Job.... start...next week!

[scantheman]

Well as some of you would have read, i was offered a job with a local shipping company about two weeks ago which involved takin an artic to Brum and i would have been accompanied by an old hand…but as it turned out the old hand couldn’t come with me and the company had no one else they could send so that was that they would keep my details for future reference .
Anyhow not too disheartened i started to get in touch with other company’s only to keep hearing the same old “we need someone with 500 years experience” and “we’ll keep your’e details on file”. I had almost give up on finding a job and the nearest agency is about 70 miles away and so is most of there work.
Last night about 5 o clock the phone rings and my daughter shouts “Dad its about a job” i then thought it would be a grass cuttin job as thats what i had been doin recently,but the guy on the other end says “you rang me earlier in the week about a job takin an artic to leicester from Caernarfon” yeah thats right says me Well the upshot of it all is,the guy explained the job thouroughly and says if i want to go to their Wrexham depot one or two nights this week i could go to the place in leicester with their driver and if i like the look of the job its mine . He seemed a genuine guy and says my lack of or should i say no experience is no problem as we all have to start somewhere but he was more concerned about employing someone who will be reliable as the job is night trunking and if i would be phoning in sick its hard to get someone to cover a night shift. The firm is called EGS distribution and based in wrexham if anyone knows anythin about them…and the money is a lot better than the other firm i was goin to start for . So i will be goin out with the other driver next week and will keep you informed as to what happens…fingers crossed it will go better this time round
P.S any advice on night trunking would be greatly appreciated

SCAN

[henrys_cat]

Hope it all comes off Sacn

My only advice is take and Drink plenty of strong coffee, thats the only way I get through it on the very rare occasions I do night work.

[kalm2kaos]

Great news Scan, good luck with it
(Don’t forget to post how it goes… )

[drawbardaz]

scantheman:
P.S any advice on night trunking would be greatly appreciated

SCAN

put your lights on (joke)

well done scan,hope it all goes well this time for ya mate

night trunk is a doddle if you can actually sleep through the day,thats the main thing get your rest

[quinny]

And keep R2 on,especially from 03.00,because Alex Lester is on,and he can be quite entertaining.Although Janice Long, who is on before him,does have some good live acts on from time to time.

Now I no longer work at silly o clock,I only hear the last hour or so of Alex’s programme,and still like his banter as most of his input is by nightshift workers who are in the same boat as you.

One thing you will notice is the lack of traffic on the roads,meaning you get from A to B quicker.Bliss.

And finally a plea.

If you need to do a changeover in a lorry park or similar,spare a thought for those of us who are asleep in our cabs,and find an area that won’t interfere with our beauty sleep. There are quite a few inconsiderate [zb]who don’t,and it annoys the hell out of me,as well as disturbs our sleep.Ta.

Good luck.

Ken.

so close but so far,jb

[jobberdun]

Well done Scan.

Here are a few things that I have noticed about doing nights (been on them for the last 6 years!)

Be very careful on your first night of the week because it does usually happen that you will have been up all day and then go to work all through the night.

Another one is that the moment you start dropping off pull up and have a 15/20 minute kip, it is amazing how good you will feel after it, but don’t overdo it or you will feel rotten for the rest of the night. It’s not worth having an accident whilst trying to stay awake. If you gaffer complains then explain to him that you would rather get back in one piece (and his lorry) than end up in a ditch or something worse! Remember that opening the window, turning the heater off or turning the radio up loud will NOT stop you dropping off.

I also find that after the first night I never really have a problem. I’m lucky in that I can sleep most of the day without interruption so I’m wide awake for my second shift.

Find a good radio stations, R2 has already been mentioned but I prefer Talk Sport 1053 & 1089MW. One of the big problems with listening to local stations is that you lose them after a while and then have to search for a new station in the dark and whilst driving! Talk Sport are nationwide and I always have both frequencies tuned into the radio before I set off.

You should find that after a couple of weeks you have all the services noted and how long it takes to get from them to your destination. If you are feeling tired don’t be afraid to use them, a quick toilet and a coffee, the walk from the lorry to the building or even a short nap should wake you up.

I hope some of these help, it’s all common sense really

Russ

[dafman]

Russ is right did night’s for about seven years, trouble is some people don’t treat it like a proper job and go to bed at silly o clock, have a kip if boss complains ask him how much a new wagon would cost, Talk sport untill 12 then radio 2 Alex Lester is Brill, PS you will need a sock…?

[scantheman]

Cheers for the advice, I’m sort of a bit nervous but dead excited to be given a chance suppose i’ll know more after shadowing their regular driver later this week…will post to let you know how it goes …keep the advice comin the more the better

Cheers …SCAN

[scantheman]

Dafman:
Russ is right did night’s for about seven years, trouble is some people don’t treat it like a proper job and go to bed at silly o clock, have a kip if boss complains ask him how much a new wagon would cost, Talk sport untill 12 then radio 2 Alex Lester is Brill, PS you will need a sock…?

…a sock■■? (don’t go there ,jb )

[deesider]

Full marks to the firm for allowing you to go with another driver to show you the procedures, Scan.
Unfortunately this tactic to encourage a potential recruit simply would never occour to most employers, even nowadays with the chronic Class One Driver shortages.

