Hi just a quick question. As some may remember I’m a squaddie about to be made redundant next month, been doing some agency work when on leave, however today the agency asking if I had experience with containers which I don’t.
However I have loaded and unloaded them off ships and onto wagons at the military port and from what I remember it’s just 4 or 6 locking bolts on the trailer, why do you need experience with these vehicles are the vehicle dynamics much different.
Sorry if this is a bone question just wondering. Thanks
Just lie, I did when I first started, the thing that worried me most was how to get into the port
Then when it came to arrival I just followed everyone else
just make sure your trl length is right and yoy never realy know,whats in side thsts why alot fall over but thats also poor drivers but its easy I spend more time watching tv.
its pretty easy work to be honest. once the container is on the trailer, its secured by the twistlocks you described.
what you probably will come across on this work is different types of trailers, fixed, sliders and splitters. would be a benefit for ya, if you could get someone to show you whats, what with them. also as stated, you never really know how an imported container is loaded, so best to be over cautious on roundabouts etc.
at most places, you won’t tip or load the container, so get a good book etc, as you could be sitting around alot.
you asked the question, this proves you are no fool.
take a hammer and a couple of bungy straps with ya. doors are often stiff, so need persuading, and bungies are handy for securing doors open when backing on a bay
Cheers mates, well like I said I’m redundant from the army in december but can start work in october, so been sending out cv’s left right and centre.
Lucky been doing lots of course got DCPC, ADR and some others.
Just a little disappointed that I missed an opportunity for some class 1 work, however agency have been back on to me got some class2 work on Monday and tuesday with veolia going to a landfill with a roll on roll off. Also got a quick training brief with them on Friday afternoon , so sound ok.
Easiest job in haulage and pretty much everyone I’ve met in the job has been ‘old school’ - ie you can ask for help, they’ll not steer you wrong or just sit there and watch you struggle.
3 main things.
trailer settings - usually written on the trailer, so just make sure it’s set for the box you’re getting 20’ 30’ 40’ or 45’
5th wheel position - normally only an issue if useing a 20’ trailer (not a slider set to 20’) as they’re very short and if 5th wheel in normal position, the legs will hit your lights or if a 45’ box, just make sure you’ve got the clearance at the front (and under-run bar set at the back) so it doesn’t smack the back of the cab.
Loading - others said you don’t know how it’s loaded, it’s a bit worse than that, you don’t know WHAT is loaded either, could literally be anything, including liquid in a ‘bag’
All ports and railheads are different, even when run by the same firm, and they change all the time too, so even for old hands it’s playing it by ear most of the time.
You’d need a Rhides card for Felixstowe and Thamesport, you can get a temporary one at felix by taking your passport to the dock police station, I think you can get away without it at Thamesport but have to take id.
Good luck and welcome (in advance) to civvi street
The hardest thing about doing boxes is dealing with the muppets at Felixstowe. Rude, plain ignorant and total arses most of them are. Just tell the agency you have previous experience from the Army. I’ve never done the split trailers, only 40 foot sliders, but you’ll figure out the sliders. I stand to be corrected, but there are only two types of slider skellys that i know of. One is done with the shunt button on the trailer, the other, you have to take the airline off the trailer. There will be two airline connectors on the trailer. One is for your normal airline, the other to shrink the trailer, so you disconnect the trailer airline, and connect it the other one, and then just reverse, and the skelly will slide to the end. As i say i stand to be corrected but they are the two i have used. One thing i was always told was, NEVER drive with the skelly in the 20 foot position as it will damage it. Obviously you can shrink it, back it onto the bay, and pull it off again, but other then that, remember to put it back into the 40 foot position and check the locking pins are in place.
If you like drinking tea and sleeping then it’s a great job.
I only asked because we’ve had a couple of new drivers started and I wondered if you were one. One tip if you have a 20’ box with more than about 8ton on, line it up with the loading bay before you shorten the skelly. When you shorten the trailer the weight goes over the trailer wheels and off the drive wheels so they can become very difficult to turn.
