NZ Truck & Driver May 2025

NZ TRUCK & DRIVER

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| May 2025

May 2025

BIG TEST Smooth and chilled | FLEET FOCUS Clearing House | FEATURE: Hands on hydrogen

The Official Magazine of

ISSN 2703-6278

FEATURE

Clearing House

Hands on hydrogen

Issue 289

FLEET FOCUS

TRUCKS YOU CAN RELYON ON TRUCKS TRUCKS YOU CAN RELY YOU ON TRUCKS YOU CAN RELY

Partner Can Trust Partner Partner YouYou You CanCan Trust Partner Trust Y

CONTENTS Issue 289 – May 2025

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News

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The latest from the world of road transport including… A look at what to expect when the Brisbane Truck Show opens its doors… New Volvo EVs go to work for Fulton & Hogan… America gets a new Mack flagship… UD Trucks launches new service package… The winners from the Tui Truck Show… and the end of the road for three Kenworth icons.

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Fleet Focus

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Clearing House: Moving along some old trucks, clearing sheds of old parts and making the company more efficient has been a work-in-progress at Waiuku’s Knight & Dickey in recent years. Plus, we take a look at the impressive museum created by Graham Dickey.

Giti Tyres Big Test

FEATURES: 67 Four in a row for Alex Little

Smooth and chilled: Big kays is the job description for the new Douch Transport Kenworth K220 working between Auckland and Palmerston North.

We go along for a test run and get a first taste of the new Eaton Cummins Endurant XD Pro automated transmission.

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A fast-paced finish with three rounds across four weekends saw Hutt Valley racer Alex Little deliver consistent performances and clinch his fourth NAPA Auto Parts New Zealand Super Truck crown.

CEO Dom Kalasih report on a strategic shift in NZTA’s approach to compliance and also looks at upcoming changes to the Health and Safety at Work Act. Board member Scott Johnstone talks about his role with the association and plans for the South Island seminar have been announced.

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Truckers and Loggers 2025 The 23rd annual Southpac Truckers & Loggers fishing tournament was staged in near-perfect latesummer conditions in the Bay of Islands.

REGULARS: 80/ Double Coin Tyres NZ Transport 81 Imaging Awards Recognising NZ’s best-looking trucks… including a giant pull-out poster of this month’s finalist.

Southpac Trucks Legends: Outback and then Back: Bryan Austin tells his unique transport industry story, beginning in Nelson before clocking up huge miles driving the lonely highways of Australia and then returning to New Zealand.

Transporting New Zealand

Hands On Hydrogen An update on local and global transport industry initiatives using hydrogen to power a new generation of trucks.

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CrediFlex Recently Registered It’s been a slow start to 2025 for both new truck and trailer sales in New Zealand. We report on the first quarter registration data and break down the market segments.

Plus, the monthly gallery of new rigs on the road.

COLUMNS: 63 National Road Carriers Association Chief executive Justin Tighe-Umbers provides a look at alternative road funding to drive economic growth. And the NRC is also advocating for better metrics and reporting of freight data to improve productivity.

MANAGEMENT

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Publisher

Trevor Woolston 027 492 5600 trevor@trucker.co.nz

Trudy Woolston

Advertising

Victor Georgiades 021 925 600 victor@trucker.co.nz

Trudy Woolston Phone

Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

admin@trucker.co.nz

SUBSCRIPTIONS admin@trucker.co.nz 027 474 6033

NZ subscription $110 incl. GST for one year price (11 issues) Overseas rates on application ADDRESS

EDITORIAL Editor

Colin Smith 021 510319 colin@trucker.co.nz

Associate Editor

Brian Cowan

CONTRIBUTORS

Olivia Beauchamp Gerald Shacklock David Kinch Aaron Hunt Euan Cameron Jarod Carruthers

ART DEPARTMENT Design & Production Luca Bempensante – Zarko Mihic EQUIPMENT GUIDE AUCKLAND, NORTHLAND, BOP, WAIKATO, CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND Advertising Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

AUCKLAND, LOWER NORTH ISLAND, SOUTH ISLAND Advertising Hayden Woolston 027 448 8768 hayden@trucker.co.nz

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NEWS The new Isuzu F Series line-up will be among the main attractions at the Brisbane Truck Show.

Brisbane debut for Isuzu F Series THERE WILL BE THE USUAL PRIME MOVER AND alternative energy star attractions when the 2025 Brisbane Truck Show opens on May 15, but the important volume-selling show debutant is expected to be the new generation Isuzu F-Series line-up.

Following a string of recent soft launch and preview events in Australia for VIP fleets, suppliers and key partners, the all-new MY25 F Series medium-duty range will be in the public spotlight at the Brisbane show.

The first examples are expected in the New Zealand market during the second half of 2025.

Models spanning a versatile GVM range of 11 to 26 tonnes encompass an array of engine, transmission, suspension and wheelbase variants while the visual appeal is boosted by a new cab design incorporating a bold grille, a new, full LED lighting package (including daytime running lamps and LED interiors) plus a newly engineered bumper.

FRR and FSR models have the headlamps integrated into the cab, while the larger FV and F Series 4x4 models receive bumper-mounted lamps

A major upgrade in active safety technlogy is one highlights of the MY 25 Isuzu F Series range.

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completing a sleek look.

A major emphasis for the MY 25 F Series programme has been enhanced safety for operators and other road users.

A new safety suite delivers the single largest leap forward in safety in the history of the Isuzu brand, adding a slew of active safety features to Isuzu’s evolved and improved Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) offering.

Every model across the line-up, including popular 4x4 models, benefit from a comprehensive baseline safety suite containing up to 12 active and passive systems.

The active safety system is informed by Isuzu’s ADAS camera technology, which is now mounted low on the windscreen. On all variants, it is combined with a long-range milli-wave radar located in the centre of the bumper bar.

The ADAS camera functions include Lane Departure Warning, Attention Assist Warning, Traffic Movement Warning, Traffic Sign Recognition with Intelligent Speed Limiter and Adaptive Driving Beam (except 4x4 models).

Combined functions of the ADAS camera and millimetre radar are Distance Warning System, Advanced Emergency Brake system a full-speed Adaptive Cruise Control (excluding manual transmission and 4x4 models).

A raft of cabin comfort updates have been made across every model with an ISRI 6860/875 NTS2 climate seat, a new steering wheel with integrated controls and switches and a large driver’s multi-info display.

Another headline for the F Series line-up is the introduction of a new 6.7-litre Isuzu DB6A engine – co-developed with Cummins.

Built in Isuzu’s Tochigi Engine Plant in Japan and available in 260PS (191kW) and 300PS (221kW) ratings, this unique Isuzu collaboration eliminates the need for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), meaning fewer maintenance requirements, improved combustion efficiency, and fuel economy.

Both engine variants are mated exclusively with Allison 6-speed Gen Six automatic transmissions and meet Euro-VI emissions standards via a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) and Diesel Particulate Diffuser (DPD) combination.

NEWS

Fulton Hogan NZ CEO Ben Hayward introduces the comapny’s two new Volvo FM Electric trucks.

Electric Volvos join Fulton Hogan fleet TWO NEW VOLVO FM ELECTRIC 6X4 TRUCKS GOING to work on Auckland roads will deliver some vital understanding for the future role of electricity as an energy source for heavy trucks.

Purchased by Fulton Hogan with support from the EECA (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority) Low Emissions Heavy Vehicle Fund, the Volvo duo will each transport up to 16,000kg of asphalt from plants in Penrose and Drury to sites around the city.

Fulton Hogan is already working with Volvo and EECA to pioneer other large electrically powered equipment and this is their first collaboration with road-going vehicles.

Fulton Hogan NZ Chief Executive, Ben Hayward, says the launch of the Volvo FM trucks is another learning step on the path to a low emissions fleet.

“For electricity to replace fossil fuel in large equipment like this we need organisations who are committed to investing in change, and we’re grateful to be working with two like-minded organisations to take this step,” Ben says.

“Across our wider fleet, the potential opportunities to reduce emissions, with time, are enormous.”

General Manager for Volvo Trucks NZ, Scott Holt, says transitioning to low carbon fleets requires leaders like Fulton Hogan to deliver learnings that will enable others to follow.

“We’re committed to working to support the team’s commercial, safety and sustainability goals across their operations to help achieve this,” Scott says.

The Volvo FM Electrics are equipped with a 450kWh battery pack.

Modelling the efficacy of the vehicles prior to purchase showed their ‘sweet spot’ was short duration, cyclic trips in urban/suburban areas.

The modelling indicates a 152km range with a full 16,000kg load, using 2.92 kWh/km at an average speed of 43km/h, including 38kWh of regenerated energy.

If these figures are consistent with actual use, this will reduce emissions by a combined total (both trucks) of approximately 150 tonnes CO2 annually compared with diesel powered trucks performing the same task over 60,000km per year.

In addition to the environmental benefits, there is a focus on safety with the introduction of the new Volvos.

The trucks are paired with new trailers designed and manufactured in Hamilton by Transport Trailers Ltd to eject their load without the need for tipping.

This design is a significant safety improvement in terms of eliminating tip-over risk and overhead utility strikes.

Fulton Hogan is committed to introducing new carbon emissionreducing technology and equipment where the technology is available and meets operating needs.

In March, for example, Fulton Hogan electrified the crushing and conveying plant at New Zealand’s largest hard rock quarry – Stevenson’s Drury Quarry.

The electrification has substituted for three diesel mobile crushing trains, three diesel excavators, three diesel loaders and three diesel dump trucks at the quarry.

Fulton Hogan Driver, Krishal Singh demonstrating the remote-controlled management of the new trailer designed and manufactured by Transport Trailers.

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NEWS

America gets a new long-haul Mack

The launch of the new Mack Pioneer is part of the bulldog brand 125th anniversary celebrations in North America.

THE NEWEST NAME IN A CENTURY-AND-A-QUARTER of Mack trucks history is Pioneer.

As part of its 125th anniversary celebrations, Mack staged the global premiere of its new Pioneer long haul truck in Brooklyn, New York on April 8.

Developed for the U.S. and Canada, the Pioneer is the most aerodynamic and driver-focused highway truck Mack has ever introduced with several industry-first and cutting-edge features.

It’s powered by a range of 13-litre Mack MP13 engines producing up to 505hp and 1950 lb-ft of torque paired with mDrive automated transmissions. It’s estimated the Pioneer is up to 11% more fuel efficient than the current Mack Anthem.

“With the Pioneer, we’re not just introducing a new truck. We’re redefining what a highway truck can be, taking trucking into the 21st century with features that transform the daily experience of professional drivers who spend an average of 150 hours per month in their trucks,” says Stephen Roy, president, Mack Trucks.

In both design and drivetrain, the new Pioneer is clearly a Volvo Group sister to the bonneted Volvo VNL. An immediately visible change on the Pioneer is the positioning of the Mack bulldog mascot.

“We’ve taken the iconic Mack bulldog and repositioned it more prominently on the hood,” says Lukas Yates, expert chief designer at Mack Trucks, who designed the exterior of the Pioneer.

“Rather than sitting on a pedestal, the bulldog hood ornament is now integrated with the truck’s design, flanked by air intakes that help manage airflow under the hood, making it an integral part of the truck’s performance rather than just an emblem.”

Aerodynamics are enhanced by an aggressive windshield angle and streamlined chassis design.

One of the most notable aerodynamic innovations is the digital mirror system – a first for Mack – which replaces traditional side mirrors with

cameras housed in pods on top of the sleeper. This system provides better vantage points for drivers by eliminating blind spots while improving fuel efficiency. The digital mirror system alone can deliver approximately 1% in fuel savings for fleets.

The Pioneer’s interior was designed based on extensive feedback from dealers and drivers, including a non-branded driver clinic conducted at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia with 40 professional drivers who provided unbiased evaluations of the cab’s ergonomics and features.

The premium seating system features a wider and taller frame with expanded shoulder and headrest areas. A major innovation is the inclusion of armrests on both sides of the seat – a first for Mack – ensuring drivers’ arms travel with them on the suspension rather than resting on the fixed door panel.

The seat is made with perforated material for both heating and cooling functions, plus an integrated massage system that provides relief during long hauls.

Other driver comfort innovations include a push-button start, Mackfirst mDrive transmission stalk that moves gear selection to the steering column for improved safety and ergonomics, and a flat-bottom steering wheel.

The Pioneer is available in multiple configurations including Day Cab, 44-inch Mid-Roof Sleeper, 64-inch Mid-Roof Sleeper, 76-inch Mid-Roof Sleeper and 76-inch High-Roof Sleeper.

The 76-inch sleeper configuration offers the innovative FlexSuite system in which the lower bunk can be rotated up against the rear wall to create more living space. A fold-down dinette area and a reclining mattress provide comfortable spaces for meals and relaxation.

Driver safety is also a primary concern. Frontal air bags will be offered as standard equipment with the Pioneer, as well as Mack Protect, an entirely new proprietary ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) that incorporates the latest active and passive safety technologies for commercial vehicles.

Truck & Driver | 5

NEWS

UD Trucks has two levels of fixed priced servicing for its Quon customers.

UD launches fixed price servicing THE UD MARQUE IS STRENGTHENING THE APPEAL OF its Quon truck range by offering New Zealand customers a fixed price service plan.

Branded as UD Trust, the service programme is available on all new UD Quon’s delivered from April 1, 2025. The plans are offered for the first five years (60 months) of the life of the truck, with two levels of cover – Standard and Ultimate – available.

The plan consists of scheduled service, maintenance and repair agreements tailored to each individual truck in its UD Quon range. This preventative maintenance programme offers owners the opportunity to easily manage costs and maximise uptime.

“This is a unique offer in New Zealand for Japanese brands, and a real advantage for those purchasing a Quon,” says Colin Muir, General Fixed price servicing is available at UD Trucks dealers and service agents.

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Manager of UD Truck Distributors (NZ) Ltd. “UD Trust offers owners true peace of mind through better cost management, allowing operators to focus on maximising operational uptime.

“We’ve responded to customer demand for a better way to manage service maintenance and repair costs,” Muir says.

“UD Trust is a proven programme across the worldwide UD network, including Australia and South Africa, so it was critical to bring this premium fixed price service plan to New Zealand.”

UD Trucks has a nationwide network of accredited dealers and service agents that will be delivering this new UD Trust Service Plan programme for Quon customers.

“This is huge advantage for customers as service and maintenance costs are shown upfront before purchase, services are booked in advance, incrementally prepaid through a fixed monthly amount, with discounted genuine parts included, based on where a customer is operating, or the application of the truck,” says Muir.

“UD Trust plans are tailored to the specific truck applications and usage, from heavy construction to metro freight. There are also two cover options; scheduled servicing or an extensive maintenance and repair plan that limits the variable cost burden of truck ownership. These new plans are not a onesize-fits-all, they are designed for, and by, the operation.”

Muir says that service management has a large impact on the total ownership cost for trucks.

“We believe the UD Trust programme, with its two cover options of Standard and Ultimate, will provide an immense advantage in day-to-day operations and cost management for fleet owners - another way in which we continue to deliver on UD’s promise of Ultimate Dependability.”

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NTA Show & Shine 2025 Truck R Company (if applicable): Driver Name: Phone:

Email:

Truck Details All Fields Required Truck Make:

Truck Age:

Truck Model:

Speedo KMs:

Number Plate:

Truck Type:

Classic Truck

Truck Parking Options • •

Early Bird Parking Friday 7th March: 5 pm - 7 pm Saturday 8th March: 6 am - 8 am. All trucks must be park

Entry Fee and Truck Number:

Truck Entry Number and $10 entry fee payable at Show office o than one truck, please use the ‘Show and Shine Multiple Entry

Show & Shine Awards

The awards ceremony will take place immediately after the sho 8th March. Join us at the TR Group Trucking Relay Area to cele food will be available for purchase from 4:30 pm.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW

SAFETY: Children must be supervised and kept under control a no responsibility for incidents caused by inadequate supervision

WORKSHOP IN CHRISTCHURCH

By completing this entry form you agree to any photos or video and/or marketing purposes.

The truck you enter must have valid Motor Vehicle Insurance, P

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NEWS A recent photo showing construction progress on the new Taupo CVSC at the SH1/SH5 roundabout.

Taupo CVSC construction progressing MULTIPLE ROAD WORKS SITES IN THE VICINITY OF the SH1/SH5 roundabout off the East Taupo Arterial are preparatory work for the new hi-tech weigh station being constructed at the roundabout.

NZTA contractors are working at five sites leading to the new Cen

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24-SH-238 SH1 Bombay and SH1 Taupo CVSC maps

SH1 northbound variable message signage

SH5 westbound in-road scales and camera

The location of the Taupo CVSC and the weigh in-motion scales soon to be installed.

Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre where in-road weighing technology 8 | Truck & Driver

will be installed. From late-April into early-May these sites are coned off for 30 days to cure the asphalt before the technology is installed.

Temporary lanes have been built on the road shoulders to allow traffic to pass around the work areas. Speed restrictions are in place and only minor delays are expected.

NZTA explains that while it may look like nothing is happening beyond the cones at present, there is a time factor involved in readying the asphalt before installing weigh-in-motion scales and associated technology.

If the asphalt is not left to cure it can crumble when the precise cuts are made to install the scales. Traffic can’t run over the asphalt as it has been installed at precision levels, so the scales work properly when they’re installed.

The work is in process on five locations heading towards the safety centre: • SH1 north of the SH1/5 roundabout • SH1 south of the roundabout • SH5 east of the roundabout • Napier Road west of the roundabout • Nearby Crown Road.

This technology will screen passing traffic 24/7 and direct any noncompliant heavy vehicles into the CVSC. There will also be four variable message boards installed to advise drivers to stop at the CVSC. The site will also include a stock effluent tank disposal facility to help stock carriers minimise spills on the highway.

The Taupo weigh station is one of 12 facilities NZTA is building on high-volume freight routes around the country for NZ Police to operate.

Commercial vehicle safety centres (CVSCs), are sites where Police officers can carry out thorough inspections, including vehicle weight and road user charges (RUC), logbook accuracy and driver impairment.

Existing CVSCs are being upgraded, and new sites added, to create 12 CVSCs on high volume routes throughout New Zealand covering 46% of the Heavy Vehicle Kilometres travelled.

There will be eight regular size CVSCs and four larger ones with the larger sites (including Taupo) having a weigh bridge, in-road technology, an inspection shed, roller brake machine, inspection pit, and office block.

Once operational, Police officers on site will check on vehicle weight, road user charges (RUC), certificate of fitness, logbook and driver impairment.

The Taupo CVSC is scheduled to be operational in 2026.

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NEWS

The manufacturing and research facilities which created the Nikola BEV truck have been acquired by luxury EV car maker Lucid.

EV car maker acquires Nikola assets LUXURY EV CAR MAKER AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANY Lucid Motors is acquiring select facilities and assets in Arizona previously belonging to bankrupt EV and fuel cell truck pioneer Nikola Corporation.

The acquisition is subject to approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware and the transaction does not include the acquisition of Nikola’s business, customer base, or technology related to Nikola’s hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks.

As part of the agreement, Lucid will take over Nikola’s former Coolidge, Arizona manufacturing facility, as well as the Phoenix facility previously used as Nikola’s headquarters and product development centre.

These state-of-the-art manufacturing and warehousing buildings collectively add more than 82,000sqm to Lucid’s Arizona footprint, and includes development equipment with extensive battery and environmental testing chambers, a full-size chassis dynamometer, and machining

equipment.

Additionally, Lucid plans to offer employment to more than 300 former Nikola employees in roles across manufacturing engineering, software, assembly, vehicle testing, and warehouse support at Lucid’s Arizona facilities.

“As we continue our production ramp of Lucid Gravity and prepare for our upcoming midsize platform vehicles, acquiring these assets is an opportunity to strategically expand our manufacturing, warehousing, testing, and development facilities while supporting our local Arizona community,” says Marc Winterhoff, Interim CEO at Lucid.

Lucid is a Silicon Valley-based technology company which has developed the award-winning Lucid Air luxury sedan and new Lucid Gravity luxury SUV, both assembled in its state-of-the-art, vertically integrated factory in Arizona.

Green light for new Tairua bridge A NEW 2-LANE BRIDGE ON STATE HIGHWAY 25 (SH25) at Tairua will ease holiday traffic queues on the Coromandel Peninsula.

The long-awaited replacement of the single-lane Pepe Stream Bridge at Tairua is now in the procurement phase ahead of construction starting late next year.

“The business case developed by NZTA in 2022 along with engagement with iwi and stakeholders has determined that the preferred option is a 2-lane bridge with an attached shared walking and cycling path to replace The current bridge on SH25 south of the Tairua town centre was opened in 1943.

10 | Truck & Driver

the single-lane bridge and a separate pedestrian bridge,” says Regional Manager Infrastructure Delivery, Darryl Coalter.

The project team will be at the Tairua Community Hall on Wednesday April 30 (3pm-6pm) to update the community and SH25 users on what’s ahead.

“While NZTA engaged with the community as part of the Business Case development, we are keen to hear what’s important to people who live, work or holiday in the area,” Mr Coalter says.

“With funding confirmed, there is a lot of work ahead to get the bridge designed and consented, but the countdown is on for construction to start by late-2026. All going well NZTA’s target is to have traffic on the new bridge by Christmas 2027.

NZTA will be seeking a design and build contract and expects to have a contractor in place later this year. Construction methodology is critical because SH25 needs to remain open during the build.

The current bridge crosses a tidal stream on SH25 south of the Tairua town centre and was opened in 1943.

The project is part of a wider bridge programme to improve safety, efficiency and resilience on the state highway around the peninsula.

Work will begin later this year at the Boundary Creek Bridge on the Thames Coast north of Te Mata. Design of a new 2-lane bridge to replace the single lane bridge Ramarama Stream Bridge on SH25, just north of Whiritoa, is also underway.

