Where to find work in the South West

Hi all,

Currently I am training to be a driver and thinking about where I would like to base myself once qualified. My partner works from home full time and can move anywhere in the country. Currently we live in Sheffield and would really like to move somewhere down towards the South West (Devon, Cornwall, Somerset etc). My question would be where would be best■■? I’m guessing if I’m doing class 1 work we are talking about being close to regional distribution centres (Bristol, Exeter etc) and for class 2 work I could plonk myself anywhere hopefully. I’m hoping to earn £35-40k a year, be on decent hours and would like to find myself in a place where there’s work and it pays well.

Any advice and help would be appreciated. Thanks

I don’t live…

Down there but, Imma say Bristol (or Brizzle as the locals call it.)

See if you can find an own account operator as opposed to your normal run of the mill general haulage outfit.

Good luck!

You could try Conway Bailey down in Truro .

I speak to a few drivers who regularly run fridges from Cornwall to vale of Evesham ,guys seem happy enough and kit looks decent ,Daf SSC and Scania S500s.

Avonmouth is the place to be…

Take your pick of who your want to work for, even new passes don’t seem to be a problem now.

Asda, tesco, the range, co-op, farm foods, lidl plus many more.

Many people now live over the bridge in South Wales for the cheap houses but work in Bristol.

Avonmouth is Mecca for drivers

Ocado
Tesco
Coop
Davies Turner
Webb’s
Maritime
Smiths of Gloucester
Asda
Kings HH
BCA
Palletways
John Dinham Transport
BD Burton Commercials
Menzies
Malcolms
Wren Kitchens
Wright Minimix
Wrings
AK Butcher
Romac
Lidl
Farmfoods
DHL
Royal Mail
Next
Knowhow
Warburtons

And more!

Gregory Distribution ltd is another massive UK company with bases all over the UK and in the S.W area as well .

Seeing as the o.p. asked about work in the Cornwall/Devon/Somerset area in the Southwest, maybe the obsession with Avonmouth is pretty irrelevant.

There is Gregory in Cullompton, R T Keedwell in Highbridge, Ways Bulk in Molton, W C Hocking in Batnstaple, Evans in Exetrr and Bideford…
Keedwell take new starts. Only real drawback is the shot craptros trucks…

Gregory were looking for Waste Tanker drivers recently - around £3 an hour above the average £11.50 in Cornwall

You won’t find much work in Devon & Cornwall for £35k.

the nodding donkey:
Seeing as the o.p. asked about work in the Cornwall/Devon/Somerset area in the Southwest, maybe the obsession with Avonmouth is pretty irrelevant.

There is Gregory in Cullompton, R T Keedwell in Highbridge, Ways Bulk in Molton, W C Hocking in Batnstaple, Evans in Exetrr and Bideford…
Keedwell take new starts. Only real drawback is the shot craptros trucks…

Thing is though Avonmouth offers so much more from pay to choice of work it’s worth commuting a decent distance to it.

switchlogic:

the nodding donkey:
Seeing as the o.p. asked about work in the Cornwall/Devon/Somerset area in the Southwest, maybe the obsession with Avonmouth is pretty irrelevant.

There is Gregory in Cullompton, R T Keedwell in Highbridge, Ways Bulk in Molton, W C Hocking in Batnstaple, Evans in Exetrr and Bideford…
Keedwell take new starts. Only real drawback is the shot craptros trucks…

Thing is though Avonmouth offers so much more from pay to choice of work it’s worth commuting a decent distance to it.

Whilst that is true, not everybody wants to drive an hour or more to work, even only once a week. When I had a boat in Bideford, I was very tempted to start for Evans or Hocking, I was working in Bristol at the time.

Incidentally, having recently found a job 20 minutes from home in Swansea (back on the milk), next week I’m going for an ‘interview’ with a firm I Chepstow… :-0

Samworth Bros, Callington own account. Evans Transport Barnstaple, Fowler Welch/ Culina Newton Abbot.

