| 95 Professionally fulfilling careers for drivers The beauty of rural transport is the wide variety of work, locations, and people that rural drivers get to encounter. Kelly Deeks Rural transport company Titiroa Transport offers personally and professionally fulfilling careers for drivers who like to make a positive impact on small communities, supporting the agricultural sector and meeting new people all while travelling through the beautiful local countryside. Titiroa Transport proudly marked a massive milestone last year, celebrating 70 years of service to the farming communities in and around Southern Southland in June. Started in 1954 by Bruce Dobbie and partner, today his son Michael is managing director and along with his son Logan, they continue to drive this well-respected rural transporter through every challenge and new innovation the industry encounters. Today Titiroa Transport has 20 drivers running 25 vehicles, including six livestock units and eight bulky/spreaders, out of depots at Titiroa, Wyndham, Mataura, and Tokanui. The company generally attracts staff from Invercargill up to Gore and they enjoy a variety of duties from spreading fertiliser on hills and flats, to general and livestock cartage, both short and long hauls. Michael says driver attraction and retention is and has been one of the transport industry’s biggest challenges for many consecutive years in recent times. “It’s a worldwide problem,” he says. “Here in New Zealand we’re seeing adverts from Australian companies wanting drivers, and Europe and America have the same problems. We are not unique.” Bruce would often grow his company back in the day by taking on young local farmers, well-known for their practical skill sets and knowledge of the rural sector, as new drivers. “Today’s young farmers wanting to drive are more inclined to head for a tractor in the contracting industry,” Michael says. “Contractors don’t have the same log book or licensing obligations, so it’s a lot easier to get into.” But the beauty of rural transport he says, is the wide variety of work, locations, and people that rural drivers get to encounter on the daily basis. “You’re really only driving for about 50% of the time, the rest of it you’re dealing with people and livestock, communicating with farmers and other clients and working on animal welfare, you’re maintaining your vehicle, learning about its mechanics, and using new technology to complete administrative tasks. We’ve had drivers who have gone on to be farmers, others have progressed onto other vocations, and drivers who have come into the rural transport industry and have stayed until they are in their late 70s. From mechanics and engineers in the workshop to dispatching and administration in the office, there is a huge variety of career paths in the transport sector, and the diesel gets in your blood.” Michael says Titiroa Transport’s valued RURAL SERVICES » Titiroa Transport customers are a great bunch of people and the company strives to provide them with the highest quality of service, which they appreciate. “In return our drivers can achieve a lot of personal satisfaction and respect.” As a family owned and operated business, Titiroa Transport is always looking for good people to essentially join the family. Drivers enjoy travelling from the Catlins, across the Southern and Eastern province, and nationwide including occasionally inter-island. Every member of the team is part of the family. “Some of our staff and drivers have been with us for a long time, and I believe they stay because of the family atmosphere. We’re all friends here, we know each other’s families, and we have each other’s backs. That’s the way we like to operate.” ⌂ 128 Otepuni Avenue, Invercargill 0800 66 77 44 info@roadtrain.nz www.roadtrain.nz DRIVER LICENSING & TRAINING • Class 2, 4, 5 licenses • Forklift • DG Endorsement • W, T, R Endorsements Call 0800 66 77 44 — 24/7 service — Repairs and servicing trucks, trailers and heavy machinery for all makes and models 10 Kinloch Street, Invercargill · Em: mcleod.diesel@xtra.co.nz Ph: 03 215 7011 · Mobile: Brad 021 570 112
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