Seeing accountant in new year to see what options I have available. Inadvertently got put on umbrella crap at one agency so trying to get off it ASAP. At least not returned paperwork yet so should be easy.
Then the chat about being ltd and invoicing be interesting if agency accept that !
Forgive me if this sounds pessimistic or is wrong , but if you want to use a sprinter and trailer you will be in tacho territory as the weight of a vehicle on a trailer is to much not to be surely. And there are a lot of companies that specialise in that end of the market with deep pockets and the ability to stand long payment terms and find extra vehicles and drivers at the drop of a hat
Please please do lots of homework and due diligence as making the numbers add up on a new business is hard, especially if you have to take a set wage , banks are not what they were in the good old days.
Do not jump in foolishly.
Appreciate all the posts as yet, yes the firm I work for take on new drivers and do apprentiships and out you through your licenses,
3 wheeler
Thanks,I agree, this is why I’m onaboutgoing alone, not working throughanyone else, my van, my trailor, purely through obline bidding sites, the tacos are fine if I do it alone, what I mean by my original post is on my mon-fri I already max my hours out, so I can’t legally do any ‘other work’ (be it me self employed in a van towing, or behind a bar!) I want to know the ins and outs, as I can’t take the plunge and pay out for a van, insurances, tailor etc etc until I leave my job, as any other work I do outside my main job needs declairing
Thanks again
Nurburg 340
Yes there are always jobs going, as said it’s an excellent employer.
Pm me and I’ll let you know who it is, based in Kent. Still need to work out how to read pm’s mind!!!
Gwinness:
Nurburg 340Yes there are always jobs going, as said it’s an excellent employer.
Pm me and I’ll let you know who it is, based in Kent. Still need to work out how to read pm’s mind!!!
Where abouts in Kent? I’m in East Sussex so I’d have to see if it’s worth the trip… I have quite a thirsty car so some farish jobs end up with having to spend about £100 a week on fuel.
Sorry my last post didnt send, I’ve got through plenty of thirsty cars myself, my last a v8 defender, I would suggest work closer to home there is work absolutely everywhere now and yes it’s a great firm I work for pay is average and personally I wouldn’t travel, I travel 30 miles each way, any more and I would move on, reason I’ve brought myself a cheap little 65+ mpg new clio, I want to know more about people the have gone about their own, insurance, van, trailor, overseas complications, etc etc
I’m sure I’ll be corrected… But tesco probably a good bet for new drivers or class 2, pay by the hour which is what I’d want to, and do take new drivers, not sure what you have down there tho…
Gwinness:
I’m sure I’ll be corrected… But tesco probably a good bet for new drivers or class 2, pay by the hour which is what I’d want to, and do take new drivers, not sure what you have down there tho…
We don’t have lot down my way, hence why I’m currently driving an hour each way to work and back just for multi drop stuff.
Message me then mate, there are a few international firms in Dover but suppose you would need class 1, gritting would be a good number class 2, and don’t think you come under WTD??.. Shame we don’t get any show down here!
Ollie
Online bidding sites?
Yeah sites people post deliveries, and mugs like us play who can loose the most money competition and bid the smallest amount to accept the job
I think someone has spent too much time watching episodes of “Shipping Wars”. 
When I look at the rates being paid on those online load bidding sites I sometimes wonder why they bother because some of them barely cover the fuel for a backload.
Remember that the cost per mile is more than just what it costs you for fuel. My car eats through tyres at 1.5p per mile, servicing is the same again. 30MPG for a Transit size van is 18p per mile so you’re already at 21p per mile one way. If you’re running empty back then it means your loaded mile cost is 42p per mile. You’ve then got fixed costs which are your insurance, MOT, tax. If they add up to around £3000 a year that’s £8.20 a day. If you do just a run which is 100 loaded miles in a day returning empty your costs per mile are going to be 50p per mile. The less loaded miles you do a day, the higher the cost per mile ends up being. If you do no work the following day your fixed cost per mile for the next job is effectively double. So if you did no work on Monday then 100 loaded miles on Tuesday you need to be earning over 59p per loaded mile just to break even over the two days and that isn’t giving you a single penny for wages nor taking into account vehicle depreciation which itself could add another 5p or more per mile. Realistically you’re looking at needing to get paid 90p per loaded mile if you end up running back empty just to earn the national minimum wage and thats only if you have no breakdowns or blowouts.
