New Zealand Trucking October 2020

TOP TRUCK – BIG SOUTHLAND INTER HOLDS ALL THE CHIPS

OCTOBER 2020

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OCTOBER 2020

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CONTENTS

56

White Knights – ‘Those magnificent men in their moving machines’

38

Tim’s flamin’ rubble remover – KW at home in the Hutt

Official Sponsor

Heart and Soul – Roger Clotworthy, continuous improvement

MAGAZINE O IAL

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22

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

INTERNATIONAL TRUCK OF THE YEAR

Associate Member

EDITOR

Dave McCoid

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Gavin Myers

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

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

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

Pav Warren

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

SUB EDITOR

OFFICE ADMINISTRATION

Faye Lougher

Georgi George

CONTRIBUTORS

PUBLISHER

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

Long Haul Publications Ltd

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Ricky Harris

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London calling – hard gains in taxing capital

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ART DIRECTOR

John Berkley

THE REST

DIGITAL IMAGING

Willie Coyle DIGITAL MANAGER/CONTENT

06 Editorial

Louise Stowell New Zealand Trucking magazine is published by Long Haul Publishing Ltd. The contents are copyright and may not be reproduced without the consent of the editor. Unsolicited editorial material may be submitted, but should include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. While every care is taken, no responsibility is accepted for material submitted.

Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of New Zealand Trucking or Long Haul Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

This magazine is subject to the New Zealand Press Council.

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

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

52 Just Truckin’ Around 54 Gallery – Murupara’s might

88 Incoming Cargo – Road User Gases 92 Industry Comment – No gain without pain 94 IRTENZ – Virtual reality 96 Business Update – SouthRoads/Teletrac Navman

68 Gav’s licence journey

98 Health and Safety

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70 Light Commercial Test – Ram raid

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48 Top Truck – When volume matters

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60 Aussie Angles – Long way around Pt2

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08 Road Noise – Industry news

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76 New Bodies and Trailers

104 Road Transport Forum

78 Mini Big Rigs – Benz engine and paint

106 The Last Mile

80 Little Truckers’ Club 81 What’s On/Cartoon ABC Audited circulation 7092 as at September 2017 Nielsen audited readership 95,000 as at 01–2016

102 NZ Trucking Association

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EDITORIAL

HEADING FOR A HYDROGEN FUTURE

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e’re constantly told that the world is changing, global climates are changing, and it’s mankind’s insatiable appetite for energy that’s among the leading causes. We burn fuels, hydrocarbons, to keep warm, to cook food, to power our electronic lives, to produce the literal things we desire, and to shrink planet earth by transporting ourselves and those goods across vast distances in a relative matter of minutes.

As a species we’ve become really, really good at all this. But, by and large, we’ve also stagnated a bit, become stuck on what works: burning coal, gas and fossil fuel in abundance to generate power for our factories, our homes and our vehicles. Of course, some countries are better than others. New Zealand is a case in point, famously producing more than 80% of its energy for electricity generation from renewable sources.

That number is far poorer when we consider the country’s overall energy economy, lagging behind when it comes to powering our vehicles with clean energy. There are currently about 14,000 full or hybrid electric vehicles in New Zealand, a mere fraction of the country’s total vehicle population and nowhere near the global leaders. However, while on the face of it battery electric vehicles (BEVs) seem to be the answer, they present many complications that hinder their long-term suitability. To be truly clean they need to be powered by renewable energy, not coal; the batteries degrade over time meaning they’ll eventually land up in landfill; and making the batteries requires global mining operations that present climate challenges themselves.

The school of thought, especially when it comes to heavy commercial

vehicles, is rapidly moving to hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs). FCEVs can give conventional diesel-powered trucks a run for their money on the daily route, and once the initial hurdles of infrastructure and market acceptance are overcome, present very few drawbacks. Many of the industry’s leading vehicle OEMs have developed or are planning on developing FCEV technology, and there is also a movement of private startups that are working to give them a run for their money. One of these is based in Taranaki and called Hiringa Energy.

We’ve written a bit about Hiringa over the years, as the company shared news of its development, and we’ve always been intrigued.

A few weeks ago editor Dave and I made the trip down to New Plymouth to meet one of the most enthusiastic small teams we’ve encountered.

At the head is possibly the most down to earth power couple out there, Andrew and Cathy Clennett (who both have extensive experience in energy, engineering, business and project management), and Hiringa is quickly making inroads into the local trucking and transport sector. In just a few years Hiringa has grown to attract the talent of another 15 highly skilled and excited staff. It’s also attracted the backing and funding of government, entered into a strategic alliance with Japanese firm Mitsui & Co. to jointly pursue hydrogen related commercial projects in New Zealand, struck partnerships with TR Group, TIL and Waitomo for the local rollout of zero emission HFCVs and the necessary fuel vending, and, most recently, signed an agreement with US-based Hyzon Motors for the supply of these FCEVs into New Zealand from as early as next year.

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Hiringa describes itself as ‘an energy company that produces, promotes, and facilitates the rollout of hydrogen supply and end-use via collaboration with expert parties’.

According to Andrew, the obvious path has always been collaboration and Hiringa’s since had interest from some unexpected parties. “Boy, we were lone wolves a few years ago,” he said, before adding it’s become clear that “there’s a real NZ Inc. opportunity here…”

We were privileged to get some behind-the-scenes information on all this, which Hiringa will no doubt share with the rest of the industry as it’s ready. Suffice to say, there are many important issues to be overcome before the first truck’s wheels turn in anger. One of these is the issue of RUCs and RUC exemptions. On page 88 you’ll find a piece written by Hiringa co-founder and CTO Dan Kahn, which compellingly delves into the topic. This is the first contribution

by Hiringa to New Zealand Trucking, and explores FCEVs and the industry from their perspective.

While the technology and efficiencies of FCEVs are getting better and better, Hiringa is aware that its approach is not the silver bullet to the world’s climate and energy problems. For trucking, though, they reckon it’ll become the new standard-bearer. We’ve long held the opinion that it could, and having met with the team at Hiringa, we’re more convinced than ever.

Gavin Myers Assistant editor

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NEW ENGINE FOR PROSTAR AND DEALERS FOR INTERTRUCK Local manufacturer, distributor and dealer for International Trucks, Intertruck Distributors, has announced the new RH Prostar A26 – a conventional model with a 13-litre engine and about 350kg reduced weight.

Intertruck managing director Comer Board says the new model is expected to dominate its tare category, while offering significant fuel and emissions savings. This is due to the new model conforming to the EPA 17 GHG emissions standard, which is more stringent than the latest Euro emissions standards.

Intertruck has also welcomed four new dealers to the brand: • Prestige International, Auckland – sales, parts and service • CVC, Christchurch – parts and service • P & B Mechanical, Waikato – parts and service • Motor Works HB, Hawke’s Bay – parts and service.

“Our focus is to lead New Zealand in vehicle productivity and to continue growing our dealer network. We appreciate these businesses investing in our brand. These dealers are committed to holding VOR parts, operating our software, and training technicians to our highest level,” says Board.

Intertruck’s national service dealer coverage now tallies 29.

“Intertruck is in its 24th year as the New Zealand distributor for International, backed by amazing support from Navistar to supply cutting edge products under its manufacturing guidance. Our investment has resulted in our delivering the best from International’s product range through local assembly.

Since Covid our market share has increased; the assembly lines are at full capacity, thanks to the support from all of our customers,” Board says.

G

reg ‘Camo’ Camenzind and his spectacular Mainfreight liveried Scania S650 B-train. Greg wins himself a set of Vipal retread drive tyres, sponsored by the good folks at Power Retreads, who sponsor the monthly Top Truck poster as well as the final prize each year.

Greg will also receive the 2019-2020 John Murphy Memorial Top Truck of the Year plaque, presented each year in memory of this former editor of New Zealand Trucking magazine, as well as a portrait of his truck by Auto Art by Rochelle. By the

time you read this, we’ll have presented Camo with his prize and there will be a full report on that in the next issue.

Greg’s sweet-as Scania was one of the most popular Top Trucks in recent memory and from the beginning of the public voting on 14 August – via the New Zealand Trucking website – it consistently sat amongst the top runners until voting closed on 13 September.

A Scania man through and through – he’s driven an R500 and R620 – Greg really went all in when he took delivery of the R650 during 2019.

Chassis covers, light bars,

that unique drop visor and stone guard up front, and some subtle custom graphics mean this rig is unmissable on the road. And the Euro 6-friendly exhaust bypass means you’ll hear it coming, too!

The truck’s clean-but-mean Euro theme has gained it a global cult-like following on the interweb, which no doubt contributed to it taking the crown this year.

Scan here to watch us surprise Camo with the good news!

• 2 • 1

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

CABLEPRICE FIRST IN NZ ISUZU I-1 GP On 10 September, CablePrice’s Wellington branch entered four technicians in this year’s Isuzu Trucks I-1 GP national technical skills competition, taking out four of the five top spots, including Luke Heesterman in first place.

This year saw 11 contestants from two dealerships – CablePrice Wellington had four participants while CAL Isuzu Hamilton had seven.

During the theory exam each contestant had to answer 25 mechanical knowledge questions in 75 minutes. For the practical, contestants had to troubleshoot two real breakdowns seen in New Zealand earlier this year, explain the mechanism of the failure, and describe how the faulty part affects the operation of the truck.

Luke scored top points in the practical, while Paul Everson from CAL Isuzu Hamilton was the best in the theory exam.

Luke and Paul will will represent New Zealand in the international final of the I-1 GP e-competition during November, against 86 participants from 43 countries.

THE ALL-NEW WESTERN STAR

D

aimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has unveiled the new Western Star platform in the United States.

As the official distributor of Western Star Trucks across Australia and New Zealand, Penske has worked closely with DTNA over several years throughout the development process of the new trucks and will continue to do so in the lead-up to the launch in our local markets.

Comprising the toughest, most tested, and most durable range of Western Star trucks, the new trucks will build on the rugged

American heritage of the Western Star brand, with the technologically advanced safety and performance features that tomorrow’s market demands.

“Here in Australia and New Zealand, Western Star has amassed a loyal customer base over the decades and we are confident our customers will be just as excited by the launch,” said Randall Seymore, president of Penske Australia & New Zealand.

“We will be rolling out a testing programme next year ensuring the new trucks are a perfect fit for our local

conditions and applications.

“We will continue to support our current Western Star truck portfolio, which has been proven to thrive in our tough and unique conditions, and Penske is committed to continuing to provide our customers with the service excellence they have come to expect.”

Penske’s launch plans for the new trucks will be revealed in due course, however it is expected that we will see the trucks enter our local markets in late 2022 or early 2023.

Advantage Tyres Pukekohe Keller Tyres Limited 189 Manukau Road, Pukekohe P: 09 238 5171 • M: 021 545 800 24/7 Callouts Trucks Agricultural Industrial Passenger/4x4 Specialists in application specific tyre recommendations • Free fleet tyre auditing

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NRC BACKS MENTEMIA MENTAL HEALTH APP

12 New Zealand Trucking

S

cania has launched its range of medium-duty L- and P-series electric trucks in Europe. The Scania fully electric truck comes with an option of five batteries for a total of 165kWh or nine batteries for 300kWh capacity, to drive the 230kW electric motor, equal to approximately 310hp. It has 2200Nm torque. The 300kWh battery offers a range of up to 250km on a single charge. The batteries can be charged by 130kW DC using a Combined Charging System (CCS) connector.

The charging time is fewer than 55 minutes for the fivebattery option and fewer than 100 minutes for the ninebattery option. Meanwhile, the batteries are continuously charged in motion through regenerative braking energy.

The plug-in hybrid truck provides opportunities to travel long distances in a combustion engine mode and subsequently drive up to 60km in an electric mode when required. It is equipped with three batteries for an installed capacity of 90kWh for the 115kW electric motor.

The charging time from nil to 80% is approximately 35 minutes and in addition to charging via regenerative braking energy, battery power can be topped up during loading and unloading.

The electric powertrain is combined with 280 to 360hp (208 to 268kW) combustion engines.

Scania New Zealand says this range is not available in the New Zealand market yet, but the journey of electrification is well under way.

X-WAY THE RIGHT STUFF

P

&S Hornell Transport has added a new Euro 6 X-Way AT 6x4 prime mover to its fleet, used to haul a 26-pallet refrigerated trailer on a metropolitan delivery contract and an Auckland to Hamilton linehaul run that sees it run 500km six days per week.

“At 380kW (510hp) and 2300Nm, the X-Way is ideal for this single trailer application,” said company director, Peter Hornell. “The integration between the engine and the 12-speed automated manual transmission works beautifully.”

A key consideration in buying the X-Way was its

October 2020

comfort levels and generous cabin appointments.

“My two drivers absolutely love this truck, they comment on how quiet it is and how intuitive the layout of the cabin is.”

The new X-Way range meets the stringent Euro 6 measure using Iveco’s unique Hi-SCR system, a single aftertreatment system featuring a passive diesel particulate filter where regeneration occurs continuously without needing driver intervention, and there’s no requirement for EGR. On the safety front, the X-Way sits amongst the market leaders with standard equipment including Electronic

Braking System with Brake Assistance System, Electronic Stability Program, Hill Holder, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Advanced Emergency Braking System.

“The main company we contract to sets criteria that our trucks must meet in order to service the contract. Strong safety and low emissions levels rank highly among the requirements. From a personal perspective, I’m also pleased to be providing our drivers with a very safe truck,” Hornell said.

0820-24

The National Road Carriers Association is working to help ease mental stress by partnering with Sir John Kirwan’s Mentemia to provide its mental health app to all those involved in the transport industry.

“The industry’s health and wellbeing are important to everyone and should be talked about,” says NRC CEO David Aitken. “People in the road freight industry work tirelessly to ensure freight is being delivered on time, and Covid-19 is contributing to an increase in stress and anxiety levels.”

Mentemia co-founder John Kirwan says the app is packed with evidence-based ideas and tools to help people learn how to be well and stay well.

“It helps users deal with the most common stressors we experience in the modern connected world today – poor sleep, anxiety and stress.

“If left unattended, these can significantly affect quality of life at home and work. Mentemia is the fence at the top of the cliff rather than the ambulance at the bottom. With Mentemia, you discover what things can help you feel more energised, more productive, and better equipped for whatever the world throws at you.”

Aitken says the appalling state of many of New Zealand’s roads takes a physical and mental toll on truck drivers and NRC is campaigning to improve this. “Navigating the country’s poorly maintained roads is a major health hazard that makes them ‘unsafe workplaces’ for all drivers who use them.

“NRC is very concerned about the mental stress drivers are under trying to keep these heavy vehicles on substandard roads. Drivers spend a long time in their vehicles and it’s a demanding enough job without having to constantly negotiate these safety hazards.”

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SPARTAN FINANCE FOR KIWIS

M GETTING THAT TYRE ADVANTAGE Located on Manukau Road, Advantage Tyres Pukekohe has an 18-year history servicing the South Auckland area. For the past year and a half it has been owned by Matt Keller. A familiar name in the New Zealand tyre industry, Keller is using his past experience in designing tyres and the understanding gained from knowing the manufacturing side of commercial tyres to bring a convenient tyre service offering to local operators.

“A lot of shops will sell their customers the tyres that suit them, but you have tyres for many different applications.

We’re specialists in applicationspecific tyre recommendations,” Keller explains.

Keller says that Advantage Tyres Pukekohe offers the usual tyre supply and replacement services, as well as free fleet tyre auditing, whereby technicians visit a customer’s fleet and check every single tyre on their trucks, making sure their tyres are in good nick and looking at whether they’re running the right tyres for their specific application. He adds that the store is also on standby 24/7, available for callouts to trucks that have suffered a blowout or a flat, or those that just need replacement tyres.

“Probably my biggest point of difference, due to my past work experience, is that I have contacts nationwide – if we can’t get to a customer’s truck, we know somebody who can,” Keller says.

14 New Zealand Trucking

ark Williams is a seasoned banker with more than 25 years’ expertise in asset finance in New Zealand and the UK, and currently sits on the executive board of the NZ Trucking Association. He has recently launched a 100% Kiwi-owned commercial finance brokerage company, Spartan Finance Ltd, which specialises in truck and vehicle finance, equipment finance, and general business finance.

Spartan Finance partners with a number of leading banks and financiers to offer a simple personalised application process for those wanting truck finance for new and used trucks, as well as unsecured business loans that can be used for repair and maintenance.

Williams says Spartan Finance was born out of his

desire to build a business that prides itself on long-term client relationships, taking the time to understand client businesses, their strategic goals and objectives, and being able to personally help and assist them in actually achieving them.

“Our tailor-made finance solutions have been well received by small and medium business owners nationwide, throughout all industries and sectors. Couple this with our depth of experience with truck, trailer and equipment finance, and we could see we’d found an opportunity,” says Williams.

“Clients are ‘over’ the red tape, bureaucracy and length of time that many of them face trying to arrange directly, and are looking for a partner to make this easy for them.

“Spartan Finance has been set up with speed and

simplicity in mind. We know truckies are busy, which is why we offer a simple application process that means they can apply any time, and we can then source the best competitive solutions for them,” says Williams.

“The commercial brokerage market in New Zealand is still in its infancy, with only about 15% of all SME business loans being transacted via brokers, compared with some 70%+ in the Australian SME marketplace. So potential to grow the New Zealand market is significant and Spartan Finance is well placed to lead this growth.”

Spartan Finance has offices in Auckland and Christchurch, with a team of experienced industry specialists in place to help New Zealanders access highly competitive finance options.

STRAITLINE CANVAS REINVENTS CURTAIN TENSIONERS

S

traitline Canvas has improved the humble curtain ratchet and introduced the Straitline Tensioner, with an easy-open design that minimises the force needed to release curtain tension.

The handle of the Straitline Tensioner can be locked in the release position, leaving both hands free to open the side curtain. The kink handle leaves plenty of clearance for hands while opening or closing.

Made with a tough milled aluminium body and steel handle, the Straitline Tensioner fits New Zealand standard three- or four-bolt mounting points.

Straitline Canvas designed the Straitline Tensioner following customer feedback from truckies and body builders across New Zealand – as well as its own curtain

repair team. The Straitline R&D team has been researching tensioner designs for the past few years, and the design effort for the Straitline Tensioner started in early 2019.

Two years of total development and testing took place. Testing included: •T esting the cog and trigger mechanism to over 1 million rotations; •O n-road testing of an early prototype since August 2019; •O n-road testing of multiple production samples since March 2020; •T esting a production sample under load with all PTFE bushings removed (which still worked); •T he prototype and all samples are still in current use.

The Straitline Tensioner can

IT W M DR KI CO AN YO YO

be ordered at www.straitline. co.nz/parts and is available in stock for same day dispatch via NZ Couriers. More information and demonstration videos can be found at www. straitline.co.nz/tensioner.

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DAIMLER TRUCKS PREVIEWS ITS ELECTRIC FUTURE

D

aimler Trucks has presented its technology strategy for the electrification of its vehicles, and revealed its technology for hydrogenbased fuel cell trucks for long-haul transport. The Mercedes-Benz GenH2 Truck concept marks the beginning of the company’s use of fuel cell technology. Daimler Trucks plans to begin customer trials of the GenH2 Truck in 2023; series production is to start in the second half of the decade.

Operating ranges of 1000km on a single tank of hydrogen are claimed.

Daimler Trucks also presented a preview of a purely battery-powered longhaul truck, the Mercedes-Benz eActros LongHaul, which is

designed to cover regular journeys on plannable routes.

Daimler Trucks plans to have the eActros LongHaul ready for series production in 2024. Its range on will be approximately 500km.

Also displayed was the Mercedes-Benz eActros for distribution transport, originally presented in 2018, which has been tested intensively by customers in everyday transport operations.

Production of a purely batterypowered heavy-duty truck range will begin next year.

The range on one battery charge will exceed that of the prototype’s 200km.

“This combination enables us to offer our customers the best vehicle options, depending on application.

Battery power will be used for lower cargo weights and shorter distances. Fuel cell power will be the preferred option for heavier loads and longer distances,” said Martin Daum, chairman of the board of management of Daimler Truck AG. The development engineers at Daimler Trucks have based the GenH2 Truck on the capabilities of the conventional Mercedes-Benz Actros. It is to have a GVW of 40 tonnes and a payload of 25 tonnes.

Two special liquid hydrogen tanks (80kg combined) and a powerful fuel cell system will make this high payload and long range possible.

The fuel cell system will supply 2x150kW and the battery can provide an additional 400kW temporarily.

The two electric motors offer a total of 2x230kW continuous power and 2x330kW maximum power. Torque is 2x1577Nm and 2x2071Nm respectively.

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ROAD NOISE NEWS

A BOOK TO COMMEMORATE KENWORTH

I

n the early 1960s, New Zealand Forest Products Ltd in Tokoroa was looking for suitable replacements for its iconic fleet of International logging trucks. In 1964, two 848 model off-highway Kenworths were finally put to work hauling logs to the Kinleith mill, and so started New Zealand’s love affair with the legendary Kenworth brand.

Shortly thereafter, three L924 model Kenworths arrived in Wellington to work for

Wilkins and Davies Ltd. Over the next 31 years, nearly 1000 various model Kenworth trucks arrived to ply the nation’s highways and byways.

Edwin Mansell, Grant Gadsby, Paul Livsey and Dean Jackson have embarked on their next literary endeavour to encapsulate the photographic history of the ownership of these trucks over that 31-year period.

The Kenworth book is another in their series of

trucking books and follows on from the successful sellout of the Mack 1000 book (which will be published in 2022 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the start of building Mack Trucks in Palmerston North by Ron Carpenter’s Motor Truck Distributors).

With an approximate price of $150 + postage, it is envisaged that the Kenworth book will be published in 2023 to commemorate Kenworth’s

TM

centenary of manufacture.

With 500 copies already sold, now is the time to place your order for this 500-page coffee table style book. It will be the perfect partner for the Mack book in your collection.

Email Ed, Grant or Paul to advise your interest in this once-in-a-lifetime Kenworth pictorial history. mansell@orcon.net.nz grant.gadsby3@xtra.co.nz paul.livsey@trgroup.co.nz

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ROAD NOISE NEWS LIGHT COMMERCIALS

M ETRO BRIE F S Ford NZ has announced a Transit PHEV – a plug-in electric cargo van – for $89,990. Plug the van in for about 56km of purely electric running, after which it’ll fire the 1.0-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine to power the battery that turns the wheels. If your delivery round is under 56km, you need never add petrol. Payload is more than 1000kg.

LDV says a fully electric T60 ute will go on sale in New Zealand in 2021, with an electric van offering 6.3m3 of cargo space to follow by year end.

VW will launch its T6.1 van later in 2020, using an advanced electromechanical steering system as part of safety features like Crosswind Assist. Launch date is Covid-dependant.

General Motors has bought a US$2 billion stake in Nikola to accelerate production of a fuel cell and battery ute by the end of 2022. Pre-order reservations have started for the Badger, which will debut in Arizona.

SE E T H E GA L L E RY I N T H E D I GI TA L E D I TON

Trucking dreams?

C

learly with less freight moving during Covid lockdowns, Fleetlogging.com staff had time on their hands to imagine what it would look like if supercar brands built a truck. After all, Lamborghini built tractors, so why not?

