Alison Verran spotted Nick Rangiawha heading along Cameron Road in Tauranga, to unload at PAK‘nSAVE. Nick has been behind the wheel of this impressive Kenworth T909 since it went on the road in January 2019. With a 459kW (615hp) Cummins X15 under the bonnet, there‘s plenty of power to pull the refrigerated B-train. Nick is based in Hamilton and currently carts from Auckland to supermarkets in the Tauranga and Rotorua areas. During lockdown, he was an essential worker, supplying much sought after groceries for all of the patient shoppers queuing outside supermarkets. Outside his current assignment, you‘ll see Nick and his KW almost anywhere around New Zealand.

Nick‘s passion for trucking started at the age of six when he spent a lot of time riding in trucks with his uncle, a longtime truckie. Nick has been driving trucks for 15 years, with eight of those working for Brett Marsh, who Nick rates as a great guy to work for. Nick says “the freedom of just being out on the road” is what he enjoys most. His frustration with the industry is knowing the ongoing struggles trucking companies face with taxes, fuel price increases, and changing rules and regulations. When Alison asked the vexing question, Nick chose number 18, wine, whisky or beer? The answer was “definitely beer”.

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