Dave Carr

Settlor

Having grown up in Mercer and my father working for Roose Shipping Company, my interest in trucks was from a very young age.

In 1975 on my 15th birthday I started a diesel apprenticeship in Roose workshops and over the next 45 years have built – modified
– driven and owned many trucks to this day.

Restoring old trucks is now the daily driver.

Greg Pert

Chairman

Director Tranzliquid Logistics Ltd (FCILT)

Hello … with my Logistics & Transport career now nearly spanning 40 years, I was asked / felt it was time to take on another very important role, as chairman of the MTM and pleased to be here.. An ex-northland farm boy moved to Auckland to the Freightways Group mostly in the tanker division of (Freightways Bulk Services) and where I became an OD.

Opportunities arose as an OD and we grew to a fleet operation known today as Tranzliquid Logistics Ltd, with a fleet of trucks based throughout NZ specialising in transporting predominately Fuel, Bitumen- “Liquid Asphalts” & container movements…also a Commercial Service Workshop, all headquartered in Mount Maunganui – BOP.

Roles past & present:

Chairman of the RTF Board – past (Transporting NZ) & member – present

Advisory member PITSF (Petroleum Industry Transport Safety Forum) – present

Western BOP Infrastructure Forum – present

NRC Executive member 1996 > 2022 – past

FLAG – Freight Logistics Action Group – past

Paula Rogers

Trustee (Secretary)

Driving my first truck was when I realised I had found the Industry I want to be in, 30 years later I’m still in it and love everyday of it!

There weren’t many females truck driving when I started, travelling down the motorway I thought was queen of the road it was exhilarating, it’s great to see so many women out there now driving.

From driving trucks I went into sales selling truck & trailer parts which was extremely interesting especially crawling under a truck trying to identify the axle or suspension.

An opportunity came along to join a Road Transport Association which was an exciting start to my next chapter in my career path providing representation and assistance to freight operators around the Country.

After 4.5 years I then switched over to where I am today at National Road Carriers Association as a Commercial Transport Specialist. My passion is Trucks! Kenworth’s are my favourite especially the W924 Model.

Trucks are the background of our Country and without them everything would run out within days. I have the upmost respect for our past and present road transport legends and the old gear that was used back in the day.

I was delighted to accept the role as Secretary of the Mercer Transport Museum as we need to preserve our Countries Road Transport History and share the story.

Lewis Clotworthy

Trustee

I have spent 54 years working in the New Zealand Road Transport Industry.

From driving through to fleet management involving bulk haulage heavy haulage cement haulage and fleet procurement.

I am keen to help retain the history of New Zealand Road transport. Being involved with the Mercer Transport Museum gives me an opportunity to achieve this.

I have had a long working association with organisations involved in the road transport industry. This included 25 years as the New Zealand Heavy Haulage Ass industry representative on the then Transit New Zealand Axle weights & loading advisory group.

Life member of RTF / Ia Ara Aotearoa Transporting New Zealand.

Life member of National Road Carriers Association.

Life member of the New Zealand Heavy Haulage Association.

Annette Black

Trustee (Financial)

B Com Auckland University 1976 -1979

I was part of a large family growing up on Bombay Hill in the 1960’s when road transport was a very restricted activity. My earliest memories include early morning trips to the Auckland City Markets in a Bill Marsh Transport truck laden with potatoes and onions.

Road transport has been an integral part of my life, as my brothers carted fresh produce around New Zealand from the 1970s. My late husband, Peter, and I owned trucks from the early 1990’s, and the family have a deep respect for the Road Transport industry and it’s history. I work with our three sons and other staff in our family business TDM Construction Ltd which has a truck fleet featuring the colours of the Mercer Rowing club. We have recently restored the 1989 Waller and Bindon S Line that Peter drove for Lance Peach from new.

We have lived in Mercer since 1985, and recognise the location for this Museum has great historical significance.

Ian Spedding

Trustee

Born in the UK, Ian arrived in New Zealand in 1951 at the age of 10 and was educated at Auckland Grammar.

