NZ Trucking Magazine, August 2023

DAF TOP TRUCK – BROOKER FARMS GOES BOLD

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TRUCKING NEW ZEALAND

kiwi favourites The results are in and we couldn’t be happier. Scania has been voted the number one* truck brand in the country by the people whose opinion we value the most New Zealand truckies.

We’re chuffed to have rated highest on all measures, including most preferred, comfort, safety, sustainability, performance, efficiency, service and parts. Thanks New Zealand. It means a lot.

*Nationwide online 2023 survey by NZ Trucking magazine with 720 respondents.

52% were heavy truck drivers, 23% were owner/operators or employees of a heavy truck brand. Truck brands currently driven by respondents – Scania 29%, Kenworth 28%, Volvo 18%, all other brands 25%.

2 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

An Isuzu CYZ530 bulk unit belonging to Addline Transport heads south on Tauranga’s Takitimu Drive toll road.

Photo: Alison Verran.

CONTENTS Dave McCoid Ph: 027 492 5601 Email: dave@nztrucking.com

8 Road Noise – Industry news

EDITOR

38 Absolute Classic

Gavin Myers Ph: 027 660 6608 Email: gavin@nztrucking.com

40 Gore Truck Show 46 Wanaka Memory

FIELD EDITOR

Carl Kirkbeck Ph: 021 760 766 Email: carl@nztrucking.co.nz

SUB EDITOR

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Tracey Strange Faye Lougher

Ricky Harris

CONTRIBUTORS

John Berkley

Craig Andrews Faye Lougher Craig McCauley Alison Verran Mike Verran Shannon Williams Andrew Geddes Niels Jansen (Europe) Paul O’Callaghan (UK, Europe, Australia)

Howard Shanks (Australia)

Will Shiers (UK) Rod Simmonds (USA)

50 Just Trucking Around 52 Craig’s Trucking Snapshot 58 Top Truck of the Year – Voting opens!

34

WHEN IT’S ANYTHING BUT NORMAL Daimler Special Trucks Down Under

ART DIRECTOR

60 New Rigs 66 New Bodies and Trailers 68 Million Mile Club 70 Aussie Angles – Back to the Outback 74 International Truck Stop – RTX

DIGITAL IMAGING

82 Mini Big Rigs – Blue Thunder

Willie Coyle DIGITAL MANAGER

Louise Stowell

86 Little Truckers’ Club

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

88 What’s On

Georgi George

89 Cartoon

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VIDEO PRODUCTION

44 GOOD ON YA MATE Ollie’s Birthday Convoy

Izaak Kirkbeck Milly McCauley Howard Shanks

New Zealand Trucking magazine is published

by Long Haul Publishing Ltd. The contents are copyright and may not be reproduced without the consent of the editor. Unsolicited editorial material may be submitted, but should include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. While every care is taken, no responsibility is accepted for material submitted. Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of New Zealand Trucking or Long Haul Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. This magazine is subject to the New Zealand Press Council.

Complaints are to be first directed to: editor@ nztrucking.co.nz with “Press Council Complaint” in the subject line. If unsatisfied, the complaint may be referred to the Press Council, PO Box 10 879, The Terrace, Wellington 6143 or by email at info@ presscouncil.org.nz

54 FARM TRUCKING IN STYLE DAF Down on the Farm

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REST 6 Editorial

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

For all advertising enquiries: Matt Smith Ph: 021 510 701 Email: matt@nztrucking.co.nz Pav Warren Ph: 027 201 4001 Email: pav@nztrucking.co.nz

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92 Moving Metrics 96 View From the Top – Michael May 98 Transporting NZ – A Changing World Conference, pt.1 102 Product Profile – NAPA 104 Business Update – NZ Trucking Recruitment 106 Carriers Corner 108 Truckers’ Health 110 Health & Safety 112 Legal Lines 114 Business Together 116 NZ Trucking Association 118 National Road Carriers 120 Transporting New Zealand 122 The Last Mile

78

RENO TRUCK SHOW The US is Back

20 BACK TO THE FUTURE

DAF TOP TRUCK – BROOKER FARMS GOES BOLD AUGUST 2023

Official magazine of the

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TRUCKING NEW ZEALAND

Nunga grabs the sunshine as he heads out of the Te Aute valley towards Hastings.

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EDITORIAL

BUILD NOW, PAY LATER

T

hirty-two days. That’s how long the new SH1 Puhoi-Warkworth motorway was open to traffic before the first news story broke about the road being under threat.

Officially opened on 16 June, the 18.5km road cost $877.5 million to build over 6.5 years and was promised to have a 100-year design life.

The completion of another major, long-awaited roading infrastructure project would normally be the recipient of some optimistic words in one of my editorials – and indeed, the new motorway is a vast improvement on the old section of road, which, like many of the country’s state highways, was incredibly outdated and ill-suited to the growing traffic volume north of Auckland. While I’d love to heap praise on the project and cite it as another example of how major roads can and should be built, that sadly doesn’t appear to be the case here.

On 18 July, an RNZ report (Heavy rain events reveal landslide problems on Pūhoi to Warkworth highway) stated cracks were already appearing in concrete barriers at two separate points on the route and ground may be moving under an entire section of the motorway.

Quoting a 300-page investigation released to RNZ in July under the Official Information Act, construction was beset by landslides and slope failures, though this was refuted as nothing unusual. As Prime Minister Chris Hipkins opened the motorway, the

report adds, Waka Kotahi was aware of a large slip moving towards the motorway at 5 – 11cm per week.

It was also stated that following the heavy rainfall at the start of the year, “a pre-historical and deepseated landslide has been reactivated” and the “slope has experienced another landslide and is moving towards the carriageway at a stop-start rate of sometimes more than 30cm a week”, with a noticeable bulge at the toe of the slip and damage to the road’s shoulder.

A follow up story by RNZ on 19 July (Pūhoi-Warkworth motorway: Engineer says gullies ‘look unstable’, Waka Kotahi confident of resilience) quotes the report saying “construction was not up to scratch on some of the slopes to start with”, and doesn’t paint Waka Kotahi in a favourable light either. In it the agency states that the road is built to last and engineers are working to stabilise the slide, while on the other hand it states that the slip events during construction occurred “at a time when Waka Kotahi admits that resilience was ‘not yet factored into

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6 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

decision-making’.”

What? In an area known for unstable land and for being hammered by heavy – and recently, extreme – weather?

How could a road be built with the promise of being good for 100 years when its resilience to the elements was not considered from conception?

So, are we dealing with a grand new motorway that was doomed from the start, with millions to be poured into it each year to stem the slide (so to speak)? If this is what’s coming out of the woodwork so early in the road’s life, I wouldn’t be surprised if that turns out to be the case. The fact that its construction and maintenance for the next 25 years are under a publicprivate partnership with N2X gives me some hope though; such contracts usually result in a higher standard being maintained.

Perhaps more to the point, however, do we simply expect too much? In a country beset by geophysical and atmospherical challenges, should we expect these will be accounted for and engineered out, or just accept them? Do we expect too

much from Waka Kotahi and its ability to deliver the roading infrastructure we expect after almost a century and a half of motorised transport? Do we expect too much ‘give’ from those who hold the purse strings?

I’m a believer in what engineering can achieve.

If there’s an obstacle to be managed or overcome in the pursuit of reaching or exceeding a given set of deliverables, there are some rather smart people out there who can make it happen.

But I’m also a believer in doing things right from the very start, with the resources required to do the job properly.

Sure, roading infrastructure projects are no small undertaking, but when it comes to this and others of huge importance, the Waikato expressway, Transmission Gully or the Mt Messenger bypass, there should be no other acceptable way.

Gavin Myers Editor

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Photo: Western Hills Quarry, Horahora, Whangarei

ROAD NOISE NEWS

TRUCK TRADER DOUBLES DOWN PRINT AND ONLINE PRESENCE Used trucks, parts, and services publication Truck Trader has announced some changes to its distribution and marketing strategy.

While it will continue to be available in print delivered with every copy of New Zealand Trucking magazine, including retail copies available in shops, the publication will cease involvement with Deals on Wheels and will shift its focus towards social media.

After thorough consultation with key clients, the publisher of Truck Trader recognised that its existing relationship with Deals on Wheels was not yielding the desired response. Consequently, the team devised a plan to drive traffic from social media platforms to their online platform, where users can browse through used trucks, parts, and services.

Matt Smith, advertising manager, said the partnership with New Zealand Trucking allows for wider distribution and increased accessibility to potential readers, and the decision to leverage social media was motivated by the immense reach it offers.

“We expect to reach tens or even hundreds of thousands of users, which is significantly more than the reach achieved through traditional methods,” he said.

“We will be able to track the results of their campaigns each month, including metrics such as reach and link clicks.”

Pav Warren, social media manager, views this shift as a natural progression in the media industry.

“By utilising social media platforms, Truck Trader can directly target its audience and redirect them to relevant truck advertisements, eliminating the reliance on readers finding a physical copy of the publication,” she said.

“This approach represents the future of media, where a strong mix of targeted and delivered campaigns replaces the mere posting of a print advertisement as a static image.”

Overall, Truck Trader’s decision to embrace a combination of print, social media, and digital platforms reflects its commitment to adapting to the evolving media landscape and maximising its reach and impact in the trucking industry.

For more information contact Matt Smith, 021 510 701 or matt@nztrucking.com

8 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

UD factory-built tippers arrive

U

D Trucks NZ has announced the arrival of its new ‘ready-to-work’ factory-built medium duty tipper, with the first units recently landed and available for a quick delivery.

The Croner PK 18 280 4x2 Tipper comes fitted with a high-quality tipper body made by Steelmer, a Thailand-based bodybuilder and steel fabricator who have been a supplier to domestic and export markets for more than 15 years. The tipping bodies are manufactured using a combination of 6mm thick steel floor and 4mm steel in the sides, door, and headboard.

“The PK 18 280 Tipper payload capacity is an impressive 6600kg. This coupled with an extra 15kW and nearly 20% more torque sets it apart from other factory-built tippers available,” said Colin Muir, general manager for UD Trucks NZ. The PK 18 280 comes standard with an Allison 3000 fully automatic transmission enabling the unit to get up to speed with a full load easily, propelled by 1050Nm of torque from the 6-cylinder powerplant. UD Trucks NZ said this is nearly 20% greater torque than other similar factory-built tippers.

Save the date: NZ Technology Maintenance Safety Conference and Exhibition

T

he New Zealand Trucking Association and National Road Carriers will present the TMS Technology, Maintenance, Safety Conference on 13 and 14 March 2024.

Delegates will have the opportunity to network and witness the unveiling of various cutting-edge technologies that will impact the trucking industry.

Held at Te Pae Christchurch, the conference will bring together business owners, professionals,

mechanics, technicians, fleet managers, technical fleet professionals, health and safety managers, manufacturers, truck distributors, and industry suppliers from across the country. The conference aims to facilitate sectorspecific discussions, enabling industry professionals to address pertinent issues. Interactive sessions will gather valuable insights to shape a comprehensive workforce strategy.

KEEP ON MOVING PODCAST SNAGS IMPRESSIVE SPOT ON GLOBAL RANKINGS

Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway finally opens

T

he long-awaited Ara Tūhono Pūhoi to Warkworth motorway north of Auckland has finally opened, after an 18-month delay.

The $880-million road, built as a partnership between Waka Kotahi and the Northern Express Group, took seven years to complete.

This new 18.5km section of the Northern Motorway has two lanes going each way and a median barrier. More than 35,000 vehicles are expected to travel the stretch of road every day, including 1300 trucks.

“Safe and reliable transport links between Auckland and

An expansive exhibitor hall will feature the latest trucking technologies.

Attendees can learn from industry experts through job-specific workshops and presentations.

The programme details will be published soon.

In the meantime, the organisers are inviting expressions of interest for exhibitor space and sponsorship. To express your interest, email bill.james@trucking.nz

Northland are essential for commuters and business alike, and this motorway goes a long way to securing that,” Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said.

“The recent extreme weather events have highlighted how fragile the Auckland to Northland transport corridor can be, so this is a major step forward in ensuring a reliable connecting to the North.

“It will provide consistent and reliable travel and better access to markets in Northland and to export ports at Auckland and Tauranga. That’s important for businesses to be able to plan their

logistics,” he said.

Associate Transport Minister Kiri Allan said the construction of the road was a mammoth undertaking.

“More than eight million work hours have been completed so far by 7000 workers, and cuttings as deep as 70 metres made, with over 10 million cubic metres of earth moved. That’s one of the largest amounts of dirt ever shifted during a New Zealand roading project,” Allan said.

Te Honohono ki Tai Road – the Matakana Link Road, linking SH1 and Matakana Road, was also opened.

NZ Trucking Media’s Keep on Moving podcast is enjoying the limelight, cracking the top 50 in the 100 Best Trucking Podcasts rankings by Feedspot.com.

Currently sitting at number 47, Keep on Moving managed to hit the 28th spot out of 2000 podcasts from around the world.

“What’s fantastic about this ranking is we’re only warming up on the podcast,” said Dave McCoid, editorial director at NZ Trucking Media.

“We’re so lucky to have Murray Lindsay, a career broadcaster able to guide the ship and literally make microphones fun. We’ve got so many more plans for Keep on Moving, but it’s fantastic all indicators point to our recipe being right.”

The rankings feature the best trucking podcasts from thousands of shows on the web and are ranked by traffic, social media followers and freshness.

Broadcaster Murray Lindsay said: “I love working with Dave and the boys… Passionate truckies talking all things from big rigs to the smaller compact beasts.

“I’m delighted we have been rewarded with such a great ranking among our peers in the trucking podcast community.”

SCAN TO LISTEN

ROAD NOISE NEWS required the demonstration of considerable leadership and management across multiple organisational levels for their trialling of an innovative alternative fatigue management approach when transporting livestock.”

From left: Anthony Jones, HWR; Mackenzie Lintern, NZ Crane Hire; Tania Breach, Clive Taylor Haulage; Lisa DeSilver, Booth’s Transport; Verna Niao, Mito Te Pukenga; and Chris Wood from CR Grace who also represented Martinborough Transport Ltd and Stephenson Transport Ltd.

Transporting New Zealand celebrates industry at awards night

T

ransporting New Zealand has announced the winners of its 2023 industry awards.

The Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand awards recognise best practice or behaviour and honour an individual, organisation, or company that has gone above and beyond in raising skills, awareness, safety practices, knowledge, training, innovation or expertise.

The awards honour activities and achievements that improve the daily lives of the public or ensure the industry is a rewarding and safe environment to work in.

There are six categories: EROAD Outstanding Contribution to Health and Safety, Teletrac Navman Outstanding Contribution by a Woman in the Road Transport Industry, EROAD Young Driver of the Year, Fruehauf Outstanding Contribution to

Innovation Award, Hanga-AroRau Outstanding Contribution to Training Award, and VTNZ Supreme Contribution to NZ Road Transport.

EROAD Outstanding Contribution to Health and Safety Award – awarded to Tania Breach of Clive Taylor Haulage.

“Tania is a big believer in giving their drivers the tools to be safety focused and has got them through training courses and MITO micro-credentials to help with their knowledge and growth.”

Teletrac Navman Outstanding Contribution by a Woman in The Road Transport Industry – awarded to Verna Niao, executive director at MITO Te Pukenga.

“Verna is a person who is key to the training for the whole sector.

She is someone who has devoted her working life to helping

10 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

get the skills to provide New Zealanders with great careers in all spheres of industry.”

EROAD 2023 Young Driver of the Year (under 35) – awarded to Mackenzie Lintern.

“This year’s winner is one of the graduates of Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand’s Te Ara ki tua Road to success programme. Our winner started her trucking career after leaving school in Year 12 to deliver groceries before joining the scheme and she has done nothing but impress everyone with her enthusiasm and professionalism. Mackenzie currently works for NZ Crane Hire, but started out as a trainee with Mackleys Carriers.”

Fruehauf Outstanding Innovation Contribution – awarded to CR Grace, Martinborough Transport, and Stephenson Transport.

“The winning nomination

Hanga-Aro-Rau Outstanding Contribution to Training Award – awarded to Booth’s Logistics.

“The winner of this year’s award for Outstanding Contribution to Training is a company with an attitude of making things happen. It’s also a firm that makes sure all its staff get the chance to learn, in a way that suits them. Booth’s cadetship programme brings team members into the business, providing training in all areas and this adds a depth of skill and knowledge throughout the whole organisation.”

VTNZ Supreme Contribution to New Zealand Road Transport – awarded to HW Richardson Group.

“HW Richardson is New Zealand’s largest privately owned transport company, with more than 2500 employees in New Zealand and Australia, and operates in six industry sectors with a revenue of $2 billion a year. And now it is starting on a groundbreaking fuel project to reduce fuel emissions, and encourage cleaner transport throughout Aotearoa.

“It took 14 months to get the programme underway with the first truck being a converted 2023 DAF XF. Nine more planned later this year, along with a hydrogen fuelling station planned for Gore.

“It’s the first stage of a major investment by HW Richardson designed to ultimately benefit all New Zealand’s transport operators, and the planet as well.

“For all these major innovations, we salute HW Richardson, the 2023 winner of the VTNZ Supreme Contribution to New Zealand Road Transport Award.”

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standing of Scania. Their focus makes for a much more seamless sales process that brings greater efficiencies – focussing on ‘brand first and foremost,” he said.

“The great gain from this is absolute clarity for the customer. I am looking forward to getting stuck in and adding my expertise wherever I’m able to.”

Greenhalgh comes on board in the role of sales account manager, new trucks, and will be based in the new Hautapu branch in Cambridge, with a strong focus on the Waikato and South Auckland regions.

“We have experienced significant growth in these strategic regions,” said Stephens. “We are delighted to have Robbie joining the team. His industry experience and passion are a natural fit with Scania.”

Greenhalgh has 20 years’ experience in the trucking industry – the last two years selling new and used trucks. His 18 years prior to that were with Scania in various roles.

“Great things are never done by one person,” said Greenhalgh. “ They’re done by a team of people, and that’s the culture that motivated me to return to Scania in this role.”

NZ O

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cania New Zealand has announced two new strategic sales roles – Clive Jones has been appointed as national sales key account manager while Robbie Greenhalgh has been named as sales account manager, new trucks, in the Waikato.

Jones will start in the national sales key account manager role from September. He joins the Scania NZ team from his previous roles as national sales manager and general manager for Volvo & Mack Sales in New Zealand, which he held for nearly 20 years alongside other previous key leadership sales roles.

“Clive is a very significant and strategic acquisition for Scania,” said Scania New Zealand director of sales, Deon Stephens.

“The value and experience he brings from working with another European manufacturer will make his transition to Scania even more seamless. We are delighted to have Clive on board as part of the sales management team.”

Jones said he is looking forward to the opportunities Scania offers.

“The appeal for me is working with a factorybacked and owned brand of the quality and

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

NRC teams up with Little Trucker Down Under

N

ational Road Carriers has partnered with New Zealand Trucking Media to sponsor the Little Trucker Down Under magazine.

Justin Tighe-Umbers, chief executive officer at National Road Carriers, said creating early awareness of the transport industry with young New Zealanders is a great way to introduce trucking as a career.

“Truck drivers are critical to ensuring the New Zealand economy grows and prospers.

Little Trucker is a positive way to connect the industry with younger children,” he said.

“NRC looks forward to

working with New Zealand Trucking Media to help introduce Little Trucker readers to some of our members who we know will be more than happy to ‘show and tell’ their trucks with up-and-coming young truckers.”

Shannon Williams, editor of Little Trucker Down Under, said it was great to have the support of respected organisations like NRC. “Having the transport sector get behind Little Trucker shows just how important our young readers are to the future of the industry,” she said.

“We can’t wait for members

Justin Tighe-Umbers and Matt Smith. from National Road Carriers to get involved and be a part of the stories our Little Trucker reporters share.”

Matt Smith, New Zealand Trucking Media advertising manager, added: “It’s fantastic to have National Road Carriers as a sponsor of Little Trucker

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“Their support along with all the other fantastic supporters of the magazine means more copies of Little Trucker Down Under are reaching the next generation of the transport industry workforce.”

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Transporting New Zealand unveils diversity toolbox

A

t its A Changing World conference in June, Transporting New Zealand released details of its diversity toolbox, a set of resources designed to create change and support further diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

The toolbox is part of Transporting New Zealand’s Driving Change Diversity programme, which is sponsored

by Teletrac Navman and supported by transporting New Zealand, NRC, NZ Trucking and the Australian Transport Association.

The first stage of the programme was led by Transporting New Zealand membership manager Fiona McDonagh, who was a passionate advocate for developing a more inclusive transport sector and

giving people a start in the industry.

The diversity toolbox is a set of three resources that is designed to help trucking businesses of all sizes, recruit, retrain and retain staff in an increasingly competitive labour market.

Billy Clemens, Transporting New Zealand strategy, policy and projects advisor, says the toolbox provides practical, relevant guidance for operators.

Alongside his advocacy and policy work at Transporting New Zealand, Billy is also a board member at Rainbow Wellington.

“I know personally what a positive impact inclusive workplace practices can have in making people feel safe and supported in the workplace,” he says. “And that’s why I’m particularly pleased to be

involved in the next stage of driving diversity.”

The first element of the toolbox is focused on inclusive recruitment practices.

“This includes job advertisement and position description templates, candidate interviewing methods and tips for how to assess candidates evenly,” Clemens says.

“This tool is designed to help ensure that all candidates, whether they’re neurodiverse, fresh out of school, female, Māori and Pasifika, or other demographics, feel comfortable applying for roles in the first place. And they get reassured that they’ll be given a fair crack as I’m sure they will by good operators,” he says.

The second part of the toolbox includes resources to help

employees speak up.

“It’s often hard to be the one to make a noise or speak up about discriminatory or unsafe behaviour at work, but this can be even tougher for some minorities,” Clemens says.

“This is where having clear reporting lines and giving a clear assurance that issues will be dealt with is an essential part of an inclusive workplace.”

Finally, the toolbox has some step-by-step guidance for resolving common workplace challenges, such as bullying, mental health and wellbeing, and supporting neurodiverse staff members such as those with dyslexia or ADHD. “These resources are designed to help all operators, whether diversity is already something that’s baked into your business or whether you’re at the start of the process,” Clemens says.

“The final stage of development will be getting feedback from our cohort of diversity champions as well as other operators to ensure that it’s

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completely fit for industry.”

The resources will be released in August. Further information can be obtained from Transporting New Zealand.

Registrations for KW100 live Registrations for the Kenworth 100 celebration next year are open. Taking place on 3 February 2024 at Mystery Creek, the Kenworth-only show to mark the brand’s 100 year worldwide milestone is set to eclipse any single brand truck show ever staged – including the 301 Kenworth turnout hosted by Southpac at Baypark in 2014.

“We’ll be celebrating 100 years of Kenworth with the people, the stories and the gear that made the brand famous,” said general sales manager Richard Smart. “Don’t miss your chance to be part of this epic celebration!”

With a huge nine-hectare footprint set aside for the show, there is room for up to 1500 trucks.

Southpac advises the following entry dates and times for parking: • Thursday 1 February 10am to 9pm • F riday 2 February 10am to midnight

•N o entry or truck movements on Saturday 3 February until 7pm when trucks can exit from the site Full details including the parking plan and terms and conditions will follow.

There will be prizes across a range of categories, and those bringing a truck will receive a special 100-year commemorative pack on arrival.

“Kenworth owners are known to be passionate about the trucks they run,” Smart said.

