'There are no more bad trucks'
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John Watts' article (CM 29 August) about the value of different truck brands raised many interesting points.
On the matter of factoring in driver acceptance when choosing a truck, I think that he is both right and wrong. Driver acceptance is crucial, but I think that these days there is no 'bad truck'. I have done a lot of agency driving, and it really doesn't matter what you drive: if the vehicle is quite new (as it usually is in big fleets), after leaving the yard you are thinking 'actually, this is acceptable' — regardless of the brand. I can't see the difference in the offering of the seven main manufacturers from a driver's point of view any more. So how can the operator specify a truck with the driver in mind, to gear up for the expected
driver shortage? To my mind, it will be about space. A high-roof sleeper cab is a nice place to work, and forward-thinking operators will start to think about speccing these. Even in weight-sensitive sectors, I have seen operator profiles in CM where vehicles sported high-roof sleeper cabs — rigids and units alike.
I'd like to think it was for driver retention (and maybe better resale values) — and that this will catch on. If I were faced with the choice of driving either a 'king of the road' Swedish vehicle with a flat-roofed cab, or a more humble French or Italian alternative with a high-roof sleeper, I know which one I'd choose: give me space every time. William Leigh-Pemberton Shanghai, China