Motor Sport
Their stories are diverse: but they all share a passion for the New Zealand road transport industry. Five inductees were welcomed to the Mobil Delvac 1 NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame at a gala held at Bill Richardson Transport World in Invercargill on Friday 27 September.
The eighth-annual Mobil Delvac 1 NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame 2019
Gavin Abbot, Paul Currie, Bill Hargreaves, Murray Sowerby and Mark McCarthy were celebrated by their peers as they were inducted into the Hall of Fame, which recognises excellence in the New Zealand road transport industry.
More than 500 people from throughout the Australasian trucking industry were on hand for the gala dinner, now in its eighth year. The event is the brainchild of HW Richardson Group directors Jocelyn and Scott O’Donnell. Jocelyn O’Donnell says the event aims to honour the outstanding contributions of individuals to the New Zealand road transport industry.
“This is a great opportunity to celebrate those within our industry who have contributed a significant amount of time, care and enthusiasm to forging the way for the future of road transport in New Zealand,” she says.
All proceeds from the event, including a charity auction, are donated to the ProActive Drive Youth Driver Education Trust. The event on Friday raised more than $17,000 for the trust.
Since the event began in 2012, the NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame has contributed more than $100,000 to the ProActive Drive Youth Driver Education Trust. The programme, which aims to make driving safer for young New Zealanders, is provided at no cost to teenagers who already hold a driver’s licence. It offers courses for teen drivers to improve their driving skills, to ensure they are equipped in the event something unexpected happens while they are on the road. Its courses are a combination of theory and practical, hands-on lessons. The programme is also available to corporate drivers.
The NZ Road Transport Hall of Fame has quickly become an industry event not-to-be-missed, with tickets selling out well in advance.