Stressing The Point

Think about workplace stress and the picture conjured up is usually of the stereotypical ‘overburdened’ office worker or maybe a soldier or firefighter who has witnessed horrific events. But it can happen to anyone, even drivers

- Lucy Radley

I’m in my late 50s and have been driving for 37 years. I started on general haulage and was lucky enough to do the Middle East back in the ’80s, then in 1989 I went onto tanker work which I’ve been doing ever since. I’ve spent 28 years with the same company, though it has been taken over a couple of times along the way.

Away from the truck, I live with my lad, who’s 30. One thing I never have to worry about is the bills; about 10 years ago my old fella died and he left me a bagful of money. I knew I’d waste it all if I didn’t watch out, so I bought a big house, a couple of cars and set myself up, everything paid off.

Enough money is left over for me not to have to work much really, but I’m a driver at the end of the day. I’ve plenty of options but that’s just what I do, what I’ve always done.

To be honest, work was getting on my wick a bit. Not the job itself, more the way other drivers were carrying on. We got taken over for the second time by a much bigger company around four years ago and a lot of our drivers have never really taken to things, so every time you go back to the yard they’re all going on about how crap the job is now and how rubbish the new firm is, blah blah blah.

Most of it’s been about pay but also the new company got shot of all our office staff and moved its own people into our yard about three years ago too. It’s just gone downhill ever since, with morale at rock bottom.

The thing is, I’m not bothered what we get paid – I don’t even know what we’re on for a night out. I’ll ring my mate and ask him, write it down on a bit of paper, then a few weeks later I’ll have lost it and have to ring him again!