Wexfords finest

13/02/2017

MJ Kehoe Transport Ltd was established in 1989 by the man in question and from humble beginnings, the business has grown considerably over the years.

MJ and his wife Bernie started out the business with a cattle truck, but as the business grew over the years so too did the fleet.

These days, the company runs a fleet of seven trucks and specialise in general haulage covering a wide number of sectors within the haulage industry.

MJ’s son Barry helps run the business on a daily basis from their home place in The Ballagh and he revealed to us that customer satisfaction was one of the keys to their success.

“Most of our customers would be with us for many years,” said Barry. “We have always placed a great emphasis on customer satisfaction and making sure that they were happy with the service that we provide.

“That is something that my father and mother always looked to do. We have a large customer base and with the seven trucks, we have an assortment of trailers that allow us to do bulk, flatbed, and general haulage.”

MJ Kehoe Transport Ltd haul such loads as fertiliser and poultry litter for their customers as well as other products and goods.

“We are kept busy all year round. We have a core customer base, most of who we have been working with for years and we’re delighted to continue working with them.”

Barry admitted that keeping the fleet in good working order and pristine condition was essential to being successful.

“We would upgrade the fleet on a regular basis. All our trucks are Scania and we would generally upgrade the fleet on a yearly basis. We would buy from KD Garages in Wexford. We would have a very good business relationship with them and we are delighted with the service that they provide us.

“It is essential in the haulage industry to have a fleet that you can rely on and by keeping the trucks new, we have the assurance that we can avoid any unnecessary breakdowns.

“The majority of the trailers would be bought privately and we would do a lot of our own maintenance work. Spot checks are carried out regularly on both the trucks and trailers.”

Of course, another important aspect of running a successful business is a reliable and efficient staff, which Barry revealed they are fortunate to have.

“Most of the drivers here would be with us many years and they are very experienced at what they do. They are familiar with the customers and vice versa which does help. They have played a massive part in the success of the business and we would like to thank them for that.”

The haulage industry has certainly improved in recent years and the fall in diesel prices and tax has helped alleviate some of the pressure that transport companies were faced with.

Barry’s mother Bernie looks after the administration side of the business and she admitted that the situation looks a lot brighter now than it did a few years back.

“With the diesel prices and tax coming down, it has made a big difference. There are still a lot of overheads but they are more manageable now. There is a huge amount of paperwork to be adhered too, but once you get on top of things then it is easy to stay on top of it.”

MJ himself is glad to hand over the reins to his son as he felt there was no point waiting until he is too old to do so.

“I always had it in the back of my mind to hand over the reins when my son was old enough to run the business. I saw it over the years where farmers would hold on to their farms for years and then pass it on to their sons when maybe they were 50 or 60 and there was no way I was going to do that,” said MJ.

Hard work is the main reason for the company’s success over the years according to MJ.

“The success that we have had over the years is down to one thing and that’s hard work. There is no substitute for it and it has got us this far. Barry is doing well now and it’s up to him to keep it going, but I’m still here keeping an eye on him,” joked MJ.

Being involved in running a haulage business may leaving you thinking that a person would have little time for anything else, but Barry is an accomplished hurler and captain Wexford kingpins Oulart The Ballagh to their first ever Leinster club SHC title last year and he admits that it can be difficult to juggle the two.

“I use to be out driving five days a week, but I just couldn’t manage that and get to training all the time, so I spend a few days a week in the office now. It can be hard at times to manage both, but it works well here as the whole family is steeped in the GAA.”

MJ added: “My three daughters have two All-Ireland club medals won also. Shelley was captain of Wexford last year, while Stacey is also on the team and Sharon plays in goals for our club Oulart The Ballagh.”
 
MJ Kehoe Transport Ltd
The Ballagh
Enniscorthy, Wexford
Tel: 087 6144128

Taken from Irish Trucker & Light Commercials magazine, Vol 19 No 6, July 2016