Chris Mulligan was finishing his lunch in Foxton when Faye Lougher noticed the 2014 Kenworth K200 he was driving was parked in the perfect spot for a photo. The Gisborne driver was happy to have a chat, saying he had driven up from Wellington after collecting the trailer from the ferry, and was Auckland-bound. “I work for Greaves Bulk Haulage and take the trailers for Weatherells – one down to Wellington and I pick up another to take back to Auckland. I carry chilled or frozen products.” Chris said his truck was brought in from Australia and has a Cummins e5 motor and an Icepack fitted, and is permitted for 50 tonne. Like many in the industry, Chris didn‘t start driving trucks straight from school. “When I was 15 my father woke me up and told me I either had to go to the freezing works with him, or work on the railways with my uncle, so I went to work on the railways.” Born in Dunedin, Chris worked for the railways in Christchurch.

“I just progressed from being the gofer and got my truck licence when I was 18.” Chris has been working for Greaves for 17 months now, but previously he worked in logging for Watchorn‘s. “I just love the nature of it, I love being on the road in the big gear. I started it in 1978 and 41 years later I still love it. I like being by myself – I don‘t play well with others!” he laughs. Chris finds that increasingly drivers are being lumbered with things he doesn‘t always think are their responsibility. “Like the health and safety regulations and everything that goes with that.” The vexing question of parachuting or scuba diving was met with an emphatic “scuba diving”.

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