A driver’s dream is having free rein with the choice and spec of your truck. Gary Hindmarsh is the lucky man, Kelvin Parker the kind boss, a superb Scania the wagon
Maybe it’s just part of getting older, but consistency does seem to be in short supply in our modern world; life is subject to continuous change, often at very short notice and for no apparent reason. This is particularly so within the transport industry. Companies get taken over, lose their identity and frequently disappear completely, drivers move on to other careers, trucks are changed frequently and vehicle liveries change, often becoming bland and nondescript.
With all of this in mind, it was particularly reassuring to return to Somerset and visit Parker Transport, based in Chilcompton, near Radstock, in the middle of the Mendip Hills. It’s a part of the country where, thankfully, a great many operators and their drivers still love their trucks and take huge pride in the appearance of their fleets. Bland and corporate is not an option; striking and memorable is very much the way they do things.
Parker’s tasteful red livery is a perfect example of this. Instantly recognisable, the fleet is invariably immaculate, which generally says a lot about the people who run the company and the staff they employ.
Humble beginnings
T&D last visited the company over five years ago, when they were celebrating two anniversaries. It had been 30 years since founder Kelvin Parker took the plunge and purchased a 7.5-tonner from his previous employer and started out in transport; and long-serving driver Gary Hindmarsh had been with the company for nearly 25 years, having joined Kelvin just before his 19th birthday for his first driving job, at the wheel of a Bedford TK 7.5-tonne flat. The well-used TK had previously been owned by a scaffolding company.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 2017 من Truck & Driver.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة June 2017 من Truck & Driver.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Well forked Daf
Remember, we like to cover all sorts of different trucks here at T&D – like this impressive new CF rigid complete with Moffett Mounty forklift
King of the hill
Moving heavy equipment off road calls for a truck with plenty of power and traction, which is why M&J Plant chose a mighty 6x4 FH16 750
Time Machine 2015-2019
It’s the final part of our series on the history of UK haulage. Let’s look back at those innocent times before that pesky virus turned up
Original and best
There are few trucks which have been customised to the level of the Scania 143, but let’s not forget that the standard product was pretty awesome just as it left the factory, like this rare 420
GOING ALL THE WAY
Simon Rogers got behind the wheel as soon as he was able to, and nearly 30 years later, his company is going from strength to strength, with a striking all-black, top-spec Iveco S-Way 570 the latest addition to the fleet
Abnormal loads
In the distant past, when dinosaurs roamed the planet, truck drivers were a very different breed, made from sterner stuff than us mere mortals
Range change
After a gap of 13 years, Renault trucks have reappeared in the unique colours of MacRitchie Highland Distribution. T&D takes the high road to Inverness to meet owners, Donald and Catriona MacRitchie
Cutting a dash
Freshly showered and munching a healthy egg and cress sarnie in Gloucester North services, Chris has a Foden update
Air we go!
On Saturday 29 May at 6pm, 240 drivers gathered with their trucks at South Mimms Services for a parade to raise vital money for Essex & Hertfordshire Air Ambulance
A Cutt Above
From coal to turf to fencing and loads more, there’s not much the Calcutt fleet hasn’t transported over the years
