Don Gordon is today one of the true patriarchs of Hauraki Plains, Thames Valley trucking. Many of you will know his sons Craig and Nigel Gordon, both well respected engineers in their respective fields in the road transport industry.

Don’s story begins in pre-war Hauraki Plains, first in business for himself and then amalgamating with the family enterprise, high profile entity of the era Sarjants Transport, a firm that would become half of Provincial Transport Ltd.

Don went on under his own flag and was a pioneer in the arrival of big US trucks into the local and wider Bay of Plenty log truck scene.

In two months Don turns 90, an amazing human being who will have you with him the whole way through the story. 

She’s a big red land, our closest neighbour, best buddy, and nirvana for truck-heads! Each month we catch-up with one of our many friends the land of the billabong to see what’s happening locally. This month it’s one of the world’s great global truckers: Paul O’Callaghan, maybe the Emerald Isle’s best known trucking export is doing his 10th cattle season at RTA, and we catch up with one of the industry’s warmest, most welcoming, and obliging characters. 

You could be with him at the Rover’s Return having a beer. It’s always a hell of a laugh catching up with our good mate and Commercial Motor magazine editor Will Shiers to see what’s going on in Blighty and the Euro zone.