NZ Truck & Driver April 2022

NZ TRUCK & DRIVER

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| April 2022

April 2022 $9.50 incl. GST

BIG TEST New in the mix | FLEET FOCUS Front of the queue | FEATURE: Superhub Sweet Spot

FLEET FOCUS Front of the queue

FEATURE

Superhub Sweet Spot

E H T IN W E N Issue 255

X I M

The Official Magazine of

ISSN 2703-6278

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CONTENTS Issue 255 – April 2022 4

24

41

44

News

The latest from the world of transport, including….

Hino investigates emissions testing misconduct; New Zealand’s latest battery electric truck trials; a South Island Scania that has set a world milestone; new premises for Penske in Tauranga; and an opening deadline at last for the new Transmission Gully section of State Highway 1.

after 40 years in the industry. And his son is an All Black, making him a special Southpac Legend.

64

Giti Tyres Big Test

China’s Shacman is the most recent addition to the line-up of truck brands sold in the New Zealand market. Last year Shacman focussed on the concrete mixer and tipper segments but has wider aspirations from 2022. This month we drive the Cummins powered X3000 8x4 concrete mixer.

Transporting New Zealand

The April update from Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand looks into a new report that questions the efficiency of rail freight and calls for more a greater focus on roading infrastructure.

73

81

Teletrac Navman Fleet Focus

Much more than a towing company, Parks Towing have been at work on Christchurch roads for fastapproaching 100 years. This month we visit this diverse transport operation that is a familiar sight with its orange and yellow trucks.

93

Mobile Brake Testing

80

New boss at HWR

89

New HWR Group CEO Anthony Jones talks about his role with the Southland-based company and the some of the challenges of moving across the Tasman during the height of Covid-19 travel restrictions.

Truck Shop

News, products and services for the road transport industry

CrediFlex Recently Registered

Latest NZTA registration data is headlined by a record February for new truck sales. Plus, the monthly gallery of new trucks on the road.

COLUMNS

Six new Mobile Roller Brake Test units are going into service with Police CVST staff around the country. We take a look at the new technology and how it will be deployed around the country.

REGULARS:

91

It’s Political…

NZ’s major political parties are offered the opportunity to tell us their views on issues affecting the road transport industry. Only the ACT Party continues to show an active interest in the industry.

National Road Carriers Association

This month NRC COO James Smith talks about resilience and embracing change in a world that seems to be constantly changing.

NZ Heavy Haulage Association

Piloting 101. Paying attention to the fundamentals of safe piloting shouldn’t be overlooked.

80/ Double Coin Tyres NZ Transport 81 Imaging Awards

Recognising NZ’s best-looking trucks… including a giant pullout poster of this month’s finalist.

FEATURES: 60

Superhub primed

When the next section of the Waikato Expressway opens later this year, so also will the new Ruakura Superhub on the eastern outskirts of Hamilton.

The 90Ha Stage 1 of the Superhub is well underway and over the next few years this massive development promises the re-shape the North Island supply chain.

88

Southpac Trucks Legends

Neil Weber, General Manager Logistics and Business Development at ISO Ltd has been involved with most sides of transport and logistics

MANAGEMENT

ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Publisher

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

Sue Woolston

Advertising

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

Sue Woolston

accounts@trucker.co.nz

NZ subscription price

$95 incl. GST for one year (11 issues) Overseas rates on application

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

Colin Smith 021 510319 colin@trucker.co.nz

Editorial office Phone Associate Editor

PO Box 48 074 AUCKLAND 09 826 0494 Brian Cowan

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www.nztruckanddriver.co.nz Truck & Driver | 3

NEWS

The Hino Profia, the Japan market version of the 700 Series heavy truck, is one of the models caught in the emissions misconduct investigation.

Hino in emissions strife HINO DISTRIBUTORS (NZ) SAYS A VOLUNTARY investigation into misconduct relating to regulatory engine performance and emissions tests in Japan, doesn’t affect any vehicles sold in New Zealand.

In Japan, Hino Motors has suspended sales of Ranger (500 Series) and Profia (700 Series) truck models and also the S’elega bus equipped with three of its engine variants. The scope of the investigation involves about 115,000 vehicles sold since 2016.

A statement provided to NZ Truck & Driver from Hino Distributors (NZ) says: “Hino Motors Ltd. has identified past misconduct in its Japanese business in relation to applications for certification concerning the emissions and fuel economy performance for three of its engines in the Japanese market, and voluntarily commenced an investigation.

“The suspension of sale in Japan affects engines certified by the Japanese regulator, which have not been sold in New Zealand. The on-going investigation is concerned with engine emissions and fuel economy testing.

It has no bearing on vehicle safety.

“None of the vehicles and engines subject to this sale suspension announced in Japan are being sold in the New Zealand or Australian markets. Hino Distributors (NZ) Ltd is the sole authorised importer and distributor of new Hino trucks. Hino Motors ( Japan) has alerted Waka Kotahi to the announcement and is committed to engaging with the relevant authorities about these matters.

“Hino Motors has apologised for any inconvenience caused to its customers and advised that they are not required to take any action and may continue to use their vehicles. There are no implications for the New Zealand market at this time.”

The New Zealand distributor says it’s not expecting any manufacturing 4 | Truck & Driver

delays or interruptions to the supply of new Hino trucks to the New Zealand market as result of the actions in Japan.

Hino’s investigations centre on engine performance data in emissions durability testing for the A05C (HC-SCR) medium-duty engine, and in the measurement of fuel consumption in certification tests for the A09C and E13C heavy-duty engine.

A problem has also been identified concerning the fuel economy of the N04C (Urea-SCR) light-duty engine. However, no misconduct in relation to the certification testing of this engine has been identified to date.

Hino says the issues were uncovered following the identification a certification problem for the North American market. A voluntary investigation by Hino then uncovered the inaccuracies for the three engines.

Subsequently, the U.S. Department of Justice has commenced an investigation. Hino is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities.

Hino then expanded the investigation to review emissions certification for engines certified to 2016 Japanese standards. In conjunction with that investigation, Hino has also conducted emissions and fuel economy verification testing.

During durability testing for emissions performance of the A05C (HC-SCR), engine, it’s been discovered the second muffler of the NOxreducing after-treatment system was replaced during the test and the test was continued using the replaced muffler.

This change was made after learning that emissions performance would deteriorate over time and that the engine may not meet the regulatory emissions standards.

Findings related to the A09C and E13C engines discovered that, while measuring fuel consumption in a certification test, the fuel flow rate calibration value of the dynamometer panel was altered to make it appear advantageous in relation to fuel economy. T&D

NEWS

The XCMG E700 battery swap (right) truck is being prepared at Fonterra’s Morrinsville engineering base and is expected to start work in May.

Fonterra trials EV tanker NEW ZEALAND’S FIRST ELECTRIC milk tanker will start quietly calling at Fonterra farm gates starting in May. Fonterra is using a XCMG E700 8x4 battery swap truck, supplied by Auckland-based Etrucks and supported by funding from the Low Emissions Transport Fund (LETF), for a trial demonstrating the potential for decarbonisation of heavy transport in rural areas.

New Zealand’s first e-tanker is currently under construction at Fonterra’s engineering workshop in Morrinsville, where the tank is being fitted to the XCMG chassis. When complete, the 46-tonne (GVM) unit will operate from Fonterra’s Waitoa plant in the Piako district.

Fonterra estimates the truck will have about 140km range and a full charge is expected to take about three hours. The truck won’t be idle during that time as the Waitoa plant is being equipped with XCMGs battery swap system that allows a replacement battery to be fitted in about six minutes.

Although equipped with Fonterra’s standard 28,000 litre tank and trailer combination, the heavy battery installation reduces the working capacity of the truck by about 2300 litres compared to an equivalent diesel truck to meet its 46-tonne GVM permit.

Fonterra says it is exploring multiple aspects of the e-tankers capabilities including; how far it can go, how easy it is to charge, milk collection, maintenance, efficiency, cost, and driver comfort and safety.

“The global technology investment in sustainable land, air and sea transport is phenomenal. Our teams are constantly screening the possibilities to see what could work across

our supply chain,” says Fonterra COO Fraser Whineray.

“Leading in sustainability is one of three key parts of our long term strategy. This e-tanker is one of several promising opportunities being trialled by the Co-op.”

The choice of Waitoa as a base is because of nearby supplying farms located on relatively flat land, which allows shorter runs and more predictable battery consumption due to fewer hills.

But there’s also a historical connection. From the early 1900s through to about 1920, Waitoa was home to a fleet of US-built Walker electric trucks which collected milk from local farms, making it a fitting home to the first modern milk collection electric tanker in New Zealand.

The Fonterra trial is one of four Battery

Swap XCMG E700 trucks going into use with funding from the latest round of LETF cofunding grants announced in late-February.

Firth Industries plans an Auckland trial with a 8x4 Battery Swap concrete mixer while E700 6x4 tractor units are being put to use by Mainfreight and Phoenix Metal Recyclers NZ. Mainfreight will trial its truck on an AucklandHamilton inter-city freight transport project. A battery swap gantry and charger will be installed in Hamilton with other infrastructure to be used in Auckland.

Phoenix Metal Recyclers NZ Ltd will deploy an electric 34-tonne battery-swap truck (GCM of 49t) in Northland to transport recycled metal and demolition waste. The 180kW charger will be made available to other transport companies in the area. T&D

Truck & Driver | 5

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NEWS FUSO New Zealand says it has strong stock levels across it’s full line-up of 2022 models.

Fuso locks down more stock for 2022 NEW ZEALAND’S TOP-SELLING TRUCK BR AND IN 2021 is reporting high levels of stock available to meet customer orders through 2022.

FUSO New Zealand (FNZ) says it has secured 1,250 new units across its light, medium and heavy-duty truck ranges, with vehicles either on the ground or shortly to arrive to our shores.

The total order exceeds the 1,096 registered units that saw FUSO lead NZ truck and bus sales in 2021 and is indicative of the high level of customer demand anticipated by FNZ, says managing director Kurtis Andrews.

“We have secured stock across our entire range; so across light to heavy duty, we’re in a great position to meet the industry’s needs,” says Andrews.

“Also, due to Shogun’s popularity, in particular the 510hp models, we’ve doubled down on this stock. The attributes across the Shogun range are world-class and we’ve placed a big order and backed ourselves and our dealer network to meet this significantly increased demand.

Andrews said that securing stock in strong numbers “at every opportunity” has been a key priority for the FNZ team over recent months and reflects efforts to stay ahead of global supply chain disruptions.

He added that being a wholly independent NZ-owned distributor has enabled FNZ to react quicker to market changes and opportunities than

some other brands.

“We are fully Kiwi owned and operated with a vast amount of local experience across our team,” said Andrews. “Being right here on the ground, with strong communication into our dealer network and direct access to our supplier, means we can be nimble and act quickly to service our customers’ needs. It’s all part of what we mean when we say ‘We Look After Our Own’.

“Our dealer network is critical in identifying customer demand and in developing and servicing those customer relationships. We have worked hard over the past few years to strengthen the FUSO network and continue to work closely with our dealers to ensure an extremely high standard of customer satisfaction.

“Available stock is obviously central to that and we have full confidence in our network to deliver on the orders we have placed.”

Andrews says he has further confidence in FNZ’s strategy based on the high level of safety and Euro 6 fuel-efficient technology now available throughout the FUSO range, answering operators’ increasing demands in terms of sustainability, health and safety, and in the face of rising diesel costs.

Fuso finished 2021 as the top-selling truck brand in New Zealand, ending a 21-year run by rival Isuzu as the market leader. T&D Truck & Driver | 7

NEWS

Work starts on new Penske dealership WORK HAS STARTED ON A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART Tauranga facility for Penske New Zealand.

Scheduled for opening in early-2023, the new facility is being built at Kaweroa Drive in the latest stage of the fast-growing Tauriko business development.

When completed it will provide full retail sales, parts and service support for Western Star Trucks, MAN Truck & Bus, Dennis Eagle, mtu, and Detroit brands.

The new Penske facility is situated on a 13,167m2 site and its design will include 2,550m2 of workshop space, a 700m2 parts warehouse plus 800m2 of retail and office space which includes a drivers’ lounge area.

Also part of the layout are 17 30-metre truck bays, a machine shop, a drivethrough wash bay, a full-length service pit and two built-in hoists. The facility will offer a certificate of fitness (CoF) and heavy vehicle entry compliance certification bay, ensuring the highest level of customer service.

The new facility has a similar size site to the Penske New Zealand premises in Hornby, Christchurch and is significantly larger than Penske’s current Mt

Maunganui site at McDonald St. “The new facility is an 11 full drive-through bay increase over our current site and approximately 5000m2 larger in land size,” says Brent Warner, general manager of Penske New Zealand.

“It offers fantastic access to the port, Rotorua and Hamilton as well as having great road width and site egress.”

A ceremony to mark the breaking of ground at the construction site was held in late-February.

“It’s very exciting to have broken ground and commenced the construction phase of our new Tauranga facility,” says Warner.

“And having Kaumatua Des Tata of Ngai Tama Rawaha Hapu and Kaumatua Sonny Ranapia of Rangi Ranginui Iwi undertaking a blessing ceremony on site was an incredibly special experience.

“We look forward to welcoming our customers to our new site in early 2023 and demonstrating our ongoing investment and commitment to the New Zealand transport industry and the Bay of Plenty region through superior servicing equipment and state-of-the-art facilities,” Warner says. T&D

Top: An artists impression of the new Penske NZ facility to be built in Tauriko, near Tauranga.

Below: L to R: Brent Warner, Kaumatua Sonny Ranapia, and Kaumatua Des Tata

8 | Truck & Driver

NEWS

The 8x4 Scania R 620 has taken just over three years to clock up 1 million kilometres on South Island highways.

Seven figure southern achiever UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS ON South Island highways, a Scania R620 has become the first of the New Generation trucks from the Swedish brand to clock up one million kilometres – anywhere in the world.

The Scania S 620 hit the roads for Dunedinbased truckie Warren Good in late 2018 and has clocked up an average of 1200km a day since then on its linehaul run from Christchurch to Invercargill.

“It’s actually 1200km a night” corrects Good, given the courier-parcel run is done during the hours of darkness.

“It’s also one of the longest daily runs in the country, so I guess there’s no surprises this was the one responsible for clocking up the big kilometres,” Good says.

Good estimates the average commercial truck would probably only cover about half the distance that his linehaul runs do each year.

The runs are so demanding that they’ve been used for testing Scania models because of the fast turnaround in receiving results.

Incredibly only three things have required attention over the million kilometres – a retarder fault, the clutch brake, and the starter motor.

“That’s pretty good for a truck hauling freight up and down the South Island daily,” says Good.

“Even the leather seats haven’t started to wear out yet!”

“It’s a real credit to Scania Assurance (Scania’s Service & Maintenance plan). Everything has

been attended to and kept in check to help us reach this milestone in a very short time.

The data updates we receive on fuel efficiency, mileage and driver technique really help us get the best out of the vehicle.”

It’s taken 56 tyre changes and a few career truckies, like recently retired driver Reg McCorkindale, to help the S 620 reach the seven-figure milestone over three and a half years, but the vehicle still drives like new and will remain in the fleet for years to come.

“I’ve had a few memorable moments in the ‘not so’ old girl,” recalls McCorkindale, “Like experiencing Adaptive Cruise Control for the first time and a bit of a close shave where the Advanced Emergency Braking kicked in for the first time!”

“The only complaint is that the truck really shows up the lack of hi-tech in my personal vehicle. It takes a little adjustment to settle back into old driving habits on my commute home from work.” T&D

Truck & Driver | 9

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NEWS

Hydrogen dual-fuel truck trial for NZ KIWI H2 LTD, A CAMBRIDGE-BASED COMPANY incorporated in July 2021, has secured $227,000 from the initial round of Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF) co-funding grants to trial a unique dual-fuel product in New Zealand.

When questioned by NZ Truck & Driver, Kiwi H2 spokesperson Dennis Gates said the company wasn’t ready to offer comment on its plans for trialling the technology and was preparing a joint press release with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).

Notes from the first round of LETF announcements made in lateFebruary confirm Kiwi H2 Ltd has exclusively licensed a commercialised dual-fuel product from the UK, which converts diesel vehicles to run on 40% hydrogen, aiming to save 40% emissions.

Two trucks will be converted to use this technology as part of the project.

The technology will help fleets achieve significant carbon emission reductions until commercially available and viable 100% zero emissions options are available in New Zealand.

The Low Emission Transport Fund, administered by EECA, supports the demonstration and adoption of low emission transport technology, innovation and infrastructure to accelerate the decarbonisation of the New Zealand transport sector.

The dual-fuel project is part of the second round of LETF co-funding announcement that also include the country’s first electric milk tank tanker, a solar-panelled bus, electric off-road farm vehicles and new high powered EV charging stations.

“The LETF is all about finding replicable solutions through innovative transport and infrastructure,” says the Minister of Energy and Resources,

Dr Megan Woods.

“The projects included in this round show the potential for electric and low-emissions transport across a wide range of sectors: from all-terrain farm vehicles to heavy freight. Some of these are hard to decarbonise, so this is great progress towards reducing our transport emissions.”

In total, 13 vehicle and technology projects will receive $3,452,025, and 13 EV charging projects will receive $3,001,400 in the latest round of LETF co-funding. T&D

H2 GAS

Scania extends service network THE LATEST ADDITION TO THE Scania New Zealand service dealer network is up and running in Hastings.

Scania Hastings branch manager Eamonn Farrell says the new facility, located at 110 Henderson Rd, reinforces Scania’s presence in the Hawke’s Bay region.

“We’re now enjoying a much larger site than previously with three times the capacity, having upgraded from one truck bay to three. We’ve also doubled the size of our Scania team in Hastings – now with eight team members on board,” says Farrell.

Scania New Zealand Managing Director Rafael Alvarenga says the company is pleased to add this key facility to its service dealer network – extending Scania’s service offering for the region.

“This is another step toward a stronger future for Scania New Zealand as we look closely to strengthen our service dealer network in the regions and across the country, all while continuing to provide Scania’s renowned quality service for our customers,” Alvarenga says. T&D

Scania New Zealand managing director Rafael Alvarenga.

Truck & Driver | 11

NEWS

Solar savings for DHL fleet

DHL EXPRESS IS EQUIPPING 67 OF ITS U.S. PICKUP AND delivery fleet medium and heavy-duty trucks with solar panel units to reduce fuel consumption.

The TRAILAR solar technology will provide power to battery and equipment on the trucks and is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 1,000kg per year for each vehicle, while also lowering both fuel and maintenance costs.

Electricity generated from sunlight will be used to charge the battery, power lift gates and other ancillary equipment. This reduces the load on the alternator and, as a result, fuel consumption.

“We’re aiming to improve the lives of people where they live and work, using cleaner pickup and delivery solutions – such as electric vehicles and cargo cycles, and now augmenting our truck fleet with this innovative solar solution,” said DHL Express U.S. CEO Greg Hewitt.

“This is another strategic step in our drive forward to decarbonisation, and over time reducing all logistics related emissions to net zero by 2050.”

An integrated telematics system provides information on the efficiency of the entire system through web-based reporting, including battery health, charging of ancillary equipment, overall fuel and C02 savings.

With continuous battery management via the TRAILAR Smart Charge Controller, solar energy is used to maintain battery levels at the optimum level, even when the vehicle is off. This constant care of the battery and reduction in alternator wear also reduces vehicle maintenance costs.

Last year, Deutsche Post DHL Group announced an accelerated roadmap

to decarbonisation, include an investment of 7 billion Euros over the next 10 years to reduce its CO2 emissions. T&D The roof-mounted solar panels are estimated to save 1000kg of CO2 emissions per vehicle, per year.

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1:09 AM

NEWS

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REGISTRATIONS FOR THE ‘MACK IN New Zealand’ 50th birthday event close at the end of April.

The Labour weekend (Saturday October 22) celebration at the Manfeild Park motor racing circuit in Feilding will mark 50 years since Motor Truck Distributors began the assembly and sales of Mack trucks in New Zealand.

