OUR HISTORY

In 1969 Jim and John Dynes of Tapanui in Central Otago purchased Cooper Transport from Jim Cooper. Jim Cooper moved on to Darwin to start Gulf Transport and so begins the story of TD Haulage and Godfrey Haulage.

Specialising in carting Stock and General Freight Jim and John progressed on into puchasing Pomahaka Transport in West Otago in 1974.

In 1975 Taieri Carrying Company was purchased, and in 1976 a division of NZL was purchased consisting of 6 logging trucks in Port Charmers from Bert Godfrey.

In 1977 Jim and John decided to separate their partnership and Jim stayed in Tapanui taking over Dynes Transport while John moved to the North Island and purchased Maramara Products of Rotorua from Graham Manson.  The Partnership of Jim and John was dissolved in 1 June 1979.

Upon the purchase of Maramara Products the name was changed to T.D. Haulage which consisted of "T" for Taieri and "D" for Dynes.

The operation was moved from Rotorua to Mt Maunganui in 1977.

Godfrey Haulage Purchase

In 2004 T.D. Haulage purchased it's competition, Godfrey Transport in Rotorua.

The Godfrey Transport Limited chipliner and timber truck fleet, and forklifts from the associated Godfrey Forklift Services, were sold to John Dynes of Mt Maunagnui on 1 February 2004.

John Dynes, who is the proprietor and founder of wood chip cartage specialists TD Haulage, and Des Godfrey from Godfrey Transport, had for many years been major competitors in the North Island wood residue transport business.  However, the two firms had worked more closely since the formation of Fibre Logistics Limited in 1998.  That joint venture company sought to exploit work.

In addition to the 46 trucks and 12 forklifts, 87 staff and all Godfrey group work changed hands in the deal.  The weighbridges in Rotorua and Taupo, and premises in Rotorua, Taupo and Mt Maunganui were not, however, included in the sale. 

The Godfrey name was retained in relation to the truck fleet, with the former Godfrey Transport renamed Godfrey Haulage, while Godfrey Forklift Services had become Dynes Forklifts.  The familiar green and white livery has also been retained.

For six months after the sale Des remained on a contract to oversee a smooth transition for clients to the new owner.

In an interesting parallel to the deal, this was the second time John Dynes had bought a business from the Godfrey family.  In 1976 John, and his twin brother, Jim, bought five trucks from the New Zealand Lumber Company at Port Chalmers. (New Zealand Lumber Company was founded in 1949, and was the parent company of Godfrey Transport).

The acquisition, at the time, was part of an expansion of the Dynes group of companies that led eventually to John shifting to the North Island and establishing TD Haulage.

The Dynes-Godfrey deal similarly allowed John to consolidate his position in the wood residue cartage industry.