NEWS

The existing Ashburton River bridge is 90 years old.

Progress on new Ashburton bridge plans A LONG-WAITED SECOND STATE HIGHWAY 1 BRIDGE over the Ashburton River has moved a step closer to reality, with work potentially set to begin in about 12 months.

The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) Board has approved the business case for a new bridge and signed a partner agreement with Ashburton District Council (ADC) on how both parties will work together to deliver the second bridge.

“This is great news for the people of Mid Canterbury and for the resiliency of State Highway 1,” says Associate Transport Minister and Minister for the South Island James Meager.

“It is so important that we have a resilient roading network to connect our island and ensure the safe and reliable movement of people and goods up and down the island,” says Mr Meager.

It’s estimated that 24,000 vehicles use the Ashburton Bridge each day. It provides a key connection for supply chains and emergency services across the South Island, and it connects Tinwald with Ashburton.

“We all remember when the bridge was knocked out in 2021, and Dunedin was three days away from running out of food,” Meager says.

“Building this bridge was one of our key commitments at the start of this term and locals will be pleased to see work is moving ahead at pace.

“A second bridge will reduce congestion, improve road safety, reduce delays, improve reliability in the case of potential closures, and help accommodate future growth.

“As next steps, NZTA will soon begin geotechnical investigations and a Registration of Interest will go out to market next week for technical and design support. This will be followed by procurement for detailed design and construction later in the year.

“NZTA will manage the design and build of the bridge and adjoining roads as one project, with ADC responsible for funding the section of new local road, as outlined in the partner agreement.”

Construction is expected to start in mid-2026, pending approvals.

Gore gets ready THE SOUTHLAND TR ANSPORT industry is preparing for its big annual showcase on Saturday May 31.

The McDonough Contracting Gore Truck Show is a long-running King’s Birthday weekend attraction, running in conjunction with the Bayley’s Tussock Country Music Festival.

Show & Shine awards with a large array of prizes plus a parade through the main street of Gore which attracts strong public support are the main elements of the Truck Show.

The Gore show is very well supported by South Island operators with last year’s event having 95 trucks registered.

Trucks will begin assembling from early morning at the Transport Repairs yard in Falconer Rd, ready for judging to begin at 9am.

The parade gets moving from Transport Repairs at 2pm with the “King Rig” winner leading the convoy. Prizegiving is at the

Croydon Lodge from 4.30pm with a buffet dinner and band.

More information is available by emailing

goretruckshow@gmail.com and regular updates are being posted on the Gore Truck Show Facebook page.

The big line-up of trucks being judged at last year’s Gore Truck Show. Photo: David Kinch Truck & Driver | 11

NEWS

Extra round added to Euro Championship The 2025 Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship has been expanded to eight rounds.

“We are delighted to bring the Goodyear FIA ETRC to DEKRA Lausitzring as part of this incredible event alongside the DTM, which enjoys a substantial following in Germany,” said ETRA managing director Georg Fuchs.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase truck racing to a wider audience and create an unforgettable experience for fans.”

The ETRC will again visit some of Europe’s most iconic and popular motorsport venues during 2025, kicking off on May 17-18 at Misano, the scenic Italian coastal track providing the perfect stage for the season opener.

2025 GOODYEAR ETRC CALENDAR May 17-18: Misano (Italy) May 24-25: Lausitzring (Germany) June 7-8: Slovakia Ring (Slovakia) July 12-13: Nürburgring (Germany) August 30-31: Most (Czech Republic) September 13-14: Zolder (Belgium) September 20-21: Le Mans (France) October 4-5: Jarama (Spain)

WWW.NATIONWIDECRATES.CO.NZ PHONE 07 572 8009 12 | Truck & Driver

EMAIL OFFICE@NATIONWIDECRATES.CO.NZ

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A LATE CHANGE TO THE GOODYEAR FIA European Truck Racing Championship (ETRC) calendar has seen an eighth race weekend added to the 2025 season.

The extra event comes early in the season on May 24-25 with the series heading to the DEKRA Lausitzring venue in Germany for round two of the championship.

A double-header programme will see the trucks sharing the stage with the DTM, Germany’s premier racing series, providing motorsport fans with a unique opportunity to witness two premier racing series in one action-packed weekend.

NEWS

PACCAR develops solar power panels WITH AMPLE SPACE AVAILABLE ON CABS AND parked. This saves on fuel and CO2 emissions and limits degradation of the trailers, there is potential for trucks to make use of ultra-thin, flexible solar dynamo and battery. Obviously, the availability of daylight and the amount panels to charge batteries using solar energy. of electricity used in the cab determine how quickly the investment can be In Europe PACCAR Parts is introducing lightweight cells for the roofs recouped. of cabs and trailers which can result in savings on fuel and reduced CO2 emissions.

The PACCAR Parts solar panels are available in two sizes. The smaller version is a mere 3mm thick, measures 110 x 30 centimetres, weighs only 700g and uses 16 cells to deliver 55 Wp (Watt peak). The larger version is twice the size, weighs 1.3 kg and has 32 cells that deliver 110Wp. Watt peak is used to indicate the maximum amount of electricity a solar panel can generate. 165Wp delivers approximately 135 watts of power, which is more than enough to power a coffee machine, microwave or TV on a daily basis.

The self-adhesive panels are flexible enough to follow the curves of a roof or spoiler, which facilitates easy installation. The energy generated is fed via a converter directly to the battery, where it is stored or used immediately in the cab.

In most cases one large and one small solar panel can be installed on a truck cab roof. More is often possible as well while trailers and bodies with a fixed, hard upper surface can accommodate multiple panels.

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NEWS

Top: Star of the Show again was the 2005 Mack Super Liner from Clive Taylor Haulage.

Left: The signature Tui Brewery tower provided a photogenic backdrop for the show.

Above: The 1974 Kenworth logger owned by Alan Justin Mills won the Best Vintage Prize.

Below: A big crowd turned out to view nearly 200 trucks.

All photos: Aaron Hunt.

14 | Truck & Driver

NEWS Best Fleet honours went to AWE McNicol.

Yeah right. Just a little truck show NEARLY 200 TRUCKS, MAINLY FROM THE LOWER North Island region, packed out the car parks and grounds of the Tui Brewery at Mangatainoka on March 30.

The annual Tui Truck Stop Show & Shine was well attended by transport operators and the public along with sponsors who support the event with prizes across a large number of categories.

For the second year running the Jackson Enterprises Star of the Show prize winner was the 2005 Mack Super Liner called King Kuru, from Clive Taylor Haulage and driven by Andy Maynar.

Judges described the Super Liner as immaculate for its age and complemented the workmanship that goes into making the truck hard to look past when it comes time to awarding prizes.

The prize winners were: Star of the Show (Sponsored by Jackson Enterprises) Andy Maynar, Clive Taylor Haulage 2005 Mack Super Liner

Best Scania (sponsored by Scania Palm Nth) Amy Edmonds

Best Fleet (sponsored by Total Truck Spray Palm Nth) AWE McNicol

Best Mercedes (sponsored by Keith Andrews Trucks Palm Nth) Glenn McPhee

Most Original (sponsored by Newbolds Masterton) Robbin Wildbore, 1977 International 1837 Box Cab

Best Other European (sponsored by Total Truck Spray Palm Nth) Everiss Civil 2018 DAF CF

Local Star (sponsored by Mitre10 Pahiatua) Beale Trucking, Volvo FH16-750

Best Fuso (sponsored by Keith Andrews Trucks Palm Nth) Noel Gallaway, 2004 Mitsubishi Shogun

Best Image (sponsored by Autoart by Rochelle) Justin Mills, 1974 Kenworth W924

Best Hino (sponsored by Truck Stops Palm North) Bevan Clark, 1987 Hino 1118

Best Kenworth (sponsored by Emmetts Service Centre Palm Nth and Southpac Trucks) Josh Nicholson, 2023 Kenworth K200, Farmland Foods

Best Isuzu (sponsored by Robertson Isuzu) Lauren Hurst, Treescape

Best Mack (sponsored by Motor Truck Distributors, Mack Palm Nth) MUTDOG Matt Sherlock, Mack Trident

Best Other Japanese (sponsored by Mainfreight) Brendon Maison

Best Freightliner (sponsored by Keith Andrews Trucks, Palm Nth) William Payton, 2018 Freightliner Argosy

Best Vintage 40+ Years (sponsored by Palm Nth Truck Alignment) Justin Mills, 1973 Kenworth W924

Best Western Star (sponsored by Penske Palm Nth) Dennis Brown, 2013 Western Star 4884

Best Other (sponsored by TR Group Truck Rentals Palm Nth) Richard Webb, Original White Storey

Best Other American (sponsored by Total Truck Spray Palm Nth) Owen Mudgway, 1995 Peterbilt 362 COB

Loudest Toot in the South Wairarapa (sponsored by The White Swan Hotel) Bourke Transport

Best Volvo (sponsored by Motor Truck Distributors, Volvo Palm Nth) Campbell Murdoch, 2024 Volvo FH16 600, Murdoch Transport

Shiniest Rims (sponsored by CleanCo Truck Wash) Dennis Brown Transport

Noel Galloway’s 2004 Mitsubishi Shogun transporter is an immaculate example and took out the best Mitsubishi prize.

Truck & Driver | 15

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Your daily partner on the road

NEWS The new Volvo A30 Electric articulated hauler.

Volvo develops electric hauler VOLVO CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT HAS FOLLOWED up the launch if its new A Series articulated haulers with two electrified versions.

The new A30 Electric and A40 Electric are the world’s first serial-produced battery-electric articulated haulers of their size class. The electric models will help customers move towards zero-emission operation in construction quarrying and mining segments.

Unveiled at the Bauma 2025 construction expo in Munich, the A30 Electric and A40 Electric are planned to be available to select customers in Europe from 2026.

Boasting the same off-road performance as conventional models, the two new machines will combine zero emissions with world-class hauling for a range of segments including quarrying, mining and construction. With a payload of 29 tonnes and 39 tonnes respectively, these machines are now among the largest in Volvo CE’s electric product portfolio.

Volvo CE pioneered the world’s first articulated hauler 60 years ago and the electric models arrive shortly after the company’s recent unveiling of a new generation of conventional articulated haulers developed to deliver improved productivity, safety and fuel efficiency.

The electric versions are built on the new generation platform and feature the same innovative, modern design and enhanced fleet management capabilities.

Advantages that come with this platform include advanced operator support systems to reduce accident risk, improved visibility for safer operation and simplified servicing for quicker and easier maintenance.

Ideal applications for the electric models include downhill load carrying and uphill empty runs, tunnel work and quarries and underground operations, where emission reduction is critical.

Thanks to their powerful lithium-ion batteries, the A30 Electric hauler and A40 Electric hauler are designed to offer a runtime of 4-4.5 hours across most applications, though high-energy jobs may require more frequent recharging.

They can even enjoy a runtime of up to seven hours depending on driving conditions.

Fast charging from 20-80% in around one hour is made possible when using a DC charging solution with a maximum charging capacity of 350 kW. Volvo CE estimates that when powered by renewable energy, these two machines offer a CO2 saving of 84% (for the A30 Electric) and 90% (for the A40 Electric) across their entire lifecycle, when compared to their diesel equivalents.

“These electric haulers mark a major step forward in our ambition to decarbonize construction, combining the same unbeatable performance our customers know and love, with a more sustainable operation,” says Mats Sköldberg, Head of Technology for Volvo CE. “As the world’s first battery powered articulated haulers of their size class, we are proud to continue to evolve our portfolio by bringing our world class electric technology into a brand new segment.”

A limited volume of A30 Electric and A40 Electric haulers are planned to be available in Europe for select customers from 2026, with increased production in the coming years.

Another history completed KIWI TRUCKING HISTORIAN AND author Gavin Abbot has just completed his latest project with the publication of NZ Alphabet of Trucks and Truckers Volume II: J-Z. Volume two works its way from the letter J to complete the alphabet with a 162-page pictorial history that begins with Chinese newcomer JAC and wraps up with the Willys-Overland marque.

It’s the 14th local historical work produced by Opotiki-based Abbot, who continues to share his lifetime archive of information and historic New Zealand transport photos.

The contents include modern day highway workhorses including Scania, Kenworth, Volvo, Mitsubishi-Fuso and UD-Nissan and brands

from the past that played a key role in New Zealand’s transport history including Reo, Pacific, Leyland and Thornycroft.

It’s the 1920s and 1930s black and white photos of trucks at work throughout New Zealand for early transport companies that deliver the main history lesson along with a look at one-off rarities like the Perfect built by Rotorua engineer and logging contractor Geoff Perfect and defunct brands such as the Australian built Leader.

Gavin’s books continue to be a local Eastern Bay of Plenty effort with print, layout, design and photo restoration by Mann Print & Design in Whakatane.

Truck & Driver | 17

NEWS

Kenworth farewells an iconic trio THE KENWORTH MODEL LINE-UP for North America is preparing for significant change with the Kirkland, Washingtonbased manufacturer announcing plans to end production of its legacy 1.9-metre cab Class 8 truck models in 2026.

Specifically that means the end of the road for the iconic W900 (W900L and W900B models) plus the T800W (wide-hood), and C500.

Kenworth says the decision is due to evolving emissions regulations and component constraints as the industry moves forward Serialised build plates and premium interior will feature on the limited edition W900 Legacy.

18 | Truck & Driver

Limited edition W900 Legacy will be built in a special run of 1000 units.

with new, more efficient, and better integrated technologies and products. A final call for truck orders will be announced later in 2025.

“We know these legacy Kenworth models are an integral part of our history here at Kenworth, which makes this decision a difficult but necessary one as we enter the next era of trucking,” says Kevin Haygood, Kenworth’s assistant general manager for sales and marketing.

“As we transition to future products, we remain committed to honouring the spirit of these iconic trucks by delivering innovation, efficiency, and the same level of craftsmanship that our customers and drivers have trusted for generations.”

The Kenworth W900 is one of the most iconic trucks in North America’s trucking history, known for its classic long hood, conventional design, rugged durability, and driver-focused comfort and style.

Since the W900’s introduction in 1963, it quickly became a favourite among owner operators and fleet drivers. The versatile and customisable platform made it a reliable choice for long-haul, heavy-haul, logging, dump, and other vocational and on-highway applications.

Since the W900’s inception, Kenworth has incorporated advancements in technology, styling, and performance into four iterations that have proven essential for different jobs while maintaining the iconic look.

The W900A provided improved cooling

for optimal engine operation, the W900B debuted with a cab update and additional cooling innovations, the W900S was designed for ready mixed concrete-specific applications, and W900L brought a long-hood variation for performance and appearance.

“The W900 is truly historic in that it’s helped shape North American trucking culture and tradition as we know it today,” says Haygood.

“Often seen at truck shows, featured in movies and TV, and shown at other events, it’s an iconic truck that’s cherished for its classic styling by our customers and truck aficionados.

While production of these trucks is coming to an end, we look forward to seeing them on our roads and at truck shows for many years to come.”

More than 280,000 W900s have been sold since 1963, and plans have already been announced for the W900 to be sent off in style with 1000 units of a special W900 Legacy Edition.

“We will produce 1,000 of these limitededition trucks, and they’re sure to become a collector’s item,” Haygood says.

“They’ll be powered by the Cummins X15 engine painted in legacy Cummins beige – an exclusive colour for this limited edition. The Legacy Edition is the ninth limited edition W900 Kenworth has produced. In recognition of that, we are bringing back paint schemes from those past trucks and some other fan favourites.”

The Legacy Edition is available in Extended

Day Cab, 72-inch Flat Top, and 86inch Studio Sleeper configurations. Each Kenworth W900 Legacy Edition will be serialised – counting from 1000 down to 0001 – in order of build date and sequence with a special limited-edition badge on the glovebox.

The interior features a luxurious black Diamond VIT interior with platinum accents. For those ordering a sleeper, vintage tuck-and-roll adorns the sleeper back wall.

Ravenwood door and dash trim compliment the Legacy Edition’s styling, while platinum accent stitching and throwback vintage Kenworth logos on trim and headrests complete the package. The Kenworth hood badges take the Legacy Edition into the past as well, utilizing the design that became popular in 1966.

According to Haygood, it’s bittersweet seeing the end of an era with the W900.

“That truck means so much to Kenworth, and we know it means just as much to our customers in virtually every vocation thinkable,” he says.

“We’re extremely proud and grateful that the W9 played a part in the lives of so many truckers and businesses – for many, the W900 has been a part of their legacy as they’ve grown throughout the years. And, of course, it’s been the truck with owner-operators from the very beginning.

“So, it’s with a heavy heart we say

goodbye – due to emission regulations and component constraints – to a truck that signifies so much to so many. It’s a foundational piece of Kenworth and North America’s trucking legacy.”

The other two models being farewelled have played specialised roles for Kenworth customers.

The T800 model was introduced in 1986 and the T800W has remained a favourite among operators in heavy-haul and off-road applications and is built to accommodate large engines with increased cooling capacity and rugged components.

The toughness of the T800W has made it ideal for specialised heavy-haul, oilfield work, logging, and other demanding jobs.

The origins of the rugged C500 date 23017 Ixom FP NZT.indd 1 rugged NZT 2047 Ad.indd 1 back to 1972. It’s oneGO ofClear theBlue most vocational trucks ever built, specifically designed for extreme heavy-haul, oilfield, logging, mining, and off-road applications where weight capacity, durability, power, and reliability are critical.

Unlike more mainstream Kenworth models like the W900 or T800, the C500 is a purpose-built workhorse made to handle the harshest conditions worldwide, offering a gross combination weight rating of up to one million pounds in specialty heavy-haul applications and operating in locations and conditions where no other commercially available truck can.

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The Kenworth C500 (top) and T800 (above) models will also be discontinued after 2026.

NEWS

Brisbane Truck Show attractions Outside of the convention centre (above), the Truck Week 25 programme will showcase the transport industry in the South Bank piazza (right) and other Brisbane locations.

A BUSY PROGR AMME OF EVENTS IS PLANNED TO support the Brisbane Truck Show in mid-May. While the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is the venue for the main truck show which runs May 15-18, the Truck Week 25 programme and other events will showcase the road transport industry around Brisbane at the same time.

Expanding the event into a city-wide festival, Truck Week 25 will extend beyond the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre into South Bank Parklands, TAFE Queensland South Bank and beyond.

Supported by Tourism and Events Queensland, Brisbane City Council, and South Bank Corporation, Little Stanley Street will host the inaugural Silverback Show ‘N’ Shine National Championship, showcasing 28 top custom prime movers. Attendees can vote for the People’s Choice Champion, while a panel selects the Champion of Champions.

The Depot, a new careers precinct at TAFE Queensland South Bank, will highlight opportunities in the heavy vehicle industry, featuring interactive experiences like the Brisbane Driving School truck simulator.

Beyond South Bank, the Heavy Equipment and Machinery Show at Brisbane Showgrounds will run alongside the Truck Show from Thursday to Saturday and the big Heritage Truck Show organised by the Heritage Truck Association Australia (HTTA) will showcase classic trucks at Rocklea Showgrounds on May 17-18.

Drivers Andrew and Wayne take a break at the Picton rest zone event.

The Rocklea Showgrounds is located 15 minutes’ drive from the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) with a shuttle bus running from the Truck Show.

“We got around 160 trucks last time, with around 2,000 people through the gate, which is just huge,” says HTAA President, Mark Plunkett.

“It is looking to be even bigger because we got so much positive feedback last time, with visitors coming from all over Australia and overseas.

“They came to the Brisbane Truck Show, but they could jump on a bus to come out and see our show too.”

Alongside the trucks on show at Rocklea Showgrounds, the HTAA will also have an array of its members’ trucks parked at Stanley Street Plaza.

This year’s Heavy Equipment and Machinery Show is set to feature a record 101 exhibitor sites, with a range of displays and experiences.

The show has become one of the nation’s largest displays of all-things earthmoving, held in conjunction with the Truck Show from May 15-17 at the nearby Brisbane Showgrounds.

Rest zones get started THE NZI FLEET FIT TRUCKIE REST ZONE PROGRAMME is underway for 2025 with Picton hosting the first event at the Interislander Commercial Truck Zone on Wednesday April 2.

The Rest Zone events are a chance for truck drivers to take a break with a complimentary snack and drink while talking to NZI’s experienced Fleet Risk Managers. There is a chance to learn about fatigue issues, healthy diet choices and free health checks are available.

NZI Truckie Rest Zones are delivered by NZI’s experienced team who work to improve safety and performance via the NZI Fleet Fit programme.

Fatigue is a major cause of road accidents and NZI wants to support drivers to get home safe.

The next three events are scheduled for the North Island at the Paengaroa CVSC (Bay of Plenty) on Wednesday May 21 followed by Uretiti (Northland) on Wednesday August 27 and Taupo on Wednesday September 17.

The programme then returns to the South Island with dates confirmed at Glasnevin for Wednesday October 29 and Rakaia on Wednesday November 26.

Further venue and timing details will be announced closer to the dates.

20 | Truck & Driver

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22 | Truck & Driver

Story Colin Smith Photos Gerald Shacklock

MVNMLK is a new Kenworth K220 8x4 for Rotorua-based Douch Transport, working with a Fairfax Signature refrigerated quad-semi.

Truck & Driver | 23

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Heading south towards Taihape the new K220 is an impressive sight in its smart colours and Freyas bakery branding.

HE FIRST CHANCE FOR MOST KIWIS TO GET UP close to a new Kenworth K220 came just over two years ago, either at the 2023 Bombay Truck Show or a few months later at the Wheels at Wanaka launch event.

Fast forward into 2025 and the stylish new generation Kenworth cabover is already a fairly familiar sight at work on Kiwi highways.

