Is it really all it’s cracked up to be?
It’s something I’ve always fancied, but I have to wonder is it as good as it seems? Are there any major pitfalls? Or am I better off avoiding it?
Many thanks all!
Short answer…no.
Reasons, I can only speak of my own experiences and that was a long time ago now. I did about 5 years before tracking and mobile phones became the norm and about another ten years after that. You had more freedom to move around, no illegal immigrant problems at Calais, better exchange rates with Pesetas, Francs, Escudos etc. I also felt a great deal more respect for the other drivers driving on t’ continent. Most would help you change a wheel or just pitch in to get the job done. My firm knew how long it took to get around and as long you didn’t take the wee, they’d pretty much leave you alone to get on with it. Just one call or telex to sort your re-load out. I travelled all over Europe and got paid for it, tried different foods and sometimes paid for that two hours later by running across the truck park to the bog. I used to smoke then, baccy was cheaper, everywhere you went was full of smokers. 200 Marlboro got you to the front of many a long queue. I made good money, more than I’m making now. Having no wife and kids I could stay out as long as they wanted turnarounds. Everywhere I filled up with diesel, I got offered free coffee or a can of pop.
Now, it appears much more pressured to deadlines. The tunnel is a miserable experience whereas before, they used to serve hot meals to drivers airline style. Drivers are going through hell at every Calais crossing. Digital tacho’s are not as forgiving as analogues are. I’d do it again but I’d be looking to earn a helluva lot more than I do. Also, I have no sea legs, not sure I could do another winter crossing to Bilbao…EVER! Christ that thing rocks and rolls!
I’m sure the guys who are doing it now will have a completely different opinion.
Thanks for that mate. Definitely worth taking on board!
Used to drive vans and puddle jumpers in the 80s to France and Germany, nowhere exotic. As yourhavingalarf says, generally it was different back then. Europe’s got smaller and yes, less respect around, but I think there was more pride in the job and that meant you got respect. Now, I do think our East EU friends don’t often have the qualities that the UK, German, Dutch drivers brought to the job.
Now I drive a desk, so can’t talk from personal experience, but the lads that are on for me seem to like it. Sweden and Austria are popular. We are a bit old school, can’t be doing with managers that haven’t done the job themselves, if I see a truck running late then the first words, isceverythong OK rather than why aren’t you there yet. Decent expenses, roads are usually better, very very rarely backload; like I say they stay - if they didn’t like it, they’d be off doing a four on, four off for DHL instead.
And a thought, Calais is a lot better since they finished the fortifications - no other word for it! - and we haven’t had much trouble since last year. When it’s running right, it’s a good service.
Cheers guys! Sounds like there’s a lot of pros and cons from what I can see. Anybody know of companies that might be worth a chat with around the south west to further my investigations and potentially give it a go.
Thanks
Chunkzilla:
Cheers guys! Sounds like there’s a lot of pros and cons from what I can see. Anybody know of companies that might be worth a chat with around the south west to further my investigations and potentially give it a go.Thanks
Try S & K you’re not far away.
bald bloke:
Chunkzilla:
Cheers guys! Sounds like there’s a lot of pros and cons from what I can see. Anybody know of companies that might be worth a chat with around the south west to further my investigations and potentially give it a go.Thanks
Try S & K you’re not far away.
I did see they’re advertising actually. They any good to work for?
Chunkzilla:
bald bloke:
Chunkzilla:
Cheers guys! Sounds like there’s a lot of pros and cons from what I can see. Anybody know of companies that might be worth a chat with around the south west to further my investigations and potentially give it a go.Thanks
Try S & K you’re not far away.
I did see they’re advertising actually. They any good to work for?
Do a search on here. They get a lot of slagging but seem to take newbies on and don’t push you too hard and they might even let you take the truck home .
bald bloke:
Chunkzilla:
Cheers guys! Sounds like there’s a lot of pros and cons from what I can see. Anybody know of companies that might be worth a chat with around the south west to further my investigations and potentially give it a go.Thanks
Try S & K you’re not far away.
Assuming they still operate the same procedure nowadays as they did when I started on for them (albeit for only one day in my case), you’ll most likely start off on local work with them until they think you’re ready to go over the water, and then you’ll follow another driver to one of their regular drops in Belgium (Dow Corning contract if they still have it), then once you’ve got a bit of experience and confidence doing that work they’ll then look at sending you further afield if that’s what you want so you’re not thrown in at the deep end on your own, if that’s all still the case then S&K would probably suit you better than anything else
Reef:
bald bloke:
Chunkzilla:
Cheers guys! Sounds like there’s a lot of pros and cons from what I can see. Anybody know of companies that might be worth a chat with around the south west to further my investigations and potentially give it a go.Thanks
Try S & K you’re not far away.