Now taking that into account does that 70/80p per mile you may see for some rates if you’re lucky look like its going to give you an income enough to pay the bills based on maybe doing 15 days work a month?
The jobs that pay the money on those sites already get taken by the big boys. The jobs you see are the scraps they leave because they know its not worth doing it themselves because the numbers don’t add up.
nurburg340:
Rhythm Thief:
You don’t have to own your own vehicle to set up as a self employed driver. Why not look into becoming a freelance driver? Set yourself up as a limited company, tout your card around local firms offering to work for them direct on a self employed basis (as opposed to through an agency) and it won’t take you long to build up a client base if you get a good reputation.Does this apply to class 2 aswell?
I don’t see why not, although obviosly your options will be more limited than if you’re an artic driver. If you have the gumption to set yourself up as a freelance driver and make a go of it, you’ll either get your class one or find that not having it doesn’t put you off.
Gwinness:
Message me then mate, there are a few international firms in Dover but suppose you would need class 1, gritting would be a good number class 2, and don’t think you come under WTD??.. Shame we don’t get any show down here!Ollie
PM Sent…
Conor:
When I look at the rates being paid on those online load bidding sites I sometimes wonder why they bother because some of them barely cover the fuel for a backload.Remember that the cost per mile is more than just what it costs you for fuel. My car eats through tyres at 1.5p per mile, servicing is the same again. 30MPG for a Transit size van is 18p per mile so you’re already at 21p per mile one way. If you’re running empty back then it means your loaded mile cost is 42p per mile. You’ve then got fixed costs which are your insurance, MOT, tax. If they add up to around £3000 a year that’s £8.20 a day. If you do just a run which is 100 loaded miles in a day returning empty your costs per mile are going to be 50p per mile. The less loaded miles you do a day, the higher the cost per mile ends up being. If you do no work the following day your fixed cost per mile for the next job is effectively double. So if you did no work on Monday then 100 loaded miles on Tuesday you need to be earning over 59p per loaded mile just to break even over the two days and that isn’t giving you a single penny for wages nor taking into account vehicle depreciation which itself could add another 5p or more per mile.
Now taking that into account does that 70/80p per mile you may see for some rates if you’re lucky look like its going to give you an income enough to pay the bills based on maybe doing 15 days work a month?
I did a two man job with a guy about 2 years ago running down to Fareham and he was an owner/driver. He said he was working for 85p per mile and at the time I wondered how the (zb) does that pay to keep a wagon on the road,never mind make a living. Ill trust your maths so god knows how your meant to make a living as an owner operator. Its things like this that have long since put me off having my own unit
That’s the thing about being a freelance driver … someone else picks up the tab for the maintenance, the wear and tear, the fuel and all the rest of it … all you have to do is make sure you have public liability insurance, drive the thing and charge five quid an hour less than the agencies charge the companies. All you’re doing is cutting out the middleman.
Gwinness:
Yeah sites people post deliveries, and mugs like us play who can loose the most money competition and bid the smallest amount to accept the job
Nuff said
If I did go ahead, I wouldn’t want to be governed by anyone, I wouldn’t want to be a freelance driver or equivalent, myself, own boss the dream etc etc, 15 days a month would be ideal in 40+ years time but I’m more than happy enough to pump the hours in myself carting around Europe for weeks on end, no kids/ Mrs/ complications at the moment just the bloody mortgage!! I appreciate the last post Its good to break it all down and god does it make it a whole lot more daunting!! Yes 99% Of the jobs in see on the sites are the Cr#p that nobody wants, originally thought of doing it to contribute to petrol as I travel from kent- stoke quite alot anyway but darned because of insurance!
What do you do then, Connor
Rhythm Thief:
That’s the thing about being a freelance driver … someone else picks up the tab for the maintenance, the wear and tear, the fuel and all the rest of it … all you have to do is make sure you have public liability insurance, drive the thing and charge five quid an hour less than the agencies charge the companies. All you’re doing is cutting out the middleman.
Wouldn’t the public liability insurance be covered by the company you are driving for at the time?