‘Livestock transport’ - a family tradition

For the past eleven years, Graham Hutchison, based in Hokitika, has been happily transporting livestock across New Zealand in his K200 Kenworth. Coming from a family of stock truck drivers—his father and grandfather both held the profession—Graham’s grandfather drove for Trans West Freighters in their brown and white trucks in the 70’s. Currently, Graham drives for Trans West Freighters and next year will be moving stock around in a brand-new truck.

Trans West Freighters have been on the Coast for 60 years and has had three different colour schemes….and two different names, due to a handful of new owners, over this time; starting as Trans West Freighters, then to Northern Southland and back to Trans West Freighters in 2011.

“I enjoy traveling around the country and meeting new people,” Graham says. After leaving school, he tried dairy farming, which provided him with valuable experience in handling livestock. Following Landcorp’s exit from deer farming on the Coast, Graham mainly transports cattle. His primary route runs from Hokitika to Wellington, but at the time of his conversation with Top South Farming Paper, he had just returned from trips to Nelson, Oamaru, Christchurch, and as far down as Gore.

As he continues to uphold the family tradition and the reputation of Trans West Freighters and a new truck on the horizon, Graham looks forward to the future, ensuring safe and efficient transport for the animals he carries.