Hi folks, most of you know that i have only just passed my class 1. i really am up for doing the european runs, after reading coffe’s diary that was me hooked on going across the water. but i have decided to hang back and do till at least after xmas drive just uk, to get a bit of confidence and experience…am i right thinking this way or is it better to just go straight out and do it 
Get stuck in and go for it!
Wait until after xmas and then you’ve got all the snow to contend with,not easy when you’re new and trying to find your way around.
And don’t forget to drive on the right! 
i think your doin the right thing mate i wouldnt imagine many fims would take you on doin euro work well not reputable ones any without some uk experiance but good luck mate and well done on getting your big wheelers licence 
I agree with Keith, if you get an offer go for it. You will learn as much if not more than doing UK and don’t tell anyone this but European work isn’t that difficult. We don’t usually admit that because we don’t want everybody doing it so hush hush. 
i disagree with keith and neil,its hard enought to drive an artic for the first time,without having to learn to drive on the right as well,stick to your local area until you have mastered driving artics first,then you will find driving abroad easy.its easy experenced drivers telling you its a doddle to drive abroad ,but when your new its best to stack as many odds in your favour as possible.
keith and neil are right to tell you you have little to fear over the water,but get your confidence up first.
you will make mistakes as a newbie,but learn from them dont let them get you down.i miss driving abroad but i thought of my kids first,as a family man would your family mind you being away for 3 weeks at a time
good luck
jon
the important thing is not they drive on the right…but when you come back to drive on the left
as you live in kent i would find a local who runs up the corridor for diesel on a Friday evening or Saturday even if you just ride shotgun the experience of the boat or train would be a useful starting point
corridor = technical term for you to research
Entry: corridor
Function: noun
Definition: hallway
Synonyms: aisle, couloir, entrance hall, entranceway, foyer, hall, ingress, lobby, passage, passageway
Concept: structure entity
SORRY COULDNT RESIST
Continental work is very quiet at the mo- I know dozens of bored drivers pulling boxes out of Dartford and Felixstowe who would give anything to get back on it.
Every time I ship out nowadays- not often- it seems like I am the only Brit on the boat.
If you are in a position to take “one-off” trips then I could probably find something but until then, I suggest you build up your experience on UK work, and wait for things to change, as they undoubtedly will, sooner or later.
Vince
Vince:
and wait for things to change, as they undoubtedly will, sooner or later.Vince
yeah - we won’t be going at all…
Well,I hope you are wrong but I certainly wouldn`t be prepared to bet money on it.
The job has changed beyond all recognition in the time I have been doing it.
“Sure I can get you continental work. Just so long as you are prepared to take a £30 per day pay cut” says my boss, Richard.
And the spooky thing is that he is right. He shows me every fax, every email, that he gets quoting rates for continental work.
Sittingbourne- Stuttgart £270
Telford- Milan £720
And best of all…
London- Calais “You give us £50 and we will pay the ferry” 
(here I am quite happy to name and shame NorthSpeed as the forwarder)
Realistically, continental work no longer exists in the way it did ten years ago.
Vince
or even, sadly, 5 years ago Vince.
Has anyone else noticed the massive increase in the Eastern European ‘panic vans’ on our motorways in the last year or so ?
7 and a half or 10 ton , sleeper cab (or roof pod!), tilt or boxvan, with Romania, Slovakia, Hungary, etc. addresses signwritten on 'em.
Maybe that’s the way forward for Continental work - the ‘just - in - time’ service for smaller loads and more frequent delivery slots.
If I was considering becoming an owner driver running to and from Europe, I would think the lower running costs and the higher rates you could justify due to the quicker journey time compared to the traditional artic unit / trailer might well be the key to profitability and indeed, survival as a small business in a very, very tough marketplace.
most of them are delivering textiles thanks to uk companies using cheap labour abroad instead of uk manufacturers
The whole job (continental trucker) changed forever when Communism collasped in 1991 and we discovered “The Third World” right here on our own doorstep.
But the World changes,and we just have to get on with it.
Vince
Yes, if you seen Romanian 7.5 tonne lorry, they work for Textile from Romania to UK for Clothes Shop like Primark, H+M and other brand name.
Most they drive to north london - Hackeys, Harnigey and Enfield everyday in A10 because my college in near M25 J25 but i get tube from london then get bus to College via along way the A10, it could be scary cos every time in i sat bus and see them 5 - 10 trucks from Romania or Turkish in one day! 
Some Romanian 7.5 trucks parking on industry textile park for 2 - 6 day for wait the return loads, some time Romanian GIRO Trans company come to Enfield Warehouse in every day and GIRO Trans 1 - 4 long artic lorries for one day!!! they have to wait turn the return loads.
Ben.
Vince:
London- Calais “You give us £50 and we will pay the ferry”Vince
i’d like to think they never got taken up on their “offer” but they probably do 
there are still decent jobs about - last week fleet to prague, reload vienna
to sittingbourne £ 4000 with £ 340 of ferries to take out of that but 4te out, 19te back… but of course it will disappear sooner or later