Brought to you by:

Allan Schulz had just pulled in to a site on Tremaine Avenue in Palmerston North and was waiting for his turn to load when Faye Lougher spotted him.

“Everyone knows me as Boof,” he said, so Boof it is.

Driving a 2002 Mack CX688 Vision for Chris Gommans & Sons Ltd, Boof says the truck is mainly used for the bulk run as it‘s more suited to that kind of work.

A farmer‘s son, Boof has been driving since he was old enough to turn the steering wheel.

“Since I was about five years old – I‘ve always done it. I‘ve been driving trucks for 42 years now.”

Once loaded, Boof was heading to a drop-off point at Raumai, near Ashhurst. The site the fill was being taken from in Palmerston North is earmarked for a fuel stop. When asked what he liked about driving, Boof remarked that was a good question.

“I just like the driving. I‘ve done line haul and most driving jobs and I‘ve enjoyed all of them. I quite like this type of work because of the variety – I get to hop on a digger and a loader.”

Echoing most drivers, Boof said the lack of young talent coming into the industry was its biggest problem.

“The ratio of good drivers to learners used to be about five to two, but that‘s just about reversed now.”

Boof ‘s vexing question was which superpower would he choose.

“It would have to be flight, wouldn‘t it? I could see myself doing that – flying off the handle,” he laughed.