Buckle Up! It's time to hit the road
Blake lives in a country town in New South Wales, called Leeton. He tells us all about his dad’s work for Guilford General Transport.
Name: Blake
Age: 10
Hails from: Leeton, NSW
Truck of choice: A Kenworth K200
My dad carts general freight for Guilford General Transport. His loads range from oversized buildings and tractors to paper and bottle caps, and sometimes he even carts dangerous goods. Today’s load is bales of wool.
We didn’t leave home until 4:30 pm in Dad’s Kenworth K200 with a 550hp Cummins motor. We had a full double load in the tautliner trailer. The load was going from Griffith NSW to Melbourne, Victoria.
After checking the truck over and making sure there were no flat tyres, it was time to buckle up and hit the road.
We drove from Leeton to Jerilderie on the Newell highway before stopping to get some dinner.
We were driving at dusk so we had to keep an eye out for kangaroos – luckily we didn’t see any, but we did see some emus though.
We passed through lots of little towns and saw heaps of interesting things like the Big Strawberry at Koonoomoo and the silo painting at Wunghnu.
We stopped at Guildford’s Shepparton depot and checked the load of wool. Because wool bales move around a lot during transport, we had to tighten the straps. We then helped our mate Billie drop his trailers and hook onto a new set.
I wasn’t able to go all the way to Melbourne with Dad on this trip because he was going to be away for the next four days, so at the Guilford’s Shepparton depot I hopped out of Dad’s truck and into Billie’s for the drive home.
The load in Billie’s trailers was bits and pieces; there were small tractors, toilet paper and farming supplies. On the way home we stopped in Jerilderie again to grab some diesel and spent the drive talking about my dream of one day owning my own truck company. We arrived back at the Leeton depot at 12:20 am where Mum picked me up and took me home to bed.
Changing Gears
Brayden’s parents own trucking company M&J Collins Haulage. He loves to head out with his dad on trips and wants to be a truck driver when he grows up.
Name: Brayden
Age: 10
Hails from: Wallerawang, New South Wales, Australia
Favourite truck: Kenworth
I have been into trucks all my life. My favourite brand of truck is Kenworth, but I do also like our other trucks like Western Star, Freightliner and CAT.
I really want to be a truck driver when I grow up because I already love to drive them around the farm. Dad let me have my first steer not sitting on his lap when I was 6, and I started changing gears when I was 9.
When I was younger I used to go away with Dad and sleep in the truck on interstate trips, but now I have to go to school! We have been to many farms in Central West NSW carting grain and fertiliser, but our main job is carting sand and gravel into Sydney concrete plants.
I like being in the truck with Dad because we see lots of different places and I learn lots of things from him about driving and tipping and loading. My favourite part of the trips are coming home because I get to help drive the truck up the long driveway and around the shed to park it up.
My dad is also a mechanic and he has been showing me how to maintain the trucks for years. We fix them, grease them, service them, change tyres and wash them. I have a smelly tree air freshener obsession and like to change the smell in the truck every week.
I wish I could spend every day with my dad in the truck, and I can’t wait to get my licence and drive on the road when I’m older.
Heavy Haulin
Hey Little Truckers, I hope everyone is well and has seen some cool trucks out and about. Recently, I had the chance to learn all about heavy haulage, and how over dimensional (high, wide, and heavy) loads are moved.
On a cool morning in April, Dad and I drove down to Reefton on the South Island’s West Coast, to meet up with Daniel McKenzie from Satherley Transport, who took me on a rather exciting trip.
Parked on Broadway (Reefton’s main street), was a stunning Kenworth T909 with a massive load on, a Hitachi EX1200 excavator weighing around 65 tonne.
We had a walk around the Kenworth. It has a 615hp Cummins Signature engine and was towing a two-rows-of-eight load divider and a four-rows-of-eight trailer. Let me explain a little more. Firstly, a loaddivider is a small trailer between the prime-mover (truck), and main trailer. Its job is to take some of the weight off the primer-mover and prevent overloading. Also, when we’re talking about heavy transporters like this one, we say ‘rows’ rather than axles. The reason is, there are no axles that run right across like a normal highway trailer, instead the wheels are in four groups of two across the width of the trailer – that’s why we say ‘eight’ (4×2=8). There are two groups at the outside, and two either side of centre. They are built like this so there are more wheels and tyres to carry the load. In total, we had 58 tyres on the road!
This colossal load was destined for the Stockton coal mine, north of Westport and I was lucky enough to be invited to come for the trip.