Picking seven supercar brands they got to work, penning their view of what

each brand’s commercial load-hauler would look like.

The Aston Martin version built off the DB11’s front grille and headlights; the Ferrari equivalent used a Portofino as inspiration and included a glass canopy to mimic the folding hardtop-roof; the Lamborghini started with the Urus SUV – including its air intakes.

But the hardest was the brand with the Kiwi link.

McLaren built a name off racing, and doesn’t sell anything remotely resembling a practical vehicle, so the designers had to start with the 720S, with its multi-spoke wheels and orange paint, and ended with a cargo area shaped to mimic the McLaren logo.

Worksport has come a step closer to production of its TerraVis solar tonneau cover for utes. The folding tonneau will double as a recharger for an electric ute’s battery, to cut power bills.

Want a giant American ute without the equally massive fuel bills? GM will reveal an electric Hummer ute later this year, with production starting late in 2021.

N

ew and used commercial vehicle registrations were down again in August. Total new truck and bus sales fell 24.8% in the year to 1 September over the previous year, with used equivalents down 24.7% over the same period.

Meanwhile, light bus sales fell 2.1% so far this year, vans by 26%, 2WD utes by 34.1%, and 4WD utes by 24.2%.

Ford’s Ranger is New Zealand’s top-selling ute so far this year, followed by Toyota’s Hilux – both outselling any passenger car – then Mitsubishi’s Triton and Holden’s Colorado. Toyota’s Hiace was New Zealand’s top-selling van, followed by Ford’s Transit, Fiat’s Ducato, and Hyundai’s iLoad.

Waiheke will get six electric buses to run its scheduled services this year, following its electric rubbish truck. Electric buses have been trialled in New Zealand, but this will be our first contracted electric fleet. Five percent of the island’s passenger cars run on electricity.

20 New Zealand Trucking

Covid hits New Zealand commercial sales

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October 2020

Hella N

Peugeot loads up

P

eugeot’s new Expert van has gone on sale, from $54,990 for the ‘Medium’ Expert. It’s driven by a 2.0litre 4-cylinder diesel engine linked to an 8-speed auto, for a miserly fuel-use figure reaching a claimed 6.3l/100km.

Peugeot says its 1300kg tops the medium-size van segment, with a tow rating over two tonnes the icing on the cake.

Car-like safety tech is featured, including adaptive cruise control and a completely sealed cabin, keeping drivers more efficiently cool in summer or warm in winter.

We look forward to finding out a lot more when we test this van for an upcoming issue.

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COVER FEATURE

WHITE KNIGHTS We’ve all heard it, or had it said to us at some point… ‘there’s no ‘I’ in ‘team’. But two nights and a day spent with the Prestige Building Removals crew hammered home exactly what the hell that actually means.

Story by Dave McCoid

S EE THE GA LLERY IN THE DIGITA L E DI TON

Photos and video by Gavin Myers and Dave McCoid S E E T H E V I D EO I N TH E D I G I TAL E D I TO N

“You’re going great Malc, love your work buddy. Bus on the right.”

“You’re clear left, clear left.”

“Bus on right one metre, four-hundy, hold, hold, hold that line, yep bus clear, go!”

“Car left.”

“Watch the wires overhead.”

“Lamppost on right. Two metres.”

“Car on left one metre, five-hundy, four-hundy. No! Stop. Can we crab?”

“Yep, two metres to the lamppost.”

“Okay buddy, crab it, crab it.”

“Do you want me to tilt?”

“Na … yep, actually just a bit.”

“Yep, you can tilt, right side has room.”

“How’s that?”

“Yeah brother, beautiful, hold that line … sweeeet you’re good, you’re good.”

…and so it went on, hour after hour as the team from PBR (Prestige Building Removals), with its brand new combination of Peterbilt 389 and TRT ESS house trailer, eased, squeezed, and wriggled a 9.5m wide, 4.2m high family abode on a rig that measured 23m in length, from the firm’s house storage facility in West Auckland through the City of Sails, and on south.

If you asked the average

punter which occupations are home to the longest stretches of intense concentration and teamwork, I doubt any would include house movers in their top five. Being honest, if you’d asked me last month, I wouldn’t have. But now, having lived in their world for a brief moment, they’d be in my top three; and I’d defend them being there to the hilt. What makes their achievements even more breathtaking is it’s all done

in the middle of the night, at a time when our bodies and brains don’t want to be at their quickest and most agile.

Now, where were we?

Let’s duck back briefly to the start of the journey. It’s 10.15pm in Swanson, ‘Westie country’, and we’re awaiting the permitted ‘go’ time of 10.30pm. To be honest, it seemed a little surreal, houses on trucks always are, but

Downtown Takanini ... with a house.

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 23

‘Every day I’m shuffling!’ Doing the traffic light Watusi in Sandringham.

it was made all the more perplexing by the lead truck in tonight’s pair being a brand new Peterbilt. Then there was a masterpiece in Kiwi design and engineering that was connected to its hydraulic fifth wheel slider; a new TRT four-axle, twin-tyre, six-slot trombone house trailer with the new Electronic Steering System (ESS). The whole combination was sitting there in gleaming white, spookily lit from underneath. It looked completely stunning.

Running with the Pete was an International S-Line, owned and driven on the night by 48-year house moving veteran Mick Daly.

Mick owns Highway House

24 New Zealand Trucking

Movers in Whangarei and he had one third of the house we were shifting on the Inter’s back. Mick’s daughter Abby is the partner of PBR boss Jason Barnes, so the two companies work closely together often.

Shift boss was PBR’s Dave Fulford. He and Mick were the exceptions to what seemed like an air of nervous excitement that enveloped the whole scene as the trucks were prepped, checked, and flashing lights attached all over the house parts. I couldn’t quite put a finger on what was generating the buzz, and I remember thinking it had been a while since I witnessed this level October 2020

of excitement at a 10.15pm truck pre-check. Yes, I was excited, but that was totally expected; new story, new adventure, new people, but for these guys wasn’t this just another day at work?

Or was there something else? By night’s end, I would understand exactly what this phenomenon was, but at that moment 10.25pm passed, signalling T-minus five minutes as they say in Houston Control, and the atmosphere went up another notch.

At that moment the immaculately presented Malcolm Whitehead-Clarke appeared from the dark.

“Dave? Great to have you

along mate, welcome to our world. Chuck your stuff in the cab.”

Malcolm is the Peterbilt’s driver, making him the latest member of an exclusive Kiwi drivers’ club. A career driver, the 45-year-old is himself a recent convert to this amazing world of building removals, having started with PBR early this year. He too, was calm, and had just completed a walk-around of the unit.

Dave Fulford then gave the signal to saddle-up, and everyone took their positions.

The team was Charlie Gurnick in the lead pilot possie, another multi-decade veteran of the game. Then there was Dave in second pilot slot who

had two tasks pretty much.

First, impress on those of low comprehension, unable to grasp Charlie’s earlier ‘message’, that a house was moments away; and second, give Malcolm and his spotters a heads-up on potential physical hindrances, things like buildings, vehicles, lampposts, power poles, railings, rubbish bins, fences, and overhead wires; in fact anything. Then there was Malcolm in the Peterbilt, followed by his eyes and ears, spotters Vasya Ritchie and James Shadrock. Then there was Mick in the S-Line, and behind him was Jason Barnes.

Forming a scrum The rugby scrum, another epic example of concentrated teamwork. Its ultimate success comes only when three things are aligned. One, there’s a plan; two, everyone knows their role in that plan; and three, there’s harmony of effort. House moving is exactly the same. When Dave gave the word, the excitement dissipated, everyone seemed to take a huge breath, and … showtime! It starts before the trucks even leave the yard.

The spotters start calling distances, measurements, obstructions, and strategies just to get Malcolm out the gate onto the street. Charlie was already at the first

intersection at the end of the road alerting traffic, and Dave was encouraging the first of the night’s loonies to seek a safe parking position … pointing out that directly in Malcolm’s path isn’t it.

It’s worth noting Dave’s an incredibly calm man, just what you need in that role.

Speaking metaphorically, an angry man would likely result in blood in the streets, such is the abject stupidity of many of our Kiwi brethren.

“It’s often the trickiest part a lot of the time,” said Malcolm. “Getting from the street where the house is to a main artery with few obstructions.”

‘Getting to a main artery’

is all pretty relative really.

The overdimension route through Auckland won’t let you near the motorway until Ramarama in the far south. If you’ve not had the pleasure of New Zealand’s biggest smoke, imagine driving a truck with a house on its back right through a city that has a population the thick end of half a million more than the entire South Island.

For the PBR team that meant roughly 65km winding through Swanson, Henderson, Glendene, New Lynn, Blockhouse Bay, Mt Roskill, Three Kings, Greenlane, Ellerslie, Penrose, Otahuhu, Papatoetoe, Manukau, Manurewa, Takanini,

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 25

Above and opposite: It’s a spectacular sight, eerily lit pre departure.

Papakura, Drury, Ramarama ... motorway ... south! Whew!

There were, of course, two huge omissions to the final team position list above.

‘Pete’, as in the truck, and the new TRT ESS house trailer.

Let’s introduce the latter first, because the city is where it’s going to ‘do its thing’ way more than just thundering down the motorway, that’s more the Pete’s forté, so we’ll leave Pete until later.

The first time the trailer pulled a rabbit from the hat was the intersection of Sandringham and Mt Albert Roads where we wanted to turn onto the latter and continue south.

The intersection has a 130odd degree cut-back, traffic islands and lights strategically placed on the critical apex, made all the worse by limited room to swing either truck bonnet or trailer tail. It would

A rare breather.

26 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

be an arse in a normal 23m unit, much more so with the good family abode in tow.

It had the whole operation stopped momentarily, and everyone out of their vehicles for an up-close-and-personal visual assessment.

If you want to know just how good TRT’s latest and greatest in house carrying tech is, ask Mick. He’s moved more houses than we’ve all had hot dinners, and he’s

seen it all … twice. Yet when we were talking just prior to setting off he pointed to the trailer and quietly said, “It’s the Rolls-Royce of house trailers that thing. It really is the Rolls-Royce.”

Malcolm handed the remote for the trailer to Vasya, and jumped back in the truck.

Vasya then lifted, tilted, and steered the trailer around the intersection remotely.

Eight sets of hydraulically

steered wheels in a split-axle setup are arranged in four twin-tyred axle sets. They can steer up to 35 degrees either side of centre thanks to the ROR centre-pivot axles and TRT’s latest software.

Each row works in unison, or independently, with the hydraulics for the whole trailer powered via a Yanmar 60hp diesel power pack on the trailer’s gooseneck. It allowed James to crab steer the trailer

initially, and then orientate the wheels so they all appeared to follow the circumference of a huge circle on the ground.

The trailer ‘wrapped’ itself around the traffic light poles like an exotic dancer and before you knew it, we were away.

Although there are plenty of other tricks in its basket (see sidebar ‘It’s in our DNA’), this machine’s real showstoppers are ESS and Quick Connect

modular system for additional trailer axles to be added (this trailer has a single-axle module not in use on this move). The customer specs a base trombone house trailer and an axle count with their payloads in mind and flexibility they need. From there, additional axle modules can be added with one, two, three or four axles, allowing the trailer to be configured to any axle count they want. The

axle modules take around 20 to 25 minutes to change out.

On-road steering happens via slew ring and sensors in the trailer integrated with the truck, and proprietary software in the onboard management system. All potential configurations are preset into the system, and as modules are plugged in or unplugged, the operator just selects the configuration they’re now towing. This

The most famous bonnet of all.

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 27

IT’S IN OUR DNA is not a castor steer trailer, this piece of kit is steering precisely in accordance with the towing vehicle, and it will follow perfectly ... if you want it to, or it will go whichever way you tell it in order to negotiate crappy bits, as we’d just witnessed. You can do all that from in the cab, or alternatively as we saw earlier, steering can be done manually by a third party with a remote control box.

“Vasya can either hang on to the remote and take control in the sticky bits, or I can do it from in here based on what they’re saying,” said Malcolm.

“They’re my eyes and ears and sometimes it’s better if they do it, like back there; they can see better than I can.”

It’s the first of two trailers PBR has ordered from TRT. There’s a 3-axle due with an additional two-axle Quick Connect module. For the first time TRT has engineered trailers that can connect to either or both modules. So, with the one-axle module they have, this will give huge interchangeability.

“House moving gear just hadn’t moved with the times,” said Jason Barnes. “These trailers are state of the art.

They’re so easy on the houses, there’s no dragging them around corners; the house is fully supported.

They’re amazing pieces of kit.

The guys love them.

“TRT set up the truck too, obviously. I gotta say, they were so good to work with

28 New Zealand Trucking

the whole way through.”

Seeing with your ears Let’s talk about Malcolm’s world for a bit. Truck drivers love finishing the loading process, putting on their favourite playlist or podcast, and heading off. The chance for Malcolm would be a fine thing. Imagine hooking first gear, and from that moment there’s no let-up in voices from three different places coming into the cab. He’s listening intently to what they’re saying, and when needed, ‘tweaking’ the trailer, all while driving the truck, which after his years behind the wheel, he could do in his sleep ... just as well. This is one busy office!

Again, the teamwork and solidarity is breathtaking. All the instructions and directions are positive, and there’s plenty of reinforcement. There has to be. If your driver loses his nerve or confidence midjob, it’s going to be a long night.

Malcolm can see the two pilots out front, and all obstructions until he’s roughly alongside them. After that, looking in the mirrors only reveals a living room on one side, and a wash house on the other. His other eyes and ears are his ‘rear gunners’, Vasya, and James. The communication is fluid and relentless.

“With good spotters you could almost put a blindfold on and drive it,” laughs October 2020

A

modular, innovative, and e-smart solution that breaks new ground in the transport of heavy and over-dimensional loads by using proven solutions, adapted and applied to new circumstances? That, folks, was present in the chromosomes that formed TRT. On the one hand you have Jack Tidd himself in Te Kuiti in the 30s, cannibalising and strengthening car parts to make petrol tanker axles. In those days the ‘e’ didn’t mean electronic, it probably meant Ernie, as in Ernie Binns, the father of the Tidd trailing axle.

Then there’s Dave Carden at Southside Motors and Engineering in Putaruru in the 60s, putting cranes on refurbished truck chassis, and making all the other bits – jibs, booms, hooks, etc – himself.

When Carden’s business was bought by the newly formed Jack Tidd Ross Todd enterprise, Binns had already gone sometime prior, but the savvy, clever, innovative, Carden remained on. The rest as they say, is … flourishing in New Zealand and Australia actually.

“What I want people to know, is there’s nothing to be scared of in this innovation,” said Bruce Carden, director of sales and innovation at TRT. “This tech has been around in big mobile cranes for a long time, we’ve just taken something that works in one sphere and tweaked and

applied it in another sphere.

This is proven technology, adapted and redeployed.”

What he’s talking about in particular is the proprietary ESS (Electronic Steering System) present in the company’s latest range of heavy haul platforms and house trailers.

ESS 101, in lay terms. A geared slew ring on the skid plate connects to encoders that transfer information to the electronic steering controller.

This in turn determines the trailer steering angles based on the degrees of turn inputs.

The result is an enormous trailer that follows its tractor to a T. Because machines are at the end of the day machines, there are two failsafe systems built in. In the event there’s failure in the power pack that runs the trailer hydraulics, a gas over hydraulic accumulator will instantly charge the hydraulic steering system and allow the trailer to operate safely in the straight ahead position. Alternatively the truck’s PTO can run the whole system.

Because ESS allows any number of trailer combinations to be facilitated with just the flick of a button on the in-cab controller, TRT then went about improving the speed a combination could be put together. That led to Quick Connect, a modular system now finding its way to more conventional multi-row transporter trailers.

“Modular trailers are not a new concept but they were

1

2

1) The centre-pivot design of the ROR steering axles. 2) The accumulator is one of two failsafe systems protecting the trailer’s functionality. 3) The benefits of the split axle design are clearly evident.

3

slow to connect and not very safe for the guys changing them. We had to make this faster and safer. Quick Connect has been tested as low as 20 minutes, ‘whoa to go’,” said TRT trailer sales engineer Glen Harnett.

Again, a 101 lesson in Quick Connect modules. The rear of the lead trailer has two (or four for a spreading trailer) vertical locator pins that pick up eyes in the module being added. This allows lugs on the additional module to nest between two locators on the lead trailer. Hydraulic pins then travel through all three, pinning them together.

From there it’s a matter of connecting the hydraulics and electrics, telling the controller your new configuration, and off you go.

“It’s so easy to use,” says Glen. “We provide full operational training and there’s a thorough handover with our specialist Garth Uren.

He goes over the operation as well as service and maintenance.”

In terms of other significant engineering, the house trailers use a torsional box trombone system, rather than the traditional ‘I’-beam system.

The enclosed housing design with inner webs significantly improves strength by up to 40% over an ‘I’-beam,

according to Glen.

The trailers have a lowered bed height of 0.88m and raise to 2.75m. The split independent axle design means they can also tilt side to side, fore and aft.

“Although we have a standard, each trailer is specced for each customer.

It’s all about requirement, preference, and futureproofing,” says Glen. “You can have different trombone lengths, axles and spacings on the base unit, then add modules, or features like side shift front and rear, as well as king pin side shift; it really is how long is a piece of string.”

Development of the concept is far from over, there’s constant improvement and new ideas all the time, as well as a vision for where it could potentially lead.

“We have a saying here,” said Bruce. “Never build the same thing more than twice, because by the third unit we will find a way to innovate again. That’s how we help industry but keep TRT products at the forefront of technology.”

Hmmm, somehow I can imaging hearing that in a Putaruru engineering workshop sometime in the 60s!

(Top) One half of the Quick Connect story. The front mount on a module. Locators on the rear of the lead section pick up the horizontal eyes at the top, allowing the lower lugs to locate into housings and everything to be pinned together. (Bottom) Two encoders tracking the slew ring in the head of the trailer are key to ESS.

“What I want people to know is there’s nothing to be scared of in this innovation ,” said Bruce Carden, director of sales and innovation at TRT. “This tech has been around in big mobile cranes for a long time, we’ve just taken something that works in one sphere, and tweaked and applied it in another sphere. This is proven technology, adapted and redeployed.”

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 29

Malcolm. As we motor down a rare stretch of expansive inner-city road he hums along with a barely audible song in the background, making the most of the momentary break.

If you’re carting a house through Auckland what’s one of the worst things you could have happen? The answer, two pilots with purple lights coming the other way, and that’s exactly what greeted us in downtown Otahuhu.

It turned out to be a huge skybridge heading for the new convention centre, and following a quick inter-pilot korero it was determined there was ‘heaps of room’, and so in the wee-small hours, the two behemoths inched passed each other with a whole 80 to 100mm to spare. Move on, nothing to see here people.

Open road We should say at this point the house’s destination was actually Kinloch on the northeastern flanks of Lake

Taupo. It was going to be a two-night affair with the ‘overday’ (it’s not over-night is it?) layover planned for PBR’s Horotiu yards on the northern outskirts of Hamilton.

Following one last tight bit negotiating the new Takanini interchange construction, it was as straightforward as house moving gets, on down to Ramarama with a collective sigh of relief as the Pete’s bonnet swung onto the motorway.

Within seconds the odometer read ludicrous numbers like 80 and 90kph, which after the preceding six or so hours seemed like we were in the Millennium Falcon hurtling through space … which I guess made me Chewbacca … let’s go Starship Enterprise instead.

Rare, and always exciting to be looking down the famous split-rivet bonnet of a Peterbilt at the most famous grab-handle ever to grace a radiator surround. At last the Pete seemed to be

The Kinloch squad. (From left) James Shadrock, Takare Prime, Vasya Ritchie, Malcolm Whitehead-Clarke, Morgan Tuau.

30 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

doing what they love best, running down an expressway.

Malcolm estimated the weight at about 50 tonne all up, and the 448kW (600hp) Cummins X-15 under the hood gave a bit of a snarl as it poked into St Stephens hill. Width and traffic meant we ended up at 40kph with the 18-speed manual Roadranger in 6th high at 1400rpm.

Malcolm’s old-school and reassuring to ride with, meaning ‘Jakes’ first and brakes second down the Bombays, in a gear that keeps both speed and adrenaline where they should be. Further south on the new Huntly bypass deviation with wide open expanses and a run-on, the Pete held 45kph in 7th high and 1100rpm.

Trundling along, conversation turned to the truck’s name on the bugdeflector, The White Knight.

“Yeah, a bit of thought went into that, eh? My wife Helena had a lot of input too,” said Malcolm. “The white

is obviously the company livery, but White Knights were always the good knights, you know? What we do is really important to people, we don’t just cart ‘stuff’ we cart people’s lives and memories, where they might have raised their kids, or it’s someone’s new home where all those things will happen. It’s a huge responsibility, one that we take really seriously believe me. So, we’re the White Knights … the good guys, responsible, and of course the knight thing ties into ‘night’ when you say it too, you know?”

It was 6am when we pulled into the Horotiu yard, half an hour until curfew. Malcolm backed the trailer in, and Vasya steered it into place out of harm’s way for the day. Roll on…

… night two – Kinloch bound Hamilton may be our biggest inland city, but it certainly is no Auckland, and one of

Malcolm in the office.

THE IN-CAB CROONER

F

orty-five-year-old Malcolm WhiteheadClarke and his wife Helena run the karaoke at Hamilton’s The Quadrant bar every second Friday, and the odd Saturday.

What that means on the job is, amidst the intermittent stress and frenzy of a house relocation, Malcolm always has a song in his heart, singing away as part of his coping mechanism no doubt.

If you’re in the passenger’s perch, it all adds to the entertainment.

Malcolm’s one of those people who is affable, a great conversationalist, and he can sing. Vocationally, he’s been around trucks right from the get-go. His grandfather, Ray Marsh, owned and ran Brosnan Motors buses in Raglan, and his dad, Wally, drove for General Foods and NZ Roadservices before a long career at Tony Galbraith Ltd (1989-2005). That was great for a young Malcolm, who grew up helping any way he could, washing trucks, having fun, and just getting involved, as so many of us of

at that time did.

His first real job was with Countrywide Movers. That job got him valuable experience, took him all over the South Island, and it’s also where he first worked with Jason Barnes.

Malcolm moved back to Hamilton around the turn of the century, working various casual driving jobs, including regular slots back where it all began at Tony Galbraith Ltd. Following a couple of years with TCD contractors Alan and Adrienne Green, he took on an owner-driver position at Mainfreight, floating at first and then on a set run between Tauranga and Wellington.

The ebbs and flows of life saw Malcolm off to Australia in 2008, where he spent four years on interstate trucking and then in the mining industry on side tippers out of Port Hedland.

He returned home in 2011 and started with Alexander Grain carting wine for Vintage harvest season 2012.

Following wedding bells in 2013, Malcolm took on a

position at the end of 2014 for just over a year with Michael Purvis’ Oruanui Linehual.

“Michael was a brilliant boss.

Great to work for.”

Linehaul took its toll on his family. Helena was raising five children at home by herself (Malcolm and Helena have 10 kids in total, plus three grandchildren), so Malcolm wanted more time at home.

He took on work at TR Group for 18 months before a functional stroke upended his life.

