers, such as door-to-door salespeople, to leave their property, including using ‘do not knock’ stickers. • Businesses that are found to act unconscionably – using practices that go beyond what can be deemed commercially necessary – will face fines of up to $600,000. “Good things take time, and it was a few years back that the RTF became aware of some poor commercial practices that were impacting

Truck drivers, construction in high demand as Auckland sees talent crisis

emand for roles in construction has reached ‘desperate’ levels, according to a new survey from the Auckland Business Chamber. The survey revealed an immediate need for 4400 roles in Auckland, plus a further 1300 for construction and about 1000 for the aged-care sector. Crane operators and truck drivers are in high demand, as are those in administration, marketing, and construction.

Eighty-seven percent of the respondents indicated a shortage of skills now and in the immediate future. Chamber chief executive Michael Barnett said the situation was now critical for business growth and continuity, and the situation was delivering some perverse outcomes. “We are seeing firms poaching from each other, which is creating wage inflation that is not sustainable,” he said.

“This is prevalent in the technology sector, transport, and hospitality. Like it or not, New Zealand has already lost thousands to the Australian market, and we need to have a plan in place that allows businesses to recruit offshore safely with some urgency.” According to the survey, Australian recruiters are offering roles in the tech and construction sectors with offers of $30,000 more in wages plus relocation and expenses.

our industry, including unfair contract terms for small trade contracts. “Transporters working for big players in the primary sector were forced to accept 60- to 90-day payment terms. If they didn’t, they would lose the business, and that threatened their livelihoods. “Terms such as these have a major impact on many small New Zealand businesses, including those that make up a chunk of road freight transport. Typically, small businesses are not flush with cash, and it is therefore critical that they are paid for their services within a reasonable timeframe. Late payers, especially big

corporates, use unilateral deferred payments as a means of exploiting small suppliers and transporters as a cheap source of finance,” Leggett said. “We lobbied for extending the provisions of the Fair Trading Act as a simple solution for dealing with this. We gave feedback on discussion documents and appeared before Parliament’s Economic Development, Science and Innovation Select Committee as the changes to the Fair Trading Act were proposed and refined. “We argued for a contract threshold of $500,000 because in our industry, despite being

small businesses themselves, many operators take on large contracts. We felt that too many contracts whose parties deserve protection from unfair contract terms would be worth more than $250,000. Unfortunately, we didn’t win that one,” Leggett said. “But we did win the war. This was an issue raised by the RTF and a lot of work has gone into a solution that will help some of our operators. We would like to thank the various ministers who have listened to us and worked on this amended legislation, including Kris Faafoi, Stuart Nash, and Dr David Clark.”

NEW HEAD OF DEVELOPMENT FOR MYTRUCKING

van Bozich has been named as the new head of development for MyTrucking. The newly created role signals the company’s commitment to continuous investment in technology excellence. Bozich will be responsible for ensuring MyTrucking’s reputation for simple but innovative software. “I’m always proud to see the product we imagined seven years ago on the screens of essential businesses around the country,” said MyTrucking founder and managing director Sam Orsborn. “What our transporters do is vital, so it’s important to me that our product serves them well. “This new role shows we’re committed to being top of the game technically.” Bozich comes to MyTrucking with more than 35 years’ experience in business and software management, most recently as general manager of applications, at Datacom, and chief operating officer at SimplHealth, both in New Zealand. “I’m most looking forward to being back at the coalface of customer feedback, seeing how what we build directly affects our customers – and also some of the exciting innovations that are on the drawing board.”

New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 9

ROAD NOISE NEWS

TIMARU TRANSPORT MUSEUM UNVEILS $600K TRUCK SHED

outh Canterbury Traction Engine and Transport Museum’s $600,000 truck shed is complete. The 1400m2 shed will house more than 40 trucks and is located at the northern edge of Timaru. The museum has a variety of tractors, farm machinery, traction engines and trucks on display. It holds a vast collection of vintage tractors and old farm machinery, plus a large display of classic and vintage trucks. Work on the museum started in 2020 but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. It was funded by grants from Alpine Energy, Community Trust of Mid and South Canterbury, with $117,000 from the Timaru District Council’s Stimulus Fund. The vehicles range in age from the 1920s, including a rare International DCF 400 from the 1960s.

TransDiesel expands apprenticeship programme

ransDiesel has expanded its apprenticeship intake by 60%, after a surge in applications. The heavy-equipment business said more than 280 people applied for its popular apprenticeship programme. After reviewing the calibre of applicants, the team offered eight young people the opportunity to join TransDiesel. “As a Kiwi-owned and operated business, TransDiesel is making a significant investment in the future prosperity of the industry and people associated with it,” said Joe Gradwell, general manager,

aftersales operations. “It is a difficult industry to break into, so we wanted to acknowledge the demand for places and open up the numbers of positions available,” he said. “The talent of those applying was so high that we decided to almost double the intake, which also demonstrates TransDiesel’s own dedication to nurture local talent.” First established in 2020, the programme will see the annual intake work throughout the business over three to four years, undertaking various tasks and theorybased learning. At the end of the structured

training programme, which is aligned to a national qualification (in partnership with MITO), successful apprentices will receive a trade certificate recognising them as heavy-equipmentqualified technicians. Applications for the 2021 intake were received from all around the country, with the latest round of eight successful candidates meeting in Christchurch for regular TransDiesel training. The apprentices then return to their respective home base, where they are employed at the local TransDiesel branch and receive further on-the-job training.

New national technical services and standards manager for MTD Trucks

ergus Lusty is the new national technical services and standards manager for MTD Trucks. He replaces Bruce Harris, who will retire after more than 20 years’ service, at the end of October. Lusty has been promoted within the MTD business having worked inside the technical support team since February 2019, following a career as a diesel technician and

service manager for long-standing Volvo authorised service centre Emmetts Truck Services. “Ferg has considerable heavy truck and brand-specific knowledge. He will be tasked with continuing the exceptional work this team performs while also developing new initiatives, processes and solutions to drive customer experience and product performance,” said Clive Jones,

general manager of MTD Trucks. He added: “We take this opportunity to acknowledge Bruce’s immense dedication, professionalism and service to the Mack and Volvo brands for more than two decades. “His dedication to excellence and the pursuit of ‘doing what’s right’ for our customers has always been second to none.”

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Massive rebound in civil construction business confidence

he civil construction industry has been experiencing a massive rebound in business confidence, with new infrastructure activity good news for other sectors, including transport. The 2021 Construction Industry Survey found that 50% of those polled felt optimistic that the New Zealand construction industry was on the upward trajectory. More than half predicted turnover and staff would grow in the next 12 months. The research found infrastructure activity was forecast to increase to $10.1 billion in 2025. Transport, water and subdivision projects dominated new

infrastructure activity in 2020, contributing 85% of projects and 88% of total value. Three Waters assets are projected to require between $120 billion and $180 billion investment over the next three decades, supporting the survey results where participants identified Three Waters projects and maintenance efforts with the most significant number of opportunities for increasing capability. This is followed closely by roading (24%), public transport (17%) and public infrastructure (16%). However, skills shortages continue to be the industry’s number No.1 challenge. The survey showed a rise in the requirement for skilled staff

to unprecedented levels due to growing workloads and closed borders. “The future of construction in New Zealand certainly lies in keeping the people within this sector confident, so civil contractors can continue to invest in the right people, capability, and equipment for the work ahead,” said Civil Contractors New Zealand chief executive Peter Silcock. According to the report, as New Zealand eases out of Covid-19 restrictions, the construction industry has a renewed focus on both the issues and challenges. This may impact the potential growth they expect from the work ahead and the benefits they may achieve using

emerging technologies. “The industry has said, loudly and clearly, that they want local and central government to provide a clearer pipeline for upcoming work,” said Jim French, construction industry specialist, Teletrac Navman. “However, the lack of clarity impacts their planning for manpower and resources in these uncertain times. Covid-19 still affects the industry, as border closures dampen hiring outside talent and delay the supply of building and construction materials,” he said. “Renewed buoyancy, on the other hand, is putting the spotlight back on sustainability and environmental issues.”

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

WorkSafe project to improve transport safety

orksafe has launched a new project to help improve health and safety outcomes across the transport, postal and warehousing sectors. In 2019 there were 57 fatal crashes, 170 serious injuries and 521 minor injuries involving trucks across the transport, postal, and warehousing sectors. Of those, 147 required those involved to spend more than one week away from work. WorkSafe has enlisted Mackie Research to help find solutions. The company has made 13 recommendations to improve vehicle-related health and safety and actively manage supply chain pressures to minimise vehiclerelated risks.

“A collaborative approach between WorkSafe and the industry was needed to gain insight into who was best placed in the transport and logistics chain to improve health and safety outcomes,” said Ruth Cook, WorkSafe’s engagement and implementation lead. “There was also a lack of understanding of which interventions were most likely to improve the health and safety of transport workers. This meant there was a real benefit to the cross-sector approach so that together we can achieve better health and safety outcomes for workers in these sectors.” The research involved reviews of existing research and initiatives and intensive engagement with industry

stakeholders. It was carried out over 11 months between April 2020 and March 2021 and was designed to build on existing and new programmes of work by industry and government agencies. The 13 recommendations to minimise vehicle-related harm across supply chains represent a mix of five broad, enabling initiatives, with eight targeting specific areas of focus. The 13 recommendations include: • The formation of a systemwide representative group. • Establishing an intervention logic for ‘good work’. • A work programme to define what ‘good work’ is in a supply chain context. • Clarification of government roles, PCBU and sector

leadership. • Improved methods for monitoring and mapping risk and harm. • Responsibility across the supply chain. • Safety first in public procurement. • Vehicle safety technology management. • Standardised and digitalised driver inductions. • Data sharing and use. • Establishing ‘ways of working’ between government and data providers. • A system view of fatigue. • Establishing a programme of work to map the system determinants of fatigue. • Overcoming operational barriers to low pay, and the review of the raw data.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Bigfoot expands Aussie footprint

igfoot Equipment Ltd has signed an official distribution deal with Australian semi-trailer manufacturer Kennedy Trailers. The move expands Bigfoot’s footprint in the Australian market, with the company having exported its Central Tyre Inflation (CTI) system to Australia for 25 years. Australia’s forestry, mining, heavy haulage, agriculture, and bulk-tipping industries will now have local access and support to Bigfoot’s best CTI technology. Bigfoot co-owner Graham Wylie said pre-Covid, Bigfoot staff would frequently travel to Australia to install their CTI system for customers – often at Kennedy Trailer’s workshop

in Bairnsdale, Victoria. “Obviously, we haven’t been able to travel over to Australia and do those installations in the past 12 months, so it just made sense for Kennedy to install our systems on our behalf,” he said. Australian customers will now order Bigfoot’s CTI system and arrange installation directly with Kennedy Trailers. The systems and parts will be held in stock in Bairnsdale and can be shipped overnight, with stock being replenished within four to five working days. Wylie says Bigfoot has a strong and loyal customer base in Australia, and the company has a very strong one-on-one relationship with its customers, who operate

forestry, heavy-haulage and bulk-tipping vehicles. Kennedy Trailers currently employs more than 50 staff and builds around 150 trailers each year, including logging trailers for forestry, side tippers for mines, and custom-made transport solutions for heavyhaulage and other industries. Kennedy Trailers CEO Cory Kennedy said Bigfoot already had a solid reputation in the Australian forestry sector, with most logging trucks in Victoria and New South Wales already having a CTI system on board. “But there’s a massive

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Downer trucks design award finalists

owner NZ has been named as a finalist in the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Design Awards. The company has been nominated under the Business Communications 2021 category for its work on two Scania trucks that feature the story of Matariki. In 2020, Downer undertook a campaign to transform eight Scania trucks, which showcase “artwork that tells four compelling stories about our country, our people, our partnerships, and our journey”, Downer NZ said. The initiative was a piece of a bigger project to show Downer NZ’s commitment to inclusivity and acceptance as part of the company’s ‘Own Different’ diversity campaign. Downer NZ said it was

important that the artwork considered takatāpui (gender), kaumātua elders (age and wisdom), takatāpui (sexual orientation), ngāti mātāmuri (minorities) and values of manakitanga (kindness), kotahitanga (unity), and whānaungatanga (reciprocal relationships). The first two trucks in the series told the story of Matariki, a cluster of stars seen in the winter sky, signalling the start of the Māori New Year. “We wanted to honour this celebration of the people of Aotearoa, our culture and our community that connects us to the past and present while reflecting on how we are connected, and the world around us,” Downer NZ said. “The vision for the artwork

was to create a design that incorporated the celebration of Matariki and the importance of Te Reo Māori. We also wanted to recognise and uphold the relationship that we have with Māori as partners of the Crown through the signing the Treaty of Waitangi and that Māori are holders of the spiritual power

(mana) of Aotearoa,” it said. “We wholeheartedly tautoko the continued revitalisation of Te Reo in Aotearoa and wanted to take this opportunity to celebrate it with the people of Aotearoa by sharing this design as the truck moves through communities doing its daily work.”

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Scania chooses MAHA

cania recently extended its global preferred supplier contract with MAHA for truck workshop equipment until at least 2024, and so Scania has recently added the MAHA Extreme Duty 7.5-Tonne Wireless Column Lifts in Australia and New Zealand. These lifts feature a solidsteel H Beam construction instead of the more common welded box chassis. MAHA says this allows these super compact column lifts to deliver improved stability while reaching a higher lift (1750mm), longer wheel forks (380mm) and industry-leading adjustable lifting forks (550 to 1500mm). Instead of the chains or hydraulics with ladder locks used by some alternatives,

MAHA Extreme Duty 7.5Tonne Lifts feature a ball-race worm drive. This system delivers smoother running, lower maintenance, millimetre adjustment for super-quick gearbox changes, and means no resting on the locks is required with the electric engine brake. MAHA says the set-up also lowers friction for more lifts per charge, and the entire spindle drive is covered by a five-year warranty. These lifts feature three safety points – engine brake with manual override, power switch, and wedge lock – for the utmost safety, with simple emergency lowering for power failure included as standard. A streamlined form and hydraulic dolly at each column make the lifts convenient and easy to move around

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Hyzon Motors ramps up operations

yzon Motors is ramping up operations in the wake of its merger with blank-check firm Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corp, including shipping its first trucks to European customers. The company said it was also preparing to start its first customer trials in the United States. Hyzon reported secondquarter earnings last week. It said it was banking on the huge injection of capital from the transaction — more than US$500 million (about NZ$732 million) — and growing customer orders to take it to positive cash flow. Hyzon CFO Mark Gordon

reported a net loss for the quarter of US$9.4 million, including US$3.5 million in R&D expenses. It had a negative adjusted EBITDA of US$9.1 million. The company has US$517 million in cash on hand, enough to reach free cash flow by 2024 without having to sell additional equity. In addition to manufacturing hydrogen fuel-cell powertrains, Hyzon is also investing in hydrogen fuel production hubs, a key piece of infrastructure for technology uptake. In April, the company signed an MOU for a joint venture with renewable fuels company Raven SR for up to 100 hydrogen production hubs.

He also said that the company was on track to deliver 85 fuel-cell vehicles by the end of this year, with the company’s first revenue coming next quarter. Orders and memoranda of understanding under contract had grown to US$83 million from US$55 million as of April, but many of the MOUs were nonbinding.

“Many customers are getting their hands on the first fuel-cell vehicles they’ve ever seen in the next six to 12 months,” said Hyzon chief executive Craig Knight. “That is a genuine kind of technology validation process, and the customers need to feel comfortable the vehicles function well in their use case.”

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AN’s digital mirror cam system, OptiView, will be available to order in Europe as an optional extra on the new MAN truck generation from October 2021. The system replaces conventional exterior mirrors and instead works with cameras on the sides and front of the truck, as well as a rear-view camera, which can be added as an option. The cameras show what is happening around the truck on two large high-resolution displays on the A-pillars and also on the screen of the media system. According to MAN, OptiView plays a major role in preventing accidents. The digital mirror-cam system reduces the risk of truck drivers failing to spot other road users. The system’s field of view

makes blind spots visible on both the driver’s and co-driver’s side, helping to protect cyclists riding through cities and pedestrians at service stations, for example. Drivers can choose from a range of view options, and the MAN turn-assist function is also integrated into the display concept. When the vehicle is turning, the systems offer the ideal combination of radar-based hazard detection and warning as well as visual representation of the areas to the right, left and in front of the vehicle without blind spots. “Technological innovations in trucks play an important role in increasing road safety both for truck drivers and other road users,” the company said.

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COVER FEATURE

Story by Dave McCoid Photos and video by Gavin Myers and Dave McCoid

VOICES IN THE

TREES This feature is dedicated to the memory of Julia ‘Jules’ Faye Cook (1975 to 2021), loved team member of Manuel Haulage Ltd.

The idea for this month’s cover feature was sparked by an image arriving in our inbox. It was of a beautiful new Western Star and Patchell Industries nine-axle log combination, and with it was a short message from its East Coast-based owners, Tutu and Raewyn Manuel. The note was brief but it resonated with heartfelt pride and excitement in their new ‘baby’. We knew, without doubt, that there was a story here, but we never realised how big it was and the profound impact it would have on us.

PART ONE

FIND THE VID EO A ND MORE ON YOU TUB E

“What colour is it? It changes in the light and shade.” “Iridescent burgundy?” “Shiraz?” “Shiraz? What the…?” “Na, I’m not sure what it is.” Gav and I were following ‘Ruaumoko’, Manuel Haulage’s Western Star 4884 FXC 8x4 logger with its Patchell Industries 5-axle trailer on the back as it loped up the North Island’s far east coast between Gisborne and Tikitiki. We were certainly mesmerised, not only by its hue, which altered and sparkled with the changes in light and reflection, but also the attention to detail generally; polished chrome, stainless and alloy, the perfectly plumb old-school black Western Star mudflaps right through the entire unit. As it did when we saw those first images in Raewyn’s email, Ruaumoko sends the onlooker a clear message that a lot is going on here. This truck says far more than ‘I cart logs’. Not surprisingly, in the context of the wider story,

the almost indescribable colour was perfect. Nothing in this story was as you’d expect. Take the owners. A young business, a new truck; we were expecting Tutu and Raewyn Manuel to be sub30, transitioning out of a fleet driving position into their first new truck and contract, everything on the line. Young people, into it boots and all. Wrong! Well, not the ‘boots and all bit’, that’s a Tutu favourite. We met Ruaumoko’s parents on a rainy Monday night in the Te Puka Tavern, a fabulous location right on the sea – and we mean right on the sea – at Tokomaru Bay. Even if the last time you saw her was in the previous aisle at the Tokomaru Bay Four Square, for 67-year-old Raewyn Manuel, there’s only one way to greet people, and that’s with a huge smile and a hug, one that only mothers ever really possess. Hot on her heels was an equally welcoming handshake and pat on the shoulder from her husband, soul mate, and lifelong sweetheart, Tutu Manuel;

himself a sprightly 70 years in the race. “We thought you fellas must have got lost,” he laughed. Beer and feed in hand, we sat down. “Isn’t it what you do in retirement?” laughed Raewyn. “Buy your first log truck, having never been in trucking before?” “Jeepers,” said Tutu. “Sometimes, I think ‘what the heck?’, but no, boots and all I say. Boots and all.”

The path to Te Puka Tav Yes, it all sounds perplexing, so let’s suss out the roots of this incredible story. Tutu hails from Rangitukia, a rural settlement slightly northeast of Tikitiki on the North Island’s East Coast. He’s a direct descendant of Manuel-Jose, a Spanish whaler, trader, and leader of European traders on the coast. In fact, Tutu’s is the largest family of Spanish descent in New Zealand. The things you learn! Raewyn is Samoan by birth. Her dad arrived from Apia

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September 2021 25

Ray Feki, Raewyn and Tutu Manuel. aged 14 and was a farmer, eventually managing farms from Gisborne up around the East Coast. Coincidently, both Tutu and Raewyn were from families of 10, Tutu was number five and Raewyn number three. “There was no TV,” laughs Raewyn. They both went to school in Rangitukia, and the truth is,

she and Tutu are childhood sweethearts. They themselves have five children of their own… “And we had a TV!” However, a large chunk of their working years has been away from home. Five years was spent on the Chatham Islands working in the export crayfish industry in management

and administration. They’ve also had long careers in the Department of Corrections, and for the 17-odd years leading up to ‘retirement’, Raewyn worked in transport operations and administration at Fonterra in the Manawatu. How handy was that in hindsight? Someone up top was looking down.

