Hullo,
Just sitting here in my old Rocking Chair and doing a bit of Day Dreaming. I got around to thinking about different Transport Managers that I’ve come across in my life. Although I’ve always worked for myself, I still had dealings with these people. One really Good one that I remember was a bloke called Derek Heron (Birdman). He came to MAT Transport in Hull whilst I was Sub Contracting to them. He came in to reorganise things at Hull, from Key Transport. He was a real Good bloke and a Gentleman he really did know his stuff. I got all the good jobs it seemed and my money went up half as much again from what it had been.
Cheers, Archie.
I’ve just lost the best TM I had, he retired a couple of months ago, he had a cup of tea ready every morning, if I was in a hurry he would hook the unit up for me, he has even put the night heater on if it was frosty, top man well missed !
.
When i was on for Munro ofAberdeen we had transport manager called Willie Landsborough who came from Harry Lawson at Broughty Ferry.What a man he was,always seen it frrom drivers point of view.Would back you to the hilt if you were in the right but be down on you like a ton of bricks if you tried to take the mick out of him.Appreciated the effort you put into getting your drops and collections done.
Weve got a goodun at the moment, whilst I dont agree with all his practices if your fair with him he is very fair with you, very appreciative of us and has taken a kicking from those upstairs on our behalf when weve messed up or ■■■■■■ about.
Shame his number 2 is a nob 
One transport manager at a firm I drove for used to dock hours off drivers wages.He was paid a percentage of the profits on the vehicles earnings.All the drivers booked more hours than they worked to allow for him cutting their pay.
When the plating law came in 1969 he was told to buy four new lorries,which he didn’t do,so he was suspended.The owner bought the lorries and with the help of mechanics and drivers got them ready to run just in time for the dates when the lorries that were down-rated came off the road.
He came back and lasted until 1976 when he was sacked and the lorries sold to another haulage company.
A good firm ruined by an idiot !
The best and most organised owner who ran the transport and drove himself was Clarence ( C W Griffiths ).
Archie Paice:
Hullo,
Just sitting here in my old Rocking Chair and doing a bit of Day Dreaming. I got around to thinking about different Transport Managers that I’ve come across in my life. Although I’ve always worked for myself, I still had dealings with these people. One really Good one that I remember was a bloke called Derek Heron (Birdman). He came to MAT Transport in Hull whilst I was Sub Contracting to them. He came in to reorganise things at Hull, from Key Transport. He was a real Good bloke and a Gentleman he really did know his stuff. I got all the good jobs it seemed and my money went up half as much again from what it had been.
Cheers, Archie.
Hi Archie
I remember Derek Heron as well. He was TM at the Hull depot and we had a guy called John Comiskey at Manchester but to be fair he was fair with the drivers who pulled their weight but he would not suffer fools. But back to Derek, he eventualy got the position of a Director at MAT and when my wife left me with the kids to bring up on my own I went on the sick, he came out to see me and I thought he was going to give me the boot but insted he gave me a job in 2 shed in MIFT. I asked why he was doing this and his answer was " you have been an excellent servant to this company and it is now pay back time". He was a great bloke to work for.
Cliff
I have never had a bad transport manager.
In my first job of driving 7.5t vehicles, driving was the secondary part of the job.
I could go weeks without using a tacho. But as soon as I used one, the transport manager made sure my hours were adhered to that week.
He was quite a soft chap with the drivers though.
My last transport manager. A guy called Tony Barker, was a brilliant bloke. He accepted the occasional ‘Can’t find it’ or ‘I cant get near it’. But not without encouraging you. He would laugh if you broke down, or had an accident. And was always on the drivers side. If he got angry, he never took it out on us. And often told his bosses what he thought of them, when they started asking why XXXX wasn’t delivered on time.
One quiet day, he took me outside and taught me how to reverse an artic for a few hours, then had me shunting on quiet days there after. He started asking the bosses to put me through my class one. A week after they agreed to go through with it, we had a load of trouble at the yard. Not long after, I was made redundant.
I felt sorry for Tony when all the ■■■■ happened. He was oblivious to it all, yet it was all coming down on his shoulders. Nice bloke. No idea where he is now.
Ask Muckaway he has the best TM anyone could wish for. 
altitude:
Ask Muckaway he has the best TM anyone could wish for.
