The Gisborne Herald • Wednesday, July 7, 2021 1 Keep on trucking 2021 2 TOPIC Big wheels page2 Rewi Haulage rewarded rolling for uplifting work pages4-5 Cara Haines - FEATURES TEAM LEADER Changing gears as industry evolves Welcome to our 2021 issue of Keep on Trucking. In this publication we hear about Rewi Haulage, who won a Maori Agribusiness award; we speak to Alaister Gray, who has seen a lot of changes in his 40 years in the transport industry; we catch up with Dave Pardoe and Kevin McKay, who were honoured at the Eastland Forestry Awards; we learn about the ninth book in Gavin Abbot’s Trucks and Truckers series; we chat with Kiefer Shanahan about being part of the family trucking business; and Jasper Taunoa tells us how she page6 went from being a qualified hairdresser to a driver for Farmers Transport. Passion still burns in trucking vet Dave If you know any interesting trucking stories that we can feature in our next Trucking feature, please give me a call on 869 0654 or email me on [email protected] page10 Returned to forestry roots www.gisborneherald.co.nz page11 From salon chair to driver’s seat “Locally Owned page12 Diesel runs in & Operated” Kevin’s blood Experts in Bulk Cartage BULK CARTAGE EARTHWORKS • Metal – Forestry/Roading • Digger • Maize • Dump Trucks • Fertiliser • Off -road Tractor Phone 06 862 7778 • Fruit/Oranges/Apples and Tip Trailer Mobile 0274 438 482 • Squash offi [email protected] For all bulk cartage enquiries in the Gisborne/East Coast Region Contact Kevin McKay 027 246 3350 40025-01 40023-01 The Gisborne Herald •Wednesday, July 7, 2021 3 Rewi Haulage rewarded for uplifting work THE CREW - The Rewi Haulage team are, from left, Hylo Wilson (Chubb and Agnes’s granddaughter), Ali Rewi (their son), Dave Rewi (brother), William Houkamau, Henrietta Raroa, Alby Maangi (partially obscured), Derek Fox, Jason Awarau, Paul Hale, Chubb RANGITUKIA-based log trucking company MPI deputy director- Rewi, Wiremu Henare, Hira Olson, Beau Hailey, Nui Lawson, Hoana Rewi (daughter) and Rewi Haulage Limited (RHL) won the general Karen Adair said Agnes Rewi. Maori Agribusiness Award in the Primary it had been a tough time for employers Industries’ GoodGood EmployerEmployer AwardsAwards inin April.April. with Covid-19. Still, the awards finalists had their career RHL is a Maori family-owned log transport shown passion, innovation and commitment goals. company. Directors Chubb and Agnes Rewi to the food and fibres sector that deserved Forest took a risk and incorporated the business to be acknowledged. Owners in 2014, starting with one logging truck “Our food and fibres sector plays a vital Association Chubb operated with no initial contracts of role in the recovery of our economy. OurOur vice president his own. people are our most important resource, Grant Dodson Chubb said the award, although a and the finalists have all demonstrated that says many surprise, was a recognition of the way the they’re putting their people first.” people still company runs its business. RHL trucks logs down to Eastland Port thought the This award recognises employers from Te Araroa,Araroa, workingworking alongalong thethe wholewhole land-based who have developed new or innovative coast. industries processes who provide good employment “We have nine of our own trucks and we were only conditions and Maori employee pathways, employ 12 subcontracted owner-drivers as about food production. Primary Industries Good Employee Awards”. and incorporate tikanga Maori to increase well,” ChubbChubb said.said. “But we have companies and individuals “They are representatives of many other individual, community, hapuhapu andand iwiiwi Now RHL owns nine units, has direct in our forest industry who are equally proud individuals and companies who are working outcomes. forest contracts with six different forest of the work they do. It’s great toto seesee themthem to high professional standards in our “It’s pretty overwhelming to be honest,” managers and subcontracts with eight recognised through these Ministry for industry.” said Chubb when they were nominated. companies. “It’s certainly something positive for the Beyond its direct employees, this business East Coast and for forestry.” network employs a further 18 people in the The awards, run by the Ministry for region, all of whom have strong ties to Ngati A leader in bulk Primary Industries, recognise the work Porou and whakapapa to the land. haulage, providing employers do to promote the food and RHL directly employs 19 local Ngati Porou fast, friendly service fibres sector as a great place to work. staff consisting of transport operators, throughout the Waikato “The way we do things is orientated administrative and executive staff. and Gisborne area. to our