RTF has joined forces with the NZ Trucking Association and TR Group to bring back the NZ Truck Driving Championship for 2020.
The competition, which until 2018 ran with a series of heats and a final held alongside the RTF Conference, has undergone a format change in 2020.
"RTF's associations were finding it increasingly difficult to stage the heats that were fundamental to how the competition ran before," says RTF's Nick Leggett.
"It was therefore decided to change things up to relieve the associations from this burden and make the competition more exciting and sustainable into the future."
The new format will see the competition take place as part of the TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show at the Canterbury Agricultural Park in Christchurch, with heats on March 20 and the final the next day.
The competition will include three categories – Class 2, Class 5 Tractor-Semi and Class 5 Truck-Trailer. The heats will involve a theory test, pre-trip inspection and a driving/manoeuvrability test. The final, which will feature the top four drivers from each class of the heats will include another driving/manoeuvrability test and a road test.
"The NZ Truck Driving Championship is a fantastic way for the industry to show off the skills and knowledge of our drivers," says Leggett.
"A lot of the general public do not really understand just what it takes to pilot a heavy vehicle safely, let alone manoeuvre it for loading and unloading. The knowledge that our top drivers possess with regards to the different types of loads they're dealing with and the rules and regulations around heavy vehicles is truly impressive."
Drivers can enter on their own or get their company to sponsor them.
Leggett says that the event is a great opportunity for road transport businesses to show off the skills of their top drivers "and we are really encouraging companies from all over NZ to have a driver there to represent them."
Major sponsor, TR Group's managing director Andrew Carpenter adds: "Inspiring the next generation of drivers and celebrating all that is great about our industry is exactly what we had in mind when the competition was relaunched in 2015, and we look forward to seeing an exciting competition that draws the crowds in Christchurch next March at the TMC Trailers Trucking Industry Show."
Results will be announced at the Teletrac Navman Industry Show Dinner and Awards Ceremony on March 21, with the winners of each category receiving a trophy, $2500 in prizemoney, merchandise and vouchers, and a trip for two to the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show.
Competitors can register for the NZ Truck Driving Championship at
https://www.truckingindustryshow.co.nz