thecoder0:
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
Although I’ve ranted against MacFarlanes I hope you choose the one that suits you best.
There is another option - neither 
Stan
Quinny:
I have to say my experience of them was earlier last year,and things may have changed,but as I’m not willing to go back,I’ll never know.I know they’ve just nicked the McBrides contract from Stobbies,and Stobbies Wakefield could be closing because of it,and Macs may be taking over Stobbies place.
You heard it hear first.
Ken.
McBrides can go and burn to the ground hopefully.
Dogmatix:
Quinny:
I have to say my experience of them was earlier last year,and things may have changed,but as I’m not willing to go back,I’ll never know.I know they’ve just nicked the McBrides contract from Stobbies,and Stobbies Wakefield could be closing because of it,and Macs may be taking over Stobbies place.
You heard it hear first.
Ken.
McBrides can go and burn to the ground hopefully.
Is that Mcbrides at Bradford by anychance 
thecoder0:
Dogmatix:
Quinny:
I have to say my experience of them was earlier last year,and things may have changed,but as I’m not willing to go back,I’ll never know.I know they’ve just nicked the McBrides contract from Stobbies,and Stobbies Wakefield could be closing because of it,and Macs may be taking over Stobbies place.
You heard it hear first.
Ken.
McBrides can go and burn to the ground hopefully.
Is that Mcbrides at Bradford by anychance
No, Its McBrides everywhere. Nowt to do with trucking either. Just a bunch of xxxxs
dieseldave:
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.
I’ve worked in many parts of europe. Mostly with the word “developing” attached to them.
dieseldave:
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.
Agreed. Plan on using my old man for a lot of the “advice”. Athough I plan to (when the results come back) hold my own CPC the old man has held nat and intl since the seventies and been a tpt mgr since them (recently moved into driving - had his class 1 since 70s as well).
Still a lot to learn though.
dieseldave:
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.
Actually thinking more and more about the O/D route as time goes on. I understand peoples concerns about newbies but I’m not as green as people think.
Its more the lifestyle I want. Old man wants to cut down to 3 days a week at his current job so the plan would be to run 4 days a week and the old man run the other 3. Ovbiously this means work that is back every night (as hes not a night out guy) or at least me tramp for 4 days then 3 single hitters.
dieseldave:
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.
Think my point didnt get accross well. Not mistakes as in fedging up a delivery / run but as in working somewhere that you cant wait to get out of. Taking a job that wasnt all it was cracked up to be. Not actually breaking stuff.
Spent 20 mins trying to make this post not sound like a “■■■■ you all I know better one” - which is not the case but I’m not exactly a warehouse guy who has gained his class 1.
I appreciate the concerns but numbers and planning are too strong points that I have.
Sockpuppet:
I’ve worked in many parts of europe. Mostly with the word “developing” attached to them.
Fair point, but WADR probably not as an international LGV driver. Therein lies the difference.
Sockpuppet:
Agreed. Plan on using my old man for a lot of the “advice”. Athough I plan to (when the results come back) hold my own CPC the old man has held nat and intl since the seventies and been a tpt mgr since them (recently moved into driving - had his class 1 since 70s as well).Still a lot to learn though.
The “old man” has my fullest respect. TBH, you hadn’t mentioned you had access to a person of his calibre, IIRC. My concerns about your plan were based on info to hand. As many other people on these forums would tell you, we’ve seen people come into the industry with all kinds of ideas and then come a cropper quite quickly.
Sockpuppet:
Actually thinking more and more about the O/D route as time goes on. I understand peoples concerns about newbies but I’m not as green as people think.
I meant “newbies” in terms of LGV driving experience.
Sockpuppet:
Its more the lifestyle I want. Old man wants to cut down to 3 days a week at his current job so the plan would be to run 4 days a week and the old man run the other 3. Ovbiously this means work that is back every night (as hes not a night out guy) or at least me tramp for 4 days then 3 single hitters.
That looks like a good plan.
Sockpuppet:
Think my point didnt get accross well. Not mistakes as in fedging up a delivery / run but as in working somewhere that you cant wait to get out of. Taking a job that wasnt all it was cracked up to be.