Ian started initially his career as a diesel apprentice then started working for E.Seay Ltd in Road Transport for 9yrs.

He started his own Road Transport Company in 1970 which lasted for 51 years, then decided to retire in November 2021.

Ian states the Museum is a great opportunity for him to give back in an Industry he has enjoyed for many years.

Marieka Morcombe

Committee Member

Born and raised in New Zealand, ive worked in my parents family business, N&J Wood Ltd, for the last 13 years. Prior to this I obviously grew up around my father’s trucks.

My love of classic trucks came about a few years ago when my brother and I decided to find and restore one of our dads first trucks. An 87’ R Model Mack. Here’s hoping she may join other local classics in the museum one day!

Im also one of the founding members of the Bombay Truck Show committee. A biannual charity truck show which helps showcase the trucking industry to its finest with huge support from the local community.

I am an advocate of the trucking industry and honored to be part of this project.

Don McLean

Committee Member

I spent 56 years on the road, either driving a truck or pilot vehicle.

After 20 years on specialised transporters at Dale`s Freightways Ltd during the Think Big era, an accident in 1984 put me off the road. Police at the time wanted out of piloting and the idea of an industry pilot scheme was raised, i began a pilot business and pursued the idea through LTSA and became the first pilot, certified under the new scheme.

I became a member of the NZ Heavy Haulage Association, served on the executive committee and was convener of the pilot committee during the planning and introduction of the initial Mass & Dimension Rule signed off in 2001.

My friendship with Dave Carr began in 1979, meeting his father at Roose Shipping at Mercer. Around 1982, I arranged an interview and took Dave to meet Trevor Jones, my boss at Dale`s Heavy Haulage Ltd, who employed him, the rest is a bit of history that I’m rather proud of, considering Dave`s achievements in the industry since.

My involvement with the Mercer Transport Museum stemmed from discussions with Dave after a visit to the Invercargill Museum in 2016, knowing Dave`s wish to create something similar at Mercer, i was keen to assist wherever i could, we set out to find the right people to make it happen. It`s satisfying now, to see it coming together with a great team in the trust.

Ken Frandi

Founding Committee Member (in Memory)

Cameron known to many as Ken Frandi throughout the Road Transport Industry came initially from a merchant navy background serving on both international and domestic ships for a number of years. This followed with his introduction into the Road Transport Industry in 1948 beginning with employment at Dales Transport in Auckland. Moving later to well known and respected companies such as NZ Roadmakers and RFL, before eventually returning to Dales which became part of the Freightways Group in the mid sixties. Ken drove for many years as one of Dales leading Heavy Haulage drivers during the years when New Zealand was expanding into major infrastructure projects such as Hydro Power Stations along the Waikato River and Paper Mills in the Bay of Plenty. Although his passion for driving never ceased his ability and wealth of experience matched with a strong work ethic was recognised with offers from his employers to step into senior management roles. As Transport Manager for Dales Freightways in Auckland he was involved with both general road transport along with many Heavy transport roles from the energy projects of the 70s and 80s. When moving out of those roles Ken established his own business in partnership with 3 others from Dales in servicing trucks out of workshop’s in Auckland, before retirement. However his passion for being “behind the wheel” continued well into his 80’s doing piloting and new truck deliveries throughout New Zealand. His dedication to our industry and particularly the Heavy Haulage sector is recognised in his involvement as one of the founding trustees of the Mercer Transport Museum.

