I know of 3 different drivers that have taken empty trailers 4 a ride, 2 were supposed to be light loads, one was supposed to be 29 ton of spuds!
Back in the 80’s I used to do the Irish Mail from Crewe to Holyhead. The trailers (20’ single axle ) were then sent unaccompanied on the ferry to Ireland.
easy job drop trailer in docks and pick up return trailer.
2 drivers did 5 days each covering Mon-Sat
1 went M-T-W
1 went T-F-S
The days you didnt go you were reserve driver and usually ended up sorting mail
Anyway I was on reserve and was told to follow the other driver “bobtail” coz the paddies were sending two trailers.
Both got to the docks and there was only one trailer. so Bobtail back
Lovely day out in North wales
I’ve picked up the wrong trailer in Harwich dock. wanted something like E748 and actually picked up E784. Got as far as the 2nd gatehousse aswell, not too bad, lol!
Workin on the agency at Blakes Alcester (now ES). Wait around 3 hours (normal) then given Iceland Swindon.
So I got to Luton, backed on a bay, up the stairs; hand in paperwork, back to cab for a sleep. Half an hour later knock knock. “Wassermarrer?” “This is Luton mate — you should be in Swindon.”
Oops!
Got away with it though
Not long after passing my test in '96 the agency sent me to do a load of Kraft foods down to tesco magor on a sunday morning,picked up my keys and notes,found the unit and hunted for my trailer,hitched up checked it was sealed and off I went.Got to magor and opened the back doors to find 364 brand new CHEP pallets!!! Somebody had side tipped the trailer and not ripped their old seal off the back doors and me being a muppet I never checked the serial number!! Best of it was I took it back to Banbury and wasa given the right trailer and sent back down again,14 hours at sunday rate
i used to work for a company years ago where they would load the trailers for the Sunday runners and put your notes in a brown envelope with the destination written on it in your windscreen.
I came in one particular Sunday, had a coffee and a crack with the other lads, the usual stuff “where you going etc”. A load were doing West Country, I’d read “Severn” on my envelope so knew it was ICI Severnsides I was going to so we all decided to park at Portishead and get leathered (like you did in them days).
Anyway I got up at 7am Monday morning and decided to check through my notes as the air built up.
Imagine my surprise when I read them properly ant it was Sevenoaks!
Doh!