58 | TRANSPORT Levin Truck Services T T Kim Newth Keeping the wheels turning in Levin The Levin Truck Services’ team includes heavy vehicle engineers, hydraulics specialists and an in-house Certificate of Fitness inspector. At the heart of any thriving local economy are the mechanics that keep the trucks on the road and machinery in good working order. In Horowhenua, Levin Truck Services are the ones providing that essential service to the region’s productive sector. From mobile hydraulic repair and diesel servicing to farm machinery repairs, Levin Truck Services can be relied upon to provide efficient and reliable solutions. Their team includes heavy vehicle engineers, hydraulics specialists and an in-house Certificate of Fitness inspector. Levin Truck Services was founded in 2008 by Martin Sayer, an experienced local mechanic, and local rural contractor Malcolm Page, who also owns Horowhenua’s Page Spreaders Ltd. The seed for their business was planted when the local transport company that Martin had been working for decided to relocate to Hawke’s Bay. “I’d been doing work for Malcolm in the weekends on his trucks,” says Martin. “He came up with the bright idea of starting our own workshop. We found some premises and away we went with another local mechanic joining me in the workshop.” Through the years, Levin Truck Services has invested to keep up with the changing needs of local truck companies, contractors and farmers. Four years ago, the expanding workshop team moved into their own purpose-built premises. Newly built, their dedicated engineering bay has a full-time dedicated engineer. Their experienced team uses state-of-the-art equipment and software that is compatible with almost every vehicle. Today, the business employs a team of 15, with all training and upskilling done in-house. “We’ve gone from strength to strength – it keeps getting bigger and bigger. Servicing trucks and doing Certificates of Fitness (COF) is a big part of our business. We used to go to VTNZ [Vehicle Testing New Zealand] to do the COFs but when we built our new workshop, we incorporated a vehicle test lane so we can do COFs on site here.” By working closely with quality parts suppliers who provide efficient next day services, Levin Truck Services ensures minimal time is lost in sourcing parts needed for repairs and servicing. Quality lubricants and oils are sourced locally. All work is guaranteed. Since starting 15 years ago, Levin Truck Services has kept their collective eye on the ball to ensure they have the right suite of services available for clientele in Levin, Otaki and throughout the wider Horowhenua region. “You have to keep diversifying. You can’t operate with basic equipment these days. You’ve got to be prepared to keep learning, upskilling and trying new options. “Every truck is different. When a customer comes in saying they have an orange light flashing on the dash, you have to be able ‘to talk’ to the truck to find out whether it’s something to do with the brakes or perhaps an anti-pollution device and then work from there. “We use four different scanning tools to check trucks. You often find that one works well for a particular truck but you need something else for the next one. It’s a constant learning curve.” Levin Truck Services has a full-time mobile hydraulic service that’s on the road to provide aid when and where needed. As Martin observes, if the hose breaks on a digger or a rural contractor needs help with hay baling equipment when they’re in the field, they need to know there’s back-up there for them. Levin Truck Services also provides a 24/7 emergency breakdown service. In Horowhenua, Levin Truck Services is committed to its promise ‘to keep you on the road’ and to service and support the regional economy’s ongoing growth. Their clientele includes companies providing rubbish bin collections, concrete services, refrigerated milk deliveries and electrical line work. Among the more unusual vehicles they see are a wide variety of motorhomes, including some Winnebago campers from the US, converted to right hand drive. Levin Truck Services operate five days a week, with Saturday mornings an increasingly popular option too. American Parts Jaltest diagnostic equipment
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=