“We are celebrating in style with an anniversary event that will feature up to 200 Mack Trucks and we want to give Mack owners to chance to show off their trucks at the event,” says Stu Wynd, National Sales Manager, Mack Trucks.

“From the golden oldies to the new kids on the block we will feature the various models that have helped build and shape New Zealand to what it is today.

“If you own a Mack Truck that is significant to the history of Mack in NZ or if you just want the chance to show off your Mack, please register your interest to be a part of this very special trucking event.”

The event takes place in conjunction with the Manawatu Car Club’s “OctoberFast” motor racing event which includes truck racing.

Alongside the Mack trucks on display other attractions include food stalls, raffles, displays plus spectator access to the car and truck racing. There will even be a chance to drive the track at the conclusion of Saturday’s racing. The event will be open to the general public (admission charges will apply).

The registration cost is $150 per truck which includes two admission passes, merchandise including tote bag, key ring, cap, hydro drink bottle, a personalised commemorative plaque unique to the event plus food and beverage vouchers. Registrations close on April 30.

To register visit: 50years.macktrucks.co.nz. T&D

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1 Orb Avenue Manukau A division of GPC Asia Pacific

NEWS The Fuso Shogun 510 begins the run up the Waiwera Hill which features in the locally produced TV commercial.

Fuso defends ad complaint THE NEW FUSO SHOGUN 510 MAKES EASY WORK OF THE hills but has worked a bit harder to stay on New Zealand television screens.

A locally produced television commercial for the new Shogun 510 has been under recent scrutiny from the Advertising Standards Authority, following a complaint from one viewer.

The Shogun ad has been running for several months and it is a rarity to see advertising for a new heavy truck model on national television. The ad depicts the Shogun 510 passing a European truck on the Waiwera Hill and features a short “yarn” between two truck drivers.

The complaint to the ASA suggested the ad placed emphasis on truck speed and safety and suggested that the drivers were behaving overly competitively with each other.

“We couldn’t help but feel that if it was a car passing another car, as opposed to trucks, there would have been no complaint. We needed to right that wrong,” says Kurtis Andrews, managing director of FUSO New Zealand.

In its defence FUSO New Zealand said all road rules were respected and the passing manoeuvre was completed legally and safely. The competitive aspect of the commercial was simply the historical friendly rivalry between drivers regarding the attributes of Japanese and European trucks.

“We think it is a great ad and we’ve really enjoyed the response, especially from the trucking community.

“There are only three things you can do in that type of situation. You can pull the ad, you can change the ad, or you can fight it.

“The 510 is very important to us, but more so we wanted to defend the clear lack of understanding from the complainant. We weren’t going to just roll over, so we decided to go the next step and defend it.”

The complainant was concerned the advertisement was irresponsible and encouraged behaviour that is inconsistent with the NZTA Waka Kotahi safety messages, in particular regarding speed and following distance.

Andrews says the ad shows the truck driven safely and within the law.

14 | Truck & Driver

“The truck is shown in a perfectly safe situation, in a dedicated passing lane and the overtaking is completed at 35km/h,” he says.

“The trucks were driven by professional drivers, the passing was done legally, and as it was a hill, at well below the speed limit. The ad was about superior power and torque, not speed. With all that in mind, we also feel we’re still allowed to have a yarn and a laugh, like the guys in the ad, surely.”

The concept for the commercial was developed from an actual event that occurred during testing of the Shogun 510 in New Zealand.

“Yes, it’s a true story”, says Andrews. “And, yes, Shogun 510 did pass that European brand as seen in the ad.”

The complaint wasn’t upheld, and the TV commercial can remain on screen. You can see the ad at fuso.co.nz and on YouTube. T&D

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The first series production Mercedes-Benz eActros 300 has gone to work with logistics company DB Schenker in Germany.

First eActros goes to work THE FIRST ALL-ELECTRIC SERIES-PRODUCED eActros from the Mercedes-Benz plant in Worth am Rhein is at work on German roads.

Logistics service provider DB Schenker is using the eActros 300 to transport palletised shipments in the Leipzig area.

The vehicle, with a permissible total weight of 19 tonnes, rolled off the assembly line as planned last year and was officially handed over at a customer meeting in Worth following its approval for federal funding.

The eActros is configured as a two-axle vehicle and features an aerodynamic SPIER Athlete dry freight box body. The continuous edging profiles and profile caps with sophisticated aerodynamics, combined with a built-in roof spoiler, reduce the drag coefficient and can thus increase the range of the vehicle. The body combines a high payload with a high transport volume.

DB Schenker has already gained extensive experience in advance with a prototype of the eActros as part of the eActros innovation fleet.

“We are very pleased that DB Schenker, as one of the leading companies in the logistics industry, has chosen the Mercedes-Benz eActros,” says Karin Radstrom, CEO Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

“We worked closely with DB Schenker during the development of the eActros. The feedback from the practical trials were used to develop the series vehicle as well as related services.”

The eActros’ batteries can consist of either three (eActros 300) or four battery packs (eActros 400), each of which has an installed capacity of 112kWh and a usable capacity of about 97kWh. Fitted with four battery 16 | Truck & Driver

packs, the eActros 400 has a range of up to 400km.

The electric drive unit consists of a rigid electric axle with two integrated electric motors and a two-speed transmission. The two liquid-cooled motors deliver a continuous output of 330kW and a peak output of 400kW. In addition, electrical energy can be recovered by means of recuperation, with energy recovered by braking being fed back into the batteries and available for powering the vehicle.

The eActros can be charged with up to 160kW. At a conventional DC fast charging station with a charging current of 400A, the three battery packs take a little more than one hour to charge from 20% of capacity to 80%.

The two integrated electric motors have a high efficiency and provide constant power delivery with a high starting torque. The torque immediately provided by the electric motors, and the two-speed transmission, ensure powerful acceleration, impressive driving comfort and driving dynamics that enable more relaxed, lower-stress driving than a conventional dieselpowered truck.

Another advantage is the interior noise level has been reduced by 10 decibels — roughly corresponding to a halving of the perceptible noise level — which also contributes to increased driver comfort in full-load operation. Night deliveries are also possible thanks to the low noise level.

For DB Schenker, this is not the first use of an electric truck in its groupwide fleet of more than 30,000 vehicles on European roads. It already has more than 40 FUSO eCanters in operation in 11 European countries, including Germany, France, Finland, Italy and Spain. T&D

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NEWS

Melbourne truckie Rob Smith says trucks like the Volvo FL Electric are the future.

BEVerage delivery AN AUSSIE TRUCK DRIVER WITH A LOAD OF BEER TO deliver has given the tick of approval to the first battery electric Volvo truck on Australian roads.

Rob Smith has been driving trucks for Linfox for over 17 years and is currently operating out of the BevChain Distribution Centre in Melbourne’s outer west.

The Volvo FL Electric he drives operates on a variety of routes across the city delivering Victoria Bitter and other Asahi Beverages beer to pubs, restaurants, and bottle shops.

After seven months and 6000km - using more than 5,200 kilowatt hours of electricity - Smith says he’s enjoying his days behind the wheel of the electric Volvo.

“The truck itself is actually quite peaceful to drive. In some ways it’s just like any other truck but in others it’s smoother, quieter, it’s enjoyable.

“When I hop out of the truck, I don’t hear engine noise and I don’t have the fumes, none of that.”

The truck, however, certainly attracts its fair share of attention. “You get a lot more eye contact on the road as people look at it,” Smith continues.

“It’s great, I get a lot of questions.

“Everyone wants to know where the batteries are, people are very interested in the lack of noise and how far it goes, is it good to drive, things like that.

“This truck’s doing well - it’s doing the job of a diesel truck. Trucks like this one are the future.

“You can’t get a much better voice of authority than the end user of the product,” says Paul Illmer, Volvo Group Australia’s Vice President, Emerging Technologies.

“We can continue to point out the real-world benefits of zero emissions vehicles, but it’s ultimately the people that interact with this vehicle on a daily basis that will help educate others to their advantages.

18 | Truck & Driver

“A smooth drivetrain, lack of fumes and noise create a calmer work environment,” he continues, “but it’s also the flow-on benefits to society as a whole that will drive towards a future of cleaner, quieter cities.

“This truck represents the thin end of the wedge on our zero emissions journey in Australia, and that journey is accelerating faster than many can imagine.”

“Linfox is thrilled to see this new electric vehicle inspiring positive conversations as we lead the way in sustainable transport,” said Linfox Executive Chairman, Peter Fox. “The benefits are coming to life right throughout our community.

“Our skilled drivers are at the wheel of a new age; our customers are enjoying more sustainable logistics solutions and people on our streets are starting to see the everyday benefits of zero emission vehicles.” T&D

W O P C C

NEWS

TRT plans for the future CHANGES AT THE TOP OF TIDD Ross Todd Limited and TRT (Aust) Pty Ltd (TRT) has seen Bruce Nixon appointed chairperson of the TRT Group board of directors.

The appointment was made due to the planned succession and retirement of Jerry Rickman, who served as chairperson for over 27 years.

Nixon will help guide TRT into its next phase of growth in New Zealand and Australia.

“TRT has reached several key milestones in recent years. With TRT’s founder, Dave Carden (91), retiring from the board and the new business focus initiated by the Made Possible brand refresh, both in 2021, the time was right to progress this plan,” says Rickman.

“It’s been a pleasure working with the Carden family over many years, particularly with Dave Carden who is a rare mix of entrepreneur, brilliant engineer, and successful businessman.

Dave has always recognised the importance of his team by putting people ahead of profits.”

Nixon was appointed as an independent director to the TRT Board in 2018, bringing with him a wealth of business and governance

experience. In addition to his involvement with TRT, Nixon also serves as an executive director of the Power Farming Group and as an independent director of Spectrum Dairies and Connell Contractors.

“Jerry has made a significant contribution

in his long tenure to lead TRT to be in the strong position it is in today. I look forward to the opportunity to help guide TRT into its next phase of growth alongside directors Bruce and Robert Carden, and chief operations officer Lawrence Baker,” said Nixon. T&D

Bruce Nixon (left), succeeds Jerry Rickman (right) who chaired the TRT Group board for 27 years.

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NEWS

The new LDV eDeliver 9 van comes in two sizes and with three battery options.

EV vans to suit or tailor made R APIDLY RISING FUEL PRICES WILL PUT INCREASED attention on the range of battery electric commercial vehicles available in New Zealand.

That choice has just been boosted by an expanded range of LDV electric models launched in early March.

LDV is a division of SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp) Motor which has been making a strong commitment to EV development, with the results beginning to be seen here in NZ. The small LDV eDeliver 3 van already has a presence in the local market with 65 units registered during 2021.

Hot on the heels of the eDeliver 3’s initial success, LDV has now introduced the significantly larger eDeliver 9 range.

The eDeliver 9 is offered in Big, Bigger and Cab Chassis body configurations. The five vans (two sizes/three battery options) come with a GVM of 3500kg, while the Cab Chassis is 4050kg.

Dimensionally, eDeliver 9 Big is 5.55m x 2.06m x 2.53m, while Bigger measures up at 5.94m x 2.06m x 2.53m, the additional size created thanks to a longer wheelbase.

This equates to an increased cargo volume - 9.69m3 vs 10.97m3 for Big and Bigger respectively. However, due to battery weight, the Bigger with

the largest battery option has the lowest payload at 860kg while Big with the smallest battery offers a 1200kg payload. The Cab Chassis is rated for up to 1410kg payload.

When it comes to battery options, for ‘Big’ there are two, 51.5kWh (186km range) and 72kWh (236km range). Bigger comes with 51.5kWh (186km range), 72kWh (236km range) and an 88.5kWh (296km range) battery choices.

The Cab Chassis version has a 65kWh battery (180km range). All models have peak power and torque numbers of 150kW/310Nm. The LDV eDeliver 9 is very well appointed with standard driver and safety assistance features including driver and passenger airbags and curtains, ESP, front and rear radar, Blind Spot Monitoring, Cruise Control and Lane Change assist to name a few. Plus, there’s a 10.1-inch infotainment screen for entertainment and rear camera display.

Right now, two of the eDeliver 9 range qualify for the government rebate making them a cost-effective option for EV mobility.

The big question remains range, as the heavier the payload the lesser the range. Ideal for delivering large but relatively light cargo on shorter city routes, the payload vs. range trade-off will see route planning definitely come into play for those with longer runs and heavier loads to move. T&D Truck & Driver | 21

NEWS

Transmission Gully set to open

The new Transmission Gully highway should be ready to open by the end of March.

GOOD NEWS LANDED FOR THE road transport industry as the April issue of NZ Truck & Driver was about to go to press.

The Transmission Gully section of State Highway 1, north of Wellington, finally appears to be within reach of an opening date.

Significant construction progress during summer, and the deferment of some quality assurance tests till after the road opens, has seen Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency instruct the contractor to open the road before the end March.

Waka Kotahi says the recent work gives confidence the road is safe for the public to use.

The remaining quality assurance tasks can be completed after the road is open as they relate to the long-term quality of the road.

Waka Kotahi General Manager Transport Services Brett Gliddon says complex negotiations are continuing with the parties contracted to build, manage and maintain the road.

“However, we are confident the motorway is now in a fit state to open, which is why we have issued this instruction, while we continue with negotiations,” Gliddon says.

“We have not been prepared to compromise on the road’s safety, however all of the critical safety assurance tests have now been completed to a standard that gives us confidence the road will be a safe, reliable route for motorists between Wellington and the rest of the North Island.

“Now that we have deferred these quality assurance requirements, we believe there is nothing substantial that can’t be finished by the end of March, which would prevent the road from opening. We have told Wellington Gateway Partnership (WGP) that we expect the road to be opened as soon as possible and that responsibility now sits with them.”

22 | Truck & Driver

Under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) the contractor, WGP is responsible for determining when the road can be opened. Subsequent to the COVID-19 outbreak in August 2021, Waka Kotahi, WGP, CPB HEB and Ventia have been negotiating an early access arrangement, which would allow motorists to use the road before all of the Road Opening Completion requirements set out in the contract have been met. As agreement has not been able to be reached, Waka Kotahi has now formally directed WGP as the contractor to allow the public to use the road before the end of March 2022.

Several key requirements will need to be met for the road to be opened, including a final safety inspection. Waka Kotahi is also working with all the parties, including Greater Wellington Regional Council and territorial authorities, so that the remaining resource consent tasks are

resolved prior to road opening.

Pavement and road surface tests are among the quality assurance tests which have not been met.

Gliddon says expert advice is that the road is safe for use and there are benefits to allowing the road surface to be trafficked to bed it in before winter.

Waka Kotahi says it will not be announcing a specific opening time for the road, in order to prevent any queuing which could cause safety and congestion issues.

The new section of SH1 measures 27km and runs between Paekakariki and Linden. It avoids the congested coastal route through Pukerua Bay which is now redesignated as SH59.

The highway is one New Zealand’s largest transport infrastructure projects. More than 11 million cubic metres of earth has been moved, the largest volume of earthworks ever completed on a roading project in New Zealand. T&D

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The Shacman X3000 mixer works out of the TT Concrete plant at Oruarangi Rd in Mangere delivering concrete to the Auckland suburbs.

NEW IN THE MIX OF THE CROWDED KIWI TRUCK market, China’s Shacman brand has been building foundations here for just over 12 months.

The initial work has been done by the X3000 line, a range of dedicated concrete trucks and ready-to-work Hardox bodied tippers in both 8x4 and 6x4 configurations which are giving the marque some presence on the roads of the Auckland region.

The X3000 tippers, which offer a 12-tonne payload with a 23t GVM, have so far been the favoured choice with Kiwi buyers.

In spite of obvious challenges presented by 2021 Covid-19 lockdowns and global supply chain delays, in most aspects the Shacman plan has stayed on track and the New Zealand distributor rates its first year as very successful.

Shacman NZ director Wei Wang launched the brand in January 2021 with an initial goal of selling up to 20 of its X3000 trucks during year one. That number was achieved thanks to a November-December sales surge, lifting Shacman to 20 registrations and a 0.4% market share.

First target achieved then.

General manager Bobby Khan thinks the new marque did slightly better than the numbers suggest.

“There were some missed actually, I don’t know why. I think it was 23 total for the X3000 and also two of the L3000 [Shacman’s smaller model],” Bobby says.

There’s still some way to go to match longer established Chinese rivals Foton and Sinotruk – with 173 and 48 registrations last year respectively – but Shacman can claim one notable scalp by outselling Western Star.

“From the launch we are more than happy with the way we are going. It’s been good,” says Bobby.

“In the first year we placed orders for 100 trucks but because of all the obstacles we didn’t receive all of them We only got about 50 units into the country.

“It’s unfortunate we didn’t have stock. Like everybody else we were

affected by Covid-19 and everything else - otherwise our numbers would have been more.

“First it was the virus and the lockdown in China, and then when that opened up the supply from the US for the [Eaton] transmissions was affected by the microchip delays.

“It was the same for every vehicle manufacturer but it’s especially hard if you trying to launch.”

Bobby says there were times last year when Shacman had potential customers but no trucks to sell.

“If we have the trucks on the ground, people come here [the dealership]. If we don’t have them, they go away,” Bobby says.

“I think truck operators are different. Sometimes, they just wake up in the morning and say, ‘today I’m going to buy a truck’.

“That’s the way I see how they are. Some of them don’t plan too far ahead. If you have something on the ground, then you’ve got a deal, that’s for sure.

“But last year we were like everyone else. It has made it difficult to get the numbers.”

During Year One, Shacman began to develop its national dealer network, added more models to its range and worked with the factory to fine-tune truck specifications to suit New Zealand market expectations.

Khan says the development of a dealer network has gone very well.

“We are in Auckland, and we have one in Hamilton, Tauranga, Taupo and Christchurch and we are just about to sign Palmerston North and Wellington,” he says.

“The top half [of the North Island] happened straight away but we had other things happening, like our bus business, that has taken us a bit longer in the bottom half. It was a timing and manpower thing.”

One aspect of the Shacman plan which hasn’t followed the original script has been around the introduction of the smaller L3000 model.

Ambitious plans for the L3000 were based on selling the 4x2 cab chassis model for school bus duty.

Truck & Driver | 27

28 | Truck & Driver

Main: The Shacman 8x4 works its way into a narrow driveway in the New Windsor suburb.

“We had verbal orders for about 30 units,” says Bobby.

“It didn’t eventuate because all of that business went to another brand. But we have still managed to sell the first 12.”

Available in a range of wheelbase sizes, the L3000 provides a versatile platform for both specialist and general freight roles.

“The L3000 becomes a priority for 2022.

On order we have one vacuum truck, which should be here this month [March], and four skip trucks. They are sold - the skip ones should be here in three months.

“We are getting a body builder in West Auckland to put the bodies on.

“There’s also a curtain side freezer truck getting built in Palmerston North on an L3000 chassis. And there are a couple for moving empty containers.

“They are a good wheelbase for different volumes of truck. We can put big 6.0- and 7.0- metre bodies on them.”

With the school bus deals not going ahead, Shacman did have a few L3000 cab/ chassis arrive in New Zealand which were reassigned to other customers.

“In a way it has worked out well having some L3000 stock on the ground,” says Bobby.

The L3000 4x2 is designed with a low tare weight and 12t GVM. It has a 6.7-litre Cummins engine developing 245hp and 950Nm of torque matched to an Allison transmission and electronic control rear air suspension.

“We also plan to introduce a medium range concrete truck and tipper based on the L3000, similar to the Hino 500 range. We want to have the smaller concrete mixer and tippers because our X3000 concrete truck and tipper are on the heavy side and some people don’t want a big truck with that 440hp engine.

“The Japanese are 280hp or something and they [customers] are happy to drive that.

Because of the smaller driveways in many of the subdivisions they need a smaller truck. Our one is European spec and full 2.55-metre width rather than the historically

slightly narrow track and narrower body Japanese trucks. It has a 300hp Cummins engine and Allison transmission.”