“It was the body telling me it’d had had enough for a while and to slow down. I recuperated from that and thought I was King Kong again, so went back to Michael chasing the dollars, but only lasted three months before I tipped up again.”

Following recuperation, Malcolm went to his old go-to, casual work. He was helping out Owens contractor Eddie Tuhakaraina, when his old mate Jason tapped him on the shoulder early this year, and asked ‘What about moving houses?’

“I was enjoying helping

Ed out for a bit, and house moving wasn’t a job I’d ever really considered, but I’m thoroughly enjoying it. It’s been a steep learning curve, and it’s bloody challenging at times, I’ll tell you that.

“Originally I came on as the second driver, and there were other responsibilities, health and safety, things like that.

But now I’m on this [Peterbilt], it’s all good. What we do, where we get the houses we shift, the average person has no idea how houses are shifted and all the things that go into moving them from A to B. I really enjoying the teamwork and camaraderie.

“I’m not interested in being the fastest or any of that, I just cruise along and focus on being careful, clean, and tidy.”

None of us knows what life is going to dish us up next, and it’s never the challenge that’s the issue, it’s how we react. Malcolm WhiteheadClarke is proof that focusing on presentation, care and approach – as well as having your favourite tunes as the backdrops to your life – won’t see you go too far wrong.

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 31

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3 the best exemplars of that is how long it takes a house to be transported through.

Auckland took five and half hours, Hamilton just under one from extreme north to its southern boundary! Released onto the Waikato Expressway we were off like knights into battle, except on this leg Mick and the International had been replaced by a PBR Freightliner Columbia.

So how did Prestige Building Removals find themselves owners of a new Peterbilt?

“It came in through Truckworks Australia,” said Jason Barnes. “It was for sale in Whangarei, it was heavy spec, perfect for what we want and something a bit different, something that stands out. We would have liked another one but was told that wasn’t possible, and so settled on a Kenworth that’s in the pipeline currently.”

The 389 was the successor to the legendary 379 in 2007.

The PBR truck is a short hood variant and in construction spec rated for 150 tonne GCM. Behind the venerable Cummins and Roadranger duo are Meritor 46-160GP axles with inter-axle diff locks and cross locks running a 4.3:1 final. Suspension is Peterbilt Air Trac 4-bag setup.

Up front a Meritor MFS14 front axle sits on parabolic leaf and shock absorbers.

Inside it’s as Peterbilt as, no surprises there. It’s a tiny space, with a beautiful wrapped dash that is home

32 New Zealand Trucking

1&2) It’s a Peterbilt dash at its most ‘Peterbilt’. 3) Overhead and indoor view give a good indication of the cosy dimensions. 4) PTO, brakes, light console. A touch of upholstery wouldn’t go amiss. 5) Note the ESS management module on the overhead. to the full array of gauges and switches glistening in their silver bezels like a knight’s armour. There’s woodgrain and buttoned vinyl, big aftermarket brake valves, it’s all there. Being a day cab you’d think next was a comment about the lack of storage, but the cab has great depth and headroom, and there’s a full-length tub running along the back of the cab. Everything that won’t go in there must go under seats or overhead. The control panel for the trailer smarts faces the driver overhead and centre, and the command centre for the turntable slider, brake balance, PTO, and lighting is between the seats in a console … which does need to be upholstered really. Currently it looks a bit October 2020

4

5

agricultural in bare aluminium.

The Pete was comfortable, and about the same noise level inside as a T909 Kenworth. One thing we love on Petes is the mirror bracketry. There’s a really meaty dominant ‘C’ arm, and you get no movement at all. Access-wise the steps are great, the door opening horrible … yet it’s all so cool.

You can’t buy one, so there’s not a great deal of use delving too much deeper. No one buys a 389 just because it’s their truck, they buy them because trucks are their life.

In 2016 I sat for three hours

with Bob Orton, founder, owner, and boss at Bob Orton Trucking, in his small office at the company’s home in Panguitch, Utah. Bob was 83 then. Pete’s have always been, and still were, the backbone of his business.

When I asked him the same question I’ve asked many others stateside, “What’s the Peterbilt thing Bob? What is it about Peterbilts?” He gave me my all-time favourite answer. He simply looked up, paused, and said in a long Utah drawl, “Well, Dave. It’s like this. There’s Peterbilt, and then there’s every other

$%&@ing thing.” As the White Knight thundered south, I thought back to Bob, and smiled. Peterbilt. The greatest truck we never had.

The run south gave little trouble compared with the night before. Places like the narrow bridge on the northern entrance to Putaruru were of no consequence and the team had knocked off and were heading for bed before the first rays of light appeared.

White Knights Moving houses is as much about the beginning and end as it is about the bit in the middle, and if teamwork at a level few people witness is required to move it along the road, then incomprehensible cooperation is needed to pick it up, or place it down.

Kinloch was one of those jobs where you could say it all started once they arrived.

The next two days were about getting the house up the drive, through two lumpy paddocks, over a hideous bund, and onto its narrow plot. It’s where you understand the reasoning behind buying a heavy haul truck for gross weights that will rarely pass 60 tonne, and why you fit it with a trailer Harry Houdini would have been proud to own.

House removal trucks often have to be pushed, pulled, and wrenched into place. Fortunately, the big Pete found its own way across the paddock to the bund, assisted ably by the trailer keeping all in trim and level behind. Both the city experience and now this place showed us that the 18-speed Roadie will spend many hours in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd with all manner of traction aids rallied.

When things get really torrid, there are other tricks too. The truck’s turntable is mounted on a slider attached to a huge hydraulic ram fixed to the chassis behind the cab, also fitted by TRT. With the trailer locked up, the ram

BARNES STORMING!

L

oosely speaking, people fall into three categories. Those who sap your energy, those who equal your energy, and those who generate it and flail it around everywhere for anyone to grab. Forty-five-yearold Jason Barnes is most definitely in the last category.

Spend 10 minutes with Jason in the immaculate PBR office on River Road in Hamilton, and you come away not only incredibly energised, but with an overwhelming sense that time is money, even though that was never mentioned at any point in the conversation.

Hamilton-born he may be, but the bulk of Jason’s life has been spent in the South Island. Although he’s worked in transport, logistics, and property all his life, physically moving houses was new to him when he started six years ago.

Who it wasn’t new to though was partner Abby.

Not only is she the daughter of Highway House Movers legend Mick Daly, but property and house broker Abby also had her own house removal business at one stage.

Late last year they bought Prestige House Removals to supplement their main Saint Properties business. They bought it from veteran house mover Paddy O’Sullivan, who’d been relocating residences since 1973.

“Paddy’s just incredible,” said Jason. “He’s in his 80s now, retired. He’s still fullon.” In fact, we rang Paddy to clarify the year he started, and caught him having lunch in the middle of a job he was doing on the roof of his Opotiki house! Gotta love oldschoolers, don’t you?

They gave the business’s

logo and livery a swish-up and invested in new gear to bring the image and efficiency to where it needed to be.

“We move people’s lives and often there’s a lot of emotion in a house move.

People should have their homes on the best gear,” said Jason.

As we said in the main article, the Pete and house trailer are getting a running mate each in the New Year, which will add to the interchangeability and enhance productivity greatly.

Prestige’s main role is to work within and support the property business, although they’re equally happy to do outwork also. “Yeah, we’ll move anything,” said Jason.

“It’s a high energy business, and there’s never a dull moment. And in the middle of the night, you see everything!

Good, bad, and sometimes just funny. Motorists take some getting through to in the early hours, believe me. And the public love it. We shifted a church from in town recently, and there were about 200 people out to watch us. Some were like ‘You’ll never get that out of there’, but yep, we did.

“We all love what we do.

It’s fun, and at the end of the day that’s it isn’t it? You gotta enjoy it!”

And in true Barnesstorming style, Jason said if you like sound of it all, give him a bell – they’re looking for another driver!

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 33

Living the American dream.

can push the truck forward and then pull the trailer in.

Likewise, there’s a front sideshift leg on the trailer, handy for that last half metre or so needed to place the house right on its spot.

The PBR guys work in a dangerous environment, especially at this phase in the process, but real safety is yet again communication, knowing your role, never being afraid to draw on prior experience, saying what you think without fear,

and most of all, preparation before progress. Gavin and I witnessed it all time and time again in the days we were around.

But safety and productivity is also not resting on what has traditionally been good enough to get the job done, and hats off to PBR for sourcing the best, most advanced equipment money can buy.

So, back to the beginning when I said there was an air of tense excitement. Three

days later the reason was plain. What these guys do is perform; it’s pure theatre.

When a house is on the road, they’re ‘on stage’ for the world to see, and like any showman, you’re only as good as your last performance, and heaven help if you forget your part. They knew prior to leaving what was expected, how much time they had to achieve it, and what was on the line.

And that’s how it is with every single shift. It must be easy to

get addicted.

The sense of achievement on completion even for Gavin and I was immense, and all we did was ask questions and take pictures and video. What it must feel like for the actual guys is hard to imagine.

The truck and trailer? Yes, they’re impressive, and TRT can be rightly proud of its baby. But the truth is, it’s all nothing without the cohesion of those who make it work, and that’s what makes what these guys do so impressive.

After Auckland, Putaruru was no problem.

34 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

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

Peterbilt 389 6x4 heavy-haul tractor

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

Peterbilt 389 6x4 heavy-haul tractor door. Heated mirrors. Keyless entry.

Tare: 9280kg GVM: 27,300kg GCM: 150,000kg Wheelbase: 5480mm Engine: Cummins X-15 Capacity: 15 litre Power: 448kW (600hp) Torque: 2508Nm (1850lb/ft) Emissions: Family 3 (2013 Emissions) (Comp Euro 5) Transmission: Eaton Roadranger RTLO20918B 18-speed manual Clutch: Eaton Easy Pedal VCT ceramic (2050lf/ft) Chassis: 273mm x 88mm x 9.5mm (construction spec)

Cab interior: Prestige interior – Saharan Tan. High back, leather, Ultra Ride driver’s seat, leather steering wheel. CD, Bluetooth, AM/ FM tuner, four-speaker. Air conditioning, silver bezels on gauges, silver switchgear, burl wood inserts. Courtesy lights, padded vinyl headlining, power windows, side sun-visors, coat hooks, dome lights, internal grab handles, cup holders.

Options/extras: Additional air horns, Fender lips, twin 5” stacks. Stainless steel air cleaner caps, chromed Texasstyled bumper with twin tow hooks.

Front axle: Meritor MFS14

Fitout for trailer

Front axle rating: 6.6 tonne

Hydraulic high-flow sliding 5th wheel system, full-length stainless guards, alloy platform and steps, Hydreco hot shift PTO and pump, in-cab ESS operator screens, headboard with built-in hydraulic oil tank, strobe lights and haul signs.

Front suspension: Taper leaf springs and shock absorbers Rear axle: Meritor RT46-160. Interaxle diff lock, cross locks. Final drive 4.3:1 Rear axle rating: 20.8 tonne Rear suspension: Peterbilt Air Trac 4-bag air suspension Brakes: Drum Auxiliary braking: Jacobs Intebrake engine brake Additional safety: ABS, Fuel: 2 x 378 litre

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

TRT ESS 4-axle house trailer with single-axle steering module Configuration: 4-axle torsional box trombone – 13m closed, 22m extended (as 5-axle 16.4m and 25.4m)

DEF tank: 100 litre

Axles: ROR 17.5 drum brake centre-pivot steer axles

Wheels: Alcoa Dura-Bright

Axle configuration: Split axle at 2.4m centres

Tyres front: 315/80 R22.5

Suspension: TIDD Double acting hydraulic suspension. Left and right sides acting independently with each axle lifting independently.

Tyres rear: 11 R22.5 Electrical: 12V Cab exterior: Aluminium cab 123” (3124mm) BBC with severe service reinforcement package and SmartSound cab insulation pack. One-piece roof, two-piece windshield, tinted glass. Lap seam and aircraft fastener construction, bulkhead doors with piano-type hinges. View window left-hand door and rear cab window. Convex spotters on mirrors and over LH

Steering Electronic Steering System (see sidebar) Fifth wheel: Hydraulic slider Side shift: Front set of legs Lower deck height: 880mm Raised deck height: 2.750mm Modules: 1 x single steering axle with Quick Connect Remote control:

Cab and external – all functions

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 35

P

O

Acknowledgements As legendary British truck journo Brain Weatherley said in an email recently, “There are no more genuine people than those in road transport. Their generosity when it comes to sharing their knowledge, experience and wisdom is truly humbling.�

Not a truer word was ever written, speaking to all of our test and feature subjects, and the teams at Prestige and TRT are no exceptions.

Thanks so much to Jason, Malcolm, Dave, and the whole gang on the house shift for your enthusiastic help and generosity. You are all exceptional people with insane skills.

Thanks also to Bruce Carden and Glen Harnett at TRT for your unwavering help, and passion for the road transport industry.

Straight and level, no matter the landscape.

M EA

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A ‘Roger spec’ Mack Super Liner at work for Maroa Logging Company.

With

Story by Alison Verran

heart and soul Standard Clotworthy work attire, overalls and towelling hat.

Photo credits: Clotworthy family, Jim Doidge, Graham Manson, Shaun Hurst, Graeme Pederson, TD Haulage collection, Ed Mansell, Guy Spurr, Alison Verran, New Zealand Trucking archives.

His name engenders the greatest respect when heard spoken in transport circles.

It’s a name synonymous with warmth, friendliness … and making your truck go a whole lot better than it did before. It could only be the late Roger Clotworthy.

S E E T H E G AL L E RY I N TH E D I G I TAL E D I TO N

H

“

e touched so many people’s lives and never expected anything in return.

He was honest, humble, and a hardworking man.” Roger Clotworthy’s son, Kevin, describes his father, a man many looked up to. Roger’s knowledge and know-how in the trucking industry was exemplary.

Born in Whangarei in 1935, Roger had a traditional farm upbringing where bullock teams were part of everyday life. He grew up around horses and was a talented showjumper, winning so many ribbons they were stitched together to make a blanket.

Despite being raised around

animals, Roger had a passion for vehicles from an early age. After finishing his school education, he embarked on a car mechanic apprenticeship with the Austin dealership, Carr Brothers, in Whangarei.

During this time, Roger was balloted into the NZ Army under the compulsory military training scheme, with his basic training completed at Papakura. Serving in the Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers Unit, he held the rank of acting corporal. During convoys, Roger was tail-end Charlie, there to help with any breakdowns along the way.

The trucking career begins In 1956 aged 21, Roger started what would be a lifelong career in the trucking industry. He made the move south, where a Mr Nicholson – based in Whakatane – hired Roger to cart metal from Turangi to the Rangitaiki Plains at 60/8 Iwitahi, for the construction of the NapierTaupo highway. Following this, he carted metal for the realignment of State Highway 1 during the construction of the Atiamuri Dam. These tedious jobs were carried out in a petrol-powered Commer truck, a common sight on our

The Doidge days

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“He was all about improving techniques and making tasks easier for drivers, continuously picking out any issues he felt he could improve on.”.”

1) Roger and his horse, Bessie. Roger won so many show jumping ribbons he was able to stich them together and make a blanket. Of course the question has to be, what did Roger feed Bessie to make her run faster and jump higher?

2) Fleet No 51 with its new Scania heart. 3) Roger at the wheel of Brutus. roads in the 1950s.

Roger’s driving career progressed in 1956 to an International R190 he drove for NZ Forest Products (NZFP), carting export logs to Mount Maunganui. The truck was powered by a 450 cubic inch 6-cylinder RD450 petrol engine, and pulled a Tidd pole trailer. Rumour has it an essential part of Roger’s lunch

box during this time was the inclusion of a few tools to give the truck a ‘tickle-up’ during his lunch break!

Roger’s route took him through Rotorua, as the Kaimai road back then was a mere single-lane gravel road. On the odd occasion the Kaimai road was used, the route took drivers on a left turn at Barkes Corner

on to Cameron Road, followed by 15th Avenue, through Welcome Bay, on to Kairua Road to Te Maunga and through to the Mount.

The Maungatapu Bridge, completed in 1959, followed 29 years later by the Tauranga Harbour Bridge in March 1988, and then Route K Toll Road in 2003, have each shaved significant time off that journey!

In 1959 Roger married the love of his life, Isabel, and together they made the move to Tauranga in 1960. They went on to have five children, Bruce (Roadie), Kathryn, and triplets Kevin, Stuart and Colin (sadly Colin passed away at birth).

With the move to Tauranga, Roger took up a position with Ian Rorison, driving a Commer ‘Knocker’ TS3 4-wheeler towing a 2-axle trailer, carting fertiliser.

After only a year, Roger was lured to work for T. Doidge Ltd (Trevor Doidge) in Tokoroa.

His 21-year stint in this family business started on No 22, an International S-line, S174, powered by a 308 cubic inch BD308, 6-cylinder petrol engine. Again it towed a Tidd pole trailer carting logs from Kinleith to Mount Maunganui.

A year later Roger was given the keys to a new International R190 (No 28) on the same work.

There was some jealousy within the ranks, with other drivers querying why Roger would get a new truck after only six months’ service.

However they were quickly advised by management that Roger was rewarded ‘because he looks after his gear’.

July 1963 saw a move on to No 35, the legendary ‘Brutus’, an ex NZFP Sterling Transporter with a Hercules petrol engine. Ross Todd Motors rebuilt this unit with an International cab and homemade bonnet and guards. It was repowered with a GM671 (240hp) and given new Timken diffs. Brutus was an absolute icon back in the day, carting native logs in the backblocks of the Urewera Ranges. Diesel powered and

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 39

Rebuilt and ready to rock.

Brutus when new.

Hauling native logs.

having a Jacobs brake, Brutus was a big truck. On a hot summer day the cab would get so hot that jumping in the creek at the bottom of a hill with boots on to cool down was common, but by the time Brutus was back at the top of the hill, the driver’s boots would be dry!

Another new International R190 (No 45) came Roger’s way in April 1964. Still carting native logs, this time with a

40 New Zealand Trucking

Domett log trailer, one of the first with a dolly setup.

Roger came off the road in 1966 to become the transport/ workshop Manager for T. Doidge Ltd, often working long hours followed by an evening at home making phone calls or working downstairs in his workshop. Kevin recalls his Dad spending many hours patiently splicing steel wire rope into strops for logging bolsters.

“It was like watching an artist, dressed in his overalls and leather gloves, his only tool being a large marlin spike, unravelling the thick wire strands, forming an eye and splicing the strands back into the rope to lock everything in place. An art that has been lost to modern technology.”

When new trucks would enter the Doidge fleet, Roger was known to carry out his own pre-delivery check. If

Roger drove a truck back in the gate at Ross Todd Motors, they knew there was an issue with it.

Roger altered the angle of the twin-stick gear levers so it was possible to change both gear levers together with one hand. Without this a driver would thread his right arm through the steering wheel to keep the truck on course, change one lever with the right hand and the other with

The T Doidge fleet in the heyday of International’s reign. Taken in 1964.

October 2020

The first Caterpillar highway truck engine was fitted to a White 2064 by Roger and Gough Gough and Hamer’s Shaun Hurst.

the left. Remember, this was without power steering.

He was all about improving techniques and making tasks easier for drivers, continually picking out any issues he felt he could improve on.

A perfectionist on how everything ran, constantly finetuning.

Roger’s eldest son, Bruce (Roadie), recalls one PD check Roger completed, in a repowered International R190 with Detroit 6V53 power, and an Allison automatic gearbox with a 4-speed auxiliary.

“With a picnic packed, we set off on a day out from Tokoroa to the Chateau (Mount Ruapehu). Kathryn sat on Mum’s lap, while us boys stood for the whole journey.”

Ah, the days when work could be combined with family.

Kevin remembers other family days out in the family EH Holden, where Roger would take a slight detour.

“Mum would ask, ‘where are we going?’ Dad would say, ‘I’m just going to duck into so-and-so’s yard to have a look-see, and a quick catchup’. A couple of hours later, Dad and us boys would arrive back at the car, covered in dirt. Mum’s fuse cut short, Dad was oblivious to any wrongdoing!”

Jim Doidge, Trevor’s son, tells a story from his childhood.

“One of the Whites in the fleet had a blown diff. Roger ordered a new diff from Cable Price in Hamilton and described specifically which diff he needed. Unfortunately the wrong diff arrived, so Roger, along with Trevor, went to Hamilton to return it and procure the correct one. I was six and went along for the ride.

During the journey, I heard an angry Roger say, ‘I’m gonna stick this diff head where the sun don’t shine’. When we

arrived I didn’t want to get out of the truck, I was too scared and remember thinking, ‘Wow, that guy’s gonna be sore!’”

Trevor had great zeal for progression. Together with Roger’s expertise, countless changes and conversions to gear were made. Roger was heavily involved with repowering much of the Doidge fleet, as well as many conversions from petrol to diesel. He was also responsible for the conversion of the Tidd pole trailer to an 8-foot spacing. Although this slowed the journey down, the great advantage was an extra two ton payload.

In 1965, while working at T. Doidge Ltd, Roger teamed up with Shaun Hurst from Gough Gough and Hamer in Rotorua to repower a White 2064 with the first highway Caterpillar motor in the country, a 1673B rated at 183kW (245hp). Fitting the engine and radiator in

Found decades later in Murchison, the White was purchased by Paul McNae and is currently under loving restoration at Graham Manson’s property.

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 41

required a 7” (18cm) chassis extension. The repowered beast went on the road in May 1966 and Roger and Shaun could not contain their excitement on the night the conversion was completed.

Shaun recalls the moment.

“At 10:30pm we took the White for a dash up to Lake Tararewa, with no bonnet or side guards, just a big yellow engine sticking out the front! When we got that thing running that night, we weren’t going to just go home and have a cup of tea.”

A Caterpillar repower like this had never been performed before in New Zealand. “There was nothing else like it on the road,” says Shaun. “I learned a lot from Roger. He talked a lot, but I always took the good bits out. He was always thinking what could be built next.”

In recent years, many people in the industry have tried to locate this iconic truck. Shaun put the word out and it was finally located in Murchison. Paul McNae has since purchased it and it is currently being lovingly restored at Graham Manson’s property, near Rotorua. When finished, it will be used as a show truck and taken for jaunts in vintage truck convoys. According to Shaun, “After 53 years, that engine still runs sweet as a nut”.

During his time at T. Doidge Ltd, Roger also instigated and oversaw eight GM repowers (six 671, and two 6V53 autos) as well as five Scania repowers, one at Ross Todd Motors in Cambridge, with the rest at Doidge’s workshop in Tokoroa.

All the Scania motors and all but one of the GMs went into Internationals, with the remaining GM going into a White. Scania had said transplanting their engines into the Internationals would be impossible. However with Roger’s expertise and new engine mounts fabricated, it happened.

“When Roger tinkered, repowered and converted, the

42 New Zealand Trucking

result was often described as being ‘Rogerised’,” said Jim.

The move to Maroa Logging The early 1980s saw Roger make the move to Maroa Logging, owned by Graham Manson and Mike Lambert.

The company was based at Maroa, on State Highway 1 between Atiamuri and Taupo.

