He obviously had standards. 
Totally agree, and the laws are already in place so there’s no excuse for it, other than it being one of these companies with their head still in the 1970’s as you describe.
I dare say this mostly only happens with the smaller companies (like the one I used to work for), “The Big Boys” (Culina, Kinaxia, DHL, GXO etc) will be all over it.
Smoking in the cab can get the driver fined (England and Wales up to £200; Scotland up to £50) and is grounds for a disciplinary hearing; multiple occurrences are going to make it a sackable offence. The company can be fined for not doing enough to prevent it: £200 fine for simply not having a “no smoking” sign in the cab, up to £2,500 fine for not preventing people smoking.
You’d think that would be enough of an incentive, but as the use of phones in vehicles shows, many people just don’t GAF.
One of those firms you mention are among the worst.
A mate of mine does Tues to Sat with one of those firms, he leaves the truck cab pristine, which is used Sat to Mon by you guessed it…Agency drivers.
Every Tues he makes a point of going in normal time (rather than earlier) and spends 30 to 60 minutes getting it back up to his standard before he leaves…irrespective of any timed deliveries, which are consequently late.
He went through a period of having a different truck every week to go tramping in,.when they changed the job format.
Every Tues he was faced with varying degrees of…well basically the previous driver/s not giving a F.
He got an infection in a small cut, had to have antibiotics, and lost a fortnights work.
He was totally convinved he had picked it up in one of those sh hole cabs, but was unable to prove it when he reported it.
Same old same old, nobody cares.
He is a long seving driver, but is currently looking for another job as he is completely pi55ed with them
So a good exoerienced professional driver making way for another ■■■■■■ basically.
I dont know about you,.and call me old fashioned, but if I had bought a premium truck, let alone a fleet of them, I’d go ape sh if my drivers showed no respect,.and I’d be vastly downgrading on spec next purchase.
Totally agree. However it takes nothing to write into the employment contract/drivers handbook that it is expected trucks are kept reasonably clean and tidy inside. Any mingers will soon reconsider where they want to work if they keep getting dragged into the office for “a serious talk” about misusing company property.
I agree entirely.
It makes you wonder what state their homes are in.
The truck I inherited (more jumped on 
) last year, a top of range Hi cab Renault was driven by the…errr friend, of the boss let’s say…and it was minging.
I had driven it once before taking it to be serviced, and the boss picked me up in car.
I said to him at the time, that #### does not deserve the best motor in the fleet (amongst Actroses) it is a effin disgrace inside that cab…the reply was, ‘‘I know it is’’.
Anyhoo later on matey eventually burned himself out so I was on it like a scruffy mongrel on a pedigree poodle.
The cab interior was unbelievable…not in a good way.
It was dropped in for an interior valet, but it still wasn’t 100% clean, it was so bad the boss took the curtains home with him for his Mrs to wash.
After a new fitted floor carpet and a new back curtain, it’s basically as new now.
So I was lucky enough to get out of accepting a brand new Actros for a second hand Renault…I got the better half of the deal.
First time for everything I guess , no idea if agency / full time but the idiot ( prev driver ) left the drivers window fully down and drivers seat + most of cab was covered in snow this morning .
Most of it gone now , but got soggy pants / ass ( was offered a change of lorry but got scania with diff locks I understand so stuck with it ) .
I would have took the alternative motor.
Had he hooked it up properly for you btw …and did you use the correct textbook procedure for checking ?
At least they didn’t put the truck through the truck wash and leave the windows open after folding the mirrors in 