I believe the firm you mentioned has the North Wales franchise for one of those Overnight Pallet Networks, I can’t remember which one. You will most likely be driving a double decker curtainsider, so if you can be around to supervise the loading at each end, make sure the forkies load the heaviest pallets on the bottom deck.(Obviously ) *(they should do this as a matter of course, but you never know - some are more competent than others (or should that be incompetent !) Anyway, YOU have the final say, YOU are the one who decides that the load is safe and legal before starting each and every journey.(One for all new drivers to bear in mind, I’d say, for the rest of their careers )

The destination may well be near Leicester, Melton Mowbray or Market Harborough, (begins with an ‘M’ anyway ) as one of the pallet companies recently opened a big new ‘hub’ sortation centre there.
Once you get there at the regular time slot, you get offloaded and then park up for a few hours. At an alloted time, you are then reloaded and set off back to the base you started from near Wrexham - a small Industrial Estate at Overton if it’s the firm I’m thinking of.

Easy enough work, the other driver you accompany will show you the ‘approved routes’, to ensure you avoid any low bridges. ( I think your double deck trailer would run at about 15ft 3in. overall height .) Night Trunk start times are usually around 8pm Mon - Fri nights, finishing 6am or 7am next morning.You should be expecting around £10 to £12 p.h. as there will be very little scope to add to your regular weekly earnings with overtime. As it’s a fairly small firm, you may be able to negotiate a bonus for washing unit, fuel economy, safe driving (e.g. 6 months accident / damage free unit and trailer ) - it might be worth mentioning at the interview, anyway.

One thing to bear in mind too, the unit will probably be used by a day driver for local deliveries and afternoon collections. It’s the luck of the draw as to whether your ‘buddy’ would keep the cab interior immaculate (like me and all other TruckNetters ) or like a tip, as unfortunately some drivers still do.

As Ken said, Radio 2 during the night is as good as you will get, I also enjoy the banter on Mark Radcliffe, 10.30 to midnight, Mondays to Thursdays.

Good Luck,

[scantheman]

Cheers Graham,
Your’e bang on mate it sounds like you have the right company as the guy has already told me its a double decker and about havin a couple of hours kip while waiting. The firm is based in overton but luckily for me they’re starting out a place in Caernarfon so thats were the truck will be kept…not to far for me to travel …and you were right someone else will be using the truck in the day

Cheers Mate…SCAN

[deesider]

[rob_k]

Quinny:
And finally a plea.

If you need to do a changeover in a lorry park or similar,spare a thought for those of us who are asleep in our cabs,and find an area that won’t interfere with our beauty sleep. There are quite a few inconsiderate barstewards who don’t,and it annoys the hell out of me,as well as disturbs our sleep.Ta.

I’m shocked at this from you, Ken . In fact, to say I’m shocked is a severe understatement . With all due respect, what a selfish attitude.

Of course, no-one works through the night on tramping work do they

If you think you’ve got it bad trying to sleep through the night then I can assure you it’s 10 times as bad trying to sleep through the day with you lot shouting at each other at the tops of your voices outside our cabs without the slightest iota of consideration for us trying to sleep. Do you ever hear us complaining about it No.

I have always considered those sleeping at night when I’ve been on fridge work and always stop at the entrance to the truck parking area and switch the fridge off before I’ve parked up and if doing a trailer swap, done it as quietly as possible. However, having read your statement Ken I will now make a special effort to find where you park up at night and make as much noise round your wagon as possible; hopefully I can get a trailer with a frozen load on it…

Cheers.

[gardun]

Well done and good luck Scan.

Take plenty of strong coffee and I always carry Pro-Plus. They can make a difference on the first night of the week.

For me 6.30 - Radio 4; always a good bit of comedy. 7.00 Radio 2 or 4 (depends!) the 10.00 Talk Sport. Keep that on till it gets bad on the way back, then Radio 2 in time for Alex at 3.00. SLAP MY TOP!!!

If you go down the A55 give my regards to Broughton - I grew up there!!

[mezzzz1211]

the sock is the most important bit of kit for the wagon display it proudly and prominantly and dont forget you MUST write slap my top on your trailer doors

[wheel_nut]

And keep R2 on,especially from 03.00,because Alex Lester is on,and he can be quite entertaining.

Exactly the reason I was glad to get off Night Trunk.

Cant stand the bloke, its crap

Saturday 3 AM with Janie Lee Grace and 6 AM o Dutta is better

Radio 4 is quite entertaining at times and Talk Sport is more up on current news happenings.

Dont forget them double deckers dont go under some fuel station canopies either

[boxer]

If you are running to Melton Mowbray come up and say hello as that is my destination It usually takes us boys from the south coast about 41/4 hours to get there and we have priority loading so if you see an Actros in the corner loading and freight still coming in that will be me circa 0100. depot 31.

[gardun]

Boxer:
If you are running to Melton Mowbray come up and say hello as that is my destination It usually takes us boys from the south coast about 41/4 hours to get there and we have priority loading so if you see an Actros in the corner loading and freight still coming in that will be me circa 0100. depot 31.

Or it could be me LOST!!!

[scantheman]

Well i went to wrexham last night and accompanied there regular driver down to Coalville to the pallex hub and although i had worked through the day i managed to stay awake to see what the job involved. We went down in a renault magnum (ugly truck). I was amazed when i saw the size of the hub and how the fork lift drivers drive (if you can call it that) to say i was petrified crossing there path is an understatement. The regular driver Arthur is a thouroughly decent chap and says not to worry about anything cos he’ll be there every night and will help me do the paperwork and check the load is okay and make sure i get loaded first as i’ll have further to go back.
We returned to wrexham at about 05.45 then i drove home to anglesey. I phoned this afternoon and accepted the job and the boss says he’s not sure wheather or not the Caernarvon depot will be set up by Monday but has offered me a couple of days next week to get used to driving the truck which i think is a good idea as driving in the dark is a bit daunting at the best of times.
I would like to thank Lee Gorton of EGS Distribution for giving me a chance…I am over the moon