This is totally my own personal observation and opinion, (Yours may well differ) The attitude of a lot of drivers nowadays is appauling and leaves a lot to be desired. I wonder if it is this that is a contributing factor to the micro management that we face day in day out. As an example I was at our yard on Friday having being away all week and bearing in mind that there were also some day drivers in the yard. We were chewing the cud and cleaning down our lorries etc. The gaffer came out and simply asked for a couple of trailers to be moved from one location in the yard to another to make some space for a repair to be done on the ground where it was comming up. When he left everyone was chuntering and saying they wasnt doing it and its not fair on a Friday when we had finished, I moved both trailers and everyone watched me do it instead of someone jumping in their cab and shifting the other. The point is that even after I had shifted them they were all still stood in the yard anyway moaning. The attitude is terrible and this is one example of countless examples I could give. Is it just me or does anyone else think the same.
There are 2 types of drivers, and you sir are the type I would employ, well done. Too much Can’t do won’t do going on. Haulage is hard work financially, have to spend a hundred grand to make a few grand. Blood sweat and tears go into owning and operating haulage yet many drivers do not realise this.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Same in every industry, not just driving.
Most people will just get on with the job in hand and not care what other people think.
Then there is the others that moan, talk about other drivers behind their back and generally do the bare minimum.
If somewhere doesn’t work for me or I’m not happy I’ll just go elsewhere.
You tend to find the militant guys who won’t do this and won’t do that, tend to be the same people in the office all the time with a brown nose.
Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk
WhiteWhiteWhite:
There are 2 types of drivers, and you sir are the type I would employ, well done. Too much Can’t do won’t do going on. Haulage is hard work financially, have to spend a hundred grand to make a few grand. Blood sweat and tears go into owning and operating haulage yet many drivers do not realise this.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
There is an old saying which is, “You cant do too much for a good employer” holds true in my books. But then any employer paying your wages is entitled to ask you to do something your expected to do.
The attitude of a lot of drivers nowadays is appauling and leaves a lot to be desired.
Unfortunately Yorkshire Tramper, you can substitute the work drivers with people. Ask your friends and family about their workplaces, I bet they will have similar stories of staff who constantly complain and refuse to do what you and I and many others would consider was just being helpful.
If I’d been the manager I’d have told the lot of them to get a bucket and brush and start washing the trailers first.
A genuine “proper driver”, respect 
People like yourself are an absolute godsend to gaffers/TMs, sadly you appear to be very much in a minority across the industry, I count myself lucky I have at least one driver like yourself, and a few more who are well on their way to becoming that good.
Yes absolutely, the amount of princesses driving trucks has definitely increased over the years, the role of planning trucks must now be similar to working in a nursery. But as said it’s not just the transport industry, it has spread through the whole country. The younger generations are just self obsessed, self entitled brats that live their lives through social media and expect the world handed to them. Seems to have spilled over into the older generations too, and all encouraged with the nanny state we live in. God help this country in 10 more years if these liberal woke muppets keep at it
There are good and bad employees today, as there always have been.
There are good and bad employers today, as there always have been.
We might see things through a different lens as we get older and count up more examples, but I don`t think the world is so very different today than it was a couple of decades ago.
New drivers today are just as varied, good/bad/average as they were before.
But we oldies might see more of the mistakes they make, because we have more experience and so are more aware of such.
Some tricks might be newer though, how many employers wanted drivers to pay towards accidents years ago?
I`ve always thought that was a business risk.
Take it out of a good driving bonus? OK, but to get a driver on a contract that takes it out of their pay? Not for me.
Night-and-day:
The younger generations are just self obsessed, self entitled brats that live their lives through social media and expect the world handed to them.
Yes, I concur, I have one of these at home 
Teenagers have always tended to be a PITA to their parents (I was certainly no different) but at least we were mostly grounded in reality and understood that if we wanted something done for ourselves, we’d probably have to do it ourselves.
Some people are incapable of seeing further than the end of their noses, if a place is worth working at its worth putting some effort in to do your share do help keep it operating.
Every yard has got the won’t help or do anything other than the bare minimum crew, easily spotted their faces are as miserable as sin with an attitude to match.
There is a large amount of absolute fannies who care too much about what others are doing or what run others are getting or what nights out they are or are not getting. I’ve seen drivers look at OTHER PEOPLES ROTAS before their own just so they can twist on. Its embarrassing that their life is so ■■■■ they just have to nitpick and gossip on like old aged gasbags to fulfil the void in their worthless own existence.
I’ve had a driver kick off at me because someone else got rest day working and he didn’t. No problem as I still had work to cover so said he can work, only to turn round and say he doesn’t want tonwork a day off. What’s the issue then? Other than just being a ■■■■
I think the job is what you make of it, if your goingto whinge and moan all of the time it is going to be hell for you and make others feel the same. If you just crack on and let the bad times flow off your shoulders it is easier to handle. The job can definately be made better and easier by your own attitude towards it. I try to remain as positive as I can be and help anyone out if they need it, I also know the ones to stay away from and just get on with my job. Easy job with the right attitude.
