| 61 Safety a major concern for drivers T Richard Loader Mathew Sheldrake - passionate about the safety of all road users. GJ Sheldrake TRANSPORT Narrow, skinny rural roads are the workplace of Mathew Sheldrake’s team of logging truck drivers, and he’s passionate about safety. “My drivers are out there dealing with whatever is thrown at them every day of the week. If I can make sure we can do anything better or make things safer for my staff and everyone else, that’s what I’ll do.” Mathew is Managing Director of Tokoroa based log transport business, GJ Sheldrake Ltd, which was founded by his father Graham Sheldrake over forty years ago. Working out of Kinleith forest, Graham built the business up from one self-loading crane truck contracting to New Zealand Forest Products, to a fleet of fifteen trucks, forging a well-respected reputation in the industry. Last year Graham was inducted into the Transport Hall of Fame in Invercargill’s Rich- “Our industry is changing and growing but the quality and size of the roading, especially rural roading isn’t keeping pace with that change.” ardson Transport Museum, recognition of selfless service to the industry. In 2019 Mathew took the plunge and bought the business but says his dad is just a phone call away for advice when needed. Still operating out of Kinleith Forest, GJ Sheldrake’s drivers mainly transport export logs to Mt Maunganui, along with a few sawmills like Red Stag in Rotorua. Pulp logs are also taken to Kinleith Mill, with rolls of paper transported to Hamilton twice a day and timber and pulp paper products carted all over the North Island. On average, each of the trucks travels 120,000 kilometres every year, 60% of which is on old country roads, and that is why Mathew is passionate about the safety of his drivers, other road users and the quality of those old and narrow roads. Since last August, Matthew has been on the Region 2 Executive of the Road Transport Association of New Zealand, which encompasses Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Auckland and Northland. “Our industry is changing and growing but the quality and size of the roading, especially rural roading isn’t keeping pace with that change,” says Mathew. “In the last twenty years trucks have got eight – nine metres longer and up to twelve tonnes heavier. That impacts on the safety of all road users. “We travel on skinny rural roads in twenty-three metre long truck and trailer units and to get around corners safely you cannot avoid putting the truck onto the other side of the road. All it takes is someone to come around who thinks there’s no truck coming the other way, because there’s been no trucks here for the last 10 years, and it’s all over.” Also part of the Log Truck Safety Council, Mathew says for many years the Council has run a programme where fully laden logging trucks are taken to schools, especially in rural areas, and children taught about the truck driver’s blind spots. “They talk to their parents about that, and the kids end up educating the parents. The programme has been really beneficial and there’s even positive feedback from the parents. That programme has now been picked up by the Southern North Island Wood Council and they will roll it out throughout the whole country.” PROUD TO BE THE CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS BEHIND GJ SHELDRAKE Ph: 07 957 0188 Email: info@initiom.co.nz www.initiom.co.nz • • Every great business runs on timely information and great relationships 0800 55 54 53 | Email: info@stib.co.nz | www.sweeneytownsend.co.nz WE TAKE THE TIME TO UNDERSTAND YOUR SPECIFIC AND OFTEN SPECIALISED NEEDS FORESTRY RURAL BUSINESS PERSONAL I N S U R A N C E B R O K E R S SWEENEY OWNSEND
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