“We want to bring them together in one place to celebrate the best of the brand by hosting this show.”

Register your truck now at www.spt.co.nz/ kw100

World’s Leading Provider of On-Road Load Handling Equipment 0800 518 006

www.trt.co.nz

hiab@trt.co.nz

ROAD NOISE NEWS

New simulation truck driving course to help stem driver shortage

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new simulation truck driving programme has been launched, hoping to help clear the bottleneck behind New Zealand’s truck driver shortage.

The +IMPAC VRC Whiti Supply Chain truck driver training programme slashes the qualifying period from six months to two weeks. The course is said to accelerate learning and introduces tools that build competence faster while significantly improving safety outcomes for novice drivers. +IMPAC’s Whiti Supply Chain Programme, in partnership with the logistics industry and the Ministry of Social Development, has already proved itself through safety training qualifications of new forklift operators

through virtual reality simulator technology.

“It is a considerably safer way to train new drivers because they are not going straight from classroom to real truck. They go from classroom to simulator to truck, so we’re not just putting newbies behind the wheel of four tonnes of steel. They step into the real thing, already knowing the process – the dashboard isn’t a strange collection of buttons and levers,” said Sam Eyre, +IMPAC truck training course lead.

The introduction of truck simulator training through +IMPAC’s Whiti Supply Chain Programme cuts the stand down period between learners and full licence to just two weeks, significantly reducing costs, and nurturing aspiring young drivers

through the unit standards and road code learning and assessment.

“Our truck driving workforce is ageing,” Eyre said. “With the simulator there are fewer obstacles, and the technology gamifies the learning process – training becomes stickier. They achieve their full class 2 licence in two weeks,” said Eyre.

In addition, candidates are taught skills like preparing a CV. While students are on the truck simulators, trainers sit behind their consoles to monitor training in real-time and, unlike

traditional driver training, there is the ability to introduce all kinds of hazards, from cyclists to snow and other dangerous weather conditions such as sunstrike and, importantly, wind velocity.

The technology provides real-time assessments of where the driver has performed well or poorly, as well as mistakes and efficiencies with an objectivity that only solid data can provide.

The simulator also puts drivers through the experience of what it’s like to drive drunk or fatigued, and correct gearing and exhaust braking.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

Iveco Group takes full control of Nikola Iveco Europe IVECO has completed the acquisition of the Germany-based BEV and FCEV truck joint venture with Nikola, initially announced in May. Nikola Iveco Europe will be renamed EVCO (Electric Vehicles Company) as part of the acquisition.

“The successful completion of this announced step reconfirms the steady commitment of the company in playing a leading role in the zero-emission heavy duty

transport segment,” IVECO said.

IVECO will concentrate on Europe for the further development and commercialisation of its own battery-electric and fuel-cell-electric trucks, which includes rolling out its financing business model GATE, and Nikola will focus its operations in North America, with an integrated approach to its customers, offering BEV, FCEV and hydrogen infrastructure via its HYLA brand.

MAN eTruck wins Red Dot Design Award 2023 The new MAN eTruck has won the 2023 Red Dot Design Award in the Product Design category.

This year, the approximately 20,000 products submitted came from 60 countries and were judged in 51 competition categories.

Quality and details such as the polygonal exterior décor – inspired by the panorama of the Bavarian Alps – convinced the jury.

“This coveted design award for our new eTruck, which will electrify long-distance transport from 2024, gives our team an extra

boost on the home stretch to market launch,” said Friedrich Baumann, executive board member for sales & customer solutions at MAN Truck & Bus. “The new MAN eTruck is a strong statement for our customers’ shift to electromobility – technically, but also visually,” he said.

Professor Dr. Peter Zec, founder and CEO of Red Dot, added, “Companies and design studios from all over the world faced the professional judgement of the Red Dot jury, international experts who scrutinised a

considerable number of products during the competition.

“The fact that you emerged as the winner from such a strong field of participants is testimony to the exceptional quality of your product.”

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BACK FUTURE TO THE

The International RH picks up where its ProStar predecessor left off – a lightweight short-bonnet conventional, packing some serious punch. Our first taste would come with RH No.1, which found something of an unlikely home in rural cartage. But if there’s one company that can prove its merits, it’s Waipawa’s Stephenson Transport.

Story, photos and video by Gavin Myers and Carl Kirkbeck

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t’s been a good couple of years for new-truck buyers in New Zealand.

Whether your flavour is Eastern, Euro or American, the menu of new – or, at the very least, updated – models released in the past 12 months has been enticing.

Home-grown entity Intertruck has been hard at work, too, developing its bonneted International ProStar range through its next evolution – the RH. Visually, there may not be many standout features to differentiate it from a familiar face. The ProStar’s introduction into its home market took place as long ago as 2006, while Intertruck has offered it in New Zealand since 2017.

Continual improvement while maintaining a level of familiarity is by no means a bad thing, which is what the shift to RH represents. And, besides, beauty is more than skin deep; the biggest enhancements are the ones you can’t see.

Our first taste of RH follows something of a coup for Intertruck. Hawke’s Baybased Stephenson Transport has put four of the OEM’s cabover 9870s to work in its stock division, but the RH is the first to combine an International badge with a tipping dropside setup. It’s also the first bonneted truck to enter the fleet in a long, long time – in rural cartage too, where things like bonnets have the potential to complicate proceedings. So there’s a little something to prove. It would be a telling couple of days with driver Ian ‘Nunga’ Allhusen.

In the Stephenson fleet, the RH picks up the bonneted baton from trucks truly of another generation... 2023 is the company’s 87th year in business, and its association with International goes back to the earliest days, when Septimus James Edward and Mary Stephenson started the business in 1936 with a Morris Commercial, followed progressively by five Internationals.

To be fair, the RH and 9870 are a far cry from the D Series models of the 1930s and 1940s, the Acco 180 Butterbox that joined the fleet in 1963, and the T-Lines of the 1980s. All of these were dutiful earners for this family business that today has its fourth generation behind the wheel.

From top: SJE Stephenson ran International from the start in 1936. The four stock trucks lined up together begin with a later model KB6 and three DS35s; The same fleet is parked outside the Waipawa office, from where the company still operates today; Septimus (SJE) Stephenson alongside some DS35s, with a load of wool in one photo and another towing a single-axle trailer loaded with fat lambs; A small D2 and a couple of DS35s pictured with some sizeable logs.

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1) Septimus standing with an elephant on the back of an Acco 180. 2) The old ST 1921 (wooden cab) International at the Waipawa 150th Anniversary in 2011. Todd’s two boys Harry and Charlie were suitably dressed up for the special occasion. 3) The 3070 and a T-Line 2650 were used to cart fert to ground spreaders. 4) Bruce Stephenson behind the wheel of the T-Line.

Back to the bay This is our second trip to Hawke’s Bay in as many road tests, though we’d really only popped in with Colin and the TGX last month. Granted, you didn’t have to go much further than Bay View to see the chaos wrought by a very wet first half of the year. The unassuming Central Hawke’s Bay town of Waipawa was not immune to the flooding following Gabrielle.

And although the back of Stephenson’s Ruataniwha Street yard lies low, just up the bank of the Waipawa

River, the company luckily came out unscathed.

CEO Todd Stephenson recalls the events of early February: “Warnings were in place, so we’d put off a lot of work – which we didn’t do even through Covid. Some of the trucks were out of town, and they were told to camp over. We turned up in the morning, and the power was off, so I told everyone to go home and operate from our cell phones.

“Dad [Bruce] was the only one here. For whatever reason, he walked out and

The Stephenson yard is now fully recovered from the February floods (left).

looked over the bank, down at the yard, and there was our smallest truck with water above the rims. He rang me straight away and said: ‘Where is everyone? The bloody yard’s flooding!’

“I said, ‘Bullshit, it hasn’t rained for three hours!’ But it had been coming down heavy in the ranges. I raced back to work with my youngest.

We grabbed handfuls of keys off the keyboard, I threw my boots and socks off and rolled my jeans up – man, it was deeper than I’d ever seen it. At that stage, it still wasn’t

raining, and the water hadn’t even come over the river bank yet, but it was bubbling up through the ground.

“I tilted the cab on the little truck to see if the fan and intake were submerged. I thought, ‘All we have to do is get it up the highest part of the yard.’ I said to my young fella, ‘I’ll start them, get them to here, and you whip them up to the street.’ As it was, all the smaller trucks were parked at the deepest part of the yard,” Todd continues.

“Then the river burst its bank and gradually blew the

fences out. You couldn’t see the trailer drawbars to see whether or not they were connected to their trucks.

The last few trucks were driven out with their diff locks in and in crawler gear while their trailer brakes were still releasing. It was about 20 minutes from when I arrived to getting the last of 27 trucks out.”

Evidently, our date with the RH might not have happened.

“Nunga, he took his keys home! So, the newest truck was one of the last to come out! But we got them all out,” Todd recalls.

Two or three of the Isuzus ended up with a little water in the oil and oil pressure lights on, though an immediate oil change rectified that, and they’ve been fine since, says Todd. Saving the trucks was the big focus – nine trailers were left behind and had to have their brakes cleaned out and wheel bearings repacked.

“Shit, the current was swift. A four-axle stock trailer moved 50m across the yard. It got swept out by the current.

But, luckily, the dolly turned and anchored itself, moving the trailer off the current,” Todd says. “We had to open the crate doors to allow the

Nunga rolls north on SH2.

water to flow through them and stop them moving with the force of the water. It was deep… I had to put my head under a few times to open the latches.”

The chaos didn’t stop there, though. As it was hay season, all the drop siders had their sides off, which also needed to be rescued. “A chap in a little boat came to help.

We did one rescue of sides, but then the boat ran out of petrol. We were sitting out there for a good hour until another guy arrived with a jet boat and towed us back.

“You wouldn’t imagine that would ever happen. Just the other week, we had some big downpours and three nights in a row, we parked the gear up here… Everyone’s a bit paranoid.”

It is a chilling story and a poignant reminder of the power of Mother Nature.

Working in stock transport, Stephenson was instrumental in safekeeping local farm stock. “Most of the farmers were getting bloody anxious, as you can imagine,” Todd says. “We had to get MPI onboard for stock recovery to get into some of the affected areas. A lot of our roads were a mess, but we knew

we could get in, so long as bridges weren’t out. We had to persuade them that this is what we do for a living – just let us get in and move it.”

The International among brands Anyone who knows the Stephensons understands that this knuckle-down-anddo attitude is ingrained. Doing what needs to be done is in the DNA and goes back to the foundation set by Septimus Stephenson. “Bruce and Todd are the most straight up and down guys you’ll ever come across – real good rural Hawke’s Bay people.

Just fantastic, easy people to deal with,” says Hugh Green, Intertruck national sales manager.

Hugh’s relationship with Stephenson goes back to the 2010s, and the International brand has slowly re-established itself at Waipawa. “I think their trust in what we’re doing has come through pretty loud and clear now,” Hugh says. “We’re deep into a replacement programme [of older units] with the 9870s.”

And, in the context of Stephenson Transport, we can’t talk RH and ignore 9870.

So far, four 9870s are on the road in the stock division, with No.5 at the bodybuilder and No.6 currently on the Intertruck production line. Todd says that by all accounts, the Inters are holding their own among the fleet’s Argosys, K200s, DAFs and Isuzus.

“One day, Hugh came here with a 9870. The chassis work is tidy on them, simple.

And the four-airbag system on the back end we find is far better for traction and stability – we already knew that from the Argosys,” Todd says.

Much like the K200s, the decision over the 9870s was as much about performance, dependability and support as it was about attracting the right drivers. It’s becoming a topic for the ages. “We got to the stage we were struggling to get drivers across. Young ones like the American gear – they’re big, bulky, with plenty of room to sleep in.

“But importantly, the American gear has the axle spacing; right up on the bumper, and you don’t have to go super long with the trailer to reach 50MAX.

None of the trucks that once carted out of Stephenson’s old fert shed on the Onga-Waipawa road would’ve come close to the RH’s payload capability.

Todd Stephenson, CEO – third generation at the helm.

24 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

The key for us is to have all the trucks capable for the same backloads. We try keep them all pretty much the same [spec and setup] regardless of the make.”

The arrival of the RH into the dropsider fleet was therefore met with some questions. The bonnet was the most obvious – tight rural accessways and farm gates, impacted visibility, shorter bins… all were concerns that needed answering.

“There was always a concern how we’d get on with access with the bonnet. That’s a fairly expensive bumper, I wouldn’t want to replace that in a hurry...” Todd quips. “But we used to have N10/N12 Volvos back in the day and we got on all right with those. The visibility of the

RH bonnet slope is awesome – I wouldn’t want to try to look over a 909 in our application, as much as the drivers would love to,” he says with a laugh.

Otherwise, The RH is pretty much a standard spec for a Stephenson dropsider. The bonnet means the deck is 500mm shorter, at 6500mm, but being a day cab helps. The RH is the only truck in the fleet without a sleeper, though the dropsiders return to base each night, so that becomes a moot point beyond the length debate.

While the RH continues the ProStar’s unique selling point of ultimate tare weight, achieving those figures comes down as much to the deck and trailer fit out by Pahiatua’s Jackson Enterprises. “It’s a

RH alongside the 100th 9780 off the Intertruck production line.

A straightforward job done millimetre perfect.

complete Jackson build; they pretty much do all our work and have done for years,” Todd says.

Easy going The timing being what it was, we met up with Nunga and the RH right in the middle of the rainy season, when the RH’s primary role – fert work – had slowed right down. That means we’d mainly be tipping gravel, with the bonus job of shifting some hay bales on a particularly gorgeous sunny Hawke’s Bay morning before parting ways.

The first job out of the despatch office is to shift a load for HES Quarries

from Back Paddock Lakes to its yard at Irongate Road, Hastings. Next stop, Hutts Quarry, Tikokino, on SH50, for a load to Doug Brightwell’s Tikokino Contractors, a stone’s throw from Stephenson’s outside Waipawa – so to speak. While there, we load up the first of three 14-tonne, truck-only loads destined for a private driveway on Porangahau Road.

So far so normal, and being all local and partly truck-only, there’s not much to challenge the RH. What is immediately noticeable, though, is Nunga’s approach to his work. Having driven all

kinds of trucks and moved all kinds of commodities, Nunga is most at home on dropsider work. The RH is equipped with a Base Engineering remote, which combines all tipping controls in a handy, portable unit. Nunga admits he wasn’t too keen on it at first, but with a bit of use, he’s found it to be more accurate for spreading and convenient for tipping when he has to get out and check the bin height.

Handy remote or not, to watch the man spread gravel is to witness a masterclass in precision. “You might want to stand just the other side of that oak tree, the gravel will stop just there,” he says

before setting off down the drive. True to his word, the nose of the RH glides past the tree before the last stone falls from the tailgate in line with the mighty oak.

As you’ll read in Like father like son, Todd would later tell us that Nunga is particularly proud of being neat and precise whether loading or unloading. It’s not often we witness a driver peering into the bins directing the loader!

Our next load from Hutt’s Quarry to Doug’s yard is a full 30-tonne and includes a quick jaunt down SH50 to Maraekakaho and back.

Fortuitously, this allows us to stretch the RH’s legs along some of the typical, narrow, windy, undulating rural Hawke’s Bay roads on which it’ll spend much of its time, with the odd climb thrown in for good measure.

Straight away, it’s as though we’re back in the cab with the Central Log Transport team (New Zealand Trucking, May 2021) and Brian Aitchison from MMM Cartage (New Zealand Trucking, June 2019).

Like its ProStar predecessor, the RH moves down the road with a sporty edge. Nunga is a master at imperceptible gearshifts, conducting the Roadranger to keep the X-15 at its maximum 2779Nm (2050lb/ft) torque band between 1100 and 1600rpm.

Nunga exits Hutt’s Quarry.

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2 1) Nunga conducts the X-15 symphony through the rural Hawke’s Bay. 2) Loading up to 36 bales. 3) Eagle-eye Nunga guides the loader. 4) X-15 a snug fit under that short bonnet. 5) Tipping by remote, you’d never go back…

Rarely does he stretch it to the maximum power peak of 459kW (615hp) at 1800rpm.

Having driven less than 30,000km, the X-15 is just getting into its stride. But its low-down torque delivery is strong – pulling cleanly to crest a not insignificant hill down to as low as 1000rpm.

On one of the gnarlier climbs, Nunga keeps it on the boil in seventh high at 1500rpm, maintaining a steady 40km/h.

3 26 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

Fuel efficiency currently sits at 2.2km/L. As with its predecessor, the RH emits a hard-edged growl from its twin stacks as the revs push past 1500rpm.

Under load, we measured 74 to 76db in the cab, which settles down to a respectable 70 to 72db on the cruise.

Nunga comments: “You can get a bit sick of it some days – it can get a bit droney.

Coming off the DAFs and

Isuzus, it’s just a bit different.

I think the last real noisy truck I drove was an old 430hp V8 Mitsi when I was at Farmers Transport; a good truck, comfortable, go-anywhere, just noisy.

“But I can’t complain about the power and comfort in this.

It’s good to have the stronger motor, especially considering this is the first five-axle dropsider we’ve got. And the Jake is strong, and it sits on

the road well. I’m loving the truck,” he says.

As we became accustomed to with the ProStars, offroad traction in the RH is exemplary. Todd would explain that the decision was made to forego CTI and see how the RH gets on, as Trevor was confident he could build it with the weight in the right places for maximum traction.

Then, when off the power and on the open road, it settles

4

units further out, improving side and rear visibility.

“The visibility is good out the front and right back through the large mirrors. But there is a slight blind spot out left where the mirror housing can get in the way,” Nunga comments.

They do look good though.

It can be disappointing to put a dropsider through its paces and not actually get an opportunity to drop the sides.

into a comfortable cruise. The ride is at least as good as we remember it, with no hint that there’s a second steer axle just behind your bum.

Dropping sides Visibility was another strength of the ProStar. That has only been improved in the RH thanks to its deeper onepiece side windows and single-arm mirror mounts, which position the large mirror

5

Fortunately, Darren Cooper Agriculture of Otane needed 36 big rounds of hay delivered from Donald Cooper’s (no relation) farm on Homewood Road, Waipawa, to Oakland Stable Charf on Railway Road, Pakipaki.

“I must admit, Jacksons does do a good trailer. They did the deck, guards and toolboxes as well,” Nunga says. Indeed, truck deck and trailer are as neatly executed as they come.

The trailer is underpinned

by ROR axles, a favourite of Stephenson’s when spec’ing a unit to ride on 19.5s.

While Nunga guides Darren’s placement of the hay, we jump aboard the RH to take in its interior. Intertruck bills the RH as a low-entry conventional, and with just two wide steps before climbing into the cab, there are no complaints other than only the driver’s side having an A-pillar grab handle. As a day cab, space is fine; Nunga

New Zealand Trucking

August 2023 27

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

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1 & 2) Dashboard left largely untouched for the initial run of RH. 3) Revised door cards look better and are more functional. 4) International badge on the back wall a neat touch. 5) Handy cubby under passenger seat one of numerous nooks and crannies. has more than enough room in the Isringhausen driver’s seat behind the multi-adjustable wheel.

The cab’s slate-grey diamond vinyl trim is paired with a new dark-grey dashboard trim. Compared with the old, almost-beige light grey, it goes some way to modernising the feel of the interior. The new door trims are

a big improvement, with the handle moved up to the windowsill for easier reach and a larger pocket with a bottle holder lower down. More storage can be found in the RH’s centre storage console between seats and under the dash wrap. There are a couple of trays overhead and a handy little cubby under the passenger seat.

latdeck and dropsider work is an area of the transport industry that is not for the faint of heart; it is one of those jobs that keeps you on your toes.

It’s characterised by challenging loads that defy the laws of physics, resulting in load-restraint headaches that have some operators looking for a couple of Panadol and the situations vacant section of the local paper. But such character-building challenges get Waipawa-born and bred local Ian ‘Nunga’ Allhusen out of bed every morning.

“I’ve done stock work, but yeah, looking back in the mirrors at green crates all day is not for me. I love the variety of dropsider work. Fert one day, bales the next and machinery the day after that. Yeah, it is always different,” explains Nunga.

Growing up in Waipawa with a dad who was a driver at Farmers Transport meant Nunga got hooked on trucking at an early age, finding himself kicking around the depot whenever possible, shadowing his dad who taught him the ropes.

“Going to school was not my thing, that’s for sure. Mum would have to wake me up on a school day. But if I were going for a ride in a truck, I’d be up and waiting at the yard at 2am if I needed to be,” Nunga says with a laugh. “I used to help out wherever possible at the yards. I started out as the ‘wash out’ boy, washing out the crates, and it progressed from there. As I got old enough, some of the drivers would let me have a steer, so as soon as I was 18, I went and got my license, and I was straight into it. My first job was an apple harvest season with Stephenson’s on a Volvo N12 – not bad for my first driving job.

“With dad working out of the Farmers depot here in Waipawa, I got a full-time job there on a dropsider for about three years. I then moved across to Emmerson Transport out of Hastings for around five to six years.

Real good crowd to work for, and again a good variety of work. While there, I was

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3 1) Ian ‘Nunga’ Allhussen, an operator of the old school. 2) The S-Line International and tri-axle semi combination that Nunga received brand-new while working for Emerson’s Transport of Hastings. 3) Nunga with Mum Liz and Dad Chris beside the K104 that Chris put the best pert of 1,800,000km on, enjoying an ale at Chris’ retirement function after a solid 53 years with Farmers Transport. Chris was the light guiding a young Nunga into the transport industry when he finished school. given a new S-Line International tractor unit, with a new tri-axle flat-deck semi; a good truck to drive, I went all over the show in that one.”

A stint with Bruce Hill and then Bearsley Transport followed, after which it was back to Farmers Transport at Waipawa, this time for a good 16 years. “Back at Farmers, I was also on the dropsiders, and again working alongside Dad. Good times, and some good trucks, even an old 430hp V8 Mitsi. I then moved on and had a go at logging. I didn’t mind the hours so much, but the paperwork and all that nearly drove me mad, so I shifted on and did a season with [Waipawa-based] Chote Brothers. After that, I moved back here to Stephenson’s – that’d be nearly four years ago now. So, yeah, gone full circle. They’re a good company to work for, I enjoy it, you look forward to going to work.”

Nunga started at Stephenson’s (the

second time) on one of the CYJ Isuzus, No.20. “It was a good truck that did its job, but not really a driver’s truck. When Todd asked me what I thought about the idea of the RH on the job, I could see how that would work and was on board. So, yeah, I was on the Isuzu for about three years, and then straight onto the RH.” Our couple of days with Nunga were a refreshing reminder of ‘do it once and do it right’ as we watched his approach to loading. From keeping an eye on the exact placement of each bucket-load of aggregate by the loader drivers at the various quarries we visited, through to the amount of tension applied to the tie-downs on the load of big rounds we collected from Darren Cooper. Nunga’s approach was the same: whatever the load, get the job done. But take the time to ensure that things are balanced and are not going to go anywhere while on the move.

“Some of the things you see going down the road you think to yourself, ‘How the heck is that going to stay there?’ It’s a bit of a science, but that’s the fun bit.”

Todd Stephenson is quick to bestow praise on Nunga’s work ethic. “He is a very good operator, as you would have seen. He prides himself on how he loads his unit and secures it, that really is his passion. He is one of the only guys I’ve seen who jumps up on the drawbar and watches the bins get filled. Even if I go out there and start helping to tie his load on, he’ll come along behind me and start changing it to the way he likes to position his straps. He really has his own way of doing things, a way that is proven and works for him.

