Rob Byers was one of the first in New Zealand to purchase the new Iveco Powerstar, fitted with the ‘No option’ Cursor engine, ZF Iveco Eurotronic II AMT transmission and Iveco diffs.

Just as the year started, it ended with an Iveco test, this time a Stralis.

November featured a Kenworth world first that was only a week old when tested.

The Mack Vision road tested in the October edition was one of six new 8x4 tractors towing new 4-axle bulk cement trailers owned by Bulk Distribution in Invercargill, a division of the Allied Group.

The truck test in the September issue of New Zealand Trucking magazine featured a Freightliner Argosy set up with Jackson crates to haul livestock throughout the North Island.

Air BP has taken delivery of a new 5-axle trailer at Christchurch International Airport to support the US Antarctic Programme.

When you organise a truck show all you can ask for are plenty of entrants, decent weather and the crowds to show up...

Paul Holden had just pulled up alongside Beaurepaires in Levin when Faye Lougher spotted his truck. The blue 2008 Western Star 4864FX runs a 550 Cat and is 44-tonne rated.

Ken Kirk started driving at 14 years of age, got his car licence at 16, and HT (heavy traffic) at 18, although he admits he’d been driving trucks off and on in the four years before he got his HT licence.

Nothing like a superbly restored truck that still looks original. Check out