As the first participant in a monthly series, Lawrence Fearon,
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trvinsport operations manager for Carlisle haulier Eddie Stobart, describes his typical working week.
MONDAY: Youngest daughter Lisa's birthday so up early to open cards and presents — into work by 08.30. First duty is to contact each of my depot managers for reports on the weekend's happenings. At 10.30 I meet Carlisle depot operations manager to discuss driver allocation for new Iveco Ford EuroTech tractors and the acquisition of Dal 35-tonne drawbar units.
Following lunch, a meeting with my boss, operations director William Stobart to update each other on operations. We discuss recruitment, vehicle purchasing, payroll costs, fuel performance and new vehicle allocations. Continuing expansion means that I am constantly planning inter-depot transfers of existing vehicles while also deciding which depots should receive new vehicles.
At 18.00 I head home to participate in my daughter's birthday party. Lisa is eight-years-old going on 18.
TUESDAY: A phone call soon after 09.00 confirms an order for a Kienzle automatic tachograph chart reader to be introduced within eight weeks here at Carlisle. Three full-time operators will be recruited to establish in-house analysis.
At 11.00 Jonathan Rayson, my transport administration manager and myself meet Steve Harrison from Automaster to discuss a trial fitting of 10 Data Acquisition units to EuroTechs based at Carlisle and Stamford depots. We want to compare data gathered with this system to that gathered by tachograph and drivers' time sheets.
By mid-afternoon, I am investigating depot accident reports. These range From bumps and scrapes to a drawbar forced off the road at South Mimms by an erratic car driver, late Monday evening. The drawbar suffered little damage but needed a wrecker to recover it. The accident report system lets me know quickly when an occident takes place.
At 16:30 I meet Sheila Woodbridge, company personnel officer, to discuss interview arrangements and driving assessments for potential new drivers.
WEDNESDAY: A meeting of key staff to discuss implementation of a computerised general transport system. Much time has been spent creating master files to gain optimum efficiency when using the system. Project team members are on a four-day course so plans are made to cover absences.
After lunch, reserve accommodation for two days away from the office. Set 1995 dates for Drivers' Committee meetings and send details to depot operations managers and 28 elected representatives of Drivers' Committees.
A hasty wash of the car followed by oilcheck and refuelling so I can have a sharp start tomorrow. Home for a few hours with my family, making a satisfying end to the day.
THURSDAY: Leave Carlisle 07:30 for a day of meetings with various depot operation managers. At Warrington depot, discuss 1995 recruitment with Alan Lightfoot. Four hours later, continue to Lutterworth to meet John Rounthwaite to discuss recruitment and traffic office staffing, Leave Lutterworih at 20:00 for a late meeting at Bristol with manager Nigel Hatchman and night traffic foreman Gary Davies. I tell Nigel that the company is expanding the Bristol operation, increasing the present Fleet of 18 Seddon Atkinson Stratos to 23. Finally, arrive at Leigh-Delamere at 00:20 for overnight stay. Take time to record details of recruitment needs at today's depots.
FRIDAY: Leave Leigh-Delamere at 08.00 and travel to our Reading depot to meet depot operations' manager, Gary Kowalkowski ('Ski' for short). We discuss improvements to shift systems. Next to Corby, arriving there at 12.30 to meet Steve Coe for a discussion about operational points. One of the drawbacks of travelling around on a busy schedule is that it's tempting to eat a good meal at lunchtime in case you don't get a chance later, making it difficult to keep the pounds off.
On to a major depot in Lincolnshire to meet depot operations' manager, Neale Burdon. We spend two hours talking about driver discipline, fuel performance, February Figures and recruitment. At 19.30 I arrive at the West Thurrock depot for a brief, but necessary, meeting with four night drivers. We are transferring the West Thurrock operation to a new site at Harlow, but obviously want to keep drivers who serve us well in the south. To avoid more intense traffic tomorrow morning, I head north as far as Colsterworth for an overnight stop at Granada Lodge.
SATURDAY: An early start at 06.30 means the roads are quiet. A quick visit to our Yorkshire depot at Normcinton. Night foreman Chas Guthrie is still on duty at 08.00 to co-ordinate morning operations as depot operations' manager Guy Ripley is having a well-earned Saturday off. Home at noon to meet my wife, Kath, and daughters Karen, 13, Lisa, 8, and son Jonathan, 11. Later the men in the family enjoy a 2-1 home win by local heroes Carlisle United over Northampton Town.