I think that BRS was OK from a drivers (or other staff) point of view, I know a couple of former drivers and they had all day to do what other firms did in half of one and were never pushed or hurried. One lad lived in Brighton and when on his way back from Scotch was told to phone in from Doncaster to see about return loads. Several times he was sent back ‘over the border’ again to collect from not far away from where he had tipped. 
Mind you, former employees have told me that one local haulage company was like that as well so not just common to BRS! 
Now wether the hauliers, many who had built their fleets up from nothing and then had them taken away from them when BRS was formed, thought it a good thing or not I have no idea but I can imagine that some protested but for others on their ‘uppers’ and running a load of crap it may well have done them a favour? 
Long before my time though, and I’m guessing that it was before most lads on here’s time as well. Would a new ‘Nationlised’ fleet obtain their vehicles in a similar way?
Pete.