Thurles Test Centre provide superb service
14/04/2011
Local businessmen Paul Dempsey (of Keyline Transport) and Patrick O’Mahoney (of O’Mahoney Commercials main Scania dealer) are joint-MDs of the company. Running their own businesses they both spotted an opening in the Thurles area for a VTN centre. They put their heads together in 2006 and sourced a new Greenfield site, upon which the centre was purpose-built and opened two years later.
Thurles Test Centre threw its doors open to the general public in August 2008 and has made tremendous strides ever since. Located at Archerstown Industrial Estate, Turtulla, Thurles, it is a brand-new, purpose-built, state-of-the-art VTN centre boasting the very latest computerised testing equipment with one heavy testing bay and two light testing bays. They have three fully-qualified testers and one part-time. Open from 9am until 6pm Monday to Saturday, Thurles Test Centre has a number of key strengths that go above and beyond those normally provided: the centre is easily accessible it is conveniently located just off the Horse & Jockey exit off the M8 (Exit 6). With excellent facilities offering comfortable waiting lounge with TV, tea and coffee making facilities, where clients can relax and unwind while their vehicle is being tested. Clients can also watch their vehicle being tested from the monitor provided in the waiting lounge.
Thurles Test Centre provides analogue and digital tachograph calibration, overall length / chassis plating, speed limiter fitting and calibration, brake testing, catering for all commercial vehicles – from the smallest car vans / 4x4s to light trucks and the heaviest trucks / mini buses and coaches. All testing and calibration is carried out in accordance with the very latest RSA requirements. Thurles Test Centre also provides a brake testing service for a number of major fleets. An NCT pre-testing service is also offered for private cars, with print-outs provided highlighting the adjustments and/or repairs that will need to be carried out before a vehicle is presented to the NCT centre. As of October 1st, 2010, they are also authorised to provide seatbelt certification for buses – another new RSA requirement.
With vehicle owners liable for up to five penalty points for not having a commercial vehicle tested and certified – and road safety an absolute necessity – Thurles Test Centre provides a service that can save owners a lot of time and expense in the long term.
The whole process couldn’t be easier – you can call or make a booking online through the website www.thurlestestcentre.ie, then drop in and the test will take up to 40 minutes for light commercials and up to 90 minutes for heavier vehicles. Once you’ve passed, you get your pass certificate. If a vehicle fails, the owner is allowed 21 days to resolve the problems and come back in for a re-test. If they don’t sort it out within the time frame a full test will have to be carried out again on the vehicle.
Mary Murray notes: “Of course the poor state of the economy is well-documented at this stage and the transport industry has been harder hit than most sectors. The haulage industry is being crippled by a succession of fuel price increases and many companies have being forced out of business, with others barely hanging on.” Looking to the future of Thurles Test Centre she says:
“It’s difficult to map out the future because a lot of companies have gone by the wayside. But we have a strong customer base and we will continue to build good relations with loyal customers and hopefully bring in some new business as well. We have an excellent facility here and we provide a top-class service; business is brisk at the moment, so we’re confident without being complacent. At the end of the day, you’d be happy to keep the customer base you have… but it’s difficult to know what the future holds.”
Mary concludes: “We’re continuously improving our service, with ongoing training of testers. We’re constantly striving to improve the quality of service we provide to customers where we provide questionnaires to customers on arrival and from this we take on board their comments. On a monthly basis we review customer comments and see where we can improve on our service. Customer service is a big priority and we offer a very friendly service from the first point of contact at reception to the testers themselves. Finally, we would like to thank all of our customers and suppliers for their continued support for the past number of years and we wish them well with their individual business endeavours as we go into 2011.”
Thurles Test Centre Limited,
Archerstown IDA,
Turtulla,
Thurles,
Co. Tipperary.
Tel: 0504-26472
Fax:0504-23913
Email :[email protected]
