There we go – 2021 done and dusted.

Each year, I find it amusing when people quip, “Good riddance to last year – there’s no way the New Year can be as bad.” That’s more a ‘hindsight is 20/20’ and ‘you can’t predict the future’ kind of thing for me. It’s always bad when you’re in it, it might not seem as bad looking back on it with some context, and who knows what else time will bring?

But with the madness of 2020, it was inevitable the effects would flow into 2021, and this year would throw up its curveballs. Of course, we all know that turned out to be true. But was it on par with 2020?

Two stabbing attacks and a freak tornado were among the worst headlines making national news, but the media was never far from its Covid-19 feeding frenzy. More lockdowns for the year were a given – though I doubt anyone would’ve expected Auckland to be locked in for such an obscene amount of time following the arrival of Delta. Vaccines, traffic lights, and the usual 1pm updates kept the trough full.

Much was written about the impacts on the trucking industry. Restrictions on business, snap decisions, poor communication, non-existent consultation… and through it all the ability of New Zealand’s truckies to absorb it and get on with the job of keeping the wheels rolling and the country alive.

There was good news too. New Zealand coined a few medals at the Summer Olympics and Paralympics, while the nation’s farmers took to the streets to vent their frustrations at an operating climate made increasingly unbearable by those calling the shots. Well, the final push for their protest (the proposed ute tax, in case you’ve already blocked it from memory) may not be good news – but anytime a population, group or subset can openly voice its displeasure at the (wo)man is good news by my book.

And so here we all are, less than a fortnight from the end of 2021, looking back with hindsight… Good riddance, let’s get into 2022. We look forward to bringing you more trucking goodness, despite anything else the year may bring. Thank you for continuing to join us each week and each issue.

Most importantly, thank you to everyone involved with or related to the trucking industry; for your resolve and for being ambassadors of just getting the job done despite all the noise.

Happy holidays. You deserve it.

Take care out there,

Gavin Myers
Assistant editor