Hi all,
just had a call saying I might be shortlisted for an interview driving dustcarts for Biffa in Chelmsford.
So has anyone driven a dustcart for them, what’s the job like, usual questions lol!
I’ve never drove one btw, 
I appreciate any comments cheers
D.B
It’s ok, as long as you can get used to the smell, I was at Biffa MK for 9 years until an ‘Incident’ ended it all.
Money was good, 45 hours guaranteed + overtime & Bonus’s. Lots of stop start on wheelie bins, (lots of shops, need doing early) best to get on Roll On’s or FEL (Front end loader)
All depots have their own pay schemes/bonus’s & I’ve been left over 4 years now so can’t comment on any conditions now.
£400-£500 p/w is easily do’able & home every night, I used to start around 04.45 & be finished between 14.00 & 16.00 most days.
Biffa is an acquired taste as I have worked for them in the past
Dennis and Merc low cab dustcarts are easy to drive just press D on pad and release hand break just don’t for get your mirrors are lower but you can get in either side as cabs are walk through
If doing butchers or animal boarding places or pubs stand forward of hopper when tipping bin as stuff does get thrown out by the compactor plate
Also you’ve got the joys of getting stuck on a landfill
If you get on doing the rear loaders doing industrial waste such as skips watch out when stood at the side of the skip when unloading it for rats jumping out all over the shop 
I used to have a natter with the fella who emptied our skip at the Land Rover dealers in Wakefield and the most we counted that jumped out one day was about 10
I used to chase them around with a spade, smash them over the head if I could catch them and lob them in the back of the truck (hate the dirty little bar stewards 
)
Don’t be suprised to see them nesting in the skips as when they get full of rubbish its a good place for them to stop, that is until the skip gets emptied 
■■■■■■■ massive things aswell some of them, wouldn’t like one grabbing hold of me by its teeth.
A rat will only attack if cornered (allegedly) but I for one wouldn’t want to find out !
Cheers lads 
Yeah my grandad used to work on the “smelly”, as he calls it. He worked at Cleanaway and Tulkens to name a few. Used to run out of Tottenham and Enfield, London.
He’s told me many a tale of giant rats, and tipping rubbish trailers in the pitch black. And if you heard it creaking while the trailer was up, run for your life lol !
Thanks for all your input anyway, much appreciated.
Regards
D.B