More model variants are also on the way. Two X3000 concrete pump trucks are sold and on the way from China while an Auckland construction firm has ordered two X3000s in a 6.5-metre flat deck configuration that will be fitted locally with Palfinger cranes to move prefabricated house frames to new building sites.

Another move in the concrete truck market sees Shacman collaborating on an alternative to its turn-key concrete mixer offering from China.

“We’ve got one 8x4 down at TWS in Hamilton getting built and when that’s done, we will give them a 6x4. It’s just so we have the local option because the likes of Firth want a local body.”

Shacman also has it eyes on some heavier metal. There are already two X3000 6x4 tractor units in the country covering 440hp and 560hp Cummins engine options.

“The 560 is new for the factory too. It’s the first time they have made it, so they want data and reports from us,” Bobby says.

“And the X6000 is a new model coming this year. It will have a 600hp Cummins which is Euro 6. It’s a 6x4 with a high roof mainly for linehaul. Hopefully it will be here in the second half [of the year].

“It becomes our flagship, and it has absolutely everything. All the safety and technology features – adaptive cruise control, everything.”

Bobby says high specification and global components at a competitive price are the selling points for the Shacman brand.

The brand is Chinese, but in many respects the Shacman X3000 is a global effort. In addition to the Cummins engines and Eaton transmissions the componentry includes ZF steering, Jacob’s exhaust brake, Grammer seats from Germany and Alcoa alloy wheels. The axles are a Shaanxi HanDe component, built by another part of the Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group which is the parent company of Shacman.

Truck & Driver | 29

TT Concrete driver Malaga “Mal” Te’o says Shacman has given excellent support and provided solutions to a few minor teething problems when the truck first went to work.

Bobby says the Cummins connection has sped up the acceptance of the brand.

“It’s a big plus. When you say Cummins, people get more comfortable, and they start to talk. As soon as you say it has a Cummins and Eaton combination, they know they can get parts and service anywhere in the country.

“And Cummins New Zealand have been fantastic. Their support has been very good. They come and do the upgrades and the downloads.

Any new information they bring it on and if we have a new batch of trucks here, they will come and check them out.”

The X3000 is pitched as a price competitive truck with a high level of standard specification. It also has the advantage of being work-ready with a 7.5 cubic metre concrete bowl (6.5 cubic metre on the 6x4) or factory fitted Hardox tipper being standard as part of the package.

“Everybody likes Hardox, and we have had no problems with them,” Bobby says.

And having trucks work-ready with concrete bowls or tippers fitted is another advantage.

“When the truck comes here, instead of spending 2-3 weeks in the shop it’s only here for one week. It’s just grooming, LT400 certification, greasing and PDI and she can go.

“Product feedback has been very good. Why I say that is because we have had repeat sales to customers. The first two customers who bought trucks have bought more trucks from us which is fantastic.”

The earliest adopter of the Shacman brand is Auckland’s TT Concrete based at Mangere. It bought two X3000 8x4 concrete mixers and a 6x4 tipper in early 2021.

The concrete mixer New Zealand Truck & Driver gets to sample is from that original batch of three units. It’s been at work through 2021 and had clocked up over 32,000km when driver Malaga (Mal) Te’o 30 | Truck & Driver

shared the truck and his workday with us.

Mal drives the Shacman X3000 8x4 across most of Auckland from TT’s plant at Oruarangi Rd, Mangere. To date, Hobsonville has been the longest journey away from base and we join Mal and his Shacman for a typical day – a few loads up and back on Highway 20 and through Mt Roskill to a housing development in New Windsor.

“It’s my first time in a Shacman. I’ve been about one year with this job, and they put me in this truck straight away when I started,” says Mal. Mal explains a busy day is a 6am start and typically five deliveries.

But that depends on how far away his destination is; “Sometimes we have a quieter day with only three runs.

“It’s mainly concrete for new houses. A few times we have done an earlier start and delivered to new factories and things,” says Mal. Mal has done a variety of driving work including previous concrete jobs, driving rubbish trucks and a few years back he was doing linehaul furniture removal work driving a UD 8-wheeler. His previous job was driving an Iveco rubbish truck for J.J Richards and Mal’s earlier concrete work had been driving a Hino.

“TT is a good company to work for. They look after you well,” says Mal. It’s generally a five-and-a-half-day week on the concrete runs with Saturday work being finished by 1pm.

Mal is enjoying the Shacman and says it’s interesting to be involved in the early adoption of a new truck brand. He says the 10.8-litre Cummins six-cylinder performs well with a full load of concrete aboard.

“I like it. It’s got enough power and it feels nice to drive on the road. It’s comfortable to sit in and the visibility is good when we are working in tight places. And the main thing is, it can always do the job,” says Mal.

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“This was the first truck in New Zealand, and they have changed a few things,” says Mal. “It wasn’t perfect straightaway. We had a couple of ups and downs and the main thing they changed was a longer chute that was better for working in New Zealand.

“They [Shacman] listened to what we said, took it back and made it better. Shacman are good for service, and they look after the truck properly.”

The Euro 5 Cummins ISM 11E5 440 develops 324kW (440hp) at 1900rpm with 2080Nm of torque being developed at 1200rpm.

The Eaton FO-16E308LL transmission provides a two-pedal, 10-speed automated manual solution. The transmission has an overdriven top gear and can be shifted manually from a plus/minus sequential button on the side of the shift lever.

“I prefer manual because I was taught to drive manual by a good instructor,” says Mal. “And I think a manual is better when you are under pressure. But this automatic is doing OK and in some ways it’s good for me now. I had a full knee reconstruction about three years ago, so the automatic is not a bad thing.”

The HanDe axle is rated at 7.5 Tonne and the rear axles at 11.5 tonne each. The factory fit concrete bowl can deliver up to 7.5 cubic metres.

The X3000 8x4 concrete mixer has a Tare Weight of 11.6-tonne and a manufacturer GVM of 32 tonnes.

Other features include EBS Braking with ABS for the fully disc braked truck and 295/80 R 22.5 tyres are mounted on the standard Alcoa Durabright alloy wheels A look around the cab discovers a 5.0-inch colour display media

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screen – which also provides the reversing camera display. Long work days are supported by electronic air conditioning plus the Grammer air suspension driver’s seat and four-point air suspension for the cab.

Details of the specification include electric windows and electric mirror adjustment, central locking with remote control, a camera mounted in the left side of the cabin that monitors the driver and a tyre pressure monitoring system. A lane departure warning system is also standard.

There are three mesh steel steps to climb into the cab that sits quite high off the ground with the ground clearance required by a concrete mixer. The doors are reasonably wide, and they conveniently swing out to a 90-degree opening.

It’s a long way from modern linehaul sleeper cab luxury but the X3000 is configured as a small sleeper cab with a narrow foam squab behind the seats and curtains are fitted. Mal has only used the sleeper as a place to store a broom, his hard hat and wet weather gear.

“A couple of times when there’s been a big queue, I have put my seat back and had a quick nap, but I haven’t used the bed,” he says.

The X3000 cab has generous width and there’s a lot of distance between the seats. The instrument layout is conventional with a multi-info display between the tachometer and speedometer and a four-spoke steering wheel with audio and cruise control buttons.

“The visibility is good, the mirrors are pretty big, and they put them in the right place,” Mal points out.

The reversing camera image is projected onto the 5.0-inch media screen located in the dash; “It helps me sometimes, especially when there is no-one to guide you back,” says Mal. “At the plant it’s really important to get into exactly the right place for loading the bowl and the camera helps a lot.”

While cruise control is standard, Mal says he only uses it occasionally. “You don’t really need it around Auckland.”

Top: Cab features a four-spoke steering wheel and simple instrument layout with 5.0-inch display.

Above: Eaton is the supplier for the 10-speed automated transmission.

Below: Shacman New Zealand director Wei Wang (left) and general manager Bobby Khan (right).

TD31844

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Truck & Driver | 33

Above: The 8x4 version of the Shacman X3000 concrete mixer has 7.5 cubic metre bowl capacity.

There’s also a 6x4 model with a smaller 6.5m3 bowl.

Below: Access to the cab is from three mesh metal steps and through a door that opens to 90-degrees.

34 | Truck & Driver

From the passenger seat the Shacman delivers the impression of having ample power and a responsive automatic transmission.

Joining the Southwestern Motorway for the run back to the Mangere plant we’re initially running at just under 90km/h in ninth gear between 1600-1700rpm before smoothly shifting into the overdriven top gear as the Cummins settles at just under 1400rpm. At one point the speed drops to 80kph and the transmission holds onto the top gear and makes use of the peak torque at 1200rpm.

“It’s really good at about 1400 to 1500rpm,” says Mal. The first stage of the Jacobs exhaust brake produces a refined response, but the second stage is a lot more aggressive and there’s a considerable increase in the noise level inside the cab as the engine revs towards 2000rpm.

Making our city deliveries the X3000 easily moves away from stationary at traffic lights and intersections using second gear on several occasions. A Hill Hold function is standard.

“Mainly it’s in third gear when we are in tight spaces at lower speeds. I can use Low when I’m on a steep driveway but it’s very slow,” says Mal. As we back up a sloping driveway with a full load aboard, we encounter a looser surface and Mal stops and selects the diff locks for improved traction.

NZ T&D test driver Hayden Woolston says the steering feels nicely weighted at straight ahead but is heavier than he expected when turning at lower speeds.

The left-hand steering column stalk controls the indicators and headlights, and the right-hand stalk operates the two-stage exhaust brake, wipers and the cruise control.

“It seems to have good lights, but we really only need them in wintertime and a few times when we did a 4am start when they were building a hotel. The dashboard illumination is also pretty good in the dark,” are some further insights from Mal as the talks through his experiences with the X3000.

Mal’s feedback from behind the wheel has been valuable for Shacman.

“The company is constantly improving its product and we learn from every truck we sell. Feedback from the customer is very important. Good or bad, we take it all onboard,” says Bobby Khan.

“The drivers play a big role because they are there firsthand and on the spot. They will tell you how things are.”

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Bobby is happy to expand on the early teething problems which TT concrete discovered with the first X3000.

“It was learning for everybody. We found out the chute had be slightly longer, so we quickly ordered them and with the new batch of trucks we have the correct one,” says Bobby.

“We didn’t have an engineer from Shacman here at the time. It was very new to us.

“Another thing we didn’t know about was that they [NZ concrete operators] put two buckets on the concrete trucks. So, we had to make the bracket locally but now the factory is making it.

“A simple thing but they are very obliging to change things. They are learning very quickly, and they want to help us sell.

“Our local engineer who does the LT400 certifications identified seven things that needed to be changed on the first trucks. It was a good learning curve and we improved it when the second batch of trucks arrived. The engineer was impressed.

“With the first tipper we had needed a few changes. So, the engineer told the factory it has to be a certain way and the next truck came the way he wanted. It was just little things.

“They [the X3000s] have also been a bit sensitive on the electronics side, but we have made improvements on the software. The Lane Guard (lane keeping reminder) is a good thing I think, but some people didn’t want the beep-beeps. And the tyre pressure monitoring was too sensitive and there have been some warnings that weren’t necessary.”

The standard specification of the X3000 has impressed Bobby as has the commitment of the factory to quickly make upgrades. And Shacman recognises the New Zealand market is a sophisticated one with high expectations based on familiarity with European and US trucks.

“Because they [Shacman] are mostly selling in Africa, Eastern Europe and Asian countries, New Zealand is really their first, first-world country,” says Bobby.

“Anything they build in right-hand-drive still has to go through EU compliance. If we ask for a new model they will make it, but they will get it complied to European standard before they give it to us.

“I have been surprised at the things that come as standard equipment. Reversing camera is standard, we don’t have to do that here.

“Auto greasing we were getting done here before the factory found out and they offered us that option.

“So, the next truck that is due here will have auto greasing fitted. It’s another thing we don’t have to worry about.

“The first truck didn’t have beacon lights but now we get them

from the factory. We get super single tyres fitted in the factory.”

Bobby says a lot was learnt during 2021 and there is now factory engineering support in New Zealand.

“Last year we got a Shacman engineer from China and there’s another one coming. He’s an electronics engineer and he speaks English. He will be very helpful to us.

“That’s the commitment we are getting from the factory. They are sending engineers here to train us and the dealers.

“While they are here, they take the feedback from the market and send it back to the factory to constantly improve the product.

“We are hiring people too. We just hired a national service manager who has a lot of experience with European and American trucks in both South Africa and New Zealand. It’s taken the load off me from that side and frees up my time for business and sales.

“Our spare parts supply is building up with another container due next month [April]. We are quite fortunate that all the trucks we have sold are in Auckland so far and we have been servicing them our head office. That helps to build customer confidence and feedback.”

Bobby says his role in launching the Shacman brand to the New Zealand market has been an enjoyable challenge.

“I was at MAN for 30 years and I went from the floor to the sales – trucks and buses,” he says.

“It’s different. That was a corporate world. Here I’m sitting next to the boss and it’s different. If I ask him something the answer is either ‘yes or no’ and we get on with it.

“If I tell him something he can pick up the phone to the factory and talk to the engineers. Our Shacman engineer is also a direct line to the factory. The communication is very clear.”

Bobby says Shacman also works hard on customer communication.

“It’s a strange thing. One or two customers will ring us with small problems. But with some customers we have to ring them to check, ‘is everything going OK?’ They say, ‘yeah, the truck is fine, no problem’.”

Looking back on just over one year in the NZ market, Bobby says Shacman has made a strong start.

“It’s been very successful from our point of view; Starting from zero to build up everything - spare parts, dealer network and learning as we are going along,” he says.

“Last year was very good so this year we have to do better.

We have set our benchmark so we can only go forward from a successful first year. We want to sell more.” T&D

Busy time at the TT Concrete plant with the company’s second Shacman X3000 8x4 receiving its next load.

Truck & Driver | 37

HT

Test

AYDEN REVOR

W

HILE SHACMAN IS A NEW BRAND ON NEW ZEALAND roads, there are some familiar names found under its skin.

The X3000 has a 440hp Cummins engine, Eaton 10-speed automated transmission, German Grammer seats and ZF steering. All very recognised and regarded brands in the global transport scene.

In its first year on sale in New Zealand, Shacman registered 20 trucks which is a very impressive feat for any new brand entering our market. The truck we are testing this month was actually the first Shacman to go to work in New Zealand with TT Concrete Ltd. It’s driven by Mal Te’o.

TT Concrete now have another identical X3000 8x4 concrete truck and have added an X3000 6x4 tipper to its fleet.

It’s not often on NZ T&D tests that I am confined to Auckland city driving, but with the life of a concrete truck and its daily work you really don’t go too far beyond the city limits.

The test sees me taking a load of concrete with 26-tonne gross from

38 | Truck & Driver

Hayden Woolston

the TT Concrete plant out the back of Mangere, up the Southwestern Motorway to a housing development at New Windsor.

As we know looks usually deliver the first impression and I don’t mind the look of the Shacman. Its golden badging brings some presence to a mainly white truck and help it to stand out a bit more.

Before I go on, I have to say that we have had other Chinese trucks in New Zealand for some time. They provide a good base on which

• SPECIFICATIONS • to compare and Shacman themselves are not trying to sell it as anything else. They say it’s a competitively priced truck so you can’t compare it to a top-of-the-line American, European or even the highly advanced Japanese brands.

The climb up into the cab proves easy with a 90-degree wide opening door, grab handles on each side and three steps. The gap between the second and third step isn’t as big as the others and that messes with you a little until you become familiar with it.

Once in the cab the layout is straightforward in design and the truck has a ready-to-work feeling about it. Everything is where it needs to be without any frills other than the 5.0-inch touchscreen entertainment unit which also provides the reversing camera image.

On the steering wheel there are controls for hands-free phone, audio controls and cruise control. The steering column stalks have window wipers, head lights and engine brake once again all the standard stuff where it should be.

The semi-wraparound dash has a tidy layout and controls are in easy reach with aircon, the entertainment unit and a row of auxiliary switches all at arm’s reach.

Once I’m set up and ready to head out it’s easy to get comfortable in the driver’s seat with the steering wheel and mirrors already being in the right place for me. As I head out onto the roads it’s just like any other automatic box with changes through the lower gear changes being slightly delayed compared to the top box because of the ratio steps.

Once on the motorway I put the truck in cruise control at 90km/h and the noise level in the cab was bit higher than I expected.

I was expecting the gear changes to be slower, so I was pleasantly surprised. While on the short motorway trip the blind spot warning did go off when there were cars coming up the side of us, but it also went off when there wasn’t anything there.

The best chance to test the automated `box is the Hillsborough hill where the down changes were really good and fast.

Leaving the motorway and moving onto the suburban streets we have a few tight roads to drive through with cars parked on each side.

Good vision from the driver’s seat helps to make road positioning easy.

In general, I like the steering feel when the Shacman is moving at a reasonable speed. It’s weighted well and holds its line with minimal correction which is a stark contrast to other Chinese trucks I have driven where they have had extremely light steering and seem to wander.

There are several tight turns - for example a small roundabout where we have to turn right – where the steering gets very heavy compared to what I am used to.

Once we have delivered the concrete load to the housing development my short drive is over.

I’m left feeling surprised by the drivability of this truck - it has done better than I was expecting.

The Shacman brand in New Zealand is only a year old and has already put more than 20 trucks on the road in Auckland, which tells me they are performing out there every day.

It’s also good to learn the company has also been responsive to solving a few early teething problems with the specification of the X3000.

The next step for the brand is to see if they can sell more trucks beyond the greater Auckland region and offer a wider range of models performing in different applications.

The X3000 is a promising start and now it’s how the Shacman team set up their service network around the country that will determine their success. T&D

Shacman X3000 8x4 7.5 cubic metre Concrete Mixer Engine: Cummins ISM11 in-line six-cylinder, Euro 5 Capacity: 10.8 litres Maximum power: 324kW (440hp) at 1900rpm Maximum torque: 2080Nm (1534 lb-ft) at 1200rpm Engine revs: 1400rpm at 90km/h in top gear Fuel capacity: Diesel 400 litres, AdBlue 45 litres Transmission: Eaton FO-16E308LL AMT 10-speed Ratios: 1st – 14.56 2nd – 9.42 3rd – 6.24 4th – 4.63 5th – 3.40 6th – 2.53 7th – 1.83 8th – 1.36 9th – 1.00 10th – 0.74 Reverse Low – 15.22 Reverse High – 9.85 Front axle: 2 x HanDe 7.5t Rear axles: HanDe 11.5t Brakes: Full disc brakes Auxiliary brakes: Jacobs Exhaust Brake Front suspension: Parabolic Leaf spring Rear suspension: Parabolic Leaf spring Tare Weight: 11,600kg GVW: 26,000kg

Truck & Driver | 39

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Driving the economy

ROAD’S THE MODE WHEN IT COMES TO FREIGHT

The Road and rail – delivering for New Zealand report estimates only 12 percent of New Zealand’s freight movements are contestable by rail.

B

by Nick Leggett Chief Executive Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand

ACK IN FEBRUARY, IA ARA AOTEAROA Transporting New Zealand released a report on behalf of the road transport industry that effectively buried the myth that rail can be a serious competitor to road transport across New Zealand’s freight network.

The report, Road and rail – delivering for New Zealand, which includes contributions from economists David Greig and Dave Heatley, is not intended to be a self-serving anti-rail hit-job, rather it is a rational evidence-based look at the true value of rail freight to New Zealand.

Transporting New Zealand fully supports investment in rail where it makes sense and it must be acknowledged that the road freight transport industry is one of the largest users of rail. Rail has its advantages – it is extremely good at carrying the likes of coal, chemicals and other bulk non timesensitive goods over long distances. What it lacks though is the flexibility and dexterity to compete with road transport for the vast majority of more time-sensitive, lower volume freight.

Our report sets this out and counters the prevailing rhetoric that freight can simply be forced onto rail at the stroke of a Government Minister’s pen with little to no impact on the country. Our aim was to bring far more balance to the debate and use informed views of how the freight system works to scrutinise Government decision-making about rail investment

where it is clearly detrimental to New Zealand’s interests and comes at the expense of vital investment in roads.

