PROFILE

In the late 1970’s, Sean O’Shea from Ballyheigue, County Kerry bought an eight seater Ford Transit and started what is now the well-known, Tralee based O’Shea’s of Kerry. Sadly, Sean passed away in 2018, but not before he saw his son John and grandsons Jonathan and Cathal continue to develop a thriving operation.

As the O’Shea family grew the business, they knew that for the firm to make any real progress they needed population mass and therefore moved the operation to Tralee in the early 1990s. Like all bus and coach operators, there is a need for steady work to keep the assets moving. Very few operators have become successful without relying on school runs, bingo trips and factory shuttles and O’Shea’s were no different, being heavily involved in these types of service. The moving to Tralee proved successful in this regard.

Although the local trips may not have ceased completely, the work now being carried out by O’Shea’s has evolved. Tralee is known the world over for the annual ‘Rose of Tralee’ festival, which the locals refer to it as ‘The Festival’. Working on events like this brings great profile to the company. For example, during the festival week, a coach bearing the O’Shea’s livery could appear on a newspaper or TV station anywhere around the world. Tralee and County Kerry in general are destinations that nearly every tourist will visit during their time in Ireland. Over the years, O’Shea’s have built up an extensive tour business, with clients such as Kleemann Reisen and Abbey Tours, while many tour companies rely on their expertise and professionalism. Business relationships like these are built over time and on mutual trust.

Obviously, this international tour business is an important source of work, bring nationalities from all over the world on day trips and extended tours on O’Shea’s coaches, but tourism is of course seasonal, so a strong local business is also important. For O’Shea’s, one of the largest schools in Munster, the Mercy Mounthawk Secondary School, with 1,300 students, is a very important client during the school term, taking pupils to various sporting and social events.

‘Whether your passion is to golf, sight-see, or just simply relax, O’Shea’s of Kerry private custom Irish tours provide the best way of experiencing all the beauty and splendour that Ireland has to offer from the comfort and safety of your own chauffeured vehicle’

Tralee is a large terminus for both Bus Éireann and Irish Rail and O’Shea’s provide a vital and efficient back-up service when breakdowns, line repairs and other busy periods occur for the national carrier at different times of the year. Other significant work undertaken came from one of their long term customers which organised a large conference in London some years ago. O’Shea’s supplied coaches with drivers for the event. Another example of the flexibility and high profile of the company, they were rewarded with a request to supply coaches for the G7 Summit, hosted by the British Government in Cornwall. Jonathan stated that it was a proud moment to be asked to source 30 vehicles from operators in the Munster area for the event. Seven units were supplied in-house, with others obtained from fellow operators around the province. There was a specific requirement for the vehicles, being less than 8m, due of the narrow roads at the venue and that only unbranded buses were allowed. Jonathan is confident that this exposure and experience will lead to more opportunities.

When operating a range of vehicles of different sizes and capacity, it is difficult to remain with one manufacturer. That said, O’Shea’s has selected VDL as its preferred option for its coach operations.

O’Shea’s of Kerry – Welcome Aboard!

The first one was purchased in 2007, with four units now in its fleet, all with Paccar/ DAF running gear. Currently, the oldest unit is a 2016 model. The smaller vehicles in operation are a mixture of Iveco and Mercedes-Benz.

While most of the repairs and maintenance are carried out in-house in a newly constructed workshop, some repairs are out-sourced to Robert Reidy, who is well known and appreciated by operators around the country, especially if they encounter problems in the Kerry region. His experience in breakdown assistance and coach repair is second to none. As John recalled: “He first came here around 18 years ago to put in a clutch on a Volvo B10M and remains a key part of our back up team ever since.”

Most of the fleet put up small mileage and in general, the type of work does not put a big demand on the buses. As a result, this work profile lends itself to high residual values on the units at fleet renewal time. Both John and Cathal are trained technicians and manage the planning of all the company’s vehicle repairs. It is seldom that they have the need to outsource, mainly only for warranty work.

As has been the case for all passenger transport operators, Covid-19 has been a massive intrusion on O’Shea’s business. John is hopeful that they might see some activity towards the end of the year. The announcement that the Rose of Tralee festival would not go ahead this year, while not unexpected, was nonetheless a disappointment. There is an underlining hope that 2022 will be a good year and the tourist industry will get back on its feet.

While the ongoing problem is Covid-19 and getting back on the road, Jonathan mentioned that some challenges that were present preCovid-19 still prevail. The bus industry is facing a challenge to get young people involved. With the age profile of drivers continues to increase, there is a fear that when business volumes start to return, some employees may not return to sit behind the wheel. Some have already gone truck driving while others have just simply retired. While fuel prices continue to rise and environmental issues are constantly raised, these matters are likely to go on, according to Jonathan, who feels that while the sector may be going electric, in the short term it will not be an option or requirement for their specific operations. For O’Shea’s the main issue is that operators compete on price rather than service. “This is detrimental to us all,” Jonathan said, “Our costs keep going up and our rates are always under a downward pressure. Operators need to value themselves more and be able to invest in their business.”

In spite of Covid-19 and the other difficulties that face the business, O’Shea’s is confident about the future. “Opportunities are always out there. Our customers were getting busier before the Covid-19 pandemic arrived, let’s hope everything will take up where it left off,” added Jonathan.

What started in Ballyheigue almost fifty years ago with Transit minibus has developed into a company that has an international profile in transporting generations of ‘Roses’ and providing

an ultra-professional service at World meetings such as the G7. O’Shea’s of Kerry’s appetite for success is real and ongoing.

What customers have to say...

“I have nothing but good things to say about O’Shea’s of Kerry, from our initial contacts right up until the time Seamus, our driver dropped us back at Shannon. Everything ran smoothly and we had a terrific time. Seamus couldn’t do enough for us, and we totally enjoyed his wealth of knowledge and his humour. I am singing your praises and making it a point to tell everyone who asks how my vacation went.”

Text: Sean Murtagh – sean@fleet.ie