Truck driving in (NZ) New Zealand ?

Question

Im young at the moment and im living in New Zealand and want to be a truck driver when i get older. Want to drive a truck and trailer carrying food such as... fruit , Pank & Save food. Once i get my drivers licence, where do i go then? do i go to a school to learn how to drive a truck, do i sit a test.. where do i go?

Answer 1

You get a job with a cartage contractor or trucking company.

You start at the bottom, firstly driving the small trucks doing deliveries around town. As you prove yourself to be competent, so you move up the rigs. If you don't have a truck licence, a good company will do the training and put you through the tests.

There are different grades of licences according to the GMV (gross vehicle mass related to gross weight with size included in the calculations}, and for trailers and artics. The take home pay can be good with the allowances, but basic pay could be poor.

The hours are strictly controlled by law, and you are not permitted to work for more than 5 and a half hours behind the wheel before you take a 30 minute break. In a 24 hour period you may drive for only 2x5.5 periods. The law allows you to work another 2 hours per 24 in non-driving work.

{The politicians have thus declared you are unsafe after working more than 13 hours in 24. Pity they didn't think of themselves when the sit for 3 or 4 day continuous sessions. They appear unsafe at any speed.}

If you are good at dealing with people, you may consider coach driving.

The higher paid ones usually know more than one language and are very versatile and knowledgeable.

Go for it and enjoy it.

Answer 2

in order to be able to drive a truck in NZ u need not only a restricted or full licence,but you also need a truck n trailer licence,DG(dangerous Goods)licence.

You will also be needing to sit some tests.You could go to AA or pretty much the same places that you can go to that you get your normal drivers licence.

I come from a family of truck drivers,so i should know.

Answer 3

If you send me your email address, I'll email you a story I wrote for an Invercargill magazine about how to get a job truck driving.  I'm Pete Fowler.  The story is an attachment in Microsoft Word.  My email address is [e-mail].  The column which I write for the magazine is aimed mostly at school leavers.