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FLEET FOCUS Hauling Westw ard
BIG TEST Wood lot workhorse | FLEET FOCUS Hauling Westward | FEATURE: Hall of Fame 2023
FEATURE Hall of Fame 2 023
Issue 273
e s r o h k r o W
The Official Magazine of
ISSN 2703-6278
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CONTENTS Issue 273 – November 2023
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News
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The latest from the world of road transport including five new inductees into the NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame… Mercedes-Benz launches its long haul electric truck… The winners from the Alexandra Truck Show… Australia moves to international truck width standards… A new Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre under construction at Bulls and the European Truck Racing Championship is decided.
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Giti Tyres Big Test Wood Lot Workhorse: Big horsepower is typically the name of the game in the logging sector. We sample a different approach with the hard-working Fuso Shogun 460 which is proving to be a value-formoney and fuel-efficient solution for Te Awamutubased JWI Logging.
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FEATURES: 58 Southpac Trucks Legends Balclutha’s Alex McLellan started in the transport industry as a 12-year-old washing trucks and got his license on the day he turned 18. Today McLellan Transport is a busy family firm servicing the Otago region.
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Transporting New Zealand Interim Chief Executive Dom Kalasih considers speed limit rethinks and takes a look at the proactive industry-led programmes being put in place by Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand.
MANAGEMENT
Teletrac Navman Fleet Focus Hauling Westward: A visit to scenic Motueka is a chance for industry veteran Barry Westrupp to look back on his 60-year transport career. And we look at the operation of the Westhaul Motueka business which is now owned and operated by his youngest son Karl.
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REGULARS: 80/ Double Coin Tyres NZ Transport 81 Imaging Awards Recognising NZ’s best-looking trucks… including a giant pull-out poster of this month’s finalist.
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Hall of Fame 2023
Scania on Track The new Scania Super range has arrived and Scania introduced its advanced and versatile new six-cylinder range with a media day at the Hampton Downs race circuit.
CrediFlex Recently Registered September registration figures saw Isuzu ahead of Fuso again by a narrow margin as the New Zealand truck market continues to perform 5% better than last year. Plus, this month’s photo gallery of new trucks on the road.
We profile the five new inductees into the Mobil Delvac 1 New Zealand Road Transport Hall of Fame.
71
Klassic at Clarendon For the Australian celebration of Kenworth’s centenary, 503 trucks rolled into the Hawkesbury Showgrounds at Clarendon for the annual Kenworth Klassic.
COLUMNS 81 Truck Shop New products and services for the road transport industry.
83
National Road Carriers Association James Smith outlines the importance of advocating for the industry with both central and local government to make sure the industry isn’t ignored on key issues.
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NEWS The eActros 600 for long haul transport joins the smaller eActros models already working in distribution roles.
Mercedes moves to long haul electric MERCEDES-BENZ TRUCKS HAS MADE ITS MUCH anticipated move into the long-haul electric truck sector with the unveiling of the new eActros 600 in production ready specification ready for European customers in 2024. At a world premiere near Hamburg, Mercedes-Benz Trucks confirmed the total storage capacity of the three lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery packs is more than 600 kilowatt hours (621kWh installed capacity) – hence the model designation 600. Mercedes-Benz Trucks says the adoption of LFP battery technology is a step forward from more commonly used lithium-ion cells. LFP batteries are less prone to combustion and thermal runaway and also better suited to automotive use as they have a significantly longer cycle life. A newly developed 800-volt electric drive axle with two motors and a four-speed transmission enables the e-truck to achieve a range of 500km without intermediate charging. The electric motors generate a continuous output of 400kW as well as a peak output of 600kW to ensure powerful acceleration and driving refinement. The full motor output is available most of the time with almost no interruption in torque. Engineers say the battery capacity allows the eActros 600 to travel significantly more than 1000km with intermediate charging during the legally prescribed driver breaks – even when megawatt-charging is unavailable. It’s estimated about 60% of long-distance journeys of Mercedes-Benz Trucks customers in Europe are shorter than 500km, which means charging infrastructure at the depot and at the loading and unloading points is
sufficient for these roles. For all other applications, Mercedes-Benz Trucks says expansion of the public charging infrastructure is vital in order to make the electric truck viable for long-distance haulage across Europe. In addition to CCS charging (up to 400kW), the eActros 600 will later also enable megawatt charging (MCS) and from the start of sales, customers can order a pre-installation for this. As soon as MCS technology becomes available and is standardised across manufacturers, it can be retrofitted to eActros 600 models with the preinstallation option. The batteries can be charged from 20-80% in about 30 minutes at a charging station with an output of around one megawatt. The vehicle is technically designed for a gross combination weight of up to 44 tonnes. With a standard semi-trailer, the eActros 600 has a payload of around 22 tons in the EU. In some cases, national law may permit a higher payload. The eActros 600 cab is a new design with clear lines and an aerodynamic shape which is being marketed under the “ProCabin” name. The completely closed and rounded-off front end, an optimised bumper – including underbody panelling – plus extended end flaps designed like sails among its aerodynamic features. Air deflectors on the A-pillars, an additional spoiler on the roof and a sealed motor compartment complement the aerodynamic improvements to the cab. Over and above this, the cab is equipped with aluminium step plates, a new headlamp concept with matrix LED headlamps and an LED light strip. Advanced aerodynamics and a state-of-the-art cab interior are features of the eActros 600.
2 | Truck & Driver
NEWS
The Mercedes-Benz eActros 600 can travel 1000km a day with intermediate charging during driver rest breaks. To ensure that vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists will notice the electric truck in their surroundings, it is equipped with an external Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS) in accordance with legal requirements. Depending on the driving conditions, sounds are played for forward or reverse travel. In addition, the sound varies depending on the vehicle speed and accelerator pedal position, so that good acoustic perception is possible in urban traffic. The futuristic sound spectrum of the AVAS in the eActros 600 is designed to take into account the appearance of a heavy vehicle.
Sales of the eActros 600 start this year with series production planned for the end of 2024 at the Mercedes-Benz Trucks assembly plant in Wörth am Rhein, Germany. It will be built alongside the trucks that will continue to be equipped with a diesel drive. In addition to the tractor unit, Mercedes-Benz Trucks will also produce rigid variants of the eActros 600 right from market launch, offering customers further possible applications for all-electric transport. A fleet of around 50 prototype vehicles is currently being built, some of which are also to be put into practical testing with first customers in a next step.
Five new Hall of Fame members named THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF FIVE men who devoted much of their lives to the road transport industry were celebrated at the Mobil Delvac 1 NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame function in Invercargill on September 29. Southlanders Ian Guise and George Hedley, Taranaki’s John Geraghty, Trevor Jackson of Pahiatua, and King Country-based Peter Walker are the new inductees to the Hall of Fame in its twelfth year. The gala dinner, attended by more than 400 guests, was staged at Bill Richardson Transport World, the largest private automotive museum of its type in the world. The Hall of Fame honours the outstanding contributions made by key individuals in the New Zealand road transport industry. It is the brainchild of Invercargill-based HWR Directors Jocelyn and Scott O’Donnell. Jocelyn O’Donnell says each of the 2023 inductees has a very different story, but they all share the same incredible passion for the road transport industry. “Coming together and celebrating these men, each who has played a significant part in forging the way for the future of the road transport industry, is what Hall of Fame is all about,” she says.
“This year’s inductees join some of the most renowned names in the sector, all of whom have assisted in building the road transport industry as we know it today.” The Hall of Fame raises funds for the ProActive Drive Charitable Trust which provides driver training to young New Zealanders. It is free for teenagers who already hold a driver’s license and gives them the opportunity to take part in a course of theory and practical, hands-on lessons.
The programme is also available to corporate drivers. “ProActive Drive Charitable Trust is a worthy cause to support, and it’s only fitting given that many of the people in attendance at the Hall of Fame have helped in one way or another in making our Kiwi roads safer,” says Scott O’Donnell. Profiles of the 2023 inductees feature in this month’s New Zealand Truck & Driver magazine, starting on Page 63.
The new and previously inducted Hall of Fame members at this year’s event.
Truck & Driver | 3
Driving the Next 100 Years
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Register your Kenworth today at www.spt.co.nz/kw100 Gates open for truck parking 1st and 2nd February. Public welcome 3rd February 10:30am to 4:30pm. Mystery Creek Events Centre – 125 Mystery Creek Rd, Hamilton
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NEWS
The new Daimler Truck Global Parts Centre is due to open in 2025.
Daimler building new parts hub DAIMLER TRUCK IS CONSTRUCTING A NEW GLOBAL Parts Centre at Halberstat in the Saxony-Anhalt region of Germany. Due for commissioning from 2025, the facility will be the worldwide logistics hub for Mercedes-Benz Trucks spare parts supply. About 2,600 Mercedes-Benz Trucks’ suppliers will provide the logistics hub with their parts as the Halberstadt facility becomes the heart of the worldwide supply of spare parts for Mercedes-Benz Trucks. In a three-stage logistics process, the new location will serve around 20 regional logistics centres worldwide – in, for example, various European countries, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil and China – which in turn will supply regional dealers with parts. The first stage of the new building in the East Industrial Park in Halberstadt will have a gross floor area of around 270,000 square metres with around 260,000
square metres of logistics space. Up to 450 qualified jobs will be created on site. Further construction stages and additional activities in connection with global parts logistics will see up to 600 jobs created at the site. The new logistics location will be a CO₂-neutral operation with an energy concept completely dispensing with fossil fuels. Neither natural gas nor oil is required. The location will be heated with electric heat pumps that bring heat into the building via underfloor heating systems. Due to the low heating water temperatures and the storage effect in the industrial floors, a high level of energy efficiency will be achieved. In addition, it is intended to equip the roofs with photovoltaic systems, which can generate up to 13 million kWh of electrical energy per year. This is more electricity than will be consumed at the site with the surplus to be made available to other Daimler Truck locations in Germany.
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TRT strengthens Hiab support TRT IS EXPANDING ITS NEW ZEALAND HIAB DIVISION with the appointment of two dedicated Sales Engineers. Andrew Farrell is North Island-based while Matthew Tabb is responsible for the South Island as TRT moves to strengthen its presence in the transport and truck loader crane sectors. TRT is the nationwide dealer for the complete stable of Hiab products including Hiab Truck Cranes and Marine Cranes, Zepro Truck Tail Lifts, Jonsered, Loglift Log Cranes and Recycling Cranes, Multilift Equipment, and Moffett Truck-Mounted Forklifts. Andrew Farrell joined TRT this year bringing 17 years of expertise in the New Zealand Transport and Heavy Automotive sectors. He has held various positions in sales, after-sales, and management. “I am genuinely excited to be part of a company that continually pushes the limits and wholeheartedly embraces innovation. This new role is an invigorating challenge, and I am enthusiastic about making a substantial contribution,” says Andrew. Matthew Tabb, a valued member of the TRT team for more than two years, began his journey in the warehouse, where he quickly advanced to a sales position, demonstrating TRT’s dedication to supporting the growth of its employees. Matthew’s enthusiasm for the heavy transport sector
drove him to seek a more direct role. “These machines are incredible, and I am keen to grow the brand here in New Zealand. Selling my first crane was a significant milestone, as it validated all the time and effort I invested in this role and the product itself,” Matthew says. As the Hiab specialist for the South Island, Matthew is responsible for selling and supporting the comprehensive range of Hiab products to provide customers with tailored material handling solutions that meet their unique requirements. TRT’s new Hiab sales engineers Andrew Farrell (left) and Matthew Tabb.
Truck & Driver | 5
NEWS
Champion Norbert Kiss (right) battles with Spanish racer Luis Recuenco during the final round at Jarama.
Fifth Euro title for Kiss HUNGARIAN RACER NORBERT KISS SIGNED OFF HIS title-winning campaign in the 2023 Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship in style, taking two pole positions and winning three out of four races in the season finale held at the Jarama circuit in Spain over the September 30-October 1 weekend. It is the fifth European title for 38-year-old Kiss, who has been the dominant force again during 2023 driving a MAN for the Revesz Racing squad. He top-scored in six of the eight championship rounds and posted a third and second in the two rounds he didn’t win. Across the season he won 22 out of 32 races. The previous European title wins for Kiss came in 2014, 2015, 2021 and 2022. Kiss had clinched the 2023 title the previous weekend at Le Mans in France, establishing an unassailable lead with five races remaining. German racer Jochen Hahn (Iveco) had the runner-up honours almost within his grasp and the final round interest was on the battle for the final step of the podium in the overall standings. Norbert Kiss has been in commanding form again during 2023 winning 22 out of 32 races during the Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship.
6 | Truck & Driver
Only two points separated German racer Sascha Lenz (MAN) and fourthplaced Antonio Albacete (MAN) of Spain when the racing began at the Madrid circuit. It was the Spaniard who started on a high on home soil, taking second in Race 1, but Lenz was more consistent over the course of the entire weekend, scoring a pair of fourth places on Saturday and a pair of podiums on Sunday. Albacete was only eighth in Race 2 and therefore he finished the season fourth overall, five points down on Lenz. Jochen Hahn had a solid weekend, having stood on the podium after races 1 and 3, and his second position in the overall standings was never threatened. Germany’s André Kursim (Iveco) took his first victory of the year in the final race of the season and he managed to edge ahead of Steffi Halm to fifth overall. Halm was unable to defend her fifth position with not enough time between the third and fourth races for her team to complete an engine change. Kursim finished the season with 169 points to his name, seven head of Halm and 17 ahead of British racer Jamie Anderson (MAN).
2023 Goodyear FIA European Truck Racing Championship (final standings) 1 Norbert Kiss (Hungary) MAN, 419pts 2 Jochen Hahn (Germany) Iveco, 314pts 3 Sascha Lenz (Germany) MAN, 274pts 4 Antonio Albacete (Spain) MAN, 269pts 5 Andre Kursim (Germany) Iveco, 169pts 6 Steffi Halm (Germany) Iveco, 162pts
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NEWS The second generation Fuso eCanter is being tested in Melbourne.
Australia begins eCanter testing NEW ZEALAND INTRODUCED THE ORIGINAL Fuso eCanter ahead of Australia, but the second time around the Aussies have grabbed the initiative. Fuso Australia has already started its test programme for the second generation battery electric eCanter, which made its global premiere in mid2022. The zero-emission truck is running day and night completing five double shifts a week on a loop near Melbourne. Fitted with a tray, the wide-cab eCanter will run half of its testing with no load and half with a full load at its Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of six tonnes. The Australian test regime for the new model comes in addition to a massive global Fuso eCanter test programme. “Fuso is determined to ensure we vigorously test our trucks, diesel or
electric, in local conditions, and that is what our customers expect from an OEM with a long history in Australia,” says Fuso Truck and Bus Australia Vice President, Alex Müller. “The zero emission eCanter is a serious workhorse, so we need to be absolutely sure it can toil hard around the clock in rail, hail and shine on Australian roads before we hand it over to our customers.” Müller adds that the test data will also enable Fuso to work with its customers to plan how the eCanter can be utilised in their operations when production vehicles are made available. The second generation eCanter offers a wider range of body configurations and battery pack choices than the original body and along with additional active safety features it also include an electric Power Take Off capability and an efficient new eAxle design that eliminates the need for a driveshaft.
Hino to debut fuel cell prototype HINO IS DEBUTING A PROTOTYPE hydrogen fuel cell version of its Profia (700 Series) heavy truck at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo which opens on October 26. The Profia Z FCV has been developed based on Toyota’s hydrogen fuel cell technology, an approach similar to Isuzu’s collaboration with Honda for its Giga based FCEV test vehicle. Hino’s 25-tonne 6x4 has a newly developed 70MPa high pressure hydrogen storage tank which carries an unspecified amount of hydrogen. Hino says the vehicle has a target range of 600km on a full tank of hydrogen. More technical information is to be revealed when the show (formerly the Tokyo Motor Show) opens at the Tokyo Big Sight expo centre. Hino will also launch a battery electric small truck in Tokyo based on the 300 Series model
(Dutro in Japan). The Dutro Z EV is debuting in both walkthrough van and aluminium box body configurations with a 40kWh lithium-ion battery pack providing an estimated range of 150km for
zero emissions last-mile delivery work. The battery electric powertrain allows the Dutro Z EV to have a very low 400mm floor height to improve driver access and cargo handling.
Hino is working with Toyota on its hydrogen fuel cell truck research. Truck & Driver | 9
NEWS
Central showcase Story and Photos David Kinch
Above: The new Eden Haulage K200 was voted Best Presented Kenworth.
