Old School Trucks: Amuri Transport
DOW takes a look at the Amuri Transport fleet that includes livestock trucks, bulk tippers, and spreaders
It has been almost three decades since one of the biggest transport company collapses in New Zealand history.
The rise of Transpac during the late 80s was impressive, however, their demise a few years later was not, and it left a huge trail of destruction in its wake. Rarely do many positives come out of such a calamity but against the odds, Amuri Transport was one and became the proverbial ‘Phoenix rising from the ashes’.
With a never say die attitude, eight drivers from Transpac’s Culverden and Waiau depots approached the receivers of Transpac to enquire how they could purchase the Transpac vehicles and two depots.
With grit and determination (not to mention the accompanying financial risks), the eight employees became transport company owners almost overnight and Amuri Transport (1989) Ltd was born. The rest, as they say, is history.
The rural sector has been the mainstay of work for the Amuri Transport fleet over the years with livestock trucks, bulk tippers/dropsiders, and spreaders making up most of the numbers, however, curtainsiders, crane trucks, and milk tankers among other applications have also made up the numbers.
Most makes and models have graced the Amuri Transport fleet colours with many of the older trucks originally inherited from Transpac and many second-hand and new purchases added or traded along the way.
In recent years, Japanese brands have joined the ranks, but the Scania brand has gained dominance within the fleet. In saying this, the most recent purchase has come from the rival Swedish brand in the form of a stunning new FH16 Volvo, which is turning more than a few heads on Livestock duties.
Few would argue that Amuri Transport has come a long way since its inception, starting with some run down old Transpac trucks to running a large fleet of modern trucks we see today. The rise of Amuri Transport epitomises the ‘can-do’ Kiwi attitude and to this day is still living proof of what can be achieved from a disastrous and near impossible predicament.
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