Foreperson Ed Tuira has been with Higgins since 2017 and is still very passionate about his job in road maintenance. Ed’s team services the maintenance needs of the southern area of the East Waikato Network Outcomes Contract (EWNOC) which includes SH2, SH26, SH27, SH24, and SH29.

“I enjoy my role as foreperson as it enables me to share my experiences and knowledge learnt over 20 years of being in the industry,” Ed says.

The team’s daily jobs can range from litter collection, marker post replacement, minor pavement repairs, and drainage and incident response.

“Though the role can be challenging at times, with the support and caring nature of colleagues, this becomes easier.”

Ed says safety has always been at the front of his mind.

“I have been exposed to two fatalities – colleagues lost their lives whilst performing their daily tasks. Although I have seen vast improvement in the safety culture compared to when I first started, I still would ask the public to take notice and care around roading operations.”

Area Maintenance Manager William Morris praises Ed for ensuring safety during the delivery of all the work he is involved in, his attention to detail, and quality of workmanship.

“Ed assisted with the planning and onsite delivery during the SH29 Kaimai Closure in July 2024. His natural talent in leading the team and subcontractors ensures everything on-site goes smoothly, and efficiently.”