By David Farrier
Tomorrow the first so called "super truck" will hit New Zealand roads, making its official debut drive from Auckland to its base in Palmerston North.
The monster is 22m long, and fully-loaded has the potential to break the road.
“It’s great! It’s been a work in progress, it’s been a concept and a dream for a bit - now its reality,” says Craig Booth of Booths Transport.
The beast is owned by Booths Transport, based in Palmerston North. It's worth around half a million dollars, has 10 axles and 36 wheels.
“We understand this truck is 22m which is 2m longer than what is permitted by most trucks,” says Mark Stockdale of the Automobile Association.
The exceptions are logging trucks and car transporters, but as far as the 22m monster is concerned - it's a first.
“They’ll be able to carry more which means efficiency gain, so less trucks on the road in the future so that has safety benefits as well,” says Mr Booth.
The truck is able to carry 53 tonnes but will be restricted to the standard 44 tonnes on some roads, because they can't take the weight.
“There is a permit process you have to go through and then select the right route. It depends on the road and the bridges,” says Mr Booth.
Restricted roads include Auckland’s Southern Motorway and certain bridges.
It's a hard truck to miss, as the first in the fleet also doubles as a billboard featuring a New Zealand farming scene.
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