AndieHyde:
switchlogic:
Carryfast:
Call it what it is.A bunch of self entitled elitists who think that only those in the ‘know’ can do the job
Except in reality we are all saying over and over again anyone can get a job doing Europe experience or not and are simply baffled as to why you couldn’t. This elitist nonsense is just your own private conspiracy theory
Exactamundo.
Passed test. Next day pointed at Barcelona.
Needed a job once. Made phone call. On ferry to Germany that night.
Short of money. Set off for Athens.
Can you do us a local? Pop off to Paris, you’ll be back tomorrow.
These and many more exciting episodes just like them.
Through out the 90’s you had to try quite hard NOT to be shipping out.
That was how I ended up in Berlin and 3 other stops in France, My old man sent me to S&J Europeans yard with a pallet drop in a van , by the time it was unloaded I was persuaded by the boss to do a trip for them starting the next day as a driver had jacked. Off I went in a light blue VW box van with a bed in a sweat box built over the cab ! What a fun trip at 19yrs old in 1980 …And so it continued on.
My first international job was gained by lying through my teeth…as many did in those days back in the 60s- 70s..when being asked the question as to what continental experience i had..my answer was France..Spain, Germany..all done by driving a car..( which i never told em about ) i let them believe what they wanted, and always got a job..if they asked who i had worked for, i gave them a name of a firm who had packed up..but thats how it was in those days..today they want checkable references, cvs, and all the other old ■■■■.I went for a job 3 years ago, told them i had 50 years exp, all the other attributes of international work…got turned down for being too knowledgable…ha ha ,…another reason i never renewed my licences last year…too old some said…bllx to you too mate.
Juddian:
mrginge:
I finished that days work and handed my notice in sharpish and with no time to waste I finished that job Tuesday evening and was in my new job to Hungary the next morning.
And that folks is how you land jobs, you were hungry/keen enough and they saw it, bingo 
Poncing about having a think about it, a chat with the Mrs etc, by the time you’ve done that the job has gone to the Mrginge’s who, early bird style, got the worm.
There was no time to waste, Wednesday im told I got the job, problem with Budapest job was I had not renewed my passport so I booked a slot in London at the passport office. First thing Saturday im on the train to buy this expensive emergency passport to get me on the boat a few days later. Got it sorted and then a few weeks after my new/current employer asked me for my receipts to pay me for my train ticket and passport
My last job were pestering me from day one to do European trips but at the time I had one parent with cancer and later another .
Pressure was soon ramped up when I let slip that I had driven LHD regularly.
When both of my parents had passed away I hit the Euro trails and was rarely home if I accepted all the work offered .
I still managed to do frequent trips to Scotland and Ireland and was often paired with new drivers to show them the system , much of our stuff was super urgent express delivery that was double manned .
I couldn’t understand not doing long distance stuff . Home to the yard every night seemed like part time work !
Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk
I just played a little mind game where I imagined myself as a Class 2 driver who wanted to do continental work but had no experience and within two minutes I had found this…
Job Description
Are you looking for full-time 18T HGV driving job? Have you driven lorries in the UK but would like experience driving throughout countries in Europe? With this position you can gain the experience you need to upgrade to an international driver. Drive 18T trucks throughout United Kingdom to major companies but you will also tag along with an experienced driver on international jobs to show you the ropes, you won’t regret it. If you are tired of driving 18T trucks in the UK and want to explore the world, then why are you waiting? Apply Now!
specialdrivers.co.uk/Job/information/9
Nothing I can see in the job description about “face needs to fit”. 
mrginge:
Juddian:
mrginge:
I finished that days work and handed my notice in sharpish and with no time to waste I finished that job Tuesday evening and was in my new job to Hungary the next morning.
And that folks is how you land jobs, you were hungry/keen enough and they saw it, bingo
Poncing about having a think about it, a chat with the Mrs etc, by the time you’ve done that the job has gone to the Mrginge’s who, early bird style, got the worm.
