Waiting time

In order to offer a prompt service, we (almost) always have drivers 'on hand', i.e. waiting at the office for work.  As you can imagine, therefore, waiting forms a significant part of our week, even if it's not every day for all of us.  So it seemed a good idea to give some idea of how we fill our idle time.

The occupations fall into two broad categories - social and individual.  Some people spend all of their waiting in our crew room or the office, in the company of other drivers, or the staff.  Strictly speaking we're not supposed to go into the office unless with specific purpose, but we rarely get turned away if we don't disturb the running of the business, and sometimes our knowledge of the customers' affairs can prove useful.

Whilst together in this way, time can be taken up in many ways: eating and drinking, for example, is a high priority.  There is always a variety of newspapers: some will read them avidly, while others simply ogle the pictures of scantily clad girls.  My preference - along with one other keen anorak - is to turn to the puzzle page, where we see which of us can demolish the crosswords first.  The majority of the drivers - and all of the staff, of course - have their 'own' Premier League football teams, and there is usually vigourous but amicable rivalry between the various loyalties: chafing each other, chewing over recent scores and transfers, or bemoaning the latest management gaffs.

When it comes to individual preferences, some will sit playing with their mobile phones, using the latest appications, sending texts or calls, sometimes to friends or wives, or dealing with personal business.  Some who have less time to themselves at home will be catching up with their admin., and I even saw someone the other day mending a rosary!   Some drivers will only be seen in the crew room to use toilet or kitchen, and pass the rest of the time in their vans.  Notwithstanding that much of their time has to be there anyway, they seem to prefer this; it is 'their space'.  There they can smoke, read their own papers, or a novel, or listen to music without interruption.  Some have even been known to have laptops or DVD players with them, or a dog for company.

And some people even prefer to sit at home, doing their own thing ... hoping that the phone will ring ......