Below: The Star of the Show winning Scania R 650 from R&L Coombs Contracting (left) and the Best Fleet line-up from Booth’s Logistics. HEAV Y RAIN IN THE TWO DAYS LEADING UP TO THIS year’s Alexandra Blossom Festival Truck Show had Booth’s Events and Merchandise co-ordinator Kate Booth more than a little nervous that the September 23 event would need to be cancelled. Fortunately, the bad weather pushed through, which allowed the Blossom Festival events for the Saturday to go ahead including the truck show and the parade through the main streets of Alexandra which is always a hit with the public. “We had 49 out of 58 entries turn up on Saturday, which I was very happy with considering how awful the weather had been,” says Kate. “It blows me away just how much time and effort the drivers make getting their trucks all cleaned and shined up to such a high standard”. The Booth’s team had their BBQ trailer there to feed all the drivers and their families. “I liked how everyone was mingling around, looking around at each other’s trucks and chatting and getting to know different drivers. That was
10 | Truck & Driver
the atmosphere I was hoping for,” Kate says. The Star of the Show prize and best presented Scania went to the new R 650 driven by Sheridan Foot from Dunedin’s A&L Coombs Contracting. Sheridan even took time after the show to message Kate saying he was blown away to win and how phenomenal the prizes were. We all know how important sponsorship is to events like this and the organisers would like to thank the following for their support; Scania, TR Group, Spark Palmerston North, Bridgestone, Southpac Trucks, Z Energy, Crombie Lockwood, Domett Trailers, Patchell Trailers, TMC Trailers, Aspiring Traffic Ltd, Cal Isuzu, MTD Trucks, Nissan, Cable Price Invercargill and James Crisp Ltd. “Summer at Aspiring Traffic Ltd and Martin McPherson, who is the Blossom Festival Event Manager, were so amazing in helping me organise this event with all their advice and support,” Kate says. “It was a crazy few weeks in the rush to the finish line and I definitely will be ready next year to make it bigger and better.”
NEWS
Above: This 1982 Autocar powered by a 3406 Cat engine has been restored by Ron Muir and the team at Central Machine Hire. Left: New R & H Transport MAN TGX shared the best curtainsider prize.
Below: Star of the Show and Best Presented Scania prizes were claimed by Sheridan Foot, from A&L Coombs Contracting.
2023 Blossom Festival Truck Parade Category Winners Star of the show: Sheridan Foot (A&L Coombs Contracting Ltd) Best Presented Fleet: Booth’s Logistics Ltd Best Presented Hino: Mainfreight Hino 500 (MZL134) Best Presented Volvo: Upper Clutha Transport Volvo FH16 (QDH450) Best Presented Nissan/UD: Clyde Hiab Services UD CG32460 (PYF183) Best Presented Isuzu: McNulty’s Transport Isuzu EXY 530 (NYY66) Best Presented Kenworth: Eden Haulage Kenworth K200 (EDEN17) Best Presented Scania: A&L Coombs Contracting Ltd Scania R 650 (XSHZZC) Best Presented Stock Truck: R T Transport Kenworth K200 (PMA791) Best Presented Other: R T Transport International 9870 (QBK867) Best Bulk Trucks: Fulton Hogan Fuso Shogun (QDE485) & Volvo FM 500 (MUD807) tied Best Curtainsiders: Booth’s Logistics Kenworth K200 (QCN288) and Mainfreight MAN TGX 26.640 (EVL640) tied Best Flat Deck: Booth’s Logistics Ltd Scania S 730 (V8S730) Furthest Travelled: The Produce Connection Kenworth K200 (NLQ727) Truck & Driver | 11
NEWS
DHL adopts Gen 2 battery tech DHL SUPPLY CHAIN HAS ENERGISED ITS TR ANSITION to electric vehicles with the first Australian delivery of Volvo FL Electric trucks with second-generation battery packs. The updated battery packs provide an increase in range over the previous compared to earlier versions of the FL Electric. Based at DHL’s western Sydney supply chain campus, the medium-duty Volvo FL begins the fulfilment of DHL Supply Chain’s efforts in Australia to help achieve the Group’s target of 60% electric vehicles in its last-mile
The Volvo FL Electric will be based at DHL’s western Sydney supply chain campus. fleet by 2030.
The Volvo FL combines a 600-volt motor with a two-speed transmission to deliver a 5,500-kilogram payload. Four 66 kWh Gen 2 battery packs provide power with charging times dependent on the duty cycle and chargers used. A regenerative braking system and transmission tops up the FL’s batteries every time it decelerates. Fitted with a tautliner van body capable of carrying eight full-sized pallets, the Volvo FL uses its 300-kilometre range to service various DHL Supply Chain customers. amenity of the areas it travels through with significantly reduced noise levels. DHL Supply Chain CEO, Steve Thompsett, said that the company is pleased to take delivery of the Volvo FL, with its state-of-the-art technology, in Australia. “Globally, DHL Supply Chain has a strong understanding of the climate crisis and a head-start in reducing the environmental impact of its operations,” Mr Thompsett said. “Updating our fleet to zero emissions vehicles is a priority in Australia and it combines well with the measures we’re taking to reduce our carbon footprint across our operations.” Thompsett says the DHL Supply Chain global footprint means the company has already trialled and rolled out Volvo’s electric truck offerings in Europe, meaning it could forgo an Australian trial and go straight to investing in the vehicles.
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NEWS
Power Ranger UK-BASED ENGINEERING AND consulting company Ricardo has developed a 6x6 version of the latest generation Ford Ranger through the addition of a hybrid third axle. The Ranger HEX has been developed for defence applications and is designed for a 3.8-tonne payload in harsh terrain. Ricardo says the HEX solution differs from conventional conversions as it has been conceived as an overlay bolt-on system that does not require any alteration of the base vehicle. This allows the system to be removed and re-installed on a different vehicle. An electric rear drive system has been adopted that uses a production Ford drive unit to provide up to an additional 210kW of power, over and above the class leading 186kW of power from the existing 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine. A De Dion rear suspension layout is not only weight efficient and robust but also provides better wheel control for improved traction and ride. In addition, the De Dion arrangement decouples the suspension and drive systems to allow a range of drive units to be used or deleted
for a cost-effective 6x4 variant with maximum payload using an undriven ‘lazy’ axle. The electric drive is designed as a self-contained through-the-road hybrid system. Braking energy is harvested under deceleration to charge the battery pack. This energy is then used to provide electric torque under acceleration to mitigate the
usual drop in performance while carrying a high payload. A selection of battery capacities are available, depending on customer requirements. All high voltage components are contained within a single integrated enclosure for safety and ease of maintenance and repair.
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NEWS A preview of the joint Isuzu and UD Trucks exhibition at the Tokyo Mobility Show.
Isuzu and UD combine in Tokyo THE CLOSER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ISUZU AND UD Trucks gets its most public display to date when the two companies present a joint exhibit at the Japan Mobility Show in late-October. Volvo transferred the ownership of the UD Trucks marque across to Isuzu in April 2021, the result of Volvo and Isuzu entering a strategic alliance in 2019. The Japan Mobility Show (formerly the Tokyo Motor Show) which opens October 28 at the Tokyo Big Sight centre is the first joint exhibition by the two brands. Among the confirmed exhibits on the booth which carries the theme of “Innovation For You - Accelerate the Future of Transport” will be the hydrogen fuel cell version of the Isuzu Giga heavy truck, an autonomous prototype and Isuzu’s new battery electric ELF (N Series) model. And the Isuzu Group has also teased it will unveil two new prototypes which have been developed with an eye toward the future. One of these is expected to preview the next generation F-series range. The fuel cell powered heavy-duty truck is being shown to the public for the first time at the Tokyo event. The vehicle has been jointly developed by Honda and Isuzu, pooling their respective technologies and expertise since entering a joint research agreement in January 2020. Isuzu provided the GIGA heavy-duty truck, and Honda, the fuel cell system for GIGA’s powertrain. Both companies believe that fuel cell technologies fuelled by hydrogen, which produce zero CO2 emissions,
are ideal for trucks that are designed to carry heavy loads over long distances and long hours of operation. Isuzu is working to bring a production model to market in 2027, with vehicle testing on public roads taking place during this fiscal year. This clean heavy-duty fuel cell truck, which also minimises noise and vibration, will accelerate the pace towards a carbon neutral society. Also on show will be the Isuzu Elf (N-Series) EV and the latest UD Quon GW 6x4, the flagship truck for the UD Trucks brand featuring the next-generation 12-speed electronically controlled ESCOT-VII automatic transmission and UD Active Steering for precise and stable steering. Disc brakes are also standard on the Quon 6x4. An important new model for Japan’s domestic market is the Isuzu ELFmio, a light-duty truck that can be driven with a standard Japanese driver’s license. It represents one of the ways that Isuzu is working to broaden the potential pool of drivers in response to chronic driver shortages in Japan brought on by an aging workforce. Isuzu Group has also been developing autonomous driving technology to help address the shortage of commercial vehicle drivers and improve road safety. Autonomous driving technology will continue to evolve, ushering in a world where buses operate on specific routes and trucks run along pre-determined points within worksites. The Tokyo show exhibit will also include the Isuzu “Fujin” autonomous test vehicle, which the company says opens up a new world in which people and vehicles work together.
Isuzu will give the hydrogen fuel cell Giga prototype its public debut at the Tokyo show.
Truck & Driver | 15
NEWS Fonterra has been testing the Volvo FL Electric for eight months in an Auckland distribution role
Fonterra continues Volvo EV journey
16 | Truck & Driver
the electric truck’s range under load. “I was pretty confident that the driver experience would be good because a new Volvo truck is always a good experience. Going into the trial, the untested component was the impact on range under load. Put simply, would the Volvo FLE carry the weight without signs of range degradation?” The truck travelled 9000km during the trial, with loads maximised to deliver operational efficiencies, without any operational downtime. The FLE routinely charged overnight at The Shed before heading out for a day of metro runs. According to driver Raj Singh, it was a very different driving experience with a few surprises at the start. “Over the first 30 minutes’ driving, battery charge seemed to drop quite quickly before picking up again as it regenerated,” says Raj. “The technology is designed to predict your impact on battery use based on the previous day’s driving, plus variables like weather and air temperature. I soon learned that this evens out. “The electric truck was really good to drive. Pick up and speed are both great. Compared with conventional trucks, it’s more powerful, so quiet and smooth, with no vibration. “You don’t have to build in stops and wait time at gas stations or worry about overheating and running low on fuel in traffic. At full charge, the truck range was between 280km and 320kms, but I could get up to 350km as the battery regenerated in the stop-start of metro driving.” Raj and the FLE drew attention from customers, the public and other truck drivers, particularly around Auckland airport. “Lots of people came up to talk to me, asking questions around range,” Raj says. As confidence in the battery performance and range grew, the Fonterra team started to test weight capacity. “We loaded the truck to the limits of its payload,” says Fonterra Value
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FONTERRA HAS PLACED ITS FIRST ORDER FOR A Volvo electric truck following a successful trial with Volvo Trucks NZ this year. New Zealand’s first battery electric Volvo truck – an FL Electric 4x2 model – has been operating from the Fonterra Brands NZ Distribution Centre in Mangere on an eight month trial to assess its performance in real world conditions. As a result of the trial, Fonterra has ordered a larger Volvo FE electric 6x2 rigid, with a GVM weight of 26t and a range of up to 250km. Delivery is expected mid-2024 with the unit to be fully operational across Auckland, clocking up about 25,000km per year. “Throughout the past eight months, the back-up and support we’ve received around the unit has been great,” says Brent Fiecken, Fonterra’s General Manager Logistics & Distribution, who had overall responsibility for the trial. “The Volvo Trucks team has shown a high level of commitment and been very responsive to our needs. We took our time discussing how to turn the trial experience into something operationally sustainable. The FLE wasn’t quite the right fit for us, so we started to look at a bigger truck with a refrigerated body.” “The new unit will have a capacity of 1000 crates and be part of a 12 chilled unit fleet operating out of Takanini, delivering to supermarkets,” Brent says. Driving a metro route will make the most of the potential for regeneration. “Improving emissions across our entire supply chain is part of Fonterra’s overall commitment to sustainability and the electric truck is only one part of our overall decarbonisation strategy. We are looking to transition one third of our light vehicle fleet by the end of FY24, where fit for purpose electric solutions exist.” At the start of the trial, Brent admits he had a few question marks around
NEWS As a result of the first phase of testing, Fonterra is ordering a 26-tonne Volvo FE Electric 6x2.
Chain Transformation Manager, Lamine Abderrahim. “There wasn’t much difference between performance under load, compared with a light load or a completely empty truck,” Lamine says. “Then we started to trial the truck at maximum tare weight on half a charge. It was a good proof of concept.” Throughout the trial, manufacturer guidelines around drive speed and range were shown to be pretty much on the button. The trial was considered a seamless proof of concept by all, delivering beyond initial expectations with few limitations. “We used the Volvo range simulator a lot at the start to explore distances and impact on battery levels,” Lamine says.
“Once that stage passed, we didn’t use it as much. Our fleet uses the EROAD telematics solution for tracking, so our next challenge for the Volvo Trucks technical team is how to integrate both tools.” With a successful trial in the bag, the focus for the Fonterra and Volvo Trucks team shifted to what would come next. “There was a strong, established relationship between our tanker fleet and the Volvo team,” says Brent. “But for us, this was a new relationship. “I think the best indicator of our confidence in Volvo technology and the Volvo Trucks NZ team is our willingness to invest,” Brent says. “The next question we need to answer is what does our new Volvo electric truck look like as an integrated part of the Fonterra Brands fleet.”
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NEWS
The new DAF XG+ which premiered at the Brisbane Truck Show earlier this year will no longer require modifications to meet Australia’s former 2.50m maximum width rule.
Small change with wide implications AN INCREASE IN THE MAXIMUM WIDTH OF TRUCKS permitted on Australian roads is expected to bring significant efficiencies to the transport industry across the Tasman. Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown has announced the maximum width of trucks can increase by 50mm to 2.55 metres, provided they are also equipped with the latest safety features. The move has been welcomed by Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) as a positive step forward for the industry. It’s main benefit is allowing the latest European trucks to be sold in Australia without requiring modifications to meet the 2.50m maximum width. The safety features required include devices to reduce blind spots, electronic stability control, advanced emergency braking, a lane departure warning system, better reflective markings, and side guards to stop pedestrians and cyclists from being caught up under the rear wheels of trucks. Additionally, several safety devices and sensors will be able to be fitted to trucks without counting towards width and length measurements. These include front and kerb view mirrors, external parts of camera monitor systems, blind spot sensors, and cross-view mirrors. The overall width limit for buses and trailers won’t change, however, they will also benefit from more safety devices being excluded from width and length measurements. The Australian Government estimates the changes will provide a net benefit of more than A$500 million to the Australian economy by reducing the number of road freight trips businesses will need to take, saving them money and lowering their environmental impact. HVIA’s Chief Executive Officer, Todd Hacking, says it’s a huge step forward for the industry. “HVIA has listened to its members and advocated tirelessly for this change,” he says. “Removing unnecessary roadblocks and impediments to truck safety and productivity underpins what we do, and we thank Minister Brown’s office for recognising the importance of this reform.” 18 | Truck & Driver
The change aligns Australia’s truck width limits with many overseas markets and allows manufacturers to introduce the next generation of safer, cleaner, and more productive trucks, without needing costly re-design or re-engineering. Brown says the package responds to direct calls from industry to increase the width limit for trucks and follows extensive public consultation and feedback. “These changes will be a real game changer for industry, businesses and other road users, as they will save lives by adopting technology to reduce the likelihood of crashes, while also lowering freight costs and supporting better environmental outcomes,” she says. Crucially, the change does not affect width limits for trailers, an issue which Hacking says is a key part of HVIA’s policy, intended to protect Australia’s local trailer manufacturing industry from bearing unnecessary re-tooling costs. “To see that the announcement is perfectly aligned with HVIA’s policy, as guided by members, is a testament to how effective advocacy can be when it is backed by a solid safety and economic case,” he says. Greg Forbes, HVIA’s National Manager of Policy and Government Regulations, is also supportive of the announcement. “The limit of 2.50 metres for trucks restricts model availability, limits access to safety and environment technologies, and adds unnecessary costs,” he adds. “Conversely, current trailer width limits do not impose the same restrictions, and if changed would actually impose additional costs in the form of re-tooling manufacturing facilities.” HVIA’s Chief Technical Officer, Adam Ritzinger, has been vocal in explaining the safety case for the change, and welcomes the requirement for specific safety technologies to be fitted to the wider trucks. “Safety features such as advanced emergency braking and lane departure warning systems will save lives on our roads,” he says. New technologies that improve a truck driver’s field of vision will be particularly beneficial for cyclists and pedestrians.
