Supporting Feed, Food, & Aggregate for 40 Years
T&J Haulage continues investments into its safety, environmental, and service commitments as it builds off 40 years of industry success. T&J Haulage (est.
1984) is an organisation which has grown from humble origins into being one of the UK's most prolific grain hauliers. Although initially starting out with a single Leyland Roadtrain tractor coupled with a Craven Task trailer in 1984, T&J Haulage has enjoyed explosive growth over its 40 years of operations - primarily thanks to the standard of service on offer and award-winning nature.
At present T&J haulage boasts a full Scania fleet of a combined 20 R450s, R540s, and R500 Supers with Wilcox plank-side trailers, with the fleet supporting many of the UK's largest grain merchants (in addition to a selection of reputable SMEs).
T&J feature in T&L issue 262. Click to read
Perhaps T&J Haulage's greatest strength comes in the form of the standard of service offered, coupled with the firm's commitment to professionalism and the many awards and accreditations that the company has under its name. Importantly, the firm is certified with both TASCC and FORS, showcasing the company's commitment to service standards, safety, and the environment.
The company has also picked up a number of prestigious awards over the years, including the "North's Top Trailer Fleet" Award in the 2023 Transport News Awards. A key factor in T&J Haulage's ability to deliver such an excellent standard of service would be its network of highly motivated, committed, and skilled drivers. Especially given industry-wide issues with driver turnover and difficulties in bringing new talent into the space, it's well worth noting T&J Haulage's iconic ability to attract talented drivers and, importantly, hold onto them; indeed, a number of the company's drivers have been with the firm for over 20 years, and most for more than seven.
As to how this is done, it seems a combination of management style, continued training, incorporating driver feedback into decision making, and essentially encouraging drivers to feel proud of the work that they do are key factors in this respect. "We go to great lengths to ensure our drivers are happy, as they are key to our success," explained Trevor Walker, Managing Director and Transport Manager at T&J Haulage. "We fit inverters to all our trucks so drivers can have a toaster or a kettle, and each vehicle has a microwave. We also allow each driver to personalise their truck with their own personal slogan or saying on the driver's door and they can pick an image for the back of the cab.
"Today, with a well-equipped Scania truck as their workplace, every one of our 20+ drivers appreciates they are driving a product of exceptional quality, and that generates a huge amount of pride and respect. They keep them incredibly clean and tidy, and it's no overstatement to say you could eat your dinner off them. In fact, in the past when one of our drivers went on holiday, he put a pair of rubber gloves over the pedals with the words 'KEEP ME CLEAN' written on them in felt tip pen - that's how proud our drivers are of the Scania trucks they drive!"
Recognising safety as one of the most important aspects in the industry, T&J Haulage is also known to invest considerably into safety features in a bid to ensure safe, efficient operations across the board. Notable investments include the installation of 360 degree recordable cameras to minimise blind spots, retina detection technology for the purpose of monitoring driver concentration, adaptive cruise control, truck-specific satellite navigation, and advanced use of telematics and tracking systems to ensure drivers are meeting the highest standards on the road. Thus far, these efforts have been highly successful in ensuring the protection of both its own drivers and other road users, while also having a marked impact on the firm's carbon footprint.
Delving deeper into T&J Haulage's environmental commitments, the firm is known to strategically deploy resources in a manner which not only delivers their max potential, but also minimises empty running and that every turn of the wheel is done with purpose.
This is made possible via significant investment into its strategic functions, including the planning team, its telematics systems, and the deployment of driver training in line with the insights fed back by these systems. These efforts are supported even further via investments across the fleet (which is now entirely Euro 6) to ensure that T&J Haulage is able to live up to its reputation as a responsible transport company. T&J Haulage is also working with Certas in planning HVO trials to monitor the exact costs, efficiency of running, and environmental impact against purchase cost.
As for where the company is likely to go from here, it's clear that T&J Haulage entered its 40th year anniversary on incredibly strong financial footing.
Primarily known for the standard of its service, T&J Haulage plans to double down on the provision of a market-leading service going forward, instead of looking towards any form of aggressive growth.
Not only will this allow the company to ensure consistent service standards, but it will also allow for the company to maintain closer, more personal relationships with its drivers.
Transport & Logistics - Driving The Industry Forward