Really want to look into getting into event truck driving, something iv wanted to do from the get go, but now I have a couple of years driving under my belt i think its time to start putting the feelers out.
So yeah… Can anyone please give me a good insight into where to start looking for work, what companys to contact who to avoid etc and some advice on what the lifestyle is like.
I toured a bit when i was younger with a band i played with but that was out of the back of a sprinter van. But I know for sure that the ‘entertainment’ industry is definatly where my heart is.
I also do a bit of haulage for Musco as well, doing films events etc but the work is very sporadic and has to be shared out with the other drivers too.
I did this for the last few years before moving overseas for good, I worked for Concord road shows which then became part of Keddy’s. I don’t know what they are called now but they are based in Upper Heyford on the old airbase. It is a great life provided you don’t have a family, the job cost me my previous marriage.
Try checking companies in that area.
Luck of the draw as to where you find the work. I looked on the right pages of a truck drivers forum at the right time. Loads of hanging around and unsociable hours. In reality not a lot of actual driving, unless a nice foreign trip pops up. (FACT!)
Pat Hasler:
I did this for the last few years before moving overseas for good, I worked for Concord road shows which then became part of Keddy’s. I don’t know what they are called now but they are based in Upper Heyford on the old airbase. It is a great life provided you don’t have a family, the job cost me my previous marriage.
Try checking companies in that area.
You could try Fly by night ,I see their gear at T in the park.I think that the drivers are involved in the setting up and stripping down and loading all of the gear.The job wont be glamourous.
kindle530:
I think that the drivers are involved in the setting up and stripping down and loading all of the gear
Well you’d be wrong.
No, you can be, I’ve done one-man tours where I’ve had to do everything, drive to the venue, set up the trailer, set up the displays, mop the floor, even climb onto the roof of the trailer to put the flagpoles up. It’s really not a job for somebody who only wants to drive, but if you don’t mind turning your hand to anything then it’s a great life. The longest tour I ever did lasted four months, the itinerary was Geneva, Zurich, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Bucharest, Istanbul, Belgrade, and I still regard that tour as the best my working life ever got.
You could try Fly by night ,I see their gear at T in the park.I think that the drivers are involved in the setting up and stripping down and loading all of the gear.The job wont be glamourous
You could try Fly by night ,I see their gear at T in the park.I think that the drivers are involved in the setting up and stripping down and loading all of the gear.The job wont be glamourous
kindle530:
I think that the drivers are involved in the setting up and stripping down and loading all of the gear
Well you’d be wrong.
No, you can be, I’ve done one-man tours where I’ve had to do everything, drive to the venue, set up the trailer, set up the displays, mop the floor, even climb onto the roof of the trailer to put the flagpoles up. It’s really not a job for somebody who only wants to drive, but if you don’t mind turning your hand to anything then it’s a great life. The longest tour I ever did lasted four months, the itinerary was Geneva, Zurich, Vienna, Budapest, Prague, Warsaw, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kiev, Bucharest, Istanbul, Belgrade, and I still regard that tour as the best my working life ever got.
he was saying rock’n’roll do that harry, from what i remember you saying about the above tour you did, it was’nt rock’n’roll but computer related? Rock’n’roll you just open the back doors.
drummerkev , tell you what I did . I waited , as I always wanted to do this kind of work . I got to know a few guys inside the industry ( mainly due to growing up as a punter and always being at a gig !! ) and took in all the advice I could . Then when then time was right for me , I got on the phone till finally I was given the chance to do some double driving . This is a chance for you to see if you really want to do the job , and the firm can see what you are about at the same time . Took a while , and more calls . but finally I got a break and got on the books . Started at the bottom of the ladder , and haven’t looked back .I love the job but it is not for everyone so needs serious deliberation before you jump in IMHO . You’ll certainly see Europe and beyond in all it’s glory
I should add , there are members on here , far more wise than me in this industry , a couple of which gave me good advice via this site , they were a big help .
Much depends on which area of ‘event trucking’ you want to get in to.
Corporate work can involve some setting-up, usually set-building. Music work tends to be purely driving, though you are
expected to get involved with the loading/un-loading, if only in directing how you want things loading/handled, and then
securing the equipment.
You’ll find some drivers like to get involved with packing equipment away on stage, but personally i’d advise against doing that.
As SHADE says, it’s not necessarily a single-mans career - you just need to have a suitable relationship.
The job can entail long periods away, and it’s not uncommon for periods of 3-4 months at a time, sometimes even longer.
It’s probably the best job to get into if you want to see a good chunk of the world. I usually reckon to visit 30+ countries each year,
although it’s not like being on holiday! Hours can be irregular, as can sleep patterns, and it takes discipline to control the
socializing opportunities. It’s quite common for tours to have strict ‘no-drinking’ rules nowadays.
There’s plenty of companies operating in the field, but maybe have a look through the Tour Trucks Photos thread to get a few ideas.
You could try Fly by night ,I see their gear at T in the park.I think that the drivers are involved in the setting up and stripping down and loading all of the gear.The job wont be glamourous
Festival season’s looming, so should be plenty of opportunities coming up.
You’d probably find that you would be doing a lot of supplier work - running sound/light equipment in to various festival sites.
Not the ‘better end’ of the business, but gets you in and gives you an insight into the work.
Again, as SHADE has said, double-driving is a good way to get in, learn the ropes, and find out if you actually enjoy the job,
without having the same level of responsibility as a regular.
Most regular drivers prefer to drive alone, but the job has changed over the last few years, and there aren’t many tours now
where a d/d isn’t required. It’s something that the regulars have no choice but to accept.
Therefore, if you do the d/d thing, be honest about any lack of experience. We all realize that you have to start somewhere, and a decent regular will do their best to help you deal with the nature of the job (when to sleep/eat, etc), but you need to take their advice.
I, like most, have a list of preferred d/d’s, and my employer will try to give me one from that list. It ensures there’s no conflict on the road! It’s good to be on peoples wish-lists, as the good guys can be kept very busy for most of the year, and most get given the
chance to become a regular driver. Quite a few prefer to stay as d/d’s though, so that must say something about double-driving.
