The Jonkers Family arrived in Auckland around 1855 and settled in Riverhead during the 1860’s involved heavily in the fruit business starting the first cannery in NZ which led to contracting and cartage.
Rupe (Rupert) Jonkers was heavily involved in the voluntary transportation during the 1918 flu pandemic when New Zealand lost 8600 people in two months during a time of the Great War when medical transportation was already stretched; he also made deliveries from his General store in Glen Eden in the early 1920’s.
When Rupe purchased Jonkers farm in Waitakere in 1924 he operated with horse and sled. By 1946 Rupe (together with son Artie who just returned from WW2 bringing the experience from being transport Sergeant) had 3 trucks carting cream, firewood and general goods and called his cartage business ‘Waitakere Transport”.
Rupe eventually promoted the business changing the name to ‘Jonkers Transport’ where his son Artie managed a very successful carrying business based at Taupaki throughout the 1950’s and 60’s. Jonkers Transport then owned six trucks carrying Livestock, General goods, Cream to the Waimauku Dairy factory, tip truck work and a mechanical workshop and service station.
After the death of Rupe’s Wife Grace in the late 1960’s Rupe sold most of the fleet of trucks and the depot at Taupaki. Carrying continued from the farm consisting mainly on carting hay, firewood, livestock and wool.
Today Rupe’s Great Grandson Greg together with his wife Joanna now own and run the 540 acre farm which is still the base for Jonkers Transport today. Greg Is very experienced with trucking on and off road and is a serving member of the New Zealand Army Reserves transport platoon as a specialist Driver.