sidan:
yes i would like to find out more about this,if anyone would be
kind enough to tell me.
there is a tarmac depot not too far from where i live delivering
building blocks etc. on artics.
i would like to find out some basic stuff,which you would feel a bit
cheeky asking em,such as,can you just do a basic mon.to fri. week
or are you expected to do saturdays etc.does it pay more than just
being employed by somebody else?where do you get hiab training
etc.
the other day i saw about 4 tarmac 8 wheeled tipper lorries,they
run out from a quarry near me (hoveringham)and i noticed that
all the trucks had the same owners name on them,so does this mean
then,that you can build up quite a lucrative business from this?
any help would be gratefully appreciated,cheers.
Sidan,
leave the blocks alone, Tarmac transport (Hilton Main , Featherstone, Wolverhampton) run those lads & when work goes a bit flat the O/Ds are the first ones to get stood !
They also dictate what unit/trailer the O/Ds can have if Tarmac are financing it.
I worked for a firm that was contracted to Tarmac on blocks (Canute) & we got the work around christmas while the O/Ds didnt get much at all.
Tarmac transport is predominantly staffed by muppets who dont know where the M25 is (I am not joking).
I am sure Mal can concur with this as he must have run out of Hilton.
thanks for the info mate,please don’t think you,ve been ignored,
i just haven’t been on this forum for a while.
the nearest tarmac depots to me are,hoveringham(tippers)and alfreton
(blocks)canute haul for them also up here,you see quite a few of 'em during
the day,i think they run down from retford.
any way,you see some nice units out and about from there,all decked out in
best bib an’tucker,with the owners name on,looks a good job,to the layman but you reckon not to bother in your experience?
thanks for the info mate,please don’t think you,ve been ignored,
i just haven’t been on this forum for a while.
the nearest tarmac depots to me are,hoveringham(tippers)and alfreton
(blocks)canute haul for them also up here,you see quite a few of 'em during
the day,i think they run down from retford.
any way,you see some nice units out and about from there,all decked out in
best bib an’tucker,with the owners name on,looks a good job,to the layman but you reckon not to bother in your experience?
Sidan, I was based at Alfreton, and also ran out of Hilton as Cav says (I didnt see that till just!) He’s bang on, they dictate just about everything and sometimes it does your head in. I was hauled in for making too much money, lets say I used initiative and it wernt appreciated, thats all I can say about that!Would I do it again? Maybe, but I know the pitfalls and what to expect. It would be a last resort though as theres little or no freedom in it, and not too much loot either, but just enough! If you buy brand new tackle (i didnt), and the work goes slack, some have gone belly up thats true.
Hi guys looking at O/D myself. does anyone have advice on running containers from the various ports around the UK. all and any advice would be appreciated.
cheers
Gearjammer
After 14 years working in an office, I have hopefully used some of my redundancy money wisely and have recently passed my Class C test. Having seen the wages on offer for local (Edinburgh) class C jobs at the moment, I’ve decided to look into owner-driver options. Any assistance with the following would be appreciated :
Is there much demand for longer distance work (within the UK) available if driving a mid-sized, rigid, box van, as opposed to an artic?
Is this likely to be sustainable, or, like the comments posted about folks working via agencies, will the demand for owner-drivers fluctuate quite a bit as well?
How easy (or difficult) is it to set up on your own as an owner-driver? (I’m starting from scratch, and am currently unemployed and need to find work soon in the interim, if the owner-driver venture will take some time to establish.
Kudos to all involved in this web-site, just reading previous posts, and the responses to them has been worth my evening spent browsing them.
OWNER-DRIVER : DON’T DO IT. Best advice you’ll ever get.
Also, as many have and are finding out, don’t become a class C/C+E driver if you intend working north of a line around Northants because the money is [zb].
From all I’ve seen, the only way to make money in rigids, without a company around you, is to be in more esoteric work, like concrete mixers or skips.
Other than that, you’ll be looking for work as a subcontractor. I did that with a van for a couple of years, it’s good when the work comes in, but in the quiet times, you’re so stressed wondering if the money will come in to cover the bills.
If you are seriously interested in that kind of work, why not ask around local transport companies if they would have much work for a subcontractor with the type of vehicle you intend to buy?