Must be a top TM John as Nathan is desperate to get back to him.
hi i had some cracking tms then we had a rat called mike tully i hope your reading this you rat started at catnic tm i said who you drove for no one but ill sort you lot out very clever i thougt we had so much work we tried to help him i made a deal il do 6 up and downers i did it he tried to pay me4 five i saved him 400 miles 1 severn bridg bit illegal went on holls came back he was sacked good ■■■■■■■ riddance but on other hand derrick prosser fred brooks toy mislin yugoslavina absolute top men regards rowland
It is probably easier to list the transport managers who have been arses. I have had some great people who knew the job, but to answer the question for best managers.
These are my favourites to work for over the years
United Carriers - John Lindlay, if you did your job he looked after you, and repaid any favours.
Humber Perishables. - Joe Fuller - Gentleman
Norman Lewis - Paul Brown, & ■■■■ Mastenbroek Both clued up and fair
VDB Belgium - Rudi. There is also a Dutchman who I admire but wouldn’t embarrass him on here 
Wheel Nut:
It is probably easier to list the transport managers who have been arses. I have had some great people who knew the job, but to answer the question for best managers.These are my favourites to work for over the years
United Carriers - John Lindlay, if you did your job he looked after you, and repaid any favours.
Humber Perishables. - Joe Fuller - Gentleman
Norman Lewis - Paul Brown, & ■■■■ Mastenbroek Both clued up and fair
VDB Belgium - Rudi. There is also a Dutchman who I admire but wouldn’t embarrass him on here
Hullo Malc,
I don’t know any of the others on your list, But I certainly would not question you judgement of Joe Fuller. I knew Joe when he was on the Traffic Desk at MAT in Hull. As you so rightly say he was a perfect Gentleman. I wonder if he’s still in the business.
Cheers, Archie.
Dave Carpenter at JSM transporters which became JSM-Eurofleet then Eurofleet.
Never known anyone who had such a fantastic sharp mind like a bloody computer, could handle 3 phone calls all at once was handling about 60 trucks with just one assistant TM at one time simply bloody amazing, never failed to stitch you up rotten but he did that to everyone fair and square and pushed you hard, but you could earn some serious money working for him cos he’d know (before trackers were invented) exactly where you’d be at any given time (and he’d catch you if you tried to con him every time) and would have your next load ready and waiting.
Won’t see his like again, he wouldn’t put up with modern steering wheel attendant Prima Donnas.
When I first saw this thread,I thought it was about Bedford’s!!
At Humber McVeigh’s,and later at Smith of Maddiston’s,Frank Jackson,“Jacko” was a good TM,although very much a “Gaffers” Manager,he was fair,and actually apologised once to me for boll…ing me in front of other drivers!!!,smoked like a chimney,and unfortunately,smelt like one too!!!
David 
Best:
Barry Stewart / John Rounthwaite.
Worst:
Frank Den. You M F***** !!
Hullo,
Another really good TM I worked for as a Sub Contractor was the last two years before I retired in 2003. This was a Lady TM, and she really was very good to me. Her name was Patrisha Green (Trish) at Containerships on Tees Dock. She was really on the ball and ran a very efficient Traffic Office.
Cheers, Archie.
Now then Archie I was talking to someone today and your name got mentioned Kevin Lamb said he did a bit of driving and looking after your trailers way back then. are you in the uk or somewhere warm at the moment
I have left my unit in pickering now and am at our farm in Rillington still doing alloy work and fixing ally wheels
If you are at home have a look and see if my mother in law has gone to bed yet
Phil Allanby
Philip Allanby:
Now then Archie I was talking to someone today and your name got mentioned Kevin Lamb said he did a bit of driving and looking after your trailers way back then. are you in the uk or somewhere warm at the moment
I have left my unit in pickering now and am at our farm in Rillington still doing alloy work and fixing ally wheels
If you are at home have a look and see if my mother in law has gone to bed yet
Phil Allanby
Hullo Phil,
How the devil are you ? I hope Kevin was complimentry in his remarks about my good self I have to say he was one of the best mechanics I have ever met, he kept me running for two or three years when he was the Foreman at Malton Fertilisers. Every time I got back from Greece or Turkey he had my DAF in for a couple of days. Margaret, I would 'nt dream of peeping out of my back curtains to see if she 's in bed yet. At the moment I am still in Brasil (Sao Paulo) , but on Tuesday we are leaving from Santos on a 17 day Transatlantic Cruise to Venice. From there we fly back to London. I was hoping maybe to stop off in Italy for a few days, as my Eldest Son ( Nicholas) is pretty ill with Lung Cancer. I may just nip over to Rillington at the end of the Month.
Cheers, Archie.