What’s it like?
I might be up for it but slightly put off with the amount of driving hours.
Ideal tramping for me would be no more then 6-7 hours a day doing actual driving (Which I think is still quite a lot)
With the rest being unloading/waiting.
I don’t wanna do tramping if I’m just maxing my driving hours most days.
Depends on the pay, when I was hourly paid if I was 3hrs away from tomorrows drop/collection with 3.5hrs left of a 9/10hr drive then I would do another 3hrs drive before parking up for the night.
It’s either for you or it ain’t. I’m a tramper and I enjoy it. I came back to it recently after many years away.
If you go into it watching the clock, you will absolutely hate it.
You need a different mindset, yes even on Fridays! The amount of driving hours should be of no concern to you, you need to be prepared to be in somewhere really nice, like Route 74 Truckstop one night, and a layby getting shook all night the next. Be prepared to do 3 fifteens and 2 thirteens, not knowing where you’re going from one day to the next (hence the term tramper).
Just take each day as it comes and you’ll be okay.
I must say, since I came back to it, there’s been a real separation between the day-men and the trampers, what’s that about?! We’re all drivers, what works for one doesn’t work for another, so what?!
I’m not a full-time tramper although I do end up sometimes doing a full week away but then I have weeks where I’m home every night.
What I’ll say is that, certainly in my case, I find that being away means driving that bit further or longer or whatever doesn’t really matter as once you’re parked up you’re straight on chill mode. You don’t have to battle back home etc and don’t have those little jobs to do like when at home so I find it more restful.
I tramped for 30 years but I only do day work now and I doubt I’ll ever do a night out again. I miss the days of long-haul tramping all around Europe because at least you were heading somewhere, plus the facilities for truckers are fantastic but in the UK tramping has always been a crock of crap, to me anyway.
I started tramping a few months ago and enjoy the variety as you can go more places when you don’t have to be home the same day.
I have done runs to Scotland where you do 9-10 hours drive and also others where I have only done 4-5. Expect long hours even if not driving but obviously you don’t have to commute to and from home which helps.
As said above give it a try and see how you get on
9 hours driving on main routes can be less tiring than 5 or 6 hrs dodging around a city.
It’s not for everyone, but unless you’re in a “dead man’s shoes” job already, why not give it a go?
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adam277:
tramping for me would be no more then 6-7 hours a day driving.
Then it’s not for you
When I was tramping my attitude was if I’m away from home I might as well be doing max hours to make the pay worth while for it.
I know some will happily park up after 10 hours working time though. All depends on your pay structure I guess. My pay was always hourly.
peirre:
adam277:
tramping for me would be no more then 6-7 hours a day driving.Then it’s not for you
Containers? 
Can someone define what is classed as tramping these days.
Tramping to me was always out on Sunday /Monday and dropping off and picking a load up for where you could and getting back home as and when you could by the w/e,unless it was inter depot stuff from any of your own depots. OR is it now classed as tramping because you have to have 4/5 nights out delivering and collecting and back to base.
lolipop:
Can someone define what is classed as tramping these days.
Tramping to me was always out on Sunday /Monday and dropping off and picking a load up for where you could and getting back home as and when you could by the w/e,unless it was inter depot stuff from any of your own depots. OR is it now classed as tramping because you have to have 4/5 nights out delivering and collecting and back to base.
Where I currently work we USED to tramp, we’d collect from A, deliver to B, reload at C and deliver to D (I hate the rubbish addresses they provide 
), basically we pinged around the country like demented pinballs. Now however we collect at our depot, do a couple of drops then either run back empty for the next morning or occasionally do a collection on the way back to be unloaded at our yard the next day. I now class myself as a day man who does 4/5 nights out a week.
the maoster:
lolipop:
Can someone define what is classed as tramping these days.
Tramping to me was always out on Sunday /Monday and dropping off and picking a load up for where you could and getting back home as and when you could by the w/e,unless it was inter depot stuff from any of your own depots. OR is it now classed as tramping because you have to have 4/5 nights out delivering and collecting and back to base.Where I currently work we USED to tramp, we’d collect from A, deliver to B, reload at C and deliver to D (I hate the rubbish addresses they provide
I think youre right in your usage of "tramping". But, Im afraid that now many (most?) use “tramping” to refer to any job doing nights out?
Welcome to the “fings ain`t the way they used to be fred”.
the maoster:
lolipop:
Can someone define what is classed as tramping these days.
Tramping to me was always out on Sunday /Monday and dropping off and picking a load up for where you could and getting back home as and when you could by the w/e,unless it was inter depot stuff from any of your own depots. OR is it now classed as tramping because you have to have 4/5 nights out delivering and collecting and back to base.Where I currently work we USED to tramp, we’d collect from A, deliver to B, reload at C and deliver to D (I hate the rubbish addresses they provide
Funny , you don’t work for my firm do you ? as that sounds like what I do
I love it but it also helps that you have a good set of co-workers who you can get on with and have a good laugh if parked up or in the yard for the night (we’re lucky to have allocated trucks and a shower in the yard ) also I don’t go home during the week as I live 20miles away and cant see the point of using a gallon of fuel when I’ve got food and clothes for the week 
Tramping / doing 4/5 nights out a week is a marmite job love it or hate it , but a lot easier than the parcel pallet game you’re in now , I had the same trailer on my back for 3 days
15 hours to do 9 hours driving…is where I’m at.
Drempels:
It’s either for you or it ain’t. I’m a tramper and I enjoy it. I came back to it recently after many years away.If you go into it watching the clock, you will absolutely hate it.
You need a different mindset, yes even on Fridays! The amount of driving hours should be of no concern to you, you need to be prepared to be in somewhere really nice, like Route 74 Truckstop one night, and a layby getting shook all night the next. Be prepared to do 3 fifteens and 2 thirteens, not knowing where you’re going from one day to the next (hence the term tramper).
Just take each day as it comes and you’ll be okay.
I must say, since I came back to it, there’s been a real separation between the day-men and the trampers, what’s that about?! We’re all drivers, what works for one doesn’t work for another, so what?!
I’m a tramper…
Don’t do lay-bys…average 65 hrs a week…generally avoid going over 13 hrs a day unless it suits me…usually between 7 to 8.5 hrs driving each day…use my 10s to suit me not the company…
Helps that our work, especially our back loads, can be quite predictable even if we don’t have the exact details…so my day is generally planned around where I might want to park up…
Tramping doesn’t have to be maxing hrs every week…unless you want it to be.
I only work for one customer.
No backloads,so spend most nights in their yard…which is only half hour from home.
toonsy:
and don’t have those little jobs to do like when at home so I find it more restful.
You mean like showering/shaving, cooking yourself a hot dinner and then washing the dishes and making your kingsize bed? 
ETS:
toonsy:
and don’t have those little jobs to do like when at home so I find it more restful.You mean like showering/shaving, cooking yourself a hot dinner and then washing the dishes and making your kingsize bed?
What you mean you’re still suppose to shower and shave while tramping 
peirre:
adam277:
tramping for me would be no more then 6-7 hours a day driving.Then it’s not for you
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+1 end of story.
theres no point asking NASA for a job as an astronaut if your nt prepared to travel.