From filling the same pothole 3–4 times a year with inconsistent cold-lay — to filling it once, with a calibrated mix that holds for 12+ months. 20+ years. 9 machines. Zero desire to go back.
Background
Pat Fitzgerald, formerly Machinery Yard Supervisor at Tipperary County Council, managed the Roadmaster fleet from when North Tipperary received its first machine in 2002. South Tipperary followed in 2009. The two councils have since unified, now running nine machines across the county. Over 20 years, Pat accumulated a perspective that only long-term operational experience provides. His verdict: “We don’t really look at the ROI as such. We just look back at the results. We see and experience the difference. We’re not going back to refilling potholes.”
The catch-up story
Tipperary didn’t switch overnight to a pristine preventative programme. They started where most councils start: buried in potholes, with traditional methods failing to keep up. The Roadmaster’s key advantage in year one wasn’t prevention — it was the fact that each repair held. “With potholes, the velocity patcher will fill the hole once, whereas with traditional filling, you’d have to go back and fill it again 3 or 4 times.” As the return-visit workload fell, capacity opened. The team began treating roads earlier in their deterioration cycle. By year three, the maintenance cost per kilometre was measurably lower. Twenty years later, it’s simply how roads are maintained in Tipperary.
“We don’t really look at the ROI as such. We just look back at the results. We see and experience the difference. We’re not going back to refilling potholes.”
— Pat Fitzgerald, formerly Tipperary County Council
Fleet evolution
In 2013 and 2016, Tipperary acquired smaller machines that originally required a second operator. Roadmaster subsequently re-engineered both into single-operator configurations — demonstrating willingness to evolve existing assets rather than simply selling new ones. The smaller machines now service narrow rural lanes that larger trucks cannot efficiently reach.
Safety and carbon
“It’s far safer to have one operator in a truck. That’s a big benefit — and it’s an issue that’s going to get more prominent.” Tipperary is also trialling HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) in their fleet, achieving approximately 9% carbon reduction vs. diesel with no engine modification required.
Parts and support after 20 years
After two decades, Roadmaster’s same-day dispatch and responsive technical support remain a meaningful differentiator as supply chains have tightened post-Brexit and Covid.
“Fast access to parts is crucial. I can’t emphasise enough the importance of quick spare parts and advice.”
— Pat Fitzgerald, formerly Tipperary County Council