Crossing the Mangaoparo River bridge on the way north.

Approaching retirement and after 37 years living in Feilding, in 2017 the pair decided it was time to return home to a quieter life. “Smell the roses, go fishing, get off the grid,” says Raewyn. They decided to give the family batch in Tolaga Bay a spruce-up and call it home. That’d be them, ka pai... Yeah, na. A couple of months into their new life of leisure, Tutu took a spin up the coast to visit a friend who was ill. Next door lived cousins and local log cartage contractors Chubb and Agnes Rewi. On this day, they were putting a new roof on their veranda, and when Tutu left the neighbour’s place, Chubb yelled, “Hey, Tutu! When are you going to buy a log truck?” In Raewyn’s words: “The rest, as they say…” It has to be said that it’s not the sort of thing you’d normally yell to a 67-year-old Ruaumoko rolls south of Wainui Beach.

man three months into retirement, and to understand why Chubb did, we have to go back a long way … a really long way, to a young and wide-eyed Tutu Manuel in the early 1960s, watching his uncles and his mates heading up into the hills in a New Zealand Forest Service workers bus, each with a shovel and bunch of saplings. Time now for Tutu to take over for a bit… “I remember the runanga [tribal council] discussing the opportunity forestry presented. The land was hard going, and they’d been encouraged to tell the farmers to put it all into trees. ‘This is a future not just for now, but for our children and mokopuna [grandchildren],’ they said. ‘It will provide jobs planting and managing the trees, pruning, harvesting, trucking, milling.’ As a result, there was land going into

trees all over the place. “It was hard work but good times. There was a lot of hope that came with the forests. “I remember the first Forest Service bus picking my uncles and relations up. The first trees were planted up close to where you’ll be going tomorrow near our family’s block under Mt Hikurangi, north of Tikitiki. When they got to the planting site, my uncle said, his mate ‘Bunny’ Green told the others to stay in the truck while he went out. They all thought he was saying a prayer to Tane Mahuta or something, but when he came back, he said, ‘Okay, you lot can get out now. I just wanted to plant the first one.’” At this moment, Raewyn prompts Tutu to tell the “Mayday story”… And he laughs. “Yes, yes, the Mayday story. That was on the

western side, up from Te Kaha in the Te Kumi Valley. The workers’ bus broke down at the end of a hot Friday in the bush, and a real character whose nickname was Ka Jinks, grabbed the radio and called out ‘Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!’. You can imagine what that started and when they saw the ruckus they caused and responders arriving, asking, ‘Who called mayday?’, the boys all turned to Ka Jinks. He said, ‘Don’t look at me, I said ‘payday, payday, payday’. Only on the Coast!” laughs Tutu. “Only on the Coast. “Everything was good, but what happened as trees came on stream was the outsiders came in and took all the contracts and jobs. We hadn’t got organised in time and weren’t where we needed to be and so we missed out. But in modern times, people like Chubb and Agnes, and Jack,

Ricky, and Leanne Kuru, have put everything on the line to provide work and opportunity for the people of the far East Cape. I just can’t say enough about what they, and people like them, have done. The Mackay’s are another. Wonderful people.”

“Boots and all” And so that’s why Chubb yelled ‘buy a log truck’ to a 67-year-old man three years ago. He knew that even though they’d been away for much of their working life, Tutu and Raewyn had a destiny at home they needed to fulfil, set in motion all those years ago by their forebearers. “We got home and began laying the groundwork that same day,” says Raewyn. “There were many visits to Chubb and Agnes’ and even more phone calls, emails, and texts – after all, we were

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September 2021 27

as green as grass. We had to be guided each step of the way. Chubb was very good and explained how the forestry industry worked. All we knew was that pine trees were growing everywhere, the roads were full of logging trucks, and everyone wore bush shirts and PPE gear … even to town. “And so began our forestry

education.” A clear measure of Chubb and Agnes’ integrity and desire to give their old friends every possible chance of success was not just the offer of a contract subbing to their own Rewi Haulage Ltd – they also leant them driver Ray Feki. By the time you’ve finished reading this story, you’ll understand what that

represented given the times we live in, and the struggle finding the right people to put in trucks. “We set about looking for a log truck,” said Raewyn. “I thought I’d struck gold when I found two Hinos on TradeMe for $120,000. It almost looked like two for the price of one to me. I rang Chubb, all excited. ‘You won’t get a driver to hop

in those old trucks,’ he said. Darn! I knew it looked too good to be true. “Eventually, with Chubb’s help, we found our first truck, a 2013 Freightliner Argosy and five-axle Patchell trailer. It was purple, my favourite colour, so we travelled to Taupo, fell in love with it, and brought it back to Gisborne – thanks again to Chubb.

Optimus Pine powering out of Tokomaru Bay. The fleet number was to be 622, saved for Tutu by Chubb (“Thank you Chubb” – Tutu, Raewyn), and her name was ‘The Old Girl’.

Ray of light “Chubb introduced us to Ray Feki at a health and safety meeting in August 2018. Ray was to be our driver on loan, but one month led to eight months, then a year. All this time, Ray was just chugging along in the Freightliner, keeping it on the road, and making positive upgrades as necessary. He brought the bodywork back up to its original glory and then put a maintenance plan in place that would ensure regular servicing and attention to detail nearer to COF time.” Watching Dad and Mum embark on this retirement ‘adventure’ from the sidelines were daughter Vicky and her partner Kyle Hill. While they both had significant management careers of their own in the meat industry, they thought adding to the family’s fledgeling enterprise was an opportunity not to be missed. Enter the Western Star brand and a beautiful, brand new, blue 4884 FXC,

kitted out with Mills-Tui log gear. “It was a dismal wet day in Gisborne and this beautiful shiny new truck turned up,” says Raewyn. “Originally, it was going to be called Optimus Prime, but that was already taken by a truck on the Coast, so it ended up Optimus Pine!” Ray was handed the keys for the hard yards put in on the Freightliner, and Jules Cook, “the pocket rocket”, as Raewyn describes her, was brought on shortly after to double shift Optimus with Ray. “Jules was a bloody good driver and workmate,” says Ray in the truck the next day. “Losing her was terrible. Really sad.” By now, Tutu and Raewyn’s other daughter Natalie had returned from living in Brisbane and was taking care of safety and compliance in the business. With Ray on Optimus, Willie Robinson was hired to drive The Old Girl on single shift, and it all looked to be trucking along just fine. Everything the elders had hoped the forests would be all those years ago was playing out copy-book style in this

wee enterprise.

Earthquakes, volcanoes, and seasons It’s never the crisis, it’s your reaction to it that determines the eventual outcome, and no business’ story is ever devoid of at least one makeor-break moment. As the logging industry descended into crisis through 2019, and with Covid-19 following in short order, Manuel Haulage had the benefit of owners well versed in life’s rougher roads. They ensured there were no headless chooks and that calmness and pragmatism prevailed as tough decisions were made. Raewyn recalls the time. “It was 2019, and unease in the China wood market was growing. Their wharves were becoming congested with unsold logs that didn’t appear to be moving anywhere soon. There was talk of the timber industry in New Zealand slowing. It meant our trucks were not carting logs every day, and the work was shared around. I remember Ray calling on one of his trips saying the forestry workers had gotten word it was to be

Beau and Natalie keep Optimus Pine busy.

New shift driver on Ruaumoko, Steven ‘Opi’ Aupouri.

New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 29

their last day for processing, that they were being laid off. It was a sad day. The skids began to close down one after the other. Then to make it worse, Covid hit. “That was very unsettling. We were a new company, not very experienced, and

responsible for not just our three drivers – there were five families in total, as well as a lot of debt. “We decided to get our team together and brainstorm how we could best manage the lockdown. Our utmost intention was to keep our

team together and support each other. We agreed no unnecessary spending was the first step. By now, Ray, Jules, and Willie were full time with Manuel Haulage. I suggested outsourcing our drivers on a casual shortterm basis. We rang around Ray glides into Tokomaru Bay. Trucking in the community at its best.

30 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

the larger companies in essential industries that may need relief drivers. We were lucky as it was harvesting and processing time for the orchards and growers. Ray and Willie were able to work at Freshways Transport on linehaul, although Willie’s

Ruaumoko powers up Loisels hill.

contract was short term. Jules kept the home fires burning and ran Optimus on any short trips we were lucky enough to get. “We were then offered short-term work for the Freightliner, so Willie came back and did that before taking on work carting sweetcorn for a local contractor. “Natalie used this time to make our own masks and sanitisers for the trucks as there was none to be had in the shops. She sanitised the trucks from top to bottom, inside and out. We made up hygiene kits for each truck, making our own bars of sanitising soap from local manuka oil, and essential oils, as well as our own sanitising wipes. We ensured everyone had enough for work and home.”

Ruaumoko We all know now what happened next. Once the lockdown was lifted the country’s economy went mad, with no sign of letting up even at the time of writing as the globe emerges from the pandemic, learning to live with its new microscopic passenger. “Prior to Covid, we had

begun talking about buying a new truck. The Old Girl was verging on one-million kilometres, and Willie had moved on to new pastures. Instead of keeping her going on some of the worst roads in New Zealand, it made economic sense to put a new unit on. Midway through 2020, we decided to press ‘go’ on that project. The truck would, of course, be Ray’s.” During the Covid crisis, Natalie told her mum she had decided to go to driving school and get her class-5 license. “‘So I can drive one of our trucks,’ she said,” laughed Raewyn. “All sorts of scenarios flashed before my eyes. I shook my head, wondering how a little 5’ 2” midget would be able to do everything required. How could she reach the pedals for starters? Since then, she has finished her one-year course and gained her class 5 – plus a few other licences along the way. Today she drives a 54-tonne logging truck … and she can reach the pedals.” It just so happened that Natalie’s partner Beau Jones was an experienced log-truck driver, and pretty handy on the spanners too. So he came on board post-Covid to take

Ray’s place as the lead driver on Optimus, and together with Natalie, today they keep the big blue fella busy on a shift-and-a-half roster. Back to the new addition. “We looked at various brands, prices, and options etc. Western Star appealed and we were impressed with Vicky and Kyle’s unit. Mark Ellerington, our Penske salesman from Tauranga, had visited monthly to make sure everything was on point. He’s been brilliant and has accommodated us at every step. “We had our own thoughts on what we wanted but sought the experience of Ray and Mark. Mark spent a day out with Ray and they discussed trucks and options on the job, reporting back to us, and together, we began to put a specification together. “One of the keys was the ability to carry one packet of 6.1m logs on the truck and two on the trailer. Planning was also underway for the Patchell five-axle trailer with an extra-long drawbar to enable our load requirements to happen. “It was during this time that we got a call from Ray to ask if we had a name for

the new truck? We said ‘No, it’s your truck, you name it.’ Without hesitating, he said Ruaumoko. Tutu and I were both stunned. That name resonated not only with us but in us. Ruaumoko is a famous East Coast haka, and during World War II, Sir Apirana Ngata led our troops into battle with that same haka. Our own grandson, Apirana Turupa McLean Manuel, is the great-greatgrandson of Sir Apirana Ngata. In Maori mythology, Ruaumoko is the god of earthquakes, volcanoes and the seasons. So it made perfect sense. It was meant to be.” In February this year, Ray and Ruaumoko rolled into Gisborne for the first time. “It was an emotional and proud moment for Tutu and I to see Ruaumoko, polished to the hilt, arrive home, in Ngatiporou country,” said Raewyn in reflection. “As soon as I could, I climbed up into the truck, and in the glovebox I placed a set of painted Samoan Beads. They had been blessed to keep all who travel in him safe.” The truck’s arrival was also a sign that the young company had weathered its first real storm.

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September 2021 31

KO RUAUMOKO E NGUNGURU NEI Hi au! Au! Aue ha!! PART TWO

Reflection “It has been a great journey and big learning curve for us both,” says Raewyn. “But we’re glad we took it on, even though in the past three years, there have been more curveballs than we ever thought possible. As people new to trucking, we’ve learned it’s a tough business to be in. It’s unequal to anything we’ve experienced. If you can make it in trucking, you can make it in anything. “Undoubtedly, the biggest tragedy for us all was losing our Jules to cancer in June this year – our beautiful lady driver and Ray’s offsider. In the short time Jules had been with us, she and Natalie had become quite close friends. It was truly devastating. “But we have managed to work through each hurdle

32 New Zealand Trucking

as it has been presented, at times stretching one dollar to make two, and we’re still here. It’s still early days, but if your business is about the people, we think everything will be fine. “We often talk about the forestry beginning in the 1960s. Heading to school at Ngata Memorial College in Ruatoria, we would pass the various forestry workers along the roads carrying their lunch kits and waiting for the mini-bus to take them into the forest. These were the legends and pioneers in the early days that laid the foundation for us today. Little did we know that almost 55 years later, we would be taking our trucks into those same forests and carting the logs out they had planted.” September 2021

ome trucks are special; they just have ‘a thing’, and Ruaumoko is most certainly one of those, bonded to its owners and lead driver in a manner that has taken the best part of six decades to piece together. It represents a culmination of so much. As the rain came down on a cold morning in Tokomaru Bay, Ray and Ruaumoko rolled north through the village limits and glided to a stop at our scheduled meeting spot opposite the Four Square. Door open, and in we jump. It’s warm inside and Ray Feki extends a hand: “G’day, Dave. Pleased to meet you, mate.” Crikey, based on what we’ve learned in the last 20 hours, believe me, the pleasure is all mine, I thought. Greetings complete and settled in, Ray slips the Roadranger into gear, and we’re off to get some logs from further up the coast. At this point, apprehension washed away from the pit of my stomach. After the night before with Tutu and Raewyn, in the middle of the night, I thought, ‘What if Ray was a fire-and-brimstone sort of helmsman? A ‘2100rpm, split every gear, Jake through town, eight downshifts to stop’ sort of bloke? How would I word it if the majesty of Ruaumoko’s day-to-day life didn’t match that of the truck or the story? Watching him approach town settled me immeasurably, but oh

glory be, everything about our lift-off and exit from downtown Tokomaru Bay told me this bloke’s mana befitted that of the truck’s namesake and owners totally. In fact, the further we went, the more and more awe-inspiring it got until we reached the point where I climbed back in the ute with Gav later in the day and said, “Oh, my goodness. I’ve just been witness to one of the great driving performances of my life. The man’s a virtuoso.” Anyway, what is Ruaumoko aside from being pretty snazzy and fantastically coloured? Well, he’s a classic Western Star 4884 FXC 8x4 rigid logger with big red lurking under that ultra-short square snout – meaning of course, our venerable old friend, the Cummins X-15. As we all know, it’s a 15-litre, six-cylinder, Euro-5 via SCR motor, and in this installation it churns out 448kW (600hp) at 1600rpm onward, and 2779Nm (2050lb/ft) of torque from 1150 to 1500rpm. Behind that is the equally wellrespected Eaton Roadranger RTLO22918B 18-speed manual transmission and, way out back, Meritor RT46-160GP R-series axles perch on Airliner 46,000lb air suspension… With chain clearance! That means it has the appropriate clearances to allow the fitting of snow chains if required. Thankfully, ice roads aren’t a big deal in Tikitiki. Up at the grille end, Meritor FG-941 axles rest easy on

taper leaf parabolic springs and shock absorbers. Aside from proprietary versus vendor suspensions, mechanically, the Western Star is essentially the same machine as Kane Bennett’s T909 Kenworth, and Zac Brausch’s ProStars. Where they head their separate ways in the construction of the shed, frame, and all the bits and bobs that make it all hang together and sing in harmony. The best way

of determining if a build philosophy works is head count. Up here in the far-north East Coast, there appeared to be a lot of Western Stars and Kenworths. Rugged trucks. Durable trucks. Make no mistake, a callout in the guts of it all, inland west of Tikitiki, will likely eliminate that week’s profit, and probably the week after also. In terms of modern safety accoutrements, the 4884 is showing its age with not a

Vaughan in the swing of loading Ruaumoko. The Western Star is one of those trucks that looks perfectly at home on a logging skid.

lot outside of EBS, ABS, and roll stability. We all know that some time just down the track, Western Star’s 49X is due to appear, and that will bunt the company logo into equal first as far as safety in a North American truck goes – alongside stablemate Freightliner Cascadia. All that aside, however, I do, and always will, argue that big truck safety’s No.1 contributor is the person at the wheel, and in that regard, Ruaumoko

is as safe a truck as you’d ever want to sit in.

Pity about the roads We and almost everyone else in the industry are at their wit’s end with the roads in this country and believe us when we say there are none worse than northeastern coast. Regardless of who they purport to represent, everyone in the Beehive should hang their head in shame. If these

Around and on its way. Approaching a hairpin on the south side of Busby’s.

roads are intended to help create and sustain jobs on the East Coast, then something’s seriously amiss in this nation. It’s ludicrous to think WorkSafe might visit a logging site to ensure there’s a safe zone in place, yet not walk into Waka Kotahi NZTA offices on their return to Wellington and ask them what the hell they think they’re doing? “That huge slump in the road just north of Tokomaru Bay?” says Raewyn. “It’s been there since I was a girl.” “Yep, that’s right,” says Tutu quickly. “It has, too. “All the trucks up here pay over $7000 per month each in road tax, for all these years, and we get that to drive on.

It’s not right.” Ray continues further north, past TePuia Springs, the Ruatoria Junction, and on towards Tikitiki. You can already tell that anything over 448kW (600hp) is pretty much useless up here. The windy, narrow corridor littered with slips, slumps, and sporting a worse than substandard surface, means you pick your way up and down, at least until you’re on the Gisborne side of Loisels hill, south of Tolaga Bay, on the way home. Like a flashback to 1970s rural New Zealand, we come across a couple of shepherds herding sheep up the road, and we inch our way past. When we turn into the forest

Typical of East Coast country and terrain the Western Star was bought to tame.

34 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

about 12km up from Tikitiki, we’re only about 15 minutes from Te Araroa. We’re really in Manuel country here! Actually, we couldn’t be more in Tutu’s turf if we tried. The block we’re carting off is his family block, passed down directly from Manuel-Jose. “We’re going to replant it and go again,” says Tutu. “Same principle, jobs for whanau and future generations. I think demand for wood will only increase with everything that’s going on. We’ll do it better this time and make sure the trees are better looked after early on. You’ll get a better log and price at the end, hopefully.” It’s a 5km or 6km trot into

the skid, straight into a gully, up the other side, down another big one, over a ford and up again. Once over the second crest, it’s a smaller drop, and then the road forks; left up to the barn and house, and right, over a large shallow creek that the roadies have bridged with a causeway. Once across, it’s up and around to the right and onto the skid. Ray lets Ruaumoko find his way back from the turnaround spur, up the last bit of road to the landing, positioning him to the right under the loader. We’re at Waikura Logging’s Rukuata skid site. Ray and loader operator

Vaughan had the trailer off in no time. Like all classy grapple-men, Vaughan neatly and gently places the Chinabound tourists into position with zero detriment to either his boss’ or the Manuel’s assets.

A quick run around the cab Considering the state of SH2 and what a log truck has to deal with in the normal course of off-highway life up here, it’s a credit to the cab that there’s not a single squeak yet, even though it’s only 63,000km in. It’s easy to poke a finger at an ageing model and look down your nose at what it doesn’t have, but to be frank, the 49X

is going to have to be a lot of truck to carry all its tech, yet hold true to what a Western Star is in country like this. Noise-wise, the 4884 is on a par with its more prolific rival, and from the standpoint of functionality, it’s the most old-school of the modern old-schoolers. The steering wheel steers, there are 15 gauges and a warning-light bank on the binnacle, with the switches, traction aids, brake valves, a wee engine readout, and air conditioning all on the wrap. Indicator and dip are on the left wand, and hand control on the right. The radio is overhead. Ray’s recently fitted a sub to enhance his daily workspace. “I’m not into

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September 2021 35

The Western Star is the most old school of the ‘old schoolers’. You provide everything, including the soul. That in itself makes it more appealing to some. The cab is not a vanilla monotone space that would bore even a zombie. Here’s hoping that’s carried over to the 49X. that boom boom rubbish; it just adds richness to my music… Which turned out to be ‘our music’ … which sounded bloody great. Ambiance-wise, it doesn’t have the sporty vibe the ProStar imbues. The Star of the West aligns itself far more to the Kenworth thing in that area, with dark tones and a more classic feel. One aspect we do love is the colouring. Regulars will know I have at times lamented the blandness of modern cabs, but in here there’s woodgrain finish on the dash, heavy, durable plastics and vinyl in black and grey, and burgundy splashes in the door infills. Nice. Here’s hoping the burgundy makes it to 49X, rather than some Rounding the lookout at Makorori.

beanie saving $1.50 per door. Visibility is US conventional circa at least one generation ago, but because the air cleaner towers are set well forward, left-right clearance is not that bad, really. Yes, you have the west-coasters and A-pillars to contend with, but considering the amount of glass it doesn’t have, there’s certainly worse around by a long shot. Because it’s a full bonnet, and not heavily raked, it doesn’t have the view down in front that the ProStar does, but it’s hardly an issue in these sorts of application. The cab is certainly wider inside than Kane’s T9 series Kenworth and appears line-ball with the ProStar (we’d have to get the

Lufkin out and check). They’re really the only trucks of recent you can compare it to. Lining it up against the 2.1m Kenworth cab is not apples-with-apples fair – generationally speaking, that shelter will be the 49X’s hunting ground. With the short square hood, the 4884 has an almost proprietary sightline when positioning it on the road. It doesn’t really fit into a genre. However, what the bigger engine stable does is allow better visibility of the big red horse when the hood is pulled. Yes, it’s tucked well back and intrudes into the cabin space, but it is clearly there. It’s not an audible recognition that there is one in there somewhere.

