Forty years & four million miles on the road for driver Brian

Brian Evans (60), who is from Whitchurch but now lives in Shavington near Crewe, joined the company in 1973 at the age of 20 and has witnessed unprecedented changes in the transport industry during his long career. He puts his success down to adapting to new technology and driving regulations:

"I’ve always had the view that you go with the flow, or get out!" explains Brian.

Regularly spending four nights a week away from home as a continental driver, Brian joined the company when his Dad, Sam, approached owner Ray Grocott to find his son a job:

"My Dad saw Ray at the weekly cattle auction and asked him whether he would give me a chance. I started as a yard lad and then trained to be a driver when I was 21. Ray always liked things just right but he would always roll up his sleeves and help out in the yard."

Brian’s career has taken him all over Europe and he was also involved in Grocontinental’s trips to Eastern Europe to deliver aid to poverty-stricken families in Romania in the 1980s. The trip demanded four days on the road. As he recalls:

"We visited orphanages in Romania and the things I saw there will remain with me forever. Anything we had with us, we just gave away. I remember giving a little girl a packet of Golden Wonder crisps and 50 young children came from nowhere and swarmed around her."

Brian is delighted with the high-tech vehicle he now drives, but highlights that his early days on the road weren’t quite as luxurious:

"Today we’ve got the best of the best vehicles with great equipment including comfortable beds, air conditioning and microwaves.

"The vehicle I drove at the start of my time as a driver had one small bunk and no air-conditioning. On our trips to Spain in 90°f temperatures, we had to create our own cab air-conditioning. This consisted of filling two five-gallon drums up with water and sticking them in the temperature-controlled trailers we were pulling. We’d then wait for the water to freeze then carry the drums into the cabs so that they would cool the air a bit so we could get a good night’s sleep.

"When we left the yard each Sunday night ready for our long trips, Ray Grocott would always come to see us off. All the drivers had CB radios then to keep-in-touch. No mobile phones in those days!"

To celebrate his 40-year milestone, the Directors of Grocontinental presented Brian with a commemorative watch, a VIP trip around the DAF factory in Preston, and a book featuring photographs of his career.

He also recently took delivery of a new DAF truck that features a special plaque denoting his 40 years on the road with the company.

Speaking about Brian’s achievement, Ray Grocott, Grocontinental’s Chairman said:

"Brian’s record is to be massively applauded and respected. Forty years working for one company is a rare achievement these days. We are very proud of him and very appreciative of his dedication, reliability and the relationships he has built up with our customers.

"He is one of the industry’s characters and we look forward to him being with us for many years to come."

And what does Brian, who has never flown anywhere in his life, rate as the best and worst places he travels?:

"I hate London – there are so many bad drivers there, but I really like Germany. I know lots of people working at the customers I visit and they always come and have a chat with me.

"If I could live anywhere, it would be Bavaria, between Munich and Saltsburg – it’s a great way of life there."