New Zealand Truck & Driver has set out to sample a range of the K220 variants – our first Giti Tyres Big Test experience coming in September 2023 with the Pyramid Trucking 6x4 Aerodyne tractor towing a B-train flat deck and following up in July last year with a new Williams & Wilshier logger, an 8x4 Flat Roof sleeper model.

Our third experience welcomes one of the headline upgrades from the K220 programme. The first K220s equipped with the new Eaton Cummins Endurant XD Pro 18-speed automated transmission are now arriving in New Zealand.

The XD Pro is the heavy-duty version in the new Endurant gearbox family – designed for trucks that have more than 1850 lb-ft of torque.

In this role it supersedes the former Eaton UltraShift Plus transmission with more sophisticated electronics, reduced weight plus improved gearing and fuel consumption.

Which brings us to Rotorua on a late-March morning to meet up with a new K220 belonging to Douch Transport Ltd. It’s an 8x4 tractor unit with a 2.3m COE Aerodyne sleeper, a Euro V spec 600.615hp Cummins X15 producing 2050 lb-ft of torque at 1200rpm, and the new Endurant XD Pro transmission.

In terms of powertrain, it represents the premium end of the K220 options and other features include disc brakes and Airglide 460 rear suspension with 10.5-inch ride height.

The other feature on this truck which is now appearing in the New Zealand market is the newly developed cab air suspension.

The truck is finishing its eighth week of work for DTL – contracted to Goodman Fielder – on our test day. It’s making Auckland to Palmerston North return runs six times a week, carting bottled milk, bread and other chilled food products.

The job description for the K220 is big kilometres at moderate weights with the truck being double-shifted. Night driver Gary Harpur

runs Rotorua to Auckland and back while the southern leg is the daytime run, typically to Quality Bakers in Palmerston North and to the Longburn dairy factory.

But for the first six weeks of its working life the K220 couldn’t take the direct route through the centre of the North Island because of the SH1 Desert Rd repair closure. So, the Rotorua-Palm Nth-Rotorua run was typically 12.5 to 13 hours via the National Park and Ohakune detour.

At the end of week eight on the run the truck had already clocked up 58,000km.

Also new for this role is the 15.66-metre Fairfax Signature refrigerated four-axle semi decked out with colourful Freya’s bakery branding. The trailer features the usual Fairfax castor-steer and lifting fourth axle setup.

This K220 replaces a Volvo FH 600 on the Goodman Fielder run, joining a DTL fleet that will soon number 10 trucks and also includes a mix of Volvo and Scania product.

In fact, this truck – appropriately registered as MVNMLK – is the first half of a K220 double team for Andrew and Gayle Douch’s Rotoruabased fleet. Their second K220 8x4 in long-wheelbase spec will soon go on the road as a 9-axle bulk flour tanker.

“We’re not a big company, but we’re pretty busy, and we do some big kays” says Andrew Douch.

“We’ve had one Kenworth before – one of the first T408s back in 2011 – and over a few beers one night we decided to take a look at the new ones.

“When we looked into a bit more it was competitively priced, and I have to give a shout out to Adam McIntosh [Southpac Trucks]. It was a pleasure working with him to sort through the specs we needed.”

The truck was originally ordered with a Roadranger manual transmission.

“We changed the order a bit later on because we’d heard about the new transmission, and it’s becoming more difficult to find drivers with manual experience,” Andrew says.

Some local finishing work was carried out on the truck before it hit the road with the twin Donaldson air intakes added locally by Southpac Trucks as well as the chrome details and extra marker lights.

Truck & Driver | 25

P W

Above: Premium garnet red trim gives the cab a luxury finish and the dash features woodgrain finish.

Below: Fairfax Signature quad-semi has a lifting rear axle with castor-steer feature.

There’s also a polished alloy FUPS bumper, stone guard, sun visor and four roof-mounted horns while the tank configuration has a 350-litre diesel tank on the driver’s side with a 180L tank and 100L AdBlue tank on the left.

The Dura-bright alloys are shod with Michelin X Multi 275/70 R 22.5 steer tyres with the same rubber in pairs on the drive axles. The quad semi rides on 385/55 R22.5 Advance Super Singles.

An EROAD display and a dashcam have been fitted and Goodman Fielder require a driver facing attention monitoring camera – which provides an alert buzzer and vibrates the driver’s seat if it detects any distraction of fatigue issues.

“We also put the BroLube on it to make sure there was always lube going to the load share front suspension,” says Andrew.

“Bradley Marsh [Marsh Engineering Services] in Tauranga did the stainless

chassis covers and the cover unit for the twin air tanks. He’s even cut Kenworth lettering into it, and it looks really good and keeps everything nice and tidy.

“Goodman Fielder make the call on the trailer branding while the signwriting on the truck was done by Signedge in Rotorua,” Andrew says.

“We’re really pleased with how it has turned out.”

Another build detail on this unit is some strengthening for the 30-pallet quad-semi Fairfax reefer.

“The floor gets a really hard time when the full milk crates are being loaded. So, we had the cross members in the rear of the floor reinforced to strengthen that part of the floor,” says Andrew.

Day shift driver Raymond Evans from Ngongotaha is already completing his routine checks on the K220 when we meet at 6.30am.

The truck has an almost full load of chilled product on the way to Palmerston North along with three pallets of empty milk crates being returned to the Longburn dairy factory.

“The truck goes six days a week. It has Saturday off and goes back on with another driver on Sunday, and then I take over on Mondays,” Raymond says.

“I usually start just before 7am out of Rotorua and I’m home again about 6.30pm or 7pm unless there are any hold ups.”

Raymond estimates the load is around 14t, which combines with the 10.4t tare weight of the K220 and 10.9t for the quad semi to put

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us between 35-36t all up – a moderate weight that will later explain the effortless performance and impressive fuel economy the truck is demonstrating.

“It’s a good riding weight and it makes the truck pretty comfortable,” Raymond says.

Raymond explains the truck is typically heavier when heading north when it’s carting 2- and 3-litre plastic milk bottles in crates – stacked five high and six wide – back to Auckland.

“So far 22.5t [payload] is the heaviest I’ve been with milk out of Longburn,” says Raymond.

The early light begins to reveal a murky 11degC morning as we head south out of Rotorua on State Highway 5.

The new auto immediately shows off its smoothness as it shifts up through the gears away from some traffic light controlled road works.

On the gentle climbs heading towards Waiotapu there’s an

28 | Truck & Driver

immediate sense of the Cummins X15 not needing to put much effort into this task. It’s a couple of smooth downshifts and very little loss of our cruising momentum on these gradual uphill stretches.

The sun breaks through on the stretch between Waiotapu and the Reporoa dairy factory and there’s light morning traffic as the K220 cruises effortlessly at 90kph in the overdriven top gear. DTL opted for the 4.10:1 rear axle ratio and the engine is using slightly less than 1500rpm at 90kph accompanied by the familiar Cummins growl.

“The performance is good, and the gearbox is really smooth. As soon as you put the pedal down the power is there,” Raymond says.

Raymond joined the Douch Transport team about four years ago and smiles when he says Andrew described the role as a `semi-retirement’ job. He firstly worked on DTL’s daily Rotorua-Hawke’s Bay run driving a 540hp Volvo before moving to the FH 600 for the Palmerston North run about three years ago.

At 60-years-old, Raymond’s driving career stretches across 38 years, and he says his four years with DTL is the longest stretch of linehaul work he has done.

“Over the years about the only thing I haven’t done is containers and tanker work, although I have driven water carts on construction sites,” he says.

“I started off as a beekeeper after leaving school and I got my license

down in Te Kuiti. Then I moved into doing road works with Les Young in Otorohanga, driving D-Series Fords and some old Isuzus.

“But before that I used to ride along with my father’s cousins – the Spargos in Putaruru – in their freight trucks and tippers when I was about 13 or 14 years old.

“The very first truck I ever went for a ride in was an old Kenworth that was hauling the pipes for the Kapuni gas line near Urenui. My old man

Inset left: Day shift driver Raymond Evans takes the K220 on the Rotorua to Palmerston North return run.

Main pic: Heading south out of Rotorua on a murky autumn morning.

Truck & Driver | 29

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ing Celebrat n the i s r a e y 25 s busines

Above left: Euro 5 spec Cummins X15 develops 615hp and 2050 lb-ft of torque.

Above right: Twin Donaldson air intakes were added locally by Southpac Trucks.

Below: The tank configuration has a 350-litre diesel tank on the driver’s side (left pic) with a 180L tank and 100L AdBlue tank on the left (right pic).

TD35199

was a crane operator down there.”

It’s been a varied career behind the wheel gathering a wide range of experience.

“I’ve done roading work out in the bush, and I drove a stems truck up near Dome Valley,” he says.

“I also worked for Smith & Davies for a few years, mainly on tippers and transporter work but I also did some Hiab work for them and a scrap metal run. I’ve also done quite a bit of digger, bulldozer, and water cart work.

“I have worked in the Huntly mines and at the Redvale landfill and I worked for Doug Hood at Tar Hill as a machine operator and driving an old Merc water cart.”

Of all the truck brands he’s driven, Raymond says his preference is Mercedes-Benz.

“I’m more of a Merc fan, I guess. That was mainly what I was driving up north and I found them really comfortable. The comfort of the Merc was the big thing, especially for the forest roading work.

“The most modern one [Mercedes-Benz]I’ve driven was a 2001. I haven’t tried any of the latest ones, but I’d like to see what they are like.”

Raymond says his only previous Kenworth experience was driving a T904 transporter.

“There’s a lot of changes comfort-wise, but it’s the same old view out the cab like a Kenworth and this one has got the old style smaller mirrors,” he says.

“One other thing that’s the same as an old one is you’ve got to remember to duck your head when you’re getting in.”

But it’s also easy to see the design changes which are part of the K220 programme.

“I think the dash is the main improvement. It’s easy to scroll through the three different displays [on the 15-inch multi-function digital dash] with the little roller on the steering wheel and all the gauges are facing toward you, so they are easy to read.

“The cruise control is on the steering wheel, and I use the cruise control most of the time. All of the other switches are in your reach.”

Raymond gets to enjoy the support and comfort of an ISRI 6860/870 PRO air suspension seat with left and right side folding armrests.

“The passenger seat is just a basic one,” he says.

Raymond says he’s unlikely to ever use the bunk in the sleeper, but beneath the bunk are two slide-out drawers, the right-hand side being a 30L fridge and the left side a storage compartment.

“The fridge is in easy reach to get your cold drink, and I keep most of the paperwork in the other one,” Raymond says.

“There is definitely a lot of headroom inside and I don’t really need to use the three storage compartments up above the windscreen.”

Raymond says he likes the wireless phone charger which is part of the centre console unit while the cab and sleeper of MVNMLK are finished with a buttoned premium Garnett Red trim.

The gearshift and 3-stage engine brake are controlled from the righthand steering column stalk.

“The indicators are on the left side column with the lights, wipers, and dip beam. I’ve noticed that it has automatic lights, so that when it starts to get dark the headlights come on,” Raymond says.

“One of the good things is the air conditioning. It’s a lot better than

Truck & Driver | 31

the T904 transporter I drove a few years ago.”

Early morning autumn starts is the only driving Raymond has done in the dark so far.

“The standard LED lights are really good,” he says.

The flexible performance of the Cummins X15 is a strong point of the K220, and Raymond says the fuel consumption is also impressive.

“She pulls pretty well. The only time this truck gets heavy is with the milk, but 14th [gear] is as low as we have to go coming back the other way [northbound] up around Mangaweka – unless we get held up by something going a lot slower.

“When you first get going [from stationary or low speeds] you notice the shifts as it skips some gears, but once it’s shifting from 14th gear and higher up you only hear the engine note change, but you don’t really feel it shift.

“About 1500rpm is what it seems to like the best, and if it’s at 1500rpm and cruising along there’s usually a green light on the dash to show you’re driving efficiently.”

Checking the 15-inch main display Raymond reckons this load is a little heavier than his typical southbound cargo.

“We are averaging about 40-litres per 100km today but sometimes I can get down to 37 or 39 per 100km on the way south,” he says.

“Bringing the milk back it will get up to about 50L/100km.”

Raymond says he’s impressed with the new automatic and he only occasionally uses the manual shift function.

“I believe if you’ve got an auto, you should use it.

There’s a button on the end of the stalk to shift it manually – when it needs a bit of encouragement now and

32 | Truck & Driver

then, or you want to hold a gear for a bit longer.

“I was taught by some mechanics; don’t fight with it, just let it do its thing. I used to drive a new DAF doing rocks out of a quarry over near Whakatane and I let that run in auto most of the time.”

The autumn morning delivers some sunshine for the drive around the Taupo bypass and for the scenic run down the side of the lake.

The engine brake is a feature of the K220 which Raymond says works very effectively. For the most part it holds speed on the second stage, and he uses the third stage (Max) on the approach to the Taupo Airport roundabout to shed some speed in busier traffic.

A little further south on the downhill run at Hatepe the second stage holds the truck at 67kph using just over 1600rpm in 16th gear with Raymond making two light dabs on the brake pedal part way down to settle the speed.

“The third stage is the MAX setting, and I mainly use the second stage.

The third stage is when you slow down to come into a 50kph area at a township or something. I hardly ever use stage one.”

For the most part the K220 delivers a reasonably settled ride, but there’s the occasional big surface heave or series of sharper undulations which transfer some shock into the cab.

It’s felt through

Far left: Bradley Marsh Engineering built the stainless cover for the air tanks.

Left: A 30-litre fridge is fitted below the bunk.

Right: The run alongside the side of Lake Taupo provided a chance for the K220 to shine in the sunlight.

the first axle, with much more controlled response through the second steer axle and the Airglide 460 rear suspension.

“There are a few bumps that you hit which remind you that you’re driving a Kenworth,” says Raymond.

“It rides alright till it hits a good size, decent bump.”

He says he’s long ago memorised the locations of the worst of bumps and surface problems on the daily route.

“There are a few big bumps down near Bulls, heading to Palmy.

If you hit them wrong, you know about it. It hits pretty hard.

“The new trailer follows along nicely. It doesn’t cut that much of the

Truck & Driver | 33

The run south to Palmerston North typically has a lighter load than when the K220 is on the return northern leg of its chilled produce run.

corner, and it’s got a lifting axle at the back which can lift up when you’re empty.”

Winding along the side of the lake in surprisingly light Friday traffic there are no other trucks in the immediate vicinity when Raymond calls up on the CB to advise our approach at Bulli Point and the Tauranga-Taupo bridge.

Reaching a stop in Turangi the run has averaged 41.1L/100km, confirming Raymond’s view that the truck is running south a little heavier than usual.

There’s a quick coffee break and some sunshine for our detail photography before Hayden Woolston takes over for the run through the Desert Rd. Light drizzle sets in and the temperature drops on the approach to Waiouru.

I rejoin Raymond in the cab for a second stretch, from Waiouru towards Hunterville.

There’s more opportunity to assess how the K220 handles the longer climbs and descents on this stretch of the journey.

On the longest downhill run between Waiouru and Taihape, Raymond uses the wide shoulder to let the light traffic get past while the truck holds 67kph in 15th gear on the Max engine brake setting with the engine revs hovering around 1800rpm.

The short hill leaving the Taihape built-up zone sees the K220 climb out at 56kph in 15th gear using just under 1500rpm before the gradient eases and speed picks up smoothly again.

“The gearbox is definitely good. It makes nice smooth shifts,” Raymond says.

The long climb just north of Mangaweka to the Manui Rd junction begins at 90kph in 18th gear and the first shift skips to 16th with the speedo reading 71kph and 1700rpm on the tachometer.

The K220 holds 16th till the speed drops to 62kph, grabbing 15th gear and finding that 1500rpm sweet spot in the X15 torque delivery. We go back to 16th gear at 64kph and skip up to 18th again as the climb eases and the speed reaches 83kph.

The downhill approach into Mangaweka is handled in 17th gear at 80kph 34 | Truck & Driver

using 1700rpm on stage two of the engine brake until its time to slow for the township.

There’s nothing about the truck working in this terrain and at these modest weights that suggests any sort of real effort from the 615hp Cummins. And the gearing and the timing of the shifts works very well with power and torque delivery.

The only time the transmission ever feels a little slow to shift is the first couple of gearchanges as you drive away from stationary or pull away again after a roundabout.

There’s another measure of how easily the K220 is working with these loads.

“The [engine] fan doesn’t come on very often,” says Raymond.

“It might be a different story on a big B-Train or something heavily loaded,” he says.

Since moving into the K220, Raymond says he’s seeing more of the new generation Kenworths on the road.

“I reckon it’s a good looking truck. I’ve had quite a few people comment on how smart this one looks, and when I’ve stopped to fuel up, I’ve had people come up and take photos of it.

But it takes more than a good-looking truck when its spending this long on the road.

“I’m impressed with what it’s doing and it’s enjoyable to drive. It’s doing the day-to-day job without working very hard,” says Raymond.

“At the end of the day, If there was one improvement to make, they could get rid of some of the shock through the front axle and make it more like the Europeans. But other than that, they’ve done a good job and it’s not a bad truck.

“I’m sort of old school. I just get in and drive it and I think I’ve got a good feel for a truck and how it’s working,” says Raymond.

“And I don’t mind where I have to go or what I have do, so long as the truck doesn’t break down.

“So come and see me again in three-and-a-half years and I’ll let you know for sure about this one,” Raymond says.

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T

HE ROLLOUT OF THE NEW KENWORTH K220 model range is now in full swing, and we are seeing them on the road in a broad range of applications.

Our very first test on the new generation was done back in September 2023, and since driving that 6x4 Aerodyne tractor unit test with Pyramid Trucking we have also tested the flat roof Williams & Wilshier 8x4 logger.

The difference with this 8x4 2.3 Aerodyne belonging to Douch Transport is the new automated transmission, which is the latest Eaton Cummins Endurant XD Pro 18-speed designed to deliver better gearing and lower fuel consumption.

Also new on this truck – compared to the other K220s we have tested – is the addition of the Kenworth air suspension on the cab.

36 | Truck & Driver

After the early morning run from Rotorua to Turangi I take the wheel from regular driver Raymond for the Desert Road run through to Waiouru.

As usual the climb up into the cab is standard for a cabover Kenworth with the slide shuffle from the top step into the driver’s door. Once inside, the cab has a very spacious work environment with the added forward headroom designed into the new K220 models.

Getting set up behind the wheel is easy with plenty of seat adjustment and leg room.

Once comfortable I can take a look around and get familiar with the controls. I really like how Kenworth have come into the modern era with the digital displays and new switchgear layout – without losing that familiar Kenworth old school feel.

Hayden Woolston Yes, its new and improved but you still have the classic tachos, smart buttoned interior and plenty of woodgrain.

Heading south on State Highway 1 we get up to cruising speed in no time. From stationary to about 50kph you notice the smooth gear changes but once moving along a bit faster you don’t really notice them at

• SPECIFICATIONS • all, apart from the slight change in engine note.

The truck handles the tight corners and gradients of The Sisters with ease. We hold speed using the second stage engine brake with the odd flick into the third stage for some of the tight stuff and on the way out the Cummins 615hp engine and the new Endurant `box pull away like there isn’t a trailer behind us.

The climb out from the tight corners in The Sisters is hassle free. With only a moderate weight aboard we don’t have too many cars behind us and the few that are get past on the passing lanes.

As we cruise up towards the summit of the Desert Road, I notice a few sharp bumps which send a bit of a shock through from the front steer axle up into the cab. The second drive axle doesn’t do the same, however.

The powertrain in this new K220 is very refined with low sound levels in the cab and nicely direct steering – the steering does feel slightly heavy, but I like that personally.

Adding to the ease of driving in this 8-axle combination the Fairfax quad-semi tracks accurately through the tight corners, and it almost feels a bit too easy for a tough bit of road.

The easy downhill run into Waiouru is a relaxed cruise. Raymond and I have an easy chat with little intrusion from the slight hum of the Cummins X15 going about its business with little effort.

From Raymond’s observations and my time behind the wheel I think that the K220 has done a good job in changing some of Raymond’s original thoughts on the Kenworth as he admits his favourite trucks are usually European brands.

As usual my drive comes to an end all too soon and it’s time to hand the wheel back to Raymond. It’s been an enjoyable drive in a truck that makes easy work of its role, and the new gearbox has performed very well. I’m looking forward to driving another variant of K220 sometime soon.

Kenworth K 220 2.3m COE Sleeper 8x4 Engine: Cummins X15 in-line six-cylinder (Euro V) Capacity: 15-litres Maximum Power: 458kW (615hp) at 1800rpm Maximum Torque: 2779Nm (2050 ft-lb) at 1200rpm Fuel capacity: Diesel 530 litres (Right 350L, Left 180L), AdBlue 100 litres Transmission: Eaton Cummins Endurant XD Pro 18-speed automated transmission Ratios: 1st – 14.32 2nd – 11.96 3rd – 10.02 4th – 8.43 5th – 7.04 6th – 5.90 7th – 4.95 8th – 4.13 9th – 3.46 10th – 2.89 11th – 2.41 12th – 2.02 13th – 1.70 14th – 1.42 15th – 1.19 16th – 1.00 17th – 0.83 18th – 0.70 Reverse – Low R Low 15.06, Low R Hi 12.85, Hi R Low 4.03, Hi R Hi 3.43 Final Drive ratio: 4.10:1 Front axle: Meritor MFS66-122 (13.2t rating) Rear axles: Meritor MT21-165GP tandem drive with differential cross lock (20.9t rating) Brakes: Front and rear discs with ABS/EBS and Brake Assist System Auxiliary brakes: 3-stage Cummins exhaust brake Front suspension: Tapered leaf springs with stabiliser bar Rear suspension: Airglide 460 air suspension, 10.5-inch ride height GVM: 32,000kg GCM: 97,000kg

Truck & Driver | 37

Driving the economy

Living in a highly controlled environment Transporting NZ is engaging with NZTA on changes to regulatory compliance strategy, and the need for greater freight productivity through updated transport rules.

T

HE MOVEMENT OF FREIGHT largely happens on public roads so there are lots of risks and impacts to manage.

That means we operate in a heavily regulated environment and our recent activities are a demonstration of helping with this process.

by Dom Kalasih A key example is our engaging with NZTA on two Chief Executive Ia Ara Aotearoa major issues that will shape the industry.

Transporting One is the shift in NZTA’s regulatory compliance New Zealand strategy, and the other is the need for greater freight productivity through updated transport rules. (And any other way that works!)

As NZTA takes on more direct enforcement – especially of behaviours highlighted on social media – we’re seeking clarity on how this will differ from Police enforcement.

Related to those planned changes is a big strategic shift in NZTA’s approach to compliance. Over the last few years NZTA has been requiring new conditions for transport operators in order for them to get access to concessions such as over-mass and over-size permits, flexible work hours, and reduced vehicle inspection frequency.

Another way of looking at this is that NZTA is rewarding operators that have better management systems to control the risks, and rewarding those operators that share their compliance data. This could be the biggest change seen in the industry for some decades.

This approach mirrors international models, such as Australia’s National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, and aligns with global standards like ISO accreditation.

In anticipation of these changes there is a growing cottage industry of third-party providers offering alternative audit and accreditation services and the wide variety and associated costs is intriguing.

In the absence of NZTA formally providing a clear view on its intent, there are lots of different conversations occurring between various parties with little if any cohesion and that’s leading to uncertainty and risk of future investment.

Transporting New Zealand’s view continues to be that we follow

international good practice and take learnings from the past. We have had NZTA commit to providing much greater clarity in this space.

Big noises in Christchurch We recently submitted feedback on the Christchurch City Council’s Plan Update, focusing on how the Council handles increasing noise complaints.

Our members are particularly concerned about proposals to restrict changes to existing industrial activities. These restrictions could severely undermine the economic viability of their operations and disrupt the local supply chain.

The real issue lies in poor residential property design – not industrial activity. Restricting long-established businesses is not the solution.

The Council’s proposal to limit heavy vehicle movements is especially concerning. This could be crippling for businesses that operate their own fleets or rely on regular deliveries and pick-ups. It appears the broader impacts on productivity and the local economy have been overlooked in an effort to address occasional noise complaints.

We believe noise mitigation should be the responsibility of new residential developments, not existing businesses. Shifting the compliance burden onto industry is both unfair and short-sighted.

Instead of introducing new rules, we recommend better enforcement of existing non-compliance provisions. We hope common sense and practical thinking will ultimately prevail.

Rules about fuel We also completed a submission on proposed changes to the Engine Fuel Specifications Regulations 2011.

The broad intent of these proposals in to ensure that suitable fuel is available when vehicles meeting the latest Euro emission standards land in a couple of years, around 2027.

We supported all the proposed changes, and we have also recommended to MBIE that a change to its proposals could promote greater access to renewable diesel products.

Continues on page 40 Truck & Driver | 39

Driving the economy

Left: Hayden Paddon will be a keynote speaker at the South Island seminar in June.

Right: The Chateau at the Park will host the South Island seminar.

South Island seminar set for Christchurch It’s THE event of the year for the South Island Road freight industry – and you’re invited!

As the industry continues to navigate economic pressures, infrastructure challenges, and workforce change, it’s a vital time to come together, share ideas, and shape the future.

Packed with powerhouse speakers, real-world insights, and unbeatable networking opportunities, the 2025 South Island Road Freight Seminar is not to be missed.

It’s on Saturday, 28 June at Chateau on the Park, Christchurch and this one-day event brings together the people who keep New Zealand moving, with a programme that will provide plenty of practical takeaways.

Top speaker line-up New Zealand rally champion Hayden Paddon, proudly sponsored by Z and Caltex Havoline, shares his incredible journey from small-town beginnings to the World Rally Championship.

International self-protection expert Phil Thompson will deliver an unmissable session on awareness and how to de-escalate high-risk scenarios - a must for anyone navigating the unpredictable situations that can come with life on the road.

Charlaine Barnfather (Safe Business Solutions) will tackle the tough HR and staffing challenges facing operators today, while Bryan Pidwerbesky

(Fulton Hogan) offers expert insight into the future of New Zealand’s roads.

You can also expect regulatory updates, economic insights, and targeted breakout sessions on advocacy, sector challenges, staffing, and succession planning.

It’s also a chance to catch up and celebrate It’s a rare opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, connect with your peers, and focus on the bigger picture for the sector – all in a relaxed, professional setting.

Start the weekend with the Teletrac Navman Networking Drinks on Friday, June 27, then reconnect at the HW Richardson Group Networking Drinks on Saturday before celebrating the industry’s best at the Awards Dinner that evening.

Stay where it’s all happening.

Transporting New Zealand has secured exclusive accommodation rates at the venue. King Guest Rooms are just $210 per night — but they’re limited, so book now.

The seminar is free for Transporting New Zealand members and $249 + GST for non-members.

Register, book accommodation, and submit your award nominations at: www.transporting.nz

Continued from page 39 Changes to Health and Safety at Work Act The Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety, the Hon Brooke van Velden, has announced the first set of changes to the health and safety system.

These have been met with mixed reactions, with positivity from Business NZ, and a “cautiously supportive” position from the Business Leaders Health and Safety Forum.

I found Cabinet’s mix of recommendations quite fascinating.

One of the changes would see small, low-risk businesses carved-out from general Health and Safety at Work Act requirements. These businesses will only have to manage critical risks and provide basic facilities to ensure worker welfare.

The Minister says this will improve outcomes for businesses and workers by focusing the system on critical risks and getting rid of unnecessary costs, making sure there is less paperwork and more clarity on what will make workplaces safe.

Like many other sectors, the vast majority of our members and businesses in the industry are small businesses so we will be keen to be involved in the policy development around this change. An increase in clarity and opportunities for increased productivity by reducing unnecessary compliance burdens sounds very promising.

40 | Truck & Driver

Brooke van Velden, Minister of Internal Affairs has announced changes to the Health and Safety at Work Act.

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Driving the economy

Board member profile – Scott Johnstone

By David Killick

David Killick spoke with Scott Johnstone on what he enjoys about his Transporting New Zealand role – and some of the challenges for the industry.

You’re a busy guy. As well as your role as Brenics GM, you’re also a Transporting New Zealand board member. What do you love about your job?

I love the variety in my job. It’s very rewarding to work in an industry that plays a key role in our country’s economy. Whether I’m managing day-to-day operations at Brenics or taking part in board discussions at Transporting New Zealand, I enjoy the chance to make a real difference in our communities and businesses.

I also really appreciate the people in the transport industry – their passion and dedication have built our success over many years, even as we now recognise the need for a better work-life balance.

How do you see your role and what do you think are some of the main challenges and opportunities for road transport?

I see my role as linking our everyday operations with long-term planning – a role that is strongly tied to the people who make our industry work. Our sector was built on hard work and long hours, but today there’s a growing emphasis on achieving a better work-life balance. This shift is important for attracting and retaining talented people, even though it does come at a cost.

Balancing our traditional commitment with modern expectations is a key part of what we call effective productivity.

At the same time, we must meet the rising demand for freight in a sustainable way. New technology and better data help us work more efficiently, cut emissions, and strengthen our supply chain – benefitting everyone, from commuters to consumers who depend on reliable deliveries of their favourite groceries.

According to the New Zealand Road Freight Benchmarking Survey 2017, our sector’s average margin is around 3 to 4 per cent, which is lower than in sectors such as manufacturing (where IBISWorld data indicate margins typically fall in the 5 to 10 per cent range).

Improving our margins isn’t about passing higher costs on to the end consumer – it’s about redistributing margins within the supply chain to the transport sector to a more sustainable level through transparency and solidarity.

This approach would benefit New Zealand by: • Enhancing financial stability – creating stronger cash flow and better resilience for transport operators; • Enabling ongoing investment – allowing continuous investment in advanced technology and infrastructure to boost efficiency and reduce 42 | Truck & Driver

Scott Johnstone is the General Manager of Brenics based in Christchurch.

environmental impact; • Supporting economic growth – contributing to job creation and broader economic expansion as businesses can plan and grow with confidence; • Improving service reliability – ensuring that essential goods, like groceries and everyday products, are always available, which builds trust and satisfaction among consumers.

By combining our commitment to our people with a drive for greater efficiency, we can achieve effective productivity that meets today’s challenges and lays a solid foundation for the future of the transport industry.

Brenics runs 50MAX vehicles. What benefits do they offer customers and your business? Should 50MAX be the new standard?

50MAX vehicles provide clear advantages by increasing load capacity and overall efficiency. Fewer trips mean reduced fuel consumption, lower emissions, and cost savings, all of which improve service reliability for our customers. While I believe these vehicles play a crucial role in modernising our fleet, establishing 50MAX as the “new standard” should be a measured decision. It must be supported by a comprehensive review – such as a full Vehicle Design and Axle Mass (VDAM) study – to ensure that future vehicle designs, including those with heavier front axle weights driven by lower carbon emission models (Euro 6, hydrogen, and electric), align with our infrastructure capacities and safety requirements.

What specific changes would you like to see? For example, general access, longer trailer lengths, greater frequency for HPMV/50MAX permits.

I’d welcome several key changes, including: • Improved access and infrastructure upgrades – enhancing general access and upgrading our road network to support larger and more efficient vehicles is essential; • Longer trailer lengths – allowing longer trailer lengths could further boost fuel efficiency and optimise logistics; • Streamlined permitting – simplifying the permitting process for HPMV/50MAX vehicles would enable more frequent and reliable operations; • Comprehensive VDAM review – while there is currently a VDAM review underway, it’s crucial that the practical knowledge held by operators is fully integrated.

This review should: - Research international and future trends by examining European

Driving the economy

vehicle designs and axle weight standards – especially for lower carbon emission vehicles with heavier front axle weights; - Evaluate current pavement and bridge capacities and set new standards for future road infrastructure; - Develop a phased implementation plan – similar to the HPMV approach – with designated routes until the necessary upgrades are complete.

- Ensure that the process is driven by operational needs from the outset.

The Christchurch City Council is considering changing the rules around container yards and industrial activities (proximity to residential areas, noise, etc.). What is your response?

I appreciate the council’s efforts to address community concerns such as noise and the proximity of industrial activities.

Container yards, however, are a critical part of our supply chain. I would advocate for balanced solutions – incorporating robust noise mitigation strategies and thoughtful urban planning – to ensure that essential industrial operations continue while safeguarding the quality of life for nearby residents.

Your company places an emphasis on supporting its workforce.

Why does this matter and what do you think of diversity policies?

Our people are our biggest asset. Investing in their growth and wellbeing improves our services and builds a strong, innovative business. I believe diversity policies can be useful, but in my view, a culture that truly supports diversity should be ingrained in our everyday operations rather than just documented on paper.

Diversity means including people from all walks of life, and in our industry, we need every perspective to help move freight for New Zealand forward.

How do you get to relax?

I enjoy spending time with family and friends in the great outdoors that New Zealand has to offer. I love jetboating and fishing in the beautiful lakes and rivers across our country. These experiences give me perspective on why we do what we do – improving the transport industry means more Kiwis can enjoy these opportunities and the freedom that comes with reliable access to our stunning natural landscapes.

Brenics general manager and Transporting New Zealand board member Scott Johnstone at the Brenics main office in Christchurch.

Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand’s team is available to asist our members around New Zealand Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand PO Box 1778, Wellington 04 472 3877 info@transporting.nz Dom Kalasih, Chief Executive 04 471 8285 • 027 441 4309 Dom@transporting.nz

Vicki Harris, Membership Benefits Advisor 027 534 3848 • Vicki@transporting.nz Keith McGuire, Membership manager Upper North Island 027 445 5785 • keith@transporting.nz Odette Geyer, National Membership Manager 027 274 0792 • odette@transporting.nz

Lindsay Calvi-Freeman, Membership Manager, Lower North Island, Upper South Island 027 556 6099 • lindsay@transporting.nz Jim Crouchley, Membership Manager Lower South Island 027 261 0953 • Jim@transporting.nz

www.transporting.nz

Truck & Driver | 43

Driving the economy

Kids in cabs: Bringing children along for the ride

M W

2

T

HE QUESTION OF WHETHER transport providers should align their internal policies and children should be allowed to ride in truck cabs employment agreements with these requirements, making can spark some solid debates. the rules clear to all drivers.

Some trucking companies encourage it, seeing it as an The family perspective opportunity for family bonding and a potential pathway to the next generation of drivers. Others strictly prohibit it due On the other hand, many family-run trucking businesses, to safety concerns and contractual obligations. both in short and long-haul transport, advocate for allowing In New Zealand, the Land Transport Act 1998 and children in cabs. They see it as an opportunity for parents

By Rob Thomson, Health & associated road safety regulations do not explicitly ban and children to spend valuable time together, particularly Safety Consultant, SBS children from being in a truck cab. However, safety laws when a parent is away for extended periods. Some industry regarding child restraints can make it difficult in practice. supporters argue that having children onboard may even Any child riding in a vehicle must be properly secured in an approved encourage safer driving, as drivers are more conscious of their “precious cargo”. child restraint or seatbelt appropriate for their age and size. Many trucks are Additionally, permitting children in cabs could inspire young people to not designed to accommodate these requirements, raising questions about pursue careers in trucking. With driver shortages becoming an increasing compliance and safety. concern, encouraging early exposure to the industry may help sustain its future workforce.

Safety and industry standards Certain high-risk industries, such as forestry, ports, sawmills, fertiliser spreading, Key considerations for allowing kids in cabs warehousing, factories, and oil and gas production sites, generally prohibit children from being in truck cabs.

The risks associated with these environments – such as exposure to heavy machinery, unpredictable terrain, and fast-paced operations – make it unsafe to have passengers who may not fully understand or be able to react quickly to hazards.

Trucking companies contracting to these industries are often required to comply with the operating company’s health and safety policies (including site inductions). This includes ensuring that children are not permitted in cabs while working on or delivering to these sites. To maintain compliance,

Take extra care when children are in trucks.

44 | Truck & Driver

For trucking companies or owner-operators considering whether to allow children in cabs, the decision should be weighed against several key factors: Type of work and risk factors: Consider whether the trucking work involves hazardous conditions or high-risk sites where children could be exposed to safety hazards; Legal and safety compliance: Ensure that the truck’s seating configuration can accommodate approved child restraints or seatbelts suitable for the child’s age and size. If proper restraints are not available, it is not lawful or safe to allow the child to ride in the cab; Trip length and logistics: Long-haul trips may pose additional challenges, such as the availability of rest stops, toilet facilities, and the overall comfort of the child; Company culture and values: A company’s stance on work-life balance and family inclusion should be reflected in its policies. Family-friendly businesses may find ways to safely integrate children into the work environment, while others may prioritise strict operational safety; Contractual obligations: Transport operators should review contracts with their clients to determine whether principal companies prohibit passengers in truck cabs. Non-compliance with these agreements could lead to contractual breaches and/or reputational risks.

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Best practices for safe travel

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If a trucking company chooses to allow children in cabs, strict safety protocols and a company policy should be in place for all drivers to know what the expectations are. These include: • Ensuring that all child passengers use approved safety restraints; • Restricting cab access when operating in high-risk environments; • Implementing clear policies on trip lengths, rest breaks, and supervision; • Educating drivers on additional safety precautions when carrying child passengers.

For more information or advice regarding kids in cabs or policies to support your company’s stance, call the SBS team now on Freephone (0508) 424 723 or email info@safebusiness.co.nz.

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46 | Truck & Driver

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Truck & Driver | 47

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The newest truck in the familiar Knight & Dickey colours is this Mercedes-Benz Atego 1630 4x4 spreader unit.

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TEENAGER EARNING A FEW QUID FROM a lawn mowing round and a service station job greasing trucks in Waiuku, is one the starting points for the Knight & Dickey story.

It’s been almost 70 years since the late Graham Dickey raised the money to buy a stake in Jack Knight’s fledgling Waiuku transport company.

“Dad used to have a lawn mowing round as a teenager,” says Graham’s son John, who with his wife Denise today owns and runs the family transport company known for its distinctive red and yellow trucks.

“He was mowing lawns for Bill Lever in Kaiwaka Rd, who said to him one day; “I hear you are going to buy into Jack Knight’s business?

“Dad said, `Yes, but I haven’t been to the bank yet’.

“Bill replied `how much are you after’? And dad said 600 quid.

“So, Bill says to him; `I’ll lend you the money on one condition.

You have to carry on mowing my lawns.

“They shook hands and that’s how it all began. A handshake deal. I have no idea how long he mowed the lawns for.”

That was 1958 and the two truck rural carrying business was called Jack Knight & Co until the Knight & Dickey name was registered in 1962, when they bought another local transport firm called W.J. Short Cartage Contractors.

Graham bought out Jack’s share in 1983 and retained the bythen established company name.

Today the red and yellow trucks with old school signwriting by Ken Baird continue as a rural and general freight service – on a much bigger scale than the early days but also as a noticeably smaller operation than it was at its peak a few years ago.

Because times are gradually changing at Knight & Dickey.

Moving to a smaller and more efficient fleet which combines a mix of the tried and tested alongside newer trucks had been a work-in-

progress well before Graham passed away in July last year.

Graham suffered from dementia in the last years of his life and John has taken over at the helm of the company in that time, easing his way from a workshop role to lead the day-today operations and business decisions as Graham’s health deteriorated. And more recently third generation Karl Dickey (John’s son) is taking an increasing role.

John says not all of the recent changes would meet his father’s approval, but they are necessary to secure a long-term future.

“Dad and I would clash a bit, and I liked to stay out of the way looking after the workshop side,” John says.

John summarises the recent changes as; “getting rid of a lot of old shit and downsizing to make things easier and a lot more efficient.”

Last year John cleaned out one of the old storage sheds at the Knight & Dickey yard, which occupies the site and some of the original buildings of the Waiuku dairy factory.

“It was a real clean up and we threw a lot of stuff away. It was full of old motors and gearboxes and all sorts of stuff that you had to climb over,” John says.

“You’d blow up a Roadranger and store it away – just in case you needed a part one day.

“That thinking was from Dad’s era when you didn’t throw stuff away. I took away 40-tonnes of scrap metal and by the end of this year a lot more will be gone.

“Dad would probably be turning in his grave if he knew what I’ve gotten rid of in the last few years. He had dementia for about six years before he passed away in the middle of last year. Dementia is a prick of a thing.”

The array of work built up over 60-plus years by Knight & Dickey includes general freight between the Franklin region and Auckland city and the typical rural tasks of livestock, fertiliser spreading, and bulk cartage.

Truck & Driver | 49

Left: A long relationship with the Glenbrook steel mill sees Knight & Dickey storing the steel coils which are made there.

Below: Local services include “town truck” runs with freight between the Franklin district and Auckland (left) along with hiab crane truck work (right).

The company also built a close relationship with the nearby Glenbrook steel mill when it opened in 1969. Although Knight & Dickey no longer cart the steel from the mill – or its furnace byproducts – it has two warehouses with reinforced concrete floors to store the coils of steel produced there.

“We still store the coils for the steel mill on site here. We’ve been doing that for years and the steel mill is still a really good customer. They are good to deal with,” John says.

Another area where the company has specialised is mining the high quality black sand from nearby Boundary Rd. “We’d been leasing it [the mine] and paying royalties for years.

The sand is ideal as a base for roads and for compacting under new subdivisions. It’s been used a lot at Pokeno and Paerata.

“Poppy Short [the owner] passed away so I had to buy the mine. You’ve got to look after the future although it’s quiet at the moment because there’s not as much building going on.”

At its peak around 2018-19 the Knight & Dickey fleet numbered about 110 trucks. It’s a different story today with the fleet trimmed back to about 60 trucks with a current COF, a smaller team of drivers and the introduction of some new Scania and MercedesBenz trucks alongside the hard-working UD Nissan and Isuzu lineup which still form the backbone of the fleet.

“The 380 Nissans and the older 440s have been a great truck for us.

The 380s just go and go, and they’re simple to work on,” John says.

It’s the newer trucks that are the most visible part of the changes at Knight & Dickey.

50 | Truck & Driver

“It’s been a gradual change, and I’ve had some comments lately that the trucks are looking good,” says John.

“We used to get a few comments such as `there goes that vintage Knight & Dickey fleet’ but those people were forgetting the older trucks are still making money.

“You can have the flashest fleet on the road and still lose money – plenty have done that. We bought a lot of second-hand trucks over the years, and it worked well for us because we don’t do big kays. Some of our trucks might only go to Auckland once a day.

“So, while you’ve got to keep replacing the gear, it’s always a balancing act.

“We’ve got a fairly modern fleet of spreaders now with three late-model Mercedes, one of which we have just put on the road.

And the two old Isuzu spreaders we’ve had from new, I’ll probably wreck them.”

John explains the motivation for buying Scanias for livestock and bulk work.

“The upfront cost is higher, but you are getting a higher class of truck. We are going to a lot of autos, and the Scania is also very comfortable. They’ve got great fuel economy, but they use a bit of AdBlue.”

While the modern Scanias have been added for livestock and bulk work, John says there’s still a place for the older trucks.

The long-held Knight & Dickey tradition of getting value

out of older trucks certainly hasn’t been forgotten.

An example is found in the company workshop, a 1982 International S-Line which is nearing completion of a full rebuild and re-power.

“Do it properly and we’ll get another 30 years out of it,” John says.

“I’m not doing it up for a show truck – it’s going back to work towing a low loader that I bought second-hand to cart diggers around.