Assuming they still operate the same procedure nowadays as they did when I started on for them (albeit for only one day in my case), you’ll most likely start off on local work with them until they think you’re ready to go over the water, and then you’ll follow another driver to one of their regular drops in Belgium (Dow Corning contract if they still have it), then once you’ve got a bit of experience and confidence doing that work they’ll then look at sending you further afield if that’s what you want so you’re not thrown in at the deep end on your own, if that’s all still the case then S&K would probably suit you better than anything else
Got to admit that sounds spot on, I was thinking that starting with a company doing domestic work and a bit of euro would work best, rather than running before I can walk.
Cheers mate
Chunkzilla:
Reef:
bald bloke:
Chunkzilla:
Cheers guys! Sounds like there’s a lot of pros and cons from what I can see. Anybody know of companies that might be worth a chat with around the south west to further my investigations and potentially give it a go.Thanks
Try S & K you’re not far away.
Assuming they still operate the same procedure nowadays as they did when I started on for them (albeit for only one day in my case), you’ll most likely start off on local work with them until they think you’re ready to go over the water, and then you’ll follow another driver to one of their regular drops in Belgium (Dow Corning contract if they still have it), then once you’ve got a bit of experience and confidence doing that work they’ll then look at sending you further afield if that’s what you want so you’re not thrown in at the deep end on your own, if that’s all still the case then S&K would probably suit you better than anything else
Got to admit that sounds spot on, I was thinking that starting with a company doing domestic work and a bit of euro would work best, rather than running before I can walk.
Cheers mate
There you go then job sorted let us know how your first week went.
Give them a ring is your best bet, can’t beat the horses mouth as I say to my missus, though going by the way she belted me I think she misheard me… anyway…
My info could be hugely outdated seeing as it was 2008 my experience was from, they even have standy uppy sleeper cabs now 
After starting European work nearly a year ago the only thing I can say is do it. If you do and decide you don’t like it atleast you can say you tried. Personally I love it and now hate coming back to the uk. I like that you get treated with respect over there, decent facilities and better parking.
Rob_efc:
After starting European work nearly a year ago the only thing I can say is do it. If you do and decide you don’t like it atleast you can say you tried. Personally I love it and now hate coming back to the uk. I like that you get treated with respect over there, decent facilities and better parking.
Cheers mate, glad to get the input of somebody who’s not been at it long
Chunkzilla:
Rob_efc:
After starting European work nearly a year ago the only thing I can say is do it. If you do and decide you don’t like it atleast you can say you tried. Personally I love it and now hate coming back to the uk. I like that you get treated with respect over there, decent facilities and better parking.Cheers mate, glad to get the input of somebody who’s not been at it long
No problem mate. Best bit of advice I can give if you give it a go is to ask he lads your working with how best to do the job. You don’t want to go in all guns blazing trying to impress the bosses and do it differently to the way it’s done already. You’ll end up ■■■■■■■ them off and they may not help you when you really need it. Most drivers I’ve spoken to have been really helpful but it’s hard to tell now if a uk truck has a uk driver. Anything else I can help you with just ask mate.
I think if you did it back in the heyday of UK truckers going over the water, then doing Europe now won’t ever seem as good.
But if you’ve only done UK work, driving in Europe might be a lot more attractive. I don’t do General haulage, but do drive round Europe,
the roads generally are much better, but you still get traffic jams and bad driving, the services are generally much better but do get full of East Europeans. But if I get a chance I prefer to use Autohofs or Routiers or other facilities dedicated to truck drivers and some of them are great, helps to try and speak a bit of the language, a little effort seems to be appreciated and the more you try the more you learn. As Albion says says Calais does seem a lot better on a good day, but still has its bad days.
Personally if I were you I’d try and give it a go, might not work out, but at least you won’t keep wondering if it’s any good.
Search you tube for Peter Owens, he’s done some excellent videos on Euro work, it will give you a good idea about what it is like
Big Roy:
Search you tube for Peter Owens, he’s done some excellent videos on Euro work, it will give you a good idea about what it is like
I’ve had a lazy afternoon and watched some they’re pretty good actually, not bad for a Northerner!! 