The excavator was so large that the cab, arm, and bucket had to be removed from it and was taken to Stockton the previous day on another truck.
Satherley Transport are a New Zealand-wide heavy haulage company. Their big blue Kenworths can be seen all over the country with some pretty cool loads on.
I climbed into the cab with Daniel and we headed off. Two pilot utes travelled in front of us, warning road users that a large vehicle was approaching, and they also let Daniel know of other hazards.
Many oversize load moves take place in the early hours of the morning to avoid traffic, however, this load was able to be done in the daytime, which was a special treat for all passersby to see.
The most direct way from Reefton to Stockton is via Inangahua Junction and the Lower Buller Gorge, however the load was too big to travel on that route.
Instead it was south over the Reefton Saddle (a big hill!) and down the Grey Valley. Daniel skilfully manoeuvred the load over the very narrow Mawheraiti Bridge, and we drove through the Grey Valley to Nelson Creek.
Here we turned left and travelled inland through Deep Creek, re-joining State Highway 7 at Stillwater just North of Greymouth.
From here it was across the Grey River and through Taylorville where we turned right onto State Highway 6 toward the coal town of Runanga.
Daniel has hauled many different loads in his time working for Satherley Transport, including different types of construction, forestry, and mining equipment.
He showed me a folder that had permits in it. They showed where the truck is able to travel and how much weight can be carried on certain roads. The permits also detail where the bridges are enroute and what instructions need to be followed when crossing a particular bridge with an oversized load.
I asked Daniel how heavy the truck, load divider, and trailer plus the excavator would weigh added together, he said “around 100 tonnes.”
North of Runanga State Highway 6 follows the coastline for much of the way towards Westport. At a place known as ‘the Ten-Mile’, Daniel executed a three-point-turn and crossed a bridge. I looked out the mirror and had an amazing view of the excavator from behind as it came across the bridge.
The sky darkened and a light drizzle started north of Punakaiki where the famous Pancake Rocks are, however this didn’t cause us any issues and the Kenworth with its big Cummins engine made easy work of the job.
As we got closer to Westport there was a lot more traffic around. We crossed the Buller River and turned into Mill Street. Unfortunately, after a fascinating day I had to say goodbye to Daniel.
Dad picked me up and we drove 25 minutes north to Granity where the Stockton mine turn-off is. We parked the car and patiently waited for Daniel at what is known as ‘The Grand Canyon’, a really steep section of the road into the mine. To help Daniel and the Kenworth get the load up the grade, Jared Avery from local Westport company Avery Brothers hooked his Hino tipper on the front.
The flashing of pilot vehicle lights came into sight, and we saw Jared, then Daniel. Working together they steadily climbed the incredibly steep mine access road.
We watched the excavator disappear through the gates into its new home at the mine where it will be put back together before going to work.
Just another day for a heavy haulage truck driver, but a lasting memory for a truck and heavy machinery enthusiast.
Overnighter in a K200
His first time in a K200, Dustin went on a neat overnight roadie with his dad, seeing some cool spots along the way.
One drizzly sum- mer morning at 3:15am, there were alarms going off. I sprung out of bed and went out to the kitchen. I went into the pantry and grabbed some Weetbix, and I even made some for Dad.
We got in the Kenworth K200, which has a 600hp Cummins engine, in the Christchurch yard and took a load of empty pallets down to Timaru. It was my first time in a K200, so I was pretty excited.
We unloaded and reloaded, and headed north for Nelson. We stopped in Hinds and saw my Nan. After that we carried on, and we stopped in Amberley and got fuel.
Our next stop was Maruia Falls where we had a half- hour break. Did you know Maruia Falls was created in 1929 in the Murchison earthquake? That’s pretty cool.
After a quick break we carried on and went to Brenics’ yard and parked the truck up. We went to the motel and l had some tea, then we watched some TV before we went to bed.
The next day we woke up and went and dropped off the load at Sollys. After that, we went back to the yard and we got another load of veggies that from Friday afternoon would end up in Invercargill – the whole length of the South Island by Saturday morning!
We pointed south, we stopped in Springs Junction to get some water, and then we carried on to Christchurch. We got unloaded, and that was the end of our fantastic trip.
A special thank you to Brenics Ltd for letting Dad drive, and to everyone else along the way who were all super helpful and very friendly.
It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle!
One year into the job, we get to know Michael Baylis over at Kennedy Trailers who tells us all about being an apprentice boilermaker.
