Trucking today doesn’t have much joy. I say that because So much is now changing. I read an article the other day in a magazine about a driver who said he entered driving at the end of an era. The era in question was the time when transport cafes were everywhere, all lorries were British made and you knew virtually every driver you drove past!
I feel the same and would like to share my views. Although I entered at the end of a different era.
Firstly, I would like to point out the era that I’m referring to. I’m talking about the 80’s and 90’s. During the 80’s I used to travel with my dad in his 0813 Ford Cargo. It was from about the age of 5 (now 27) that I think diesel started to run through my viens. I remember seeing great trucks such as the Volvo F12’s, Mercedes SK’s, Iveco Turbostars and many more. I became fascinated. These were trucks, not big cars, but trucks. They took skill to drive and were rudimentary workhorses. This is how I personally prefer my trucks and this was the attraction for me. Going through each gear manually. Proper whooshing hand brakes. Metal bumpers. Metal Mudguards. A dashboard that was primarily built for function rather than style. An engine you could hear and controls that you got feedback through. I’m talking about a proper machine that was pleasing to the senses and gave you a satisfying feeling of a man who had mastered his machine.
Maybe sentiment is clouding my judgement.
Nowadays, it seems we’re just in attendance of the steering wheel with nothing more than the croaky drones of Janice Long on Radio 2 to keep us company. Or some crackpot on the Jeremy Vine show ranting on about illegal immigrants or 24 hour drinking. It seems that most new trucks now have hideous auto boxes that take away the pleasure, in my opinion, of taking command and changing gears ourselves. It takes away the pleasure and satisfying feeling of successfully working your way though a twin splitter and back down again with no crunch or false neutrals selected. It seems that auto (or semi auto) boxes have really come on strong over the last 2 years. The length of time I’ve been driving class 1’s.
When I was younger the trucks on the road were actually separated from cars. Although still fundamentally separated in terms of function, I’m starting to feel as if I’m driving a car and not a truck.
I hope some of you readers can see where I’m coming from here.
Secondly, legislation. Namely the working time directive (WTD). Since its introduction, which I adhered to initially, for about a week, I haven’t notice a single thing change for me. I don’t even record POA’s. I’ve gone with impunity and I know of no other driver who has had so much as a cautionary talking to. I seriously and perhaps naively thought that the government were backtracking and quitely letting this piece of nonsensical legislation fizzle out. How wrong I was. I read yesterday that our friend VOSA are going to start coming down hard on drivers and operators who flout the rules.
There is a little publicised rule that states you must have a 30 minute break upon 6 hours completed duty time whether you’ve done any driving at all. I was aware of this before the introduction of the WTD. Scenario: Start work at 6pm. Shunt and load until 9:30pm. Leave for Bristol with an ETA of 12:30am. Once I get there I have done 6 1/2 hours duty. This is where I need to take my 45 minutes tachograph break. The WTD states that by 12am I should have a 30 minute break. So I do. I get to Bristol at 1am instead. Because of the amount of time I need to get back from Bristol (remember, I pulled over 30 mins before arrival, so this 30 minutes of driving contribute to the next 4 1/2 hours) I cant let the 30 minute WTD break contribute to my 45 minute Tachograph break so I have to have 45 minutes, not 15. Because of my later than normal arrival another trunker or two got there before me and that costs me an hour. All because of this 30 minute WTD break. By the time I get finished in the morning I could have worked an hour and a half longer than normal. How this piece of legislation makes my personal work/life balance better and the job more attractive given the scenario I’ve just explained is beyond me. There are probably many scenarios similar to this at any given moment spread over the UK.
Thirdly, more legislation. Smoking. I wont say too much about this. To ban smoking in the cab is to take away a part of truck driver cultural heritage. Its akin to taking alcohol and string vests off of Glasweigans. its like taking shell suits and flick knives off of Liverpudlians or taking bling, body lotion, BMW’s and ganja away from our black friends.
Another reason I wanted to be a truck driver, as well as many others, I suspect, were the freedoms that were part and parcel of this chosen career. I’m not against a company having smoking and non smoking trucks. For a non smoker to get into a truck where the night driver who happened to love smoking Capstan full strength has just jumped out of it must be quite a disgusting experience. For me, there is nothing like sitting back, winding down the window and puffing away to my favorite songs. It makes me feel kind of cool.
Fourthly, health and safety. I have never known such draconian health and safety rules enforced on anybody, ever. I really dont think that between my cab door and the dog clip which I’m checking I’ve put on that I’m going to get flattened by a 44 tonner!! Tesco making drivers wait in a disgusting excuse of a waiting area for up to 4 hours. Pump trucking 25 tons of paper to the back door because according to the depot manager it cant be done off the side because of “Health and safety”. Excuse me Mr. manager, half of that statement relates to my wellbeing. Health.
I’m all for safe working practices. However, when you start to see bus drivers wearing a hi viz you know theres something desperately wrong.
Personally, probably because of my youth, which holds an immature rebellious side with a fundamental desire not to conform at its heart, I dont do hi viz’s until I actually get threatened with a ban from a site. With some I repeatedly get away with it. With others, I get shouted at climbing down my cab steps on the first visit. I find that they’re so commonplace that everybody looks the same now. [u]This[/u] will explain my sentiment exactly.
In conclusion I make the point that so much has changed over the past 2 years. It gets worse. By 2009 every new driver will have to pass a CPC examination and on top of that complete so many hours training in a certain period. Is it any wonder that truck driving is now considered a prospect worth avoiding? Gone are the days of pounding down a motorway with all controls in your control while enjoying a cigarette. Gone are the days of gaining a class 1 license and thats it. Gone are the days of friendships and consideration for the fellow trucker. Gone are the days of comradeship. I feel that we’re over regulated caged monkeys forced to conform to a code of practice thats nanny and irritating. What do you want to be when you grow up son?" “A steering wheel attendant monkey just like you dad.”
The thought of hauling a load on a rudimentary workhorse that I’m piloting, warts and all, with pride and a more relaxed pace seems too appealing. I may become an office wally instead and work as an agency bod.
I know all of my rants here have been covered before but I feel quite profoundly about all of these topics.
Thank you for your time to read this,
Regards,
Steve.
forgot about them 
![[u]This[/u]](http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/2517/copy10sc.png){kind=link}