Accolades for 50 years on road

Dave Hoskin has clocked up a significant number of kilometres in his half-century in the trucking industry and his service to the transport industry has been recognised.

Mr Hoskin, 66, was made a life member of the Wanganui Road Transport Association at a function in the city this week. He also received a certificate of appreciation from the NZ Transport Agency, again recognising his industry involvement.

He becomes the fourth life member of the branch, following Peter Thompson, Alec Penn and Keith Kui and yesterday said he was "blown away" by the accolade.

Mr Hoskin, company director of Dave Hoskin Carriers, started driving trucks almost as soon as he left St Augustine's (now Cullinane) College and when called up to do his compulsory military training he opted to drive trucks which he thought was better than doing endless military drills.

He drove for Atlas Freighters and with the old P and T Department when it was putting in phone lines up Fields Track. There was time working for O'Hara's Readi-Mix in Wanganui, driving 40-tonne truck-and-trailer rigs from the Kakariki metal pit near Bulls to Wanganui five times a day.

It was a hard slog, and when the opportunity came to go out on his own, he jumped at the chance, buying out local carrier Des Hawke.

Mr Hoskin started with two Bedford trucks, using his Aramoho home as a base but in the 1980s he made the shift to the company's current headquarters in Heads Rd.

From that original two-truck operation, the company now boasts a 26 truck fleet.

The company made a point of making "community connections" for its business and that included contracts with Suzuki NZ Ltd and Tasman Tanning rather than long-haul work.

"But we still maintained links with the national transport network," he said.

Now into its 34th year, the company has developed into a very successful family-run operation which includes Mr Hoskin's wife Gwen, sons Darrell and Karl and his sister Andrea.

As well as managing the business he got involved in other aspects of the industry, as a member of the National Transport Forum and the central area of the Road Transport Association which included a term as president.

Away from the transport world, Mr Hoskin's passion for rugby is well known and has seen him lead the Wanganui Rugby Union, manage national age group teams and serve on NZ Rugby's appointment and remuneration board.

Tom Cloke, Road Transport Association western central area manager, made the presentation to Mr Hoskin.

"Dave may be classed as grumpy and a pain in the backside at times but there's no denying the tireless work that he has put into road transport around the Wanganui district and beyond. His life membership is richly deserved," Mr Cloke said.