Michael’s job as a boilermaker is to weld steel together to make trailers. He works off a drawing that shows him which pieces need to go together. It’s kind of like a big jigsaw puzzle.
Welding is a very fine art, it takes lots of practice, patience and precision to get your welds nice and straight and strong. If you leave the welder in one spot for too long, it burns a hole straight through – but if you don’t leave it long enough, the trailer will not be strong enough! So it’s safe to say that the welder has a lot of responsibility and needs to be concentrating at all times.
When a welder gets the perfect weld, it is a great achievement.
Little Trucker: How long have you been on the job?
Michael: I started my apprenticeship 2.5 years ago and have been at Kennedy Trailers for just over a year.
Little Trucker: What are some of your main responsibilities?
Michael: One of my main responsibilities is fabricating cabguards.
Little Trucker: What kind of training did you do for your job?
Michael: I’ve been attending trade school and they provide my training as well as learning on the job.
Little Trucker: What is your favourite thing about your job?
Michael: I most enjoy fabricating and getting to learn new skills and put them to use.
Little Trucker: And what is your favourite type of truck?
Michael: I find heavy-haulage trucks pretty interesting!
Little Trucker: What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
Michael: Outside of work I spend my time fishing, 4WD, or camping. I also like country music.
Safety tips for our road users
It’s not just those behind the wheel of a truck that need to think about safety while using the road. Whether you’re out for a walk, on a bike, or driving a car, there’s lots of things to think about!
TIPS FOR PEDESTRIANS
Walk on sidewalks, watch out for blind spots, and keep alert at all times! Don’t be distracted by electronic devices and make eye contact with drivers. And make sure you watch for trucks entering, exiting or backing up in parking lots and at job sites.
DRIVERS PASSING A SEMI-TRUCK
It takes truck drivers much more time to stop than you - so keep a safe distance. They have bigger blind spots, so pass on the right side, at a safe, steady speed, and make sure you’re well beyond the truck before getting back over.
TIPS FOR CYCLISTS
Look out for trucks turning left from beside or behind you. Don’t stop too close to the front of a stopped truck. Never cycle up the left side of a truck stopped at a junction.
APL Direct
They are an impressive head-turing sight wherever they are spotted. Milly McCauley was lucky enough to spend some time with APL Direct’s general manager Jake Lambert and meet the man in charge of one of the country’s sharpest line-haul fleets.
LTDU: Who owns APL Direct?
Jake: APL direct is owned by the Plaw family.
LTDU: How long has APL Direct been in business?
Jake: APL Direct was established in 2003 and started out as a small aluminium joinery fabrication company. As APL grew, they faced problems and damages with third-party distributors, deciding therefore to take the distribution of their product into their own hands. APL Direct has now been operating for over 19 years.
LTDU: Where do you have trucks based?
Jake: APL Direct has four main depots; Hamilton, Hautapu, where the glass operations are based, Palmerston North where a smaller satellite depot is, and Christchurch where we service the South Island from.
LTDU: How many trucks does APL Direct operate?
Jake: APL has 38 trucks and 15 trailers in the fleet. This number is continually growing!
LTDU: What makes of trucks do you have and how many of each?
Jake: The APL Direct fleet is mainly Scania, however Hinos and DAFs are there also, used for smaller metro delivery services.
LTDU: How many people do APL Direct employ?
Jake: APL has more than 60 employees throughout their dispatching, management and transport divisions.
This number has grown substantially throughout the last years as APL Direct expanded with the growth of the glass business in particular.
LTDU: What type of loads do you cart?
Jake: APL predominately carts aluminium extrusion, hardware, rubber coils, sheet metal and glass.
LTDU: Where are the main areas you operate in around New Zealand?
Jake: APL delivers from Keri Keri in the north all the way down to Invercargill in the south, servicing a large expanse of fabricators throughout the country.
LTDU: What is your title at APL Direct and what are your responsibilities?
Jake: I am the general manager overseeing the whole operation at APL Direct.
LTDU: Did you always think you would work in transport? Jake: No, I never thought I would work in transport but when the opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance. It was something completely different.
LTDU: How long have you been involved with the business?
Jake: I have been working at APL Direct for five years, and in this role for just over three years.
LTDU: What’s your favourite thing about working in the industry?
Jake: Being able to provide people with opportunities, watch them grow in their work, and see their personal development.
LTDU: What things would you like to see change for the transport industry over time?