Canvas opinion amongst your customer base. It’s a sensible first step any new business should take.
if you going the go the rigid route id suggest try out home delivery work for someone such g and s the only downside would be that you need to take somone on as a second man (NOBOBY GET PC WITH ME OK) this could also open up oppertunities for removal work as well if going down this route though see if a local bar (british association of removers) can give you little train in manuel handling most of these places have a lot casual staff at this time of theyear there stood down so a good casual could be worth taking on ill try dig out the phone number and address for you also shore proters in aberdeen could be worth a go
Having done what you are considering back in the late 80’s, I’d think long and hard.
Subbying is not worth the effort and certainly not worth the stress of the cashflow worries. If you can get work on your own account filling a niche then fine, but such opportunities are few and far between.
After two years or so on General Haulage / Distribution with a four wheeler, I gave up the worry and joined an owner driver scheme for a very well known aggregates company. Now nearing the end of my 13th year with them. It has its ups and downs, you get fed up doing it sometimes but its better than working for a living
Cashflow is excellent - none of that 90 day stuff - thats what swung it for me.
I don’t know about truck mixers - there does seem to be a high turnover of hauliers from what I’ve seen. Tippers would be a better bet.
If you are seriously interested in that kind of work, why not ask around local transport companies if they would have much work for a subcontractor with the type of vehicle you intend to buy?
Canvas opinion amongst your customer base. It’s a sensible first step any new business should take.
I remember doing this!
“Yeh, we’re always after 17 ton curtainsiders - give us a ring when you get one”. I got one and rang back… “Yeh, its a bit quiet at the mo m8 - have you got a six wheeled flat”
oh, yeh - I almost forgot to say - I get to sleep at home every night of the week (I really don’t miss layby hotel one bit) and I never have to wait for some surly forklift driver to come and unload me or tell me to come back tomorrow. With a tipper you unload yourself
Thanks to all for the responses so far - probably enough to convince me not to risk owner-driver option. I’d rather be driving long distance though so will try and find a job doing local work in a rigid, and push on for Class 1 as soon as I can take time off to do it. Been looking at franchising as well and some of the options are quite tempting, but that would probably mean being stuck working locally.
I did ask a few locals about owner driving but got fairly non-committal responses.
Having done what you are considering back in the late 80’s, I’d think long and hard.
Subbying is not worth the effort and certainly not worth the stress of the cashflow worries. If you can get work on your own account filling a niche then fine, but such opportunities are few and far between.
After two years or so on General Haulage / Distribution with a four wheeler, I gave up the worry and joined an owner driver scheme for a very well known aggregates company. Now nearing the end of my 13th year with them. It has its ups and downs, you get fed up doing it sometimes but its better than working for a living
Cashflow is excellent - none of that 90 day stuff - thats what swung it for me.
I don’t know about truck mixers - there does seem to be a high turnover of hauliers from what I’ve seen. Tippers would be a better bet.
Anyway, food for thought!
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Hi Lard, just to make things a bit more confusing down this way it is a lot harder to get a start with a truckmixer than it is with a tipper…Well it is on our lot anyway.
I have got to agree with you for a new start going with one of the big boys as a “contracted haulier” or whatever the in phrase is today is probably a good way to get a foot in the door and see what the world of owner driving is like. No problems with bad or late payments,and the all important first couple of years operating under your belt.
ATKIG11:
Hi Lard, just to make things a bit more confusing down this way it is a lot harder to get a start with a truckmixer than it is with a tipper…Well it is on our lot anyway.
I have got to agree with you for a new start going with one of the big boys as a “contracted haulier” or whatever the in phrase is today is probably a good way to get a foot in the door and see what the world of owner driving is like. No problems with bad or late payments,and the all important first couple of years operating under your belt.
Hi Steve,
I seem to remember “our lot” advertising nationally for truck mixer operators not so long back - whether they have recruited enough I know not.
Round here (lincs/yorks) “your lot’s” tippers are all company motors as far as I can see - indeed when they took over Rugby Cement they gave all the Rugby Contract Hauliers 30 days notice and brought in TNT to do the work…which was nice
Considerate lot aint they!!! I know a lot of the guys got badly burnt over that. I still see some of the lads out of essex who now run for TNT.
Down this way most of the tippers are company trucks but they use regular o/d’s and some of them even have contracts
It took me five years on the waiting list to get on here, and then it was because they wanted an extra truck in our plant and I live local, five minutes in the van.
I know for a fact that a couple of the Hanson lads would like to get on here and Tarmac have taken on a sea defence job that everyone else did a major body swerve on…They know why now Trouble is its really bad news for the o/d’s.
but you reckon not to bother in your experience?
is probably a good way to get a foot in the door and see what the world of owner driving is like. No problems with bad or late payments,and the all important first couple of years operating under your belt.