KW:
DAF95XF:
You know what I would like to see in the magazine - other driving jobs covered such as courier drivers, coach drivers (theres more to that job than you actually think)ā¦!!
Seriousā ā ?
The title of the magazine is āTRUCK & DRIVERā,which should be exactly who the thing is aimed at.
Perhaps you could suggest they start another couple of mags,like āCOACH & DRIVERā or āVAN & DRIVERā.
He has a hard on for buses, here you go Daf chug away 
Harry Monk:
To my mind, Truck & Driver went sharply downhill when Dave Young was replaced as editor.
Agreed!
marcustandy:
Harry Monk:
To my mind, Truck & Driver went sharply downhill when Dave Young was replaced as editor.Agreed!
X2. I met Dave Young on a T&D Truckers Test last year (nice bloke), and he seemed to show a genuine interest in what drivers want. Thereās an idea=Expand the Truckers Test, perhaps do it while the vehicle in question is on demo somewhere. They could cover the drivers day aswell, 2 features in oneā¦ 
KW:
DAF95XF:
You know what I would like to see in the magazine - other driving jobs covered such as courier drivers, coach drivers (theres more to that job than you actually thinkSeriousā ā ?
The title of the magazine is āTRUCK & DRIVERā,which should be exactly who the thing is aimed at.
Perhaps you could suggest they start another couple of mags,like āCOACH & DRIVERā or āVAN & DRIVERā.
Yes, serious - we all moan about different types of road users so why not see why they drive like they do and what they doā¦
Ok, Iām going to stick my oar in here for a moment.
The other day one of my extended family was moaning that they had to stay in all day to await delivery of a washing machine. They didnāt understand why they couldnāt be given a exact time. Now you know and I know that there are too many variables for that to be possible - where the deliveryās loaded on the truck; whether all deliveries are completed first time or whether the driver had to go back a second time to get rid of one that was blocking our protagonistās in; traffic en route; getting to the fourth drop and finding it has to be humped up 6 flights of stairs with only an 80-yr-old to help; blah blah blahā¦
But my family member couldnāt get stuff like that, nor that there may be internal reasons why they didnāt have āone of those sat nav tracker thingsā, nor could they understand why giving driversā mobile phone numbers out would be a recipe for disaster. Everyoneās an expert, see.
Iāve lost count of the number of times the container terminal I work out of has had itās cranes winded off during winter and Iāve ended up arriving late at a customer as a result. Thing is, these people canāt seem to get their heads around the fact that something which is a tad brisk at ground level may well be a great deal friskier when youāre 50ft up in the air, and that itās not very safe to be swaying around in that with 30 tonnes hanging off the spreader in a gale. Consequently, there is nothing on godās green earth that can be done to get hold of a box buried 5 deep and 7 back on the quay, when the automatic storm locks have frozen the crane in the way, preventing a stacker truck from trying to get it out. Nor can they appreciate just how much longer it takes to move stuff that way with a stacker truck, even if you can reach it. But hey, everyoneās an expert.
Itās the same within any other industry. Just as Joe Public doesnāt appreciate the competing factors which dictate the way haulage is run, nor do we as truck drivers appreciate the competing factors pulling a magazine editor about. Yes, a certain amount of revenue comes from the cover price, but a great deal more comes from selling advertising, and what the advertisers want to see in order to persuade them to buy space isnāt always what keeps circulation figures high - yet our hapless Editor is asked to please both.
Then you have to remember that he too has a boss, who in turn has a boss, who in turn is accountable to someone else. Each of these stages of management has itās own priorities, each leans on their subordinates to fulfil those goals, even if they are at odds with the Editorās own remit, and each judges and is judged by the results.
The last thing to bear in mind is that, never mind what a magazine was set up āforā, or which market it was originally aimed at, readerships - like website users - evolve, and the actual core market may end up being different to that you would initially think of when looking at a cover ethos which hasnāt evolved with it. But as Editor, thereās nothing you can do about that, because youāre stuck with the brand image the publishing company tells you to run with, whilst at the same time being expected to keep a completely different group of people buying, a second group paying for ad space, and keep running with outdated āset in stoneā bits of the publication for no other reason than because they have always been there so you arenāt allowed to chop them.
Oh, and by the way, to do all this youāll get paid a mediocre salary, do stacks of unpaid overtime, have your head on a pedestal for people to throw stones at - even though a lot of the stuff upsetting them is out of your hands - and be given an ever diminishing budget with which to produce it all.
At the end of the day, just as others can look at our jobs and tell us how to do them better, so we can look at Willās in the same way. But equally, just as we may get odd useful points and ideas from criticism of us, we wouldnāt change how we do things overnight on the say so of someone with no comprehensive appreciation of the practical obstacles we have to work around. Constructive ideas and fresh thinking is useful. To be told how to redo your job again from scratch by a rank amateur is not. Because actually, only the experts are REALLY experts.