“He’s a character. If the dispatchers don’t know their stuff well enough, he’ll tip them upside down. You have to be two steps ahead of Nunga; he’ll beat you out the gate every time.”

New Zealand Trucking

August 2023 29

For now, the layout remains much the same as the ProStar (see Building an RH), with the familiar 10-gauge cluster supplemented by three gauges out to the left with space for auxiliary switches below. The trailer brake is now a T-handle in the centre console – whether that’s more practical than the old column stalk will be down to driver preference.

At least it doesn’t get in the way of the HVAC controls.

Switches for the cruise remain on the two-spoke wheel with just a single wand on the left for indicators, high beams and wipers. Suffice to say, anyone who’s ever piloted at ProStar will be right at home and slightly more comfortable in the RH.

Different strokes A company like Stephensons would have seen a lot during nine decades in business.

Through it all, it’s remained true to its purpose as a rural carrier – in a world where the word ‘holiday’ barely exists and hard work, determination and personal relations are the only drivers of success.

That’s meant keeping up the status quo when things are sailing along just fine and not being afraid to change things up a little when needed. When you think about it, there’s something almost romantic about the reintroduction of International to the fleet over the past few years.

While the 9870s have proved perfectly up to the task of livestock transport, it would be fair to say that in its application, the RH has weightier expectations.

It’s filling the boots of trucks that are traditionally better suited to the role purely by way of their configuration. However, as a conventional, it hasn’t come unstuck yet. Visibility

BUILDING AN RH T he ProStar proved to be a good truck for Intertruck. Reliability was right up there, tare weight right down. They were simple, get-in-and-drive machines.

Not much to do but offer more of the same with the enhanced RH, then?

“The RH is the next phase in the ProStar line,” says Hugh Green, sales manager Intertruck Distributors.

Movements to transition to RH began in late 2020/ early 2021. That was about the time the Aussies decided they’d ditch the model completely, meaning if Intertruck wanted to keep offering a bonneted solution, it would have to follow much the same path it did with the 9800 and 9870 and take the bull by the horns. And in the middle of it all, the company was shifting into its new facility, which put back the programme by a further six months or so.

“At this stage, we still have four or five ProStar instrument panels (IP) left to build out, and then we’re completely into the new one,” comments Intertruck New Zealand managing director Comer Board. “The Stephenson truck can be seen as a ‘Mk.1’ RH.”

OK, let’s back up a bit.

Engineering a truck, whether from the ground up or by evolution, isn’t a simple undertaking. The ProStar’s fundamentals were a good base, though, and most of the improvements are to the bits you can’t see.

“The right-hand drive ProStar was a model for Australia and New Zealand.

When the decision was made between Navistar and IVECO to pull out of the Australian market, part of the reason was the serious investment to go from the old ProStar instrument panel to the new RH. The ProStar runs on a 250 baud rate data platform, while the new version in the US runs on a 500 baud rate.

It meant that someone had to make a huge investment, so Intertruck decided we’d take it upon ourselves,” Comer explains.

A 500 baud rate means a much faster data supply to the cab. Navistar is one of the only OEMs in the North American market that runs multiplex wiring. “We’ve had some clever chaps from Navistar come over who now are part of our management team,” Comer explains.

“And there’s a huge number

of things people would never recognise between a left- and right-hand drive. Part of the agreement was Navistar would take over all the feature codes to make it right-hand drive – about 500 to 600 hours of engineering time. That was excluding the IP. We had to forge ahead and do the righthand drive IP. It’s probably the biggest investment we’ve ever made.”

As such, Intertruck has taken a staged approach, and the first stage is reaching completion now. “We felt we could make some improvements from left- to right-hand drive, but for us to kick the programme off, it was easier to just flip over the cab design. Stage two will kick off next year and we may make more refinements – positioning things a bit better, smoother lines; make it a bit more attractive for the Kiwi operator,” Comer says.

Hugh adds: “I think some of our guys had hair when they started! But they love a challenge – there’s never been a time when they threw their hands up and said, ‘We can’t do it.’ And that’s something a lot of our customers love – the Kiwi ingenuity and being able to refine it for this market.”

The RH in its first stage of development – the Mk.1 as Comer put it – features the new single-arm RH mirrors, the new single-window door trims, and some other small RH features.

While there have been few major mechanical changes, Comer says, drivers report a different experience to the ProStar. “They sit on the road better, ride better.”

For now, the Euro-5 Cummins remains the powertrain of choice, but there are plans to move to Euro-6c. “Euro-5 will remain for a bit longer. We’ve had conversations with Cummins, and we’ll do Euro-6 as a local installation as we did with Euro-4 and Euro-5. A vehicle is earmarked for build next year, and it will be about a sixmonth project,” Comer says.

As with the ProStar, the Bendix Wingman Fusion suite of electronic driver assistance and collision mitigation systems remains on offer.

It’s approved for the 6x4 and short-wheelbase 8x4 tractor unit and bulk tipper.

Hugh sums up: “It’s the same as our cabover product… constant refinement of the truck over time to keep pace with the market and give the customers what they’re asking for.”

A Kiwi OEM

T

he move has been something we’ve been aiming for for a long time,” says Intertruck New Zealand managing director Comer Board. We’re talking about the company’s new all-in-one head office and assembly plant on Kaweroa Drive, Tauriko, in the rapidly expanding southwestern outskirts of Tauranga.

As you read this, the company will be celebrating its first anniversary at the site, after starting operation in August 2022. In 2021, Intertruck invested $20 million into the 1.4ha site.

The head office includes a truck dealership, parts distribution centre, new and used vehicle sales, a new truck compliance centre and an independently operated VTNZ inspection lane.

The service facility is fully equipped, with a rest area for drivers and customers.

The assembly plant includes engineering, two paint booths and a righthand drive production division.

“We analysed the old Mt Maunganui plant and where we could improve,” explains Comer. “We moved from dedicated cabover and conventional lines to a stallbuild setup, similar to how a trailer manufacturer builds their units. So, we have four stalls and alongside the chassis are bins from which the operator can simply grab their components and assemble the vehicle. It’s more time efficient.

“This month, we’re up to where we want to be with volume. Our aim was for

five to six trucks per month, which is where we’re at now.

It’s taken a lot of hard work.

We’ve employed a new plant engineer who has had a good vision and has set the plant on to a point where we can’t get much more efficient.”

A sign of the times, Comer comments that advertising for assembly operators earlier this year resulted in 75 applications!

“Communications, closer working between teams and staff – it’s all benefitted.

Intertruck is in its 29th year now. We want to prove to our customers that we are long-term. We invested a lot of time and money into this operation, and we’re going to continue on,” he says.

New Zealand Trucking

August 2023 31

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

International RH R8-BT 8x4 Tare: 11,340kg GVM: 31,000kg GCM: 70,000kg Wheelbase: 5900mm Engine: Cummins X-15 Capacity: 15.4L Power: 458kW (615hp) Torque: 2779Nm (2050lb/ft) Emissions: Euro-5 via SCR Transmission: Eaton Roadranger RTLO 20918B 18-speed manual Clutch: 7-spring twin plate ceramic, 15.5in plate, manual adjust Chassis: 260 x 91 x 8mm, 120,000lb yield, 9900mm overall length, 980mm height Front axle: Meritor MFS-14-143A Front axle rating: 12,000kg Front-suspension: Parabolic springs Rear axle: RT 46-160GP XLF, 4.10:1 Rear-axle rating: 19,000kg Rear suspension: IROS-GP 4-bag air Brakes: Disk. Electronic Brake Systems with ABS and Traction Control Auxiliary braking: Jacobs Engine Brake Fuel: 435L DEF tank: 95L to replace the Isuzus, and really, what options have we got? There’s not much by way of cabovers unless we go Japanese, and if you want the horsepower, it probably would be one [RH] over a European.”

Having spent a few days in the company of this RH, we’re excited to get to grips with one in perhaps a more traditional application – and even more to see how Intertruck keeps up the model’s development.

Porangahau calling… not this time!

32 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

Wheels: Alcoa alloy Tyres: 275/70 R22.5 Electrical: 12V Cab exterior: Day cab, dual 26in air horns, stainless visor.

Additional: dual vertical chrome exhausts, logspec Ali-Arc bumper, bug deflector Cab interior: Premium trim upgrade, slate grey diamond vinyl trim, chrome door handle bezels, slate grey centre storage console between seats, 35% tinted door glass. ISRI 6860/875 driver’s seat with air back and lumber supports. USB connector, digital audio system with Bluetooth

Special thanks Bruce and Todd Stephenson – possibly the nicest, most obliging father-and-son duo in New Zealand road transport – thanks as ever for allowing us into your operation and affording us the time with your newest addition.

To Nunga – what a character, a driver of the old school who holds no punches. Thanks for having us along and chaperoning us for a couple or three days. Thanks also to Doug Brightwell for access to your yard (and the awesome memorabilia we were allowed to pinch) and Darren Cooper for access to the farm.

And Comer Board and Hugh Green at Intertruck – once again proving that Kiwi engineering can keep up with the best of ‘em. Thanks for the insight into the RH’s development.

0823-01T

and manoeuvrability have been top-drawer despite the bonnet, with no need for tight emergency U-turns in Nunga’s day-to-day rovings as yet.

The X-15 under that stubby bonnet raises it above its dropsider stablemates, too.

And, as Todd puts it, there aren’t many options for this application in the +600hp, H-plated realm.

“As far as a dropside or bulk truck goes, I rate the RH. I wouldn’t have any problems buying another when it’s time

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Mercedes-Benz eEconic and its ilk have the capacity to pick much of the lowhanging carbon fruit.

Photo: Daimler Truck.

WHEN IT’S ANYTHING BUT

NORMAL Story by Dave McCoid

Pictures by Dave McCoid and as credited

Having the Mercedes-Benz eEconic a feature of the Daimler Truck stand at the Brisbane Truck Show this year, it’s not surprising Special Trucks divisional head, Franziska Cusumano was in town.

Although there to celebrate all of the charges in her keep, there’s no doubt eEconic’s impending arrival on the Australasian scene is a significant opportunity for the company through the next phase of regional decarbonisation.

A

nything but normal’ is a headline easily able to sum up the general mood in global road transport.

Yet, anything but normal is the only constant for the 1000 folk who work in the Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks division. With three products – Unimog, Zetros, and Econic, this fascinating part of the Daimler Truck empire is sited at two locations – the main plant in Wörth, Germany, and the customer-specific conversion and adaptation facility in

Molsheim, France.

The level of adaptation, evolution and customisation in the division is hard to convey, but it’s probably best exemplified by the fact a fifth of the headcount works in pre-development and development testing. Indeed, the division has its own R&D budget. Special Trucks then, are the experts for special applications and tricky customer requests.

“It’s an exciting area to work in,” says the head of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, Franziska Cusumano.

34 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

“Although a lot of our work stems from the not-so-good things that happen; floods, fires, humanitarian aid, and of course, military applications, it’s heartening to know our vehicles are chosen because they can be relied on to get help through.”

Unimog and Zetros are the go-anywhere solutions, and it would be fair to say that Unimog is the betterknown member of the duo.

For decades, the ‘Moggy’ has enjoyed an almost cult-like status worldwide for capability and an

unwillingness to lie down and die. “There’s a standing joke,” laughs Cusumano. “Asking a customer how long their Unimogs last? The answer coming back, ‘I don’t know yet, they’re only 60’.”

Zetros, the bigger, bonneted, unstoppable option, is equally rugged but doesn’t enjoy the same limelight. If the Unimog is too small for the average punter, then often an all-wheel-drive Arocs will likely suffice. That leaves Zetros for the real gnarly, up-sized ‘go where no truck has gone before’

enterprises. We have a wee smattering of them here in New Zealand, set up as spreaders and in boutique applications such as powerpole placement (New Zealand Trucking magazine – July 2020; Zetting the Precedent) Not at all difficult to find here though is the other member of Special Trucks division, Econic. It’s presence in the division comes about due to the breadth of variance in what customers demand, globally.

This manoeuvrable, lowentry, high-visibility metro truck defines utility. It’s a truck rarely associated with the glamour end of trucking, and more often than not the one we associate with the weekly collection of that for which we have no further use.

Yet, the plethora of concrete jungle assignments able to be picked up by Econic is bounded only by customer imagination; grocery distribution, bulk liquid, controlled temperature, cement mixer and inner-city vehicle recovery instantly spring to mind.

The more our city fathers around the world constrain the operating hours, decibels

and dimensions of trucks affecting the last-mile innerurban task, the more Econic and its brethren will poke their headlights above the parapets of resolution. And Econic’s appeal might be about to go stratospheric. It’s time in the limelight may well be upon us.

Econic is the first of the Special Truck trio to earn its ‘e’ badge, and although real numbers of eEconic won’t arrive in Australia en mass until Q1 2024, its future relevance and importance cannot be underestimated.

“Interest in the truck is huge,” says Andrew Assimo, vice president of Mercedes-Benz in Australia and New Zealand.

Logically, the zeroemissions transport journey emanates from the most populous areas – where the low-hanging fruit of decarbonisation are, and exactly where you find Econic.

The managing director of Daimler Truck Australia and New Zealand, Daniel Whitehead, picks up the thread: “Initially, interest in CO2 neutral trucks came from the marketing department.

That’s all changed. Today,

Head of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, Franziska Cusumano. sales are born out of operations and sound business – logical decisions based on TCO, not just future emissions obligations. “eCanter looks like a Fuso Canter, so it’s easily accepted. With its low cab height, expanse of glass

and left-side coach-door entry, the Econic range is its own thing. Our job is to show the customer that this is a heavy Mercedes-Benz truck, capable of so much more than simply picking up garbage. This is a multipurpose machine that meets

The Unimog hydrogen combustion prototype, proving yet again just how niche the ‘Moggy’s’ world can be. Photo: Daimler Truck.

the most exacting CBD regulations, it has all the modern safety features, and is now locally CO2 neutral.”

While absolute comparative cost numbers were not forthcoming – it’s easy to argue when there’s no ‘normal’ in your division – Assimo confirmed the up-front cost is currently significantly greater.

‘Currently’ is the key word; like we’ve said before, it’s a numbers and regulatory game at the moment. Whether here, Australia, or anywhere around the globe, central and local governments must put their shoulders to the wheel and create an environment whereby users are incentivised, helping the OEMs push on to massmanufacture ‘utopia’. That said, even now, the lack of R&M and the ability for customers to actively manage their energy costs means you might well expect to be in the black at about five to six years from your eEconic leaving the showroom – depending on the usage, of course.

“There are three key factors,” says Cusumano.

“Product, infrastructure and cost parity. All key stakeholders have a role to play in bringing them to where they need to be.”

Understandably the Special Trucks division sources as much componentry from the A-line products as possible, adding the sugar and spice where necessary.

Econic’s base chassis is sourced from Actros and to date the standard eActros battery packs have performed admirably in eEconic. At face value, the eEconic applications might not appear ‘battery friendly’. Take urban rubbish collection, demanding an absurdly large daily stopstart tally, one not even a busy metro delivery truck could get near. Neither are they generally operated with overt empathy in terms of fuel consumption on such tasks

– read battery conservation.

However, the ability to accurately plan recharging times, route specificity, and constant regeneration events on the job add to the credit side of the wear ledger also.

In Arctic testing – cold being another battery nemesis – the trucks proved faultless when tested in parity with real world aggressive, stop/start operation.

“Engineers never smile and never say ‘Yes’ easily,” laughs Cusumano, “so when they do both, you know it’s a great victory.

“I’m not saying we won’t work to improve the battery performance – make them stronger, with improved performance, but for now, we do not need anything special.”

As is the norm for ‘e’ alternatives, the eEconic is manufactured in the existing Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks assembly line, in parallel and flexibly alongside the trucks that will be powered by internal combustion engines. After the vehicle has been largely assembled, the eEconic’s electrification continues in the Future Truck Center, where – just like the eActros – it is equipped with the electric drive components.

That’s eEconic, its capability conveyed well; there’s an exciting story ahead for it in the region.

But let’s end with a fantastic Special Trucks epilogue, one that encapsulates the essence of the division, and the Unimog in particular.

When is the propulsion answer for tomorrow’s vehicle not EV or hydrogenbased fuel cell? When it’s a hydrogen combustion Unimog. In Germany currently there is a prototype Unimog implement carrier for municipal services running a Mercedes-Benz hydrogen combustion engine. The reason for this back-tothe-future vehicle is twofold. Firstly, in Europe, the

(Top) Mercedes-Benz eEconic on display at Brisbane. Numbers due Q1 2024. (Middle) A utilitarian look maybe, but in terms of fit for purpose, it takes the Oscar. (Bottom) Batteries are as you would find in eActros. They performed better than expected in the eEconic’s harsh stop/start world.

Photo: Daimler Truck.

Unimog is used heavily for all manner of local body works – roadside mowers, snow blowers, things like that. Being a small truck, chassis packaging – or lack of it – is critical if you are to get all of your ancillary bits onboard, not to mention payload capability. On that latter criterion, also consider applications like bushfire tenders and suppressant payload capacity.

Secondly, the emergency services folk were none too keen on the thought of driving their ‘e’ or H2 FCEV ’Moggy’ into a raging bushfire, flooded river, etc. The result?

A mid-range hydrogen combustion engine as an option in the Unimog… for now, at least.

“We have had 19 partners working on the project to date,” says Cusumano.

“Tertiary institutions, engineering, injection and tank systems specialists have all been involved. The power and torque profile is on par with existing ICE engines, as are the physical size and fuel tank requirements. To date, the truck has performed fantastically well.”

Suffice to say. The future of transport solutions will be a many and varied thing indeed.

T T t

A I c r e

36 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

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GORE TRUCK SHOW

Always plenty of variety in the parade.

Story and photos by Ken Bell

A DAY TO ENJOY K

Live music, food stalls, crowds and, of course, trucks – the 2023 McDonough Contracting Gore Truck Show had it all.

ing’s Birthday Weekend (that takes a bit of saying) in Gore is buzzing with visitors attending the New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards presented by the Gore Country Music Club. As

40 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

a part of the annual event, a truck show and parade are staged by enthusiastic locals, who marshal the entrants for judging and public viewing.

The static display is assembled at Transport Repairs’ Gore branch, where they are scored

for the accumulators to calculate the award winners. A parade is held from the South Gore venue up the main street and back, from where the entrants can either disperse or attend the prizegiving function at the Croydon Lodge Hotel.

King Rig 2023, Lindsay Stuck and his Scania R620.

Live music was played during the allocated judging time, and there were several food stalls to tempt all. In the Transport Repairs workshop, there was a colouring competition display, which had been run in the local newspaper, and several vendors trading in models and giftware.

The streets were lined with hundreds of people watching the parade. It’s an exciting

time for small children and adults alike to watch the procession.

The prizegiving gathering was well attended, with many staying on afterwards to enjoy a meal and socialise with like-minded friends, old and new. Bruce Robertson led the prizegiving ceremony, congratulating the individual award winners and the organisers for their efforts. He also thanked the sponsors

Eden Haulage, deserved winner of the Best Fleet Award.

and prize donors, making special mention of Transport Repairs for the use of its facilities and McDonough Contracting for its continued support of the event with traffic management.

Lindsay Stuck from Invercargill won the coveted King Rig trophy ahead of 126 other entrants with the Scania R620 he drives for Freight Haulage in Invercargill. This rig was new at the Gore Truck

Show last year, and with just short of 100,000km showing on the odometer, it still looks no different to back then, a true testament to the care afforded to the big Swede.

Lindsay has been working for Freight Haulage for 23 years and mostly carts containers on a skeletal B-train.

He brought the truck to Gore the day before the show.

It got a little dirty from road grime accumulated along the way and he thanks the guys at Gore Freight and Storage for their efforts at restoring it to pristine show condition after thinking it didn’t stand a chance.

Other prize winners of note were Gerard Daldry with his spectacularly airbrushed Scania 770S taking out the prizes for furthest distance travelled and best paint job.

Gerard’s other ProTranz entrant, a Mack Titan, took out the people’s choice gong.

Phil Collinson’s Eden Haulage very narrowly took the best fleet honour, and an extremely well restored 1968 Mercedes-Benz 1418, owned and restored by Tom Roberts from Te Anau, gained popularity with many and won the best Mercedes-Benz prize. Another crowd favourite was a Kenworth T610SAR, entered by Regan Brown from Lockhart Contracting, winning both the best logger class as well as its mileage category.

LO

MCDONOUGH CONTRACTING GORE TRUCK SHOW 2023

Gerald Daldry’s 770S Grey Ghost won the Furthest Travelled and Best Paint Job Awards.

KING RIG 2023............................. Stucky / Lindsay Stuck Freight Haulage New–40,000km........................... Chris Butler, Switzers Valley 40,000–100,000km..................... Regan Brown, Lockhart Contracting 100,000–400,000km................... Nick Young, Southern Transport 400,000–700,000km................... Hayden Brookland, Eden Haulage 700,000–1,000,000km................ Ben Findlayson, Halls Transport Truck over 1,000,000km............. Mark Chalmers, Dynes Transport Isuzu............................................ Chris Keillor, McDonough Contracting Freightliner................................. Nigel Cleghorn, Freight Haulage Scania......................................... Lee Tillard, Northern Southland Transport Mercedes-Benz........................... Tom Roberts, Te Anau Hino............................................. Rob Wylie, Powernet Kenworth..................................... Chris Butler, Switzers Valley Mitsubishi/Fuso ......................... Pauline Tanner, Ritchies Transport Volvo .......................................... Richard Parish, Fonterra Mack .......................................... Lionel Wood, Southern Transport MAN ............................................ Josh Houghton, R&H Transport/Mainfreight Nissan/UD ................................. Bronson McLean, Kings Log Transport DAF ............................................. Ethan McColl, Dynes Transport Iveco ........................................... Ben Egerton, Powernet Other .......................................... Jordon Udy, Waikaka Transport (International) HW Richardson Group ............... Lionel Wood, Southern Transport Female Driver.............................. Anne Brown, Go Bus Gore Logger ........................................ Regan Brown, Lockhart Contracting Bulk Truck .................................. Chris Butler, Switzers Valley Timber Cartage Vehicle ............. Jesse Sturmfels, GFS Curtainsider ............................... Josh Houghton, R&H Transport/Mainfreight Bulk Sower ................................ Jamie Ferris, Switzers Valley Stock Truck ................................ Jordon Udy, Waikaka Transport Tractor Unit ................................ Ryan Davidson, Freight Haulage Tanker ........................................ Ethan Mc Coll, Dynes Transport Linehaul ..................................... Ryan Davidson, Freight Haulage Light Vehicle............................... Anne Brown, Go Bus Gore Passenger Vehicle...................... Anne Brown, Go Bus Gore Crane Truck ............................... Rob Wylie, Powernet Stock Feed Unit ......................... Hamish Boyte, Wilkins Farming Furthest Distance Travelled ...... Gerald Daldry, ProTranz Auckland Tidiest Oldest Working Truck .... Carlos Bates, Northside Sand & Gravel Best Refurbished Truck ............. Tom Roberts, Te Anau Best Vintage .............................. Andrew McDowall, Transport Repairs Best Fleet ................................... Eden Haulage (Average 113.67/140) Best Paint Job ........................... Gerard Daldry “Grey Ghost”, ProTranz People’s Choice ......................... Lachlan Andrews, ProTranz

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TRUCKING SECTOR PULLS THROUGH FOR The entire country applauded when the trucking industry united in Hamilton to celebrate the birthday of an eight-year-old boy.

