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NZ Trucking : March Issue 2017
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WWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZWWW.GOCLEAR.CO.NZ Earning respect W e can learn about image and professionalism from the sports industry. The past couple of decades have seen top sports people go from amateurs to professionals. But some sports struggle to control their naïve and excitable rising stars, especially boisterous league and rugby players. Bad managers, booze, drugs, and sexual encounters keep the media well fed. Reputations are like puppets hanging on tenuous strings that the media can pull whenever they choose. Even worse is social media, where haters can be completely one-sided and fake news can look like the real thing. Sportspeople, celebrities, and anyone else can suddenly become the centre of unwanted attention and be unfairly tried in the court of public opinion. The public expect the news about trucks to be bad news, almost inevitably involving serious crashes. Over time perceptions have spread throughout society and are so ingrained that many of us in the industry perceive the image as ‘normal’. It’s a perception that can only be cleaned up from within the industry, by the industry. Strategy and cooperation are essential because we have to change our own culture before we can challenge others to show us respect. Drivers and trucks are the interface between the road transport industry and the public; they ’re the two factors that are the key to changing the public’s image of us. Things like road courtesy and truck presentation are vital, but we need to improve our image from every angle. Some of us don’t understand that throwing rubbish out of the cab, squeezing overtaking cars out at the end of passing lanes and being seen on the phone when driving affect the entire industry’s image. If the truck has a dangerous goods sign or H plate, many car drivers fear for their safety. It’s vital to display faultless compliance and courtesy at all times. If we want the general media to report the great things the industry does, such as getting freight through earthquake affected routes, improving truck safety, reducing emissions per tonne/kilometre, taking handicapped children for rides, and helping out when we come across an accident – we have to initiate change. On a positive note, there are many excellent drivers out there and New Zealand Trucking magazine has introduced the ‘Good bugger of the month’. If you know a driver worthy of nomination, see page 52 and send us his or her details. All the best John Murphy Field editor 6 New Zealand Trucking March 2017 EDITORIAL adaptedmasthead.indd 1 8/02/ 2012 11:02: 47 a .m .
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