Hi,
I just waiting for “O” licence for one artic . I’m thinking about tramping or fridge.
Do you know how many miles per year is average for fridge work? Or rate per mile.
My first idea was containers but with “great offer” of £1.15/mile I’m not sure.
Thanks
rates are just as bad for fridges as they are containers and more of a headache if they go wrong. R u buyin your own trailer ? if so try try coolload for loads thats whta you will be best doin im afraid.
Thanks. Yes I thinking about own trailer. Do you have idea how many miles per week they are do - average. 1000,2000 or less and you spend most of your time waiting at RDC?
Dave Chod:
Thanks. Yes I thinking about own trailer. Do you have idea how many miles per week they are do - average. 1000,2000 or less and you spend most of your time waiting at RDC?
Dave Chod:
Thanks. Yes I thinking about own trailer. Do you have idea how many miles per week they are do - average. 1000,2000 or less and you spend most of your time waiting at RDC?
Where are you from ■■
If you get a fridge you are narrowing down your market because there is only two doors in the back. Rates have been cut to pieces & if there is no work you just sit. Great if you are a driver but not if you are O/D. Its better to be more flexible with a curtain sider. Better still just do traction until you get on your feet. When I did Fridge work based in Europe ( No Boats ) I did about 20,000kms @ month but half of that was empty ,running down to Spain & then back to Austria/Germany with fruit./One Pick-up/One drop.
I’m thinking about tramping or fridge.
Dont “THINK” - KNOW is far better…
My personal thoughts is that you are not ready to make a decision on what type of work to do…
before you do ANYTHING, do some research into what work is available in your area, see what other owner drivers are mostly doing, it could be Bricks/Blocks, paper, soft drinks, anything,
Phone companies up and ask what work they have and what the rates are, speak to other owner drivers, drive aropund industrial estates and see whio is producing what and if they use local hauliers
Go for the best paying work in your area that you can find from a reputable company.
Get you research done and good work lined up, that will determine what type of work you should be doing and what trailer to buy,
Rikki-UK:
I’m thinking about tramping or fridge.
Dont “THINK” - KNOW is far better…
My personal thoughts is that you are not ready to make a decision on what type of work to do…
I was waiting for Davids response before I said exactly what you have said Rikki.
M8 you are nowhere near ready to take the plunge esp after you have confirmed your knowledge ref fridge work and coolload!!!
Coolload is a freight exchange site as you didnt know.
Take on board Rikkis comments, they will prove to be priceless BUT ignore THEN at your peril.
Thanks. I’m from Manchester. I have talking with a few O/D just last week. They was driving fridge, containers and euroliners. And the answer - same. " Well, it’s good and easy, money not bad,etc." 
…
So after that I know same like before. But this is typical for most of O/D. Who tell you - I have trouble pays all my bills. Nobody.
I have two question for Rikki-UK :
I wrote “Think” because I thinking, if I “KNOW” I don’t poste here for advice. But
thanks Rikki-UK for it, all kind of advice is helpful to make better idea what to do.
Hi Harry,
thakns for your poste. Yes, half time of empty running it souns bad. Even all of us know last diesel’s price. Traction? After all bills is possible make they money for living? Do you have advice to anyone who are looking for O/D ?
(except HD…)
The advice from Rikki-UK to make a reaserch is smart, but no if you are new starter. Nobody tell you truth, but everybody promise you world. And good company are looking for somebody who is running minimum a few months.
Well, it’s good and easy, money not bad,etc
Tink they r pullin yer leg for sure now so they r
In answer to your question…
No I am not an owner driver,
Why not?
The wife used to run a number of trucks for her boss so she has some experience in the field,
we looked seriously at buying a truck a couple of years ago, took advice from here and from owner drivers in the area and decided that the return on the investment we would have to make was too slim, and the risks were too high.
BTW I was not attacking you personally in any way, I was trying to suggest that before deciding what to go for find out what work is available, having a fridge trailer in the yard is no good if all the local companies require flat/extender trailers, the type of work available should determine the area of haulage you enter.
Using freight exchanges are ok to find reloads to begin with, but to effectively make money you need to build up a number of clients of your own and work direct for them, the only way to do this is to knock on doors and make calls to see has work, You will probably get burned a couple of times, but hopefully you will be bale to find some good clients.
I know what you mean. Very offten agency driver make more money than O/D and with no risk. But there is always still some advantages for what are some kind of man interesting be O/D. I haven’t kids so my decision was much more easy.