I’ve made that mistake several times. My own stupid fault for not researching properly. 
I also tried the O/D route with a similar lack of research, didn’t alter the result though The grass is (not) always greener…etc. At the time, I thought I knew best and didn’t bother asking an older hand’s opinion, then regretted it. I then spent the next few years working to repay the bank.
Sockpuppet:
Spent 20 mins trying to make this post not sound like a “[zb] you all I know better one” - which is not the case
It paid-off. IMHO, experienced people would probably have far more time for a person with that approach.
Sockpuppet:
but I’m not exactly a warehouse guy who has gained his class 1.
Even if you were, I can’t see anything wrong with that. People entering this industry come from many walks of life. There was a whole topic about it IIRC. In some ways, an ex-warehouse person has knowledge that some of us might not not know.
Sockpuppet:
Yes, I’m still only 24 but the last two jobs I had were to design £100million+ supply chains for Tesco and DHL. I’m far from “normal”. I appreciate the concerns but numbers and planning are too strong points that I have. I would suggest tesco do something that wouldnt make sense and I sure as hell wont do the same with my cash unless I ■■■■ sure that I can make at least some profit with my own.
As above. I didn’t enter the general freight industry until about 1980, at approx 23, having done rock-and-roll tours in a 7.5 t before that, and farm work before that. I wouldn’t know a thing about designing supply chains, having never attempted it. Fair point about your own cash, but I think we’re back to my point about the “old man” now. I wish you well in your enterprise, and with the “old man’s” help, I now believe you’ll stand a far better chance. Good Luck!!
Thanks for that Dave. At least we are on the same page. I must admit I did keep the old man quiet. He wanted to become an OD a while ago but didnt want to see my mum and his kids on the street if it went arse over.
I’m still trying to do this myself, but have a good set of contacts to fall on if I’m needed. Ex College mate is now a cv fitter (now runs the depot!) at Volvo 5 mins down the road. Plan on using him to give vehicles a once over to see if they are good!
Like you’ve said dave there is still lots for me to learn. I think I have an advantage over a lot of people due to being allways around trucks and logistics (been a box monkey while I was at College and Uni) but still more than happy to take any and all advice I can from peeps that know better.
In other news:
Well spoke to a contact at DHL. Got an operating center on the DIRFT for £50/month if I want one (not sure this money is going to make it to DHL coffers either - it may get syphoned to the manager). I say operating center I mean parking space. Hell as long as its big enough to park the wagon in it counts.
Sockpuppet:
Thanks for that Dave. At least we are on the same page. I must admit I did keep the old man quiet. He wanted to become an OD a while ago but didnt want to see my mum and his kids on the street if it went arse over.
I had a similar patch, and after much wrangling, I went ahead. To be fair, I didn’t have access to the quality of people you have, so it was doomed to failure. And it did! (I could probably write a book about what happened next. 
) Same page? yes, I’d say so now. However, my concern for you was genuine, on the info you’d given, and based on my own experiences.
Sockpuppet:
I’m still trying to do this myself, but have a good set of contacts to fall on if I’m needed. Ex College mate is now a cv fitter (now runs the depot!) at Volvo 5 mins down the road. Plan on using him to give vehicles a once over to see if they are good!
Another of the ingredients that I lacked.
Sockpuppet:
Like you’ve said dave there is still lots for me to learn. I think I have an advantage over a lot of people due to being allways around trucks and logistics (been a box monkey while I was at College and Uni) but still more than happy to take any and all advice I can from peeps that know better.
You will learn a lot that way- honest!
Sockpuppet:
In other news:Well spoke to a contact at DHL. Got an operating center on the DIRFT for £50/month if I want one (not sure this money is going to make it to DHL coffers either - it may get syphoned to the manager). I say operating center I mean parking space. Hell as long as its big enough to park the wagon in it counts.
Sounds OK. Perhaps it’s time to have a word with the “old man” and any O/Ds you can find. I’d also say there are some very knowledgeable people in the O/D’s forum. The main thing being they’re current O/Ds- horse’s mouth, relevant info, and all that…