As mechanical manager, Roger looked after the four off-highway units carting into Kinleith. There were two Kenworth 849s, with 3408 V8 Caterpillar engines, as well as two Mack R797 RSX, ENDTB 866s. The Macks were rated at 280kW (375hp) and fitted with Flintstone/butterfly hoods. The pair was a cancelled Middle East order and so were named ‘Ayatollah’ and ‘The Shah’.

“Roger was innovative in many ways and put in many good years at Maroa,” says Graham. “With an engineering mindset, Roger would set up the gear and change things around as needed to suit the job. He extended drawbar lengths on the trailers so they would track better behind the trucks. It was common to see plans chalked out on the workshop floor and the trailer manufacturers would come in and measure up Roger’s plans and designs. Roger didn’t always need a drawing in front of him, he had it all in his head and visualised it from there.”

Graham has a chuckle when remembering one of Roger’s quirks. “At the end of each day, Roger would clean all of his tools and then talk to them as he put them away. Every tool had its place and there was a tool for every job that may arise. Some of those tools were modified by Roger to complete a specific job.”

While at Maroa Logging, Roger had a considerable involvement with MTD (Motor Truck Distributors) in Palmerston North. He was heavily involved in developing new ideas with them, along with continual improvement of existing products. If October 2020

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4 1) One of the Maroa Logging Company R797 Flinstone Macks on a skid in Kinleith ready for departure. 2) Don Petley and Roger with one of the Flinstone Macks. 3) A Kenworth 849 loading. Once the last truck was loaded at 4pm, Roger would head away from the workshop to whereever the loader was and service that too. 4) A Mack Super Liner Roger Spec. The trucks became synonymous with Maroa. Roger was recognised by MTD for his contribution to developing their Mack off-highway spec. something broke, Roger would be there to see what improvements could be made.

Everything had to be that little bit stronger or perform to a higher standard. Having made

his own modifications and additions to the Maroa loggers in his care, Roger would forward these ideas to MTD to improve future off-highway builds. These became known

A beautiful Ed Mansell shot of one of Maroa’s R797s taken on the Kinleith weighbridge.

as the ‘Mack Maroa Roger Spec’.

In later years, Roger was recognised by MTD for his great work with the offhighway Mack loggers, and was presented with a Mack Bulldog mounted on a plaque.

Roger also received VIP treatment when he visited the Mack assembly plant in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA, arriving home with one of the coveted bulldog ashtrays.

“Roger would come down to Palmerston North and make sure we were doing as we were told,” laughs former MTD general manager Murray Sowerby. “He always talked about work, never anything else. It was always about the off-road loggers and the logging industry.”

Graeme Pederson also worked for Maroa Logging in the 80s, and recalls Roger’s nickname back then was ‘Ramjet’. Graeme, along with Mike Troon (ex-Maroa Logging), and Paul Hopcroft (Butch, TD Haulage), recall Roger’s precision with running repairs with this story.

As a driver would come into the Maroa yard to refuel,

Roger was ready and well prepared to fix wheel bearings or replace brake shoes. His tools lined up on a sack, ready to go. Known for his great systems and accuracy, Roger had stepped out the exact spot he would need to be, so his tools would be in line with the said axle as the truck pulled up at the pump.

By the time the driver had checked his oil and tyres and had refuelled, the wheels and drum would be off, old linings off and new ones going on.

The driver would then help put the wheel back on the axle, nuts on tight - and back a half turn - jack down, and off for the next load. This streamlined operation has been likened to a V8 supercar pitstop!

The Maroa workshop was basic: a compressor, basic tools and spare tyres. No rattle guns, just a wheel spanner, bar and pipe. All of this with a pumice floor. Roger’s day didn’t always stop after many hours in the workshop either.

Maroa Logging had its own loader, located where the work was in the forest. The loader worked non-stop from 4am to 4pm every day, so servicing

had to be carried out after the last truck had been loaded.

Roger would head out after 4pm, drive to the location, and service the loader.

Mike has fond memories of working alongside Roger at Maroa. “Having no spare parts on hand, we once spent 10 minutes looking for a nut and bolt on the pumice floor. ‘It’s got to be here,’ said Roger.”

Mike says Roger was a true gentleman. He was an enthusiastic and excitable guy who was always on the go, darting from one job to the next. “Roger’s nickname for his overalls were his ‘ovaries’,” he laughs. “His towelling hat was a constant on his head.”

The only time Mike recalls Roger losing his cool was the day Titii Winiata’s trailer was in for repairs. “Titii was towing a pup trailer and rolled it around the esses before Hay Road. Roger decided to sort out the ‘Maori missile’ as he was fondly known and, quite irritated, said, ‘you were speeding and that’s what caused this … you were speeding’. Titii’s reply was ‘No I wasn’t Rogee, I was $%#&ing flying’. What could

Roger say to that? And so began the nickname ‘Rogee’.

“Roger was very old school,” said Mike. “He liked the 5x4 boxes in the Maroa off-highway loggers, as opposed to the more modern 13- and 15-speed manuals, and there was always banter between the Maroa boys and Mike Lambert’s highway drivers like Boots and Micky Connolly, about the ‘manliness’ of their respective transmissions. Roger called them ‘those Roadranger thingies’.”

He also recalls Roger never held anything against you, his theory was ‘man up if you make a mistake, learn from it and don’t do it again’.

Roger’s years at Maroa Logging involved amazing innovations and creations, many of which would be taken as just the norm these days.

Roger fielded numerous phone calls over the years from other transport and logging operators, running ideas past him and obtaining his opinion on the setup of new trucks or alterations to existing gear.

Roger’s opinions were highly regarded and he had no

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 43

hesitation in helping others, no matter what company they worked for.

Time for a change – TD Haulage By the mid-90s, Roger and Isabel were living back in Tauranga and Roger took up a position in the workshop of TD Haulage at Mount Maunganui.

He was involved in servicing the trucks, and TD’s fleet of Belarus tractors at the Carter Holt Harvey Pulp and Paper Mill in Kawerau. They were an impressive sight hooked up to trailers carting sawdust, bark, shavings and woodchip, able to accommodate a 30 ton payload. As the original

44 New Zealand Trucking

motors in these tractors wore out, Roger helped other TD mechanics repower them from a 160hp V6 Belarus motor to a 180hp MWM (Detroit Diesel imported) 4-stroke, 4-cylinder motor.

Roger’s skills were not limited to mechanics, maintenance and repowering motors. He would often take on the role of bus driver in the famous TD Haulage social bus, BBQ cook at company social functions, and ‘deckie’ and cook on John Dyne’s launch, Atu. A huge advantage to him having such roles was everything was always cleaned and put away at the end.

The TD workshop and October 2020

A life well lived During his lifetime, Roger was a member of the NZ Road Transport Association, a member of IRTENZ (the Institute of Road Transport Engineers of New Zealand), and LIRA (Logging Industry Research Association), the latter allowing the opportunity to attend field trips to Canada and Sweden.

Roger was also a member and past president of Rotary for 50 years, and a life member of the Rotary Caravan Club.

Roger passed away after a battle with Alzheimers on 8 May 2019.

Bruce said that as Roger’s health deteriorated it was great for him to be able to let Roger hang out with him at Brett Marsh Transport where he worked. “He would often be there for hours hanging around and helping. Our roles had changed.”

Roger Clotworthy spent his life dedicated to his family and work in the transport industry.

Kathryn recalls a time he was found under a Mr Whippy van finding out how it worked while the family was on an outing. “Mum had got the ice creams, and we couldn’t find Dad.” Stuart told us that although trucks weren’t his thing, he remembers his Dad help a friend install a motor in his launch. “The boat seemed huge. Now, after 40 years in the marine industry, I know my attention to detail comes from him.”

And Kevin took Roger for a trip in the fuel road train he drove out of Port Hedland in West Australia. “He loved it, watching the trailers in the dust, telling me when he thought the gauges were telling us things were getting hot, and even though I told him to stay on the platform at the tank farm, I lost count of the times I had to go find him.

‘Just having a look-see’.”

Roger Clotworthy. A formidable intellect, willingly shared. A courageous, inquisitive, ingenious innovator; an affable, warm, gentleman, for whom no one had a bad word.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge the contributions from the Clotworthy family, Jim Doidge, Graham Manson, Shaun Hurst, Murray Sowerby, Graeme Pederson, Mike Troon, John Dynes and Paul (Butch) Hopcroft. My time spent with these amazing sources of information was incredible.

Without them, Roger’s story could not be told. Thank you.

1020-30

1) From the mid-90s Roger’s new home was TD Haulage. 2) One of the TD Haulage Kawerau-based Belarus tractors that Roger helped repower. 3) Such was the regard held for Roger’s Mack spec, operators like Vern Higgins requested the Roger-spec on their own trucks.

tractors were Roger’s life for more than 20 years, however, as age crept up on him, it came time to scale back. Not ready to leave the industry, Roger became yardman and general rouseabout, with maintenance of the truck wash being his next passion. Four years were spent in these roles before he finally retired at the age of 80.

TD Haulage managing director John Dynes fondly remembers Roger having a passion for what he did. “He never left the house without his overalls.”

Roger’s sons Bruce and Kevin followed in their father’s footsteps, driving big rigs. At one point, both boys were driving for TD Haulage while Roger was working in the workshop. Adding to this family commitment, Isabel joined the team, helping out with the gardening. Bruce is known to most as ‘Roadie’ (New Zealand Trucking magazine, June 2020), which led to Roger being affectionately known around the TD yard as ‘Gran-Roadie’.

John and Butch together described Roger as “extremely hardworking, dedicated, honest, loyal, methodical and a team player”. “He was always the last person up the stairs at smoko and the first one down again, to head back to work,” says John.

Congratulations to MGR Transport on their new addition.

"Black Panther!"

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1020-30

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TOP TRUCK

PLENTY OF

INTER-EST The Kiwi-designed and built International 9870 has found acceptance with operators the length and breadth of New Zealand since its debut in 2015. This month’s New Zealand Trucking magazine Top Truck hails from the Deep South and has both practicality and good looks in abundance.

Story and photos by Craig McCauley

48 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

L

ocated on the eastern outskirts of Invercargill is the headquarters of family-owned K. G. Richardson Group (KGR), whose diverse portfolio of business interests encompass timber, property, and transport.

KGR’s road transport lineage stretches back several decades to when the family operated trucks carrying sawn timber from its mill at Niagara – 75km east of Invercargill – to market.

The group’s McNeill brand has a strong connection with Southland and Otago. Operating initially in the drilling and pumping industry, McNeill’s immaculate fleet of bright red truck-mounted drill rigs have been a familiar sight on exploration and civil engineering projects in the south for decades.

In 2019, the drilling and pumping business was sold, leaving the McNeill name focused on trucking.

McNeill Distribution had its

Top: A rear-of-the wheel entry always makes three points of contact easy.

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 49

beginnings in 2005, looking after KGR’s cartage requirements as well as servicing a base of outside customers.

The current McNeill fleet numbers about 70 trucks, with a sizable proportion of the fleet focused on the cartage of logs, timber, and wood residuals.

Fleet number 312, an International 9870SFA, entered the fleet in late 2019 and has clocked up 110,000km in the hands of regular driver Jacob Mackenzie, carrying wood chip, growing media, fertiliser, and aggregate around the lower South Island.

Jacob has spent most of his driving career with McNeill’s. He stepped out of a Kenworth K200 prior to taking on the 9870, and although still a staunch Kenworth fan, he is complimentary of the International.

“It’s a good truck, simple and basic,” he said.

“Everything in the cab is located where you need it to be, and it’s an easy office to keep clean.” Jacob also commented how well the International handles on the

open road.

Cowan Trailers of Rangiora built the alloy truck body and trailer, which have a joint cubic capacity of 85m3.

Bin size and obtainable payload, plus the full-size tailgates, complete with integral grain doors and elliptical covers, make this 9870 a versatile unit in all areas of bulk cartage.

Tare combined with the ability to buy a truck utilising standard running gear were the primary reasons Tony Thompson, distribution manager for McNeill’s, chose the 9870 ahead of its competitors. As the assembly plant is in New Zealand, availability of the truck suited their requirements and Tony mentioned Intertruck Distributors was good to deal with throughout the process.

International trucks and Cummins power plants have a lineage stretching back to the ACCO era of the mid 1970s.

Tony specced the 9870 with an X-15 E5 SCR Cummins engine producing 430kW (580hp) and 2508Nm (1850lb/ft) of torque.

A manual Eaton Fuller RTLO-20918B transmission

Jacob Mackenzie has spent a large part of his driving career with McNeill Distribution.

turns the 275/70 R22.5 size tyres by way of 4.1:1 ratio Meritor RT 46-160GP rear axles that ride on International’s IROS rear air suspension.

Southland has probably harboured the largest number

of red trucks per capita for decades, and McNeill’s tasteful livery combined with some subtle line work and several polished stainless additions make the 9870 a standout on the southern roads.

The competitive tare offered by International’s 9870 has seen two join the McNeill Distribution fleet.

50 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

Just Truckin’

Around

www.trt.co.nz

Richard enjoys the freedom of driving around the country but is no fan of the wet weather, which can be frustrating when your line of work is bulk cartage.

His new mount is a Scania R620 and has a mere 1900km on the clock.

The load of wool was heading down to

Mosgiel and then a backload of fertiliser to fill the day in. In all, he has been driving for 23 years, the past 19 with Beckers.

The vexing question for Richard was secondhand or new? “My old 143 450 Scania will always be my favourite.”

Richard Drake Preparing for his maiden trip in a new R620 V8 Scania was one Richard Drake, aka ‘Peanut’, and Craig Andrews managed to catch him just before departure from Oturehua in Central Otago.

Road Transport Logistics Ltd has continued its long association with Scania trucks by placing another one into the Beckers Transport Ltd colours based out of Oturehua on the Maniototo.

Richard’s association with Beckers is knocking on 20 years, and it’s a job and place he thoroughly enjoys.

He’s loved trucks since he was a kid and the Beckers Scanias were a favourite. Work experience at school saw him working at Allied Concrete (ex-Lloyds concrete) driving CWA Nissans in Alexandra, which was followed by a road transport course at Otago Polytech. His first deployment out of there was with Central Excavation driving a CXH Isuzu, also in Alexandra, and from there it was on to Beckers.

John Klinac Faye Lougher had to risk life and limb standing in the middle of SH1 in Levin to get a shot of John ( JJ) Klinac’s stunning rig. I think you’ll agree the risk was worth it!

JJ owns Exclusive Boat Haulage and was transporting a boat from Kerikeri to Nelson on one of those perfect spring days.

“You would have to pick a day when the truck’s dirty!” he laughed, but to be honest the 2013 Hino 700 4x2 was looking great and a bit of dirt just proves it’s a working truck.

The Hino is fitted with a ZF 12-speed AMT gearbox and works exclusively on boat transportation around New Zealand.

JJ has been driving for 50 years now, starting when he was 16 and moving on to the road two years later. For him, it’s all about the people.

“I’ve always been a people person and I enjoy the boat business

52 New Zealand Trucking

because it’s one-on-one and I like the people I work with. We aim to please.”

When asked what he saw as the main problem with the industry, JJ smiled and said, “We’ve only got five minutes, haven’t we?”

He went on to say that price-cutting was one of the biggest issues.

“And I agree with the CVIU, but I don’t agree with how the trucks are

October 2020

so hammered. There is a lot of crime that never gets investigated, but the weighbridges are always full. I agree we need them, but it’s all about the attitude of the people you’re dealing with.”

JJ went for question 10, beef, pork, lamb or chicken, and said he’d go for chicken.

Just Truckin’

Around

www.trt.co.nz

Just Truckin’ Around – Overseas Thomas Harpur Thomas Harpur was pre-loading sand for a racecourse in County Kildare when Paul O’Callaghan met him at his employer’s yard in the southeast of Ireland. “I usually work every Saturday, so I’m loaded now and ready for the off on Monday morning.”

The native of County Wexford has been driving for J&K Ormonde Haulage for the past 10 years and his service and meticulous care for his trucks has not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by the fact he drives the flagship FH16 750. “James runs a fleet of seven FH16 650s, my 750 and three 13-litre 540s. We deliver sand for horse racecourses, arenas and football pitches all over the country, and also export decorative stone to the UK.” Rearing a young family, Thomas is home most nights but will stay away occasionally if required. His 750 can gross 46 tonnes max and he loves the power on tap, which makes for a very relaxed drive. Ireland’s most popular sport is GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) of which there are two codes: hurling (with a stick) and football. So of the two, which is his preference? “I’d have to say hurling,” said Thomas. “This is a big hurling area. My kids play on the same team as the boss’s, so it’s a real family affair.”

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October 2020 53

GALLERY

Back down the road a bit This month we move into the North Island for the first time. Few people would have watched New Zealand’s road transport history roll on by over the past few decades like Rod Simmonds.

This month Rod remembers a wonderful trip to the heart of big truck country, Murupara.

KLC 30 a Pacific P10W. Ran a Caterpillar 3406 and 15-speed Roadranger.

When the KLC was disbanded in favour of owner-drivers and contractors, the truck found successive homes with John Paul, Mike Lambert, and Barry Heke.

“Visiting Murupara rail yard in 1988 where these legendary loggers plied the private roads was the highlight of a weeklong roadie taking photos all over the central North Island.

“What surprised me back then was they were driven so smoothly, and quietly, and weren’t the loud monsters you would expect. The drivers wore chequered shirts, battered helmets, grease-stained jeans, and had a handshake to break bones.”  A Pacific P510PS fleet number 39 pulls onto the weighbridge. Here with livery in the traditional KLC red and green, with Tasman Forestry Ltd logo on the door. (Tasman Forestry is KLC’s parent.) It went on to be owned by John Adams, Phyl Hunter, and Monty Calteaux.

Direct Transport operated four P10 Pacifics in the bush also. This one had a Cummins 335 and 10-speed Roadranger. Without a fleet number, identifying this particular truck is difficult, however Number 7 went on to John Beasley, Hunter Brothers. Number 8 went

Another P510PS lines up to strain the

to NZ Steel, Dick Rae, FJ King, and Russell Petersen.

weighbridge. This truck was the only truck

Number 9 went to Hunter Brothers, JS Burrows, Works Civil

painted in Tasman Forestry colours from

Construction, Pakuranga Earthmovers, and Ross Reid

new. It was later owned by Nelson Beattie

Contractors. No 10 went offshore.

and then JB Logging.

54 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

Acknowledgement Guy Spurr archives for truck information.

0920-16

AFTERLIFER

TIM’S FLAMIN’ RUBBLE REMOVER

We love a good ‘afterlifer’ story – a truck that fulfilled the brief for which it was originally specced and then found itself in the hands of a second or third owner who has their own vision for it, a different vision. In the case of K&D Contracting’s 2002 K104, it’s now a totally different beast.

SE E T H E G A L L E RY I N T H E D I G I TAL E D I TON

A K104 tipper just looks so right.

Story and photos by Gavin Myers

T

his K104 spent the first part of its life in the TD Haulage/ Dynes Transport stable based in Christchurch, and Karl Randall of K&D Contracting came across it in June when he was looking for a suitable truck for work ahead. The beast is now piloted by an old school friend of Karl’s, Tim O’Halloran.

A driver of 36 years rooted in linehaul and tipper work, Tim spent the past 15 in the Airport Fire Service at Wellington airport – driving the big firefighting rigs.

However, a motorcycle accident severely damaged his right arm and this unfortunately meant Tim would be medically retired from the fire service, leaving

him looking for something else to do with his time. It didn’t take long for good friends Karl and Deb to get in touch.

Karl found this 8x4 K104 for sale in Auckland, stripped of its former blue livery and repainted white with the tipper bin fitted. It was a straight fit, the chassis remaining untouched, and the unit overall was a perfect canvas to which Tim could add his personal touch.

“Even though the company owns it I’ve taken ownership of it, doing it all up and getting it ready to go on the road. Karl said ‘it’s your truck, you do what you want with it’,” Tim says.

The K104 was clearly well cared for during its TD

Roomy cab, comfy driving position, everything at hand.

Classic view past the wheel.

Haulage/Dynes days. Most of the work done to it under Karl and Tim’s stewardship is cosmetic – they added bright, sharp graphics and eye-catching lighting. “Karl had a bit of a laugh when we did the graphics and added the flames, me being an ex-firefighter … a nice little touch,” Tim laughs.

Possibly the best addition is the broad stainless steel sun guard, which visually narrows the windscreen and combines with the original stone guard to give the old Kenworth a mean scowl. If it looks good in pictures, it’s even more of a looker in the metal.

Inside, the cab has simply been tidied up, another sign it was treated right by its original owners. A CB was added, with a new stereo and some flashing dash lights. The

only thing done in the name of practicality was relocation of the tipping controls from down at the seat up onto the console, and a steering wheel knob to ease Tim’s job, because he hasn’t got full movement of his right arm due to the accident. The rest is standard K104 fare.

With the exception of a few minor gauges, everything still works and the dark blue cab upholstery and woodgrain trim combination looks just as good as it did in the early 2000s. Yes, the plastic shrouds on the air vents have broken apart over time, but there are precious few older US trucks that have not suffered this fate. Tim’s got his eye on some chromed replacements, which should add a bit of flash to the cab.

Motive power comes from

Left: Cup holders, a place to stash your goods, and some classy badging.

Top left: Timo’s one real proud truckie. Top right: Cab covered floor to ceiling in the best American tradition.

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 57

Not even Wellington Harbour could put out these flames.

a 525 Detroit Diesel coupled to an 18-speed Roadranger.

Mechanically, the only fix has been a new radiator. The odo currently shows 370,000km.

Tim reckons it’s clocked

Unmissable by day, unmissable by night.

around, but whether that’s just once, or perhaps twice…

A new hubo was installed when Tim collected the truck to ensure accuracy going forward.

Seeing this 18-year-old truck’s stellar condition, it’s no surprise to learn that it runs Monday to Friday for K&D’s own earthworks and clients as well, able to cart a decent 13-tonne payload.

And it still gets to see a bit of the country when needed.

“We liked the length of it for our jobs, but we’re looking at putting a 4-axle tipper trailer behind it as well. We’ll go for the H, but will keep weights down a bit … she’s an old girl so we won’t overwork it too much,” Tim says.

It’s a perfect fit for the K&D Contracting fleet too – among others Karl’s also got a handful of old Macks in the yard, a CAT-powered Super Liner and three R series. They’re mostly retired trucks and Karl’s first R series is undergoing a substantial restoration, but the Super Liner still comes out for a bit of graft through the week, towing a tipulator or transporter. “The trucks have quite a lot of history in them,” says Tim. These older trucks get their fair share of love and attention, so there’s no doubt Tim’s K104 is a good fit for the fleet and has an ‘afterlife’ to look forward to.

1020-04

In addition to this CAT-powered Super Liner, the K&D fleet consists of some Mack R models and some other older Kenworths.

The new Actros.

A truck ahead of its time.

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

See the new Actros in action at actroslivedrive.com.au or contact your local authorised Mercedes-Benz Trucks Dealership to experience this outstanding new vehicle for yourself.

Compared to the previous model.

