Well I’m of the opinion I’ve not made enough mistakes in my life so I need to make a few more.
Whats wrong with euro tramping…apart from the name.
Sockpuppet:
…hoping they will take a new driver onto Euro tramping if they are as desperate as people make out.
Not wishing to pour wet stuff on your bonfire, but Euro tramping is an art in itself. There’s an awful lot to learn. If the firm is as desperate as you’ve heard, they’ll probably expect you to do the job a “certain” way. Before you can do that, you first have to know where the goalposts are. I did Euro tramping for 10 years. Honestly mate, you probably can’t imagine the half of it.
Even if you pass your CPCs, they barely scratch the surface. How do I know? I’ve done the job (see above) and I’ve taught both CPCs. It’s honest advice, but you can ignore it if you know more than I do.
Sockpuppet:
…or try and get into a proper outfit.
That would be a smart move. (My advice to a newbie: head down, trap shut, listen and learn.) As for being an O/D, I’d say leave that for a few years yet, but it’d be your money.
Sockpuppet:
Well I’m of the opinion I’ve not made enough mistakes in my life so I need to make a few more.
I agree 100% with you there.
Do you realise that you’d be asking a firm to let you use their kit to make your mistakes?? I somehow don’t think they’d go along with that.
Sockpuppet:
Whats wrong with euro tramping…apart from the overly gay name.
Nothing wrong with Euro tramping at all. I enjoyed it. Everybody has a starting point, and an “apprenticeship” to serve. BTW, there’s nothing wrong with the name, unless you’re prejudiced of course.
dieseldave:
…hoping they will take a new driver onto Euro tramping if they are as desperate as people make out
Not wishing to pour wet stuff on your bonfire, but Euro tramping is an art in itself. There’s an awful lot to learn. If the firm is as desperate as you’ve heard, they’ll probably expect you to do the job a “certain” way. Before you can do that, you first have to know where the goalposts are. I did Euro tramping for 10 years. Honestly mate, you probably can’t imagine the half of it.
[quote=“Sockpuppet”.
Yeah I think you make a good point there Diesel,
don’t know how long you been in the game Sockpuppet but I had nearly twenty years under my belt UK before I did a trip to Romania, and I was suprised at the amount of crap there was involved and not only that and im sure there are better qualified drivers on here (Coffeeholic, Harry to name but two) that will tell you that just to stay half on track legally you have to know quite a bit about how various countries rules and regs work…Its a big subject man but hey I admire your balls.
Plus you need a few kilometres under your belt to enable you to have adequate skills as well…not sugesting you don’t by the way I am just presuming so apologies if im wrong.
I will be having an interview at Macfarlanes will get the SP on the job etc etc and let you know what was said etc.
I will give em your regards Quinny LOL 
Sockpuppet:
Well I’m of the opinion I’ve not made enough mistakes in my life so I need to make a few more.Whats wrong with euro tramping…apart from the overly gay name.
Sockpuppet-- When your pulled in for questioning by the German equivelant of VOSA for not having the right paperwork (any paperwork lol) and the questioning starts to get a bit awkward you might change your mind about jumping in the deepend without a bit of homework first Trust me 
Quinny:
Well if you like being treated like [zb] by the office staff,who ignore you when you go to the window,work long hours for what is a terrible rate of pay,but do like a nice flash truck,then go ahead.I did 2 shifts on the agency for them,and vowed never to go back,for the simple reason they want to pay a fixed rate per day,and then try and get you to do 15 hours for it.The days in question,would have meant I was on £6.33 per hour,FOR 15 HOURS!!!
Do I look that stupid?
It’s only when I threatened to bring a load back,did the scenario change,and the agency agreed to pay me overtime,if I worked more than 12 hours.Luckily I didn’t.
Ken.
I know you asked me to expand on the pm I sent you but tbh I’d just be repeating what Ken says. I agree with everything he posts here and can vouch that this is not isolated.
I did 2 shifts back in January. First day turned up at 4am to be ignored for 45 minutes, didn’t get unit until 6am, did 5 local drops and a trunk and got back in about 4pm to be given another job - the kind that could take 1hr or 10 hrs. I told him where he could shove it 
Next day same scenario in the morning and then a trunk from Coke J41 to Northampton.
The work wouldn’t be so bad if the office staff left you alone to do the job. On the first day I had 13 phone calls up to 1 o’clock so after arguing I switched the phone off. the agency rang me to tell me I had to switch it back on “or else” - so I switched my mobile off as well. When I got back into the depot the office muppets said " we’ve been trying to contact you".
On the second day I got a phone call at 0630. I told them they had 1 more phone call that day and they left me alone. The job got done just as well without having my hand held.
In my opinion the problem behind the wickets is simple - there’s too many of 'em. I counted 14 and they just do not talk to each other. (I’ve done some work for UPS which must run twice as many drivers at least and they have 4 in their office and they communicate).
I wouldn’t work for them for a gold pig 
Stan
Stan,
I guess we all have different opinions and experiences in the same places because I did 3 month for UPS on agency and was told yeah its a fixed payment 5 nights out and an average of 10 hrs per day.
That in my experience was BBOOLLOX and the way the way the fat controller and you will know who i mean speaks to agy drivers is bad.
Sufice to say when he rang me ten miles from bridgewater to give me a load of crap I swiftly told him i was turning back and bringing the load back and if he would care to hang about I would quite happily show him the error of his ways.
he phoned the agency to tell them that i was bringing the load all the way back and they called me and said you can’t do that, “Watch me I said” unless i get an apology of that that fat ■■■■ its coming back. Agency ring 10 mins later its all been a misunderstanding and will i please deliver.
"Is the fatman gonna apologise? "
“He has had to nip out” (agy)
6 hours later im parking the load in Shaw cross bearing in mind it came from Derby was a double wammy.
But no fat controller to be seen.!!!
bunch o ■■■■■ at that firm mate 15 hours most days worked to the max by muppets…one day I was given 7 collections in and around London heathrow etc etc …not one order was ready for collection so i retuirned to derby empty how profesional are UPS ?
I must admit i have only heard Bad things about them… But having not worked there myself i cant comment further!
Bones:
I must admit i have only heard Bad things about them… But having not worked there myself i cant comment further!
Yeah seems to be a common thread here Bones but its worth going for the interview and if i get a bad taste in the mouth ill tell em to stuff it…am looking forward to interviewing them lol…Im not fussed either way getting too old to worry about that kind of thing I can walk out just as easily as I waliked in
Coder…only just really looked at your avtar, excellent…PMSL
bullitt:
Coder…only just really looked at your avtar, excellent…PMSL
Bullitt, your obviously a man of taste
thecoder0:
bullitt:
Coder…only just really looked at your avtar, excellent…PMSLBullitt, your obviously a man of taste
It`s like looking in the mirror at myself when im a having some “slight difficulty” trying to use a computer
I never meant to imply that UPS was a good company to work for. Just that if they can run twice the operation with 4 people it shows how poor the office staff are at MacFarlanes.
thecoder0:
I guess we all have different opinions and experiences in the same places because I did 3 month for UPS on agency and was told yeah its a fixed payment 5 nights out and an average of 10 hrs per day.
Was offered very similar but on day rate. Turned it down - hourly paid or forget it.
That in my experience was BBOOLLOX and the way the way the fat controller and you will know who i mean speaks to agy drivers is bad.
Yes I do know who you mean - and your right. But I found he’s the kind of guy who can give it but can’t take it.
bunch o [zb] at that firm mate 15 hours most days worked to the max by muppets…one day I was given 7 collections in and around London heathrow etc etc …not one order was ready for collection so i retuirned to derby empty how profesional are UPS ?
Agreed
Stan
thecoder0:
…am looking forward to interviewing them lol…Im not fussed either way getting too old to worry about that kind of thing I can walk out just as easily as I waliked in
When I was a young 'un I hated interviews - now I love 'em.
Especially the bit where he says “do you have any questions?”
That’s if it gets that far
Stan
Stanley Knife:
When I was a young 'un I hated interviews - now I love 'em.Especially the bit where he says “do you have any questions?”
Stanley Knife:
thecoder0:
…am looking forward to interviewing them lol…Im not fussed either way getting too old to worry about that kind of thing I can walk out just as easily as I waliked inWhen I was a young 'un I hated interviews - now I love 'em.
Especially the bit where he says “do you have any questions?”
That’s if it gets that far
Stan
Stan
Thats the bit I like the questions bit,
My starter for 10 is " whats the policy on daily comms with the drivers"
Jeeze I better pack it in im talking myself out of this job already
Well had the interview and to be honest i was quite impressed with the whole thing the pay aint that sparkling but the setup seemed OK
Pluses and minuses in both jobs and top and bottom is im still not sure which one to take.
-
Big company newer gear …continuity of work etc etc …just a number
-
Small company if a truck goes down someone aint working etc etc last in first out etc
can’t decide 
Sockpuppet PM me for details if your still interested
ive only been in there once and it was an ok shift. i did sit for 2 hours waiting for a job though.
from what i understand is the agency drivers do all the crap work and the trampers do all the journey work and one hitters.
i dont know about them ringing all the time but ive heard that rumour a lot.
good tackle but crap money.
the best policy they did have … when you turned up for work they asked if you want a smokers or non smokers wagon.
i shouldnt imagine stobbies are too concerned about mac,s. anyway they have enough coke out j41 to keep them going there.
jessicas dad:
they have enough coke out j41 to keep them going
Well thats one way of keeping going i suppose 
Bones:
jessicas dad:
they have enough coke out j41 to keep them goingWell thats one way of keeping going i suppose
if my memory serves me right… didnt you try a bit of coke at j41
yep i did a bit but with money been a bit tight something had to give so now im on milk