Seriously try and stay away from longs and general haulage firms,
I started out working for brakes doing class 2 multi drop 19 years ago and did it for 2 years before I decided I wanted to be a “big” trucker and to this day I think I shouldn’t of moved,my health took a turn for the worse I got stressed and believe it or not
I was on less money and away from home then I passed my class one and did Europe and basically gave my life up for a fancy truck like an idiot but I was young and foolish,also take my night out money off my class one euro work and I was still on less than I was doing class 2 multi drop for brakes.General haulage companies will squeeze you until they physically can’t get mother drop out of you,don’t book a doctors appointment because even if you tell them well in advance they will go out of there way to make sure you don’t make it…
My last company was a large general haulier and it nearly gave me a nervous breakdown it was that bad,Sunday nights I used to turn in to a different person I was so depressed at having to go back to work it was that bad.
I’d give the food service multi drop a go first,it’s hard work and to tight shops and your ■■■■■■■ products in to store rooms and upstairs etc but the money ain’t bad and you get home every night.
Iv since left general haulage and gone on to local container work which is ok but long hours,but I’m trying to get on at one of the supermarkets on an early shift.
Seriously think long and hard mate.
Good luck with whatever you decide
yorkshire terrier:
Seriously try and stay away from longs and general haulage firms,
I started out working for brakes doing class 2 multi drop 19 years ago and did it for 2 years before I decided I wanted to be a “big” trucker and to this day I think I shouldn’t of moved,my health took a turn for the worse I got stressed and believe it or not
I was on less money and away from home then I passed my class one and did Europe and basically gave my life up for a fancy truck like an idiot but I was young and foolish,also take my night out money off my class one euro work and I was still on less than I was doing class 2 multi drop for brakes.General haulage companies will squeeze you until they physically can’t get mother drop out of you,don’t book a doctors appointment because even if you tell them well in advance they will go out of there way to make sure you don’t make it…
My last company was a large general haulier and it nearly gave me a nervous breakdown it was that bad,Sunday nights I used to turn in to a different person I was so depressed at having to go back to work it was that bad.
I’d give the food service multi drop a go first,it’s hard work and to tight shops and your ■■■■■■■ products in to store rooms and upstairs etc but the money ain’t bad and you get home every night.
Iv since left general haulage and gone on to local container work which is ok but long hours,but I’m trying to get on at one of the supermarkets on an early shift.
Seriously think long and hard mate.
Good luck with whatever you decide
Yorkshire Terrier…are you aware of the Lidl or aldi distribution centre which is going to be at Gildersome?
Thank you so much everybody. Really good advice.
I’m ringing Suma Foods in Elland in half an hour. I know they’re looking for drivers. I’ll get on Google and look at other food wholesalers too and others with their own vehicles. My mate said he’s asking where he used to work about driving a class 2 milk tanker.
Whereabouts are you based? Guessing West Yorkshire?
Yeah West Yorks
Hg83:
Yeah West Yorks
Depending where abouts in West Yorks, you mentioned Milk tankers in a previous post. Buckley’s in Denby Dale were after class 2 tanker drivers few weeks ago, and I’m pretty sure they’ll give a new driver a start.
Brakes were mentioned earlier, they’ve a depot in Hemsworth.
My advice too, would be to try and avoid general, but with you being a new starter you might have to go down that route to get some experience. Likes of Pink link Hudds, A Davies Ossett, Walkers Morley, Montgomery Leeds, Viamaster Normanton, Truswell Dodworth, all do plt network stuff. Plenty other out there doing it too than might give you a crack?
Any joy with Suma? We deliver into them, and full timers I speak to in the fridge are on a good screw with them, with it being a cooperative.
ArcticMonkey:
yorkshire terrier:
Seriously try and stay away from longs and general haulage firms,
I started out working for brakes doing class 2 multi drop 19 years ago and did it for 2 years before I decided I wanted to be a “big” trucker and to this day I think I shouldn’t of moved,my health took a turn for the worse I got stressed and believe it or not
I was on less money and away from home then I passed my class one and did Europe and basically gave my life up for a fancy truck like an idiot but I was young and foolish,also take my night out money off my class one euro work and I was still on less than I was doing class 2 multi drop for brakes.General haulage companies will squeeze you until they physically can’t get mother drop out of you,don’t book a doctors appointment because even if you tell them well in advance they will go out of there way to make sure you don’t make it…
My last company was a large general haulier and it nearly gave me a nervous breakdown it was that bad,Sunday nights I used to turn in to a different person I was so depressed at having to go back to work it was that bad.
