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Persiste ce pays off
Page 24
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John Watret is a determined man — after 13 years of entering the Truck Driver of the Year competition he has finally scooped
the top prize. Jennifer Ban finds out what drives the top driver.
As the first ever Royal Mail driver to be named Truck Driver of the Year, John Watret is clearly delighted with his award: -I've won the Van Driver of the Year title three times but this is the one I really wanted," he says. "It's a great competition — if you get any endorsements on your licence or have any accidents during the year before the competition you are not allowed to enter.
"It's tough when you're driving every day," he adds,"but it certainly helps you to keep your standards up."
The competition involves every aspect of driving: from slow-speed manoeuvring to handling emergencies.
Just as sportsmen constantly practise the basics before a big game Watret put in the hours before the competition, reversing as close as he could to a wall without hitting it. That, and hours revising the Highway Code, were his only concessions to the competition: self-belief did the rest. This skill runs in the family —Watret's father was a truck driver and a regular entrant in the competition. As a lad Watret acted as his dad's navigator on the road route section of the contest.
And now Wafters son lack looks set to follow in the footsteps of his father and late grandfather. "I used to wait at the school gates and watch for my father in his truck," he says. "The same thing is happening again. My seven-yearold son keeps on saying 'I want to drive your lorry when I grow up dad.'" Watret began his career in the warehouse of paper firm Cartwright Rice before starting his driving career behind the wheel of a Transit for a decorative lighting company. He then moved to the Royal Mail's Elms depot where he met his wife. who helped further his career in a direct way. "For my 21st birthday present she paid for me to take my Class 1 licence and I moved up into driving trucks." he says.
"Janet works as a postwoman and also competes in the van driver competition. She came third in her category this year," he adds.
Night driver
Watret works permanently onnights,hauling letters and parcels from the Southern Home Counties Distribution Centre in Guildford to the National Distribu tion Centre in Crick. He's happy with this shift because it gives him more hours to spend with his family:"I finish work Sat urday morning and am not due back till Monday evening so I have plenty of time off with the children."
But that's not the only reason: "I've worked nights for 11 years and there's no way that I could go back to driving a lorry during the day because of the congestion. By the time I leave Guildford at Spm most of the traffic has cleared."
Perks of the post
He adds that the job has many other benefits. For a start, Royal Mail depots have their own canteen and driver facilities so he's never had to experience the problems of trying to find somewhere to park up at night.
Although Watret has his Certificate of Professional Competence he has no ambitions to venture into the managerial side of the industry: "I couldn't stand sitting in the office all day. I enjoy the freedom of being out on the road and being my own boss. I would love to have my own truck, although I have never seriously looked into it because working for myself would mean that I wouldn't have the family life I have now, which is important tome."
Despite his success this year Watret is in two minds as to whether he should defend his crown: "Half of me thinks I should go out on top, while the other thinks I should come back again next year and defend my title."
Meanwhile,he is looking forward to the fruits of his labour — a holiday in Florida.•