Please note: changes may have been made to the product since this publication went to press (October 2020). The manufacturer reserves the right to make changes to the design, form, colour, and specification of the product. The images shown are to be considered examples only and do not necessarily reflect the actual state of the original vehicles. Please consult your authorised Mercedes-Benz Truck Dealer for further details. © Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific Pty Ltd (ACN 618 413 282). Printed in New Zealand.

1020-04

1

AUSSIE ANGLES

Long way around:

PART 2

STONEHENGE In part one last month, Paul arrived in Darwin, grabbed his Western Star 6900 series and headed for Helen Springs Station for a load out of the drought-stricken Barkly Tableland.

But things got complicated when too much dry turned into too much wet in Central West Queensland. Part two starts with Paul playing a waiting game in RTA’s Longreach depot.

Story and photos by Paul O’Callaghan

DAY 8.

I ran the truck and trailers over the pit for a grease and general maintenance, then drove into town again to take some photographs of various trucks parked up due to the floods (as you do). Nobody was complaining though,

after years of near drought conditions the country was benefitting from a good soaking.

DAY 9.

Standing at the deli counter of Cornetts IGA, the phone rings: “I’ve got a job for you,

S EE THE G ALL ERY IN THE DIG ITAL E DI TON

60 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

see you when you get back to the yard.”

Details were scant, but in these situations you don’t ask questions. All I knew was I needed a set of Longreach trailers, with a ramp on the back trailer in case rain stopped us getting to the

unloading ramp at the as yet unspecified cattle yards.

Having got the gear sorted, the plan was to load cows and calves at the Longreach cattle yards. They’d come from Warbreccan Station about 180km southwest of Longreach, and were

heading elsewhere on agistment (grazing) due to the lack of feed on their own property. But with the road impassable, and the bill from the Longreach yards growing, my understanding was the owners had decided to bring the cattle back to the station,

although with more rain imminent, it was a risky plan.

On this particular job there were three other drivers: ‘Camo’ in the blue Kenworth T904 driving for Danny Morton who had the contract with the station, another RTA driver in a Mack Titan based

out of Mount Isa, and an older Mack Titan with a driver I was curious about.

At midday we began to load and by afternoon the convoy of four triples was heading south on the Longreach – Jundah Road. We pulled up in the tiny settlement of

Stonehenge just before the now fast-flowing Warbreccan Creek to enquire at the pub about the road conditions ahead.

It was at this point that I recognised the old Mack Titan driver. In one of Bruce Honeywill’s famous outback trucking DVDs of the 90s, he travelled with a guy named Dave Bielenberg in a 1988 Mack Super Liner V8 as he loaded 12 decks of sheep across three 4-deck trailers. It was something I had watched many times: a softly spoken owner-operator speaking about the decline of the sheep industry around the Longreach area. Now, here I was, some 20 years later, face-to-face with the man who seems to have changed little in that space of time. But as storm clouds loomed on the horizon, we decided to defer our chinwag until later.

Turning right in the village, the water was now flowing over the bridge, and the chat on the CB didn’t do much to reassure us that things were going to improve further on.

The trucks were stranded on Warbreccan Station.

Eventually they were left there for retrieval at a later time.

What a mess.

Unloading Brownie’s truck before it bucketed down.

“I don’t know, guys, I don’t like the look of those black clouds ahead,” said Camo, travelling behind Dave, who was leading the convoy.

“Yeah, and that’s right where we are headed,” replied the gently spoken Mr Bielenberg. All I could do was follow the pack and see what would happen.

The decision was made to unload at the side of the road if the rain reached the yards before we did, jumping the cattle off the trailers. Even with that plan I couldn’t see where we’d be able to turn around and head back to Longreach.

Dave was the first to leave the bitumen stretch and attempt the final two kilometres through the paddock to the yard. Although the mighty Titan succeeded in somehow traversing the spongy track to the yard, that was as far as he would go.

“I’m bogged here fellas,” he said quietly over the airwaves.

Just as that realisation sunk in, Brownie declared, “I’m

bogged too.” Having barely made it off the bitumen, the 120-tonne road train sank into the wheel tracks already made by Dave’s outfit.

A few well-intentioned but futile attempts to free him with the station’s own Kenworth T909 were quickly abandoned, upon which it suddenly began to bucket down. Camo and I quickly pulled off the tarsealed road onto the dirt, so the cattle would have a soft landing when they jumped off the truck. We were soaked to the skin as the cattle ran off in all directions, calves bawling for their mothers, and the trucks were all well and truly bogged. We’d be going nowhere anytime soon.

The mud gets so sticky that you end up dragging what feels like two concrete blocks around on your feet, so instead you go barefoot. A kind offer of accommodation back at the station was extended, and taken up by Camo and Dave, while two of us stayed with our trucks,

Dave Bielenberg (in the middle with the beard) and RTA driver ‘Brownie’ to his right, stand amongst station staff and lament a situation no one had any control over. preferring the comfort of our cabs over an unknown sleeping arrangement back at the station.

The only thing to do was to climb into the cab, wash the mud off your feet as best you could, turn on the Icepack, crack a beer, and get the laptop fired up.

DAY 10.

Daylight the following

morning not only saw the rain continue, but also shed light on the quagmire we were trapped in. Any hopes of getting the trucks out were dashed, although Brownie decided to unhook the trailers and use a loader to try and pull him out of the swamp.

I watched with interest until he finally accepted that he was well and truly bogged indefinitely.

RIVERS OF LIFE

Icepacks rumbling, nothing to do but wait; there were trucks all over Longreach.

The second offer of food and accommodation at the station was not refused by anybody, and we hitched a ride in the loader, while the others jumped in the back of a Toyota Land Cruiser.

The old style farmhouse featured a large veranda in true Queensland style, and the bread, steak, eggs, and sausages were in plentiful supply. Although we had no phone coverage, we were definitely in good hands.

DAY 11.

We awoke to news reports of substantial rainfall all across Queensland. While hunger was not an issue, thirst and boredom were setting in amongst those of us who didn’t have laptops, or write for truck magazines, in other words, everyone but me.

That’s not to say I wouldn’t join them, but boredom never features on my radar.

Camo managed to borrow a new-looking Ford Ranger that belonged to the station owner’s son’s girlfriend, both of whom were away. It was only about 60km back along the dirt road to Stonehenge, a daily journey for the manager’s young son who attends primary school there.

At the first creek crossing, which was only a few kilometres from the station, the red Ranger suddenly stalls

in water that shouldn’t have posed a problem for such a vehicle. Instead of having snorkels, the air intakes were down low, causing a problem.

Even after cleaning the filter, the ute still wouldn’t fire.

Spirits were low as Camo, not feeling too good about himself, had to radio back to the station for help. A trusty old Land Cruiser arrived and dragged us back to the house, with no beer and a worryingly stalled, newish, Ford Ranger.

DAY 12.

With still no let-up in the rain further north, back in Longreach a decision had been made to abandon the trucks and organise a lift back to town for us. Three of us were in a long wheelbase Land Cruiser, while two would go in another pickup and be met by an RTA Land Cruiser at Stonehenge.

There were many wet spots along the way, but the station manager’s wife took it all in her stride, keeping the power down and remaining calm when the vehicle occasionally drifted sideways.

Arriving back in Longreach, we dropped Dave Bielenberg off at his home. It fills me with joy and nostalgia when I see Dave’s trusty old Super Liner from the DVD, which made such an impression on me in

the 90s, still standing there on Pigeon Lane.

DAY 13.

Having spent the night in a donga in the yard, I sequestered the yard Land Cruiser and headed into town, stopping off at the famous Qantas Boeing 747 that is on permanent display at the museum/airport. Qantas was founded in nearby Winton in 1920 by Hudson Fysh, Paul McGinness, and Fergus McMaster as Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services Ltd, moving headquarters to Longreach in 1921. Longreach Airport is tiny, so a behemoth like the 747 really draws your eye.

The mighty 747 had reached the end of its life plying the Sydney to Perth long haul, and its arrival at Longreach required a 57-point turn to manoeuvre it into its final resting place.

Also resting were about two dozen truckers stranded in the town due to the road closures. Along with a few Scanias, there were some really impressive Kenworth T909s with polished bull bars and tanks, their Icepacks humming away as the drivers remained cool in the sleepers.

Another night at the yard.

One can only but wait and hope.

Although it may not directly rain in certain parts of Queensland, rain further north can flow for hundreds of miles and rejuvenate barren land to the south. Vast tracts of Queensland, as well as parts of the Northern Territory, New South Wales, and South Australia benefit from this amazing inland flow of precious seasonal rain, referred to as ‘the channel country’.

Map credit: Wikipedia

MEETING YOUR HEROS Dave Bielenberg starred in a 90’s trucking documentary.

Watch Bruce Honeywill’s famous video that inspired a younger Paul O’Callaghan.

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 63

INTERNATIONAL TRUCK STOP The new 26-tonne Scania P-series trucks are 6x2. Lower window in left-hand door, necessary for cyclist safety, means conventional side window can’t be rolled down.

LONDON B CALLING London-based haulier Terry Squires has seen a lot of changes in 50 years. Operating a fleet of trucks in modern-day London is probably the most shocking.

Story by Will Shiers

Photos by tomlee.gallery

y his own admission Terry Squires is old school! The septuagenarian, who has been in the industry for more than 50 years, operates out of a less than glamorous portable cabin on a small rented plot of land. He doesn’t own a smartphone, and his company – TJS Transport – makes do without a website.

Armed with this knowledge, you’d expect the steel haulier to run a fleet of tired old trucks, wouldn’t you?

Well, there’s one bit of information I haven’t given you

THE

– TJS is located just a stone’s throw from London’s Heathrow Airport, and 80% of its work is within the capital city. This means he has to deal with an ever-growing amount of red tape and legislation.

“Maybe we’d have a nicer office and a website if we hadn’t just spent a million pounds ($1.9 million) renewing the fleet,” says David Waghorn, who for the past seven years has taken care of the day-to-day running of the company. He goes on to explain that in order to comply with London’s expanding Low

SQUIRES

H ISTORY T

erry Squires started his long career in road haulage in 1969. “My dad was a grocer, but I couldn’t stand working in the

64 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

shop,” he recalls. “So when I turned 21 we bought a 10-tonne lorry [Bedford KM], and I used to collect the produce straight from the farms. It

Terry Squires (right) and David Waghorn, doing what it takes to adapt and survive.

Emission Zone (LEZ), it has just undergone a massive fleet replacement programme, and 10 out of its 12 trucks are now Euro 6.

TJS Transport specialises in delivering rebar (reinforced bar) steel, timber and other building products to sites across the southeast of England, so we are talking about specialist bits of kit. In fact, almost half of the fleet has cranes, including a pair of new generation Scania P360 26-tonners.

Squires and Waghorn tell me that they did toy with the idea of simply paying the

just grew from there.”

In the 1970s and 1980s Squires Transport’s Volvos and Leyland Marathons were a familiar sight, not only in the UK, but on the Continent too. In its heyday, it was running 10 trucks internationally, as far afield as Greece, Yugoslavia and even North Africa. “We used to take a load of food parcels from here to Poland too,”

fine – £100 ($190) a day to enter Greater London in a Euro 4 or Euro 5 truck from October 2020 – but having done the sums, decided to take the plunge and invest in the business. As a result, the past 12 months has seen eight Euro 6 trucks join the fleet.

What really grates on the pair though, is that there is nothing wrong with the trucks they have been forced to dispose of. “Our artics only do 50,000 miles (80,467km) per year, and the rigids do even less, yet nobody wants them as they aren’t Euro 6,” explains

remembers Squires. One of the company’s largest customers at the time was banana importer Fyffes.

While he has fond memories of the international work, Squires eventually turned his back on it in the 1990s when it became “a lot of hassle for very little profit”, instead concentrating on moving steel with TJS Transport.

He still has an international

Waghorn.

“Take that 2009 truck,” says Squires, pointing to a tidy 26-tonne Scania P-series with Fassi crane, parked in a corner of the yard. “We’ll take the crane off it before we sell it, but the vehicle is worth next to nothing. We’ll probably only get two and a half grand ($4800) for it, which is criminal, as there’s nothing wrong with it.”

TJS Transport’s proximity to London means the LEZ isn’t the only thing affecting its bottom line. Like thousands of other UK hauliers, it has

signed up for the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme, and for the past two years has been silver certified.

This voluntary accreditation scheme aims to raise fleet quality levels, and has an emphasis on safety. Like most hauliers I speak to, both men see the scheme as little more than an expensive box-ticking exercise. “If we don’t do it, then we don’t get the work,” says Waghorn, matter-of-factly. He explains that in addition to the annual subscription and audit fee, it costs between £2500 ($4800) and £3000 ($5750) to kit out a truck with all the relevant equipment. Squires believes one of the key benefits to investing in on-board cameras has been a noticeable reduction in annual insurance premiums.

One of the next waves of legislation to hit London operators is the Direct Vision Standard (DVS). The scheme, which measures how much truck drivers can see directly through their cab windows, was created to improve the safety of vulnerable road users. It comes into force next year, and encourages the use of yet more cameras and glazed panels in the bottom of nearside doors. The highest 5-star rated trucks are fitted with low-entry cabs.

While TJS’s fleet is fully compliant for the time being,

licence today, but has no intention of competing with cut-price Eastern European operations. “I can’t believe how many foreign lorries you see over here these days,” he says.

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 65

The L-series cab was too low for TJS, so the P-series got the nod.

Squires and Waghorn are already future-proofing the trucks. One of the new P-series has a lower window cut into the nearside door, although Squires isn’t convinced of its merits. “You can’t see out of it if there’s a passenger in the truck, and you can’t open the window either,” he says. TJS’s local Scania dealer recently offered the company an L-series 6x2.

While Squires liked the idea of having a 5-star rated truck on the fleet, a closer examination of the low-entry truck revealed that it wasn’t for him. “We spend a lot of time on rough sites, so would rip the sump out,” he says.

While talking about the DVS, the conversation inevitably

moves on to cyclists. Like many transport companies operating in the capital, TJS’s drivers have seen all manner of dangerous behaviour by two-wheeled road users, and as a result, Waghorn has strong views on the subject.

“The fact that they don’t have a licence is ridiculous,” he says. “I’m not saying they should pay a road licence, but they should have some sort of insurance, registration and a qualification to cycle in London. They have cameras, and so do we. But at the end of the day we don’t know who they are.”

Another drawback to running into central London is parking fines. The nature of the job means that a TJS

THE

truck can’t simply pull straight onto a building site, as first the driver needs to get out and check the delivery details.

But two minutes parked on a restricted red route [red lines painted in the gutter that prohibit stopping at any time] will earn a £130 ($250) fine. “We get a lot of fines and do try to fight some,” says Squires.

“But worse than red routes are the yellow box junctions [yellow grids painted on the road, which vehicles are not allowed to stop on]”, says Waghorn. “The driver will see a space, start to cross the grid, and then a car will nip in front of him. Now he’s overlapping the grid, and a fine is heading our way.”

SQUIRES

F LEET T

JS Transport, and Squires Transport before it, were traditionally big Volvo operators.

In fact, one of Terry Squires’ claims to fame is that he took delivery of the UK’s first F12. In recent years, the operator has favoured Scania, but Squires says this isn’t necessarily a permanent switch of allegiance.

“We still have two more Euro 5s to replace, and

“And don’t even get us started on the cost and availability of property around here,” adds Squires. “This is just a temporary site, but we have been here for two years.

There is nothing available, so we keep getting pushed out.”

But while Squires acknowledges that London definitely has its pitfalls, this is the area in which he’s been based for the past 50-plus years, and he has no intention of going anywhere. Nor does the 72-year-old have any plans to fully retire. He is perfectly happy with the current arrangement, which sees him dipping in and out of the business, while Waghorn takes care of the day-to-day running.

“Even if I wanted to retire I couldn’t, as my wife wouldn’t let me,” he says with a grin.

“What you see here is what transport was like 20 or 30 years ago,” says Squires.

“Most hauliers have been taken over, or operate out of big office buildings. But not us, because we’re old school.

I suppose you could say that we’re behind the times.”

Just then his old Nokia phone rings. It’s the Scania dealer, with information on a used hybrid P-series, which he believes will be well suited to the operation. Maybe TJS Transport isn’t as old school as Squires thinks it is!

we need to make up our mind whether to go for Scania or Volvo,” he says.

The current 12-strong fleet consists of three 6x2 tractors, a pair of previous generation R-series and one FH series 4. It also runs six 26-tonners with front-mounted cranes (Palfinger, Fassi and PM), consisting of three Scania P320s, two new generation P360s and a DAF CF 370. A further three 26-tonne flats are all Scania P320s.

With the exception of two Euro 5 26-tonners, which will soon be replaced, everything is Euro 6. The company has a preference for manual gearboxes, and sleeper cabs.

While most of the Euro 6 trucks were purchased used, the exceptions are the new generation Scanias.

0420-14

The TJS Transport fleet is fast evolving to meet Euro 6 emissions. Any trucks you see that aren’t bang up to date are now virtually worthless.

NZT 20

0420-14

NZT 2009 Drayton Ad - NZT A4.indd 1

25/02/20 3:03 PM

GAV’S LICENCE JOURNEY

EN-ROUTE TO

CLASS 5

After nearly a decade of writing about and working with trucks, the time has finally come for me to actually be able to legally drive them on the road…

Story by Gavin Myers

I

don’t know how it’s happened – or, rather, not happened – but I’ve somehow never got around to attaining a heavy vehicle licence. Sure, I’ve driven trucks plenty: big, small, laden, empty, rigids, B-trains, tippers, mixers, bare chassis … but almost always the driving has been on closed roads or private land, and every now and then on challenging off-road tracks (where appropriate for the vehicle) or race tracks and skidpans (yes, I know, highly relevant to the industry).

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had the best of intentions and many industry players have

Photos by Ronald Deane offered their services over the years, but somehow things have just never fallen into place. Until now – finally!

Thanks to the support of the upstanding folks at TR Driver Training (formerly TR Master Drive Services), I’ll be making my way up the licence class system over the coming months. Because I’m over 25 and publishing needs a level of expediency, I’ll go through the Accelerated Class 2 to 5 Learner Courses.

This will allow me to skip the three-month period between obtaining one full licence class and moving on to the next. Once I’ve obtained my class 2, 4 and 5 licences I’ll

Assistant editor Gavin takes on the AutoSense simulator.

then go for a few relevant endorsements.

There is a second part to this journey and that’s to show those interested in getting their licences off their own bat how they could go about doing it. For many aspiring truckies, finding a driving job requires them to already have a licence. For some, this involves simply getting their class 2 in order to break into the industry – with many employers offering advancement opportunities down the line. Others may already have a class 2 or 3 licence and aim to better their driving skills or further their career prospects.

At this stage I’ve received my class 2 learners – a simple process of studying the NZTA’s Road Code for Heavy Vehicle Drivers and sitting a multiple choice theory test at your local testing agent – and by the time you read this I’ll have already attended the TR Driver Training logbook/ class 2 theory lessons and done the class 2 practical test (hopefully I pass, or next month’s instalment might be a bit awkward…)

However, my licence journey actually started a few months ago in an AutoSense simulator. I met up with Ronald Deane, simulator programme manager at AutoSense, when he brought the simulator to Mt Maunganui, to get a taste for what it is the simulator does and to see how I might do behind the wheel before having even picked up the road code.

The AutoSense simulator (built by American defence force contractor L3Harris) is used for competency evaluation, and reports on how good a driver is at driving and places them into a risk rating category for their employers to decide on further coaching and training.

“We put drivers through a set of scenarios, based on their specific operations, and assess every aspect of their driving including spatial awareness, speed management, following distance, and others,” Ron explains.

The scenarios are designed to be as close to the local environment as possible but there’s potential to design just about anything into the system. Drivers can drive on mountain passes, dirt roads, or construction sites for example.

Anything from the smallest ute or van to buses and quad-trailer road trains can

be simulated, with manual or automatic transmissions, but the system goes further … the simulator module moves to mimic the g-forces acting on the vehicle. So the driver of a tanker can feel the liquid moving behind him as he accelerates and brakes, for

example. Or a blowout, side winds, or descending an icy hill can be simulated. The system can even simulate intoxication or distracted driving – diverting the driver’s attention just before throwing out a hazard.

There are sensors in

every part of the simulator.

It’ll measure how harshly the accelerator and brake are pressed, whether the indicators or hazards are used when needed, how much steering force is applied, or how fuel efficiently the truck is being driven, to name a few

parameters.

“Everything in the simulation is strategically placed to test how the driver thinks and reacts,” Ron says.

And the drivers? They either love it or hate it, he says.

“Some think it’s nothing for them, that they’re already good drivers. A lot of them get competitive and can’t wait to see how they’ve done.”

So how did I do? Well, as Ron kindly let me interrupt his day of evaluation at a local haulier, I unfortunately couldn’t go through the full simulation and get a report on my entirely novice abilities.

However, if possible, it’ll be interesting to see how I do once I’ve completed the TR Driver Training courses, before getting behind the wheel for real.

Read more about the merits of simulators on page 94.

Focus your energy on the things that matter.

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New Zealand Trucking

October20/08/15 2020 69 9:38 am

LIGHT COMMERCIAL TEST

RAM RAID Story and photos by Jacqui Madelin

1

2

3

1) Back seats plain, but plenty of leg room. Choose the pricier Laramie for leather; 2) Cabin large, controls all equally chunky, easy to see and use on the run.

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

Ram 1500 Express Crew V8 Hemi Ram has introduced a right-hand drive 1500 with a full cab that undercuts the range-topping Laramie.

I

n today’s increasingly eco-friendly environment, vehicles are becoming lighter and more fuel frugal, but there’s clearly still a place for an OTT pickup truck if Ram 1500 sales are any guide.

Ram Trucks Australasia began reworking these utes to right-hand drive in 2015, with sales starting in early 2016.

Australasian sales hit 2868 in 2019, almost three times that of the previous year, and the brand is celebrating with this new introduction – the 1500 Express Crew V8 Hemi.

Designed to sit above the entry-level Express Quad, it uses the same, larger cabin as the Laramie range-topper we tested back in late 2018, but by giving up some equipment cuts $14,910 off the full purchase price.

You’ll lose the on-demand AWD system, getting instead a switchable part-time system with low range, which we found easy to use with a rapid switch between modes, provided you stop to select neutral before flicking the switch. We weren’t able to truly test it in the rough without a second vehicle just in case,

4

but some steeply sloping Waitakere gravel driveways it balked at in 2WD were tackled as if on flat tarmac in 4WD. Opting for this over the Laramie also means cloth seats instead of leather, manual seat adjustment instead of electric, and black details where the blinged-out Laramie gets chrome for a cool look likely to suit Kiwis better.

There’s no change to the stonking great 5.7-litre V8 Hemi engine powering this behemoth, which now boasts the only V8 petrol powerplant fitted to a new ute selling in New Zealand. That gets you 291kW of power and, most noticeably, 556Nm of torque.

Prod the throttle at lower speeds and this 2.6-tonne truck picks up and boogies impressively; the subtle yet throaty gurgle of low-speed running deepening just enough to hint at the grunt on tap without getting too raucous about it, as you pick up speed with the relentless inevitability of a charging rhino.

