Or whatever the last day of your shifts is. Do you get home on your 5th day after 4 nights out?
In my company I get home on a Friday probably about 60-70% of the time, however about 95% of the time I don’t know until late Thursday or even Friday morning if I’m going to get back or not. So I can’t make plans with family or friends for the weekend right until the last minute.
Is this normal across the industry? Or do a lot of you know when you are or you aren’t going to get home? I’ve only been doing it 3 years and all that time with one company so I know no different.
Where’s Dozy when you need him ■■ 
he never makes it home …
Do 4 on 4 off, then you know what days you’ll defo be home… 
Rowley010:
Or whatever the last day of your shifts is. Do you get home on your 5th day after 4 nights out?
In my company I get home on a Friday probably about 60-70% of the time, however about 95% of the time I don’t know until late Thursday or even Friday morning if I’m going to get back or not. So I can’t make plans with family or friends for the weekend right until the last minute.
Is this normal across the industry? Or do a lot of you know when you are or you aren’t going to get home? I’ve only been doing it 3 years and all that time with one company so I know no different.
Of course it’s normal, it’s the nature of the job.
Tramping is like an unknown quantity, you can make plans but unforseens come up which just make those plans impossible…that is why it aint for everybody.
So if you want to make plans for home life and family go on days. 
90% of the time, we get home after 4 nights away. If it looks like we are going to be out for a 5th night, they usually let us run home empty to make it back. Sometimes it is unavoidable and reluctantly accept the 10% when we cannot get back but moan like hell about it.
robroy:
Rowley010:
Or whatever the last day of your shifts is. Do you get home on your 5th day after 4 nights out?
In my company I get home on a Friday probably about 60-70% of the time, however about 95% of the time I don’t know until late Thursday or even Friday morning if I’m going to get back or not. So I can’t make plans with family or friends for the weekend right until the last minute.
Is this normal across the industry? Or do a lot of you know when you are or you aren’t going to get home? I’ve only been doing it 3 years and all that time with one company so I know no different.
Of course it’s normal, it’s the nature of the job.
Tramping is like an unknown quantity, you can make plans but unforseens come up which just make those plans impossible…that is why it aint for everybody.
So if you want to make plans for home life and family go on days.
I think not getting home “60/70%” of the time is a bit more than unforeseen mate. Sounds like his company is taking the ■■■■ a bit by planning too much, and if the OP doesn’t kick off a bit it’ll continue.
toonsy:
robroy:
Rowley010:
Or whatever the last day of your shifts is. Do you get home on your 5th day after 4 nights out?
In my company I get home on a Friday probably about 60-70% of the time, however about 95% of the time I don’t know until late Thursday or even Friday morning if I’m going to get back or not. So I can’t make plans with family or friends for the weekend right until the last minute.
Is this normal across the industry? Or do a lot of you know when you are or you aren’t going to get home? I’ve only been doing it 3 years and all that time with one company so I know no different.
Of course it’s normal, it’s the nature of the job.
Tramping is like an unknown quantity, you can make plans but unforseens come up which just make those plans impossible…that is why it aint for everybody.
So if you want to make plans for home life and family go on days.
I think not getting home “60/70%” of the time is a bit more than unforeseen mate. Sounds like his company is taking the ■■■■ a bit by planning too much, and if the OP doesn’t kick off a bit it’ll continue.
No I DO get home 60/70% of the time but I spend the whole week not knowing that until the last minute which I might as well be out Friday night because it’s not like I could have made plans. Is that normal?
Rowley010:
toonsy:
robroy:
Rowley010:
Or whatever the last day of your shifts is. Do you get home on your 5th day after 4 nights out?
In my company I get home on a Friday probably about 60-70% of the time, however about 95% of the time I don’t know until late Thursday or even Friday morning if I’m going to get back or not. So I can’t make plans with family or friends for the weekend right until the last minute.
Is this normal across the industry? Or do a lot of you know when you are or you aren’t going to get home? I’ve only been doing it 3 years and all that time with one company so I know no different.
