Like the rest of us. I have had some cracking weekends alone, all over Continental Europe and the UK. Not for me are the crapholes like The Mistral or Cabbage Patch. Much better to be away from your countrymen and tag onto a couple of locals or Belgian / Dutch / German drivers. Even in Germany I could find enough to entertain myself, a walk into the nearest village, find the Lido and a bar, check out a restaurant on your walk down there and use it in the evening on your return.
The Archers give you a reason to get up on Sunday morning
Harry Monk:
When I started, the figure was almost exactly the opposite, around 80% of these trucks were British.
I don’t think the split was ever thus HM, 55% is highest share I can recall UK registered vehicles holding - and yes, I know it’s rather sad remembering the survey results
Harry Monk:
When I started, the figure was almost exactly the opposite, around 80% of these trucks were British.
I don’t think the split was ever thus HM, 55% is highest share I can recall UK registered vehicles holding - and yes, I know it’s rather sad remembering the survey results
My mind may be playing tricks but I am sure there were more of us on the boat in the old days…
Harry Monk:
When I started, the figure was almost exactly the opposite, around 80% of these trucks were British.
I don’t think the split was ever thus HM, 55% is highest share I can recall UK registered vehicles holding - and yes, I know it’s rather sad remembering the survey results
My mind may be playing tricks but I am sure there were more of us on the boat in the old days…
edtheshark:
Forever reply - I would agree with all you have said.
Although I dont do much HGV driving anymore (yes, im one of those t*ssers in a suit organising the trucks! lol), I was lucky enough to do a stint doing international work - yes it was only France/Germany/Spain and near Eastern Europe (Hungary, Poland, Romania etc) on an ocaision when I needed to keep my hand in and keep my sanity!.
The work I did was on behalf of various Eastern European hauliers, with me travelling to their depots in northern France, and doing the “local” jobs for them - the pay was not great - but at least I got good experience, which stood me in good stead when I had a time working for a UK operator doing time sensitive Euro work.
For anyone with a bit of initiative I would say “go and try it” - you could be suprised, and any experience will prove useful!!
Ed
Atleast your 1 of these t*ssers in a suit whos been there and done it, and not just a ■■■■■■■■■■ So you should have respect from your workers and visa versa.
forever_cruising:
There’s a company from Poland who do middle east work “Periba” who ill try and contact Monday. Hopefully they’re speak English I have seen 3 of there trucks coming of the boat last week,
Is Periba still in the business? I thought they packed up couple of years back - bosses split the company into a forwarding agency, courier business with transit vans and godknowswhatelse…
Maybe not then… Central Asia was their bread and butter, also went as far in RUS as Zabaikalsk where goods were reloaded onto chinese trucks.
Wheel Nut:
Like the rest of us. I have had some cracking weekends alone, all over Continental Europe and the UK. Not for me are the crapholes like The Mistral or Cabbage Patch. Much better to be away from your countrymen and tag onto a couple of locals or Belgian / Dutch / German drivers. Even in Germany I could find enough to entertain myself, a walk into the nearest village, find the Lido and a bar, check out a restaurant on your walk down there and use it in the evening on your return.
The Archers give you a reason to get up on Sunday morning
Malc just like you spent many weekends away, you had no choice with some of the runs Chris Brearley had, and the better ones where probably those in the Eastern bloc rather than Western Europe. Many a good weekend in the former Yugo and probably one of the best ever with a Swedish driver in Kranj, Slovenia whilst waiting to load shoe’s on the Monday morning. I was acyually listening to the Archers omnibus on the Sunday morning, cooking my cab fry up, when the Swede pulled up along side, so because I already had the kettle on I offered him a brew and he got out the teachers whiskey and this was at 10.30, that dinking session ended at 02.00hrs the next morning after a tour around Kranj and a few villages and some of the best laughs Ive had with people who barely spoke 1 word of English.
Still hooked on the Archers now, though just doing UK work now but given the chance would be straight back over the water again tomorrow.
When I was working for Longs of Wymondham I often used to do two or three weeks as it was a long way home to Scotland, my present job is driving a ship where we are away for a minimum of eight weeks depending on whether the owner can find me a relief or not. My daily pay rate is over twice the £50/60 mentioned here and as much as I would like to go back to ‘driving over the water’ there is no way I could do it for that sort of money even if there were hauliers in my area who did it. Apart from the fish trucks that is.
forever_cruising:
There’s a company from Poland who do middle east work “Periba” who ill try and contact Monday. Hopefully they’re speak English I have seen 3 of there trucks coming of the boat last week,
Is Periba still in the business? I thought they packed up couple of years back - bosses split the company into a forwarding agency, courier business with transit vans and godknowswhatelse…
Maybe not then… Central Asia was their bread and butter, also went as far in RUS as Zabaikalsk where goods were reloaded onto chinese trucks.
They sure are still going. Well following 95xf of there’s a couple of months back down M20. And seen a Scania in Meer truckstop.
I’ve phoned that lot but no joy, Am not sure if that is the same periba. They do have tir bit on far right
From that webpage it looks like if they only ran customs warehouses.
They seem to have a branch in Germany for parcel work (Euro-Asia Express for parcels?) periba.de/paketdienst.html
forever_cruising:
Whilst coming back on the train the other night, Some gentlemen on next row of seats was talking about a recent post on here. And it got me thinking as well (Whilst we was surrounded by Polish and Hungarian men and woman) If people are willing to work for £60 a day doing European work (Without mentioning names or hauliers) Why don’t they work for a Polish or Hungarian haulier? The wage for a days work over there has to be around £50/£60 don’t it?
Least your being doing “proper international” work and not the odd job to Spain and Holland once in a while
I’ll wait for you all to shoot me down now for making such a ridiculous thought…
Wouldnt mind getting back into it but not for £69 per day though.
Atleast your 1 of these t*ssers in a suit whos been there and done it, and not just a ■■■■■■■■■■ 
So you should have respect from your workers and visa versa.