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CONSTRUCTION IS SET to begin soon on a new commercial vehicle safety centre (CVSC) outside RNZAF Base Commercial Vehicle Safety Centre site Ohakea, in Manawatū. The new CVSC will replace the old New Zealand Police weigh station on State Highway 1/3 near Bulls. It Compliance building is one of 12 facilities Waka P Parking P Kotahi NZ Transport Agency W Weigh bridge is building on high-volume OA Off-load area freight routes for the NZ IB Inspection bay Police to operate. IB These facilities are part W of the national Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme (CVSP) which is developing an integrated network of cameras, P `weigh in motions’ and safety centres covering strategic routes. These facilities aim to OA improve road safety, ensure a level playing field for industry and encourage compliant Pukenui Road vehicle productivity. The CVSC sites use advanced integrated roadside technology to screen passing vehicles 24/7, such as weighin-motion or in-road scales, automatic number plate recognition cameras and electronic signs. Any potentially unsafe or non-compliant vehicles are directed into a into a CVSC when they’re passing. Light Downer Regional Manager for Manawatū CVSC, and Police officers can undertake vehicles will have their licence plates scanned Matthew Tipping says the business is excited checks on vehicle weight, road user charges and information is anonymised within for its regional construction teams, Hawkins (RUC), certificate of fitness, logbook and seconds of being captured to maintain privacy. and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to be driver impairment, and the information The exception to this is in the case of stolen involved in the programme, and will strive to gathered 24/7 is used to understand trends vehicles. provide the best service and outcomes. and focus on operator risk. Commercial Vehicle Safety Programme “The programme also offers excellent The new, high-tech facility will be built on Manager Sean Bridge says the programme employment opportunities for provincial New Pukenui Road, outside the air force base. This supports the Road to Zero strategy and the Zealand, and our Downer whānau will focus location is where a new permanent double- Waka Kotahi aim for a road system free of on developing our people’s skills and career laned roundabout and shared user path is death and serious injury. paths.” also being constructed as part of a separate “It will help deliver a more level playing Waka Kotahi says the new CVSC safety improvement project, which is due to field for the heavy vehicle industry and network aims to increase heavy vehicle be completed in mid-2024. improve road safety outcomes across the weight compliance without impacting upon The location has been chosen for a CVSC transport system. productivity or imposing unnecessary cost on site because it is a vital link to the central “Enforcing weight restrictions and other compliant vehicles. and lower North Island and is a high-volume forms of non-compliance, safe driving CVSCs will be used increasingly as multifreight route with more than 2000 heavy practices and road-ready vehicles is an agency facilities in joint education, compliance vehicles passing daily. The construction of integral part of keeping all road users safe and and/or enforcement operations between the the new permanent roundabout on the state protecting the road network from damage,” Police, Waka Kotahi and organisations such highway also means trucks can safely enter says Mr Bridge. as the Environmental Protection Authority, the site from both directions. Downer is the contractor for the Ohakea WorkSafe, various ministries, regional Everyday motorists will not be directed CVSC. councils and rural health providers.
Bulls to Sanson safety improvements
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Truck & Driver | 21
NEWS The HARMfree programme offers practical tools to help operators reduce workplace risk.
Focus on workplace risks THE NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING ASSOCIATION (NTA) and National Road Carriers (NRC) have jointly launched an industryleading programme designed to reduce injury and harm across the transport sector. The initiative is the HARMfree Transport and Logistics Online Portal which offers practical tools to help operators reduce workplace risk. For the year, July 2022 to June 2023, Worksafe recorded 14 fatalities across the Transport, Postal and Warehousing sector. Concerningly, for the period Jan-June 2023 workplace fatalities for the sector are already at nine. “In our view that’s 14 families too many who have lost a parent, child, or partner,” says David Boyce, CEO, NTA. “The HARMfree portal gives the transport industry access to a bespoke programme designed specifically to help reduce these numbers. We can’t lose sight of the fact every injury or life lost not only impacts the individual and their family, but it also has a negative flow on effect to the New Zealand economy. “The portal serves as an excellent platform for connecting with peers, accessing resources and information on good work design, supporting well-being and mental health, and provides a roadmap for engaging with David Boyce, Chief Executive of the NZ Trucking Association.
22 | Truck & Driver
industry training providers,” says David Boyce. HARMfree is designed to improve workplace safety and worker wellbeing in a language and style practical for the transport and logistics sector. HARMfree is a collaboration between the NTA, NRC, and industry partners Success Formula, Fit For Duty, and AutoSense and funding from the ACC Injury Prevention Grant has helped accelerate the programme. “The fact HARMfree is industry-led and designed means it translates seamlessly to the people on the front line who need to use it,” says Justin Tighe-Umbers, CEO, NRC. “Health & Safety should matter to everyone. HARMfree provides access to a network of H&S professionals across the industry, who can give a helping hand to operators to grow their own knowledge and practices. The ultimate goal is to create an industry of safety champions that encourage and support each other to create a safer working environment that excels in H&S and HR best practice,” Supporting the programme is a steering group comprising of industry stakeholders, H&S professionals, and transport and logistics operators. These experts provide guidance and contribute resources and ideas to the programme, ensuring that the content is reliable and can be effectively implemented throughout workplaces. “Transport and logistics workers often face high-pressure, demanding working conditions, circadian disruption, sleep deprivation, and, in some cases, long periods of isolation, leading to stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. HARMfree brings all of this together into an easy-to-follow programme, saving time for employers and providing practical, easily implementable information,” says Boyce. The programme integrates into existing Educational Engagement Programmes, including The Safety MAN Road Safety Truck and the AutoSense #EYESUPNZ campaign. The HARMfree Transport & Logistics portal is live now at www. harmfreetransport.nz. More information on how to become involved as a HARMfree supporter or partner is available from Programme Manager, John Sansom, at info@ harmfree.nz or 027 244 5221.
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24 | Truck & Driver
BIG TEST
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Story Colin Smith Photos Gerald Shacklock
Loading up with 37 tonnes of logs felled at the Waikeria prison.
Truck & Driver | 25
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It’s a slow run climbing the Kaimais, but the 460hp Shogun makes smooth progress.
TD33819
ON
N A KIWI LOGGING INDUSTRY WHERE 600-horsepower trucks have become commonplace and an increasing number boast 700-plus, it might seem that Jason Inness is working his 460hp Fuso Shogun a little beyond its comfort zone. Especially loaded near its 53-tonne HPMV permit and working out of some remote wood lots with tricky access. Jason admits the Fuso FS3146 is slow on the hills, but adds the Shogun is working within the manufacturer specs and is covered by the Fuso 5-year/500,000km warranty. He reckons the truck is only doing what it’s been designed to do. And with just over 300,000km on the odometer, the proof has been in its reliability and fuel efficiency. Jason has been told this Shogun Hi Top 8x4 was the first Shogun to be registered in New Zealand back in mid-2019. His choice was based on the reliable performance of a Fuso HD 470 logger which remains in his fleet and the Fuso ownership experience has led to a second Shogun 460 being added in 2021. The trio of Fuso loggers and two Mercedes-Benz Arocs 530 wood bin trucks are part of Jason’s JWI Earthmoving operation, which also includes three Fuso tippers and two Isuzu Hydravac trucks, a bulldozer and four diggers. “The Arocs are hook bin trucks and I’ve also got a second-hand Isuzu bin truck I bought from a demolition firm. We use it to ferry the bins around in the bush,” says Jason. “The bin trucks are interchangeable so if the log price comes
back, they can be loggers. And we sometimes use the bin trucks for carting dirt and metal, and they can also be flat decks if we need them.” Across both earth moving and logging, Jason says the company has grown steadily. “I just look at one opportunity at a time. If logging hadn’t been as crap for the last three years, I think we would have more trucks by now.” The Te Awamutu operation was initially founded for civil construction and earth works projects. Jason says he has 30 staff currently working on the Waikeria prison upgrade project while his loggers work around the central North Island. “I started in earthmoving but one day I had someone tell me; `If I had any spare money, I’d buy a log truck’,” Jason says. “About a week later I heard the same thing from someone else and I thought there might be merit in this. So, I started to do some research.” Buying a truck turned out to be more difficult than Jason was expecting. “Nobody would take me seriously. Fuso were the only ones who would sell me a truck. I looked at a number of brands and they were the only ones who would give me the time of day,” Jason says. “Amanda Cotter was at Keith Andrews Trucks in Hamilton at the time selling Fuso. She was great to deal with. “She came out and saw me, found out what I wanted to do, and she was really good through the whole process. “I thought about buying second-hand, but when I asked around people said to get new if you are going logging.” Truck & Driver | 27
Above: The 460hp Shogun runs the Shift Pilot 12-speed automated transmission.
Below: Tyre choice and TRT Traction Air give the Shogun plenty of traction in the mud. Above left: Trailer up and on the way back to the Waikato.
Below left: Patchell logging gear and four-axle trailer carries a 37-tonne payload.
The Fuso HD was purchased at the time the model was being runout and not long after, with the truck “tapped out”, Jason needed another. “They [KAT] had the first Shogun at Patchells being built up as a demonstrator. I said `put my name on it, I need it’. “They said I could have it so long as I was happy for them to take it to the Feildays. I got it a week later. Jason says moving into the logging sector has had some challenges. “If I’d known back then what the log price was going to do, I
28 | Truck & Driver
might not have got into logging. “But in saying that I love the forestry industry. It’s a `get out there and get it done’ type of industry. There are great people in the industry and really hard workers,” says Jason. “So, I probably still would have it done it to be fair. Has it been difficult and has it been stressful? Absolutely. But what industry isn’t and if it was easy then everyone would do it.” Originally from Ngahinapouri, Jason doesn’t have a family background in either trucking or earth moving. “My dad was a cop, and my mum was a nurse,” he says. “But I’ve
always been keen on machinery.” After leaving school he spent a year at Telford agricultural college in Balclutha. “I did the first year of the certificate, but I wanted to be in the workforce. I travelled overseas for a couple of years driving tractors in Canada and the US and then had five years in the West Australian mines.” “Then I worked for my old man’s pest control business for a while before I bought a 6-wheel tipper and a digger. That was eight years ago, and the rest is history.”
The first JWI Shogun went on the road in mid-2019. The 8x4 with the Daimler sourced OM470 11.67-litre engine produces 460hp at 1600rpm and has 1633 lb-ft of torque at 1100rpm – pretty modest numbers in the modern logging scene. The 12-speed Shift Pilot automated transmission and three-stage Jacobs brake are part of the standard specification. The truck has spring suspension with drum brakes and the trailer has disc brakes and air suspension. “Compared to the HD, the Shogun is like chalk and cheese,” says Jason.
Truck & Driver | 29
Jason Inness runs three Fuso loggers and is impressed with the reliability and value for money.
“It goes better than the HD. It’s a 460 and the HD is actually a 470 but this goes quite a bit better. The transmission is better and so is the torque.” Fitted with the Patchell logging gear and 4-axle trailer, the Shogun initially worked at 46-tonnes before Jason obtained the 53-tonne HPMV permit. TRT Traction Air tyre pressure control is fitted to the drive wheels and the Shogun doesn’t have mechanical diff locks because they are not compatible with its ESP electronics. “We run it at 90psi loaded on the highway and 75psi unloaded. We drop to 55psi off-road and there’s 32psi as an emergency. We use it quite often when we’re doing wood lots. Jason says he wanted a truck that was suited to hauling logs from small wood lots and the 4-axle trailer gives the manoeuvrability in tight locations. “The trailer tracks really well. Patchells do a good job, they’ve been making trailers for a long time.” “Wood lots are a real test. The contractor only wants to spend just enough on an access road so that when the last truck leaves the road is completely rooted. They get the most bang for the buck,” Jason says. “It’s hard on the trucks and it’s not just the roads. There can be low trees and it knocks the trucks around.” The Shogun has worked in the Whitford Forest and hauled logs out of wood lots in the Coromandel, Huntly, the Raglan and Kawhia coast and as far south as Te Kuiti. It’s meant a bit more variety than just carting pine. “We did some work for an arborist and a full load was only five logs. They were big macrocarpa logs.”
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The wood lot work has slowed down this year due to low log prices and in recent months the JWI Fuso trio has been hauling the cyclone windthrow timber from the Taupo-Turangi region. “When the log price dropped in April all that [wood lot felling] just stopped overnight. I heard through the grapevine that managers were looking for trucks to cart the wind throw stuff and we hooked into that. “Corporate logging is nicer [than wood lots] and the roads are like chalk and cheese.” So, without diff locks, how has the Shogun handled the steep and rough terrain? “I haven’t really had any issues. There has been one job over the years where we couldn’t get up a hill,” says Jason. “With the combination of the CTI and the tyres we run, we rarely have any issues. The way I look at, if you can’t get up there in third gear then you probably shouldn’t be going up there.” The load and route for this NZ Truck & Driver Big Test begins with a short trailer-up run from Te Awamutu out to the Waikeria prison. Trees were also felled there during cyclones earlier this year and with his construction crew working at the site, the prison management also asked Jason to cart the timber. Jason says his trucks have already carted most of the 2500 tonnes of pine being cleared from the prison site. The logs have been moved to the edge of the prison’s farm and the Shogun is loaded with three packets of logs – one 3.9m packet on the truck and a 3.9m and 5.9m packet on the trailer. It’s a 37-tonne payload the SI Lodec scales display an all up weight of 52.8 tonnes. The journey means turning right at the busy Te Kawa crossroads,
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From top: Alcoa alloys are standard on the Shogun... while 11.67-litre OM470 engine develops 460hp and meets Euro 6 emissions standard... steering wheel controls include adaptive cruise control.
32 | Truck & Driver
heading north to Kihikihi and then east to Arapuni, Putaruru and across the Kaimais to Mt Maunganui. One of the first impressions is how smoothly the loaded Shogun moves away from stationary. But the acceleration has no sense of urgency. “This is a slow truck, there’s no doubt about it. With 460hp it’s going to be slow, but it doesn’t bother me,” says Jason. “It’s fine when they are up and rolling along, it’s just when you hit a hill that it’s any issue. And I suppose we’ve got a lot of hills. “But a lot of times I’ll get passed by trucks going up the Kaimais, but I end up right behind them again at the check point at the wharf. “The difference between this and something with 600 hp on a trip from Turangi up to the Mount is probably 15 minutes – maybe 20 minutes max. After all the Shogun is running the same speed as every other truck on the downhill runs and through the multiple road work sites and towns such as Putaruru and Tokoroa. “It’s no rocket ship. I don’t think Fusos, Hinos or Isuzus have ever been known as rocket ships. “The GCM on this is 55 tonnes. If we had a five-axle trailer, we could go to 58 tonne and that’s where I’d need to go to a more powerful truck. “If they made the [Shogun] 510 as an 8x4 I’d be keen on one of those, but they are all 6x4s.” “The thing I learnt in Australia [driving road trains] was it doesn’t matter what the weight is, you just go a bit slower. It’s not going to kill the truck because the truck is designed to work.” “We had a [Kenworth] 909 over there, tri-drive which was a quad road train with side tippers. They were only 550 horsepower and they purred along alright.” From behind the wheel Jason says the Shogun offers excellent visibility and seating comfort and adds there is plenty of cab storage space for wet weather and safety gear, first aid kits and other compulsories. With full EROAD, including electronic logbook and a tablet to document the loads, there is little need to stow folders and paperwork. “There is bugger all paperwork now other than the dockets,” says Jason. But this is not a luxury logger and there’s no point looking around for the fridge or the coffee machine. One impressive aspect of the Shogun specification is its standard drivers assist and safety roster. It boasts Lane Departure Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Driver Fatigue Monitoring. There are also rain sensor wipers and automatic headlights. The list of features also includes push button start while the audio is operated from a 7.0-inch touchscreen with navigation along with Bluetooth phone connectivity and Apple CarPlay. Where there is a stretch of flat highway the Shogun steadily builds pace to use 1650rpm while cruising at 90kph in top gear. “It’s a good truck for fuel economy. It has averaged 1.92km per litre and worked most of its life at 53-tonnes. It averaged 2.2km per litre when it was at 46 tonnes. “Road Users are higher than my cost for fuel and I don’t think we’re getting value for money. It’s my highest cost and all I’ve seen is the road getting worse. “The only issue with trucking is the roads. It’s a real issue. The road from Turangi to the Mount is a disaster.” The run to the base of the Kaimai’s is at a steady pace. The interesting part of the test is always going to be the climb to reach the Bay of Plenty.
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Fuso and Patchell 8-axle configuration works well for access to wood lots.