I’d give the food service multi drop a go first,it’s hard work and to tight shops and your ■■■■■■■ products in to store rooms and upstairs etc but the money ain’t bad and you get home every night.
Iv since left general haulage and gone on to local container work which is ok but long hours,but I’m trying to get on at one of the supermarkets on an early shift.
Seriously think long and hard mate.
Good luck with whatever you decideYorkshire Terrier…are you aware of the Lidl or aldi distribution centre which is going to be at Gildersome?
Really Iv not heard anything about that at all,Is it definitely happening or just roumours ■■?
I’d heard Lidl has the go ahead to build up there. Not sure when it’s actually due to happen tho. Seemed strange tho with their new one at Donny under an hour away
It was in the papers and on their website i remember. I think it’s going to be that area on Gelderd road near Gildersome crossroads
ArcticMonkey:
It was in the papers and on their website i remember. I think it’s going to be that area on Gelderd road near Gildersome crossroads
Yes Iv jut googled it,it’s Lidl definitely,but I’m sure Lidl contract out all of there transport you see Lidl trailers but never Lidl units always one of these firms that’s popped up from nowhere pulling them…
yorkshire terrier:
ArcticMonkey:
It was in the papers and on their website i remember. I think it’s going to be that area on Gelderd road near Gildersome crossroadsYes Iv jut googled it,it’s Lidl definitely,but I’m sure Lidl contract out all of there transport you see Lidl trailers but never Lidl units always one of these firms that’s popped up from nowhere pulling them…
Eastern Europeans with 2 or 3 units, 12 drivers and 24 digi cards between them
Jimmy McNulty:
yorkshire terrier:
ArcticMonkey:
It was in the papers and on their website i remember. I think it’s going to be that area on Gelderd road near Gildersome crossroadsYes Iv jut googled it,it’s Lidl definitely,but I’m sure Lidl contract out all of there transport you see Lidl trailers but never Lidl units always one of these firms that’s popped up from nowhere pulling them…
Eastern Europeans with 2 or 3 units, 12 drivers and 24 digi cards between them
very harsh.
yorkshire terrier:
don’t book a doctors appointment because even if you tell them well in advance they will go out of there way to make sure you don’t make it…
I had exactly the same experience very recently when working for a well-known Scottish-owned general haulier based in Crick although experience had taught me to book an A.M. appointment and as I don’t generally do nights out they couldn’t really prevent me from keeping it.
However, they were obviously extremely displeased that I had this appointment, their attitude seeming to be “It doesn’t matter if you become too ill to drive, we can just find another driver”. So when they demanded to know what time I could be in to work I lied to them and told them that the appointment had been put back until later in the day and I wouldn’t be in at all.
Then I phoned the agency and said “Err, I won’t be working there again”. I lasted two days. 
Harry Monk:
yorkshire terrier:
don’t book a doctors appointment because even if you tell them well in advance they will go out of there way to make sure you don’t make it…I had exactly the same experience very recently when working for a well-known Scottish-owned general haulier based in Crick although experience had taught me to book an A.M. appointment and as I don’t generally do nights out they couldn’t really prevent me from keeping it.
However, they were obviously extremely displeased that I had this appointment, their attitude seeming to be “It doesn’t matter if you become too ill to drive, we can just find another driver”. So when they demanded to know what time I could be in to work I lied to them and told them that the appointment had been put back until later in the day and I wouldn’t be in at all.
Then I phoned the agency and said “Err, I won’t be working there again”. I lasted two days.