wider whanau and to help build Post Covid-19, RHL realised the need to 100% kiwi-owned. stronger local communities and businesses expand other avenues of business. One area which we need. It’s less about individuals.” that the company focused on was their own Member of the Road Chubb says the goal is to improve logistics department. This now has contracts Transport Association. opportunities for people who want to live to dispatch for several other transport on the Coast. companies in the region. “It’s cheaper living if people have got Other diversifications include a family land here. The biggest issue they had tyre-fitting and servicing workshop, a was getting jobs so that’s why we’re trying mechanical call-out unit, a slash recovery to increase that area in terms of training and unit that provides the local mill in Ruatoria employment.” with slash to convert into fence batons. RHL is doing just that. In addition to their The addition of a licensing and driver- allbulk haulage limited current operations, Chubb said they hope to training programme has seen two drivers hire a harvesting team which means three graduate and go into full-time employment, or four more staff on the books. increasing employment and development 370 Bushmere Road, PO Box 1025, Gisborne 4040 “It all takes time and money.” opportunities for staff so they can expand 40024-01 Phone 027 294 5727 or 021 285 778 PHONE 06 868 5340 39890-01 4 TOPIC Changing gears as industry evolves by Jack Marshall SEEN IT ALL - After being in the industry Not many know the East Coast trucking for over four decades Alaister Gray industry as well as Alaister Gray. has seen a lot. He says the business is constantly evolving. He started his working career as a marine mechanic, but joined his father at Gray Sargent over 40 years ago. He calls the transport industry a family Coast, and they were big operations in bigger or sell out.” many of Farmers Transport’s employees affair, with trucks and reputations passed their own rights. An offer was made and Transport are first-timers in the business. down through the generations. “It was a sign of the times. The big were Holdings, now Farmers Transport, “We have a huge training programme Transportation is a booming industry getting bigger and the small were not purchased the company. that has evolved. We train from Class 2 and its expansion and professionalisation able to cope with it.” “Within a month they had bought us units right through to Class 5 trucks. has resulted in big operators slowly Alaister was there when Gray Sargent and we were on the journey of being with “Today’s environment in transport is swallowing up many family operations. joined Farmers Transport. a pretty big outfit.” professional. The guys on the road are “There have been a lot of Gray Sargent was turning over well Although transportation and trucking highly skilled. amalgamations happening within the for the size of its operations and this are now full of corporations and powerful “What the public sees is only part of transport industry on the East Coast,” was causing a bit of grief for the more players, the people who love the industry it. There are units that are $700,000 and Alaister says. prominent companies. are still there. they can have anything between $60,000 “Hicks Bay Carriers, Goldsmiths, “But we got to a stage where we either “A lot of us within transport families to $80,000 of stock on board.” McGregors and Chaffey all sold out of the had to invest a whole lot of money to get on the East Coast have joined up with “Companies take their role very the bigger companies because we are seriously. You get the Mainfreights of passionate about transport. this world and the HWR Richardsons in “Transport has not been the easiest transport who spend huge amounts of game but the people in it love it. It’s a money on their staff.” passion.” They have to be sure the staff can At its core, the job is about people. handle those big rigs, Alaister says. “It is about building relationships. We Along with changes in human have to make sure their day is going well. capabilities, technology has altered the “One of my biggest things is the transport industry from top to bottom. people you meet. They are amazing. “Transportation from point A to point “Farmers Transport is a huge employer. B is an absolute must for the efficiency of We have 25 drivers here and there are the dollar,” Alaister says. 90-odd drivers down the road. “As much as we focus on our drivers, “I think it’s that end result each day. the other part of the team is the logistics You can go home knowing you have putting that together and mapping the done a good day’s work. days out.” In the past, people drove trucks A lot of this information is on tablets.