did a shift last night for stobies, handed the keys and paperwork for my first run as normal, climbing into the unit it was obvious it was a trampers wagon, pictures of what i assume was the drivers wife n kids, bedding on the bunk etc and general bits n bobs around the cab, now i’m one those that think looking after tackle is part of the job and made sure the cab was spotless when i’d done but i think if i was tramping and had worked hard to earn a holiday i don’t think i’d be best pleased to find someone else had driven my unit while i was off, especially as theres upwards of fifty units parked in the yard due to a lot of drivers being off this week, ok it’s a company unit but surely it wouldn’t be that hard to keep the trampers units parked up?
If you were paying the standing costs of the unit you certainly wouldn’t have it parked up any longer than absolutely neccesary. It is there to earn money, full stop.
its standard procedure that the wheels keep rolling at stobbies, thats why i take most of my own tackle home and keep clutter down because if its left out some scrout will steal it, use it, or ruin it.
i hate the start of my shift when i have to tidy a meths rubbish!! or go searching for my number plates, and i always have that alcohol gel and wipe the steering wheel you never no what tramp has used your unit. what does my head in is old delivery notes in the draw and sweet wrappers and though i dont mind them smoking in the cab even though i dont smoke i hate them leaving there ■■■■ ends and rolling baccy all over the gaff. thats why at stobbies especially appleton most trampers dont really personalize there cab its not worth the hassle of replacing everythink week in week out.
waddy640:
If you were paying the standing costs of the unit you certainly wouldn’t have it parked up any longer than absolutely neccesary. It is there to earn money, full stop.
fair comment but what they’ve got at this depot is several units that are used sorely for shift drivers be they stobarts or agency but this week theres a few extra which are obviously trampers who’ve gone on holiday, to put it into perspective my start time of 8.00 there was four of us on last night with 30 maybe 40 units in the yard, how difficult would it be to put the trampers wagons off the system? as i say i’m agency, and have followed other agency drivers into a cab on different jobs and some times they look more like a wheely bin than the interior of a lorry cab!
Perhaps one consideration you’ve overlooked is the mileage on the vehicles.
We used to have to swap vehicles from one job to another after several weeks to harmonise the mileage the vehicles were doing.
Maybe standing a trampers unit for 4-5 weeks a year whilst on hols would result in imbalances re servicing costs etc.
No idea if Stobbies do htere own servicing or if its on a contract.
waddy640:
If you were paying the standing costs of the unit you certainly wouldn’t have it parked up any longer than absolutely neccesary. It is there to earn money, full stop.
Exactly why I don’t buy tat for my truck…It’s not mine. If I’m off for a day, it’s usually parked up as I’m based in the quarry but it normally gets taken back to the yard when I have a week off and used in the event of a breakdown. So no matter how much I could bullshoot and polish it etc, I can’t stop someone else leaving it in a state. I remove all my stuff out everytime I’m off, had one driver complain he took my truck out, got lost and found he had no maps 
Sod’em, I bought them I’ll do what I like with 'em…
paul b:
waddy640:
If you were paying the standing costs of the unit you certainly wouldn’t have it parked up any longer than absolutely neccesary. It is there to earn money, full stop.fair comment but what they’ve got at this depot is several units that are used sorely for shift drivers be they stobarts or agency but this week theres a few extra which are obviously trampers who’ve gone on holiday, to put it into perspective my start time of 8.00 there was four of us on last night with 30 maybe 40 units in the yard, how difficult would it be to put the trampers wagons off the system? as i say i’m agency, and have followed other agency drivers into a cab on different jobs and some times they look more like a wheely bin than the interior of a lorry cab!
The other point is that they could be going out after you leave the yard, happens here a dozen units and an hour later not thing in sight.
When I worked for P & O Ferrymasters I used to get a different unit most weekends. Most our 12 or so units were allocated. I used to feel much more at home in one with the driver’s personal gear about than when working elsewhere and getting in a completely empty cab.
There would often be very useful stuff such as pens, staplers, A-Z’s etc.
Bed more comfortable & warmer with my sleeping bag over their gear.
I always respected their stuff & if I had to move it (often) put it back where I found it.
They usually knew who had been out with it & were happy for me to drive it because they knew it would often come back full of diesel & washed. (no yard facilities).
i was under the impression [wrongly maybe] that the general side had x amount of xtra units just in case,i must admit i went into sheerburn in the day time and there was loads of units just stood,unless its sat/sun every unit in our yard is either out/being tipped/reloaded,nothing stands
The issue of trampers trucks, and whether its my truck or the companies truck to do as they wish will always be a contentious issue.