There is, of course, one big difference here. This outlet for your grievances is actually paid for and provided by the very people you are throwing brickbats at. Not many companies would do that, so they canāt be all bad, eh? It costs you absolutely nothing to post on and use this website, regardless of whether you are a paying customer of RBI or not. Maybe a little tiny bit of respect is due for that, if nothing else.
Ps. Will does not drive a Roller. Or at least not one with an engine. He is forced by the missus to use one to slap paint on the walls from time to time, however, as professional painters and decorators are expensive for couples living in London on one wage with a young family, whatever people may fantasise about.
Thanks to those people who provided some āconstructive criticismā ā it genuinely is appreciated. I can assure you I will be making some changes to the magazine as a direct result.
Clearly some of you donāt like the 3D issue, which is fair enough. I have had a few emails from people who donāt like it too, but also several from people who love it. Anyway, youāll be pleased to know that itās just a one-off!
Itās interesting to note that you donāt like country music reviews. Thatās what I suspected, and thatās why I took the decision to stop running them 2 years ago (after 24 years). Today our reviews page is a mix of truck books, models, DVDs and the occasional non-country music CD.
A far as sourcing features from Trucknet members is concerned ā Iām always on the lookout for informative, well-written features. A few months ago I was contacted by Jon Hopkins, who writes some fantastic observational essays. We now run these in the mag on a regular basis ā and thereās one in the current issue. If youāve got any ideas you can email me at will.shiers@rbi.co.uk
We do still run long-distance diaries ā in fact thereās one in the next issue - about a trip from England to Turkey.
Youāre right, Dave Young is a good bloke, and a great writer/photographer too. For this reason heās still a regular contributor to T&D.
As for the personal dig at me for being a āsad fellaā for taking my daughter to her christening in a truck, maybe I am. But what Iām not is a Rolls Royce/Bentley owner. That was a 3-year old Chrysler 300C you saw on my driveway.
Congratulations, Will, on being brave enough to try something a bit different. Obviously it has not been everyoneās cup of tea, (it hurt my eyes too), but you cannot please all of the people all of the time, and in any case in your āTo the Pointā you made it clear it was a one-off.
There has been a lot of constructive comments on this thread which the T&D Editor has said he will take note of and act on where he can, but I am sad to see once again so many personal attacks, insults, criticisms, call them what you will, which just are not necessary.
By the way, Will, if you are ever in the market for a Rolls, I have a beautiful 1929 one for sale, although I suspect RBI will have to give you a massive salary increase, 
and they would have to put the price of the magazine up to pay it. 
Glad to hear the dreaded 3D will not be returning as the money you spent on that fiasco would be better spent on an employee doing some proof reading there is an article about a lady wanting to reopen the TAM O SHANTER transport cafe at New ā ā ā ā ā ā ā on the A74ā ā ?. That should of course be the A76,now the press release stated the A76 so somebody in that well oiled machine at T&D that PHOTO was praising got it wrong.
Itās to be hoped the application is granted as it is much needed on that road. Eddie.
Will Shiers:
That was a 3-year old Chrysler 300C you saw on my driveway.
I would love one of those, but unfortunately it would be way beyond my means, along with the Ā£22,000 cameras.
Unfortunately itās way beyond my means too! It cost Ā£12k (the price of a new Fiesta), and Iāll finish paying for it in 3 years. I bought if after the Ford Scorpio (that I had been driving for the previous 6 years) finally died. Having said that I have no idea why I need to justify my choice of family car.
Idea for a T&D feature; Old truck V New truck. Get a firm with an old girl still working (look no further than where I work!) and compare with a modern equivalent. What about Foden 4000 series V Volvo FE7? I think I can guess the drivers choiceā¦ 
Will Shiers:
Unfortunately itās way beyond my means too! It cost Ā£12k (the price of a new Fiesta), and Iāll finish paying for it in 3 years. I bought if after the Ford Scorpio (that I had been driving for the previous 6 years) finally died. Having said that I have no idea why I need to justify my choice of family car.
wELL DONE AND RESPECT 
Far too many posters with too much time on their side ganging up on individuals and it is always the same dossers who do it
Great idea, maybe we could use the new Volvo FMX. Email me your company details if you they think theyād be up for supplying the Foden.
