Can anybody recommend any firms that do europe around the Northampton area? Or where I can be based out of Northampton?
Can anybody give me some pros and cons of european work and provide me into a little insight? Both positive and negative mind, not just just all negative.
Do you really have to run bent all the time? I heard that the majority of european driving means you have to fiddle the tacho all the time. I hope that is a myth.
Thanks in advance.
Living in northampton you probably know better than me who`s around your area, two long established european firms are e.m rogers and knights of old.
I far prefer euro work to uk but its simply a matter of choice.
The days of running hooky all over europe are gone
Yes I’ve got to agree with JB.
I cant comment on firms or pay,as I’ve worked for French firms for the last 18 years. But you’re normally treated better on the continent.
I believe the fine for foreign drivers is 900euros(ON THE SPOT)per offence.
Bank holidays are on the day,not moved to Monday as the UK.So check for them before you leave & try to park where something is open.
Dont be afraid to ask old hands questions,they did a first trip once.Even the guy who followed me home & told me the ferry was 1K the other way.My girlfriend at the time couldn’t stop laughing .
Thank you for your replies, although I am suprised at the money side of things. I currently earn £103.50 per night for a night trunk. A shift typically lasts 10 hours. Would I be expecting less than my current £517.50 per week on euro work?
Dave you say you’ve worked for French firms for 18 years, how do you find the set up over here? You obviously like it, do they treat you well or do they always ship you over to UK work? I’m looking to get a start early next year so am checking a few companies out now in my local area, St Omer,Boulogne.
mam are based your way orange fleet (thou not seen any about latey ) used to see um a lot near paris
you will probley earn the same but will do a few more hours for it nights out weekended somtimes S&K will give you a start they dont mind where you live as long as you dont wanna be home more than once a month
Internationl work is fine i dont think id like to do full time uk work even thou it does pay more and you spend less
but i like the thrill of finding a place in italy from only half an address 
it keeps you fit in and out the cab asking for directions 
if you do it dont be affraid to ask i still do!!! but then im a bit thick or i wouldnt be a lorry driver
Hi Lulu,I’ve been pretty well treated over the years.A bit of a glitch when one firm(Translittoral)was taken over by Norbert.They reckoned Caen-Portsmouth was too expensive & shipped me thro’ anywhere else for two months.It stopped when I blew my top at having to ship friday afternoon to Le Havre.He got to learn what F### C### & B###### realy meant.He was found crying in te toilets & I was told to speak only French from then on.
I wouldn’t worry about just your local area as a lot of firms let you park the truck at home,at Tours we had drivers from Boulogne.If you dont want to do the UK try someone running Belgium or Holland.
Lulu I’ve just had a look at job offers in your region,Nord/Pas de Calais, & there are 83 jobs with CDI.The others I wouldnt touch with a bargepole.
Google anpe.fr & follow the links.
ezydriver:
Thank you for your replies, although I am suprised at the money side of things. I currently earn £103.50 per night for a night trunk. A shift typically lasts 10 hours. Would I be expecting less than my current £517.50 per week on euro work?
I used to hear loads of people who did European work brag about being on all sorts of top money but none of them go abroad anymore because companies simply cannot pay a driver £600-700 per week when they are competing in the same market as the Poles and such like. You may get £517 a week, I’m sure some companies do pay that but you will be doing more than 10 hours a day the vast majority of the time, you get good and bad days, just like in anything but as I’ve said before, the people who go abroad and keep going, 99% of the time are doing it for the way of life, and not the money. All you can do is give it a go, if you don’t like it you can go back to doing UK work and you’ll atleast have given it a go, or, you may love it and just regret you didn’t do it earlier. The only problem is getting a job in the first place because there are now far too many continental drivers chasing far too few jobs as more and more British firms pull out of Europe but that again will vary greatly from location to location. As for running bent, it is a big no no but a lot still do but the consequences are incredibly high, even most Poles seem to run 100% legal now, or thats the impression I get atleast. If you don’t get any luck with a local or a British company, I’d definetely give a Dutch/Belgian company a go. All I can say is give it a go, you’ve got nothing to lose and other than that, good luck!
