Although his mother wanted him to be an accountant, at sixteen Robert Owens went to sea, mainly on forestry carriers between Canada and the UK. He served throughout World War II in the Marine Service, serving two years in the Royal Navy in tanker transport in the Mediterranean. After the war he joined a Union Co ship and in 1946 emigrated to New Zealand, working first of the Auckland waterfront and then moving to Tauranga in the early 1950's eventually starting his own business, the Tauranga Canvas Company. Sir Robert saw that Tauranga was going to be the closest and most natural exit point for the rapidly growing forests in the Central North Island. In 1954, with 140 Pounds, Mt Maunganui and Tauranga Stevedores was established and the first forklift was purchased. Although no longer part of the Owens Group, this was the beginning of developments that sowed the seed for the foundation of Owens Transport.

The natural progression from shipping and stevedoring services was road transport. There were two main reasons why the road transport division was formed, Firstly, the existing Owens companies at the time could not find a road transport operator that could offer the service required. No one was prepared to move the unpleasant cargo. Secondly, Sir Robert's vision was for Owens Group to provide a single pipeline logistics solution to its customers and road transport was an integral link in this solution. In 1963 Mt Maunganui Transport was formed by an amalgamation of O'Briens Transport and the transport division of Mt Maunganui and Tauranga Stevedores - the beginning of Owens Transport.

The period from 1963 - 1970 saw changes in the New Zealand road transport industry, which were arguable the most radical since the changeover from horses. During this period the growth of business in the Bay of Plenty area far exceeded all informed estimates. Also in this period Mt Maunganui Transport, whilst developing from a total of seven small trucks to a diversified fleet of 32 vehicles, kept abreast of the major pattern changes.

On its formation in 1963, Mt Maunganui Transport had seven vehicles, three of which were immediately discarded. A few new vehicles were added during the next two and a half years during which time the company was mainly engaged carrying rock for wharf area reclamation and general cargo connected with Stevedore activities.

In late 1965 a new policy was formed to move out of 6 tonne into 20 tonne trucks. The change commenced with the purchase of a twin-steer Commer (similar to that featured above) with a large tipping trailer and continued throughout the following year when five similar vehicles were added. During this time Mt Maunganui Transport moved back into carting logs for export, work with O'Briens had undertaken prior to the amalgamation. By 1965 Mt Maunganui Transport had five specialised vehicles engaged in log cartage. The change to large vehicles was well timed, enabling Mt Maunganui Transport to efficiently handle the shifting of very large dairy company equipment, as well as the cartage of heavy imported machinery for the new pulp mill at Kinleith. In addition, the Tauranga company, McDonalds Parcel Delivery Limited was taken over by Mt Maunganui Transport, adding three more vehicles.

During 1966, when the Auckland Farmers Freezing Company opened a large new central abattoir at Te Puke, the company contracted to undertake regular meat deliveries to butchers throughout the Eastern Bay of Plenty. Later, Mt Maunganui Transport pioneered the transportation of cartoned export meat in refrigerated containers. New contracts that considerably diversified the company transport activities were won in 1967 and 1968, but these years were generally ones of consolidation.

From the outset, 1969 proved to be a year of forward movement, commencing in January with the purchase of the first of three ERF 25 Tonne trucks and trailers - big gear in those days. In March the company reached an agreement with Beazley Homes Limited for the purchase of their carrying division to transport pre-cut homes throughout the Bay of Plenty and Poverty Bay regions. On 11 August, vehicles, furniture removing and storage and other established business was added with the acquisition of E.E. Hammond & Sons Limited, one of Tauranga's oldest and most respected firms.

By the end of the decade Mount Maunganui Transport was a completely integrated company forming a very strong link with the Seatrans Group of Companies. Typical loads carried were logs, sawn timber, fertilisers, butter, casein and milk powder, meat and pre-cut houses. The period from 1970 onwards was significant in that Mt Maunganui Transport started to spread its wings.

The 1970's was a decade of growth for Mt Maunganui Transport. In 1970 Miller & Courtenay of Mt Maunganui and a part shareholding of Woodwards Transport in Hamilton, (that became 100% owned by Trailways in 1975) was acquired. In 1973 Mt Maunganui Transport strengthened its South Waikato presence by acquiring Robinsons Transport of Putaruru. By this time Mt Maunganui Transport was strategically focused on becoming a nationwide transport company. so in 1974 changed it's name to Trailways Transport to shake off its regional image. Later that year Trailways set up an Auckland depot; acquired E.H. Boyce & Company Limited in Christchurch and Cambridge Transport in Tokoroa and Mangakino. 1975 continued to be a year of acquisition, obtaining a part share of F.G. Smith in Napier (that became 100% owned by Trailways in 1978) and taking over Lovetts Transport in Auckland.

However, Trailways strength was in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty areas. Further acquisitions in this area were Kawerau Carriers in 1977, Stuart Haulage at Tahuna in 1980, Nationwide Transport at Tokoroa and Taupo in 1981 and Rangiuru Transport at Te Puke in 1982.

There were other smaller acquisitions in the 1970's and early 1980's. There was also some parts of the acquired companies sold off, for example Trailways sold off the furniture removals part of the business acquired from Woodwards Transport (who specialised in pianos!) and Hammonds Transport.

By the early 1980's Owens Group of companies, which Trailways was a part of had grown to a significant size. Mogal, which was backed by Owens Group in 1975 (Owens acquired a 25% shareholding), grew and acquired the public company Brambles Burnett Limited in 1980, which was two-thirds larger than Mogal itself. With Mogal's acquisition of Brambles the company history dated back to the early 1900's with names such as Spencer & Dunkley Limited, Gain Forwarding Limited, Burnett Transport Limited, New Zealand Freighters Limited and JB O'Loghlen Limited. In 1983 the Owens Group increased its shareholding in Mogal from 25% to 71% by buying the 25% shares held by the TNL Group Limited and the 21% shares held by Universal Transport Limited. In 1985 the Owens Group listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange and ran an investment company until the end of 1986 when Mogal, Viko Holdings and Owens Investments merged forming the nucleus of the present company, Owens Group Limited.

In the late 1980's the Northland livestock operation was started when Trailways took over the owner-drivers from Somners Transport in Waipu.

Trailways Transport's name was changed in 1991 to Owens Road Transport to align the company with the rest of the Owens Group.

In 1992 Owens Road Transport took over the management of Burnett Transport in Ashburton, although Owens had had ownership of Burnett's for ten years at this stage, due to acquiring Mogal Corporation. Burnett's merged into Owens Road Transport's operation, the green trucks being repainted into the familiar Owens Transport's sky blue livery. Until the sale of this business in 2004, Owens was one of the largest inter-island stock movers in New Zealand, working in with the Northland stock fleet.

For Owens Transport, the 1990's was period of consolidation and getting back to core business. It is one of the few transport companies from its era that remains in the same ownership as when it started.

In May 2000, the Owens Group went through a major rebranding exercise, which saw all the various business units pulled together through a common goal and a new common colour. The Owens Group and all its companies turned red and its focus changed towards bringing all of the various business units together to achieve a common goal as Owens Global Logistics.

Owens Road Transport was changed to Owens Transport to indicate its ability to manage multi-modal transport, rather than just road transport. The fleet began to change its colours once again from sky blue to the red you see today.

Today, Owens Transport's core business is intercity and intracity freight movements, wharf transport, bulk transport, container pack/unpack and managed warehousing. Owens Transport works fully with the other divisions within Owens Group to provide customers with a one-stop shop logistics package.