“We made it [the low loader] a little wider and gave it a birthday.

Sometimes it’s busy, sometimes it’s not but you’ve got to have it.

How do you justify a $350,000 low loader just to do that?

“With our own workshop we can do the tidying up at our own pace because we don’t need it tomorrow. We get into some projects when there’s nothing else to do.”

In a move to pick up some work for a larger crane truck, Knight & Dickey also have a “new” UD Nissan five-axle unit. Except it’s a rebuild of an older 8x4 truck.

“We had a spare Nissan so we put a tri-drive in it and mounted a good-sized Fassi crane on it, and now we can do a lot of the work we used to pass off.

“I didn’t need to buy a new truck. We did all the work in-house putting the tri-drive underneath it with some second-hand axles.

It’s not doing big kays and it’s part of the service we can offer when a customer needs it.”

John sees the workshop as a key part of the operation with two full-time mechanics and an apprentice. It’s smaller than when John was part of a four-strong team of mechanics, due to the reduced fleet size and more modern trucks.

“The fleet is more modern so you’re not chasing them and fixing them on the side of road anymore. And because we have a few

spare trucks we can always call on one of them if something needs to go into the workshop.”

There can be some frustrations involved with continuing to work the older trucks.

“Although we still have quite a few older trucks, they are mainly low kays. I was gutted when NZTA put the blanket surcharge on COFs for stuff that was older than 20 years.”

John says deciding what to replace and what to spend some time and money on to keep going is always a balancing act.

“You can only do up so many and we’ll concentrate on a few which are a bit special. There’s an 8-wheeler Mercedes round the back that I’ve got another cab for, and Karl wants us to do the turbo Ford D Series spreader.”

In terms of older trucks John has picked through the fleet, got rid of some, set others aside for restoration, and given some to restorers. He says the “Death Row” of old trucks at the yard is nothing like as impressive as it used to be.

“There is so much stuff I have scrapped and have gotten rid of,” he says.

“If you took a picture of what was here two years ago and compare it to now, you’d be amazed. A few people knew I was having a clear out and they grabbed some of the stuff.

“Graham McDonald is putting together the full history of Knight & Dickey with pictures of all the old trucks and he’s talking to some of the old drivers.

“And he’s one of the ones who whinged about me throwing some of the old trucks away – so he’s got three of them sitting out on his place.”

Rural freight and livestock work around Franklin and up onto the Awhitu Peninsula still forms an important part of the Knight & Dickey service.

Truck & Driver | 51

Above: The late Graham Dickey pictured back in 2000. He passed away in the middle of last year.

Right: Knight & Dickey trucks at work during the construction and extension of the Glenbrook steel mill.

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“We only run four bigger stock trucks plus one little one for running around and picking up ones and twos,” John says.

“They have bursts of being busy and being quiet.

“I always liked doing stock. You got out and talked to the customer. I miss not being out there [due to a recent double hip replacement] and hopefully I can get out there again.”

Even the livestock work is constantly changing.

“Stock is still important but it’s a cutthroat business. The outlay for gear is huge and the returns aren’t great,” says John.

“We’ve got very loyal customers out near the [Manukau] heads who like to have a competition to see who can grow the largest cattle, so we are always very aware of our deck heights and avoiding back rub.

“We used to have stock trucks with four decks because there were quite a few sheep farms around here. Then the sheep went away, and we went to double deck for cattle.

“Now there’s the odd farmer coming back with sheep, so you need to be able to carry them again.

“You’re always thinking ahead of what you think is changing.

Different aspects of farming are always changing.”

Other growth areas in recent years have been water deliveries to rural properties, shifting and storing containers, silage work, a wider range of hiab work and the establishment of some Kiwifruit orchards in the region which need to be supplied with compost and roading material.

“We also now cart a lot of vegetables for stock food for local framers. We take it out to the paddock or sometimes we tip it into bins.”

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plenty of diversification in the operation.

“We’ve got some loyal customers across quite a range of sectors. I’d hate to have all bulk trucks for instance. For us, when something will be busy there will be something else which is slow.”

Other aspects of the business are approaching their twilight.

“Slowly the town truck work is dying away with the couriers coming out here,” John says.

“And we’ve stopped doing a lot of Saturday work because it was costing us money. We used to do six out of seven days, but we don’t anymore unless there’s a few jobs booked on a Saturday.”

The changes at Knight & Dickey have been in process for about six years.

“Everybody blames Covid for a lot of the changes that have happened in the last few years, but before Covid we’d already started.

“As drivers were leaving, we weren’t replacing them, and we were asking drivers to do other jobs or teaching them some other skills.

“Now we have drivers that go out in a bulk truck most days but will do stock on a Wednesday, which is the busy day.

“And they were happy to do that to keep busy and we now have a more versatile team of drivers than we’ve ever had before.”

John says his staffing challenges are largely the same as for the rest of transport industry.

“It’s the typical transport industry problem – try to keep older drivers and attracting younger ones is the hard part.

“We’ve got some good young fellas at the moment, and we’ve got some drivers in their seventies. Some only do four days a week and we work around that, and we’ve got part-timers who we can ring up when we need to.

“At the moment it works quite well. Things are tight out there – not just for us, it’s for everybody. Some of our customers are quiet so we are quiet.

“I believe our drivers are very good with the customers. One thing that has made our company is the communication between the drivers and customers.”

Earlier this year John had both hips replaced and he’s taking the recovery time to slow down and take a look at the company from a more detached view.

“I don’t do much at the moment,” he says.

“I come in for a few hours and do a bit of paperwork. It’s been good to slow down.

“Denise [John’s wife] works four hours a day, four days a week as well in the office. As soon as you downsize, you don’t need as many office staff,” he says.

“The best thing I did was throw Karl into the deep end with the dispatching about five or six years ago,” says John.

“He got thrown in the deep end after we went through a few dispatchers. They make or break a company.

“Terry McNamara was part of the company for a long time.

He started with dad, and he was a great dispatcher. And Karl is heading that way.”

John says Karl’s dual roles have worked well.

“Karl can comfortably do both jobs most of the time, but not when it’s going full speed.

When we’re busy it’s a different story.”

With a downsized operation, John says it’s been important to communicate with customers.

“Our customers have had to plan ahead a bit more. Gone are the days of ringing up

Top: The Knight & Dickey fleet pictured back in 1986, almost 40 years ago.

Main pic: The introduction of Scanias to the fleet includes this R 650 8x4 livestock unit.

54 | Truck & Driver

and asking for a truck in an hour.

“I think we are getting to the right size. There’s still a bit of work to do.

“Karl and I have a plan of where we want to go. It includes getting better trucks to keep the drivers we’ve got and to attract new drivers.

“But I’ve got to be careful. We’ve never been a business that has borrowed a lot of money.

“In the past we used to make a profitable part of the business carry the unprofitable part. That’s the hard part, trying to make each part profitable and doing it carefully, without upsetting too many people because you still need to provide a service.”

John says being forced to slow down since his hip replacements has been something of a blessing in disguise.

“I’m operating at a different pace and I’m enjoying it. It’s the first time I’ve done it, but I can do it because we’re not as busy as we once were.”

While John has focused on the physical tidy up at Knight & Dickey, it’s his son Karl who has taken on the systems and workflow part of modernising the company.

Karl, 35, is the third generation of the Dickey family to enter the transport industry, joining the family company eight years ago.

He now combines dispatching work with the Operations Manager role.

“I did nine years at Franklin Engineering starting as an apprentice and then I went to the steel mill for a short time,” Karl says.

“I knew I’d probably end up here at some stage. I thought I might have done some time overseas but that’s not how things worked out. I started off in the workshop running the parts side and then we had a dispatcher leave and I decided I’d give it a go.

I’ve been in here [the office] ever since. That was about six years ago.”

“I’ve only full taken over as the Operations Manager in the last year. But while I was dispatching, I was always helping with the

operations, and I’ve grown into it.

“The operations role isn’t full time. It’s responding when you need to and spending a bit of time getting on top of things that need attention every now and then.

“I’m all about efficiency. I like to make everything run smoothly,” Karl says.

“To help the old man retire soon, I’m trying to streamline everything, so it isn’t as stressful as they used to be.

“But in some ways, it seems a bit weird going from where we were to something a bit smaller.

“In the last year Dad has got me more involved in some of the decisions about what trucks we’re doing and things.

“I want to get it to the point where I can be gone, and the old man can be gone at the same time, and everything is running smoothly. That’s the goal, it sounds good in theory.”

Karl says it’s been helpful that the process of down-sizing and finding efficiency has come at the time when things are quieter in business.

“I’ve been trying to make the runs the drivers are doing a bit more efficient, so we are getting the best value out of the run.

“It’s made it quite a bit easier making all the changes at the time when things aren’t as busy as they have been. You can play around with things a bit more without causing drama somewhere else.

“I’ve been playing around with the time the driver’s leave in the morning to see what difference it makes to when they come back and how it effects their day.

“A good example is one of the town trucks was leaving at 6.30am to beat the traffic. I changed it so he leaves at 7.30am. It hasn’t changed his day – he’s not sitting in traffic for as long, he’s going in on the tail of it.

“And when he’s leaving at 7.30am he’s picking up a few extra jobs that have come in early rather than being gone already.”

While there’s been massive population growth in the Franklin area, Karl says the traffic pattern has changed – and not necessarily for the worse.

Truck & Driver | 55

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The two generations of the Dickey family running the company today are John and wife Denise (left) along their son Karl (right).

“I’d say getting into Auckland isn’t as bad as it used to be. Since Covid there are more people working from home so the period of bad traffic on the motorway, which used to be 2-3 hours, is down to an hour-and-a-half.

You still get the days when there’s a major accident, but that stuffs everyone up and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

Karl has also led the introduction of new technology at Knight & Dickey.

“The technology has gone through the roof in some areas, especially with the spreaders. Understanding the Tabular technology with GPS, application rates and proof of placement is a big thing, and that’s what the farmers want.

“While John has had a big cleanup in the yard, I’ve had a big cleanup in the office too. I’ve down-sized a lot of the paperwork we do in the office and I’m working on being a bit more streamlined with less paper.

“It’s easier said than done when your workforce is an average age over 60 and some of them still have flip phones.

“But we’ve got good and experienced drivers. It’s good to see the drivers have taken onboard a wider range of work and when they see we’re not as busy they’ll jump on a different truck when needed.”

Karl agrees that a diversified fleet has helped Knight & Dickey.

“We’re not reliant on one thing. We tend to find if one area is slow then another area is picking up and things are balancing out.

I’d ideally like to keep everything busy all the time, but everything is seasonal as well.”

While it wasn’t planned as such, Karl says the timing of his move to the family company was has worked out well.

“It’s worked out pretty good because I’ve worked with my grandad for a while before he got too much dementia, and I’ve had time working under the old man – so I’ve had both sides of their experience and knowledge.”

It’s given Karl a clear understanding of his grandfather’s commitment to the business, and he shares the passion of preserving its history.

“The museum is good, and people love going down and seeing it,” Karl says.

Karl has his sights on one particular truck restoration.

“I’ve very firmly told the old man he’s not getting rid of the old D Series with a spreader on the back. It would be quite neat done up.

“I think it would cool to get up back on the road, use it a bit and have it as a showpiece.”

There’s one other direct link between Karl and his grandfather.

It’s the prime position in the office to watch the trucks coming and going from the yard.

“Grandad always had his desk across the end of the office, right in front of the window,” says Karl.

“I had mine against the wall and it’s only in the last three months that I’ve moved across there to the window. I didn’t seem right to be in his seat while he was still around.

“Now that I’m here I can understand why he was sitting there.

You see everything that arrives and leaves the yard.”

In the foreseeable future the comings and goings will be the day-to-day work and a few relics that his father decides to get rid of.

“The Knight & Dickey clean-up is well and truly underway. I feel better for having the tidy up,” John says.

“I think it’s important to remember that you’re not here for that long. This was the old man’s whole life until his health went downhill. He was hands on here till he was about 80, and then he had six years of shit with his dementia.

“He did have a bach, but he never really went away, and he had an RT at home to stay in touch all the time.

“I’m not that obsessed with the business. Dad lived it and breathed it, but I don’t think I’m like that.

Truck & Driver | 57

“Karl is doing a great job, and I suppose the ultimate goal would be to get our daughter Leana involved in some way as well. But she has a great job working at BP and I probably couldn’t afford her.”

Whether it’s the third generation of the Dickey family that takes the wheel, or the business gets new ownership at some point, John Dickey believes the downsized and more efficient shape of the company is the way to go.

“If it turns out that Karl’s not interested and our daughter’s not interested, we might also have to be prepared to sell the business. That’s something that dad would ever have considered, but I might need to.”

Top: Freightliner FLB joined the fleet in 1998 and is still part of the Knight & Dickey operation when needed.

Centre: Hard working 1986 Isuzu EXZ is now on water cart duty.

Below: Karl Dickey has recently shifted his desk to occupy the vantage point enjoyed by his grandfather.

58 | Truck & Driver

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John Dickey with a 1936 McCormick Deering loader that Knight & Dickey acquired when it purchased W.J. Short Transport in 1962.

Story Colin Smith Photos Gerald Shacklock

The old world New World

A BUSY FLEET OF RED AND YELLOW TRUCKS WORKING FROM A Waiuku hub isn’t the only legacy created by the late Graham Dickey.

An avid collector of vintage tractors starting around 1980, Graham rescued and restored machinery from local farms, putting together an agricultural working history of the Franklin district that he stored at the truck yard and other sheds in the district.

In 2014 a home was found for the collection when Waiuku’s former New World supermarket came on the market. The building offers plenty of display space and excellent lighting and instead of groceries it’s now fully stocked with original and restored machinery relics and a host of other memorabilia.

John Dickey explains the museum isn’t open to the public at set times, but private group bookings are welcome.

Typical visitors include classic car and vintage machinery clubs along with historical societies and Lions Club groups.

“They can just ring the yard and make a booking. We only charge $10 a head, it’s pretty reasonable,” John says.

“Groups that come in usually spend an hour-and-a-half or two hours. Bill Hohepa did some filming here and then came back with a busload of truck drivers who were on a trip with him.

“We have a few social groups who come for a BBQ and a few beers on a Friday night and take a look around.”

About 90 vintage tractors form the centrepiece of the collection.

Originally the tractors were spaced out rather than lined up in the current positions.

“We had them all spread out so people could walk around, but after about four groups had been through, we noticed nobody ever walked around them.

60 | Truck & Driver

“So, one day we closed them all up. It was the best thing we ever did but we had to push them all because we couldn’t start them. Mike [Parish] and I were absolutely buggered after doing that, but we had more room.”

John estimates that about 95% of the restored tractors are in running condition.

“The big thing Dad liked was that over half are local tractors saved from local farms. That’s why there’s no John Deere – there wasn’t a dealer here back in the day.”

The prominent brands include Farmall, Fordson, McCormick and M-M (Minneapolis-Moline).

“We’ve got all the loaders we’ve ever owned. There’s one more up in the shed I’d like to bring down,which has a clam shell on it and was used for unloading the coal wagons. But we’ve got no room,” John says.

There are only two Knight & Dickey trucks on show in the collection – a 1977 Cummins V8-powered Ford DT2418 6x4 with a 15-speed Roadranger and 230hp Mercedes-Benz Model 1923 from 1969 owned from new by Knight & Dickey.

Other display items are on loan.

“The Bren Gun Carrier and the [Dennis] fire engine are on loan,” says John.

Many of the exhibits have been donated to the museum.

“We have a lot of people who are going into rest homes - farmers mainly - and they ring up and say, `Come out John, we might have something for your museum’.

“Well, I go straight to the scrap heap because the kids have already been through everything and the older stuff that we are interested in

The Knight & Dickey Museum is home to about 90 restored vintage tractors, most of them in running condition.

has gone straight on the scrap heap.”

Every exhibit is documented, and all of the main items are displayed with an information card.

Whether it’s a wall devoted to the display of model trucks and cars, stationary engines and vintage farm machinery, lawn mowers and more, the museum has plenty of variety including one of the Kiwi-built Mountain Goat farm bikes.

“I’ve got a Mk 1 and Mk 2 Gnat, and I need a Mk 3,” Johns says. (The Gnat was a Christchurch-built three wheel all terrain vehicle built from 1965-73 that was popular with farmers and fisherman and was also used in Antarctica).

“There’s one old bailer we’ve got which has got the knot tiers on it.

It’s almost 100 years old but the knot tiers are exactly the same today.

It was built without a flash computer and a CNC lathe. Somebody spent days casting and making it, then making it all work so the knot was tied. We had some clever bastards back then.”

There’s a constant stream of relics being offered to the museum.

“To be honest Dad was only really passionate about saving the tractors, but you need a bit of variety to keep everyone interested,” John says.

You start off with a couple of things and it kind of snowballs.

Someone comes through and says, `I know someone who’s got some of them.

“A group came through one day and when they saw Graham’s lawn mowers, a guy asked if I wanted some more.

“A few months later he called me up and said he had something for me. He turned up with a trailer and about 15 old lawn mowers. It was Chris Porter, whose family started Masport.

“And then the Waiuku Bowling Club got new mowers and asked if we wanted the old ones.

“Another local gave us his tool collection when he went into a rest home.”

A large section of one wall is devoted to an impressive collection of model trucks and cars.

“It’s from Bruce Haines who started the Pukekohe Model Club, and he also used to take photos of trucks and the railway.

“It was his collection and soon after he passed away his wife went into a rest home. When she passed away the family got in touch, and I bought the whole lot.

“The family had her memorial service here and they hadn’t them all displayed before.”

A mezzanine level is a work in progress where the history of the Waiuku transport industry is being archived.

“We are going to have a history of Knight & Dickey and a history of all the other transport companies from around the Waiuku area. There used to a lot of little transport companies back in the day,” John says.

“We’ve got photo boards of the different transport companies.

“Back when we only had about 12 or 13 drivers, Barbara Knight, Jack’s wife, wrote a little story about each of them. We’ve got all that and it’s quite interesting.

“We get books given to us all the time. It’ll be like a library and a history of the local area.”

The museum was opened in 2017, but John says his father had little chance to enjoy his accomplishment.

“Dad only really saw it at the beginning before he got dementia.

That part is pretty sad.”

Left: The impressive model truck collection was assembled by Pukekohe’s Bill Haines.

Right: The only restored Knight and Dickey trucks in the museum are a 1969 Mercedes-Benz 1923 and 1977 Ford DT2418.

Truck & Driver | 61

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Aligning regulations and investment for better roads

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Justin Tighe-Umbers, CEO, National Road Carriers Association

B

ETTER ROADS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH, FREIGHT productivity, and connectivity. However, achieving this requires more than short-term fixes – it demands a long-term strategy that aligns investment, regulation, and network management.

NRC is calling for reform in how we fund and manage roads, encouraging innovation, and removing regulatory barriers, we can improve freight efficiency, reduce congestion, and boost economic resilience.

Smarter ways to pay for roads

New Zealand’s road funding model is struggling to meet demand.

Inappropriate investment leads to congestion, poor road conditions, and delays that harm the economy. To address this, we need smarter funding mechanisms, such as value capture, time-of-use charging, tolls, and an all-vehicle RUC. These systems ensure that those who benefit from roads contribute fairly. There will continue to be a need fund “greater good” from general taxation.

There also needs to be greater accountability that the funds are being spent wisely. Members would react strongly if funding increases were spent on road cones, consultation, and speed bumps. Every dollar spent needs to result in a better network for all users. There must be a stronger focus on best value over total life of every project.

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) should play a greater role in infrastructure development. By leveraging private sector expertise and funding, projects can be delivered more efficiently. Examples of successful PPPs in New Zealand include the Pūhoi to Warkworth Motorway and Transmission Gully.

Why PPPs work PPPs offer several benefits: • Faster delivery due to private sector investment.

• Better risk allocation between public and private sectors.

• Performance-based outcomes tied to service quality.

• Cost efficiency, as long-term financing aligns with project benefits.

To attract investment, New Zealand must maintain a pipeline of at least five major infrastructure projects, ensuring continuity beyond political cycles. A 30-year strategic roading infrastructure model will prevent costly delays and uncertainty.

A pipeline of work is needed if we want to keep our workers in New Zealand.

Unlocking freight productivity

TD35138

Regulations should support, not hinder, transport efficiency. Currently, slow adoption of proven technologies, such as longer trailers, and low regulatory capability is delaying progress.

NRC’s focus is to encourage regulators to shift to performance-based regulations rather than rigid technical rules to encourage innovation.

Adopting global standards instead of restrictive local requirements will also improve efficiency. Key steps include: • Reviewing outdated transport rules to remove unnecessary red tape.

• Simplifying vehicle dimension and mass rules to unlock increased productivity.

Prioritising freight efficiency Many key freight corridors are congested due to a lack of prioritisation for freight. To improve efficiency, NRC is advocating for increased use of data-driven approaches, such as: • Time-of-use charging to reduce peak-time congestion.

• Better road space allocation, such as allowing freight vehicles access to bus lanes.

• Ensuring new projects prioritise freight productivity.

As 93% of the freight task is by road and failing to prioritise it leads to higher costs for businesses and consumers.

Streamlining compliance and permitting New Zealand’s current compliance system adds unnecessary costs. The one-truck, one-permit model requires operators to obtain approvals for every potential combination over the different mass limits. A fleet-wide permitting system, like Australia’s, would reduce bureaucracy and improve efficiency.

Encouraging innovation in freight transport While New Zealand’s freight sector is innovative, restrictive regulations often hinder progress. Bespoke trailer designs that improve efficiency face regulatory barriers. A freight innovation taskforce would accelerate the adoption of new technologies, ensuring regulations evolve to support, rather than restrict, innovation.

Creating a self-sustaining cycle of growth Aligning funding, regulation, and network management creates a virtuous cycle where: 1. Better roads improve freight efficiency.

