Got an interview tonight for a LGV1 Car Transporter Driver. The company never asked for any previous transporter experience but I’m worried now as to how difficult it is. Any advice from transporter drivers either current or ex is appreciated… What is the job like? I’ve been told I will be trained but just get nervous about interviews. thanks
Well, just for your info Tony, if any of our Ford truck fleet drivers want to go onto the Transporter side of the operation, they are sent on a 5 week training course on how to operate the rigs and learn how to load the cars and more importantly, how NOT to load them…
Just to give you an idea…
cheers Andy… fingers crossed for tonight though
Best of luck for tonight Tony mate… Got me fingers crossed for you… 
The advice you get is take your time but the trouble is you need to be able to load and unload quickly to make it pay, Its easy to forget something like a wheel strap or chassis hook. If you do damage a car this is reflected in bonus, with multi deck it is easy to squash or dent a car. Ask 1 of our ex lads who squashed an Aston Martin vanquish! oops! Make sure you check height after loading. Be careful loading in wet too as ramps get very slippery. And lastly dont fall off ramps, it hurts!
been for the interview and got offered the job, going to phone in the morning after I’ve made my desicion… Basic is 350.00 per week for minimum of 40 hours with plenty of OT apparently, 50p per car bonus delivering on average 250 - 300 cars per month (mostly local deliveries between Glasgow and Edinburgh) 20 quid a night out and can stay out or come home if close enough i.e Glasgow last, drop, working tuesday to sunday with lorry parked at base in glasgow on days off and home with me whenever i decide to come home… mobile and fuel card as well as uniform and 21 days holiday a year… Does this sound too good to e true… Mind you if Tony reads this then it probably still wont be enough but as a new driver I definitely think this is the mutts… Oh and 1 week training in B’ham, will provide a car to go down, weeks hotel accom and I bring my truck back after the training, MAN TGA from what I’m told 
Good news. Good Luck.
Oh congratulations tony…
Sounds like a nice little number you got there. Wish you all the best of luck mate!!.. 
Keep us informed as to how you get on…
Well done Tony.
tony_saprano0980:
… 50p per car bonus delivering on average 250 - 300 cars per month (mostly local deliveries between Glasgow and Edinburgh)…
That sounds like quite a lot of deliveries to me mate. 75 cars a week thats 15 a day(on a 5 day week). OK if they are coming off 3-4 at each drop but otherwise could be a bit ambitious. I remember a post on the old forums in which is was claimed that some dealers could keep you waiting almost as long as some RDC’s. 
Any way good luck!
Tony,
Who’s it with??
Also need to consider the capacity of the transporter, and that this will be reduced if you’re carrying larger cars, 4x4’s or MPV’s.
Don’t forget to take the aerials off or switch the radio off if it’s electric, and watch out for the trees!!
Wheel Nut:
. Ask 1 of our ex lads who squashed an Aston Martin vanquish! oops! !
Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
It doesn’t sound to bad for a first job, As wheel nut said take your time, better to deliver fewer straight cars than loads of bent ones. As you get the hang of the job you’ll do it quicker. If you find you like it then great carry on if not then try something else at least when you go for you next job you’ll have some driving experience.
Good Luck!!
Just to say thanks for all the advice, I’ve decided to take the job. Start on 1st March with 1 week on the job training, take one of their cars down, put up in hotel and then bring back my own kit… It’s a 9 car transporter which is recduced to 8 estates, company very rarely carry MPV’s. I’m still very nervous about putting cars on and off but I know it’s all a learning curve and I dont expect to know muchafter the training but I just hope I get settled in and dont cause too much damage The company is Welcome Car Finance… Will keep you updated as to how I get on, thanks again for all the useful advice…
Hi Wire
Picking up either from an auction or a vehicle prep centre in Paisley, will need to wait and see how many cars but that was the average he said!!
Tony,
Don’t forget about those overhanging trees.
They can really muck paint work up!! 
that will be from experience then I take it… can anyone give me an idea what to expect, is it a decent job?
good luck tony,hope everything works out for you. can’t give any advise on this sort of work as i have never done transporter work.but i’m sure there are plenty of lads that you will be working with that can help you out when you get stuck. as said b4 if your delivering around glasgow please take great care of the low bridges there are quite a few especially paisley.once again good luck
I did car transporters for all of two months and then had enough. To be honest, I hated it! It’s bad enough when the weather is dry but when it’s wet it’s a mare. You’ll get [zb] up to the eyes in grease and muck and then end up getting it on the cars and the insides (even with the plaggy bags over the seats and interior). Many modern cars have bizarre features to get them started/moving etc. I mean, get in a Merc and show me where the handbrake is! I won’t tell you now, I’ll let you find it for yourself! I bet it takes you at least 5 minutes to find it on your own if you haven’t been in one of the modern ones before! Some of the auto boxes are bizarre to engage too. Alarms go off and start blaring as you set off down the road, hazards start flashing and headlights sometimes start too. 
Like others have said, chassis hooks are easy to miss as are the tyre straps. The ramp surface gets greasy and is VERY slippy in the wet. The ropes on the top level do [zb] all and I’ll guarantee you’ll end up on your arse/do yourself some painful injury at some point. It’s critical that you gauge the gaps right when lifting or lowering the ramps towards a car you’ve just loaded. It’s tempting to leave the tiniest gap possible thus allowing maximum headroom on the above/below but you’ve got to factor in that when you go over a bump the car bounces up and down like a spring therefore denting the roof and costing you dearly.
If it’s a cab-over style trailer than you REALLY need to be careful when taking turns with street-lights/signs/trees close by. The front of the trailer can swing out with perhaps as much as 7ft over the top of the cab and that can cause you all sorts of problems. I remember a guy telling me a tale about another transporter driver with this type of trailer and he had to take a tight corner in a city centre somewhere. There was a lot of building work going on at an office block which was being refurbished and as he took the corner the front edge of the trailer swung out and caught the bottom two scaffolding support poles for the entire frontside 15 storey high block. About a third of the scaffolding structure collapsed resulting in a dozen or so workers falling and being seriously injured (none killed thank God). Large claim in and larger sums of money paid out and much suing of driver going on…).
If you’re expecting a MAN TG-A cab then I doubt it will be a cab-over style trailer as generally speaking the cab is too high. Cab-over trailers are usually found with Scania/DAF85/Actros low-roof cabs. Be aware that because of the high-centre of gravity from the top deck they tend to sway about a lot too and roundabouts need a steady hand and foot.
You did ask what it was like, there’s a “few” pointers for you! Who knows, you might just enjoy it, but I didn’t. I’ve known shorter days on container tramping work and more money…
GODO LUCK!!!
I wonder if I can change my mind!!!
I knew it was going to be a completely different kind of driving but that has just totally re-emphasised this… I’m just waiting on my contract of employment to come through however as I need to give a weeks notice and ned to finish here on Firday I had to put it in so I’m on my notice period in here just now… spoken to the guy several times (think i’m bugging him) and he has assured me the contract will be with me by Tuesday or Wednesday, just wish it was here so I had written confirmation… I know you’ll say shouldn’t have put notice in here but had no choice… Will let you all know how I get on… Cheers
Tony - Rob K clearly didn’t like being a carman, but there are loads that do! If you look at the growth statistics for the UK car market, then it’s a good game to pursue! I run a covered car transporter — as long as I can put two chubby fingers between the upper deck and the roof of the car below (and I’ve strapped them properly), then I know they will be delivered damaged free. And it is very rare that you need to climb high when the decks are up — you load, strap, then raise the decks. Send me an email if you want to know more enquiries@glenlogistics.co.uk - I’ll answer any concerns you have.