I do 14-16 drops a day in a class 1 but I can’t (not allowed) to change a bulb on my wagon…which category do I fall into? 
I’m a real driver, you are a steering wheel attendant 
You’re welcome…
ckm1981:
I do 14-16 drops a day in a class 1 but I can’t (not allowed) to change a bulb on my wagon…which category do I fall into?
Im similarly befuddled. Im a stinkin` agency driver but they let me loose with a 60ft trombone trailer with a 2 meter rear overhang out of the steelworks. Nobody chains it on for me either, which is a bit of an imposition…I somehow have to do it all myself!
Having done all the RDC/Fridge/Supermarket work any man deserves, I can honestly say this is far more satisfying. But I dont think I would label myself in any way. If someone needs help, Its my pleasure to help and in this flatbed world other folk are usually happy to help as well. You dont get the same banter and good will in an RDC. Ive really noticed the difference since I went back to doing "proper work". It seems theres a respect for one anothers efforts, and it can be quite involved at times.
I wouldnt deride anyone if they happen to enjoy trunking and changeovers etc good luck to em, but I`m actually enjoying the job again for the first time in ages.
The most enjoyable job I had was tramping on general with curtains and flats. Loved a 2 day trip delivering seeds to farms in wales, Devon or Kent ex swinderby. Or picking up machinery from a navy base. In short it got you away from other drivers in rdcs. Only drivers I got on with were the ones from same company as we got to know each other.
Contraflow:
First one is agency…
Surely they’re the real driver given how they have to be able to drive every single make and model of truck on the road, don’t go to the same delivery places one week to the next, carry the widest range of loads and have to work to several different company procedures?
Isn’t the steering wheel attendant more likely to be the employed person working for one employer driving one truck carrying the same kind of loads to the same places week in, week out? I remember the aggro it caused the employed drivers when Howdens changed from Scania to DAF. They’d been driving Scanias for 20 years and were totally buggered. The agency lads just got in them and got on with it.
Also it was comical watching some of their drivers doing Fowler Welch fridge work for a week on the run up to Xmas. Most only did a day before they said they weren’t doing it any more and the most comical one was watching a driver ■■■■■■ and jeffing struggling on a loading bay as he was loading a trailer full of YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS. Found out why when I went outside and looked at his trailer and saw that he hadn’t dropped the drive axle so was pushing the pallets uphill. My back is buggered and I loaded mine with no problem because I dropped the front of the trailer, lifted the back up and let gravity do the work…
One has a limp one doesn’t lol
Real drivers prepare for an unexpected night out 
I am nothing to do with stobart,but why do they keep getting slated,why does no driver like them,was it because of trucks and trailers or does it go deeper than that,or is it that they are an easy target like agencies, just interested
I just think it is due to the shockingly low hourly rate they pay that is dressed up with allowances, were they not first to start the lowering of rates. You do however get a reasonably new truck to drive - so it’s all good 
Conor:
Contraflow:
First one is agency…Surely they’re the real driver given how they have to be able to drive every single make and model of truck on the road, don’t go to the same delivery places one week to the next, carry the widest range of loads and have to work to several different company procedures?
Isn’t the steering wheel attendant more likely to be the employed person working for one employer driving one truck carrying the same kind of loads to the same places week in, week out? I remember the aggro it caused the employed drivers when Howdens changed from Scania to DAF. They’d been driving Scanias for 20 years and were totally buggered. The agency lads just got in them and got on with it.
Also it was comical watching some of their drivers doing Fowler Welch fridge work for a week on the run up to Xmas. Most only did a day before they said they weren’t doing it any more and the most comical one was watching a driver [zb] and jeffing struggling on a loading bay as he was loading a trailer full of YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS. Found out why when I went outside and looked at his trailer and saw that he hadn’t dropped the drive axle so was pushing the pallets uphill. My back is buggered and I loaded mine with no problem because I dropped the front of the trailer, lifted the back up and let gravity do the work…
pass the popcorn its conor vs Cf again.
truckman020:
I am nothing to do with stobart,but why do they keep getting slated,why does no driver like them,was it because of trucks and trailers or does it go deeper than that,or is it that they are an easy target like agencies, just interested
Its because of the fact the image they project is an outright and utter lie. They pay crap, they work you long hours, the work is crap, they will crap on the driver and will not back their employees, they undercut everyone.