Iv seen every rotton trick in the book from large general haulage firms in my time…
The sheer satisfaction I once saw on a planner because he kept a driver out on a Friday night when it was his turn to have his kids absolutely disgusted me,the bloke only asked to finish at 6pm so hardly a problem,I had a right do with the planner about it too because we had a woman who constantly went on about been a single parent and they bent over backwards for her every demand…I was once refused a day off for an important hospital appointment on a Wednesday so I just went sick for the week otherwise I’d of missed it 
yorkshire terrier:
Harry Monk:
yorkshire terrier:
don’t book a doctors appointment because even if you tell them well in advance they will go out of there way to make sure you don’t make it…I had exactly the same experience very recently when working for a well-known Scottish-owned general haulier based in Crick although experience had taught me to book an A.M. appointment and as I don’t generally do nights out they couldn’t really prevent me from keeping it.
However, they were obviously extremely displeased that I had this appointment, their attitude seeming to be “It doesn’t matter if you become too ill to drive, we can just find another driver”. So when they demanded to know what time I could be in to work I lied to them and told them that the appointment had been put back until later in the day and I wouldn’t be in at all.
Then I phoned the agency and said “Err, I won’t be working there again”. I lasted two days.
Iv seen every rotton trick in the book from large general haulage firms in my time…
The sheer satisfaction I once saw on a planner because he kept a driver out on a Friday night when it was his turn to have his kids absolutely disgusted me,the bloke only asked to finish at 6pm so hardly a problem,I had a right do with the planner about it too because we had a woman who constantly went on about been a single parent and they bent over backwards for her every demand…I was once refused a day off for an important hospital appointment on a Wednesday so I just went sick for the week otherwise I’d of missed it
They are all the same on this type of stuff.
When I first started with my lot and they were going through the obligatory period of trying me out to see how much they could get away with me and whether or not I was a bend over type …(@ o/p they all do that so be warned 
) my Mrs had an hospital appointment for tests, and she wanted me with her.
I told them and they hummed and ahhd telling me it was a busy time etc so no chance.
The argument escalated and they informed me that the head depot may want to see some proof of appointment…I wanted 4 hours off on a Mon morning ffs 
I told them there was no way in hell they were seeing any type of medical record pertaining to my wife, I WAS taking the time off, and to go and ■■■■ themselves…ok maybe not in those actual words on the last bit.
Nothing more was said when I turned in for work after the appointment.
Might be worth a call?
Class 2 HGV Driver
Wholesale Glass Ltd
Urgently needed
Wakefield
Delivery Driver wanted for small Company based in Wakefield.
Must be prepared to be away from home a couple of nights per week
Full Clean driving licence required
Job Type: Full-time
Suma offered me the work. It sounds pretty mental… He said expect 30 hours over 2 days with night out. A tonne of deliveries to little shops n cafes etc, even houses, using sack cart and pump truck.
My mate has put me onto Talstaff. They have One Stop and Londis Contracts. He reckons id be better doin that kinda work with me havin no experience. He reckons Suma sounds ■■■■ and experienced drivers wouldn’t even want it
I did that londis work out of South Elmsall for a while, its decent enough.
A few petrol stations and a few small londis shops per day usually about 6 or 7 drops
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Grinch199:
I did that londis work out of South Elmsall for a while
That reminded…
Me of a job I did for them many years ago.
Forgive me for going off topic. Agency asked me to do a night trunk for them. I arrived at 18.00 and they pointed me in the direction of a Volvo rigid pulling another box with a straight bar. I was reasonably familiar with how to drop and collect boxes as well as coupling drawbars. What I wasn’t aware of was the box swapping/trailer swapping/unit swapping shenanigans that would occur all night. Luckily they sent a seasoned regular with me who explained what we were going to do that night. I fell asleep after the first five minutes of this box that trailer that unit this box swapped with the other unit at somewhere else then collect the previous trailer with the new box on. We then headed off into the night to somewhere else to repeat the whole mucical box/trailer/prime mover swapping games again. I spent the entire shift getting out of prime movers, swapping boxes, swapping drawbars, picking up other trailers and then swapping those with other trailers somewhere else. I had no idea after 13 hours where I’d been and what had been delivered where and on what trailer it had been done with. I ran out of spaces on the back of the card to fill in with new vehicles so I just carried on with the same card after 4 vehicle swaps.
Never drove for them since.