Hi all, this site is new to me, looks pretty good though.
I am new to class 1 driving, had my licence 4mths, been offered a job running from Uk to Europe. I’ve taken coaches abroad before, thru’ Dover & Portsmouth, but never an HGV.
I’m concerned on what I need to do at the docks on both sides. Can someone, explain in simple terms what to do & how the crossing effects driving hours/rest and what the score is, once on board.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
John 
Hi cornish trucker, welcome to the site im sorry that i cannot help with this but there will be lots on here that will be able to help just wanted to welcome you and wish you luck with your new job over seas good luck mate.
If you use the search on Trucknet you will find all the answers but basically if you are going through dover it’s like driving over the humber bridge. At dover go over the weighbridge, collect a ticket and drive round the corner, Here you get to choose a ferry, P&O or Sea France, Some companies have a special deal so ask the boss if he has a preference. You then drive up to the ticket booth and hand your weight ticket and passport over and they issue tickets with a lane number on them. That’s about it! P&O use to advertise Dover / Calais in 75 minutes. It now takes over 2 hours but thats progress.
You can use the shuttle too, similar prices or cheaper and quicker normally. At the other side you just drive off and leave the port, terminal! Return is similar but instead of using a weighbridge you need to go through security, either X Ray, Heart Beat or Physical search. Drive to ticket booth and same procedure.
If you are short of time it is better to park up short of ferry terminals. If the ferry is delayed you can end up out of time and have to leave a boat. There is parking in Calais but it gets busy. Dover is UK so trucks are the last thing people think of. Ashford or a small place in Dover are the only parking places before Dartford or Clacketts. When you come back towards France and French ferries be careful of stowaways, smuggling and other things that you shouldn’t have 
Otherwise it is easy and you soon get used to it! As soon as you get used to the system someone will change it anyway! 
Who are you working For? Enjoy Europe
Do not forget to get Vignette for Belgium, Netherland & Lux. You can buy it at Dover at ferry booth or or in Calais at elf truckstop but difficult to get in Belgium. Stick to speed limits especially France approaching toll booths and observe no overtaking signs rigidly in Germany. No overtaking in rain in Belgium and no handheld mobile calls…Check previous postings by searching on here too for tips…
Glad to see another Cornishman on the site, where are you from, and who are you going to be driving for?
If you go onto the Euro driving forum the boys there will be able to give you all the info you need, although you may not get much response until the weekend as they’re all up the road right now.
If you need any help with the French side of things send me a PM and I’ll mail you my phone number - the others will probably make the same offer for other parts of Europe. You’ve come to right place for proper advice, make the most of it, and don’t be afraid to ask …
Craig
PS If you’re coming via Calais I’ll have half a dozen Berriman’s pasties off you 
If going by P&O dont use the 2nd or 3rd booth nearest the weighbridge, if you want a Vingiette, I used that one on Tuesday Night and low and behold it was the only flamin booth that did’nt have a machine in for the vigniette 
the guy just suggested getting it at the Elf Garage in Calais as it was cheaper over there.
Got over to Calais and missed the slip road for the Elf Garage so took a chance I could get one further up road, but no luck, ended running up to Rhein in Germany without one, luckily I didn’t get stopped as it was during the night, managed to tip at Rhein at 06:00 and get back to Utrecht for 9am and then off road until 5pm so again luckily was’nt stopped, but I think the police were more concerned with a chemical spillage on the south side heading in towards Antwerp.
Basically going over the water with a truck is easy, just follow the Ro Ro signs at Dover entrance, stop on weighbridge and press button for weight ticket, then follow lane round for whichever ferry your using, make sure you take advantage of the Routmasters Restraunt on the P&O Ships, good meal averages around £3-50 or less with free drinks (i.e Tea, coffee, pop, milk) if you need euro’s show your ticket onboard at the bureau de change and you dont need to pay the handling fees.
The company I help out now and again only uses P&O so I could’nt tell you if Sea France is the same or not. I only do it coz it’s double manned and I can treat it as a booze run to stock up the wine racks at home
Yeah! Sorry forgot the vignette. You can buy them on card in Elf next to old Pidou or at Transmarck, anyone on the boat will show you. Seafrance is ok, I prefer the food on there, its a bit fresher and you get free wine, Seafrance dont do a vignette at Dover either but you dont need it for France. If you do Belgium and Holland or Lux get it .