Where I live they’ve gone through pretty much every driver in the county. The agencies have to advertise as far as 60 miles away and pay silly money to get drivers into Goole.
kr79:
Coffeeholic:
Usually means not a lot as it’s just names bandied about with no actual reference to the drivers in question skill or attitude level; as has already been demonstrated on this thread by posts stating all Stobart and agency drivers are in fact just steering wheel attendants when that is obviously not true.To my mind the majority of drivers are neither but lie somewhere in between. Those who claim to be real drivers are, in my experience, those to be avoided in RDC’s, on ferries and in fact anywhere as they tend to be knobs. Those said to be steering wheel attendants are usually only called that by those ‘real drivers’ so it doesn’t hold much weight. Normal, regular drivers don’t tend to label themselves.
Spot on they usually get quite irate when you don’t want to spend three hours talking about v8 scania and start throwing the steering wheel attendant name about if you question there sanity about spending all weekend polishing there bosses lorry and spending there money nailing tat to it.
Agree with both off the above
kr79:
The way the job is now with many big firms just employing you to move the lorry from a to b not even change a bulb doesn’t make you a worse driver than super trucker changing his gearbox on the hard shoulder it’s just a different way of doing things.
And often the logistics steering wheel attendant, was once a road haulage hero driver, who, with the seeming demise off many traditional haulage firms, has had to find employment in the dark world of logistics, and it really can ■■■■ the enjoyment off the job out of you, and then you end up with a [zb] em attitude. But hey I really enjoy My job, occasionaly
truckman020:
I am nothing to do with stobart,but why do they keep getting slated,why does no driver like them,was it because of trucks and trailers or does it go deeper than that,or is it that they are an easy target like agencies, just interested
probably goes back ot the shirt and tie at the start, coupled with the low rates of pay tarted up to make a decent rate, and the fact they have put quite a few to the wall with undercutting.
then followed up with a dose of trucks and trailers, mark whats his face, and not to mention the spotters club hey presto you have one hell of a despised company ( which isnt the drivers fault i hasten to add).
to me the difference regarding the original question is the ability to sort out simple things, use some common sense and not generally ■■■■ the job up.
I’m a bit of both, have a lot of experience in all different types of haulage, and prepared to use my brain to overcome any problems that may occur or to fix faults… but quite happy to do my current job which is a nice steady number with a secure company and no hassle from the office… and has been proven to be a better paid job than somebody who lives to work, regularly does 70+ hours a week and never sees his family until the weekend.
I don’t care what truck I drive, I don’t want to be on the road all week, I don’t want to go ‘over the water’, and I don’t care if anybody thinks I’m not a ‘real’ driver, I just go to work - get the job done - and go home for a decent liveable wage. I work to live.
war1974:
Conor:
Contraflow:
First one is agency…Surely they’re the real driver given how they have to be able to drive every single make and model of truck on the road, don’t go to the same delivery places one week to the next, carry the widest range of loads and have to work to several different company procedures?
Isn’t the steering wheel attendant more likely to be the employed person working for one employer driving one truck carrying the same kind of loads to the same places week in, week out? I remember the aggro it caused the employed drivers when Howdens changed from Scania to DAF. They’d been driving Scanias for 20 years and were totally buggered. The agency lads just got in them and got on with it.
Also it was comical watching some of their drivers doing Fowler Welch fridge work for a week on the run up to Xmas. Most only did a day before they said they weren’t doing it any more and the most comical one was watching a driver [zb] and jeffing struggling on a loading bay as he was loading a trailer full of YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS. Found out why when I went outside and looked at his trailer and saw that he hadn’t dropped the drive axle so was pushing the pallets uphill. My back is buggered and I loaded mine with no problem because I dropped the front of the trailer, lifted the back up and let gravity do the work…
pass the popcorn its conor vs Cf again.
That’s always comedy gold 
cheers for the answers chaps,the OP who said about employers not backing their drivers,i find that’s an everyday occurrence,had it myself
truckman020:
I am nothing to do with stobart,but why do they keep getting slated,why does no driver like them,was it because of trucks and trailers or does it go deeper than that,or is it that they are an easy target like agencies, just interested
I drive for Stobart. I look at some the bell ends they employ and shake my head. Some facts you will hear about them are true. Some facts are false. I’ve been here 8 years although I now work for Stobart group which isn’t strictly speaking Stobart. We are owned by Tinkler. Whatever difference that makes i don’t know.
Regarding the low wages, in my part of the world wages are low but I take home a decent wage for 5 days. Once posted a pay slip on here and got pms telling me it was photoshopped and I had been running bent! But I expect that from some of the clowns here. [emoji110] [emoji97]
I very rarely do general haulage. Last few days I’ve been on a motorway which I find different. I can often go a full week with only doing a few miles on a dual carriageway and nothing on a motorway. I carry my own tools and often have to do my own repairs…Yet I’m still branded a steering wheel attendant! [emoji6]