Building a truck firm

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 7, Issue 340, 19 June 1990, Page 13

Building a truck firm

McCarthy Transport will be celebrating 45 years in business this year as they continue to bring out the timber and deliver it to its destinations.

I fte trucking firm began amongst the Erua bushline in 1955 under the name "Burgess and McCarthy", Rex and Arthur purchased an S model Bedford truck to transport sawn timber from the Erua trunk mill to National Park. Later the company transported logs destined for Marton for MSD Spiers over the western access to the rail in National Park. They increased their trucks to four and began carting for the "Dominion Timber Company" and "Tongariro Timber Company" at National Park. In 1971 Rex Burgess died and soon after Arthur was faced with the closure of the Dominion Timber Company after it was burnt down. Arthur continued carting for the Tongariro Timber Company from the Kaiangaroa Forest with only two trucks. In 1977 Arthur obtained a contract with Winstones to cart from the Karioi forest to Napier. When Winstones pulpmill became operational in 1979 Arthur secured the rights to cart all timber south of the mill. In January 1988 Arthur regretfully

passed away and the business was taken over by his son Mark. Today with a fleet of 12 trucks at the Raetihi depot on State Highway 49, Mark has secured 100 percent of the rights to cart to and from the mill as far north as Tokoroa, south to Levin, west to New Plymouth and east to Napier. The McCarthy Transport fleet made up of Scammells, Kenworths, Mercedes and Internationals, reflect a fine display of success. Seven of the twelve trucks work two shifts, the remaining five work a single day. The shift trucks (Scammells),

work a long-haul 276,000 kilometres annually. Together the heavy, dominating trucks cart a remarkable 65 loads in 22 hours, gurgling up a diesel bill of around $78,000 per truck yearly. The staff at McCarthy's consists of one office clerk, two mechanics, 24 drivers and manager Daniel Siddels. In 1989 Mark spread his wings to the south and bought into the North Canterbury logging fleet. The business there is known as McCarthy and Wilshier Transport in Rangiora in the South Island. They have a fleet of

nine trucks carting to the McAlpines Sawmill in Rangiora and to the Canterbury Timber Products Company at Ashley. Mark says he is lucky to have had a trucking background bred into him with the responsibilities he has. He talks with respect of his parents and the logging business as he looks back through the family album. Its not often on the roads north, south, east or west of the Waimarino that you don't come across the big red and white giants with a familiar face smiling at vnn.