If you get into Belgium without one it can be expensive.
Dont forget yer furry clogs
sorry most probably a really stupid question but whats a vignette thingy…■■?
tiggz:
sorry most probably a really stupid question but whats a vignette thingy…■■?
It’s their Equivilent of our Road Tax which WE must buy and yet they dont when using our roads
It’s only payable on vehicles over 7.5 ton if I think right, although it’s that long since I was last over in a 7.5 tonner, you buy it for the number of days your going to use their roads, so if your going to Germany and passing through Belgium and Holland it is required.
The eurovignette is mandatory for vehicles of 12 tonnes or more. If you look on the roads here you’ll see vast numbers of trucks plated at 11.99 tonnes so that they can evade the eurovignette, and they also don’t require limiters. That explains why the ‘12 tonne’ sector is a lot bigger here in Europe than over in UK.
Anyway, back on topic …
moved topic to the euro forum for better coverage
by the way welcome to trucknet
jon
Hey, I wonder, vignette are only for Irish and British lorries but what about eastern bloc or austria italy lorries etc, they paid the vignette ? or not ? or only vignette are only for UK ?
The Vignette is for everybody Betz, not just British and Irish trucks.
Just a big thank you to you all, for the information and advice.
I’m starting my new job on the 22nd, consider myself quite lucky to get this job, considering I have only held a class 1 for 4mths!
The response on here shows that there is a great community between drivers.
Thanks again & I’m sure I will be back with more questions.
John 
cornish trucker:
Just a big thank you to you all, for the information and advice.
I’m starting my new job on the 22nd, consider myself quite lucky to get this job, considering I have only held a class 1 for 4mths!
The response on here shows that there is a great community between drivers.
Thanks again & I’m sure I will be back with more questions.
John
No Problem John… and I am sure that the members here will be more than willing to help…
But also remember YOU are gaining experience, look in and see if you can help another driver by answering their questions!!! 
I have been driving too many years… and have done most of Europe in that time, however I along with many “Experienced” hands still utalise this site to ask when we are not sure about something…
After all thats what this site is here for
welcome cornish trucker. I was in the same position as you and i found just about everybody on here very helpful and they have always given me sound tips on any difficulties i may face. good luck with the job mate.
if doing germany, be careful on the exits as they can be quite severe. cheers. kenny
cornish trucker:
:oops: Hi all, this site is new to me, looks pretty good though.I am new to class 1 driving, had my licence 4mths, been offered a job running from Uk to Europe. I’ve taken coaches abroad before, thru’ Dover & Portsmouth, but never an HGV.
nice to see an other ex european coach driver on here
cant help you with hgvs abroad as i stick fimly in uk
what i can tell you is wagons take an age to go through switzerland while we just breezed throughgood luck and welcome
I used to do Europe a lot in coaches when I was taking one of me breaks from trucking, Jonboy… was a regular on Prague and Budapest… know them places as well as London. Paris was the other place I used to do a lot as well… I was lucky in that I got on well with the bod behind the desk and he used to let me pick my tours out lol … I used to do an awful lot of European Study Tour groups… had a lot of fun with them :o) the Xmas markets as well down in Koln etc
I used to do an awful lot of European Study Tour groups… had a lot of fun with them
yes me too
if you had a good bunch it was fantastic.most of the work we did was in spain and italy.we did 1 E.S.G trip to prague i wasnt impressed with it although the beer was cheap 
.it needed to be i had my wallet stolen there
also we were fined coming down the cobbled hill (no bus sign at top).we had gone up it with the guide but she never mentioned you cant go down it.to top it all two policemen split the fine between then 
i was spliting blood. it was a good job they didnt understand me
then we where fined for not having a motorway vignette,even though my mate tried to buy one at customs,he was told he did not need one any more.as it was my first time there i new no different .as you can see it wasnt the best trip but you live and learn
my company (shearing) decided to give up E.S.G work and sell S.T.S as well and stick to its “core group” (coffin dodgers) so life became alittle bit boreing.
also i was missing my kids growing up 
no more free sking trips either
i had 12 days off over half term and asda refused permisson for me to do the odd day driving for shearing.
i am glad you enjoyed coaching so much,but i think like most things the best days have past
jon
Good Greef 
I thought this was TRUCKNET not coachnet
Only kiddin JB.