Stay put.
You will be handcuffed to your lorry for 2 weeks and weekended where you run out of time not where you would rather be.
Look up Ray Whites on Facebook to see how continental lorry driving looks today.
Top kit good money but you max all hours all 15s all tens, for two weeks.
And quite right that you should.
It will be a European tour of ■■■■ stained tarmac today.
No joy being corralled in a European service station /truck stop if you can find a place to park that is.
Any start finish time because that’s European work.
I did European for a lot of years then had an 11 year break.
In 2012 I did a milk run 4 drops hanging finished in Cannes and a reload home from Romans for Ray White no complaints about the work and the lorry or the company or wages, but I can tell you this for nothing it was ■■■■■■■ like it was in the late 80s and 90s.
Each to their own but I’d be looking into it with eyes wide open.
You also have to consider how attractive the job is when O’Toole are a) publicly advertising, b) apparently don’t have any other experienced applicants, because c) they’re offering the job to a complete inexperienced newbie.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…
Juddian:
You’re taking home £459 for a 35 hour week driving a bus?
Bloody stop where you are mate, if you leave and tell the lads here where it is for goodness sake keep out of the way of the stampede to your bosses door 20 minutes later.
I’m moving to Scotland [emoji50]
Farce bus and go back wards don’t pay that down here in Hampshire Ave £11 hour
Mick Bracewell:
You also have to consider how attractive the job is when O’Toole are a) publicly advertising, b) apparently don’t have any other experienced applicants, because c) they’re offering the job to a complete inexperienced newbie.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…
OT aren’t publicly advertising as far as I’m aware, I specifically contacted them because I saw they had a depot in Bellshill near me and did the kind of work I’d like to get involved in.
They want to offer the job but the Bellshill depot don’t do much local work, they tend to run in to Europe. They want me to work in their depot in Galway and gain experience doing more local runs for now and then they will bring me back once satisfied.
Juddian:
You’re taking home £459 for a 35 hour week driving a bus?
Bloody stop where you are mate, if you leave and tell the lads here where it is for goodness sake keep out of the way of the stampede to your bosses door 20 minutes later.
I’m moving to Scotland [emoji50]
Farce bus and go back wards don’t pay that down here in Hampshire Ave £11 hour
Sent from my truck
The company I work for which do typical service Work is £12p/h. I do multiple contracts so it isn’t hourly paid. But £10-£12 is the norm up here.
CPCxx:
They want me to work in their depot in Galway and gain experience doing more local runs for now and then they will bring me back once satisfied.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but if you’re based in Galway wouldn’t you be paid in Euros and have a different tax system. Also I would think that being in Galway and doing locals wouldn’t get you back to Bellshill too often. As others have said take anything you have been told from a transport office with a pinch of salt. Its easy to promise the earth till you’re over on the Emerald Isle, your two weeks are up, but theres a couple of “urgent” loads to be done, and we really haven’t got anyone else available, “Just do us a favour mate will ya?” .
CPCxx:
They want me to work in their depot in Galway and gain experience doing more local runs for now and then they will bring me back once satisfied.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but if you’re based in Galway wouldn’t you be paid in Euros and have a different tax system. Also I would think that being in Galway and doing locals wouldn’t get you back to Bellshill too often. As others have said take anything you have been told from a transport office with a pinch of salt. Its easy to promise the earth till you’re over on the Emerald Isle, your two weeks are up, but theres a couple of “urgent” loads to be done, and we really haven’t got anyone else available, “Just do us a favour mate will ya?” .
Very valid point which I will take on board, in terms of how the wages will be paid I ain’t sure yet all I know is the figure ‘quoted’ as take home pay for the work I will be doing.
I was in this position 20 years ago,a good job on the buses,£7 an hour at the time,but £6 waz the going rate for class 2 trucks.I found it a lonely job at first,especially if you’re away for a fortnight.Its a big change from working with the public.My last week on the buses ,I had a load of drunk teenagers get on,at 200am,night bus,straight out the nightclubs,half never paid,told me they’re wreck the bus,it sort of made the decision easier.
