It's in his genes – Andy Mckittrick, truck driver

Andy Mckittrick was always going to be a truck driver – his father drove heavy goods vehicles and as a boy Andy would seize every opportunity to spend time out on the road with him. “I suppose you could say the job is in my genes,” he laughs. “I certainly couldn’t ever see myself doing anything else.”

Now 44, Andy began his own career at the age of 18 and has been driving ever since. Born and brought up in the Black Country, birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, he is a devoted supporter of West Bromwich Albion, the Premiership team more commonly known to its supporters as The Baggies.

Andy has spent the last four years working for Oldbury-based Hinks Haulage. His boss Brian Hinks is a firm fan of Mercedes-Benz, which explains why every one of the company’s nine trucks wears a three-pointed star.

“My new Actros looks fantastic.”

In his time with the firm Andy has driven vehicles from the two previous Actros model generations. His latest is a 26-tonne curtainsider with range-topping GigaSpace cab – with its optional colour-coded bumpers and door mirror covers, and external sun visor, as well as light bars, airhorns and alloy wheels, it is turning plenty of heads on the road.

“My new Actros looks fantastic and is every bit as good to drive,” enthuses Andy. “I particularly like the latest Mercedes PowerShift automated transmission. It’s even smoother than previous versions, with the improvement particularly noticeable when you’re in reverse.”

As a 2536 L model, the truck is powered by an advanced 265 kW (360 hp) straight-six, which is “more than enough” according to Andy. “I’m never going to win any races, but that won’t concern Brian,” he says. “Like most operators, reliability and fuel-efficiency are his top priorities and this Actros ticks both of those boxes in a big way.

“The truck hasn’t missed a beat in the three months since it arrived. That’s no surprise, because my previous Mercedes-Benz vehicles never let me down either. As for economy, I started at an average of 11.4 mpg and it’s now up to 12.4, which puts it comfortably ahead of our other 26-tonners.”

Andy Mckittrick, Hinks Haulage

“We just keep turning and going.”

Hinks Haulage undertakes nationwide same- and next-day collections and deliveries of a wide range of commodities, including hazardous goods. Andy enjoys the varied nature of the work. “We’re very busy, and carry anything and everything,” he says. “Not until I turn up at the yard early on a Monday morning, do I know what I’m going to be doing. Sometimes I’ll return to base the next day to reload, others I’ll be off to the other end of the country and not make it back all week.

“We just keep turning and going. It invariably entails spending four or five nights away, but I’m single now and my two lads have grown up so it suits me just fine. I love the work, and I love my big GigaSpace cab. It’s beautifully finished and there’s masses of storage, as well as a fridge and a microwave, while the bunk is very comfortable – I definitely sleep better in the Actros than I do at home.”

Photos: Impact