Making Miles of Memories
For Brad, trucks have always been part of life.
His dad, Rob, has spent 41 years behind the wheel, growing up as the son of a truck driver meant life looked a little different. While his dad was away on the road five days a week, weekends were always family time.
“Weekends were all about camping, truck shows, and being made to stand in front of trucks for photos,” Brad laughs. “It’s funny because now I do exactly the same with my daughter.”
Those early years gave Brad and his siblings a front-row seat to the trucking world. They often joined their dad on the road, travelling across Europe to places like Spain, Germany and France, experiences that helped shape a mutual love of trucks
Brad’s dad started his driving career doing agency work in Dunstable, then after moving North he built a career working for several companies on international routes. From driving ERFs to Scanias, handling long-haul work and even police escorted loads through London, he’s done it all. But no matter how demanding the work was, family always came first.
When Brad was 18 and diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia, a condition that led to him needing brain surgery. His dad didn’t think twice. He parked up his unit and trailer in Preston and stayed by his son’s bedside, simply saying, “The load can wait.”
From diagnosis through to recovery, he was there every step of the way.
Years later, life shifted again when Brad’s dad was diagnosed with cancer. Over the next three years, Brad watched him battle through chemo and surgery.
“I’ve seen him change, and it got me thinking,” Brad says. “This is our time to make memories. Let’s go on a road trip somewhere we’ve never been, a once-in-a-lifetime trip.”
That’s when Brad booked for them to go to the legendary Truckstar Festival in Assen.
The Truckstar Festival in Assen (Netherlands) has been inspiring truck enthusiasts and professional drivers from all over Europe for over 40 years. What began in 1980 with fewer than 100 trucks has long since developed into the largest truck event in the world. In 2025, over 2300 trucks, including numerous vintage trucks, rolled onto the famous TT Circuit, transforming the Assen racetrack into the centre of the European truck community. The Truckstar Festival is more than just an event, it's a highlight in the calendar of all truck drivers and truck fans in the Netherlands and throughout Europe.
Now, with the ferry booked, camping sorted and a 1,200-mile journey ahead, Brad and his dad are getting ready for an unforgettable adventure.
“It’s all about dad and son time,” Brad says. “Making memories, talking about the old days, and just enjoying every minute.”
They’ll be making the trip in Brad’s pickup, which is currently being kitted out in full Dutch style, and documenting the whole journey on TikTok for others to follow along.
For Brad, it’s more than just a road trip. It’s a chance to
celebrate a lifetime of memories. and make more together.
Rob and his grandaughter
Ready for their adventure to Assen
