A Day in the Life of a Barnes Driver

May is National Share Your Story month, so we thought we’d celebrate by walking a day in our very own drivers’ shoes, and discovering what it’s like to be a Barnes driver. So many people dream of having a career flexible enough to travel the length of the country every day, or even hopping overseas, all whilst having the opportunity to meet new people as well as receiving consistent support from their employers. At Barnes Logistics, this lifestyle is a reality every day for our team.

 

Brendan Norman is a highly valued driver within the company. To offer a genuine insight into what it’s like to be a Barnes Logistic employee, we caught up with Brendan to find out what life on the road is really like.

 

Brendan starts every day by catching up with his work colleagues, relishing the value that close working relationships bring. “Every morning I get to see my work mates and have some banter,’ says Brendan, ‘and of course the first thing I do each morning is perform my vehicle safety checks. This is everything from checking and adjusting tyre pressure to scanning the truck for physical faults. After this, it’s time to load up! Depending on how many stops I need to make that day affects how long loading takes, but I always make time for a drink. I can’t start my day without my decaf coffee – I’ve recently given up caffeine!”

 

When on the road, Brendan has his go-to playlist to help him along any long drives: “Anything by Elton John, especially his more upbeat songs. They really help keep me motivated, and are definitely an advantage during heavy or standstill traffic!”

 

When he’s driving, Brendan knows the temptations that roadside stops and cafes can bring! But Brendan resists, well aware of the health risks which can be associated with the driving lifestyle.  But who can say no to a Friday treat? “I pick myself a chocolate chip cookie when I fuel up – only once a week mind!”, says Brendan.

 

Now, onto the big question: What’s Brendan’s favourite thing about being a Barnes driver? “It’s hard to pick one thing! I suppose if I narrowed it down, my two favourite things about being a driver with Barnes has to be the team I work with, plus the hours work really well for my lifestyle.”