There was no time to waste, Wednesday im told I got the job, problem with Budapest job was I had not renewed my passport so I booked a slot in London at the passport office. First thing Saturday im on the train to buy this expensive emergency passport to get me on the boat a few days later. Got it sorted and then a few weeks after my new/current employer asked me for my receipts to pay me for my train ticket and passport
And that’s a company worth working for, offered a bloke the chance and he ripped their arm off, and they repaid him for the gamble, result all winners.
Harry Monk:
I just played a little mind game where I imagined myself as a Class 2 driver who wanted to do continental work but had no experience and within two minutes I had found this…
Job Description
Are you looking for full-time 18T HGV driving job? Have you driven lorries in the UK but would like experience driving throughout countries in Europe? With this position you can gain the experience you need to upgrade to an international driver. Drive 18T trucks throughout United Kingdom to major companies but you will also tag along with an experienced driver on international jobs to show you the ropes, you won’t regret it. If you are tired of driving 18T trucks in the UK and want to explore the world, then why are you waiting? Apply Now!
specialdrivers.co.uk/Job/information/9
Nothing I can see in the job description about “face needs to fit”.
Nothing in that advert which says they are telling the truth either.Nor which matches the idea that anyone can just walk into International work.What it does say is that the bs ‘experience’ issue is there with a vengeance together with international work being seen as being reserved for an elite in the word ‘upgrade’.
Which translates as tired of driving 4 wheelers in the UK work for us driving 4 wheelers in the UK instead with the bs carrot that we’ll regularly be sending <10 t payloads across Europe and can make it pay.But you are definitely a low life class 3 ‘UK driver’,subject to all the usual implications of that class in terms of work,unless/until and even then only ‘if’ we say otherwise.Oh and you’ll just have to take our word for it that customers are willing to pay the costs of operating a 4 wheeler including two drivers v its limited payload,across Europe on a regular basis.Yeah right. 
truckyboy:
My first international job was gained by lying through my teeth…as many did in those days back in the 60s- 70s..when being asked the question as to what continental experience i had..my answer was France..Spain, Germany..all done by driving a car..( which i never told em about ) i let them believe what they wanted, and always got a job..if they asked who i had worked for, i gave them a name of a firm who had packed up..but thats how it was in those days..today they want checkable references, cvs, and all the other old [zb].I
Which is closer to the truth.So not exactly a structured career progression regime conducive to honest new inexperienced drivers.According to Harry there was obviously no need for that type of leap frogging because there was supposedly plenty of opportunities and firms willing to take on anyone by just walking into the yard saying gissajob.
Carryfast:
Oh and you’ll just have to take our word for it that customers are willing to pay the costs of operating a 4 wheeler including two drivers v its limited payload,across Europe on a regular basis.Yeah right.
Given that the company in question has been operating vehicles on this exact model for over 15 years, I think they would have found out by now whether it pays or not, don’t you?
Harry Monk:
Carryfast:
Oh and you’ll just have to take our word for it that customers are willing to pay the costs of operating a 4 wheeler including two drivers v its limited payload,across Europe on a regular basis.Yeah right.
Given that the company in question has been operating vehicles on this exact model for over 15 years, I think they would have found out by now whether it pays or not, don’t you?
I think somebody doesn’t understand the concept of special carrier; 
I’ve taken an 18tonner as far as Poland one drop and back empty, I know the same truck has been out to the Ukraine a couple of time recently, job doesn’t always require an artic. I’ve also seen plenty of rigids on jobs like event and exhibition jobs running round Europe.
I don’t think it matter what you say or I say or everybody else says. Carryfast is obviously convinced that every international haulier in the land had a mugshot of him in the traffic office next to the drivers’ window with the admonishment written in large letters- WARNING. Do not employ this driver. Face does not fit.
^^^^ if that wasn’t the case back then it certainly should be now! 
Harry Monk:
I don’t think it matter what you say or I say or everybody else says. Carryfast is obviously convinced that every international haulier in the land had a mugshot of him in the traffic office next to the drivers’ window with the admonishment written in large letters- WARNING. Do not employ this driver. Face does not fit.
