From a 1966 Commer carting logs to a modernised fleet operating in the Golden Triangle, the Normans Transport story is a great piece of NZ trucking history
Normans Transport can trace their roots back to 1972 when Charlie Norman purchased a 1966 Commer and went to work carting logs. Livestock cartage followed and so did an iconic 8×4 141 Scania, which was a single steer truck with three rear axles – very unique back in the day. Normans Transport as we know them today was registered in 1988 by Charlie and Marie Norman.
My first encounter of a Normans truck was on a busy industrial street in South Auckland back in 1989 in the form of a smart F12 Volvo tractor unit towing a curtainsider semi. I was living in Auckland at the time and after moving back to Christchurch did not start photographing the light sky-blue trucks again until they became regular inter-island visitors in the mid 90s.
The Volvo brand had a stronghold in the fleet by then with FH Globetrotter’s being a common site in Christchurch, often seen in town overnighting or whilst the drivers took their mandatory 24-hour breaks before heading back north.
There was however to be a change in 2006, when Normans sold their ‘Inter Island Division’ to Freightlines and whilst the light blue remained for some time, the name on the side of the cabs were changed to that of the new owners.
In the interim and through to today the North Island operation of was growing from strength to strength with head office
and the main depot being situated in Morrinsville, right in the prime position to make the most of what is known in freight terms as the Golden Triangle – the upper North Island freight corridor connecting Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga – and which is where most of the Normans fleet will be seen plying their trade.
The Volvo brand is still dominant in the fleet, with stablemates Scania, Western Stars and Internationals gracing the fleet in recent times, but perhaps the biggest surprise in terms of brand arrived in the form of an 8×4 K200 Kenworth tractor unit in Normans new and modernised rebranded livery, which coincided with their 50th anniversary in business. There was also a 50th anniversary gold Scania curtainsider commissioned to celebrate the occasion.
For the best part, the fleet remains in the classic light blue base colour of old with the new signage and snazzy dark blue and red stripes leading the way into the future and the next company anniversary milestone.
Images by Dean Middleton