Story by Shannon Williams

W

hen Ollie Johnson’s parents posted on Facebook for a truck ride for their truckobsessed son, they had no idea that no less than 64 trucks would answer ‘10-4’.

Ollie’s mother, Katherine, offered $50 to someone willing to take her son for a ride in their truck for his eighth birthday. She said Ollie was lonely and hoped a ride would cheer him up.

“All he wants to do is be a truck driver. He is just

Photos by Izaak Kirkbeck obsessed,” she said.

After seeing the post, Hart Haulage owner Barry Hart thought he could do better than just one truck and began planning a convoy just for Oliver.

Barry put out a call on social media, and 64 drivers turned up for Ollie’s birthday convoy on Sunday morning.

“At the end of registration, I had 34 people, and then I had some people call, and we got to about 45. So, reaching 64 is just unbelievable. It’s phenomenal,” Barry said.

44 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

“It’s the norm for truckers and our industry. It’s why we love this industry. Our story is that truckers saved our son’s life, and then to see this and give back… it’s just wonderful.”

Some truckers travelled more than 120km in their rigs to take part. “For all the guys to come along, it’s pretty cool,” Barry said.

Ollie was picked up from his home by Josh Hart and taken for a surprise ride in his Western Star. They then met the convoy, grouped at the Hart Haulage yard near Huntington in Hamilton. From there, it ran down the Waikato Expressway to Hautapu, finishing up at the yards of C&R Developments. For

his ride in the convoy, Ollie jumped aboard the TR Group Anzac K200 with driver Daniel Collier.

C&R Developments opened its car and machinery museum for everyone to enjoy, while Service Foods provided free hot food and cold beverages via a food truck stall for the approximately 250 to 300 people there.

Katherine said Ollie was raised around trucks. “We are so grateful. This story has gone around the world. We are so humbled,” she said.

Dad Simon said the industry really came together. “Thank you doesn’t cover what happened today,” he said.

“Many people have gone to a lot of effort to make today

0823-S1

BIRTHDAY BOY OLLIE

happen. And those people who couldn’t be here have helped us along the way. We really want to say thank you.

“And thank you to Hart Haulage, who has been on the same page the whole journey – we are just so grateful.”

And Ollie’s favourite truck of the show? The C509 Kenworth of RMS Contracting. He had a blast testing the air horns.

0823-S1

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The date is out. Keep 18 to 20 April 2025 free in the diary for Wheels at Wanaka. Up until then, as Barbra sang… ‘misty watercoloured memories’.

Everyone who has watched wrestling loves a bit of tag-team action, and it’s just as exciting watching it in the earthmoving sense. Here, J Swap’s beautiful old Caterpillar 992B (left), and Paul Clarke’s immaculate International 560 Payloader (right) deal to a Caterpillar 769B, also owned by Paul. To avoid a bucket clash, one loader empties and then pulls away and reloads while the other is emptying out. Fantastic entertainment.

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PROMOTIONAL

FORMAL RECOGNITION OF SKILLS IMPORTANT FOR TRANSPORT SECTOR Formally acknowledging the work of equipment operators via a qualification is an important part of the transport sector, according to transport firm Heagney Bros.

T

he South Island’s Heagney Bros has been providing transport solutions to the Marlborough region and beyond since 1983. The company operates out of a purpose-built facility at Riverlands Industrial Estate, Blenheim and has grown from the modest beginnings of owning one truck to the current modern fleet of more than 50 vehicles.

Its fleet consists of log and stock trucks, bulk and general freight trucks, a fertiliser spreader, firewood truck, hi-ab truck and loaders. Brands include Scania, Western Star, Mack, Volvo and Kenworth.

The company currently employs approximately 40 full time staff and takes on additional drivers for seasonal work.

Heagney Bros has been running a truck driver apprenticeship programme for the last three years.

“We wanted a formal qualification to recognise the extra training our employees were undertaking,” says chief executive Mickayla Kerr.

“We got involved with MITO and have had our staff complete training in log transport, heavy automotive and business programmes.

Mickayla says training programmes through MITO provide a formal recognition of what staff are learning and what they do on a day-to-day basis.

“Driving a log truck is a lot of responsibility and takes a high level of skill,” she says.

“Having that formalised learning is important and it recognises the difficult job it actually is.”

Mickayla says working with MITO has been a good experience for the company.

“We are really lucky. MITO is great in terms of giving us any support we need with any of the cadets, including

48 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

Jacqui Cress, currently on the MITO programme. She holds a class 4 full truck licence and will soon have a class 5 licence for a trailer. providing tablets for their learning if they don’t have a computer at home.

“And MITO is really helpful with the ones that need a little bit of extra support to get through the qualifications.

She says training is super important for the transport industry.

“It’s important that as an industry to

have qualifications that recognise and formalise training procedures to ensure that people learn what they need to do their job.”

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JUST TRUCKING AROUND www.trt.co.nz

Nic Sneddon Ken Bell caught up with Nic Sneddon while he was waiting to ascend the access road to the new wind farm being built at Ferndale in eastern Southland.

Nic was driving a Kenworth C500 owned by McNeilly Heavy Haulage based in Dunedin and Timaru. The C500 is rated at 150-tonne GCM and powered by a Caterpillar C15 engine at 525hp. On this

load was a No.3 tower section, weighing 52 tonnes and measuring 37m long.

Nic is a contract driver with a wide variety of experience, having previously worked for Fulton Hogan on oversize and heavy haulage work for three years.

Prior to this he worked at Skevingtons on similar work, as well as for Alexanders on LPG deliveries around Otago and

Southland. He’s done seasonal milk transfers as well.

Outside of work Nic enjoys following his children’s sports and leisurely jet skiing.

When asked the vexing question, Jimmies or McGregors? (Otago people will get it), he replied: “Jimmies pies every time!”

a load to take to New Plymouth. It was clear while speaking with Jason that trucking is his passion. “What do I like about trucking? Literally the freedom!

I listen to music while I get paid to see the countryside. I go to places that most people don’t ever see.”

“What don’t I like? Haha! Car drivers!”

Jason also sees a major issue with the industry’s future. “Getting skilful drivers

is a problem. The industry isn’t seen as a viable career and kids at school don’t get told that truck driving is a career.”

The vexing question of pancakes or waffles was met with a definite answer.

“Pancakes! I’ve always been a pancake person… with butter, plum jam and cream. Mum used to make pikelets, but they were too small to feed us kids, so she increased the size to pancakes!”

Jason Birch Alison Verran stopped for a chat with Jason Birch, when she saw his smart Western Star 4864FXC parked at the BP Truck Stop at Taupiri. Jason is the owner/ operator of Aurora Transport but was driving the Western Star for MOVE Freight while the usual driver was off sick.

Jason explains: “At Aurora, we’ve got two trucks that do chilled work and also have a flat deck unit. I also contract drive for other companies. This unit today is general freight, but for two months of the year, it carts beehives. It’s refrigerated and temperature controlled for the bees.”

Jason was brought up in the trucking industry. “My old man is a truck driver.

When I was a kid, I rode with him a lot in the truck. It was the only way I got to spend time with Dad! I got my licence in Aussie when I was 19, then got my roadtrain licence when I was 20. I drove a lot up in the Northern Territory and have been driving now for 12 years, with the last five back here in New Zealand.”

Jason was heading to Auckland for

50 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

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CRAIG’S TRUCKIN’ SNAPSHOT

Craig McCauley showcases a mixture of classic and contemporary images of Kiwi trucking.

The blue Fodens of Heathstock Haulage were a regular sight all over the South Island during the 1990s. No.24, a S106-4425, is pictured here travelling through Hawks Crag in the Lower Buller Gorge in November 1998.

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TOP TRUCK

FARM TRUCKING ST YLE Story and photos by Andrew Geddes

With a history of owning and running its own trucks, Canterbury’s Brooker Farms went bold for its latest acquisition.

W

hen I was a young fella and just starting to find an interest in trucks in the late 1970s and early 1980s, I recall the long lines of trucks during summer months queued at Port of Timaru, heavy with grain and seed from local farms. Sadly, I wasn’t in much of a position to capture any

photos of those halcyon days; too young, horrible camera gear – and processing the film was another issue.

The trucks were mainly old Internationals, D-series Fords, Bedfords, Austins and the like. In hindsight, I probably considered them too plain, especially when Macks and Kenworths were the focus of my attention.

54 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

IN

Some of those trucks were cartage contractors, while many were local farmers’ trucks bringing their product to process and market. By today’s standards, they were small and modest, with no fancy paint jobs or flash accessories. They were simply there to do a job until such time they were parked up in the farm shed to be the target of starlings nesting in the rafters.

Times have moved on, and trucks are bigger and more complex, as are the farms and

their associated agricultural equipment. Transport companies have taken up much of the cartage of farm products such as grain, seed, feed and stock, freeing up farmers to do what they do best. Brooker Farms has, however, stayed true to its roots of owning its trucks, and its latest DAF is proof that big stylish gear can exist down on the farm.

Shane ‘Shaneo’ Brooker and his father, Andrew, were introduced to me by Southpac salesman Mike Gillespie. The

1) The start of the familiar blue-and-white colour scheme. Photo: Brooker Farms. 2) ‘Blue Thunder’ Ford N-series 5036 twin turbo with bullbar, aerokit, plenty of bolt-on extras. The author’s first encounter with a Brooker Farms truck, circa 1989. 3) Fodens preceded the DAFs. ‘The Boss’ at Christchurch truck show 1991. 4) Andrew Brooker at the wheel of the Brooker’s previous DAF. Photo: Craig McCauley.

Brooker name was familiar to me as I’d been aware of the family’s impressive trucks for their larger-than-normal units and well-presented livery and appearance. One of the pleasures of my job as a truck signwriter is meeting good people who are passionate about what they do. The result was this month’s poster truck and, ultimately, me learning a little more about the farming process and what it takes to get food on our tables – something we all probably spare little thought for most of the time.

Aylesbury, nestled between Rolleston and Kirwee, is

30 minutes southwest of Christchurch. The Brooker family is well-established here. Shane’s father, Andrew Brooker, moved to their current property as a child with his family some 50 years ago from north Canterbury.

The family’s previous farming activity had been scattered over properties, and the move south saw the family consolidate to a single large property, which it has continued to expand to its current size. Of its 600ha, 500ha to 550ha is cropping.

Stock is no longer a significant part of the farm’s business, though some dairy grazing

and store lambs exist. In the early years, stock cartage was a role previous farm trucks undertook. Shane also runs the agricultural contracting side of the business.

So, what role does the Brooker’s farm truck undertake, and why invest in a unit that would look perfectly at home in the local carrier’s yard? And why a new truck when there’s a proliferation of good used cab and chassis units more than suitable for the role?

Shane says purchasing new trucks has always been a Brooker preference, primarily for reliability and

their warranties. And while many second-hand units available come with extensive maintenance histories, they also carry potential unknown costs and the inevitable high kilometres. Good secondhand dropsiders are also much less common and often not set up to preferred specification.

Local transport companies offer a great service, but running its own truck gives the farm the ability to ‘go’ whenever needed and the flexibility to transport product as required. In peak harvest, this is important; having its own drying sheds means a constant need to move grain. Relying on an outside contractor can potentially hinder the farm’s ability to harvest. Its own truck makes the farm 100% self-sufficient.

When the DAF finally hit the road last year, it was several months later than the hoped for date – unfortunately, that just seems to be how the world operates these days.

This essentially left the farm without a unit and relying on outside contractors. Shane and Andrew crunched the numbers and realised those extra costs would basically pay for their own truck in about two years.

In general terms, the trucks don’t run up huge kilometres annually. But, says Shane, the DAF is out on the road most days doing normal duties, and depending on the time of year, it will run into Champion Flour Mill in Christchurch. All the farm’s grass seed is trucked south to Ashburton for seed cleaning. The farm produces

1) Shane Brooker says the new DAF is living up to expectations. Plenty of power, comfort, and doesn’t look bad either! 2) Andrew Brooker with the farm’s trusty Ford D-series. It’s still used on the farm today – and from the looks of the windscreen, it’s a favourite with the starlings! 3) Sides up and tarps on – the new CF is a smart-looking unit. up to 300 tonnes annually, and peak season can see Shane or Andrew making two to three round trips a day, six days a week over a month.

Trips to the West Coast with straw in winter is common, with trips further north around the Nelson region also comprising the truck’s duties.

A 12-month period generally realises about 50,000km. It’s common for the Brookers to replace their trucks around the half-million number, or roughly 10 years.

Shane rates the new DAF highly. He says it’s superior to the model it replaced. In particular, the automated TraXon 16-speed gearbox is more responsive and smoother. Cab comfort is superior and more spacious – the previous DAF being a day-cab model – and noticeably quieter. Increased torque (max torque 2600Nm at 1000 to 1400rpm) from the 12.9L Euro-6 MX-13 engine rated at 390kW (530hp) at 1675rpm has seen the truck up a couple of gears on trips to the West Coast and quicker

at heavier weights compared with the old truck. The unit is permitted for 48 tonnes – with a tare of about 18 tonnes, it achieves a payload of about 30 tonnes.

The DAF generally hauls a four-axle TMC 9m dropsider split tipper, which it inherited from the old truck. The DAF’s deck is a Mills-Tui 7.4m build and Shane’s quick to praise the company’s product and workmanship.

He says Dean Purvis from Mills-Tui was excellent to deal with during the planning and build process. All the extra details requested were accommodated without issue.

Given the truck is required to transport the farm’s Telehandler from paddock to paddock, deck strength was a consideration. Andrew says they didn’t want a deck looking second-hand after a few years and needing repairs. Clever use of product has resulted in a strong but reasonable tare. Under-deck external trip and hoist controls for truck and trailer make operations easier.

Andrew says when the time comes to replace the existing trailer, Mills-Tui will likely be the first choice, thanks to the quality of the truck deck and experience in dealing with the company.

Anyone familiar with Brooker Farms will likely know their trucks had maybe a bit more style than your average farm truck. While there’s a trusty D-series Ford on the farm, which is still used on site today, my first recollection was of a very tidy N-series Ford carting stock resplendent with alloy bullbars. The farm ran a 5032 model and a 5036 twin turbo. These were followed by Fodens, a 4350 and 4450, and then an Alpha.

The demise of the Foden marque resulted in the natural progression to the DAF. These units have featured a white base colour with tones of blue striping and smart signage. The new DAF instead was ordered in the metallic blue which DAF painted its roadshow units when the current models were released.

Shane says they’re happy with

the change, and the blue really ‘pops’. Dad Andrew says he initially got a bit of stick about having such a flash farm truck but says it’s likely the last truck he’ll order and wanted to go out with a bit of a bang.

The next truck, he says, will be Shane’s problem.

Deck and engineering complete, the DAF was dropped off at Timaru Signs, where, after discussions. it was decided to keep the striping and branding clean and simple but with some nice detail. The result is a very smart unit capable of turning heads and maintaining the tradition of good-looking trucks carrying the Brooker Farms branding.

It’s a far cry from those pretty basic, small trucks I saw as a teenager.

Regardless, its purpose is the same, just at a much larger scale. Farm trucks as such may not be as noticeable as the line hauliers we see running our highways, but the Brooker’s DAF proves there’s still room for some style down on the farm.

P T

56 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

NZT 23

Aztec Forestry Development ltd’s Todd and Richard Skudder Body manufacturer: Mills-Tui

Hilton Haulage Body manufacturer: Lusk engineering

Frews Transport Trailer manufacturer: Waimea Engineering

Don’t let your payload weigh on your mind!

Tipping Units, Bulk Haulage, Logging and Weighbridges

Pacific Haulage Ltd Trailer manufacturer: Patchell Group Ltd

Waimea Contract Carriers Ltd Trailer manufacturer: Waimea Engineering Ltd

Rotorua and Christchurch Phone: 07 349 4700

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OCT 22 DEC 22 / JAN 23 MAR 23 MAY 23 JUL 23

JUN 23 September 2022 | Volvo FH16 700 | Bulk Lines October 2022 | Mack Titan CXXT 6x4 | Goodman Contractors November 2022 | Kenworth K200 ‘War Machine’ | Hog Haulage December 2022 / January 2023 | International 9870i R8 ‘Shady Lady 2’ | D.T. Kings Transport February 2023 | Hino 700 | Exclusive Transport March 2023 | DAF CF 530 ‘Blue Hors Matine’ | DGS Bulk Distribution April 2023 | Volvo FH16 750 Globetrotter | Broadbridge Transport May 2023 | Scania R650 | H&H Haulage June 2023 | Kenworth K200 2.8m Aerodyne ‘Bad Habit’ | RT Southern Linehaul July 2023 | Kenworth K100G ‘Super Spud’ | Q&L Logistics August 2023 | DAF CF 530 | Brooker Farms

AUG 23

SEP 22 NOV 22

A

ll monthly Top Truck winners from September 2022 until August 2023 are in the draw.

Power Retreads has again graciously placed its support behind the trophy and has put up the major prize for the winning truck – a set of eight premium Vipal drive-axle retreads. This prize package is valued at up to $4500.

Likewise, Little Truckers’ Club contributor and renowned truck artist Rochelle Thomas will again present the winner with a portrait of their truck.

Voting will be via public vote on the New Zealand Trucking website, nztrucking.co.nz Simply tick the box next to the truck you want to vote for.

Voting opens on Friday, 4 August and runs until Sunday, 10 September.

The winner will be announced in the October issue of New Zealand Trucking magazine.

Good luck to all those who have trucks in contention.

Get online and get voting for your favourite truck. You can vote every day!

FEB 23

The team at New Zealand Trucking is delighted to bring you the John Murphy Memorial Top Truck 2022–2023.

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58 New Zealand Trucking August 2022

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NEW RI GS ON THE R OAD

CONCRETE DECISION OPERATOR: Preco, Tauranga ENGINE: MAN D26 Euro-5 402kW (540hp) 2500Nm (1850lb/ft) TRANSMISSION: MAN Tipmatic 12 28 OD with Retarder 35 REAR AXLES: MAN HY Hypoid REAR SUSPENSION: ECAS air

MAN TGX 35-540 XLX 8x4 tractor – sleeper suspension BRAKES: Disc, ABS, EBS SAFETY: ABS, EBS, BODY/TRAILER: Penske tractor fit-out/ TMC flat-deck super quad FEATURES/EXTRAS: Cab-operated steering lock for the trailer steer axle

CARDINAL CREATION IVECO S-Way AS 570 8x4 high roof – sleeper cab OPERATOR: Cardinal Logistics, Auckland ENGINE: IVECO Cursor-13 13L Euro-6e 425kW (570hp) 2500Nm (1850lb/ft) TRANSMISSION: Hi-Tronix 12-speed AMT REAR AXLES: Meritor MT23-150D REAR SUSPENSION: ECAS 8-bag air suspension BRAKES: Disc, ABS, EBS SAFETY: ACC, AEBS, LDW, ABS, ESP, ASR, DAS BODY/TRAILER: Fruehauf FEATURES/EXTRAS: Fridge and freezer, coolbox, full double sleeper bunks, LED headlights with bending beam, leather seats, IVECO ON telematics with mobile app PAINT: Factory OPERATION: Linehaul distribution SALES: Pieter Theron

w w w. t r g r o u p. c o . n z 60 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

PAINT: Factory SIGNAGE: Marty’s High Performance Signs, Mt Maunganui OPERATION: North Island-wide delivery of precast products DRIVER: Mark Lewis SALES: Mark Ellerington

PARI PERFECTION Scania R770 B8x4NA 8x4 rigid – sleeper cab OPERATOR: Pari Transport, Piopio ENGINE: Scania DC16 16L Euro-6 574kW (770hp) 3700Nm (2729lb/ft) TRANSMISSION: Scania Opticruise GRSO926R 12-speed AMT with 4100D retarder REAR AXLES: Scania RPB735 hub reduction, with full cross locks REAR SUSPENSION: Scania air suspension rear and spring front BRAKES: Disc. ABS, EBS SAFETY: ABS, EBS, ESP BODY/TRAILER: Kraft livestock deck FEATURES/EXTRAS: Microwave, coffee machine, fridge, V8 interior, drop visor, offset rims, CTI, custom tanks, Kraft stainless work and toolboxes PAINT AND SIGNAGE: Fleet Image OPERATION: Nationwide livestock cartage from its King County base DRIVER: ‘Sunny’ SALES: Callan Short

BERTIE IN BLUE MAN TGS 26-510 6x4 tractor – day cab OPERATOR: Milner Transport, Tauranga ENGINE: MAN D26 Euro-6e 375kW (510hp) 2600Nm (1920lb/ft) TRANSMISSION: MAN Tipmatic 12 28 OD REAR AXLES: MAN HY Hypoid REAR SUSPENSION: ECAS air suspension BRAKES: Disc, ABS, EBS SAFETY: ABS, EBS, ACC, LG, ABA BODY/TRAILER: Penske tractor fitout FEATURES/EXTRAS: LED headlights PAINT: Haddock Spray Painters, Whakatane SIGNAGE: Signs Direct and Sign Logistics OPERATION: Swing-lift operation throughout the Bay of Plenty and Waikato DRIVER: Marcel Milner SALES: Mitch James

Free phone: 0800 50 40 50 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

61

NEW RI GS ON THE R OAD

Scania R650 B8x4NA 8x4 rigid – sleeper cab

SWEDISH PREDATOR OPERATOR: NLR Cartage, Napier ENGINE: Scania DC16 16L Euro-6 484kW (650hp) 3300Nm (2434lb/ft) TRANSMISSION: Scania Opticruise GRSO926R 12-speed AMT with 4100D

retarder REAR AXLES: Scania RPB735 hub reduction, with full cross locks REAR SUSPENSION: Scania air suspension rear and spring front BRAKES: Disc. ABS, EBS

SAFETY: ABS, EBS BODY/TRAILER: New Kraft shorts setup with refurbished five-axle multi-trailer FEATURES/EXTRAS: Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy rims, front offset rims, scales, CTI, sleeper cab, fridge, LED light bar, drop

VALENTINE’S K Kenworth T610 SAR 6x4 tractor – Aero Sleeper OPERATOR: RAV Haulage, New Plymouth ENGINE: Cummins X-15 15L 410kW (550hp) 2508Nm (1850lb/ft) TRANSMISSION: Eaton Roadranger RTLO20918B 18-speed manual REAR AXLES: Meritor RT46-160GP with full cross locks REAR SUSPENSION: Kenworth Airglide 460 BODY/TRAILER: Factory-fitted JOST turntable FEATURES/EXTRAS: 97-tonne GCM, stainless-steel drop visor and bug deflector, CB, UHF, factory-fitted GPS PAINT: Factory OPERATION: Machinery movements throughout New Zealand DRIVER: Ross Valentine SALES: Adam McIntosh

w w w. t r g r o u p. c o . n z 62 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

visor, stoneguard PAINT: Factory SIGNAGE: Caulfield Signs and Graphics, Rotorua OPERATION: Log cartage throughout Hawke’s Bay DRIVER: Dylan SALES: Callan Short

PERFECT BALANCE International 9870 R8 8x4 rigid – day cab OPERATOR: Methven Trucking Company, Methven ENGINE: Cummins X-15 15L 410kW (550hp) 2508Nm (1850lb/ft) TRANSMISSION: Eaton UltraShift MXP18-speed AMT REAR AXLES: Meritor RT46-160GP with full cross locks REAR SUSPENSION: IROS (International Ride Optimised Suspension) BRAKES: Drum. ABS, EBS BODY/TRAILER: Lusk alloy bin, refurbished and fitted by Humm Engineering FEATURES/EXTRAS: Alloy bumper, stoneguard PAINT: Factory OPERATION: Fertiliser distribution from its Methven base SALES: Shaun Jury

WILD CARD International RH-T8A2 8x4 tractor – day cab OPERATOR: Blue Diamond Haulage, Christchurch ENGINE: Cummins X-15 15L 458kW (615hp) 2779Nm (2050lb/ft) TRANSMISSION: Eaton UltraShift MXP18 speed AMT REAR AXLES: Meritor RT46-160GP with full cross locks REAR SUSPENSION: IROS (International Ride Optimised Suspension) BRAKES: Drum. ABS, EBS BODY/TRAILER: Trout River stainless-steel walking-floor two-axle semi-trailer FEATURES/EXTRAS: Alloy bumper, drop visor, twin exhausts, premium plus interior PAINT: Factory OPERATION: Asphalt deliveries throughout the South Island SALES: Shaun Jury

Free phone: 0800 50 40 50 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

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MADE FOR NEW ZEALAND

New Bodies & Trailers New Zealand has a rich heritage of body and trailer building, and we’re proud to showcase some recent examples of Kiwi craftsmanship every month. To feature on these pages, send a photo, features, and the manufacturer’s name to carl@nztrucking.co.nz

Engineered Efficiency Fresh out of the Balclutha-based workshops of MD Engineering is this immaculate new build for Talley’s. The seven-axle curtain-sided B-train was a concerted effort by everyone involved, and the results speak volumes. Complete with Carrier fridge units, fully insulated roof and end walls as well as drain troughs and effluent tanks, the trailer set, designed to run at 59 tonne, has a tare of only 13,400kg.

