Image: Mick Robins, Tyre Fitter at Darren Budd Tyres
Darren Budd has been in the tyre business for 23 years. Eight years ago he struck out on his own to create a mobile tyre business that retails and services tyres for almost every commercial vehicle operating on and off the road.
Based in Cornubia, Queensland, Darren Budd Tyres (DBT) operates three mobile service trucks. With these trucks, a storage shed, years of experience and a knack for customer service, Darren and two other fitters perform tyre fleet management and maintenance for a number of line haul and interstate logistics businesses.
“We do truck and bus tyres, passenger tyres, earthmovers, agricultural and light trucks – the full range,” Darren says.
“Toyo’s definitely a big part of our business. I have Toyo tyres on 80 per cent of my customer’s vehicles.”
Darren’s business does not end at the supply and fitment of a tyre. Once fitted, DBT manages air pressure, rotation and wear from the first kilometre to the end of the tyre’s life.
“We service what we supply: simple as that,” says Darren.
“Toyo is a proven product for me. I recommend Toyo to my TBR customers because they are easy and reliable tyres to work with. The patterns are plain and simple and they work well.”
For trucks and buses, Darren focuses on three core products that continually perform for his customers.
“My primary products are the M144 for steer tyres, the M627 for drive and the M122Z for trailers. We do super single and other sizes as well at times, but they are the three core sizes I stock for Toyo.”
For Darren, reputation is everything, and that reputation is earned by getting results.
“You have to earn the confidence of drivers and fleet owners,” he says.
“I need a strong product to work with. With the right maintenance I can achieve great results. We are getting average kilometres out of our tyres that no one else is getting.”
Darren has grown his business on the back of strong service and using the right product.
“I don’t advertise. We don’t have phone numbers on our uniforms or trucks, and we’re not in the yellow pages. Everything we do is by word of mouth,” he says.
“The reputation of my business relies on the products I sell and maintain. My business isn’t called ‘FleetTech’ or ‘TyreBarn’: my name is the on the line – Darren Budd Tyres. Toyos are a tyre I am happy to put my name on.”
Reliability, mileage and performance have ensured DBT’s customers get what they need.
“We sell high quality tyres and we’re known for it. I wouldn’t sell Toyos if they weren’t reliable. Customers wouldn’t keep using them unless they were meeting their cost and performance requirements and they were satisfied.”
DBT has watched many customers increase the size of their fleet, and with proper management tyre costs can drop.
“One customer’s fleet has grown 30 per cent since we started working together and his tyre costs have actually gone down,” he said.
Darren insists there is no secret to his business, just a simple recipe backed by consistent performance.
“Provide the right product, the right service, and they will keep coming back. We turn up every day like it’s the first day with the customer. As long we do that every day, we won’t have a problem.”