Succinctly put, in this setup, if you’re not a ‘traditional driver’, shall we say, the Western Star is going to take a bit of taming, and you may never be entirely at ease. But if you do fit that profile, it’s the sort of machine that will probably be akin to your favourite hammer. Simple, durable, reliable, driveable, and obedient. It’ll never argue back; you provide the soul. Just the way it should be up here.

“This truck will last forever” These are the words I said to Tutu and Raewyn in reference to Ray Feki when we met on the evening of day one for a cuppa.

“Oh good,” laughs Raewyn. “That’s what we want to hear! Yeah, he’s pretty good, isn’t he? We love Ray. He does so well for us.” “I’ve told him I might buy him one of those wheel polishing machines,” says Tutu. “Oooh, he liked the sound of that!” Back to the scene. Once the SI Lodec scales indicated it was probably time to cease loading, Ray threw the chains, tightened the rachets, set the Bigfoot CTI and traction requirements, and selected his gear. Ruaumoko inched away from the landing and down the haul road. The note of the Jacobs reverberating around the valley increased in intensity as the X-15 bore the weight of the load. Down and back over the creek, Ray powered into the foot of the hill, his style lets the truck find its way, and he just gives it what it needs to get the job done. He’s your classic topnotch heavy-haul, off-highway log-truck driver, and his time in the latter fraternity is plainly evident. You can pick it instantly. Ruaumoko was every bit his namesake as he ground out of the creek up the first big climb at 53-tonne plus change. Both Manuel combinations are plated for 54-tonne, as are most log trucks running the upper coast. Down towards the ford and the Jake kept things in trim. Ray brought the truck to a near halt, walked it through, then into it again. Up the pull away from the water, climb, climb, climb, then a slight plateau where he took a halfgear, full shift, half again to gather a bit of pace with not a skerrick of stress detected through the seat from the driveline. Up near the top, there’s a steep pinch, and the stick’s out and in, one whole slot, with power really on now and the big fella blasts over

Ray checking the chains at Tikitiki.

WISDOM

THE MOTHER OF PROSPERITY

ou could argue the biggest issue in the world and business today is too much education and not enough wisdom. With wisdom, ‘traditional values’ become real, and not merely a label. What prosperity actually means is clarified. If you want to know or experience what wisdom in business looks like in 2021, then Manuel Haulage is a beautiful example. Tutu and Raewyn Manuel are invested in the lives of their staff, their personal goals, and aspirations. The purpose of work is fulfilment of everyone’s dreams, not just the owner’s, and in the Manuels’ case, their dream is, in all honesty, fulfilment of those in and around them. “As we say to our kids, ‘our time has been, it’s your world now, so dream big and go hard.” Take Ray Feki as a prime example. He had a dream of wanting to own his own home, and Tutu and Raewyn have worked closely with him to make that real. And the truth is? Ray Feki will read this article from his own living room. “Along this journey, Tutu and I decided that any staff we bought on board would always be treated with respect,” says Raewyn. “We wanted to create a whanau atmosphere where we paid them fairly for a difficult job well done, with incentive bonuses that reflected their star rating as a driver, work ethics, loyalty, and safety. We are continually looking for small incentives along the way that make the job attractive and interesting. Drivers sort their shifts out among themselves to suit their lifestyle. So long as the minimum number of trips each day has been achieved and the gear is well-maintained and looked after, then we are happy.

“Our Whakatauki (mission statement) is simple: He aha te mea nui o te ao? – What is the most important thing in the world? He tangata! – It is the people. He tangata! – It is the people. He tangata! – It is the people.”

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September 2021 37

the top. Again, there’s not a hint of any discomfort from under the cab. Press repeat for the last gully, and all too soon, we’re back at the main gate. You could sell tickets to that. Of course, Ray’s typical of his type. “You should see Beau! He’s been logging for years; he’s a gun.” Chains checked and a pee, and we’re out on the ‘relative’ ease of the main road. Rolling along, heading south now, we wind back through Tikitiki and on to Ruatoria as Ray talks about his journey in driving. “I thought I was okay until I met Colin Everitt from Waihi. He moved down here, and I started working for the business he set up called Prolog. Actually, it was my first log-truck job, a Kenworth K100G sleeper with a C12 Caterpillar. We were carting from this side, right up and around, and down the west to Kawerau. He came with me a few times and changed my style completely. ‘Here, try it this way,’ he’d say. It was a whole new way of driving for me. Yeah, that fella taught me heaps. He was a good bloke.”

38 New Zealand Trucking

Running south, you certainly wouldn’t want to be in anything ‘lurchy’. Ruaumoko’s configuration means it’s ‘on rails’ and immovable. We have to say that given the road and the fact the second steer is right under your chuff, the ride was more than palatable. As we wound through the extra windy up and down section around Te Puia Springs, the combination’s configuration came front of mind. “Being able to cart three packets of six-ones means it can do anything really,” says Ray. “I’m a Patchell man through and through; they know how to build a log truck.” Readers who read the AWE McNicoll ProStar feature in the May issue, will recall us saying the 4884 Western Star is the only truck that out-snubs both the ProStar and the T610 Kenworth when talking BBC (bumper to back of cab). The 4884s BBC of just 2271mm, not to mention its 8x4 option, makes it an incredibly versatile gig in the New Zealand scene generally, logging especially.

September 2021

Ray’s approach to Tokomaru Bay typifies the man. He let all the speed wash away from the unit and entered the town as quiet as a pensioner on an e-bike … quieter maybe. There’s a sharp right hook over the Mangahaniui River and by the time 53-odd tonnes of truck and load arrived at that point, the brakes were only needed to scrub off about 10kph. This is trucking in the community at its best. Away from town is Busby’s Hill, a shortish climb with a pinch about half way up, after which it undulates along the ridge, before a final nip up, and then down the other side. Ray picked up pace out of town, driving into the foot of the hill in nineth-direct, letting the truck bury itself in the climb before hooking straight into the pull gear from there. Ruaumoko held fifth direct at 1250rpm and 25kph through the toughest bit. As he approached the summit, Ray again let the terrain pull all the speed off the truck and went straight into his descending gear. “I know,” laughs Tutu later. “Sometimes I’m thinking

‘change down now, she’s going to stop’, Ray’s calmas, and all of a sudden, she’s climbing under power. He just knows, eh?”

Right trees, right people, right truck Once clear of Loisels hill, south of Tolaga Bay, the road takes a distinctive turn for the better, with longer straights and flowing curves through the farmland, then along past Wainui Beach, and into Gizzy. Ray’s an ‘owl’, so prefers the second half of the day, and in April this year, Tutu and Raewyn took on a shift mate for him. Steven ‘Opie’ Aupouri is an ex-military man, having spent more than 30 years in the forces, including multiple stints down on the ice. He normally takes Ruaumoko on his first outing of the day and then hands it over to Ray. “In summer, we’ve normally run a full double, and in winter, shift and half, just to ease time and increase safety margins in the conditions,” says Ray. Ray’s a certified loader, so as long as he has a safety observer, he can load himself at designated skid sites. That

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

wo things will largely determine the success or failure of any new business venture. First, the reason you got started, and second, the people you surround yourself with on the journey. We’ve well established Manuel Haulage’s reason for being and daily philosophy; now it’s time to tip our hat to another cornerstone of the business’ survival in those critical early days – the sublime, yet humble Mr Feki. Ray Feki knew from the outset he wasn’t just a driver on loan; he understood that his was a critical role if these two late arrivals to the industry were going to ‘roll some serious coal’, to use an old US trucker’s phrase. Although born, raised, and schooled in Tauranga, 48-year-old Ray Feki’s family roots were also on the Coast

in Tikitiki. Ray was around trucks pretty much from the start. His grandfather Henare Tekoari drove in the 28th Maori Battalion, Company B, and later went on to drive for a living. And Uncle Saul, who drove for Heatons and later Turners and Growers, was a source of trips “all over the country”, as Ray described it. As he came into his own, he formed a friendship with NZL Transport owner-driver Dave Waterhouse, who ran a Kenworth K124. In fact, at age 19, that truck was Ray’s first real driving job, on general flat-deck work. From there, he did stints with Turners and Growers North Island and Mainfreight. Then, in 1999, he took a position with Weatherell Transport, again North Islandwide. In 2001, Ray decided he

wanted to establish links with the East Coast and moved home. “I wanted to come home and re-establish links with my mother’s family and where I’m from,” says Ray. That was where he found his first log truck job, working as we said for the late Colin Everitt’s Prolog operation. In 2003, Ray moved to Geoff Hill and Coastal Logging Patutahi, amassing more log experience, but like so many contractors and workers in the region he was a casualty of the forestry industry’s Huagang crisis of that year, loosing his job. With a young family to look after, he moved to Rotorua and took work with Rotorua Forest Haulage where he stayed for 12 months until an opportunity to move home and work at Pacific Haulage Ltd came up.

“Clavin Paddon, who ran the workshop at Pacific Haulage, was another huge influence on me,” he says. Ray had always had a hankering for a bit of offhighway work on the big gear, so in 2015, he headed back to Rotorua, where he found work driving for RFH in its off-highway operation in the Kaingaroa. “I loved the work. You really get a feel for weight in there. It’s unreal. But I didn’t really connect with Rotorua as a place to live. Not sure what it was. I guess I realised the East Coast was home.” He returned home to Chubb and Agnes’ Rewi Haulage before destiny led him to Tutu and Raewyn, and his role helping them stand Manuel Haulage on its feet. Today Ray’s a happy bloke. Immensely proud of two daughters, Leah (24) who works for the Justice Dept in the community, and Sarah who at 19 is on the go-line of adventure and opportunity. “Yeah,” says Ray, “This is home down here; there’s no question. This is home.”

Ray said he wanted to acknowledge the following people who have helped, influenced, and mentored his career: Dave Waterhouse, NZL Transport owner-driver, Mt Maunganui; Colin Everitt (RIP), Prolog Haulage, Gisborne; Geoff Hill, Coastal Logging Patutahi, Gisborne; Calvin Paddon, Pacific Haulage, Gisborne; Tutu and Raewyn Manuel, Tolaga Bay, Rangitukia.

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September 2021 39

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

Western Star 4884 FXC 8x4 rigid Tare: 11,640kg (Load certificate) GVM: 33,500kg GCM: 90,500kg Wheelbase: 7100mm Engine: Cummins X-15 Capacity: 15-litre Power: 448kW (600hp) Torque: 2779Nm (2050lb/ft) Emissions: Euro-5 Transmission: Eaton Roadranger RTLO-22918B 18-speed manual Front axle: Meritor FG-941 x 2 Front-axle rating: 13,250kg (pair) Front suspension: Taper leaf parabolic springs and shock absorbers

normally means Tutu has an opportunity to go for a ride in the truck he and Raewyn own. And the answer to the original question? It’s cherryblack, complemented by the sign-writing brilliance of Darryn Caulfield. “Years ago, I had a V8 car in that colour and really took a shine to it,” says Ray. “I think a Western Star conventional suits a dark cab. Cherry-black is just a bit different from the normal darker shades.” Ray joined the queue at Eastland Port and, sadly, that was our lot on this occasion. Ruaumoko, like his East Coast brethren, is far more than just a log truck. They’re not simply carrying a load, but a promise – a promise made by wise men and women long ago. Tutu and Raewyn and so many of today’s contractors

are living descendants of that promise. The northern East Coast is no place for over-complication. The customers up here demand ability and endurance from their equipment, and that’s normally the result of straightforward equipment being operated by exceptional people. I say exceptional people over drivers because here it goes beyond the immediate skill; there’s an understanding of the why, and the who, not just the how. It’s little wonder then that a Western Star-Patchell union finds a happy home here. Theirs, and products of their ilk, had their genesis in places, and from people, just like those of the North Island’s northeast corner.

Rear-axle rating: 20,900kg Rear suspension: Airliner 46,000lb (with chain clearance) Brakes: Drum EBS, ABS Auxiliary braking: Jacobs engine brake Fuel: 473 litres DEF tank: 150-litre Wheels: Alcoa alloy Tyres: 295/80 R22.5 Electrical: 12V Cab exterior: Galvanised steel cab ECE R29 compliant. Stainless-steel heated remote mirrors. Twin 7” stacks. Stainless-steel drop visor, bug deflectors, headlight surrounds. Stainless-steel light in-fills on door sill and air cleaners. Air rams. Texas bumper. Alloy wheels. Cab interior: Grey/maple leaf vinyl cab interior (maroon). National 2000 series highback driver’s seat with active lumbar support. Woodgrain finish, premium cherry finish dash. Air-conditioned. AM/FM tuner with Bluetooth.

Patchell Industries 5-axle log trailer

Acknowledgements Thank you to Tutu, Raewyn and family for letting us tell your story, and eternal thanks for the wisdom and everything else that came with it. Ray Feki, thanks so much for letting us tag along, and for your incredible accommodation of our needs. What a top bloke. Thanks to Mark Ellerington at Penske NZ, and Kate Luck at Patchell Industries for all your help and information. Good people make business easy.

40 New Zealand Trucking

Rear axle: Meritor RT46-160 GP R-Series with diff lock and cross locks on both axles

September 2021

Chassis: Low-height EVO4 I-Beam Axles/suspension: Hendrickson INTRAAX disc-brake air suspension Wheels: Alcoa alloy Scales: SI Lodec Log gear: Two fixed bolsters front and rear. Two central sliding bolsters Two rifle-bolt push-up remote extension pins to all bolsters. Load restraint winches fitted to all bolsters.

AUXILIARY

TRUCK

MAKE THE MOST OF

PBS

DRIVEN TO SUCCEED

RIGS SKIDS AND

Story and photos by Gavin Myers

Big trucks, fast cars, and behind the wheel of either a person you probably wouldn’t expect – RFH driver Melanie Skelton may “wear make-up and have blonde hair”, but she is a truckie to admire.

t was a chance encounter with a mate’s Kenworth in 2015 that set Rotorua’s Melanie Skelton on a path to success in an industry she knew nothing about. “I turned round to him while admiring the truck and said I’d like to drive one of them one day. His reply to me was, ‘Mate, you can do anything you put your mind to.’ I just thought, ‘yeah, right’,” says Melanie. “It was not really something I’d thought about.” Then a stay-at-home mum to two-year-old son Mason, it took Melanie another year or so to make her move. But if Melanie initially had doubts, they were probably misplaced. Growing up with a racing-obsessed dad, who’d drag the family to meetings on the weekend, sparked an interest in all things mechanical, automotive and racing. Melanie completed her automotive and panel beating level 2 certifications in 2010 and then spent three years in Auckland working in the automotive industry before Mason arrived. Ready to re-enter the working world, Melanie was faced with a choice: become

a chef, or become a truck driver. “Two very different choices, but I love cooking,” says Melanie, adding with a laugh, “A passion for food is not the best thing to have when you’re a truck driver!” Of course, we know which way that decision went, and for the second half of 2017, Melanie drove back and forth to Tauranga to attend her level 3 course in commercial road transport at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. Melanie left with her class 4 licence in hand. “I wanted a course that would put me through all my licence classes and teach me the right processes to follow in the industry,” she says. Six months later, she was back for her class 5. (While doing her licences, Melanie also achieved her forklift; wheels, tracks and rollers; and dangerous goods endorsements.) Working through her course and with class 2 in hand, Melanie spent a couple of days a week building up work experience with Mainfreight, running around Rotorua in a little “puddle jumper”. “I loved it,” she says. Once

she got her class 4, her run was extended to Kawerau, Edgecumbe and Opotiki, which she loved too. “Nothing was ever the same; you had to think about the loads you carried. They had me doing everything.” In 2018, a brief opportunity came from Tally-Ho Industries to be a trainee crane operator. “But it wasn’t for me. I needed to explore the industry more,” Melanie says. She did have some highlights, though, like installing all the signs in the Hemo Gorge. An opportunity with Patchell Industries followed. Although Melanie had her class 5 by this time, she’d not yet done any work with trailers… “That’s where I learnt how to back. On my first day, they said, ‘Can you back that trailer into the shed?’ and it took me about half an hour!” Melanie laughs. “I learnt how to back every combination of trailer you can think of.” Again, shunting trailers around wasn’t for her. Melanie wanted to give linehaul a go and applied for a position carting timber around the North Island with Honeycomb Bulk Transport. The job came

Scania convert…

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September 2021 43

Melanie’s approach to her job is systematic and methodical.

Throwing chains … one of those skills that came with practice.

with more struggles and more learning. “I’d never thrown a chain in my life or driven a 44-tonne unit. It took a good few months of making errors and asking tonnes of questions before I really felt confident in the job and what I was doing. Towards the end, I started doing linehaul where I was away five days a week, which is not easy when you have a kid.” Then Covid-19 happened, and with that another new opportunity. Melanie joined Rotorua Forest Haulage when level 3 rolled around. Now with the company for almost 18 months, Melanie feels she’s found her ‘family’. “It’s probably one of the best places I’ve worked. The boys work as a team; we have a laugh. I’ve learnt so much there and have really come out of my shell as an operator.” Day to day, Melanie drives a DAF XF 510 with an 18-speed Roadranger. For a week a month, she gets to drive the Scania you see here, when the truck’s usual driver is away. The DAF’s doubleshifted and is now at the 900,000km mark, so both Melanie and the DAF’s night driver are getting new trucks. “I’m a Kenworth girl, but once I drove the Scania, I fell in love with it. It drives itself,” she says. And so a Scania’s what’s coming Melanie’s way, which will also allow getting back into linehaul. “I enjoy being on the road; there’s something about it,” she says.

On the road I met Melanie at the RFH Vaughan Road depot in Rotorua on a clear and calm June winter’s morning. She’d already been in the yard long before daybreak cleaning the Scania; as luck has it, she’s behind its wheel that week. “I spend a lot of time looking after the trucks,” she says, and it’s clear she takes a lot of pride in that. We only had a local run ahead of us,

Melanie with the Argosy she drove at Honeycomb.

but it didn’t take much more to see Melanie’s positive attitude extends to how she conducts herself behind the wheel and in the yards of customers and suppliers. “I enjoy the procedure of it all,” she says. “I have developed my own ways of doing things, figured out what works and what doesn’t for me.” For example, she’s methodical, working one side of the truck at a time, minimising the need to run back and forth, side to side, and helping to make the job of the forklift operator a bit easier. Melanie’s quick to acknowledge those who have helped shape her over the past few years. “Some of the old boys are really good, freely offering advice. Drivers I’ve never met before have given me advice or complimented me on my driving. I wouldn’t be the operator I am now without their tips and tricks.” She also says she couldn’t keep living her dream without the support of family, especially her parents who take care of Mason during the week. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without their support and help over the last four years. I’ve missed out on a lot, but I’ve had to do what I’ve had to do to put us in a better position for the future.” However, it’s not all been smooth sailing. A trailer accident on SH1 and the loss of a close friend in a truck accident took their toll on Melanie, making her realise how quickly things can go wrong and not take any day for granted. On the positive side, they were also incidents of great learning. “The accident scared the living daylights out of me, but I got back on the horse with some training and some support. As much as it was a major stuff-up, and I hate to admit that I rolled a trailer, I honestly think the accident was pivotal for my driving.” Melanie says being singled out as female still happens a lot across the

Speaking at the 2021 EROAD Fleet Day conference.

board. “The difference between males and females grinds my gears, especially the comments from other drivers. I normally just brush them off, but sometimes they ruin your day. I don’t want to be treated differently to the boys. “Some days, that makes me hate being a truck driver, but other days I wouldn’t change it for the world.” Melanie is pleased to see the increasing number of females entering the industry. A couple of months ago, she was even called on to train a woman who joined the company. “It was cool that a female could teach a female to place loads and throw chains,” she says. She’s also on a charge to do her bit to promote the industry to women, with seminars for females and high-school talks planned. “When I first got my licences, I was a bit intimidated as the only female in a class full of boys. We need to make it more of a friendly situation. I’m a good candidate for knowing what has, what can, and what can’t work.” Her enthusiasm is already rubbing off on seven-year-old Mason. “He comes out with me and asks 50 million questions. It’s great that RFH allows it,” she says. “He loves it, and he wants to be a driver when he’s older too. I tell him he needs to earn lots of money to look after mum when she’s old,” Melanie laughs. Melanie’s partner Hayden drives for Kris Slater Cartage, so there’s certainly no shortage of influence for young Mason. Earlier this year, Melanie was invited to speak at the EROAD Fleet Day 2021 conference. She closed her address by saying: “Don’t give up on your dreams. If you work hard and put in the effort, you can achieve anything you put your mind to.” It seems her mate with the Kenworth was right.

