The December-January double issue of New Zealand Truck & Driver magazine is available this week with the Giti Tyres Big Test cover story shining the spotlight on a special Scania in the Open Country Dairy fleet.

The only P Series model working in Open Country livery is a 460hp milk collection tanker working from the Waharoa depot. It’s achieving fuel efficiency of just over 3km per litre as a 7-axle tanker combination and is also a testbed for new technology including an electric milk pumping system.

Our final Advantage Tyres Fleet Focus for 2025 is in Canterbury to look at the road paving operations of JCL Asphalts and sister company Blue Diamond Haulage. The two paving operations established by James Craw are bringing new technology to the sector.

The holiday season issue opens with a News section that looks at the introduction of new average speed safety cameras and roadside drug-testing and previews the upgraded Fuso Shogun range for New Zealand.

The long-awaited SH3 Mt Messenger Bypass project has reached a major milestone with the breakthrough on the new 235-metre tunnel, and we report on an in-motion EV charging trial in France. The big trucks contesting the 2026 Dakar Rally are getting ready to race through the dunes and the NZI Truckie Rest Zone programme wraps up its 2025 dates. 

Transporting New Zealand gives its final update for 2025 with CEO Dom Kalasih briefing on the benefits of Transporting New Zealand’s new Green Fleet Self-Assessment Tool and the latest transport decarbonisation strategies. There’s also the latest on The Regulatory Systems (Transport) Amendment Bill now progressing through Parliament.

A packed calendar of recent events includes coverage from the Bill Richardson Rally from Christchurch to Invercargill, action from the opening round of the NAPA Auto Parts NZ Super Truck Championship at Manfeild and has coverage from the Invercargill Truck Show and the 10th anniversary Dave Carr Memorial Run.

Part 3 of the Bygone Days-Transport Wairarapa Ltd historical series looks at the company’s regional hubs and tells the story of the photo collection complied by former driver Jim Laird. 

Southpac Trucks Legends showcases the impressive fleet and family values which has seen Kevin and Megan McKay build their thriving transport operation based in Gisborne, and a recent trip to the Netherlands gave a chance to explore the DAF Museum in Eindhoven – where the Dutch truck maker has restored milestone models from its innovative history. 

National Road Carriers Association CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers takes a look at the challenges facing new entrants to the transport industry and provides an insight into the productivity benefits which can be unlocked by the fast-track consent process. 

Our monthly analysis of registration data reveals a slight lift to the New Zealand new truck and trailer market in October and there’s a bonus-size gallery of new rigs on the road to wrap-up the year.