Country Life: Riding along with the truckies moving cattle

I'm wide-eyed with apprehension, my face creased in concern and fist curled tight around the microphone handle.

To my right, truckie John Robson is expertly reversing a Freightliner Argosy through a narrow gate and up a steep, rugged farm track near the back of Tūtira, in northern Hawke's Bay.

With no reversing camera, it's all skill, experience and my nervous no, no, yups that are helping him manoeuvre this massive truck - rated for up to 54-tonnes - into the paddock on our way to the yards where we're picking up a load of in-calf cows.

I'm comforted knowing he's one of Stephenson Transport Ltd's most experienced drivers and has been doing the job so for almost 30 years.

Follow Country Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts.

The Hawke's Bay-based family business, was established in 1936 by Sep Stephenson - with just one truck. Today Sep's son Bruce Stephenson, and grandchildren Todd Stephenson and Kim McRae are driving the business forward.

"A lot came before us, but not with the two decks and that sort of thing," Bruce told Country Life. "It started off logging, and that's how it all come about, then got into the livestock after that."

The business now has 50 trucks and trailers and does a bit of everything related to agriculture - whether that's ground spreading, carting bulk fertiliser, wool or apples, and transporting livestock, which makes up the majority of the work.

It employs between 70 to 80 people at peak, with drivers that service most of the North Island and travel over 2.58 million kilometres per annum.

Its busiest time is from October to March which includes the apple harvesting season in Hawke's Bay.

During an average 12-month period, the company carries well over 1 million lambs, 600,000 sheep and around 160,000 head of cattle.

Todd, who started as a mechanic, says he was "always going to be involved with trucks", having been born into the industry.

Looking over old photos he noted the way in which the business had changed - from single trucks to drivers having to bring their own races and ramps for stock to climb in.

"The roads haven't changed much. Neither have the yards. But yeah, technology certainly has."

The new technology makes things easier and more comfortable - for both the livestock and drivers - but has added to costs. High fuel prices this year have also been a significant cost for the business, though Stephenson said it has managed this. He just hoped it would ease soon.

"Our gear is all fairly modern. We like to keep everything up to spec there. You've got to keep up with it, keep moving with the times."

It's still a job that requires a good level of skill and experience.

"[The] driving skills, I believe, are far greater than any other. For a start, you've got to reverse up to every load. And as I said, not many of the facilities have changed over the last 50 odd years. A lot of it was only designed for truck-only before the trailers were even invented."

This means drivers are somewhat limited in terms of how many animals can be transported as most units are "maxxed out" in terms of length and weight.

"It's also an incredibly physical job, with animal handling a big part of the role," Todd said.

"It's like going to the gym half a dozen times a day."

John's certainly demonstrating that up at the yards, as he jumps up to adjust the ramp levels and open and close the door.

Keeping weight distribution in mind, as well as each animal's welfare, he directs the others which stock to load first and helps push them up the ramp into the truck.

There are rules around transporting livestock and as the driver, it's up to John to ensure the animals are fit to travel and looked after during transit.

As it was for the others, it was through a family connection that John started driving, almost 30 years ago.

He'd worked in farming doing a bit of fencing, shearing and working with stock before his brother-in-law - a livestock truck driver - gave him a lesson in a paddock. The next week John headed down to Wellington to do a run after qualifying with his full Class 5 licence.

" did a little bit of freight beforehand, but nah, this is my forté."

He enjoys working with the stock as well as the people.

"Every day is different, which is good about this job. So you might have a sale run Monday, unload, do a load into the works, have a cup of tea, do one to Wairoa, come home.

"It's not just driving, it's all the people as well too. Cockies, drivers, and the livestock, there's a good camaraderie, so I really enjoy that."

The Stephensons are proud to be carrying on the family business and have hopes it will pass on to the next generation eventually - Todd's three children have all got their Class 5 licence, while Kim's boys are getting more into the business too.

"It's very exciting and it's a privilege to be in the business that's been going for such a long time," Kim told Country Life.

She praised the staff as the "backbone" of the firm.

"We ask a lot of them in the livestock industry because of the crazy hours they have to start in the morning. Rain, hail or sun, sometimes those guys are starting at like three in the morning.

"Livestock for New Zealand is such an important part of our export dollar, which pays for so much of running New Zealand. We are a primary producing nation and so I see the industry, livestock, transportation here to stay."