Outstanding contributions to the road freight sector were recognised at Transporting New Zealand’s 2025 North Island Road Freight Industry Awards in Napier on October 11, with honours spanning safety, innovation, training and leadership.
Tranzliquid director and owner Greg Pert received the VTNZ Supreme Contribution to Road Freight Award, recognising a lifetime of service and sector leadership. Pert, a former chair of the Road Transport Forum and Transporting New Zealand board member, has driven efficiency standards and championed driver training and cadet pathways.
Foodstuffs North Island won the EROAD Outstanding Contribution to Health and Safety Award for embedding safety technology across its fleet, including Guardian by Seeing Machines, cutting fatigue and distraction incidents.
Taylah Penn of Sharp As Linehaul was named the EROAD Young Driver of the Year. A Class 5 driver at 20, Penn was cited for technical excellence, versatility and strong team values.
The Women in Road Freight Transport Award went to Hayley Alexander, chief executive of Alexander Group, recognising more than two decades advocating for diversity, professionalism and innovation, and mentoring emerging talent.
KAM Transport took the Fruehauf Outstanding Contribution to Innovation Award for work to reduce environmental impact, while Clive Taylor Haulage earned the MITO Outstanding Contribution to Training Award under Tania and Sooty Breach, whose “train to retain” focus has embedded learning and pride in daily operations.
Transporting New Zealand chief executive Dom Kalasih says the breadth of nominees underscored industry resilience.
“This is a challenging time for many businesses. The number and quality of nominees for these awards show how talented and resilient the freight sector is, and the amount of hard work that’s going on to raise industry standards.”
Transporting New Zealand says the awards celebrate individuals and organisations “who drive excellence in the sector – not just on the road but also behind the scenes in workshops, boardrooms, dispatch centres, training yards and rural communities all over Aotearoa.”