2. Increased productivity reduces costs and drives economic growth.

3. Higher economic output generates more funding for future investment.

To achieve this, NRC is calling for: • Smarter funding mechanisms and PPPs. • A 30-year plus infrastructure pipeline.

• Performance-based regulations that enhance efficiency.

• Smarter network management that prioritises freight.

• Digital compliance systems that reduce barriers and improve safety.

With these elements in place, New Zealand can build a transport network that drives economic growth, improves efficiency, and secures the country's infrastructure future.

Truck & Driver | 63

National Road Carriers

How freight metrics can boost productivity James Smith, GM Policy & Advocacy, National Road Carriers Association

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EW ZEALAND’S PRODUCTIVITY LAGS OTHER DEVELOPED nations due to our small taxpayer base, geographic challenges, and dispersed infrastructure. While New Zealand will never have the capacity of highway networks seen in Europe or North America, we can maximise efficiency within our constraints. But for this to happen, we need to focus on freight productivity metrics. It’s the old saying, if you are not measuring it, you’re not improving it.

NRC is committed to improving freight task productivity by ensuring it remains a priority in discussions with key decision-makers. Whenever we meet with the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), Auckland Transport, or the Ministry of Transport, we ask how they are measuring and reporting on freight productivity. We continually ask how new investments are assessed in terms of their contribution to improving freight efficiency.

We are having a continual conversation with officials and Ministers about how we can move the dial on freight productivity. Our focus is on ensuring that transport agencies establish clear targets, measure progress transparently, and align investments with efficiency gains.

Right now, these are missing, and the result is freight task efficiency is declining.

Without these steps, achieving long-term productivity improvements will remain a challenge.

The importance of measurement A key factor in declining productivity is the lack of clear freight efficiency targets. Despite 93% of goods moving by road and transport being critical to the economy, freight productivity is not a priority for transport agencies.

Tracking freight performance supports economic growth, congestion management, and infrastructure planning. Many countries use freight data to allocate funding, identify bottlenecks, and align investments.

Transparent performance measures ensure projects deliver returns.

When the government set a 30% transport productivity goal via HPMVs, the industry met it in 18 months – proving clear targets drive results. Without them, decisions lack direction, making progress difficult to track.

Breaking down infrastructure silos New Zealand’s fragmented planning hinders freight productivity. Major projects like the City Rail Link and Cook Strait crossings are developed in isolation, often overlooking freight needs. State Highway One closures, for example, may not consider freight impacts.

A cross-modal strategy is needed to coordinate road, rail, maritime, and air freight. Instead of shifting priorities between rail and roads, longterm planning should optimise the whole network. NRC continues to

64 | Truck & Driver

advocate for integrated planning that prioritises freight productivity.

The economic impact of freight productivity

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P D a

Improving freight efficiency delivers significant economic gains. Road freight contributes $6 billion annually, and an 18% increase in freight volumes from 2012 to 2017 boosted GDP by $3.15 billion. Freight costs make up 12% of consumer prices, with a 10% rise in transport costs reducing trade volumes by 20%.

Since most goods move by road, optimising road networks offers the greatest efficiency gains. Investment in coastal shipping and rail can also ease congestion and lower road maintenance costs, strengthening overall resilience.

Leveraging data for smarter decision-making NRC advocates for robust freight data measurement to improve productivity. Currently, transport data is poorly integrated, making efficiency assessments difficult. Key areas for data collection include: 1. Transport movement – Tracking travel times and congestion.

2. Freight composition – Monitoring transported goods to optimise supply chains.

3. Economic impact – Measuring how productivity gains boost GDP. By integrating these data points, regulators and industry leaders can make informed decisions that enhance efficiency.

Streamlining regulation and permitting New Zealand’s freight regulations are inefficient, requiring a one-truck, one-permit system. Australia’s fleet-wide permitting model reduces bureaucracy and improves turnaround times.

A digital gateway system would speed up approvals, cutting delays and administrative burdens. These reforms would boost productivity while enhancing compliance and safety through real-time freight monitoring.

The way forward To improve productivity, we must set clear freight efficiency targets, integrate transport planning, use data-driven decision-making, and streamline regulations.

NRC will continue pushing for structured freight productivity strategies, ensuring transport agencies prioritise measurement, reporting, and investment alignment. The freight industry has shown it can meet ambitious targets when given direction. By aligning infrastructure investments with economic goals, New Zealand can unlock billions in gains and build a more efficient transport network.

The question is not whether we can improve productivity, but whether we are willing to measure, plan, and act.

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WHATEVER YOU DO

FEATURE

Impressive consistency clinched a fourth consecutive national title for Alex Little. Photo: Jarod Carruthers

By: Colin Smith

TD33576

Four in a row for Alex Little THERE WERE ONLY THREE RACE WINS BY DEFENDING champion Alex Little (Hutt Valley) on his way to clinching the NAPA Auto Parts New Zealand Super Truck title for the fourth time.

But consistency was the key. Apart from the single blemish of a nonfinish at Timaru in January, Little posted a second or third placing on 11 other occasions during the 15-race 2024-25 season contested over five rounds.

“I can’t believe it, especially as we struggled a bit at the start of the season,” says Little.

“We started round one with some suspension set-up changes which didn’t really work like we had hoped. We changed the set-up again for Timaru and it was a lot better, but I had a DNF there which cost us points.”

Success in the deep south once again provided the foundation for Little to launch his title bid.

When the championship reached its half-way point over the March 15-16 weekend at Invercargill’s Teretonga Park, Little won the Mobil Delvac 1 Trophy for the sixth time at the annual Southern Thunder meeting and edged into the championship lead.

He powered the CAT C12 powered Freightliner Century to two wins and a third across the three races at Teretonga and stood on top of the King’s House Removals event podium with 60 points.

“Teretonga was a pretty good weekend – not quite as good as some other years, but I do enjoy the track, and it seems to suit our truck really well,” says Little.

The Teretonga success edged Little into the championship lead by just a single point from early leader Shane Gray (Kenworth) of Wellington.

From there the defending champ gradually gained control of the title fight. The following weekend (March 22-23) at Ruapuna for the Burnside Contractors round saw Little on pole position in qualifying and follow up with a second, third and last race victory to build a 15-point lead over Gray ahead of the Manfeild finale. Former champ

Troy Wheeler (Freightliner) was nine points further back and still in contention.

The Manfeild weekend sponsored by Bryce O’Sullivan Contracting began with a very wet Friday ride day and test session with the track remaining damp for Saturday morning qualifying. Wheeler gained pole position by a mere 0.045s ahead of South Canterbury’s Brent Collins (Freightliner) with Little only 0.278s off the fastest time and Gray in fourth.

“I didn’t quite get the lap I needed in the conditions, but it was really close between the three of us,” Little says.

Saturday’s race included a red flag and a restart and provided finish line drama as clear leader Troy Wheeler had the differential fail in his Freightliner just a few metres short of the chequered flag, coasting across the line with just a 0.996s margin over Little.

Dave West took third ahead of Connor Etting (Volvo) while Shane Gray was a mid-race retirement with transmission trouble and Collins

Shane Gray was the early leader in the championship but his Kenworth had some injector and transmission problems in the last two rounds and he finished third. Photo: Euan Cameron Truck & Driver | 67

Troy Wheeler out in front at the Ruapuna round. Photo: Euan Cameron

2024-25 NAPA Auto Parts New Zealand Super Truck Championship – final standings: 1 Alex Little (Freightliner) 256 points 2 Troy Wheeler (Freightliner) 238pts 3 Shane Gray (Kenworth) 223pts 4 Dave West (Freightliner) 197pts 5 Brent Collins (Freightliner) 195pts 6 Connor Etting (Volvo) 140pts 7 Ron Salter (Scania) 129pts 8 Marc King (International) 126pts 9 Troy Etting (Kenworth) 111pts 10 Tony Brand (Bedford) 9pts

A CLASS 1 Dave West, 254pts 2 Brent Collins, 229pts 3 Marc King, 181pts B CLASS 1 Connor Etting, 194pts 2 Ron Salter, 170pts 3 Troy Etting, 151pts

Gulf Western Oil Flying Farewell 1 Tim Wheeler (Freightliner) 105pts 2 Ricky West (Freightliner), 98pts 3= Ash Hey (International), 76pts 3= Eli Lincoln (Volvo), 76pts

Dave West in the white Freightliner Argosy battling with the Easy Moves team of Troy Etting (leading) and Connor Etting (in third spot) at Manfeild. Photo: Jarod Carruthers 68 | Truck & Driver

Brent Collins and Troy Etting lined up on the front row for the second race at Manfeild. Photo: Jarod Carruthers ran off track after locking his brakes at the hairpin and returned to finish sixth.

The delay for Collins in the Saturday race meant he had a front row start for the reverse grid second race on Sunday and he led from start to finish with Little making the best progress from the rear of the grid to finish second ahead of Gray and West.

Wheeler’s team had worked overnight to repair the Freightliner, but he was unable to coax full speed out of the truck and finished sixth.

Little’s second placing was enough to put the title beyond doubt ahead of the final race. Wheeler was back on pace to lead home Little, Gray and West with Ron Salter (Scania) and Marc King (International) next while Brent Collins was slowed with transmission slippage.

Even without a race win at Manfeild, Little’s consistency saw him extend his series lead to a final margin of 18 points ahead of Wheeler while Gray’s troubles with the transmission and injectors dropped him to third in the standings, 15 points behind Wheeler.

Wheeler made a return to the series this summer and his presence added another front-runner to the grid.

“We got a bad start at Manfeild [the series opener in October] with turbo and head gasket problems. We were trying a few new things on the truck this year and that cost us some reliability early in the season,” says Wheeler.

But the yellow Freightliner was in winning form whenever it was running strongly.

“We went into the last meeting third on points and qualified first on Saturday,” Wheeler says.

“The diff blew about 20 metres before the finish of the first race, but I was still able to win.

“We didn’t have a spare [diff], and we thought we had exhausted all avenues on Saturday night. And we knew that no one could get ahead of us into third in the championship.

“But the boys found a used diff about 10pm on Saturday and we decided to have a shot at second place. We got it in for the second race but there wasn’t time to calibrate everything. My top speed was only 138kph, so I finished sixth.

“We got it closer to full speed in the last race and we were able to win that one and finish Manfeild with pole position, two wins and a sixth.”

There was a title to celebrate in the Troy Wheeler Contracting squad with Tim Wheeler edging out Ricky West for the Flying Farewell honours by winning the Manfeild finale.

“My young fella Timmy did really well this season. At Manfeild he was only 1.1secs off my best lap time and I got to hear about it,” says Wheeler.

It was opposite fortunes for Gray and the Team Quality Racing squad after a strong start to the season.

“We started having some injector troubles at Christchurch, so we put one of our young fellas on a plane to Indianapolis to pick-up some new injectors in time for Manfeild,” he says.

“But unfortunately, we lost some more injectors at Manfeild and then we had to change the gearbox as well after the first race.

“We started the season off really well until we had those troubles.

That’s racing.

“We went into Manfeild still with a chance, but when the gearbox neutralised in the first race it all went backwards for us. A couple of thirds on Sunday meant we held onto third place.”

Little says he’ll be back to chase a fifth title next season, but he’s not sure about which truck he’ll be driving.

“We will do some more suspension work on my truck over the winter to improve the handling but the Old Man [former champ Malcolm Little] has started building a third truck,” he says.

“If we get a good chance to test it before the season starts, I might end up driving that one.”

Left: Tim Wheeler celebrating his victory in the Manfeild Flying Farewell.

Photo: Jarod Carruthers Right: Troy Etting drifting his Kenworth at Ruapuna.

Photo: Euan Cameron

Truck & Driver | 69

LEGENDS

Outback and then Back

F

OR MANY, DRIVING A GRUNTY KENWORTH, ACROSS THE seemingly endless Aussie outback, miles from civilisation and barely-ever passing another truck, is a thing of dreams.

Well, not only has Nelson Transport stalwart Bryan Austin ‘conquered’ the barren Aussie wasteland, but he’s also returned to create an impressive business in Nelson too. He loves to hunt and still finds time

70 | Truck & Driver

Bryan Austin

to restore classic trucks with his wife (and business partner) Lisa – and for that, he’s a Southpac Legend.

Bryan Austin’s life has been one of grit, adventure, and a deep connection to the transport industry. Born and raised in Nelson, New Zealand, Bryan’s roots in trucking trace back to his childhood.

“Ray Austin, my father, he started driving trucks

in 1952 for Kirby’s Carriers,” Bryan recalls. “We used to live just up the street from Kirby’s... so I was always down the yard there at a young age,” says Bryan.

After leaving school he did a short stint at a Top of South Motorcycles, however, at the same time, he was working for Rogers and Bromells transport.

“They still had the Post contract,” says Bryan, “but back then he was the general freight carrier too. And so, I helped him unload and reload trucks in the yard until I was 18. I got my truck license with them and then drove for him for a couple of years.”

As to which truck Bryan drove back then, he’s a bit vague about it: “Probably a V10 Mercedes, about an 82 model,” however, he can remember vividly that he started off doing a bit of local carting and then moved on to doing an overnight trailer swap down the Kaikoura coast.

“I was doing that five nights a week,” he says. “It was mainly produce but they did do the New Zealand Post as well. So, produce, general freight, and the Post.”

Seeking broader horizons, Bryan then ventured to Australia, where he spent a decade navigating its vast distances. Initially running along the East Coast before heading inland.

“I was running Brisbane–Perth, Sydney–Perth, up and down and all over the Outback,” Bryan says. The experience was one of contrasts – challenging, lonely, but also rewarding.

“You can’t really compare it to here, because you do twice as many miles... in the end I knew my way around Aussie better than I did New Zealand.”

Bryan says he started off on single trailer work in Queensland and then moved onto B- Doubles on the interstate and then went into the road trains. It was flat decks and curtain siders and fridge vans. And when it came to the tractor, a gleam appeared in Bryan’s eye…

“I had a few different trucks. I had T950 Kenworths and T600 Kenworths, cabover K100 and K104 Kenworths. It was mainly all Kenworths and that’s why, when I came back here, that’s mainly what I preferred. Seeing how they handled the punishment in Aussie.”

According to Bryan, operating in the Outback demanded resourcefulness. With no phone coverage or mechanics nearby, drivers had to “know one end of a spanner just to keep you going.”

Yet, despite the solitude, Bryan thrived: “You could drive all night and not see another vehicle… all you see is cattle and kangaroos and wildlife on the road,” he says.

“No problem with Kangaroos, they bounce off you. They just take the odd mud flap or put a dent in a fuel tank. But the cattle and the scrub bulls – they’re what you had to watch, the black ones on a wet night or something that blends into the road, they are the scary ones you had to watch out for.”

For a decade, Bryan lived out of a truck cab, hauling everything from produce and steel supplies to crocodile skins and palm trees – and a lot of mangoes. He says that one run from Adelaide to Darwin in the late-nineties was about 32 hours straight driving – carting food up for the soldiers and then bringing produce back down.

“Other times it would take a couple of days to get your road train unloaded and loaded and ready to transfer. With multiple trailers, you

Truck & Driver | 71

might leave one out at Humpty Doo and a couple you leave at Tennant Creek and shoot across to bloody Kunanarra and load a couple out there and head back down to Adelaide.”

Inevitably, the relentless and gruelling long days in Australia eventually drove Bryan back to New Zealand, for what he thought would be a rest and to catch up with family.

“Your normal day driving over there was a big 18 hours, just driving time. It’s such a big country, and it takes its toll on you. So, I came back for a rest really and then thought I’d go back to Aussie.”

However, because “it was getting a bit hard on the body” Bryan reconsidered and set up shop in Nelson.

“I just thought I’d buy a truck, and it just went from there,” he says.

Beginning with a gravel truck in 2005, Bryan then quickly shifted back to his passion for freight. Using an old Kenworth destined for the scrapyard, he built a thriving inter-island transport business, carting freight “anywhere from Kaitaia to Bluff.”

“I bought an old 100E Kenworth, an `87 model that was going to the wreckers. I bought that for bugger all and started trying to find a bit of freight to cart around the country. That’s how it got going.”

Their [Bryan and Lisa] company grew steadily, thanks in part to contracts with companies like NPD as they expanded nationwide. By the time Bryan sold the freight side of his business, it consisted of 32 trucks. Most of which were Kenworth’s supplied by ‘uncle’ Mike Gillespie from Southpac.

“I was originally just myself, and then as I picked up more work, I sort of bought more trucks, and hand-picked a few good drivers,” says Bryan.

“And back then NPD, the fuel stations, they only had a branch and Nelson, and they were starting to set up around the country. So, we got a lot of long distance with NPD and that’s how we sort of got going, carting their gear and tanks when they’re starting all the new service stations.

“It was the whole of the South Island, and then they ventured into the North Island. But just anything we could put on the back of a truck, basically, we would cart.”

Bryan says the business was helped along by some loyal and hardworking staff – in fact, too many to mention (some of whom have passed).

Bryan is now 52 and has been doing it [driving] since he was 18, but says that really, when it comes to transport, he’s been doing it his whole life. What’s more, he’s very happy about it too.

72 | Truck & Driver

“It’s the freedom, basically, and the challenge. I like working under pressure, to get the work done as well.”

As for the downsides, he says that it’s probably the technology.

“It’s good and bad for an old school person like me. I prefer manuals, I still like to feel like I’m driving a truck. A lot of this new gear is just too comfortable for me, and it’s too modern, it’s too boring, it feels like driving a big van around.

“There’s also a lot of paperwork involved nowadays, before you even turn the wheel or make one dollar. The more trucks you’ve got, the more people you need to be compliant, it becomes quite a burden, all the different hats you gotta wear.”

When not driving trucks or working on the business, Bryan and his two sons (Ryan and Isaac) like to go hunting and spend time in the outdoors. Plus, Bryan and Lisa have a keen eye for restoring and showcasing classic trucks.

“There’s only one truck, and that’s a Kenworth,” Bryan says.

“Mind you, I do have an old ERF. A 1976 ERF, an old Kirby’s furniture van from back in the day. So, we bought that classic truck and I’m running an old T900 and a K100e that we do classic runs in.”

He says his wife Lisa is right into it too, and she was/is a 50% partner in the business as well, ’so we do it all as a couple, to which I’m really thankful’.

As to why they’ve sold the freight side of the business, simple really.

“We’re just downsizing. Hilton Haulage wanted to come into Nelson, so we just thought we would sell them the freight side of the business, kick back and have a bit more of a relaxing lifestyle and actually be able to get away hunting and traveling.

“I’ve never really been overseas. I’ve been to Australia, obviously, but haven’t really been anywhere else. So, we’re looking to go to America.”

In the meantime, Bryan and Lisa, still have seven truck and trailers, and one log truck, so although they claim to be kicking back and relaxing, they evidently still manage to fill in their time working.

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The first of the 16 DAF CF-based 50t fuel cell electric tractor units to be developed at Rolleston by Global Bus Ventures.

Hands on hydrogen By: Colin Smith

IT WAS ONLY A SMALL GATHERING OF VEHICLES, BUT ALSO THE largest by far in New Zealand of heavy commercials fuelled by hydrogen.

The Hampton Downs motorsport complex in late-March was the venue for TR Group to host customers and guests at a hands-on hydrogen experience.

The timing precedes the rollout of hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks and further dual-fuel internal combustion engine heavy trucks with some early-adopter Kiwi businesses – plans which amount to nearly 40 H2 trucks on New Zealand roads by the end of this year.

Plans for the second half of 2025 will see TR Group deliver 20 leased hydrogen fuel cell trucks. That number consists of 16 DAF-based 6x4 tractor units developed and built by Global Bus Ventures [GBV] at Rolleston with 50t (GVM) capability.

And a further four Hyundai XCIENT 6x2 rigid curtainsider trucks – additional to the first unit which has already travelled 180,000km, working in the NZ Post network.

Guests at Hampton Downs had the opportunity to drive or ride in both the GBV and Hyundai trucks as well as experience the dual-fuel (dieselhydrogen) technology being developed by CH2NGE Fuel Technologies, a division of HWR Group.

The CH2NGE technology was showcased on a DAF CF 530 tractor and a Mack Metro-Liner concrete truck. There was also an opportunity to sample a light-duty Hyundai Mighty FCEV while the guest transport around the venue was provided by a GBV developed hydrogen fuel cell bus from the Auckland Transport fleet.

The event included technical presentations detailing the workings of the Toyota-sourced fuel cells used in the GBV trucks, and a presentation from Hiringa Energy on the key points of hydrogen production, storage and fast-refuelling.

Hiringa Energy and Waitomo Group are establishing a refuelling network for the trucks with sites already operational in Auckland, Hamilton and Palmerston North with the next location at Tauriko (Tauranga) nearing completion to provide coverage of 95% of North Island freight routes.

TR Group Managing Director Andrew Carpenter says the company was very pleased by the turnout of guests at the event, who were split into

morning and afternoon sessions.

“We thought we would get 50 people, but we’ve got three times that number in the room today,” Carpenter said as he welcomed the morning group of attendees.

Carpenter outlined the rollout for the trucks and acknowledged the delays which have occurred since plans were first revealed in 2020, primarily around the financial failure of fuel cell provider Hyzon.

“We placed an order with Hyzon for 20 trucks. We provided them with 20 DAF tractor units for the conversions and they got underway,” Carpenter says.

“Hyzon withdrew from global truck production in 2024, so we shifted that order, and we split the order across GBV and Hyundai.

“Whilst that was a big and very unhelpful disruption, we are actually now in a much better place now because of it. Hyundai are a proven performer and GBV are one of the world’s best at hydrogen integration.

“They [GBV] are a New Zealand company and its jobs for New Zealanders, so we are very happy with where we find ourselves now.