Harry Monk:
Will Shiers:
That was a 3-year old Chrysler 300C you saw on my driveway.I would love one of those, but unfortunately it would be way beyond my means, along with the Ā£22,000 cameras.
not sure why there is an issue wih how much the man spent on equipment for his photography business. He has a list of very impressive customers, he is obviously very good at his job, in order to maintain such a client list, and add to it, he needs to be able to produce results. Yes, it is possible to knock out a good snap with a box brownie, but that is hardly likely to win many contracts.I canāt imagine that Truck & driver, or any magazine for that matter, would sell many copies using pictures from supasnaps.
In the same way, an OD or small trucking business has more chance of attracting good clients and profitable loads with a new or at least decent truck, yes, i could get my hands on an old leyland roadtrain or Bedford TK, but iām not likely to get very prestigious clients who will pay top dollar.
Will
It is appreciated that you come on here are are willing to talk to your possible customers and take ideas on.
I think personnelly one of the problems is that a lot of the more āNewsā pages are out dated and already been talked about on here, so when I read T&D it is āOldā news.
Can T&D not be a bit more investigative, ie contact people that might be doing something in the month following your launch date so that it is then āHOt Newsā
Surely manufacturers or other groups involved with Trucking and Driving must be looking to move forward and by contacting and asking they might offer a scoop for something coming up.
I want to read what is coming up or might be happening not stuff that is 4 weeks old.
My suggestion, not criticism 
I am intrigued to know how all those who call the magazine crap can possibly know, for a start, what the magazine is like if they donāt actually buy it. I used to buy one or the other mag, T&D or Trucking, most months, and the decision was generally made on which one actually caught my eye at the time. I rarely read cover to cover, but I always got my moneysworth out of it.
I wonder why the people involved in the magazine would bother justifying either themselves or their product to a bunch of people using such words as rubbish and crap to describe it. Personally, I donāt think the comments are worth your response or the time taken to write them. If you have decided to make changes to the mag on the strength of these comments then more fool you.
You should get my email address and wait till February, Will. If we get the winter I am hoping for then I will get you an LDD, but you will need to send someone as I will be unable to write or take good pics, and they will need to be prepared to really rough itā¦
The magazine has been running for many years and is still going. Whatever guise or format used is what is judged to be the most valid at the time. By evolving, they survive and prosper.
Now if you would just send me a copy now and then, you know, when you send Mark his copy, I would be even happier.
Before it is suggested, I havenāt spoken to Mark about this yet, so I am speaking entirely for myself.
Last thing, off topic, Carryfast, you have dropped some bollox about B trains into at least 2 non related threads. I know about both types, you donāt. You are too boring to continue arguing so just drop it, thereās a good boy.
ive been buying T&D since 1985 and its the first time ive felt compelled to critisize it i buy it regardles of weather theres 2 or 3 articles that interest me,but i felt T&D got it wrong this month i wouldnt of minded if there had been a few pages of 3d but not the 2 main articles,andrew biltons magnum is a top motor and keiths motor at pollock is very tidy aswell and i felt these 2 features should of been proper photos.
i know tom cunningham takes cracking photos ive seen his work in differant mags throughout the years my first post that started this topic wasnt a pop at him,lucy you say we should have more respect for rbi as they keep this site going ok fair enough, in some respects and i know you and rikki work hard behind the scenes but this is up to yet a free forum for us lot to express our veiws as long as they stay within the rules.im not the only one in my family that looks at the mag my 2 young boys look forward to it so they can look at the big shiney lorries in it this month my 9 year old said i cant see the lorries properly dad and promtly binned the mag and the glasses.ive never read the van reviews so they could go for me but in general im happy with the mag the way it is,ldd would be good to see back in the mag just like the days when it were truck incorperating T&D now that was the perfect combo the best of truck and T&D
Rob K:
Are there some digits missing here? If not, then you should be ashamed of yourself. You can get Ā£25 for sending in a 2 line joke to one of the weekly womens mags like Chat or Take-A-Break.
At last! We finally find out how Rob makes his money!
Harry Monk:
This looks like the defining moment when Truck & Driver ājumped the sharkā.
That just brings back memories of the Leather Tuscadero
Susan Kay Quattrochi who was a member of the Pleasure Seekers and her sister played with Fanny
Information you would never get in a trucking magazine
hammer:
Rob K:
Are there some digits missing here? If not, then you should be ashamed of yourself. You can get Ā£25 for sending in a 2 line joke to one of the weekly womens mags like Chat or Take-A-Break.At last! We finally find out how Rob makes his money!
Watch your step there āHammerā. You are in dangerous territory there.I posted a quote,on Saturday at 10.20am on page 2 of this thread, in which Rikki referred to Mr.Knapp,as being ānothing more than an internet warriorā, and it was soon being suggested by his female minder-- Ms.Lucy.of Site Adminā, that I was paranoid " if the cap fitted" 
( I had intended to ask if that was a Dutch Cap, but decided not to bother ).