Robbies Dad:
Dave Chod:
Thanks. Yes I thinking about own trailer. Do you have idea how many miles per week they are do - average. 1000,2000 or less and you spend most of your time waiting at RDC?
i know
routier:
Dave Chod:
Thanks. Yes I thinking about own trailer. Do you have idea how many miles per week they are do - average. 1000,2000 or less and you spend most of your time waiting at RDC?
cuckoo land
living the dream dont often work.
Dave Chod, may i ask what is your nationality?
Not that it makes a difference to your O/D idea. Just interested.
Jonathan
(ex O/D - i couldn’t make it pay)
I’m from Prague, Czech Republic. I’m here more than two years. At czech rep. I was driving 7 years rigid between Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Romania.
I know what are thinking a lot of this Trucknet’s member about eastern drivers.
I have read a few posts full of xenophobia. I heard from them a lot of stories about driver licence without test at Eastern Europe, etc…So just for this kind of members:
When I was moved here I have passed class 1 at Kirkham testing centre - first attempt . It cost me £980 to upgrade from Class 2 to . There was option to make course at Czech just for £120. But I want UK’s standart of skills, so I pay more for british course.
Than I was passed national CPC at Bolotn based Red Rose Training - second attempt ( I have also czech CPC ) , HIAB and ADR+tanker.
All courses was paid by my self. I have clean licence, I pay taxes, I don’t take any benefits and I don’t breaking a law and mainly I DON’T SPEEDING.
I move to this country because I thinking that Great Britan is great. I like your culture, I like your history. Not all imigrant are going here just for money.
If you a european driver and are you looking for money Canada is cheaper option.
And this is a reason why I don’t speeding. I want play the game by your rules.
And exactly for same reasons I want be UK’s operator. Even I know that buy truck at Europe is cheaper , no 6 week’s safety inspection, all inclusive insurance for whole EU+ Russia just for £2000 per year, etc.
Well I know that my way to be proud british operator isn’t the rose garden.
Dave Chod:
When I was moved here I have passed class 1 at Kirkham testing centre - first attempt . It cost me £980 to upgrade from Class 2 to . There was option to make course at Czech just for £120. But I want UK’s standart of skills, so I pay more for british course.Than I was passed national CPC at Bolotn based Red Rose Training - second attempt ( I have also czech CPC ) , HIAB and ADR+tanker.
All courses was paid by my self. I have clean licence, I pay taxes, I don’t take any benefits and I don’t breaking a law and mainly I DON’T SPEEDING.
Dave, I think it is quite commendable, the way you have gone about your preparation for setting up on your own.
Unfortunately, the main difficulties are still there i.e. shortage of decent paying work, plenty of crap rates and too many foreign companies who can do the job cheaper.
Despite all that, I wish you well and hope it works out for you, so long as you have done lots of research/thinking and fully understand what you’re trying to get into.
Dave Chod:
The advice from Rikki-UK to make a reaserch is smart, but no if you are new starter.
But YES if you are a new starter. It is the single most important thinga new starter needs to do.
Without the research you don’t know what type of vehicle you will need.
Without the research you don’t know what type of work is available.
Without the research you don’t know whether that work is worth doing or not.
Without the research you don’t know if the investment in terms of both time and money is worth the return.
Without the research you don’t know what your costs will be.
Without the research you don’t know what is the minimum rate you need.
Without the research you don’t know… well you don’t actually know anything without the research.
But good luck if you go ahead with it.
Neil
(17 years O/D but gave it up as I feel the rates are no longer worth the effort/risk/investment.)
To Coffeeholic,
thanks for that. At above I wrote
The advice from Rikki-UK to make a reaserch is smart, but no if you are new starter. Nobody tell you truth, but everybody promise you world.
Most fair was people from containers. They tell me straight the rate and milage. After a few minutes with calculator is clear - easy job, lot of fun for free 
, but no money
When I try contact the others, it was mystery.
Well the rate is from x to y it depends of jobs 
and we can keep you busy “8 days per week” 
This is why I asked for help. To uncrose eyewash from reality. Because if offer is £1.6 it sounds great but if do just 50 miles per day, well is better to buy oxcart.
the thing is this, you can do all the research you like, and speak to as many companies as you like, but sooner or later, like all business ventures, you’ve got to take a GAMBLE, some will take it, many more wont, prefering to sit on their £400 a week jobs and tell the world how clever they are BUT there is still plenty of good paying work to be had for the bloke who’s actually prepared to get off his arse and make something happen!
you only get out, what you put in, it’s as simple as that.