Sam Welsford

Showing off his new Patchell swing loader down in Dunedin’s wharf area was local lad Sam Welsford. The swing loader is pulled by his trusty 2007 FM12 Volvo, which he proudly pilots around Dunedin for Icon Logistics.

The fresh-faced lad left nearby Kaikorai Valley

College at 16 and started an apprenticeship with Icon not long after. He started with sweeping floors and then worked through the stores, did some dispatch work, then into the yard and through all the trucks. Five years later, his apprenticeship was complete.

When it comes to trucking, Sam has had a good upbringing. His dad, Blair, is heavily involved in the industry, and Sam has some good memories – such as driving one of his dad’s older Kenworths up and down the driveway when he was just 13.

Most of the people Craig Andrews speaks to seem to focus on the same things: dealing with other road users being the negative, and the positive being they like driving the big gear. And Sam is one of these guys. He enjoys the big gear and the challenge pulling a swing lift brings. Dunedin streets do test the metro operator. “I enjoy the looks I get from people when they see me trying to negotiate into tricky areas,” he says.

The Volvo is an old Fonterra unit, so it has plenty of mileage under it – about 1.4-million kilometres – and a pretty fresh reverse gear. But it’s a truck that Sam is quite fond of. “Is a great wee truck that does the job.”

Five years in the industry for Sam are easily summed up with five words. “Great job with great people.”

The vexing question for Sam was, would you like to go for a run or a swim? “Definitely a swim,” was the answer.