kopkings1:
slowlane:
Hi kopkings, I work for WS on flats. If you’re signing up for curtains/chipliners I can’t speak to that work. I’m a tramper too so I don’t know what the day men get up to.I really enjoy it. The flats work is almost entirely for construction - mostly you’ll haul precast concrete and steel; also cabins, timber and an assortment of “if it fits, we’ll haul it”.
They run you “properly” as a tramper, it’s rare not to deliver what you’ve collected and you do run all over the country. You will certainly run in and out of London a fair bit though. There is a good variety of work, and plenty of oversize and abnormal loads once you prove yourself. I tend to do about one escorted load a week, and one or two oversize, which I really like - adds an extra challenge to the job. I’d like to do more, and there is more out there, but I’m still a newbie to the firm.
The office is pretty hands-off, it’s a case of being given the job and left to get on with it.
Maintenance is really good. Availability of kit like straps and chains is pretty good, though you still have to hoard it like anywhere. Pay ends up being around the £600-650 per week mark after tax. They issue you so much uniform that they also issue you a hold-all for it
There is good cameraderie between drivers here, which is nice as well as very helpful for a newbie.
Parking is either at a depot, SNAP, or layby/industrial estate of your choosing or you can put a regular services/truck stop through on expenses if you need to (but they obviously ask you to avoid them if possible).
If you only want the job for money, flats is FAR too much work, go for the containers. If you want to have to think about what you’re doing and get a lot of variation then I’d say go for WS. If you’re going to be on tautliners for WS, as far as I know, it’s normal “logistics” work - but I’m not on that side of the fleet so don’t know for sure.
Good luck whatever you choose!
Thank you for the write up,
Yes I was looking for something a bit interesting so have decided to go with ws if they offer me the job.
By the way there is a pay rise coming your way in next 6 wks or so the management have just told me haha
William could have wrote that reply 