With the intersection clear the Shogun turns right and pulls away from the Rapurapu Rd T-junction, settling into the early part of the climb in seventh gear at 23kph and gradually edging up to 27kph at 1700rpm. “I just turn on the cruise control and it does it all itself. All I do is steer,” says Jason. The climb is where the Shogun shows how much better it is compared to the HD. “The HD is known for the slow shifting of its transmission. You
have to do it manually or you are buggered. When it’s empty it’s not terrible,” Jason says. “Other than that, the HD is a good truck. It’s comfortable and fuel efficient and it works.” The Shogun needed a little input from the Fuso technical team before it would perform at its best and Jason’s first runs up the SH29 climb highlighted an issue. “There is one point [a left hand corner near the top of the climb] where it needed to change down a gear from sixth to fifth, but it
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Steady progress rather than an ability to power up the hills is the performance theme for the Shogun 460.
wouldn’t do it quickly enough and we ended up stopped,” says Jason. “It was OK if you managed it manually, but I told the guys at Fuso, and they said `we’ve been trying to do that and we’ve never been able to. We’d like to come and take a look’. “They were really proactive. The guy came with his laptop and downloaded all the data and sent it back to Japan. Then they reprogrammed it and after that it was beautiful. “It now makes the sixth to fifth change a little earlier and it doesn’t miss a beat.” Most of the climb is done in sixth gear and on two occasions the transmission shifts to fifth briefly. “The fan comes on briefly and then it turns off again. To me that means it’s not working all that hard.” The slowest point on the climb is 17kph in fifth gear at about 1900rpm. “It’s torquey and so smooth in its gear changes. I’ve just gone all the way up in cruise control and it just does what it does,” Jason says. Heading over the summit Jason says, “This is where I earn my bread and butter.” The Shogun has a three-stage Jacobs brake, and it holds the fully loaded Shogun to 68kph in a manually selected tenth gear on the downhill run towards Tauranga with an occasional dab on the brake pedal. “With the Jake this is really good going down the Kaimais,” Jason says. The exhaust brake and gear selector are on a left hand steering column stalk while the adaptive cruise control is operated from buttons on the steering wheel. “I drive it almost everywhere in Economy mode and using the adaptive cruise,” says Jason. 34 | Truck & Driver
“You still feel fresh after driving it for hours. It’s comfortable, it’s nice and quiet and you don’t have to change gears. It’s easy to drive and all round it’s a comfortable place to be. “The seat is great with plenty of adjustment, and it’s got an armest. The HD doesn’t have an armrest. “The mirrors are a good size and they’re also heated. The gauges are nice and clear and it’s got good headlights.” With logging having ups and downs in the last three years, Jason says he’s been glad to have a smaller investment in his three Fusos than being committed to significantly more expensive trucks. “It’s about warranty and relationships. Fuso were the only ones who would give me the time of day and I’ve had a good run and stayed loyal,” he says. “Value for money they’re a great truck and the warranty that comes with them is awesome.” “And I couldn’t afford a Kenworth or something like that anyway.” I ask Jason if there anything after 300,000km of experience with the Shogun that he’s like to see improved? “I suppose if there was an opportunity to put a diff lock in, that would be only thing that could be upgraded,” he says. “A few guys have said to me `get it chipped’ but then it’s out of warranty. It’s designed for a purpose and as long as you look after it and service it and don‘t abuse it, then I would imagine you will get a really good run out of them.” Back to the question: is the 460hp Shogun out of its comfort zone working as a 53-tonne logger? “You could possibly say that, but it’s designed for this work, and it works. I don’t think it’s doing anything it shouldn’t and after 300,000km I haven’t had any issues,” Jason says. “At the end of the day the warranty says it all. It’s covered bumperto-bumper for half a million kays with 30,000km servicing.”
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N THE PAST I HAVE ENJOYED TESTING trucks that are really suited to the role they’ve been purchased for. Usually that means having enough power to get the job done but many of the big horsepower options out there could be considered as overkill. In contrast this test stretches the idea of doing more with less. I have been wanting to test a Fuso Shogun in the logging sector since they
were first launched here. After waiting –
36 | Truck & Driver
unsuccessfully – for a 510hp 8x4 option, we have decided to do the next best thing. This 460hp logger running on a 53-tonne permit will sound extreme to most and after trying to trick this engine and gearbox on other tests, I don’t think I could find a better opportunity to make this drivetrain hiccup. We catch up with Jason Inness and his Shogun in Te-Awamutu to cart a load from a wood lot from Waikeria over the Kaimais to the Mount port. Loaded at 52.8 tons we head off and I take over the driving seat in Kihikihi for the run through Arapuni to Putaruru. I’m very familiar with this cab layout
Hayden Woolston from other Shogun tests and you will also find a lot of similarities between the latest Freightliner and Mercedes-Benz trucks. With push button start and gear selector on the left-hand stalk moved into drive, it’s time to head off. As I pull out onto the road, I’m amazed the engine and gearbox don’t seem fazed by the 52.8 tonne all up weight. The 11.67-litre engine with 1633lbft of torque works well with the 12-speed Shift Pilot automated transmission to get the truck
• SPECIFICATIONS • and its load up to speed. Once on the open road the weight begins to affect the way the truck drives. I do find it difficult to keep the truck up at 90kph but on these twisty up and down country roads it’s not all that surprising. On a couple of the descents, I find the 3-stage engine brake to be very good with the engine revving out to 2100-2200rpm and only needing short service brake applications to keep control of the speed. Each hill we hit the truck does slow down noticeably as expected but the engine and the transmission doesn’t make any mistakes. I keep the truck in auto the whole trip and on the hills, I leave it in Eco mode – which is Jason’s technique. On the steepest incline we get down to 18kph in sixth gear, but the truck just doesn’t sound like it’s struggling other than the low speed displayed on the speedo. While on this trip Jason and I are able to have an easy conversation without too much interruption from outside noise. I find the seat position is really comfortable and the vision out the windscreen is good too. I find on these narrow country roads the whole unit is easy to position on the road and crossing the tight Arapuni Dam the mirrors give good vision to the rear.
While talking with Jason about his truck purchase and choice it’s easy to come around to his way of thinking from a business point of view. The truck does the job that’s asked of it - a little slower than more powerful rivals but well under their price point. As Jason explains, if there is no work for it, he doesn’t have to find work for it every day to pay for it. The Shogun is cheaper than more traditional logging trucks, but it still comes with the tech you expect in most trucks these days, including lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking and driver fatigue monitoring. I don’t think you could ask for much more in a standard safety package. With only 460hp working pretty hard on a 53 tonne permit you might think the fuel consumption would suffer. Jason says he is averaging 1.92km per litre over the life of the truck, which isn’t bad at all for a truck most would think is underpowered. Testing the 460hp Shogun in this application leaves me thinking there is no need to race up the hills fully loaded. It’s more important to get there safely, reliably and keep costs as low as possible. This truck has been doing exactly that for over 300,000kms.
Fuso Shogun FS3146 6 8x4 Engine: Fuso OM470 (Euro 6) Capacity: 10.67 litres Maximum Power: 338kW (460hp) @ 1600rpm Maximum Torque: 2213Nm (1663 lb ft) @ 1100-1500rpm Fuel capacity: Diesel 400 litres, AdBlue 60 litres Transmission: 12-speed Fuso ShiftPilot Gen 3/G230-12 AMT Ratios: 1st – 11.67 2nd – 9.10 3rd – 7.05 4th – 5.50 5th – 4.40 6th – 3.43 7th – 2.65 8th – 2.07 9th – 1.60 10th – 1.25 11th – 1.00 12th – 0.78 Final Drive ratio: 4.22:1 Front axle: Fuso F900T I-Beam, rating of 13,000kg Rear axles: D10 hypoid tandem, with inter-axle diff lock, combined rating of 21,600kg Auxiliary brakes: Three-stage Jacobs engine brake, producing 335kW/460hp Front suspension: Long taper leaf with stabiliser bar and doubleacting shock absorbers Rear suspension: Tapered leaf spring with stabiliser bar and double-acting shock absorbers GVM: 30,800kg GCM: 55,000kg
Truck & Driver | 37
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Driving the economy
A 60kph speed limit on Brougham Street SH76 through Christchurch makes perfect sense – but some open road speed limits are all over the place.
Bright future ahead in spite of challenges W
by Dom Kalasih Interim Chief Executive Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
HATEVER FORM THE NEXT government takes, the challenges ahead won’t change. It’s more a question of whether whichever party governing – or from the polls, I think I’m safe in saying parties – will address the challenges differently. Transporting New Zealand will take an active role to make sure the concerns of road transport operators are put front and foremost each and every day. Recently, I attended an event for our members in Hawke’s Bay. The room was packed and the guest speaker was Katie Nimon, the National Party candidate. One of Katie’s fundamental views was that roads should be seen as an investment to drive and improve the economy. While I’m sure no one else in the room needed convincing of that, it was very refreshing to hear because that idealism appears to have gone missing for a significant period of time.
While significant scarring from Cyclone Gabrielle is still evident, the progress made with recovery is massive. This speaks to the extraordinary levels of adaptability, tolerance, and resilience of our members. My other observation was how promising and bright our future looks. The fact that so many people came out, particularly of the younger generation, shows the passion, interest, and commitment to the industry is far from waning and that bodes well for the future. Speed limit rethink welcome National is promising to roll back some of the blanket speed limit reductions brought in by the Labour government. Many state highways have already had their speeds reduced from 100kph to 80kph as part of the government’s Road to Zero initiative to reduce road deaths. If you wander onto rural local roads and you happen to miss a speed limit sign, then it Truck & Driver | 39
Driving the economy
leaves you guessing what the legal limit is and that’s not good. Transporting New Zealand supports road safety and ways to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our road. No-one wants to see people getting injured on the roads, but the current system is farcical and there is no rhyme nor reason to some proposals. We’re seeing proposals to reduce sections of road from 100kph down as far down to 40kph despite engineers advising the safe and appropriate speed limit is higher. Variations and inconsistencies like this make no sense and in fact will make it very hard for drivers to have any idea what the speed limit actually is. If you think that sounds bizarre, you’re right. It’s critical that government policy takes safety, the environment, and productivity into consideration. A scientific, risk-based approach must be used rather than blanket limits on whole roads. Also bear in mind the penalty for exceeding the speed limit by more than 40kph is a 28-day licence suspension, so in the event that happens, in effect the driver would not be able to work. We’ve heard it might cost $30 million to reverse what’s been done but on the flip side, with what’s happening now, it could easily add 15 minutes to a transport operator’s daily travel time, particularly if operating on rural roads. Some rough reckoning indicates the loss of productivity could be costing the country an additional $2.5 million every day with no equivalent gains in safety. Transporting New Zealand is concerned that simply reducing speeds could be a way to avoid spending the funds needed to bring them up to modern standards and meet future transport requirements.
In some ways, it was frustrating that we needed to use that opportunity to again address the following two common misapprehensions about heavy trucks. HPMV combinations pay relatively high RUC, which more than offsets the impact that they have on road pavement and if anything, due to having more axles, HPMVs are currently overpaying, under current RUC settings. That’s supported by Waka Kotahi’s findings. Heavier trucks can also reduce carbon emissions on a tonne-kilometre basis by up to 35%, compared with standard trucks and this is supported by data from the International Road Transport Union. In the meantime, while government ponder what to do, industry-led initiatives continue. Road to success: For many, training people is seen as a compliance requirement. The Road to success Certificates of Competency (microcredentials) are a way an employer can demonstrate they are meeting industry good practice and provide evidence that their people have met an industry-recognised level. Diversity Toolbox: The Diversity Toolbox is a set of practical tools and resources for all road freight operators. The Toolbox, supported by Teletrac Navman New Zealand, emphasises how a diverse and well supported workforce is key to all businesses’ long-term success. The Good Practice Guide: Safe Operation and Maintenance of Sideloaders: This is an initiative led by the New Zealand Intermodal Transport Safety Group (NZITSG) and endorsed by WorkSafe. It’s another example of the industry knowing what it needs and getting stuff done to achieve the best results. It is now freely available on our website.
Industry gets on with positive programmes Last month, we made our formal submission to the Ministry of Transport on the draft Government Policy Statement on land transport 2024.
National transport strategy needed Discussions on road funding and road user charging have been prominent in the lead up to the general election and so they should be. It’s also important that there is some rebalance to remedy the issue that the road transport industry is paying a much greater share of its public sector infrastructure and service costs than other road users. Transporting New Zealand continues to advocate for the use of good technology to resolve problems. There are some core business activities that could be made much better, such as communications on network access, permitting, and road pricing. Compared with overseas we appear well behind the eight-ball. There’s plenty to do now and we’ll have to watch the risk of getting distracted by the myriad of other good ideas that are always out there. Photo: David Killick Caption: Speed limits vary widely and can sometimes be confusing for road users.
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Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand’s team is available to asist our members around New Zealand Ia Ara Aotearoa – Transporting New Zealand PO Box 1778, Wellington 04 472 3877 info@transporting.nz
Dom Kalasih, Interim Chief Executive 04 471 8285 • 027 441 4309 Dom@transporting.nz Vicki Harris, Membership Adviser 027 534 3848
www.transporting.nz 40 | Truck & Driver
Keith McGuire, Regional & Sector Advisor Upper North Island 027 445 5785 John Bond, Regional & Sector Advisor Upper South Island 027 444 8136 Jim Crouchley, Regional & Sector Advisor Lower South Island 027 261 0953
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Barry Westrupp is planning retirement while his son Karl takes over the ownership and operation of Westhaul Motueka.
NELSON IS NEW ZEALAND’S ONLY major centre that has never had a rail connection to the rest of the country. So, the region’s road transport industry developed in its own unique way during the years when road freight was heavily regulated for the benefit of rail. Motueka’s Barry Westrupp has seen a lot of the region’s trucking evolution during his 60-years in the industry. Barry recently celebrated his 80th birthday and although he jokes about first thinking about retirement back when he was 55, he has finally stepped back from an active daily role in the Westhaul Motueka operation he founded. Since July his youngest son Karl owns and runs the business which continues to play a key role in servicing the freight needs of the Tasman district with its 12 staff, a fleet of 10 trucks, a large yard and storage facility in Motueka and a small satellite yard in Richmond. Westhaul Motueka is not a transport firm that was grown significantly in size over the years. The fleet numbers are only slightly larger now than when Barry bought a share in what was the TNL Freighting Motueka depot back in 1995. The business focus remains where it has always been; carting the horticultural produce grown in the Motueka region and bringing in the supplies needed to support that industry. Plus, chasing enough diversification to keep the wheels turning away from the seasonal peaks of horticulture. Barry says the transport industry has been good to him and his family. “It’s been my life. It’s been bloody good to me, but it’s been bad to me sometimes too. We’ve had a few moments,” says Barry.
Barry grew up in Motueka and although his father was a watchmaker – and his brother followed in that line of business – it was big machinery and fast motorcycles that captured his interest as a youngster. “People used to take their trucks home at night when I was a kid. A guy down the road used to cart coal out of the [West] coast up to here for the tobacco growers with an old – well it was new back then – Leyland 4x2 and a 20-foot semi,” says Barry. “You’d hear him coming around the corner in the evening. Here’s Lofty, and he’d park it up and the next morning he’d start it up and off he’d go again. His daughter was about the same age as I was, but I was more interested in the truck. “I loved motorbikes too. I still do, but the trouble is I can’t ride a bike slow.” The Nelson Motorcycle Club is the oldest in New Zealand (it was founded in 1908) and Barry was a keen club member competing in scrambles and paddock races during the early 1960s. It’s a twowheel connection that led to his first driving job. “The first guy I worked for was the patron of the motorcycle club. One day he said, `If you ever want a job Willie [Barry’s middle name], come and see me’. “I said `why’s that? `Because I need a mad bastard like you to drive my lime spreader’ he said.” There’s a sparkle in Barry’s eye when he talks about his motorcycles. “The BSA was the best one. You could build up the top of the piston to get more compression, put big aircraft valves in them, put a different cam in them and close ratio gears. They were rockets. “The leader of our pack was a really clever guy. He took the measurements of a BSA Gold Star scrambler and copied the frame Truck & Driver | 45
for me. It was a goodie too.” The job offer was made by well-known local carrier Mick Krammer. “That’s how I got into his place. I didn’t really want to drive the lime spreader, I wanted to drive the truck. But I got there. “He [Mick Krammer] was my mentor. I learned a lot from him and got some good opportunities.” It was August 1963 when Barry went to work at E.F. (Mick) Krammer Freight, a business consisting of about half a dozen trucks at the time. “I worked for him for a long time. Through the Transport Nelson (TNL) takeovers of everything, they took him over and a couple of others around here. And I thought I’d like to be something other than a driver and I was made the depot manager here in Motueka for Transport Nelson.” Barry held the depot manager position for about three years. “I got sick of that, and I went back driving for about three years. Then I went down the coast as a depot manager again for another company called Trans West Freighters, just out of Greymouth. “Then I went fishing for a year as crew on a fishing boat out of Greymouth and then I went to Australia in 1979, driving again. “I stayed over there [Australia] till 1982 and then came back to the Bay of Plenty, just out of Whakatane working for Trailways, which was part of the Owens Group back then. “I bought my own truck. I loved being an owner-driver and it was one of the best things that ever happened. By that time, we had a couple of kids and we decided to move back here.” 46 | Truck & Driver
Although he was returning home, Barry says the early years back in Motueka were challenging. “I had a truck and a few bob – not much really – and it was hard getting started here. I worked at Talley’s for a while. “It took me something like four years to get something cracking here and I went owner-driver for Freightways Express, which were then taken over by Irvines. I was there for a while. “Then Railways put their own trucks on, so I joined them until such time as I bought into this company here, which was the Motueka depot of TNL Freighting. “We formed a new company called TNL Motueka in 1995 and then we changed to the branding to Westhaul in 2003. “I bought a share to begin with and became the manager and four years later I bought the remaining shares,” says Barry. It was the late 1990s which were the end of Barry’s full-time driving days. He’d seen plenty of changes on the road since his early driving years behind the wheel of Bedfords. “Back in the old days I started on an old Massey-Harris tractor with a bulk spreader behind it. The first truck I drove was an OLB Bedford, then I went to an A5, then to an S and then to a TK. That one was flash alright. “Next was a Kew Dodge with a Leyland engine in it, and then a Leyland Octopus and then I went into the office in the early 1970s. “My favourite truck is Mack. I drove my first Mack in 1974 after I went back driving after the first managing thing. It just impressed me so much. What a machine.
