20/08/2025
We would love you to join us in supporting our class 5 hiab operator Steff Haresnape in the comp!
Simply follow the link and give her a like to show your support - Thank You!!
As a relief driver with experience on a wide range of gear, Steff prides herself on delivering a top notch service to you and your customers safely and efficiently.
Here Steff is operating a Palfinger PK78002-SH with a fly jib, mounted to a 5 axle tractor unit.
Hiab, Fassi, Palfinger - no problemo.
Japanese, Euro or American, road-ranger, auto, truck & trailer or semi, oversized, day or night, rain or shine - their ain't nothing she's afraid to wrangle.
Although Steff particularly loves Hiab work, with her 'keen to give everything a go' attitude, she has acquired a collection of tickets and experience that enables her to be a versatile member on any job site:
Class 1,2,3,4,5,6 licences, mobile crane, franna, WTR, forklift, telehandler, material handler, excavator, dogman, EWP...
(plus a few things slightly less relevant to the trucking/construction industries; Sailboat Skipper ticket, Advanced Open Water SCUBA Diving ticket, BSc - Marine Biology, PGDipSci - Wildlife Management, plus she has recently become a certified Health Coach and is continuing her studies to become a Master Coach specialising in Mental Health.)
Steff often gets asked how she got into trucking, with most people assuming her Dad must be a truck driver. Nope!
Needing a part time job while studying Marine Biology at Otago, Steff got her class 2 and began driving a tour bus around the South Island.
Moving north to Ruakaka to pursue a career in Aquaculture, and got her class 4 (coz she likes collecting the little pictures on the back of her licence). Steff soon tired of the glass ceiling holding the young and enthusiastic back in the world of science.
She moved to Nelson (for a boy 🫣), and decided to look for driving work while she decided where her career would go next. After being handed the keys to a double-decker car transporter, she realised the joy of spending her day getting to drive all sorts of cars and machinery, and having beautiful scenery to drink in whilst listening to sweet tunes.
One day, she delivered wrecked cars to the scrappy, and her next goal was realised - operate "the claw".
So she moved to Auckland and got a job with a scrap metal company where she got to operate a Liebherr Construction material handler.
This is also where she got her first taste of hiab operation, and got to see a large mobile crane in action which was called upon to lift the huge transformers out of the substation equipment she was tasked with decommissioning and recycling.
At this stage, the occasional play on the remote didn't scratch the itch. She wanted to operate and drive full time. So off to join the crane industry she went. Here Steff was given the opportunity to learn any piece of machinery she felt ready for - the challenges and learning accelerated her forward to collect the skills and experience she now brings to every job to date.
The learning never stops, and that's what makes the job so enjoyable - variation, challenges, problem-solving and happy customers.
Like many women in this industry, Steff has had to prove her skills and value every day to overcome the perspective some people still hold (consciously or unconsciously) - that women don't belong in the construction and transport industries.
For this reason, Steff is extremely grateful to the people, to the businesses that were willing to give her a chance. Those who supported and encouraged her through the roller coaster of learning curves that come with operating heavy machinery.
Downer NZ Universal Cranes New Zealand Prestige Cranes Doyler Ltd NVD Logistics Dion McConchie Leo Lemmen Eian Cameron Jacob Gibson Terence Teixeira Robert Schedewy ASH Transport Connect Transport Pukekohe Hiab Transport Ltd Hiab Heroes Hiab Trucks in New Zealand. Paul Running Penske Gareth Hamblyn Crane and Cartage Smith Crane & Construction Ltd Swanson Transport Ltd Watercare Brian Roberts Towing
So a massive thank you to all you incredible, special people who have seen, respected and cheered on this operator who's skills and effort are often underestimated by those who don't see beyond the packaging.
Employers, colleagues and customers - you are an important part of this story. Steff is extremely grateful for the successes we have, and will continue to share.
Next up entered into the Onyx Forklifts comp is Steph💕💕💓💓🌸💐🌺💘💘💝🌷🎀💄👙
Most likes wins a $500 prezzy card thanks to our mates at Onyx Forklifts & bragging rights of being Rock on Trucking Nz Class5woman of the year🏆🏆
Palfinger NZ
(Send in your entries in on pinned announcement posts comments section)