Transporting New Zealand remains firmly of the view that Government should not endeavour to artificially manipulate the freight market. Whether it comes down to economic efficiency, timeliness, environmental factors, safety, international comparisons or intermodal compatibility, the report illustrates there is no justification other than pure ideology for the view that trains are ‘better’ than trucks.

The fact is we have a rail freight network that costs New Zealand billions of dollars to maintain yet there is little-tono scrutiny over much of that spending. Just last year the Government committed $5 billion to be invested as part of the New Zealand Rail Plan 2021. We are concerned that this money, primarily taken from road users, which should be used to maintain, repair and build roads, is simply being siphoned off to satisfy misguided ideology and nostalgia for a transport mode that can only ever have a minor role in transporting New Zealand’s freight.

When we consider modal contestability, as of today 93 percent of New Zealand’s goods are moved by road.

The expressed desire by the Government to shift freight off roads and onto rail implies that the modal share at the moment is incorrect. It also implies that there is an ideal share of the Truck & Driver | 41

Driving the economy

The majority of freight in New Zealand is carried over relatively short distances - which road can achieve faster, more reliably and more efficiently than rail.

freight task for each transport mode that we should be striving to achieve. But this does not make sense.

Modal share is market-driven and organically determined by the requirements of producers, consumers and exporters.

Because trucking is faster, more efficient and more reliable than rail, as well as delivering door-to-door when the customer wants it, it is the preferred mode for most types of freight.

So, how much of New Zealand’s freight movement is actually contestable by rail? Our report estimates it might be around 12 percent at best. What people involved in the freight industry understand that politicians and bureaucrats obviously do not, is that rail can only ever be helpful for part of the freight task.

Studies show that rail starts to compete with road at an inter-regional level and once the distance is greater than 400 kilometres. The problem is, the vast majority of freight in New Zealand is moved over much shorter distances than that. You aren’t seriously going to put freight on a train at the Auckland Port, shift it to a yet-to-be-built rail hub, to then be put onto a truck to take it to a warehouse. Logically you are going to put it straight on a truck at the port and take it directly to its end destination because that’s the most

Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand PO Box 1778, Wellington 04 472 3877 info@transporting.nz

efficient way of completing the freight task.

Finally, let me address the environmental argument against trucks, because again, this is based largely on emotion rather than fact.

“Trucks are gross emitters,” is the kind of language we constantly hear from Government, however, when we look at the evidence the picture is not so straightforward. For a start, constant vehicle turnover and advancements in emission-reduction technology means that the truck fleet is far more advanced than our ageing diesel train fleet, which in many cases is decades old. There is also little-tono acknowledgement that a fully-laden truck is actually extremely fuel-efficient when delivering its load, far more so than a typical light vehicle.

I understand that this report, coming as it does from the trucking lobby, will be criticised by some and that is a shame because there is much at stake in this debate. The movement of freight is critical not only to New Zealand’s economic success but also our social cohesion and the interconnectivity of our communities. By meddling, all the Government can achieve is a further increase in freight costs, the escalation of consumer prices, and an extra cost burden for our exporters. T&D

www.transporting.nz

42 | Truck & Driver

Nick Leggett, Chief Executive 04 472 3877 021 248 2175 nick@transporting.nz

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TD32290

Bobby Khan

Mighty Kenworth W924R served as the Parks heavy-recovery unit for over a decade. Current K104 unit is certified to tow a fully-loaded HPMV truck and trailer combination.

T’S SMALL WONDER THAT THE ORANGE AND yellow trucks of Parks Towing are familiar to Christchurch residents – after all, the company has been around for the thick end of a century.

But what isn’t obvious is how much Parks has grown in the past couple of decades, and the breadth of the services it now offers. Sure, if your vehicle in involved in a crash or has a breakdown, the company is likely to be on your radar (or you on theirs) but It’s almost easier to say what it doesn’t do.

Heavy vehicle recovery, commercial fleet servicing, vehicle storage and transport, machinery transport, crane truck services, engineering and design services, general vehicle maintenance and tiny homes transport are all covered, in addition to the ‘core’ towing business.

And the variety is not merely based on a ‘We’ll have a go at anything’ approach, either. All of Park’s disparate activities are carried out using dedicated, specialised equipment.

The current fleet has more than 60 units, including a stepped-deck heavy machinery transporter, a Hiab crane unit and a heavy-vehicle recovery unit as well as the more conventional smash- and breakdownrecovery trucks for cars and light vehicles.

The company’s heavy-recovery unit is a Kenworth K104 that was set up in NZ to an English spec and operated originally by Ace Heavy Haulage in Auckland.

Company general manager Stuart (Stu) Gerring explains that the unit has been considerably refined since then: “Ace spent a lot of money on it, and in our turn we have improved it further, to the point where it is the only unit in the South Island capable of towing a fully-loaded H-rated truck and trailer combination.”

He adds that the spread of activities is partly due to historical happenstance, but recently reflects a more deliberate approach: “Our marketing in the past 18 months has included the catchphrase ‘More than just towing’. We are proud of our ability to handle a wide variety of jobs and are keen to promote it. ” We are always looking for a point of difference.

An example is the unit that is often used in a contract we have with the Police serious crash investigation unit. The truck uses a fold-out frame that allows a vehicle to be lifted from a crash location without the wheels turning, so that the integrity of any forensic evidence is maintained.”

The ability to broaden horizons could well be locked into the company DNA, because its founder, Matthew Park, sold up his interest in an undertakers to set up Parks Garage in 1925. His interest in trucks had been sparked by the commissioning of a specially designed funeral truck, a forerunner of a modern hearse. The regular breakdowns and mounting crash statistics of the motor vehicles of the time prompted the move into the new field of operations, trading as Parks Truck & Driver | 47

Hino 300 is not only equipped with rear towing frame but has all the kit to help get a stranded vehicle under its own power again.

Breakdown Ltd. Matthew Park’s partner in the undertaking business, William Hayward, subsequently joined William Lamb to set up Lamb & Hayward Funeral Directors, a company still very active in Christchurch.

The Park family ran their company until the early 1960s, when it was bought by Brian Gorrie, who in 1994 sold it to Robert Gerring and his wife Ruth. At the time it was quite a small operation, with a fleet of around half a dozen trucks.

The line-up comprised the usual suspects for the era in terms of medium trucks – Bedford J2s and Ford D-Series and Traders. Rob recalls the first brandnew unit came a couple of years in as a result of an accident: “One of our Traders was hit by a car that came through an intersection. The driver was okay, but the truck was a write-off, and the insurance helped pay for a new unit.”

48 | Truck & Driver

Setting up trucks in the ‘90s was generally jobbed out to local engineers, one of them being Dave Joblin of Scott’s Motors, recalls Rob. Nowadays, adds Stu, the classic hook-type tow truck has been all but completely replaced by flat-deck units that use a winch and ramp. New decks are almost all imported from the USA. As he explains, the certification required for a custom-built local job makes the imported units, tried and proven designs and built to full international standards, a better proposition.

Prior to the Gerrings buying Parks New Zealand had gone through a period of heightened competitiveness in the crash recovery industry, with several tow trucks racing to vehicle accidents in an effort to gain the work and tensions sometimes running high.

However, legislation to tighten controls on operators by way of enhanced licensing standards and the later introduction of a tendering/roster system with the

Police improved matters considerably.

From the beginning, says Rob, he could see no sense in continuing the old ways: “You could send one or more trucks out to potential job, with no guarantee you can get the work. At the same time, the drivers were diverted from handling other aspects of our trade.”

The company the Gerrings bought in 1994 had a paint and panel shop integrated. In fact, after Stu joined the firm, he spent the best part of three years learning that trade. However, both he and his father agreed that it was detracting too much from the development of the core business, and in 2009 that part of the operation was shut down. It was a decision, says Rob, that they never regretted: “We were able to find jobs for all the affected staff, and after that we were freer to develop the towing and vehicle shifting side of the business.”

Rob has had an interesting working life, He began his career as a civil engineer but, wanting to be his own boss, switched to oyster farming on the Coromandel. He and his wife did this for 10 years before selling up and making as Rob calls it a “lifestyle choice” to become more involved in a passion for skiing, relocating to National Park. A twoyear contract with Doppelmayr NZ for the installation of an aerial cableway brought the couple to the South Island. At the end of the contract, Rob wanted to get into more consistent business and was looking around when Parks came on the market.

Despite the zigzag nature of Rob’s career path, he had a background in the towing business, he explains: “My father had a garage all his life, and I was just 17 when I did my first car recovery.”

He is especially proud that after nearly 100 years the company continues to be family-owned and run: Truck & Driver | 49

Spacious workshop does much more than simply service the Parks fleet, but offers repair and servicing for commercial fleets and private vehicles alike. The engineering section has just built a five-car transporter for the company.

“That’s a real point of difference in this day and age, and it means we are totally committed to providing the best possible service.”

The family connection remains strong. Elder son Stu joined the company in the early 2000s and gained a thorough grounding in the business from driving a tow truck before taking over from his father as general manager. Brother David followed some years later, and today is operations manager.

Stu says that the long intervening period while Brian Gorrie owned the company meant the new owners had no contact with the original Park family, until coincidence stepped in: “After a few years we had grown to the point where we needed to shift out of the original Salisbury Street premises to a bigger site on Ferry Road where the owner was a descendant of the original Matthew Park.”

The shift to Ferry Road was prompted as much by a need to improve presentation as lack of space at Salisbury Street, explains Rob: “There, it was quite old guard – high corrugated iron fences topped with barbed wire, in an area of old houses. We wanted to improve the public perception of towing companies and the new site gave us the opportunity for a much better image.”

That image has been boosted even more spectacularly with the opening two years ago of a purpose-built complex in Christchurch’s southwest – though the fact it’s tucked away on a newlydeveloped industrial area means it’s less obvious to the casual passer-by.

Growth during the first decade and a half of the Gerring’s ownership was steady, but still confined 50 | Truck & Driver

primarily to crash recovery and breakdown services.

The Christchurch earthquakes changed all that, as all available companies were pressed into shifting equipment from damaged buildings, and trucking in the machinery needed for the rebuild.

As Stu explains, that was a primary focus: “Christchurch was suddenly full of all sorts of machinery that needed shifting here and there. And though the bulk of the reconstruction work is now finished we have an ongoing partnership with several hire companies to cart their equipment – things like small excavators and scissor lifts.

“Our point of difference from other companies in the same line of work is that with our towing background we are set up to be immediately responsive and can more easily meet the expectations of the hire companies, who can in turn keep faith with their own customers who often want equipment at short notice.

“The fact that we have units always ready to go puts us at the head of the queue. And we have set the trucks up to be multi-purpose, so they can handle a variety of jobs without problems.

“Don’t get me wrong, a lot of our trucks have a primary purpose, for example the Hino we recently added that has been designed to shift diggers, with stabiliser legs at the rear – but it can also easily handle a variety of other vehicles if need be.”

The earthquake recovery work boosted the company’s fortunes, to the point where it was able to buy its first eight-wheeler heavy-vehicle transporter.

The following years, between 2013 and 2016, saw a flurry of acquisitions, significant among them being

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EBS (Emergency Breakdown Services), and not long after Scott’s Breakdown – both long-established towing firms.

As Stu comments: “That has made us essentially the last of the old guard in the Christchurch area. We ran Scott’s under its existing name for some time but have gradually absorbed it into the Parks brand.

“The purchases boosted the fleet numbers significantly – if not always with units that fitted the direction the company saw itself heading. Their 52 | Truck & Driver

original owners had made them work, but in many cases, they didn’t fit the image we were planning, and they also added significantly to repair and maintenance efforts.

“Paying someone else to service the fleet also became increasingly costly. The specialised nature of the gear also added another complicating factor. The last company we purchased, Warren Auto-Electrical, in 2016, had its own workshop, so we hired mechanics and bought the servicing work in-house. When we

This page: Stuart (left), Rob (centre) and David Gerring are proud that after nearly 100 years, Parks Towing is still a familyowned concern.

Opposite page, top: Hino breakdown unit is readied for a tow.

Opposite page, bottom: Fuso Fighter en route with a single vehicle. For multi-car shifts, the trucks also use trailers.

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closed the panel shop Dad and I never thought we would have a workshop again.”

In 2015 the company entered an agreement with Manheim Auctions NZ to relocate and store insurance total-loss vehicles prior to their being auctioned online. Not long previously, Manheim had won a contract with the IAG group to handle its written-off vehicles.

Stu admits the association as at times been quite challenging: “The basic problem was that nobody was really sure of the numbers involved. Not long after Manheim was awarded the contract, IAG brought several other insurance companies into its portfolio.

We were told to expect around 150 cars at any time... but it has never dropped below 300.

“Initially, we delivered vehicles to a Manheim yard at Bromley, but it was so swamped by the numbers that at times we would have three or four trucks waiting in a queue, which was vastly inefficient. To ease the pressure we set up an extra yard, but even that was quickly filled, and we added another...and another.

54 | Truck & Driver

“When David joined the company, he spent most of his time driving around the seven yards that by then we were operating from. There was an obvious need for proper consolidation, and we had been looking for quite some time for a site to call our own. We finally found it in a new industrial area close to the former RNZAF base at Wigram. And because we already had a workshop style component in several of the existing sites, it made commercial sense to incorporate that into the new building and to offer a dealership-style service to the wider market.”

Even the new facility has needed expansion less than two years since opening, he adds: “Originally the site was 22,000 square metres, but we have since had to buy extra blocks, bringing it up to 28,000 square metres.”

For all that there isn’t a huge amount of spare room, even allowing that many of the cars in the wrecks section are stacked three-high in metal frames, imported as flat sub- sections from China and assembled locally.

A separate area for impounded vehicles typically

This page, right: Early heavy-recovery unit with a bus in tow.

Below: Lineup in the ‘80s featured Bedford and Trader models and classic hook-type towing gear.

Opposite page, clockwise from top left: The W924 in all its glory; ACCO at the limit of its capacity; Hiab-style crane units have long been a feature of the Parks lineup.

carries between 80 and 120 cars.

In addition to the wrecks and impound areas, another large part of the site is given over to long term storage, handling a variety of vehicles, including ex-lease and ex-rental vehicles awaiting sale.

The new building on the site is huge, covering around 1200 square metres, a high proportion of it given over to the workshop. This offers heavy- and lift-vehicle lifts and a full range of servicing and repair work for both heavy commercial customers and private car owners. The three-strong engineering team carries out repair, design and fabrication both on- and off-site.

Comments Rob: “I’ve always wanted my own bricks and mortar. It’s taken quite a while but definitely has been worth it in the end.”

Stu says an advanced electronic dispatch system has been vital to supporting the company growth: “Like many transport companies we use Navman, which works really well, but for the past 10 years we have also used the Australian-developed LinkSoft.

One of its packages has been developed for tow

companies and is used by several major towing firms in Queensland and Victoria. It offers an interface between the relevant breakdown authority – like the AA here or RACQ and RACV in Australia – so that jobs can be automatically sent to the towing contractor and the data sent on to the tow truck.

“Here, several organisations, among them the AA, are integrated with our LinkSoft system. For the AA, the on-scene time to a breakdown is important, because when they are tendering to a vehicle distributor for warranty support, they can use the information on our response time to support the bid.

“When we first started with LinkSoft we were doing maybe 30 or 40 tows a day, whereas now it can be hundreds. We put it in at a good time, because there is no way a manual dispatch system could handle that. The automated data transfer has virtually eliminated the sort of communication errors that you will find in a manual system. The drivers all have tablets, allowing them to enter information from the field that goes straight into the system.”

Adds Rob: “When we bought the company, we had Truck & Driver | 55

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General manager Stuart Gerring is proud that Parks has become more than just a towing company and sees its range of services expanding yet further.

a single receptionist/dispatcher who assigned jobs to the trucks. At night-time the phones were switched over to my number and I acted as a dispatcher, and if need be, handling the callout myself. Now we have a team of five full-time dispatchers, including a three-strong nightshift team. The team leader has a different tablet that contains all the jobs that come in during the shift.”

Covid-19 has had an impact on a previously busy and profitable part of the operation – the delivery of replacement rental cars and vans when there has been a breakdown, and the return of the affected unit. The workshop was also hit when it lost the 40 or 50 Jucy rental vans that typically it would service every week before the pandemic.

In addition, there had been a growing business in the repatriation of serviceable rental cars and camper vans, with inbound tourists picking vehicles up in Christchurch and leaving them in, say, Queenstown.

The drop in the rental activity caused by Covid has been partly offset by the shifting of import vehicles from Port Lyttelton, work that was previously carried out by Auto Despatch, says Stu: ”They had leased space in our yard to store the vehicles before they went on to compliance centres or dealers, and they mentioned they were pulling out of the Port work, so we asked could we help out – and that’s how it started.”

Until now this work has been carried out by the company’s flat-deck Hino and Fuso 4x2s, towing two-car trailers. But on the day we visit Parks, a new five-car two-deck transporter – designed and built in-house – is nearing completion in the workshop. In

service, it will be hooked to a 4x2 Hino 700.

Among truck brands, Hino is the one Parks has a preference for. As Stu comments dryly: “We tow a lot of broken down trucks, and Hinos don’t show up all that often.”

He reflects on the hands-on approach the family brings to the job: “One thing I was firm on as I was moving into the management area was that I didn’t want the job to be 24/7 as it was with Dad, so we have worked to bring people into management positions that can relieve us from being on call all the time. But the family involvement does show up in a very positive way, in that the three of us can still drive a truck if needed. And customers really love it if one of the family turns up at the wheel of a unit. We even drag Dad out occasionally when things are really busy.”

Rob laughs: “Imagine a big cupboard, with me inside hanging on a hook. Every now and then the door opens, I’m given a lick with a feather duster, and turned out to work.”

The core group are ready to tackle the off-thewall stuff too, an example being the 200 metres of conveyor the three Gerrings and a couple of staff disassembled and packed in containers last year.

Recalls Stu: “It was tough work – thousands of bolts, five days of solid work for five of us. The job came from us shifting machinery and factory gear postearthquake, and somebody remembered us.”

He says that health and safety and staff training have been very much a part of his journey: “There’s no best-practice document for the towing industry, so we’ve had to develop our own, from a rookie driver Truck & Driver | 57

Left: David (pictured) and Stu Gerring enjoy backing up the frontline drivers when needed. Even Rob, now retired, gets – as he puts it – “dusted off ” and pressed into service when things become really busy.

Above: By the mid-1990s the earlier hook layout was beginning to be replaced by the likes of lifting frames (below).

with a Class 2 through to a Class 5. We’ve got a fulltime health and safety and HR person who has helped enormously in further developing the work that I began. We’re currently well advanced in gaining ISO certification, which when we get it will make us the first tow operator in the country to do so.

“We work closely with the Police in bringing their new recruits up to speed on the optimal handling of a crash site. They have ultimate control, but an experienced and professional tow truck driver will make things easier for everybody in what is often a pretty fraught situation. At these training courses we get written-off vehicles and recreate a crash aftermath to help the recruits run through what needs to happen. From a health and safety point of view, once the recovery process starts the tow driver has control of the scene.

“For recruitment, we are increasingly working with schools, because it’s often easier to train a young person in your way than have to modify the ingrained habits of an experienced driver. And what might not be generally understood is that we can offer a wide range of career paths. And when we bring a 58 | Truck & Driver

new person on board, we work closely with them to identify what they want from their career and ensure we can provide that, so the time and effort we’re investing in them is not wasted if they leave.”

Stu himself has recently completed the leadership development programme offered by The Icehouse and speaks highly of the variety of the business sectors represented and the practical nature of the study.

Like his Dad, he believes in thinking progressively: “In the old-school model for a tow company you waited till the work came to you, but we have recently employed a full-time salesperson to visit corporates and drum up business. We want to raise the bar of the public expectation of what a tow company is all about.”

Rob concurs: “A towie, by description, has to think outside the square, because every situation is different. I think we’ve managed to bring that adaptability to the business.