Above: Freightliner Argosy on Highway 60 heading to Motueka.
Below: Mack Quantum (left) and Scania at work around the Nelson region.
Truck & Driver | 47
Above: The TNL Motueka line-up after Barry bought into the company in 1995.
Below left: Mercedes-Benz and Mack models have played a lead role in the TNL Motueka and later Westhaul Motueka fleets. Below right: Barry drove this Mack R Series while working in Australia.
“It was an FR, 237-horsepower and rough as guts to ride in, but the power made up for it. I was doing Nelson-Blenheim on a shift sharing it with another fella.” The Mack FR was a massive step forward from the earlier British trucks Barry had driven. “Motueka-Blenheim back in the TK [Bedford] days wasn’t two loads a day, that’s for sure. It was usually five-and-a-half hours from Motueka to Spring Creek. We’d be crawling along in some places and flying along in others.” Later model trucks such as Leyland Hippos and an AEC Mammoth Major trimmed the trip down to about four hours and as the roads continued to improve into the 1970s the Macks could make a Nelson-Blenheim run in a bit over two hours. “Pretty much everything I did in my early driving days was general freight. On the coast there was a lot of livestock,” Barry says. “It was mostly rail stuff because it was the `Notional Railway’. There was no railway, it was called the Rubber Railway, and the freight was subsidised. Until protection of the railways was lifted in 1983, Nelson operated under a unique transport regime. The hops, tobacco and produce from the region was trucked across to the Spring Creek railyards between Blenheim and Picton to continue their journey by rail. “We’ve always been in the area where there is no train,” Barry says. “Back in the days of the Notional Rail, anything we took from
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Nelson to Blenheim, if it went to Blenheim town it was full price. But if it went on the rail to Wellington or Christchurch, your NelsonBlenheim leg was subsidised for the customer. “When I think back, it’s no wonder Transport Nelson did so well.” Barry was seen plenty of other changes in the way freight is moved. “Probably the biggest change is I saw the arrival of containers. There weren’t any and all of sudden it changed. I was still a driver back when I saw a 20-footer for the first time in Nelson. “Forklifts are another big change. Hand loading is a thing of the past. We used to shovel a lot of coal and it was nothing unusual to deliver coal on a flat-deck. “And in some ways, it’s interesting how things haven’t changed that much. “Back in the early sixties I drove that old Kew Dodge and I used to put 8-ton on the truck and 12-ton on a two-axle trailer and there was your 20-ton payload. It only seems quite recently that we’ve gone much over 25 tonnes.” “So, for all the size and horsepower, things haven’t changed that much.” The business landscape has also changed. “I don’t know how many carriers have been and gone in the time I’ve been here. I’ve lost count,” says Barry. In more recent times the focus has shifted away from the cheapest rate to more consistent service. “The way it’s going the industry looks like it’s got a future,” says Barry.
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Barry’s driving career began in Bedfords (top left) for Motueka carrier Mick Krammer and moved into Macks for the likes of Freightways Express (below) and Irvines Freightlines (opposite page).
“Rates don’t seem to be the main issue anymore. The corporates have got more control, and they don’t care if it’s $5 a tonne dearer, they need it to be reliable.” Karl says it’s reliable service that customers are looking for. “Whereas in the past it didn’t matter if you got something today or tomorrow, these days it does, and people have realised it comes at a cost,” Karl says. It’s not lost on Barry that the industry and his role in it have both come full circle. “Back in the old days, if Transport Nelson couldn’t compete with you, they’d buy you out. And they bought everything out,” Barry says. “That became TNL Motueka, and I ended up buying the Motueka depot off them.” The Westhaul fleet has typically been a mix of brands but with a strong Mack component. “In 1995 we started with four Volvos and a Hino, and I threw my Mack [R Series] into the fleet. We only just sold it a couple of years ago. I bought it in 1990, owned it close to 30 years and hardly had any problems with it,” says Barry. By 2003 and the rebrand to Westhaul the fleet had become mostly Macks – two R models, an RB, four CHs and a Quantum. Plus, a Mercedes-Benz trio – an 8-wheeler, a 6-wheeler and a little 4-wheeler. The choice of brands has diversified since then and the Westhaul Motueka fleet currently comprises four Macks, a Freightliner Argosy, a Kenworth, a Scania, a Western Star and two MercedesBenz Actros. The newest trucks in fleet are a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Actros and
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50 | Truck & Driver
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the 2012 Kenworth. “One Merc is a logger, and the rest are curtain siders, flat decks and skellies,” says Karl. “I’ve just ordered a new Volvo which will be here next year.” When it comes to trailers the Westhaul way is to look for maximum versatility. It’s primarily Roadmaster and Fruehauf gear. “The bulk of the gear we buy is good second-hand,” says Karl. “If I buy another trailer, I need it do a number of things. I want it to cart timber and have some ramps. We built removable decks for two of our skellies so we can run them as flat decks. “We’re always looking for efficiencies but that comes with a cost, and sometimes that cost is out of reach, so we have to find another way.” It’s the main reason that Karl’s plans for a new trailer have been shelved and he’s on the lookout for a good condition skellie that can be modified for additional roles. There’s one truck in the fleet that Karl and Barry refer to as their `Pride and Joy”. It’s a 1996 Mack CH that has been given a complete overhaul by Westhaul mechanic Harry Alpwood. “It’s our pride and joy. It still does a bit of work and it’s been busy lately,” says Karl. “There are only three people who are allowed to drive it. Me, the mechanic who did all the work on it and my older brother Jason, because he taught me.” “I’m not allowed to drive it. Not anymore, I’m not licensed,” adds Barry. Karl’s half-brother Jason – who is 15 years older – is also part of the company. “He’s a full time spare and a `Jack of all trades’,” says Karl.
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Above: Barry drove this Mercedes-Benz 1924 for Trailways.
Below: Mack RB in TNL Motueka colours and Barry with one of the Macks he drove in Australia.
“There’s always someone sick, someone away or they have to be somewhere. Jason is here in a different truck nearly every day and if we get someone new then we get him to teach them.” The majority of maintenance work on the Westhaul fleet is done in-house by Harry Alpwood. “It’s a huge advantage if you have the right person in that role,” says Karl. “The plan is always changing around here, and we’ll have a truck that suddenly isn’t doing something tomorrow and it’s also due a service in a thousand kays. “If we ring a dealer, they’ll say they can book it in next week. But we can get it serviced here, so it’s not just a cost saving but it’s also a convenience.” The era of rail protection and the “rubber railroad” has long gone, but Karl says Westhaul still does pretty much the same work it always has to serve the Motueka region. “We’ve always been about 10 trucks and we haven’t really grown,” says Karl. “We are mainly horticulture transport suppliers who have diversified a bit. “The bulk of it [the work] is still the same. We are still part of a huge horticultural hub, so we still cart apples, kiwifruit and pears. We still cart everything that goes with it like empty bins, fertiliser and packaging. It’s how we do it that has changed.” Westhaul runs from a yard and warehouse in Motueka with a satellite yard in Richmond. “We have a yard in Richmond. It’s just a parking yard and we can do a bit of offloading and transfers there. We base five trucks over there because the drivers live there. “We can’t expect all our drivers to come from Motueka so if someone wants a job and they live in Nelson or Richmond, it’s easy to put a truck over there.” The Westhaul trucks make weekly ferry crossings to bring fruit packaging to Motueka where it’s stored ready for the harvest season. “We do a twice weekly run to Hastings all year round,” says Karl.
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“Then it just depends on the time of year as to where we are. Winter-wise you’ll see us Nelson-Blenheim and Nelson to Christchurch, but from March till the end of June [the harvest season] you’ll see us around here.” While the work hasn’t changed that much over the years, Karl says the method of doing it is different. “The rules and regulations have changed. We used to have A-Trains but now we have B-Trains and truck-and-trailer units and now they can be 23 metres long.” The seasonal nature of a horticultural region has always been a challenge. “This place dies in the winter. Until we started spreading our wings and carting stuff from Hastings and doing the Eves Valley sawmill and those sort of things, we had no winter work,” says Barry. “So, we’d make money in the fruit season and then hold it and try to get through till the next fruit season without putting staff off. It’s a hard way to make a living. “Because of our loyalty to our staff, and their loyalty to us, we juggled things,” Barry says. Sometimes it was a tough decision to carry on. “There’s been several occasions when we looked at shutting things down and keeping one or two trucks, because you could keep it going the whole year round,” Karl says. But Barry adds; ``You can’t walk away, and you wouldn’t want to. “We’ve always had good staff and I wasn’t going to walk out there and say `we’ve decided we don’t need you people anymore.’ “They’ve been good to us. Why wouldn’t we be good to them? While there have been many changes at Westhaul Motueka, the biggest one is Barry’s retirement and Karl’s move to ownership since the beginning of July. Barry says it’s a natural progression and among his three sons and two daughters it’s Karl who has always shown the greatest interest. “He has grown up around it and must have learned it by watching what was going on because most times I told him something he didn’t listen. “The older boys are interested but Karl has always been passionate about it,” says Barry. “When he was four years old, I’d come home for lunch, and he’d
Above: Mack CH loaded with timber products.
Below: Barry Westrupp says Mack has been favoured truck brand since first driving a 237hp RF model.
Truck & Driver | 55
Above: Karl Westrupp keeps tabs on the Westhaul Motueka operation but still finds some time for driving duties. Below: The white and blue Westhaul Motueka livery is a familiar sight on the roads of the Nelson region. be waiting with a cuddly blanket and asking if he could come with me down to the Coast,” says Barry. “He used to come everywhere with me. I’d take the boys one at a time. Matt [Barry’s middle son] liked it but not like Karl did.” Barry and Karl both agree it’s disappointing the industry is now severely limited in being able to offer that sort of experience to young people. “Kids are still fascinated by trucks and big machinery but there is no way in,” says Karl. “They can’t ride shotgun with mum or dad like I did and by the time they are old enough to get the inductions to go onto sites it’s too late - they are 18 and they’re interested in IT and social media,” says Karl. Barry says that travelling with Karl or Matt opened a few doors for him.
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“When you turned up in a lot of places with a four-year-old you’d get offered a cup of tea and a biscuit,” he says. After 60 years Barry Westrupp is still making his retirement plans. “I haven’t got my head around it [retirement] yet,” says Barry. “We’ll be shooting off to Aussie, doing some road trips with mates. “I’ve got a boat down in the marina. Occasionally we go over to the Sounds, but we mostly just tool up and down the Abel Tasman.” Barry Westrupp couldn’t think of any better place to retire than Motueka. “It’s a great part of the world. That’s why we are here. We came back here for the kids because it’s an awesome place to grow up and I’m living where I love to be.”
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LEGENDS
Family, Trucks and Business
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ASED IN THE SOUTH OTAGO TOWN OF BALCLUTHA, McLellan Freight is a family-owned and operated transport business. With Alex McLellan at the helm, the forwardthinking company has grown over the past 34 years through hard work and a can-do attitude. The company mainly services primary industry, but Alex primarily considers the operation as first and foremost a solution provider for its customers. Alex credits his father and upbringing for his love of the transport industry. His father worked for the Clutha Carrying Company in Balclutha - he was the despatcher and yard supervisor - and as a family they lived in the company house next door. “So right from when I was able to stand up, all I could see out the window was trucks. So, it was just natural that they would play a large part in my life,” Alex says. “So, there has never ever been an option for me to be in anything else other than the machinery and transport industry really,” he says. Alex by his own account was an average student, recalling that he
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was told by the Rector when he left after fifth form `that he hoped he was going to do more work where he was going as he didn’t do too much here.’
“I started working for the Clutha Carrying Company when I was 12, painting sheep crates and washing the yard after school, and showing the new drivers how to do jobs.” That company evolved into a company called Wilsons Transport. Upon leaving school, Alex says he was lucky, because the Wilson family made several opportunities available to him, one of which was a diesel apprenticeship which he completed. It may seem like a semi-traditional route into the industry but, Alex recalls that his role was varied, and he was behind the wheel way before he went on the tools. This carried on throughout his time there. He was a mechanic in the morning and then drove a truck in the afternoon and into the night. Alex says that Wilson’s wasn’t a namby-pamby outfit; “It was a `get in there and do this son’ business. I was in charge of the hay gang at 16 years old, which was because I had the knowledge. “Whether in the hay paddocks or at the quarries, you were able to get out there and give it a go, there’s no doubt about that. But you were trained by extremely experienced guys who would not have let you go if you didn’t have the potential or the ability. “On the day I turned 18 I got my licence at 11 o’clock on a Tuesday morning and I was driving a transporter shifting bulldozers by 1pm that same day. So, that would give you an idea of how much experience I already had. I was very fortunate to be coached by extremely good people and given opportunities, back in the days where young fellas were given a go.” Alex evidently had the ability and was entrusted with Wilson’s D800 Ford the moment he passed his test. This was then exchanged with a D800 which had been fitted with a turbocharger, effectively making it a D850. “It went from about 125hp to 145hp, I thought I was made, I thought I was king of the road,” laughs Alex. “And now I drive a 615hp Kenworth.” Alex progressed into the office in his early twenties, but believes he was too young for the role. He left to drive a Cleveland wheel digger for Louis McKee in Clinton. “Then Wilsons made me an offer to come back onto a 3070 artic. I did that for about a year, but I struggled with some of the decisions that were made, so I left and went to Rosebank Davies Industries sawmill, Balclutha, working there for a year on the forklift and driving trucks.” Alex says he returned to Wilsons Transport as despatcher, and he stuck with that until he was 32 and the opportunity came to buy his own trucks. “A local company, Vickers Passenger Service Balclutha - that was based where we are now - unfortunately got hit badly by the 88-89 recession,” says Alex, “I was driving a Scania cattle truck on a particular day because we were short of drivers, and when I returned to the Milton office, they handed me the documents for this business that was going broke. “I went home and read them that night and I said to them the next day that we should buy the freight operation, but they just said we’ll just wait until it all goes broke. I decided that it was a good business,
so I bought it myself, the beginning of McLellan Freight. “Wilsons - without telling me - put a note on all their client’s accounts saying that they were finishing the freight, any further requirements please ring McLellan Freight.” “So, I have a huge amount of respect for the Wilson family and I have recently restored a 1970 Austin and painted it in the original Wilson yellow and brown colours.” McLellan Freight began with three Isuzus, (two FTRs and an NPR) on March 1, 1989, and has grown substantially over the past 34 years. Although there is a mix of brands in the fleet, Alex is more than happy to claim that a solid 25% of them are Kenworths. “Kenworths carry our name proudly, it’s a very good-looking truck and we’re happy to be able to have that quality. We already had an SAR in our fleet but in 2008 we purchased a new 904 Kenworth. It was a proud moment for me and our youngest son Isaiah, who was nine at the time when Steve Herring handed over the keys. “These memories are forever, and Isaiah is the main driver of this truck now and I am very proud of the throttle jockey he has become.” The fleet also includes several vintage trucks and a Morris Minor van which Alex is very fond of. “When we started, we clearly had a lot of small freight to deliver, we needed a van. I couldn’t afford to go and buy a flash van, so the local plumbers had a bright green Morris van that they weren’t using, so we painted it and made it roadworthy and started delivering parcels with it.” Alex says that there has been much to crow about over the company’s three decades and one of his highlights is taking young people straight out of high school and progressing them through to a Class 5 license. “They come here from high school with a restricted licence. They are trained with our experience and our work ethos, and they become very saleable,” Alex says proudly. “And to watch some of the staff that we’ve had go forward and work their way into extremely good jobs with other companies, is great. Alex says several have become extremely good operators and have moved to management positions inside other companies. Alex evidently doesn’t buy into the ‘you trained them you must keep them philosophy.’