To protect against the harsh salt products Talley’s transport’s, the decks have been Arc Sprayed with zinc. Keeping the load at just the right temperature are insulated curtains from Tauranga Canvas.

FEATURES: SAF Intradisc axle sets, Wabco EBS, custom tool boxes, dunnage boxes, Alcoa Dura-Bright alloy rims, auto greaser on steer axle.

MD Engineering

Eye for Detail

This extremely tidy build for Owens contractor Five Eyes Transport has just been completed by the talented team at Freighter.

Based on a new IVECO S-Way, the 8x4 rigid certainly looks the part with its new matching five-axle pull trailer. As well as looks there is productivity. A 7.45m body on the truck, and a 11.5m trailer body, make this is a genuine 36 to 38 pallet capable combination.

FEATURES: Hella LED lighting throughout, custom tool boxes and dunnage rack.

Freighter

YEARS

Supporting the transport industry since 1953

TOLLFREE: 0800 875 669

TRANSPECS.CO.NZ

Expanding Opportunities The need for a new trailer to handle over dimensional loads had the team from HEB Construction in Tauranga visiting Roadmaster of Rotorua to devise a solution.

The resulting build certainly has hit the nail on the head, with its ability to stretch all the way out from its normal 14.95m length to 21.5m.

Preventative safety measures have been addressed as well, with over width and length warning lights and signage fitted throughout the build.

FEATURES: ROR axle sets, custom tool boxes, dunnage box, as well as Roadmaster storage for bolsters, road cones, twitches and chains.

High Country Performer

The team at HCL has added another Mack Super-Liner to its logging fleet, so as soon as it arrived it was off to Mills-Tui for a full log truck set up.

The rig has been kitted out with hightensile bolsters, and Si Lodec scales, and attention to detail is crisp, with custom tank guards and headache rack all in place.

The trailer was a supplied fouraxle Patchell unit that the Mills-Tui team refurbished from top to toe, in readiness to go behind the new Super-Liner build.

FEATURES: Peterson LED lighting throughout, safety tensioners, Rockinger tow coupling and Bigfoot CTI. Mills-Tui

SAF Axles • Light and robust for New Zealand’s toughest roads.

• Light weight without compromise to strength • 6 Year/Unlimited kilometer warranty • Local support, over 54 parts and service sites nationwide • Custom design (CD) program to suit your fleets needs.

Left: The Penthouse brings new meaning to the term ‘tiny home’. Right: The Penthouse will most likely be remembered for wearing the Otorohanga-based Freightlines livery. Photo: Jody Cole.

THE PENTHOUSE

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his month’s first inductee has truly earned its spot, achieving nearly double the required amount of 1,600,000km (aka 1,000,000 miles). This 2005 Freightliner ST120 Century Class was a showstopper when it hit the road. Affectionately known as The Penthouse, it was new to Broadway General Carriers and was later sold to Celtic Line Haul. Most will remember it for sporting the livery of Otorohangabased Freightlines, tasked with general freight cartage throughout the country.

We caught up with The Penthouse as it refuelled at the new Ruakaka service centre, chatting with owner and driver Simon Pedersen of PLL in Tirau. Simon was quick to praise the mighty Century Class. “It’s been a fantastic truck for us.

Just jump in, turn the key, and she is good to go. It’s really been just routine maintenance for the ISX-525 Cummins and the odd top tune. It has been a strong workhorse, and the Smart Shift 2 has been good as well.”

Jumping up into The Penthouse’s cab,

you are reminded of just how big the high-roof sleeper is. It is a home away from home, developed in the US for that country’s unique OTR (over the road) conditions, when drivers need housing comfortably for weeks at a time.

Now 18, The Penthouse is still in great condition. You’ll find everything in its place, with panels, trim and cabinetry all in good health. It still has a productive career ahead of it, especially in the hands of the Freightliner aficionados at PLL.

CALLING ALL TRUCKS ON OR OVER 1 MILLION MILES (1.6M KILOMETRES)

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SOARING LIKE AN EAGLE

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ur second inductee is the 2000 International 9900i Eagle tractor unit of Christchurch-based Samgal Logistics. On the road new, it was a head-turner, with a tri-axle semi-tanker in tow, it delivered fuel for the newly launched Challenge petrol station chain. The 9900i then went through a series of owners, including Trans Otway and New Zealand Lumber (NZL). A small flatroof sleeper cab was fitted at NZL, giving it a unique look.

A move to the Mainland was next, which is when the Eagle donned the Halls silver livery.

Once again, the 9900i’s new paint job was striking. The mix of a big bonnet and set-forward front axle, with fresh paint and lots of chrome, will always turn heads.

At Samgal Logistics, the 9900i Eagle’s assigned driver is Jarrod Hurst. Jarrod is a diesel mechanic by trade and is enthusiastic about the spec and condition of the truck. “It’s awesome; one of those

trucks with a tonne of character.

Starting it up in the morning, you have to stand outside it to do your paperwork because the lumpy warm-up idle of the Gen-2 Signature Cummins rocks the cab so much, you can’t write anything without making a mess of it.

“It has been a strong truck; good gear and nothing really to go wrong except for the usual culprits like the water pump, alternator, turbo... But that’s all just maintenance, really. We have fitted a new stainless-steel bumper and swapped a lot of the lights out for Dual Revolution LED lighting from Trux Accessories.”

Jarrod is kept busy with the Eagle on all manner of bulk metro throughout Canterbury, the odd leg-stretch out to Picton for a swap, or express down to Dunedin.

“Yeah, it is one of those trucks that just makes you smile when driving it, even at 23 years of age,” says Jarrod. Looking at it, you can see why.

Bridgestone and N ew Zealand Trucking Media want to recognise trucks that have achieved this milestone in the act of carrying the nation on their backs. Each month, up to eight trucks will be selected, and will feature in the magazine, as well as on our social media.

Above: With its extended hood and set-forward front axle, the 9900i is as American as baseball and apple pie. Right: The 9900i has a night glow of its own, with Dual Revolution LED lighting from Trux Accessories.

Photos: Jarrod Hurst.

Those selected will get a Million Mile Club cap and badge for the truck.

Terms • Only owners can submit • NZ trucks only • Supply chain may affect the timing of cap and badge arrival

TO JOIN, EMAIL: editor@nztrucking.co.nz • Quality image of the truck • Name of owner and driver • Basic spec (model, engine, trans, rear end) • Contact details

New Zealand Trucking August 2023

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AUSSIE ANGLES

OUTBACK AND LOVING IT They say that once you’ve hauled livestock, the buzz never really leaves you. Despite your best efforts to pretend you don’t miss it, you’ll inevitably get drawn back. As Michael Corleone says in The Godfather Part III, “Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in.”

Story and photos by Paul O’Callaghan

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ichael probably wouldn’t have known much about outback Australia but, in my mind at least, Northern Australia is the holy grail for livestock transport; three doubledeck trailers pulled by a big conventional truck in remote areas – it really doesn’t get much better.

After completing several cattle seasons in ‘The Top End’, I was relatively content back in Ireland, combining casual truck driving with freelance journalism, the perfect way to sate your addiction to trucks. Trips to countries such as Spain and Italy from Ireland are

exciting. But, as it is with Europe generally, over-thetop regulation and excessive compliance (a word I have grown to detest) have tainted the experience. That goes especially for livestock transport. Rules are often drawn up by those with little or no understanding of the real world, and to compound matters, you are constantly attempting to achieve the impossible, adhering to two sets of regulations: drivers’ hours and animal journey logs.

This has turned a once enjoyable job into a rather tense experience, where you are constantly looking over your shoulder. As I handed over some Euros to

a decidedly unlikable Italian polizia officer at 3am, the vision of a road train came charging from the back of my mind, metaphorically running over the top of him and his stylish Italian uniform complete with riding boots – take that – oh mama mia! That was the moment I decided, enough with this stifling nonsense.

It was time to get back to basics.

Fast forward some months later, and I’m in Australia, turning the key on a Kenworth C509, getting to grips with that timeless view from the driver’s seat, which is as impressive as it is appalling from a visibility aspect. Split screen, stoneguard, air intakes and a

bug deflector – lovely! No.20 is one of a trio which arrived in Broome in 2021 and has that quintessential bush spec, designed more for durability than on-highway smoothness; slipper front end, six-rod rear suspension and a Roadranger transmission.

It differs from the last C509, which I drove in 2014, with a newly designed bonnet, curved windscreen, new dash and a slightly longer day cab that allows the seat to slide back further. All are vast improvements, but perhaps the greatest difference is the presence of central tyre inflation, which is a godsend for off-road conditions. Drive tyre pressures can be adjusted

No.20 with a sister truck ready to load a ship in Broome, June 2023.

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1) Bulldust at Panorama, May 2023. 2 & 3) Margaret River by day and night, 2023. while on the move and I cannot stress enough how much of an asset it is. Not so uncommon in New Zealand, perhaps, but certainly rare in Ireland.

My previous two Kenworths after the aforementioned original C509 were both T909s with slightly shorter chassis and completely different specification to the C509, as both had originally been bought for the fuel transport division but somehow ended up in the livestock fleet.

Sometimes, it’s important to have trucks that can multitask in a large fleet, and the T909s featured integrated 50in sleepers instead of the nonintegrated 60in bunks on the C509s. Both cab designs have pros and cons; there’s a wider bed in the 60in model, but the 50in integrated has more standing space, and there’s no

ducking down to get into the bunk.

The Eaton Roadranger Ultrashift gearbox raised some eyebrows as it entered the traditional world of cattle transport in the Kimberleys.

“It’ll be no good for the bush”, “Dust will get in there”, “You’ll get stuck on jumpups” were just a selection of the comments I’d been subjected to and were just the ammunition I needed to prove that modern-day autos can serve all applications. Both of those ‘highway’ trucks got no quarter from a planning aspect and were subjected to the most arduous conditions the Kimberleys could throw at them.

To their credit, the transmissions never failed on jump-ups, and in fact, on one occasion, I had to come to the rescue of a

manual transmission truck after its driver missed a gear.

I dropped two trailers at the summit and returned with my lead trailer for traction, attaching a stiff bar and towing my colleague safely to the top. The argument of manual versus automatic had well and truly been proven at that stage.

Having said all of that, there was the constant need to defend the case for automatics, and at times, I really did feel sorry for these sexy-looking highway spec trucks which were not getting such an easy life on rough tracks and corrugations such as the Muranji in the Northern Territory – that was when I really needed the CTI air system. In the long term, the C509 is the truck best suited to the conditions we operate in, although if doing mostly

highway work, I’d choose a T909 for refinement. Regarding transmissions, I’m happy with either the Roadranger manual or the Ultrashift automatic. But given the lack of opportunity to drive manuals nowadays, especially as they are now officially unavailable from all European manufacturers, I’d choose the Roadranger, purely to cling to the past and not have to defend an argument many don’t want to hear the truth about anyway.

It was ironic that the first three weeks of this cattle season were spent entirely on the highway hauling cattle from near Broome to a spelling yard in the Kalgoorlie region.

But as the weeks progressed, the amount of off-road work increased, and as I rattled through bulldust concealing harsh bumps, there was no other truck I’d have rather No.50 in 2019.

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1 & 2) Works where the Fitzroy Crossing bridge once stood, and the temporary low-level crossing.

3) Off-road, May 2023. 4) Auto tows a manual. been in than a C509.

The Kimberley region had record levels of rainfall dumped on it in the most recent wet season, which lasted quite a while and meant there wasn’t a wheel turned until May. Usually, we begin in April, sometimes even March or before, weather dependent.

Even more prohibitive than the wet conditions off-road was the fact that main roads had been severely damaged, and one bridge had been affected beyond repair. The section of roadway between Minnie Bridge and Willare Roadhouse had been washed away, even though it had recently been repaired, a fact which did not deter the unprecedented level of water that tore it to shreds.

More serious was the destruction of the single-lane bridge at Fitzroy Crossing, which made national headlines. The old bridge, constructed in the 1970s, proved no match for the torrent of water that cascaded down the Margaret River, causing it to crumple. The result was the Great Northern Highway linking Perth to Darwin being closed for months, resulting in a detour of an extra 1500km across the Nullarbor to Port Augusta and north on the Stuart Highway through Alice Springs.

Road crews quickly got to work making a temporary track at the Willare section, while the old low-level singlelane crossing at Fitzroy Crossing was opened as soon

3 as the water level dropped enough. Initially, it opened to cars, then to single trailers and finally to road trains, which needed to be escorted through as it’s quite narrow at the western end. But all of this was only a stop-gap until the new two-lane lowlevel crossing was opened just downstream from the old bridge – which has now been dismantled as the new bridge is constructed, with a one-year timeline.

One benefit to arise from all of this is that we can now pass through Fitzroy Crossing without being pelted with rocks by youths. This activity has become such a problem in recent years that trucks have taken to avoiding the perilous drive through the town in the dark. It’s crazy to think that miscreant youths can effectively close a main arterial route. I’m guessing that with the extra construction traffic working on the bridge, a word was had with the elders of the Aboriginal community, who may be the only ones the youths will listen to.

After a few weeks of constantly wiping dust from the dashboard, a relatively

72 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

4 easy highway run down to Perth can be a welcome change and an opportunity to see some different trucks.

The most notable change I’ve witnessed since I last plied the route three years ago, is that the iron-ore quads in Port Hedland have gotten much bigger. The standard combination now appears to be four equal-sized quad-axle trailers, linked by three tri-axle dollies with goosenecks linked to Ringfeders grossing 210 tonnes – an increase of 20 tonnes and 6.5m in length on the previous industry standard.

In Port Hedland, Kenworth still seems to rule the roost, although I notice that Volvo has now overtaken them for total sales Australia-wide.

Another big change I’ve come across is the increasing number of Scanias on the road in Western Australia, due in part I’m told by a salesman who came across from the main Volvo dealer in Perth.

A pal has a new R620 on a weekly run around the Pilbara and occasionally as far as Darwin. I almost regretted taking it for a spin around the roadtrain assembly area, as it rode so much smoother than my Kenworth. But, hey, it’s horses for courses. At some point in the future, I’ll again look forward to the variety of continental European driving, but I certainly won’t be able to drive big-bonneted Kenworths over there.

JOINS THE ACTION MANUFACTURING FAMILY Action Manufacturing Completes Acquisition of Transcold Group Limited’s New Zealand Operations and Assets.

Action Manufacturing Group is pleased to announce the successful acquisition of Transcold Group Limited, a prominent transport refrigeration supplier. The deal was finalised in May 2023.

New Zealand owned and operated for over 75 years. Action Manufacturing has the largest company-owned service network in New Zealand, including the largest range of locally manufactured and imported rigid bodies/trailers.

Both Fairfax Industries and Freighter are well-established within the heavy transport industry, offering unique trailer solutions to the New Zealand market such as, their frame-less, onepiece, molded trailers and structural chassis with removable skid-plates.

Transcold, established in 1976, has been a trailblazer in the refrigeration industry, manufacturing and installing their own brand of equipment, and as a distributor for Carrier Transicold and Dhollandia.

Currently, Transcold operates from

premises in Auckland and Christchurch, supported by an extensive network of service agents and conveniently located right next door to Fairfax and Freighter.

Chief Executive Officer of Action Manufacturing, Chris Devoy, said,

TRANSCOLD IS A LEADER IN NEW ZEALAND’S TRANSPORT REFRIGERATION INDUSTRY, PROVIDING QUALITY REFRIGERATION AND TAIL LIFT SOLUTIONS FOR TRUCK AND TRAILER VEHICLES FROM PREMISES IN AUCKLAND AND CHRISTCHURCH. THE BUSINESS IS COMPLEMENTARY TO ACTION’S OTHER BRANDS, FAIRFAX AND FREIGHTER, AND ENABLES ACTION TO PROVIDE CUSTOMERS A MORE COMPLETE SOLUTION FROM MANUFACTURING TO REFRIGERATION AND SERVICING.” Thanks to Action Manufacturing’s support, Transcold is set to open its

new facility in Hamilton, sharing space with Action. The acquisition represents a strategic decision to capitalise on the synergies between the brands.

The combination of expertise in the transport refrigeration industry and a strong presence in the heavy transportmanufacturing sector, offers a unique advantage, ensuring customers access to servicing, a broader range of transport solutions and the ability to leverage a larger buying group offering more competitive pricing.

Now, with seven sites, Action’s comprehensive network makes them an ideal choice for customers seeking top-quality transport solutions and reliable nationwide support. Transcold operates around the clock to ensure uninterrupted service. Call the phone number below, and their dedicated reception will promptly direct you to the appropriate person based on your product or geographical area.

With a fully trained sales team in place, Transcold is ready to provide exceptional assistance whenever you need it.

Sales & Service: 0800 246 244

INTERNATIONAL TRUCK STOP

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LIFE LEFT IN DIESEL Story by Will Shires

Will Shiers searches for combustionengine trucks on the manufacturers’ stands at the UK’s Road Transport Expo.

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he UK has ambitious, and I would argue totally unrealistic, plans to decarbonise road transport. By 2030, we’ll be banning the sale of combustion-engine cars, followed five years later by all commercial vehicles up to 26 tonnes GVW, and everything above it by 2040.

Judging by the number of zero-tailpipe-emission trucks on show, ill-informed visitors at this year’s Road Transport Expo (RTX) trade show could

Photos: tomlee.gallery have been tricked into thinking that we’re well on the way to reaching those targets, such was the vast array of battery-powered commercial vehicles on show. In reality, just a few hundred electric trucks have entered service in the UK. While visiting RTX, which took place in late June at Stoneleigh Park NAEC in the heart of England, I called in on all 10 of the truck manufacturers’ stands hoping to find proof that there’s still life left in diesel.

For several years, DAF Trucks has been promoting the benefits of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a lowcarbon alternative to diesel, and indeed has run its demo fleet on the fuel for a long time. HVO has the potential to reduce CO2 by up to 90%, and in my opinion (along with other synthetic fuels), will ultimately prolong the life

74 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

of the combustion engine.

In fact, the manufacturer had refreshingly few batterypowered trucks on its stand, instead devoting most of the space to its New Generation range. The most recent of these are the XD distribution and XDC construction trucks, which were jointly crowned International Truck of the Year (IToY) 2023. At the show, I was joined by five fellow jury members when I handed over the trophy to DAF Trucks UK marketing manager Phil Moon.

DAF assembles most of its UK-spec trucks in Leyland, Lancashire, and despite being a US-owned Dutch company, is widely considered by many to be the closest thing the country has to a British truck manufacturer. This helps to explain DAF’s 30%-plus market share and 28 years of UK market leadership.

Daimler Trucks chose

RTX for the UK premiere of no less than three different vehicles. Taking pride of place on its outdoor stand was a Mercedes-Benz eEconic 300 refuse truck, while inside the halls, it debuted its New Generation FUSO eCanter.

That said, my pick of three launches was the MercedesBenz Actros Edition 3. The manufacturer anticipates selling just 20 of these 630hp flagship tractors in the UK. It was located on the Kuda Automotive stand, the customising and accessory specialist having fitted the top-spec truck with side skirts, a full-size catwalk, TV, microwave and CabStore lockers on the rear cab wall.

There was no escaping battery-powered trucks at Electra, seeing as that’s all the company offers. Based in the northwest of England, it produces a range of battery

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1) Volvo FH16 650 8x4 heavy-haulage tractor. 2) Electra, built on a Eurocargo glider. 3 & 4) Iveco S-Way and X-Way are rebirthing the brand in the UK. 5) Renault Turbo Compound range has increased efficiency by 8.6% over the DTi 480. 6) DAF XDC for the construction market. 7) Scania CS 23 – 13% greater cab volume. 8) Sany trying to crack the European e-truck market.

electric trucks between 12 and 27 tonnes. It can build its electric driveline onto a variety of chassis but mostly uses Iveco Eurocargo and Mercedes-Benz Econic gliders.

It was diesel all the way at Isuzu Trucks, which won’t launch its first generation of electric vehicles until 2024.

The manufacturer, which only operates in the 3.5- to 13.5-tonne GVW sector in the UK, has witnessed a significant increase in sales in recent years. MD Peter Murphy explained that the company wasn’t affected by the global microchip shortage to the same extent as some of its competitors, so it had comparatively short lead times. This attracted new customers, many of whom would not normally have considered Isuzu over traditional brands. “They have been suitably impressed, and we are seeing repeat orders on the back of that,” he said.

Isuzu is number two in the

UK’s important but diminishing 7.5-tonne sector and has set its sights on knocking DAF off the No.1 spot.

IVECO is undergoing a complete image transformation in the UK, all built on the back of its successful S-Way range. Having struggled to win drivers’ favour for decades, it suddenly has a truck that they want to be seen in. This, coupled with shorter lead times than some rivals, has seen it triple its sales in the past few years.

“Between 2017 and 2019, we were selling circa 1500 trucks at 7.5 tonnes and above per annum, whereas now we are looking at a broad run rate of 5000 trucks,” said Gareth Lumsdaine, business line director of truck. This makes the UK its fastestgrowing market worldwide.

IVECO is now looking to improve its performance in the eight-legger market, too, and has partnered with local bodybuilder Thompsons

Group to produce ready-to-go X-Way tippers.

MAN Truck & Bus is yet to launch its electric offerings, and all eyes at the show were on the stunning TGX Individual Lion S tractor, which took centre stage on its stand.

Belonging to Templeman Retailing & Vending, this headturner is the 150,000th MAN to be sold in the UK. The heavily customised truck was the brainchild of company chairman Neil Templeman, who sadly passed away before the truck hit the roads.

In addition to showcasing its extensive range of E-Tech electric vehicles, Renault Trucks proved that there’s also life left in diesel. It has recently launched its Turbo Compound tractors and had a pair of them on show and another in the Ride & Drive zone. According to Renault’s data, the Turbo Compounds already with UK customers are proving to be 8.6% more fuel efficient than DTi 480 tractors.

