Devin Murcott was in Mount Maunganui, busy tarping a load of fertiliser before heading off to Waipukurau, when Alison and Mike Verran stopped to have a chat. With eight years’ driving experience behind him, Devin is currently behind the wheel of Twist Trucking’s International 9870 with a 458kW (615hp) Cummins engine and 18-speed Roadranger gearbox. He carts both bulk and flat deck products anywhere from Hawke’s Bay to Whangarei.

“I’ve always had a passion for trucks,” says Devin. “I went for rides with the old man, all around New Zealand. I think I had my first truck ride when I was two years old. My grandfather was a truck driver for the Thames Valley Dairy Company. My uncle (Darrin Murcott) drives trucks. It’s a family thing.”

Devin’s passion for trucking means he can spend his days chilling out listening to sounds while travelling the highways. He also enjoys meeting new people each day.

He has noticed there is a lack of the traditional trucking camaraderie these days. “If a driver is stuck somewhere, not everyone stops to help.”

When asked the vexing question if he favoured lawns or concrete, Devin says he doesn’t mind mowing lawns at all. “It’s all about the lawn porn.”