Send for the Bill
Truck & Driver|June 2020
With over 40 years on the road, Billy Ford has seen huge changes in the transport industry and he’s adapted his business to suit
Dougie Rankine
Send for the Bill

Billy was 17 years old when he went to work with his Dad Ron, who was an owner-driver specialising in livestock.

He had a Leyland Super Comet rigid, and worked across a number of farms and markets all within 50 miles of his home base.

“He only ever had the old Class 3 licence,” recalls Billy, “although he was eligible for Class 1 automatically on grandfather rights, but he never needed it, so never bothered.”

It was a different time; there were livestock markets running six days a week, and so many small businesses. It was possible to stay close to home. Billy got his HGV licence aged 21 and his first truck was a Bedford TK, “There must be hundreds of hauliers who started off with one of those” he smiles, “Dad would only ever buy British – he’d never look at anything else.”

A Leyland Bison six-wheeler followed, along with A-frame drawbar trailers. “Not these things you see nowadays with the three axles in the middle – they’re easy – the old set up had the steering front axle, that would sort out the men from the boys.

‘Even with all the experience in the world, you’d go to a place one day and back it in there first time, next day you’d be there for half an hour” Billy says with a smile. “Have you ever tried reversing one?” Thankfully not!

This story is from the June 2020 edition of Truck & Driver.

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This story is from the June 2020 edition of Truck & Driver.

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