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“You can’t. We do like to see them stay here for a period of time, until they get up and running and really compliant, and then off they go into the big wide world. A whole lot of them come back and that makes me feel very good.” McLellan Freight also has a strong involvement in the local community. “We have always put back into our communities in South Otago and Dunedin regions where we support a variety of groups including sports and schools that my children and grandchildren attend,” Alex says. “I enjoy rugby but my family is the most important to me” Alex says proudly. “My family is very special to me and with the addition of three fantastic grandchildren, Anaru, Jack and Bailey they just make everything more worthwhile,” Alex says with the biggest grin. “Our staff and their families are also a major part of our family too, which I am proud of, with the majority being long term. I thank them for their support and loyalty. They are great people, and we can’t do what we do without them being there with us.” “I don’t expect any of my staff to do any job that I am not able to do, and they see that our whole family is hands on and `get in there and get it done’ people that shows them we are hard workers,” Alex says. “Kim and I have three sons and I am very lucky that all our sons had worked in our business from a young age, and all gained their truck licences at McLellan Freight. Our oldest son Jade (38) is a farmer and contractor, but he will also, on a phone call, drop everything and come and work in the family business. “It’s great having our sons working in the business. Travis, who is the Operations Manager, handles the logistics of the everyday running which he does extremely well alongside his mother and then Isaiah and I
McLellan Freight Balclutha New Zealand
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doing a lot of the driving.” The two younger sons didn’t join immediately after school. Isaiah, 24, went to university to do a business degree and Travis, 33, did an apprenticeship on hydraulic machinery and road construction at 18. After an OE he joined the business eight years ago. “They’ve both been in the industry since the start. For goodness sake, Isaiah’s first word was `truck’, this is his passion and Travis along with Jade have a wealth of experience and knowledge to add to our business. “A whole lot of companies stop because there’s no succession, at the moment. I’m very proud that these boys have taken this on. This is a very tough industry, with many bigger companies swallowing up family type operations, it’s not what it used to be”. So, is hanging up his boots on Alex’s agenda right now? “Not on mine but it is on others,” he jokes. “I certainly have pulled back from the day-to-day running, but I still drive every day. I’m very much a truck driver that people have believed in.” Along with his keenness to drive, Alex is also about solving problems. “I’ve always been of the ethos of ‘do what you say you’re going to do’,” he says. “And when people put the phone down their problem has gone from them to you. And that allows you to do the job for them as cost effectively and safely as you possibly can. And next time they’ve got a problem, hopefully they are going to ring you.” That’s not to say that all solutions are easy though, Alex adds “when that phone goes down, that’s when the hard work really starts, and you need the can-do attitude!”. Alex adds that there are a few problems within the industry he’d like to solve too. “We’ve got to change our image a little,” says. “This is an industry that people really want to be in, and this is an industry with real opportunities to get ahead in. I am proof in the making as I started with only three trucks when I was in my thirties and now 34 years on, Wow what a ride!”
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FEATURE
More than 400 guests gathered at Bill Richardson Transport World to celebrate the 2023 Hall of Fame inductees.
Since it was established in 2012 with the induction of eight founding members, the Mobil Delvac 1 New Zealand Road Transport Hall of Fame has grown to include 69 inductees on its roll of honour. We profile the latest group of five Hall of Fame members who were recognised for their contribution to the industry at the 2023 function held at Invercargill’s Bill Richardson Transport World on Friday September 29. John Geraghty John Geraghty was born in Pukekohe in 1945 and in 1950 his family bought a farm in Waipu. At 16 years of age, John moved to bigger pastures in Auckland to assemble lawnmowers. With some experience under his belt, John moved to New Plymouth in 1963, where he worked for Lou Stonnell; driving tractors, spreading fertiliser, haymaking, and undertaking other farm tasks. One evening over a beer, John and Malcolm Campbell decided business ownership was a good idea – the rest, they say is history. Purchasing Farmers Bulk Topdressers (FBT) in 1966, John and Malcolm formed a partnership that lasted more than 55 years. The company experienced tremendous growth over the next 40 years – initially a fertiliser spreading company it diversified through various acquisitions and new ventures. John was always looking for ways to innovate, to streamline processes and drive efficiency, so in 1980 FBT purchased the first customised transport computing system in New Plymouth. In 1972, John was President of the Western Central region of the New Zealand Road Transport Association (NZRTA) and in 1980 became a National Councillor for the NZRTA, serving several terms on various committees. He served two terms as president, and eventually went on to become the Chairman of the Roading and Technical Committee. He was involved for many years with the Taranaki Association. When John was elected to the NZRTA there were 20 people
around the table and it was very much an old boys’ network. He was part of a group that was instrumental in the restructure of the association which resulted in the formation of Regional Associations, and which saw the board reduce from 20 directors to seven. From this, today we now have the New Zealand Road Transport Forum (NZRTF). In his role as chair of the Roading and Technical Committee John helped lobby to lift vehicle truck and trailer weights from 39 to 44 tonnes in the mid 80’s. A staunch advocate of road safety and heavy vehicle safety, he spent a great deal of time advocating for the standardisation of various safety features, many we see in trucks and trailers today. John’s achievements have been recognised in different ways by groups, including winning the coveted Europa Management Scholarship in 1984. In recognition for his service to the road transport industry, he was awarded a Life Membership to the NZRTF in 2001. In his spare time, John served on the Taranaki Rugby Union Board for 18 years as an independent director and was awarded a life membership for his service in 2013. In 2001, 2002 and 2003 FBT’s success was recognised through the Westpac Business Awards. These awards are testament to John’s lifetime of dedication and commitment to his business and the wider industry. A gifted communicator, preferring a face-to-face conversation and always hopeful of coming away with a solution – John would meet with regulators, police, the New Zealand Transport Authority and councils when there was Truck & Driver | 63
Above: John and Sue Geraghty.
Above Right top: John Geraghty began his transport career with Lou Stonnell’s company in 1963.
Right: Farmers Bulk Top Dressing was purchased by John Geraghty and Malcolm Campbell in 1966. concern. He was not a fan of resolving matters via email. John is a mentor to many, and his advocacy continues to this day – his modesty and passion to fight for fair deals for truckers makes him one of the best networkers in the industry. Even though John has handed over the company reigns to his son David, he keeps a close eye on things. As he moves into a welldeserved retirement phase, he and Sue can finally enjoy time with family, friends, and indulge in their hobbies. The possibility of John embarking on a new project is never far away however, as he is always looking for new opportunities and ways to keep busy. Ian Guise Southland’s Ian Guise was born on 3 September 1928 in Riverton and grew up on the family farm. Ian got his driver’s license when he was just 16, in the early years of World War II, and started work driving a truck on a Dacre farm. After the war, he graduated to driving excavators and drag lines for contractor, Pat Cody. In 1949 he acquired Mossburn Transport in partnership with his father, Herbert. That business in time would become part of Northern Southland Transport Ltd. Herbert soon lost interest in trucking however, and in 1950, the pair bought a 1600-acre property near Pleasant Point, in South Canterbury. They spent some five years working hard to develop the farm and struck it lucky in 1951 when the Korean War triggered a wool price boom. The sale of the farm in 1955 left Ian with enough money to buy a house in Invercargill and 422 acres of unproductive land on Awarua Bay Road. To provide a living for himself and his wife Joan, Ian bought a truck and a Spey Street depot from local carrier, Ossie Thyne. In August 1955, a few months after taking over, Ian had saved enough money to pay cash for another truck, a five-ton A5 Bedford with a hoist. Over the next five years, the business grew to include five more trucks, including a furniture truck to make deliveries for the local auction rooms. In 1960, Ian Guise Ltd was formed, and business was booming. Work in the construction sector continued and the firm carried all the cement for both the Newfield school and the Alliance Freezing Company’s cool store at Lorneville. 64 | Truck & Driver
To accommodate continued growth, in 1961 the Clyde Street site was expanded to create more offices, a workshop and storage space. In the 1960s, Ian added grain, steel and fertiliser cartage work to the business, to and from the port at Bluff, and by 1967 the firm had 11 trucks. That same year, Ian bought S & J McRae, a Nightcaps carrier with 17 trucks formed in 1932. To fund this, Ian raised money through Mobil Oil, while Northern Southland Transport and Otapiri Transport each took a 20% stake in the business. Nightcaps Amalgamated Haulage’s five-truck fleet came with the deal and Ian Guise Ltd now had 32 trucks – twice as many as before the purchase. In 1968, Ian Guise Ltd amalgamated with Ohai Carrying Company, Ohai Freight Service and Otautau Transport to become Southland Freight Haulage Ltd. The late 1960s saw the construction of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter, near Bluff, giving rise to in Ian’s words “the most important haulage contract to let in Southland”. In the face of stiff competition, including from Australia, Southland Freight Haulage was successful with winning this contract, one that Freight Haulage Limited retains to this day. The early 1980s saw the deregulation of the road transport sector, and with it, the threat of northern trucking operators heading south. Foreseeing this, in a classic offensive-defensive move, Ian made his boldest acquisition yet – Pheloung Holdings, the biggest trucking firm in Dunedin, which became Freight Haulage Ltd. In 1986, Australian company Southern Cross Enterprises acquired Freight Haulage Limited, along with Transport North Canterbury, of Rangiora, Child Freighters from Palmerston North and TNL from Nelson, combining to become Trans Pacific Limited (Transpac). Ian moved to Christchurch to become the organisation’s interim operational head, before returning to the South in 1988 to retire. Peter Walker Born in Dannevirke on 21 March 1934, Peter John Walker was, the second of six children and lived in Hamoa. His family moved to Alfreton before settling in Eketahuna when he was 11-years-old, where he attended Eketahuna District High
Above: Ian Guise.
Left top: Ian Guise takes delivery of a new Mack in 1979.
Left: Acquiring Mossburn Transport in 1949 was Ian Guise’s first venture into transport company ownership.
School. He left at 15 to go farming, which he did for 18 months before an interest in trucks led him to work for Eketahuna Carrying Ltd. It was hard work with long hours. When his previous boss bought a new farm, he asked Peter to return to farming. As he had met his wife Maureen, and the job came with a house, it seemed the right thing to do. Peter and Maureen were married in 1955. After his farming boss passed away, Peter started searching for jobs at stations, however, he was still interested in trucking. The couple started looking at transport opportunities and after spying an advert in the paper for a transport business in Aria in the King Country, made some calls. There were four carriers in the area, but this was the only one truck company for sale – a four-wheel Morris. After a call to the company accountant in Te Kuiti, they travelled to Aria to have a look. After the visit, he went back to Te Kuiti to meet with the accountant, who sounded Peter out on the business. He was very interested. Having little money, they needed to source financing. Once approved, Peter and Maureen were the proud owners of the four-wheel Morris truck and P J Walker Ltd was started. The Walkers were welcomed into the community and found Aria a great place to have a business. After a few years, business was going well and with opportunities arising it was time to expand the fleet. First was a Thames Trader in 1960, followed by a petrol Commer in 1962 and then an Austin loader and cream pickup run. The Walkers then bought Gordon Evans Carrier in 1963. Later, they acquired Frank Bennett and expanded their fleet to six trucks. Peter had six licences and carted everything including buildings, fertiliser and stock to the rail head. Once the 40-mile restriction was lifted, Peter ventured to haul stock to the works in Auckland, Fielding and Hawkes Bay. Over the next few years, Peter expanded further, purchasing Mokauiti Transport. Deciding the business was enough for him and Maureen to manage, they continued to operate in Aria until the opportunity arose for the business to be bought out by Progress Transport in 1979. Peter worked for Progress Transport as the Sales Manager until his retirement in 2004. After Maureen passed away, Peter moved to Taupo to be near family. It also means he is in a more central
location for getting out the caravan and visiting friends around the North Island. Peter has always been a member of the King Country Road Transport Association, including time as president. He also served as president of the Waikato Regional Road Transport Association and was made a life member in 1988. At the fine age of 88, he still attends regional meetings and has attended every conference over the years except three held in Wellington and one other. The success of the business has been a real family effort, and Peter says without the support of Maureen, looking after the children and answering the phone and RT, he would not have been able to achieve his dream. George Hedley George Hedley was born in Nightcaps in Southland on December 12, 1926. He lived at nearby Tinkertown and went to school at Nightcaps. Always interested in trucks, he would often go for rides in Sam McRae’s trucks. When he left school, he worked in a small, familyowned coal mine with his father Tom and brother Jack until he was old enough to get his heavy traffic license. He then went to drive for Sam McRae. George was married to Jean Russell and in 1952, he bought a small carrying business in Lumsden consisting of three trucks – two Fords and one army surplus Chev. He added an O Bedford from the coal mine that had closed and started G Hedley, Carrier, Lumsden, Phone 56. It wasn’t long before more trucks were needed, so two Commers were purchased – an artic and a flat deck. A Bedford tip truck was later added before Leyland became the preferred choice. In the early days of transport, George like other operators, would stretch the rail restrictions to the limit, so he got to read his name quite often in the court notices. This led to a change of name to Lumsden Transport Ltd on the advice of Charley Hay, their accountant and adviser at that time. By the early 1960s the fleet consisted of seven Leylands and two Albions, and in 1964, two Mercedes 1418s. In the early 1960s, development started on the Manapouri power scheme, with Truck & Driver | 65
involved significant cartage contracts on the horizon. In February 1964, George along with Cliff Bennetts [Mossburn Transport], and Terry Gilligan [Te Anau Transport] formed a company with equal share holding called Manapouri Haulage, with the specific purpose of carrying out these contracts and called on their own principle companies to help as required. This worked so well, in December 1964 the three principals merged with Manapouri Haulage, and the trio also purchased Five Rivers Transport to form what is now known as Northern Southland Transport (NSTH). ln 1967, they acquired J E Price of Garston with two trucks, and in February 1969, Wakatipu Transport amalgamated with NSTH. George then went on to develop new businesses that were purchased by NSTH, including Southland Bin Services, the Invercargill freight depot in Bond Street, and Trans West Holdings on the West Coast. One of his achievements there was to develop a two-deck cattle trailer that would fit on to the Taramakau road rail bridge. He represented NSTH on the Trans West board of directors along with John Davies. In 1982, George was dismissed as a director of NSTH and set about starting a Lumsden based transport company again. To obtain the goods services licences needed, he bought McDougalls Transport at Winton, and three of the licences were transferred to owner drivers and the balance held by the company now called Hedley’s Transport Ltd. George operated this company out of Winton until 1985 when his shares were taken over by Tom and Lanie Hedley, who operated until 2006 with 14 units.
Peter and Maureen Walker. George retired in the late 80s and went to Nerang Australia where he loved to travel, often going outback and stopping over in some of Jim Cooper’s roadhouses. George also served the local community in many ways, giving whatever was needed in the way of machinery or cartage. He always turned up with a full water tank for the fire brigade whenever the alarm went off. George loved golf, was very active in the club and shifted the clubhouse to the new golf course in one piece. He was chairman on the Lumsden town board and was a member of the Lions. George passed away on March 12, 2003.
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Above: The Walkers established their transport operation at Aria in the King Country in the 1950s and grew the business until selling to Progress Transport in 1979. Trevor Jackson Born in September 1955 in Pahiatua, Trevor Jackson informally started his engineering endeavours by working at Joe Ridley Engineering after school, turning up at home one day with a custom-built go-kart. After leaving school, Trevor formally started his diesel mechanic apprenticeship at DP Ryan & Sons and proceeded to build himself numerous projects, including a beach buggy, stock car and custom Austin A30. Whatever Trevor created, it was always innovative or bespoke and always involved engineering, motors or motorsport.
After completing his time with DP Ryan & Sons in Pahiatua, Trevor worked for Eric Gleeson & Sons, before moving to Feast Contractors, near Huntly. When he moved back to Pahiatua he worked on the development of the LPG-powered trucks for Tui/Kiwi Dairy Company. A series of events led to Trevor establishing Jackson Enterprises in 1990. What started out as general engineering, servicing and repairs business has progressively grown to Jackson Enterprises as we know it today. Jackson Enterprises built its first tip truck body for Stringfellow
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2 Left: George Hedley.