eldor:
I used to hear loads of people who did European work brag about being on all sorts of top money but none of them go abroad anymore because companies simply cannot pay a driver £600-700 per week when they are competing in the same market as the Poles and such like. You may get £517 a week, I’m sure some companies do pay that but you will be doing more than 10 hours a day the vast majority of the time, you get good and bad days, just like in anything but as I’ve said before, the people who go abroad and keep going, 99% of the time are doing it for the way of life, and not the money. All you can do is give it a go, if you don’t like it you can go back to doing UK work and you’ll atleast have given it a go, or, you may love it and just regret you didn’t do it earlier. The only problem is getting a job in the first place because there are now far too many continental drivers chasing far too few jobs as more and more British firms pull out of Europe but that again will vary greatly from location to location. As for running bent, it is a big no no but a lot still do but the consequences are incredibly high, even most Poles seem to run 100% legal now, or thats the impression I get atleast. If you don’t get any luck with a local or a British company, I’d definetely give a Dutch/Belgian company a go. All I can say is give it a go, you’ve got nothing to lose and other than that, good luck!
What he said.
Thank you all for your replies.
Would it be possible to work for a Dutch firm but be based in Northampton? How does it work working for a Dutch or French firm? Would I be home every weekend?
Has anybody heard of Wolter Koops? If so, what are they like to work for?
No running bent 
try telling that to the Dutch fridge boys that I work with.Do’nt think any of them know the meaning of 15 hr days and the firms expect the same of you 
ezydriver
I think the problem you might come up against working for a French firm is FIMO and FCOS
ezydriver:
Thank you all for your replies.
Would it be possible to work for a Dutch firm but be based in Northampton? How does it work working for a Dutch or French firm? Would I be home every weekend?Has anybody heard of Wolter Koops? If so, what are they like to work for?
With regards to Wolter Koops there based in Zeewolde in Holland but have places in Germany and Poland. They do alot of work over here in fact they were advertising for drivers to work out of Immingham docks not so long ago. they have alot of unaccompained trailers come across on the boat so it would be picking them up then delivering all over to places like Aldi’s and Lidl’s where i see them alot. With regards to what there like to work for and whether you would get across the water with them i havent got a clue. Ive tried emailing them on a number of occasions about there set up in Immingham but never had a reply. There website is www.wolterkoops.nl if you want to check them out. Nice bits of kit though.
Thanks for that DaveL i’m having bit of a scan on site now, it’s strange but when you read people say “when its in your blood it stays with you”, it’s true i been of work for over a year now with an injury, but i’m itching to get back to driving a truck and get some fitness back, i’ll let you know how it goes.
Sorry Ezydriver, just realised i crashed your question, i was looking for DaveL quote so i could ask him something. Not used to the site protocol yet.
lulu123:
Sorry Ezydriver, just realised i crashed your question, i was looking for DaveL quote so i could ask him something. Not used to the site protocol yet.
No worries mate.
ezydriver.
Was out shopping earlier & bumped into an old mate who tells me Denby from Lincoln are looking for french drivers here in Normandy.Why dont you try them? It’s about 100 miles from you but you’d only do it once a week.At least it would start you off.
malcolmj:
mam are based your way orange fleet (thou not seen any about latey ) used to see um a lot near paris
I still see MAM on the train, don,t they do TNT into Paris Nord. There is also Mckellar / Chevaston Haulage just moved to Old.
Where are those Belkin trucks based. seems like an easy life 
DaveL:
ezydriver.
Was out shopping earlier & bumped into an old mate who tells me Denby from Lincoln are looking for french drivers here in Normandy.Why dont you try them? It’s about 100 miles from you but you’d only do it once a week.At least it would start you off.
Hello mate. Is that working out of Normandy or travelling from Lincoln to Normandy? I live near Denbys and nearly went to them. Might give em a buzz if its working from Lincoln.