Im of the opinion that if I night out in the truck, I treat it I would a *premier inn* or any other run of the mill *hotel* room thats been allocated to me. I know it isnt mine, I know I cant dictate who else uses it when Im not there. But everything I use while Im in there, Ill carry into it in a bag/case, and removes my stuff back into my car after Ive finished using it, and Ill remove my rubbish, & try to leave it as I found it
peirre:
The issue of trampers trucks, and whether its my truck or the companies truck to do as they wish will always be a contentious issue.
Im of the opinion that if I night out in the truck, I treat it I would a *premier inn* or any other run of the mill *hotel* room thats been allocated to me. I know it isnt mine, I know I cant dictate who else uses it when Im not there. But everything I use while Im in there, Ill carry into it in a bag/case, and removes my stuff back into my car after Ive finished using it, and Ill remove my rubbish, & try to leave it as I found it
Do you take the towels aswell?
My truck gets used when I am at home, it was used Friday night after I got back from a week away. I remove my bedding and store it under the bunk and other stuff, such as my inverter, washing gear and so on, gets locked in the lockers over the windscreen. Other stuff such as my laptop I take home with me along with my dirty washing. the only thing I leave out is the defect book. Takes about 5 minutes when I get back to the yard and the same when starting work.
Muckaway:
Do you take the towels aswell?
I use my own.
The towels in hotels are crap, and no bigger than postage stamps
Paul,it’s because a lot of the planners and gaffers get a perverse kick out of upsetting trampers. It’s funny because I have had the same conversation with another new manager we’ve had at Cannock as my truck was left in a state for the past 3 weekends and Im getting throughly ■■■■■■ off about it. The situation is getting worse and I’m not the only tramper fed up with it. What ■■■■■■ me off is that they send out memos complaining about the state of the trucks and that things must improve!!,yeah right,take a look at the drivers who use them when we are off duty and it’s not only agency drivers,they need to look at their day/night drivers!! I know what people say about it’s their truck and they can use it as they see fit,but when you keep getting memos about standards it really has started to get to me now. I wish more agency drivers were like you Paul,I leave most things in my cab as I think maybe if I leave it clean and let them use my stuff then they will respect it and leave it in the same condition but it’s just not happening here. I wonder if mr Stobart or mr tinkler have any idea how their middle management treat the drivers?,somehow I don’t think so. I wonder if things will change when the union gets recognised here?,I hope so. And if princess productions watch this site then please get in touch as when you start filming for the second series of the tv series you could come and film me and I’ll show you the real side of the job ,warts and all!!! Not just chasing trains and cream cakes!!!
When i worked for Eddie it was very unusual for my unit to be taken out, but one of the few times it was my bridge map and a couple of A-Z’s were stolen. The thief replaced them with a dog eared copy of fiesta magazine.
Git. They were worth at least a Mayfair
Pmsl!!!
to be fair i treat all vehicles i use the same, if its full of crap and a mess then it gets left the same but if its all cleaned and polished then if i can find some polish and cloth il give it a wipe down when ive finished. i will normally wash a unit down when ive finished the day mainly just to get an extra hour in plus it gets you a good name.
in the past when ive had time off ive been into the office and asked who’s had my lorry when the office are waiting for a complaint they look surprised when i say " can you thank them for as they left it very clean. "
il use pens or stapler but never maps as i will use my own and am geared up for it.
del949:
Perhaps one consideration you’ve overlooked is the mileage on the vehicles.
We used to have to swap vehicles from one job to another after several weeks to harmonise the mileage the vehicles were doing.
Maybe standing a trampers unit for 4-5 weeks a year whilst on hols would result in imbalances re servicing costs etc.
No idea if Stobbies do htere own servicing or if its on a contract.
^^ what he said ^^
After a fleet has been on the road for a while, the mileages will be way different if some are used for tramping - ie generally parked up every night - and some are used on shift - ie wheels never stop turning. Now if the fleet is coming up for replacement the leasing company/reseller/whoever may demand that the mileages are roughly even. Hence swapping some motors from shift to tramping and vice-versa.
paul b:
‘… trampers who’ve gone on holiday …’
Liking my King Sized scratcher too much, I’ve never really thought about it - but where do they go?
Barging; Big Issue-land, Bivvying in a ditch?
No offence 
none taken, mainly due to the fact i havn’t a clue what your talking about! 