When Faye Lougher spotted this immaculate unit in Levin, she assumed it must be new, but driver Ashnoor Ali said it had been on the road for nearly two years.

The 2022 Scania 730S 6×4 tractor unit towed a set of equally immaculate Fruehauf curtainsider B-train trailers. The Owens-liveried Scania has a 12-speed automatic transmission and is owned by MJA Investments of Auckland.

Ashnoor has been with the company for two months and does a run between Auckland and Wellington. He was returning to Auckland when Faye caught up with him.

Originally from Fiji, Ashnoor said family brought him to New Zealand. He has been driving trucks for 25 years and, in Fiji, drove linehaul for Zar Logistics.

“I love driving in New Zealand. The roads and the condition of the trucks are great. It’s amazing work, and I really enjoy it.”

Once again, Faye was without her list of vexing questions and could only think of a few off the top of her head. Liquorice allsorts or Macintosh’s toffees drew a blank look, so she went for the good old, ‘Beer or wine?’ to which Ashnoor replied that his drink of choice was water. “There is nothing better!”