New Channel 4 documentary

[gogzy]

mikey123:

gogzy:
basically what has been said in here needs to done, no light footing around to make good tv, a dispatches type programme would do

Get an agency driver whos struggling just to earn a wage,
get a fridge guy who spends half his day at an rdc just to get one pallet off (and not from a green truck)
get an owner driver whos struggling because of the rising fuel prices

I wouldnt think there would be too many o/ds open to that idea with the work situation at the min

yea i know but it basically shows what the struggle is for a one man army campared to the big green man

[jonnytruckfest]

DarlowSmithson:
CALLING ALL TRUCKERS!

Channel 4 is interested in making an exciting new programme about British truckers. We want to talk to as many people as possible about the UK trucking scene.

What is life really like on the road?
Do you have funny stories to tell?
Do you meet interesting characters on your travels?
What’s the social life of a lorry driver like?

What part of lorry driving would you like to see televised? What fascinates you about the industry?

We would love to hear from you! E-mail richard.evans@darlowsmithson.com or phone us on 02074829663 (we’ll even call you back to save your bill!).

Hope to hear from you all soon.

For the drivers who have family, Speak to the family get their thoughts and feelings. Drivers who are out all week and don’t see anything of their kids. Talk to those who are wanting to become drivers like myself and the struggles that face newbies coming into this industry!!

Funnily enough I wouldn’t mind talking about my experiences, Having a hard working dad who is out all week who I worship the bloody ground of. Being in a traffic accident when I was only 7 due to a hit & run driver. Drop me a PM if this is what you’re after. I’ll send an email more indepth of what i’d personally like to see in this documentary.

Cheers

Jonny

[silver_surfer]

Just read all the forums on here, euro as well and you will get a good idea of a truckers life.

Is it a chance for budding film maker Mr. Vernon to get on the big screen?

[mattcollin]

This could just end up being another BFGW type thing if people arent careful and as Mikefly said above whoever does take part better be very careful in doing so. My guess would be that they arent filming this with a view to making a drivers lot any better. They may just be after the cowboy side of the industry and controversy. I’d read more into what this blokes questions really mean and what they really want. Sorry to be so sceptical:

Beware the ides of March.
Shakespeare

[wheel_nut]

Looking at the website, this one seems credible and have produced some good stuff, from Ross Kemps Gangs to the Vicar of Dibley. The mystery of flight 447 look interesting as does the last flight of Concorde.

However I agree with much of what has already been mentioned, companies and gate security will not allow passengers or film crews on our terms, unless you could “wire” someone up to show the disgusting and unhygienic places that drivers have to deliver to.

Other journalists have tried to get a story, but they only want to show the bad side, the driver who has driven over his hours and is dangerously tired, not for our benefits but to further promote the myth that drivers are killers and all trucks are dangerous.

There are thousands of professional lorry drivers on the roads with an average age of around 50. It is these drivers who bring your meat and five a day, milk, eggs, fuel, bread and clothing. In fact everything you touch and use has been delivered by a lorry at some point. For this amazing feat drivers are paid at or slightly over the minimum wage and still expected to work up to 70 hours to make it viable for the employer.

Go ahead make a film, but be honest about it, forget the wannabe film stars and prima donna’s You need to show a multitude of drivers and the verbal abuse they have to take from equally low paid security gatemen and office clerks. Drivers who are not allowed to use company toilets, have to share a broom cupboard in a noisy goods in reception area then having to sleep in a lay-by with no toilets or food because someone earlier in the day took 6 hours to do a 40 minute task unloading 20 pallets.

Show a driver filling his lorry with fuel, follow his journey and show how much it cost him in fuel alone, add onto that a 20 quid parking fee or an expensive snatched meal before parking in the previously mentioned littered layby.

Most people work between 40 and 45 hours per week, that is the maximum time a driver will be able to socialise and spend time with family and friends, as he is able to have 45 hours off at the weekend, 20 of those hours catching up on previously missed sleep

Have you got Roger Cooks phone number? let him do the interview with the depot managers and H&S department heads.

And breathe…

I await this TV programme.

Malc

[mattcollin]

Well put Wheel Nut

[darlowsmithson]

Wheel Nut:
Looking at the website, this one seems credible and have produced some good stuff, from Ross Kemps Gangs to the Vicar of Dibley. The mystery of flight 447 look interesting as does the last flight of Concorde.

However I agree with much of what has already been mentioned, companies and gate security will not allow passengers or film crews on our terms, unless you could “wire” someone up to show the disgusting and unhygienic places that drivers have to deliver to.

Other journalists have tried to get a story, but they only want to show the bad side, the driver who has driven over his hours and is dangerously tired, not for our benefits but to further promote the myth that drivers are killers and all trucks are dangerous.

Just to confirm, I’m not a journalist and I’m not out to show anyone up. The potential idea behind documentary is an insight into the industry and the life of the driver on the road, not an exposé on ‘killer drivers’ or ‘dangerous trucks’.

I’m interested in finding out about:

Small family businesses, with just a few trucks.

Interesting characters in the game, people with a story to tell.

Drivers with an active social life - convoy drivers abroad? Double manning teams?

Do you drive obscure loads?

Are there teams of you that drive long distance?

Do you ever go to interesting places, at home or abroad?

Know any fantastic truck stops, bustling, good fun, regulars, shows? - I presume that the days of Thurrock truck stop are over?

I’ve spoke to quite a few people that believe the days of the social trucker are over, this surely can’t be true… can it?

[harry_monk]

There used to be a fair amount of camaraderie and a good social life running abroad, I would often bump into drivers I knew when abroad, and it was normal for drivers to have a meal in a Routiers of an evening but we have now lost most of our continental work to eastern Europeans now and there is less of a social aspect to the job than there used to be.

I’ve just provisionally been offered a job which involves double-manning around Europe and as I know the guy I would be going with I’ll probably have a go at it, although it can grate on the nerves a bit.

[biscuits]

This is all about Ice Road Truckers. IRT was the US History channels biggest hit and gets pretty good ratings on Five. Now lots of other TV companies want to get a piece of the action and are looking for a trucking angle. BTW, did anyone ever hear back from that company doing “The World’s Toughest Truckers”?

[crazytrucker]

mattcollin:
There is no way RDC’s will let a Film Producer onto one of their sites without prior permission to film. If one does you can bet your life its at one of their better sites. Take for instance, I’m sat on a bay at Bookers Haydock. Nice friendly staff in the office, flat screen TV, clean waiting area with SEATS, for ALL drivers, good facilities, toilets that you can ACTUALLY use that are clean etc etc. Flip to Bookers, Iceland Livingston, [zb] hole, rude staff (majority, not all) sometimes three/four chairs for 15/17 bays. Toilets that are most of the time out of use, a waiting room I wouldnt wish to keep my dog in. etc etc. Obvious which site the company would choose if filming was to take place.

What needs to be done is to send drivers into these places and film surreptitiously to highlight the crap we have to put up with, not always but in the good majority of RDC’s we go to. Otherwise the fake smiles and clean facilities will suddendly appear to show the viewers what great places the drivers go to that supply their Supermarket of choice.

Sums it up rather nicely there geezer, the likes of Iceland, Netto, Bookers are not going to want their shortcomings exposed on national TV, take em to Iceland Swindon! Or the dreadful, over-priced MSA’s with the crap grub and surly staff, and no security.
‘Crazytrucker’

[quinny]

Richard.

I think some of the views expressed above sum up what you should be wanting to film/show. If you are able to guarantee that what you film would be an average day in the life of one of us, it would have a dramatic effect on the industry.

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but you have absolutely no idea what hell we guys and girls go through in order that you may have your tea and toast at breakfast time, because like I said earlier, nobody gives two ■■■■■ about us. I would personally love the public to have a different perception of us, but it ain’t gonna happen, because they see us as hairy arsed, beer swilling, overweight breakfast munching, layby litterbugs. Sensationalism is what it’s about, and if you can blow the lid on some of the crap within the industry you may just have yourself a tv winner.

However there is the caring side as well…

Ask Mr.Vain and co about the East Coast charity convoy, or Tonka236 about his impending coast to coast walk for Macmillan. These are the bits the public DON’T see.

Do us all a favour, and have a real good think about how YOU want to portray us, as right now the industry needs all the help it can get.

Ken.

By the way, Vicar of Dibley, best comedy since Fawlty Towers, especailly the episode with Kylie in it.

[greggy]

richard, email sent.

[harry_monk]

Biscuits:
This is all about Ice Road Truckers. IRT was the US History channels biggest hit and gets pretty good ratings on Five. Now lots of other TV companies want to get a piece of the action and are looking for a trucking angle.

I think you are right, “Eddie Stobart Trucks and Trailers” was a success for Channel 4 and although some of us found it a bit cheesy with the faux-drama when arriving 20 minutes late for an RDC booking, it did at least present a positive image of the industry overall.

If he wants an interesting story, my advice would be to cover one of the European rock n’ roll tours.

[lovlyperson]

First we have to Split between
Past
Present
Future
Time moves on and so does Life,and Trucking too.

I don’t think you could make a realistic Documentation about Trucking in UK or Europe. Make anything about the present Revolution. Or Ships. Maersk gets a few new Liner.
You also could make a new Serie of Gordon Ramsey or contract Jeremy Clarkson.

[coffeeholic]

DarlowSmithson:
CALLING ALL TRUCKERS!

Channel 4 is interested in making an exciting new programme about British truckers. We want to talk to as many people as possible about the UK trucking scene.

What is life really like on the road?

Pretty good, it’s an easy enough job and although there are odd moments that aren’t so good it is mostly happy days.

DarlowSmithson:
Do you have funny stories to tell?

Yes plenty, enough to write a book in fact.

DarlowSmithson:
Do you meet interesting characters on your travels?

Interesting is one word, there are others.

DarlowSmithson:
What’s the social life of a lorry driver like?

My life outside work is good but I guess it depends on your definition of a social life. I have plenty of interests and activities which fill my free time but it doesn’t generally involve socialising with loads of people.

[skoowif]

I know where this is leading…it’s all going to be a big creamy mess.

[mr_vain]

I have spent 20 mins considering how to give a half decent answer to this post/request.

A reply without being cynical.

The haulage industry has always been a tough place to be. Years ago it was hard physically. Today its mentally demanding. Being treated like a 2nd rate citizen is an everyday occurence. So much that you become immune to it. The hatred shown by the public is all too common as well.

Finding a true and accurate picture of the average trucker is going to be a challenge for sure, I wish you well.

I would suggest compiling a list of pros and cons and then decide what angle you wish to approach this subject on. There are so many issues within the industry and it isn’t going to get any easier. The pressure on the average driver today is becoming so intense that good drivers are walking away.

I’m no expert in these matters, in fact I am still very much wet behind the ears, but I can say that if you think you are going to make a program anything like the Stobart program yr sure for a surprise.

One final note for my fellow TNUK members, I don’t think for one moment that many of you will agree with my thoughts, but I have aired my point of view.

[gogzy]

your points are pretty accurate for the majority of people who drive,

i think there should be an angle of what the average trucker has to put with daily, eg multidrop guys would be a good start

and also a bit on what people do to help other people, eg MR VAIN and and the whole of the ectc and what they do all year round and what tonka is doing soon etc.

but as mr vain has said its going to be tough to find that medium where your not making a programme like the big green man and his cry babys or a programme that makes us look like utter {zbs}

[wheel_nut]

DarlowSmithson:
Just to confirm, I’m not a journalist and I’m not out to show anyone up. The potential idea behind documentary is an insight into the industry and the life of the driver on the road, not an exposé on ‘killer drivers’ or ‘dangerous trucks’.

I’m interested in finding out about:

Small family businesses, with just a few trucks.

There are many, some with 3 generations of the family working very hard

Interesting characters in the game, people with a story to tell.

Again loads of them you don’t forget them for a number of reasons, but “Interesting” that word is pejorative

Drivers with an active social life - convoy drivers abroad? Double manning teams?

Limited Social Life, but have the same hobbies as “normal” people. two or three trucks running in convoy take longer to get to their destination than running alone. (proven fact) Furniture deliveries, Hot shots and VOR Parts.

Do you drive obscure loads?

How about 25 tonne tap water from Kettering to Germany?

Are there teams of you that drive long distance?

Relative. Russia. Greece. Saudi Arabia. Glasgow. Inverness. Dover

Do you ever go to interesting places, at home or abroad?

See above!

Know any fantastic truck stops, bustling, good fun, regulars, shows? - I presume that the days of Thurrock truck stop are over?

Fantastic is a bit much, bustling = busy and noisy. Good Fun. N/A. Regulars = Favoured. For me, Thurrock Titan never began, neither did Truckers World

I’ve spoke to quite a few people that believe the days of the social trucker are over, this surely can’t be true… can it?

Some of us went lorry driving because we prefer riding over the horizon alone using our own devices to get by. But if you mean camaraderie, yes that has gone, most drivers would help a foreign driver who had broken down, now they don’t care or are not allowed.

Thank you for the interview Richard.

Quinny and Mr Vain both made fair points, you are missing a fantastic opportunity to bring the plight of the modern lorry driver to the public eye.

[harry_monk]

Basically, we are anti-social loners who do not like talking to people- that’s why we do the job- so I can’t help feeling you have your work cut out here!