SIDELOADING TO SIDEWAYS DRIVING

hen she’s not behind the wheel shifting the Roadranger in her DAF or enjoying the comfort of the Scania (and not playing competitive netball or pottering around the garden), Melanie can be found navigating her R32 Nissan Skyline around the track, looking through the side windows at full opposite lock. “At the moment drifting is more a hobby; it’s really expensive, but competition is something I want to do once I get sponsorship,” she says, explaining her journey into the local drift scene. “Mason’s dad does drifting, and once we separated, I wanted to do it as well. I built my own car, by myself. Dad’s thing was, ‘Learn to build it yourself, so you know how to fix it.’ So I did that. “I learnt how to drift in it, but it didn’t have enough power. So I built the R32, doing everything except the electrical and fabrication work.” Melanie says that New Zealand’s drifting scene is a great vibe. “It’s like one big family. I had no idea what I was doing at first, but the boys helped me learn, and everyone gets stuck in if someone has a problem,” she says.

UNSUNG HEROES

On a recent trip to Dunedin we came across this dear old Hino FY still working hard for Everitt Enterprises Ltd. We had a great yarn to driver Ray Campbell who emphasised the ‘Never judge a book by its cover’ philosophy. “It’s a lovely old truck to drive, and is comfortable to ride along in.” Evidently she’s due to be put out to pasture shorty so it’s just as well we were able to tip our cap to her for a job well done.

t can’t all be 7” twin shooters, Texas bumpers, ram intakes, Kelsa bars, polished stainlesssteel, and Dura-Brights. There’s millions of tonnes of freight moved every day in trucks that only the true enthusiast ever looks twice at. Yet owners and drivers alike often look on these old

trojans with fondness, like the holey jumper you put on when it’s cold. This new monthly section, running opposite Rust in Peace is aimed at those trucks. They may be near to God, but they’re dear to heart also.

IS THIS YOU? Do you own, drive, or know of an old truck that fits the unsung hero mould? Send us in a good quality pic and a little about her, and she might just have her moment in the sun as the headlights start to dim. Don’t forget, if it’s not yours, make sure whoever owns it is happy for you to submit the truck. Send your submission to: editor@nztrucking.co.nz

46 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

TOP TRUCK

ELITE IN MARLBOROUGH Story & Photographs by Craig McCauley

Over the past decade, New Zealanders’ appetite for developing property – and the infrastructure associated with it – has meant a noticeable increase in the country’s fleet of six-wheeler ‘gravel trucks’.

iwi contractors often come under one of two categories when it comes to the image portrayed by their equipment – those who prefer to keep their gear plain and fly under the radar and those who turn it into a spectacular visual canvas advertising their services. This month’s Top Truck falls into the second category

– a UD GW26-460 Quon furnished in the eye-catching gunmetal livery of Elite Excavations Marlborough Ltd. Greg Robinson, and his wife Carol, operate the business from Kaituna, near Renwick, in the heart of grape country. They specialise in a mix of roading and drainage work, for their own business and as a sub-contractor to other operators.

Greg’s passion for earthmoving machinery as a youngster saw him follow his father’s footsteps into the industry, initially with TC Nicholls and latterly Mike Edridge Contracting, working his way up from machinery operation into a supervisory position. After 13 years with Edridges, Greg decided to branch out on his own

and, with the support of his wife Carol, formed Elite Excavations in 2017. The operation now has five staff and runs a range of machinery, including five excavators, two loaders, two site dumpers, a grader and two road trucks. Kenny Simmons drives the UD, undertaking a variety of work, including stockpiling and spreading aggregates

Elite Excavation’s striking gunmetal livery is enhanced on the UD by the addition of plenty of polished aluminium.

and carting spoil away from under excavators. Tare was a major consideration when the UD was purchased and this, combined with the brand’s European parentage, saw it edge out other brands. Greg explained the brand allowed the business to move into a truck with a “European feel”, while still being in the Japanese truck market.

A reasonable proportion of the UD’s time is spent working truck-only. However, the 460hp version of the Quon was chosen over the 420 as there was not much difference in cost or tare, and crystal-ball gazing. “It might future-proof our movements,” says Greg. Transport Engineering Otago (TEO) of Mosgiel managed the truck’s build.

A 5.1-metre long Hardox bin was fabricated with inbuilt Tiger Hook load anchors allowing most of Elite’s machines to be carried inside the bin while being restrained compliantly. TEO’s pin-less two-way tail-door system draws a lot of praise from the Elite team. No matter how much builds up around the rear of the bin due to discharging

wet sticky material, the tail door will always shut without resistance. It is the best tip-deck available, in Greg’s opinion, and he can’t praise the TEO team enough for their top-quality work. These features, along with rated tie-down rails, removable rear mudflaps, and a plethora of safety items, including LED lighting, reverse cameras and a handbrake

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September 2021 49

The Quon is certainly no show-pony and spends much of its day off-road, scratching its way in and out of construction sites.

alarm, make for a safe, versatile and operator-friendly unit. Commercial Vehicle Centre supplied the UD. It runs the Euro-6-compliant GH11TD engine, producing 338kW (460hp) at 1800rpm and 2200Nm (1623 ft/lb) of torque at 1200rpm. An ESCOT-VI 12 speed automated manual transmission turns the RTS2370A rear bogie, rated at 18,000kg, which rides on leaf springs. Bigfoot CTI is fitted to assist with traction in many of the off-road situations Kenny and the UD find themselves. Passion, practicality and presentation combined make the Elite Excavations Marlborough Ltd UD Quon New Zealand Trucking magazine’s Top Truck for September 2021.

Kenny Simmons drives the UD.

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THE MODERN TRANSPORT GROUP

Just Truckin’

Around

www.trt.co.nz

Western Stars down here. Mine was up for replacement, so my boss asked me what I’d prefer, and I said I want a Mack Super-Liner. A week later, he’d ordered one,” Bevan explains. Originally from Thames, Bevan’s been driving for 32 years. He and his wife transferred to the Bay of Plenty when their kids moved out of home. “It’s not a bad place to be, but one day we’ll go

back to Thames – it’s nice and quiet.” Bevan seems to like it “nice and quiet”; his favourite thing about trucking is being out early in the morning, one of the few vehicles on the road. And, at the opposite end of the scale, he hates going into Auckland. Bevan’s vexing question is a JTA classic: Holden or Ford? “I like Fords, but I’d have a Holden.”

Bevan Davy Gavin Myers was staring out his kitchen window one Saturday morning when a shiny Mack Super-Liner tractor unit rolled down his street and turned into the school across the road. It was there to collect one of the two Life Education Trust mobile classrooms that roam the Bay of Plenty’s primary schools. “I saw you coming across the road and thought I’d done something wrong,” laughed driver Bevan Davey as they got chatting. Bevan works for Priority Logistics, based at Mount Maunganui. Ordinarily, he carts oils out of Kinleith to the Mount each day. Moving the classroom around is a job the company does a couple of times a month. Bevan’s Super-Liner joined the Priority fleet in September 2020, and he’s put more than 80,000km on it since. “It’s a beast,” he says. The 6x4 model is fitted with the MP10 in 448kW (600hp) trim and 12-speed mDRIVE transmission. “I prefer the auto, and it seems to be the way everyone’s going now anyway. “I got into Macks thanks to my uncle Peter Mitchell. Before this, we had

Bevan Hirst Bevan Hirst, Hirst Haulage Ltd, was spotted by Rochelle Thomas parked up at Rangitikei Quarry having his break while on the run down from Auckland with a load of pet food. Bevan was driving his impressive 2012 Mack Super-Liner, powered with an MP10 engine, supported by the other stalwart of road transport, an 18-speed Roadranger gearbox. Based in Te Awamutu, Bevan has been driving trucks for 25 years, 15 years in Britain. He’s been an owner-operator for the past two years and loves just being able to get on with it. He loathes traffic and says if he could change anything, it would be the RUC systems, which should be done away with in favour of a fuel tax. Bevan’s vexing question was: steak pie or bacon and egg? Bevan said, without hesitation, “Definitely steak!”

52 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

Hella

Just Truckin’

Around

www.trt.co.nz

JUST TRUCKIN’ AROUND overseas Dave Pancino Howard Shanks caught up with Heavy Haulage Australia’s Dave Pancino on a job in Tasmania recently. If you’re thinking to yourself, ‘I’ve seen this guy somewhere.’ You’re right! Especially if you’ve watched the Mega Truckers TV series. Dave said he likes the challenge heavy haulage presents. “There’s a lot of planning that goes into it, and it’s really rewarding when a shift goes without a hitch.” In case you’re wondering, yes, there are two gearboxes in Dave’s Kenworth T909. The front box is a traditional 18-speed – that’s the stick he is resting his hand on. The second box is a four-speed Spicer joey box. Swapping cogs in the joey box is via the blue ‘old-school’ Spicer gear knob.

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AUSSIE ANGLES

BECKETTS WIDENS THE

OPTIONS

Becketts Heavy Haulage looks to Drake’s steering and widening technology to enhance customer peace of mind.

Story and photos by Howard Shanks

ntil a few years ago, the tiny hamlet of Derby in northeast Tasmania was nothing more than an old derelict mining town. It had a smattering of run-down houses and a couple of pubs that relied on passing tourists to keep their doors open. So, it certainly was never a town on anyone’s go-to destination list. But the relatively recent introduction of some worldclass mountain bike trails through disused mining and forestry tracks certainly changed the sleepy hamlet into a bucket-list destination. Consequently, demand for housing and accommodation in the town is high. So high that property prices jumped tenfold in less than 12 months after introducing the mountain bike trails. As a result, construction of new infrastructure and

buildings is booming, with some builders claiming they’re booked out solid for the next three years. For Otta Excavations, based in nearby Scottsdale, the boom in construction is welcome news. General manager Graeme Viney praises the local Dorset council for investing in and building the mountain bike trails in Derby. “The bike trails have certainly created a lot of employment and are really helping local businesses survive, especially during these hard economic times. But importantly, it is creating good jobs for the youth in the area,” he adds. “Now young people can get trades in a wide variety of careers from hospitality through to building and construction without having to move away from home. “We’ve had our mobile crushing plant working at

Low-loader deck width extends from 2.5m to 3m.

54 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

the old quarry here in Derby for almost 12 months,” Graeme explains. “Before the construction boom in town, this quarry site was all but an abandoned old tin mine site… Anyway, enough small talk, we’d better get this crusher loaded.” A distinct advantage of the Terex Pegson XR400 mobile crusher is its ability to be shifted from site to site relativity quickly with minimal setup time. The XR400 Crusher transforms into a comparably compact unit for transportation, given the nature of the machine. It has a transport dimension width of 2.8m and a length of 15.4m with a height of 3.2m and an all-weight of 45 tonnes. One of the shortcomings with a full deck widener low-loader is the excessive scrubbing of the trailer tyres on

turns, primarily due to the far wider track of the axles when the unit is in the fully extended position. However, on the plus side, the wider track of the axles allows for increased trailer stability when carrying wide heavy equipment. Drake’s 4x4 steering widener low-loader is most suited to transporting machines such as the Terex Pegson XR400 mobile crusher because the deck quickly widens to suit the track width of the machine. Furthermore, the trailing

two-axle groups remain in the standard position like the deck widener model. In contrast, the leading two axle groups extend outwards with the deck to provide increased stability when carrying the larger machines. Including self-tracking BPW axles makes manoeuvring around tight bends and twists a lot easier on the trailer and improves tyre wear compared with fixed-axle units. Additionally, there is minimal impact on the road surface.

“We have a lot of narrow winding, twisting roads in Tasmania,” Graeme explains. “The fact that the steering widener low-loader has one group of axles that extend to the set deck width for optimum stability, and that the trailing axles run at a narrower track, means that when the lowloader is required to move to the left to pass oncoming traffic, the trailing axle group remains on the hard bitumen surface, which adds to the vehicle’s stability.

These Drake steering widener low-loaders boast an extensive list of standard features, including stainless steel hydraulic tubing, which has proved trouble-free for decades. The complete trailer is grit-blasted and painted in two-pack paint to the customer’s requirements. Lighting is all LED, while the braking is electronic EBS with ABS and roll stability. The sliding skid plate means that achieving optimum axle weights is easy for the

operator, regardless of the load dimensions or machine on the low-loader or whether a dolly is combined. A push point is located at the rear of the low-loader, used when a pusher unit gets connected to the combination. The ramps are hydraulically controlled and use the same onboard 6.5hp hydraulic power pack to operate the deck widening system and raise or lower the gooseneck. There are two spare-wheel carriers located on the gooseneck,

45-tonne mobile crusher on the move.

New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 55

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

Drake Steering Widener Model:

Steering widener low-loader

Type: 4x4 Axles:

BPW self-steering

Hydraulics:

6.5hp Honda pull start power pack

Storage:

Internal dunnage trays

Ramps: Hydraulic Spare wheel carrier: 4 x gooseneck mount Lights: LED Kingpin:

2 x removable

Skid Plate: Sliding

2007 Mack Titan specs Model:

Titan CLR 6x4

Engine:

Caterpillar C-16

Horsepower:

447kW (600hp) @ 1800rpm

Torque: 2516Nm (1850 lb/ft) @ 1200 – 1400rpm Torque rise: 32%

an alloy water tank, and a dunnage tray. There are dual lockable toolboxes down either side of the trailer. One option added by Becketts to its Drake steering widener low-loader is the gooseneck mounted winch, used when recovering machines that cannot move under their own power. “That winch on that float is certainly a handy asset,” Graeme volunteers. “When one of our wheel loaders broke down, they were able to pull it onto the low-loader without any trouble and deliver the machine to the dealer to get repaired. “The fact that the centre section of the low-loader drops a few inches is certainly a blessing when we’re shifting

machines like this crusher or our large power screens,” he says. “Sometimes, that couple of inches is all we need to come in under height, so the machine meets the legal transport height. “One of the main reasons we engage Becketts to shift our larger machinery is the fact that they have this great Drake steering widener lowloader,” Graeme explains. “That XR400 crusher is the backbone of our crushing operation. When we transport it, we need the utmost care taken of our machine, and Becketts certainly does that. The fact that the deck widens to the width of our machine gives me peace of mind that our crusher is secure on the trailer,

Transmission:

Mack T2000-18 18-speed

Front axle:

Mack FAW18

Front suspension:

Multi-leaf 1753mm

Rear axle:

Meritor RT52/185G with X-locks

Rear axle ratio: 4.89:1 Rear suspension:

Rockwell AC6T 6-Rod

Wheels:

10-stud alloy

Rating:

155,000kg GCM

Bumper:

King Bar

Exhaust:

Twin 5-inch

Fifth Wheel: Sliding Fuel Tanks:

2 x 500-litre

Cabin:

Prestige Plus Crimson

Seat:

KAB554 air-ride

especially when it’s heading down some of the steep winding roads we have here. “I also like the fact the two rear trailing axles on the trailer are self-steering, which means that when we are going on

to our customer’s site, we’re not tearing up their driveway or road with our large, heavy machine.” Specification wise, the 4x4 Drake steering widener lowloader has a 50-tonne capacity, and the deck extends from its standard travelling width of 2.5m to 3.5m. The trailer has a 13m deck length with 3m-long ramps. The Mack Titan towing the Drake 2x4 dolly and 4x4 steering widener low-loader is a 2007 model, powered by a Caterpillar C-16 600hp engine, coupled to a Mack T2000 triple countershaft 18-speed. “I really like the sound of that C-16 under the hood of that Mack when it’s working hard on the big climbs,” Graeme says.

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13/08/21 12:20 PM

INTERNATIONAL TRUCK STOP

STAND OUT

OUTSTANDING Our intrepid continental correspondent uncovers another classic American truck that’s received a beautiful Euro restoration – a classic Autocar heavy hauler.

Story by Niels Jansen

n the early 1900s, Autocar was one of the first American automobile manufacturers that also offered ‘commercial vehicles’. Autocar, which later became part of the White Motor Company, built heavy-duty trucks from the start. Quality and durability were paramount for the manufacturer, based in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. As a result, it was one of the few brands besides Mack that managed to build up a good reputation outside the United States. At the beginning of the

Photos by Niels Jansen and as credited 1970s, the engine importer Cummins Distributor Belgium SA started the assembly of Autocar chassis as a sideline activity, specifically the heavy truck and tractor models DC9364 and DC10364 with 6x4 drive and, of course, a Cummins diesel engine. These were bought from the United States as CKD (completely knocked down) kits. According to the statistics, a few hundred chassis rolled out of the assembly plant in Schaarbeek, Belgium. The sturdy Americans were mainly used for heavy haulage

transport or as concrete mixers and tippers. The large DC10364B that Frans van Dam from Well bought from a used truck dealer in 2003 was a rig from the first category. “From childhood, I have had something with heavy trucks and earthmoving machines. My interest in American trucks was triggered by a Mack DM685 with low-loader that my employer, Ballast Nedam, had purchased for transporting its own construction equipment. “The simple, solid technology of the US trucks really appealed to me,” says

the 65-year-old Dutchman. When Frans bought the Autocar, it had done less than 65,000km and had almost 4000 hours on the clock. “But you could see from everything that it must have had a very hard life. The first owner in 1979 was Zeebouw in Zeebrugge, Belgium. It used it to transport large concrete blocks from the concrete factory to the piers. The second owner in 1988 was the Gruwez SA company from Brugge. It also had big cranes and used the Autocar with a ballast box plus a multiaxle trailer for heavy-haulage

Photo: Frans van Dam

work. In 1995, the tractor ended up in the Netherlands, apparently. After eight years of negotiations, I was able to buy it there for a fraction of the asking price. In fact, it was no more than the scrap value...” Frans had no experience restoring old vehicles, but he was technically skilled. After the purchase, the dismantling soon started – when the rig had been taken apart to the last bolt, restoration could begin. Frans explains: “On many points, the tractor was much worse than I had anticipated. A lot of parts were so worn

that they could no longer be used. Luckily, the differential, the clutch plates and the Fuller Roadranger RTO12513 gearbox were not too bad. The air-assisted four-circuit brake system received new lines and air tanks.” But that was just the beginning. When it comes to tinkering with machines, Frans does not need to be taught much. Despite this, overhauling the 14-litre Cummins NTC350 was quite a job. “When the heavy six-cylinder diesel was hoisted from the chassis, I tried to solve a

persistent problem in the fuelinjection system. It turned out to be, among other things, an overpressure valve in the governor. To be sure, we also checked every part of the engine for wear, and where necessary, replaced small parts. “That also applied to the Cummins VT50 Turbo and the Jake Brake engine brake. The radiator had also had its day and was beyond repair. In the end, I managed to get hold of a good one at a generator-builder for a reasonable price. But I did a lot of the conversion myself,

1) This is how Frans purchased the truck in 2003. 2) Long before it was completely finished, Frans took it out for a test drive. 3) The home-built rear cross-member sports a 250-tonne capacity Rockinger hitch. 4) Frans has worked on Mack trucks and US construction equipment and feels right at home in the big Autocar. 5) The typically American dash comes from a donor truck. Facing page: The restoration was a giant task but the result is mindblowing. just like the louvres in front of the radiator. That was a lot of work.” Much pointed to the fact that the Autocar had been outside for most of its life. “The steel cab was badly rusted. It could very well be that the work on the piers so close to the sea was partly to blame. For me, there was no other option than to look for a replacement cab. Via an acquaintance, I eventually found one in Canada. Because its floor was also bad, they gave me a second cab for free. From the second unit, I also bought the exhaust pipes and fuel tanks. To make one good cab of this lot was still quite a job. A good friend of mine sandblasted the ‘new’ cab and gave it a nice red paint job. He did this free of charge because I had done up two engines for him.” Because the Autocar did not drive comfortably, Frans installed air suspension under the cab. “That really made the difference,” he says. The complete dashboard from the second cab was also used. The bonnet and

New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 59

1 1) The ballast box is not only for looks – it also houses sleeping quarters. 2) The double oscillating turntable was specially built for heavy-haulage duties. 3) The mighty Cummins NTC350 turbodiesel is coupled to a Fuller 13-speed transmission. 4) The Autocar only does 75kph but driving it is great fun. mudguards are original but have been refurbished. By the end of 2008, the tractor was ready for its first test drive. “That was an important moment because after all these years of working on the rig, I sometimes doubted if it ever would be something. Luckily, the motivation came back when I could go on a test drive and let loose the 350 horses!” says Frans. It still took nearly eight months before the big Autocar could be inspected by the road authority and registered. “It helped that the original Belgian papers were still there and everything was technically okay. Hence, obtaining a Dutch plate was fairly easy. But the inspectors did raise an eyebrow when they heard that such a heavy vehicle was just a

hobby project,” Frans says. In due course, the truck was further built up. The cab interior was newly upholstered, and on the outside, all the typical US accessories were fitted. For looks, he mounted a demountable ‘ballast box’ that also doubles as a place to sleep. The front axle has a reasonable amount of suspension, but the 30-tonne Rockwell tandem hardly does. At the rear, a 250-tonne capacity Rockinger hitch was fitted. That finished, Frans could proudly take part in the first classic truck events. During an outing to the famous Dorset Steam Fair in Britain, the Autocar proved that it could also pull a big lowloader with a heavy dozer on the bed. Another adventure

involved a 3500km trip to the south of France through Germany and Switzerland. Although the Autocar, with its unsynchronised 13-speed box, clearly audible turbocharged diesel, and harsh Rockwell suspension, is not ideally suited for long-distance trips, Frans has put more than 28,000km on the odometer since it was rebuilt. “One of the most notorious moments happened one early morning when I had to cross a sleepy French mountain village with the Jake Brake on. The roar of it made a man in his underpants run out of his house and take a picture of my truck! For sure, you do stand out with this machine,” Frans says with a laugh.

