As the topic says, is this a big deal for you? Are you bothered about what vehicle you drive be it on days/nights or tramping? If you’re agency would you walk away from a job if you were handed the keys to something uncomfortable? In this heat is air conditioning important to you or not? Does you employer take into consideration driver comfort or is it the accounts department that deals with fleet replacement?
Just walked from my job because I wasn’t allowed to wear smart tailored shorts even though vehicle has no aircon and cab temp with windows down and roof panel open was 28c. So yes, I was bothered about temps and no driver comforts.
Ok so dress code is another part of driver comfort. Some places don’t allow shorts in this weather, what alternatives does the employer offer?
Yes it is if I’m doing 9 or 10 hours driving a day I want something comfortable and easy to drive. My preference is a Volvo fh 460 with I shift, I think it’s the best all round lorry on the road.
By choice i’ll have a manual box, air con ok but not really bothered so long as the windows both open, roof vent a bonus.
NIce to have your own allocated lorry and keep it 100% whatever it is, but if its A N Other lorry for the day not in the least bothered.
Important things are the right pay and going home after a max 12 hour unhurried shift.
For tramping…Bed, Curtains (frilly’s optional), night heater, usual standard extras, air con an added bonus…If I get a whiff that the motor has been downspeced from standard I’m looking for another job.
All about residuals on leased motors so a company would be foolish to remove any included comforts.
Oh and Fridge, Microwave, TV and 4G phone 
I doubt,well know ours couldn’t give a flying zb about whether were hot,cold or dieting as long as the load gets too the tesco shop/ rdc on time .
Im a volvo man thru and thru ,great lorry with the best gearbox[i shift]on the market,as for shorts ,if they are smart whats the big deal its 2014, 
Pimpdaddy:
Ok so dress code is another part of driver comfort. Some places don’t allow shorts in this weather, what alternatives does the employer offer?
Our lot don’t allow shorts for some reason but then again we have good kit with air conditioning but that only works if you ain’t handed your key in.
Also I love resting my arms on the arm rests, would hate to drive a truck without these.
Dipper_Dave:
For tramping…Bed, Curtains (frilly’s optional), night heater, usual standard extras, air con an added bonus…If I get a whiff that the motor has been downspeced from standard I’m looking for another job.
All about residuals on leased motors so a company would be foolish to remove any included comforts.
Oh and Fridge, Microwave, TV and 4G phone
i must spoil my chap because he has all the above lol the tv is his though
F.me i think most of you lot would be out of work back in the day, a lorry was a work horse and that was it, take it or leave it. Today all lorries are comfortable with the introduction of air suspension, power steering and roof vents, that was all the comfort we needed, and the summers were a lot hotter than they are today and lasted longer, on saying that, the winters were twice as cold as well, so if you had a lorry with a heater, you were lucky ( especially if it worked )
todays machines have all the comforts of home and i guess a lot of drivers are still not happy wanting Air con, named marques, named gear changes, night heaters etc etc todays drivers are too spoilt for their own good and shouldnt be too fussed a lorry is a lorry and if i had to earn a days crust without all the garb, then i would, maybe i wouldnt be too happy for the day, but its the thought of a good days pay without all the handball, roping and sheeting, getting soaking wet, thats why i`m one of the old school, would go there and do that but in luxury.
truckyboy:
F.me i think most of you lot would be out of work back in the day, a lorry was a work horse and that was it, take it or leave it. Today all lorries are comfortable with the introduction of air suspension, power steering and roof vents, that was all the comfort we needed, and the summers were a lot hotter than they are today and lasted longer, on saying that, the winters were twice as cold as well, so if you had a lorry with a heater, you were lucky ( especially if it worked )
todays machines have all the comforts of home and i guess a lot of drivers are still not happy wanting Air con, named marques, named gear changes, night heaters etc etc todays drivers are too spoilt for their own good and shouldnt be too fussed a lorry is a lorry and if i had to earn a days crust without all the garb, then i would, maybe i wouldnt be too happy for the day, but its the thought of a good days pay without all the handball, roping and sheeting, getting soaking wet, thats why i`m one of the old school, would go there and do that but in luxury.
