Hi guys.
I’m from Edinburgh, Scotland. I’ve been driving trucks here in the U.K. for over 20yrs. Mostly distance work. I’m definitely coming to Canada, but want to make sure I get it as right as possible first time. I’ve been reading lots of posts on forums and some of the stories of companies are pretty scary.
Here’s my question.
Can I have you guys opinions on some companies?
Timeline logistic, Donnelly Farm, Westcan, B&D Walter Transport, Kindersley Transport, First continental, Hughson Trucking.
I’m sorry for the massive list and I know opinions vary, but are there any there that I should steer clear of? Who would you say was the better of them?
I appreciate your experience and I thank you in advance.
Thanks flat to the mat.
I’ve emailed them a cv. Do you think that’s the best route to go? Or is calling companies better? Hell I’m even tempted to try H&R just to get started. Would that be a serious mistake?
I only have me to look after. No dependants. Living in the truck would also be ideal for me for a while at least.
Depends where you want to be based , your list is countrywide . I live in SK ,Provincial companies worth approaching are West Can in Moose ,Loblaws for pikes or trolly dolly work out of Regina , DJ Knoll in White City ,van work pays poorly but bulker work seems decent ,they also have their own training school.
Hi I’m from S.Wales UK, moved to Canada and I currently work in Alberta for a family firm based in Lethbridge (not the red trucks) and we currently have LMO’s that need filling.
This was the company I started with in Canada and worked for for 19 months until I got my PR. They’re probably the best of a bad bunch, in as much as reefer work for a Maritimes company is crap and the vast majority of their work is whats called the “Triangle” where you go from New Brunswick to New Jersey/Pennsylvania, then up to Toronto and then back to New Brunswick or Nova Scotia. Its short distance work, each leg is about a day and the waiting times on reefer work are an absolute joke. I earnt very good money (by Maritimes standards) there but I was running bent doing crazy things. Once I got fed up of no sleep and started running legal, my earnings dropped way off because you can’t make any money legally when you’re sat around for several hours each day and getting paid by the mile.
The good points for Donnelly’s are that they’ll put you through your test, they’ll give you free accommodation in their yard as they have a few bedrooms downstairs under the office and they have great facilities for drivers who choose to live in the truck, shower, laundry, full kitchen and living room so its possible to come out alone, live in the truck and do it on the cheap to see if you like it. They do/did charge $4000 for all this though, but it still worked out cheaper than it would have if I had to pay for my own training, place to live etc.
In all I’d say its a pretty crap job, mainly because of the nature of the reefer industry here, but you could definitely end up in far worse companies locally.
My advice is to give NB a wide berth and go to one of the western provinces and if you do for some strange reason wish to live in NB, get a job with a dry van firm, you’d be far happier.
A massive thanks to all of you guys for your advice. I honestly didn’t realise just getting a job would be so hard. Ill definitely be following up on your advice. I was hoping to get there pretty sharpish but that doesn’t look likely. I’ll persevere.
kungfutrucker:
A massive thanks to all of you guys for your advice. I honestly didn’t realise just getting a job would be so hard. Ill definitely be following up on your advice. I was hoping to get there pretty sharpish but that doesn’t look likely. I’ll persevere.
Its not hard, but getting the right job is the key. You can come over with any of the crap companies,some will probably want you here next week but they’re crap for a reason so you’re better to do your homework and start with a company you mean to go on with, or at the very least can stick with until you get your PR. I personally know one guy here in NB from England who got refused (at the PNP level) because he’d chopped and changed jobs too much from one bad company to another.
I know your keen and it feels like an impossible task to work it all out and get the ball moving, but believe me, the companies are a lot more desperate to get you here than you realise so you really can be picky and in the months to come you’ll be glad you were picky, or regret that you were not, whichever the case may be.
chunk:
Hi I’m from S.Wales UK, moved to Canada and I currently work in Alberta for a family firm based in Lethbridge (not the red trucks) and we currently have LMO’s that need filling.
Please PM me for contact details
Hi chunk.
Thanks mate. I’ve PM’d you, I think. Did you get it? Computers and I don’t get along.
kungfutrucker:
A massive thanks to all of you guys for your advice. I honestly didn’t realise just getting a job would be so hard. Ill definitely be following up on your advice. I was hoping to get there pretty sharpish but that doesn’t look likely. I’ll persevere.
Its not hard, but getting the right job is the key. You can come over with any of the crap companies,some will probably want you here next week but they’re crap for a reason so you’re better to do your homework and start with a company you mean to go on with, or at the very least can stick with until you get your PR. I personally know one guy here in NB from England who got refused (at the PNP level) because he’d chopped and changed jobs too much from one bad company to another.
I know your keen and it feels like an impossible task to work it all out and get the ball moving, but believe me, the companies are a lot more desperate to get you here than you realise so you really can be picky and in the months to come you’ll be glad you were picky, or regret that you were not, whichever the case may be.
Thanks robinhood.
