Archive 2014 : Hyland Express Cargo – Depot 113

Hyland Transport is one of the older transport companies in Ireland. Based in Rosenallis in Co. Laois, it was founded by Edward and Mary Hyland in 1925. The company began with hauling milk, then turf, turnips, hay and straw, which they could transport without a licence. In 1933 they bought their first licence from the government. “Mary was educated and could deal with the bureaucracy. She also knew now to make connections because, politically, you needed the right connections,` said Joe Hyland, her son. Plate 1555, issued by the government and mounted on a truck, permitted the Hylands to operate one truck over three counties – Laois, Tipperary and Offaly. ‘They would have liked a licence to operate in Kildare because that would have given them access to Dublin and haulage within 25 miles of the GPO did not require a licence, said Joe.

Hyland Express Cargo has won TPN Depot of the Year three times and, in 2014, they won Regional Haulier of the Year 2015 at the Fleet Transport awards

In 1962, Edward’s licence was passed to Joe. Under the law, it was permitted to transfer a licence from father to son. Business was increasing and, despite not having the appropriate licence, they delivered to Waterford, Kilkenny and other counties on occasions. They were constantly being pulled over by the Gardai, who were becoming strict about unlicensed transport. Licences had to be renewed each year and if you ended up in court too often, it might not be renewed, said Joe. Consequently the Hylands bought two more licences and these gave them access to the twenty-six counties. In 1969 the laws changed and an operator was allowed to run six trucks on one licence.

In the 1970s, the European Economic Community (now European Union) forced liberalisation on the transport sector and the old licence plate system was abolished. Now a haulier could enter the transport business by gaining the Certificate of Professional Competency. ‘A course was held in Carlow and the questions were mainly mechanical, such as tyre pressure and so on. We were allowed to go from the plate to a licence without an exam. But competition now became fierce. In the past, if a truck broke down, five or six lads would stop to help, but no more, explained Joe. He had been a member of the Irish Road Hauliers Association since 1962.

Ger Hyland helped his father from a young age and joined the business in 1981 when he took a mechanics course. Hyland Express Cargo was created as a subsidiary
of Hyland Transport in 1996. When TPN was looking for a new member for TPN in 2006 to to cover County Laois, contacts through the IRHA brought them to Ger Hyland. Hyland Express Cargo has won TPN Depot of the Year three times and, in 2014, they won Regional Haulier of the Year 2015 at the Fleet Transport awards.