A bad habit proved not all bad for Pleasant Point couple Rob and Tania Jeffery as their resplendent red Kenworth took top honours in this year’s truck of the year competition.
Every year New Zealand Trucking magazine holds the John Murphy memorial top truck of the year competition, named after the magazine’s former editor who died in October 2017.
The couple have owned the Kenworth 2.8m K200 Aerodyne truck, ‘‘Bad Habit’’, since May last year, and it was named the magazine’s truck of the month in June.
This put them in the running for truck of the year against the 11 other truck of the month winners from September 2022 to August 2023.
The public then voted for their favourite, the winner receiving a set of eight Vipal retreads valued at $4500 and a painted canvas of their truck by auto artist Rochelle Thomas.
They operate the Kenworth as RT Southern Linehaul for Christchurch-based Bascik Transport, working as a general freighter.
Mrs Jeffery said she really was not too sure why so many people had taken a shine to it.
‘‘Honestly, there was nothing done on that truck to impress anybody else.
‘‘Everything was chosen because that’s what we wanted. The signwriting was all selected and based on what we liked. ‘‘But it really seems to have struck a chord with people.’’ The pair both come from extensive trucking backgrounds. Mr Jeffery started when he was 18; his first job was hauling logs for Dunedin Carrying in a 340hp Nissan Shogun logs unit. Mrs Jeffery’s dad was a truck driver who owned his own business, so she grew up in and around industry.
About 16 years ago they were given the opportunity to buy a truck and become ownerdrivers, and they have not looked back since.
Mrs Jeffery said they were extremely proud to have won the competition.
‘‘We’ve been in this industry a long time and it hasn’t been easy.
‘‘We haven’t ever done anything for recognition and Rob is a really hard worker but it was nice to get some recognition for all the effort and sacrifices you make.
‘‘We just come from the little town of Pleasant Point so it’s really nice that people took the time to vote for us and support us.’’
The Kenworth was named ‘‘Bad Habit’’ due to Mr Jeffery’s obsession with the truck.
‘‘He doesn’t have any other vices. He doesn’t go to the pub or play golf — maybe the pub occasionally — but he doesn’t have anything else that’s really a vice.
‘‘So we thought bad habit tied in quite nicely.’’
While it is back to business for the Pleasant Point pair, they are looking forward to travelling to Hamilton in February to enter the Kenworth show.
