Ray Biddle wasn’t really into trucks as a kid, but his career journey has put him behind the wheel, and he’s loving it. “I love the friendships you make with other guys in the industry. I don’t mind getting out to give others a hand. It’s all about working together,” he told Alison Verran, who spotted him stopping to buy some lunch at BP Tauriko.

Ray is self-employed and contracts to several different companies, carting mainly logs. On this day, Ray was steering a McCarthy Log Haulage Kenworth K200 powered by a 600hp Cummins ISX-e5.

“It’s got more power than that, but I’m not sure how much,” Ray says.

Ray started his career as a trade-qualified mechanic. “I got sick of that,” says Ray. “I wanted something different. I went to work for roading contractor Johnstone & Masters and was put into trucks. It just went from there. I’ve been driving for about 12 years now.”

The next stop for Ray was Mamaku to load up and head back to Mt Maunganui. “I travel all over the place, but I’m based in Rotorua.”

Ray feels there are a couple of downsides to working in the industry. “The number of accidents happening is a worry. I think it comes from the pressures put on drivers these days. The other thing is just the way people drive… and that’s both car and truck drivers.”

After giving thought to the vexing question “Lawns or concrete?, Ray says, “I just mowed my lawns and it took ages, so I’d probably go with concrete!”