Christchurch – the South Island’s fuel hub

A fun atmosphere is how the Christchurch depot is described by Hayden Garing, Pacific Fuel Haul’s National Contract Manager.

"Having worked together for a long time, they are a very experienced team who know each other very well," explains Hayden.

Mostly former staff from Alexander Transport, that team includes six support staff, 27 drivers including two female drivers, and four full time mechanics working from the NZ Trucks Workshop onsite.

"Christchurch is the South Island’s fuel hub," says Hayden. "We’re very fortunate to have a depot with an onsite mechanic’s workshop and which is just half a kilometre from the mobile gantry where the product is loaded."

Working mainly on the Farmlands and Z Tasks , there are also four trucks dedicated to delivering aviation fuel throughout the South Island.

"Depending on which contract drivers are working on, they can average anywhere between seven to 13,000 kilometres per week," says Hayden. "As we are the fuel hub for the South Island, there are also regular co-ordinations between Nelson, Timaru, Dunedin and Christchurch which sees the fleet at times completing a number of swaps to keep fuel in the ground in these regions."

Due to the changeable weather in the mountain ranges, the depot receives twice daily weather reports from NZTA. The ability to switch delivery plans to alternative routes is an imperative as snow can close mountain passes – and there has already been one unseasonal snow fall this summer.

"Because a number of the team have more than 20 years’ experience in bulk fuel delivery, they are actually a very relaxed team – no matter what the weather or the contract demands are!” says Hayden. “With that experience comes a lot of personal pride in HSE. It’s ingrained that every job has to be done safely."