“However, I don’t think we look back often enough to appreciate how far we’ve come from where we started. And there’s still more growth in the pipeline…” T&D

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LEGENDS

From dark days to All Blacks Neil Weber N

EIL WEBER HAS BEEN IN THE transport industry for over four decades, through good times and what he calls ‘the dark days’.

He’s helped keep logging trailers on the road, created innovative solutions, increased safety and even given us an All Black - and for that, he’s a Southpac legend.

Unlike many in the industry, Neil Weber can’t claim to come from a long list of truckies, however, he did get the truck driving bug early.

“My late father [Graham Weber] was actually a farmer but we always had a farm truck to do hay and stuff like that, so I was driving trucks when I was about 9 or 10 years old. And you know how farmers are on a farm, they’re pretty innovative too.”

Currently 57, Weber says that he left school in 1980 and took a diesel mechanic apprenticeship in the Port of Napier before making the switch to the road freight industry.

“In ‘87 I bought my own truck and became an owner driver for an outfit called Trident, a consortium of five freight companies. I was an around town truckie, driving a Mitsubishi four-wheeler.”

60 | Truck & Driver

He was on the road for around three years when the company asked him to undertake a transport management role.

“They asked me to run the place due to some illness with the incumbent. I did that for about a year and then in ‘91 a new position came up at Pan Pac which I was successful in getting. I was a transport manager under the wood resources manager Brian Pritchard, a fine old gentleman who unfortunately after retiring, died having been hit on a pedestrian crossing.”

Weber says that at the time at Pan Pac they had a fleet of about thirty owner drivers and eleven company trucks.

“They were mainly Macks and White Road Boss’s, all Caterpillar powered loggers. Part of my role in ‘92 was to do a fleet upgrade and we actually did the trip over to the USA to sort out what engine’s we might want to look at for these new trucks. We were one of the first to get the electronic redhead Cummins in a NZ logging fleet.

He says the first three trucks were K100e Kenworth’s and the other eight were Foden’s due to ‘the exchange rate making them cheaper’.

In 1997 Pan Pac became a fully ‘ownerdriver’ fleet. “We offered the trucks to the

wage drivers and some of them did take it up. When I left in 2014 there were probably around 75 trucks in the fleet and they were a massive Kenworth flavour, especially when the T659 came out which is a perfect New Zealand logger in my view.”

As part of his role in Pan Pac Weber managed the log yard, however in 2013 they put it out to tender. Weber says that one of the interested parties was ISO Limited.

“They [ISO] got awarded the contract and I was very impressed with what they did in a very short amount of time. In early 2014 they knocked on my door and asked if I’d be interested in taking a GM/Business development job with them.”

Weber recalls that the timing was right for him but that it was ‘hard core’ to leave Pan Pac, not only because of the role but also because he had become the NPC Manager at Hawke’s Bay rugby.

“In 09 they [Hawkes Bay Rugby] asked me if I would cover them for that season. I managed to arrange that through my boss, and it went very well for all parties, and I ended up

doing that for 5 years. I had to finish that when I moved to Tauranga. But also, that year [2014] my young fella [Brad Weber] made the Chiefs, and of course Tauranga is closer to Hamilton so that was also part of the decision-making process.”

Weber says that at that time the familyowned (becoming Australian owned by Qube in 2017) ISO only had a small truck fleet of eleven. Adding that ISO started off as a stevedoring company in 1995 and then grew into lots of other things, including transport ‘as a necessity to grow’.

“Within a year I also took on the log marshalling part of the business and that kept me bloody busy. I started four new log marshalling ports [Marsden Point, New Plymouth, Wellington and Gisborne] in a period of about one year. From scratch, green field’s stuff.”

He put in a management team, established all staff, got new equipment, log handling loaders, materials handlers, wharf trailers and terminal tractors ‘all that stuff’.

“It was massively challenging, it was pretty tough, probably put years on my life.

But we got it done and the company is now the dominant player in the market.”

Weber says that part of his role is business development and around 2019 he approached Warwick Wilshier to see if he had any interest in selling his Gisborne business PHL (Pacific Haulage Limited).

“He has built that business up

to around one hundred log trucks and to cut a long story short we bought it and took over on the 6th of January 2021. Interestingly enough, pretty much all those trucks are Kenworth’s, probably the biggest Kenworth fleet in New Zealand.”

Weber says that they were six-hundred staff in 2014 and are about eleven hundred now.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to bring a lot of technology into the business, in the log marshalling side in particular. ISO now does robotic scaling, and we recently bought six new harbour cranes into New Zealand that load the ship.”

Weber reckons that he has a real drive to do better than what we’ve been doing through implementation of technology, upskilling of people, better equipment and also just trying different things.

A good example of that lately came with the log marshalling. Weber says that there’s a lot of short-distance shuffling of logs and they were struggling to get drivers particularly because of the amount of activity for chain throwing.

“It’s fine when you’re doing long haul, but when you’re doing a 2km trip and trying to do 20 loads a day it was proving almost impossible and the safety risk/ shoulder injuries was huge.”

He says that he put his innovation hat on and came up with a log bin system.

“I worked with the Log Transport Safety Council and in particular Warwick Wilshier.

We did a prototype made out of normal container flat racks and proved the concept.

The log is fully enclosed in the cage and there’s a side opening where the loader goes in and lifts the wood out. The driver doesn’t do any real physical activity other

Truck & Driver | 61

than check his load before he goes on to the public road.”

They got the sign off by the police and the LTSC supported it.

“Now we do all of our log shuttles in Tauranga (and just started in Napier), where we’re shuttling high volumes of logs over short distances and the drivers are loving it. It’s a lot more appealing, it’s safer for the driver and ‘as safe’ for the public.”

Weber says that this innovation has been created with Patchells.

“Patchells have always built all of my log gear since 1991 and they were the ones I went to for this project. Now they are building me four new ones that can take two packets inside the bin.”

The log bin solution extends further, as they are now using them for Pan Pac’s pulp transport business.

“Those Super B units have the log bins that are on twist locks like containers. They come off in the early hours of the morning and the pulp bins go on. It takes about six minutes to change the bins over which are modified shipping containers with the curtain on one side of them. We’re now running at 60-tonne on logs and pulp 24hrs a day, 5 1/2 days a week in Napier.”

Weber believes in ‘safety first’ and says that that can bring with it some innovation, productivity and be a better way to do things. But ‘making the job safer for our people is number one’. A position demonstrated by his involvement with the Log Transport Safety Council.

“I was on the founding committee of the

62 | Truck & Driver

LTSC back in the early 90s” He says that back then the industry had a real problem with rolling loggers, “so many trailers per week that it wasn’t funny.”

Adding that there was no representative organisation, and that it was very disjointed.

“Warwick Wilshier in particular drove the establishment of the LTSC which I became a member of straight away and was on the committee with. We battled hard believe it or not to keep trailers on the road because the government representative’s solution was to just ban log truck trailers. We rapidly put a lot of things in place that kept the industry on the road. We brought in things like SRT’s, better trailer design and driver education. I was in amongst that for 10 + years.”

Weber says that the group was enormously dominated by the Central North Island operators ‘because that’s where most of the kilometres get burnt up’ but also the industry was growing around the country and that in turn probably contributed to the rollovers. “because we were now operating in areas that weren’t the best roads and were struggling for operators, so there was a bit of a bad recipe there for potential disaster.”

He says that the only fortunate thing out of that is that he can’t remember any serious injuries from any of those crashes because generally speaking they were on lowly populated vehicle roads.

“So single vehicle rollovers, very rarely, were any other vehicle involved. But it was a really dark time for the industry.”

Trucking as such may not have been passed down through the Weber generations,

however, it would appear that rugby has. Not only did Neil play for Hawkes Bay but his father Graham played and his three children [two boys, one girl] have also played - with Brad Weber now playing for both the Chiefs and the All Blacks.

“Brad is a tiny wee fella, only 75kg, so to be successful when you’re that small is not easy. Like his Grandad and myself, Brad plays half-back, number 9. He started with the Chiefs in 2014 and played his hundredth game last weekend where he scored 2 tries.

He had his first game for the All Blacks in 2015, and then again in 2019 and has been there ever since.”

Brad is 31 years old, and Neil reckons that he’s at his peak. “His current target is to keep playing for the Chiefs and win a Super Rugby final, but the World Cup is next year in France and that’s one of his targets too. Then he’ll see what happens.”

Neil’s future seems just as focussed. He says the industry is hugely challenging, vibrant and innovation is still coming for them ‘we’re not sitting on our hands’. He says that they’re really enjoying the Bay of Plenty area and that ‘they’ll just carry on doing what they’re doing’.

ISO may be a part of a big Australian listed company, but Weber isn’t looking to cross the ditch.

“I have no desire in living in Australia, the rugby team isn’t good enough for starters.” T&D

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Stage 1 of the Ruakura Superhub includes inland port, logistics, industrial and service centre developments.

Sweet Spot Story Colin Smith

WITHIN A FEW MONTHS THE NEWEST SECTION OF THE Waikato Expressway will be open, and trucks will be easing back from 90km/h to negotiate a new diamond interchange as they enter the initial stages of the Ruakura Superhub.

The huge Tainui Group Holdings (TGH) development on the eastern side of Hamilton promises to bring significant efficiencies to the North Island supply chain as well as importexport freight movements.

A 30-year vision for the 480-hectare (ha) Ruakura site extends to including residential, educational and retail elements. But the immediate focus of Stage 1 – due to open during the third quarter of this year – is a 90ha industrial and logistics hub anchored around an inland container port and also supported by a highway service centre.

The inland container port - a joint venture between TGH and Port of Tauranga – has road and rail accessibility alongside the new expressway and the East Coast Main Truck rail line. It will assume a key strategic position in the so-called “golden 64 | Truck & Driver

triangle” of Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga.

TGH Chief Executive Chris Joblin says the excitement is building and Ruakura will soon be able to reveal some of its scale and advantages.

“A project like Ruakura, with 480 hectares of land, is like a super tanker. It takes a while to get momentum, but when you do, it’s absolutely unstoppable,” says Joblin.

The components of Stage 1 comprise the Inland Port area (initially 17ha, later expanding to 30ha), the logistics precinct (35ha) and the industrial zone (25ha) with the service centre occupying 5ha and about 10ha dedicated to a wetland area adjacent to the expressway.

Logistics firm PBT Express Freight Network signed up in mid-2021 and is the first tenant expected to move into the Superhub’s logistics precinct around August this year. Recent progress sees the roof completed on the PBT building and roading constructed to provide access.

A more recent announcement from Big Chill Distribution

FEATURE

PBT Express Freight Network (above) and Waitomo Petroleum (below) were the first tenants announced for the Ruakura Superhub.

confirmed a 13,000m2 cold store facility within the industrial precinct. That site is currently pre-loaded, with the build scheduled to begin in August and an opening likely late in the year.

Adjacent to the interchange that provides the Waikato Expressway access to the Superhub is the first stage of a service centre.

Waitomo Group is the anchor tenant providing the energy offering – including a strategic location for one of its first hydrogen refuelling stations – and a couple of quick serve restaurant choices for travellers.

Fulton Hogan have been awarded the contract to build the first stage of the inland port that is scheduled to begin operations later this year.

“What we are doing at the moment is bringing together three big parcels of work,” says Joblin.

“One is all the roading infrastructure and the services.

That’s the roads that adjoin to the Expressway, the diamond

interchange and the roads within our site.

“Secondly, we are building the inland port and the rail sidings. That’s the JV with Port of Tauranga. Both are scheduled to be complete in the middle of the year.

“We are working to align those things with when the Expressway opens, which we are told is the middle of the year.

“The third leg of the stool at the moment is the tenants.

The building for PBT is well underway and we’ll be starting the building for Big Chill shortly.

“We’ve got some other, unnamed, tenants, who we can’t share yet, and we’ll be looking to start those buildings this year as well.

“At the end of this year you will see a number of buildings under construction, you’ll be able to drive around the main arterial routes in the site and the inland port will be open and operating,” says Joblin.

With the first businesses in the Superhub only months Truck & Driver | 65

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Dave Lovegrove (left), CEO of PBT Express Freight Network with Tainui Holdings Group CEO Chris Joblin (right) at the announcement of PBT becoming the first tenant for the Ruakura Superhub.

away from operating, Joblin says it’s an exciting time. And he expects Stage 1 to rapidly gain momentum as the first buildings are completed and business opens.

“I have been involved from an early stage and it’s my privilege to be here as it well and truly takes off,” says Joblin.

“We are working on a 60-hectare development [the industrial and logistics precincts] and you chew that up pretty quickly when you’ve got buildings that are 20,000 to 40,000 square metres.

“For several years we have been quietly beavering away behind the scenes. There have potentially been some players in the market that maybe wondered what we are doing or if we were going to push on.

“There is no mistake now around our intention. We have already spent a sizeable sum of money and once you see the roads, the connectivity and the buildings pop up, you can make no mistake, this going to be a pre-eminent logistics centre.”

Joblin says the heart of Ruakura is its ability to bring together the various logistics networks - the import and export supply chains and the domestic supply chain - while being able to utilise different modes of transport.

“What that does is deliver significant savings. If you have a full load coming in and full load going out, the economics of that and the productivity gains are really significant,” Joblin says.

“For the people who we work with, particularly in that domestic supply chain, they are looking at the truck kilometres served back to their retail footprints and networks.

“Being located in Hamilton, there is a definitely a reduction in truck kilometres served which goes back to the fundamental premise of why people want to be at Ruakura.

“For a lot of people, it will be the ability to take cost out and create efficiencies through geographical location.

“But secondly, you have a location with the ability to have importers and exporters together and there is a huge saving there. Rather than having a bunch of curtain siders or containers moving air.

“The wider amenity of the site is really important, so we have partnered with Waitomo Petroleum. They will bring the energy part to the equation. One of the things we really like about Waitomo is they are investing a lot in hydrogen.”

The Ruakura site is on the four initial hydrogen refuelling stations being built to support the Hiringa Energy trial using Hyzon fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) trucks leased to key operators through TR Group.

“The ability to have hydrogen fuelling in the Ruakura precinct is massive future proofing and really exciting,” says Joblin “Longer term, as we develop out the service centre there is the option for hotels, motels, conferencing and other uses.

We are really just starting with the convenience food and the energy offerings.”

Joblin says there also is interest from a variety of transport industry services and suppliers keen to be part of the action alongside the large industrial and logistics businesses.

“We have had interest from several of those groups. The opportunity is there for those types of uses and again it’s a great location. With a tyre business for example, you are importing product, so it makes sense.”

The Superhub project also has a strong sustainability component with green space, wetland and solar developments.

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wetland to store and treat the storm water off the whole precinct. That will be fully planted out and have walkways as a public amenity,” Joblin says.

“We will be planting several million trees within Ruakura and looking to do work with the endangered bat species which were historically prevalent in the location. We will plant trees that can recreate some of that habitat that was lost some time ago “The wetland has been designed to allow an eel habitat and we are putting in fish ladders.”

“We are really interested in creating solar farms on the roof space of the buildings and the ability to store and recycle water to take buildings from four-star to six-star green.”

There’s also a plan around electric vehicle charging.

“We are just working through where that would fit. Again, linking up the vehicle charging with the hydrogen and the solar is really important, so you have a clean energy source for creating that energy.

“Ruakura is an integrated development. It’s going to cover so many different uses. There will be logistics tenants, the inland port, industrial tenants and the various service industries.

“But at its heart, it’s about productivity and about the efficient movement of goods around New Zealand and to-andfrom offshore.

“It’s about bringing the supply chains together to create efficiencies for everyone. Location is everything and it’s right in the middle of the ‘golden triangle’,” says Joblin. T&D Truck & Driver | 69

The Waikato Expressway continues to take shape and will provide State Highway 1 access into the Ruakura Superhub from mid-2022.

Game changer Story Colin Smith

INLAND PORTS AND LOGISTICS HUBS ALREADY EXIST IN New Zealand but not on the scale and with the significance which the new Ruakura Superhub will grow to deliver.

That’s the view of Tainui Group Holdings Supply Chain Strategy Director Dave Christie, who says Ruakura will be a game changer.

Christie says there are several key value propositions to attract prospective Ruakura tenants.

“There’s the strategic imperative around future-proofing your supply chain, being located within the ‘golden triangle’ but not actually being constrained by the traffic congestion that exists in Tauranga or Auckland, and the opportunity to scale.

“There is no other site in the ‘golden triangle’ where you have this level of scale and connectivity,” says Christie.

“Ruakura connects to the East Coast Main Trunk and North Island Main Trunk and more importantly to State Highway 1 with the new Waikato Expressway. And the cost of land in Waikato is cheaper than Tauranga, let alone Auckland.”

Christie believes there is significant inefficiency in the New Zealand supply chain.

“What Ruakura does is bring the three supply chains together – import, export and domestic. And when you think of a supply chain, you can’t just think about what’s happening within New Zealand.

“You’ve got to think about what is happening outside of New Zealand. If you are a Fonterra for example, you’re exporting north 70 | Truck & Driver

of the equator. If you are a Farmers, a Warehouse or a K-Mart you are importing products from north of the equator.

“From a supply chain point of view, it’s the end-to-end. It’s not just the individual transport piece or warehouse location piece.

“Currently, imports typically come into Auckland or Tauranga. In recent years Tauranga has picked up more volume,” says Christie.

“But because of our imbalance, for every three containers we export, two containers come in empty because we export more than we import as a country.

“In the macro view most of those containers go to Auckland. So, you are moving a lot of empty containers to Auckland. There is a lot of waste in the import network.

“In the domestic network the containers are de-vanned and products put into warehouses, predominantly in Auckland. And then trucks disappear out of Auckland to distribute these products throughout the country.

“And then many of them have an empty journey back to Auckland in order to fill up again. There’s an estimate that 30-40% of the trucks going back to Auckland are not fully loaded.

“If you look down on the North Island from above, the network has a lot of waste flowing around. A lot of empty trucks, multiple movements and inefficiencies,” says Christie.

“With Ruakura we are trying to change that game through a combination of aggregation, container de-coupling, a multi-modal network and a `base versus flex’ supply chain model. That’s the

concept that the part of your demand that is there every day, you flow through one mode, and the part that is flexible and variable, you flow through another mode.

“You have a major pipeline between Tauranga and Hamilton which is a rail pipeline to warehouses located in Ruakura. Instead of flowing inefficiently up to Auckland, you are doing your distribution out of the Waikato.

“You have future proofed your network, because by being at Ruakura you can connect to Auckland and Tauranga. You can lower your transport costs, both road and rail, because you are effectively paying for a one-way load rate rather than a return rate.

“By removing waste, you drive productivity and also deliver more tangible sustainability.

“That’s the value proposition for the whole precinct. It’s not just the delivery leg or the warehouse location, but the whole end-to end supply chain that goes beyond New Zealand’s borders as well.”

It’s the scale of Ruakura rather than the concept itself that makes it something new for the New Zealand economy.

“Multi-modal hubs are not a new thing. They have been established in multiple locations through Europe and in the US,” says Christie.

“We’ve got inland ports in other parts of the country, but they are not on this scale. And they are typically there to support that particular port.

“The Auckland one in Wiri supports Auckland and you can argue Ruakura supports Tauranga, which it does.

“But Tainui came up with this concept and said, ‘this is what we think is the value proposition for the flow throughout the North Island’. And then [Port of] Tauranga said, ‘we agree’ and that’s when we formed the strategic partnership with them.

“So, this concept is not new. The question is, how do you make it work in the New Zealand environment?

“In my view, the problem with other inland ports or hubs is that in order to work well they have to have that interconnectivity between road and rail and drive efficiencies across the whole network. Otherwise, they become a localised solution rather than a New Zealand Inc. solution.

“The value proposition, we believe for Ruakura is that it’s not that localised solution. It actually changes the game for North

Big Chill CEO Michael Roberts (left) and Freightways CEO Mark Troughear have announced the company’s tenth distribution facility will be located at Ruakura.

Island freight flows. We think that makes it more strategic than some of the other developments that have been done.”

Christie says it requires businesses to think into the mediumterm future.

“What we are asking them to do is cast their mind into the future and project what is going to be different in the New Zealand supply chain and transport landscape in five to 10 years,” he says.

