Proud site history at The Mount

Originally built in 1956, when it comes to the proud history of the Mount Maunganui depot few have got more stories than Dennis Ford – an office staff member who has been working at the site since 1964!

In his time Dennis has seen huge changes. Back then there was just four staff who were multi skilled in every Job to keep the site running 24/7 according to Dennis - our longest serving terminal staff member who has served 53 years so far!

“The staff were driving six, small 15,000 litre trucks that delivered locally,” remembers Dennis. “There were also six to eight trains that carted bulk fuel to Awakeri, Paeroa, Rotorua and Hamilton. Also on site was a store and warehouse that sold other petroleum products such as oils and kerosene.”

Today there are currently four office staff plus a handful of subcontractors running the site, as well as 40 PFH drivers including the Caltex and Farmland drivers who sometime load out of this site.

The Mount is one of the three PFH sites still in the green for the monthly safety recognition draw, says Matai Vave – PFH’s Team Leader for the Central North Island.

“I personally put our great safety record down to near miss reporting,” explains Matai. “There has been a big push on this and it builds the safety culture we want to achieve. If we are thinking near miss then we are thinking safety is what I say and what a wonderful place that would be.”

This August will see further changes as the old shed based next to the current office is being demolished to make room for a new office building set for completion in late September, says Matai.

“The site has its challenges with only two loading bays,” explains Matai. “And if the Caltex Terminal is shut like it is now for the next six weeks, the queue of trucks to load up can be rather long! Off-setting the shift helps so it’s a timely process that everyone has to be on board with. Parking is also limited as we’ve moved some Auckland units down here but we make it work as a Team.”

One reason for the increased congestion is the Auckland pipeline converted to jet fuel for the Auckland Airport.

“We now have taken on more Hamilton and lower Waikato loads and sites that previously were handled out of Auckland. This required moving a unit and drivers from Auckland to the Mount and I am glad to say this has worked well.”

The depot is now delivering the second greatest volume of fuel in the country and is grateful for the new truck and trailer units coming online. The expanded team includes Matai himself who only moved to the Mount from Auckland a few months ago.

“The team here has made me feel so welcome and they’re a great bunch to work with,” says Matai.

“Every day we have our little challenges but the team help out and we all get it done together. Tauranga is an awesome place! Great beaches on one side and beautiful mountains on the other so what more could you ask for. I’m still a Blues fan all the way though.”

So for the Mount – some things change and some things don’t! Their volumes have increased along with their territory which includes most of the Central North Island such as Hamilton, Tauranga, Gisborne and the New Plymouth area.

One big change has been the retirement of Trevor Hickey at the age of 73 as well as Huru Symons who has also moved on and was very respected by all drivers as he served as a driver trainer with PFH at one stage during his driving career.