Above: George’s Lumsden Transport operation merged with Mossburn Transport and Te Anau Transport to form Northern Southland Transport Holdings.
Contracts and then its first livestock deck for David Pope. The first complete truck and trailer unit to roll out of Jackson Enterprises was a livestock unit for JP Trucking. After 33 years in business, Trevor has led Jackson Enterprises into a much sought after body builder and trailer manufacturer, completing work for customers nationwide. Trevor’s can-do attitude and ability to think outside the square has led to a lot of innovative products emerging out of Jackson Enterprises. The aluminium monocoque livestock chassis has become one of Jackson Enterprises most effective trademarks, coming about by the desire to reduce tare weight and to maximise load. Another speciality has been the company’s remotely operated effluent valves, developed in the 1990s, as a standard fitment on all Jackson stock trailers. Jackson Enterprises effluent valves have
gained a solid reputation in Australia, where they are utilised by four of Australia’s trailer manufacturers. And Jackson Enterprise car transporters have become a regular sight on highways, transporting vehicles across New Zealand. Trevor is heavily involved in the local community, always giving back to the town he calls home, whether it be sponsoring events, donating to fundraisers or giving up his time to help those in need. He has been known on a hot day to buy a bunch of ice blocks and hand them out to roadworkers as he drives past. It’s these little things and his thoughtfulness that makes Trevor, Trevor. Trevor, or Jacko as he is widely known in the heavy transport industry, has a drive and uncanny ability to achieve things that most would say is not possible. One only needs to look at the fully functional 380-metre rollercoaster he has built in his backyard as an example of what is possible.
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FEATURE
Scania’s top performing Super models have a 560hp version of the 13-litre DC13 engine.
Scania on track for more success By Colin Smith
EARLY IN 2024 THE SCANIA MARQUE CELEBRATES ITS FIFTH birthday as a factory-owned distributor in the New Zealand market. The Swedish brand has achieved notable sales success in that relatively short time. The last full year with the former distributor representing the brand saw 167 new Scanias registered. Of those 147 where in the 23t-plus category to gain a 5.8% share of the segment. The total Scania numbers have grown each year since. A bump to 239 in 2019 then 287 in 2020. In 2021 Scania sold 447 new trucks and last year the number climbed to 512. In the first nine months of 2023 (Jan-Sept) the total has reached 492 registrations. The brand is quietly confident the full year number for 2023 will begin with a `6’. Market share tells a similar story. In the 23t-plus segment Scania has achieved 467 registrations this year and holds a 20.6% market share to lead the segment. Scania outsells second placed Fuso (241 YTD) by nearly two-to-one. But there’s more to the five-year growth spurt than merely the sales numbers. There has been a major investment in people, facilities and the brand to support the increased sales and there are plans to continue developing all aspects of the business. Notably Scania now has 25 official service locations around New Zealand to support the increased number of trucks on the road. The next phase of new Scania product has also just arrived in New Zealand and was the primary reason for customer, staff and media events at the Hampton Downs venue in early October. The new Super line-up provides across the board improvements
for the six-cylinder P, G, R and S Series models. The key changes are an upgrade to the 13-litre engine family and new generation transmission. Combined, the improved efficiency of engine and transmission are estimated to achieve fuel savings of between 8-10%. The range offers four output ratings – 420, 460, 500 and 560 horsepower – and Scania’s modular production system allows the new engine to be installed across the G, P, S and R series line-ups. The Super range is the backbone for the Scania brand in Europe. In New Zealand it’s been a different story with the power of the 16-litre V8 models traditionally leading the sales. However, Sales Director Deon Stephens explains the make-up of the Scania sales has changed significantly in the past five years and the Super will continue the trend. When Scania sold 167 trucks back in 2018 the mix was 80% in favour of the V8 models. Since then, the split has essentially evened up to 50:50. “The V8 is not dead but more Kiwi operators are moving to the fuel economy and lighter tare weight of the six cylinders,” Stephens says. With the big increase in sales volume Scania is now selling more V8s than ever but they are a smaller slice of the overall mix. A couple of early production trucks are already working in New Zealand and the order book for full production Super models is now open. The 560-horsepower models are the flagship of the new Super range with the top version of the DC 13 developing 560hp (412kW) Truck & Driver | 71
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Also in Super specification is a G 560 XT 8x4. and 2800Nm of torque. The new G33CM automated 12-speed transmission is more efficient than its predecessor with reduced frictional losses and more powerful control software. It’s also 70kg lighter. The G33CM transmission is already on sale In New Zealand in all V8 Euro 6 models with the exception of the flagship 770 model. The other output levels are 420hp with 2300Nm of torque, 460hp/2500Nm and 500hp/2650Nm. This new generation DC13 becomes a `global’ engine across the wider Traton Group with MAN, Navistar and Latin America’s Volkswagen Truck & Bus brand all set to adopt the engine in coming years. Improvements to the 13-litre DOHC in-line six-cylinder include new injectors, improved combustion, an optimised highpressure fuel pump, improved cooling and lubrication, increased turbocharger efficiency, and more powerful engine management electronics.
Scania has also revised the Twin SCR exhaust treatment system. A couple of laps in the passenger seat around the Hampton Downs circuit without a trailer reveals a couple of things about the new Super. The visibility out of the cab is superb and the powertrain is very quiet. It’s a blustery springtime afternoon in the North Waikato and lapping the circuit means constant changes to the angle the truck is facing into the wind. It seems to have very little effect on the minimal amount of wind noise being generated around the mirrors and pillars. Alongside the 560 on track and other models on display at Hampton Downs – including a G 560 8x4 in XT specification – Scania also provided updates on its battery electric truck plans. Last year it brought two 25P 6x2 BEV units to New Zealand with Auckland-based Reliance Transport being the early adopter customer as part of a EECA co-funded trial through the Low Emission Transport Fund. continues on page 74
A first taste of new efficiency By Hayden Woolston HOW DO YOU IMPROVE A GOOD TRUCK and make it even better? Scania invited New Zealand Truck & Driver to Hampton Downs earlier this month to drive the new six-cylinder Super range on the race circuit. And with nothing attached behind the
flagship 560hp tractor unit, it did feel like a racer in some ways. But it also gave me a first glimpse of what I will be testing in the future. Best known in our part of the world for its 16-litre V8s, Scania has upgraded its 13-litre six-cylinder platform for the new Super range at what seems like an opportune time with
No trailer in tow but the Super shows off impressively low noise levels.
72 | Truck & Driver
diesel prices at high levels and the promise of a worthwhile fuel economy gain from the upgraded engine. I am confirmed to drive a 560 logger later in the year, so I don’t want to give too much away here, but the new engine and transmission work together seamlessly and the low noise level in the cab is very impressive. The newcomer is impressive enough that in spite of the loyal V8 following, the Scania team expect six-cylinder Super models to account for a significantly larger part of its sales mix. I will need to remember to be careful on my logger test to watch out for the retarder brake system which in a tractor unit only, nearly makes you headbutt the window in third stage. And there are five stages all up. A quick taste of the new Scania Super on the racetrack and a chance to catch up with Scania’s leadership team is a good lead into our up and coming truck test for this new model in arguably New Zealand’s hardest trucking industry.
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continued from page 72 The next two 25P units were at Hampton Downs. One remains a cab-chassis while the other is the first refrigerated example fitted with a Fruehauf supplied Schmitz CargoBull body with refrigeration powered from the electric PTO unit. With Scania expanding its electric line-up in Europe there are further BEV options set to be trialled in New Zealand. The next
model expected to land is an R45 model. Scania announced R45 and S45 models in Europe 12 months ago. Designed for regional long haul work, the `45’ trucks have 624kWh of installed battery capacity and are rated with a GCM of 64 tonnes. The 45 models have 560hp. There was one other important introduction at Hampton Downs. Scania New Zealand’s new managing director Victor Carvalho was on hand, having arrived in the country just two days earlier with his family and admitting to a little jet-lag. The Brazilian has had a 27-year career with Scania and New Zealand is his second appointment in a `head of country’ role, coming to New Zealand after heading up Scania Portugal. Prior to that Carvalho was Director of Truck Sales for Latin America. New Zealand isn’t entirely new to Carvalho. He holidayed here 17 years ago, and he says that experience made it an easy decision to accept the posting to New Zealand. “I have just arrived and still need to learn a little more about the New Zealand market,” Carvalho says. “I can see the good job we are doing here. We are the market leader, and we are investing a lot in New Zealand in our brand, our facilities and also our people to keep that leadership and see if we can do better.” His predecessor – and countryman – Rafael Alvarenga has moved to Mexico as Vice President of Commercial Operations at Navistar after a two-year stint as New Zealand managing Victor Carvalho. director.
74 | Truck & Driver
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Seattle Princess (above) arrived with vintage machinery while Kenworth Klassic organiser Bruce Gunter had his immaculately restored 1978 Kenworth K125 on show.
76 | Truck & Driver
FEATURE
Klassic at
Clarendon
Story and Photos David Kinch
AUSSIE TRUCK INDUSTRY PERSONALITIES BRUCE GUNTER and David “Chappo” Chapman are two of the friendliest, genuine, and down to earth `good buggers’ you’d ever hope to meet. These two men, whether they agree with this or not, are the face of the Kenworth Klassic. From the beginning in 2016, they have been there at the entrance greeting truck drivers, company owners and members of the public with a smile, a handshake, and a yarn. The annual show is held in conjunction with the Clarendon Classic Rally organised by the Sydney Antique Machinery Club. The venue is the Hawkesbury Showgrounds in Clarendon, NSW and the event continues to grow in popularity bringing people together from all over the world to enjoy the Kenworth brand and have a few stress-free days. “No judging, no trophies, no problems” is the mantra of the Kenworth Klassic which has provided a refreshing and openminded acceptance that could be the way forward for trucking events. All too often we hear “how did that win the show?” Or “I won’t be back as I didn’t win anything.” When Thursday September 14 rolled around Bruce, Chappo and the crew where busy getting everything ready while Rodney Aitken from Diesel Fumes Photography and myself took the chance to photograph a few of the early arrivals; including Bruce’s stunning 1978 K125 CR 892 Detroit-powered Kenworth which he has meticulously restored.
The trucks usually start arriving early at the showgrounds on the Friday morning and this year was no different with some sharp rides parked outside waiting for the gates to open. This year though they carried on rolling in well into the early hours of Saturday morning with a few more arriving later in the day which required the centre oval to be used for the first time. The final tally of Kenworth trucks on show was 503. As the great cricket commentator Tony Greig would say “the conditions are hard and fast” (we may have listened to the Twelfth The aptly named Kenworth Alley was an impressive sight (top) while T909 duo (below) belong to Gierisch Brothers Trucking and SRV Road Freight (Gold Coast).
Truck & Driver | 77
Man while taking road shots of gear arriving) which was totally different to the previous year which was very wet. This allowed for several trailers, doubles and pocket road trains to be displayed which looked fantastic. This year has been a big one for the Kenworth brand celebrating 100 years after it was founded in 1923 by Harry Kent and Edgar Worthington with centennial events taking place worldwide. Sponsors Gilbert and Roach Huntingwood and Kenworth Australia added a nice touch by putting together a gift bag for each registered truck that
78 | Truck & Driver
Facing page
Above: The Class of `84 W model belongs to S&R Wilson Transport of Newcastle. Centre: Saturday night light show was a spectacular sight.
Bottom: Queensland based Scott Taylor Motorsport brought along its race car transporter. This page:
Above: Muscat Haulage of Yass, NSW shining in the Clarendon sunshine.
Centre: TDH Bulk Haulage of Sydney arriving at the Hawkesbury Showgrounds. Below: The SAR Legend photo shoot featured 19 trucks. included a Kenworth Klassic branded hat, stubbie cooler and mug. Instead of show trophies, organisers hand out the “Award of Excellence” which this year went to Ross Transport and also Damian Singh and Robert Starcic for their loyalty and dedication to Kenworth and its heritage. The Dane Ballinger Award was created last year in memory of Dane who tragically passed away at the age of 36. Presented to an exceptional operator, this year the award was given to the team at Lawrence Transport. Saturday after dark was a sight to behold with the aptly named “Kenworth Alley” full of trucks putting on a fantastic light display. Once the crowds had left for home - or the Clarendon Tavern which is only a stone’s throw away - you could tell people were just having a good time catching up with mates, having a few refreshments
which may or may not have led to a few hangovers the next morning. As the sun rose on Sunday morning the Aussie and Kiwi photographers had their work cut out for them with the 100 years of Kenworth and the SAR Legend line-ups being organised. With the “come and go” nature of this event, not all of the SAR Legends that were present made it to the line-up, but 19 was an impressive sight all the same. From then on it was a steady flow of trucks leaving or being ushered out to the back paddocks for a quick photo shoot before they headed for home. I’m pretty sure I wore my jandals out, but it was well worth it!
Truck & Driver | 79
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WEB-BASED EMISSIONS CALCULATOR IS AVAILABLE FREE of charge to help New Zealand fleet operators gain a better understanding of vehicle emissions. Developed by EROAD in collaboration with EECA (the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority), the new EROAD Emissions Calculator represents a starting point for businesses on their sustainability journey. Development of the innovative tool began in 2022 when EROAD secured co-funding from EECA’s Low Emission Transport Fund (LETF) to develop an advanced heavy vehicle decarbonisation and recommendation tool. It is being offered free of charge to all New Zealand fleets. “While vehicles over 3.5 tonnes make up 4% of the national fleet, their footprint is outsized – making up 27% of our transport emissions,” says Camilla Cochrane, EECA’s Transport Manager. “We need to use all the levers at our disposal to accelerate uptake of low- and zero-emissions vehicles, and we’ve been working with the sector for years, offering support through the Low Emissions Transport Fund and, soon, some new funding options.” Transportation currently contributes 17% of New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions, with the government setting ambitious targets of achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2050 and a substantial 50% reduction by 2030. Making the web-based calculator free to access, EROAD aims to remove one of the main barriers to getting started on that journey – cost. It is available to any business with, or without existing GPS vehicle tracking systems and those utilising telematics services from other providers. “The EROAD Emissions Calculator will play an indispensable role in helping New Zealand fleets embark on their decarbonisation journey. By providing the tools for measurement and planning, we aim to encourage and enable the reduction of emissions across the transport sector,” says EROAD’s Chief Executive Officer, Mark Heine. EROAD’s third annual sustainability survey, which gathered insights from over 1200 business decision-makers, revealed a concerning disparity between large and small fleets. Notably, 66% of large fleets have implemented emissions reduction plans and are actively monitoring their emissions. However, smaller businesses with fewer than 300 vehicles lag behind, with 62% lacking net-zero strategies and a staggering 78% not measuring their carbon emissions, making meeting the Net Zero targets incredibly challenging. “The results from our Sustainability Survey underscore the divergence between large and small fleets in terms of preparedness and shows that more urgent support and awareness of the available tools is needed,” says Craig Marris, EROAD’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “Access to data remains a key barrier for many smaller fleets to initiate their journey towards net zero emissions. “The newly launched emissions calculator serves as a
foundational step, addressing this data gap and bringing awareness to the scale of their carbon footprint and opportunities for reduction. By embracing measurement and planning today, businesses enhance their prospects of meeting the legislated netzero targets for 2030 and 2050.” “This marks a monumental advancement for fleets grappling with the cost-benefit analysis of vehicle upgrades or replacements. Until now, a lack of access to data has hindered many businesses from fully understanding the impact of their fleet operations on their bottom line, as well as the potential transformations achievable through sustainable and efficient choices.” Powered by EROAD’s cutting-edge AI technology and informed by data from its vast database of over 200,000 connected vehicles and assets, the Emissions Calculator provides users with an overview of their fleet’s emissions profile. Additionally, it offers suggestions for emissions reduction, alongside potential savings. “Leveraging EROAD’s robust database and recent advances in artificial intelligence, this initiative demonstrates technology’s pivotal role in transforming the transport sector. It empowers fleet businesses to make decisions that not only deliver financial benefits but also contribute to New Zealand’s sustainable, net-zero future,” Marris says. EROAD says emissions measurement and management is uncharted territory for many New Zealand businesses, but is increasingly common in other markets. Its AI-driven benchmarking facilitates contextual understanding of emissions profiles compared to industry peers, aiding businesses in defining their path towards decarbonisation. “Feedback gathered during the testing phase underscores the tool’s significance,” Marris says. EROAD plans to introduce its suite of sustainability solutions to North American and Australian customers in 2024.
