Keep on Trucking !
First published: Sunday July 18th, 2021
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Introduction.
As a number of you may be aware from some of my comments, I drive a truck for a living in the United Kingdom. I have done this for the past 38 years and covered most of Europe doing so. I still enjoy the relative freedom of the open road and the chance to see new places almost everyday ...and get paid for it!
This blog will delve into the history of trucking, and some of the differences from around the world, as well as, maybe, being a short insight into the industry that affects each and every one of us.
Basics.
Everything that you own, buy, borrow or use will have at some part of it's journey from manufacturer to consumer, been transported by road on the back of a truck.
From the paperclip on your desk, to the car sitting in your drive.
The house you live in will have had it's constituent parts delivered by truck.
The food in your fridge, the fridge itself, the oven you cook in, the plate you eat off, the knive and fork you use. All delivered by truck!
Even the roads you and the trucks drive on, delivered as asphalt on a truck. The paint on the lines on the road. Delivered by truck !
The word "Truck" could also describe a pick-up truck, in itself a form of transport vehicle whether used commercially or privately. Vans are also used for road transport especially when delivering smaller packages and parcels to homes and shops.
The Early Years.
With the arrival of canals in Europe, lots of shipments were carried by water and then later by rail, but there was still a need for road transport from rail stations or canal wharfs to the end-user.
The early trucks were powered by steam and slow.
Instead of the journey being factory-truck-train/barge-truck-customer it was now Factory-truck-customer. Therefore cutting out the journey by rail/canal with the delays involved in transhipping and the possible damages that may occur through extra handling.
Trucking Now.
From the highways of the USA to the back roads of Asia, trucks are carrying an endless array of goods from one destination to another. Almost every city, town and village worldwide is serviced at some point by trucks. The roads are as varied as the goods transported.
The Life of a Truck Driver.
Fatigue plays a huge part in the safety of operating a truck and accidents do occur.
Different transport companies obviously have different workloads but as an example my typical day would involve delivering to up to 4 farms on the first load and then maybe a second or even third load. Some days I have over 300 miles of driving other days less than 50. No day is the same.
The worst parts of the job, in my opinion, are traffic jams, waiting around to load or unload, and the actions of other road users.
But then the day can change for the better in an instant. The traffic clears, the sun comes out, the scenery is stunning, your favourite tune is on the radio, and all's right with the world.
Many drivers travel much longer distances than I currently do. In the past I have travelled extensively around Europe, delivering from the UK to places as far afield as Lisbon, Moscow and Ankara. The longest time I was away from home was over 4 months. This was nothing compared to some journeys that have been made.
Journeys are only restricted by governments rules and the occasional natural obstacle.
Without any restrictions it would be possible to drive from, say, Prudhoe Bay on the north coast of Alaska to Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina. But there is a small fact of the Darian Gap that straddles the Panama - Colombia border. A dense forested stretch of land with no roads and inhabited by dangerous drug lords. This particular stretch of land has only been crossed by a few 4x4 vehicles.
Another possible route would be from Lisbon, Portugal to Vladivostok, Russia, a distance of some 13500km or 8300 miles. The roads exist and are very driveable, however the distance alone makes transport by road expensive.
There are however, trucks delivering in these very places mentioned.....
And so to the future....
It has just been announced that the sale of new diesel trucks will be banned in the UK in 2040. New technologies are emerging almost daily, with smaller electric delivery trucks and vans already on our roads.
In the UK and in some countries in Europe our milk has been delivered for many years by electric vehicles...
What are they like to drive ?
Most heavier vehicles have more than one braking system, including Jake Brakes, exhaust brakes, and engine brakes. Most newer European trucks also have automatic braking, and lane guidance systems as well as cameras in all the blindspots.
I find the modern trucks very easy to drive, however you have to always be aware of the dimensions of the vehicle. I can have 3 different types of trailer in one day and all have varying heights. Some are lower than the cab of the truck but others are higher. Things can go wrong if you aren't aware as this Youtube video shows in a dramatic way.
You also have to be aware of vehicles around you, cars often try to overtake at the last minute, cyclists ride up the inside, pedestrians just step out into the road.
Often some minor roads have weight restrictions, I have to go through these most days to access farms.
