Taking kids for rides is what Dunedin’s Special Rigs for Special Kids is all about – and the 2024 event was as popular as ever.

It was a case of cold on the outside but warm on the inside as Special Rigs for Special Kids set off in its 31st year. On 25 August, about 240 vehicles trundled around the now familiar route from Dunedin out to Mosgiel and back again.

In attendance were primarily trucks, but there were also a few buses, an ambulance and a couple of police cars.

Mother Nature emptied out the bath again and left the fridge door open, but that didn’t stop large numbers of people from turning out and supporting the now-iconic event.

Organiser Greg Inch acknowledges the impressive turnout, considering how tough the current economic climate has been.

“We had a great turnout from local companies and drivers. We even had a driver come down from Auckland, who was blown away by the event’s atmosphere. Times are hard for the industry at the moment, but that hasn’t stopped the support for this event,” he says.

“We had a lot of drivers attend who have supported us from the beginning, but there’s a second generation of younger drivers coming in. It’s great to see the passion they’re putting in, how much they’re helping out, and taking pride in what the industry’s really about.”

Greg says 120 people volunteered this year, and he would like to thank everyone for their time and support.