Driving diversity in trucking
Driving diversity in trucking
Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand (Transporting New Zealand) and Teletrac Navman are bringing a ground-breaking initiative to the road transport industry in New Zealand to drive diversity.
The 2022 Driving Change Diversity Programme will develop a group of diversity champions, nominated from within the transport industry, teaching them how to create change and facilitate diversity in their workplace and community. It is based on a similar successful programme run by the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) across the Tasman.
Falling under the banner of Transporting New Zealand’s Te ara ki tua Road to success traineeship, it will be the first trans-Tasman programme of its kind in the industry, focused on tackling the challenge of attracting talent to the industry by making it more inclusive.
“With the support of Teletrac Navman, the 2022 Driving Change Diversity Programme will showcase diversity champions to the New Zealand trucking industry and wider community, and help promote a positive view of the careers available in road freight transport to encourage more people into the sector’s workforce,” says Transporting New Zealand chief executive Nick Leggett.
Participants in the 2022 Teletrac Navman Driving Change Diversity Programme will be provided professional development coaching to become mentors, be supported to become spokespeople for diversity and inclusion in the industry, and develop a strong professional network with like-minded individuals.
“There’s no doubt our industry will benefit from this. There have long been concerns about driver shortages, so we need to create an environment where both local and overseas drivers feel welcome,” Leggett says.
“Diversity in the workplace has proven benefits such as increased productivity, access to a greater talent pool, competitive advantages, and the development of more inclusive, attractive workplaces. There are many opportunities available to people with an interest in road transport, logistics, and heavy-vehicle mechanics,” Leggett says.
Transporting New Zealand says that the trucking industry is vital to New Zealand’s productivity and economic growth, with trucks transporting 93 percent of New Zealand’s freight.
Teletrac Navman Marketing Director Megan Duncan says, “During the two years that the programme has been running in Australia, we’ve seen positive changes in the transport industry. Interest in the programme is increasing and the participants are creating a strong diverse network of people who will help shape the future of the industry. We’re looking forward to bringing New Zealand into the programme in 2022 and growing diversity in the sector on both sides of the Tasman.”
ATA Chair David Smith says the programme had received overwhelming support from industry members since its Australian launch.
“We are so thrilled to welcome our New Zealand counterparts to the programme. They are demonstrating the leadership and innovative thinking that is crucial to building a viable and sustainable industry,” Smith says.
Nominations for the Teletrac Navman Driving Change Diversity Programme can be made from 20 April until 3 June, 2022. Participants must be involved as an owner or employee in a trucking business in New Zealand.
The programme will kick off at a workshop in September and participants will attend the Transporting New Zealand Conference in Invercargill.
For more information on how to participate contact Fiona McDonagh at Transporting New Zealand, fiona@transporting.nz
ENDS
About Teletrac Navman
Teletrac Navman is a global, market-leading software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider leveraging AI and machine learning to drive next-generation mobile asset and fleet management. Powered by AI to turn real-time data into decisions, Teletrac Navman’s specialised solutions deliver businesses with simplified, smart, predictive and actionable insights to help enhance productivity and profitability. Its fleet and asset management technology uncovers and simplifies information that would otherwise go unseen, helping customers reduce risk and confidently move their business forward with certainty. It tracks and manages more than 550,000 vehicles and assets around the world. The company is headquartered in Orange County, CA, with additional offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico. For more information www.teletracnavman.co.nz.
About Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand
Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand (Transporting New Zealand) provides unified national representation for the trucking industry, that is, about 1,200 individual road freight transport companies, which operate about 14,000 heavy trucks delivering for New Zealand. The road freight transport industry employs 32,868 people (2.0% of the workforce), has a gross annual turnover of $6 billion, and transports 93% of the total tonnes of freight moved in New Zealand. For more information www.transporting.nz.
About Australian Trucking Association
The Australian Trucking Association is a united voice and forum for its members on trucking issues of national importance. The ATA’s vision is to deliver what people need in a safe, progressive and viable way. For more information www.truck.net.au.
Media contacts:
Rachael Joel for Teletrac Navman rachaelj@botica.co.nz 021 403 504
Nick Leggett for Transporting New Zealand nick@transporting.nz 021 248 2175
John MacDonald (KAM Transport)
John MacDonald (KAM Transport)
“It was time to do something different and this offers plenty of work, variety, something different every day and challenges and problems to solve.
John has been a truck driver for five years and has worked through to a Class 5 licence. He drives line haul (the longer distances) for KAM Transport.
“There’s a bit of banter on the road and you meet a lot of good people. You get put up in a hotel and fed and it’s a good life.”
John says people in the trucking industry are open and willing to help and educate you along the way and he doesn’t regret his decision to do something
different.
Kotuku Coombe (KAM Transport)
Kotuku Coombe (KAM Transport)
“I went to jail just before my 21 st birthday. When I was in there, I knew I would never go back, but I just didn’t know where to start until someone gave me a chance.
It was Kotuku’s first job and he started as a driver’s assistant, helping load the heavy meat carcasses. He didn’t even have a driver licence, but he’d grown up around trucks and was keen to become a driver.
Five years on, aged 29, he has a Class 4 licence and he’s the driver. He still starts at 2am and transports meat for butchers and supermarkets and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“If you get the opportunity take it. This has been a life changing experience for me. The other drivers teach you – but ask questions, it’s all free knowledge.”