On July 12, 1932, Harold Groendyke hauled his first load of kerosene from Borger, Texas, to Beaver, Oklahoma. He drove a two-axle Ford truck equipped with a 3000 gallon tank mounted on a homemade chassis. That drive took an entire day.

Prior to Harold Groendyke’s first trip, refined fuels were transported by railcar. Harold saw an opportunity and took advantage of it, creating a tank-truck transportation industry.

In 1935 Groendyke moved to Enid, Oklahoma, to be closer to supply sources - Champlin Refinery and Eason Oil. Headquartered in a service station, Groendyke had nine tank-trucks and one cattle trailer.

In the late 30’s Groendyke started its Ponca City, Oklahoma, Ardmore, Oklahoma, and Wichita Falls, Texas, operations. On Christmas Eve, 1939, we moved into a new shop and office in Enid just across the street from our present offices.

By the late 40’s we had operations at Amarillo, Texas, and Denver, Colorado, and built the first truck stop in Enid. It was the Superior Station and Restaurant.

Groendyke ended 1949 by changing from a sole proprietorship to a corporation and Groendyke Transport Incorporated was created.

The 1950’s brought a lot of change as Groendyke obtained Kansas Intrastate Authority through acquisitions and established operations in Liberal, El Dorado, Wichita, Hutchinson, Holton, McPherson, and Arkansas City. Groendyke also purchased Texas Statewide Petroleum and Petroleum Products Authority and built terminals in Dallas and Houston, Texas. By 1954 Groendyke had 18 terminals in four states, 296 trucks, 259 trailers, and 56 lease operators.

In 1960 we moved our corporate offices to our present location on Rock Island Boulevard in Enid. By 1962 Groendyke operated 22 terminals and 600 trucks, adding two terminals in New Mexico. In 1965 we built our terminal at Angleton, Texas, and hauled our first load to Mexico – creating a partnership there that continues today. In 1967 Groendyke purchased Authority in Louisiana and operated under lease agreements at Baton Rouge and Lake Charles. By the end of the decade, Groendyke was operating terminals in Corpus Christi, Amarillo, Brownsville, Freeport, and Harlingen, Texas.

Groendyke Transport has been the recipient of numerous awards. In 1973 we won our first Heil Trophy Award. The National Tank Truck Carriers Association annually awards the Heil Trophy to the tank-truck carrier with the best overall safety record and safety programs in the nation.

With the 80’s came deregulation of the Interstate Commerce Commission. In 1982 we operated 42 terminals, 750 tractors, 950 trailers, with 914 employees. 1987 saw the purchase of additional New Mexico Authority and we obtained lease operations at Artesia and Tucumcari. In 1988 we made our first trip northward to Canada.

In 2000 we were very proud to win our sixth Heil Trophy Award. Groendyke is unsurpassed in this accomplishment.

With 34 terminals in 12 states, today, Groendyke Transport, Inc. is the fifth largest tank-truck carrier in the United States. We haul more than 420,000 loads annually of chemicals, acids, fuels, lubricants, flour, and vegetable oils throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

At Groendyke Transport we are still building on the pioneering spirit and innovative achievements of our founder, Harold Groendyke. We are committed to providing safe and dependable transportation services that deliver superior value to our customers.