Alex Carpenter

Committee Member

50 years in Road Transport looking back is for many a lifetime ,providing many challenges and much gratification. Beginning in 1964 as a driver with Dales Transport In Penrose,Auckland and soon after to be encompassed by the Freightways Group . Opportunities opened to move from driving to Despatch roles and eventually becoming the General Manager in 1979. These times were during the Muldoon Governments “Think Big” programme when Energy projects,Gas and Chemical plants in Taranaki along with oil refineries and power generators in the North were in full swing. Dales , investing in Heavy Haulage plant and equipment became the leading contractors for the majority of these projects throughout 80s. In 1986 Freightways merged all of their Road transport operations,with the exception of Dales, into a joint venture with NZ Railways. Providing a road //rail intermodal service throughout New Zealand with branches From Northland down to Invercargill. My role as Managing Director of Freightways Express Ltd largely involved acquisitions and partnerships with linehaul companies such as NZL and Irvines Freightlines in both Tauranga and Nelson to form a countrywide Freight Forwarding business. Following a unsuccessful bid to purchase NZ Rail in 1992 Freightways stepped out of Road Transport remaining only in Courier and logistics services. In 1993 I took up a position of Managing Director of Transpecs ,newly acquired by Gough Gough and Hamer. A step from Road Transport into supplying components such as axles, suspensions and much more to our industry through truck/trailer manufacturers . 1997 with long-standing recreational interests in sailing and boating saw me establish a charter boat activity around New Zealand’s successful America Cup defences. However I continued to have interests in Road Transport with roles as a director with BPW Transport Efficiency Ltd . Today I’m proud to be associated with and supportive of the establishment of the Mercer Transport Museum whose goal is to create a display of Heavy Road Transport Equipment at Mercer open to the public in the not too distant future.

+64 27 494 1075|info@mtm.kiwi.nz
Home2024-05-09T15:57:02+12:00

Mercer Transport Museum

An exciting new museum in Mercer, currently under construction, aims to showcase the history of road transport in New Zealand to both the general public and visitors alike.

Discover

Mercer Transport Museum is dedicated to the restoration and preservation of heritage trucks and transport artifacts so that the history of road transport can be shared with both the general public and overseas visitors.

An exciting look into New Zealand’s road transport history

A passion for preserving the history of trucks is a long-time desire of Mercer resident and business owner Dave Carr. Dave’s desire to build a transport museum in the significantly historical shipping and road transport town of Mercer is underway.

This museum will house and display local and New Zealand vintage trucks, cars, utes, and associated equipment. The intention of the museum is to preserve and showcase the history the history of transport in New Zealand which is slowly disappearing.

Site developments is underway with consented fill. This work started in 2021. We will continue to provide updates as well as photos as to how the project is tracking.

Gallery

Below are some images of the many trucks that have been purchased and trucks that will be on display. As there will be a working restoration area, visitors will be able to see work done on some of these to get them back to their glory days. Also included is the artist impression of what the finished project will look like.

Trustees & Committee

The museum is a registered charitable trust that was incorporated on the 13th of May 2022.

Trustees and a working committee from the transport industry have been selected. These people are fully committed to establishing this museum.

Trustees

Dave Carr

Settlor

Greg Pert

Chairman

Paula Rogers

Trustee (Secretary)

Lewis Clotworthy

Trustee

Annette Black

Trustee (Financial)

Ian Spedding

Trustee

Committee Members

Marieka Morcombe

Committee Member

Don McLean

Committee Member

Ken Frandi

Founding Committee Member (in Memory)

Alex Carpenter

Committee Member

Sponsorships

Our sponsors are an important part of keeping this project running, watch this space for packages available or if you would like to know more contact one of the Trustees.

If you are interested in learning more about sponsorship, or becoming a sponsor of the Mercer Transport Museum, please give Dave Carr a call on 0274941075.

Inaugural Sponsor

Museum Trustee Lewis Clotworthy presents a certificate of gratitude to the museums first donation recipient Ian Stevenson.

Contact

If you are interested in learning more about Mercer Transport Museum, the current progress of the project, or have any questions about what to expect when we open to the public, please feel free to reach out and get in touch.

© 2024 Mercer Transport Museum
Web Design by ZESTY

Marieka Morcombe2024-03-07T16:55:43+13:00
Don McLean2024-04-19T15:30:06+12:00
Ken Frandi2024-03-07T16:55:25+13:00
Alex Carpenter2024-04-19T15:31:36+12:00