As they run so high and the cars on top are pretty exposed, I’m sure even the best drivers get some damaged cars,
So even if it’s just scratches to the paint work from tress or chips from road debris, what sort of percentage of cars are damaged?
muckles:
As they run so high and the cars on top are pretty exposed, I’m sure even the best drivers get some damaged cars,So even if it’s just scratches to the paint work from tress or chips from road debris, what sort of percentage of cars are damaged?
dunno i work as a valeter for a comapny which has a lot of dealerships andonly had one damaged in 6 weeks most cars now come with protective covers on boots roof and bonnets apart from hyundais which nigh on everything is covered when our auction cars where picked up this week the driver was measuring the height of his trailer
The adjustable ramps also sit extremely close and obviously there’s some bounce, how do they not hit, is it just experience or is the training half decent?
I’ve heard it’s good money, and a lot of people won’t do it because the cabs are wendy houses or other such excuses. Sort of job I go for, since I go to work for the money not the glory and I’ve done the nice truck bit which really didn’t change my life, so would like to earn some decent wonga now 
I did specialist vehicles and we were just extra careful as any damage had to be signed for and presumably paid for.
When I accepted new cars at my brothers dealers, the lads dropped them off, and if there was any superficial damage it was repaired under warranty, if it was serious then the cargo supervisor would come over from Immingham and issue a repair docket.
To be fair they were normally delivered in reasonable condition and our valeter could sort them out on PDI
Damage is all down to how much effort the driver puts in, trees are a big issue however bad areas for trees we all know about. I am 16ft high and need that amount of space so if a low tree is on my side of the road you drive around it as you would a parked car. We all do alot of dead miles diverting from routes with low trees and bridges. As already said about half of cars now come covered so these go on top if you know your going to face trees. Most are on a damage bonus so you do your best to get the extra in your wage packet each quarter. I’ve been damage free for over 2 years and in that spell i’ve changed trucks and had to learn a new trailer, so it is possible but it takes effort.
I like the old school transporters with the massive over hang over the front of the cab. Would love to drive one of them.
i liked my 3 car Isuzu
couldnt cope with the hassle of a 11 plus
I’ve driven the 9-car peak transporters . . . some serious thought needs to go into it at all times. As with the usual problems you deal with in an artic you have to plan for the overhang at traffic lights/lamp posts/buildings after you take the corner. Really enjoyed it and learned a lot about planning ahead, being able to see problems I would never before had a thought for.
Stan
I used to ferry export cars down to the docks, manufacturer and company target was one notified damaged vehicle for every 1000 moved, most of the time we managed it but the route we had to use was pretty much motorway and dual carriageway all the way so that made it easier, as there were no trees (which are the biggest headache for any transporter driver), any damage we had notified would pretty much be down to being missed when checking the cars prior to loading or down to driver error when loading/unloading.
Gouls:
I used to ferry export cars down to the docks, manufacturer and company target was one notified damaged vehicle for every 1000 moved, most of the time we managed it but the route we had to use was pretty much motorway and dual carriageway all the way so that made it easier, as there were no trees (which are the biggest headache for any transporter driver), any damage we had notified would pretty much be down to being missed when checking the cars prior to loading or down to driver error when loading/unloading.
I discovered it was major damage that was easiest to miss while we checked the detail. I picked 4 Nissans up from Sunderland to take to the research centre at Cranfield. I checked them over and familiarity does breed contempt. Everything was fine except there was a book pack missing.
I arrived at Cranfield and went inside, the girls there said can you park three of them in the car park but bring the blue one with the damaged door straight inside. I hadn’t even marked the damaged door down, but did hand her a brand new book pack for it. 
iangam:
Damage is all down to how much effort the driver puts in, trees are a big issue however bad areas for trees we all know about. I am 16ft high
Bloody ell, bet you have one hell of a job finding trousers to fit you ?
They don’t sleep in the cabs do they?
the rates will drop now stobbys got in on the act,and people will jump at the chance to have a job
strongbowpeter:
the rates will drop now stobbys got in on the act,and people will jump at the chance to have a job
+1 
And that’s how it’ll turn out… A JOB - NOT a ‘career’.
Goldfinger:
strongbowpeter:
the rates will drop now stobbys got in on the act,and people will jump at the chance to have a job+1
And that’s how it’ll turn out… A JOB - NOT a ‘career’.
That will never happen, 8/10 drivers leave within a month. Driver turnover can cost tens of thousands and the Chuckle brothers will work that out quickly as they are not stupid. It will always be a career for those that can cope with all the aggro for long enough to gain the skill.
No, the pay rate won’t be dropping cos Stobart has the job, he’ll leave it well alone because he’s no fool, he didn’t get where he is today by being one.
You can’t put steering wheel attendants in transporters, if you do there will be a pile of damage to sort out and more rolled trucks than you can shake a stick at, it simply doesn’t work like that.
It takes years to become fully competent at the job, indeed as one poster mentions above about getting a new vehicle, a new type of body can take a 10+ year experienced transporter driver a good 12 months to get fully aquainted with…and regardless how many years you’ve been doing it you are still learning.
Its a minority of drivers who are still in the job 12 months after starting, its not for everyone, its hard, skilled, filthy and exhausting work, hot and cold depending, try loading 11 at a dockside in a blizzard…and you get hurt regularly.
Juddian:
No, the pay rate won’t be dropping cos Stobart has the job, he’ll leave it well alone because he’s no fool, he didn’t get where he is today by being one.You can’t put steering wheel attendants in transporters, if you do there will be a pile of damage to sort out and more rolled trucks than you can shake a stick at, it simply doesn’t work like that.
It takes years to become fully competent at the job, indeed as one poster mentions above about getting a new vehicle, a new type of body can take a 10+ year experienced transporter driver a good 12 months to get fully aquainted with…and regardless how many years you’ve been doing it you are still learning.
Its a minority of drivers who are still in the job 12 months after starting, its not for everyone, its hard, skilled, filthy and exhausting work, hot and cold depending, try loading 11 at a dockside in a blizzard…and you get hurt regularly.
There is one other thing I would add to this, the planner has to understand who is in charge and it certainly isn’t him, so you cannot have a driver who can only follow orders without any common sense.
It doesn’t matter if the customer wants that Twin wheel transit at 7.30 am and he wants to load it on the ramp at the back
Jack-knife:
They don’t sleep in the cabs do they?
No, we ask for an estate car on every load and drop the back seats down
I started doing transporting cars a few wks ago after falling out of petrol tanker work.
Transporting cars not a easy job! was shocked how much work it is.
But pay is good if you willing to stick at it
The company I work for told me, after I got the job, that they charge the driver £500 towards their excess for any damage claimed for 
A few weeks ago, they changed this to £1000