This sharp blue Scania caught Alison Verran’s attention when Rodney ‘Moots’ Pearson pulled up on Moffat Road in Bethlehem to grab a coffee.

Based in Tokoroa, Moots has been driving for Load Co for four years. “I cart logs all around the North Island. I’m heading back to Putaruru now for a load of pulp for Kinleith,” he said.

The 54-tonne rated R650 will soon celebrate its first birthday. The vivid blue and silver colour scheme is complemented by a picture on the side of the trucking history of the company owner, David ‘Digby’ Cameron. There are a few impressive Kenworths included in the line-up.

With 36 years of experience behind him, Moots started out as an unlikely truck driver. “As a kid, I always loved going for rides in a truck during the school holidays with my uncle, Selwyn Dyson.

“When I left school, I went farming but soon got sick of it. I was flatting with Alan Southern’s daughter at the time. Alan had just bought Doidges [T. Doidge, Tokoroa.] One day he offered me a job doing night shift on the ‘rubber rail’ to the Mount. I couldn’t drive a truck for shit, so Alan had to teach me.”

Moots finds driving an enjoyable challenge. “I enjoy being out on the road, just out there by yourself.”

He is increasingly disheartened by the lack of young drivers coming into the industry. “The younger generation don’t want to get up at 3am. They just don’t want to work; they would rather be at home playing PlayStation.”

Alison presented Moots with the vexing question: Rock ‘n’ roll or country. Moots says he is definitely a rock ‘n’ roll bloke.