That’s why I’m trying to get it right first time. Some of you guys have been through the crap, or know people that have. I don’t want to be another ‘one’ that had to come home. I’ve emailed my cv to about 7 different companies but heard nothing back yet. Quite disheartening to be honest. I’ll keep plugging away.
kungfutrucker:
A massive thanks to all of you guys for your advice. I honestly didn’t realise just getting a job would be so hard. Ill definitely be following up on your advice. I was hoping to get there pretty sharpish but that doesn’t look likely. I’ll persevere.
Its not hard, but getting the right job is the key. You can come over with any of the crap companies,some will probably want you here next week but they’re crap for a reason so you’re better to do your homework and start with a company you mean to go on with, or at the very least can stick with until you get your PR. I personally know one guy here in NB from England who got refused (at the PNP level) because he’d chopped and changed jobs too much from one bad company to another.
I know your keen and it feels like an impossible task to work it all out and get the ball moving, but believe me, the companies are a lot more desperate to get you here than you realise so you really can be picky and in the months to come you’ll be glad you were picky, or regret that you were not, whichever the case may be.
Thanks robinhood.
That’s why I’m trying to get it right first time. Some of you guys have been through the crap, or know people that have. I don’t want to be another ‘one’ that had to come home. I’ve emailed my cv to about 7 different companies but heard nothing back yet. Quite disheartening to be honest. I’ll keep plugging away.
Hi kungfutrucker,
I dont know about you but my brain is fried , with all this information to take in. Ive spent hours and hours researching
where and who to work for. hopefully ive now got enough information to make a decision. However its still a big risk and obviously nothing in life is garanteed. Good luck with your search.
kungfutrucker:
A massive thanks to all of you guys for your advice. I honestly didn’t realise just getting a job would be so hard. Ill definitely be following up on your advice. I was hoping to get there pretty sharpish but that doesn’t look likely. I’ll persevere.
Its not hard, but getting the right job is the key. You can come over with any of the crap companies,some will probably want you here next week but they’re crap for a reason so you’re better to do your homework and start with a company you mean to go on with, or at the very least can stick with until you get your PR. I personally know one guy here in NB from England who got refused (at the PNP level) because he’d chopped and changed jobs too much from one bad company to another.
I know your keen and it feels like an impossible task to work it all out and get the ball moving, but believe me, the companies are a lot more desperate to get you here than you realise so you really can be picky and in the months to come you’ll be glad you were picky, or regret that you were not, whichever the case may be.
Thanks robinhood.
That’s why I’m trying to get it right first time. Some of you guys have been through the crap, or know people that have. I don’t want to be another ‘one’ that had to come home. I’ve emailed my cv to about 7 different companies but heard nothing back yet. Quite disheartening to be honest. I’ll keep plugging away.
Hi kungfutrucker,
I dont know about you but my brain is fried , with all this information to take in. Ive spent hours and hours researching
where and who to work for. hopefully ive now got enough information to make a decision. However its still a big risk and obviously nothing in life is garanteed. Good luck with your search.
Hi crt
Yes mate, my head hurts
I’m glad you’re sorted. I hope you do well mate. Hopefully I won’t be far behind you. Maybe see you over there somewhere soon.
All the best mate.
I’ve taken a look at kijiji to see if there are any well paid local jobs available for those that have done their time driving OTR for 2 years with some of those dodgy companies and I couldn’t find anything that would pay more than $20/h in Greater Toronto Area for example.
I was hoping to find local jobs where you get to sleep in your bed every night for at least $25/h , but there isn’t such thing over there.
Considering living costs to be higher than in the UK, what options do drivers, (those that want to do local work after getting their PR), have?
What some of you guys, those that have been granted their PRs do , do you still do long distance driving? Is it because you enjoy it, or because there is nothing else that would pay a good wage?
and those those that are still waiting for your PRs to be granted, what do you plan to do when you finally get it?
hkloss1:
I’ve taken a look at kijiji to see if there are any well paid local jobs available for those that have done their time driving OTR for 2 years with some of those dodgy companies and I couldn’t find anything that would pay more than $20/h in Greater Toronto Area for example.
I was hoping to find local jobs where you get to sleep in your bed every night for at least $25/h , but there isn’t such thing over there.
Considering living costs to be higher than in the UK, what options do drivers, (those that want to do local work after getting their PR), have?
What some of you guys, those that have been granted their PRs do , do you still do long distance driving? Is it because you enjoy it, or because there is nothing else that would pay a good wage?
and those those that are still waiting for your PRs to be granted, what do you plan to do when you finally get it?
Thanks
My youngest son is in Edmonton Alberta, driving for a crane company. He drives a Kenworth unit with a day cab and is on over $30.00 per hour. Time & a half after 8 hours. Double time at weekends plus various benefits. He is normally home each night but if he is overnighted his company books him into a hotel or he may stay on camp if away from civilization. Food and accommodation all provided free. Camps are like temporary towns in portacabins with bedrooms dining rooms and lounges for workers on a job site to live in when out in the sticks, usually at oilfield job sites.
