| 55 Building a new chapter in the Legacy Karen Phelps Following in his father’s footsteps, a Taranaki businessman is building a new chapter in the Fisher Transport legacy, drawing on childhood memories of riding in truck cabs to create his own success story in rural haulage. Jade Fisher, owner of Fisher Transport, quite literally started his relationship with trucks at birth. “I was picked up from the hospital by my Dad in a truck so my first ride ever was in a truck. He picked Mum and I up on the way to doing a delivery,” says Jade. Born and raised in coastal Taranaki, Jade initially carved out a career far from the transport industry, completing trade qualifications in engineering as a boilermaker and mechanical fitting before spending over a decade working in the oil and gas industry internationally. However, the pull of home and family tradition proved strong. “I was brought up around trucks with Dad’s business, which was the original Fisher Transport. He had the contract with PCL Feeds in Taranaki for a long time delivering feed in the district and was in trucking for 32 years. So that really ignited my passion for transport,” says Jade. The current iteration of Fisher Transport was born from the challenges of COVID-19. After establishing Fisher Mechanical Services in 2019, the pandemic prompted Jade to pivot towards local opportunities, leading to the purchase of his first truck. While initially focusing on construction industry cartage, a chance observation of palm kernel deliveries to a former schoolmate’s farm sparked a new direction. That schoolmate was Bridget and Hayden Goble, who would later be named Share Farmers of the Year 2023. The Gobles became Fisher Transport’s first agricultural customers, opening the door to a growing rural transport operation. From these beginnings, it has expanded to offer services Taranaki-wide, specialising in stock feed delivery while also handling palm kernel, fertiliser, lime, metal and bark cartage across the region. Keeping the business in the family remains important, with Jade’s father John helping out when needed. The team includes contractor Chris Smith, a good friend, and Jade’s partner Jess, who comes from a farming background and is helping take the business to the next level. She also has her Class 2 license so plans to drive once the business expands. “I couldn’t do what I do without them,” says Jade. “My focus is on delivering what farmers need when they need it. I will bend over backwards to make it happen.” Operating two units with up to 35-tonne capacity, the company has expanded beyond local deliveries to contract work across the North Island for other transport companies, including urea cartage. RURAL SERVICES » Fisher Transport Ltd ELTHAM 11 Stanners Street 06 764 8305 NEW PLYMOUTH 36 Eliot Street 06 759 0105 www.schurrireland.co.nz Empowering your ideal future. Schurr & Ireland are proud to support Fisher Transport Ltd. Making insurance easy for Fisher Transport Ltd 06 769 5186 | www.theadvisers.co.nz This growth comes despite strong regional competition and established farmer loyalties. “There is a lot of competition in our region and with farmers there is also a lot of loyalty,” says Jade, who sees the transport industry as his next challenge after reaching the peak of his oil and gas career. The decision to focus on agricultural transport has proven successful, with the business growing through word of mouth and networking within the farming community. The purchase of a trailer to keep up with the Gobles’ demand marked a significant expansion, leading to further growth through referrals from other farming friends. As a locally owned and operated business, Fisher Transport prides itself on offering personal service. When farmers call, they speak directly with Jade, ensuring a level of service that larger companies might struggle to match. This approach has helped establish it as a reliable partner for the agricultural community, building on the Fisher family’s long association with transport in the region. The pandemic prompted Jade to pivot towards local opportunities.
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