Ssshhhh.
Don’t tell outsiders the truth about the “secret society of international truckers”! You’ll be spilling the beans about the funny handshake next.
its not a secret society…its a society with secrets… 
muckles:
I think somebody doesn’t understand the concept of special carrier;
Which is surprising as Carryfast does come across as being a bit “special”.
Harry Monk:
Carryfast:
Oh and you’ll just have to take our word for it that customers are willing to pay the costs of operating a 4 wheeler including two drivers v its limited payload,across Europe on a regular basis.Yeah right.
Given that the company in question has been operating vehicles on this exact model for over 15 years, I think they would have found out by now whether it pays or not, don’t you?
Filling class 3, ‘uk driver’ ( their description not mine ) vacancies on that ‘model’ isn’t the same thing as regularly sending 4 wheeler loads across Europe.More like trap for the naive.
muckles:
Harry Monk:
Carryfast:
Oh and you’ll just have to take our word for it that customers are willing to pay the costs of operating a 4 wheeler including two drivers v its limited payload,across Europe on a regular basis.Yeah right.
Given that the company in question has been operating vehicles on this exact model for over 15 years, I think they would have found out by now whether it pays or not, don’t you?
I think somebody doesn’t understand the concept of special carrier; I’ve taken an 18tonner as far as Poland one drop and back empty, I know the same truck has been out to the Ukraine a couple of time recently, job doesn’t always require an artic. I’ve also seen plenty of rigids on jobs like event and exhibition jobs running round Europe.
The clue was in the description ‘regular’ ( freight movements ).So we’ve got ‘regular’ class 3 UK work for our ‘uk drivers’ and if we’re ( you’re ) lucky some international.
But we do discriminate between elite ‘experienced’ ‘international drivers’,v low grade uk ones,when those jobs arise.Unless I’ve missed something.
Harry Monk:
I don’t think it matter what you say or I say or everybody else says. Carryfast is obviously convinced that every international haulier in the land had a mugshot of him in the traffic office next to the drivers’ window with the admonishment written in large letters- WARNING. Do not employ this driver. Face does not fit.
To be fair what I’ve said is a bit more complicated than that.
Carryfast:
muckles:
Carryfast:
Oh and you’ll just have to take our word for it that customers are willing to pay the costs of operating a 4 wheeler including two drivers v its limited payload,across Europe on a regular basis.Yeah right.
I think somebody doesn’t understand the concept of special carrier; I’ve taken an 18tonner as far as Poland one drop and back empty, I know the same truck has been out to the Ukraine a couple of time recently, job doesn’t always require an artic. I’ve also seen plenty of rigids on jobs like event and exhibition jobs running round Europe.
The clue was in the description ‘regular’ ( freight movements ).
That truck might have only done the Ukraine a couple of times, but it spent more time running round Europe than it did in the UK.
Specialist can still be regular work, but jobs that don’t require an artic, quite often the customer doesn’t want their goods to make up part of a full artic load, maybe the load is high value, fragile, commercially sensitive or they can’t get an artic to the delivery point and they don’t want it transhipped during the journey or it could be purpose built vehicle, such as exhibition trucks or catering trucks.
muckles:
Specialist can still be regular work, but jobs that don’t require an artic, quite often the customer doesn’t want their goods to make up part of a full artic load, maybe the load is high value, fragile, commercially sensitive or they can’t get an artic to the delivery point and they don’t want it transhipped during the journey or it could be purpose built vehicle, such as exhibition trucks or catering trucks.
In which case the advert would state Class 2 drivers required for international work.By definition nothing within that job description about ‘UK Drivers’ or ‘UK Drivers’ needing to ‘upgrade’ because it’s not a ‘UK’ driving job.IE you can’t work here unless you’re an ‘International Driver’ because International is mostly/all that we do and any UK work is only generally as part of an International freight movement.Yeah right.
When the truth is lots of UK work some International but the International work is all reserved for only the elite International chosen drivers as we see fit.Not low grade UK drivers.