Sploom:
I was in this position 20 years ago,a good job on the buses,£7 an hour at the time,but £6 waz the going rate for class 2 trucks.I found it a lonely job at first,especially if you’re away for a fortnight.Its a big change from working with the public.My last week on the buses ,I had a load of drunk teenagers get on,at 200am,night bus,straight out the nightclubs,half never paid,told me they’re wreck the bus,it sort of made the decision easier.
Have you ever went back to the buses since? You prefer the HGV industry?
Only read your o/p and a couple of random replies.
Way I read it, your choice is…
Work in a civilised job that you know, on civilised hours driving your bus, for good money, in as you admit in your own words 'A dead man’s shoes job…it’s only dead man’s shoes for ONE reason btw.
Or.
Work for a Paddy outfit (who are stereotyped anyway for wanting a pound of flesh and then some,) presumably ran ragged until your eyes are stuck out like bull dog’s ■■■■■■■■ with tiredness,.away for weeks at a time for ■■■■ poor money, driving a ■■■■ truck that you are inexperienced on, presumably bent (no knowledge of the firm you mention btw, just speaking generally )
Yep, Paddy option everytime…NOT .
This is from someone who has tramped for life btw, and not some dayman ‘live in a tin box’ type either.
I get it you are drawn to it and keen,.as I was many years ago, but it’s a combination of a 80hr mug’s game,.and a rat race today.
Have a go at a job on mainland UK,.couple of nights out a week if you MUST, otherwise don’t.
Others have I presume already gave different advice, but at end of day…YOU decide.
Good luck.
robroy:
Only read your o/p and a couple of random replies.
Way I read it, your choice is…
Work in a civilised job that you know, on civilised hours driving your bus, for good money, in as you admit in your own words 'A dead man’s shoes job…it’s only dead man’s shoes for ONE reason btw.
Or.
Work for a Paddy outfit (who are stereotyped anyway for wanting a pound of flesh and then some,) presumably ran ragged until your eyes are stuck out like bull dog’s ■■■■■■■■ with tiredness,.away for weeks at a time for ■■■■ poor money, driving a [zb] truck that you are inexperienced on, presumably bent (no knowledge of the firm you mention btw, just speaking generally )
Yep, Paddy option everytime…NOT .
This is from someone who has tramped for life btw, and not some dayman ‘live in a tin box’ type either.
I get it you are drawn to it and keen,.as I was many years ago, but it’s a combination of a 80hr mug’s game,.and a rat race today.
Have a go at a job on mainland UK,.couple of nights out a week if you MUST, otherwise don’t.
Others have I presume already gave different advice, but at end of day…YOU decide.
Good luck.
Thanks for the reply, appreciated. Well that’s it mate, In the past when I was younger I would have jumped at the opportunity with it being all new but I’m no mug to realise that it’s gonna be a lot longer hours for not much more cash. I’ve text the boy back and he’s gonna come back to me and see if he can go any higher than the £650 which I doubt but it’s worth the ask I guess. Does no harm.
CPCxx:
Thanks for the reply, appreciated. Well that’s it mate, In the past when I was younger I would have jumped at the opportunity with it being all new but I’m no mug to realise that it’s gonna be a lot longer hours for not much more cash. I’ve text the boy back and he’s gonna come back to me and see if he can go any higher than the £650 which I doubt but it’s worth the ask I guess. Does no harm.
I think you should take the job, then post weekly updates here with how it’s going for you.
No,I’ll never go back to the buses,you can earn more on the trucks,in the midlands where I live.
Driving buses is more boring up and down the same routes,stopping every time you get to 3rd gear.Maybe it’s different where you live.
CPCxx:
Thanks for the reply, appreciated. Well that’s it mate, In the past when I was younger I would have jumped at the opportunity with it being all new but I’m no mug to realise that it’s gonna be a lot longer hours for not much more cash. I’ve text the boy back and he’s gonna come back to me and see if he can go any higher than the £650 which I doubt but it’s worth the ask I guess. Does no harm.
I think you should take the job, then post weekly updates here with how it’s going for you.
I’m probably leaning towards just sticking with what I’ve got the now, it makes the most sense but the itch will still be there but I can’t really justify taking the gamble atm.
Another point, what would your pay be if you did similar ridiculous type hours in your present job…just compare the two totals, you’ll get a shock.
