hi all, anyone on here know anything about maritime, wages , conditions , that sort of stuff, they seem to have got very big in the last couple of years, thinking about giving them a bell, cheers.
There is a fair bit about them if you enter their name into search topic.
As was said above, there’s loads of fairly recent threads on here about them.
I think the general consensus is that the equipment is top notch, the job is fairly easy with lots of waiting around BUT your face has to fit and you have to get on with the other Maritime staff well, and if there’s work to be done then it needs to be done, even if it is 1800 on a Friday night, you’ve only got 45 mins driving time left and you’re supposed to be on a plane to somewhere sunny the next morning.
All top of the range kit, most have microwaves and fridges.
Wages are £375 for 55hrs, £10 / day meal allowance, overtime is £10 / hr after 11hrs per day (not 55hrs per week like some), holiday pay is £500 / week.
Nights out were around £23 and either in 1 of their yards or a services, most have accounts so don’t need to carry money to pay for them then wait weeks to get it back.
That’s the good, the bad is just that they don’t think of you as an employee so much as something they own.
Job’s a piece of ■■■■ (as is all container work), can be long hours, which is good if you’re tramping, higher earnings potential.
I was based Manchester / Leeds / Liverpool (started as a cab hopper, then full time at Leeds).
Their lorries are even slower than mine…
you can only get a job if you live within 45 mins of felixstowe ( thats what they told me when i phoned )
truckerone:
you can only get a job if you live within 45 mins of felixstowe ( thats what they told me when i phoned )
Bloody 'ell, I did well then from Manchester, but I do have a litre class motorbike…
Still not sure I could do Felix in 45 mins though, especially as I don’t think I’d do it on 1 tank of juice.
Basic just gone upto 385. If you’ve done container work before then great. If, like me, u have not, then I suspect they’ll tell you they’ll give you plenty of training! Not so. I had one day and didn’t even go to the docks. All docks/ports have a different system. I have really struggled this last month since starting and as a result I am leaving. There’s no communication at all between operators and drivers. At least twice a week since I’ve been there they have ‘forgotten’ about me and not known who I’m supposed to be with or what contact I’m ment to be on. I’ve felt like such a 5th wheel that it’s really turned me off what I thought was a very reputable, respectable firm and and in all probability the easiest job in the game. Nothing has been explained to me in any detail what so ever and I have ended up feeling very stupid in front of plenty of drivers.
You won’t get your own motor until at least your probationary period is up. They stipulate u must live within a 45 mile radius (not travel time). If you live more than 15 - 20 miles think bout it carefully mate… I’m supposed to be a tramper; But I’ve had 5 nights in this time, so when you consider I live a round trip of 90 odd miles it has made it a very expensive month because I can’t even sleep in the motors coz they’re either out that night or your just covering sickness/holiday.
New motors, with fridge and microwave and limited to 83kph. Your not permitted to sleepover in lay-bys’.
REPLICANT:
Basic just gone upto 385. If you’ve done container work before then great. If, like me, u have not, then I suspect they’ll tell you they’ll give you plenty of training! Not so. I had one day and didn’t even go to the docks. All docks/ports have a different system. I have really struggled this last month since starting and as a result I am leaving. There’s no communication at all between operators and drivers. At least twice a week since I’ve been there they have ‘forgotten’ about me and not known who I’m supposed to be with or what contact I’m ment to be on. I’ve felt like such a 5th wheel that it’s really turned me off what I thought was a very reputable, respectable firm and and in all probability the easiest job in the game. Nothing has been explained to me in any detail what so ever and I have ended up feeling very stupid in front of plenty of drivers.You won’t get your own motor until at least your probationary period is up. They stipulate u must live within a 45 mile radius (not travel time). If you live more than 15 - 20 miles think bout it carefully mate… I’m supposed to be a tramper; But I’ve had 5 nights in this time, so when you consider I live a round trip of 90 odd miles it has made it a very expensive month because I even sleep in the motors coz they’re either out that night or your just covering sickness/holiday.
New motors, with fridge and microwave and limited to 83kph. Your not permitted to sleepover in lay-bys’.
sorry to read that replicant, i work for maritime, and to be honest from what i hear from different drivers, from different depots, you would think that each depot works for a different company, leeds and liverpool are very good, and it was only 3 weeks cab hopping until i got my own cab 
Firstly sorry it didnt work out for you replicant I seem to remember a previous post about Felixstowe (think it was yours?)
REPLICANT:
I had one day and didn’t even go to the docks. All docks/ports have a different system
With the greatest of respect I kinda see why they didnt take you. As you point out all ports/docks work different (and that isnt including inland storage areas) so you would have to spend along time on training. To be honest most are sensible with a little thought but those that arent you can normally find a helpful driver who will point you in the right direction.
REPLICANT:
There’s no communication at all between operators and drivers.
So true, but the tip is to expect it from the get go. When they say they will ring you back in a couple of minutes, understand that actually a good couple of hours. This is where books, dvds etc comes into their own!
REPLICANT:
Your not permitted to sleepover in lay-bys’.
Nice to hear that from a company. Would have made a huge difference compared to the last company 
REPLICANT:
I have ended up feeling very stupid in front of plenty of drivers.