Of course it’s normal, it’s the nature of the job.
Tramping is like an unknown quantity, you can make plans but unforseens come up which just make those plans impossible…that is why it aint for everybody.
So if you want to make plans for home life and family go on days.
I think not getting home “60/70%” of the time is a bit more than unforeseen mate. Sounds like his company is taking the ■■■■ a bit by planning too much, and if the OP doesn’t kick off a bit it’ll continue.
No I DO get home 60/70% of the time but I spend the whole week not knowing that until the last minute which I might as well be out Friday night because it’s not like I could have made plans. Is that normal?
Ah right I got it now.
Unfortunately yes. Last Thursday I got home with three minutes to spare. It was then I knew I’d be home lol
Thinking of a move, but if it is normal there’s not a whole lot of point
toonsy:
robroy:
Rowley010:
Or whatever the last day of your shifts is. Do you get home on your 5th day after 4 nights out?
In my company I get home on a Friday probably about 60-70% of the time, however about 95% of the time I don’t know until late Thursday or even Friday morning if I’m going to get back or not. So I can’t make plans with family or friends for the weekend right until the last minute.
Is this normal across the industry? Or do a lot of you know when you are or you aren’t going to get home? I’ve only been doing it 3 years and all that time with one company so I know no different.
Of course it’s normal, it’s the nature of the job.
Tramping is like an unknown quantity, you can make plans but unforseens come up which just make those plans impossible…that is why it aint for everybody.
So if you want to make plans for home life and family go on days.
I think not getting home “60/70%” of the time is a bit more than unforeseen mate. Sounds like his company is taking the ■■■■ a bit by planning too much, and if the OP doesn’t kick off a bit it’ll continue.
I don’t know mate, can’t comment, I don’t know who he works for or type of work he does. I’ve had different jobs over the years which depends on just that as to how many nights out I’ve had…and I don’t stand for ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ me.
I do see your point, but as for me I’ve always just seen it as part of the job.
However now I never have 5 a week, again because of particular job that I now do, and through my own choice.
General haulage on curtainsiders robroy. Perhaps other types of work different for knowing if your getting back? Or not?
Normally with STEF, if you need to be at home for whatever, even mid-week, they will accommodate your requests into the work schedule, but there will be times when unforeseen things happen and you may not get home at the time you thought you would, good example being, delayed loading in the UK, traffic problems then miss the ferry home. Part of the job as a tramper I suppose and it doesn’t bother me, extra day out, more money in the ■■■■■ 
My work days are Mon-Sun. My hours could be anywhere in a 24hr. I sometimes get told what im up to a week before but then that can change every 5mins depending on other work that might come in.
I always carry Euro’s just in case as you might think you have a day off in Leeds but then a phone call might say make your way to Holyhead and collect a trailer from Ireland
Last Friday I didn’t even get on the ferry at Rosslare till 8:45pm. I rarely plan anything more then what football games I might catch at the pub with my mates.
That’s how it works in events/exhibition/medical.
Rowley010:
General haulage on curtainsiders robroy. Perhaps other types of work different for knowing if your getting back? Or not?
Have you tried telling them that you need to be home more often?
They are maybe just unaware that you prefer to be back on a Friday whenever possible, and if they were informed otherwise, and providing they are a decent firm, they will maybe plan accordinglly if they value you.
I done something similar with my firm, and told them that I was going to move if things could not change in terms of max hours etc,…but I was careful not to put it across as an ultimatum.
robroy:
Rowley010:
General haulage on curtainsiders robroy. Perhaps other types of work different for knowing if your getting back? Or not?
Have you tried telling them that you need to be home more often?
They are maybe just unaware that you prefer to be back on a Friday whenever possible, and if they were informed otherwise, and providing they are a decent firm, they will maybe plan accordinglly if they value you.
I done something similar with my firm, and told them that I was going to move if things could not change in terms of max hours etc,…but I was careful not to put it across as an ultimatum.
