For almost two decades now, Trainor Transport has been delivering unrivalled livestock transportation solutions across Ireland, the UK and Europe. We caught up with founder / proprietor Declan Trainor to find out more about this exceptional operation, which also provides keen refrigerated haulage services.
Since its genesis in 1999, Dundalk, County Louth based Trainor Transport Ltd. has established itself as one of Ireland’s premier livestock transportation companies, earning a superb reputation for transporting animals to the UK and the continent.
Boasting a wealth of experience of the livestock industry, managing director Declan Trainor and his team possess vast knowledge and expertise in this specialist area and provide a high-quality service, with a modern, well-maintained fleet of vehicles manned by highly-trained, -skilled and competent drivers.
Fully-licensed to transport all agricultural animals – commercial, beef and dairy cattle; pigs; sheep; goats – Trainor Transport put the comfort, safety and welfare of the animals first and leave no stone unturned in guaranteeing optimal service levels tailored to the needs of clients and animals alike.
A general goods haulage service complements the core business and the company has also invested in a superb fleet of refrigerated trailers to keep its stunning fleet of Scania trucks ticking over around the clock.
Of course, the transportation of live animals is a very sensitive and specific service that can only be properly provided by experienced and dedicated hauliers with a deep understanding of the nature of this niche market. To this end, Trainor Transport tick all the boxes and that’s why they have gone from strength to strength through challenging times for both the transport and agricultural sectors to command a place at the forefront of their chosen area of expertise, counting the likes of renowned global live cattle exporter Viastar amongst their regular clients.
“I work extremely hard to ensure complete customer satisfaction but I also take things in my stride and make sure that nothing gets away from me,” says proprietor Declan. “All you can do is your best – stay on top of the job and stay focussed.
“It’s also important to have good workers alongside you. I have very good drivers, some of whom have been with me for seven or eight years, and that helps us provide a consistently efficient and dependable service.”
Health & Safety is paramount and Declan takes his responsibilities in this regard very seriously. “You have to comply. There are new regulations coming in all the time and you have to make sure that you meet all the requirements.
“A lot of our work now is over and back to Italy.” Italy is a week-long round trip and most of Trainor Transport’s business now is conducted along this route – mainly livestock and meat on the outwards journey and wall tiles, shrubs and plants back.
Declan operates a fleet of seven Scanias, which was bolstered in August, 2017 by the addition of a striking brand-new tractor unit. A new Michieletto livestock trailer was also added during the course of the year gone by. “You have to keep investing in the fleet and keep it fresh if you are going to provide the best-possible service,” he states.
Communication with customers is key to the success and enduring popularity of Trainor Transport and Declan says he keeps his business partners in the loop at all times: “It’s important to have loyal customers as repeat business is what keeps you going,” he notes. “We give feedback to our customers all the time and will update them automatically if there is any information that needs to be passed on.
“At the end of the day, our job is to get the animals to their destination safely and on time. The welfare of the animal is a major priority and that’s why we have invested so heavily in the fleet. All our drivers are experienced and considerate and they will report back to me immediately if there is any concern about the wellbeing of one of the animals.”
Soaring overheads and rigid legislation mean that there has never been a more challenging time to run a haulage company but Declan is determined to stick to his guns and continue to provide outstanding livestock transportation solutions:
“We’ve diversified into the fridges to keep the lorries going. You need to be on your toes and you have to get the balance right and work through it as best you can,” he concludes. “I’m going to keep on top of it and will continue to look after my customers with the high level of service that we are renowned for. The market is always changing but hopefully there will be more livestock exports next year and hopefully we’ll be busier.”
Trainor Transport has the experience, expertise, equipment and the enthusiasm to provide international livestock and meat transportation services that are second to none. As they approach their 20th anniversary, this outstanding business is in very good hands – as are the animals they transport!
Trainor Transport Ltd.,
25 Green Road,
Seafin,
Newry,
BT35 8SD.
Tel: 028 30266061
Mobile: 087 6794559
Fax: 028 30260794
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 6 No 1, February 2018