WhiteWhiteWhite:
There are 2 types of drivers, and you sir are the type I would employ, well done. Too much Can’t do won’t do going on. Haulage is hard work financially, have to spend a hundred grand to make a few grand. Blood sweat and tears go into owning and operating haulage yet many drivers do not realise this.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I still see loads of 1/2 empty trailers , 100,s of miles running empty , hours sat in canteens waiting for a lorry , managers for god knows what etc etc etc , yet the fact it’s a struggle to make money is always down to the drivers , apparently in this case not moving a couple of tris !!!
When I tramped I’d more than likely done 70 hrs , slept in the truck all week so just wanted to go home , not ■■■■ about moving trailer , in my experience there’s always someone in t/o with a hgv license , and as most of them only did 12 hrs x 4 days I’d of personally been telling the bone idle ■■■■■■■ to move the bloody trailersthemselfes
And no I’d not want a job working for you , you sound like the type of idiot who wants there employees to live to work , not work to live , goodnight
Nowt new, this has been the case in everywhere I’ve ever worked since I started working in the 80s.
Conor:
Nowt new, this has been the case in everywhere I’ve ever worked since I started working in the 80s.
Well never actually thought it was new, however seems to be at an all time high in recent years. Of course there have always been moaners with an attitude problem, but you know and not being funny here, reading that response sort of jumps out at me as exactly what I meant by this post to begin with. No offence but it does come accross as rather abrupt and a typical attitude of “I don’t give a toss type” I personally have not come accross it as much in years gone by in comparrison as it appears to be now. So my opinion is that it is quite a new thing and a different breed of attitudes seems to be rife. Possibly you have worked at some bad places more than I have in the past. Who knows but it is not something I personally have witnessed as the norm.
Yorkshire Tramper:
Conor:
Nowt new, this has been the case in everywhere I’ve ever worked since I started working in the 80s.Well never actually thought it was new, however seems to be at an all time high in recent years. Of course there have always been moaners with an attitude problem, but you know and not being funny here, reading that response sort of jumps out at me as exactly what I meant by this post to begin with. No offence but it does come accross as rather abrupt and a typical attitude of “I don’t give a toss type” I personally have not come accross it as much in years gone by in comparrison as it appears to be now. So my opinion is that it is quite a new thing and a different breed of attitudes seems to be rife. Possibly you have worked at some bad places more than I have in the past. Who knows but it is not something I personally have witnessed as the norm.
I fear you may have opened a can of worms here.
I cant wait to hear about Howdens bestest most long term agency trunker…
toonsy:
There is a large amount of absolute fannies who care too much about what others are doing or what run others are getting or what nights out they are or are not getting. I’ve seen drivers look at OTHER PEOPLES ROTAS before their own just so they can twist on. Its embarrassing that their life is so [zb] they just have to nitpick and gossip on like old aged gasbags to fulfil the void in their worthless own existence.I’ve had a driver kick off at me because someone else got rest day working and he didn’t. No problem as I still had work to cover so said he can work, only to turn round and say he doesn’t want tonwork a day off. What’s the issue then? Other than just being a [zb]
I’m interested though, what happens to the people that go above and beyond, that work harder without complaining, do they get harder longer runs for no benefit ? Or are they commensurately rewarded in the long run?
stu675:
toonsy:
There is a large amount of absolute fannies who care too much about what others are doing or what run others are getting or what nights out they are or are not getting. I’ve seen drivers look at OTHER PEOPLES ROTAS before their own just so they can twist on. Its embarrassing that their life is so [zb] they just have to nitpick and gossip on like old aged gasbags to fulfil the void in their worthless own existence.I’ve had a driver kick off at me because someone else got rest day working and he didn’t. No problem as I still had work to cover so said he can work, only to turn round and say he doesn’t want tonwork a day off. What’s the issue then? Other than just being a [zb]
I’m interested though, what happens to the people that go above and beyond, that work harder without complaining, do they get harder longer runs for no benefit ? Or are they commensurately rewarded in the long run?
Depending on the company, you often get given the best runs, with the gaffer sorting you out an early Friday finish (where possible).
Personally,
If I’m asked to do something correctly or politely not a problem .
I generally think if you moan & get angry upset etc you are only harming yourself.
I remember my grandads advice no one else will feel your anger or misery only you, so you
Are self harming so to speak .
Always remember when I was an operations manager asking drivers to do something when they got back , moan moan moan didn’t do it , so they would be clocked off . 30 mins later could still see them out in the yard ■■■■■■■■ etc etc. If they had done what was asked they would have finished it by then and been paid .