waddy640:
Because a lot of drivers have no respect for other peoples property. They cant even be bothered to keep the interior clean.
Depends on the job; Mine’s a bit dusty but then it’s in a dirtier environment than say a Tesco wagon; and I don’t need to sleep out in mine. I prefer basic no frills wagons; Why do I need the fake walnut dash in mine or a cd player-it’s full of dust so it’d scratch my cds anyway. I’ve got front fogs but very rarely use them.
Dave the Renegade:
The firms are in the business to make money so they are going to buy a good efficient basic vehicle to do the job
Even the most basic vehicle’s these days have far more extras on them than the lorries of the 60’s and 70’s.Just get on with the job.
Exactly, fleet trucks are total luxury in comparison to the older trucks, we had a completely new fleet of 60 plate Merc Axor’s a perfectly capable unit, one year on and every truck without excption has been damaged to a greater or lesser extent and the interiors smell like something dead, the more that’s on them the more the inept will break it.
On the subject of fog lamps, incorrect use should be an endorsable offence, the switch should operate both front and rear lights simultaneously thus preventing such stupidity particularly by those who should know better.
Driveroneuk:
The OP should be given a truck from the 70’s to use for a week. Like the ones the guys used to do the middle east & back in. Then come back and tell us todays fleet spec trucks are basic.
I suggest a B series E.R.F with a 240 Gardner and a jennings cab, he would walk over hot coals for his current motor back.
No cd player in mine but that dosn’t really bother me as I got all my favourite radio stations tuned in around the Essex and London areas where I work. I have however got and have used the cruise control, but I was thinking the other day all these mod cons like cruise just make you lazy
I think cruise is my favourite mod-con.
My mod con is power steering and no drafts from around pedals
All down to cost at the end of the day, when our firm bought new R series drawbars back in 2005 they were ‘specced out’ with upgraded interiors, bunk beds, climate control, spotlights, all thrown in free to sweeten the deal. Two years later these ‘freebies’ now cost extra (think the bunk bed alone was £1000 so im told) so were deleted from the spec. Makes sense if your having to buy a specialist vehicle outright to keep costs down.
mrx:
I think cruise is my favourite mod-con.
This ^ and a/c, I hate driving with the window open any time of year.
I have often wondered why they come with two bunks how many of us double man?
Another set of cupboards would be much more useful.
After driving for a few months now I’d probably say if I were to buy trucks that were going to be driven by different people day in day out I’d only get basic spec aswell.
None of the units we have are older than a 58 and within that time the interior seems to have taken a fair few knocks, curtain rails half hanging off, bits of panneling missing etc. None of it is outright vandalism I don’t think, simply a case of people are not as careful as they might be if they were going to be in the same truck all the time. A working radio and electric windows will do me. I’m one of those people who can happily drive around in the current weather conditions with the window down.
As for how advanced fleet trucks are now compared to the past, I worked with a Latvian around 18 months ago who held his Cat C. He went for an assessment over here and came back to the warehouse the next day saying he could never drive over here as it was like “stepping into a spaceship” compared to what he was used to back home. Goes to show that even with a basic spec we’re still far better off than we could be.
keebs26uk:
No cd player in mine but that dosn’t really bother me as I got all my favourite radio stations tuned in around the Essex and London areas where I work.
Not Heart FM? 
I asked my TM how come we had CD players and aircon but no electric windows. Apparently it was cheaper to have the basic distribution cab and have air-con as an optional extra than to have the distribution + cab where it was standard. And we asked about electric mirrors and were told that they were too expensive to replace when we had smashed them off. Fair comment really I suppose.
I saw you last week m4rky,you were just booking out of Unilever at Cannock as I was booking in,never realised who you were till you pulled away from the gatehouse.
Not subbing to Stobarts are you?
Anyway what you doing on here,your on your hols!!
I think it depends on the fleet. We are running Volvo 450 / 460’s and they are fully kitted out.
Coffeeholic:
They aren’t going to pay for something that is hardly ever used. I can’t remember the last time I used the front fogs on a truck, must be at least a few years and I am pretty sure I’ve only ever used them a handful of times in 28 years doing this job. I have had my current car getting on for 3 years and I have never used the front fogs. In most cases front fogs are nothing more than ornaments and companies are not going to pay extra for ornaments.
See the above. 31st year on road,front fogs probably only ever turned on to make sure they actually work,also same as above wth my car,had it 6 years from new,front fogs never been needed/used!
Sunroof however,is generally opened daily & almost always when parked up for the night,even last night at minus 6 I had the roof cracked open slightly for fresh air.
I do wish ours had top bunks in though,handy storage if no rear cupboards are available,always used them in my old DAF’s, 3 series topliners & Globetrotters, lost without one now,just keep looking at all that wasted space above the bunk now.
Cat and engine and Jake brake make opening the sunroof in winter worthwhile…better sound than the crap on Radio 1
Can someone please define what a basic truck is .?
shugg:
Can someone please define what a basic truck is .?
Good point shugg.
I drive what I think is a regular fleet motor (3yr old ex Maritime big cab TGA) and it is a thousand times better than my first 401 or my old Freighter.
I see hundreds of TGAs on the road and nearly everyone at our thirty lorry firm has one so I think it’s fair to call them a fleet truck.
The point has been made before but it’s the pay and conditions that count. How can anything else be more important?
W
shugg:
Can someone please define what a basic truck is .?
I would say a truck the comes from the manufacturer in the standard spec they offer with no additions specified by the buyer. But for many trucks these days that standard spec will include auto box, air con, radio/CD, at least one electric window if not both and sunroof.
many years ago i often used to wonder why Dutch spec trucks were far superior to uk speck trucks. Just an observation.