After 23 years of mainly long haul work, I shall be hanging up the keys, bringing home all the crap from the Mighty Pete and calling an end to my long distance life.
Following the recent bereavement, I am going on city work for the time being, with an ambition to be a dispatcher for the company in the end. Not only is long haul impractical now, but my heart just isn’t in it anymore. The road has been my constant companion through the deaths of my grandparents, parents and now my wife, so that’s it, I am done.
I went to the yard yesterday to talk over my idea of learning to dispatch, and they offered me the city driver post before I had chance to speak about it. I will be home for my lad, and we will be together which is all that counts now.
So I have loads of stuff to flog if you want it. I carried much, as you all know. Of course, I will be selling after the winter roads- I don’t want to miss out on those.
Must be incredibly difficult for you,but bills have to be paid and your company obviously value your work.What does city work entail for you ?is it Steinbach based or in the Peg ?
Did a week in Winnipeg for Prudhomme as city driver for holiday relief,not knowing the place too well,only the major roads,"twas a bloody nightmare.That was back in 06 so I’d probably be quicker and know the faster routes now,but can remember getting $25 per hour even though I was slow compared to the normal driver.
Wouldn’t be too hasty selling your OTR gear,never know what’s down the line,and am sure if ever you hit the highway again it’d be a pain and expensive to replace. Very best to you.
Thanks, man. Winnipeg isn’t too bad really, and there will be runs to MN and ND as well as out your way. It is regional day cab work really. I must have done something right by the company because they have been so good to us right through, and I really want to stay with them.
If things go right then I will get into the office eventually. I can still drive for them, and I will take the night call duty 4 nights a week if they want because I don’t sleep well and it would take some pressure off those who need their sleep and provide the drivers with customs or whatever. That is my goal in the end I think, and I want to do it for KSW.
I will get shot of some of my stuff because it is pointless hanging on to it and someone may be glad of it when money is tight for them and they need a microwave or something. I don’t know, but I really think 23 years on the road is enough. I have shared all I can, and I need to be here for my lad and for me. Janey would expect it as well.
It seems such a strange thing to be a widower and a single parent… And everyone knows that single parents are usually ladies and things are geared to that end. Maybe my new crusade will be about that. I will still be driving, for now at least, and I will still be on here.
trucking may have dropped us, but the life is still in us, and that is what counts.
It seems such a strange thing to be a widower and a single parent… And everyone knows that single parents are usually ladies and things are geared to that end. Maybe my new crusade will be about that. I will still be driving, for now at least, and I will still be on here.
trucking may have dropped us, but the life is still in us, and that is what counts.
I understand exactly where you are coming from with your decision, the most important thing is your lad, how old?
You can take the man away from the lorry, but his heart will still be in the cab. Good luck for the future and once again accept my sympathies.
bobthedog:
After 23 years of mainly long haul work, I shall be hanging up the keys, bringing home all the crap from the Mighty Pete and calling an end to my long distance life.
Following the recent bereavement, I am going on city work for the time being, with an ambition to be a dispatcher for the company in the end. Not only is long haul impractical now, but my heart just isn’t in it anymore. The road has been my constant companion through the deaths of my grandparents, parents and now my wife, so that’s it, I am done.
I went to the yard yesterday to talk over my idea of learning to dispatch, and they offered me the city driver post before I had chance to speak about it. I will be home for my lad, and we will be together which is all that counts now.
So I have loads of stuff to flog if you want it. I carried much, as you all know. Of course, I will be selling after the winter roads- I don’t want to miss out on those.
I am so glad your company has offered you that job, it shows they care about you Bob and your boy will need you at his side over the next few years.
We were worried about you mate.
trucking may have dropped us, but the life is still in us, and that is what counts.
I loved the life but I regret spending so much time in boring places. My life took off when the last drop of diesel evaporated outa my blood. At times the trucking seemed like a jail sentence & I’d done nothing wrong ? I was framed!! But other times it was a holiday with pay. I don’t miss it at all & have no intention of going back on the road. When I want to go anywhere I will fly. Before if I couldn’t drive there I wouldn’t go. Now Tesco’s is far enough ( by road).
Funny thing is I gave TIR up for six years after my old dad died & looked after my Mother ,I did night work to all the fruit markets, then she moved to Cornwall & I got on the N.Africa run.
All this doom & gloom in UK is designed to keep you in a crap job with low pay & stay in the country to spend all your dosh, mostly on taxes. They are trying to subdue the population ( that’s why booze is so cheap. Keep 'em ■■■■■■ & stop 'em thinking) & keep the pound low to make exports cheap.Seen all this before under Thatcher. Every time the pound gets strong little Mervyn King gets on his hind legs & tells the world how bad its going to get in GB & then sterling drops again -magic!
Its still a beautiful life in spite of the greedy political scum . My horizons now are even wider now than when I was in my twenties…Ahmen!
Great idea, Pat, and I will be buying a bullwhip to keep order…
I loved the life too. It was in me for a long time, like a marriage really- for better for worse and all that. But it is time. I have done pretty much everything I would have wanted to do, and now I can burn off the last few drops while the firm has a full dispatch team and bide my time a little.
I don’t think anyone leads a more varied and interesting life that truck drivers, and we all have that to carry us. Life goes on, as they say. Times change, as they say…
But who, exactly, are ‘they’? We write it for ourselves, and when it is time to change, it is time.
But who, exactly, are ‘they’? We write it for ourselves, and when it is time to change, it is time.
And we all find out when that time comes. I don’t think I would have liked to pop my clogs in one of those old things. Had wake-up call once in MATs yard in Purfleet. A youngish Brit was driving for a German firm & had parked up opposite the evening before .Next morning they saw him sitting in his cab reading his book at the wheel & asked him to shove up a bit but he was stone cold dead. The hearse came & took him away. What a way to go - crap old DAF on a crap old piece of waste ground in a crap town -scary. The thing was that the undertakers didn’t know which truck he was in until I took them to him. The parked trucks probably all looked like potential coffins to them. They had morning coats, top hats with the black sash ,the works. surreal images for nine in the morning. I was with a crap Swiss outfit - went back & jacked in. Then got a job driving to the Beautiful South. Life’s short!
Right then, it is all TC1 work for FTTM next week… He can go fill the wreckers up at the roadside… Oh no, it is mild next week so he can go into the boonies…
If a driver disagrees with you just hold the phone to your bad ear 