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WHEELS AT WANAKA MEMORIES

We bring you a pictorial memory from this year’s phenomenal Wheels at Wanaka event, just to keep the embers well and truly lit on the run in to 2023!

TKO Trai

Your cup runneth over. A twin-engine self-loading off-highway truck? Maybe not. What about ‘Brutus,’ an Ecluid 16TDT owned by Paul Clarke, beautifully restored in the livery of NZ Road Makers Ltd? In the photo, the big fella’s getting a nudge to make sure its belly is full from an equally gorgeous Euclid TC12, also owned by Paul, in the LD Collis livery.

No wonder it’s the world’s favourite forklift.

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27/07/21 8:06 AM

NZT 21

AWE McNicol Trailer Manufacturer: Patchell Industries

TKO contracting Ltd Trailer Manufacturer: Transfleet

Don’t let your payload weigh on your mind! Tipping Units, Bulk Haulage, Logging and Weighbridges

Mclellan Freight Trailer Manufacturer: MD Engineering Balclutha

Bennett Log Haulage Ltd Trailer Manufacturer: Koromiko Engineering Ltd

RFH Trailer Manufacturer: Transfleet

Rotorua and Christchurch Phone: 07 349 4700

www.silodec.co.nz 8:06 AM

NZT 21047 SI Lodec FP NZT.indd 1

17/08/21 11:54 AM

NEW RI GS ON THE R OAD

FROLICING IN THE MOUNTAINS OPERATOR: Steve Martin Contracting Ltd, Dunedin ENGINE: DC16 16-litre V8 463kW (620hp) TRANSMISSION: Scania Opticruise GRSO905 14-speed AMT with adaptive and predictive cruise control REAR AXLES: Scania RBP735 hub reduction

REAR SUSPENSION: Scania air, front and rear BRAKES: Disc EBS, ABS SAFETY: Full safety suite BODY/TRAILER: McCormick Motor Bodies, Dunedin FEATURES/EXTRAS: Full air-management kit. Side skirts and chassis covering by Ferg at McCormick Motor

ONE MAN’S WASTE IS ANOTHER… OPERATOR: Green Gorilla, Onehunga ENGINE: Cummins X-15 15-litre 448kW (600hp) TRANSMISSION: Eaton UltraShift PLUS 20E3128B-MXP 18-speed AMT REAR AXLES: Meritor RT46-160GP

Scania S620 8x4 tractor – Highline sleeper Bodies, Dunedin. Full factory night-light pack plus additional spotlights on bumper and roof-mounted Kelsa bar. Coded stone guard. Full leather interior. Custom seats and coded inserts. Fridge, microwave, and sub-woofer SIGNAGE: Timaru Signs and Graphix

International R8 9870 8x4 rigid – day cab

REAR SUSPENSION: IROS (International Ride Optimised Suspension) BRAKES: Drum EBS, ABS BODY/TRAILER: Transfleet Trailers FEATURES/EXTRAS: Stainless steel

w w w. t r g r o u p. c o . n z 64 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

OPERATION: Food product deliveries, southern and central South Island, exDunedin DRIVERS: Graeme Lowery, Neil Wilson, Dave Bassford, Steven Chave SALES: Kerry Menzies PHOTO: Andrew Geddes

drop visor, stone guard PAINT: Ex-factory OPERATION: Bulk waste, Auckland to Hamilton DRIVER: Phill Lambie SALES: Rob Byers

‘NAKI’ HARD OPERATOR: Robertson Haulage Ltd ENGINE: Cummins X-15 15-litre 448kW (600hp) TRANSMISSION: Eaton Roadranger RTLO22918B 18-speed manual REAR AXLES: Meritor RT46-

Western Star 4884 FXC 8x4 rigid 160GP R-series REAR SUSPENSION: Airliner 46,000lb BRAKES: Drum, EBS, ABS BODY/TRAILER: Kraft Engineering log gear and fiveaxle multi trailer FEATURES/EXTRAS: 7-inch

stacks. Stainless steel drop visor, bug deflectors, headlight surrounds. Stainless steel light in-fills on door sill and air cleaners. Air rams. Texas bumper. Alloy wheels PAINT: Haddock Spray Painters 2003, Whakatane

SIGNAGE: Marty’s Signs, Tauranga OPERATION: Log transport, Taranaki DRIVER: Lui Robertson SALES: Mark Ellerington

CHATTEL CHARIOT DAF CF410 Euro-6 4x2 tractor OPERATOR: Conroy Removals, Napier ENGINE: MX-11 11-litre Euro-6 306kW (410hp) TRANSMISSION: ZF-TraXon 12TX2620 12-speed AMT REAR AXLE: DAF SR1344 REAR SUSPENSION: DAF 4-bag ECAS BRAKES: Disc EBS, ABS SAFETY: Full safety suite BODY/TRAILER: JOST fifth wheel, factory rear guards FEATURES/EXTRAS: Air management kit. Stone guard PAINT/SIGNAGE: Fleetline Spraypainters Ltd, Auckland OPERATION: Removals and fragile freight, nationwide DRIVER: Rick Van Geest SALES: Mark O’Hara PHOTO: Mark Carter

Free phone: 0800 50 40 50 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 65

NEW RI GS ON THE R OAD

BLAZE OF HIGH-COUNTRY GLORY! OPERATOR: TSI Logistics – Blaze of Glory Holdings, Cromwell ENGINE: Cummins X-15 15-litre 459kW (615hp) TRANSMISSION: Eaton Roadranger RTLO22918B 18-speed manual REAR AXLES: Meritor RT46-160GP REAR SUSPENSION: Kenworth AG 460 BRAKES: Drum EBS, ABS BODY/TRAILER: Setup HDPS Engineering, Christchurch FEATURES/EXTRAS: Full air-management kit, stainless steel

Kenworth T610 SAR 6x4 tractor visor, bug deflector, and guards, plus stainless-steel wrapped diesel tank. Chassis cover and toolbox with stainless steel lid. Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels. Additional marker lights, LED spotlights behind grille, green strip lights PAINT: Ex-factory SIGNAGE: Truck Signs, Mt Maunganui OPERATION: Foodstuffs into Central Otago DRIVER: Dave Kempton SALES: Chris Gray

MOUNTAIN TRAKKER Iveco Trakker 360ES 4x4 rigid OPERATOR: Macs Spreading, King Country ENGINE: Iveco Cursor 8-litre 269kW (360hp) TRANSMISSION: ZF 1620TD 16-speed manual with Iveco TC1800 2-speed transfer case REAR AXLES: Iveco RA 451391/2D hub reduction. Full lock on both axles REAR SUSPENSION: Iveco parabolic leaf spring with reinforced anti-roll bar and double-acting shock absorbers BRAKES: Drum SAFETY: Cab ECE-29 compliant BODY/TRAILER: Existing body fitted by McIndoe Group, Te Kuiti FEATURES/EXTRAS: Stone guard PAINT/SIGNAGE: Speedy Signs, Hamilton OPERATION: Fertiliser spreading, King Country DRIVER: Daniel Jaques SALES: Keith Tuffery

w w w. t r g r o u p. c o . n z 66 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

YoU’D bet Priority is a steely resolve OPERATOR: Priority Logistics – Braybrook Farms, Mt Maunganui ENGINE: GH11TC Euro-6 313kW (420hp) TRANSMISSION: UD Escot-VI 12-speed AMT REAR AXLES: UD RTS2370A REAR SUSPENSION: UD air suspension

CLASSY ‘ADD’ITION

UD Quon GC 32-420 8x4 rigid

BRAKES: Disc EBS, ABS SAFETY: Full safety suite BODY/TRAILER: Steelbro OPERATION: Container movements, Bay of Plenty DRIVER: Tony Braybrook SALES: Peter Coulson

Volvo FM540 6x4 rigid – sleeper cab

OPERATOR: Addline Transport, Welcome Bay, Tauranga ENGINE: Volvo D13C 13-litre 402kW (540hp) TRANSMISSION: Volvo I-Shift 12-speed AMT REAR AXLES: Volvo RTS2370A hypoid single reduction REAR SUSPENSION: Volvo RADD-GR air suspension BRAKES: Disc EBS, ABS SAFETY: Full safety suite BODY/TRAILER: Transfleet trailer body and five-axle trailer.

Engine-driven live-drive PTO and hydraulic pump FEATURES/EXTRAS: Polished alloy wheels, stone guard PAINT: Peak Panel and Paint, Te Puke SIGNAGE: Evocom, Te Puke OPERATION: Bulk commodities, Bay of Plenty and Waikato DRIVER: Andrew Hawthorne SALES: Todd Martin

Free phone: 0800 50 40 50 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 67

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, and new technology and advanced design features are 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

Spectacularly practical Sollys Contractors, Takaka, recently commissioned this superb bulky operating out of the company’s home base in Golden Bay. Lindsay Coutts and his team of craftsmen at Modern Transport Trailers in Invercargill built the body and trailer. The unit is equipped with Edbro rams and has many practical features designed for ease of use, including Tauranga Canvas elliptical tarps, external and internal ladders on both units, a separate tow strop locker, a Roadrunner alloy toolbox with stainless-steel doors, and a handwash tank. Stainless-steel guards and Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy wheels give a spectacular finish to one of the country’s best-known liveries.

Features: SAF INTRADISC axles and integrated suspension, WABCO EBS. Modern Transport Trailers

is a custom cab guard complete with Kenworth emblems, custom full tank protectors and, of course, Bigfoot CTI. In tow is a classy EVO3 low-height I-beam chassis five-axle trailer with fixed billet bolsters front and rear, and two sliders in the middle sporting stainless-steel slides and flange side protectors.

Laying down the law

The trees around ‘Gizzy’ will be upping sticks at the sight of this big fella. The Kenworth T659-led Patchell Industries set-up

has been commissioned by Lawstore No.42 Ltd on contract to Williams and Wilshier. Accompanying the log gear on the truck

The unit is set off superbly with polished alloy wheels and matching stainless-steel light bars and mudflaps on both units. Features: ROR NB391 disc-brake axles and air suspension. Patchell Industries

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 68 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

KIWI 175

Measuring up perfectly K&S Freighters has taken delivery of this Fruehauf New Zealand-built four-axle skele. A skele it may be, but sticking to the old chestnut of never judge a book, the NZ-S4-12.2 model designate semi-trailer packs plenty of snazzy tech. With three fixed and one steering axle, the unit has a sliding bogie with safety locks to prevent movement if they’re not fully engaged. It also has dock levelling via a raise/lower valve. in those fleeting, uncoupled, idle moments.

The unit can cart one 40’ container, two closed 20’s, or one heavy 20’, and it is fitted with JOST landing legs for keeping things on the level

Finished in K&S’s distinctive red livery throughout, the big semi sports Hella DuraLED multi-volt lights and Alcoa alloy wheels.

Features: SAF INTRADISC 22.5” wide track. WABCO brakes and SmartBoard. Fruehauf NZ

‘An all-in-one, please!’ The trailer you buy when you need them all in one unit. Container Movers Ltd from Hamilton commissioned the TMC team with that very requirement just about, and here it is.

Utility and style aren’t mutually exclusive, with polished alloy wheels, LED lights, and a smart blue and white paint job, ensuring both builder and buyer attract the attention they deserve.

The big step-deck four-axle semi has panel frames with outside panel carrying capability, container locks, and stanchions for concrete pipe and product cartage.

Features: ROR 17.5” drum-brake axles and Hendrickson HT air suspension. TMC

Sorry, everyone. Last month we had a typo in the company name of Wykes Transport’s magnificent Transport & General Transport Trailers-kitted Mack Super-Liner. The correct name is Wykes Transport, Huntly. Apologies.

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

September 2021 69

RHINO PHOTO OF THE MONTH COMPETITION

AN OLD FRIEND STILL HARD AT IT

t could only be rural New Zealand: a dirt yard, a galvanised steel gate, hills, paddocks, and pine trees. And look who’s delivering – our old friend the original Kenworth T904. How cool is it that this

month 21 years ago, she was New Zealand Trucking magazine Top Truck, and this month the Rhino Photo of the Month winner. What’s just as neat is the fact that today, the big Kenworth has found a home in one of the country’s

sharpest fleets – Brett Marsh Transport Ltd, Tauranga. Rory McGillivray is the current custodian of the ignition keys and, by the look of it, the truck couldn’t be in better hands. Rory submitted this pic of T904KW while

they were out doing their thing, loading kiwifruit from an orchard near Opotiki. Fantastic job. Thanks, Rory, you’re the Rhino Photo of the Month winner for September 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

NZT 19

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LIGHT COMMERCIAL TEST

NAVARA

STEPS UP

The improvements to Nissan’s Navara are not Titan-ic, but they do mean it can now truly take on New Zealand’s top ute performers. An extensive facelift front and rear imparts solid, largerthan-life lines for the improved Navara.

ax tradies to pay for Teslas? That’s the cry from some in parliament’s opposition parties as the government announces moves towards low-emission vehicles. As well as rebates for battery electric and plugin hybrid vehicles, there will be a sliding scale of penalty fees on vehicles with high CO2 emissions. Examples given include a Ford Ranger emitting 234g/km attracting a $2780 fee. While few now debate the need to cut emissions, and to do so soon, the timeline could

be too short for businesses that need a ute for jobs that other vehicles can’t do. It is especially true when you consider that though many brands are developing electricpowered pick-ups, none are currently available here. Meanwhile, utes still top New Zealand’s new-vehicle sales, with Ford Ranger No.1 in June 2021 and leading sales in the first six months (at 5135, MIA figures). New Zealand’s next two top-sellers were also utes – Toyota’s Hilux and Mitsubishi’s Triton – with another ute seventh in the top 10 overall table.

Story and photos by Jacqui Madelin

Emissions regulations and penalty fees could take a whole article itself. Instead, we’re here to review Nissan’s facelifted Navara, the country’s fourth-favourite ute model so far this year. There’s no doubting its face has changed, which is not really a surprise given that the outgoing generation’s been going since 2014. The 2021 Navara looks like an automotive battering ram thanks to inspiration from the US, and the same brand’s Titan. New C-shaped running lights are part of the refreshed front-end look, and there’s a

redesigned ute tub, wheel-arch flares and tail lights. That large rectangle above the numberplate is a sensor, which is part of the auto emergency braking and forward crash alert systems, including the lane-departure warning and lane intervention on the ST-X we’re testing, which uses the brakes to keep straying wheels in line instead of adjusting the steering. There’s no lane centring function, or – more puzzling, these days – adaptive cruise. All Navara 4x4 double cabs feature a rear diff lock, trailer sway control, a drive mode selector and off-road monitor, reverse parking sensors and a reverse parking camera – which was excellent – rear cross traffic alert, high beam assist, intelligent emergency braking and forward collision alert, cruise control, auto

headlights, and tailgate assist. Tray volume is up, the brakes are bigger out back, lock-to-lock turning is faster, and cabin insulation is improved to cut noise and vibration, while other workhorse features include a stronger rear axle and bigger payload. The line-up now comprises 16 variants, with both twoand four-wheel drives in SL, ST and ST-X trim, plus single cab/chassis, king cab, king cab/chassis and double cab models, and either manual and auto transmission. There’s also a Pro-4X, with an off-road styling package that includes black roof rails, door mirrors and handles, side steps and grille plus 17-inch black alloy wheels with allterrain tyres: a top-spec Warrior seems likely in future. All bar the 2WD manual

double-cab SL gets the 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel four, which therefore powers our evaluation model, and we sampled the sevenspeed auto, with its drive mode selector to opt for standard, sport, tow or offroad settings. Sport holds the gears a tad longer on hills, and sets quicker shifts and throttle response. That said, performance was good enough in standard that we rarely felt the need to change between modes in normal driving. The twin-turbo engine responds well, it’s certainly able to hold its head up against many single-turbo three-litre motors while being a bit more frugal – the claim is 7.9 l/100km. This tester is overly fussy about noise and ride. Sure, if you’re off-road most of the

The seat stitching and cabin details are handsome; the large switches and dials easy to use.

New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 73

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

Nissan Navara ST-X Engine: 2.3-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel Fuel tank capacity: 80 litres Power: 140kW at 3750rpm Torque: 450Nm from 1500 to 2500rpm Claimed fuel economy: 7.9l/100km CO2 Emissions: 208g/km Transmission: 7-speed auto 4x4 Suspension: Independent double wishbone with front stabiliser bar, rear five-link with shock absorber

Squared-off front end is reminiscent of the US-market Nissan Titan. time, that doesn’t matter, but anyone spending most time on seal or gravel can’t fail to approve of a quieter, less jolting ride even while accepting no off-road-capable workhorse can match a good road-focussed sedan in these areas. This Nissan is noticeably more refined on-road than before, while the quieter ride is worth the slight weight increase over the previous model. As for the cabin, that’s also had a refresh. The new eightinch touchscreen includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there’s satnav in all but the entry model. Naturally, there are Bluetooth phone and audio; the instruments have a larger display; and there’s a new steering wheel – though no reach adjust – that it includes an altered horn button, which no longer runs down a steering spoke, a fixture that used to catch some drivers out during manoeuvres. The seats look

smart with their stitched pattern, and feel reasonably supportive, aided by eight-way electronic adjustment and seat heaters, plus power lumbar support. Added USB ports include one for rear passengers, who also get an air-con outlet and better seat cushioning. The ST-X specification brings with it the nifty UtiliTrack two-channel sliding tiedown hooks in the tray, a tyre monitoring system and 18-inch alloy wheels, while inside, there’s an intelligent key and push-button start, and dualzone climate control. This latest Navara starts out at $41,990 for the single-cab 2WD auto cab chassis, while this double-cab wellside 4WD ST-X auto retails at $67,490. That puts it above the new Hilux or Mazda BT-50, but undercuts Ford’s Ranger and Isuzu’s D-Max: unless you’re driven by price alone, that means juggling with which of the strongest offerings

Wheels/tyres: 18x7 alloy wheels – 255/60 R18 tyres Brakes: Vented discs front, drum rear with ABS Stability/traction control:

Yes

Airbags: 7 Min turning radius: 12.5m Max payload: 1024kg Kerb weight: 2142kg Gross vehicle weight: 3150kg Ground clearance unladen:

224mm

Cargo length: 1469/1509mm (top/floor) Cargo width: 1490/1560mm (top/floor, 1134mm between wheel arches) Cargo height: 519mm Cargo capacity: 1167 litres to top of tray Towing braked/unbraked:

3500/750kg

Length: 5255mm Wheelbase: 3150mm Width: 1850mm (excluding mirrors) Height: 1830mm Seats: 5 Options fitted: $120 – floor mats front and rear $388 – weather shields $234 – bonnet protector

delivers a spec list and tested strengths that speak most

to the functions you have in mind.