He carries the counter balance weights and boom sections for the large cranes using step deck trailers or a super B outfit. When on a job site he helps set up or take down the crane and helps with the rigging of the lift. He was introduced to his employer by his brother who is a mechanic at their workshop. His company only employ 1 truck driver as they sub contract most of their work out. The sub contractors don’t help rig the cranes etc.
My eldest son works for FedEx in Edmonton. His pay has been getting better the longer he works for them. Entry level pay isn’t so good.
hkloss1:
I’ve taken a look at kijiji to see if there are any well paid local jobs available for those that have done their time driving OTR for 2 years with some of those dodgy companies and I couldn’t find anything that would pay more than $20/h in Greater Toronto Area for example.
I was hoping to find local jobs where you get to sleep in your bed every night for at least $25/h , but there isn’t such thing over there.
Considering living costs to be higher than in the UK, what options do drivers, (those that want to do local work after getting their PR), have?
What some of you guys, those that have been granted their PRs do , do you still do long distance driving? Is it because you enjoy it, or because there is nothing else that would pay a good wage?
and those those that are still waiting for your PRs to be granted, what do you plan to do when you finally get it?
Thanks
In the Calgary area, looking at job adverts for City/Local driving/Shunting etc, the pay per hour is anywhere between $16 - $25.
Anything over $25hr is generally oil field related.
I do local driving on a tipper, between 3 to 4, 90km round trips a night.
I get $23hr & $34.50hr over 8hrs, Sat+Sun is all overtime.
You cannot compare CPM with Hourly pay, EG.
This week I’ve worked 74hrs in 6 days & grossed $2093 and home everyday.
My mate has done his usual Calgary to LA to Calgary run, which, now he is on electronic log running legally takes 6 days. His hours are much the same as mine & he’s paid 42cpm & $25/pick.
He has done 3080 miles, grossed $1410 & he’s away for 6 days.
Also, I don’t have to worry about scales,logbooks, HOS or timed deliveries
What I have quoted here is for the average jobs and there will be exceptions to the rule where some drivers on long haul are paid more but as far as I’m concerned, hourly pay is far better.
Thanks for your replies, Big Joh’s dad and Neilg14.
So, there is a life away from long haul out there?
I’m working towards my 2 years lorry driving experience that is required to apply to move to Canada and still have some time to go, but recently I’ve been having some doubts whether it is all worth it.
Is food much more expensive in Alberta (Calgary, Edmonton) than it is back in Blighty?
I know car insurance is more expensive, from what I’ve read so far.
Thanks
Bear in mind that I live in the UK and have lived here since 1967. I’ve recently been to Edmonton about 8 or 9 times for between 3 days and 2 weeks per visit.
When I’ve been over to visit my sons, after they moved to Edmonton from the UK, I’ve found food shopping to be expensive in Edmonton when compared to UK supermarkets, but fast food to be plentiful and cheap, especially at Tim Hortons. There seems to be a fast food place everywhere you go and the shopping malls all have food courts where you can choose from many different types of fast food.
Housing is similar to the UK. You pay more in the city than out of town and you get a bigger plot out of town. Public transport in Edmonton is superb and cheap. Outside the city not so good. If you live away from the city you will need personal transport like a car or a pickup.
Some properties away from towns have no mains water, sewer or gas supply. Internet may only be available via expensive radio link.
4 years ago 2 of my sons rented a log cabin about 25 miles out of the city on an acreage. The water was delivered by tanker truck and stored in a large cistern. They had a septic tank, and no gas supply. The only mains connection they had was electricity. They moved out after 6 months. Most people prefer living in the cities. Alberta has a population of about 3 million people. Calgary and Edmonton each have roughly 1 million people in each city. The rest are mainly in other smaller towns, with a very few people living in the sticks.
As an aside: visit a large Tesco here in the UK. Find the American foods section and check out the prices. You can get the same stuff in Canada for about 20% of Tesco’s price.
Food is expensive here, just this minute come back from Walmart, 3/4 of a trolley & $210 lighter.
Certain foods here are very expensive ie. Chicken, bread, cheese, fruit to name a few.
My car insurance is $1400 a year for a new Charger.
Gas & Electric for Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb is between $300 - $400 a month.
TV, Phone, Internet package, $145 a month
Cellphone, $85 a month.
BUT I earn about 1 3/4 more here than I did in the UK and here I have money left over at the end of the month and the quality of life is so much better, no stress now.
as Neilg14 says hr rate can be an eyeopener compaired with OTR work…another job that pays well is driving a Concrete mixer…lets just say Lafarge pays $20+ hr but unionised can be on by the load as well,in Manitoba…even in the boonies $18-20 and remember after 42hrs its time and a half… anyway that means nothing as you cant get an LMO…but i have heard (from work as they have tried to no avail to get a guy from uk in to MB) because of the boom ,it might be possible in saskatchewan to get an lmo on truck driver (construction) ready mix.
jimmy
