It’s almost a truism of any business – not just trucking fleets – that continued growth is not only important...but vital for survival.

So it’s refreshing to come across a medium-sized fleet whose owner figures the 10 trucks currently on the register feels pretty right….thankyou.

Wayne Burnell, of Christchurch’s Burnell & Son Transport, obviously marches to the beat of a different drum. 

Take the company name, as a minor but telling example: Did Wayne inherit the business from his father, or maybe even a grandfather? He laughs: “When we (he and wife Kathy) started up in 2000 our first child, Jacob, had just been born – so the name is a bit tongue in cheek.”

On top of that, Wayne points out: “I also like that oldschool way of naming fleets.” 

Since then, as a matter of fact, the Burnells have had another two kids. So are any of them likely to join the company? 

Well, that’s quite possible, Wayne reckons: “Jacob has his heavy truck licence and is driving for a living, in Australia. The next boy, Isaac, is doing a diesel technician apprenticeship, while our daughter Summer is about to leave school and will be studying at university next year.