A figure of legendary resilience in New Zealand’s transport industry, Jim Dynes was a man said to have nine lives, a tally he likely exceeded. Throughout a career defined by an extraordinary work ethic, Dynes built a trucking empire from the ground up, facing down bank managers, restrictive regulations, and three separate battles with cancer with the same unyielding determination.

From his beginnings on a West Otago farm to the helm of Dynes Transport, his singular passion for trucking, family, and hard work forged a legacy of a true Kiwi pioneer who simply found a way to get the job done, no matter what – and that’s why, he’s a Southpac Legend.

From farm boy to transport magnate

Born in Gore on May 27, 1948, along with his twin brother John (twins seem to be a theme in the Dynes family), Jim Dynes grew up on the family farm in Conical Hill, West Otago. It was here that his legendary work ethic was forged.

According to his daughter Shona, school wasn’t a big priority in Jim’s life, preferring the more hands-on appeal of the farm. His lifelong fascination with trucking began with the arrival of a 1948 Austin truck at his grandfather’s farm, captivating him and his brother from that moment on.

After leaving school at 15, he dedicated himself to farm work but was soon drawn to the transport industry, starting as a driver for a local carrier company. His ambition was always bigger than farm life. At the tender age of 19-years-old, he and his brother John took their first major step, buying Cooper Transport.

Too young to secure a bank loan, the deal was made possible when the owner, Jim Cooper, recognised their work ethic and guaranteed the loan, plus their grandfather and some local farmers helped out financially too.

This purchase laid the foundation for Dynes Transport. With his wife Anita, whom he met in 1966, as a true partner managing the business behind the scenes, Jim focused on growth.

The company expanded steadily through the 1970s, hauling timber, wool, and lime and Jim and John progressed on into purchasing Pomahaka Transport in West Otago in 1974.

A strategic purchase of Taieri Carrying in 1975 allowed them to bypass the strict 40-mile restriction on road cartage that favoured rail, solidifying their presence in the region. In 1979, the brothers amicably split the business, with Jim continuing to lead Dynes Transport from its base in Tapanui.

Rules were made to be broken

Jim’s approach to business was simple: if someone said something couldn’t be done, he found a way to do it. In the early days, this meant operating outside of stifling regulations. His daughter, Shona, remembers his philosophy well. “Rules were made to be broken,” she recalls Jim saying on more than one occasion, noting that he didn’t let much get in his way.

To service his clients, Jim often resorted to running timber at night to avoid the transport police. He devised clever schemes for survival, from getting tip-offs from a friendly bread delivery driver to hiding under railway tarps until the coast was clear.

His audacity was matched by his conviction. Once fined a hefty $3000 for hauling phosphate without the correct permit, Jim rang the magistrate directly. He argued, `What are you doing mate? We’re trying to give a service, and you nick us for $3000.’ The judge, seeing his point, reduced the fine to $300.

“He’d give a cheeky smile, look the other way and away you’d go,” says Shona.

A passion for work and Kenworths

For Jim Dynes, work was not a chore; it was his identity. His daughter Shona explained, “his work ethic was extraordinary. He just knew how to work and work hard, and that was his solution to everything. You’ve just got to work hard.”

When his family encouraged him to find a hobby in his later years, his response was unequivocal. He said, ‘I’ve got a hobby. It’s driving trucks.’ That was his outlook on life, he did his thinking when he was driving.”

This passion extended to his choice of machinery. He was fiercely loyal to the Kenworth brand, believing a Kenworth ‘would never let you down’ and if you had a couple of tough years, he knew Kenworth would keep running. It was also a symbol of his company’s ambition and progress. In fact, as the business grew, so did the fleet of Kenworths.

A legacy of family, resilience, and quiet pride

While building his empire, Jim also raised a family and cultivated his love for the land, purchasing and growing a farm to over 800 hectares. He faced life’s challenges head-on, surviving three separate battles with cancer, the first in his early 30s. His resilience was legendary.

“We always thought he had nine lives,” Shona says. In his final days, he finally conceded, telling her, `I think the number’s up’. When she replied that he’d had his nine lives, he quipped, “Yeah, probably a few more than nine.”

His son, Peter, gradually took over the running of the company, steering it to new heights, particularly through a relationship with Fonterra.

“Initially it was always under the watchful eye of dad,” Shona says. Jim was a man of few praises, a steady but hard guide who offered wisdom and perspective but rarely overt credit.

Shona recalls that some of fondest memories with her father Jim, were based around trucks.

“There’s many memories of trucking with dad, because for us to see Dad, you had to go on the truck,” she says.

“I remember being in the cab of the long-nose Kenworth and the little kids on the side of the road wanting dad to blow the horn and they’d be waving. The buzz that dad got from them recognising how cool the truck was and knowing that was his happy place.”

Then there’s the Gore pie cart. Shona says that when there was a load down to Bluff, she would join her dad.

“There’d be a bag of lollies on the way down. And on the way home, you’d stop at the Gore pie cart, it was the best fish and chips in town.

“So, he would stay open if he knew dad wasn’t far away, and he’d always throw in extra piece of blue cod. So, you’d get to have fish and chips at two o’clock in the morning on the way back.”

Apparently, Shona also used to be able to sit in between his legs and steer the truck – but she smiles and says that cannot be confirmed.

Jim Dynes passed away on September 16, aged 76. He never chased accolades, measuring his success by the quality of his work and the strength of his relationships.

As his daughter summarises; “Hard work, good people and good relationships was what drove Dad.”

His legacy is not just in the fleet of trucks bearing his name, but in the memory of a true Kiwi pioneer who built an empire through grit, determination, and an unbreakable passion for the open road.