Over the years, a couple of Chinese truck makers have tried and failed to make an impact in the UK. The latest entrant to the market is the Putzmeister eMixer.

This battery-powered 8x4 concrete mixer features a SANY eTruck chassis, which is manufactured in China by Putzmeister’s parent company Sany Group.

Although this was the truck’s first UK showing, it has been in production in China since 2019. It has been reworked for the European market, and 25 examples have operated in various countries since the vehicle’s launch at last year’s Bauma construction trade show in Munich, Germany. The truck’s 350kW LFP batteries power a 250kW (360kW peak) electric motor and give the truck a range of up to 288km.

The batteries are mounted directly behind the cab but can be moved to the chassis for other applications.

I confess to having walked

1) DAF Trucks’ Phil Moon (centre) accepts the UK trophy from representatives of the International Truck of the Year jury: (from left) Vassilis Daramouskas, Greece; Jarlath Sweeney, Ireland; Will Shiers, UK; Arjan Velthoven, Netherlands; Gianenrico Griffini, Italy; Torbjorn Eriksen, Norway.

2) Stunning MAN TGX Individual Lion S. 3) Limited-run Mercedes-Benz Actros Edition 3. Photo: Tim Andrew.

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past this Scania 6x2 tractor several times before twigging what it was. However, Scania enthusiasts were far more observant than me and were quick to realise that this wasn’t an ordinary 660S, having spotted the extended rear cab wall discreetly hiding behind the side fairings. Belonging to haulier Morgan Transport, it’s one of two CS 23s in the UK. The CR 23 and CS 23 cabs, launched earlier this year, have been extended by 270mm behind the B-pillar, increasing interior volume by 13%. They are built for Scania by its subsidiary Laxå Special Vehicles, which also produces crew cabs and was previously responsible for the legendary T-cab.

Last but by no means least, we have Volvo Trucks, which premiered an FH16 650 8x4

heavy haulage tractor. The 180-tonner, the latest eyecatcher on its demonstration fleet, is full factory spec, except for a Popp towing hook at the front. The Globetrotter XL-cabbed tractor, which features top-of-the-range Drive

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16 ++ trim, was coupled to a Broshuis low-loader trailer.

On the back, you’ll notice an FM 460 Lite 6x2 tractor, which is proving popular in the UK. It features a mini midlift axle, 490kg lighter than a conventional 6x2.

This impressive outfit was a reminder that while some sectors of the industry, like urban distribution, are arguably suited to electrification, we’re a long way from replacing diesel for heavy haulage.

Iveco Chammoth I would love to have been a fly on the wall in the IVECO marketing meeting when they conceived the Chammoth. Half-cheetah and half-mammoth, it supposedly encompasses two key qualities of the Daily van; strength and agility. It is covered with fake fur, and I can confirm that it smells a bit like wet dog after a rain shower!

76 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

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AMERICAN CONNECTION

It’s been far too long since we’ve had a dedicated section bringing you trucking content from North America. Now, though, we’ve re-established the connection.

RENO CALLING T Story and photos by Rod Simmonds

The American Truck Historical Society (ATHS) is dedicated to preserving the history of trucks, the trucking industry and its pioneers. Hundreds of modern and vintage trucks made their way to Reno, Nevada, for this year’s National Convention & Truck Show in June.

here were already more than 900 trucks preregistered, but the ATHS show likely exceeded the 1000-truck mark – and some. The organisers and show hosts, the Grand Sierra Resort, put in a massive effort trying to fit everyone in, moving fences, bollards and parking areas so no one would be turned away.

Trucks came from far and wide, with a large contingent

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from Canada, particularly the British Columbia chapter.

It starts at the two entry unloading yards where trucks from all corners of the lower 48 states, Alaska and Canada had been rolling for the past three days in a never-ending procession.

The standard of restoration is astonishing. Classic trucks – from the early 1900s to the 1990s – are presented as new or even better than from the original factory.

Long-extinct heavy trucks like Dodge, GMC, Ford, Diamond, Federal, White and Marmon, to name but a few, lined up with hard-working Kenworths, Macks, Peterbilts and Freightliners that are still doing a hard day’s work and are a real credit to their owners, mechanics, fabricators and restorers.

It is predicted that more than 10,000 attendees visited the rows of trucks over each of the three show days. Golf

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buggy hire (yes!) was extremely busy.

Many truck owners said the recent long and harsh northern winter gave them more time to work in the ‘shop’ and give these incredible and historic vehicles a new lease of life.

Although based in Kansas City, Missouri, the ATHS has more than 92 chapters (including Australia) to cover USA and Canada. Membership brings financial, medical and industry rewards and expertise.

The many truck shows around the USA each week also means exposure to the wide-ranging members and public.

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The society has about 20,000 paid-up memberships, covering some 100,000 people who subscribe in some form or another.

The dedication and preservation of road transport history is evident with the incredible restoration countless members have committed to undertaking, many attending with multiple classic working trucks and numerous special event-only appearances.

The passion and overwhelming pride these operators have is hard to describe, so let the photos tell the story…

Hailing from the mighty Wairarapa, Rod Simmonds has travelled, lived and worked around the world – always with a camera handy. He started taking truck photos in 1983, and his New Zealand-wide truck photo collection has grown since. Many of his trips around Australia coincided with big stock sales – stock trucks still being his favourites.

The thrill of seeing the big gear, the race to get the first photo of a finished truck and the friendships made have endured. His albums and boxes are stacked carefully in order at home, with photos scanned and on many different websites and social media platforms for all to enjoy. For Rod, contributing to the trucking industry is a privilege.

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August 2023 81

MINI BIG RIGS

Dobbsy’s Blue Thunder in 1:50th scale, on its pilgrimage to Churchill’s Head, the location of the famous Truckin’ Life Rig of the Year poster, 1987. Photo: Craig McCauley. Insert: A timewarp back to 1987, with Blue Thunder in all its glory sitting at Churchill’s Head.

DOBBSY REVISITS CHURCHILL’S HEAD

It was a text from our editorial director, Dave McCoid, a few weeks ago that initiated the resuming of works on Dobbsy’s Blue Thunder. The deal was that McCoid and a few good Some images and photos leave lasting impressions, stir emotion mates were about to head to and even evoke pilgrimages. The 1987 Truckin’ Life magazine Rig the red centre of Australia to chase roadtrains, and they of the Year poster was one such image. were planning to visit the very site where the famous Rig of Story by Carl Kirkbeck Photos by Carl Kirkbeck and Craig McCauley the Year poster was snapped n the February 2021 issue Replicas Northern Territory back in 1987. The lads the heavy construction and of New Zealand Trucking Freight Services (NTFS) mooted the idea to me: How applied the topcoats of paint. magazine, during one of company Mack Super-Liner cool would it be to finish the All we needed to add was the Covid-19 lockdowns, I into a representation of Blue model, take it to that location the NTFS blue to the cab, wrote an article about model Thunder, the Super-Liner and recreate the poster photo sleeper and bonnet assembly trucking on a budget. We owner-driver and Kiwi expat, in 1:50th scale?’ Mission and to manufacture a set of featured a project I had on the late Neville Dobbs, ran on accepted. oversized exhaust stacks and the go and the processes contract between Adelaide The first task was to a pair of Hadley air horns. associated with working and Darwin in the late 1980s. apply the NTFS blue with It’s fair to say that after the with a diecast model. It By the end of that article, an airbrush, then the orange article, all of this went on the involved heavily modifying the model was mostly pinstripe. Had there been back burner, and the project Low Loader a 1:50th scale Highway complete. We had finished time, I would have stalled.1/50 KW C509 & Drake 2x8 & 5x8more “Centurion” at $649.50 Special Combo Deal!

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The Highway Replicas NTFS company Super-Liner as it arrived out of the box.

1

applied this using a digitally printed transfer as it’s far more accurate and results in a crisp, tidy finish. But with time against me, I applied this the best I could using thinned Tamiya acrylic paint and a brush.

The next steps were to construct the pair of exhaust stacks and the Hadley air horns.

These jobs were achieved with Evergreen extruded plastic rod and sheet plastic. Carefully using the heat of a candle flame, you can gently bend the plastic rod into shape. Take your time to keep the plastic near the heat but away from the flame. You don’t want the plastic to start burning, as the fumes are toxic – a well-ventilated area is a must. Once these parts were completed, a coat of Tamiya X-11 Chrome Silver was applied by brush.

Final assembly was now ready to begin. I first reinstalled the windows and interior into the cab, then reattached the completed cab assembly to the chassis. From here, it was a lot easier to refit the air cleaners, mirrors and exhaust stacks. Finally, it was time to reapply the painted detail features to the likes of the bullet lights on the roof and the plumbing up the back of the sleeper cab to the air conditioning unit.

Wiping the sweat from the brow, and with the glue still setting, we packed the mighty Super-Liner into a padded clickclack container for its 6000km return journey to Churchil’ls Head for an appointment with the camera. Fortunately, the trip was successful, and old Dobbsy made it there and back without a mark.

And, yes, the boys got the allimportant photograph to prove it.

2

3 4 1) Modifications using Evergreen plastic and super glue were required to get the original Highway Replicas casting to resemble Blue Thunder. 2) A pair of oversized exhaust stacks fashioned out of Evergreen plastic rod, complete with heat shields and grab handles. 3) All the items finished and ready for assembly to start. 4) The pair of Hadley air horns fitted in place among the bullet lights and twin air-conditioning condensers.

New Zealand Trucking

August 2023 83

BUILD-AMODEL TRUCK COMPETITION

5

It’s that time of the year for the Annual Craig Christensen Build a Model Truck competition, and our great friends at Italeri, makers of model truck kitsets, have kindly given us another three model trucks as prizes.

L

6

7 5) Heavy-duty turntable, draw beam and Ringfeder as well as road train-style guards, all features found on Blue Thunder. 6) Blue Thunder was spec’d for serious Outback action, and its raised stance reflected this. This has been replicated in the model, as seen here nose to nose with a standard highway-spec Super-Liner. 7) Hooked up to the lead semi, 1:50th scale Blue Thunder is ready to embark on its 6000km journey to Churchills Head.

a

ast year, we featured Craig Christensen and his incredible homemade model trucks built from items and waste materials found around the home. Inspired

by Craig’s ability to create a model truck from these bits and pieces, we are once again setting the challenge for our budding model truck builders to see what they can rustle up.

We want you to build a model truck and trailer combination from any household items you can find. It can be built in any scale, and also be completely imaginary regarding axle/wheel combinations – let your mind run loose. There will be extra points for the livery design and the colour scheme you choose to adorn your rig.

The competition will close at midday on Monday, 6 November, with the winners contacted immediately and the results printed in the December 2023/January 2024 issue of New Zealand Trucking magazine. So, no excuses – you have plenty of time!

There will also be a qualified mystery judge to decide the winners. To keep it fair, we will run three classes – up to the age of 6 years, 6 to 12 years and 12 to 18 years.

The judges’ decision will be final.

The prizes for age group will consist of an Italeri kitset model truck and a New Zealand Trucking cap. They are pretty cool prizes to work for, and we’ve given you plenty of time to get building. So don’t hold back.

Send your photos of your build along with the name and age of the builder and the build information to carl@nztrucking.co.nz before the competition cut-off.

Happy constructing!

b

a) Our good mate Craig Christensen is the inspiration for our annual Build a Model Truck competition. b) An example of Craig’s work: a sharp Scania 143 with matching five-axle B-train.

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LITTLE TRUCKERS’ CLUB Coming over Saddle Road, north of Woodville, a few weeks ago, I managed to get a photo of this very cool B.R. Satherley Kenworth T909.

HI, LITTLE TRUCKERS! Did you enjoy your school break?

What did you get up to over the holidays? Did you get out and about trucking with someone you know? Write in and let us know about your holiday adventures.

The road maintenance people have been very busy where I live, with the heavy rain causing some flooding, trees falling and road damage. Have you also seen some interesting things where you live?

Congratulations to six-year-old Lochie Ogie from Normanby, who found the Little Truckers’ Club logo on page 94 of the June issue. Keep an eye on your mailbox, a prize is coming to you.

We don’t have a winner for the July issue yet – you can still search out the logo and send in your answers!

If you would like to see yourself here in Little Truckers Club, all you need to do is email your stories, jokes, photos, and/or drawings to me at rochelle@nztrucking.co.nz with a short paragraph telling us about them along with your name and age. We love receiving them.

The Little Truckers’ Club logo is hidden somewhere in this issue, Find it, and you may win a prize.

Email me with your NAME and AGE at rochelle@nztrucking.co.nz

JOKE OF THE MONTH WHAT DID ONE TYRE SAY TO THE OTHER? WHEEL GET THROUGH THIS!

86 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

Colouring

competition time!

This month, it’s something slightly different to our usual truck drawing.

It’s part of a truck – the grill, to be exact! I painted this picture earlier this year, and here I am with it as inspiration. Grab those felt tips, crayons and pencils. Feel free to copy mine or get creative and give it your own flair! Take a photo or scan your completed artwork and email rochelle@nztrucking.co.nz along with your full name, age and location.

I look forward to seeing them all.

Name:

Age:

WHAT’S ON Show organisers Please send your event details ,at least eight weeks in advance, to: editor@nztrucking.co.nz for a free listing on this page.

All scheduled events may be subject to change depending on weather conditions etc. Please check websites for updates before setting out.

Southland Hug a Rig

Kenworth 100 Celebration

12 August 2023 Southern Field Days site, Waimumu Contact: 027 773 2700, hugarigsouthland@gmail.com

3 February 2024 Mystery Creek, Hamilton Contact: Facebook – Sousthpac Trucks, spt.co.nz

Special Rigs for Special Kids 27 August 2023 Edgar Centre, Portsmouth Drive, Dunedin Contact: 027 435 8508

Alexandra Blossom Festival 41st Annual Truck Parade

NZTA and NRC conference 2024 Technology Maintenance Safety

13-14 March 2024 Te Pae, Christchurch Contact: bill.james@trucking.nz, 0800 338 338

23 September 2023 Centennial Avenue, Alexandra Contact: info@blossom.nz

WHAT’S BEEN

Vintage Barn open day, 25 June.

Gore Truck Show, 3 June.

Events Gallery Visit the New Zealand Trucking website to view galleries of the latest truck shows from New Zealand and abroad. Go to nztrucking.co.nz/events or scan the QR code to view on your mobile.

88 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

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ROAD USER CHARGES EFFICE

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92 Moving Metrics 96 View From the Top – Michael May 98 Transporting NZ – A Changing World Conference, pt.1 102 Product Profile – NAPA 104 Business Update – NZ Trucking Recruitment 106 Carriers Corner 108 Truckers’ Health 110 Health & Safety 112 Legal Lines 114 Business Together 116 NZ Trucking Association 118 National Road Carriers 120 Transporting New Zealand 122 The Last Mile BROUG HT T O Y OU BY

MOVING METRICS

THE SALES

NUMBERS New Zealand Trucking reveals how the economy is travelling via key metrics from the road transport industry. From time to time, we’ll be asking experts their opinion on what the numbers mean.

First registration of NB and NC class vehicles for June 2023 by major manufacturer

Summary of heavy trucks and trailers first registered in June 2023 This information is compiled from information provided by the NZ Transport Agency statistical analysis team and through the Open Data Portal.

The data used in this information reflects any amendments to the data previously reported.

Vehicle type This summary includes data from two heavytruck classes and one heavy-trailer class.

First registration of NB, NC and TD class vehicles for June, year on year

A goods vehicle is a motor vehicle that: (a) i s constructed primarily for the carriage of goods; and (b) either: (i) has at least four wheels; or (ii) has three wheels and a gross vehicle mass exceeding one tonne.

Vehicle class

Description

NB

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

(mediumgoods vehicle)

NC (heavy-goods vehicle)

TD (heavy trailer)

A goods vehicle that has a gross vehicle mass exceeding 12 tonnes.

A trailer that has a gross vehicle mass exceeding 10 tonnes.

A table of all vehicle classes is in Table A of the Land Transport Rule Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2016 Rule 41001/2016 https://www.nzta.govt.nz/ assets/resources/rules/docs/vehicle-dimensionsand-mass-2016-as-at-1-October-2019.pdf Note: Vehicle classes are not the same as RUC vehicle types or driver licence classes.

92 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

First registration of NB, NC and TD class vehicles year on year, to date

First registration of TD class heavy trailers for June, year on year by major manufacturer First registration of TD class heavy trailers for June, year on year by major manufacturer 26 19

Jun-19

9 445

Jun-20

Jun-21

9 9 10 7 8 8

7

233

Jun-22

4 5

7888 877 8 5

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16 12

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Number of units

30

Jun-23

Other suppliers of class TD heavy trailers not included in above Jun-19 32

Jun-20 37

Jun-21 33

Jun-22 38

Jun-23 42

First registration of NC class vehicles year to date 2018 – 2023, by major manufacturer

First registration of NB, NC and TD class vehicles year on year, to date

Number of units Number of units

2000 1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 350 800 300 600 400 250 200 0 200

1712

1814

1622

1584 1532 First registration of NC class vehicles year to date 2018 – 1430 1316 1244 2023, by major 1134 manufacturer 984

751

NB

150

NC

YTD 2019

100

527

YTD 2020

696 638 714

TD

YTD 2021

YTD 2022

YTD 2023

50

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

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First registration of TD class heavy trailers year to date 2018 – 2023, by major manufacturer

First registration of TD class heavy trailers year to date 2018 – 2023, by major manufacturer 100 80 60 40 20

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120

2023

Other suppliers of class TD heavy trailers not included in above Jun-18 306

Jun-19 256

Jun-20 186

Jun-21 231

Jun-22 238

Jun-23 261

New Zealand Trucking

August 2023 93

This information is put together from metrics provided by the NZ Transport Agency.

New Zealand Trucking acknowledges the assistance of the media team at NZTA in providing the data.

ROAD USER CHARGES Total value and distance of road user charges purchased between 1 January 2018 and 30 June 2023 by purchase year

Summary of RUC transactions for June 2023 Number of individual RUC licences issued for month

412,257

Total kilometre RUC distance purchased (All types)

2,512,607,153

Total value of all RUC purchases (All types)

$175,264,153

Purchase period

Distance purchased (km)

Value of purchases

1 Jan 2018 – 31 Dec 2018

15,736,558,458

$1,875,364,397

1 Jan 2019 – 31 Dec 2019

16,166,434,103

$2,041,939,272

1 Jan 2020 – 31 Dec 2020

15,421,400,378

$2,069,615,049

1 Jan 2021 – 31 Dec 2021

16,204,803,262

$2,249,341,814

1 Jan 2022 – 31 Dec 2022

17,683,361,155

$1,710,831,998

1 Jan 2023 – 30 Jun 2023

9,700,005,855

$813,258,188

RUC distance purchased for RUC type 1 vehicles

A description of RUC vehicle types is available at https://www.nzta.govt. nz/vehicles/licensing-rego/road-usercharges/ruc-rates-and-transactionfees/ Please note data June differ slightly from that reported for the same period previously due to adjustments being made to the base data.

Purchase period

Distance purchased (km)

Average monthly distance (km)

1 Jan 2019 – 31 Dec 2019

11,502,905,782

958,575,482

1 Jan 2020 – 31 Dec 2020

10,952,303,565

912,691,964

1 Jan 2021 – 31 Dec 2021

11,427,917,860

952,326,488

1 Jan 2022 – 31 Dec 2022

13,375,038,937

1,114,586,578

1 Jan 2023 – 30 Jun 2023

7,393,674,052

1,232,279,009

RUC type 1 vehicles are powered vehicles with two axles (except type 2 or type 299 vehicles. Type 299 are mobile cranes). Cars, vans and light trucks that use fuel not taxed at source (i.e. diesel fuel) are generally in this RUC type.

RUC purchases all RUC types

94 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

The top eight RUC type purchases, other than type 1 in descending order: RUC Type Description 2

Powered vehicles with one single-tyred spaced axle and one twin-tyred spaced axle

6

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

43

Unpowered vehicles with four axles

14

Powered vehicles with four axles (except type 408, 414 or type 499 vehicles)

951

Unpowered vehicles with five or more axles

H94

Towing vehicle that is part of an overweight combination vehicle consisting of a type 14 RUC vehicle towing a type 951 RUC vehicle with a permit weight of not more than 50,000kg

33

Unpowered vehicles with three twin-tyred, or single large-tyred, close axles (except vehicle type 939)

408

Towing vehicles with four axles that are part of a combination vehicle with a total of at least eight axles

Average monthly RUC purchases for year (All RUC types)

RUC purchases June for selected types

RUC distance purchased year to date for selected RUC types

By comparing distance purchased year to date with the same period for previous years, trends in changes to activity by RUC type vehicles will become clear.

New Zealand Trucking

August 2023 95

VIEW FROM THE TOP

IVECO boss Michael May. Not just excited about the slick new range, but the plethora of other opportunities it brings.

EVERY OPPORTUNITY Michael May heads IVECO in this part of the world at an exciting time in the company’s life – a new model, new energy throughout the organisation, and opportunity at every turn. Always receptive to a yarn with passionate industry folk, Michael sat down with New Zealand Trucking at the Brisbane Truck Show this year, and we posed three questions for his consideration.

Story by Dave McCoid

S

-Way brings IVECO’s European big-seven front-runner into the Australasian game for you. In some areas, you’ve moved from a model behind to a model ahead compared to your competitors.

How will you optimise and maximise that in the markets you’re chasing?

“A lot of the European products are pretty impressive, and it’s pleasing we are not just competitive but leading in some areas.

There’s a lot of pent-up excitement here now. S-Way is a great-looking truck with a great reputation in Europe, where it’s grown market share significantly.

“Our decision to source the latest product from Europe

was a seriously considered one and came as a result of listening to what our customers need and asked for.

“Once you’ve made that decision, it brings another set of challenges having the full suite of product options at your disposal. It’s a bit like being a kid in a candy shop.

“You have to understand what fits the market needs, and that determines what you select. You end up with a product aimed at the target markets, ones we think will be successful and allow us to represent the best version of ourselves in what is the most competitive and highestvolume market segments.

“That means growth has to be planned systematically. It

96 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

is important the improvements we put into reliability and quality are reflected in both the customer and the network experience.

“The safety and emissions advances have to be supported with network knowledge, training, tooling – so we can support the product. That’s what will determine our reputation going forward.”

Considering that answer – and with the benefit of S-Way offering you a clean sheet, of sorts – if a truck operator in your target market were asked five years from now to sum up S-Way and where he/she thought IVECO sat in the market, what answer would

you hope he/she might give, based on where you sit today?

“Yes, that’s a great question, and obviously, we’re looking at a much longer journey than five years, but that’s a great timeframe to check progress, for sure.

“This project started four or more years ago for us, evaluating, validating and testing.

“For me, what would I like to see? I would like us to develop true fans of the brand.

A strong, reliable truck, great fuel consumption, clean, and a great experience with the network. Customers who appreciate not just the piece of machinery, but everything the brand encompasses and stands for. No marketing can

compete with positive wordof-mouth in the marketplace.

“A great reputation is built in the yards, and talked about in the lunchroom.”

At the AARC drive day in Victoria earlier this year, you spoke to the subject of tomorrow’s S-Way – alternative propulsion and autonomy. You touched on working with universities and places of high learning to deliver a relevant product to a cleaner world. Can you talk about that in any more detail? What might that look like for IVECO here?

