Alison and Mike Verran stopped to say gidday to Chad Nukunuku while he was fuelling up at the Caltex Truckstop at Sulphur Point, Tauranga. Chad has been driving for ODH 2000 Ltd (Over Dimension Haulage) for just over a year. He spends each day behind the wheel of a 2015 Western Star 4884, carting containers around the Waikato and Bay of Plenty.

On the day the Verrans caught up with Chad, he had picked up a full container from Rotorua to cart to Sulphur Point Wharf. He was then heading back to Rotorua with an empty container to start the process again.

From a young age, Chad wanted to drive trucks. “I used to go riding in a truck with my uncle, Storm Hema. In the school holidays, I would go with him in his CAT-powered Kenworth, ‘Pink Panther’ and his Mack Super-Liner ‘Mighty Mutt’.”

Chad’s driving career has so far spanned 35 years. He loves his choice of career. “The road is my freedom. I’m married to the road.”

Despite loving his job, he does have a couple of issues. “The way people are driving these days is a real problem, and the road conditions are appalling.”

Chad was presented with our vexing question No.2: Is Elvis really dead? He responded: “Yep, he would still be making records if he wasn’t.”