buck rogers:
hello millers1 and welcome(ish) to tnuk.
i will try to give you a picture as best i can,because some of what you have been told so far is utter dogs round bits.(a bit like this new supposed 4.0m height limit to be imposed which will single handedly wipe out millions of pounds of investment,and kill all uk transporter companies in one move hahaha)COMPANIES-try to go for a mid-sized to large company,as these have contracts for the new car deliveries where life is much easier,and rules and laws are very much strictly abided by.smaller companies tend to deal only in auction work,which is hard going,poorly paid,or sub-contract to the larger companies in busy periods,which then use and abuse them.larger companies also insist on proper training,as modern transporters can be complexed pieces of kit,with the right training,it will still take you a few months before your comfortable with what can go where,and getting to know where drops are.you will be run by an “allocator”,whose job it is to make as much revenue out of your truck within your working week.most allocators are constantly pushing you to your legal limits.
TRUCKS-usually under-specced and underpowered for the job,akin to rabbit hutches,no high cabs,fridges or coffee makers here.body size type and age vary,the best 2 on the market at the moment are the “transporter engineering 11+,and the lohr ehr”.both very capable,and versatile bits of kit.being a newbie,dont expect a new truck,transporters are usually driven till the end of their useful life,you wont be getting a new unit every 2 years here,and until you prove your worth,a new truck could be a while off.
DAMAGE-in transporter land think of yourself as a german tank commander,and cover your behind from every angle.cars are usually checked at loading points by “checkers”,but ultimatley must be checked by the driver prior to loading,and its "the last one who touches it gets the blame"scenario.make sure you check for damage,as you will be shown by a proper company.every driver has a damage record,and your job depends on this,although, damage is treated on a individual merit basis,ie,people can write off a car in one go and keep their job,companies are mainly concerned with repeat offenders,who consistently cause damage.dont worry,even the most experienced drivers sometimes do damage.on the road,you are driving something not far short of a oversize load,running inches off the ground,with over hangs at each end,height issues,and weight balance to be taken into consideration.they do tend to rock and roll a bit due to the high centre of gravity,something you will get used to quickly.trees are your main enemy,but watch out for buildings,road furniture and bridges (make sure you have a bridge height map book,and plan your route accordingly.16"0 feet is the industry maximum norm.a good outfit will train you in the art of loading different combinations of loads,and you CAN put 4x4"s up top if needs be.the art to loading is getting the load to as near drop order as you can.you could go out with “1 hit” or it could be 9 drops.with the different size and shapes of vehicles,some will only go on the truck in certain positions.a good company will supply height sticks to measure your load,which should be measured every time.
IN GENERAL-its a bit like marmite,you will either love it or loathe it,my advice when starting out is to take your time,do not be pressured by anyone into going too fast.as a new starter it will take you around 3 months to get the hang of it,and you will find the speed at which you can do the job will come naturally in time.its a stressful job,always trying to maintain deadlines,the loading,and continual pressure to get loads delivered.long days are the norm,and huge distances can be covered.(plus side is your wtd hours are quickly eaten up,leaving no hours to work weekends,or late on fridays for that matter.its not everyones cup of tea,you have to have it in your blood tbh,its challenging,which some people thrive on,and you get to meet lots of nice receptionists.no 2 days are the same.dont expect to get home through the week,unless you go for trunking.most companies pay are in the same area,within pounds of each other (they all have different agreements which amount to nearly the same take home pay),expect to take home between £500- £650 a week depending who you are working for,anything less just isnt worth it really.the good old glory days of double that pay have long gone.
ive probably missed things out,but hopefully that gives you a general picture.good luck,hope you get sorted.
That is without doubt one of THE best replies i have seen to this type of work,and yes i drive a car transporter so know it all good advice.
Well done Buck for that 