Also, what contribution will your work here make to the global product?

“IVECO, globally, does not have the size of some of its direct competitors.

Collaboration and involving partners with specific areas of expertise is something IVECO takes great pride in.

Our partnership with PLUS in Europe working on autonomy, and our fuel-cell technology work with both Nikola and Hyundai are great examples.

“Being flexible and, where it makes sense, bringing technologies together in order to progress quicker and more effectively, is something we want to bring into our region.

Choosing to source product ex-Europe obviously impacted manufacturing operations here, but we wanted to retain skills built up over many years. ‘How do we tap into the talented and innovative people we have to add value?’

It was a huge question for us, and our Customer Innovations Centre in Keysborough [Victoria, near Melbourne] is part of the answer.

“If we want to be an ‘attractor’ as an industry – and we do – then, collectively, we have to do a better job of promoting the opportunities

we have in what is a pretty advanced sector.

“Our philosophy is one of growing our own. Born in the brand, growing up in the brand, linking ourselves with tertiary institutions can help grow people from within.

“In Europe IVECO has been involved in commercialising university mindsets – linking the academic and real world.

Opportunities that universities love. Take our grant from the Victorian government. It has allowed us to engage with Swinburne University to help explore and better understand things like total cost of ownership.

“Together, we can build pathways of awareness and leverage the thinking that comes from such institutions against the backdrop of an Australian operating environment, one with higher speeds, weights and operating temperatures compared

to many markets – it all contributes to a higher level of product validation.

“And even at the trades level, there’s a constant shortage, so we’re working with the technical colleges to increase the trade-qualified people.

“In terms of autonomy at a local level, for me, the medical industry is a leading example.

I can’t speak for New Zealand, but Australia has an amazing reputation for innovating and breaking new ground in the world of medicine. They have shown how to optimise the academic/reality interface; researching, testing and trialling with phenomenal results. Why can’t we be the same?

“We need to take advantage of work already done by IVECO with partners in Europe and Asia and ‘lean in’ here in our region. We need to play our part in leading the way.”

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A Changing World Conference 2023 The country’s main political parties stood up and delivered their take on the critical issues for the transport sector at this year’s Transporting New Zealand conference.

Economist Cameron Bagrie and advisor Phil O’Reily also gave their two cents on the challenges.

Shane Jones New Zealand First New Zealand First’s Shane Jones says the transport sector shouldn’t write off Labour and the Greens when it comes to the election.

“There are now so many Kiwis who are in receipt of government revenue – welfare, other types of assistance – that Kiwis sadly look to Wellington and look to politics as a massive redistributive machine,” he says.

“The next election should be about politicians that want to grow the size of the pie, not argue incessantly about how to redistribute the pie.”

Jones says there is much bureaucracy in New Zealand but no accountability.

“We shouldn’t be surprised that we are a compliance-riddled, inflexible, petty society given the huge number of rules and regulations besetting our industries.

98 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

“We have allowed shrill, untested, un-costed voices to drive an agenda in New Zealand that threatens the solvency of our industries. It’s going to be hard to turn that around.”

Regarding decarbonisation, Jones says there should be one broad policy statement.

“There should be an expectation that if truckies are buying brand-new gear, and it only generates a fraction of the negative emissions as our historic trucks did, then you should be able to do that – it shouldn’t be some single totalitarian edict, that all of a sudden you all have to go methane, hydrogen, or electric… It should be a simple policy statement that lets the market, owners, firms and investors decide how they are going to use their own capital to achieve an outcome of decarbonisation.”

Simon Court ACT Simon Court says getting the maximum efficiency from investments and transport equipment is as essential to this industry now as it was 25 years ago.

“In the past 25 years, productivity in the transport network has dropped right off. And more trucks just add to congestion and add more costs. We’ve seen the failure to invest in the roading transportation network lead us to where we are now – higher cost, inflation for transport and infrastructure projects, lower productivity and everything costing more for the consumer.”

Court says Transporting New Zealand’s policies outlined in its 2023 election platform identify what can be done to

MC Josie Pagani hosts the political panel. From left: Shane Jones (New Zealand First), Simeon Brown (National), Julie Anne Genter (Green Party), Simon Court (Act), Helen White (Labour).

Julie Anne Genter improve resilience, productivity, safety for road users, encourage more people to come to New Zealand to work in the transport industry, or to choose driving and transport as a career, and focusing on decarbonisation.

“It’s heartening to see Transporting New Zealand putting so much effort into identifying what policies are necessary to make trucks more productive so you can justify your investments.”

Court says the people leading policy thinking have no idea how to get New Zealand moving.

“They don’t have any practical experience, and when it comes to advice from officials, they don’t even know what to ask,” he says.

“ACT in a future government will not be asking officials just what we want to hear because we’ve already asked you, the industry, what it is that needs to be done. We asked what would work, what works in other countries, and what would work in New Zealand.”

Green Party The Green’s Julie Anne Genter says the way to get more efficient transport systems is by making sure we are moving people and goods in the most energy-efficient way possible and with the fewest vehicles possible.

“Right now, we are facing the biggest challenge that we’ve yet faced, and it’s really becoming clear – it’s quite devastating the scale of the damage. Because humans haven’t got our act together and reduced our fossil fuel use in time, we have an increased amount of severe weather events that we can expect due to climate change.

“This is something the Green Party has been concerned about for many decades.

Scientists and governments were meeting about this problem in the 1990s, trying to come up with solutions. But we had a few decades where we had a lot of delays, mainly because the people who produced and sold oil were really good at campaigning and confusing policy makers and people about what climate change really meant.”

Genter says everything we do relies on

a stable climate. “Everyone wants to be part of the solution, to do our bit. For us to confront climate change and limit the damage, we are going to have to cooperate on a scale we have never had to cooperate on before,” she says.

“In order to confront the climate crisis, we need an efficient transport system moving more people and goods at lower costs, more money in the maintenance budget because of more pressure on the roading network due to severe weather, and more money into R&D to make sure we are building roads in a sustainable way, so they have a longer life.”

Genter says there is a huge opportunity to get better outcomes from the transport system. “We need to be realistic and challenge any political parties who are saying they are going to build a lot of infrastructure – how are they going to pay for it?

“We are the first generation to see the impact of human-caused climate change, and the last who will really be able to do something about it.”

New Zealand Trucking

August 2023 99

Simeon Brown National Brown says the past few years have presented numerous challenges for the transport sector, including Covid-19, lockdowns and the current recession.

He says National believes the transport sector is vital to the economy, and its growth must be unlocked “if we are going to get out of the economic challenges we face”.

The National Party plans to alleviate these pressures by building on seven key principles. These are: • stopping the “wasteful expenditure that people are seeing in Wellington” • providing tax relief for hard-working families • cutting the red tape holding businesses back • growing and attracting the skills needed to fill the labour shortage • using technology and innovation when faced with the challenges of climate change • building the infrastructure to help grow

the economy • encouraging trade and investment because “we cannot grow as a country if we are not selling what we produce to the world”.

“It is critically important to have an economic plan because, otherwise, all we are doing is trying to make ourselves richer by selling things to ourselves, which is never going to work.”

Brown says there is a major infrastructure deficit when it comes to transport. “This is something that has been in place for many decades but has not been helped when the current Labour government cancelled the entire Roads of Significance programme, which would have continued to deliver major, safe, modern expressways up and down the country.”

National’s Infrastructure for the Future plan will establish a National Infrastructure Agency that will bring together the money that currently goes into Infrastructure New Zealand. “We’ll create an agency focused on making

Photo: Transporting NZ. sure we deliver better infrastructure and unlock new innovative financing tools so we can bring more funding in and attract funding from offshore. We want to introduce national, city and regional deals to help prioritise projects that will unlock that economic growth and productivity, and fast track consents.”

National will also establish a 30-year infrastructure pipeline that will include a

Cameron Bagrie Economist Cameron Bagrie says New Zealand’s economy has by and large been in pretty good health for the past few years.

“When the economy is in good health, most people do pretty well. When the tide goes out, you find out who has been swimming naked, and that is the environment we are heading into,” he says.

“A tougher environment sorts out who is actually good at what they do; it’s you versus the market.”

Bagrie says the next few years will provide a wake-up call to New Zealand. “One of the things I’ve seen seep into New Zealand is a sense of self-entitlement. We think we can get something for nothing. The perception we can get ahead has become too easy – going through tougher times means you have to stiffen your resolve.”

Are we really in a recession? Bagrie says if you look at New Zealand’s activity, we are still well above trend.

“Most firms are still busy; they are just slightly less busy. What we are seeing is that firms are still struggling to get staff. When you start to see

100 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

the unemployment rate move up aggressively, that is when the recession really starts,” he says.

“One of the key economic trackers we use is the ANZ Truckometer. Our traffic volumes around the country are an important barometer of where New Zealand is going. Things are slowing, and it’s becoming a bit uncertain.”

Bagrie believes the most significant challenge New Zealand faces is division.

“It’s what we are seeing around the globe. It’s inequality, it’s poverty, it’s the co-governance debate, it’s rural versus urban.

“When you get a very divided society, it becomes economically unhealthy.

Bringing New Zealand back together is one of our biggest social and economic challenges.”

Bagrie says Cyclone Gabrielle proved New Zealand is not fit-for-purpose for a climate-change, rapidly evolving world.

“Regarding transport, 19,000km of the roading network has some degree of risk. We need to manage these risks, and the big issue is what are we going to do and how are we going to fund it,” he says.

Bagrie says it’s time for the transport sector to come together and not be divided.

“The transport industry needs to put egos aside – one team, one dream,” he says. “Industry organisations could have a very powerful influence over the next few years, shaping where New Zealand goes. The industry organisations need to provide solutions, not problems, to government. Government likes to deal with united voices, not multiple voices.”

Helen White Labour White says that the government has poured money into maintaining roads but it needs to pour a lot more.

“Climate change is eroding our roads, so it is incredibly important that we address that with money for road maintenance, and that is what we are going to be doing – and what we have been doing,” she says.

“There is an infrastructure gap. It is a problem that is looming and must be addressed. That is integrally connected with making the transport industry work well and bringing productivity up. We simply need to pour that money into infrastructure, and that is what we have been doing and what we will be doing.”

White says she rejects Simeon Brown’s suggestion that the government isn’t thinking about resilience. “There is a huge amount of work to be done. The severe weather events have been a huge deal.

There has been so much devastation that has affected road quality, and money has

been poured into those areas.

“Resilience is being built into flood recovery and rebuilding roads and bridges. It is a matter of having short-term stuff happen with resilience being built in, and then longerterm resilience as well.”

White says it is essential to get safety policy right. “Road safety is a huge deal.

We have 25% of deaths in New Zealand involving a person driving at work. That is a terrible number.

“The Road to Zero strategy is important. It’s an issue of wellbeing.

Some of that is about the quality of our roads; it’s important we focus on making sure those roads are maintained well.

But it’s not a case of just maintaining roads and not actually building new ones because there’s an incredibly important economic and environmental impact if we get those roads in the right places and working in the right way.”

White says freight and supply chain

Phil O’Reily Managing director at public policy advisory firm Iron Duke Partners Phil O’Reily says there are many global issues happening right now that impact the transport sector.

“As I look through the transport sector, one of the things that strike me is just the amount of business risk and public policy risk that faces your sector.

I’ve never seen as much as you face right now,” he says.

O’Reily says one of the big issues facing the sector is the US Inflation Reduction Act, which he says is throwing trillions at the US economy to buy the world’s technology around things like batteries, microchips, green infrastructure and hydrogen.

“There may be a big play that says we will subsidise you if you come to the US and grow your business here.

The Europeans are then responding with similar initiatives, otherwise the only places in the world that will make batteries in five years’ time will be the US and China,” he says.

“This becomes a tri-polar world, with a China-centric set of policies, a US-centric set of policies, and a European-centric set of policies.”

The war in the Ukraine is also another major global issue.

“The biggest issue for transport is the impact on European competitiveness, particularly German industry competitors, and the shocks to the supply chain.”

Back on New Zealand shores, O’Reily says the outcome of the upcoming election is still too early to call.

He said former transport minister Michael Wood’s exit was bad for the [Labour] Government. “He was really one of their rockstars, a leader in waiting.”

Whatever the outcome of the election, O’Reily says there will be a

strategy is integral. “We are looking at that work as a whole, and the priorities include how we are going to plan to decarbonise, data quality improvements so we can rationalise that system, and a port strategy. Those are the kinds of things that need to be built into the strategy so you can do your jobs so we can bring productivity up in this country,” she says.

“There is a lot going on in this industry at an operational level in terms of thinking outside the square, mixing up modes of transport to make things more efficient in terms of decarbonisation.

“There is a lot of technical change going on – we are asking a lot of you.

Hopefully, it will be supported by a lot of strong change in the tools available – different kinds of vehicles, different kinds of fuel. We will support as much as we can in achieving that,” White says.

“The government cares deeply about transforming this industry, and we absolutely understand that you are pivotal to the productivity of this country, and getting it right and working with you is the only way to do that.”

new Government. “There will not be a continuity government. Even if Hipkins is still the prime minister, it will be a very different government than the Labouronly government we have.

“Then it will be Labour-Greens, probably Te Pate Maori, a very left government. And if it’s out to the right, it will be a more radical government than we’ve seen for quite some time from the right.

“The left leaning guys will be more suspicious of business, migrants, global engagement, and they will continue to unpick the legacy of the 1980s and 1990s,” O’Reily says.

“A right-leaning government will be more business friendly, but of course they will have their own agendas to push, and whenever you see a government regulating or re-regulating, they tend to step on toes,” he says.

“So even if you think you might like some of the things you think they are going to do, don’t take it for granted that it will be easy for you.”

New Zealand Trucking

August 2023 101

PRODUCT PROFILE

Ensuring road safety with

BRAKE TESTING

Measuring brake performance as part of COF and WOF testing is critical to ensure continued safety on the road – especially in New Zealand, where people and the economy rely more on road transport, and the terrain can be challenging.

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ike almost all other road vehicles in New Zealand, heavy vehicles are required to undergo entry inspection and a periodic safety check. Brake testing is a crucial part of this inspection, given the critical role brakes play in overall vehicle safety.

New Heavy Vehicle Brake Testing Requirements were introduced in New Zealand in December 2022. The aim of the new protocol is to create a consistent approach for heavy-vehicle brake testing

at Waka Kotahi-approved inspection facilities and sites throughout New Zealand.

Heavy motor vehicles used on New Zealand roads are required to be braketested for entry certification, in-service Certificate of Fitness (CoF B) and roadside enforcement. All owners and operators must ensure a heavy vehicle complies with the rules and regulations at all times.

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BM18200 – Lifting Bed Load Simulation Brake Tester The BM18200 roller brake tester has a unique hydraulic load simulation system, allowing the operator to raise the roller bed out of the ground. It meets NZTA requirements for 60% design axle weight COF B testing.

BM20200 – Above Ground Mobile Brake Tester The BM20200 roller brake tester is designed for direct on-ground installation without the need for civil work. It can be retrofitted to existing pits or used for mobile roadside testing. It requires only approximately 10 minutes for one person to set it up for operation.

102 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

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BUSINESS UPDATE

NZ TRANSPORT RECRUITMENT Getting the job done The transport industry continually needs staff, and NZ Transport Recruitment is perfectly positioned to help its clients find the right people to fulfil their staffing needs.

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ransport plays a crucial role in New Zealand’s society and economy. As the backbone of New Zealand, the transport sector provides a range of services to businesses and consumers around the country.

Trucks transport 92.8% of New

Zealand’s total freight by weight. The industry requires suitable employees for its varying processes – from drivers, logistics, and management, to technicians, mechanics, and equipment operators.

NZ Transport Recruitment is a refreshed and reimagined transport

Kim Tirrell, the new face of NZ Transport Recruitment, is the go-to person for all transport recruitment requirements – from courier companies and owner/drivers to large fleet operators and the companies that work alongside the freight transport industry.

Tirrell brings to her role strong communication skills, a friendly approach and is focused on working hard to build strong relationships within the transport sector.

Tirrell says she is excited and eager to connect with potential applicants and businesses in search of recruitment solutions.

“New Zealand Transport Recruitment are experts in finding, screening and attracting good-quality candidates,” Tirrell says.

“We build strong relationships with our clients, reducing time to hire and improving quality of hire. We are invested in our clients and very motivated to get the job done.”

104 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

recruitment agency that aims to help New Zealand transport companies attract staff.

The transport industry offers a broad range of jobs throughout the country.

Employees have the chance to be involved with a variety of exciting projects that help shape New Zealand’s transport system, with the major projects offering a variety of work experiences for workers.

For more information on NZ Transport Recruitment, like and follow the NZ Transport Recruitment Facebook page, or contact Kim Tirrel at kim@nztransportrecruitment.co.nz

Road Safety Truck visits National Trade Academy

Education Engagement Programme The team at NZ Trucking Association had the pleasure of showing multiple groups of students from the National Trade Academy through the Road Safety truck over 2 days earlier this month.

The sessions were led by David Boyce (CEO) and John Sansom (HARMfree Programme Manager).

The groups experienced the Virtual Reality headsets onboard which give an accurate depiction of the hazards that are all too present on our roads, it is a great way to get a real sense of what it is like to be behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle and to really appreciate the skill and care involved when driving.

The SafeT360 information provided some great quiz questions to get everyone thinking and some were very surprised by the answers, a good sign that this road safety initiative is very much needed in our communities.

The students also got the chance to venture into the Cab and view the blind spots first hand from up in the drivers seat, this is a very important exercise for all to experience especially with cyclists sharing the road.

Overall it was very successful and enjoyable and we are very thankful to Penske, Team Global Express and our family of sponsors.

If you would like to support this worthwhile community initiative please contact us.

p 0800 338 338 03 349 8070 w www.trucking.nz Thanks to all our Partners & Sponsors

CARRIERS’ CORNER

WHAT GIVES? With the general election now less than 100 sleeps away, barely a day goes by when a significant political issue doesn’t rear its head.

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he campaign feels like it is underway; the media jostling is ramping up and fences are adorned with pictures of local MPs. We need only turn on a radio or TV, visit a local school or hospital – or more likely, in our case, jump in a vehicle and hit a state highway – to feel bombarded by the voices of those in desperate need of more resources and funding.

Don’t for a second read this as me having a go at the government, far from it.

I’m attempting to articulate that no matter our interests, the chances are we can find someone or something around us in desperate need of some love.

Infrastructure, more specifically roading, obviously tops (or is pretty close to topping) the to-do list. Each year, we witness a decline in road quality and repair, and we are currently navigating any number of workarounds in the aftermath of the catastrophic weather events earlier this year. In many places, the damage may never be remediated back to ‘normal’.

But how does one reconcile the need to maintain and develop the roading infrastructure with the crisis-level needs of health and education, the mile-wide gaps within law and order, the ability to safely and adequately care for our most vulnerable, and access to affordable housing?

Then there are the issues of immigration, vocational education and general workforce availability and readiness, and you have a pretty significant list of ‘portfolios’, with ministries and local body agencies all fighting for their share of the tax take.

Regardless of pledges and promises made, capital and resources are finite.

There will simply never be enough to satisfy all. Critical decisions and plans are

106 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

urgently needed; until direction exists, it is impossible to create the alignment needed to maximise our collective investment and ensure that money spent will produce the outcomes and impact we’re collectively after. The progress, or lack thereof, within Hawke’s Bay and its produce sector recovery, is a case in point; six months

enterprise, to the infrastructure (road, rail, port) needed to get the product out of the paddock or orchard and on a boat or plane bound for the land of foreign exchange.

Yep, I know the country isn’t a business, but there’s no shortage of parallels and, ultimately, it comes back to resources and outcomes – substitute what you will in terms of the resources we choose to apply and the outcomes we seek for the country.

The scale of our needs is immense in whichever direction you look. To use

Each year, we witness a decline in road quality and repair, and we are currently navigating any number of workarounds in the aftermath of the catastrophic weather events earlier this year. on, there isn’t an adequate plan and resource to support what is arguably one of the most critical export regions to the country. Surely, it’s an absolute no-brainer that we’d want to throw the kitchen sink at getting it back on its feet asap?

Exporting is a prime example of such a pathway and how things must align, from the wellbeing of the environment and waterways to support viable production and growth to the resource and skill available to develop and operate such

roading infrastructure as an example, the Auckland region alone has more than 1000km in need of repair or major remediation (the distance between Auckland and Christchurch). That’s just one region.

The decision is ultimately ours; what gets and what gives, and who and how we will hold those we voted for to account. Fingers crossed that we’re sitting here in 100 days celebrating a plan.

Do you agree with Blake or want to engage with his comment? He’d love to hear from you.

Contact Blake at: blake@transcon.co.nz.

Blake Noble is managing director of Transcon, a 16-truck general-freight operation based in Warkworth, north of Auckland. He is also the founder of specialist transport growth and advisory provider Delivery. Head to getdelivery.nz to connect with Blake.

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TRUCKERS’ HEALTH

Time to think about

TIME MANAGEMENT Today, rushing, business or ‘hustling’ are seen as the mark of success and productivity. To an extent, I support and encourage people to make the most out of every day and take every opportunity with both hands. But this can sometimes come to the detriment of our mental wellbeing or a threat to our work/life balance.

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nfortunately, when push comes to shove, our healthy habits are often one of the first things to go out the window when we are feeling overwhelmed and time poor. In my opinion, healthy eating and exercise should be non-negotiable when life gets busy.

I’m sure you can all relate when work demands or family commitments are intense; you opt for takeaways or skipping that gym session or walk. At the time you think you are conserving energy and effort by not having to cook dinner or go for a stroll around the block.

However, the knock-on effect from eating poorly and not moving your body actually means less energy and more fatigue and therefore, less capacity to handle your busy and demanding workload. So how on Earth do we balance conserving energy whilst still maintaining our healthy lifestyles?

This is an insanely difficult balance where ‘listening to your body’ doesn’t always work. How do you know if you’re too tired to exercise or if you just need to push through and then you’ll feel better and more energised afterwards? Very tricky! Of course, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated and managing stress levels are extremely important factors, but there is another element that you need to harness to get the most out of your day without burnout and that is time management.

You’re probably thinking, ‘time management, that’s easy for you to say who works a regular 9-to-5 job and isn’t behind the wheel of a truck for long and irregular hours every week’. For my clients who work irregular hours, regardless of what their job is, I always encourage them to take things one or

two days at a time (whatever is realistic for their workload). For example, if you know you’re driving from 8am to 10pm tomorrow, you know that getting your exercise in after you finish at 10pm is not going to be a viable option. So you need to think when you can more realistically fit in a 30-minute walk or exercise session of some sort. If you could get up slightly earlier and do a quick walk, bike ride or gym session before you start your day, that would be the ideal option. Or even if you could squeeze something in at lunch time or during a break throughout your day.

Making a commitment with yourself and being realistic is important. “I’m not going to exercise after 10pm when I get home so I will do a lunchtime walk when I’m parked up.” It doesn’t mean sticking to an extreme schedule or mapping out every minute of the day, but it’s just being aware of the structure of your day and where you can sneak in those important active sessions.

Exercise is the most underrated and under prescribed mental health tool on the planet. When your workload or family demands increase this can obviously affect your mental wellbeing. When you are feeling vulnerable and overwhelmed, this is when you need to be stern with yourself and stay staunch in your exercise commitments that you’ve made with yourself. Moving your body in a way that you enjoy releases endorphins and feelgood hormones that can help with feeling overwhelmed, flat or low throughout the day.

Here are some tips to help manage your time efficiently: 1. Use a calendar (a physical calendar on the wall or a digital calendar on your

phone/device) to keep track of the hours you’re working and when you’re wanting to slot in your exercise sessions. These can be done a day ahead, several days in advance or you can plan out your whole week/month if you’re feeling onto it and your schedule allows for that.

2. If exercising for an hour is not an option, you can schedule in smaller and more regular sessions. For example, instead of an hour-long workout in the morning you could do three small 15-minute workouts throughout the day. Use whatever windows you have available to you. Over the day this adds up to 45 minutes of physical activity, which is great.

3. Instead of scrolling on social media or cabbaging out on Netflix, use that 30 minutes to go for a walk. You could even multi-task and watch Netflix while on a stationary bike or treadmill – two birds one stone!

4. When you cook a meal, make enough for several meals so that you are only doing meal prep and cooking once, but enjoying the fruits of your labour for several meals. This can save so much time in the kitchen and when you get home from a long day’s work, you can just pop a meal in the microwave and Bob’s your aunty!

Laura Hulley Personal trainer

108 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

TAKING A BREAK

Who doesn’t like the idea of taking a break? Who is overwhelmed by the effort taking a break requires?

B

reaks are essential for wellbeing.

They allow us the opportunity to rest and recover, regardless of their type.

But first, let’s define the most common types of breaks: Legislated breaks according to the Land Transport Rule – Worktime and Logbooks 2007. If you need to comply with this legislation, you must take the minimum defined breaks at specified intervals.

Employment agreement breaks.

Depending on the agreement, these will likely be two unpaid breaks and one paid break. The time for these will be specified in your agreement.

Sick leave – take it if you are feeling unwell. You will recover more quickly if you rest. You can also use this to care for a dependent. Again, these will be defined in your employment agreement.

Annual leave. Some organisations have a shut period when you are required to take leave. This will often still give you more leave days.

Effort depends on where you sit in your organisation and your role. If you are lucky or the organisation is well-staffed, you submit a leave form and walk away. If

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you are the owner/manager or work for a smaller organisation, you may need to plan your leave, prepare for others to carry your workload and pick up the work when you return.

Even the short, paid breaks mean you can get away from your work, move, stretch and give your brain and/or muscles some respite.

Longer breaks – annual leave – may provide an opportunity to move completely away from the stresses of normal life.

At Safewise, we shut at Christmas for three weeks. All staff are expected to take more annual leave during the year. Often the middle of winter is an excellent time to take leave. A rest in the middle of the year can set you up until Christmas.

Tracey Murphy is the owner and director of Safewise Ltd, a health and safety consultancy. She has more than 15 years’ experience working with organisations from many different industries. Tracey holds a diploma in health and safety management and a graduate diploma in occupational safety and health. She is a professional member of the New Zealand Institute of Safety Management and is on

How can Safewise help?

the HASANZ register.

We work with organisations that need more health and safety knowledge or more time than they have in-house. For more information, check the website, safewise.co.nz

3:12:58 PM

Danielle L. Beston Barrister At Law Log Book & Driving Hours Transport Specialist Work Licences Nationwide Road User Charges Contributor to New Zealand Trucking ‘Legal Lines’ Column Telephone: (09) 985 5609 mobile: 021 326 642 danielle.beston@trafficlawyerauckland.co.nz Referral Through Solicitor Required and Arranged

110 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

Servicing Cardan shaft park brakes A new method for testing Cardan shaft park brakes (also known as transmission type park brakes) was introduced on 1 December 2022.

Service providers must be able to correctly diagnose, maintain and adjust these brakes to the manufacturers’ specifications in order for them to pass the new in-service test, especially if they have already failed.

When servicing a Cardan shaft park brake, the following steps should be followed: • Only use lining materials that are recommended by the manufacturer. The linings for Cardan shaft park brakes tend to be a softer compound than normal service brake linings.

• Brake drums and shoes may need to be radiused in the same manner as other drum brakes.

• Some burnishing of the linings will help to bed in the new parts.

• Cables, linkages and actuators must move freely and be correctly adjusted, especially if a bell-crack is used.

• Brake shoe to drum clearance must be minimal but not induce any drag.

• Always refer to the manufacturers’ specifications.

For more information, including a video on servicing Cardan shaft park brakes, visit: nzta.govt.nz/cardanbrakes 23-EX-024

LEGAL LINES

The difference between BARRISTERS and

SOLICITORS Everyone knows a lawyer is a professional that you go to when you need legal advice or if you need representation in court. But the difference between solicitors and barristers is often confusing. In New Zealand, when a lawyer qualifies, they are admitted to the bar as both a barrister and solicitor, but they need to practice as either one or the other. So, how do you know which one to use? This month, I want to discuss why work was traditionally divided between barristers and solicitors and whether this is still necessary.

Barrister Barristers are a type of specialist lawyer who are more skilled in oral advocacy and spend more of their time in the courtroom, depending on the case.

They have expert knowledge of court procedures and how the court works, as well as extensive knowledge on the rules of evidence. They are to remain independent, with their first duty being to the court and then to the client. Barristers are mostly self-employed and belong to chambers, which is just another name for an office full of barristers.

Solicitor Traditionally, solicitors would issue proceedings in court, file documents and pay court fees. Generally, they provide legal advice and do more transactional work such as buying and selling a house or business, trust formation and drafting contracts. They do more office-based

112 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

work and, unlike barristers, normally work in law firms rather than on their own.

Solicitors will instruct a barrister if their clients’ needs fall outside the scope of the solicitor’s expertise. Solicitors hold a client’s money in a trust account on behalf of a barrister and pay them once the work is complete.

Advantages of a split profession When a solicitor instructs a barrister to assist with the court work, they come with an open mind and can have a more impartial view as they are not directly linked to the client. It is great to have a fresh set of eyes looking at the facts of the case, and they may be able to

pick up on things the solicitor may have missed. Barristers develop a different skill set from solicitors, so they can often add significant value to a case. Unlike solicitors, most of a barrister’s career will be spent honing their written and oral advocacy skills.

Blurred boundaries In the past, a barrister could only receive work if instructed by a solicitor, but now clients can come to barristers directly. In reality, many barristers practising in New Zealand will be contacted by a client based on their reputation. The barrister will then reach out to a solicitor to ask them to be the instructing solicitor on record and to collect the barrister’s fee.

In these cases, the solicitor usually has limited involvement in how the case is run.

My personal experience As a barrister who has specialised in traffic and transport law for the past 20 years, I prefer to be involved in a client’s case from start to finish. This is because I can provide a more personalised service and achieve better outcomes. I maintain a modest caseload to give each of my clients the attention they deserve. Since I carry out both the roles of a barrister and a solicitor, I believe that a split profession does not make much sense in the modern world.

Please note that this article is not a substitute for legal advice, and if you have a particular matter to be addressed, you should consult with a lawyer. Danielle Beston is a barrister who specialises in transport law, and she can be contacted on (09) 985 5609 or 021 326 642.

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BUSINESS TOGETHER

The rising cost of

INSURANCE IN BUSINESS Insurance premiums are an essential aspect of business, but unlike other expenses, they have the potential to increase significantly.

I

t is crucial to understand the coverage provided by insurance companies and take the initiative to understand your business risks. I have a business myself and have seen dramatic hikes in our premiums, leading us to reassess what we are insuring and the dangers we face if we self-insure.

There are some instances where you can effectively manage through alternative methods. For example, the risk of financial collapse can be managed through robust budgeting practices, efficient cashflow management and regular reporting.

It is also apparent that most businesses do not understand their coverage until they make a claim and are faced with coverage issues. Many are looking at dropping some insurances altogether. I urge you first to consider the following: Undertake a comprehensive risk assessment: Begin by identifying and evaluating all the risks your business faces and take proactive steps to mitigate them. While some risks can be addressed through insurance, others may require alternative risk management strategies.

Recognising that not all material business risks can be insured against is important.

Adjust the policy excess: Evaluate the type of coverage required and

its impact on the premium structure.

Consider making a sound commercial decision regarding the level of financial compensation necessary in the event of a claim. For example, medical insurance policies have transitioned from covering total medical expenses to focusing solely on surgical costs. Some businesses may opt not to claim for minor damages and instead prioritise coverage for catastrophic events.

Bundle policies: Many insurance providers offer discounts for bundling multiple policies. Explore the possibility of consolidating liability, property and motor vehicle insurance with a single provider to benefit from cost savings.

Engage insurance experts: Seek the assistance of knowledgeable insurance brokers who can analyse various providers, policies and terms. They can provide valuable insights into coverage options, premium costs and insurers’ financial stability when it comes to claim settlements.

Conduct annual coverage reviews: As your business evolves, so do your insurance needs. The insurance market is constantly changing as well. Regularly review your coverage to ensure it aligns with your current requirements and avoid paying for unnecessary coverage or

Insurance is a complex realm where businesses can feel caught between a rock and a hard place.

assuming that existing coverage remains appropriate when circumstances change, or policy terms are adjusted.

Insurance is a complex realm where businesses can feel caught between a rock and a hard place. Premiums can be significant, and in the current environment, they are increasing dramatically. However, not having adequate coverage can expose your business to severe downturns or even closure in the event of unforeseen circumstances. The key lies in striking the right balance by thoroughly understanding your risks, evaluating potential claim scenarios and assessing the impact that different coverage levels can have. By proactively managing your insurance needs, you can ensure optimal protection while maintaining a reasonable cost structure for your business.

Roylance Watson is a chartered accountant and associate at Vazey Child Chartered Accountants in Hamilton.

Email: roylancew@vazeychild.co.nz Phone: (07) 838 5988 Website: vazeychild.co.nz

114 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

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Carol McGeady general manager

What does ‘good’ look like for a

TRANSPORT OPERATOR?

W

hat ‘good’ looks like for a Kiwi transport operator is currently unclear. There is also no way to showcase companies meeting all the Health and Safety at Work Act requirements and who attract staff because of their safety cultures.

The WorkSafe Health and Safety at Work Act states that all companies must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their workers and any other workers who are influenced or directed by them.

A business must also look after other people who could be at risk of work undertaken by the company, including customers, visitors, children and young people and the public.

The NZ Trucking Association and National Road Carriers are working to bring in the new TruckSafe Accredited Safety Management System (SMS). The SMS system is a development of the original Australian TruckSafe Accreditation programme, which has been operating in Australia for 26 years. Plans are underway to launch the new system later this year in Australia, closely followed in New Zealand if the appropriate funding is secured.

Both associations believe the transport industry should take ownership of its safety. Having this system available will help companies continually improve their safety systems. The SMS platform allows them to use their existing procedures and policies, ensuring that – potentially – it’s not necessary to re-do anything. If the company meets TruckSafe standards, it will achieve TruckSafe accreditation. The independent accreditation part will prove that the systems companies have are working and will assure the supply chain that TruckSafe-accredited companies have the appropriate systems.

TruckSafe New Zealand will align with the WorkSafe Health and Safety Act and

116 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

the Waka Kotahi Road to Zero strategy.

It will show what ‘good’ looks like to those operators who currently have limited systems in place. A SMS is crucial for the trucking industry to ensure the highest safety standards and minimise operational risks. It provides a systematic approach to identifying, assessing and managing safety-related risks within the organisation.

Here are the key components of the new TruckSafe SMS Accreditation programme: Safety Risk Management – the SMS identifies potential risks and hazards associated with trucking operations.

It enables proactive risk assessment and management strategies to be implemented, reducing the likelihood of accidents, injuries and incidents.

Through effective risk management, the organisation can protect its personnel, assets and reputation.

Safety Assurance – the SMS ensures that safety measures are continuously monitored, reviewed and improved. It involves regular safety audits, inspections and evaluations to verify the effectiveness of safety practices and identify areas for enhancement. Safety assurance activities promote a culture of ongoing improvement and accountability.

Safety Promotion – promoting safety within the organisation and to contractors and others in the supply chain is critical in creating a strong safety culture. The SMS emphasises the importance of safety training, communication and awareness programmes. It encourages employees to actively participate in safety initiatives, fostering a shared responsibility for maintaining a safe working environment.

Safety Implementation – the SMS provides a structured framework for implementing safety-related procedures, protocols and guidelines. It ensures consistent adherence to safety

standards and practices throughout the organisation. By establishing clear processes and responsibilities, the SMS enables efficient and effective safety management.

Recognised Standards – accreditation demonstrates compliance with industry-recognised safety standards and best practices. It verifies that the organisation has implemented a robust and comprehensive SMS that aligns with regulatory requirements and industry expectations. The Health and Safety Act sets out specific regulations and standards to which employers must adhere. The SMS will help transport operators understand and comply with these regulations by providing a framework for organising and documenting safety procedures, policies, and controls. It ensures that the organisation’s safety practices align with legal requirements.

The TruckSafe New Zealand safety management system is crucial for the trucking industry to manage safety risks and ensure a safe working environment proactively. Accreditation further enhances the credibility and effectiveness of the SMS, providing external validation and promoting continuous improvement.

By prioritising safety through a comprehensive and accredited SMS, organisations can protect their workforce, assets and reputation while gaining a competitive edge in the industry.

Talks are underway to secure funding so that a digital portal for auditing can be built and the TruckSafe New Zealand entity can be established. We are keen to hear from anyone interested in being involved in this project and are currently taking expressions of interest for participants for the working group.

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James Smith COO

Taking the pressure off the stresses of LIFE ON THE ROAD

T

he road can be a crazy and stressful place to work. A lot of that is caused by other road users who don’t realise how their driving behaviour affects truck drivers – let alone putting their own lives and others at risk.

The NRC team hears all the time from members about the antics of other road users – the motorist who tries to slip inside you on the roundabout, the driver who overtakes and then slows down to make a point about some imagined misdemeanour on your part, or the cyclist or pedestrian who tries to nip across the road in front of you when there clearly isn’t time.

That’s not to mention the stress caused by potholes in poorly maintained roads, traffic jams, and road closures for maintenance or to repair slips and washouts, large and small.

We decided to crowdsource some content from NRC members so we could write about some real-life experiences with other road users. We emailed members on a Thursday morning and, within 24 hours, we received some of the most hair-raising stories and video footage imaginable.

A Taranaki-based operator sent video footage of one car driver after another passing his drivers’ trucks on double yellow lines, many narrowly missing oncoming traffic. It is very, very scary to watch. They provided the footage to (Best) be safe Taranaki and Roadsafe Taranaki for a recent campaign that has gone viral. The operator has 40 to 50 driving clips of dangerous behaviour that would be enough to test the sanity of any truck driver.

A manager from a large network operator says the most common problems include: 1. People merging on entering motorways don’t realise trucks and trailers are 23m long and don’t have a

118 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

lot of options to let cars in – the cars speed up on the inside but don’t reach the front of the truck cab.

2. People change lanes and try to get between trucks and trailers, thinking the trailer can somehow let them in or back off from following the truck.

3. Trucks leave bigger spaces in traffic to be able to stop safely – it is not for cars to fill, jump into and brake.

4. People do not let trucks exit the heavy-vehicle lanes to turn right or swing into driveways to the left.

A regional contractor based in Northland wrote: “We recently had a phone call from a car driver complaining he couldn’t get past our truck and trailer

A Taranaki-based operator sent video footage of one car driver after another passing his drivers’ trucks on double yellow lines, many narrowly missing oncoming traffic. travelling on SH14 from Dargaville to Whangarei. The driver said our truck slowed down on corners and sped up on the straights, and he couldn’t pass until it came to a corner. We explained there are no passing lanes between Dargaville and Maungatapere and only one slow-vehicle lane on one of the hills. He didn’t seem to understand why we couldn’t let him pass.”

What to do about this? We didn’t want to stop at documenting problems, so here’s some advice for drivers and fleet owners to relieve some of the pressure on drivers and make roads a less stressful

workplace over the long haul.

For drivers: Remain calm, be professional and, where fitted, use your dashcam to record the incident. Button off and give errant drivers space, but never to the point of compromising safety.

Companies have tried putting warning signs on the backs of trucks, but a study using a driving simulator showed the human brain filters out most signs when driving. Sadly, truck drivers must expect bad behaviour and treat it as typical.

For transport managers/fleet owners: Have a process for drivers to let you know about incidents of bad driving so they can get the frustration off their shoulders. Have a process to manage video footage of incidents. Consider installing a system that enables your transport manager to remotely access cameras in cabs to support your drivers more effectively.

Waka Kotahi encourages all road users to report bad driving, and the police have issued many tickets off truck cab camera footage. Police did attempt to stand up a portal for dashcam footage last year but, unfortunately, it was canned. When the time is right, we will push for that idea to make a comeback.

The impetus for the NZ Trucking Association’s Safety truck was to address behaviour around trucks by delivering that to schools and having the kids enforce their parents. It would be great if Waka Kotahi would fund that project, as it has a real chance of getting cut through.

Also, on the stressy issue of potholes (and other roading issues like slips, flooding and overgrowth), don’t forget you can report these to local councils using the Snap Send Solve app – take a pic on your phone and send it in. Some councils are better than others at responding, but the squeaky wheel does get the oil.

Let’s keep this conversation going.

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TRAN

LIVELY POLITICAL DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

120 New Zealand Trucking August 2023

safety of our MC, Josie Pagani, as things heated up and there were several fiery engagements. In three years, when we do it again, I’ve made a note to add that session to our HSSE risk register!

We ran a fun poll, with delegates voting before and after the political panel, and the results were fascinating. At the start, the blue team had a substantial lead with 77% of the vote, with yellow being next most prominent at 16% and the rest – red, green and black – fighting over the minor money.

However, after the debate, the blue team’s majority took a major hit with a massive swing to black going from 3 to 23%! My takeouts are that the real election will be close, some parties will need to do some careful strategic thinking to manage the risk of vote splitting, and nothing beats saying things in straight-up, simple terms. So, thank you, Mr Shane Jones.

Another highlight was our awards dinner. Celebrating success provides a chance to reflect on the huge amount of good work that’s going on in the sector.

What struck me was the diversity across the winners. Of the six awards, three went to women. In fact, four of the awards were accepted on stage by women. There was also a wide range of age across the recipients. The innovation award was won jointly by three livestock operators, and a variety of business sizes shared the awards.

For me, that demonstrates we are all going through the structural changes required to make the future of road transport more secure.

Last month, I did a radio interview regarding the removal of the

government’s Covid Transport Relief package regarding fuel and RUC. I reminded listeners that almost everything that people need to live comes via road transport. On three occasions, the government extended the period of relief which shows the demand and value it brought to NZ Inc. The queues at fuel stations and the media interest clearly demonstrated the impact of this change on the cost of living for everyday Kiwis.

Cost increases to transport have a big flow-on effect on everyone, and that includes impacting our competitiveness in international markets.

Economist Cameron Bagrie told the conference that margins in transport had decreased to levels similar to 2008. Road user charges typically make up about 11% of direct transport costs; therefore, the removal of the relief will increase costs by about 4%. That shift can’t be absorbed without profitability taking a big hit and the continued financial viability of companies being put at high risk.

This brings me to my final and most vital point – one that I will reiterate over the coming weeks and months – the need for one industry voice. There are increasing questions from key stakeholders in the transport sector regarding why our industry has several different organisations, leading to growing disharmony. Make no mistake, disunity and any lack of clarity and alignment on what our sector needs to be successful is unhelpful. In the past, Transporting New Zealand has led the call for one industry body; sadly, that has not been the outcome so far. However, we are not relenting.

FL FI

166-0723

I

t was lively, informative, and rewarding. A Changing World, Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand’s annual conference, held last month in Lower Hutt, was an opportunity for members and key partners to network and discuss the important issues facing the road transport industry.

I want to thank all delegates, commercial partners, our wide range of speakers, and the transport spokespersons from ACT, Greens, Labour, National and New Zealand First for making our conference such a great event. We wanted delegates to leave better informed, which ultimately can help them manage their businesses better.

And we wanted to again demonstrate that we provide good value for money in terms of advocating on their behalf.

Keynote speaker Katherine Rich, former National MP and former chief executive of the NZ Food and Grocery Council, suggested that successful advocacy requires a bit of ‘chutzpah’ – a Yiddish term that combines ideas, energy and a little cheekiness. From the micro-level issues we are dealing with in the respective sector groups to the more macro-level ones we need from the government to commit to in our Election Platform, I believe we clearly demonstrated ourselves to be an effective advocacy organisation.

We held our event earlier than usual, given the upcoming election. And as anticipated, the political debate and the high-energy and raucous discussion typically reserved for Parliament’s debating chamber was transferred to the Lower Hutt Events Centre.

At times I almost got worried for the

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THE LAST MILE

Don’t put off your

MAINTENANCE I

t was disturbing to read that the cause of the January breakdown of the Cook Strait ferry Kaitaki was the failure of a rubber flexible coupling in the cooling system. No doubt, this triggered an automatic shutdown of all four engines, resulting in the ship drifting perilously close to shore. The part was allegedly made in 2005 but not installed until 2018. The interim report says that Interislander had not followed the coupling manufacturer’s advice for replacement. It also says that since the incident, Interislander had replaced “all dodgy parts” on the Kaitaki but doesn’t say what these were.

I wonder if this incident is a result of simply not carrying out planned maintenance. I appreciate that when a unit is heading towards its last days, as the Kaitaki and its sister are, there is often a tendency to push out maintenance – don’t spend any money on it until it breaks, then only do the minimum necessary to get it going again. Planned maintenance works with trucks as well. If the vehicle manufacturer says the lifespan of a component is five years, they mean it.

And of course, we had the breakdown of the MV Shiling in

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Wellington Harbour; after repairs, it broke down again within 24 hours of sailing. At 18 years old, she is most likely on her last legs, and I wonder if the owner had deferred her maintenance pending retirement.

Recently, the Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA) released a tender for a market study into road freight in New Zealand. Its purpose will be to enable greater and quicker decarbonisation in a critical sector for New Zealand. This puzzles me. I would have thought the government agency, in this case, the Ministry of Transport, which advises the Minister of Transport on such matters, would have this information readily on hand. If not, what are they telling the minister?

The outcomes of this study will be shared between other government agencies and private entities to allow our freight system to run as efficiently as possible, so they say in the tender. I would have thought it would be obvious that one of the barriers to on-road freight efficiency is the state of our roading network, so why not fix that first? Let’s hope whoever gets the contract and writes the report will produce something that means something to us all and not just tell us what we already know. Let’s also hope that the report is not just a subliminal marketing tool for companies that peddle electronic gizmos that supposedly make business more efficient.

Certainly, we don’t want to see another stick-a-wet-finger-outthe-window-to-see-which-way-the-wind-blows type exercise.

After all, we, the taxpayers, will be paying for it.

On freight volume, it was interesting to read a story attributed to the CEO of NZ Post in which he says that online shopping was down 22% on the same (first) quarter of 2022. He notes fewer parcels are going through their processing centres, and the back of their courier vans are not quite as full as they were.

Perhaps this is yet another sign that consumers are becoming more discerning about how they spend their dollars. Eventually, this trend will find its way across many sectors of our industry, I suspect.

The Budget came and went, and we saw how the government intends to spend our money. Many commentators say it was a nothing event, but I don’t agree. As anybody who has ever organised a lolly scramble knows, you don’t throw all your lollies out with the first throw; you wait and spread the ‘joy’ along the way, creating the expectation that more will come. It is election year after all.

An unattributed quotation I read somewhere recently: “Being a politician is great job. You get to spend lots of other people’s money, and then you can turn your back on them.”

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