Lucy Radley stopped being a full-time driver relatively recently, but the changes in the industry since have surprised her. Some things remain the same though – the drivers.
For those of you who don’t know, I spent 15 years as a tramper before becoming a full-time writer. My husband came off the road some nine or 10 years before I did, and one of my greatest cruel pleasures was to regularly point out how out of touch he was with the job. As he pulled abnormal loads for the vast majority of his career he never experienced the pressures of ‘Just In Time’ work, for example, and his knowledge of the workings of a digital tacho was gleaned entirely from what he heard on the grapevine. Oh how I laughed at his daft estimates on how long it would take to get to a particular job.
That’s just joyriding
It’s now three and a half years since I last drove commercially. I still get out in wagons regularly as I do a bit of press testing as part of my new role, but to all intents and purposes that’s just joyriding.
Esta historia es de la edición September 2018 de Truck & Driver.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición September 2018 de Truck & Driver.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
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
