Newspaper Article – Transport boss “Left behind by the army”

TRANSPORT BOSS “LEFT BEHIND BY THE ARMY”

By MARY HOLLYWOOD

A man “the army left behind on Crete” returned to New Zealand to become a “force” to be reckoned with – in the transport industry.

Bill Reeves, the founder of Reeves Transport, Reeves Horse Transport and Reeves Transport Air Services, now a man of 60, says he would not want to change his life.

“But I would have changed some of the ways of doing things.”

Born at Haumoana, Bill Reeves went to the district’s primary school and then on to Hastings Boys’ High School before joining the army in 1940 and serving in Egypt, Greece and Crete with the 4th Reinforcements.

“I was captured in Crete – actually the Army left me behind – and then I spent four years in POW camps in Poland and Germany.”

Repatriated in 1945, it was just a year before Bill Reeves started out on his own with a couple of trucks.

“I had a fairy godfather, Dave Walker. He knew the transport industry. Before the war I drove for him periodically. When I came back he set me up.”

From a small beginning the Reeves fleet grew to 36 trucks which carried the district’s live stock and farm produce on the Tikokino, Otane, Elsthorpe to Hastings run.

But Bill Reeves still had an eye for expansion. It wasn’t long before he began transporting logs down the Taupo road.

“Logging had just started and the road was nothing like it is today. The Rununga [Runanga] deviation had not been thought of and the logging rigs of today make our trucks and trailers look like miniatures.”

Bill Reeves and Russell Pettigrew joined forces for a while on the logs but then the supply petered out and the venture ceased.

With Reeves Transport flourishing, Bill Reeves branched out into horse transport and about the same time he operated a top dressing enterprise from Bridge Pa using six Tiger Moths.

Later these biplanes were replaced with Pipers and Cessnas.

During the 1960s this branch of Reeves Transport was sold and became James Aviation.

Shortly after the fleets underwent a change of colour from red to green and white each vehicle became a personality and a talking point for other road users.

Along with its fleet number each truck and trailer unit carried a signature name. Out of town drivers often commented on the theme and wondered what they would see next.

“I don’t know where the idea came from. It just seemed to happen and grow” Mr Reeves said.

But many will remember the “call signs” – “Yet Another”, “Wot Another”, “Not Another”, “Cripes Another”, “Hell Another”, “Another Lugger”, “And Another” . . . and so on that identified most of the Reeves fleet’s trucks.

About four years ago after nearly 30 years in the industry, Mr Reeves sold his trucks and trailers to Nationwide Transport and concentrated on horse transport.

His was no new interest in the racing game several horses had raced in the Reeves colours including Major Barbara.

“She was the fastest horse in New Zealand over five furlongs but there are no official races over that short distance.”

Spacerate won some races for Bill Reeves as did First Night Out.

“When I owned Slips I thought it was a world beater. I understand it is now going over the hurdles in England.”

These days Bill Reeves races Saltee, Smartee and Niftee and has high hopes for them all.

Designer

With his knowledge of horses, Mr Reeves has even had a go at designing horse floats.

Throughout his busiest years Bill Reeves found time to belong to Jaycees and later Lions; he has sponsored several Rugby clubs and has a great interest in the game but most of all he knows transport, horses and his staff.

“We have few changes in our staff. One of my men has been with me for 35 years. They are all ex-horse men somewhere along the line.”

Despite his army background, Bill Reeves runs a tight ship.

“I insist on clean, serviced vehicles. My drivers are free to go any time on Friday provided their vehicles are washed, greased and serviced and the pad around them is clean and tidy.

“Perhaps it is my leaning towards accountancy that makes me want a clean line-up. Or perhaps that is just me,” Bill Reeves said.

Photo captions – ONE OF THE early logging rigs operated by Reeves Transport on the Napier-Taupo road.

ONE OF THE familiar “call signs” emblazoned across one of Bill Reeves’ stock trucks.