“Some of the commercial benefits will happen right from day one because of the road and rail connectivity, but in terms of the scale it might take 5 to 10 years.

“That’s a challenge. We are asking people to be fortune tellers but the people who have decided to locate here have obviously bought into, and agree with, that view of the future.

“One of the next tenants we expect to announce soon will have people raise their eyebrows and it will start to highlight that message.”

Christie says the Ministry of Transport is currently carrying out an NZ Freight and Supply Chain Strategy Review with the key areas of focus being Decarbonisation, Resilience, Productivity and Innovation, and Well Being to generate policy out to 2050.

“We believe Ruakura double ticks all of those. It delivers on the government’s future vision of what the transport and logistics networks will look like in the future. Not just regionally, but nationally as well,” says Christie. T&D

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FEATURE

CVST staff will soon have six of the new Mobile Roller Brake Test units in service around New Zealand.

Brake testing goes mobile

By Dave McLeod

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New CVST mobile roller brake testers will improve road safety and reduce the risk of a serious injury or death on our roads as a result of a heavy vehicle brake failure.

BEGINNING JUNE, NZ POLICE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY teams (CVST) will be able to identify brake failures anytime, anywhere thanks to six new BM20200 mobile roller brake testers (MRBTs) being rolled out nationwide.

CVST Acting Inspector Lex Soepnel told NZ Truck and Driver; “New Zealand road toll stats are a lot higher than the rest of the world and one of the points that has come out of the ‘Road to Zero’ campaign is the need for safer vehicles on the road, particularly commercial vehicles.

“We want the vehicles on the road to be safe - there’s no compromise, and as you’d appreciate, brakes are a very

important safety device.”

To emphasise the point, Soepnel says that during the research stage they used the Paengaroa CVSC (as it’s the only location that currently has a CVST operated roller brake test machine) and between 2018 and 2021 they tested 2500 trucks with 67% failing the test!

“Now bear in mind this is a fixed ‘in-ground’ test at the station there [not a mobile one], so it’s known there’s a safety centre there, and we were still getting a 67% failure rate,” Soepnel says.

He says the results prompted them to go mobile.

Truck & Driver | 73

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The rollers are set up 160mm above the ground, differing from the machines in the testing station which have bigger diameter rollers, but delivering the same results.

“Places like the deep South or far North, or East to West, some of the vehicles there, the only time their brakes get tested or possibly maintained is when they go for their Certificate of Fitness.”

Soepnel says that although COFs are thorough, it’s the time between them is often the issue.

“Many COFs are on a six-monthly basis, and what we’re finding is that a lot of vehicles are lacking in maintenance or failing COFs largely due to brakes. You must remember that some of these vehicles do a considerable amount of mileage between COF checks.”

Soepnel believes that the solution lies with testing the brakes on the road and hence the introduction of MRBTs. And as it turns out, this is not the first time NZ Police has ventured down this road.

Brett Higgins, National Equipment Manager from the successful tender supplier Sulco Tools and Equipment explains.

“Previously, the police had four mobile brake testers in trailers with a dedicated tow vehicle that had a generator inside. They tested roadside around the country.”

However, Higgins understands that with the introduction of the 2006 Industry Operator Rating System and the introduction of the Heavy Vehicle Brake Rule (where they went from unladen brake testing to laden during COF B brake testing) they decided to do away with them.

“But in 2020/21 they [NZ CVST] went to tender for the supply of six new roller brake testers. The tender requirement was for a mobile roller brake tester to work roadside that had the capacity to test fully laden vehicles,” recalls Higgins “It needed to be in a self-contained trailer with the generator and [an overall] weight around 3000kg. It needed to be able

to be set up with just two people and be ready for operation within 15 to 20 minutes of arrival to site.”

Soepnel says; “What we’re doing with the roller brake machines is trying to meet that safety need by testing brakes, particularly in heavy motor vehicles, on the go. This will complement the ‘Road to Zero’ programme plus it will also complement the Waka Kotahi ‘Weigh Right’ scheme where they are designing and building more commercial vehicle safety

Truck & Driver | 75

The BM20200’s edge roller can test axles up to 16-tonne centres around the country.”

Admittedly, these seem like quite hefty requirements, but Higgins, the veteran brake testing supplier, and his company Sulco Tools and Equipment came through with the solution.

“I’ve been with Sulco for 38 years and I’ve been involved in the installation of over 800 roller brake testers in all of New Zealand dating back to 1995,” says Higgins.

Sulco is New Zealand’s largest established supplier of roller brake testers for the car and heavy transport industry.

“Our brake testers are installed in 90% plus of the car and truck vehicle testing centres. We introduced load simulation into brake testing in New Zealand, and we have a bespoke, purposebuilt, mobile roller brake tester that’s capable of testing cars, vans, four-wheel drives and heavy vehicles - trucks, trailers, b-trains, buses, whatever, to a COF-B standard.”

Higgins says mobile brake testing is not new to New Zealand, in fact there’s over 50 in service today for doing either VCAs, COF-B’s, general diagnostic work, or pre-COF brake testing in workshops. Sulco’s clients include the police, vehicle testing stations, fleets, and corporate truck service workshops.

The CVST model (BM20200) is a perfect solution for the job required. Imported from BM Autoteknik in Denmark, it’s equipped with special ramps before and after the brake tester to ensure that the axles being tested are level for accuracy of weight scale reading. Set up roadside it can perform unladen and fully laden tests.

Higgins says that the trailers have been supplied locally by Pinto Trailers and are based on the design of a car transporter.

“It’s a great big box. The trailer tilts and the roller brake tester rolls out of the back. It’s attached to an electrical and mechanical winch so you can release it a bit like launching a

76 | Truck & Driver

boat at the boat ramp and then you can wind it back in. It’s got a generator with PC and printer for recording and capturing the results.”

He adds that it’s also supplied with a wireless hand-held tablet display to display results and remote control for the officer to communicate with the driver.

“It’s a stand-alone system. It’s not talking to big brother. It’s just there to be able to capture brake test results and print them out for each vehicle. A copy is available at the end of the test if the driver asks for it.”

Higgins describes a brake test machine is simply a torque gauge.

“It’s an electronic torque roller bed that’s measuring the torque output of the wheels on the rollers and displaying brake force in Deca Newtons (DaN).”

It performs the equivalent of a COF-B brake test, in a controlled environment, irrespective of weather or terrain conditions.

“It’s set up the same way, to record the same results as if you were presenting your vehicle at the testing station,” says Higgins.

“The only difference is that the roller speed is slower than the machines in the testing stations and that’s purely to do with the motor gear ratio because the rollers are set up 160mm above the ground and the machines in the testing station have bigger diameter rollers, therefore a different roller testbed.

“But irrespective of roller diameter, the mobile RBT can still measure the same torque output because we have a middle roller that’s measuring the wheel speed, and as the brake brings the vehicle to a lock its sensors will shut down the machine safely without any risk or damage to the tyres.”

Below left and above: The MRBT units are towed behind a ute in a tandem axle Pinto trailer and are designed to be unloaded and ready for operation within 15 to 20 minutes of arriving at a site.

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The BM20200 MRBT system can cope with any shape, diameter and width of tyre and with a full range of suspension and braking systems.

The system works irrespective of brake manufacturer, mechanical or air suspension, and on both ABS and non-ABS vehicles.

“It can deal with any shape, size or diameter or width of the tyre, be it a Mini Minor, a dual set of wheels, super singles or just steering axles, even including Unimogs from the army, with the big knobbly tyres,” says Higgins.

He is adamant that there’s no deviation or no alteration of readings.

“So effectively they’re doing a COF-B equivalent brake test at the side of the road using presented weight. We record the results, and a printout is available. The police officer is looking to make sure that the vehicle is safe, it’s all about safety.”

Higgins says that the key to a successful roadside test is braking nice and slowly to the braking range is measured from low application through to lock.

He confirms that as per Waka Kotahi requirements, Sulco has a nationwide network of third-party servicing and calibration IQPs (Independent Qualified Personnel) and that the machines, weight scales and transducers are calibrated on an annual basis.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve achieved for the NZ Police, NZTA and the transport industry,” Higgins says.

“I’ve been heavily involved with the NZTA and the testing stations and over the years the methods used for testing vehicles within COF-B and roadside are very fair and reasonable tests when compared to other international countries’ testing standards. And these BM20200 mobile brake testing machines are being used by roadside policing authorities around the world.”

Soepnel agrees. “We did have a look at other models, but we found the BM20200 was best suited for our conditions. I have contacted several police forces around the globe that are using them, including Greenland, Denmark, Australia and a couple of others and they have indicated that they are reliable, robust machines.”

The BM20200’s edge roller can test axles up to 16-tonne, which Soepnel says is well in excess of New Zealand’s legal 78 | Truck & Driver

limits of only 8200kgs per axle and are extremely accurate when it comes to reporting failures.

“On the steering axles, if there’s more than 30% imbalance [if one wheel has a brake working and the other one doesn’t] the vehicle could be issued a non-operation order,” says Soepnel.

“And if we’re looking at the braking efficiency of a normal axle, say a drive axle on a truck, if it’s less than 50% braking efficiency then that would be a failure too.”

He explains further. “If you have a series of axles and some are over and some are under, we look at the total braking efficiency of the full unit. So, let’s say it’s a 50-tonne with nine axles, all those nine totalled up together must have more than 50% braking efficiency.”

Higgins goes into further detail. “What are they looking for is ‘do we have brakes? Do we have a brake imbalance between the left and right wheel? Because anything over 30% is a failure.

“And do we have brake force efficiency? Brake Force efficiency is equal to brake force left plus right wheel divided by axle weight. Here we’re looking for a minimum of 50% efficiency for the service foot brake for each axle. In other words, does it have enough braking to bring the vehicle combination to a stop in a safe manner according to the NZTA braking requirements. Park brakes are also tested.”

Soepnel says the MRBT procedure doesn’t necessarily take any longer than a normal Level 3 or Level 5 check and it will depend on the faults found [if any].

“It only takes about 30 seconds to check once it’s up on the roller machines, so it doesn’t take very long, and it won’t add on any extra time to their journeys. No more than at Level 3 or Level 5. In actual fact, the brake test machine will be a Level 6 check which will encompass a Level 5 or Level 3 as well.”

Soepnel says that as of right now they’ve taken possession of two units and that they’re training their VSOs (vehicle safety officers) on how to use them.

“We have a third one just waiting for the livery on the trailer.

But soon there will be six units spread out across the country, one for each CVST area [of which there are four], and the other

The system is designed to be operated by two CVST officers and will see brake testing carried out in more remote areas.

two will probably be floating.

“They are towed by a ute so they can go anywhere, anytime.

We are very flexible, there’s no set plan as to where they are going to go, but every area will have one assigned to them.”

He says that at the moment all the CVSCs are essentially on State Highways, so the advantage with these mobile brake machines is that they can go to more remote rural areas.

Soepnel is excited about this new safety addition.

“I think it is a very positive step forward. The vehicles are getting heavier, I mean we’ve got 62/68-tonne out there on the highways - this way we’re going to know that at least their brakes work.”

He says that there are more trucks on the road and there’s also a delay in new trucks arriving which means that a lot of the older trucks are on the road longer.

The big thing Soepnel wants to point out is that they’re in a partnership.

“We can’t do road safety by ourselves. This is a combined programme where we’re working with Waka Kotahi. These brake machines complement their whole road safety programme.

“And we’re working with industry to try to get the road safer.

Part of that ‘commercially’ for them is to get a level playing field in terms of vehicle upkeep and maintenance (such as worn tyres and unadjusted brakes) and therefore rates.”

You’d think that there would be pushback from the operators, but Soepnel says no.

“At this stage we have had good feedback from both drivers and operators. They’ve all been informed that these machines are coming, and several operators have taken a proactive stance on it and actually installed roller brake machines in their own workshops, so they can regularly test them when they are doing day-to-day maintenance.”

He says that they have received several [victimised] complaints in the past from operators going past Paengaroa and being the ‘only place in the country that are being brake tested’.

“They don’t consider the playing field to be level as such, but now it is.”

Higgins adds; “This is a good thing. Possibly some people will think this is just revenue collecting but what I can say is that we did some roadside testing prior to winning the tender and let’s just say eyebrows were raised at the condition of brakes on some of the vehicles.”

Higgins says that he’s a great believer of ‘test don’t guess’.

“If you test, you’re in possession of the facts and if you’ve got a problem wheel that’s not braking correctly you’ve got the opportunity to fix it. And then retest the brake to make sure that it is working.

“What a lot of people don’t realise is that if you have a low braking axle or wheel in a combination, not only is it unsafe but then all the other wheels have to work harder. So, it is actually costing big bucks because you’re potentially wearing out those wheels and axles quicker than if everything was working as it was designed, in unison.”

Higgins says working brakes will save money and give operators longer intervals between service. “Like anything if you do it right first time then it always saves you money,” he says.

Soepnel says the introduction of MRBT units is all about safety.

“We see this is a big step forward because a lot of the vehicles are not getting tested regularly and as times get tougher, maintenance goes by the board. So obviously there’s a lot of brakes out there that are not up to scratch,” he says.

“I think at the end of the day we can’t do this ‘Road to Zero’ by ourselves. We need the cooperation of the industry, the public and our partner agencies, it’s a joint effort. We want drivers to go to work and come home safe at the end of the night.

“A lot of crashes are not caused by heavy commercial vehicles. However, a truck with good brakes, stopping 3-metres quicker in the event of an incident could make a huge difference,” says Soepnel. T&D Truck & Driver | 79

It’s political...

WHAT THE POLITICIANS THINK ABOUT TRUCKING THE NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING INDUSTRY FACES many challenges – many of them influenced by Government policy.

Apart from the many problems currently created by the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s the ongoing driver shortage, the worsening state of the nation’s roading network and looming emissions reduction legislation…

So, who among our political parties offers any salvation

for the industry in these situations?

To have some insight into what politicians are thinking about issues impacting the road transport industry, NZ Truck & Driver has offered each of the major political parties the opportunity to voice their views on trucking matters each month.

This month it’s only the ACT Party who have taken up the opportunity to offer their views. T&D

Lifeline routes must be secure

By Simon Court, ACT Party spokesperson on transport THE WESTPORT TO KARAMEA ROAD SERVES ABOUT 27 DAIRY farms. A major storm in early February closed SH67 Westport to Mokihinui and the local road beyond to Karamea.

Milk tankers were unable to reach the dairy farms, so farmers were forced to dump milk at a time when dairy prices are at near record highs. They must feel gutted at the waste, as well as the lost income.

After six days light vehicles were able to travel the road in a convoy escorted by local contractors. Heavy vehicles had to wait longer until the road was prepared for them. Contractors removed 30 large slips and widened critical areas to allow vehicles to safely pass through the most severely affected sections of the highway.

Some farms were flooded for the second time in a year by the latest storm. Community water supplies were damaged again. But it’s not just the weather that is against these farmers and local people, it’s the state of the road as well.

In January, before the latest storm, I travelled to Karamea on ACT’s bus to meet with local people and hear their concerns.

Every person I spoke to said that road access is their main concern. Because without access, it is not just tourists and milk tankers which are stuck. The road is also a lifeline for ambulances, for midwives, and for the social services which help elderly people to remain in their own homes.

Essentially, without the road, their town and their district cannot exist.

The 2017 West Coast Lifelines Vulnerability and Interdependency Assessment stated that the West Coast road network is perhaps the key lifeline utility in the region. Critical road links includes the Buller Districts Karamea Highway.

Even though the road is prone to slips, slumps and flooding, the report goes on to state that it is not practical to invest in Major Improvement Works along the bluff’s section of the Karamea Highway due to difficulties accurately planning and forecasting the nature and location of failures.

Karamea people told me that something urgent and durable needs to be done to secure this vital lifeline route. They told me is not fair that other New Zealanders are promised bike bridges and light rail, but all they need is a road for an ambulance, a midwife, and a support person for the elderly.

Healthy communities and a healthy economy depend on sound transport connections. It is time to give up on the experiment 80 | Truck & Driver

Simon Court of leaving Wellington politicians in charge and allow local communities to set their infrastructure priorities. That is the only way we will level up the infrastructure deficit around the country.

ACT proposes a system of 30-year infrastructure partnerships between regional and central government. Local councils would partner with their neighbours to form coherent regional alliances.

These alliances would then enter into long-term contractual arrangements with central government to provide them with funding for their infrastructure priorities.

On the West Coast, and in similar regions around New Zealand, I am confident people would put securing lifeline routes and improving the state highway network at the top of the priority list. Because they know that is what they need for a healthy community and healthy economy. T&D

FEATURE

Anthony Jones has recently moved from Sydney to lead HWR Group as the new CEO of the Southland-based company.

Moving

South

By Colin Smith

Moving from across the Tasman, Anthony Jones has made Southland his new home as he brings a diverse logistics background to the CEO’s office at HWR Group.

ANTHONY JONES JOKES THAT HIS FAMILY – WIFE KATIE and their four children – made up a good proportion of New Zealand’s net migration total in 2021.

The family made the move from Sydney to settle in Invercargill in mid-December where Jones has been working into his new CEO role with Southland-based HW Richardson Group (HWR Group), one of New Zealand’s largest privately owned companies.

Jones takes on the CEO role replacing director Scott O’Donnell, who had been interim CEO since the retirement of Brent Esler in 2020.

The small statistical significance of the Jones family in the migration numbers is just one small reminder of how much the world has changed as the past two years have been dominated

by Covid-19.

Border closures, traffic light settings and staff shortages combine with global supply chain pressures and future energy solutions as subjects which have Jones attention. At the same time, he’s been attempting to tour New Zealand to meet as many of HWR’s 2500 staff and their customers as possible.

“I tendered my resignation with Linx Cargo Care two weeks before Delta hit the shores of Australia with the assumption in

my head that, ‘it’s all good, we’ll jump across the ditch’,” says Jones.

“My intent at that stage was I would come across and the kids would finish out school and come across after that.

“Delta got in the way. The bubble shut and stayed shut for two months. It wasn’t a case of not being able to get into MIQ, it wasn’t even open.

“It took six months to get here from the time I resigned to when we got into the country.

“We landed in Auckland on the second of December. We were one of the lucky ones who got seven days in Auckland and then we flew down here [Southland] on the 10th of December.”

Now the pandemic is interrupting Jones’ plans to get acquainted with the organisation he leads.

“I have been to most of our JV operations around the South Island but there’s still a couple I need to get to,” he says.

“I wanted to go to the North Island but that was the week we moved into red setting. I unfortunately haven’t been able to get up there. That was mainly our customers choice, they moved to say they didn’t want face-to-face.”

With Jones’ focus very much on people and relationships, the Truck & Driver | 81

Safety and technology in the range is also impressive and includes a wide selection of active and passive safety equipment, while the all-new HiTronix intelligent Automated Manual Transmission delivers greater efficiency, longevity a in cabin noise reduction of 6dB which improves driver comfort wherever the journey may lead.

For more information visit your local IVECO dealer or phone 0800 FOR IVECO (0800 367 48326).

For more information visit your local IVECO dealer or phone 0800 FOR IVECO (0800 367 48326).

www.iveco.co.nz www.iveco.co.nz

TD32389

The Euro6 X-Way is one of the most advanced and versatile trucks available. Featuring a new engine range that is still big on power and torque, while consuming less fuel and creating fewer emissions, the X-Way is available in both a prime mover and rigid in variety of 6x4 and 8x4 configurations and with availability of PTO.

HWR head office is currently located at Inglewood Rd in Invercargill.

The company plans to occupy the top four floors of a new nine-floor development due to open late-2022 in the Invercargill CBD.

visits remain a high priority.

“I don’t what to be the person who has been in a role for six months or a year and some people say, ‘I’ve never even seen that guy’.

“That’s not who I am. We are starting to pivot to Zoom and Teams so there is a face to the name, but ultimately there will be a bit of that road show stuff because that’s who I am.

That’s what I value.

“It’s about getting out and putting faces to names. We have some amazing people within the business who are genuinely passionate about seeing their customers freight move efficiently to market.”