Not a case of being spoilt, it’s a case of being in the 21st century.
Well you know what they say truckyboy. You don’t miss what you never had.
rambo19:
truckyboy:
F.me i think most of you lot would be out of work back in the day, a lorry was a work horse and that was it, take it or leave it. Today all lorries are comfortable with the introduction of air suspension, power steering and roof vents, that was all the comfort we needed, and the summers were a lot hotter than they are today and lasted longer, on saying that, the winters were twice as cold as well, so if you had a lorry with a heater, you were lucky ( especially if it worked )
todays machines have all the comforts of home and i guess a lot of drivers are still not happy wanting Air con, named marques, named gear changes, night heaters etc etc todays drivers are too spoilt for their own good and shouldnt be too fussed a lorry is a lorry and if i had to earn a days crust without all the garb, then i would, maybe i wouldnt be too happy for the day, but its the thought of a good days pay without all the handball, roping and sheeting, getting soaking wet, thats why i`m one of the old school, would go there and do that but in luxury.Not a case of being spoilt, it’s a case of being in the 21st century.
This, welcome to the 21st century. People are entitled to be comfortable.
truckyboy:
F.me i think most of you lot would be out of work back in the day, a lorry was a work horse and that was it, take it or leave it. Today all lorries are comfortable with the introduction of air suspension, power steering and roof vents, that was all the comfort we needed, and the summers were a lot hotter than they are today and lasted longer, on saying that, the winters were twice as cold as well, so if you had a lorry with a heater, you were lucky ( especially if it worked )
todays machines have all the comforts of home and i guess a lot of drivers are still not happy wanting Air con, named marques, named gear changes, night heaters etc etc todays drivers are too spoilt for their own good and shouldnt be too fussed a lorry is a lorry and if i had to earn a days crust without all the garb, then i would, maybe i wouldnt be too happy for the day, but its the thought of a good days pay without all the handball, roping and sheeting, getting soaking wet, thats why i`m one of the old school, would go there and do that but in luxury.
Took longer than I thought for this ‘real drivers’ type post to rear it’s head…
There was no power steering, no power clutch, no power brakes, no speed limiters, iffy at best heaters, hand ball, roping and sheeting, even the wipers only worked when they could be bothered.
Ahh, the good old days, why don’t we all go back to sticking a board across our seats to sleep…
Must do better Truckyboy 
4/10
Good greif the old boys always love to remind us of how things where back in ‘the good old days’ when they had to live in a cardboard box in the middle of the road, get up an hour before they went to bed, eat their own foot when stuck on shap, burn witches at the weekend and wind the legs on the trailer as air suspension was considered some form of magic.
That said I’m sure I will be doing the same amount of whinging in 20 years time when the next generation are moaning about having to drive the trucks when they could do the job on their laptop, tablet, implant etc… by remote control.
Well said to the posters above, but manufacturers have made the changes to give drivers more comfort in the hope of selling their vehicles, i believe that if bosses had a say it would be different in a lot of cases, vehicles have changed a great deal, yes there is a great deal more comfort which is nice, its almost a pleisure to go go to work 
but it doesnt do to work a 15 hr day just because the boss has bought a nice motor to do it in with all the mod cons, for you will still have to do it in an old banger. Years ago we still had to do the work in whatever vehicle a company provided, it just wouldnt do to say i`m not driving that thames trader i want a tk bedford, for they sure as hell would show you the gate, not just tell you where it is, and thats what i am saying here, you drive what they give you regardless of what luxuries are in it, the name of the game for me is safety, money, workload.
My requirements are quite small.
Must do 56 (90kph)
Bed must be reasonably clean.
Preferably able to stand inside but if not it’s not a deal breaker.
Air con preferred.
I’ve driven a 14 yr old daf 7.5t with no radio, no heating and no electric windows. I’ve also slept lying across the seats (while waiting to be tipped). Does this make me one of the old school real drivers 
Im quite happy with my truck,
Volvo fm12 460 8wheeler,
Bed aircon i shift, lovely