Just been on the phone with the agency I’m signed up with, they’ve got me in with a removals company starting tomorrow. I’ve never driven anything other than the trucks I did my test in so I’m really nervous. Plus I’ve only ever driven auto’s, I do hold a manual car license though.
Has anyone here had experience driving removal trucks?
Edit, see my last post.
I’m a lazy ■■■■ so would be more concerned about what else a ‘removal drivers’ duties include.
I’d expect you should take it VERY steady on the corners, also could be some interesting delivery/collections from residential areas.
hope you have a strong back
its not just driving its alot of hard work and heavy lifting if you enjoy it thats fine if not dont go asyour going to hate it
I passed my class 2 back in 2004 and one of the first jobs the agency put me one was with a removal company.
Spent a week out delivering Laz - y - boy furniture around E. Yorks.
When the payslip arrived, I’d only been paid for the driving element. So hours of lugging furniture up high rise flats for no £’s. Grrr.
mds141:
I passed my class 2 back in 2004 and one of the first jobs the agency put me one was with a removal company.Spent a week out delivering Laz - y - boy furniture around E. Yorks.
When the payslip arrived, I’d only been paid for the driving element. So hours of lugging furniture up high rise flats for no £’s. Grrr.
LMAO! Presumably you took them to court rather than just rolling over and accepting it, yes?
Left hand down!:
mds141:
I passed my class 2 back in 2004 and one of the first jobs the agency put me one was with a removal company.Spent a week out delivering Laz - y - boy furniture around E. Yorks.
When the payslip arrived, I’d only been paid for the driving element. So hours of lugging furniture up high rise flats for no £’s. Grrr.
LMAO! Presumably you took them to court rather than just rolling over and accepting it, yes?
I was ( relatively ) young and naive back then, so put it down to a steep learning curve to come. First and last time I did any furniture removals.
First truck job I ever had was driving removals. 5 hrs lugging and loading. 30 mins driving then take it all off again. If it was a long trip the porters would sleep while you drove but they still expected you to work as hard as them with the lugging. Still, I got paid 10 quid a week more!
Honestly the single hardest job I ever had. Remember the last time you moved house then imagine doing it every day. Of all the people you pay when you move home the removals guys get the least and work the hardest. You might get a tip and make sure the kettle is the last thing on and first off.
Firms usually put much more weight on the drivers shoulders but he is usually the experienced man who will run the job. They are a team (usually work together) and teamwork really counts. The best lads will allow for the fact the driver drives (more important on a longer run) and the driver will do a walk round the job telling the lads what he wants first etc, then will usually pack the wagon and not do as much in the property, taking the stuff from the back of the van. Reassess at regular intervals.
You’ll need to ask the team for their advice.
Mine would be never lift a piece of furniture using the top, you’ll rip the top off. You’ll generally find there is about four times the weight in it that it was designed for, so lift it from the bottom.
I am a bit puzzled by the licence you hold, are you saying that you only have an Auto licence for the truck, but a manual licence for a car. I dont know about the hgv driving test, but if you took a test in an auto car, then you can only drive autos, i believe that if you have an auto HGV licence then maybe you can only drive Auto trucks, so if you turn up and its a 4 over 4 manual, you are nort allowed to drive it, am i correct ?
The work is hard work as others have said, just dont carry a piano on your own 
all that furniture up and down 3 flights of stairs, + the driving…your welcome. I did European removals a few years ago, but the company laid on staff just for the loading/unloading, all i had to do was drive and it was a fantastic job…good luck
truckyboy:
I am a bit puzzled by the licence you hold, are you saying that you only have an Auto licence for the truck, but a manual licence for a car. I dont know about the hgv driving test, but if you took a test in an auto car, then you can only drive autos, i believe that if you have an auto HGV licence then maybe you can only drive Auto trucks, so if you turn up and its a 4 over 4 manual, you are nort allowed to drive it, am i correct ?
The work is hard work as others have said, just dont carry a piano on your own
It’s recently changed and if you have manual b and auto C/C+E you Can now drive manual trucks.
Crazy I know!
