Russell Davies is a London-based agency driver: "I work nights
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for an agency, ringing in for work each afternoon," he says. "If they don't have work for me they'll put me on standby, and call me if an extra driver is needed. The agency then hires me out to another company, usually (at the moment) one of the newspaper printers. I can be sent anywhere driving a 17-tonne curtainsider from Borehamwood to Hull, with up to three drops."
Sunday A longish run tonight, up to Derby, but only one drop. The one-way system around the city is a nightmare. So many choices on the roadsigns that you have to slow down to read them, and none of them was on my map. You can't afford to spend time looking for the drop, so a quick phone call got me back on the right road. After unloading I went to an all-night roadside cafe to take my tacho break. I really like the roadside cafes. Some of them are like a home from home—kids pictures on the walls, TV, newspapers and a friendly face. It's a shame that roadside cafes are getting rarer. If you're driving full time, having somewhere that will serve you a decent cup of tea is a godsend.
Monda I was called in late tonight, to do an urgent run to Reading, one drop and back home. Everything went smoothly and the pallets came off without any problems. Years ago everything had to be handballed. Carrying 600 bundles to the end of the lorry, two by two, was hard work. Now it's open the curtains, pallets off, close curtains and go. I was back in my bed and asleep while they were still paying me (I get a minimum eight hours). Sleeping for a living, now there's a job I wouldn't mind.
Another Lte call for a run to Canterbury. I pulled a short straw and didn't get a Volvo. The Volvos are lovely machines—solid, responsive, and they feel safe. Tuesda Wednesday Banbury and Coventry, and a two-hour wait to be loaded. The wait is quite normal—you have to be patient to do this job. Then a run through town on greasy, wet roads with eight tonnes of paper on board, and cars trying to push you out of the way. I've learnt to take the space I need to be safe, even if it does wind car drivers up. You'd think that they'd rather be crushed than have to slow down for 10 seconds. A straightforward run once I got to the A40, and a lovely clear sunny morning driving back. With springtime coming and daffodils in the roadside verges, it's a shame to go to bed sometimes.
Friday Birmingham and Kidderminster. Both of these were new drops to me, but the maps were good and I didn't have any problems finding them. Navigating Birmingham town centre at two in the morning was interesting— chucking out time at the clubs, and the revellers were staggering across the roads with no thought of how much damage a lorry driving over them would do. The women were looking good though, dressed up for a night out. Everything has its compensations.
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