Just done a couple of days driving after 7 yrs away from the industry.
Yesterday saw me in Langdons at Redditch, 5 drops & 2 collections using a Renault Premium 420.
Biggest shock was getting the cab and finding the gear lever had gone missing…thankfully the shunter talked me through the auto controls. Closest i had come to auto trucks before was EPS, and whatever the Actros’ had when they first came out here.
Today saw me at DHL Boot in Worcester. Was expecting a delivery for Homebase in Northampton, then a collection from Lutterworth an ASDA delivery then back to Worcester.
Turned up and got told the delivery had been cancelled because they couldn’t find the trailer, and i just had to run solo to Lutterworth, pick up a box, deliver to ASDA’s at Perry Bar and back to Worcester.
Liked the MAN more than the Renault.
Got to Lutterworth at about 0815 to be told that the load for Perry Barr wouldn’t be ready till gone 1300!
Then they said, if you fancy doing Darlaston instead it was ready now. Well…i didn’t fancy hanging around for hours, and i know Perry Barr can be a nightmare to get tipped, so i readily agreed.
Was back in Worcester for 12.30.
All in all, not a lot seems to have changed, apart from the trucks themselves, in 7 yrs.
It was nice to find that i still enjoy the driving…would love to try some tramping work now…something i never did before.
Although not sure the wife and kids would be so keen…
Ultimately, would love to do some European work…almost had a nice earner lined up years back, not long after passing my test. Would have been collecting a load of fridge trailers from somewhere in France and delivering them into ASDA’s at Dartford. Apparently they had just bought a load of new ones…but the firm bidding for the work never got it.