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auction houses and private buyers and sellers. Anything from one car to an entire fleet of cars can be accommodated. The lorries in the Parker Car Transport fleet are predominantly Scania and Volvo – high-quality tractor units that are maintained in prime condition at all times. Gerry has never bought a brand-new truck. Instead, he has a keen eye for a used vehicle that can provide an equally-dependable solution: “We buy good-quality, second-hand vehicles and we make sure they are operating at their optimum level. We have our own mechanic here in the yard in Ballycastle and all repairs, maintenance and servicing jobs are handled in– house.” A preventative maintenance policy is pursued, with regular checks and improvements making sure that no major problems are allowed to arise. When did Parker Car Transport diversify into machinery transportation? “Gerry bought his first low loader in 2010 and has become more involved in heavy transportation – tractor units, diggers, excavators etc. – which also go over and back between Ireland and the UK.” From that day in May, 2005, when he set out on his own, Gerry Parker has grown the business to the point where
full-time employment is now provided to a team of eleven. His wife is in no doubt as to what has been the secret of his success: “Gerry and his hard work – simple as that,” she states. “He has worked extremely hard to make a success of the business and continues to do so. He looks after his customers and provides a great service. He is constantly striving to better himself and has invested an awful lot into the business – both in terms of man hours and money. He doesn’t sit behind a desk; he still goes to England himself most days and is a hands-on owner. He is available 24/7. His mobile is never switched off and he has never let a customer down in ten years.” When you run a business in such an honest and meticulous manner, success will inevitably follow. To this end, Parker Car Transport has enjoyed a decade of steady growth and the business continues to expand today. The move into vehicle recovery has proven to be another successful departure. A small Iveco recovery truck
IRISH TRUCKER & LIGHT COMMERCIALS
handles breakdowns of cars and vans, mostly in the local area. Again, a 24-hour service is provided. Looking to the future, Claire says Gerry will continue to move forward with the business: “There will always
be changes and new ideas and he will always strive to better himself,” she notes. “He has built up a very strong customer base over the years and benefits from a lot of repeat business. We’ve come out the other side of the recession and we’re still here. We’ve done a fair bit of work in the Republic of Ireland in the past – including runs to Donegal, Dublin and Kilkenny etc. – and hopefully that’ll pick up a bit, too.” “Obviously, there will always be challenges to overcome, such as the high cost of fuel and insurance. The key is to cover these and remain as efficient as possible. Once you are running an efficient business, you can pass the benefits on to your customers with reasonable rates and a good service.” For ten years now, Parker Car Transport customers have been reaping the rewards!
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