The first refrigerated electric truck to join Fonterra’s fleet is focussed on delivering dairy products from their Takaanini Distribution Centre, to customers across the wider Auckland metropolitan district. This truck is the second electric truck to join the Fonterra distribution fleet and is part of a partnership between Fonterra, Volvo Trucks New Zealand and EECA to enhance sustainability.

Two years ago, the New Zealand Trucking Association launched the HARMfree Transport & Logistics Program to lift health, safety, and wellbeing standards across the sector. After a year of development, collaboration, and peer review, the program went live, and it has since become one of the most practical and accessible resources available to operators. HARMfree is offered entirely free of charge and demonstrates that when resources are clear, relevant, and practical, operators not only pay attention, but they take meaningful action.

Freight must be treated as a priority, no longer a planning afterthought, as part of the Government’s and Auckland Council’s restructuring of AT announced today says National Road Carriers Association (NRC).

“Despite costing $1.5 billion a year to run, AT has very limited expertise in freight,“ said NRC CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers. “Right now, freight is an afterthought for Auckland’s transport planners.

In an ever-shifting world, change is inevitable. In a bid to protect and enhance the future of a growing portfolio of transport industry inspired safety and inclusion initiative, the Truck Well NZ Charitable trust has been established to independently promote and operate these key programmes.

The National Road Carriers Association (NRC) has announced significant changes to its Board, marking the departure of two long-serving members and the arrival of three new appointees committed to shaping the future of New Zealand’s road transport industry.

After many years of dedicated service, Calven Bonney and Don Wilson are stepping down from the NRC Board.

National Road Carriers Association (NRC) is calling for detailed traffic modelling to support AT’s proposed replacement of railway level crossing in Takanini with road bridges announced today.

“The City Rail Link is going to be a game changer for Auckland and getting these level crossings replaced is critical to keep freight moving,” said NRC CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers.

Progressive Carriers from Helensville have recently put this stunning Kenworth K220 to carry on the legacy formed by an earlier K200. The new unit continues the long association between Progressive and prime contractor Ryal Bush Transport to haul livestock nationwide.

UD Truck Distributors (NZ) Ltd (UD Trucks) has appointed Zane Erwee as its new General Manager. Zane was previously UD Trucks Retail Sales Manager leading the UD Trucks sales team and working alongside the strong dealer network in Wellington region and across the South Island, which he will now lead in his new role.

Tauhei, near Morrinsville is home to livestock haulier Kintail Transport Ltd. No stranger to the Kenworth brand, owner Ken Walker recently splashed out for his first new Kenworth, an eight wheeler K220 with Aerodyne sleeper. The might new beast is driven by Antony “Tony” Rhind. As a younger man Tony started his driving career back in 1983 at Whitikahu Transport also carting livestock. Following a 25 year sabbatical dairy farming Tony recently returned to the driver’s seat to deliver stock North Island wide.

Gilmour Transport Ltd stems from a long legacy that began when in 1979 Alan Forbes became an owner driver for Forest Products. A new Kenworth with a crane at the rear was soon on the road. This experience led to a long association with Kenworth that continues today. Fast forward to June 2021, Alan stepped away for the business handing the reins over to Gilmour Transport Ltd, a joint venture between Warwick Wilshier and Campbell Gilmour.

Since 2017, the small team at the New Zealand Trucking Association (NTA) has been taking its flagship Road Safety Truck to schools, training organisations, and community events nationwide with the goal of sharing simple and practical tips on how to share the road safely with heavy vehicles.

Our August round up of the truck shows and trucking events coming up

Transport Minister Chris Bishop recently announced Cabinet has agreed to a series of legislative changes to enable the transition of New Zealand’s 3.5 million light vehicles to paying for our roading network through electronic road user charges, rather than petrol tax.

“The abolition of petrol tax, and the move towards all vehicles (whether they be petrol, diesel, electric or hybrid) paying for roads based on distance and weight, is the biggest change to how we fund our roading network in 50 years,” Bishop says.

As we all know, trucks are big, heavy and take up a more room that light vehicles on the highway . Being around them can challege even the best light vehicle drivers as they are are often less familiar with large vehicles and this can lead to serious unintended consequences. To help combat this deficiancy of kowledge around trucks, the NZ Trucking Association is introducing a new initiative called the “Don’t Muck with a Truck”, a road safety programme (free educational resource) designed to help create safer roads for everyone.

Mainstream New Zealand have signed an agreement to acquire the transport, containers, and logistics operations of PBT, a highly respected freight operator who has been a staple of the freight market for over 50 years.

At the recent EROAD Fleet Day National Road Carriers (NRC) announced it has teamed up with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) to help tackle one of the biggest challenges facing the freight sector – the shift to low and zero emissions heavy vehicles through the use of NRC’s widely used and recently revamped Cost Model tool.

Scott Holt has recently been appointed General Manager for Motor Truck Distributors Ltd (MTD), New Zealand distributor for Volvo Trucks and Bus. Scott is an accomplished General Manager with a successful track record in the transport and marine sectors spanning 17 years.

UD Truck Distributors NZ Ltd (UD Trucks) announces that a new Condor range of medium duty trucks will be available in New Zealand from early 2026. The new Condor range is a major step forward in the medium duty sector for UD featuring advanced safety features, a powerful yet efficient new drive line and a class leading cab layout.

A major step forward in heavy vehicle safety and professionalism has arrived with the official launch of TruckSafe New Zealand, a Safety Management System (SMS) designed to lift standards across the entire transport and logistics sector.

Auckland Council-owned Port of Auckland has surprised the freight industry by announcing today that port access charges for road transport operators in 2026 will be increased by 77%. The Port’s previously announced 35% increase for 2026 charges has already been baked in by port customers and transport operators, so a doubling in that planned increase has been a bitter pill to swallow.