Similar shareholders, Becker's Transport, Clinton Waipahi Holdings, Tuapeka Transport and West Otago Transport, were brought together in early 2013 to form RTL, while a fifth company, Buchanan Transport, was added to the stable later that year.
RTL said it could see changes coming to the industry and wanted to ensure it was compliant in health and safety, that it adapted to new technologies, and was sustainable within its communities.
The company decided the best way to achieve that was to amalgamate operations and form Road Transport Logistics.
RTL operated from depots within the rural Otago communities of Omakau, Oturehua, Heriot, Lawrence, Waipahi and Clinton - with each of the individual trucking operations retaining its own colours and branding.
When the company identified its core values, it wanted to ensure the five individual trucking businesses were in alignment, however remained autonomous under the RTL banner "and that's why we maintained the individual brands," chief executive Shona Robertson said.
"That was important to us because those brands have been around for a generation and are a large part of their communities."
Defining its purpose as "Working Together, sustainably - every relationship, every solution, every time," RTL's core values were all about community, honesty, service, passion, innovation and working smarter.
Roberson said RTL was also trying to promote trust within the industry by collaborating with other companies.
"There's no point in us running up the road with half a load if another company has something as well." she said.
"So our future is working-in with our industry as well as our clients, so that we're creating efficiencies."
The increased need to work together was highlighted by the ongoing cost challenges that the industry faced, Robertson said.
"Currently we are facing increased wage costs due to staff shortages, increased compliance costs...changing legislation [and] increasing running cost."
It was important that RTL delivered the best service and a sustainable price for all stakeholders, she said.
Now more than ever, the industry and its stakeholders needed to be working together, Robertson said.
With business change came cultural change and Robertson admitted it had not always been an easy ride.
When RTL merged the companies back in 2013, farmers were very loyal to their local brand, Robertson said.
As a result, it took some clients a bit longer to get used to a new brand pulling into their driveway.
"It was a tough culture to crack."
Photo / Supplied
Bringing five companies together was also tricky for RTL, with a "we don't do it like that," attitude from depots used to their own culture and way of doing things, Robertson said.
"Change is a regular occurrence, but back in 2013 change was not always welcomed. "
This impacted on staff, community and clients, so RTL set about trying to change people's mindsets "from how things have been done in the past to how they're going to be done going forward," Robertson said.
"We faced those cultural challenges with time, communication and bringing people along on the journey."
Operating throughout the South Island, RTL offered its clients a diverse range of transport solutions including freight, livestock, bulk cartage and supplies, along with fertiliser spreading.
RTL's concept was about working together with everybody and it offered logistical solutions that didn't necessarily involve transport, Robertson said.
"We can help clients find the best solution that meets their needs and then coordinate that solution, without RTL necessarily doing the carrying if transport is required."
Passionate about the industry, Robertson admitted to getting pretty excited when she saw a good-looking truck going past.
"The transport industry is challenging and some days you say 'why are we doing this?'. But on those days when you can jump into the cab of a truck with one of the team and go for a ride, you do realise that is what you love doing and why you do it."
Reflecting upon what underpinned RTL's success, Robertson had no hesitation in saying it was all about people.
"If we didn't have an awesome team of truck drivers, dispatchers and admin staff along with our clients we wouldn't have a business—it's that simple really.
"It is about building the relationships and trust with people so that they trust you to go on their journey."
