New Zealand’s champion truck driver for 2017 has been crowned.
Northland’s Simon Reid of SJ Reid Transport proved his knowledge and skill across the many different aspects of the competition to claim victory in the NZ Truck Driving Championship held at Claudelands Events Centre in Hamilton last Friday.
For his efforts Reid took home a $6000 cheque courtesy of major event sponsors TR Group and Master Drive Services.
Twenty-four regional and company heat winners fought it out across a range of theory and practical tests to find four class winners as well as the New Zealand Young Driver of the Year and the overall champion.
“To even have a chance of winning in amongst such a competitive field requires a high level of competence across a range of disciplines,” says competition coordinator Mark Ngatuere.
“It’s not just driving, it’s a detailed technical knowledge of the machinery and the complex matrix of rules and regulations that govern our industry.”
In the rigid sections Sam Linton from Emmerson’s Transport took out the Class 2 competition and Andrew Crandon of Linfox Logistics won the Class 3 & 4 category.
Matthew Jackson of Ben Allen Transport came out on top of the Truck-Trailer Combination section, while John Baillie of Baillie Transport won the Tractor-Semi Combination category for the second year running.
In the ERoad NZ Young Truck Driver of the Year, David Rogers of Tranzliquid picked up the $1500 prize courtesy of ERoad.
