Tipperary Truck Show returned to Holycross over the first weekend of September and many of the truckers gathered for the popular annual celebration of all things trucking will have been familiar with the services delivered by Garahys Test & Service Centre – the long-established CVRT test, service and repair centre in the midlands.
Truckers and truck enthusiasts from all over Tipperary, neighbouring counties and further afield assembled in Holycross, Thurles on Saturday, September 5th and Sunday, September 6th, 2026, for the latest instalment of the ever-popular Tipperary Truck Show.
The team from Garahys Test & Service Centre in Birr – just an hour’s drive away – was represented at the show, providing an opportunity to catch up with many of the customers they deal with throughout the year. There wouldn’t have been too many trucks, operators or drivers at the show who they weren’t familiar with…
“I think it’s fair to say we’d know the vast majority of them,” concedes workshop manager Dan Cussen. “We’d have a lot of customers from Tipp. Indeed, our customer base is fairly broad and goes from Tipperary to Portlaoise, Athlone, Tullamore and Ballinasloe. We’re right in the middle of that circle and look after customers from near and far.”
Truly standing the test of time in delivering industry-leading maintenance, breakdown / repair and testing services to commercial vehicle operators from across the extended midlands region for coming up on 60 years, Garahys Test & Service Centre is an outstanding independent family-run business that has been setting the standards from generation to generation.
Consistently providing prompt, precise and professional services to commercial vehicle owners across a large swathe of the midlands from a state-of-the-art, purpose-built test and service centre in Fortal, Birr, Garahys Test & Service Centre is one of Ireland’s busiest and best-regarded CVRT test and service centres.
With customer and vehicle care always front and centre of everything they do, Garahys provide a comprehensive range of value-added services to vehicle owners, from light and heavy testing to servicing, repairs, parts and anything else a truck, van, jeep or bus owner or operator might need.
Looking after customers is the absolute No.1 priority at Garahys Test & Service Centre and the fact that they can look after everything from a breakdown to a service, repair or test adds to the value-for-money offering and enduring appeal of this third-generation family business.
The fact that, as they head towards their 60th anniversary, they have never been busier speaks for itself really…
“It’s non-stop here to be fair and we’re very busy. Flat out,” Dan confirms. “We’re very lucky to have a skilled and experienced team who have been with us long-term and always go the extra mile to look after our customers. We’ve four testers and five in the workshop and you’d be lost without them.”
Constant investment in the latest tools, equipment, training and workshop / testing facilities ensures that Garahys Test & Service Centre always operates at the cutting edge. The only Wabco service agent in the area, as well as commercial vehicle testing, they are a fully certified tachograph, plating and speed limiter fitting and calibration centre.
Throw in breakdown, recovery, repairs and servicing and Garahys Test & Service Centre truly is the ultimate one-stop shop for trucks and commercial vehicles!
Dan Cussen has been part of the team at Garahys Test & Service Centre for 15 years and counting and, speaking ahead of this year’s Tipperary Truck Show, the workshop manager explained why supporting the event and meeting customers away from the day-to-day working environment was important to the business.
“Kieran and Ger, who is our head mechanic, will definitely be heading to the show. It’s a great social occasion and provides a nice opportunity to catch up with customers outside of the garage or work environment. It’s always nice to meet truckers and spend some time with them and have a chat.
“That’s the main reason we’d be going – just to show a bit of support for the men and women who keep our business going with their valued custom. It’s always a good show and I’m sure this year will be no different. As long as they get the weather for it, it’s going to be a brilliant weekend.”
Truckers of course account for the lion’s share of the regular customer base at Garahys Test & Service Centre, and they are a community of people Dan holds in the highest regard.
“They’re great people and they are very genuine people,” he affirms. “They are also very honest and easy to deal with. I worked in the car trade before coming here and the truckers are much easier to deal with, more down to earth and more realistic in their expectations. They know what they want and we go out of our way to make sure we’re meeting their expectations.”
Every relationship works both ways and it’s the ethos of complete customer care that keeps customers coming back to do business with Garahys Test & Service Centre time and time again.
“It is, and every customer is different because they have different lorries, so you have to look after them all. Depending on the loads they are carrying and their schedules, they’ll all have different needs but the bottom line is you have to get them all back on the road as quickly and safely as possible.
“We get the trucks in, fix them, and get them back out. That includes staying on late if and when we have to. For example, I had a fella broken down in Cork the other night and it was 11.40pm before I made the last call to get him recovered. That comes with the territory … this work is not 9-5.
“You could have a breakdown in Dublin at 5 or 6 on a Friday evening and you just have to deal with it and sort it out. A lot of unsociable hours involved, but the customer is king and if you don’t have your customers then you won’t have a business.”
As such a long and successful history testifies, Garahys Test & Service Centre is not a business that is content to stand still and bask in the glow of past glories. To the contrary, this is a progressive company that always strives to move forward with, nay ahead of, the times.
“We are always trying to improve,” Dan concludes. “You have to look ahead and try to keep ahead of the competition, to constantly improve and move with the times and stay ahead of the curve. You have to improve your people, your tooling and your technology. Technology is a massive thing now and you really have to embrace it or you’ll get left behind.”
Garahys Test & Service Centre
Fortal,
Birr,
County Offaly.
Tel: 057 912 1366
Email: [email protected]
Web: garahys.ie
First published in Irish Trucker magazine September/October 2026, Vol 29-5
featured, Garahys Test & Service Centre
