New job with a bulker for me

[nomis36]

I’ve worked at the same place for 12 years delivering plumbing and drainage products to builders merchants, plumbers merchants and building sites, mostly multi drop on step frame curtain side and flat trailers. The first 5 was with one company as the main contractor then 7 years with another. Due to many reasons I’ve become very disillusioned with the job even though I do have respect from my current employer and a decent wage structure, only because I kept my old employers T’s&C’s.
Recently I started looking at job websites and came across a job doing mainly artic agricultural bulk work for a small (10 trucks) family run operator so applied. Long story short I got offered the job even though I’ve never pulled a bulker in my life [emoji51] The drivers they already have have been there for up to 30 years so it must be a good job. I like the idea of going back to a small family run firm that actually still buy their trucks, all globetrotters, they’ve just had a 15 plate one delivered and they have their own full time fitter so it’s all very well done and professional. I will be taking a bit of an hourly rate hit but he assures me I will earn close to what I’m used to, obviously doing a few more hours which I don’t mind.
I’m really excited about facing new challenges and doing something completely different but starting off as a newbie on a job I don’t know is filling me with dread.
I would appreciate it if you could give me some idea of the basic do’s and don’t’s and how bulkers work please.

Just as I’ve got my head round being unfaithful to my current employer (yes I am a sensitive chap [emoji56]) I’ve received two phone calls from the management practically begging me to reconsider and keep asking what they can do to persuade me to stay [emoji17] I just keep saying it’s nothing to do with them (not strictly true) it’s the job and the way it’s changed, I just don’t want to do it anymore (mostly the case). All this is upsetting me to the point I’ve stopped answering the phone and don’t want to go into work tomorrow!
I need moral support as well as advice on the new job please lads n lasses [emoji4]

[nomis36]

I’m wondering if I demand 50k a year and a big new V8 scania with a proper manual gearbox if they’ll agree [emoji23]

[war1974]

for me if you started looking / applied / accepted then its too late to be asking if they can do anything as in my own experiences the anything will very quickly slip back to the norm and it all starts again.

don’t know anything about bulkers so can assist on that one.

[liberty_guy]

What type of bulker is it you will be driving? Regular high bodied tipper, or bulk tanker?

I wouldn’t worry too much about moving on to new pastures, as having new challenges will give you a fresh perspective on work.

[daytrunker]

war1974:
for me if you started looking / applied / accepted then its too late to be asking if they can do anything as in my own experiences the anything will very quickly slip back to the norm and it all starts again.

don’t know anything about bulkers so can assist on that one.

^^this, if you already applied for a new job and got it you have answered your own question,good thing is if your present employer is that desperate to keep you if you do leave tell them you need a new challenge and if it doesn’t work you will be first person to call and leave on a good note
Burning bridges and all that.

Jeff

[nomis36]

Oh yeah, I’m definitely leaving. I wouldn’t for a minute accept a job then tell them I’ve changed my mind. I am definitely going and will be as nice with the present boss as possible and hope he understands. As for what type of bulker they use I really don’t know but they’re lower than the units roof and I think are tippers lol. Problem is I’ve been to their place twice now and all the trailers have been out and I forgot to ask [emoji57]

[nomis36]

Found this picture off one of theirs on Google. Does that help with the trailer type?

[liberty_guy]

Looks like a regular tipper trailer. Two golden rules.

1. Only ever tip on level ground…
2. Always check for phone lines and power lines etc before raising the body.

Hope you enjoy your new role.

[spooky70]

May sound simple, but, make sure your tailgate is locked shut before loading and make sure it is unlocked before tipping (unless using the grain chute).
Also, have a sweep out when changing from product to product.

[nomis36]

Ahhhh, I’ve noticed that little square hatch in the back door. Grain chute eh■■? What’s that for? Tipping slower and more precisely?

[tango_boy]

Good luck have fun tipper driving is great
Might see ya about im in this lol

[nomis36]

I will look out for you? Do you go to British sugar in Newark? Sounds like i will be going there quite a lot in the beet season.

[tango_boy]

nomiS36:
I will look out for you? Do you go to British sugar in Newark? Sounds like i will be going there quite a lot in the beet season.

Not so much now as we don’t do the grain work no more unless i take the coal in

[nomis36]

Hope my first day goes better than this youtu.be/wNfAMVGk2rA

[scraggy88]

tango boy:
Good luck have fun tipper driving is great
Might see ya about im in this lol0

Think I saw you a while ago in wednesbury pulling into MQP I think it was or hansons.
Nice truck!

[tango_boy]

Scraggy88:

tango boy:
Good luck have fun tipper driving is great
Might see ya about im in this lol0

Think I saw you a while ago in wednesbury pulling into MQP I think it was or hansons.
Nice truck!

Thank you

[stevieboy308]

nomiS36:
Ahhhh, I’ve noticed that little square hatch in the back door. Grain chute eh■■? What’s that for? Tipping slower and more precisely?

you clip a sock to it! all very straight forward. a lot of places you’ll tip won’t be able to handle 30t of whatever in the time it takes to tip the body, so you’ll back upto the intake, put the sock on ( a tarp tube!) when the grain fills the intake pit up and the top of the pile reaches back to the sock, then it self regulates the speed the grain is coming out of the body at the same speed the intake pit is taking it away. and keeps the dust down.

turn the sidelights on to power the weigher on the trailer.

to weigh the load you have to tip the body 6 / 8 inches, so all the weight is on the rear pins / pivot and the ram at the front, if you tip an empty trailer just enough so there’s no weight on the chassis, when the loads goes in the body will bow and touch the chassis - giving a false reading on the weigher! although you’d normally wait till they’re getting there before tipping it up for the weigher.

if you pick up a light load like wheetfeed, that you don’t need to weigh, press down for a second to let the pressure out of the ram that will of built up once loaded.

when loading, get them to load the front 1st, then if you need to move you’ve got weight over your drive axle

on volvo’s, maybe others? change the pto gear, same way as manual gear change on an auto for a faster tip

when you roll the sheet over, check the sheet stoppers are upright, they should self level, but i’ve seen one lad roll his sheet off the side of the body after he’d knocked them down on some trees and they stuck down! it took some pulling back up!

if it’s raining tip the water off the sheet before loading so you don’t get any in the body and when tipping so you don’t send any unnecessary down the intake pit

[nomis36]

Thanks stevieboy308, some really good tips there such as the stoppers. I’ve seen those and did wonder. Since accepting the job I’ve been looking at all the bulkers and taking note of stuff I would never normally look for.

[andrewv8]

Be prepared for lot of sitting about in the mills, especially when they breakdown. I’m sure I’ve seen them in Vervago Hull.

[nomis36]

I’m good at sitting round doin nowt [emoji6]