But all in all it's a great job in my opinion, but it's not for everyone or for the faint hearted, some of the things I see on the road are very upsetting. You just have to put things behind you and carry on.
Media.
Among these worth, in my opinion, checking out in the usual places (Netflix, Amazon, Youtube etc.) are..
Convoy starring Kris Kristofferson and Ali McGraw
Smokey and the Bandit starring Burt Reynolds
Hell Drivers (this is a British film made in the 1950s in black and white starring many great actors of the time).
Many Country songs have been written about truck driving, in fact the above film Convoy was an adaption of a song of the same name by C.W.McCall.
Conclusion
Hopefully I have given you some insight into my world. I only have a working knowledge of the UK or European transport industry. I do know some things about elsewhere but not extensive by any means.
If you have any questions then please ask in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.
Keep on Trucking !
But anyway, this blog has good information, and a nice formatting! I’d like to know how much time are you on this work, how many countries you traveled with trucks, and also your best road you already went (or is it A9 on Scotland as you said?). Hope this don’t be so much personal lol! And #KeepOnTrucking!
I have travelled to almost all of the European countries except for Malta, Liechtenstein and San Marino ! I even delivered to the Vatican once (ornaments for the gift shops if my memory is correct).
I also have travelled to Turkey (Ankara) delivering steel pipes for the cities gas.
My best road I think is the road that runs down the west coast of Italy from the north to Rome. Not the easiest drive but very scenic. But there are so many to choose from, I may do a blog on the roads I have travelled on at some point.
As for visiting those countries, probably only for holidays now😉
The best roads I think are probably in Germany, not many potholes and smooth and well built.
Do you see the future of self-driving or remote controlled trucks possible?
Also I've heard that instead of getting drivers doing the long haul, say between two cities, often there's a mid point exchange so drivers can swap trucks and return home each day. Does it happen to you?
we all hate car drivers too(not really lol), there are good and bad drivers in every vehicle, but we never remember the good ones only the bad because we are affected..
I think eventually driverless trucks will be a thing however I don't think it will be soon, there are too many variables on the road. I can however see a time when we have a system similar to airplanes autopilot, when you enter the motorway or highway you press a button and the truck drives itself then the driver takes over to drive on smaller roads.
Yes there are drivers changeovers on some longer runs that are between depots. Two drivers will leave their depots and meet halfway, swap trailers then return. This is more often done at night by parcel delivery companies , that way they can offer an overnight service
Also I would like to show this meme to yu that shows Pakistani truck vs Afghan General. This one
I have driven a truck all over Europe plus Russia and Turkey, still lots of places left to go even in the UK so not about to stop now.
It's funny, a "A9" also crosses a part of France, my departement included, and I consider it, with my very little knowledge about roads, as a nice road to cross. But you probably know it.
If I remember right the A9 in France (autoroute) does that run from near Orange towards the Spainsh border ? Beautiful part of the world, I used to drive down that route when headed to southern Spain. I also loaded wine out of Narbonne a couple of times, can't remember exactly where though it was over 20 years ago.
And yes, I live around 40 minute by car from Narbonne, and it's true that some parts of this region are known for their wines.
It seems awesome to have the chance to visit our whole Vieux Continent!
Often en route to somewhere else, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, but I enjoyed travelling through and visiting some of the really nice towns and cities. I often parked at weekends somewhere that I could visit. My favourite cities in France would be..
1. Reims
2. Grenoble
3. Clermont-Ferrand
Always had a friendly welcome in many small "routiers" and many bars and cafes throughout the country.
And it's funny because it seems you know France better than me! In the three cities you mentioned, I've only visited the third one, but it was probably my favorite travel through France. Auvergne is a beautiful region, in term of natural landscapes, cultural monuments, and also cuisine! The aligots and truffades I ate there were delicious.
The region I liked best I think was between Macon (my home towns twin town BTW) and the Italian border. I used to use both Mont Blanc and Frejus tunnels.
I love most of the French food, just couldn't get to like escargot🤢 the best is though the baguette and croissants fresh from the boulangerie first thing in the morning😋😋
You said above that you haven't travelled to Malta but it's marked off on your map!
What's the most common way you get your truck across the English Channel? The Channel Tunnel or by boat?