working for east euro companies

[applearmageddo0]

have any of you guys worked for any foreign companies doing international work? whats it like?
looking to get started on international/euro work. would any overseas companies be willing to take on a 28 year old (8 years experience) i only speak english so that would be my downfall, but they all speak pretty good english over there anyway (albeit abit broken) before you ask this is a serious post. but im certain thats exactly what i wanna be doing. just wanna know my chances of actually getting started somewhere. only reason i want to work for an east euro company, is because they do some bloody serious mileage- and go literally all over europe/middle east/russia etc. i know the pay will be absolutely terrible but thats not an issue for me (single and no kids) euro work seems pretty dead in the UK or maybe i aint been lookin well enough. sorry if this post is annoying or a waste of time/space.

cheers.

Ben.

[the maoster]

Can't help you Ben but I will say that it's heartening to see at least some of the younger generation have a sense of adventure and aren't just waiting for everything to be handed to them on a plate or are waiting to become no mark Z list celebrities.

I wish you all the very best and honestly hope that you find a suitable gig sooner rather than later.

[Reef]

Also try stagetruck, transam and any other concert type trucking firms. Sounds like that'd be right up your street.

[Mazzer2]

In Ireland Caffrey's from Ashbourne are looking for drivers they do all of Europe they currently have an ad in the latest Truck Stop News, Dixons are also worth a call again they cover most of Europe. The wages at these two will be better than an Eastern European outfit.

[milodon]

If you are hoping for work going into Russia and beyond, then good command of russian is a must, sorry. There's not even many east europeans doing russian work anymore as the few EU-reg lorries heading that way are mostly manned by either russians, belorussians or ukrainians.

I did regular Turkey with a few trips as far as Tbilisi, Georgia right after getting my class 1 in 2005, bought myself a brand new Scania in 2008 with the same work in mind but sadly it started dropping off right about then and the rates the turks charge for a FTL TR-EU are something nobody else could compete with really. So in fact the more work goes into the hands of hauliers further east, the more EE companies look west in search of work.

I know I did as well, the Scania meant for work between Turkey and Estonia was soon pulling a curtainsider from Sweden to Portugal and back for almost four years.

[milodon]

The wages at these two will be better than an Eastern European outfit.

Multidrop between Scandinavia and southern europe pays around €2700/month net in many EE companies nowadays. I know plenty of guys who have left irish companies long ago because they're better off on eastern plates.

[Franglais]

The wages at these two will be better than an Eastern European outfit.

Multidrop between Scandinavia and southern europe pays around €2700/month net in many EE companies nowadays. I know plenty of guys who have left irish companies long ago because they're better off on eastern plates.

Coming in here with local knowledge!
I know someone in the RDC that says all EE drivers only get 10€ a day and that's why our NHS has long waiting times.
Well, I can't get an appointment at the Doctor's so HE is obviously correct.

.
Twenty yrs ago the EE were much worse paid than the west. Times are changing, and some, maybe most, are still worse paid, but I find it quite credible that better EE companies may pay more than some west EU outfits.
If the OP doesn't have a mortgage on a house in the UK, then why not go for it?
Check that any company has proper medical insurance for it's drivers.

[Wheel Nut]

The wages at these two will be better than an Eastern European outfit.

Multidrop between Scandinavia and southern europe pays around €2700/month net in many EE companies nowadays. I know plenty of guys who have left irish companies long ago because they're better off on eastern plates.

Coming in here with local knowledge!
I know someone in the RDC that says all EE drivers only get 10€ a day and that's why our NHS has long waiting times.
Well, I can't get an appointment at the Doctor's so HE is obviously correct.

.
Twenty yrs ago the EE were much worse paid than the west. Times are changing, and some, maybe most, are still worse paid, but I find it quite credible that better EE companies may pay more than some west EU outfits.
If the OP doesn't have a mortgage on a house in the UK, then why not go for it?
Check that any company has proper medical insurance for it's drivers.

I saw a company advertising near me, in fact they were gushing seminal fluid about the job. Good Working Conditions. Own Vehicle £8.83 per hour!

That’s a whole pound over last years minimum wage it’s only 22p over this years, does an 18 year old class 1 Driver get a full wage or are they doing it for £6.15?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[muckles]

I would think it's possible to get work with East European companies, are the Baltic states East European?

pay is probably not now as bad as it was, but still lower than UK domestic work. however I get the desire for travel and adventure, so fully understand where you're coming from. Contact some companies and tell them, although I feel you'll end up tramping round Western Europe more than going to far flung places, Milodon mentioned much of that work being done by even cheaper Russian and Turkish drivers, Recently I've seen many more Ukrainian, Turkish and Moroccan truck about.

The figure Milodon comes up with seems to match what a Lithuanian car transporter driver I was talking to last year was earning, but only on working weeks. I think you'll find drivers from other countries like Romania and Bulgaria are on less though.

As Reef said why not look at the music tour and event companies, at 28 with no ties I think you'd be an ideal candidate. I've seen Fly by Nite, Brian Yeadley and Conference Haul advertise in the last few months.

Another thing to look at would be covered car transport, I know companies that have been out the Ukraine, Russia, Northern parts of Scandinavia in winter, tours of Europe from Scandinavia to Greece and all points in between, obviously takes somebody willing to train you though, but never know until you go and knock on doors.

[Mazzer2]

The wages at these two will be better than an Eastern European outfit.

