Q and A with owner-driver Fred Bradshaw
DRIVERS
We love getting to know our RoadStars. This week we chat with owner-driver and Truckfest winner Fred Bradshaw, who tells us about his trucking memories and current vehicle, the Actros MP3.
Could you tell us some basic information about yourself – name, age, how long you’ve been driving…?
Fred Bradshaw: it’s not my real name but that’s what everybody knows me as! I’m 51, so only a youngster! I’ve been on the road since I was 23. I tried at 21 to take my test and failed… twice! I gave up for a while, but took it again when I was 23, and passed, and it’s what I’ve done ever since.
Have you always been into trucks?
From 3 years old I was with Dad in his lorry. He had an old 1967 Albion, and I used to go out with him in that, and that’s what started it all off. I used to spend most of my school holidays in that lorry! My uncle, he’s also a lorry driver, and he used to do international driving, so I would go with him; we’ve been across into France and Belgium and Luxembourg.
What’s your current role like?
I’m very hands on as a driver still. I take all the work on, and then my wife does the office side of things – she does all the paperwork! I decide what we can and can’t do, distribute the work out, and she does the office things.
What do you like most about your job?
Well I’ve always wanted to own lorries, and now I do. So I’ve succeeded in doing that. When everything works and all the planning comes together, that’s the real beauty of the job.
What’s your least favourite part of your job?
A lot of people moan about the job these days, and there’s quite a bit to moan about really! It can be quite painful when things don’t go well, but it’s just part of the job.
Do you have a favourite memory from your life on the road? A favourite trip perhaps?
I’ve had countless memories in my trucks. A lot of the time my Dad and I used to go up into the North East, when they were still building boats. We used to go up there and have a look at the boats. I’ve been up to Scotland fetching sea potatoes (a type of sea urchin), both of us sleeping in a day cab lorry! My dad used to put some boards up, and make some curtains, and then we both slept in that together!
What’s your must-have item in the cab when you are out on the road?
My phone! I’ve always got it with me… and the other thing that you need is a fridge. They’re the two things I really need.
Are there any specific things you like to eat during trips?
I try to eat as healthy as I can, so a lot of the time I take salad. Drink wise, I always have plenty of water.
Can you tell us more about your current truck? Does it have any quirky design customisations or anything that makes it unique?
The truck I drive at the moment is the one I took to Truckfest – it’s a Mercedes-Benz Actros MP3, and it’s got a fully airbrushed cab (by Tom Scott for the Commercial Vehicle Show). I put some graphics over it so that my name is on there, and the Lincolnshire flag. We’ve got a few Kelsa bars on it, a full set of alloy wheels, trims, mirror guards. There’s tipping gear, as that’s our main priority.
Inside I’ve got a microwave and fridge, which I guess is pretty standard these days… but it’s also got a fitted telly and an Xbox. I don’t use it myself, but the previous driver here loved it!
What’s your favourite feature on your truck?
I just like my truck. The air con is very good… it’s a must these days. As hot as it’s been, it cools you down lovely! It’s just a good cab. We can be away all week, and if you’re away it’s a good cab to live in.
Thanks Fred! Have you got any trucking stories that you’d like to share, or a truck you’d like to show off? Get in touch via the comments section below, and you could be the RoadStar of our next driver Q and A!
Comment
Please log in to post a comment.
1 comment