Any car transporter drivers out there,just got a job on Walon.IT aint as easy as it looks!!! Any advice much appreciated.
I did 5 years for Walon pulling Toyotas/Lexus out of Portbury.
My advice is take your time when loading, think it through several times and NEVER be afraid to ask someone else who’s done it before.
It will all click after a while.
Enjoy all those ££££s
Jay.
i think shrek does the transporters. he’ll point you in the right direction. good luck anyway mate
I drive an artic transporter with a Transporter Engineering plus9 van carrier trailer.
I think most of Walon’s fleet are wagon and drags…sadly I only have artic experience! The principals are the same and I really can’t add anything else to what Life’s A Gas has already said. There is no doubt at all that full and comprehensive training will be given. I t does take a while after that to learn just how versatile these machines are though 
Just take it steady, don’t be afraid to stop and get up there to check your clearances and don’t get too obsessed with height. Most of the new generation of transporters run well under 16 feet anyway! Buy a bridge heights map if you don’t already have one.
Be aware that transporters run very close to the ground…there’s really only a few inches ground clearance, but you shouldn’t really have a problem with that unless you use truckstops with massive potholes in the yard!
Most importantly…enjoy it! I love transporters and once you get to know the machine and what it’ll carry (and where you carry different types of vehicle on it) there’s a lot of pride to be had from saying to yourself “I did that”.
Let us know how it’s going.
Life’s a Gas:
I did 5 years for Walon pulling Toyotas/Lexus out of Portbury.My advice is take your time when loading, think it through several times and NEVER be afraid to ask someone else who’s done it before.
It will all click after a while.
Enjoy all those ££££s
Jay.
is the money better on the transporters then? or is it more enjoyable work? or both? 
He’ll be on a very good wage at Walon
I don’t get payed as much as the “big boys” such as Walon, MCD, ECM etc, because I work for a motorauction company. What I do get is a really great company to work for, every night at home (if I want to) and no weekend work (unless I want to). The money is fine, and I get a lot of personal satisfaction out of the job. Having said that, it won’t be for everyone.
Shrek:
He’ll be on a very good wage at WalonI don’t get payed as much as the “big boys” such as Walon, MCD, ECM etc, because I work for a motorauction company. What I do get is a really great company to work for, every night at home (if I want to) and no weekend work (unless I want to). The money is fine, and I get a lot of personal satisfaction out of the job. Having said that, it won’t be for everyone.
is it another case of dead mans shoes though or are they quite open to take on people with experience on other wagons?
I think they recruit quite a bit…I know ECM usually have an advert in the back of T&D or Trucking advertising for drivers at all their depots. Most of the work is 4 to 5 nights out a week though…not for me! 
never done it before so i phoned a company up in yeovil and they took me on and trained me up. mines a basic wagon n drag with two decks only and 2 levers to play with. they let me park up near oldham at the week ends and pay the parking fee no probs. if your interested try the smaller companies first,the money is not as good as walon but you will learn the job. my boss is also pretty relaxed about minor damage which takes the pressure of a newbie.
Shrek:
I think they recruit quite a bit…I know ECM usually have an advert in the back of T&D or Trucking advertising for drivers at all their depots. Most of the work is 4 to 5 nights out a week though…not for me!
what are the wages liek at ECM? i know i havent got my artic licence yet but when i leave the mob in about 6 months or 18 months (depends when they decide to discharge me) i will hopefully have my C+E and wouldnt mind tramping and doing a job with a bit of variety, i have a done some trunking on the rigids, and even though i enjoyed it i guess after a whie it would get a bit boring doing the same run every week.
would you recommend it? doing transporter for a bit of variety (obviously not the tramping )
gezt:
never done it before so i phoned a company up in yeovil and they took me on and trained me up. mines a basic wagon n drag with two decks only and 2 levers to play with. they let me park up near oldham at the week ends and pay the parking fee no probs. if your interested try the smaller companies first,the money is not as good as walon but you will learn the job. my boss is also pretty relaxed about minor damage which takes the pressure of a newbie.
Any vacancies Gez 
Giblsa:
what are the wages liek at ECM?would you recommend it? doing transporter for a bit of variety (obviously not the tramping
I was chatting to an ECM driver a couple of weeks ago and he said his take home wage was £600 to £650 per week with nights out on top of that (for 60 hours).
I have heard from other sources that this sounds about right. It’s very good money and he aslo said the firm was OK to work for. You do get a chopped down wendy house cab though and theres bugger-all storage in them!
could be soon mate, be warned they have old trucks that look a bit shedish although legal. moneys ok when we are on contract and not to bad when we arnt. usually 4 nights a week out but your treated ok by the boss with no pressure to get anywhere fast.
bit of a shock when i started but im enjoying tramping again and being able to start and finish when i want to more or less.
pm your number and maybe i can show you what i mean about the truck. its parked up in chadderton most weekends.
a bit of a random question…
what do you do with the keys for the cars while transporting them? im guessing you dont leave them in the cars. do you have a mini safe or something within the cab?
id be worried about losing them and having a car on the back for weeks on end waiting for a key to turn up
re keys trade secret ,if i told you i would have to kill you lol
i’ll tell you what…
you tell me and then i’ll kill myself!
gezt:
re keys trade secret ,if i told you i would have to kill you lol
damm, another quick earner bites the dust.
Giblsa:
i’ll tell you what…you tell me and then i’ll kill myself!
you have a pm
gezt:
Giblsa:
i’ll tell you what…you tell me and then i’ll kill myself!
you have a pm
cheers mate…
now wheres that razor blade and rope? 
gezt:
re keys trade secret ,if i told you i would have to kill you lol
I always wanted to know that go on tell us 