“When you look around the world that puts us out in front and makes us a leader. Not just the trucks, but the refuelling network as well.”

With the demise of Hyzon, the trucks being built at GBV use Toyotasourced fuel cells, extending an established relationship between the two companies.

“GBV have built New Zealand’s first 50-tonne hydrogen fuel cell tractor unit. It’s the first of 16 that will be coming,” Carpenter says.

“The fuel cells in the GBV trucks are provided by Toyota.

“Toyota’s backing through all of this project is massively appreciated.

We’ve got a number of Toyota people who have travelled from overseas to be with us today, so I think that highlights the importance they place on this project as well.

“Four of the initial 20 trucks we are bringing onto the road are the Hyundai 6x2 curtainsider rigid trucks. That goes alongside one truck that was commissioned a couple of years ago.

“The HWR Group are the suppliers of the CH2NGE technology which is a blend of hydrogen and diesel.

“We’ve got five of those trucks coming through with that system on and HWR are also commissioning trucks for their own use.”

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Left to right: The DAF 6x4 and Mack Metro-Liner concrete truck showcasing the CH2NGE dual-fuel technology… The GBV fuel cell truck being demonstrated with 4-axle semi curtainsider on the Hampton Downs track… GBV gained its first hydrogen fuel cell experience with this bus.

Carpenter acknowledged the government support of the programme via the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

Without the EECA support, Carpenter believes the project wouldn’t have happened.

“These initial 20 trucks come with a very large subsidy from the NZ Government making the comparison to diesel look really good,” he says.

In spite of the delays and challenges, Carpenter says the project has been exciting.

“I’m really proud of our business that we’ve stuck with it. We’ve stuck at it because we believe it’s the right thing and today is a really pleasing milestone. People can see and touch the trucks and know they are real.

“Each hydrogen truck on the road is the equivalent of taking 150 cars off the road, so it’s a big impact.”

TR Group General Manager Brendan King provided New Zealand Truck & Driver with further timeline details for the programme.

In regard to the four Hyundai XCIENTs, King says; “There’s one here today, completed and registered and ready to roll. The other three are in-country and are being converted to right-hand-drive.”

The first GBV truck is completed and there are several others in build.

“Global Bus Ventures will have the rest of the trucks on the road by year end. They will start coming out progressively over the next few months,” King says.

King says Global Bus Ventures had stepped up when the original agreement with Hyzon began to falter.

“The one that’s here today we already had in build at Global Bus Ventures. It was project we had going to support them as an extra truck and now it’s come in as part of the main project.”

King says not all of the 20 trucks have customers signed up and there’s been some change among the original companies to sign up to the project in 2021.

“We are still in the process of finalising all the arrangements with the

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Hydrogen in transport

retrofitted with a zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell conversion by GBV. The truck’s energy comes from two Toyota 85kW fuel cells (170kW total), a 124kWh battery system, and 52kg of onboard hydrogen storage in 350-bar tanks, providing 450-500km of driving range.

Power is delivered by a 350kW/2400Nm electric motor paired with a 6-speed gearbox.

GBV has been producing heavy vehicles for over 50 years and is renowned for its electric heavy vehicle innovation. GBV introduced New Zealand’s first hydrogen heavy vehicle, the Auckland Transport hydrogen bus, and more recently has designed the hydrogen-electric power systems for the America’s Cup chase boats.

Toyota is a key partner in the project through the supply of its Gen 2 fuel cell system.

Tatsuya Ishikawa, CEO, Toyota New Zealand says that Toyota’s ongoing work with hydrogen technology in New Zealand aligns with its global commitment to carbon neutrality.

“From heavy-duty commercial vehicles and motorsports to hydrogen-powered marine vessels and off-grid generators, Toyota is demonstrating that hydrogen is more than just a fuel – it’s a key part of

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various customers. There are still opportunities for sure.”

There are multiple roles for the trucks among the confirmed customers for the GBV produced units.

“There’s a bit of a mix. There’s container cartage, cement cartage, general freight and some food transport,” says King.

“It’s obviously restricted by the location of fuel stations initially, but that will change over time.”

There’s also some early planning for other truck configurations “We are keen to do an 8x4 rigid at some point. We’d have to work out how that happens but we’re keen to find a customer for that,” King says.

The Hampton Down track experiences included the GBV 6x4 tractor pulling a four-axle curtainsider and a 6x2 Hyundai XCIENT curtainsider (truck only) along with the dual fuel Metro-Liner from the Allied Concrete fleet and a dual fuel DAF CF tractor unit.

Fuel cell trucks offer a practical zero-emissions solution for heavy freight transport and can operate with conventional trailers and loads.

Hydrogen has comparable refuelling times with diesel and will align with normal operator driving hours and schedules.

The 50-tonne GBV hydrogen prime mover is based on the DAF CF 530,

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Hydrogen in transport

From left: Hydrogen storage tanks behind the cab on the GBV tractor unit... Two Toyota sourced fuel cells generate the electricity to drive the GBV truck...Toyota providing an explanation of the fuel cell technology. the clean energy future,” Ishikawa says.

“We continue to invest and collaborate with others in the hydrogen sector in order to help build a robust hydrogen ecosystem that will benefit both businesses and communities across the country.

“TR Group has significant scale within the New Zealand trucking industry, and we expect our partnership with them and GBV will see a substantial increase in the number of hydrogenpowered freight vehicles on Kiwi roads.”

There was also significant interest being shown in the dual-fuel trucks and technology displays at Hampton Downs.

The CH2NGE technology displaces between 15-50% of the diesel consumed in a combustion engine with gaseous hydrogen.

The amount of displacement results in a

corresponding direct reduction in CO2 emissions and delivers other benefits including lower NOx tailpipe emissions, reduced AdBlue usage and the elimination of range anxiety because the engine will operate solely on diesel when hydrogen isn’t available.

The hydrogen is stored in 350-bar onboard tanks very similar to a fuel cell truck, although in some applications such as the concrete mixers – which return to a refuelling point on a regular basis – the tanks can be significantly smaller are more easily integrated with the truck.

Diesel engines require minimal modification to run on dual-fuel and deliver the same level of performance. The hydrogen is mixed with diesel in the intake manifold via a custom injector.

Diesel acts as a pilot fuel, auto igniting and cocombusting with hydrogen.

Komatsu explores hydrogen engines KOMATSU HAS STARTED PROOF-OF-CONCEPT TESTING IN JAPAN for an HD785 large dump truck powered by a hydrogen combustion engine.

The project is the world’s first attempt to equip a large dump truck with a hydrogen combustion engine. The testing aims to accumulate knowledge on hydrogen engine utilisation, laying the foundation for future development of hydrogen-powered construction and mining equipment.

The concept is equipped with a hydrogen combustion engine and hydrogen tank system, which are co-developed by Komatsu and KEYOU GmbH, a German startup company, which specialises in the development and implementation of hydrogen engines for large trucks.

Komatsu’s HD785 dump truck has a maximum payload of 91.7t and the concept unit has the hydrogen tank mounted on a platform beside the operator’s cab to maximise hydrogen storage capacity.

Additionally, to ensure clear visibility for the operator, cameras

and monitors have been newly installed both inside and outside the cab. The proof-of-concept tests will focus on evaluating driving performance, continuous operating hours, fuel efficiency, and verifying safety measures related to high-pressure hydrogen gas usage.

Compared to batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, the use of hydrogen combustion engines in construction and mining equipment has the advantage of a relatively lower cost, because the power-train components of existing diesel-powered machines can be used without replacement.

With virtually zero CO2 emissions, some mining customers have expressed interest in adopting hydrogen engines as one of the options to achieve carbon neutrality at their sites. While there are challenges such as safety management and infrastructure for hydrogen supply, Komatsu will work to address these issues in collaboration with industry associations and other related stakeholders.

Under its mid-term management plan, Komatsu has set the goal of reducing CO2 emissions by 50% from its products and production operations, each by 2030 (compared to 2010 levels), with the challenging target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

To date, the company has introduced hydraulic excavators, tethered electric hydraulic excavators, and small and medium-sized batterypowered hydraulic excavators to the market. Komatsu is also working on various environmentally responsive technologies, including the utilisation of carbon-neutral fuels, the development of power supply systems for battery-equipped construction equipment, proof-ofconcept tests for hydrogen fuel cell-powered excavator, and the development of a power agnostic truck.

The Komatsu HD785 is a test bed for hydrogen combustion engine technology.

78 | Truck & Driver

The H2-ICE demonstration vehicle developed by the Southwest Research Institute and collaborating companies.

New research into hydrogen combustion

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THE TEXAS-BASED SOUTHWEST Research Institute (SwRI) has launched the second phase of its industry-supported Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine consortium, H2-ICE2.

In 2024, the H2-ICE consortium completed construction of a Class 8, heavy-duty hydrogen-powered vehicle, following 18 months of targeted development.

The demonstration vehicle achieves ultra-low nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide emissions without sacrificing commercial viability. The consortium’s next iteration — “H2-ICE2” — will build on its prior success by enhancing and refining the vehicle’s overall performance and efficiency.

The H2-ICE2 project gathers transportation industry leaders to advance sustainable mobility through innovative hydrogen engine technology. The consortium will continue to prove the potential for H2-ICE vehicles to complement other zero-emission vehicle technologies while supporting engine and truck manufacturers, Tier 1 suppliers, and providers of fuels and lubricants with a realistic roadmap to decarbonisation.

“We have been developing internal combustion engines for more than 100 years.

H2-ICE is a particularly attractive solution because industry can leverage the production lines and component suppliers that are already in place worldwide to manufacture trucks,” says Daniel Stewart, vice president of SwRI’s Powertrain Engineering Division.

“H2-ICE is a viable, zero-emission solution that is available today.”

In 2024, SwRI’s H2-ICE truck toured the country, sharing with the long-haul trucking industry an alternative heavy-duty vehicle option that produces zero greenhouse gas emissions without sacrificing performance.

After it launches, H2-ICE2 will spend the next two years refining the demonstration vehicle’s overall performance and efficiency with enhanced testing and systems refinement.

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The hydrogen fuel cell Mercedes-Benz GenH2 prototypes have been working in Switzerland at up to 2000m altitude.

High altitude hydogen testing DAIMLER TRUCK’S DEVELOPMENT TEAM HAS BUILT up first prototypes of Mercedes-Benz’ next generation hydrogen fuel cell trucks and has recently put them through their paces in a first series of demanding tests in Switzerland.

Two vehicles of the next development stage of the Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck underwent intensive winter testing at the Simplon Pass in the Swiss Canton of Valais.

The tough conditions in the cold and snow, as well as challenging gradient profiles in the region provided excellent conditions for testing the innovative technology under the hood of the liquid hydrogen-powered vehicles and allowed the team to gain valuable insights under realistic extreme conditions.

“For the further development of our Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck, we are seamlessly building on the experiences of the first prototype generation and are therefore able to test the improved technology under extreme conditions right from the outset,” says Dr. Rainer Müller-Finkeldei, Head of Mercedes-Benz Trucks Product Engineering.

“With a maximum elevation of more than 2,000 metres above sea level and a climb from 600 metres, the route over the Simplon Pass provided good conditions for testing the interplay of the fuel cell system with other enhanced components.

Mercedes-Benz engineers monitoring the performance of the GenH2 prototype.

80 | Truck & Driver

“The successful tests have underlined the potential and reliability of the GenH2 Trucks, even under demanding conditions.”

During testing, the interaction of all essential components was tested intensively, including the fuel cell, the high-voltage battery, the e-axle, the tank system, and thermal management.

A particular focus was on the use of the Predictive Powertrain Controls system, the topography-dependent cruise control. The objective was to use the battery in combination with the fuel cell efficiently, both with regard to propulsion as well as for recuperation when driving downhill.

There were two hydrogen trucks deployed in the test programme, working with a gross vehicle weight of up to 40 tons during a period of 14 days. They covered a total of 6,500km and crossed mountain roads with an accumulated climb of 83,000m.

Particularly challenging were the approx. 20km-long up- and downhill stretches with gradients between 10-12%, comprising a total distance of 1,600km.

For the test programme the fuel cell trucks were refuelled via a mobile hydrogen refuelling station from Air Products, which was set up at the test base in Valais.

Larger scale fuel-cell truck tests are being prepared and the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) and the federal states of Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate have approved funding totalling € 226 million for Daimler Truck. The funding is intended for the development, small-scale production and customer deployment (operation and maintenance) of 100 fuel cell trucks.

The funding project, created within the framework of the European Union’s IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) Hydrogen programme, covers both vehicle and production-related activities. In addition to the development and build-up of the vehicles, the funding will also be used for feasibility studies with regard to the hydrogen value chain as well as investments in required production facilities and processes in preparation for planned series production.

Final assembly of the next generation fuel cell trucks is set to take place at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Wörth and the trucks are expected to go into operation at various customers from the end of 2026 onwards.

FEATURE

Southpac Truckers and Loggers 2025 THREE VERY FAVOURABLE DAYS OF LATEsummer weather in the Bay of Islands made sure the 23rd annual Southpac Truckers & Loggers fishing tournament was an enjoyable weekend, on, and off the water.

There were 43 teams registered for the 2025 event with the quest for game fish – mainly Marlin, Broadbill and Tuna as well as Snapper and Kingfish – getting started on Thursday March 20.

Although the conditions on the water were great, the fishing was slow – as it has been for most of the season along the northern east coast of New Zealand.

The team aboard Diesel were busy on the morning of Day One and managed to measure and release four decent Kingfish which had them on the points board. A 74cm Snapper also came in for angler Ryan Wood on Come Get Some.

The fishing was tough for most until Rowan “Rodhog” White came across the radio that they were hooked up on a double. Over an hour went by before the Diesel crew came across the radio to confirm they had managed to tag and release one of the doubles on 15kg line for angler Mack Peach adding another 800 points to their total. Diesel were the day

one leaders with 1200 points.

Defiance managed to beat the fleet out on day two and it paid off for angler Greg Haliday as he made short work of tagging and releasing a striped marlin on 15kg line, putting them into second place. The rest of the day was quiet for most until local boat Five Knots Faster called in ‘hooked up’.

Angler Ben Laurie also managed to get his fish to the boat rather quickly and tagged and released a striped marlin on 24kg achieving 650 points and putting his team into third position.

Another capture worth mentioning was a very nice Yellowfin Tuna caught by the team aboard Limited Exess weighing in at 56.3kg.

Day Three (Saturday) started off slowly, however by mid-morning Tincan were hooked up and managed to tag and release a Striped Marlin for angler Chris Beady.

It wasn’t long after that when angler Nathan Wooles managed to hook up to another Marlin on 24kg line for the Tincan team, taking their total points to 1300.

Another notable catch for day three was a 34.6kg Yellowfin caught by angler Jermey Innes aboard El Picaro, taking out second heaviest Tuna.

At night the Whangaroa Harbour was the

anchorage of choice for many of the crews with several parties taking place and a few boats rafting up for a get together.

Truckers and Loggers has always been a very social tournament, and this year was no different with so many regulars attending, including several who have attended every tournament.

A 56.3kg Yellowfin for angler Kayne Millar secured the Tuna prize.

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Above: Tincan, winning team most Gamefish Points, pictured with Maarten Durent from Southpac Trucks.

Above right: Matt Farmer, team Omen, Heaviest Snapper, 9.7kg pictured with Glenn Heybourn from Patchell Group.

The event is a great opportunity to meet up with transport operators, log transport and harvesters from all over New Zealand and there is plenty of networking alongside the friendly competition.

As usual the prize table was impressively stacked with a range of Shimano fishing rods, reels, fishing tackle and equipment,

plus Makita power tools from Bay of Islands ITM, Weber barbeques and television sets from Barrell’s 100%, and Icey-Tek products from Cater Marine. In total over $70,000 worth of prizes were handed out this year.

This is all made possible by the event sponsors, notably Southpac Trucks as naming rights sponsors and backed up by

Cummins, Iveco, Castrol, Patchell Group, SI Lodec, K&L Distributors, NZ Truck & Driver magazine and NZ Logger magazine.

The overall winning team aboard Diesel caught one Marlin on 15kg line and ended up with five measured and released kingfish bringing their total points to 1336.

Tincan managed to get their two fish on day

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Above left: Andrew (Undies) Campbell, Diesel Longest Kingfish, 112cm pictured with Jade Whiteman Cummins NZ. Above centre: Darren Bowling, Alive and Kicking, 117.6kg Broadbill pictured with Shaun Morse from SI Lodec.

Above right: Mack Peach, Diesel, First tag & released Billfish, pictured with Tim Finlay from Southpac Trucks.

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Above: Diesel, winning M&R team, pictured with Maarten Durent from Southpac Trucks.

Below: Some of the $70,000 worth of prizes ready to be distributed at the Saturday night function. three, boosting their total to 1300 points and securing team most points for gamefish.

The heaviest Snapper prize went to Matt Farmer from team Omen with a 9.7kg Snapper and for the Measure and Release section longest went to Mark Gurr with an 84cm Snapper.

In the Kingfish section heaviest went to Tim Finlay aboard Ata Rangi with a 17.6kg kingie. In the Measure and Release section first went to Andrew `Undies’ Campbell on Diesel with a 112cm fish.

The 56.3kg Yellowfin landed on day two by angler Kayne Millar secured the Tuna prize.

Prizegiving was the usual party with a great turnout and a host of lucky prize draws including 50w Shimano reels, IceyTek chilly bins, a 55-inch television and Weber barbeque.

There is also a tournament Jackpot prize that was won by the top team Super Freight aboard Diesel.

Thanks must go to all our sponsors 84 | Truck & Driver

including, Southpac Trucks, Cummins, K&L Distributors, Iveco, Castrol, Patchells, SI Lodec, NZ Truck & Driver and NZ Logger.

The provisional dates for the 2026 tournament will be March 25-28. Mark your calendars and see you there.

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The Canterbury township of Sheffield is home to a new Isuzu CYJ 530 8x4 which has joined the fleet at Hawkins River Transport. Moff Molloy is driving the 530hp Isuzu with an 18-speed Roadranger around the wider Canterbury region on bulk cartage work. The Isuzu is towing a 2022 Cowan 5-axle tip trailer. Sold by Hamish MacPherson at Blackwell’s Isuzu.

Market slow during Q1 THE NEW TRUCK AND TRAILER REGISTRATION DATA for March confirms a slow first quarter of sales activity for the New Zealand market.

The overall market figures for March show a very similar trend to February 2025 with numbers continuing to trend well down on the first quarter of last year.

Total new truck registrations (4.5t GVM and above) for Q1 of 2025 are 917 units, which is 38% down on the 1480 registrations in the same period last year. The monthly figure for March 2025 of 307 units is a decrease of 42.8% on 537 registrations in March 2024.

The trailer market is performing much the same, with the YTD registration total of 259 units being a 36.7% decrease on 408 for Q1 in 2024.

And 90 new trailer registrations for March is down 29% from last year’s monthly total of 128.

Isuzu still sits in the number one spot in the truck market with 156 sales YTD, although at the same time last year Isuzu had sold 300 units. Hino is performing strongly to hold second position with 133 registrations, which is actually an increase from 131 sales in the same period last year and brings a move up from fourth ranking in Q1 of 2024.

Behind Isuzu and Hino in the 4.5t to maximum GVM truck market, the March figures now show Fuso (131/52) still ahead of Scania (110/35), Kenworth (65/18), Iveco (62/18), DAF (38/12), and Mercedes-Benz (36/10) all retaining their positions month on month while UD (29/5) and Foton (29/11) are now tied for tenth position.

In the 3.5-4.5t crossover segment, LDV (78/28) holds the top spot ahead of Fiat (62/14), Mercedes-Benz (35/9), Ford (21/7), Volkswagen

(20/9), Renault (7/2) and Iveco (6/3).

Isuzu (60/20) is the clear leader in the 4.5-7.5t market segment ahead of Fuso (38/15), Iveco (36/10), Hino (21/8), Foton (20/6), Mercedes-Benz (19/6) and Volkswagen (18/5).

The 7.5-15t segment is also led by Isuzu (56/25) ahead of Hino (48/10), Fuso (45/13), Iveco (11/3) and Foton (9/5).

In the small 15-20.5t category Hino (16/4) is the leader followed by Fuso (8/6), UD (4/2) and Iveco (1/0).

In the ever-shrinking 20.5-23t segment were no registrations in the month of March.

Scania registered 35 new units in the premium 23t-to-maximum GVM category during March to lift its Q1 total to 107 registrations YTD. While it’s well below last year’s 168 registrations in the same period, Scania’s share of the segment has grown to 23.4% (up from 21.9% in Q1 of 2024).

Kenworth (65/18) ranks second and Volvo (50/20) is third. Hino (44/20) moves into fourth ahead of Japanese rivals Isuzu (40/13), and Fuso (39/18) followed by DAF (38/12). UD (24/3) remains in eighth ahead of MercedesBenz (14/4) and Iveco (14/5) who are tied in ninth to round out the top-10 in the premium category.

Fruehauf (40/14) continues to hold the top spot in the trailer market, slightly down on last year’s 48 registrations for Q1.

Patchell (24/13) had a good month with 13 registrations in March, moving back into second position. Transport Trailers (23/8) moves into third ahead of Domett (20/7) and Roadmaster (15/6). TES (11/4) moves up to sixth ahead of TMC (10/1) and Transfleet (10/4) now tied in seventh ahead of M.T.E (9/2) and Jackson Enterprises (8/4) to round out the top-10.

