Thirty-year-old Blair Thomson from Mosgiel has been in and out of the trucking scene since he was 15. His dad had a couple of Nissans on the family farm that were also used for some general cartage work. When he left school Blair trained as a diesel mechanic, but he loves driving and he is currently with McEwan Haulage, based in Dunedin doing all sorts of work. On the day Craig Andrews caught up with him Blair was driving a 1992 ex Mike Lambert T900 Kenworth, but he can also be found in a Mack Superliner, or a CH Mack. The T900 is coming up to 30 years old, has 2.1 million kilometres on it, and is in incredible condition. In the summer it was pulling an emulsion tanker but a swap body goes on for other duties in the off-season.

Blair has little to dislike about the industry but believes the roads could be better, and that some of the health and safety is getting a bit out of control. He does understand that if he wants to get home at the end of the day then health and safety does play its part, but so does common sense. Careless drivers sharing the road with him can also be irritating. Blair enjoys meeting new people, and seeing the countryside, something he does plenty of working for McEwans. He also appreciates children trying to make the truckers give a blast on the air horns, and he says he always returns the request. It makes their day and it makes his. He hopes that these kids will retain their love of trucks and find their own way into the industry somehow. Blair‘s vexing question was who would he most like to meet and why?

“Shane van Gisbergen” was his answer. “To do a hot lap with him in a V8 or even drive the car.”

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