Eric Deadman began hauling logs in the King Country before the Second World War. From small beginnings his business grew from a single truck to a small fleet before selling the business to his son Bob and his wife Margaret. By the early 1980s the changing regulatory environment and declining business ethics saw the new owners sell up their stake and take up farming, a decision they haven’t regretted. Simon Vincent continues the history of this well-known logging business. 

I am sure that anyone associated with the transport industry in the early 1980s will remember the five Mack cabovers of Mainfreight Ltd. The fledgling transport company placed the first four of its stunning new Mack FR700 eight wheeler trucks on the road in 1979/1980. We look at the history of these trucks here.

Waianiwa Transport Ltd had a long running history in Southland. The business grew out of horse teams run by Albert McDowall in the 1920s. Having passed through several owners it was eventually sold to Ryal Bush Transport in 1980. We offer this brief history of its operations.

When we look at the transport industry and its aging work force it is not hard to realise the problems that this is now presenting and the far-reaching implications it will have. So, when we were asked to visit a transport company run by some keen young men, how could we refuse? Laurent Contractors Ltd, Waharoa is owned and operated by Vaughan and Grayson Laurent alongside their wives Dani and Larissa. These young people epitomise the young face of transport, yet they are also some of the few taking the reins in the punishing world of road transport. Simon Vincent went to the Waikato to find out first hand just what drives these hardworking young people.

Simon Vincent spoke to Winston Howard about Howard Bros, the family firm which operated the iconic Kenworth L-924 known as Steptoe. The Howard family, Bruce, and later Bruce and Winston in partnership, were involved in transport from the 1950s until the 1970s initially general carriers and later they became loggers.

Main Line Distribution’s latest addition to its fleet is this outstanding Kenworth T909. The big sleeper equipped KW was built to make a statement, and make a statement it certainly does. Driver, Joe Williams, says that when they were building the truck, the goal was to achieve a clean, tough look. Well Joe, mission accomplished! Simon Vincent caught up with Joe loading the bold Kenworth out of Timaru recently.