Just looking at a job that involves drops at fruit markets various ones around the country during the early morning, whats the word on this type of job…
Please advise so I can decide to take it or not.
wagonlad:
Just looking at a job that involves drops at fruit markets various ones around the country during the early morning, whats the word on this type of job…Please advise so I can decide to take it or not.
“getting up very early” springs to mind 
if its just one market and the moneys alright take it usually tail lift drops a pallet of turnips to the slighter built might be a bit of a challenge but if you need a job bite it and see
or even starting before most have gone to bed? 11,midnight,1am etc,also helps if you like the stuff,ie: 5 a day 
DAILYFRESH,POST KOGEKO,That other one owned by (Franklins?)
I collect Strawberrys from North Scotland to be delivered at all the Markets next day. You have deadlines that cannot be missed :roll
Remember to use your straps or you will be picking your own fruit.! off the floor 
Oh, (and here we go again 
) you may be asked to pay to get in, or out. 
And dont forget you have to pay blackmail to get tipped 
And give them some diesel for the forklift (funny how fruit market forklifts seem to use five gallons of diesel to tip each lorry)
Used to work at Smithfield Market in Manchester.
The worst bit is the alcy’s coming in the cafe at 6am for a beer while your on last break.
10 years in the glasgow fruit market ,
and early starts , and bribary is the way forward lol
generaly a good tip , (the bribes help with that lol)
Did any of those answers help you, Wagon■■? No, I didn’t think so. If I could be really arsed, I could put a long reply telling you all about doing markets but I can’t be arsed as I don’t think you’re a market man if you have to ask on here about the work
Hi
Thanks to all for comments, As for TheBear I have been driving for 10 years on general supermarket and retail deliveries for a private haulage firm but fancy a change, hense looking at this new job. I have never heard any stories from fellow drivers about this type of job so am asking the question, if I have never been told Im sure I can ask without being told Im no good for the job ! Thanks for your effort… 
I think bear means you have to be a big tufty truck driver to survive in the markets and if you dont know what you need to know your not going to learn. 
sorry I still dont get it, if I have to be a big tufty truck driver to survive the markets then does he mean that asking the question on here that all on here are not up to it ?
Supermarkets and retail?? Jesus, that ain’t driving…
Markets are what you make of them … they can be the biggest pain in the ■■■ going or if you are prepared to use your head, a piece of cake. We do all the London ones plus markets all round the country. Some cost you to get into (should always be returned by the boss as is parking), ie Covent Garden is £4 as I remember … Western International is more ( I am sure its a tenner).
If you’re boss knows what he is doing, he will pay you back the money you sometimes have to ‘pass’ to a forkie. Some call it bribery, I call it common sense. If I get into Western at 10pm and go to a certain stand, I know I can pay that guy 50p a pallet and he will deliver the lot all round the market for me. Now if I am lucky and have a full load for that market, then it will cost me £13 BUT I am on my way out of the market within 45 minutes and on my way home. The alternative is to wait for all the standholders to come in to work, some of whom don’t come in till 2am. Then YOU are chasing round like a headless chicken trying to get them all off. By paying, you get an early night and the forkie is happy (NEVER upset a forkie in the markets).
I go to Cardiff market and pay a certain guy there a fiver a pallet to take my Swanseas off me and deliver them for me. The boss pays cos it is a darn sight cheaper than running a artic from Cardiff to Swansea for 2 or 3 pallets. Then I am on my way… once again, everybody happy.
It is not night work… tis a late start. Most markets open by 10 so it depends on where you are based and where you’re delivering to as to what time you start. I can’t see where you’re based but a good bet says Lincs somewhere. If you want to know more about a particular firm, pm me before tonight is out and I will answer you properly.
It can be damned hard work especially if you are using a fridge as obviously every pallet has to be pumped out. A ragsider makes it a piece of ■■■■. I always thought it was a great job in the summer but crap in the winter lol. Let me know who you are considering pulling for and more details and if I can help, I will.
Sorry for the earlier reply but I sometimes get the ■■■ over daft things.
Take no notice of the people that say ‘you shouldn’t have to pay the forkie to get tipped’. Those guys have never done markets properly
TheBear:
I go to Cardiff market and pay a certain guy there a fiver a pallet to take my Swanseas off me and deliver them for me. The boss pays cos it is a darn sight cheaper than running a artic from Cardiff to Swansea for 2 or 3 pallets.
That explains why i see an FLT on the M4 then
You must have a bloody long wait if he takes the pallets one at a time all the way to swansea lets see im guessing that a diesel FLT flat out will do maybe 15 mph its about 45 miles to swansea from cockneytaff land so thats a six hour round trip per pallet so thats a 12 hr wait for you and an 18 hr shift for him to tip one wagon and he expects £15 for this … Bloody cheek
Of course if he stacks all three pallets and goes backwards its only five mins tip for you and a 6 hr tip for him
Reef:
TheBear:
I go to Cardiff market and pay a certain guy there a fiver a pallet to take my Swanseas off me and deliver them for me. The boss pays cos it is a darn sight cheaper than running a artic from Cardiff to Swansea for 2 or 3 pallets.That explains why i see an FLT on the M4 then
You must have a bloody long wait if he takes the pallets one at a time all the way to swansea lets see im guessing that a diesel FLT flat out will do maybe 15 mph its about 45 miles to swansea from cockneytaff land so thats a six hour round trip per pallet so thats a 12 hr wait for you and an 18 hr shift for him to tip one wagon and he expects £15 for this … Bloody cheekOf course if he stacks all three pallets and goes backwards its only five mins tip for you and a 6 hr tip for him
Sarky git … one of the Fruitex guys takes them down… makes everyones life easier. He doesn;t have to wait behind 2 or 3 trucks waiting to be tipped and as they use ragsiders, it is a piece of cake for them.
Do yourself a favour Wagonlad and stay where you are, its a crap job markets, and you have to be a bit dim to do it.
The Bear has given you the lowdown on market work. You love it or hate it . And that’s that!