K & B International: Driving Instruction, TLC for Martha, 24/7 support and a Great Friend of FTFE.

The expedition was only 4 days old when news came back from somewhere in Switzerland that a leak had been spotted in Martha’s fuel tank, and as Steve so eloquently put it they were “in a bit of a pickle”.

This was supposed to be the easy part and they were only 500km in, on smooth roads. Whilst most of us cursed our misfortune and held our breath for the latest news on how bad it was, there was one man in Bognor Regis that on reading the news rocked back into his chair a very proud man.

“They spotted it”   

Keith Bute and his wife Barbara head up K & B International which is a family run Transport Management Consultancy, and at this early stage Keith’s training had already been called upon. Thankfully the crew had passed with flying colours and prevented a potential catastrophe that Keith goes onto explain,

“A minor diesel leak can be fixed and only causes a minor delay. If the vehicle isn’t checked a minor leak becomes and major one and that can only lead to one thing. A major fire and you have a potential fireball on your hands………”

It was in February 2010 that Keith first heard about FTFE via twitter. “Some guy was looking for an HGV Instructor who could teach 24 people how to drive a fire engine.”

From the outset Steve recognised that even with the reclassification of Martha to below 7.5 tonnes, which meant an HGV licence wasn’t required, we needed someone with the expertise and experience of a vehicle of this nature to teach us how to drive safely.

Keith contacted Steve and they hit it off immediately, “it was like we had known him for years”.

K & B International’s tag line is Services to the Transport industry, part of which is HGV driver training. However there was more to Keith than just this, much more.

He is a self confessed graduate of the University of Life and as a school boy helped his dad build London buses. When he left school his first job was a train driver, “I have even driven a steam engine” exclaims Keith. Following this Keith spent 20 years in the London Fire Brigade becoming an HGV and PSV Instructor and assessor before leaving to set up K & B International with his wife Barbara.

Keith also had very personal motives to help out. “Within the last two years I have lost both my parents, Dad to Bowel Cancer and last year Barbara lost her Dad to Liver Cancer”.

“Being ex London Fire Brigade, being my three favourite charities and seeing Martha, how could I not help. I’m always up for a challenge”.

 So in April 2010 Keith began making the first of many treks up to FTFE HQ in Wimbledon from his home in Bognor Regis, a round trip of 120 miles no less, in his own time and at his own expense.

Keith would arrive, wearing a tie and immediately set the right tone handing out a written test which immediately put us on the back foot. This guy was serious. The banter was of course always there, and is never far from Keith but there also a job to do. He approached his role as FTFE Official Driving Instructor with the same level of professionalism that he would give to a fee paying client.

So week after week, Keith would give up either his Saturday or Sunday and leave poor Barbara home alone, while each of us would take it in turns to do our Kangaroo impressions. If you have ever driven a vehicle with air brakes you know exactly where I’m coming from.

Far from being scared for life, Keith recalls those lessons with great relish.

“Everyone’s enthusiasm to drive Martha really shone through and made my job of showing you the ropes a real joy. It really did bring back memories of riding the machines for real and having a great crew behind you”

However Keith’s help didn’t end there as he goes on to explain. “It quickly became evident to Steve and myself that to complete this expedition you would need to know a bit more than just how to point Martha in the right direction. Whilst instructing I always try to give a brief outline of how everything works, and as you all found out HGVs are quite different beasts to cars. We arranged a one day course with Steve and the long serving crew members to explain the importance of Daily and Weekly checks on Martha. This involved knowing where all the components are, how they operate and how to change a wheel. This also built on and bought together the knowledge that Steve and one or two others had learnt on a comprehensive 12 week mechanics course.”

“Of course Daily and Weekly checks are important in order to ensure that she is roadworthy and to spot a minor fault before it becomes a major one.” A smile breaks out over Keith’s face, I’m very proud of the lads for spotting it so soon”

Keith is also providing FTFE with 24/7 technical support by telephone throughout the expedition and continues to train a few members of the crew on mechanics and driving.

So does Keith think Steve can pull it off? “He is amazing and if I have ever met anyone in this world who can pull this off, Steve is the Man. But don’t forget he has Amy behind him, a wonderful family plus the support of such a fantastic crew. We feel very humble for the small part we are playing in helping the expedition.

And who better to answer to the age old question, who are better drivers, “That’s easy” says Keith, “Girls of course, no Kerbs”

Paul Barham

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Join K&B International facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bognor-Regis-United-Kingdom/K-B-International-Transportation-Services/125677870790657?ref=ts

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Further information about K & B International;

K&B International is a family run Transport Management Consultancy delivering solutions to Transport problems. They deal with every aspect of road transport, be it passenger or freight, both nationally and internationally. HGV, PSV training, Driver CPC periodic training (They are a JAUPT approved training centre), operator licensing and management. Transport management, Compliance systems, company audits, tachograph training and Analysis. Fleet maintenance, mechanical inspections, Health and Safety checks, Environmental awareness and much much more.

They are able to source vehicles of any type from a tuk tuk to 70 seat luxury coach, from a handcart to 44 tonne Trans-continental artic. They can also supply drivers for all categories of vehicles.

They are currently expanding their training section and are specialising in providing training for the Driver CPC which is now a legal obligation for all commercial drivers both HGV and PSV. They specialise in adapting their courses to fit not only the operators work style but their budget as well.