From left: Eye-catching new headlight design; the instrument display features numerous menus, including assistance allied to multiple cameras for manoeuvring in tight spaces; rails and movable cargo tie-downs standard for the Navara.

The new Actros. A truck ahead of its time. Setting the standard in long-distance and heavy-distribution haulage, the ground-breaking new Actros is more comfortable, economical and reliable than ever before1. Featuring innovations like the Multimedia Cockpit, MirrorCam, Active Brake Assist 5 and Predictive Powertrain Control – it’s designed to reduce fuel consumption, boost vehicle use and offer the driver all the support they need. To see the new Actros for yourself please contact your local dealer. 1

Compared to the previous model. Please note: changes may have been made to the product since this publication went to press (July 2021). The manufacturer reserves the right to make changes to the design, form, colour, and specification of the product. The images shown are to be considered examples only and do not necessarily reflect the actual state of the original vehicles. Please consult your authorised Mercedes-Benz Truck Dealer for further details. © Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific Pty Ltd (ACN 618 413 282). Printed in New Zealand.

Authorised North Island Dealers Keith Andrews Trucks Ltd Ph: 0800 487 825 www.keithandrews.co.nz

Authorised South Island Dealers CablePrice Ltd Ph: 0800 555 456 www.cableprice.co.nz

GAV’S LICENCE JOURNEY

CLASS 4 Story by Gavin Myers

It took a bit longer than expected, but it’s finally time to move onto the bigger gear!

ime. I’ve come to realise it’s one of truck driving’s most valuable concepts. Time in the seat behind the wheel, taking your time on the road – and timing your actions correctly. With time, I’ve fathomed, the intricacies of driving heavy machinery come together. Getting behind the wheel and mashing the accelerator is one thing. Doing it right takes time. However, much as it is for truck drivers, time is a scarce commodity and one that disappears quickly for those

76 New Zealand Trucking

putting together the pages of a monthly magazine. And so it was that moving from class 2 to class 4 took me a few months longer than planned. Once again, the crew from TR Driver Training came on board, offering tutoring and training services. I was booked in for 17 August at the Tauranga depot, and TR Driver Training forwarded me the training material about a month before D-day. That would be more than enough time for me to refresh myself on the study guides provided for the class 2 (classes 2 and 4 build from the same base) while concentrating on the most important points of class 4 as summarised in TR’s new training material. I would need these for the theory portion of the course on the 17th. Happily, the fatigue

September 2021

management, work-time and logbook requirements coursework is a one-time deal for all licence classes, so there was no need to be tested on that again. Still, considering I don’t actually drive trucks for a living every day, I took the time to page through that and refresh my memory on it. Not having the experience of driving trucks every day was something that bothered me when it came to moving from smaller, lighter trucks to the larger, heavier class. What I needed was to clock up some time behind the wheel to familiarise myself with the dimensions of a three- or fouraxle truck on New Zealand’s roads. The favour came in from New Zealand Trucking magazine friend Carl Davies (cheers Carl!), who lent one of his Volvo FM 8x4 tippers

to Dave and I. A few laps of the general Waihi area and it was time to jump into Carl’s prized Mack for a Roadranger baptism-by-fire – just in case TR would require me to do my test in a truck that had 13 or 18 speeds… As it turned out, the truck I would be driving did have 18 gears and a clutch. Thankfully it was a series 1 Freightliner Argosy 8x4 SmartShift. For those who haven’t encountered it before, SmartShift is a semi-automatic interface on the familiar Eaton UltraShift transmission that takes care of gear selection (or you can flick the paddle and control the progress yourself) but requires the use of the clutch pedal for starting and stopping. With a bit of time behind the wheel, my comfort with the big ol’ Argy grew. TR driver training specialist John Paku was the man guiding me in the classroom and from the passenger seat. With a career in transport, John was more than willing to impart some words of wisdom and ensure I paid attention to the finer points of driving larger trucks. By the end of the day, John was satisfied with my driving abilities and promptly presented me with a class-4 driver licence and endorsement certificate to present to a driver licencing agent (AA or VTNZ) so I could be issued with the actual licence. All that’s left now is to schedule in some more time on the road before adding a trailer to the mix.

Scan the QR code to watch the Rotary Lift Flex in action.

MINI BIG RIGS

ALLOY GUARDS AND EXHAUST SYSTEM We’re well on our way to seeing a completed tractor unit. This month, we finish the final assembly of the chassis components. By Carl Kirkbeck

ow that we have had the local tyre man around to outfit us with a fresh set of painted rims and new rubber, we are ready to fit some alloy guards and complete the plumbing and fitment of the exhaust system. Once again, select the required parts first and lay them out in sequence, taking care to label any elements that might look like each other to avoid getting them confused or mixed up once you start assembly. I found the best way forward was not fitting the guards at this stage, and instead, jumping ahead from step 6 to step 7 made more sense. The reason for this was you need to flip the chassis over and work on the underside as you install the exhaust components, and the mounting arms and brackets for the guards are rather delicate and could break. Looking at step 7, the process is to work through the parts numerically. The various items for this stage are numbered from 115 through to 122, and this sequence is the way forward for fixing the parts to the chassis. You will find that parts 120 and 121 that form the main exhaust canister tend to want to move about while the glue is trying to set, so a small strip of masking tape applied lightly to the surfaces will help keep things secure until the glue goes off.

78 New Zealand Trucking

Our subject matter, Pilkington Automotive Glass Mercedes-Benz 2244, driven by Ken Kirk in 1992. Once the entire exhaust system is in place and the glue has dried completely, you can apply a coat of paint. Use the same flat brown colour used for the manifolds and turbochargers on the engine block, but this time, do not paint a solid coat. Rather, use less paint on the brush and work it onto the exhaust surfaces in a speckled fashion to achieve a thin and mottled coat, giving the exhaust and associated plumbing a more realistic worn look. With the exhaust system locked in place, we can flip the chassis back onto its wheels and now look back at the final stages of step 6, the assembly and fitment of the guards over the rear drivers. All four guards are the same. However, you will see both front and rear mounting arm brackets – parts 105 and 107 – so again, take time to identify the individual parts correctly. Once all four guards are September 2021

assembled, apply a coat of paint if needed. For our Ken Kirk/Pilkington Glass project, I used a flat silver to represent the aluminium guards that were fitted to the real truck. Painting these is entirely optional as they could be left black, as this will give the appearance of Rhino-style plastic guards or similar. Fitting the guards is a little fiddly, and patience is required. Ensure the paint on any glue-contact surfaces is removed correctly to ensure good solid adhesion. The bracket arms are very thin, and there is not much contact area, so it is important to make it count where you do have glue contact. Complete one side at a time; once happy with the position of the guards, leave the glue to solidly dry before attempting to complete the opposite side. As I mentioned, this is where patience is required, slowly gets the results.

Once the glue holding the guards is completely dry, you can hang the rear tail-light assemblies as well as the number-plate holder. With the last of the accessories fitted to the chassis, we can look at the interior assembly, moving towards the construction of the cab. So start your research and investigate truck interior colour schemes from the late 1980s and early 1990s.

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 emailing carl@nztrucking.co.nz. We dedicate these pages to supporting the hobby, and we would love to hear from you.

1) Select the required parts and lay them out in sequence, ready for assembly, which will help prevent confusion once you start glueing. 2) A small strip of masking tape helps to keep the exhaust system in place while the glue sets. 3) Once the glue is dry, paint the exhaust system. Use minimal paint to allow the black to show through in mottled patches for a more realistic, weathered look. 4) Careful assembly of the guards is required, note the two different kinds of mounting bracket arms, one forward-facing, the other rearward-facing. 5) Painting the guards is optional; here they are painted a flat silver to look like aluminium, as on the real truck. 6) The completed chassis ready for its cab. Remember: have patience when fitting the guards, they are fiddly, and it is best to complete one side at a time.

6 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 79

TOP TRUCK OF THE YEAR

Story by Gavin Myers

Photos by Rochelle Thomas

TRUCKING GOOD ART By the time you read this, the votes will be in and counted to determine the winner of the Top Truck of the Year 2020-2021. As has become Top Truck tradition, the winner will receive a bespoke painting of their truck by Rochelle Thomas – the talented artist behind Auto Art by Rochelle.

ochelle is well recognised to readers of New Zealand Trucking for supplying the monthly Little Truckers’ Club content and, of course, for her outstanding custom artworks. In the past five years, since Auto Art by Rochelle became a full-time venture, Rochelle has become well known within the New Zealand trucking scene for her custom truck painting commissions.

“I painted my first picture 10 years ago and very quickly was asked to do commissions. Although the majority of my work is truck-related, I do anything automotive, including motorcycles, cars, airplanes, army tanks, tractors and machinery,” says Rochelle. A keen interest in cars meant they were the natural start as subject matter. “I was invited to do my first display at the Masterton Drag Complex Grand Opening and, from there, I was invited to more events, including the Whangamata Beach Hop. At that stage, my art was still a hobby,” explains Rochelle. “One day, a friend asked me to paint his truck, and another lady messaged asking me to do one for her partner. These paintings generated a huge interest, and Deals on Wheels approached me about doing an article, which got me six orders. “It was around this time that I decided to leave my job and

become self-employed.” All of Rochelle’s paintings are completed to order and handpainted on block canvas using acrylic paints. As she’s selftaught, Rochelle says that part of the fun is figuring out new techniques and the satisfaction in getting it right. Since she started painting, Rochelle has completed a diploma in art and creativity. She hopes to continue studying and do a postgraduate course in teaching to eventually become an art teacher. “That is on hold at this stage as my work is keeping me very busy,” she adds. And it’s easy to understand why. Between 20 and 40 hours go into each painting, depending on size and detail. Rochelle estimates she’s completed more than 500 paintings in the past five years (with her 400th truck painting on the horizon) and the flow of orders isn’t slowing. Not only does she receive orders from throughout New Zealand,

but she’s also sent paintings to Australia and a couple to Britain and the United States. “That’s pretty cool!” Naturally, each commission is different. Some are straightforward, simply copying a supplied photo and giving it the personal touch of being an original artwork. The levels of complexity go up from there. “Other customers may ask me to change the background. These I might do freestyle, or they may provide another picture or tell me what they want. For these paintings, I need to get the perspective right, ensure that everything is in proportion, and this can be challenging at times,” says Rochelle.

B g ty s

T0521-01

B A

80 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

“Also, I can be sent multiple photos of various vehicles and be asked to put them all together on one canvas. I discuss options with my customer, such as the truck line-up or creating a scene. These definitely require my thinking cap.” While she may have started off painting car portraits, Rochelle says she prefers painting truck portraits. “They’re awesome, and I enjoy the detail and variety. There is so

much to a truck; wheels, lights, pinstripes, stickers, chrome. Then there are the different kinds of trucks and makes. They are something I will never get bored of painting. It is always so satisfying completing a truck portrait.” Follow Auto Art by Rochelle on Facebook and Instagram to view more of her work. Contact her at autoartbyrochelle@gmail.com.

RAPID-FIRE QUESTIONS What’s the best thing about what you do? The joy my art brings to people. It feels so good when I hear the excitement from my customers or someone who has received one of my paintings. I have been told a few times that they have brought tears to eyes; there is so much sentiment to my work. I love my job. If you weren’t painting, what would you be doing? I honestly don’t know. I live and breathe my art and feel lost if I’m away from my brushes too long. But I would love to have a café/diner

one day (roll on Lotto). I will still paint, though. What’s your favourite truck and car? Kenworth K104 and Ford Falcon XYGT. What other subject matter do you like painting? I’ve been commissioned to paint pets, which are always adorable, and I like old buildings, barns, woolsheds, and abandoned houses. I am planning a collection of paintings based on photos I have been taking around the country in my spare time.

Bigfoot Central Tyre Inflation System gives operators the ability to adjust tyre pressures from the cab to suit the speed and weight of the vehicle.

THE DISPLAY FITS PEFECTLY FOR EASY TO SEE STATUS AND CONTROL

T0521-01

BIGFOOT SELL A RANGE OF SYSTEMS TO SUIT ALL AXLE CONFIGURATIONS AND INDUSTRIES

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LITTLE TRUCKERS’ CLUB

HI LITTLE TRUCKERS!

pring is finally here. I am looking forward to warmer days and fun in the sun. Congratulations to 11-year-old Jack Livingstone, who found the Little Truckers’ Club logo on page 22 of our August issue. Keep an eye on your mailbox as something cool is coming to you. A big thank-you to all who entered our July colouringincompetition sponsored by Southpac Trucks. It was extremely difficult to choose from some very cool pictures. Six-year-old Annabelle Walker from Shirley is the winner. We loved the vibrant colours she used, and the attention to detail for someone of such a young age was impressive. Annabelle received an awesome prize pack from Southpac Trucks. Congratulations, Annabelle! Please 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 with a wee paragraph telling us about them, along with your name and age. I do enjoy seeing them all. Have a fantastic month, kids!

FIND THE LITTLE TRUCKERS’ CLUB LOGO 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.

Annabelle Walker (6) Sophie Frankish (7).

Conner Nutsford (15).

Harlen Scovel (9).

Nathan Hunt (5).

COLOURING COMPETITION SPONSORED BY SOUTHPAC TRUCKS

Well done to all the Little Truckers who entered the competition. These are some of the awesome entries we received.

CROSSWORD

This month we continue our search for Kenworth models introduced to New Zealand and Australia; this time from 2011 to 2021. ONLY the model names can be fitted into the grid. I have done one for you. Have fun kids! 2011 2017 2017 2019 2019 2020 2021

T409 T610 SAR T900 Legend T410 T610 T410 SAR Legend SAR

0 R 9 T

N D

Spot the difference answers from July 2021

Did you know that Kenworth made buses too? Here are a couple for you to see… 1) 1937 Kenworth tour bus. The photo shows one of only three left in the world. It can seat 18 passengers and is complete with a Flathead-6 motor and five-speed transmission. 2)1955 Kenworth T-216 Pacific school coach. There are only a few of these left in the world too!

1 No.3 logo on cab roof is different 2 No.1 only one H plate 3 No.2 has two H plates 4 No.3 has no H plate 5 Trailer curtains are all different 6 Number plates are all different 7 No.1 has a silver visor 8 No.2 and No.3 have red air intake pipes 9 No.1 has a round fuel tank 10 No.3 has no centre bar on grille 11 No.2 Cummins stickers on windscreen 12 No.1 has seven lights on roof and visor 13 No.2 has nine lights on roof and visor 14 No.3 has 11 lights on roof and visor 15 No.1 has a grey stone guard 16 Fleet numbers (80, 82 and 84) 17 N o.2 and No.3 have aerials on the side mirrors 18 No.3 has no air horns 19 No.1 has red behind the headlights 20 No.1 has different mudflaps 21 N o.2 has little rectangle lights on front bumper 22 No.1 has no grille bars 23 No.2 has 10 grille bars 24 No.3 has 13 grille bars 25 N o.2 and No.3 have toolboxes in front of the fuel tanks

Joke of the month

What did the green traffic light say to the red traffic light? Don’t look, I’m changing!

In association with

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CALL ME SO WE CAN DISCUSS MORE!

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WHAT’S ON Mobil 1 NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame Gala Dinner 24 September Bill Richardson Transport World, Invercargill Contact: Adam Reinsfield, 0800 151-252 (ext 5), events@twevents.nz

Alexandra Blossom Festival ATL Haulage Trucks 39th Annual Truck Parade 25 September Fulton Hogan Yard, Dunstan Road, Alexandra Website: blossom.co.nz

RTF Conference 25 and 26 September Ascot Park Hotel, Invercargill Contact: forum@rtf.nz

Gisborne East Coast Truck Show 2021 27 November A&P Showgrounds, Gisborne Contact: Peter de Denne, 027 434 4727

84 New Zealand Trucking

September 2021

Bombay Truck Show 12 February 2022 Bombay Rugby Club, Paparata Road Contact: bombaytruckshow@gmail.com

Hootnanny Country Rock Festival with Truck and Car Show 25 to 27 February 2022 Thames Racecourse Contact: hootnanny.co.nz, info@hootnanny.co.nz

TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show 11 to 12 March 2022 Canterbury Agricultural Park Contact: truckingindustryshow.co.nz, 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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88 Moving Metrics 92 Incoming Cargo –

NZ’s hydrogen future

96 Tech Topics – Wheel Alignment 98 Business Profile – HCB Batteries 100 Vipal – Knowing your retreads 102 Industry Comment – Why work-time? 104 Truckers’ Health 106 Health and Safety 108 Legal Lines 110 NZ Trucking Association 112 Road Transport Forum 114 The Last Mile BROU GH T T O Y OU 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. First registration of NB, NC and TD class vehicles for July year-on-year

Summary of heavy trucks and trailers first registered in July 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 heavytruck classes and one heavy-trailer class. A goods vehicle is a motor vehicle that: (a) i s constructed primarily for the carriage of goods; and (b) either: (i) has at least four wheels; or (ii) has three wheels and a gross vehicle mass exceeding one tonne.

Vehicle class

Description

A goods vehicle that has a gross vehicle mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 12 tonnes.

(mediumgoods vehicle)

NC (heavy-goods vehicle)

TD (heavy trailer)

A goods vehicle that has a gross vehicle mass exceeding 12 tonnes. 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, nzta.govt.nz/ assets/resources/rules/docs/vehicle-dimensionsand-mass-2016-as-at-1-July-2019.pdf Note: Vehicle classes are not the same as RUC vehicle types or driver licence classes.

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September 2021

First registration of NB and NC class vehicles for July by major manufacturer

First registration of TD class heavy trailers for July year-on-year by major manufacturer

First registration of NB, NC and TD class vehicles year-on-year to date Summary of heavy trucks and trailers first registered January to June 2021 Class NB

First registration of NC class vehicles year to date 2018 – 2021 by major manufacturer

MAKE

NUMBER FIRST REGISTERED

MARKET SHARE 0.1%

DAF

FIAT

233

16.0%

FORD

1.2%

FOTON

4.1%

FUSO

293

20.2%

HINO

181

12.4%

HYUNDAI

3.1%

ISUZU

312

21.5%

IVECO

5.4%

LDV

0.3%

MERCEDES-BENZ

111

7.6% 0.8%

PEUGEOT

RENAULT

0.7%

TOYOTA

0.1%

UD TRUCKS

0.6%

VOLKSWAGEN

5.8%

XCMG

0.3%

1454

Class NC

NUMBER FIRST REGISTERED

MARKET SHARE

DAF

5.5%

FREIGHTLINER

2.0%

FUSO

141

10.8%

HINO

164

12.6%

INTERNATIONAL

1.1%

ISUZU

178

13.7%

IVECO

5.4%

KATO

0.1%

KENWORTH

125

9.6%

LIEBHERR

0.4%

MACK

1.0%

MAN

2.5%

MERCEDES-BENZ

4.0%

PETERBILT

0.1%

SCANIA

177

13.6%

SHACMAN

0.2%

SINOTRUK

1.5%

TADANO

0.1%

UD TRUCKS

5.8%

VOLVO

124

9.5%

WESTERN STAR

0.7%

1304

MAKE

First registration of TD class heavy trailers year to date 2018 – 2021 by major manufacturer

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September 2021 89

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

RUC purchase for July 2021, all RUC types

Total value and distance of road user charges purchased between 1 January 2018 and 30 July 2021 by purchase year

Purchase period

Distance purchased (km)

Value of purchases

In July 2021 there were 46 different types of RUC purchased for a total distance of 1,415,489,880km at a value of $188,484,043.

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 – 31 July 2021

8,312,205,628

$966,271,037

A description of RUC vehicle types is available at nzta.govt. nz/vehicles/licensing-rego/roaduser-charges/ruc-rates-andtransaction-fees/ Please note data July differs slightly from that reported for the same period previously due to adjustments being made to the base data.

