Alison Verran spotted Naomi Cooper fuelling up at the Caltex Truck Stop at Sulphur Point in Tauranga. Naomi is comfortable behind the wheel of an Eclipse Logistics MAN, carting empty containers on and off the wharf to a container park at Mount Maunganui.

Naomi started her driving career on the wharf on a double-b carrying 2 x 40” containers or 4 x 20” containers.

“My husband has been a driver forever. I would go for rides with him. From driving on the wharf, I decided to get my HT licence and progressed to carting on the road.” Naomi has now been driving on the road for seven years. “It’s a great job. It’s low stress, and it’s great meeting others in the industry.”

Naomi is not impressed by the state of the roads these days, neither the congestion nor the pothole repairs that are needed.

Naomi was asked vexing question No.77: Run or swim? “I love to swim, especially around here in the sea. Although I do like to do lengths in a pool as well.”