| 43 RURAL SERVICES » Murdoch Transport Family business a beacon of reliability Livestock and general freight form the backbone of Murdoch Transport. Kelly Deeks Fuelled by a passion for excellence and a relentless pursuit of customer satisfaction, livestock and general rural freight carrier Murdoch Transport has become a symbol of reliability in the transportation industry. Started 20 years ago in Mangatainoka by Brian Murdoch, and today run together with his son Campbell, Murdoch Transport grew from humble beginnings. Lifelong truck driver Brian bought his own truck in February 2004. Then on Valentine’s Day, a North Island storm brought 100-year floods to Manawatu-Whanganui, breaking river banks, bringing down bridges, flooding homes, and closing roads. “It destroyed our roads, and 60 of them were closed around here,” Brian says. “There was a big wind farm job at Te Apiti on Saddle Road and they couldn’t get the trucks in to cart up the hill. So Murdoch Transport spent its first six months carting gravel up the hill for new roads and turbine pads.” Once the rural community was back on its feet following the flood, Murdoch Transport expanded into livestock cartage and continued to grow its reputation for timeliness and dependability. Today, Murdoch Transport stands as a testament to perseverance and integrity. Growing to five trucks and drivers until last year, the nationwide truck driver shortage has hit the general and livestock freight industry in the Tararua region hard. “Finding good drivers is a massive problem,” Brian says. “There is a lot of logging through here, and a lot of milk tankers, and they pay twice as much so the good drivers all want to be doing that instead.” Still the father and son team run a pretty smart fleet, with two livestock trucks, one being a tipper with a crate to add for the cartage of hay, fertiliser, and more. Murdoch Transport finds additional support amongst a couple of other transport companies and they help each other out when needed. Brian and Campbell are a professional and dedicated team and each plays a crucial role in ensuring the seamless operation of Murdoch Transport’s services, working tirelessly to uphold the company’s reputation for excellence. As skilled drivers and logistics experts, their workdays embody their spirit of camaraderie and collaboration. Every load, whether livestock or freight, receives the same attention to detail and care, reflecting Murdoch Transport’s unwavering commitment to exceeding client expectations. Trucks heading to the sale yards are always in tip top condition, clean and shiny to give that great first impression and make the stock look great. “We try to offer the best service we can,” Brian says. “We’re always on time or early, we’re never late. 10 minutes early is on time!” Rural Tararua has changed shape quite a bit in the past few years as Brian says he has lost three of his sheep farmer clients to pine trees. All the animals are gone with pine trees planted in their place for carbon credits. As the lamb price still struggles to recover this season, Brian is seeing more local farms coming on to the market as carbon credit planters are paying a premium. As Murdoch Transport continues to chart new territories and overcome challenges, Brian and Campbell remain steadfast in their commitment to delivering exceptional transportation solutions, and the company a beacon of reliability and excellence in the transportation industry. Campbell as a youngster standing in front of Brian’s truck and now behind the wheel. “adding value to your business” robin@totalstockcrates.co.nz www.totalstockcrates.co.nz Manufacturers of superior stockcrates ∙ Proud to support Murdoch Transport Ltd Multi-Deck Stockcrates • 5 year guarantee 06 323 0202 Contact us today
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