Naturally this isn’t the most frugal ute you can buy, with city driving likely to see

Engine: 5654cc 90° V8 Fuel tank capacity: 121 litres Power: 291kW at 5600rpm Torque: 556Nm at 3950rpm Claimed fuel economy: 12.2l/100km Transmission: 8-speed auto Suspension: Upper and lower A arms (front), five-link (rear) both with coil springs, twin-tube shocks, stabiliser bar Wheels/tyres: 20” alloys with 275/60 R20 tyres Brakes: 336mm vented disc front and 352mm disc rear with ABS Stability/traction control: Yes Airbags: 6 Min turning radius: 12.1m Max payload: 830kg (tub) Kerb weight: 2620kg Gross vehicle weight: 3450kg Cargo length: 1712mm Cargo width: 1687mm plus RamBox total (1270mm) Cargo height: 509mm to top of wellside Cargo capacity: 1.4m3 Towing braked/unbraked: 4500kg/750kg Length: 5833mm Wheelbase: 3569mm Width: 2097mm Height: 1917mm Seats: 5 Options fitted: RamBox with trifold tonneau: $5000

5

3) Black accents look great, face as imposing as ever; 4) Roomy, lockable RamBox on each side is lit, drained, and useful; 5) ‘Hemi 5.7 liter’ badges hint at 291kW and 556Nm.

New Zealand Trucking

September 2020 71

Without other vehicles for scale it’s hard to appreciate just how big the Ram 1500 is.

Ram embraces its rustic side. shallow storage space beneath.

This example included the optional RamBox cargo management system – a pair of lockable storage units built into the sides of the wellside tub that carry 210 litres between them. They’re lit, and include drainage, so they’re not just good for smaller items you want to keep safe, but can also carry fishing or diving gear after a trip to keep water out of the cabin, or even ice and drinks to cool the team off during work breaks.

That cargo system includes a folding tonneau cover and a plastic load-extender that circles the tailgate for longer loads – but comes with a $5000 price tag, boosting the total from $104,990 to $109,990.

This edition also sports what the distributor calls a sports hood, plus black accents and some limited edition colours, this one called Granite Crystal.

The conversion to righthand drive is very well done – really the only giveaway is that there’s still a vanity mirror on the driver side only, where vehicles with just the one usually give it to the passenger, and it still lacks a cover, which can be distracting with the sun visor down. How expensive would it have been to fit one? And while we’re being picky, don’t suggest rear passengers look down when the front seat’s cranked forward for short drivers; the finish on such less-frequently viewed areas isn’t what you’d expect from a 6-figure vehicle.

Anyone regularly tackling

urban centres will find the Ram’s footprint unwieldy, though for some that’s an acceptable compromise for the generous tow rating and large cabin. If you want to tow more you’ll get the 2500, which will pull 6989kg with the special ‘pintle’ hitch fitted, and has a tray 210mm longer.

Given we’re in New Zealand, not Texas, that’d put this truck at more than six metres long, and anyone not needing the full cabin space would opt for the quad-cab’s smaller cabin, and longer tray.

Those needing a larger payload or spending most time in urban environs might be better off with a one-tonner ute, but if you regularly pull big trailers and don’t want a separate commercial to do it, this Ram could be ideal.

0920-16

20 litres gurgle through for every 100km travelled. On the open road that’ll drop to 12 or 13 litres, while our mainly hilly, rural route with some commuter and highway running averaged 14.5l/100km for the duration of our test.

Not surprisingly, you couldn’t call this colossus nimble, but it’s confident, with decent road-holding and ride for its bracket, and it imparts the sort of high-riding confidence any occupant will enjoy while cruising. It is, however, designed for wider roads and broader landscapes than we typically traverse. It’s more than two metres wide – including mirrors – for starters, and on the narrow Waitakere roads of our test we were often aware of it, especially on narrow stretches too narrow to boast road markings, with chances to pull over to let someone by somewhat limited by this beast’s 5.833m length.

It could be worse – we didn’t tow a trailer, though this Ram will pull 4500kg.

Clamber into the largest ute cabin available and you’ll spot a few changes. There’s better connectivity as the 8.4” touchscreen now also accesses Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and you keep cool via dual-zone air con.

Mind you, that centre console is still wide enough to hold a party atop it, with a shockingly

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Ready to can-can!

Renault Lander 8x4 Kenworth C509460.32 6x4 tractor

Operator Roadex logistics Ltd, Mount Maunganui UD Quon GW26-260 6x4 tractor Driver Frank Richards Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Operator: Priority Logistics Mt Maunganui Transmission Optidriver Engine: UD GH11 343kW (460hp) Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub reduction Transmission:Flat deckUD ESCOT-VI 12-speed AMT Truck body with front mounted PK12000 Rear axles: PalfingerUD RTS2370A crane Rear suspension: UD air suspension Features Disc brakes, Bluetooth, Body/trailer: Dura-Bright Setalloy up by Elite Truck Specialists Auckland wheels Operation: Carting roofing Container transport Bay of Plenty Operation material around Driver: Stu Powell the Bay of Plenty area

Sales:

Operator logistics and Ltd, Wilshier Mount Maunganui Operator: RoadexWilliams Ltd – Rotorua Driver Frank Richards Engine: Cummins X-15 459kW (615hp) Engine 0Xi11, 460hp Transmission: Eaton Roadranger RTLO22918B 18-speed Transmission Optidriver manual Rear axles Renault P2191 with hub reduction Rear axles: SISU Truck body Flat deck withhub frontreduction mounted PK12000 Rear suspension:

Kenworth Palfinger crane 6-rod Body/trailer: Disc brakes, Patchell, and Patchell 4-axle trailer Features Bluetooth, Features/extras: 9-tonne axle/super singles Dura-Bright alloyfront wheels Operation: Carting Stems Operation roofingcartage material Kaingaroa around Drivers: Malcolm, the BayRicky of Plenty area Joe Green

Sales:

Peter Coulson

Adam McIntosh

Making heavy vehicle fleet management easy for you www.trgroup.co.nz

0800 50 40 50

New Zealand Trucking October 2020 75 11 November 2015 NZ TRUCKING

new kiwi bodies & trailers New Zealand Trucking brings you New Kiwi Bodies & Trailers. Bodies and trailers are expected to last twice as long as trucks. What’s more, there’s new technology and advanced design features showing up almost every month.

New Zealand has a rich heritage of body and trailer building and we’re proud to showcase some recent examples of Kiwi craftsmanship every month. If you want a body or trailer included on these pages, send a photo, features and the manufacturer’s name to trailers@nztrucking.co.nz

Born again, and just born!

Bay of Plenty’s Grant Farms went to Mills-Tui for a spruce-up on the body fitted to their Australian spec Freightliner Coronado. MillsTui modified the truck’s tail door to a two-way setup operated from the ground, fitted Peterson LED lights, new mud flaps, and sandblasted and painted it into Mills-Tui signature gunmetal.

A new 4-axle trailer was built to match, with Mills-Tui fabricating a side skirt in keeping with the

Australian-look body on the truck.

The trailer has a high tensile chassis, Hardox bin, Peterson LED illumination, and is finished in matching gunmetal.

Containing excitement Quad skeles! They’re crisp, clean pieces of kit, light on weight but big on payload. This cool specimen fresh from Patchell Industries is no exception to the rule. The unit sports a stainless steel rear bumper,

Features: (Trailer) Hendrickson axles and air suspension. KnorrBremse EBS. Mills-Tui

22.5” super single polished alloy wheels, and Double Coin tyres.

Features: ROR SL9 disc brake axles and suspension, with a rear steer axle. WABCO brake system.

Patchell Industries

KIWI 16/17

Contact John O’Donnell 027 226 9995, Jim Doidge 021 190 1002 or Hayden Jones 0800 549 489 | sales@kiwityres.co.nz |

0800 KIWI TYRES (0800 549 489) | kiwitrucktyres.nz 76 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

KIWI 175

I may look simple, but…

In the best tradition of never judge a book by its cover, Transport and General Transport Trailers presents its latest evolution of the not-so-simple, simple trailer. It’s the second unit on the road for Kevin McKay in Gisborne following the success of his first unit. This latest 4.5m unit takes the tech up a few notches though, with disc brakes, air suspension, and full EBS. With a tare well under four and a half tonne, the trailer can load a 6x4 truck equivalent payload into its Hardox body.

Other features include T&GTT’s nylon-bushed swing tailgate, swing tail-light hangers, the company’s

‘plug and play’ defender wiring looms, and integral safety prop for the body, the latter a standard safety feature on all T&GTT trailers.

Features: SAF INTRADISC disc braked axles and suspension, Edbro hoist.

Transport and General Transport Trailers

Long and flowing MD Engineeing in Balclutha has built the body and trailer for this superb Scania running in the Beckers Transport livery for Road Transport Logistics Ltd. MD’s manager Michael Jelly has driven stock and bulk trucks himself, so that helps immeasurably when it comes to knowing what his clients want. The

unit is fitted up with 1.3m sides, and with the 9.8m trailer tipping the scales at 7000kg, the combination will certainly earn its place in the fleet.

Features: SAF INTRADISC disc brake axles and air suspension, WABCO EBS. MD Engineering

Spec your trailer on KIWIs – the new tyre of choice for KIWIs KIWI 16

KIWI 17

KIWI 175

Wide grooves will not hold stones Heavy duty case Excellent mileage performance 17mm extra deep tread

The KIWI 16’s tougher twin Super heavy duty case Puncture resistant 17mm extra deep tread

Multi use tread pattern Urban/highway/off road Puncture resistant 17.5mm extra deep tread

265/70R19.5

215/75R17.5 265/70R19.5

265/70R19.5

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 77

MINI BIG RIGS

Step 1 – Preparation: select all the parts required for the engine assembly, lay them out, and prepare them for glue.

Engine build and paint Story and photos by Carl Kirkbeck

It is time to fill the gap at the front of the chassis between the rails with a twin turbo V8 beating heart to power our Mighty Merc.

I

f this is your first time building a 1/25th scale or greater kitset model truck, you will find it is quite a unique experience compared with other vehicles. With the likes of cars, planes and even boats, a lot of shortcuts are taken by the kitset manufacturers to simplify the assembly process for the hobbyist, and this results in a lot of build detail being lost. In comparison, when building a model truck you will find there are many similarities to the actual build process of the real rig. Just like they do nearly 470 times a day at the Mercedes-Benz heavy truck factory in Wörth, Germany, we started with a pair of bare chassis rails and began the process of building our tractor unit.

Moving forward we now need a power plant and gearbox to sit between the rails of the chassis. So looking at ‘step 4’ of our instruction sheet we find two stages to the engine and gearbox build. Once again I find it convenient to first accumulate all

78 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

the numbered parts required and lay them out on the work bench. This way you can descale any flash or clean moulding lines before beginning assembly. There are a couple of parts that look similar (cylinder heads – parts 58 and 59), however they fit on specific sides of the engine block, so sitting them on a piece of paper and numbering them helps save confusion once you start gluing.

My approach is to assemble all the engine parts in their factory-finished bare plastic state as detailed in the instruction sheet, and leave the painting and detailing for later on once the engine is complete. This speeds the process, reducing fiddly gluing of freshly painted parts where you inevitably end up with visible glue between the various parts. Also, the base colour for the majority of the engine components is the same, and again it is how most real life-size engines are painted in the factory.

For ease of painting the cooling fan and drive belt details, I leave the radiator assembly (parts 64, 65, 66, 67, and 68) off at this time, as it is easy to fit these later once the engine painting is complete.

Choosing an appropriate colour for the engine is as simple as a quick Google image search for ‘Mercedes-Benz truck

Assemble the engine in its bare factory-finished

By leaving the radiator assembly off initially you

plastic state as this will make painting that

have greater access to the fan and drive belt

much easier and achieve a clean finish.

assemblies with your paint brush to detail paint.

The finished twin-turbo V8 ready to power the Mighty Merc.

engines’; this immediately reveals a plethora of colour options for the Merc. There are greys, blues, and every shade of green; if only we were painting a CAT C15. Looking at the image search I find a photo that matches a pot of Tamiya XF20 Deep Green that I have on the shelf, so that is what I have used. There are many options at your local hobby store when it comes to paint. Like a lot of other modellers, I have opted for the newer acrylic enamels, as they are very user-friendly, simple to apply, and clean-up is with water. Have a chat to your local stockists regarding the options and what fits best for you.

I start by applying the green to the engine block. Once this dries I can then paint the various details; brown for the exhaust plumbing and turbos, black for the rubber hoses – again, use Google images for guidance here.

At this stage now that the engine is finished and painted, I go about the installation of the radiator assembly and its plumbing. First of all glue parts 64, 65 and 66 together and paint; I used Tamiya XF84 Dark Iron. Once this has dried, glue into position – at the same time gluing into place the two radiator hoses, parts 67 and 68. When these parts have set and dried you can go about painting them.

The final area left to paint is the gearbox, and again a

Our subject matter, Pilkington Automotive Glass/Ken Kirk circa 1992.

Do you build model trucks? Would you like to share your stories and model builds with our readers? Then please feel free to contact us (carl@nztrucking.co.nz). These pages are dedicated to supporting the hobby, and we would like to hear from you.

Google image search reveals that a Satin Black appears to be a common colour used, so I applied Tamiya XF84 Dark Iron here as well as it has a little more character.

We are now set to power up the mighty Merc with its period twin-turbo V8. Next time it’s all about wheel assembly and working towards a rolling chassis. 

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 79

LITTLE TRUCKERS’ CLUB

HI LITTLE TRUCKERS! “Caleb is passionate about his job and puts his job and kids first before anyone else. He loves it most when he gets to take his kids and I for a ride,” Jasmine Aldersley on behalf of Sylvia (3) and Sierra (4 months).

“My dad Rod is a pretty good fulla, as he has taught me the tricks of the cool trade since I can remember,” Billy Adams.

FATHER’S DAY COMPETITION WINNERS!

Thank you to those of you who have sent me photos for our Father’s Day competition. Congratulations to Caleb Aldersley, nominated by daughters Sylvia and Sierra and Mum Jasmine, as well as Rod Adams, nominated by son Billy. Your prizes are on the way!

Fun Fact

Peterbilt limo!

This 22-wheel semi-truck is called Midnight Rider, located in California and likely the world’s largest limousine. A whooping 21m long, it has three lounges, a bar, and can comfortably carry 40 passengers. The build was completed in 2003 and took seven years!

WORD SEARCH

Find the hidden words – they could be backwards, upside down or even diagonally across the grid. Have fun kids!

BEDFORD, DAF, FREIGHTLINER, FODEN, FUSO, HINO, INTERNATIONAL, ISUZU, IVECO, KENWORTH, MACK, MERCEDES-BENZ, SCANIA, VOLVO, WESTERN STAR

R A T S N R E T S E W K A F

B I S U Z U R G Y A N S B T

O P N B Q M K F U S O O E B

G O C T U S I E W G M E U E

I T Z Z E C N H N B O R L D

80 New Zealand Trucking

J N D N S R I Z D W D D A F October 2020

M E H E C G N T A C O V K O

C D F B W D P A Y X F R G R

X O Y S V U T F T X D N T D

Y F R E I G H T L I N E R H

N S A D T Q R A L V O P H D

Q C O E R L Z E W E P N I V

H O S C A N I A V C Q D A O

I K I R K B N T O O B L M L

N M G E E X B S U A S G J V

O B C M A C K A C G R K F O

Daylight savings is here, awesome!! More time to do the things we love, like hanging out with mum or dad at work after school.

Speaking of more time, I hope you all had a fabulous twoweek break from school and managed to get some much deserved truck time over the holidays.

Last call for entries into the spring colouring competition too, all winners will be announced and printed in next month’s issue! You can either scan your entries or take a photo and email them to me at rochelle@nztrucking. co.nz. I look forward to seeing them!

JOKE OFNTH: THE MO w dn’t work out ho

I coul y seatbelt. to fasten mcl icked! it Then

FIND THE LITTLE TRUCKERS’ CLUB LOGO The Little Truckers’ Club logo is hidden somewhere in this issue – find it and let me know where it is and you never know your luck, you may just win a wee prize! You can email me at rochelle@nztrucking.co.nz.

WHAT’S ON Mobil Delvac 1 New Zealand Road Transport Hall of Fame 13 November 2020 Bill Richardson Transport World Tickets $225 each, banquet seating 10 per table $2250 Contact: Adam Reinsfield 0800 151 252 ext 5, or email adamr@twevents.nz

NZ Trucking Association 2020 Trucking Industry Summit 21 November 2020, 9am to 4pm Riccarton Racecourse, Christchurch Free to attend Contact: Rebecca Dinmore 03 349 8070, rebecca.dinmore@nztruckingassn.co.nz www.nztruckingassn.co.nz/trucking-industrysummit-2020

Wings and Wheels Thames 30 January 2021 Contact: Mary Thompson 027 200 3433, 07 868-5699

Wheels at Wanaka 3 and 4 April 2021 Three Parks, Ballantyne Road, Wanaka Contact: Colleen Nisbet 021 780 674, www.wheelsatwanaka.co.nz

Brisbane Truck Show 13 to 16 May 2021 Brisbane Convention Centre Contact: 0061 7 3376-6266, or email admin@brisbanetruckshow.com.au www.brisbanetruckshow.com

All scheduled events may be subject to change depending on weather conditions etc. It is suggested you check the websites above before setting out.

Show organisers – please send your event details at least eight weeks in advance to editor@nztrucking.co.nz for a free listing on this page.

New Zealand Trucking

October 2020 81

“What Teletrac Navman provides outside of road transport – its innovation and functionality – is really what makes it stand apart. Gaining greater transparency has been a major win. Clients really value transparency and innovation.”

Dean Elder, General Manager Contracting, SouthRoads

0800 447 735

1020-05

TeletracNavman.co.nz

84 Moving Metrics 88 Incoming Cargo – Road User Gases 92 Industry Comment – No gain without pain 94 IRTENZ – Virtual reality 96 Business Update – SouthRoads/Teletrac Navman 98 Health and Safety 100 Legal Lines 102 NZ Trucking Association 104 Road Transport Forum 106 The Last Mile B R OUG HT TO YO U B Y

MOVING METRICS

THE SALES NUMBERS New Zealand Trucking shows you 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.

Summary of heavy trucks and trailers first registered in August

Note: vehicle classes are not the same as RUC vehicle types or driver licence classes.

This information is put together from information provided by the NZ Transport Agency statistical analysis team and through the Open Data Portal.

Vehicle type

300

Number of units

0 A table of all vehicle classes can be found in Table A of the Land NB NC TD Transport Rule Vehicle Dimensions and Mass 2016 Rule 41001/2016 Aug-19 Aug-20 https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/rules/docs/vehicleFirst registration off NB and NC classes for August dimensions-and-mass-2016-as-at-1-june-2019.pdf 2020 by major manufacturer

70

50

NB YTD 2019

NB

NC

NC

12

rs

Ot he

53

49

40 30 20 10

8

14

10

5

11 9

15

12

6

10

4 6

Aug-19

TD

October 2020

53

49

Aug-20

6

3 rs Ot he

TM C

TE S

l

Ro ad m as t

ha uf

t

766

First registration of TD class heavy trailers for August 2020 by major suppliers

TD

YTD 2020

0

YTD 2020

84 New Zealand Trucking

NC

50

Fr ue

4

12 1010 1

NC

766

First registration of TD class heavy trailers for August 2020 by major suppliers

Do m et

zu

8

1818

Number of units

1582

26

Ot he

22

Ive co Ke nw or th

o

23

30

M M er AN ce de sB en z Sc an ia UD Tr uc ks

0

Fu s

500

48

2168

Vo lvo

9

10 1000 0

o

16

Isu

1500 20

1728 30 25 23 1401

Hi n

40 2000 30

60

rs

45

DA F

Number Number of units of units

YTD 2019

Aug-20

First registration off NB and NC classes for August 2020 by major manufacturer First registration of NB, NC and TD classes year 64 to date

60 2500 50

NB

NB

TD

12

1 1010

er

NC

26 12

4

Pa tc he l

NB Aug-19

its

o

0

0

50

Fu s

500

1818

48

Vo lvo

1000

1582

8

1401

30

22

M M er AN ce de sB en z Sc an ia UD Tr uc ks

0

108

DA F

113

100

60

9

101500

23

M .T .E .

202

20

16

2168

30 23 1728

25

zu

232

2000

Ive co Ke nw or th

30

o

291

Isu

50

Hi n

Number of units Number of units

Number of units

64

First registration of NB, NC and TD classes year to date 45

60

402500

150

70

A trailer that has a gross vehicle 113 mass 108 exceeding 10 tonnes

100 50

350 300

A goods vehicle 232 that has a gross vehicle mass exceeding 12 tonnes

202

200

TD (heavy trailer)150

First registration of NB and NC classes for August year on year

200

mass exceeding 3.5 tonnes but not exceeding 291 12 tonnes

NC (heavy goods250vehicle) 232

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

250

Description

First registration of NB and NC August NB (medium goods vehicle) A goods vehicle thatclasses has a for gross vehicle year on year 350

This summary includes data from two heavy truck classes and one heavy trailer class.

232

Vehicle class

First registration of new and used NC class trucks by year to August

Number of units

2500 2000

37

1

8

25

0

17

1500 1000 500 0

1704

1511

1878

2100

2168

1582

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

New

Used

2018

2019

rs

Ot he

Vo lvo

M M er AN ce de sB en z Sc an ia UD Tr uc ks

Ive co Ke nw or th

zu Isu

Hi n

Fu s

o

o

450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 DA F

Number of units

First registration in New Zealand for NC class vehicles year to date 2018 - 2020

2020

First registration in New Zealand for TD class heavy trailers year to date 2018 - 2020 500 400 300 200 100

2019

2020

rs Ot he

TM C

TE S

er

l

2018

Ro ad m as t

Pa tc he l

M .T .E .

ha uf Fr ue

t

0 Do m et

Number of units

600

This information is put together from information provided by the NZ Transport Agency. New Zealand Trucking acknowledges the assistance of the media team at NZTA for providing this information to us.

ROAD USER CHARGES

RUC purchase for August 2020, all RUC types A description of RUC vehicle types is available at https://www.nzta.govt.nz/ vehicles/licensing-rego/road-user-charges/ruc-rates-and-transaction-fees/ Please note data may differ from that reported for the same period previously due to adjustments made to the base data supplied to us.

Total value and distance of all road user charges purchased between 1 January 2018 and 31 August 2020 Purchase period

Distance purchased (km)

Value of purchases

Monthly average (km)

1 Jan 2018 – 31 Dec 2018

15,736,558,458

$1,875,364,397

1,311,379,872

1 Jan 2019 – 31 Dec 2019

16,166,434,103

$2,041,939,272

1 January – 30 August 2020 1 Jan 2020 –2020 31 Aug 2020 9,827,507,278 RUC distance purchased for RUC Type 1 vehicles 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.