NewLad:
truckyboy:
I am a bit puzzled by the licence you hold, are you saying that you only have an Auto licence for the truck, but a manual licence for a car. I dont know about the hgv driving test, but if you took a test in an auto car, then you can only drive autos, i believe that if you have an auto HGV licence then maybe you can only drive Auto trucks, so if you turn up and its a 4 over 4 manual, you are nort allowed to drive it, am i correct ?
The work is hard work as others have said, just dont carry a piano on your ownIt’s recently changed and if you have manual b and auto C/C+E you Can now drive manual trucks.
Crazy I know!
yep gonna be fun if youve never drove a split box
Well, having done one day I can safely say I am never doing removals again.
Radar19:
Well, having done one day I can safely say I am never doing removals again.
Care to elaborate?
htfc1984:
Radar19:
Well, having done one day I can safely say I am never doing removals again.Care to elaborate?
It was a farce.
When I arrived, no one was around. I had to ask where the office was. They didn’t even look at my license, I could of been anyone. They give me a set of keys, handed the porter the paperwork, told us we’re off to Aldershot. Next, no one shows me how the taco machine works. Its after I speak to an old chap who was really nice and showed me what to do.
On the way down I’m told by the porter that I’m supposed to help not only move the stuff but to also pack it in boxes as well. I signed up to be a driver here, not a removal man. I understand that as a driver I’m supposed to help out but I didn’t think I’d by having to do two jobs. We spent about 6 hours or so packing things and wrapping them then I’m supposed to drive the 3 odd hours back?
Whenever I’ve used removal men before, there has always been at least 3 of them. 2 porters and 1 driver. I’m seriously considered not even bothering to fill out the hours for this as it requires me to go back to the their office for them to sign me my time sheet. I started at 7am in the morning and did not return until 22:50 at night. I wasn’t told whether I’d be paid for the whole day or just the driving parts. I’ve tried calling my agency but no one to answering so I guess its early Friday hometime.
Basiclly, I’m now wondered what the hell I’m supposed to do.
Firstly and most important you want paying for every second that you were on the job. This is from the start time they gave you until the minute you left site to go home.
It does not matter if you slept all day or drove all day you want paying regardless and that is the law. The agency MUST pay you REGARDLESS of there being a signed timesheet or not, the law allows them a reasonable amount of time to ascertain that you actually worked the hours stated and I would guess that this should not take longer than a phone call. Your tachograph is also proof that you were there. Do not let the agency fob you off by telling you that they can’t pay unless you produce a signed timesheet.
To add, The agency MUST pay you even if they have not been paid by the client. This is also the law.
Er - 0700 until 2250 is somewhat in excess of the 15 hours spreadover allowed…
Roymondo:
Er - 0700 until 2250 is somewhat in excess of the 15 hours spreadover allowed…
So I broke the law?
Radar19:
When I arrived, no one was around. I had to ask where the office was. They didn’t even look at my license, I could of been anyone. They give me a set of keys, handed the porter the paperwork, told us we’re off to Aldershot. Next, no one shows me how the taco machine works. Its after I speak to an old chap who was really nice and showed me what to do.On the way down I’m told by the porter that I’m supposed to help not only move the stuff but to also pack it in boxes as well. I signed up to be a driver here, not a removal man. I understand that as a driver I’m supposed to help out but I didn’t think I’d by having to do two jobs. We spent about 6 hours or so packing things and wrapping them then I’m supposed to drive the 3 odd hours back?
Whenever I’ve used removal men before, there has always been at least 3 of them. 2 porters and 1 driver. I’m seriously considered not even bothering to fill out the hours for this as it requires me to go back to the their office for them to sign me my time sheet. I started at 7am in the morning and did not return until 22:50 at night. I wasn’t told whether I’d be paid for the whole day or just the driving parts. I’ve tried calling my agency but no one to answering so I guess its early Friday hometime.
Basiclly, I’m now wondered what the hell I’m supposed to do.
Don’t take this personally but:
I think an HGV operator which has ordered an HGV driver from an agency is sort-of entitled to think that said driver will know how to work a tacho and not have to explain it to him; and
You knew you were going to a job driving a removal wagon and are then surprised/unhappy that you have to do a bit of graft packing and loading?
Radar19:
Roymondo:
Er - 0700 until 2250 is somewhat in excess of the 15 hours spreadover allowed…So I broke the law?
Just a tad…