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4501kg-max GVM Brand ISUZU HINO FUSO SCANIA KENWORTH IVECO VOLVO DAF MERCEDES-BENZ UD FOTON VOLKSWAGEN HYUNDAI FIAT SINOTRUK JAC FREIGHTLINER MACK INTERNATIONAL SHACMAN MAN SANY FAW OTHER Total

Vol 156 133 131 110 65 62 50 38 36 29 29 18 16 8 7 5 5 4 4 4 2 1 1 3 917

2025

% 17.0 14.5 14.3 12.0 7.1 6.8 5.5 4.1 3.9 3.2 3.2 2.0 1.7 0.9 0.8 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.3 100

3501-4500kg GVM Brand LDV FIAT MERCEDES-BENZ FORD VOLKSWAGEN RENAULT IVECO RAM PEUGEOT Total

Vol 78 62 35 21 20 7 6 4 1 234

2025

% 33.3 26.5 15.0 9.0 8.5 3.0 2.6 1.7 0.4 100

4501-7500kg GVM Brand ISUZU FUSO IVECO HINO FOTON MERCEDES-BENZ VOLKSWAGEN FIAT HYUNDAI JAC RAM Total 88 | Truck & Driver

Vol 60 38 36 21 20 19 18 8 8 5 3 236

2025

% 25.4 16.1 15.3 8.9 8.5 8.1 7.6 3.4 3.4 2.1 1.3 100.0

March Vol % 18.9 58 42 13.7 52 16.9 35 11.4 5.9 18 18 5.9 6.5 20 12 3.9 10 3.3 5 1.6 11 3.6 1.6 5 1.6 5 0.3 1 1.0 3 0.7 2 0.7 2 0.3 1 0.7 2 0.7 2 0.7 2 0.0 0 0.3 1 0.0 0 100 307

March Vol % 28 37.8 14 18.9 9 12.2 7 9.5 9 12.2 2 2.7 3 4.1 2 2.7 0 0.0 74 100

March Vol % 20 26.3 15 19.7 10 13.2 8 10.5 6 7.9 6 7.9 5 6.6 1 1.3 3 3.9 2 2.6 0 0.0 76 100

23,001kg-max GVM

G&P Haulage from Porirua now has a sixth Iveco S-Way in its fleet. The latest 570hp 8x4 prime mover is set-up with a Jost sliding fifth wheel, Rhino guards, stone guard, custom paint work, LED light bars and marker lights, polished alloy wheels and chrome hub covers.

7501-15,000kg GVM Brand ISUZU HINO FUSO IVECO FOTON HYUNDAI MERCEDES-BENZ SHACMAN SCANIA UD Total

Vol 56 48 45 11 9 7 3 3 1 1 184

2025

% 30.4 26.1 24.5 6.0 4.9 3.8 1.6 1.6 0.5 0.5 100

March Vol % 25 43.1 17.2 10 13 22.4 3 5.2 5 8.6 1 1.7 0 0.0 1 1.7 0 0.0 0.0 0 58 100

15,001-20,500kg GVM Brand HINO FUSO UD IVECO SCANIA FREIGHTLINER MAN SHACMAN Total

Vol 16 8 4 1 1 1 1 1 33

2025

% 48.5 24.2 12.1 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0 100

March Vol % 4 28.6 6 42.9 2 14.3 0 0.0 0 0.0 0.0 0 1 7.1 1 7.1 100 14

20,501-23,000kg GVM Brand HINO FUSO SCANIA Total

Vol 4 1 1 6

2025

% 66.7 16.7 16.7 100

March Vol % 0 #DIV/0!

0 #DIV/0!

0 #DIV/0!

0 #DIV/0!

Brand SCANIA KENWORTH VOLVO HINO ISUZU FUSO DAF UD MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO SINOTRUK MACK FREIGHTLINER INTERNATIONAL SANY FAW MAN HYUNDAI Total

Vol 107 65 50 44 40 39 38 24 14 14 7 4 4 4 1 1 1 1 458

2025

% 23.4 14.2 10.9 9.6 8.7 8.5 8.3 5.2 3.1 3.1 1.5 0.9 0.9 0.9 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 100

Trailers Brand Vol FRUEHAUF 40 PATCHELL 24 TRANSPORT TRAILERS 23 20 DOMETT ROADMASTER 15 TES 11 TMC 10 TRANSFLEET 10 M.T.E. 9 8 JACKSON LOWES 7 CWS 6 KRAFT 6 TANKER 5 FAIRFAX 5 TRT 4 SEC 4 MD ENGINEERING 4 MILLS TUI 4 STEELBRO 3 TEO 3 MTC EQUIPMENT 3 LUSK 3 WARREN 2 EVANS 2 LILLEY 2 HAMMAR 1 1 HTS OTHER 24 Total 259

2025

% 15.4 9.3 8.9 7.7 5.8 4.2 3.9 3.9 3.5 3.1 2.7 2.3 2.3 1.9 1.9 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.0 1.2 1.2 1.2 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.4 0.4 9.3 100

March Vol % 35 22.0 18 11.3 20 12.6 20 12.6 8.2 13 18 11.3 12 7.5 3 1.9 4 2.5 3.1 5 3 1.9 0.6 1 2 1.3 2 1.3 0 0.0 0.6 1 0.6 1 1 0.6 159 100

March Vol % 14 15.6 13 14.4 8 8.9 7.8 7 6 6.7 4 4.4 1 1.1 4 4.4 2 2.2 4.4 4 1 1.1 1 1.1 2.2 2 2 2.2 1 1.1 1 1.1 1 1.1 1 1.1 3 3.3 1 1.1 1 1.1 1 1.1 1 1.1 0.0 0 0 0.0 2 2.2 0.0 0 0 0.0 8 8.9 90 100

A new Kenworth T610 SAR has joined the Ray Brown Cartage Contractors fleet in Christchurch. A 575hp Cummins X15 is matched to an 18-speed RTLO20918B gearbox with the truck riding on Airglide 460 rear suspension which is slung under Meritor MT21-165GP rear axles with front and rear diff locks. To put the power to the ground it is fitted with a full set of Michelin tyres on Dura-bright rims. The custom-built Adams and Currie steel bin is designed for precision spreading and to hold hot mix bins for feeding road pavers. This truck also tows a new MTC 4-axle tipping trailer. Cody Brown – son of manager Trevor Brown and grandson of founder Ray Brown – is driving the new T610 SAR.

The first FAW JH6 to go to work in New Zealand is a 6x4 tractor unit joining the KAM Transport fleet at its Hamilton depot. Scott Gardiner is driving the FAW which is on a refrigerated produce run between Auckland and the Waikato with a quad-axle semi. The FAW 13-litre engine produces 550hp and 1917 lb-ft of torque paired to a ZF TraXon 12-speed AMT with 4-stage intarder. Features include an airkit, fridge, and double bunk sleeper cab. Sold by Hugh Green at Intertruck Distributors.

A new Mercedes-Benz Arocs in 2646K/39 spec was recently handed over to Te Anau Earthworks. Justin Remnant is driving the 6x4 tipper with high ground clearance spring suspension on civil construction jobs across Southland. The OM470 engine develops 460hp and 2200Nm of torque working with to a 12-speed G230 transmission. The Arocs is fitted with a Hardox body built by SEC Invercargill featuring a 6mm floor and 5mm walls to handle the tough Fiordland rocks. Sold by Tristan Duffell.

Truck & Driver | 89

Wayne and Janine Kenworthy (Kenworthy Transport Services) from Christchurch have this new Kenworth K220 8x4 working as a tractor unit contracted to Cooltranz. The K220 with 2.8m sleeper towing a super quad reefer works between Christchurch and Palmerston North with a 615hp Cummins X15 and 18-speed RTLO20918B Roadranger. The fit out has been a collaboration between the Southpac New Truck Prep Workshop and HDPS Engineering in Christchurch. A black grill and stainless grill bars have been fitted with a set of slimline high-intensity LED spotlights in the front while the back deck plates have all been painted, sign written, and 3M wrapped to make for a very clean and tidy finish. Subtle details like painted window chops and stainless wrapped tanks finish off this very well-presented truck.

A new Hino 700 FY 3248 10x4 crane truck for Absolute Concrete at Kaiwaka is carting concrete water tanks and precast concrete products in the Northland region. The 480hp Euro 6 engine is teamed with an 16-speed TraXon AMT, and the 700 Series has rear air suspension, and inter-axle differential with cross locks, Jake brake and transmission intarder. The Hino is fitted with New Zealand’s first Palfinger PK580 TEC specifically for concrete water tank work. The PK580 TEC has a short reach C boom for heavy lifts and is rated at 12,200kg at 4.3m reach and 4,300kg at 11.9m.

90 | Truck & Driver

A new Kenworth K200 8x4 Rigid 2.3m Aerodyne has joined the ALTRANZ (2008) fleet at Frankton. Powered by a 600.615hp Cummins X15 with 2050 lb-ft of torque, the K200 has an Eaton Fuller RTLO20918B manual transmission with Easy Pedal Advantage3 clutch, Meritor front and rear axles with drum brakes, MT21165GP rear axles with dual diff locks and inter-axle diff lock. The front suspension is a 3-leaf load share layout with Airglide 460 rear suspension. Extras include a Kentweld Fatboy bumper, Brolube auto greasing, stainless drop visor, stainless panels under the doors and steps with LED lighting, slimline side skirts with rear facing LED lighting, and air intakes painted in cab colour with Eagle air rams. The cab features charcoal trim with Sandstone hard trim interior, left and right side sleeper doors, fridge, microwave and TV. MTE Hamilton manufactured the deck and 5-axle widening low loader trailer. Cab and tank painting by Fleet Image Hamilton and Truck Signs Mount Maunganui completed the signage and paint protection.

The distinctive colours of Andy Smith Livestock now appear on a new factory ordered DAF CF Space Cab working as a 9-axle unit. The CF has a 510hp PACCAR MX-13 with 1920 lbft of torque, a 16-speed TraXon AMT, and full X-lock rear axles.

Features include a fridge, heated driver’s seat and LED light bar.

Driver Brad Wilson is carting livestock North Island wide.

Sold by Adam McIntosh and handed over by DAF Regional Sales Manager Micheal De Boer while on a New Zealand visit.

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Truck & Driver | 91

The first new Kenworth livestock unit for Morrinsville-based Kintail Transport is a K220 Aerodyne factory ordered to owner Ken Walker’s exact spec. Powered by a 600.615hp Cummins with 2050 lb-ft of torque, the 8x4 has an Eaton RTLO 20918B manual 18-speed transmission, load share front suspension, Hendrickson Primax rear suspension, disc brakes and Dura-bright alloys.

Features include custom Southpac slim-line air intakes with Eagle air rams, two rows of roof maker lights, stainless step infills and head light covers plus custom side skirts with illuminated stainless trim. The cab boasts a fridge and 24-inch Smart TV. Driver Antony Rhind started driving in 1983 at Whitikahu Transport, and has recently returned to the driver’s seat after a 25-year sabbatical dairy farming. Sold by Adam McIntosh.

A new Kenworth K220 livestock unit which has just gone on the road is part of the 50 Years celebrations for Philip Wareing Ltd. The 8x4 with a 600hp Cummins X15 has an 18-speed Roadranger, and Meritor 46-160 rear end. It’s being driven by Corry McLean based out of Methven and was sold by Mike Gillespie.

92 | Truck & Driver

The second new DAF for Robinson’s Nursery in Masterton is a 410hp CF 6x2 Day Cab (with roof kit) delivering plants around the North Island.

Power comes from a Euro 6 PACCAR MX-11 with 410hp driving to a 12-speed TraXon AMT, SR1364 rear axle with tag axle, air suspension, and disc brakes. Dura-bright alloys are shod with 275/70 tyres and features include green LED backlighting to grill panels and behind the cab roof kit along with extra LED driving lights and marker lights. Astrolite Motorbodies from Masterton built the bodywork and tail lift. Sold by Mark O’Hara.

Galbraith Transport of Hawke’s Bay has this new International RH-T6-BT based at its Tutira depot and being driven by Graeme McClinchie. The 6x4 tipper is carting aggregate powered by a 615hp Cummins X15 with 2050 lb-ft of torque paired with an RTLO 20918B Roadranger and Meritor 46,000lb rear end. Features include twin exhausts, Ali-Arc bumper, Premium trim package, bug deflector, stainless DEF tank cover and LED beacon.

Mark Miers (Miers Agricultural Contractors) from Reporoa has a new Scania R 660 B8x4HA for dropsider work. The 16-litre DC16 with 660hp teams up with an Opticruise G33CM 14-speed AMT with 4700D retarder, RB735 hub reduction rear end and straight axles with spring suspension front axles and rear air suspension.

Disc brakes are fitted with ABS/EBS and the R 660 has CTI, Dura-bright alloys, toolboxes, and custom lights by Buckton Auto Electrical. The unit is completed with a refurbished Damon Collins tipping deck and a refurb 4-axle trailer with cab paint and signs by Haddock Spray Painters Whakatane . Sold by Callan Short.

Truck & Driver | 93

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WHEEL SEALS WHEEL WHEEL WHEELSEALS SEALS SEALS Four outside diameter seal points to ensure Four Four outside Four outside outside diameter diameter diameter sealseal points seal points points to ensure to ensure to ensure Four outside diameter seal points to ensure Unique multi-zone labyrinth design provides the best protection andlabyrinth thedesign lowest friction Unique Unique Unique multi-zone multi-zone multi-zone labyrinth labyrinth design design provides provides provides multi-zone design provides theUnique the best the best protection best protection protection andlabyrinth and the and the lowest the lowest lowest friction friction friction the best protection and the lowest friction

Roadranger Rebuilt and or Factory New + Spicer Clutch to suit – $POA Rubber front face protects from brake heat Rubber Rubber Rubber front front face front face protects face protects protects from from brake from brake brake heat heat heat Rubber front face protects from brake heat reduces run-in period, reduces required torque andreduces keeps the seal cool from therequired outset reduces reduces run-in run-in run-in period, period, period, reduces reduces reduces required required torque torque torque run-in period, reduces required torque andreduces and keeps and keeps keeps the the seal the seal cool seal cool from cool from the from the outset the outset outset and the seal cool from theprevents outset Largekeeps crumple zone/safety gap internal damage Large Large Large crumple crumple crumple zone/safety zone/safety zone/safety gapgap prevents gap prevents prevents Large crumple zone/safety gap prevents internal internal damage damage damage 2ND HAND internal internal damage Wide inside diameter with three rubber-ribbed points toinside ensure proper sealing capability Rebuilt Wide Wide inside Wide inside diameter diameter diameter with with three with three rubber-ribbed three rubber-ribbed rubber-ribbed Wide diameter with three rubber-ribbed points points toinside ensure to ensure to ensure proper proper proper sealing sealing sealing capability capability capability Rebuilt points points to ensure proper sealing capability

Core Change may apply RTLO14918 RTLO16919 RTLO18918 RTLO20918

Rebuilt RTLO18918AS3 FO-18E318BMXP Rebuilt FO-20E318BMSP Rebuilt Factory New & RebuiltSEAL RANGE MERITOR WHEEL MERITOR MERITOR MERITOR WHEEL WHEEL WHEEL SEAL SEAL RANGE RANGE RANGE RTLO22918 WHEEL RebuiltSEAL MERITOR SEAL RANGE SKF Part No. INDUSTRY CODE E-BARRIER RTLO18918AS3 Rebuilt CLASSIC SKF SKF SKF Part Part No. Part No.No. INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY CODE CODE CODEE-BARRIER E-BARRIER E-BARRIER Part No. INDUSTRY CODE E-BARRIER

MER0113 MER0113 MER0113 MER0113 MER0113 MER0123 MER0123 MER0123 MER0123 MER0123 MER0136 MER0136 MER0136 MER0136 MER0136 MER0143 MER0143 MER0143 MER0143 MER0143 MER0164 MER0164 MER0164 MER0164 MER0164 MER0173 MER0173 MER0173 MER0173 MER0173

40136 40136 40136 40136 40136 42623 42623 42623 42623 42623 35066 35066 35066 35066 35066 46305 46305 46305 46305 46305 43764 43764 43764 43764 43764 47697 47697 47697 47697 47697

708 708708708 708 701 701701701 701 704 704704704 704 702 702702702 702 705 705705705 705 709 709709709 709

MER0213 MER0213 MER0213 MER0213 MER0213 MER0223 MER0223 MER0223 MER0223 MER0223 MER0236 MER0236 MER0236 MER0236 MER0236 MER0264 MER0264 MER0264 MER0264 MER0264 MER0273 MER0273 MER0273 MER0273 MER0273

40129 40129 40129 40129 40129 42627 42627 42627 42627 42627 35058 35058 35058 35058 35058 43761 43761 43761 43761 43761 47692 47692 47692 47692 47692

808 808808808 808 801 801801801 801 804 804804804 804 805 805805805 805 809 809809809 809

Part No. INDUSTRY CODE E-BARRIER Part Part No. Part No.No. INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY CODE CODE CODEE-BARRIER E-BARRIER E-BARRIER Part No. INDUSTRY CODE E-BARRIER

EASY-FIT & TOUGH DESIGN FOR SUPERIOR EASY-FIT EASY-FIT EASY-FIT && &TOUGH TOUGH DESIGN DESIGN DESIGN FOR FOR FOR SUPERIOR SUPERIOR SUPERIOR PROTECTION & OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE. EASY-FIT &TOUGH TOUGH DESIGN FOR SUPERIOR PROTECTION PROTECTION PROTECTION & & OPTIMUM & OPTIMUM OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE. PERFORMANCE. PERFORMANCE. PROTECTION & OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE.

STEMCO NATIONAL 37 VOYAGER STEMCO STEMCO STEMCO NATIONAL NATIONAL NATIONAL 37 37 37 SKF STEMCO CLASSIC CLASSIC CLASSIC VOYAGER VOYAGER VOYAGER NATIONAL 37 CLASSIC VOYAGER 40136 370036A 373-0113 40136 40136 40136 40136 42623 42623 42623 42623 42623 35066 35066 35066 35066 35066 46305 46305 46305 46305 46305 437643 437643 437643 437643 437643 47697 47697 47697 47697 47697 SKF

370036A 370036A 370036A 370036A 370065A 370065A 370065A 370065A 370065A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370025A 370025A 370025A 370025A 370025A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370048A 370003A 370003A 370003A 370003A 370003A NATIONAL

373-0113 373-0113 373-0113 373-0113 373-0123 373-0123 373-0123 373-0123 373-0123 383-0136 383-0136 383-0136 383-0136 383-0136 373-0143 373-0143 373-0143 373-0143 373-0143 383-0164 383-0164 383-0164 383-0164 383-0164 393-0173 393-0173 393-0173 393-0173 393-0173 STEMCO

APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION

TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - STANDARD - STANDARD - STANDARD FORGE, FORGE, FORGE, DANA DANA DANA TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA TRAILER - FRUEHAUF PROPAR TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - FRUEHAUF - FRUEHAUF - FRUEHAUF PROPAR PROPAR PROPAR TRAILER PROPAR STEER -- FRUEHAUF MERITOR, EATON STEER STEER STEER - MERITOR, - MERITOR, - MERITOR, EATON EATON EATON - MERITOR, EATON TRAILERSTEER - MERITOR GENERAL PURPOSE TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - MERITOR - MERITOR - MERITOR GENERAL GENERAL GENERAL PURPOSE PURPOSE PURPOSE TRAILER MERITOR GENERAL STEER - MERITOR FL941 -PURPOSE MFS STEER STEER STEER - MERITOR - MERITOR - MERITOR FL941 FL941 FL941 - MFS - MFS - MFS STEER - MERITOR FL941 - MFS DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE - MERITOR, - MERITOR, - MERITOR, DANA DANA DANA DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA

APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION APPLICATION

Factory New EATON FS-8309A Transmission – ONE ONLY. Needs to be moved, Priced to sell.

PLUS XL SKF SKF SKF SKF PLUS PLUS PLUS XLXLXL PLUS XL 40129 40129 40129 40129 40129 42627 42627 42627 42627 42627 35058 35058 35058 35058 35058 43761 43761 43761 43761 43761 47692 47692 47692 47692 47692

5NATIONAL STAR NATIONAL NATIONAL 5NATIONAL STAR 5 STAR 5 STAR 5 STAR 380036A 380036A 380036A 380036A 380036A 380065A 380065A 380065A 380065A 380065A 380001A 380001A 380001A 380001A 380001A 380048A 380048A 380048A 380048A 380048A 380003A 380003A 380003A 380003A 380003A

DISCOVER STEMCO STEMCO STEMCO STEMCO DISCOVER DISCOVER DISCOVER DISCOVER 373-0213

TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA 373-0213 373-0213 373-0213 TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - STANDARD - STANDARD - STANDARD FORGE, FORGE, FORGE, DANA DANA DANA 373-0213 TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA 373-0223 TRAILER - FRUEHAUF PROPAR 373-0223 373-0223 373-0223 TRAILER TRAILER TRAILER - FRUEHAUF - FRUEHAUF - FRUEHAUF PROPAR PROPAR PROPAR 373-0223 TRAILER PROPAR 383-0236 STEER -- FRUEHAUF MERITOR, EATON 383-0236 383-0236 383-0236 STEER STEER STEER - MERITOR, - MERITOR, - MERITOR, EATON EATON EATON 383-0236 STEER - MERITOR, EATON 383-0264 STEER - MERITOR FL941 - MFS 383-0264 383-0264 383-0264 STEER STEER STEER - MERITOR - MERITOR - MERITOR FL941 FL941 FL941 - MFS - MFS - MFS 383-0264 STEER - MERITOR FL941 -UNITISED MFS 393-0273 DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA, K-HITCH AXLE 393-0273 393-0273 393-0273 DRIVE DRIVE DRIVE - MERITOR, - MERITOR, - MERITOR, DANA, DANA, DANA, K-HITCH K-HITCH K-HITCH UNITISED UNITISED UNITISED AXLE AXLE AXLE 393-0273 DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA, K-HITCH UNITISED AXLE

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