1,094,452,842

879,883,138 1,228,438,410

7,039,062,100 $1,297,131,569

Purchase period

Distance purchased (km)

Monthly average (km)

1 Jan 2019 – 31 Aug 2019

7,614,337,778

951,792,222

1 Jan 2020 – 31 Aug 2020

7,039,062,100

879,883,138

Rolling trend month-on-month purchase of RUC during 2019 – 2020

Rolling trend month-on-month purchase of RUC during 2019 – 2020

$200,000,000 $150,000,000 $100,000,000 $50,000,000

RUC Distance Purchased (km) 86 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

RUC purchases for the top eight RUC types

Aug-20

Jul-20

Jun-20

May-20

Apr-20

Mar-20

Feb-20

Jan-20

Dec-19

Nov-19

Oct-19

Sep-19

$0

RUC Value ($)

Purchase value ($)

$250,000,000

2,000,000,000 1,800,000,000 1,600,000,000 1,400,000,000 1,200,000,000 1,000,000,000 800,000,000 600,000,000 400,000,000 200,000,000 Aug-19

Distance purchased (km)

RUC purchases all RUC types

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

RUC purchases year to date (end of August 2020) for selected RUC types

RUC class

RUC value ($)

RUC distance (km)

2

$110,136,326

740,378,965

$110,136,326 $170,338,529 $72,662,635 $126,765,555 $45,001,186 $57,795,057 $24,881,950 $29,754,443

740,378,965 $170,338,529 419,167,736 $72,662,635 323,758,067 $126,765,555 307,293,502 $45,001,186 262,983,765

419,167.736

141,142,270 $57,795,057 140,547,770 $24,881,950 80,566,233 $29,754,443

141,142,270

$637,335,681

2,415,838,308 $637,335,681

2,415,838,308

2 6 6 43 43 14 14 951951

H94H94 33 33 408 408 Total YTDto date Total year

323,758,067 307,293,502 262,983,765 140,547,770 80,566,233

60,000,000 40,000,000 20,000,000 0

2

6

43

100,000,000 80,000,000

Total RUC distance (Km)

$10,000,000

60,000,000

$5,000,000

40,000,000

20,000,000 H94 33 0 RUC type

14

$15,000,000

951

408

2 Total RUC Value ($)

120,000,000 100,000,000

14

951

$15,000,000

40,000,000

$10,000,000

20,000,000

H94

33

$5,000,000 6 43 14 951 $0 RUC type

2

408 Total RUC distance (Km)

RUC type

Total RUC distance (Km)

$20,000,000

60,000,000

0

43

$25,000,000

80,000,000

$0

6

$30,000,000

the cost of RUC $20,000,000 purchased for that RUC type for the year to date $15,000,000 August 2020 only, thus for RUC type 6 vehicles, $10,000,000 powered vehicles with three axles, (except type $5,000,000 308, 309, 311, 399 or 413 vehicles), the higher value $0 results from the high cost H94 33 408 of RUC for these type vehicles above 12 tonne.

Purchase Value ($)

80,000,000

$20,000,000

Purchase value ($)

100,000,000

Distance purchased (km)

120,000,000

Distance Purchased (km)

120,000,000

Purchase Value ($)

RUC purchases June 2020 for selected types RUC purchases June 2020 for selected types RUC purchases August 2020 for selected 140,000,000 $25,000,000 140,000,000 $25,000,000 The red dots represent types

Total RUC Value ($)

Total RUC Value ($)

600,000,000 500,000,000 RUC distance purchased year to date (January to June) for selected400,000,000 RUC types 300,000,000 700,000,000 200,000,000 600,000,000 100,000,000 500,000,000 400,000,000 2 6 43 300,000,000

YTD 2019

200,000,000 100,000,000 -

2

6

43

14

951

H94

33

408

Distance Purchased (km)

Distance purchased (km)

ed dots represent the cost of RUC purchased for that RUC type for the year The red to date dotsJune represent 2020 the cost of RUC purchased for that RUC type for the year to date June 2020 RUC distance purchased January to August forpowered vehicles with three axles, (except type 308, 309, 311, thus for RUC type 6 vehicles, powered vehicles with three axles, (exceptonly, type thus 308,for 309, RUC 311, type 6 vehicles, The red dots represent the cost of RUC purchased for that RUC type for the year to date 2020 selected RUC types or 413 vehicles), the higher value results from the high cost of RUC for these 399 or type 413 vehicles vehicles), above the higher value results fromAugust the high cost of RUC for these type vehicles abov only,900,000,000 thus for RUC type 6 vehicles, powered vehicles with three axles, (except type 308, 309, 311, nne.

12 tonne.

399 800,000,000 or 413 vehicles), the higher value results from the high cost of RUC for these type vehicles above By comparing 12 tonne.

700,000,000 distance purchased date withtothe RUC distance purchased year to year dateto(January June) same period for the for selected RUC types previous year, any 700,000,000 trends in changes to 600,000,000 activity will become 500,000,000 clear.

14 400,000,000 951 H94

33

408

300,000,000

YTD200,000,000 2020 100,000,000 -

2

6

43

New 2020 87 14 Zealand 951 Trucking H94 33October408

RUC type By comparing distance purchased year to date with the same period forRUC thetype previous year, any YTDtrends 2019 in YTD 2020 YTD 2019 YTD 2020 changes to activity will become clear.

INCOMING CARGO

What the RUC? Story by Dan Kahn

Story first published on Pureadvantage.org

The transport sector makes up about 20% of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and rapid industry-wide reductions are crucial to achieve a sustainable net zero emissions economy. It also represents one of the most difficult industries to decarbonise, with steep technology cost hurdles and one of the most efficient incumbent fossil fuel supply chains ever developed.

T

he government is committed to funding renewable infrastructure in the Covid recovery, which will create new jobs and private sector investment. However, to ensure a timely and sustainable transition, amending policy mechanisms, like the road user charges (RUC) exemption, to include green hydrogen and exempt trailers, is needed to stimulate the new heavy vehicle market, underpin deep decarbonisation and drive long-term success.

The bulk of New Zealand’s vehicle fleet is made up of light duty passenger cars and utes, with heavy vehicles about 4% of the total vehicle fleet, yet they make up more than 25% of the sector’s emissions. A single line haul truck can do more than 200,000km a year, more than 1,000,000km in its first life before refurbishment – vehicles essential to our economy moving more than 92% of all freight tonnage in the country even during the pandemic.

While these distances bring technical challenges to electrification, they also create opportunities. For every line haul truck a business converts to zero emission, they will

88 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

reduce the equivalent emissions of more than 150 cars.

It means the sector can focus deployment of zero emissions infrastructure efficiently along main freight corridors and quickly develop a network. It means businesses can leverage the skills of an innovative industry to create new opportunities in green supply chains. Moreover, it means stakeholders can use existing policy levers like a RUC exemption to incentivise early adopters, drive market uptake, and create lasting economic parity for widespread fleet transition.

What are road user charges (RUC)?

The RUC is levied on all diesel vehicles based on weight and kilometres travelled. The annual revenue, about $1.8 billion, goes to the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF) which is used to provide road maintenance and improvements. The RUC rate increases with weight, axle and trailer configurations, which reflects the damage inflicted on the roading network.

Operators pay for RUC licences in advance and there are several systems, paper and electronic, to ensure rates are paid accordingly. A typical line haul truck and trailer combination can be paying more than $0.60/km in RUC rates depending on its number of axles.

RUC and CO2 emissions

There is also a direct correlation of RUC rates and CO2 emissions. Heavier trucks pay higher RUC rates and consume

more fuel than lighter trucks and therefore emit more CO2 per kilometre travelled. Hypothetically, if you take the $0.60/ km example, and imagine it charged on a per-tonne of CO2 emitted basis, the RUC rate would equate to more than $400/ t-CO2 (factoring in that a truck that consumes about 55 litres diesel per 100km, and each litre of diesel burned emits 2.69kg of CO2).

Providing an exemption from the RUC rate as a means to decarbonise is a compelling enabler. It offers a targeted carbon reduction incentive now when technology costs are elevated and adoption rates low – rather than waiting for the industrywide ETS to increase (currently at around $30/t-CO2). Later, the incentive could be scaled back as costs approach parity with incumbent technology.

A RUC exemption already exists

The RUC Act revisions of 2012 include an exemption for light electric vehicles from 2012 to 2021; an additional exemption for heavy electric vehicles was added in 2017 to run until 2025.

While we’ve seen some uptake of electric buses and small electric trucks as a result, there is an unrealised opportunity to dramatically increase market growth.

Unfortunately, when the definition of ‘electric vehicle’ was written into the RUC Act, fuel cell vehicles were not on the commercial horizon. The Act defines an electric vehicle as one ‘with motive power wholly or partly derived from an external

source of electricity’, inadvertently excluding green hydrogen.

Hiringa Energy has a view that while hydrogen produced from clean electricity and biomass would certainly meet the intent of the exemption programme, the definition would need to be changed to ensure green hydrogen powered trucks would receive the benefit.

Revisions to include green hydrogen will unlock greater zero emission opportunities for commercial operators, particularly because hydrogen’s payload, range and fast refuelling advantages are best suited to electrifying the heavy fleet.

It is also important that a revised definition only recognises green hydrogen, i.e. hydrogen produced from clean electricity or biomass. Brown hydrogen – produced from the reformation of natural gas – must be prohibited from receiving the exemption, as the Well to Wheel (WtW) emissions of a brown hydrogen powered vehicle can be worse than incumbent diesel.

Any incentives enabling brown hydrogen will only delay the establishment of a low-cost green hydrogen supply chain.

The exemption should also include trailers paired to RUC-exempt vehicles. This encourages operators to scale their zero emission assets, and puts more incentive forward for decarbonising the largest emitting vehicles in the fleet.

Additionally, the exemption period should be extended to 2028, giving green hydrogen technologies the same runway as the original electric heavy vehicle exemption, and heavy truck owners ample time to transition their fleets.

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The case to support a RUC exemption

All vehicles damage roads but the number of new trucks that could benefit from stimulus is small (about 1% of the total fleet), and the potential impact on emissions is huge. Heavy electric technologies are in the early stages of the cost curve.

This means scaling up from 10s to 100s to 1000s of vehicles has steep cost reductions per annum, and market growth at the beginning of this decade can drive capex decreases of up to 13% per year. An exemption programme that expires by a specific date, 2028 for example, means that as vehicles get cheaper, and scale drives fuel costs down over time, less RUC support is given throughout a vehicle’s life.

The support for RUC exemption shifts early adopter economics, achieving total cost of ownership parity with diesel between 2023 and 2025, and unaided parity between 2026 and 2028. Assuming the exemption programme ends when parity is achieved, the reinvestment of RUC revenues to stimulate the industry would total to 2 to 3% of what would otherwise be directed to the NLTF over that time period (or $280 million of $13.8 billion by 2028, assuming 2019 NLTF contributions).

Once unsupported parity is met, the zero emission heavy truck market will grow rapidly.

Looking out to 2035, when stimulus-led market growth has driven uptake of 10,000 to 20,000 zero emissions heavy vehicles, as much as 10% of all transport emissions could be reduced, or 1,500,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. At that time, when the zero emissions truck market will have scaled, a fractional levy on vehicle classes that received the exemption could rapidly repay the foregone revenue.

It’s crucial we act now. New Zealand brings in about 6500 new heavy vehicles per year, capping the market’s ability to transition the fleet to zero emission. Every new imported truck locks in an average of 17 years of diesel emissions and new vehicles do the most kilometres, and emit the most CO2.

The steps for government and sector stakeholders are threefold: • First, the government must create clear reduction targets for transport emissions across the commercial sectors (soon to be addressed by the Zero Carbon Act).

• Second, the government should stimulate investment in zero emission heavy vehicle refuelling and charging infrastructure across New Zealand – happening already via the ‘shovelready’ project investments and Low Emission Vehicle Contestable Fund (LEVCF).

• Third, the government should leverage the existing RUC exemption legislation and amend it to include green hydrogen powered vehicles (which are inadvertently

excluded), exempt trailers pulled by zero emission vehicles, and extending the exemption period to 2028.

New Zealand’s truck market is bespoke and small relative to most other countries, however Hiringa Energy and partners have leveraged domestic momentum to secure an early supply of suitable vehicles for the national refuelling network. Longterm support like the RUC exemption is key to continued market growth and emissions impact, because as the zero emissions heavy truck industry becomes more competitive, New Zealand’s relevance to international manufacturers will diminish.

Soon, the minimum number of vehicles for an original equipment manufacturer market entry will expand beyond normal fleet turnover, making early adoption more costly, hindering fleet uptake and putting emissions reduction targets beyond reach.

New Zealand isn’t the only country to offer a road tax exemption

Switzerland has a vehicle market roughly twice the size of New Zealand, and has successfully leveraged a similar exemption to deploy more than 1600 hydrogen heavy trucks by 2025.

With the exemption, the trucks are competitive with diesel equivalents and are stimulating investment in green hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, powered by Switzerland’s hydropower resources. Once at scale, the trucks will achieve unsubsidised parity with diesel.

Heavy transport plays a significant role in keeping the New Zealand economy and essential services moving and must decarbonise to meet international climate obligations.

Modelling an effective RUC exemption, the transportation sector can design a similar programme to Switzerland, leverage New Zealand’s renewable energy ecosystem, and lead the southern hemisphere in decarbonising heavy freight.

The transition to zero emissions must be enabled to kickstart an industry-shift away from diesel and unlock national green supply chains.

Let’s get rolling!  Dan Kahn is co-founder and CTO of Hiringa Energy. He has a background in clean technology product development, hydrogen infrastructure design and carbon capture. He has worked at heavy-metal recycling facilities in China, deployed automated fuel cell manufacturing equipment at MercedesBenz, and sucked CO2 out of the atmosphere and combined it with green hydrogen to create synthetic jet fuel.

What is a fuel cell vehicle and green hydrogen?

Fuel cell vehicles (FCVs), powered by green hydrogen, are lighter than their zero emission battery electric cousins (BEVs), meaning they can carry heavier payloads further.

They are refuelled in minutes rather than hours – key for heavy vehicle operators where on-road time is money.

FCVs are, at their core, electric. The key component, a fuel cell, electrochemically combines hydrogen and air to create electricity, which drives an electric motor, and water vapour, which is vented. Compressed hydrogen is stored

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onboard the vehicle in high pressure tanks, and while less efficient than directly charging a battery, green hydrogen can be produced from renewable electricity or biomass, and stored for long periods of time without degradation.

This means green hydrogen production supplements increased intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, monetises excess power produced during off-peak times, and encourages greater electrification without emissions.

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INDUSTRY COMMENT

No gain without pain Truck driver and advocate Antony Alexander rounds out the current series on the appalling state of SH5, the Napier-Taupo road.

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wo years ago I started a crusade – for want of a better word – campaigning to have major upgrades funded to fix some of the issues on the Napier to Taupo section of SH5. In that time, there have been at least eight deaths and countless injuries on this section of road. I know that there are other roads in New Zealand with the same issues, but being a user of the NapierTaupo it is close to my heart.

In the corridor management plan for SH5, there are no capital works scheduled for the road for the next 10 years.

The $12 million dollars that is budgeted for 2020/21 is for the whole of the Hawke’s Bay state highway network. (National has announced that it will allocate $200 million alone to SH5 if elected, so that should give you an idea of the shortfall that NZTA is facing when trying to decide what, if anything, gets upgraded on the road.)

NZTA system manager Hawke’s Bay Oliver Postings stated that NZTA is “having to spend money where the need is greatest based on asset management data and evidence”.

Recent works filling in potholes and other repairs has seen funds redirected to SH5 and indeed SH2, the Napier to Wairoa road. As it is, the total budget allocated would only cover about 600km of the entire Hawke’s Bay network at the average costing of $20,000 per kilometre, but with money being diverted to repairs, that’s essentially taking funds away from scheduled works within the entire network, which in turn means a continuous game of catch-up.

Latest figures released by NZTA senior manager Wayne Oldfield state that there were more than 3000 repairs made on the road in the past five years, although those figures were unable to differentiate whether the repairs were temporary or permanent.

As someone who travels the road 12 times a week, I can pretty much state that a lot of the repairs that I see have to be completed three or four times before the work is of a decent standard. One of the questions I ask often is why the New Zealand government, or in fact successive governments, isn’t putting more money into safety improvements when Julie Ann Genter has publicly stated that she expected the NZTA to prioritise safety upgrades to the most dangerous roads? As stated in a previous article, NZTA is spending $13 million to upgrade the Taupo arterial route because of three deaths in 10 years, and they want to reduce the potential of more happening. So the question needs to be asked often, why is the money not coming to SH5 with eight deaths in six months, or indeed other state highways within the entire country?

Chris Bishop, National’s transport spokesman, recently said that the road was “dangerous” and that the road conditions “were not good enough” during his recent pledge to allocate funds for Hawke’s Bay. He also said that the road wasn’t

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designed for current volumes or loads. It’s interesting to note that the issues that he stated were nearly word for word from the statement of Paul Michaelsen, who is the AA Hawke’s Bay chairman.

Bear in mind the pledge from Bishop is just that, a pledge.

National first has to get into power. Stuart Nash, Labour’s police minister, countered by saying that National couldn’t order NZTA to do anything and that Labour were planning to significantly increase the maintenance budget within the next five years. He also agreed that the road was unforgiving.

So to the standard old road user such as myself it shows both National and Labour are aware of the issues on the road and that they have just ignored them in the past. In my mind, Genter is more prepared to do the high profile ‘upgrades’ like wire barriers on straight roads, than spend decent money to actually do proper upgrades on existing state highways.

NZTA, however, has undertaken to complete a technical assessment on the road based on speed limits, crash history, average speeds, volume of vehicles, and developments of surrounding areas. Just for the record, I don’t agree with dropping the speed limits, but making the road safer for the limits that are imposed as the law stands. It is interesting to note, however, that NZTA has installed electronic ‘slow down’ signs on the Te Pohue curve, and also just south of Te Pohue, in an effort to slow vehicles down before out of context bends. Barriers have also been installed to try and reduce the chance of an off-road excursion. In my opinion, as a truckie, there are many areas that need to be concentrated on. This includes widening, corner straightening, realignments in areas where possible, more proactive policing of the road, more VMS signs, and certainly better cellphone coverage. Barriers should be placed in multiple areas where there are large drop-offs, and in recent years, there have been some major improvements in this area.

Recently I contacted NZTA and Downers, who is the contractor for the northern part of the road. The correspondence was in regard to the scabbing of the road surface just south of the Waipunga Falls. Over the past six months there have been at least six crashes on a very short section of road, including one car into a large hole not protected by a barrier, one into the barrier, and two over a very large drop into a river. These crashes have been relatively minor with no serious injuries, but the potential is there. There have been another five or six near the Okoeke Stream bridge, where cars have slipped, slid, or dived off the road – some into the bush, some into wire fences protecting the road from falling boulders. Again, I indicated this would point to another section in need of serious attention.

The reply from an unnamed engineer from Downers stated: “Unfortunately, although the drop-off in this location has previously been identified, there are other locations on the central Waikato network that pose a higher risk. Funding applications for safety improvements were targeted at these other locations rather than this site.”

So they are aware of the issues. They are aware that the area needs resealing. They are aware of the number of crashes, but funding has been applied for elsewhere. Whatever happened to preventing deaths before they happen, which is the explanation

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being used for the $13 million being spent on the Taupo arterial?

The next question then should be, why are the contractors and local NZTA area managers not being vocal about what they need? If they are being vocal, why are they being ignored?

It’s all well and good bringing out the Road to Zero policy, but surely they need to be listening to the very agency that should be advising them of issues on New Zealand’s highways. All the issues.

On 6 August, stuff.co.nz reporter Georgia-May Gilbertson wrote an article where a retired road safety engineer contradicted himself where he stated, “The road isn’t dangerous but the speed limits are”. He then went on to say that in some areas, the road is flushed, that it needed maintenance, that the ‘slippery when wet’ signs indicated that the surface didn’t meet skid resistance protocols, and that it had a lot of “out of context curves”. I guess we the public need to make up our own minds on whether it’s dangerous or not then.

Postings states: “To make the road safer, we would look to apply the safe system approach to the corridor, so a suite of safe roadside interventions (engineering fixes, barriers, new seals, etc), safe and appropriate speeds, as well as enforcement. The reality is people will make mistakes on all roads; the key is to make the environment forgiving and enable people to survive.

There is no one solution that would solve all of the accidents unfortunately.”

The Road to Zero campaign involves creating a more forgiving road system that protects people from death and serious injury when they crash. I wholeheartedly believe that in principle the campaign needs to continue, but really take a long, hard look at where the crashes are happening. Sooner or later, in areas like the Waipunga area, the minor injury crashes are going to be fatal. Along with making the roads more forgiving, there needs to be a proactive policing campaign to encourage drivers to be more vigilant, more courteous, and pay attention to the conditions a lot more closely.

I can’t tell you how many times in the course of my campaign I’ve heard people say, “it’s not the road, it’s the drivers”. Yes, people make mistakes, but the road condition or the safety features of that road are going to be the deciding factor in whether they live or die. It’s time that the people who hold the purse strings sit up and listen. At the moment, a white line is more often than not the difference between whether you are going to make it home or not. 

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THE VALUE OF SIMULATION IN

TRAINING

Contribution for IRTENZ by Russell Walsh (Life Member IRTENZ)

Driving simulators have been around for many years but are not so common in the New Zealand trucking industry.

What are the pros and cons?

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he use of simulators for training, education and research has been around for many years. In aviation, cockpit simulators have been the norm for a long time. Depending on the airline, commercial pilots may be required to have a simulator assessment every six months. Simulator training is also widespread in many other industries; ship handling and the operation of wharf machinery are common.

In the transport industry,

along with driver training and education, simulators can be used for training on machinery such as forklifts and emergency preparedness.

In the trucking industry, driver training simulators are widespread overseas, with some advocates suggesting they could help to reduce the shortage of truck drivers by introducing learners to basic truck driving skills with minimal risk. Driving simulators are not so common, however, in New Zealand.

Positives In a simulator, drivers can practice driving in a safe environment with minimal wear and tear on equipment and with no direct interaction with other road users.

Simulator training can start with the basic skills that need to be mastered then progressively work up to more complex tasks such as reversing a multi combination

vehicle.

The performance of a driver in a simulator can be recorded and the data analysed over time to confirm the driver’s knowledge and skills are improving. If the driver makes a mistake the circumstances leading up to the mistake can be repeatedly replayed so the root cause of the mistake can be addressed.

Simulators can be used to good effect by exposing a driver to situations that would not normally be encountered on the road, such as oncoming vehicles crossing over the centre line.

Drivers can be taught how to manage these situations.

Driving a familiar road but in different conditions, such as in a crosswind or adverse weather, can also be practised so if a driver comes across these conditions, they will not be new to them. This is one of the main features of aviation simulators, teaching people to react to situations in safety

that they would not normally encounter in their daily work but which could still happen.

With the increasing sophistication of simulator software, drivers can practise driving on unfamiliar roads before they go there.

Simulators can also be used to demonstrate what happens if a vehicle is operated outside its design windows, for example what happens to the handling of a truck if it is has excessive axle loads, or the SRT is exceeded. The effects of driving while fatigued or with an impairment can also be demonstrated with no risk to other road users.

As new equipment is brought into the fleet drivers can be familiarised with it and taught how to maximise its features before they take the truck out onto the road.

This means the benefits of purchasing a truck with the many options available can be realised from day one. Drivers can also be taught what to do if a feature fails.