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 – 31 July 2021

5,949,501,019

991,583,503

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

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September 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

Powered vehicles with three axles, (except type 308, 309, 311, 399 or 413 vehicles)

Unpowered vehicles with four axles

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

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 July 2021 for selected types

The red dots represent the cost of RUC purchased for that RUC type for the year to date July 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.

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September 2021 91

INCOMING CARGO

WILL NZ KEEP UP ON

HYDROGEN? The hydrogen economy is advancing globally. Will New Zealand keep up? The final of a three-part series by Hiringa Energy. Story by Dion Cowley

he recent IPCC (United Nations) AR6 report has highlighted the need to reduce emissions right now. As it stands, the world is on track for a 2.9°C warming above pre-industrial levels. Green hydrogen is going to play an increasing role in lowering global emissions moving forward. Europe is saying hydrogen is an intrinsic part of its future integrated energy system. The United States Department of Energy has set a goal of slashing the cost of clean hydrogen by 80% within a decade, and Japan and South Korea are actively creating ‘hydrogen economies’.

Global hydrogen momentum By the beginning of 2021, more than 30 countries had

Images supplied

released hydrogen roadmaps. The industry has announced hundreds of hydrogen projects and ambitious investment plans, and governments worldwide have committed more than US$70 billion in public funding. This momentum exists along the entire value chain and is accelerating cost reductions for hydrogen production, transmission, distribution, retail, and end applications.

Aussie hydrogen investment Australia is investing significantly in hydrogen as a way to export solar and wind resources to Asia as the country transitions from coal exports, and decarbonises its own economy. There have been numerous large investments recently announced such as: the

Australian Government and ARENA allocating AU$403 million to advance hydrogen projects, state-level funding of AU$400 million to support hydrogen and other lowcarbon technologies, and Queensland has released a AU$2 billion Renewable Energy and Hydrogen Jobs fund.

Hydrogen trucking announcements Illustrating the ambition within the European trucking sector, a coalition of six vehicle manufacturers, 19 technology providers, 17 infrastructure providers, and more signed a statement in March that targets 100,000 FCEV trucks and 1500 hydrogen refuelling stations by 2030. While nonbinding, this clearly shows a common acceptance that hydrogen fuel cells will play

an essential role in reducing emissions within the trucking industry. Using green hydrogen to decarbonise heavy trucks and HPMVs is a no-brainer where uptime and payload are critical, and fleets are large (with high energy requirements). But hydrogen fuel cells also make sense for buses, trains and ferries with larger duty cycles, with plenty of international (and some domestic) applications already in motion. Hydrogen technology is also advancing quickly in the aviation and stationary/backup power sectors.

Green hydrogen in New Zealand We have parts of the economy that are going to be hard to decarbonise through direct electrification. Heavy

transport and heavy industry are two of those sectors. Green hydrogen technology is advancing rapidly, and prices are showing signs of coming down as the scale of production ramps up. The pieces of the puzzle are coming together to get the energy from our hydro, wind and solar resources into our hard-to-electrify sectors by using green hydrogen and ultimately reach our net-zero target by 2050. The image above demonstrates how green hydrogen can decarbonise various hard-to-electrify parts of our economy over the next decade as the technology matures and costs come down. As demonstrated on the adjacent map, many New Zealand organisations have taken early leadership and rolled out hydrogen projects, ranging from vehicle pilots to pipeline testing to export opportunities.

As a country, we’re now musing over the causes of the failure and what can be done to fix the problems. In Europe, Australia and New Zealand, we are exploring the potential for green hydrogen to support a significantly larger renewables build than would usually be developed to meet the domestic electricity market. Under this development scenario, hydrogen is produced when there is more sun, wind or hydro energy than we can consume, and by the same token, turns hydrogen production off when the power is required to supply

homes, businesses and industry. In this way, green hydrogen can also function as a form of renewable energy storage, which can hold energy for weeks, months and even years, potentially contributing materially to addressing our ‘dry year’ problem. The Firstgas Group Hydrogen Pipeline Feasibility Study released earlier this year explores scenarios where hydrogen could be blended with natural gas within the gas network from 2030 or earlier in its pure form within geological formations, enabling large scale storage

of green energy for when we need it. Government agencies have large-scale green hydrogen storage on the table when considering the $4 billion Lake Onslow pumped hydro project, with the outcome of their feasibility studies expected mid-2022.

Southern green hydrogen project Meridian and Contact recently announced joint investigations into what opportunities the closure of Tiwai Point might bring. The proposal assumes that the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter closes in 2025, freeing up renewable electricity to

Green hydrogen and the grid New Zealand faces a challenge in bringing on more renewables to displace fossil fuel-based electricity because wind and solar generation (and a lesser extent hydro) are intermittent by nature. The impact of this was experienced dramatically when rolling blackouts were instigated in the North Island on 9 August when demand outstripped available supply, and the intermittency of our renewables was one of the contributing factors.

New Zealand Trucking

September 2021 93

Fuel-cell electric vehicles from Kenworth (left) and Hyzon. Will New Zealand keep up with global trends in hydrogen use?

be used to produce green hydrogen, primarily for export. A benefit of having the large energy ‘gentailers’ is that it will help mature the green hydrogen conversation and encourage the government to make the regulatory changes required for New Zealand’s green hydrogen market to flourish.

An important decarbonisation tool Green hydrogen will play a key role in helping New

Zealand decarbonise its hardto-electrify sectors, such as heavy transport and industry, through: • Being a key component of the renewable diesel (R100) production process, the type of biofuel that will bring the greatest emission reductions to our legacy truck fleet. • Decarbonising our new fleet through hydrogen-electric fuel cell trucks. • Decarbonising hardto-electrify industrial processes, such as

fertiliser, steel and cement production, which currently emit significant quantities of fossil carbon. Suppose stakeholders in our relatively small market continue to increasingly collaborate. In that case, we can get integrated projects off the ground that can produce low-emission renewable diesel (R100) for our legacy truck fleet and zero-emission green hydrogen for our new fleet, while decarbonising industrial processes such as steel and

cement production, resulting in win-win outcomes for all. The government is currently developing the New Zealand Hydrogen Strategy (the vision was released September 2019). Let’s hope it lays a clear path for industry and policy-makers to traverse together and is enabled by the Resource Management Act reform also underway. Dion Cowley is the project development and public sector lead at Hiringa Energy.

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TECH TOPIC

rucks do it hard in New Zealand. The country’s undulating landscape, deteriorating roads and high demand for road freight mean that vehicles must be kept in top condition for utmost efficiency and safety. This includes avoiding component failure and tyre wear. Unfortunately, says Grant Ranger, owner of Auckland Truck Alignment, heavy-vehicle wheel alignments must be one of the most overlooked maintenance items in the transport industry today. “A correctly aligned truck will be easier to drive, cause the driver less fatigue and have better tyre wear, along with better fuel economy,” says Ranger. “Heavyvehicle alignments should be an integral part of any truck’s maintenance schedule to ensure the truck is running true, safe and is easy to drive for the operator.”

Alignment for different vehicles

LINED UP AND IN BALANCE When was the last time your truck and trailer had an alignment check? We visited Auckland Truck Alignment to find out about this oftenoverlooked maintenance essential. Story and photos by Gavin Myers

Light and heavy vehicle alignments measure the same things: camber, castor and toe. The difference is how the figures are adjusted. On light vehicles, there are usually cams to adjust the camber and sometimes castor, or there are separate castor rods that can be adjusted. The toe is adjusted off the tie-rod ends. On a light truck, the toe is also adjusted off the tie-rod ends. On a small independent-suspension truck, the camber is usually shimmed and the castor is either shimmed or adjusted off castor rods. Heavy trucks, however, are a little different. If the camber requires adjusting, specialist camber correction gear is used to bend the axle. To adjust the castor, a machined wedge is installed between the axle and spring pack.

Does the number of axles affect alignment? There are different settings for the more axles a vehicle has. This doesn’t make the alignment harder or easier; it just means more axles to measure, notes Ranger. The main consideration would be on an eight-wheeler with twin-steer adjustment. “You need to ensure that both steer axles are aligned together, so they track the same way. If this adjustment is wrong, then the second-steer axle will wear tyres. If the alignment is out substantially, then the truck may try to drive off the road, causing the driver to have to compensate.”

POINTS TO REMEMBER •W heel alignments should be carried out yearly or every 50,000km. •S end your truck for alignment if you notice uneven or sharp tyre wear, a steering component has been replaced, or the truck has had a hard impact that causes it to drive differently.

•S end your trailer for alignment if a trailer axle has been removed and reinstalled, or you notice the trailer incorrectly tracking the truck.

• I f you notice any major faults, get them fixed. eavy-vehicle wheel •H alignments should be carried out by a member of the New Zealand Heavy Transport Wheel Aligners Association.

1) Wheel balancing for truck tyres is something people are often unaware of. 2) Precision equipment keeps things in line.

Does trailer alignment differ? Ranger says that many people are unaware that trailers also require wheel alignment. “An incorrectly aligned trailer can have uneven tyre wear, not track the truck correctly, and can sometimes try and pull the truck sideways, causing the driver to have to compensate. This will increase fatigue as the driver has to fight the steering wheel to keep the vehicle on the road.” Trailers can have fixed-track axles and rear-steer axles. With the track axles, the angles can be adjusted left and right to allow the trailer to correctly track the truck and prevent tyre wear. With the rear-steer units, the same adjustments can be made, but the toe on the axles can also be set. “We can also determine whether the axle is bent. If this is the case, we can use an induction heater to heat-shrink the axle,” says Ranger.

Pre-alignment process Before wheel alignment, a pre-alignment check is carried out to ensure that the vehicle is in good order. All steering and suspension components are checked for

tolerance, including kingpins, tie rods and draglinks, and wheel bearings. Steer tyre pressure and condition is also checked. “More often than not, we see under-inflated tyres that have worn out prematurely. Tyres that should be running at 120psi (8.2bar) come in at 70 to 80psi (4.8 to 5.5bar),” says Ranger. Ranger notes that this tyre wear is often associated with alignment, but this is not the case. Even after the alignment has been carried out, the wear pattern in the tyres will cause the truck to pull in the direction of the wear. “Sometimes, if the wear is not too bad, the tyre can be flipped on the rim or rotated accordingly. But most of the time, the complete issue cannot be solved unless the steer tyres are replaced as well.”

On the topic of tyres… Ranger says that tyre rotation is otherwise not a thing for trucks. It is recommended on smaller trucks that wear tyres, on which camber corrections cannot be carried out. “But, in general, if the wheel alignment is good, it is not really required.” Ranger says that many people are unaware that heavy-truck tyres can also be balanced. An out-of-balance steer tyre

will cause vibrations through the steering wheel or in the cab at highway speeds. “If left too long, this can cause scalloping in the tyre as well. We recommend that when the steer tyres are replaced they are balanced at the same time to counter this. “Check your tyre pressures, tyre tread depths and tyre condition regularly – if you notice uneven wear, get the truck aligned,” Ranger advises.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Thanks to Auckland Truck Alignment for providing the information for this article. In addition to truck and trailer wheel alignments, Auckland Truck Alignment offers a range of services, including heavy, longwheelbase van and campervan alignments, on- and off-truck wheel balancing, tyre sales, induction heating, straightening of bent diff housings and trailer axles, and axle corrections.

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September 2021 97

BUSINESS PROFILE

GOING TO TOWN OVER BATTERIES HCB Technology and Battery Town are two of the country’s leading names in batteries.

HCB Technologies – battery knowhow HCB Technologies has been serving the New Zealand auto electrical industry for more than 30 years. Established in Auckland in 1988 by auto electrician Mike Weekes, the company began from small beginnings and has become a key player in the New Zealand battery market. The company was formed to fill a void in the market, to provide specialist battery services and a wider range of batteries to the New Zealand auto electrical industry. This void demanded battery know-how and specialty – a demand that increases year by year as vehicles

98 New Zealand Trucking

and systems become more complicated and users demand less downtime and interference. The company’s philosophy is to provide quality products, supplied with integrity, backed by excellent people and service. The vision, goal, and market point of difference is to supply and support customers without competing with them. With nine locations around the country, including Whangarei, Albany, Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin, HCB services customers throughout New Zealand directly or through its distributor network. The company serves a wide

range of customers, including auto electricians, marine electricians, fleet operators, motor vehicle tradespeople, defence, and emergency services. HCB supplies a wide range of mainly lead-acid batteries across the automotive, commercial, industrial, marine, powersports, and backup power sectors. With approximately 50 staff, the company is also supported by Bapcor New Zealand’s support office functions, offering expertise in specialist batteries, ensuring the correct battery for specific applications. HCB has successfully expanded into related ranges, including standby batteries, gelled deep cycle batteries,

motorcycle batteries, battery chargers, testers, and electrical accessories. The customer service, support and technical expertise provided by HCB Technologies are thoroughly proven in the New Zealand and Pacific markets. The company has a proud reputation for product ranges that are well researched and tested, highly suitable and highly reliable. HCB Technologies imports the finest batteries from the best global manufacturers. These quality products ensure the lowest cost of operation – batteries should be of a quality that prevents maintenance, not a source of maintenance. The HCB Technologies

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NZT 21

staff know batteries inside out and are keen to ensure customers get the best advice and products for hassle-free battery usage.

Battery Town – getting to the root of the problem Battery Town is New Zealand’s largest network of

privately owned auto electrical specialist workshops that can diagnose a vehicle’s battery and electrical problems. The group has been operating since 1999 and has locations in more than 100 towns and suburbs across New Zealand. It was established by Mike Weekes, founder of HCB

Technologies, and Bruce Strang, HCB Technologies’ long-serving sales manager. Designed to meet the auto electrical industry’s needs and provide the power of nationwide network marketing and branding, Battery Town members are highly trained and respected technicians. They are licensed by HCB

Technologies and Bapcor and supported by HCB Technologies staff. Battery Town’s primary expertise is auto and marine electrical. Its members are highly trained in electrical systems that are the allimportant ‘brains’ of vehicle systems. Diagnostics is now a key feature of fixing a problem – this is where Battery Town comes into its own – getting to the root of the problem. Battery Town provides services to the automotive, commercial, industrial, marine, custom and classic vehicles, and powersports markets. Its main customers are vehicle owners who see the value in expert service and products, who demand the highest standards of workmanship.

TRUCK & TRAILER WHEEL ALIGNMENTS SPECIALISTS

• • • • • •

Truck & Trailer Wheel Alignments Long wheel base vans / heavy vans and motorhome wheel alignments Tyre sales and fitting Induction heating and straightening of bent trailer axles and diff housings On & off truck wheel balancing Axle Corrections

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NZT 21027 Truck Align 1/2 Page NZT.indd 1

27/04/21 8:08 AM

VIPAL’S KNOWING YOUR RETREADS

GIVING FLEETS WHAT THEY NEED More than 10,000 tyres have been retreaded in the Vipal Rubber VRT3 tread design in New Zealand.

100 New Zealand Trucking

n the July 2021 edition of the magazine, we explored Vipal’s technical structure; with four manufacturing plants, distribution centres in strategic regions around the world, its research centre, and highly qualified technical staff. Such a structure encourages Vipal to invest in developing specific products to meet the particularities of each region. It’s no different in Oceania. One of these products is the VRT3 tread, a popular design among New Zealand fleets. Available for tyres in sizes including 275/70 R22.5, 11R 22.5, as well as 295/80 R22.5, the VRT3 tread is an exclusive Vipal Design widely known worldwide. It is made for radial tyres on drive axles and is designed to offer superior traction for high-horsepower vehicles, combined with great water flow and quick responses on any surface. “The 22mm depth of the Vipal VRT3 tread is a structural feature of the design that makes it suitable for high-powered vehicles on extreme road surfaces,” says Dijan Rigo, Vipal’s commercial coordinator. Ideal for long-distance travel on paved roads, the VRT3 has had its performance recognised internationally by numerous tests carried out by customers, including tyre

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“ T H E CON DITION FOR A T Y RE T O BE A P P ROVED I S T O H AV E A G R I P INDEX O N SNOW Y S URFACES, OR S NOW GRI P I N D E X (S G I ) , 25 % HIG HER T H A N A S TA NDA RD RE FERE NCE T Y R E . ” retreaders, from New Zealand. Tests have shown the VRT3 has up to 20% better kilometre yield than the market’s main competitors. Another VRT3 attribute is the Alpine Symbol, a European certification that assesses the efficiency of certified treads to run in harsh snow conditions. Under European rules, all tyres, including retreaded ones, must have a certification, also referred

to as 3PMSF (Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake). The condition for a tyre to be approved is to have a grip index on snowy surfaces, or snow grip index (SGI), 25% higher than a standard reference tyre. For Rigo, VRT3’s success with transport companies is due to product quality and the special rubber compound from which this tread is made. “It meets the need for high horsepower vehicles over

long distances, something necessary when it comes to countries such as New Zealand,” he says. Rigo also states that the product attributes match what the region’s fleets need. “It also favours the exclusive VRT3 design, which ensures good water flow and surface grip, whether it is dry or wet, muddy or snowy – that is, both in winter and in summer, the tread works

very satisfactorily.” In 2021, Vipal surpassed 10,000 retreaded tyres with the VRT3 in New Zealand. The winner of the 20192020 John Murphy Memorial Top Truck award, promoted by New Zealand Trucking magazine in partnership with Vipal dealer Power Retreads, was awarded a set of eight drive tyres retreaded with the VRT3 tread. (New Zealand Trucking, November 2020.)

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INDUSTRY COMMENT

WHY DO WE NEED WORKTIME HOURS? Changes to work-time and logbooks are on the horizon. Where do these regulations come from, and where could they go? By Russell Walsh

ecent publicity suggests that, before long, we can expect the government to release a document that will include a discussion about work-time. Maybe it will be called something like, “Towards a safer road transport industry”. Although it is impossible to guess what the document will hold, we can be sure there will be moves towards the compulsory use of electronic logbooks. This should come as no surprise as this was signalled in the government’s Road to Zero strategy in late 2019. It will be interesting to see if one of the options in the document will be to do away with the work-time rules altogether. It would also be interesting to know if the officials who developed these documents and briefed the minister discussed the original purpose of the work-time rules.

Brief background In 1936, the government introduced The Transport Licensing (Goods-Service) Regulations. These included restricting the distance goods could be moved by road and the hours drivers of goods vehicles could work. They

102 New Zealand Trucking

also required every holder of a goods service licence to keep a timebook recording hours of work and rest breaks. The restrictions on worktime hours introduced back then have changed little. Timebooks have morphed into drivers’ logbooks, which were introduced in 1987. The restrictions on drivers’ working hours were introduced along with some other measures to prop up the government’s railway network, which was suffering from the effects of more freight moving by road. Linking work-time to driver fatigue came later, but this is now cited as why we need current work-time rules.

What we should be asking Given the tenuous link of worktime to fatigue, isn’t it time we started asking why we need work-time hours at all? We know that driver fatigue is a significant workplace hazard, which pushes the management of fatigue among commercial drivers clearly into the scope of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, and the responsibilities this puts on everybody when it comes to identifying hazards. Surely this is sufficient? Why do we

need two pieces of legislation that involve preventing fatigued drivers from driving on our roads? Singling out commercial drivers for special treatment, such as restricting the hours they can work when the same rules are not applied to other drivers, must surely be a form of discrimination? Discrimination by occupation.

What could be done? Whether travelling from A to B for a holiday or moving goods or passengers, nobody wants fatigued drivers on our roads, regardless of the situation that takes them there. It should not matter if a driver is getting paid or not – a fatigued driver is a fatigued driver, and it’s fatigued drivers that we do not want; that should be our focus. Considering today’s technology, I am sure somebody can design a simple fatigue analysis app that assesses fatigue risk before a driver starts driving and during the drive. This app could be linked to the engine management system so that if the driver is assessed to be high risk, the vehicle will not move. The app could also be used to detect

the use of drugs that could impede driving or are taken to mask the signs of fatigue. As a backup, the app could also incorporate on-road fatigue detection similar to some of the current devices on the market. As a fatigue prevention/ detection package, an app such as this would surely be on the way towards achieving the road safety outcomes the government talked about back in 2019. This would be far better than continuing to try and justify restricting working hours that were designed to protect a government department more than 85 years ago. A qualified motor mechanic, auto electrician and diesel mechanic by trade, Russell was transport manager and national fleet manager for New Zealand Post until 1995. He then did several industry-related contract jobs, including working with the industry training organisation developing qualifications. The NZTA employed him in various roles before he worked for EECA in its Heavy Vehicle Fuel Efficiency programme. Now semi-retired, he is still involved with the industry and doing some volunteer work.