Block brick hauler JF Pearce at Shepton Mallet call 01749 880456 ask for Joe or Tom Pearce .Caveat is early starts,a lot of London wagon and drag, flat bed with or without crane use .But handsomely paid by all accounts.
Massey Wilcox over at charming Chilcompton ask for Robert or Willmotts at even more quaint at Evercreech will ask if still shipping out to Malta and back or drop and swap trailers at the Italian docks and trailer tug tractored on for a driver waiting in Malta.
Peter Green Evercreech UK and European mostly food and dairy factories in Northern France hope this helps out.

the nodding donkey:

switchlogic:

the nodding donkey:
Seeing as the o.p. asked about work in the Cornwall/Devon/Somerset area in the Southwest, maybe the obsession with Avonmouth is pretty irrelevant.

There is Gregory in Cullompton, R T Keedwell in Highbridge, Ways Bulk in Molton, W C Hocking in Batnstaple, Evans in Exetrr and Bideford…
Keedwell take new starts. Only real drawback is the shot craptros trucks…

Thing is though Avonmouth offers so much more from pay to choice of work it’s worth commuting a decent distance to it.

Whilst that is true, not everybody wants to drive an hour or more to work, even only once a week. When I had a boat in Bideford, I was very tempted to start for Evans or Hocking, I was working in Bristol at the time.

Incidentally, having recently found a job 20 minutes from home in Swansea (back on the milk), next week I’m going for an ‘interview’ with a firm I Chepstow… :-0

Of course and those that won’t won’t travel just pointing out it’s a worthwhile addition to this topic. Who you on for with milk? Gregory? Bloody interlopers. Tho thinking about it Swansea to Haverfordwest in 20 minutes might be somewhat optimistic on my part

Most people who live in the ‘South West’ do not identify with the artificial construct that the region attempts to define.

Swindon/Bristol/Gloucester/Taunton/Exeter/Plymouth/Penzance don’t have much in common and can be at a minimum 5hrs on the train between them.

So looking for good well-paying jobs in the South West you won’t be looking South of Bristol.

London to Edinburgh by train is about 4hrs 22mins
Bristol to Penzance by train is about 4hrs 45mins

switchlogic:

the nodding donkey:

switchlogic:

the nodding donkey:
Seeing as the o.p. asked about work in the Cornwall/Devon/Somerset area in the Southwest, maybe the obsession with Avonmouth is pretty irrelevant.

There is Gregory in Cullompton, R T Keedwell in Highbridge, Ways Bulk in Molton, W C Hocking in Batnstaple, Evans in Exetrr and Bideford…
Keedwell take new starts. Only real drawback is the shot craptros trucks…

Thing is though Avonmouth offers so much more from pay to choice of work it’s worth commuting a decent distance to it.

Whilst that is true, not everybody wants to drive an hour or more to work, even only once a week. When I had a boat in Bideford, I was very tempted to start for Evans or Hocking, I was working in Bristol at the time.

Incidentally, having recently found a job 20 minutes from home in Swansea (back on the milk), next week I’m going for an ‘interview’ with a firm I Chepstow… :-0

Of course and those that won’t won’t travel just pointing out it’s a worthwhile addition to this topic. Who you on for with milk? Gregory? Bloody interlopers. Tho thinking about it Swansea to Haverfordwest in 20 minutes might be somewhat optimistic on my part

Go wash your mouth with soap…

I wouldn’t ■■■■ on Gregory if they were on fire. I’m with Cannotwin in Xhands. But looking at a 4on-4off tramping job on the milk near Chepstow atm.
How you looking at getting back on the road?

If i were you i would stay put in your area. South West may seem like Monaco but house prices are too expensive even renting. The money may sound good but long term you can buy a house in the Sheffield area or areas

WheelsofCardiff:
If i were you i would stay put in your area. South West may seem like Monaco but house prices are too expensive even renting. The money may sound good but long term you can buy a house in the Sheffield area or areas

How much house for rent in you area?

Andrejs:

WheelsofCardiff:
If i were you i would stay put in your area. South West may seem like Monaco but house prices are too expensive even renting. The money may sound good but long term you can buy a house in the Sheffield area or areas

How much house for rent in you area?

String is how long piece?

the nodding donkey:
Go wash your mouth with soap…

I wouldn’t ■■■■ on Gregory if they were on fire. I’m with Cannotwin in Xhands. But looking at a 4on-4off tramping job on the milk near Chepstow atm.
How you looking at getting back on the road?

Touché! Shame you’re not on this side of Wales , MDS is looking for 4 on 4 off drivers

I’m good cheers, still waiting on HGV but have car licence . Been looking for van jobs but it seems being a driver 24 years isn’t good enough so far :smiley: