I have been pondering doing container work for some time now, it just seems easier. However I may have some misconceptions here that is putting me off which maybe an experienced container driver might be able to put right. I have heard from lots of other drivers that they are horrible as you never know how they have been loaded and are particularly unstable because of this. You could get containers with their load all on one side etc. How true and how common is this and is this really a problem?
Easiest job you’ll ever have. Just make sure you take a kettle!
See you having a lay down on a roundabout soon
robthedog:
See you having a lay down on a roundabout soon
Cheers
It’s a Marmite job , either love it or hate it , unloading a container can take five hours if it’s a handball drop of small items loaded to the roof .
Boxes from exotic countries may have to be gassed for insects / reptiles or anything else that got in where it was loaded .Then wait hours before they unload .For the gas to disperse.
I have seen snakes and lizards inside them , the driver does not help with unloading or loading ,
I took my bicycle and took off , gave them my phone number in case tipped quickly .
Do not take your own bolt cutters , anything missing , the driver is blamed .
For an empty box , no need for secure parking , some jobs can take two days , a lad told me , massive queue in the morning and only do so many boxes per day .Can’t remember if he said coat hangers or Matchbox toy factory .
Delivery and collection places can be a house removal to farms .
With a 20 ft box , you shrink the skeletal trailer to run with it in the middle , at the destination , move it to the rear to tip on Rdc door .
High cubes are over height boxes , check for bridges .
Years ago , drivers could eat in the docks canteen , but no longer .
There is no way to check for a top heavy load , as the door will have a bolt seal with a number that correlates to the paperwork .
There is no way to check for a top heavy load , as the door will have a bolt seal with a number that correlates to the paperwork .
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perfectly correct statement there,though someone could possibly re appear to contradict that statement shortly now that you have reminded us. 
toby1234abc:
It’s a Marmite job , either love it or hate it , unloading a container can take five hours if it’s a handball drop of small items loaded to the roof .
Boxes from exotic countries may have to be gassed for insects / reptiles or anything else that got in where it was loaded .Then wait hours before they unload .For the gas to disperse.I have seen snakes and lizards inside them , the driver does not help with unloading or loading ,
I took my bicycle and took off , gave them my phone number in case tipped quickly .
Do not take your own bolt cutters , anything missing , the driver is blamed .For an empty box , no need for secure parking , some jobs can take two days , a lad told me , massive queue in the morning and only do so many boxes per day .Can’t remember if he said coat hangers or Matchbox toy factory .
Delivery and collection places can be a house removal to farms .With a 20 ft box , you shrink the skeletal trailer to run with it in the middle , at the destination , move it to the rear to tip on Rdc door .
High cubes are over height boxes , check for bridges .
Years ago , drivers could eat in the docks canteen , but no longer .
There is no way to check for a top heavy load , as the door will have a bolt seal with a number that correlates to the paperwork .
Thanks for this, Is it a known and common problem for the loads to be top heavy?
UKtramp:
I have been pondering doing container work for some time now, it just seems easier. However I may have some misconceptions here that is putting me off which maybe an experienced container driver might be able to put right. I have heard from lots of other drivers that they are horrible as you never know how they have been loaded and are particularly unstable because of this. You could get containers with their load all on one side etc. How true and how common is this and is this really a problem?
Those kind of statements come from drama queens and drivers who are frightened of their own shadow. Don’t ignore them, but do take them with a sampling of salt. The vast majority of DVs (dry vans) are absolutely fine but once in a blue moon you (might) get one which is loaded badly. Treat it like any other ‘unknown’ load and drive accordingly until you get a feel for it - you’ll be fine. Do take care with bulk liquid flexi-tank containers if you get one; these are very unstable and will have you on your side at roundabouts if you don’t treat them with respect. Flexi Tanks – Bulk Liquid Solutions
Dieseldog is 100 % correct , I have opened a can of worms with reference to breaking seals to allow drivers to inspect their load before taking it on a public highway .
One point is , the driver would only find out when the container load was top heavy when he/she gets to the first roundabout , that’s when you know it’s top heavy , depending how fast they were driving .
The other issue is DVSA enforcement and the driver being responsible for their load and security , the problem is getting hold of some bolt croppers from the port authority , to open your container , then refuse to take it on the road if the load has toppled over .
This discussion was mentioned with reference to roll on , roll off unaccompanied trailers from the continent to the UK , whereby plastic seals are applied when loaded .
When the UK driver collects the tautliner trailer , the seal can be broken to check the load then put another seal on , stating the reason on the CMR or POD and hope no goods are missing .
R420:
Those kind of statements come from drama queens and drivers who are frightened of their own shadow. Don’t ignore them, but do take them with a sampling of salt. The vast majority of DVs (dry vans) are absolutely fine but once in blue moon you (might) get one which is loaded badly. Treat it like any other ‘unknown’ load and drive accordingly until you get a feel for it - you’ll be fine. Do take care with bulk liquid flexi-tank containers if you get one; these are very unstable and will have you on your side at roundabouts if you don’t treat them with respect. Flexi Tanks – Bulk Liquid Solutions
That was pretty much what I thought, I knew there would be more experienced drivers on here that would be able to give me an answer. It has put me off for years as I had it in my head that they are dangerously unstable because of the stories from others, thanks for this.
UKtramp:
R420:
Those kind of statements come from drama queens and drivers who are frightened of their own shadow. Don’t ignore them, but do take them with a sampling of salt. The vast majority of DVs (dry vans) are absolutely fine but once in blue moon you (might) get one which is loaded badly. Treat it like any other ‘unknown’ load and drive accordingly until you get a feel for it - you’ll be fine. Do take care with bulk liquid flexi-tank containers if you get one; these are very unstable and will have you on your side at roundabouts if you don’t treat them with respect. Flexi Tanks – Bulk Liquid SolutionsThat was pretty much what I thought, I knew there would be more experienced drivers on here that would be able to give me an answer. It has put me off for years as I had it in my head that they are dangerously unstable because of the stories from others, thanks for this.
Have you done any double-decker work to the pallet hubs? If so you’ve nothing to worry about with “top heavy” containers! 
Pallet hubs like to put full IBCs, bulk bags of aggregate, pallets of bricks etc on the top deck and not tell you about them so if you’ve got from A to B and back to A doing pallet hub work without rolling the trailer you’ll be absolutely fine . It’s much ado over nothing but makes for good rants in RDC waiting rooms.
I disagree on the bolt croppers. You should be checking the box before it leaves the dock and if theres no seal, it doesnt move until it’s been put right hand I have the appropriate paperwork in my hand. I’ve had more than one drop where they didnt have a set and mine have come in very useful.
I’d also recomend a small 2kg mallet and a 3ft length of scaffolding pole.
Nite Owl:
I disagree on the bolt croppers. You should be checking the box before it leaves the dock and if theres no seal, it doesnt move until it’s been put right hand I have the appropriate paperwork in my hand. I’ve had more than one drop where they didnt have a set and mine have come in very useful.I’d also recomend a small 2kg mallet and a 3ft length of scaffolding pole.
I always carried a set, but I didn’t tell anyone I had them. As you say, some places you go to don’t have any and they expect you to have some, so that’s when they come in useful, but only then. Fully agree with you about the mallet and scaffy bar. You’re not a proper container driver if you don’t carry those two essential bits of kit .
R420:
UKtramp:
R420:
Those kind of statements come from drama queens and drivers who are frightened of their own shadow. Don’t ignore them, but do take them with a sampling of salt. The vast majority of DVs (dry vans) are absolutely fine but once in blue moon you (might) get one which is loaded badly. Treat it like any other ‘unknown’ load and drive accordingly until you get a feel for it - you’ll be fine. Do take care with bulk liquid flexi-tank containers if you get one; these are very unstable and will have you on your side at roundabouts if you don’t treat them with respect. Flexi Tanks – Bulk Liquid SolutionsThat was pretty much what I thought, I knew there would be more experienced drivers on here that would be able to give me an answer. It has put me off for years as I had it in my head that they are dangerously unstable because of the stories from others, thanks for this.
Have you done any double-decker work to the pallet hubs? If so you’ve nothing to worry about with “top heavy” containers!
Not true. I used to load dd trailers. Soft and light top deck heavy bottem. Although maybe at main hubs no time to check weight and load. Used to pull them as well. How many double deckers did i have tip. Zero. Regardless. Containers are great work. Pick up sit for hours as menitoned back to dock. Ive said it before and will again. Crack on driver. No need to worry if you check the load you are responsible if its sealed dont look and if anything happens then its the loaders fault. Old ■■■■■■■ drivers come at me now please.
I am unclear which part you are disagreeing with, unless you didn’t actually read my post. 
R420:
Have you done any double-decker work to the pallet hubs? If so you’ve nothing to worry about with “top heavy” containers!
Yes done double deckers when I was at stobart a couple of years ago. They were loaded correctly though with heavy pallets at the bottom. Thanks for the replies, very helpful in my decision making.
Might be worth noting that there seem to be many fewer 20ft skellies around now.
A heavy 20ft box is more stable carried in the middle of a 40ft slider, than on a 20ft.
Franglais:
Might be worth noting that there seem to be many fewer 20ft skellies around now.
A heavy 20ft box is more stable carried in the middle of a 40ft slider, than on a 20ft.
I think that’s probably because sliding skellies are (relatively speaking) a new thing, so there were still tons of oldish 20fters in use. I imagine most of them have turned to tin dust now and been scrapped. But you’re right, a fully loaded box on a 20ft tandem axle trailer could be quite arse-twitchy and you didn’t want to make any sudden changes in direction at speed otherwise it was like the tail wagging the dog 
.
R420:
Nite Owl:
I disagree on the bolt croppers. You should be checking the box before it leaves the dock and if theres no seal, it doesnt move until it’s been put right hand I have the appropriate paperwork in my hand. I’ve had more than one drop where they didnt have a set and mine have come in very useful.I’d also recomend a small 2kg mallet and a 3ft length of scaffolding pole.
I always carried a set, but I didn’t tell anyone I had them. As you say, some places you go to don’t have any and they expect you to have some, so that’s when they come in useful, but only then. Fully agree with you about the mallet and scaffy bar. You’re not a proper container driver if you don’t carry those two essential bits of kit
Almost forgot, ratchet strap or bungee straps to hold the doors open because the hook or chains are missing.
It’s utter garbage Tramp.
Waiting around in queues for hours on end. You can end up well over an hour simply waiting for your box to be plonked on. The only people who like container work are the bone idle, those who have lot’s of data on their device, and folk who like to lie on the bunk getting fat. (You can’t even sleep with pallets being dropped down and all manner of noise).
Mind numbing rubbish for a tenner per hour.