Alistair Hammond from Waikaka Transport had just arrived back from the Pukeuri freezing works north of Oamaru and was awaiting his next command from dispatch when Craig Andrews caught him at a quiet moment at Willowbank, just off State Highway 90. Alistair enjoys a yarn so was more than happy to give us a rundown on what makes him tick. He‘s a latecomer to the driving game, having only started when he was 39, but he has always been interested in trucks and that stems from way back on the family farm when they used to own a Leyland Chieftain.

His driving started on a Mitsubishi with Stephen Gills from Winton doing silage, followed by a couple of years at Scully‘s driving a 450 Nissan, brief stints with Temuka Transport on a Volvo and Milne‘s on a 450 Hino livestock unit, and then six years on a MAN 540 with Winton Stock Feed. But the lure of a good dispatcher and the chance to get back into a stock truck saw him head over to Waikaka Transport, where he currently works.

“I enjoy seeing the countryside and getting to talk with farmers again. The sheep and beef farmers enjoy a yarn, unlike the dairy guys who tend to run a mile when they see you coming,” he laughs. He has few gripes with the industry; apart from the odd idiot on the road, all is good.

He loves the MAN he drives for Waikaka. It‘s a 2014 model with around 280,000kms on it. “Plenty of horsepower and comfort, and these big units command respect.” He said he‘s enjoying working for a great company and Rex Brown does great work as Waikaka‘s dispatcher. Alistair‘s vexing question was lucky number seven. Rugby or soccer? He watches and supports the Midlands rugby team at Winton, so rugby all the way.

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