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National Road Carriers
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A
CROSS NEW ZEALAND COUNCILS STRUGGLE TRYING TO balance the needs of multiple agendas for road corridors that can barely cope with current demand. The challenge for our industry is that it is not on the network by choice. Very few, if any, trucks are on the road just to go for a drive. Someone wants something, is trying to build something, sell something or get something taken away. That is why the truck is there. Unless you remove demand by stopping people buying, selling or using things, you will not remove the need for the truck. The industry operates 24/7 and it is the reason that the thing you need from Countdown, Pak ‘n Save, The Warehouse etc is on the shelf and the replacement for the item you have just bought is on the next truck leaving the distribution centre for the next person that needs/wants it. It is the industry that delivers the coffee beans to the local café and takes away the rubbish. If it stopped the country would run out of essentials within 48 hours and most businesses would cease shortly after that. Because it does all this without anyone needing to worry about it, the sector is largely ignored by transport planners and the public. Looking at a recent local council transport plan there was only one reference to freight which expressed a call for separate routes for freight through towns. Does this indicate the council is looking to relocate all businesses that require freight to dedicated areas or to only operate on a specific road? There was also a reference to wanting to shift road freight to trains or ships to reduce truck numbers. What this shows is a degree of naivety because even if you shift a portion of the journey to rail or ships you will not see any decrease in truck traffic as few if any businesses have direct rail/port access, nor do they order in sufficient quantity to justify receiving wagon loads of freight. Unless businesses are forced to relocate to a dedicated freight zone with rail or port access and slow down their supply chain to the point rail or ships are an option there will not be any decrease in truck movements on local roads. Every other mode requires road to cater for the first or last stage of the journey so in towns or cities there is no decrease in truck traffic from any inter-regional mode shift. In some regions an increase in coastal shipping may see an increase
James Smith, GM Policy and Advocacy, National Road Carriers Association in truck movements. The arrival of the coastal vessel operating between Port Taranaki and Nelson will see several operators switching from Auckland – Wellington – Picton to Auckland – New Plymouth – Nelson which will see an increase in truck movements on the roads leading to both New Plymouth and Nelson. There is also considerable effort underway by MBIE to encourage industrial diversification of the Taranaki and Southland regions as part of the Government’s commitment to replace jobs under threat by the wind down of the petrochemical industry. This is likely to result in increased truck traffic as this 10-year programme is delivered. It is more likely if New Zealand follows the global trends impacting the supply chain that there will be an increase in direct delivery of smaller sized shipments to both business and residences. This will be accelerated if council policies aim at reducing the number of cars whilst also increasing the population, as more people will be reliant on having everything they need delivered to them because they will no longer be able to pick it up themselves. As councils increase public reliance on public transport, walking and cycling, they will need to ensure those people are still able to buy groceries and other essentials. We also have concerns regarding many councils using raised safety crossings to create a perceived safer option for pedestrians and cyclists to crossroads as they impose a 24/7 restriction onto a transport corridor to cater for, in most cases, a low number of users often at specific times such as outside a school. It may be far better to use demand activated traffic lights that are only required when crossings are needed to be used. These issues will continue to appear as every local council looks to create more opportunity for local communities to walk and cycle without putting appropriate dedicated infrastructure in place to enable those modes to operate safely. You will receive requests for feedback on council plans and it is important that when you get one you do respond as often it is the number of responses rather than the quality of the responses that sways a council. Finally, as always, should you spot a local issue that you think we may have missed, contact one of the team. Truck & Driver | 83
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A new addition to the Tirau Earthmovers fleet is this Volvo FM 540. The 6x4 tipper with a 12-speed automated transmission is driven by Mike Dowd, whose loyalty to Tirau Earthmovers spans three generations and 46 years. The Ensor family gives a huge shout out to Mike for his service. The tipper and new 4-axle trailer were built by Ken and Clayton Jones at Cambridge Welding Services.
Truck market still running strong ANOTHER STEADY SALES MONTH DURING SEPTEMBER sees the New Zealand new truck market remaining on track to achieve a record year. New truck registration figures for September sees 587 trucks with a GVM of 4.5 tonnes or more being registered. The year-to-date (YTD) total is now 4648 registrations, according to official NZ Transport Agency data. The 587 unit monthly total is a decrease from last year’s 649 registrations, however the YTD total of 4648 sees the market still running 5.4% ahead of the same period last year. The trailer market also remains strong with 142 new registrations in September and 1175 for the first nine months of the year. This makes it 121 registrations ahead of the same period last year but still falls short of 2018’s previous record of 1312 registrations. In the overall heavy truck market (above 4.5t GVM) Isuzu is the September leader and builds a small cushion over second placed Fuso. The 2023 sales race remains very close with Isuzu’s 119 units in September taking its total to 935 for the year while Fuso’s 109 units for the month takes its nine-month total to 924. Hino (596/60) retains third place comfortably ahead of Scania (492/66). UD (248/25) holds onto fifth position while Volvo (245/36) edges ahead of Iveco (244/33). DAF (195/25), Mercedes-Benz (194/49) and Kenworth (146/24) all retain their positions month-on-month to round out the top-10 in the 45t-to-max category. The 3.5-4.5t GVM crossover segment sees a change in the 2023 leadership with Mercedes-Benz registering an impressive 59 units in September and taking its YTD total to 205. Fiat (201/39) runs a close
second ahead of Iveco (139/18) and Ford (105/14). The leading four brands account for 84.5% share of this market segment. In the 4.5-7.5t GVM division the top four places see no change with Fuso (480/60) a clear leader ahead of Isuzu (291/37), Iveco (134/14) and Hino (111/18). Isuzu (411/55) continues to extend its dominant leadership in the 7.515t GVM segment over Fuso (159/15) and Hino (158/10). In the 15-20.5t GVM segment Hino (81/13) continues to lead YTD over UD (42/4) with Fuso (38/6), Isuzu (25/2) and Scania (22/6) completing the top five. In the tiny 20.5-23t segment with has achieved 30 registrations YTD, Hino (16/1) holds a clear lead ahead from Fuso (6/2), followed by Isuzu (3/0), Scania (3/2), Volvo (1/0) and DAF (1/0). In the premium 23t to maximum GVM division, Scania delivers another market leading month with 58 registrations – taking its YTD total to 467 and building market share to 20.6%. Fuso (241/26) retains second while a strong month for Volvo (239/36) moves it ahead of Hino (230/18) into third. Isuzu (205/25), UD (197/19), DAF (184/23), Kenworth (146/24) and Mercedes-Benz (114/13) are next while Iveco (73/12) and MAN (73/14) now share tenth position. Trailer market leader Fruehauf tops the September registrations with 19 new units and building its YTD total to 144 ahead of Patchell (121/14). Domett (93/11) remains in third ahead while Transport Trailers (83/12) moves ahead of Roadmaster (81/7). TMC (75/10), M.T.E (46/3), Transfleet (37/4), Freighter (37/7) and Fairfax (29/4) hold their positions to complete the top-10. Truck & Driver | 85
A new MAN TGX 26.640 Premium 6x4 sleeper cab is working for SRRH Trucking on a Mainfreight linehaul run. The Napier-based MAN has the 640hp D38 engine developing 3000Nm of torque with TipMatic 12.30 OD automated transmission and ECAS rear suspension. Disc brakes are fitted front and rear with Alcoa Dura-Bright Evo alloys. Extras include a fridge and drawer storage, Hella Luminator spotlights, custom side panel skirts and Kelsa light bars. The safety package comprises Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Guard, Lane Assist and LED lights. Fleet Image (Auckland) did the paint and signage.
4501kg-max GVM Brand ISUZU FUSO HINO SCANIA UD VOLVO IVECO DAF MERCEDES-BENZ KENWORTH FOTON MAN HYUNDAI MACK VOLKSWAGEN INTERNATIONAL SINOTRUK WESTERN STAR FREIGHTLINER FIAT SHACMAN OTHER Total
Vol 935 924 596 492 248 245 244 195 194 146 116 89 79 39 34 17 15 14 8 6 4 8 4648
2023
% 20.1 19.9 12.8 10.6 5.3 5.3 5.2 4.2 4.2 3.1 2.5 1.9 1.7 0.8 0.7 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.2 100
3501-4500kg GVM Brand MERCEDES-BENZ FIAT IVECO FORD VOLKSWAGEN RAM CHEVROLET RENAULT LDV PEUGEOT TOYOTA Total
Vol 205 201 139 105 40 38 18 12 9 1 1 769
2023
% 26.7 26.1 18.1 13.7 5.2 4.9 2.3 1.6 1.2 0.1 0.1 100
4501-7500kg GVM Brand FUSO ISUZU IVECO HINO MERCEDES-BENZ FOTON HYUNDAI VOLSWAGEN FIAT OTHER Total 86 | Truck & Driver
Vol 480 291 134 111 61 50 49 34 6 36 1252
2023
% 38.3 23.2 10.7 8.9 4.9 4 3.9 2.7 0.5 2.9 100
September Vol % 20.3 119 109 18.6 60 10.2 66 11.2 4.3 25 36 6.1 5.6 33 25 4.3 49 8.3 4.1 24 1.5 9 2.4 14 1.2 7 0.3 2 0.7 4 0.3 2 1 0.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0.3 587 100 September Vol % 59 41.8 39 27.7 18 12.8 14 9.9 3 2.1 5 3.5 0 0 1.4 2 0 0 0 0 1 0.7 100 141 September Vol % 60 33 37 20.3 14 7.7 18 9.9 35 19.2 5 2.7 3 1.6 4 2.2 0 0 6 3.3 182 100
23,001kg-max GVM
Fruehauf leads trailer registrations 7501-15,000kg GVM Brand ISUZU FUSO HINO FOTON HYUNDAI IVECO MAN UD TRUCKS MERCEDES-BENZ VOLVO DAF OTHER Total
Vol 411 159 158 66 29 27 9 9 6 5 2 1 882
2023
% 46.6 18 17.9 7.5 3.3 3.1 1 1 0.7 0.6 0.2 0.1 100
Vol 81 42 38 25 22 13 10 8 7 246
2023
% 32.9 17.1 15.4 10.2 8.9 5.3 4.1 3.3 2.8 100
September Vol % 55 56.7 15 15.5 10 10.3 4 4.1 4 4.1 7 7.2 0 0 2 2.1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 97 100
September Vol % 38.2 13 4 11.8 6 17.6 2 5.9 6 17.6 1 2.9 0 0 2 5.9 0 0 34 100
20,501-23,000kg GVM Brand HINO FUSO ISUZU SCANIA VOLVO DAF Total
Vol 16 6 3 3 1 1 30
2023
% 53.3 20 10 10 3.3 3.3 100
Vol 467 241 239 230 205 197 184 146 114 73 73 39 17 15 14 8 1 1 2264
2023
% 20.6 10.6 10.6 10.2 9.1 8.7 8.1 6.4 5 3.2 3.2 1.7 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.4 0 0 100
Trailers
15,001-20,500kg GVM Brand HINO UD FUSO ISUZU SCANIA MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO DAF MAN Total
Brand SCANIA FUSO VOLVO HINO ISUZU UD DAF KENWORTH MERCEDES-BENZ IVECO MAN MACK INTERNATIONAL SINOTRUK WESTERN STAR FREIGHTLINER HYUNDAI SHACMAN Total
September Vol % 1 20 2 40 0 0 2 40 0 0 0 0 5 100
Vol Brand FRUEHAUF 144 PATCHELL 121 93 DOMETT TRANSPORT TRAILERS 83 ROADMASTER 81 75 TMC M.T.E. 46 TRANSFLEET 37 FREIGHTER 37 29 FAIRFAX TES 29 JACKSON 26 23 CWS TIDD 20 MTC EQUIPMENT 18 HAMMAR 17 JAKO 16 KRAFT 16 15 TANKER MILLS-TUI 13 LUSK 12 STEELBRO 12 MJ CUSTOMS 11 PTE 9 KOROMIKO 9 SEC 8 ADAMS & CURRIE 7 7 LOWES EVANS 7 MAKARANUI 6 WARREN 6 LOHR 6 MD ENGINEERING 5 MAXICUBE 5 TEO 4 LANGENDORF 4 LILLEY 3 OTHER 115 Total 1175
2023
% 12.3 10.3 7.9 7.1 6.9 6.4 3.9 3.1 3.1 2.5 2.5 2.2 2 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.3 1.1 1 1 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 9.8 100
September Vol % 58 21.2 26 9.5 36 13.2 18 6.6 25 9.2 19 7 23 8.4 24 8.8 13 4.8 12 4.4 14 5.1 2 0.7 2 0.7 1 0.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 273 100
September Vol % 19 13.4 14 9.9 11 7.7 12 8.5 7 4.9 7 10 3 2.1 4 2.8 7 4.9 2.8 4 4 2.8 3 2.1 2.8 4 2 1.4 3 2.1 1 0.7 0 0 1 0.7 1 0.7 1 0.7 0 0 1 0.7 1 0.7 1 0.7 2 1.4 0 0 1 0.7 1 0.7 2 1.4 1 0.7 1 0.7 2 1.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 12.7 142 100
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Ferguson Trucking of Milton have recently put this Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3263L/54 to work across the lower South Island. The 8x4 Arocs with 630hp output develops 3000Nm of torque and has a 12-speed transmission driving to a Mercedes-Benz hypoid rear bogie. Modern Transport Trailers have fitted out the truck body and completed a refurbishment of the 5-axle trailer. The grill has been changed out to match the Actros Model.
A new Scania R 650 B6x4HA has joined the JG Haulage fleet for bulk cartage in the central North Island. The 16-litre DC16 develops 650hp and 3300Nm of torque working with a GRSO926R 12-speed AMT with 4100D retarder, and Scania RB735 Hub reduction rear end. Rear air suspension with built-in scales, disc brakes with ABS/EBS plus AEB and Adaptive Cruise Control are fitted. Transfleet built the alloy bathtub and refurbished 5-axle trailer with cab paint by Haddock Spray Painters, bin paint by Peak Panel & Paint and signs by Cliff at Truck Signs. Features include V8 leather trim, fridge, Dura-Bright alloys, toolboxes, drop visor, Euro style stone guard and rear hub covers. Sold by Callan Short.
Auckland’s Jaskirat Singh, owner of Singh Roadways has taken delivery of a new Mercedes-Benz Actros 2653 container swing lifter truck. The 6x4 Actros with 530hp and 2600Nm of torque features the striking white and green SRL livery and works with a 3-axle custom-built trailer by Ideal Truck Service and Hammar New Zealand.
Truck & Driver | 89
Michael and Sharon Donnelly who own Taupo-based Lakeland Transport recently took delivery of their third Kenworth T610. Built to their specifications for log haulage in the central North Island, the new T610 is driven by Brad Maxwell and is powered by a 600.615hp Cummins X15 matched to driveline featuring an Eaton RTLO 20918 manual 18-speed Roadranger and Meritor 46-160 rear axles with cross locks. The 8x4 rides on non-load share front suspension and Hendrickson Primaax rear suspension and works with Patchell log bolsters and 5-axle trailer. Finishing touches include Dura-bright alloys on truck and trailer, SLS stainless sun visor and bug deflector. Malcolm Cab Solutions fitted the head light covers, black grill and grill bars.
This new Scania R 770 B8x4NA has gone to work for Rotorua’s Caleb and Susan Short of Shorts Cartage Contractors. The high-spec logger has a Euro 6 770hp Scania DC16 with 3700Nm of torque, a GRSO926R 12-speed gearbox with 4100D retarder and Scania RB735 hub reduction rear end. The S 770 runs on spring suspension at the front and rear air suspension with scales. Disc brakes are equipped with ABS/EBS plus AEB and Adaptive Cruise. Spec highlights are CTI, fridge, RVE leather embroided seats, subwoofer, LED light bar, Dura-brights all round and Caulfield drop visor. The Scania works with a new Patchell shorts units and 5-axle multi-bolster trailer. Caulfield Signs did the graphics. 90 | Truck & Driver
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Truck & Driver | 95
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WAIKATO
This eleventh book in the “Truck and Truckers” series centres on the Waikato region. A large number of these companies have long gone, but the impressive fleets they operated will long be remembered.
My thanks to the families, Marty Greaves and Ben Uncles for the help with photos and information.
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For just $65-00 plus $10 postage For your copy contact: Postage: Gavin Abbot, 34 Elliott Street, Opotiki 3122 Or email: clamyhen@xtra.co.nz 96 | Truck & Driver
TD33764
Interesing to note the early electric trucks operated by the NZ Dairy Co at Waitoa and now 100 years later the elctric trucks are again making an appearance. As this prime farm and agricultural land was developed it was the trucking industry that helped with this and then took the product to market. The manufacturing industries also made the plant and transport products to keep it local.
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TD33725
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