Jake: I would like to see more done towards alternative energy, actually trying to narrow down which way the industry will head is a big issue. I would like to see some proper direction as we work towards a more sustainable future of transport.
LTDU: Do you have a favourite truck in your fleet?
Jake: No, no favourites in particular, I just like that APL Direct trucks are quite unique, noticeable and well presented.
LTDU: What would be some advice you would give to any young people who want to start a career in transport?
Jake: Having a good work ethic and a good attitude will get you a long way especially in this industry. Spend some time around people in transport and put yourself out there, as there is always opportunity to grow and progress.
LTDU: Can you tell me a fun or interesting fact about APL Direct?
Jake: The fleet runs 95% Euro-5 or better, with 40% now Euro-6. We are working hard on increasing Euro-6 numbers. APL Direct focuses heavily on sustainability, and is working on a number of recycling initiatives throughout all products and packaging.
If It's broken we fix
No two days are the same for apprentice mechanic Natarsha Smith, who is working hard to become a specialist in heavy diesel machinery.
Natarsha works as an apprentice heavy diesel mechanic at Hyster NZ, which provides a range of fork- lifts and other handling solutions to business.
“We’ve got about 20 machines at this site with forklifts ranging from two and a half tonne right up to twenty-five tonne,” she explains.
“We fix anything on the machines that can break - so anything from the front mast to the hydraulics and the electrical and mechanical side. Whatever’s broken, we fix it – you never know what you’re going to get!”
With a day so varied, it’s no surprise that Natarsha’s favourite part of the job is problem-solving. “When you’re not sure what’s wrong and you figure it out, that’s the best.”
Study study study Natarsha’s been working at Hyster NZ in Mount Maunganui for two and a half years and is well on her way through her MITO New Zealand Certificate in Heavy Automotive Engineering. The course is designed for people interested in servicing and repairing electric and non- electric forklifts and other machinery used for moving and storing materials, goods and products.
“There was a job in Tauranga for materials handling and I thought that sounded pretty cool, so I applied and here I am! I’m really grateful it worked out the way it did. It feels like one of those things in life that’s meant to happen.”
Not just for boys
Natarsha says that despite lots of people thinking the heavy diesel industry is just for boys, it’s not true.
“The opinions of having girls doing this kind of work is improving greatly and I get really positive feedback. Especially in heavy diesel, people think it’s going to be hard work and a lot of heavy lifting, but if something weighs too much, there’s always another machine that you can use to lift it,” she says.
“I would definitely recommend this industry to anyone. It’s a lot of fun!”
Visiting the Truck Hospital
Max and his brother Miller love to visit their grandad who works as a diesel mechanic. They love to climb on the trucks at what they call the truck hospital.
My name is Max Ludman and I’m 5 and 3/4 years old and I love big trucks.
My grandad is a mechanic for Hick Bros Civil in Silverdale, Auckland. I love going to the yard to see all of the different trucks and diggers.
This is their Western Star Transporter. There is a Caterpillar 815 Compactor on the trailer. The cab was very high and I sat on the red leather seat. It had a wooden steering wheel! We looked under the bonnet and saw the engine, which is a Caterpillar C15.
There were lots of different machines in the yard, the biggest were two Caterpillar 627 motor scrapers.
I can’t wait to see what trucks are there next time I visit again with my little brother, Miller.
Safety first, seat belt on
Our author in action Jesse keeps us in the loop with all things safety when he goes out on the truck.
First of all, welcome to my trucking adven- tures. Safety first, so remember to put your seatbelt on.
I’ve been trucking with my dad Mike since I was born. He works for Pyramid Trucking and drives a Kenworth T610 SAR. He used to drive a Kenworth K200, but that’s off the road now.
When I get ready for a day out on the truck, I need to make sure I have my Hi vis gears, work boots and definitely enough lunch for my day.
When I’m at work with Dad I get to do a few things with him, like washing the truck, rolling straps and the fun stuff of going out with one of the office girls to get donuts. My main job at Dad’s work is just to keep safe, and enjoy the time with him.
What I really enjoy about being allowed to go out on the trucks is that I get to see a lot of different places I haven’t been to before, as well as seeing all the awesome rigs on the roads. Also getting waves back from other truck drivers (I think I’ve perfected my trucking wave!).
I have a few different trucks I really like, but I think they are all awesome. The ones I like seeing on the road are Kenworths, Macks and Freightliners.
When I leave school I really want to be a truck driver like Dad and my big brother, who also drives trucks.