There are plenty of other issues focussing Jones’ attention.

“It’s an interesting time. None of us knew what a pandemic was two years ago. We’re trying to grapple with that,” says Jones.

“We have the near-term challenge of getting through the pandemic and keeping the wheels moving.

“The interesting thing is the Covid pandemic has brought to the fore how critical supply chain and logistics is. It’s shone a light into the industry for a lot of people. They didn’t realise how their toilet paper, for instance, got onto shelves before.

“If you stop something, what happens? People don’t have those bare essentials.”

Manufacturing lead times and maintaining capital investment is another challenge.

“There are manufacturing challenges around the world for any commodity and that includes trucks,” says Jones.

“Those types of lead times are good for a manufacturer because they are getting good order books. But for operators who are trying to keep equipment running or might have missed the boat and not had mature systems to replace equipment with good capital programmes, it’s putting a bump in the road.”

Jones also says it’s an era of energy shift and questions are

being asked about how long diesel trucks are going to continue to operate.

“The alternate energy is actually causing a bit of disruption and probably uncertainty for some people. That’s only going to proliferate more,” he says.

“For us it’s not only road transport. Road transport in some of our businesses is how we get our product to market - like our Allied Petroleum business.

“Some of things that have my attention are, how do we start to bring in new technology that allows industry to transition while reducing carbon emissions? That’s got a large focus from myself and there are some really exciting things that we’ll be announcing soon.”

Labour and skills shortages are a problem across many industries with transport at the forefront.

“We just really struggle to get bums on seats. The closed border saw a net migration number in the hundreds last year. It’s encouraging to see the plan the government now have to open those borders because it is a real issue.”

HWR has developed some innovative programmes to attract staff.

“One of things we are tackling as a business is getting in front of kids at an early age to show how important of an industry we are, and how much of a fun industry we can be,” says Jones.

“There is a bit of that stigma sometimes that can be talked around the kitchen table, which is not fair. We are tackling that as HWR by being in front of school kids, getting them to understand what a truck looks like and how sophisticated a truck is.

“It’s important to get to the kids before they are influenced negatively and say, ‘look, this is a great career’. It’s been a great career for me especially and for many others.

“It’s a people business and we are driven by people, literally and figuratively. They are what make or break you.”

Truck & Driver | 83

HWR Group fleets operate more than 1300 trucks across six industry sectors.

Jones says he hadn’t heard of HWR Group before the Southland-based company reached out during its recruitment for a new CEO well over a year ago.

“I didn’t even know the brand,” says Jones.

But once Jones began to learn he liked what he saw.

“They reached out to me. I didn’t need to leave [Linx] but the attraction of joining their company is what continued the conversation.

“Covid got in the way. We continued to talk through Covid, but it was clear we weren’t going to be able to meet. But once the borders did open up, we did get to meet and that just affirmed everything.

“It was April 23rd when we made the jump across Tasman. We got to know them over a weekend.

“When I met Scot and Joc [O’Donnell] and with Albert [Brantley, HWR Chairman], it really was the values of the company, the lineage of the company and what the company stood for and did that attracted me to continue a conversation with them.

“With any position of this type it’s really important it works for both parties. We got to know each other pretty well.”

Jones knows the opportunity for a CEO role with a large privately owned company is rare.

“You don’t come across businesses like this very often and normally when you do it’s run by a generation of the family,” he says.

“I have the greatest respect for that connection back from Bill’s [company founder Bill Richardson] lineage, creating this business from a very small cartage business to what it is today.

“The entrepreneurialism that sits in the business and the genuine care for their people is what really attracted me. These opportunities don’t come up very often.

84 | Truck & Driver

“I’m pretty simple in that I want to work for good people, I want to make a difference and I want to be challenged. They have been the same drivers all the way through my career.

“I do see a huge amount of opportunity for the business. It’s not often that you see a business this size and scale but also with healthy entrepreneurialism and a healthy balance sheet to be able to take those opportunities.”

Jones says a business like HWR Group which operates across six sectors and has 48 brands comes with a huge amount of complexity.

“Do I like challenges? Yes. Was I scared off by the complexity?

No,” he says.

“The diversity actually is an attraction. It was one of the things I used to really enjoy about my previous role. I used to say that one day you’d be watching a tree-felled in one of our plantations and the next day watching a Porsche being loaded onto a car carrier.

“And HWR is no different. One day we could be out with one of our transport operators loading sheep onto a truck and then the next day I could be sitting there with my transport team on the leading edge of transport technology or dealing with some of the things we are doing in alternate energy. It’s an exciting diversity.”

The other thing Jones is looking forward to is enjoying what the South Island has to offer with his family.

“I’ve been married to my beautiful wife Katie for 20 years and we’ve got four kids - three crazy boys and one beautiful girl. My daughter is the eldest at 13 and the boys are 11, 9 and 6.

“We are a snow sports family, and we love getting out and about in the outdoors. Hence the attraction of Southland and the beautiful South Island.” T&D

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Truck & Driver | 85

By Colin Smith

New HWR Group CEO Anthony Jones brings experience across all transport modes, with the exception of air freight.

A diverse career APPROACHING 25 YEARS IN THE LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY chain sectors, new HWR Group CEO Anthony Jones brings a diverse CV and multi-mode experience to his new role with one of New Zealand’s largest privately owned companies.

Jones began his logistics industry career in Sydney as a casual stevedore for Patrick Corporation in the wake of Australia’s industrychanging 1998 waterfront dispute.

“I drove forklifts, trucks, cranes, straddles and did a bunch of clerical jobs for about two years,” he says.

“I got pretty bored reading the paper three times a day and so at the time Patrick was starting up its own rail freight company off the back of frustrations with the government-owned freight rail. I jumped into that start-up business.”

His initial role was running port shuttle services from the western suburbs of Sydney into Port Botany. At the time Australia’s logistics and freight industry was undergoing massive changes and shortly after that Patrick and Toll bought the federal and state-owned railways in Australia and formed Pacific National.

“I jumped across and spent 12 years in Pacific National. My first role with them was at Melbourne Freight Terminal, so containerised freight was a large side of my career. I spent a big proportion of my time in containerised freight and logistics.”

Jones says he had numerous roles in Melbourne Freight Terminal and then moved back home to Sydney.

“My wife and I were married during the time we were in Melbourne, and we came back up to Sydney.”

Jones took a terminal manager role, became a state manager and then moved to general manager of bulk rail freight with Pacific National.

“GrainCorp were our biggest customer. We were moving everything other than coal. Coal was a separate division, but everything else that went into a bulk rail wagon, we moved.

“Then I moved back into the Patrick business. At the time Pacific National and Patrick were owned by a company called Asciano, which was ASX listed.

86 | Truck & Driver

“I jumped back into Patrick. I did some restructure work and consolidation work. We’d recently bought a business that we’d bought into the fold, and we integrated that to form a pit-to-port, paddock-toport operation, end-to-end supply chain solution.

“Not long after that I became GM for Patrick. Both bulk and containers across the nation.”

That role included responsibility for the major ocean terminals in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle along with landside logistics and bulk port operations.

“Asciano was sold in 2016 and it was divested and de-merged. The business was split up into three different groups - one being Pacific National, one being the Patrick Ocean Terminals business and the other being the Patrick bulk and general businesses which had five brands,” says Jones.

“We had to rebrand that business and I became the CEO of that business, which became Linx Cargo Care Group.

“We established that business from what was previously a business unit in amongst a large ASX corporate to standing it up on its own two feet.

“That was my last five years. It got to the point where the team was ready for somebody new, and I was probably ready for something new as well. So here I am.

“So, the summary is I’ve worked across all modes except for air freight.

“We used to run a very large trucking fleet in Linx, we probably had circa 600-700 trucks on the road at any given time and we had rail operations in amongst that and port ownership [the Geelong Port].

“I come from a diverse background. I am a transport and logistics person and for me it’s about how do we bring the strength of our offering for the benefit of our customers and continue to evolve the supply chain, so our customers get the best service and best access to markets for their products.

“That’s what I’ve been doing for the last 20 years, some in smaller sums than others. The Linx Cargo Care Group was very similar to HWR Group in its diversity.” T&D

TRUCK SHOP

Dash cam gains AI technology T

ELETRAC NAVMAN IS LAUNCHING A revolutionary dashcam solution with AI-enabled features that can capture and analyse footage in real-time.

The Smart Dashcam can identify both external and in-vehicle events to alert drivers of risky and dangerous situations.

By capturing and analysing 100 per cent of drive time, managers are equipped with a comprehensive picture of safety and driver behaviour, helping to promote a safer driving culture in transport organisations that ultimately delivers better safety outcomes for everyone.

Artificial Intelligence combined with telematics data and advanced onboard sensors allow the Smart Dashcam to detect and determine when and how driving events are occurring in real time. Driving alerts are then combined with telematics data to keep drivers and back-office staff on top of what matters most.

The Smart Dashcam features built-in scorecard and driver coaching features. Analytics paired with captured footage and driver scores helps promote healthy competition between drivers, provides structure for rewards, and a method for managing on-road behaviour while giving greater opportunity for continual development. Drivers get automatic notifications of events as they occur, providing real-time visibility into risky behaviour and continual performance coaching opportunities to help businesses successfully manage risk.

With footage and accompanying information from the vehicle available to the back office at any time, the Smart Dashcam provides operators with the ability to request footage, ensure the safety of drivers on the road and protect the business against fraudulent incident claims, while collecting detailed analytics and scorecard information.

Designed specifically for businesses that operate fleets of vehicles from 88 | Truck & Driver

light-commercial through to trucks, the Smart Dashcam complements and enhances the capabilities of Teletrac Navman’s fleet management and regulatory compliance solutions by providing fleet managers, safety managers and vehicle owners with critical insights into safety, behaviour, and efficiencies.

“We know that safety starts with visibility, and our AI-powered Smart Dashcams solution provides customers with first-hand view into the safety of drivers in their vehicles, helping everyone in the business to ensure safety, improve overall efficiency, incident protection against fraudulent claims, and reduce the risky driving behaviours that can lead to collisions,” says Andrew Rossington, Chief Product Officer, Teletrac Navman.

Data from Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport shows there were 55 fatal crashes and 130 serious injury crashes involving trucks on New Zealand roads in 2020. A total of 61 people died and 166 were seriously injured as a result of these crashes.

To help businesses avoid becoming part of these numbers, the Smart Dashcam improves driver performance by measuring events that occur on the road against key safety and performance metrics – such as rolling through stop signs, close driving and other drivers changing lanes nearby.

Combined with managed change through the entire business, this helps to create a culture of safety and development by individually coaching drivers through identified areas of concern and creating opportunities to improve.

The Smart Dashcam joins Teletrac Navman’s growing safety and performance solutions, including the recently announced VT102 AIenabled device, enhancements to the Driver Scorecard feature and NZTA-approved electronic driver logbook (EDL), assisting drivers in the management of their work time and rest compliance reporting. T&D

National Road Carriers

EMBRACING CHANGE

By James Smith, COO, of National Road Carriers Association

James Smith

L

AST MONTH I TOOK PART IN SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS on the supply chain, in particular how it was holding up in the face of Omicron and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

These discussions reinforced how important all operators are to the efficiency of the entire supply chain, highlighted how resilient our industry is and how New Zealand road transport operators are very good at adapting to change.

This resilience is the result of the make-up of our industry. Thousands of operators that, due to the scale of New Zealand, must be highly adaptable to survive.

There is not a part of New Zealand where you do not play a critical role.

As business owners it is easy to become overwhelmed by some of the challenges that you face such as global pandemics, climate change and European conflict.

In times like these we must all remember just how good we are at adapting to change and, often, finding opportunities where others see problems.

2022 is certainly throwing challenges our way and it will be vital for all of us to remain focused on things we are able to change.

We cannot individually bring an end to conflict, lower the price of a barrel of oil or stop the next variant of COVID from arriving.

We can, however, understand our business, know our costs and how to pass the inevitable increases on and, most importantly, look after our people, as without them the wheels stop.

National Road Carriers will be pushing hard for an end to policies that have made a small portion of society feel abandoned. We need to move as quickly as possible away from a culture of fear towards a society where no one is ostracised because of their opinions.

April will see submissions on road user charges reform close so if you have not had your say on this important issue please get in touch. There is plenty to digest in the discussion document and we have already had constructive dialogue with agency staff. This review will have long lasting impact so it is important that you engage.

March saw the launch of the next phase in Road to Zero campaign. There are too many parts of our network where a small mistake can lead to very serious consequences. National Road Carriers will be maintaining pressure on Government to ensure the strategy is more than lowering speed limits. Better quality roads and better educated drivers are critical if we are to reduce road trauma.

Finally, it is local body election time later this year.

Take the time to know your candidates and what they stand for. The right to choose political leadership is a privilege we take for granted in New Zealand. This week I was reminded of how lucky we are in New Zealand when I met with a recent arrival that was buying their first truck, re-starting their life from scratch.

The NRC team are always available to assist anyone that choses transport as their profession. If there is anything that you need assistance with, call us on 0800 686 777. T&D Truck & Driver | 89

We have build slots available May 2022

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TD32403

510hp Shogun FV2561 available April delivery

New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association

Oversize Load Piloting 101

By Jonathan Bhana-Thomson – chief executive, New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association

The NZ Heavy Haulage Association is keen to see a focus on the fundamentals of safe piloting. Photo: Popeye Truck Photos.

T

HERE ARE MANY ASPECTS OF LOAD PILOTING THAT, OUT ON the road, are just are not being done. Here’s some of the important things to concentrate on.

1. Vehicle Requirements for Piloting The requirements for the pilot vehicle and what lights and signs that you need are all contained in the Vehicle Dimension and Mass Rule 2016 and NZTA has a Load Pilot Course Guide for Class 2 pilots.

Things to watch for here, are simply to use the right sign for the job – and mount it on a roof rack as required. Then make sure the correct lights for that job are used – the purple lights are only for loads over 5m in width.

Have well maintained gear with highly visible STOP paddles and quality hi-vis gear so that you can control traffic with authority.

Load pilots should also be familiar with the travelling provisions for oversize loads – such as the permitted travel times.

2. A Load Pilot Licence is Required The pilot regime of class 2 (entry level) and class 1 (higher level) have been around now for 20 years. The class 2 licence is not hard to get – either though Aspeq if you are a starter, or by gaining a Unit Standard with a MITO assessor. The latter option is the better one if you wish to go on to become a class 1 pilot.

Carry your pilot licence with you when piloting. It’s not a legal requirement to carry it, but if you are checked over the CVST then it’s good to be able to produce it on the spot.

Use experienced pilots that are up to date with traffic conditions, have local roading knowledge, and have contacts with roading contractors to ensure that the load movement goes smoothly.

3. A Load Pilot is There for the Safety of Other Road Users The main role for the pilot is there to warn other road users that

there is an oversize load travelling behind them, that may impact on their safety. It is up to the load pilot(s) to assess the size of the load, the route that it is being transported on, what pinch points/ restrictions are on the route (such as narrow bridges), and what the traffic flows are like.

Load pilots need to be far enough ahead of the load to ensure that they give sufficient warning Jonathan Bhana-Thomson to on-coming drivers, but also not so far ahead that the warning is not connected by other drivers to the load behind it. New pilots to the industry should learn by working with other more experienced pilots.

Where required, the use of the CB to warn other truckies coming towards the load is a good practice to get in to.

4. Use the Correct Number of Load Pilots The VDAM Rule specifies the minimum number of load pilots required with each Category of oversize load. Note that some categories when travelling at night require additional pilots.

In addition, if the route that the load is travelling will have high numbers of on-coming traffic, or has significant physical challenges then consider putting on an extra front pilot to assist with traffic control.

In short, know what the legal requirements are, learn from other more experienced pilots, and be proactive about your piloting skills and knowledge. T&D Truck & Driver | 91

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Best ever February The second Kenworth T610 SAR for Prestige Building Removals in Hamilton has been named Sharp n Ready. Luke Joyce is driving the Euro 5 Cummins X15 powered 6x4 which has an 18-speed Eaton Fuller manual transmission, Meritor RT50-160GP axles with dual diff locks and NeWay heavy duty air bag suspension. It’s a sharp looking machine with copper brass radiator package, Alcoa Dura-bright wheels, KW non-aerodynamic bull bar fitted ex-factory and 6-inch Mitre cut exhaust. It works with a new TRT Electronic Steering System (ESS) trailer.

NEW TRUCK REGISTRATIONS ARE CONTINUING A strong beginning to 2022.

January provided a positive start and the NZTA provisional data confirms the market achieved its best February result on record.

There were 455 new trucks (with a GVM of 4.5 tonnes-plus) registered during February. It’s an impressive 41.7% increase on the 321 sales in February 2021 and also an increase of 18.8% increase on 2019 figures which had stood as the strongest February sales total on record.

The success in the truck market was reflected in the overall new vehicle market where February sales were also the highest on record. However the market is being distorted by accelerated sales of light commercial vehicles ahead of the April 1 “Ute Tax” introduction.

It’s been a slightly slower start for new trailer registrations with 108 registrations in February 2022 being a slight increase from 101 in the same month of 2021. However, YTD trailer registrations are still down 5.8% on 2021 figures and 13% behind the total of 223 achieved in the first two months of 2019.

FUSO slightly extended its lead in the 2022 sales race with 90 registrations in February taking it to 154 YTD. Hino also continued a strong start to the year with 88 registrations for the month (144 YTD), moving further ahead of Isuzu with 61 for the month of February and 108 total YTD. Behind FUSO, Hino and Isuzu in the 4.5t to maximum GVM truck market, the February figures now show 56 registrations YTD for Kenworth after achieving 30 units in February to claim fourth position ahead of Mercedes-Benz (48/27), Iveco (48/30), Scania (47/20), Foton (37/25), UD

(35/18) and DAF (25/13) rounding out the top-10.

In the 3.5-4.5t crossover segment, Fiat (60/30) is still the convincing leader ahead of Volkswagen (24/14) Mercedes-Benz (12/8), Ford (8/8), Chevrolet (5/4), Renault (4/2), Ram (3/3) and LDV (3/3).

In the 4.5-7.5t market segment FUSO (61/37) leads ahead of Isuzu (45/23), Iveco (30/20), Mercedes-Benz (28/20) and Foton (21/13).

The 7.5-15t segment saw Hino (49/35) move ahead of FUSO (40/28) registering 35 trucks in February. Isuzu (35/19) ranks third followed by Foton (16/12), Iveco (7/5), Hyundai (3/0), UD (2/1) and Mercedes-Benz (1/0).

In the small 15-20.5t category Hino (24/14) is a clear leader ahead of UD (8/3), Fuso (8/5), Scania (4/1), MAN (2/0), Iveco (2/0) and Isuzu (1/1).

The 20.5-23t segment logged no registrations in the month of February.

Kenworth’s 30 registrations in February improved their number one position in the premium 23t to maximum GVM category to lead with 56 registrations YTD. Close behind with 26 February registrations was Hino (51/26) ahead of FUSO (45/20), Scania (43/19), UD (25/14), DAF (24/12), Isuzu (24/16), Mercedes-Benz (19/7), Volvo (17/11) and MAN (15/7) rounding out the top 10.

There was no change at the top of the trailer market with Patchell Industries leading the market YTD, although Fruehauf topped the February registrations.

Patchells (20/10) lead the trailer segment after two months with Fruehauf (18/12) close behind. Next are M.T.E (16/11), Roadmaster (13/6), Domett (11/7), TMC (11/7), Transport Trailer (11/7) (who all tied in fifth), Freighter (9/3), Transfleet (8/4) and TES (5/4). T&D Truck & Driver | 93

K&L Distributors BOP LTD K & L Distributors BOP Ltd

Auckland Oil Shop

AND HAWKES BAY

K & L Distributors Ltd is a locally owned and operated company run by Ken and Linda Rowe, who for the last 30 years have been providing lubricant solutions to the Waikato, King country. They have now been covering the Western Bay Of Plenty, Matamata and the Coromandel Peninsula for 8 years.

