muckles:
Tonymcg:
So the gaffer has just said we will be starting euro runs.7 weeks into lgv1 driving, should I be volunteering?
If you want to drive further than the UK, then take the opportunity, if you wait because you feel you need more experience the offer might not come round again.
7 weeks driving doesn’t really matter; it’s still driving a truck.Tonymcg:
Do I get paid more?That’s between you and your boss, although I believe you can claim more on night out allowance.
Tonymcg:
Is parking in Europe free?Generally yes it’s free, motorway services etc, but although they’re generally better than the UK, try and find the places off the motorways, Routiers in France, Autohof’s in Germany etc.
Mostly these are free, but you might have to pay a parking fee, the cost of which comes off your meal, or the parking fee is say €15 and so is the price of the meal, (including your Vin Rouge and Café.) so you get a parking ticket, but don’t spend cash on your meal.
Tonymcg:
How does the 45hr rest period work? Cab or hotel?Not sure about that one, the nature of my job meant I always have a hotel if I was weekending for more than 24hrs.
But I believe the regs have now been clarified that you are not allowed to stay in a cab for a full weekly rest, but whether every country applies those regs are a different matter.Tonymcg:
How long does euro trips usually last?As long as is required?
I think many do 2 weeks, so you’re only away for your reduced weekly rest and back home for a full weekly rest and any compensating hours due.
But some can be away for weeks or months if it’s that sort of job, things like music tours, event work.Tonymcg:
Do many questions, please helpI assume you mean so many questions,
But yes loads of new things to learn, but despite what some would tell you, driving round Europe isn’t some wild west adventure, it also isn’t empty roads, (although often far less busy than the UK) there are traffic jams, bad drivers, full service areas, delays at ports, etc, but on the whole I think it’s far better than driving in the UK.
I think that about covers those questions 
The company I work for now only does Southern Germany and Northern Switzerland (Northern Switzerland includes Geneva). We usually work a 5 day week, ferry out of the Humber on Sunday night, to whichever port is the most conveniant for where we’re heading. Monday is mainly a driving day. Tues we do our deliveries and the majority of collections and get to within easy reach of the ferry homewards. Wed final collections and up to catch the ferry home. Thurs, off the ferry and do any deliveries on route back to Stirling. Fri - Sat off, start again Sunday with a preloaded truck. We do a good 2,000 miles a week most weeks.
That’s OUR basic game plan, it doesn’t always work out that way. The other week I had 2 drops and a single full load collection in Switzerland. Clearance in was simple and quick, I got the first drop off and round to the second for 10am local time. That was a piece of machinery weighing around 10 tonnes, a crane job to lift it off. I reported in and the gaffer there said, “Oh good, I’m glad you’re here, you’ve got a bit of a wait, the crane is booked for 3 this afternoon.” I explained that this would give me a problem. I had to drive about 40km on small roads, through old villages with narrow roads, load 22 IBCs and secure them, then get to the border, all before 5.30 because that’s when the Swiss customs export desk closes at that border. To give him his due, he was straight on the phone to the crane company and the crane arrived early, 2pm. It still took until 3.30 before I could get away. The 40km took almost an hour, too late to load and get through the border that day. I loaded first thing in the morning but, it’s a good 10 hour drive to the ferry from the border IF there are absolutely NO hold-ups. I didn’t make the Wed night ferry, so it was Thursday nights ferry instead, tip and home Friday.
Now we do this kind of work, it’s what we do, so we know what we’re doing. I’ve worked here for around 14 years and it was a long established company when I started.
So balls-ups like this are rare. A company new to Euro work, with whatever balls-ups Brexit is going to add on top, there are going to be problems much more frequently due to inexperience if nothing else. So how long will you be away? How far will you be going? Southern Italy or Spain? 7 to 9 days on the road easily, plus balls-up time. Holland? You can be on the ferry back the same night if it’s tip and load. Multi-drop/groupage work, you could be on 2 day trips to 2 week trips. There are far to many variables to even give you much of an idea.
The difference is in the attitude of Europeans to truckers compared to the UK. I was offered the use of all the facilities they had while I was waiting and given free rein. This is quite normal in Europe, would I be given that courtesy in the UK? I don’t know because I do a very particular job when I’m on UK work. Before I went onto European work I wouldn’t even have been informed what time the crane was expected if it had been a UK drop, let alone given free rein to use their facilities. Phoning to try and get the crane in earlier for me? 