Careers Transport 2020 is happening on Friday 20 March and high schools have been individually invited to attend. Scania New Zealand is helping schools get to the careers day and will be running free Scania buses from Timaru to Kaikoura.

The 2020 TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show (20 to 21 March) is shaping up to be an epic event. The team at the NZ Trucking Association works behind the scenes to organise this show. Supported by the executive board and an industry committee, Rebecca Dinmore and Carol McGeady manage the event, come up with exciting new ideas, and create a show that truly celebrates the entire industry. Their hard work ensures that it is affordable, for the smallest of transport suppliers right through to the Gold Sponsors, to participate. The Christchurch show has a lot of heart and that‘s something that makes the show such a success. With Christchurch being so accessible for visitors, the show will remain in the location and continue being held every two years. Keeping the show fresh by adding new attractions and activities has been a fun part for the organisers. We wanted it to be a fun day out for the whole family, so children‘s activities have been planned throughout the showgrounds. The Safety MAN will take prime spot within the new Road Safety Hub. Located next door will be The Valvoline Road Safety Scooter Track. Scooters and pedal karts will be available so children can ride around a loop track, learning about road safety as they go. The 9-Hole Mini Golf transport village is a new attraction and suitable for both children and adults, as is the Tyre Fitness Obstacle Course.

The Giant Sandpit is back, this time with buried treasure to search for. The show has a new 22m-long bouncy truck, and the colouring-in tent will be a great attraction for the young ones. The Show Shop will be packed with large remote-control trucks sourced from overseas that have not been available in New Zealand before. We wanted to give the young ones an experience that they will never forget, inspiring them and hopefully attracting them into the industry in the future. Keeping all the activities free means that families can afford to come and stay all day. Entry is just $10 for adults and free for children 18 and under. The stars of the show are the UDC Show & Shine trucks and drivers. More than 400 are expected, however we are hoping that we get more than 500. To help North Island drivers attend, Interislander is offering a 20% discount off its customers‘ current rates, or cash rates (if not a current customer) for trucks travelling to the show to compete in the UDC Show & Shine competition. Make sure you vote for the Mega Pacific People‘s Choice and Driver‘s Choice; voting can be done next to the Show Shop. All the hard work undertaken to organise the show is worth it when we see those truckies rolling in at 5.30am to showcase their gear with pride. More than 45 awards will be presented at the Teletrac Navman Industry Show Dinner on the Saturday night. With the awards ceremony now happening at the show dinner, we can properly celebrate the huge effort put in by drivers and companies. The Classic Trucks Showcase has been developed to showcase the amazing classic trucks that have been preserved and are still fully functional.

This area is so important to the industry, to show off the history and proudly display what has been preserved for future generations to enjoy. Another new activity is the Heartland Bank Cash Grab; just head to the Heartland Bank Lawn, grab some food from the various vendors, and spin the wheel for your chance to go into the money-blowing machine. Real and fake money will be thrown in and you get to keep whatever you can grab in seven seconds. The 2020 show will see the addition of five National Industry Competitions. The TR Group New Zealand Truck Driving Championships has been overhauled and is going to be a fantastic spectacle. With three courses running simultaneously at the showgrounds, drivers will compete in what is going to be a fun competition with fantastic prizes. Prize packs worth $5000 will be awarded to the winner of each category, with special recognition awards for the Young Driver and Woman Driver of the Year 2020. Mimico is sponsoring the Excavator Competition, which has an amazing prize pack that includes $1000 cash plus a week-long, all-inclusive trip to Japan, including a Kobelco factory tour.

The industry relies heavily on forklifts, so it‘s fantastic that Hyundai is sponsoring the Forklift Championships to celebrate operators in a national competition. This will be a chance for forklift drivers to compete for the 2020 title and $1500 prize money. Liebherr is sponsoring the All-terrain Crane Championships and we have been told a model crane will be in the prize pack, along with cash and merchandise. Another thing that keeps the industry trucking is tyres, and we want to celebrate those professionals who are responsible for keeping the wheels rolling. Bridgestone, Carters Tyres, Kiwi Truck Tyres, Tyre General and SuperTyre are sponsoring and organising the Tyre Technician Competition. The winners of these industry competitions will be celebrated and presented with their trophies and prizes at the Teletrac Navman Industry Show Dinner. Careers Transport 2020 is happening on Friday 20 March and high schools have been individually invited to attend.

Scania New Zealand is helping schools get to the careers day and will be running free Scania buses from Timaru to Kaikoura. This reaches all the rural schools that might not have the resources to get their senior students to Christchurch. We are working with the schools‘ careers advisors to help the students plan their visit. An information pack will go to each school early in the New Year, highlighting the companies and exhibitors taking part in the showcase. The students will have a barbecue lunch sponsored by New Zealand Trucking Media. More than 80 sponsors and trade exhibitors are taking part, featuring everything from parts through to new trucks for sale. There will be new product launches and new companies exhibiting for the first time. This is the ultimate trucking weekend, with lots of opportunities to network and catch up with the industry. We have a trucking quiz night planned for Thursday 19 March, an exhibitor barbeque Friday 20 March, and then the bar opens at 5pm for those who have tickets to the Teletrac Navman Industry Show Dinner and want to head straight there after the show on Saturday.

There are a few surprises in store so keep your eye on social media. Yogi from Outback Truckers will be circulating and we might even put him in a truck in the competition area and see how he goes against some of New Zealand‘s best. This show truly has something for everyone, even if trucking is not your thing. Plan to stay the whole day, as there are plenty of areas to sit and relax and so much to see and do. This event is a fantastic showcase of the industry‘s professionalism and is only held every two years, so don‘t miss it. All proceeds of the show are donated to these well-deserving charities: Ronald McDonald House SI, Child Cancer Canterbury, Riding for the Disabled, Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Men‘s Health NZ, and St John, and also helps support local organisations and clubs in Canterbury.