In the aviation industry simulators are widely used to recreate the events leading up to a crash by recreating the events recorded in the aircraft black boxes, the flight data and cockpit voice recorder. As black box technology makes inroads into the trucking

The AutoSense simulator is one of the few truck driving simulators available in New Zealand.

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New Zealand Trucking

July 2020

35

outcomes derived from driving simulations.

The rapid advances in in-vehicle technology can result in some simulator software becoming out of date quite quickly.

Despite this, the use of simulators to teach basic driving skills, improve skills and to train drivers without exposing people to high risk situations, is a developing aspect of modern driving training and education.

Cost evaluation industry, post-event simulation of serious events is likely to become common.

Negatives Too much time spent in a simulator can reduce both the physical and physiological attachment to the real world.

The learner may become lulled into the perception of a driving

environment where their actions can simply be reset with little or no consequences.

The use of low-quality software may not replicate the real driving situation. Because of this, and the detachment from reality, some overseas researchers are questioning the value of research that is based solely upon the

There appears to be little qualitative research into the cost benefits of the use of driving simulators in New Zealand. However, research completed overseas does provide some insights into the benefits of this type of training. In 2007 Heinrich and Wieland reported drivers with simulator training had 22% fewer accidents than the control group using ordinary

vehicles.

HEC Montreal, in collaboration with the Centre de Formation en Transport de Charlesbourg, a professional truck driving school in Quebec, Canada, found that simulator-trained drivers reach a level of competence in less than half the time of those who only receive on-road training, one hour of simulator training being approximately equal to 2.4 hours of in-truck training.

A 2007 report published

by TRL (UK), previously the Transport Research Laboratory, suggests that the benefits of simulator training could be more than £2171 ($4165) annually depending on the type of operation. In the TRL project much of the cost benefit came from a projected reduction in fuel use.

Our assistant editor got behind the wheel of an AutoSense simulator. See page 68.

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Lott Contractors Ltd, Waiau.

Macktrans Australia, Karratha Western Australia

Mical Haulage, Bayhalia, Mississippi, USA.

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October 2020 95

Josh and his son

BUSINESS UPDATE

SOUTHROADS TELETRAC NAVMAN Over the past two years, South Island civil construction and maintenance contractor SouthRoads has used the tools provided by fleet-management solutions provider Teletrac Navman to boost internal operations and customer relations.

Electronic RUC – this has been a major benefit for SouthRoads, according to Elder. “The electronic RUC system has completely streamlined the whole process and prevented a lot of downtime.”

Cameras – forward-facing and in-cab cameras have been a new dynamic for drivers to become accustomed to, however Elder says they have proven their value in supporting drivers and highlighting risks they are exposed to daily.

Electronic logbooks – these have been able to provide better accuracy and ensure compliance for drivers, who work across a range of different vehicles in a normal work week.

However, it’s not only its technological solutions that mark out a good solutions provider, creating and maintaining support services ensures ongoing success also.

Mike Cook, Teletrac Navman business development manager, in conjunction with SouthRoads innovation manager Danny Shayler, managed the rollout and still maintains regular contact.

Mike provided initial training and has continued with oneto-one and online training on how to maximise the system.

The benefits have been proved in daily operations.

“We’ve used the integration of this system into our business as the catalyst to begin transition to a paperless operation where possible,” Elder explains.

“We have reduced time spent on compliance for things like road user charges and logbook administration. We are

From left: Dean Elder, Southroads general manager contracting; Ricky Harland, Southroads driver; and Mike Cook, Teletrac Navman enterprise client business development manager. also more confident about the information we can provide.

We can keep track of a lot of documents and get them out to the drivers all on one device.”

Full visibility across the fleet means clients are provided useful updates and information on the progress of jobs and whereabouts of vehicles.

“Safety and transparency are important factors for our clients,” Elder says. “We can offer them a higher level of transparency because we know exactly where our vehicles and machines are, at what time, and even how they are operating. We can also back up our safety culture with accurate data.”

SouthRoads has also provided a client portal for the Teletrac Navman software to its clients. With this, clients can log in to check on machine utilisation and maintenance contract work.

“The SouthRoads team has been proactive in its approach to utilising telematics to help manage its operations, and has realised that Teletrac Navman’s platform is based

on maintaining compliance, improving health and safety and quality. These same things are important for their clients in developing collaborative transparent contracts,” Cook says.

“I strongly believe that good safety is good business, so we want a safe fleet both in terms of the drivers behind the wheel and the quality and maintenance of the vehicles we operate. We can use the driver behaviour tools to help provide feedback to operators and help ensure the overall safety of our fleet. We can check in with staff who may have violations and use the data to help educate good performance,” Elder says.

“We try to be innovative and use technology to work smarter and we are using Teletrac Navman’s system as a catalyst to go fully paperless. The move means that we’re investing in our staff to become more skilled in the use of electronic devices and we have also provided literacy training as part of the rollout to help staff with reading difficulties,” Elder says.

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nnovation and functionality – these are two aspects that SouthRoads parent company HW Richardson Group (HWR) looks for when partnering with a solutions provider. These are two characteristics that stand Teletrac Navman apart, says Dean Elder, general manager contracting, SouthRoads.

When HWR selected Teletrac Navman as preferred partner for group telematics in September 2018, SouthRoads was one of the companies that benefited from the parent company’s rollout of Teletrac Navman technology.

Teletrac Navman’s fleet tracking system is fitted into SouthRoads’ 200-strong fleet of vehicles including heavy trucks, civil construction support equipment, machinery, and light vehicles.

Elder explains that there are five individual aspects that make up the complete solution.

Director software – the innovation of the central software has given SouthRoads the ability to do everything it wanted with tracking, as well as enabling other functions outside of transport such as compliance support and fleet utilisation benchmarking.

Geofencing – this has allowed SouthRoads to improve site safety and road safety. An alert to drivers entering the worksite makes them aware of the speed, and infrastructure that could cause transport delays or safety issues, such as lowlying or low-weight bridges, low power lines and driving exclusion zones, has also been geofenced.

NZT 20

Josh and his son playing truck Drivers

Martinborough Transport – Josh Hawkins

If it’s rural and you want it carted, Martinborough Transport can do it.

This family owned Wairarapa trucking business has experienced significant growth in recent years, but providing top service to their loyal customers remains the number one priority.

General manager, Josh Hawkins, has been around the business all his life. “I was born into it. Dad started the business, bought a couple of little companies along the way and slowly built it up.”

Josh and his two brothers, Daniel and Jared, took the reins in 2009. Livestock transport is the core, but anything rural cartage they’ll give a go.

The company has grown in the last two years, in 2018 they purchased half of Wairarapa Livestock. At the same time they set up subsidiary company Mid Canterbury Transport. At the end of 2019 they bought the other 50% of Wairarapa Livestock.

“We try to have top quality, modern gear that’s well looked after. We also pride ourselves on having some of the best drivers around. It all revolves around service and the customer.”

Martinborough Transport has been involved with MyTrucking from

Favourite truck?

day one. “Wairarapa Livestock was the original guinea pig and then

My preference is Scania. Our drivers are divided between passionate European Scania supporters and traditional hardy American supporters. We probably have a 50/50 split between the two in our fleet.

we jumped in to give it a trial.”

“We couldn’t keep doing it on a piece of paper. MyTrucking gives

Favourite place to get a pie?

adding new features.

I don’t get out in the truck enough now to know where they are!

“One of the big things is being able to send jobs straight to the

Favourite MyTrucking feature?

The fact all the previous information and jobs are stored in it, it’s easy to flick back and find any job – you don’t have to search through a mountain of paper.

Favourite trucking route?

I love the drive up to Wairoa/Gisborne. It’s challenging, not just a straight piece of road. You actually have to drive.

Favourite gearbox?

The latest Scania Opticruise is hard to beat, it’s so efficient and fast. But you can’t beat an old Roadranger.

Favourite way to acknowledge a truckie?

MyTrucking has grown as we have grown, and they’re always

drivers through the app, which frees up a lot of time. If something changes throughout the day, they get the update straight away.”

Josh says there is also a huge advantage to storing job histories, places and clients – once they have captured the details once, it’s all at their fingertips.

Having two depots, one in Martinborough and one in Masterton, they are able to dispatch out of either office with everyone on the same page. “Because it’s all on one MyTrucking platform, everyone sees the same information.”

my trucking www.mytrucking.com

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In day time, the big arm wave across the windscreen.

us more efficiency and reliability. It has definitely helped us.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY

Compliance

A headache, but so important

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our workers’ actions. We can encourage them to scan in, to t Safewise we are still talking about compliance wear masks and to comply with social distancing. This is best with the requirements for Covid-19. We were one achieved by supporting them, providing comfortable and of the lucky businesses based outside the greater appropriate equipment, rewarding Auckland region, so positive behaviour, and setting an didn’t have to go back to level 3. example. Leaders must demonstrate However, we still felt some pain, that they are complying. for our clients and ourselves.

For the sake of our people – Having regional differences colleagues, families, friends – please required quite a bit more work, and take your responsibilities seriously. The compliance, for those who needed We work with inconvenience we are asked to put up to travel between the regions. This organisations that need with is considerably less than the pain took time and no small degree of more health and safety of a loss of life.  patience! knowledge, or more time, All businesses are required to display the official QR code. We than they have in-house. are all asked to scan the code or For more information, maintain a diary of our activities. check the website We are all required to wear masks www.safewise.co.nz on public transport and asked to wear them in public places where it is difficult to maintain adequate social distance. Yet so many people are flaunting the rules.

Tracey Murphy is the owner and director of Safewise Limited, a Why this happens is a mystery to me. No one wants to be health and safety consultancy. She in level 3, or worse in level 4, but they still persist on nonhas more than 12 years’ experience compliant behaviour. Anecdotally, it appears that most people working with organisations from don’t comply as they don’t believe they are likely to get Covidmany different industries. Tracey 19, or that they have good intentions, which are overcome by holds a Diploma in Health and inconvenience. Sometimes, the QR code is in a place that is too Safety Management and a Graduate reflective to scan – the light shines on the window – or where Diploma in Occupational Safety and it is not easily accessible while maintaining social distance.

Health. She is a Graduate Member As employers or managers, we have some influence over of the New Zealand Institute of

How can Safewise help?

Safety Management and is on the HASANZ register.

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

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October 2020

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LEGAL LINES

Zero tolerance for speeding drivers

N

ational road policing manager and acting superintendent Gini Welch has announced that any motorist going over the speed limit at any time of the year could now be pulled over and potentially

be fined.

Until recently most New Zealanders have operated under the assumption that police could exercise discretion for drivers who drove up to 10kph over the posted speed limit, or up to 4kph during public holiday periods. The adoption of a zero tolerance attitude to speed has been met with a lot of criticism and, in my humble opinion, with good reason.

What is a zero tolerance approach?

Anyone who exceeds the posted speed limit, even by 1kph, can expect to be stopped. It will then be at the officer’s discretion whether they dish out a stern warning or a fine.

It seems overzealous for the police not to take a more lenient approach when enforcing speeding on passing lanes when slow or inconsiderate drivers can be incredibly frustrating and irritating, but this new policy means that even being only slightly over the speed limit when overtaking another driver won’t necessarily be an excuse.

Why change now?

The government’s latest Road Safety Strategy aims to slash the death toll by 40% by 2030, which is a worthy objective. The police are defending their no tolerance stance to speeding by relying on a report from the World Health Organisation, in which a review of speed studies in various countries showed that a decrease of 1kph in mean traffic speed typically resulted in a 3% decrease in the incidence of injury crashes, or a decrease of 4 to 5% for fatal crashes. What is interesting to note is that this report dates back to 2004, so I am curious to know whether the conclusions in this report would still be applicable 16 years later.

The Vision Zero policy in Sweden has resulted in a dramatic decrease in that country’s road toll, which is now amongst the lowest in the world, so perhaps this has been influential in New Zealand deciding to adopt a zero tolerance policy. However, unlike New Zealand, the Swedish roading network has up to 20 times more four-lane highways and expressways. They also have a top speed limit of 120kph, so is this really comparing apples with apples?

Sweden also uses a combination of strategies that includes speed advisory signs, which simply show motorists what speed they’re doing without issuing a ticket.

Will zero tolerance actually solve the problem?

My scepticism stems from the fact that this policy seems shortsighted as it may target the wrong drivers, those who are not the greatest risk to themselves and other road users. It appears to be a case of using a sledgehammer to kill a fly. There is a real risk that it will subject police officers enforcing the policy to a lot of negativity, as it is likely to create a perception that the police are more interested in revenue gathering than promoting road safety.

It also seems more than coincidental that this new policy was implemented shortly after Auckland came out of alert level 3, during which time the amount of traffic was dramatically reduced, creating fewer opportunities to catch and punish drivers for their offending.

Data gathered between 2014 and 2018 by the NZ Transport Agency shows that speeding alone contributes to 15% of crashes. While it is in everyone’s best interests to reduce the road toll, it seems questionable whether fining drivers for being only fractionally over the speed limit will actually reduce accidents or change driver behaviour.

It is possible that this new policy will lead to an increase in drivers purchasing radar detection equipment or simply spending more time monitoring their speedometers, which could arguably be more dangerous to other road users.

It is widely accepted that no speedometer is 100% accurate and therefore the buffer that has been accepted up until now seems fair. My current vehicle does not have cruise control and therefore it is very challenging to maintain a steady speed, because the moment you accelerate, it’s very easy to be over the speed limit in a matter of seconds. However, even with cruise control, tests have shown that when driving down steep hills a vehicle can creep over the speed limit without the driver being aware.

I sincerely hope that my predictions about the new policy do not turn out to be true. In the meantime, I will be analysing the data closely for evidence of its effectiveness. 

Please note that this article is not a substitute for legal advice and if you have a particular matter that needs to be addressed, you should consult with a lawyer. Danielle Beston is a barrister who specialises in transport law and she can be contacted on (09) 379 7658 or 021 326 642.

Danielle Beston

100 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

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alic

NZ TRUCKING ASSOCIATION

NTA Trucking Industry Summit

I

t is time to put the regulators in front of the trucking operators again. The NZ Trucking Association’s annual Trucking Industry Summit is planned for Saturday 21 November 2020.

Based on the success of the inaugural 2019 event that was attended by more than 200 trucking operators, the team has stepped up the one-day summit to make it an event not to be missed.

While the presenters are still being confirmed, the purpose of the event is to bring operators, regulators, and stakeholders together to discuss and question the issues, and to build relationships.

The events of 2020 have made it a year that has changed many lives and life as we knew it, so it’s important that the trucking industry gets together and discusses the big issues, including life post-Covid, the economic outlook, financial viability, infrastructure and road investment, network access, safety, health and wellbeing, and new technology, as well as being abreast of the latest compliance changes or updates. The summit provides a platform for trucking operators, government regulators, compliance officials, and respected industry advisors to discuss the issues in an open and non-confrontational manner, where everyone has an opportunity to have their say.

Presenters on the day will include NZTA, CVST, WorkSafe, government officials, and industry advisors and representatives.

More will be announced closer to the time. Included in the programme will be an open forum panel discussion with the presenters, where everyone will get the opportunity to ask their questions. For those who do not want to draw attention to themselves on the day, please send us your questions before the summit so we can ensure they get answered.

Register now to attend: email Rebecca.dinmore@nztruckingassn.co.nz or 03 349 8070.

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

by Dave Boyce, NZTA chief executive officer

October 2020 0620-04

102 New Zealand Trucking

Trade will be welcome to attend and display both inside and outside the event, as well as having the opportunity to participate in a five-minute quick-fire presentation session.

Mix and mingle networking events will be held on the evening before the summit and at its completion. This means there will be plenty of time to carry on those important conversations and to reconnect with industry friends.

Invitations have gone out to politicians of both the main parties so it is hoped we will have someone in attendance to tell the group what the plans are going forward for road transport. The programme will be published soon.

The 2020 Trucking Industry Summit is being held at Riccarton Racecourse, Christchurch on Saturday 21 November from 9am to 4pm. This is the trucking industry’s mustattend event this year. Entry is open to all trucking industry participants and is free to attend thanks to sponsor Teletrac Navman, and includes morning tea and a light lunch. Space is limited, so do not miss out.

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Roadshow for Road to Success traineeship

O

perators all over the country know just what a challenge we face when it comes to finding the drivers and staff to deal with the future workforce demands of our industry.

RTF, with the backing of an industry governance group and in partnership with government, has created a traineeship programme, Te ara ki tua Road to Success, that meshes together on-the-job practical training with theoretical components, leading to qualifications and employment in road transport. We believe this will assist people to get into our industry, stay in the industry, and provide operators with the support to take on new, inexperienced staff.

Road to Success was born out of an RTF-run survey of more than 600 road transport operators, and while the timing was less than ideal, having begun just before the initial Covid-19 lockdown, it was really important that we got a wide range of views from across the sector.

The results demonstrated the extent of our workforce shortages and have helped focus our thinking around the potential benefits of a traineeship programme. It was also very encouraging that a high proportion of the survey’s respondents declared an interest in participating in such a programme.

The objective for Road to Success is for it to be flexible and relevant to the variety of career pathways employees may seek to follow in our industry. This includes having multiple entry and exit points and an emphasis on qualifications and training.

The government is currently offering a free fees scheme for road transport qualifications and that aligns with the goals of Road to Success.

Qualifications are important to provide those in the industry with a sustainable career pathway and make the industry more appealing to those who want a change in career or are just starting out in their professional life.

Microcredentials, which are a formal way of recognising skills and knowledge in a particular area and are endorsed by NZQA, are currently being developed to enhance employee prospects, provide a bridge to existing industry qualifications, and create transferable skills.

Road to Success also seeks to leverage off the accelerated licensing principles so drivers may move through licence classes faster.

It is very important, from my point of view, that Road to Success is industry-led. Partnering with government is all well and good, but it does not automatically guarantee success. That will only be achieved when operators open their doors to new workers and invest in the career development, training and qualifications that will support New Zealanders to retrain into our industry.

The training itself will be mostly facilitated in the workplace, with approved company assessors providing practical training, overseeing online theory learning, and setting training standards. Importantly, trainees will be guaranteed a minimum of 40 hours per week of work at or above the living wage.

In October 2020 Road to Success representative Graham Sheldrake and RTF’s Mark Ngatuere will be conducting a roadshow to present and get feedback on the design of the programme from operators. A schedule of these workshops, including venues, dates and times, is available at www.rtfnz.co.nz/road-to-success-roadshow. Each workshop will last for about one hour with Q&A time after.

Please register your interest at success@rtf.nz with ‘Road to Success roadshow’ in the subject line. For more information please contact Mark at mark@rtf.nz. With the constantly evolving Covid-19 situation, arrangements are subject to change, so continue to check the webpage for the most up-todate information. 

Road to the general elections The RTF takes its role as the industry’s primary public policy advocate very seriously. A big part of that is making sure politicians are aware of the interests of road transport operators and that operators know where each political party stands on issues important to the industry.

With the election pushed back to 17 October we have had longer to engage with the five main political parties than usual and have done so primarily through an election manifesto, which we released in late August.

We also picked four areas of greatest concern to the industry and asked the political parties to answer questions on them. These include plans for New Zealand’s economic

104 New Zealand Trucking

October 2020

recovery from Covid-19; what is being developed to ensure truly fair conditions for employers and workers that allow freedom of choice and flexibility; what each party’s investment will be in green freight; and their views on the impact of the Cannabis Legislation and Control Bill on road and workplace safety.

We want members of our industry as wellinformed as possible when they head to the polling booth, so we have set up a website page dedicated to Election 2020 that includes both the RTF Election Manifesto and the four questions. I would encourage New Zealand Trucking readers to go and check it out at www.rtfnz.co.nz/generalelection2020.

Nick Leggett Chief executive officer

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alic

THE LAST MILE

We’re a weird mob

S

ome may remember the 1966 movie They’re a weird mob, the tale of an Italian immigrant in Australia trying understand the Australian way of life. I wonder if a person from overseas would have similar thoughts if they found themselves in New Zealand today – arriving at the same conclusion, that we’re certainly a weird mob.

Let’s take the recent revelation that the Speaker of Parliament spent more than $500,000 of our money building a children’s playground in the grounds of Parliament. How many school lunches or much-needed cancer treatments could that have bought? It’s not like the inhabitants of the building in whose grounds the playground sits are bored and need something to occupy their mind, they seem quite adept at being able to occupy themselves with well-established games. Pass the parcel seems to be the favourite right now, or their own version of Snakes and Ladders, with lots of ladders and few snakes.

From the dump of Covid-19 papers, we now know the tracking system was flawed because there were two sets of data collected and they could not talk to each other. How come, with all the IT people who would have been involved, nobody thought it important to ensure the collected data was linked?

After browsing through some of the summaries of these and other related documents, one cannot help but arrive at the conclusion that perhaps the doctors the decision makers were influenced by were of the spin type, not the medical.

Then there is the water debacle in Auckland. How is it

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possible that New Zealand’s largest city can be on the verge of running out of water because a Hamilton bureaucrat is following a process? And who came up with the process – another bureaucrat no doubt.

We also learn that Auckland Watercare is going to spend more than $50 million dollars to recommission a dam and its treatment plant that in 2005 was thought to be no longer needed from a supply point of view. Did those who manage Auckland’s water supply not learn anything from the 1994 drought? It was once said if you got a job in government, be it national or local, it was a job for life. I thought this concept was long gone, but perhaps it is still alive and well after all.

In a NZ Herald report on 3 March 2020 we learn that after spending more than $6 million restoring the Napier to Wairoa rail line, only three trains have used the line since it opened in 2018.

Further south, Wellington is consulting on reducing road speed limits in the CBD, the reasoning being to make the CBD more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly. I am not sure who comes up with these ideas, but perhaps if they bothered to look they would find most pedestrians are around during the day, when the traffic congestion means vehicle speed is not much more than what they are proposing to mandate now. Then, a few days after proposing to reduce the speed limits, the same mob released another consultation document that would ban private cars from many of the streets where speed limits would be reduced. As any right-thinking person knows, speed limits are only effective if you have enforcement, so does reducing of speed limits in Wellington, and other cities as well, signal more speed cameras perhaps? Possibly run by private contractors as the Land Transport (NZTA) Legislation Amendment Bill appears to allow.

Then we had the announcement of two new, long overdue purpose-built Cook Strait ferries. That both will be able to accommodate rail wagons is a positive, but didn’t we learn anything from the Kaikoura earthquake and how vulnerable the rail line from Picton to Christchurch is? Didn’t we learn how valuable trucks were in keeping the South Island supplied by being able to take the alternative route via the Wairau Valley, and Lewis Pass? Where is the funding to improve this road so it is more suitable for trucks when SH1 is again unusable?

Earlier this century when I first had some involvement in making decisions centred around legislation, I was directed to a document produced by Crown Law, The judge over your shoulder. The principle of this was that in most cases a decision made by a person exercising a statutory authority is reviewable by a higher authority, normally the courts. I wonder if today’s crop of bureaucrats have been directed to this document and its implications as I was?

Taking this one step futher. We, as taxpayers of New Zealand, must hold every bureaucrat who influences the way we live, or how we go about our business, accountable for the decisions they make.

As I suggested earlier, we are certainly a weird mob if we continue to allow bureaucrats to influence our lives and livelihoods with little or no accountability for what they do.  The accidental trucker

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