Thompson Transport’s show-stopping fleet comes up trumps again!

11/01/2024

No strangers to garnering much-sought-after awards at truck shows the length and breadth of the country down through the years, Thompson Transport were amongst the winners at Tipperary Truck Show 2023, departing Dualla with the ‘Best MAN’ trophy safely stowed in the cab of Glen Thompson’s trusty, head-turning workhorse.

Despite the best efforts of the decidedly unseasonal and inclement weather to spoil the party, the 2023 edition of Tipperary Truck Show was another resounding success. A magnificent convoy of breath-taking trucks congregated in Dualla over the final weekend of August and competition for the prizes on offer was fierce.

Glen Thompson of Thompson Transport headed home to the midlands with the ‘Best MAN’ award – the second time this exceptional third-generation haulage business claimed that particular prize in Tipp.

Following in the proud footsteps of grandfather John Thompson (who established the family business in the Laois village of Rosenallis in 1964) and father Ivor Thompson (who has been running Thompson Transport since 2008), trucking is in Glen’s DNA and he invests a great deal of thought, time and money into making sure his lorries look the part.

“The MAN is a 171-reg which we bought brand-new from MAN in Dublin. I was driving a Scania myself up until around 18 months ago, when I got the MAN for tipper work. Since I started driving it, I have put my own touch to it. I’d be big into shows and truck runs and having everything looking right. That’s one thing I was always into: lorries and tractors.”

A limited company for the past 40 years, Thompson Transport initially focused predominantly on agri-related work but now look after all transportation needs from their ideal location at the heart of Ireland. Since taking the reins 15 year ago, Ivor has modernised and diversified the company and, today, this long-established, family-run business offers a wide range of services, including bulk haulage, groupage, curtainsider and tipper work

Ivor is joined in the renowned and progressive family business by wife Dawn and son Glen. His decision to branch into groupage eight years ago has paid dividends and this work has become a core part of day-to-day operations.

All work is carried out to the highest standard by experienced personnel, who have access to a fresh and

immaculately-maintained fleet of trucks and trailers, culminating in value-added, prompt, professional and dependable solutions.

This year was Glen’s third time to attend Tipperary Truck Show and the second that Thompson Transport collected the ‘Best MAN’ prize. “Tipperary is a good show. I was down last year and also went in 2018 – that’s when we won Best MAN for the first time,” he continues.

“I really enjoyed the show this year. It was very well organised as ever and the lads pulled out all the stops to make sure everyone enjoyed themselves. Obviously, there was nothing they could do about the weather. You can’t legislate for rain like that and the organisers did everything they could to make sure that everybody got in and out safely. It was a shame about the weather but it was still a brilliant show and I’ll definitely be back down again next year.”

Glen received his artic licence when he was a month shy of his 19th birthday and has been driving full-time for the family business since. “I do a small bit to England but most of my work is here in Ireland, mainly tipper work but also some low loader and curtainsider stuff.” The tipper work mostly involves drawing wheat to Odlum’s in Portarlington as well as seasonal work for farmers during harvest time.

At present, Thompson Transport run a fleet of twelve trucks – ten MANs, one Scania and one Renault, the latter being the most recent acquisition. Why are they drawn to MAN? “It’s my father’s truck of choice but I’d be more of a Scania man myself,” Glen states. “My grandfather had Scania and MAN and it was MAN he was running in the end. Dad took a like to them and has stuck with them.

“They are a very good, reliable truck, in fairness. Not bad at all. We know them inside-out and they give us very little trouble.”

Thompson Transport generates direct full-time employment for a team of eight drivers plus one part-time as well as their own in-house mechanic who makes sure that every unit is firing on full cylinders around the clock. The modern fleet is regularly replenished to ensure that the highest standards are consistently maintained.

“The last new truck we bought was a 212-reg Renault from Dennehy Commercials in Limerick and just before that we also purchased a 211 MAN. It’s been a couple of years now since we added a new one so I’d say there’ll be another order going in shortly, although the fleet we have right now is top class.”

With an exceptional, award-winning fleet and a proven track record for unrivalled customer service, it’s no surprise to learn that Ivor, Glen and the entire Thompson Transport team are in big demand: “We’re kept going and we’re ticking along nicely,” the latter concludes. “It’s all about keeping customers happy and looking after them. Only for them, you wouldn’t have anything.

“We are lucky to have great customers and we appreciate their support and loyalty. Some of them have even been there going back to my grandfather’s time and have stuck with us. It just goes to show that if you provide a good service then they will be happy keep giving you work.”

Thompson Transport Ltd.,

Meelick,

Rosenallis,

Portlaoise,

County Laois.

Telephone: 057 8628556

Mobile: 087 6128645

Email: [email protected]

Web: thompsontransport.eu

First published in Irish Trucker magazine December 2023/January 2024, Vol 26-7