Died today.
Haulage magnate Edward Stobart dies, aged 56
Haulage magnate Edward Stobart, who built up the Eddie Stobart lorry empire and ran it for more than 30 years, has died at the age of 56.
He suffered what were described as “heart problems” on Wednesday and died this morning in hospital in Coventry.
He took the business started by his father Eddie and built it into the best known haulage company in the UK.
Mr Stobart sold the firm to his brother William and business partner Andrew Tinkler in 2004.
The business began as a local company delivering fertiliser, and in the early days drivers wore collars and ties, which was unusual at the time.
They were also instructed to wave back and honk their horn when signalled by a passer-by.
There are now more than 1,000 of the distinctive trucks, with each cabin given a woman’s name.
The firm even has its own fan club with more than 25,000 members.
The Stobart Group said in a statement: “Our thoughts are with Edward’s wife Mandy, his children and family at this difficult time.”
Ann Preston, chair of haulage company, Preston’s of Potto, paid tribute to what she described as a “very, very kind man”.
“He was very passionate about road transport,” she said.
“From a young boy he didn’t want to do anything else.”
R.I.P No matter what some may say & think about him its a sad loss and 56 is no age to go.R.I.P.
I agree, no one deserves to die early like that.He probably had his faults,(don’t we all?) but he made the roads a bit brighter with his clean vehicles etc.My condolences to all his family.900x20.
Met Eddie when delivering fuel to his company in Carlisle in the early years, he always had time to chat if he was around.RIP.vic.
very sad news but eddie stobart trucks wil allways keep him alive R.I.P
RIP Eddie, my thoughts go to his family…
Hiya… very sad news at 56… THATS scary all the money in the world can’t buy you any more time.
I did’nt agree with some of his thoughts…but he deserved to be around longer than 56 years.
John
R.I.P. Edward. As some have said, you may not have agreed with everything he did, but 1 thing he did try to do is improve the image of Road Haulage in this country, & he tried to promote the image of the Lorry Driver as a professional skilled man carrying out a vital role, instead of the oil covered illiterate moron that most of the general public think we are! You go into any pub or public place in the UK & ask if anybody has ever heard of Eddie Stobart? I bet 90% of the people there will say yes! Even those who have nothing to do with/or no knowledge of Road Transport, so Edward did something right didn’t he!
adr:
R.I.P. Edward. As some have said, you may not have agreed with everything he did, but 1 thing he did try to do is improve the image of Road Haulage in this country, & he tried to promote the image of the Lorry Driver as a professional skilled man carrying out a vital role, instead of the oil covered illiterate moron that most of the general public think we are! You go into any pub or public place in the UK & ask if anybody has ever heard of Eddie Stobart? I bet 90% of the people there will say yes! Even those who have nothing to do with/or no knowledge of Road Transport, so Edward did something right didn’t he!
yep i agree with all, R.I.P. Mr Stobart, condolences to friends & family. 
gaz
Most big companys cut rates theres no new work its gaining everybodys old work
trust been there seen it done it 56 is no age but Stobart done more to high profile this industy than anybody in my time Stobart marketed transport like Ford did the van Transit
RIP Edward and deepest sympathies to all you leave behind
Ok your the boss Denis F but also a chance he will be shown more respect here
RIP Eddie.
I had a major row with him and his human rescources woman at Rugby BP truck stop in 1994. Stobbarts were using the place as a recruitment center and we were all being laid off at Fed Ex so I interupted him and her along with their trainer man eating diner to ask if they could send some application forms to Fed Ex, they agree’d with smiling faces, I appologised for interupting and left, 2 weeks later and no forms had arrived. I sa the woman again one afternoon and asked if she had forgotten ?
“No, I didn’t, it’s all in hand and I will send some forms to Fed Ex”
2 weeks later and still no forms … I saw her with Eddie in the same truck stop and aproached her. “Excuse me but did you forget those forms ?”
“No we didn’t” smiled Eddie.
“No we didn’t” repeated the ■■■■■.
“You know there are a few really good drivers being made redundant up there and I am sure they would make good employees” I said.
“Do you think I like being interupted by some driver who comes up to me in a truck stop as we eat our meals ?” said the tart.
“It’s not for me” I replied, "It’s for the other drivers you understand ? I wouldn’t work for your crap company and insulting team of ■■■■■■■■ if it was the ;ast company on earth. Both of them looked shocked the Eddie said “I think you just lost any chance of getting a job with us”
" I just told you mate, I DON’T WANT A DAMM JOB WITH YOU CHEAP COMPANY, you can stick your jobs.
We never spoke again LOL
so many sycophants and spotters that know nothing about the damage that this company done to the haulage industry any old hands will know what i am talking about
bogieman:
so many sycophants and spotters that know nothing about the damage that this company done to the haulage industry any old hands will know what i am talking about
By what I’ve been reading in the commercial press there would appear to be rumblings within the Stobart Group and William and David (Irlam) would appear to have left the main Board and been returned to the ranks of the transport division to sort out whatever is going wrong.And if some of the posts on the Prof Drivers thread are correct re. damage to tractors and trailers ect.it seems there are, indeed, some problems within the operation.Nothing to do with the late Edward of course!! Bewick.
Yes its too young to die but how much missery has he caused to other people underecutting work asset stripping other firms it just goes on & on
Well, I am genuinely extremely sorry for his family at this, their darkest hour. But for Stobart himself? No way. He caused a hell of alot of suffering to a hell of alot of people, decent people. Dead at 56? Well maybe there is a God after all.
bogieman:
so many sycophants and spotters that know nothing about the damage that this company done to the haulage industry any old hands will know what i am talking about
I believe I am younger than you, and always willing to learn from an old hand like yourself.
I have heard all the stories of helicopters, free warehousing and churches.
Pray Continue Brother
Hullo,
Well I must say that I feel very sorry for the family and relatives of the late Eddie Stobart. I have over the years also heard all of the stories, “He got the money from the Mormon Church” , “He cut all the rates and put everybody else out of a job”, so on and so forth. Recently the firm that I work for at Weekends, when I am back in the UK, started subbing from the Eddie Stobart lot, and are doing very nicely thank you. Then when you look back and think, who was it that was relating all these Eddie Stobard the Bandit tales to me ? ,Ah! yes I remember, usually some bloke in a Pub, with a knackered, poorly maintained and unwashed Wagon waiting in the car park outside. Well my experience of the Eddie Stobard business is this, His drivers and staff all have their working clothes supplied to them, they all take home a good regular wage packet, they have very well maintained equipment to work with, and the equipment is always spotless and clean, all jobs are timed to give the driver the correct ammount of time off, Christ it’s endless. They have all the largest of firms as their customers. Now, if this has been done by cutting rates and stealing the work from the bloke that was telling me how bad Eddie Stobart was, I’ll eat my hat. The man still has to pay staff wages, still has to buy diesel, still has to maintain his vehicles and trailers, still equips his staff with working clothes and still does’nt chase, chase, chase the drivers to break the law. Then somebody has got it all wrong, I mean all this was achieved by charging less money than the bloke in the bar was getting. Maybe, just maybe this Eddie Stobart was a genius, he used his brain, did his sums and set to work. I think the World has just lost a Great man. That’s my opinion anyway. R.I.P Eddie Stobart. I’ve put my Tin Hat on, Fire away !!
Cheers, Archie.