I’ve decided the world is better off for not having any form of approved crystal ball. Apart from the fact it would take the fun and challenge out of things, knowing what might be just around the corner probably wouldn’t do much for our mental wellbeing, regardless of what was revealed. Bad news would make us overly fearful; good news, lax. Imagine if someone had told us 2020 was merely a rehearsal for 2021. Yet here we are. We’ve had our resilience tested yet again and by and large have made it through. Having said that, I acknowledge fully the tourism, hospitality, and health and beauty sectors have been tested beyond measure with little real resolve in immediate sight for the first two at least.

Yes, there are endless and ongoing topics that need raising, but hey, it’s Christmas. It’ll be a weird one for the many who wouldn’t have contemplated in August their ability to be around loved ones for the festive season would be scuppered.

I’m a huge fan of Christmas. I always have been and always will be. For me, it’s all about family and friends, sharing time and merriment. It’s probably the last festival we have across the breadth of society that allows a full-stop and underline on the calendar. That, in turn, provides the opportunity for acknowledgement.

Matt, Margaret, and I thank everyone who supports Long Haul Publications with their business and custom. We never take lightly anyone’s decision to spend advertising dollars with us and constantly search for ways to drive value and return into that investment. Likewise, our readers. We thank you sincerely for choosing to spend your hard-won discretionary spend on our products, and again, we strive constantly for new ways to make you a part of what is essentially your publication, and deliver more and better content.

Personally, I still use the same yardstick for every issue of New Zealand Trucking magazine that I did when I took on the editor’s role in 2015. “If I were still driving and stopped at the servo, would I part with $9.50 for that?” That’s the focus question driving the editorial team, and we strive to answer it with a “Yes” every month.

Obviously, that brings into the spotlight the next group of key people for us to thank, the sales and editorial teams. It’s a big thing when people choose to spend a portion of their life working in your business. It’s something too many employers don’t think hard enough about. We have an outstanding group of focused and talented individuals across sales, production, editorial, and contribution, who give their all to producing the best content they can. For some, it’s the desire to execute their craft to their best ability; others are driven by a love of the content. The alchemy of the two results in the production of top-end products. To each and every one, without you, we’d be a name and nothing else. Thank you for choosing us. Thank you for everything you do.

This year we’ve produced a calendar again (there should be one attached to this book), and volume two of The Best of New Zealand Trucking, 1995 to 2004. We hope you enjoy both. To be honest, we were amazed at the popularity of Best of New Zealand Trucking Volume 1. Maybe it’s a sign of how old my generation is getting.

The big excitement for us in the last stanza of 2021 has been the release of a brandnew magazine, Little Trucker Down Under. The feedback, support, and response to the concept has left us gobsmacked, a true sign that the industry and its kids were desperately in need of some tangible connection. A huge thanks must go to Shannon Williams, the magazine’s editor, who has done an outstanding job getting issue No.1 over the line, as well as Rochelle Thomas and our wondergirl Milly McCauley, the first regular youth reporter. The wizard that is designer Ricky Harris must also take the spotlight for bringing words and pictures to life in the way only he can. And to all of you amazing young people who contributed to the first edition? Take a bow. Issue No.1 will always be special to you.

Lastly, a bit of news. We’re having a wee reshuffle at Long Haul Publications in the new year. New Zealand Trucking’s assistant editor, Gavin Myers, will step into the role of editor for that publication, and I’ll move into the editorial director’s role. What that means for you, our readers, is minimal, but it frees me up from day-to-day nuts-and-bolts stuff to help develop the new content we want to bring you next year. Speaking of that, by the time you read this, we will be on the cusp of recording the first of our new monthly podcast series, so stay tuned for that one. There’s plenty more to tell you shortly.

That, then, is the end of 2021. It’s been a tough and challenging year, but also a hugely rewarding one. In our travels, we continue to meet people making the best of unusual times and going out of their way to support our efforts to record history as it happens. Again, we thank you all sincerely for your cooperation.

From all of us here to all of you: we wish you a relaxing and safe Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Go well, be safe, and wave to truckies!