hi i have been offered a job in container work… not done much of it and i have an assesment on friday… is there anything i need to know or any good advise
im not looking for … dont do it etc… i have no choice as its a JOB
regards
kev
Make sure you sort your twistlocks before reversing over the lines of the bay, the people dont like you walking around the wagon whilst in the bays!
just make sure the doors are at the back and you will be fine 
zorg2006:
hi i have been offered a job in container work… not done much of it and i have an assesment on friday… is there anything i need to know or any good adviseim not looking for … dont do it etc… i have no choice as its a JOB
regards
kev
Hi Kev, Well done on the job offer and im sure you will fly thru the assessment.
Do you know who you will be pulling for? Where from?
Containers are easy to be honest (im assuming you wont be helping out in the back with driver assists etc) the major tip I will give you is to be alert to a box coming into the country. Ultimately you dont know how its loaded and can be side/top heavy and come undone on a chamber on bends. So take it easy for the first bit until you get the feel of it. If your doing regular customers then you will soon get to know whats in the back and generally how its loaded overseas.
Some people moan about the lengths of the tips (ask about demurrage (hope thats spelt right) when you go to the assessment). Ultimately that alone can be a godsend to be honest. With ourselves its after two hours we can go on demurrage and we have a 45ft tipped in about 20mins. But thankfully I have otherways of killing two hours these days…
If you let us know more about who or where its pulling from we might be able to supply more details rather than overdose you on info.
Oh and welcome to the box family
My job today,an empty to Seaforth.then up to Workington Port to pick another empty up then back to Runcorn. 
chaversdad:
just make sure the doors are at the back and you will be fine
not always the case mate
as has been said, take it steady at first until you get a feel for how the box is loaded
always remember to undo your twistlocks BEFORE the lifter/crane arrives to lift the box off, the gantry cranes will lift the truck with the box if you are not careful, as has been seen many times at Thamesport 
if you get a job with them, take some books or a laptop and power supply, you can be there for hours on end whilst being tipped
Don’t forget to learn about VBS at Felixstowe, Grain and Tilbury. Southamptons’ a bit different
portoffelixstowe.co.uk/haulier/
dpworldsouthampton.com/portu … rivers.htm
How long has Thamesport had VBS? Last time I was there they gave me a little buzzer.
your right chopsticks, I slipped up, … but as we have to use the RHIDES as well, our traffic office always gives us a VBS.
Anyway, its all Hutchinson Ports now, so you can guarantee it won’t be long!!
i was at felixstowe and when my box came down to the skelly i saw the doors at the front.
so i am stood there waving like an idiot, he dropped it on and then went away. ( oh crap )
when i went to the rear i saw doors at the back too. lol yep doors at both ends. lol
first time i have encountered them.
other advise is,
get a 2 foot length of scaffold tube to help opening/closing the doors
a lump hammer, some spare string ( to secure open doors )
oh and i nearly forgot, you also have to be a fantastic mind reader when you pick up boxes at container yards
1st time somewhere, don’t be affraid to ask, ask drivers, ask staff, and if unsure, ask again and again, because there’s not much forgiveness in this business for a screw up - even though EVERYONE makes mistakes, they’ll all assume you should’ve known better or that you’re trying to skip a queue etc.
job’s a piece of ■■■■ mostly, some early starts, lots of waiting around and planners that don’t usually know there arse from their head.
Mostly standard for HGV these days lol
Welcome to the world of the twistlock technician .
If the trailers a sliding skeleton (different settings for different boxes) pay attention to how it works. Make a point of driving off slowly at first to get the feel of how the box is loaded, and even when it feels ok never assume the load inside is secure unless you’ve seen it loaded yourself.
Other than that, be prepared for long tips so keep whatever form of entertainment you like to hand.
Easy as.
cheers guys for the advise… asswsment this morning for wincantons in felixtowe… and jobs out of the docks…
been driving 8 years and have done a little container work out of trinity, but that has all changed now lol…, its the trailers that extend that i have no idea about and the smaller boxes … i see they are loaded on the midddle of the trailer… or is it the back the the trailer is extended… oh well lol im a fast learner…
i know about the waiting times and im not really looking forward to that as im used to max about 2 hour wait with fridges but hey i will survive lol
let ya all know later how it goes
regards
kev
Wincantons out of felixstowe do quite a bit of drop and swap work, but, they also have the Argos job, can be upto 6 or 7 hours tipping
I used to give the depot my mobile so that they could call me when an hour away from finishing a long tip,i would take the bicycle out for a few hours of green laning.
zorg2006:
been driving 8 years and have done a little container work out of trinity, but that has all changed now lol…, its the trailers that extend that i have no idea about and the smaller boxes … i see they are loaded on the midddle of the trailer… or is it the back the the trailer is extended… oh well lol im a fast learner…
So much for assesments/induction 
But it’s all pretty much of a muchness zorg.
Like others have said, take it steady, and ask if you’re not sure.
shuttlespanker:
Wincantons out of felixstowe do quite a bit of drop and swap work, but, they also have the Argos job, can be upto 6 or 7 hours tipping
the subbies do diff work to the reg canskis normally boss, as for the swaps i do them and the OTHER driver does the tips well thats what i was told
the canski drivers dont do the live argos tips, mostly swaps for them, they leave the live to the subbies… wonder why bt it dont seem too bad down at felix, but as with everywhere they will always be drivers moaning about it,
dont work for bulmers
(ask about demurrage (
What are these 
.
shuttlespanker:
"chaversdad
always remember to undo your twistlocks BEFORE the lifter/crane arrives to lift the box off, the gantry cranes will lift the truck with the box if you are not careful, as has been seen many times at Thamesport
I can vouch for this being an ex straddle driver at Southampton, I took a skelly and unit that was attached to it for a ride around the terminal and didn’t even feel it, 80tonne machine with a lift capacity of 100tonnes, no contest
Control called me on the radio and said there was a driver who wanted his truck back
There’s not a lot of rubber left after a 2kilometre drag
