Well, after a 19 year break, I am back on the wagons! Just finished 17 years as a refueller at Newcastle Airport followed by 2 years as a self employed taxi driver. At my wits end taxiing, have just had 3 days off in the last 4 months Woke up on Sunday morning after a night of abusive drunks, ready to work again after 5 hours sleep (not because I am greedy, just the money is so bad) and thought to myself, there has to be more to life than this.
Had been talking to one of my buddies who used to drive car transporters and he had a word with his old boss who phoned me. The result is, I am on half a days training tomorrow after a test drive yesterday, and am starting on Monday. Not too excited about being away from home, Monday till Friday, but will really relish the thought of weekends with my family. Never had a job in the last 20 years where weekends would be free. Have even managed to hire out the taxi for Ā£120 a week to suppliment income and the driver has agreed to take me to work on the Mondays and return Fridays.
Going to have to find truckstops again! What sort of facilities to the truckstops have these days? I am used to going to a local gym off peak which was cheap, but that looks out of the question now, just pondering where I can excercise!
Also, has anyone experience of the TomTom Go 520 with the low bridge poiās?
if we didnt have a sense of humor bowser we didnt do it but then from now on the only drunk in the cab is you when youre weekended result but if youre weekended and theres a female drunk in the cab result (depending on make and model )
Just been on my short training and done a load of cars under supervision to 2 dealers in Hexham.
Me heads battered!! Driving in middle of the road to avoid trees (running at 16ā ) raising and lowering the decks within inches of the car roofs. I am sure it will get easier though. They are sending me on second hand car work first!!!
good luck with it bowserman - a mate of mine recently sold his taxi (was working for blaydon) as heād totally had enough of it, but SAID earnings were good?
Welcome back mate ā¦got to be better than the taxi game ā¦Good Luck with it I guess a few more rules may have changed the roads got busier ā¦MSA more expensive and crowdedā¦But apart from that not much
jj72:
good luck with it bowserman - a mate of mine recently sold his taxi (was working for blaydon) as heād totally had enough of it, but SAID earnings were good?
Depends how you look at it.
I have a VW Caravelle T5 which cost a lot of wedge, but I did VIP work with it. Have moved people like Rod Stewart and Diana Ross. The thing is, jobs like that are few and far between, although you charge Ā£35.00 per hour start to finish, base to base. If I was getting them every day I wouldnāt be going back on the wagons. I have had 3 days off in the last few months trying to make a decent wage, and thats for Newcastles oldest taxi company. When you do say Ā£1k a week it looks good, but with overheads, such as office bit, fuel insurance and greedy Newcastle Council you are left with about half that, and that is before tax etc. Andā¦thats a good week. Its not that great if you are sitting in the town at 4am with no work no pay, when you could be in bed.
Thats without the hassle of picking up all the idiots on a Saturday night (I want to be one of those idiots )
Well just finished my first full day. A load of VW Golfs local then loaded with second hand for BCA Birmingham, and thats where I am now. Got here too late, so waiting until the morning to tip.
My cat didnāt want me to go this morning and staged a sit in, inside my bag!
Must say that I am impressed with the 3 mobile, internet access. Getting faster speeds here than at home on my wired broadband.
aint that a van carrier? I was taught to always reverse car nuber 8 on. Having fun with the peak?? lol. ive only been off them for about 2 months, now doing the 11ās and 12āsā¦much easier doing 9 when running at 14ā4". let us know how it all goes
Having loads of fun with the peak!!! Turning right is good, you just have to guess. Nearly dropped a bollock today, needed a break just as I came off the A1M at White cross services (I think). doesnāt say no HGVs but when I pulled in I couldnāt turn right bacause I would have knocked the Little Chef down!! Fortunately there was a way out the back!! Lesson learned.
Found a bar last night at 1030pm after getting backload from Tilbury called the Worlds End, had to walk down an unlit lane to find it, wasnāt bothered on the way back!!
Hi Bowserman, good luck and happy driving. Isnāt it sad that during the Gloucester floods when they put water bowsers out people were saying āWhatās a bowser? Oh thatās a bowser.ā
I got a text from an agency asking for help moving bowsers to Glouc but it went to my old phone and I didnāt get it till too late. Oops. I heard people were urinating in them. How nice.
Woke up on Sunday morning after a night of abusive drunks, ready to work again after 5 hours sleep (not because I am greedy, just the money is so bad) and thought to myself, there has to be more to life than this.
youll find out all the best