Hey dont knock it…Thats they way I live my life out on the road
But once again Im sorry to hear it didnt work out!
Thanks Graham. I am really disappointed. Thing is, I’ll do pretty much everything that’s thrown at me, just as most of us drivers do, but from my point of view, a system as complex as containers, needs explaining; what to do, not to do etc. Something as simple as stretching a trailer or knowing where to look on the paper work to know what size box your getting has caused be a great deal of embarrassment and stress. Last week I done nearly £100 in petrol all because the guy running me didn’t know / assumed I was a day driver. I mean how good is that? And the RHIDES system at FX? They all assumed I had a card even though I told them plenty of times I had never done this work.
Oh well. At least I’m back on fridge work and have a job to go to.
tonka236:
Firstly sorry it didnt work out for you replicant I seem to remember a previous post about Felixstowe (think it was yours?)REPLICANT:
I had one day and didn’t even go to the docks. All docks/ports have a different systemWith the greatest of respect I kinda see why they didnt take you. As you point out all ports/docks work different (and that isnt including inland storage areas) so you would have to spend along time on training. To be honest most are sensible with a little thought but those that arent you can normally find a helpful driver who will point you in the right direction.
REPLICANT:
There’s no communication at all between operators and drivers.
So true, but the tip is to expect it from the get go. When they say they will ring you back in a couple of minutes, understand that actually a good couple of hours. This is where books, dvds etc comes into their own!
Granted I know it was unrealistic to expect full on training and I certainly don’t need to have my hand held, but, I would have been nice to know how to streatch a trainler, what pins for what boxes and to have been told/asked to get RHIDES on my first day. The word ‘Fundamental’ comes to kind. I feel very bitter about it as I was catagoricly told I’d get at least 3 or 4 days with someone and be out 4 nights a week. I feel as though I’ve been used to a certain extent ad they seem desperate for drivers. Even shirt and tie guys have been hitting the road. I didn’t expect to be traveling 90 miles a day
Please understand I wasnt having a dig. Its more of a observation for anybody else going into box work
REPLICANT:
I didn’t expect to be traveling 90 miles a day
Oh mate I hear you on that. I was employed as a tramper at the old job but the boss used to try and get us back into the yard wherever possible (admitting I didnt have to drive 90 miles!). I lived about 45mins away but he tried and always came out with the normal your saving the firm money by them not having to pay us N/O money. Fair play, yes it saves the firm money but Im on a double loss cos i still have to fuel the car.
Was surprising how many times I caught a lot of traffic on the way back to the yard and ended up staying out 
Sometimes you have to make it work for your self !
bjd:
Sometimes you have to make it work for your self 
Bottom line, is that I can’t entertain the notion of spending upto £100 a week before the wheels start turning so to speak, even if it’s for a couple of months. Like many come Monday mornings, I expect to not get behind the wheel of my car untill Thursday or Friday.
Replicant, I too wasted a lot of time and money turning up for interview appointments with Maritime, only to be told make another appointment because the guy I had the appointment with wasn’t there 
In the end I just walked away, I wouldn’t treat anyone like this and I dont expect anyone to do it to me. There loss 
Tiger.
REPLICANT:
Thanks Graham. I am really disappointed. Thing is, I’ll do pretty much everything that’s thrown at me, just as most of us drivers do, but from my point of view, a system as complex as containers, needs explaining; what to do, not to do etc. Something as simple as stretching a trailer or knowing where to look on the paper work to know what size box your getting has caused be a great deal of embarrassment and stress. Last week I done nearly £100 in petrol all because the guy running me didn’t know / assumed I was a day driver. I mean how good is that? And the RHIDES system at FX? They all assumed I had a card even though I told them plenty of times I had never done this work.Oh well. At least I’m back on fridge work and have a job to go to.
Glad to hear you’ve got something else to go to, but it sounds like you was after a bit of hand holding to me.
You can’t get tought every port / dock, as you said, they’re all different, freightliner manchester is different to freighliner leeds and freightliner liverpool, so if the same company’s different, what chance have you got between companies?
The RHidES card takes about 20 mins, but you have to know before hand because you need your passport (I think) with you to get it.
The communication is pretty damned poor, but it’s the same in 99% of firms I’ve worked for. Not just in containers either.
Once you leave Maritime, you aren’t aloud back, and also they won’t let byou retract notice. I know 1 driver who’d had a really bad week, went back in, didn’t get any joy so said they could stick their job, Calmed down, went back in and apologised, his apology was accepted but was told he’d been replaced and can’t retract his notice.
Another mate had some personal stuf (wife sleeping round), wouldn’t sort him day work or anything, he wante dto sort things with his wife, so he did his notice, left the job, ended up divorced anyway, and has been trying to get back since.
Hi. I was with maritime for 11 years up to 4 years ago at the time i was 1 of there longest serving drivers. The trucks are top notch with microwaves and fridges etc. They are all limited to 52mph they have depots up and down the country with shower toilets and drivers room. If you look on there website all the details will be there. The managment are a bit strange and if your face dont fit then u have a problem. Good luck 