New Zealand Truck & Driver has now notched up 20 years as the country's leading road transport magazine.
The magazine first appeared on news-stands nationwide in March 1999 – its cover featuring a truck that would still command respect today: Bob Anderson's Western Star 6900 off-highway logger – boasting a 600-horsepower CAT engine….and a 180-tonne rating.
Then, as now, the Road Transport Forum was using its section of the magazine to represent the industry on Government policies.
Then Forum CEO Tony Friedlander was arguing for the provision of better roads and fighting against the "idiot ideas" spawned by the National Land Transport Strategy. Sounds familiar, right!
And the first of what's now become a list of 220 companies featured in our monthly Fleet Focus profiles, was a worthy one: NZ Express – one of the country's oldest (if not THE oldest) transport operators.
That first issue 20 years back also saw NZ Truck & Driver achieve higher circulation and stronger advertising support than the existing magazines of the time – something that it's continued to do ever since – says founder and publisher Trevor Woolston.
He puts its instant success down to "a strong and loyal association with the Road Transport Forum" – as well as his history in the industry with previous publications.... "delivering high levels of service and results for advertisers." 
Recalls Woolston: "When we took the new NZ Truck & Driver magazine out into the marketplace we had immediate results. Many advertisers were completely disenchanted with the existing magazines and the large international publishing companies who published them – so they made the switch immediately.
"Also, our great relationship with Forum CEO Tony Friedlander allowed us to put together a relationship that has stood the test of time. 
"With Tony's departure we continued our strong support for the Forum – working closely with Ken Shirley, who also strongly valued the relationship. Now, in our 21st year, we're working with new CEO Nick Leggett – and once again we're looking forward to seeing the RTF continue to represent this very important industry."
Over the two decades, NZ Truck & Driver has been involved in many initiatives to support the industry – not least of all the current schools programme, whereby Allied Publications fully funds the supply of the magazine to almost every school in the country.
Says Woolston: "This was introduced to give the industry a higher profile amongst young people, with a view to getting more of them involved in the industry. It appears to be working, with very good feedback from the schools and vocational guidance staff." 
Woolston says that one disappointment, looking back over the past 20 years, is that the Forum hasn't become more unified.
"It's still made up of factions who, from time to time, threaten to pull it apart. The industry needs to work on a more united NZ-wide front and come together to represent an industry that is extremely important to the future economic growth of this country." 
Woolston says that the magazine, with current growth in its print and digital presences, "is on track for another 20 years of strong business."