Born and raised in Australia, Dean Lever tried hard not to follow in his Dad‘s trucking footsteps and joined the Navy, but in 1989 he realised where his roots lay and spent the next 13 years on interstate work driving tippers carting metal.

Making his way over the ditch to the top of the South Island 14 years ago, he landed himself a job as a fork-hoist driver for TNL in Blenheim.

“I didn‘t know New Zealand at all so it was a great way to learn the towns and cities. I mean, who would have known that Mt Wellington isn‘t actually in Wellington.”

Other than the Navy and trucking, Dean has also turned his hand to cheffing, working (partying) in pubs, and he‘s done seasonal work on the ski fields.

Nowadays, Dean is a Nelson-based company driver for Freight Lines. When Ange Richards nabbed him he was in the north, heading for New Plymouth to load general freight for Whangarei in his FM Volvo 520 with I-Shift, and B-train trailers, all resplendent in Bluebridge livery.

“What I like best about driving having driven both here and in Aussie, is that we are bloody lucky to have such stunning countries, just blows me away. And as for my thoughts about the industry? You can‘t publish what I have to say, too much PC bullshit.”

Lastly, Dean chose vexing question ‘Sexty sex‘ (Still got the ‘twang‘) and Ange asked, “White or brown bread?” Dean reckons he doesn‘t care so long as it‘s fresh!

Brought to you by: