A small report on the lack of open facilities for lorry drivers.
Talk about the beeb being late to the party…
biggriffin:
Talk about the beeb being late to the party…
About 30 years at least to late
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Are toilets on MSA s actually closed now?? 
Just been watching that and was wondering if that lad was on TN.
robroy:
Are toilets on MSA s actually closed now??
No used Toddington this morning,.
Haven’t seen any msa toilets closed, unless there broken?? Which seems to be the way round leaving them open,! Cynical no never.
Ok, I’ll say it. Jensen is a snowflake.
What a load of tripe. If you are going to voice a legitimate complaint (lack of decent facilities, exorbitant over priced overnight parking), don’t, I repeat, DONT surround it with a load of “pity me… pity me” waffle about feeling lonely and complaining ging that you’re not paid extra whilst you’re “on the frontline”…
And if you are a tramper, sort yourself out. I could not get food… I could not get a overpriced costalot coffee… I can’t get microwave meals…
robroy:
Are toilets on MSA s actually closed now??
Used Sutton Scotney last week on numerous occasions. Showers still available, toilets open, albeit with every other urinal cordoned off for social distancing. Saves your next door neighbour from splashing ■■■■ onto your feet I suppose.
Was a short clip on itv new last night about hgv drivers keeping Britain going.
They were are chippenham pitstop truck stop.
Interviewing a few drivers.
And the owner saying there doing there bit
And they mentioned food was available takeaway only
It’s similar…
To buying a house at the end of the runway at Heathrow and then complaining about airplane noise.
If you don’t want to be lonely, don’t be a long distance lorry driver.
As mentioned on another thread here, if you tramp for a living, you go prepared, prepared to sit it out in your motor for a week if needed.
the nodding donkey:
Ok, I’ll say it. Jensen is a snowflake.What a load of tripe. If you are going to voice a legitimate complaint (lack of decent facilities, exorbitant over priced overnight parking), don’t, I repeat, DONT surround it with a load of “pity me… pity me” waffle about feeling lonely and complaining ging that you’re not paid extra whilst you’re “on the frontline”…
And if you are a tramper, sort yourself out. I could not get food… I could not get a overpriced costalot coffee… I can’t get microwave meals…
This guy Jensen complains about being the lowest paid but has all the bling on the motor! The personalised curtains and the illumination thing for the bunk. He spoke to his mate Kye who is having a nice meal at home. Quit tramping if it’s unfair!
And if you are a tramper, sort yourself out. I could not get food… Jeez, you’re 22 year-old with massive four years experience, no doubt a whizz kid on computers, get Just Eat to deliver to wherever you are parked! Even I can order a meal through the app, beats starving or a pork pie and a can of coke.
He mentioned about getting a shower. The showers were open last week on the services.
Don’t trampers do 3 weeks out anymore?
no food - them make your own . I batch cook food every weekend , portion it up freeze it and take it with me to heat in the microwave . Meatloaf , chicken and chrizo pasta bake ,chicken and brocolli bake on the menu this week
no coffee - simple jar of Nescafe and a kettle in the truck , milk in the fridge .
Inverter
microwave
kettle
toaster
knives forks spoons
tin opener
kitchen roll
small jar of fairy liquid
selection of tins of soup , beans etc .
If Jensen had bought this instead of the frilly curtains (about the same price ) Jensen wouldn’t be relying on rip off MSA’s
Jensen needs to sort out his prioritys and quit crying .
I think the services have been told by government they must stay open and provide toilets and cleaning facilities and one shop open for drinks e.t.c smiths or spar which ever they have,that’s what I heard in Hartshead last week anyway…
I normally bring 2 frozen meals for the first 2 nights from home and keep in the electric cool box. Reheat these and put with pasta, spaghetti or rice on the camping stove as no microwave. My main problem for evening meals is that I can’t really bring more than 2, especially as we’re going toward the warmer part of the year - I only have a coolbox and not one of the electric fridges. I am improving though, and now bring a couple of tinned curries, stir fry etc. for the other 2 nights. Not the best, but better than some of the stuff at the MSA’s.
I have instant coffee, a cafetiere which I bring ground coffee for now and again. I shower as and when I can (most showers at services still seem to be open in my opinion? Along with the toilets - the exception seems to be the smaller fuel station services on A roads etc.), if not a good wash with warm water will see me till the next day. Apart from that I can pretty much cope.
Having said that, I do sympathise with drivers who are :
on A roads and minor roads a lot of the time - Mid Wales, East Anglia, Scotland above the M8 etc. as you are relying on the smaller service stations, as opposed to the MSA’s.
carrying out work like walking floors, tippers, farms deliveries, powder tankers etc. where a daily shower is more critical.
Drivers who are forbidden to use gas, but also do not have a microwave - only so much stuff you can make with a kettle and some water!
beefy4605:
no food - them make your own . I batch cook food every weekend , portion it up freeze it and take it with me to heat in the microwave . Meatloaf , chicken and chrizo pasta bake ,chicken and brocolli bake on the menu this week
no coffee - simple jar of Nescafe and a kettle in the truck , milk in the fridge .
Inverter
microwave
kettle
toaster
knives forks spoons
tin opener
kitchen roll
small jar of fairy liquid
selection of tins of soup , beans etc .
If Jensen had bought this instead of the frilly curtains (about the same price ) Jensen wouldn’t be relying on rip off MSA’s
Jensen needs to sort out his prioritys and quit crying .
Got to agree.
I’ve also got poofy curtains 
… but at least I’m also fully equipped for a week out. 
Even if my shift pattern is only 3 nights out now, but old habits die hard. 
robroy:
beefy4605:
no food - them make your own . I batch cook food every weekend , portion it up freeze it and take it with me to heat in the microwave . Meatloaf , chicken and chrizo pasta bake ,chicken and brocolli bake on the menu this week
no coffee - simple jar of Nescafe and a kettle in the truck , milk in the fridge .
Inverter
microwave
kettle
toaster
knives forks spoons
tin opener
kitchen roll
small jar of fairy liquid
selection of tins of soup , beans etc .
If Jensen had bought this instead of the frilly curtains (about the same price ) Jensen wouldn’t be relying on rip off MSA’s
Jensen needs to sort out his prioritys and quit crying .Got to agree.
I’ve also got poofy curtains
Even if my shift pattern is only 3 nights out now, but old habits die hard.
perfecty ok to have “poofy curtains”-but get the basics first.
Life as a tramper is all about how you make it,yes it’s tough apt the minute with some places shutting showers etc which it wrong.
But the food thing is rubbish,I’m a day man on occasional nights out but my cab is set up for a week away all the time.
I have a stock of bottled water a bottle full of water to fill kettle and clean teeth etc.
Soups,pasta and stove.
Proper bed made up.
Most of the people who moan about life been rubbish been a tramper are the ones who never carry food and still kip in a sleeping bag all week.
Tramping ain’t for me anymore but when I was doing it I showered everyday and cooked my own healthy food.i actually some weeks set me self a challenge never to spend any money and could do it quite easily,
Transport ain’t a perfect industry and improvements to parking facilities need to happen but you still have to think and look after yourself.
Also some firms need to look at their policy’s of driver welfare,I know a lad who’s firm went mad with him last week because he stopped for 20min to get showered,but that’s a different argument altogether.
beefy4605:
no food - them make your own . I batch cook food every weekend , portion it up freeze it and take it with me to heat in the microwave . Meatloaf , chicken and chrizo pasta bake ,chicken and brocolli bake on the menu this week
no coffee - simple jar of Nescafe and a kettle in the truck , milk in the fridge .
Inverter
microwave
kettle
toaster
knives forks spoons
tin opener
kitchen roll
small jar of fairy liquid
selection of tins of soup , beans etc .
If Jensen had bought this instead of the frilly curtains (about the same price ) Jensen wouldn’t be relying on rip off MSA’s
Jensen needs to sort out his prioritys and quit crying .
Yup… its not hard really is it?
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Reading all this I have a mixed feelings, from one side I agree with all comments here, that you have to prepare for the week ahead but…Jensen mentioned some valid points: low pay, long hours, loneliness. Low pay and long hours could absolutely be addressed if company has will, nothing stops companies to make your day shorter, even if you are tramper, or make your pay higher and all this talk about “this is such industry, you just have to accept” is bullshine, it’s because it was accepted it is like that. Loneliness is part of this job, I have to agree, but Jensen didn’t ask for support girl, he is talking about access to facilities which is not too much asked to be fair and complaints about this you can constantly reed on TN which most people will never see and to sound this on BBC is a good attempt to bring attention of some wider circles, it’s a bit different level than TN.
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