Oh yes they know for sure that I prefer to get home Friday just like some drivers are always asking for 5 nights out. It’s not even the being back more than I’m massively bothered about, although I’d quite happily be back every single Friday if I could. It’s more the not knowing all week that gets to me. They get me back 60/70% of the time but don’t want to guarantee to me basically. But if it’s not a guarantee then it’s as good as Just staying out because with guarantees you can’t make plans.
Back to my original question…if this is the norm then I’ll ■■■■ it up and crack on, it’s not worth a move. But if everyone was now telling me oh yeah actually I’m always finished on my last shift and at a reasonable time then I’d look at moving.
In the last 12 months, I’ve got stranded on my last day 4 times.
1 puncture and 1 mechanical fault that couldn’t be fixed quick enough to let me get home, 1 mega traffic jam and 1 dose of bad luck at a collection.
Not a bad record for general haulage
I don’t hear much grumbling about getting stranded from other trampers on the firm either.
mrginge:
My work days are Mon-Sun. My hours could be anywhere in a 24hr. I sometimes get told what im up to a week before but then that can change every 5mins depending on other work that might come in.
Much like Mr Gringe. Some weeks the drivers are home every night, some times they can be out for 10-12 days, but usual is probably around 3-4 nights out on a trip. Some trips are planned ten days in advance, some the day before, though those are usually just a single night out.
Usually no more than 2-3 drops a week if you are on Euro.
If there is something particular planned, then we try to work round it.
Rowley010:
robroy:
Rowley010:
General haulage on curtainsiders robroy. Perhaps other types of work different for knowing if your getting back? Or not?
Have you tried telling them that you need to be home more often?
They are maybe just unaware that you prefer to be back on a Friday whenever possible, and if they were informed otherwise, and providing they are a decent firm, they will maybe plan accordinglly if they value you.
I done something similar with my firm, and told them that I was going to move if things could not change in terms of max hours etc,…but I was careful not to put it across as an ultimatum.
Oh yes they know for sure that I prefer to get home Friday just like some drivers are always asking for 5 nights out. It’s not even the being back more than I’m massively bothered about, although I’d quite happily be back every single Friday if I could. It’s more the not knowing all week that gets to me. They get me back 60/70% of the time but don’t want to guarantee to me basically. But if it’s not a guarantee then it’s as good as Just staying out because with guarantees you can’t make plans.
Back to my original question…if this is the norm then I’ll ■■■■ it up and crack on, it’s not worth a move. But if everyone was now telling me oh yeah actually I’m always finished on my last shift and at a reasonable time then I’d look at moving.
You can only get a gurantee if they know what is happening days in advance, and in general that isn’t going to happen. Things change too much.
albion:
Rowley010:
robroy:
Rowley010:
General haulage on curtainsiders robroy. Perhaps other types of work different for knowing if your getting back? Or not?
Have you tried telling them that you need to be home more often?
They are maybe just unaware that you prefer to be back on a Friday whenever possible, and if they were informed otherwise, and providing they are a decent firm, they will maybe plan accordinglly if they value you.
I done something similar with my firm, and told them that I was going to move if things could not change in terms of max hours etc,…but I was careful not to put it across as an ultimatum.
Oh yes they know for sure that I prefer to get home Friday just like some drivers are always asking for 5 nights out. It’s not even the being back more than I’m massively bothered about, although I’d quite happily be back every single Friday if I could. It’s more the not knowing all week that gets to me. They get me back 60/70% of the time but don’t want to guarantee to me basically. But if it’s not a guarantee then it’s as good as Just staying out because with guarantees you can’t make plans.
Back to my original question…if this is the norm then I’ll ■■■■ it up and crack on, it’s not worth a move. But if everyone was now telling me oh yeah actually I’m always finished on my last shift and at a reasonable time then I’d look at moving.
You can only get a gurantee if they know what is happening days in advance, and in general that isn’t going to happen. Things change too much.
So is there any kind of haulage where they do know more in advance that it could be worth looking at a move to?
Well there is the four on four off that someone mentioned or days. You’ve seen my explanation, so you can see that most of the time they know in advance, but there are no guarantees.
General , it’s often really difficult.