Multidrop between Scandinavia and southern europe pays around €2700/month net in many EE companies nowadays. I know plenty of guys who have left irish companies long ago because they're better off on eastern plates.

Fair enough but if they were working in the New Ross black hole of low pay then they wouldn't have to go to far to massively improve their wages

[switchlogic]

Look to Ireland rather than Eastern Europe. Plenty of opportunities and many would snap you up. Caffery, Dixon, Virginia, O'Toole etc.

[applearmageddo0]

Can't help you Ben but I will say that it's heartening to see at least some of the younger generation have a sense of adventure and aren't just waiting for everything to be handed to them on a plate or are waiting to become no mark Z list celebrities.

I wish you all the very best and honestly hope that you find a suitable gig sooner rather than later.

cheers, thank ya.

[applearmageddo0]

thanks for this information all, its really helping me to make up my mind on what to do, still not decided but whatever route i take will be a fairly slow process. (most likely will be trying for an irish company, but if that idea goes upside down then ill be phoning some EE firms)


i wish you all the best.

cheers

[Geoffo]

EE companies??

Girteka logistics would be the best of the bunch.

[milodon]

EE companies??

Girteka logistics would be the best of the bunch.

Lol, not by a long shot.

[Andrejs]

The wages at these two will be better than an Eastern European outfit.

Multidrop between Scandinavia and southern europe pays around €2700/month net in many EE companies nowadays. I know plenty of guys who have left irish companies long ago because they're better off on eastern plates.

Coming in here with local knowledge!
I know someone in the RDC that says all EE drivers only get 10€ a day and that's why our NHS has long waiting times.
Well, I can't get an appointment at the Doctor's so HE is obviously correct.

.
Twenty yrs ago the EE were much worse paid than the west. Times are changing, and some, maybe most, are still worse paid, but I find it quite credible that better EE companies may pay more than some west EU outfits.
If the OP doesn't have a mortgage on a house in the UK, then why not go for it?
Check that any company has proper medical insurance for it's drivers.

it is [zb]. I was worked in Uk,now back to my homeland and work for international drivers.Most EE driver have now about 2100-2400 per month.Scandinavia route pay more.But in England you never can see to many EE drivers who had long expirience in inteenational deiving.99 percent of people who work for drivers but born in EE never was drive any truck internationaly.They get licence there or in Uk start driving in Uk.

[Geoffo]

EE companies??

Girteka logistics would be the best of the bunch.

Lol, not by a long shot.

Oh...?? Tell me more.

[milodon]

It pays a crap wage to whomever they can enlist from russian-speaking countries outside the EU. Double-manned and living in a truck for months on end, dunno, what else do you need to know? The first time I've heard a good word being said about them.

Here's a nice article about two from "the best of the best" trying to steal bicycles from random schoolchildren:

https://ilaks.no/her-forsoker-vogntogsjaforer-fra-fisketransportoren-girteka-a-stjele-sykler-fra-skolebarn/

[gbtransp]

EE companies??

Girteka logistics would be the best of the bunch.

Lol, not by a long shot.

Oh...?? Tell me more.

If you want to spend your weekends on Kiel docks for the nexted 3 months with about 40 other Units waitig for trailers from RU then go ahead

[milodon]

I'm sure the job is a bit more varied than that, they have thousands and thousands of units, but it pays crap and the coworkers don't speak anything but russian.

[Geoffo]

I'm sure the job is a bit more varied than that, they have thousands and thousands of units, but it pays crap and the coworkers don't speak anything but russian.

I'm aware of all this, but as the OP wants varied work , long distance in Europe with reasonable equipment then who else is there??

[milodon]

There is plenty of choice, if you're cab-happy and don't have a mortgage in Essex.

Personally I'd start asking with some Swedish companies, as there's no language barrier and many do regular southern europe. Some are even plated in Cyprus. But if the OP says he'll go with the Irish then by all means, he'll soon see what's up in EU haulage nowadays.

[Franglais]

There is plenty of choice, if you're cab-happy and don't have a mortgage in Essex.

Personally I'd start asking with some Swedish companies, as there's no language barrier and many do regular southern europe. Some are even plated in Cyprus. But if the OP says he'll go with the Irish then by all means, he'll soon see what's up in EU haulage nowadays.

I reckon that's an excellent shout.
Go on for an Irish company at first: that'll get you out there, see what's happening for yourself, and go from there.
More good jobs are "advertised" at dinner tables and ferry bars than ever see an agency advert.

[milodon]

Ha, I got my current job through a local car forum, although nobody was advertising, just some guy was talking about how he needs good floodlights on his 4x4 Opel because he drives a lot in northern Scandinavia. I enquired a little about job possibilities as I was fed up with driving and so it went. Saw him and my future boss for the first time a couple of months later in a town 800 miles from home with zero experience.

Three years and one week later I'm still thinking that this is the job I want to go to retirement from.

[TheYoungTrucker]

A lot of decent paying Irish companies about, in a lot of cases there paying much more than UK company's, however stay well away from any company in wexford, paying third world wages down there, how they get away with it I'll never know, wudnt bother with Virginia either, probably spend more time tramping around the UK with them.

[chrisdalott]

after free movement ends, possibly on 31 october, youre going to have to find a company that is willing to sponser you for a work visa. in a country that the government allows them too. although i hear that poland companies employ drivers from ukraine so it may be possible.