September 2021

NZ-Truc

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TRUCKERS’ HEALTH

5 ways to get fit without leaving your house

ith level four lockdown upon us once more, let’s revisit the topic of home exercise. Do your grounds look shabby? If you’re anything like me, your gardens and grounds probably look like they haven’t had any attention in the past five years. Rummage through the garden shed and find yourself a spade and a selection of other gardening tools (I wouldn’t know what they’re called, I don’t use them) and throw yourself into gardening. Gardening – and grounds work – is practical cardio, and imagine the satisfaction of seeing how great your home looks after you’ve given it some attention and worked up a sweat while doing it. This also goes for mowing the lawns (with a push mower, of course) – I’m not sure that your heart rate would sky-rocket on a ride-on lawnmower.

What props can you use to your advantage? Working out around the home is all about getting creative. You’re halfway there if you have a deck, a bench or a set of stairs that can act as a good base for a simple body-weight, no-equipment workout. For example, you can do tricep dips, step-ups, pressups, plank holds, lunges, squats and other simple body-weight movements incorporating a bench or stairs to add a different element to your workout. If you wanted to add weights to your workout, there is a massive assortment of things from around your home, such as tins from the pantry, bags of potting mix – pretty much anything that has weight to it and is safe and practical to hold during a workout (i.e. not a chainsaw).

Head online. Finding it difficult to discover anything around the house that might help you feel motivated to work out? Go online. The internet is saturated with different styles of exercise

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videos. You can choose the type, length and intensity of your online workout to suit your preference. For example, I love doing 45-minute boxing workouts. No gear needed, just a good old-fashioned boxing-based cardio sweat session. Online you can find yoga, pilates, dance, strength, body-weight, lowimpact and everything in between. Throughout lockdown, Zoom workouts also became very popular. Zoom involves you linking in with a group of people to follow an activity together with perhaps a gym instructor or someone with a lot of knowledge of group training. It can keep you focused and motivated having someone guide you through the workout rather than trying to battle it out on your own.

Play the game. If you have children, or even if you don’t, there are so many fun, active games that you can play. I remember as a child I always loved backyard cricket, hide and seek, tiggy, petanque, and so many other outdoor games. It doesn’t have to be complicated – grab a rugby, netball or soccer ball and head outside for passes, hoops or friendly games. Set up the cricket stumps and have a round of endless cricket. It may not be a high-impact 80-minute All Blacks game, but it will be enough to get the heart rate up, work up a sweat and most importantly, have fun. Often people are under the illusion that exercise has to be torturous, unenjoyable and painful for it to be effective. In reality, you simply need to elevate your heart rate and work up a bit of a sweat.

Venture out. I know I said you wouldn’t have to leave your house, but amazing walks and activities are often just around the corner. You don’t need to grab the car keys – just put on your shoes and venture outside the gate. Go to the nearest park, area of bush, field

September 2021

or forest and enjoy the great outdoors. Sometimes, if I’m home inside for too long, I can feel cooped up. It’s nice to head out for an hour or so and explore your surroundings. I know many people who drive miles to take bush walks and don’t realise that lovely surroundings and walks are right where they are. This is true for me. I drive from Thames to The Mount to climb Mount Maunganui, when beautiful bush walks are right here. Do some research online or let your feet do the exploring for you. 

Laura Peacock Personal trainer TCA Fitness Club

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Rehabilitation

ast month, I talked about supporting people in managing their mental health. Today I want to talk about a different type of support – rehabilitation. Rehabilitation occurs when a staff member is unable to do regular duties or their normal hours. ACC expresses this as a safe and early return to work. Organisations try to rehabilitate staff following a workplace injury, a non-work injury, or something like an illness/surgery – essentially, any time a staff member meets the above criteria. Recently, I had a small accident and broke two fingers on my dominant hand. If anyone had asked me how challenging that would be before my accident, I would have given a completely different response. My medical certificate stated that I could complete light duties for seven hours a day for two weeks. ACC is trying to move the terminology away from light duties, which is restrictive in definition, to suitable, modified or alternative duties. This enables managers to think outside the specific role of the staff member and consider other options. The work must be valuable to both the staff member and organisation, it must meet the limitations of the medical certificate, and keep the staff member and those around them

safe. This means that the physical health and well-being of the staff member will not be at risk and that they can carry out the work safely. The type of work available depends on the organisation, the staff member’s abilities and limitations, and the role. Consider training, supervision, reviewing SOPs, etc. There may be tasks that are new to the staff member and are achievable. Be guided by the medical certificate and the staff member. Set up a plan – ACC can help with this. Set up review dates and check in. If no rehabilitation is possible, stay in touch with the staff member. It’s very easy for them to become disconnected, making the return to work even harder. Make them feel like a valued member of your team. Thanks to my team, who supported me and never made me feel like a nuisance. 

ACC is trying to move the terminology away from light duties, which is restrictive in definition, to suitable, modified or alternative duties. This enables managers to think outside the specific role of the staff member and consider other options.

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 Ltd, 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.

3:12:58 PM

Danielle L. Beston Barrister At Law Log Book & Driving Hours Transport Specialist Work Licences Nationwide Road User Charges Contributor to New Zealand Trucking ‘Legal Lines’ Column Telephone: 64 9 379 7658 mobile: 021 326 642 danielle.beston@hobsonchambers.co.nz Referral Through Solicitor Required and Arranged

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LEGAL LINES

The case of the sleepy driver (part two)

recently came across an interesting case, Savieti v Police [2021] NZCA 176, about a man charged with careless driving causing injury, which went all the way from the district court to the high court and finally the court of appeal. Savieti fell asleep while driving home from work and crashed into the driver of another vehicle, injuring the driver. During his stay in hospital after the accident, Savieti was diagnosed as suffering from a severe case of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which he did not know about until the diagnosis. This month, I will talk about what must be proven to find someone guilty of careless driving and the decision of the court of appeal, which ultimately overturned Savieti’s conviction.

The law

A person drives carelessly if they do not drive with the degree of care and attention that a reasonable and prudent driver would exercise in the circumstances. This is an objective test, but “in the circumstances” includes the circumstances of the driver. This means that when a person has an accident because of an illness or condition, whether the person was careless depends on whether they reasonably ought to have driven given what they knew or ought to have known about their illness or condition. To illustrate the approach the courts have taken to these kinds of cases, here are some examples: Robinson v Glover [1952] NZLR 669 (SC). This case involved a driver who caused an accident when he fainted. After the accident, it was determined that he was suffering from an infection. In the three days before the accident, he had felt unwell but had not fainted and had never fainted before. The high court quashed the conviction, with the judge saying that he would have some difficulty conceiving that a reasonably prudent man would have anticipated the possibility of fainting and the accident was solely due to a sudden and unexpected condition that the driver did not anticipate and that neither he nor any reasonable prudent man would in the circumstances, have anticipated. Police v Vialle [1989] 1 NZLR 521 (CA). A territorial army corporal was engaged in driving exercises. The corporal had had limited sleep when he was ordered by his superior to take over from another driver who had become too sleepy to continue. The corporal said that when he was given the order, he “felt fine” and “able to drive” and did not at any stage feel incapable of driving before he fell asleep and crashed the vehicle. The court of appeal upheld the high court’s decision quashing the conviction, saying that the evidence of the driver was accepted as truthful and shows that he was alive to the risk of drowsiness on the part of the drivers in the convoy, but at all times thought himself fit to drive and he was not found to have been unreasonable in having that belief.

The first question

Savieti was granted leave to bring a second appeal against conviction to the court of appeal after being convicted in the district court and having his first appeal in the high court dismissed. He contended that he was not careless because he was tired as was normal when he drove home, but not sleepy. The court considered that the first question to ask was

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whether it was reasonably possible that Savieti did not recognise that he was sleepy when he was driving. They answered this question in the affirmative. It was reasonably possible that he put his feelings of fatigue down to physical tiredness from work rather than a feeling of sleepiness that would make him prone to dozing off while driving. During his 20 years as an employee and the past three years as a store supervisor at Auckland Hospital, Savieti was unaware of having any microsleep episodes at work and had never fallen asleep when driving home. As he did on the day of the accident, he often worked past 2.30pm and did not always take an afternoon nap, although this was usually what he did after work. There was no credibility finding against Savieti’s evidence. It was supported by the absence of any reference to sleepiness in his GP’s records. It was also supported by the evidence of Dr Andrew Veale, who is a specialist respiratory and sleep physician. Dr Veale said there was a continuum of those who were completely asymptomatic through to those with marked daytime sleepiness. He said that whether a person with severe OSA would have a warning before nodding off when driving depended very much on prior experience. Given that the car crash from falling asleep was Savieti’s first identifiable symptom of OSA, Savieti did not have any prior experience to rely on.

The second question

The second question was whether a reasonable person in Savieti’s position would have recognised that he was sleepy and at risk of falling asleep while driving. The court considered that this had not been established. Dr Veale’s evidence was that given the variability of how people with OSA feel, he had no way of judging whether Savieti would have been aware that he was sleepy. Dr Veale thought it was likely that Savieti was sleepy in the lead-up to the crash, but forewarning implied you would know the consequence of the way you felt. While Dr Veale would have recognised the way Savieti was feeling to be sleepiness, he did not say that Savieti ought to have recognised it. Dr Veale also considered it would not be surprising if Savieti had experienced a sudden onset of sleep and said that the transition from feeling asleep to being asleep could be instantaneous. There was also further evidence adduced at the hearing from other experts who supported Dr Veale’s evidence that a person with sleep apnoea might be sleepy but not recognise that they were, because one of the consequences was that it was normal for the person to feel tired so they no longer regarded themselves as tired. Given that the evidence did not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that Savieti was careless in driving on the afternoon of the accident, the appeal was allowed.  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 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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NZ TRUCKING ASSOCIATION

Why should you compete in an industry competition?

ome feel there is a stigma in showing off in front of their peers. A shyness or a lack of confidence, a feeling that they are not good enough. These can all be valid reasons not to compete. It’s time to put those feelings and thoughts aside. If you have the skills, you are good enough. If you work in the industry, you are good enough. You might make a mistake on the day due to the pressure of the competition, but that doesn’t matter. You will gain a huge amount of respect and confidence by giving it a go. TR Group has put huge resources and time into organising the New Zealand TR Group Truck Driving Championships. The competition courses, designed with the New Zealand Trucking Association team, are challenging but are not too hard for drivers to complete. Lots of discussions were had around the theory part of the competition to ensure that everyone can achieve a good result. The questions will be basic rules you should know if you are a truck driver. The Class 2 award is sponsored by EROAD, and the team from EROAD will be on hand throughout the show. Class 2 is a special category, as this is the entry-level into the trucking industry. The Spartan Finance Tractor-Semi Class 5 is always a popular category as this usually involves manoeuvring a tractorsemi into some tight spaces for deliveries. The team at Spartan Finance are experts in finance for trucks and equipment, so they are looking forward to catching up with all their customers. The Truck and Trailer Class; this will be the biggest course, as these big rigs take up a lot of room. You will be able to watch the Spartan Tractor-Semi and the Truck and Trailer competitions from the same grandstand. Heats will take place in Auckland on 30 October, and the winners from heats will have automatic entry into the finals, held in Christchurch on Saturday, 12 March 2022. Heats in Christchurch will take place on Friday, 11 March 2022. This will be a well-run competition series that will become part of the culture of New Zealand truck drivers. It is something positive for the industry to feel proud of. Companies are being encouraged to enter their best drivers to compete. Imagine being able to boast your driver is the New Zealand Champion Truck Driver of 2022. We are hoping for a bit of friendly company rivalry. Special awards will also be awarded. The TR Group Young

Driver will be selected from all categories, and the EROAD Woman Driver will also be selected from all categories of the championships. Palfinger has now also developed an industry competition and is sponsoring the Palfinger Crane Championships 2022. This has not been done before in New Zealand on this scale. Competitors will compete through a course that has been designed to replicate world-class courses. Operators will complete a short course and will be judged on accuracy and time. It will be fun watching and supporting the competitors from the grandstand. We hope that showcasing the skill and talent needed to operate truck-mounted cranes will inspire the next generation to consider it a career choice. The awards will be presented at the evening function on the Teletrac Navman lawn after the show on Saturday. Bands will play and bars will be open to 11pm to round off the day’s activities. This is a ticketed event, and tickets are limited. You can pre-purchase your entry to the show and function tickets online through Eventfinda. The TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show, organised by the New Zealand Trucking Association, is fast becoming the ultimate truck fest. A record number of exhibitors and tickets have been sold already. With only six months to go, it will be a sell-out event. 

Companies are being encouraged to enter their best drivers to compete. Imagine being able to boast your driver is the New Zealand Champion Truck Driver of 2022.

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

By Carol McGeady, executive officer NZ Trucking Association

ROAD SAFETY TRUCK

The team from New Zealand Trucking Association recently took the Road Safety Truck to Geraldine. Teaming up again with Wood is Good to collabratte in the name of road safety and education around what makes wood so good. The engagement of the students, teachers and staff at Geraldine Primary was amazing. The school hosted the team with a lovely morning tea. It was a full on day with a drone demonstration from the team from Port Blakely Forestry and in-class stories from Erica. Thanks to the Wareing Group for bringing such great working trucks along, inlcuding the drivers, which is helpful when you have a few hundred very excited students. Every student managed to do all the activities which inlcuded the Share the Road video, completing the work book and they still had time to explore the trailer. Every one then sat in the tractor unit so that the driver could point out the blind zones. Thanks for having us vist Geraldine Primary School. Thank you to all our sponsors who make it all possiable.

“Be seen to be safe, wear a high vis when out on the road” Join us today! 0800 338 338 www.nztruckingassn.co.nz

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ROAD TRANSPORT FORUM

Truckies need to be vaccinated ASAP

n July, the government paused the trans-Tasman travel bubble for eight weeks because of the rise in Covid-19 cases in largely unvaccinated Australia. Despite the government’s claims that the Covid-19 vaccine rollout is on track, the reality for many people is that their chance of getting vaccinated soon is pretty slim. Unless you live in Auckland, that is, where the government organised a mass vaccination event to vaccinate people in the lower risk group 4 before those in groups 1, 2 and 3. A scenario where the Delta variant takes hold here isn’t something to be taken lightly. Several foreign-crewed vessels have been docking at ports around New Zealand with crew ill with Covid-19, and there are still plenty of infection risks through our Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) system. RTF wants to see essential workers, including truck drivers, who have a heightened risk if there is a leak of the Delta variant of Covid-19 in New Zealand, prioritised for vaccination. The government has announced mandatory vaccination for workers at ports and airports who are at the greatest risk of exposure to Covid-19. This is in addition to workers at MIQ facilities – trucks service all of these places as well as almost every other commercial enterprise in our communities. With the global disruption in the supply chain, truck drivers can spend considerable time at ports waiting to load or unload. We’ve been pushing for months for truck drivers to be prioritised for vaccination. It seems that national coordination has gone out the window and it’s down to the luck of the draw as to where you live and who you hear from in your local area or on the bush telegraph. We should be doing much better – perhaps get a logistics company or two to run this, not policy wonks who never really need to deal with the real world. The weather has also been causing the industry considerable concern, and the devastation generated by extreme weather events this winter has put even more pressure on poorly maintained roads and infrastructure. The clean-up at the top of the South Island and parts of the West Coast will take months and many dollars. We are concerned there won’t be enough money in the kitty to fix all the damaged roads and bridges while roading money is being

poured into rail and siphoned off to accommodate trendy cycling and walking projects. I’m tired of pointing out to this government why road transport and good roads are crucial to our future economic success, and why they need to invest in the roading network adequately. I’ve recently seen for myself the appalling condition of the state highway network in Northland. We know that substandard road building has taken its toll, but so has maintenance underfunding. Many want to attack the Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, but I suspect they are as frustrated as we are. They’re responsible professionals and don’t want to let roading quality decline further. While the government continues to claim that it has increased road maintenance funding, in real terms, we are still falling behind because costs have grown faster than the money has. Our roads will continue to decay until Waka Kotahi and local authorities are provided with the funding they need to maintain them adequately. Of course, we know that the more assets degrade, the more they cost to be brought up to standard. The longer we delay, the more expensive or unlikely proper road maintenance becomes. A fundamental flaw in the current approach to transport infrastructure policy is a misplaced ideological position that rail freight is a competent competitor to road freight instead of being seen as a complementary service. This position is based on an irrational assumption that rail can flourish without road-transport support. In reality, it is the opposite. Only 6% of freight is really contestable by rail, and it is unlikely that will increase as freight becomes an even more time-critical proposition in the future. Instead of trying to socially engineer our economic and social behaviour without clear evidence of any benefits, the government would be better to focus on the resilience of the transport network in a small, trading nation with a high-risk profile for natural disasters. That means doing the basics well, providing good-quality, well-maintained roads, and then getting out of the way. 

RTF conference fast approaching

he Road Ahead – 2021 Transporting New Zealand conference is almost upon us and will be a great chance to discuss some of these issues. A range of subjects, including the state of our roads, our changing workforce

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and future fuel sources, will be covered at the conference, which is being held in Invercargill on 25 and 26 September. You can register and get more information about the conference at rtfconference.co.nz.

Nick Leggett chief executive officer

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THE LAST MILE

The train is rapidly approaching

any of us were surprised with the government’s “rebalancing” of planned roading upgrades, but should we have been? The current government does not have a good track record of sticking to its word; instead, it governs by ideology and, of course, has one eye on the 2023 election. Did we not learn from the events of the 1930s, 40s and 50s when ideologies took hold in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Soviet Union, and Asia? During this era, people’s rights were gradually extinguished. The population was told only what the government decided it needed to know, and often this information was disguised as public enlightenment and was headed by a charismatic leader. The government knew best, and those that questioned it were quickly silenced one way or another. In some areas, there were instances of anarchy, with open defiance of the law, that while not openly condoned, went unpunished. Thank goodness New Zealand has not sunk to the levels we saw in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, but recent events suggest we could be on the slippery slope already. The breaking through of police barriers and taking over of one lane on the Auckland Harbour Bridge by a group of cyclists and walkers with little or no penalties suggests that this government is very much in tune with those that share its ideological thinking and blow the rest of us. Perhaps it is no coincidence that within a few days, the government announced

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a multimillion-dollar project to build a dedicated walking and cycling bridge adjacent to the current vehicle one? Of course, only a fool would believe that this project suddenly materialised in just a few days; governments and the bureaucrats that serve them are incapable of making decisions that quickly, so somewhere in the bowels of power, somebody had been working on this for a while and it was all ready to go – the events on the bridge providing the ideal opportunity. Since then, the group has said they believe it would be possible to close off one lane of the bridge to provide a trial for when the new bridge will be built. They claim that closing one lane will do little to increase the congestion we see daily. The disturbing thing is that this approach appears to have some support from officials. We saw the canning of the desperately needed upgrade to Mill Road in Auckland but are assured by the minister that all will be well by concentrating efforts on cycling, walking and public transport. This comes at a time when in May, more than 3400 public transport services in Wellington were cancelled. And the reason cited for this? A shortage of drivers. While it was good to see that the Melling interchange in Wellington was not canned, its projected cost has almost doubled in a year. Covid-19 is cited as the cause of this. A good thing about New Zealand is the ability of its citizens to question the decision-makers using the Official Information Act. Sadly, even this is becoming a mechanism for the government to use its spin to manipulate what it tells us. In an article published on Stuff on 6 June, senior journalist Andrea Vance described her recent experiences with getting information under this act. She says that it is now very difficult for journalists to get the heart and truth of a story, adding “we are up against an army of well-paid spin doctors”. She gives examples of this: each minister has at least two press secretaries, the prime minister has four. MBIE had 48 PR staff, and now it has 64. NZTA has 72, up from 26 five years ago. This writer can attest to this misuse of the intent of the act. Meanwhile, our nurses have had to take industrial action to improve working conditions – apparently, there is no money to give them a pay rise. Wellington Hospital has again asked for winter pyjamas for child patients, and Starship is still seeking donations to complete its children’s intensive care unit. While all of this is going on, our industry carries on doing what it does best under all conditions, despite the repeated attacks on it. It was interesting, though, to read yet another comment from a representative of one of the industry associations that the industry must speak with a single voice. To do this, we must look towards the future and stop looking back to the past. The sentiments might be okay, but the past is where we came from and holds many lessons for us if only we are prepared to look. Only by looking into the past can we prevent the same mistakes from repeating in the future. After all, we don’t want to be hit by the proverbial train clearly coming towards us.  The Accidental Trucker

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