In common with a lot of agency drivers like myself i am actually minted, loaded, in other words i have lots of money and i actually just drive a truck for a hobby to keep my hand in. So on Wednesday i was reading the Financial Times and seen a slight drop in the Dow Jones Index and this prompted me to think about a days work or two, nothing at all to do with the fact that things have just gone quiet latley and i’ve only done about 4 days work in the last fortnight. So i’ve got a shift for Thursday at my favourite supermarket.
I start at 10am and it looks like it didn’t take long for them to forget me as i have to do the whole security thing again, drivers licence, picture taken etc. And then i book on at the traffic office. There’s quite a few guys in there and only three seats so i grab a coffe and nip out for a smoke whilst i wait. This is the smoke hut, nice hey!
i sit here for a bit and ponder the meaning of life and wonder have i really just drove for an hour to come here and do this. My smoke finished i go back in and see if there’s any room and the view isn’t much better.
I realise that if i ever come back to this earth after i die that i do not want to be a lorry seat. They like me in the traffic office so they give me a choice of motor, anyone i like all i got to do is pick.
It might look like a difficult task but all i do is open the doors and look for the one without crisp packets and sandwich wrappers in the footwell, easy really. The plan changes, i have to go to the front car park for a ‘six legger’ unit as i have a collection to do. Drop off at Liverpool first and then collect at ‘Danone’. “can i have a map for Danone please” , “have you done Kammac?” , “yeah " , “well its next door to that” , " oh, ok then thanks”. (its next door to the Kraft/St.Ivel dairy place at Kirkby). Off i go to the front car park to collect my unit. Now i’ve heard other drivers describe Tescos drivers as a bunch of cowboys and to be honest i take no notice. And then… Clint Eastwood is walking towards me completewith Stetson and saddlebags!!
Looks like the rumours are true. I bid him good morning and he just says “howdy partner” and off he goes in to the sunset, well round to the traffic office anyway.
drop in Liverpool goes without a problem and then i’m off to my collection. Get to where i was told and its not there, i pop in and ask at Kammac to see if they know it, they don’t, they say try next door in the Kraft so i do and its not in there either. I message the office and ask them to ring me so a lady gets in touch with me. “whats the problem?” , “i can’t find Danone, i was told it was next to Kammac and its not” , “hold on then…yeah, it’s next to Kammac” , “its not, just give me the address” , “hold on…its next to kammac, Knowsley Industrial Estate…hello, are you still there?” , “yeah, i’m just waiting for you to tell me the address please” , “its PMS Logistics, Knowsley Industrial Estate” , “i need more info” . A guy comes on the fone then, “go past Kammac, straight over at the roundabout ontowards Lees road, past the little shop and its on the left”. And it was ! I get the Hovis bread tune humming in my head when i come up here as it was the next building along, Henry Diapers where i first started work 29 years ago and travelled on my bike here !! Anyway i get my valuable load of bottled water and i’m heading back to base. As i’m approaching the M6 from the M62 i get held up by this tipper operated by Maher from Manchester, he’s doing 40 mph and theres nothing in front of him.
Funny thing is, he flew past me earlier on the M62. It must of just dawned on him its nearly home time and not toget back to soon. I feel like ringing up his boss to complain about him, not because he has a missing o/s rear light lense but because he is not driving on the limiter, i hear tipper drivers have been sacked for that sort of thing! I need a break now and i’m feeling peckish so i pull into my favourite service area, Poplar 2000 known as Lymm Truckstop. I park as near as i can to the walkway/entrance as i don’t like to walk to far and i’m horrified by what i see in front of me.
All that lose rubbish strewn about the floor, drivers will have to walk past this to wash/eat etc. absolutley disgusting, they wouldn’t have it next to the Hotel entrance and it should be left like that here either. Looks to me like it would attract rats. And i’m right, two turn up !!
The big rat gets a truck fridge out of the bin, jesus! Would you eat food out of that after its been in a bin?
Well he seems to like it and it goes in his truck. This one.
When people tell you to leave stuff alone in a cab i reckon this is why, you just never know what you’ll catch! I get back into the depot with my water and book it in goods in, i went to have a quick smoke in the front smoking area before fuelling up. As good as the first one hey!? I get the feeling of deja vous and then i remember what it reminds me of. The bog in the film ‘Trainspotting’.
I decide to give it a miss and get off home pronto. Well not actually home, i nip into my local for a well earned pint first.
I told you i was rich, so are my friends. Here’s a mate of mine covering the walls with money. Phew, just wait till i tell him what the working class have to go through to earn a crust, i don’t know how some of you guys do it!!
Brilliant. 
What a load of [zb]!!!
excellent read I love to hear how the upper class get on.
Next time i’m over your way I’ll help you get rid of some of your excess money,…darling 
Coffeeholic:
stevie.c:
What a load of [zb]!!!
FPMSL.
nice read mike
ohterry:
Coffeeholic:
stevie.c:
What a load of [zb]!!!
FPMSL.
ditto 
exelent as usual mike brilliant you wasted driving trucks
Give up the day job & write for a living…
SORRY!! Yep as usual to slow on the uptake 
stevie.c:
SORRY!! Yep as usual to slow on the uptake
Mike…what can i say…you rubbing shoulders with the working class.
That was brill, you have a good sense of humour.
Thanks coffeeholic
Nice one
Another good un, well done Mike
Yea, brilliant Mike, you crack me up every time!
Great read Mike, very good.
A GREAT entertaining read with excellent photos showing why
peole should refrain from visiting RDC and badly supervised
as regards hygine and health a certain truckstop, thanks will
be awaiting the next chapter,
That was a great story, not just a diary
If the RDC i work at got into that bad a condition someone would get
sacked for sure 
Charles