He reads this description of the life of a trucker written on Facebook by a transport manager at William Gilder
Isolation...time to reflect’
Truck drivers... are they in your thoughts?.. At a time when the only important workforce’s are able to operate. From the top and the heroes that save lives in our NHS to the utility’s that keep our sewage flowing and water clean.... not forgetting our farmers producing food. These are just a few of many.
A special service linking all these things, usually invisible to many until they are in your way. Imagine this... leaving home before sunrise on a Monday, a few small bags of essentials to survive packed up. A quick look back at your home as it’s the last you’ll see of loved ones and normal comfortable life for 5-6 days. Then you arrive at work and climb into your cockpit/office/bedroom/lounge/kitchen/toilet... all combined between an approx 8ftx8ftx8ft cube. It is here you now have to spend up to 6 days in isolation.... working up to 15 hrs per day, including a maximum of 10hrs driving into the following evenings..... then a minimum of 9hrs rest allowed from when you finally switch the engine off to when it’s expected of you to turn it back on again and repeat..... within this small rest period you’ll have to make dinner, take a wash, exercise and enjoy your evening leaving around an average of 6-7 hrs sleep (if your lucky). Your bed just wide enough to lie on your back... your lounge a passenger seat... your kitchen a small microwave and fridge, no sink & the dashboard for your table... & your toilet... well a bucket if you remembered to buy one, your basin a bottle of Evian and plastic bowl if you remembered to buy one. Your sleep... well that’s debatable depending on where you are allowed to park or if there are any spaces left in lay-bys on the side of the road or industrial areas that haven’t yet banned lorry parking. Your other job whilst sleeping is a subconscious security guard... because if the noise from the road doesn’t keep you awake the sounds of night time criminals either trying to steal your load or diesel will. Everyday you wake up positive & early to complete whatever schedule has been set whilst every road user hates you. What is the importance of this invisible, unliked industry? Well if you buy it/eat it/ wear it/play it/drive it... in fact everything you use daily and need to survive.. it all gets moved by trucks and those that pilot them weekly.
I am fortunate to currently work alongside these unsung heroes in the liquid waste industry. They daily move your liquid waste in 44tonne Tankers (sewage/food waste/harmful leachates derived from landfills that we dump our rubbish into stopping it overflowing & contaminating our water sources/Factory produced foods & contaminated liquids/organic digestate liquid fertiliser to land/food oils for producing energy.... just a few of many loads helping to keep the Uk Environmentally clean & healthy. During an unprecedented time where government advice is to lock yourselves and families up to keep safe from a lethal virus... All these drivers are looked upon to carry on as normal... why... because they have to, without them all quite simply nothing works.
Ask yourself what would happen if trucks couldn’t distribute all these things we need... quite simply it’s not a reality many take into account.
So when you next pass a truck, remember these facts and instead of honking your horn in frustration when you pass, wave your hand out the window and put your thumb up.
These past few weeks there are no washing facilities or cafes open, customer premises doors and windows closed... just a quick sign language replacing conversation. So remember when your isolating at home with your families and getting fed up with it all, imagine 5/6 days of the above on your own..... Honk your horn, stick up your thumb and shout ‘Thank you!’
Well done lads, proud of you all, keep doing what your doing (You know who you are) 😊🚛🚛🚛💨💨💨🌚🌎