Maybe I’m biased, as I’m one of the few who sees the job what it really is, I’ve admittedly had load of good times in the past, and maintained a social life whilst doing it, but the last 10 to 15 years it has turned to dog crap for a number of reasons, where as others know nothing else to what it is now.
robroy:
Another point, what would your pay be if you did similar ridiculous type hours in your present job…just compare the two totals, you’ll get a shock.
Maybe I’m biased, as I’m one of the few who sees the job what it really is, I’ve admittedly had load of good times in the past, and maintained a social life whilst doing it, but the last 10 to 15 years it has turned to dog crap for a number of reasons, where as others know nothing else to what it is now.
It’s hard to say, my company pay £12p/h for normal private hire or Service work but there’s a handful of us who has ended up on an admittedly inflated council contract which pays a lot for the hours we do plus I get paid from the company to look after the fleet as it gets parked near me away from the depot.
The job is a blessing and a curse at the same time because the money isn’t massive but for the hours I do you won’t find much better.
Mick Bracewell:
You also have to consider how attractive the job is when O’Toole are a) publicly advertising, b) apparently don’t have any other experienced applicants, because c) they’re offering the job to a complete inexperienced newbie.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck…
The point is he isn’t actually being offered the job that the ‘experienced’ drivers are doing.Not even running out of the same base.
The only way that any ‘experienced’ International driver got to be ‘experienced’ was by being sent out on that first run.Without other ‘experienced’ drivers standing in the way thinking that only they have the god given right to the best work and guvnors caving in to their demands.
Obviously no such pecking order bs for East Euro drivers.
CPCxx:
O’Toole aren’t publicly advertising as far as I’m aware, I specifically contacted them because I saw they had a depot in Bellshill near me and did the kind of work I’d like to get involved in.
They want to offer the job but the Bellshill depot don’t do much local work, they tend to run in to Europe. They want me to work in their depot in Galway and gain experience doing more local runs for now and then they will bring me back once satisfied.
So it’s the right base for you and it’s the work you want to do.The alarm bells should be ringing.
Tell em you’re giving up a decent UK job you don’t need Irish work experience.
Do they need International drivers or not.If not tell em to stop wasting your time.
If they do then the first International run is always going to be the first run.What’s the point of delaying it.Local Irish runs will tell em nothing as to whether you’re up to the real thing and if they really need drivers then they’d obviously want you to get on with it.
robroy:
Only read your o/p and a couple of random replies.
Way I read it, your choice is…
Work in a civilised job that you know, on civilised hours driving your bus, for good money, in as you admit in your own words 'A dead man’s shoes job…it’s only dead man’s shoes for ONE reason btw.
Or.
Work for a Paddy outfit (who are stereotyped anyway for wanting a pound of flesh and then some,) presumably ran ragged until your eyes are stuck out like bull dog’s ■■■■■■■■ with tiredness,.away for weeks at a time for ■■■■ poor money, driving a [zb] truck that you are inexperienced on, presumably bent (no knowledge of the firm you mention btw, just speaking generally )
Yep, Paddy option everytime…NOT .
This is from someone who has tramped for life btw, and not some dayman ‘live in a tin box’ type either.
I get it you are drawn to it and keen,.as I was many years ago, but it’s a combination of a 80hr mug’s game,.and a rat race today.
Have a go at a job on mainland UK,.couple of nights out a week if you MUST, otherwise don’t.
Others have I presume already gave different advice, but at end of day…YOU decide.
Good luck.
Ideally the reason why anyone wants International work is to maximise the driving in the job and minimise other work combined with more interesting terrain and better traffic conditions.
Simple questions like full loads or part loads.Are runs all distance UK - Europe - UK, not Euro tramping, will sort the wheat from the chaff.
Don’t see any connection in that with UK tramping and an 80 hour week bearing in mind max driving time in a shift and a fortnight and closer to 1,000 miles between loading and tipping than 250 miles.
The itch will be well and truly scratched by the 2nd week. Then you will wish you hadnt changed jobs.
I recommend that you just hire a campervan for 2 weeks, drive from Ireland and around the EU as fast as you possibly can. Have 9 hours overnight in a truckstop and visit trading estates.
Oh dont forget to buy a set of bull spears, some cloggs and a very long key chain!
