Just dropped on this channel. As an ex trucker in the uk and Europe was intrigued. WHAT A BRILLIANT VIDEO. Thoroughly enjoyed every moment. Thank you so much for putting this video together. NZ government need to archive this for future educations. A lot of history is sadly lost, because As usual, the wrong stuff, thought to be interesting and churned out and mostly gets by-passed. Now this IS what is interesting and relevant, not for filling tv time . More Videos like these are needed to show the facts with entrainment, to give folks a REAL look into history of things critical to a country's international success. Thank you MARK uk
Thanks for your comments Mark, I felt that the battles the NZ road transport industry encountered, the short-sightedness of successive governments, and just how difficult and expensive it was to create the roading network - and the overwhelming under-appreciation the general public has towards trucks and our industry and the lack of knowledge of how critical road transport is to the common good - needed telling. Glad you enjoyed it - there are two more episodes on the way on successive Saturdays (NZ time) Sunday your time!
What about Motor Truck Distributors in Palmerston North? They assembled Macks from the ground up. Ok, not quite manufacturing, but they did it for years.
Hi Andy, yes, New Zealand would have a far poorer road transport industry without the efforts of Ron Carpenter and Motor Truck Distributors, and the Mack product is well represented over the three programs. But...., as you pointed out - they assembled their fine range of products - not manufactured. The Mack story in this country is one well worth telling.... Tow more episodes to come over successive Saturdays that will expand on this subject. Thanks for your comments - much appreciated.
My grandfather was 3rd Div. Interesting to see some footage of the Solomons.. I now drive trucks in Australia and wouldnt go back to NZ. Its a beautiful country but living and driving here has more opportunities, for me at least..
Brilliant!!...I quit NZ for Oz in 78. I could see little to no future at home while NZR had the industry by the short & curlys. We needed permits for everything, even when rail could not deliver. At that point, late 70's, if I remember correctly, the nett cost to the nation of 3 million people was about a $1 million per day just to keep the rail network running. Not sustainable. Deregulation was a blessing but too late for some of us. Now retired & thinking of coming home I am considered an alien & would lose most of what I have due to changes in citizenship law. At 72 & with road train experience & licence, I could contribute but it ain't going to happen.
I left in 1978 for Aussie and carried on driving here Aussie. I still have mates and relations driving in NZ, and amazed at how quick NZ adopted new ideas to move freight. Much quicker than the Aussie red tape brigade. Retired now with the MC license intact aged 70. Still enjoy going hom and catching with my trucking mates. Top documentary.
I came out of school in 77 and thats what all I wanted to do too, but my Old Man put up the exact same reasons you did and why I would be forever working for somebody else. Successful owner-operator drivers were far and few between, instead, I went into carpentry / building. I still dream wistfully when you see the beautiful rigs on the roads nowadays compared to the mostly British D Series Fords, Commers, Bedford's, Leyland's and everything else in between. Real trucks only started to appear via Dalhoff and King with the Kenworth's etc., and Forest Products brought in the Pacific's which were mainly off road for in the bush. PS. Remember pre-deregulation - the small engine part (or similar) behind the driver's seat which was the documented "back load"?? LOL. Great Video and an Archive to the young bucks to show how it was done.
@@nzsaltflatsracer8054 I should clarify that. I might as well be an alien. I would literally have no rights, even though I was born there. Unless I am reading it wrong, I would be treated as an immigrant. The other issue is the cost which means my existing asset base would need to be liquidated before moving back to NZ. Importing my own equipment into NZ is now prohibitive. That is something I am not prepared to do. Anybody else like to chime in?......There may be some avenue I am unaware of.
Not a lot has truly improved in NZ over the years - patching up at the last minute, at the least possible cost, and with no investment in future expansion. Shameful.
@@stewatparkpark2933 'Cause we spend it all on half-baked political decisions. Like canning the ferries, now the government still needs new ferries but they won't be locked in at the 2021 price the two big ships were gonna be, so they'll end up costing more while getting us less.
Don't feel bad, as an ex Kiwi now driving in Oz I can tell you the state of the roads over here is disgraceful in many places.. and Australia does have the size and resources to do something. They put up signs saying rough surface, lower the speed limits, but don't fix anything (properly)
