Tramping without RDCs

Hi all, I am currently considering giving tramping a go now I’ve had my class 1 for a little while, my experience so far has been class 2 store deliveries of caged refrigerated goods with a tail lift and being a recovery driver. Since gaining my class 1 whilst in recovery I only occasionally get to tow and have not driven an artic yet, so I don’t know if jumping straight into tramping would be a good idea.

But my main question here is this, can anybody suggest which companies/kind of companies should I try if I want to avoid any RDC work? I’ve never had the misfortune to experience them but I don’t want to start now, from what I’ve read about them and what I can imagine it would be the last thing I want to do. I enjoy keeping active so something involving a lot of loading/unloading myself would suit.

I’m based in the West Midlands but of course if I was looking at tramping I’d be fine to commute a fair distance. Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

If you’ve not had much of a crack with an artic it doesn’t matter whether you do day work or tramping. You’ve still got the same learning curve to make.

Job wise to get some experience don’t discount the RDC type work as they’re generally (but far from always) accessible and gave enough room to get your eye in.

As for work first thing I thought of was bulker type work. I know Robinson’s of Worcester run ads reasonably frequently looking for bulk trampers out of Cemex at Rugby.

If you’ve been doing caged tail lift multi-drop on class 2 then RDC with an artic will be like semi-retirement!
Don’t write it off. It’s not as bad as some of the whingers on here would have you believe.
Besides which, since you dont have any class 1 experience you cant afford to be too choosy

Try chipliners, Stobrats or Jenkies probably up our best bet.

RDCs are pretty pish but there’s worse things to do than sit on your ring and drink coffee for a couple of hours.

Sitting on ones Harris, watching a film on ya portable device, so you don’t have to talk to a former SAS/SBS hero, or middle East veteran, There are a few decent chaps to talk to, who don’t talk crap, you might get an Aldi/Lidl self tip. It’s money for nothing.

If you dismiss RDC work then you’re kind of dismissing yourself from a large portion of the market. Keep all avenues open and you’re more likely to get a job.

Will_161:
If you dismiss RDC work then you’re kind of dismissing yourself from a large portion of the market. Keep all avenues open and you’re more likely to get a job.

^^^ This ^^

With little experience under your belt you can’t be too choosy to get foot in door so to speak

I do a lot of RDCs and most aren’t that bad, quite a few I’m in and out within couple hours sometimes less. There are those that need razed to ground they’re that chronically slow and s- holes. No matter what sector your going to get those though

A decent tablet or phone and headset and I’m happy watching a film !

Only thing I don’t like is not being able to sit in cab - not getting into that it’s been done to death

I’d keep your options open for now and you never know you might like to work

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Tanks / tippers / walking floors / flats

Pretty much guaranteed to keep you away from a RDC. Just don’t expect to stay clean everyday you’ll need to get your hands dirty.

Thanks for your replies guys, now this might be a stupid question but I saw on a post fairly recently where someone mentioned they take a bike with them and I think they said on containers they go out on the bike and get the loaders to give them a call when it’s ready.
Is that a possibility at all with RDCs or do you have to stay on site if you can’t wait in the cab?

At RDC’s you’ll be lucky if they let you out of the gate but nobody has been shot for asking.

TiredAndEmotional:
At RDC’s you’ll be lucky if they let you out of the gate but nobody has been shot for asking.

I am sure that will be on the cards soon :unamused:

cman:
Thanks for your replies guys, now this might be a stupid question but I saw on a post fairly recently where someone mentioned they take a bike with them and I think they said on containers they go out on the bike and get the loaders to give them a call when it’s ready.
Is that a possibility at all with RDCs or do you have to stay on site if you can’t wait in the cab?

:laughing:

I want a front row seat for when you ask the misery guts behind the window that question! Frankly mate you would be told to sit down & behave.

I do a lot of RDCs at tbh you get the odd horrendous visit where you are stuck in a room for silly hours, but it’s normally pretty painless if you come prepared with entertainment.

toonsy:
If you’ve not had much of a crack with an artic it doesn’t matter whether you do day work or tramping. You’ve still got the same learning curve to make.

Job wise to get some experience don’t discount the RDC type work as they’re generally (but far from always) accessible and gave enough room to get your eye in.

As for work first thing I thought of was bulker type work. I know Robinson’s of Worcester run ads reasonably frequently looking for bulk trampers out of Cemex at Rugby.

my job is 99% out of cemex rugby , bagged cement

If you haven’t got your eye in to artics, as said above, you should be looking forward to RDC’s not dreading them.

The alternative, and this isn’t an exhaustive list, is builders merchants, farms, quarry’s, cash and carry’s, tight as ■■■■ little factories, wholesalers, building sites etc etc.

Rdc’s are designed for trucks. You will have few issues delivering to them, other than the odd waiting time.

cman:
this might be a stupid question

I think they said on containers they go out on the bike and get the loaders to give them a call when it’s ready.
Is that a possibility at all with RDCs ?

Yeh no probs,…and get them to have a hot meal and coffee ready on your return.
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

robroy:

cman:
this might be a stupid question

I think they said on containers they go out on the bike and get the loaders to give them a call when it’s ready.
Is that a possibility at all with RDCs ?

Yeh no probs,…and get them to have a hot meal and coffee ready on your return.
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

Thought I’d have been long laughed out of here by now for this, the feeling I get about these places from what I’ve read, I’d have as good a chance if I asked them for a massage when I handed my keys in :laughing:

if they let you out you may never get back in! :smiley:

daffyd:
if they let you out you may never get back in! :smiley:

Not without a separate correct reference number anyway :laughing:

All depends on what the modern day interpretation of tramping is
Is it going out on Sunday /Monday and finding your own loads from and for where ever you can, or is it going out all week but only loading from your own depots and going where your told.
Some of the oldens on here will remember when you had a pocket full of change and a note book with address`s to ring around for backloads.