Meet Tony Light, TJ artic driver

Tony has worked for TJ for over 16 years as an artic lorry driver and says they’re a great company to work for. He’s watched the company grow and is keen to see what the future holds for TJ. In his spare time, Tony likes to spend quality time with his family with many weekends spent entertaining the grandchildren!

What does your role involve?

I’m an articulated lorry driver and at the moment I spend most of my time moving waste from our materials recovery facilities to our network of final disposal points.

I also drive the articulated tipper lorries, delivering stone and ballast to various construction companies from Hampshire to Bristol. Ensuring the customers receive what they need, when they need it is something I prioritise as happy customers are a must.

It’s a very varied job, I drive here, there and everywhere every day and meet a lot of nice people along the way. I’ve made a couple of really good friends over the years; the team here is great, everyone supports each other to get the job done and done well.

What’s your career background?

Before working for TJ I worked for another haulage company in Southampton and prior to that I worked for an aggregates company for 13 years, delivering the materials to various parts of the construction industry. TJ recently won the aggregates contract that my previous company used to hold, so when we started working on it, I liaised with the drivers to ensure the work got done as I’d known them previously. I was quite an asset!

How do you keep your driving skills up-to-date?

TJ puts us through various training programmes to make sure that our skills and knowledge are current to ensure total safety on the job. We all do our Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) training as well as our MPQC card, which is something that drivers must have to prove they know the protocol when entering sites such as mines and quarries.

Our Fleet Manager, Lee Downer, also puts on a range of regular training for us including the annual safety event every January. We also do a Vulnerable Road Users course, which raises awareness of the potential dangers around you on the road and promotes safety.

We also hold exchanging places events which involves us taking a lorry to city centres and giving members of the public the chance to have a look inside the cab. There is a mat in front of the lorry indicating the blind spot and it’s a great way of raising awareness about the fact that even though we’re sitting up high in a cab, we can’t see everything, particularly cyclists!

What are the most rewarding and challenging elements of your role?

I really love my job. I get to travel a lot and have seen most of the country over the years! I get to meet lots of people too. My colleagues are great, it’s a fantastic team to work with; if you’re really busy, nine times out of ten someone will come over and give you a hand!

The most challenging part of the role is when you arrive on site to complete a delivery and the delivery spot is somewhat challenging! The lorries aren’t the easiest things to manoeuvre, but I try my best and always manage to get an outcome that the customer is happy with.

What do you pride yourself on?

My work ethic – I always like to do a good job. If something needs doing then I will always ensure that it gets done to the best of my ability. I also like to look after the lorry to ensure it is clean and that all the daily safety checks are carried out too.

Why is TJ a great place to work?

They have always treated me very well. I had to have some time off when a family member was ill and they were very supportive and told me to take as long as I needed. I feel appreciated for what I do and love being part of a great team. I’ve seen the company grow during my time here and I’m excited to be part of that growth!