In June 2020, Covid-19 had a lot to answer for. I had been incredibly busy shifting boats right up to the Monday night Boris Johnson announced the lockdown in March. The next day I managed to get one boat off the trailer and another back on and get it home - where it sat for weeks in the yard. I have a few trailers I can use for transporting boats so it didn’t cause any problem, not that there was a lot of movement in that game.
As a company we had to furlough staff, cutting back to only a couple of us. I kept one lad motoring as best I could hauling general goods that were still deemed as essential. I did a bit of driving and in between times helped my dad put up the loft in the workshop we had been talking about for five years since we put this massive shed up! On our general haulage side we move seed barley, wheat, spuds etc. for the agricultural sector and thankfully that work had to continue.
We also do farm machinery and sewerage equipment which is also classed as essential work. I was determined to keep going as best we could. All being said it could have been a lot worse, but it wasn’t exactly efficient, transporting stuff one way with a lot of empty running.
With flats we can double bank them, to save on shipping costs from Ireland, but it still wasn’t what you’d classify as being profitable. We covered our costs, thankfully the price of diesel and the shipping companies’ fuel surcharges were down so we managed.
In mid-May things were starting to open up, and with the wonderful weather there were folks looking to move boats again. On Thursday 21 May after over eight weeks we finally got the yacht I loaded back in March off one of the trailers. Plus I was now rushing to arrange another trip to Norway for a good customer of mine.
Denne historien er fra February 2021-utgaven av Truck & Driver.
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Denne historien er fra February 2021-utgaven av Truck & Driver.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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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