We pride ourselves in exceeding our customer’s expectations in terms of service, delivery and a premium range of products.

Westland Engineering Supplies 03-768 5720

So call in and see the team, who look forward to offering you a tailored and profitable Lubricant and Fuel solution for your business.

K&L Distributors BOP Ltd 2 Curly McLeod Way, Mount Maunganui.

Ph: 07 574 3001 Email: tauranga@kandldistributors.co.nz www.kandldistributors.co.nz

Delo® 400 SLK with ISOSYN® Advanced Technology

For your nearest Oil Shop Freephone 0800 372 374

TD31097

Delo® 400 SLK with innovative ISOSYN® Advanced Technology is here. Delivering industry leading durability, reliability and efficiency. It works in synergy with the changing conditions in your engine to maximise protection, optimise performance and extend oil life.

George Matheson from Hauraki Bulk has taken delivery of his third DAF Euro6 CF530 FAT sleeper cab 6x4 tipper. It’s the sixth DAF in the fleet of this busy company which is moving quarry products, coal clay soil or sand throughout the Auckland area. Performance is provided by a 530hp Paccar MX13 and Traxon 16-speed transmission. A Transfleet ‘Big Smoothy’ alloy body and 5-axle trailer is a big part of the new line-up for Hauraki Bulk future going forward. Clint Herring from Headcase Design applied the simple yet effective graphics.

OP Ltd

23,001kg-max GVM

4501kg-max GVM

AND S BAY

2022 Brand FUSO HINO ISUZU KENWORTH MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO SCANIA FOTON UD DAF MAN VOLVO SINOTRUK HYUNDAI FREIGHTLINER INTERNATIONAL FIAT VOLKSWAGEN RAM MACK SHACMAN WESTERN STAR Total

Vol 154 144 108 56 48 48 47 37 35 25 17 17 14 11 7 5 5 5 4 4 3 1 795

% 19.4 18.1 13.6 7.0 6.0 6.0 5.9 4.7 4.4 3.1 2.1 2.1 1.8 1.4 0.9 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.1 100

Feb 22 Vol % 90 19.8 88 19.3 61 13.4 30 6.6 27 5.9 30 6.6 20 4.4 25 5.5 18 4.0 13 2.9 7 1.5 11 2.4 11 2.4 6 1.3 4 0.9 2 0.4 2 0.4 3 0.7 0 0.0 3 0.7 3 0.7 1 0.2 455 100

3501-4500kg GVM 2022 Brand FIAT VOLKSWAGEN MERCEDES-BENZ FORD CHEVROLET RENAULT RAM LDV Total

Vol 60 24 12 8 5 4 3 3 119

% 50.4 20.2 10.1 6.7 4.2 3.4 2.5 2.5 100

Feb 22 Vol % 30 41.7 14 19.4 8 11.1 8 11.1 4 5.6 2 2.8 3 4.2 3 4.2 72 100

4501-7500kg GVM 2022

TD31097

Brand FUSO ISUZU IVECO MERCEDES-BENZ FOTON HINO HYUNDAI FIAT VOLKSWAGEN RAM Total

Vol 61 45 30 28 21 19 8 5 5 4 226

% 27.0 19.9 13.3 12.4 9.3 8.4 3.5 2.2 2.2 1.8 100.0

Feb 22 Vol % 37 27.0 23 16.8 20 14.6 20 14.6 13 9.5 13 9.5 6 4.4 2 1.5 3 2.2 0 0.0 137 100

2022

Fuso has extended its lead in the market

Brand KENWORTH HINO FUSO SCANIA UD DAF ISUZU MERCEDES-BENZ VOLVO MAN SINOTRUK IVECO FREIGHTLINER INTERNATIONAL MACK SHACMAN WESTERN STAR Total

Vol 56 51 45 43 25 24 24 19 17 15 13 9 7 5 4 2 1 360

% 15.6 14.2 12.5 11.9 6.9 6.7 6.7 5.3 4.7 4.2 3.6 2.5 1.9 1.4 1.1 0.6 0.3 100

Feb 22 Vol % 30 15.8 26 13.7 20 10.5 19 10.0 14 7.4 12 6.3 16 8.4 7 3.7 11 5.8 7 3.7 11 5.8 5 2.6 4 2.1 2 1.1 3 1.6 2 1.1 1 0.5 190 100

7501-15,000kg GVM 2022 Brand HINO FUSO ISUZU FOTON IVECO HYUNDAI UD MERCEDES-BENZ Total

Vol 49 40 35 16 7 3 2 1 153

% 32.0 26.1 22.9 10.5 4.6 2.0 1.3 0.7 100

Feb 22 Vol % 35 35.0 28 28.0 19 19.0 12 12.0 5 5.0 0 0.0 1 1.0 0 0.0 100 100

15,001-20,500kg GVM 2022 Brand HINO UD FUSO SCANIA ISUZU MAN IVECO DAF Total

Vol 24 8 8 4 4 2 2 1 53

% 45.3 15.1 15.1 7.5 7.5 3.8 3.8 1.9 100

Feb 22 Vol % 14 51.9 3 11.1 5 18.5 1 3.7 3 11.1 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 3.7 27 100

20,501-23,000kg GVM 2022 Brand HINO SINOTRUK Total

Vol 1 1 2

% 50.0 50.0 100

Feb 22 Vol % 1 50.0 1 50.0 2 100

Trailers 2022 Brand Vol 20 PATCHELL FRUEHAUF 18 M.T.E. 16 ROADMASTER 13 DOMETT 11 TMC 11 TRANSPORT TRAILERS 11 FREIGHTER 9 TRANSFLEET 8 TES 5 FAIRFAX 5 HAMMAR 5 EVANS 4 KRAFT 4 MILLS-TUI 3 TIDD 3 LUSK 3 MD ENGINEERING 3 CWS 3 MTC EQUIPMENT 2 MAKARANUI 2 MAXICUBE 2 JACKSON 2 TES 2 SEC 2 OTHER 27 Total 194

% 10.3 9.3 8.2 6.7 5.7 5.7 5.7 4.6 4.1 2.6 2.6 2.6 2.1 2.1 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 13.9 100

Feb 22 Vol % 10 9.3 12 11.1 11 10.2 6 5.6 7 6.5 7 6.5 7 6.5 3 2.8 4 3.7 4 3.7 2 1.9 3 2.8 1 0.9 1 0.9 1 0.9 1 0.9 1 0.9 2 1.9 1 0.9 0.0 2 1.9 0.0 1 0.9 1 0.9 1 0.9 19 17.6 108 100 Truck & Driver | 95

Gisborne-based Hitchins Transport has a new International ProStar R8-HD at work as the third truck for its East Coast log haulage operation. The 8x4 ProStar has a 615hp Cummins X15 with Eaton MXP Ultra Shift transmission and Meritor 46,000lb rear axle. It tows a Mills Tui four-axle log trailer and the truck is fitted with an Ali Arc bumper, ECAS suspension and premium trim package.

Waiau Pa Bulk Haulage is carting earthmoving product, crushed rock and aggregate with a new Kenworth T610 SAR 6x4 tipper. Grant Reid’s Mangatawhiri operation works around the Auckland and Waikato regions with a T&G alloy bin and 5-axle alloy trailer. A 600hp Cummins X15, Eaton 18-speed manual and Meritor RT46-160GP axles with full X locks are among the hardware highlights along with Airglide 460 air suspension. Transvisual in Manukau did the graphics and extras include stainless finish for the bug deflector, front guard lips and air cleaner covers.

96 | Truck & Driver

96-9 PO PHO

*TR EM

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A new Hino 700 Series 6x4 has gone to work with the Allied Bulk fleet in Christchurch. The Euro 6 Hino FS2848 developing 480hp features a ZF Traxon 16-speed automated manual transmission, hydraulic retarder, full lock-up rear bogie and full autonomous braking safety package.

The Hino is fitted with a Hardox tipper equipped with full tarps and pulls a new 5-axle TES trailer.

T610/T610SAR *TRP assist 0508 22 55 77 EMAIL: info@spt.co.nz

www.spt.co.nz

NORTHLAND Mitchell Redington 021 555 326 AUCKLAND Steve Willcocks 027 525 0015 Mitchell Redington 021 555 326 WAIKATO Adam McIntosh Tim Finlay

027 603 1023 021 452 805

BAY OF PLENTY - GISBORNE Tim Finlay 021 452 805

TARANAKI Adam McIntosh 027 603 1023 HAWKE’S BAY – MANAWATU – WANGANUI – WELLINGTON Mark O’Hara 027 2466 954 SOUTH ISLAND Mike Gillespie 027 4322 491 Chris Gray 027 2816 840 Steve Herring 021 377 661

FIND OUT MORE

WWW.SPT.CO.NZ

TD31842

96-98 Wiri Station Road PO Box 76463 Manukau City, Auckland, NZ PHONE (09) 262 3181 FAX (09) 278 5643

Paro Farms at Kio Kio has new International ProStar R8 LGHD logger built to low tare weight specification at InterTruck Distributors. Kyle Cunningham is driving the 8x4 unit equipped with Mills Tui logging gear and four-axle trailer which is working in Taranaki and across the central North Island. A 615hp Cummins X15 is paired with an 18-speed Road Ranger and Meritor 46-160GP rear axles. Extras include dual vertical exhausts, premium plus trim and an Ali Arc front bumper.

Wilson Concrete Pumping of Invercargill has a second 500 Series Hino FM1A concrete pump truck in its new purple and white colours. It runs a Euro 5, A09 engine with 350hp output running through an 11-speed Road Ranger with the Hino rear bogie beneath six rod suspension. The 31-metre, five-stage boom and concrete pump was supplied and fitted by PS Equipment in Auckland. The truck deal was done on a handshake by a couple of mates having a yarn at the supermarket.

HAWKES BAY FARMERS TRANSPORT LTD

This is the story of one of a young man (Roy Sherwood) who started one of those companies and with his progressive ideas moved to being one of the leading operators of his time.

LIMITED EDITION

For just $55-00 plus $10 postage For your copy contact: Postage: Gavin Abbot, 34 Elliott Street, Opotiki 3122 Or email: clamyhen@xtra.co.nz 98 | Truck & Driver

TD32268

The first 50 years of the story is written by Mr C.J.Wilkie in 1980.

He was also a pioneer carrier who later became a director of Hawkes Bay Farmers Transport.

Mainfreight owner-driver Beau McLeod has a new Iveco X-Way 6x4 High Roof Sleeper. The X-Way has a 510hp Euro 6 powerplant and the ZF 12-speed automated transmission. Tech features new include Auto Emergency Braking System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Assist, Driver Attention system and Iveco Telematics. Comforts include a coolbox/fridge and leather suspension seats with heating and cooling functions. A six-axle Domett B-Train completes the new combination.

The first of two new Kenworth T410 day cab 6x4 tippers has gone to work in the Aucklandbased Gleeson & Cox fleet. It’s carting bulk aggregate and quarry products in the Auckland and Waikato regions with a T&G alloy tipper bin and a Transfleet 5-axle alloy tip trailer. The engine is a 510hp Paccar MX13 matched to an Eaton FO-20E318B Ultrashift automated transmission. Meritor RT46-160GP rear axles and Kenworth Airglide 460 rear air suspension is fitted. Other features include Dura-bright alloy wheels, super single tyres, full safety system, bug deflector, on-board scales and tinted windows.

The final Mack Trident 8x4 rigid to be built at the Wacol factory in Queensland has joined Jack Lupton’s Total Transport fleet at Waverley. The new logger features the new Total Transport livery and has a 535hp MP8 engine with mDrive 12-speed transmission and Meritor 46-160 rear axles. Offset front rims and mitre-cut exhaust stacks are featured and the Trident is hauling a five-axle Mills Tui log trailer.

Truck & Driver | 99

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SEATING BOSTROM BAJA The Bostrom Baja truck seat is a versatile and cost-effective replacement seat for medium to heavy duty Japanese trucks.

KENWORTH TRUCK SEATS

Featuring air suspension with manual adjustment, this seat is an ideal fleet truck seat with multiple operators using the same vehicle.

Designed for original fitment into Kenworth trucks and International trucks.

KAB 554B Kenworth Truck Seats are exclusive from TRT.

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Features include: Integrated 3-point seatbelt Heavy duty air suspension rated to 150kg Air suspension 60mm individual height & tilt adjustment Seats supplied on an exchange basis only.

now if your Contact our seat sspescoiamleistTsLC! Kenworth seat need

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Prices shown exclude GST and freight and are valid from 1st April to 31st May 2022. *Terms and conditions apply.

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Axle Systems DCA – Durable Compact Axle • • • • •

Low weight – from just 357kg including suspension Fewer components due to its monocoque design Maintenance-free compact bearings Plug & Play solution for tyre inflation systems Steer axle option with 21 degree steer angle

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CLASSIFIED TRUCK & DRIVER

Forestaire official distributor for New Zealand of Autoclima’s DC powered Fresco 3000 range of truck cab parking Air-Conditioners.

FRESCO BACK

FRESCO Guaranteed cool in the sleeping cab.

BACK The Back unit is usually the truck drivers preferred option without compromising the use of their roof hatch.

Guaranteed cool comfortable climate in the sleeping cab. The evaporator is FRESCO TOP positioned on the back wall, in the sleeping area, and the condenser is located outside, on the back of the truck cabin. Available in 12V and 24V. Fresco garantito nella zona letto della cabina

L'evaporatore è posizionato all'interno in prossimità della cuccetta e il condensatore si trova all'esterno sulla parete retro del mezzo.

The best cool in the sleeping cab The evaporator is positioned inside, close to the sleeping area and the condenser is located outside, on the back of the truck cabin. in.

DISPONIBILE A 12V e 24V AVAILABLE 12V and 24V

Fresco garantito nella zona letto della cabina

L'evaporatore è posizionato all'interno in prossimità della cuccetta e il condensatore si trova all'esterno sul tetto del veicolo.

Soluzione preferita per autocarri con cassone fisso. sso.

The best cool in the sleeping cab The evaporator is positioned inside, close to the sleeping area and the condenser is located outside, on the roof of the vehicle.

Preferred solution for lorries with fixed trailer.

C

BREVETTATO PATENTED

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DISPONIBILE A 12V e 24V AVAILABLE 12V and 24V

TD32384

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Si tratta della combinazione di un evaporatore CONDIZIONATORI estremamente compatto da montarsi nella posizione scelta dal fruitore e il condensatore del modello BACK.

DA PARCHEGGIO

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RT Fresco tutta la cabina The cooldistribuito most versatileinmodel

This is the combination of adi compact and versatile Condizionatore monoblocco semplice e rapido montaggio, che utilizza can be installed stalledprecaricato in the position laevaporator botola delwhich veicolo.

Impianto di refrigerante R134a ecologico, chosen byuna thesoluzione user and brevettata the condenser universale; lo garantisce anche su tetti con grande inclinazione (come IVECO Stralis). Kit di fissaggio universali e specifici realizzati of BACK model. per i maggiori modelli di V.I. circolanti sul mercato.

Where the fitting of the back unit is not an option the compact RT unit allows for quick and easy fitment into the roof hatch of the truck. Pre-charged with ecologic refrigerant R134a, this universal model allows FRESCO for fitting on high inclination rate roofs (like the SPLIT Iveco Stralis). Universal and dedicated installation kits are available for the most common models of trucks. Available in 12V and 24V. DISPONIBILE A 12V e 24V Equal cool in the cabin AVAILABLE 12Vwhole and 24V Compact A/C for an easy and quick fitting in the roof hatch of truck. Pre-charged with ecologic refrigerant R134a, universal model; a patented solution makes it adjustable also on roof with high inclination rate (like IVECO Stralis). Universal and specific installation kits for the most common models of trucks are available.

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BREVETTATO PATENTED

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La grande versatilità delle soluzioni proposte rende questo modello ideale per le grandi cabine dei V.I. extra europei (ma non solo).

L'evaporatore può essere installato sotto la cuccetta, nel sottotetto della cabina o sulla parete interna e il condensatore all'esterno.

Il gruppo compressore è protetto da una struttura in inox.

The TOP of cool in truck cabin The great versatility of proposed solutions makes this model the most ideal for the larger truck cabins of extra-Europe (but not only).

The evaporator can be installed under the bunk, underceiling or against a wall and the condenser outside.

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AUTHORIZED NZ DISTRIBUTOR

DISPONIBILE A 12V e 24V AVAILABLE 12V and 24V

0800 RED DOT (0800 733 368)

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WHEN YOU NEED A REPLACEMENT HOIST it pays to ring Hoist Hydraulics

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S 102 | Truck & Driver

TRANSPORT, DIESEL & MARINE

THE RIGHT PARTS…THE RIGHT PRICES…RIGHT HERE! DRIVELINE PARTS

CAB COMPONENTS

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- Headlamps - Tail Lamps - Starter Motors - Alternators - Sensors

ENGINE KITS - Filtration - Turbo’s - Injectors - Hoses

SUSPENSION

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SUPPORTING ALL YOUR TRUCKING NEEDS

AUTO AIR CONDITIONING

AUTO ELECTRICAL

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AVAILABLE AT OUR PENROSE & PAPAKURA LOCATIONS

Ph: 0800 501 133 www.tdm.co.nz

Specials valid while stocks last.

8 Prescott Street, Penrose, Auckland

Fax: 09 525 6161 l Email: ray@tdm.co.nz | john@tdm.co.nz

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MERITOR WHEEL SEALS Four outside diameter seal points to ensure secure fit in the hub Unique multi-zone labyrinth design provides the best protection and the lowest friction Stiffer profile and thicker steel to withstand fitting forces

FROM

$27.50

Rubber front face protects from brake heat Unique low friction bumper significantly reduces run-in period, reduces required torque and keeps the seal cool from the outset

+ GST EACH

Large crumple zone/safety gap prevents internal damage

BULK DEALS AVAILABLE

Wide inside diameter with three rubber-ribbed points to ensure proper sealing capability

VALID FROM 01/03/2022 – 30/04/2022 OR WHILE STOCKS LAST

EASY-FIT & TOUGH DESIGN FOR SUPERIOR PROTECTION & OPTIMUM PERFORMANCE.

MERITOR WHEEL SEAL RANGE Part No.

INDUSTRY CODE

E-BARRIER

SKF CLASSIC

NATIONAL 37

STEMCO VOYAGER

APPLICATION

MER0113

40136

708

40136

370036A

373-0113

TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA

MER0123

42623

701

42623

370065A

373-0123

TRAILER - FRUEHAUF PROPAR

MER0136

35066

704

35066

370048A

383-0136

STEER - MERITOR, EATON

MER0164

43764

705

437643

370048A

383-0164

STEER - MERITOR FL941 - MFS

MER0173

47697

709

47697

370003A

393-0173

DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA

Part No.

INDUSTRY CODE

E-BARRIER

SKF PLUS XL

NATIONAL 5 STAR

STEMCO DISCOVER

APPLICATION

MER0213

40129

808

40129

380036A

373-0213

TRAILER - STANDARD FORGE, DANA

MER0223

42627

801

42627

380065A

373-0223

TRAILER - FRUEHAUF PROPAR

MER0236

35058

804

35058

380001A

383-0236

STEER - MERITOR, EATON

MER0264

43761

805

43761

380048A

383-0264

STEER - MERITOR FL941 - MFS

MER0273

47692

809

47692

380003A

393-0273

DRIVE - MERITOR, DANA, K-HITCH UNITISED AXLE

Contact Transport Repairs for more details and to order: www.transportrepairs.co.nz

TRUCK AND TRAILER PARTS FOR ALL MAKES AND MODELS

mills-tui.co.nz

INNOVATIVE

BUILT TO LAST MAXIMISE Your

BOTTOM LINE

If you’re moving wood, Mills-Tui are the experts for innovative design to maximise your productivity. Optimise your payload with new designs to meet the pro forma requirements.

Mills-Tui Limited 16–38 Pururu Street, Managakakahi, Rotorua 3015 P 07 348 8039 T 0800 MILLS -TUI (645 578)

Mills-Tui A4 Advert 2019-09.indd 1

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