Afternoon all.
I’m just perusing the Swain website. It invites speculative applications for drivers and suggests that earnings can be in excess of 700 quid a week(O/T, Nights out included etc).
Can anyone confirm or refute this before I bother with the form?
Cheers ears.
Including nights out and overtime, can’t see why that’s not perfectly feesable, not that I would want to do those sort of hours lol
I would want to know how many nights out and how many hours overtime per week is expected
Going on the RHA 2012 night out rates of around £25 if its 5 n/o your looking at at least £125 off the £700 and if its max hours possible thats not that good
I recognise that it’s not ■■■■■■■ millionaire money but I need something which will keep the wolf from the door. I have about 3 years left on the mortgage and two pre-10 yr old brats and the money I’m making at the minute is nowhere near enough. I don’t mind working every hour I can for a few more years if it means making more shillings, but I don’t want to give up a steady moderately paid job to start at a somewhere which claims to pay well(or at least better than I’m paid now) only to discover that they’re telling porky pies.
As a side note then, do you know anywhere else in the Greater Manchester area which pays better than that? I don’t care how much work or how many hours they want out of me, just how much they pay.
Gawd bless ya.
Well, for top line, you’re literally talking anywhere with tramping for that sort of money, don’t forget, that ‘upto’ 700 will be the worst, ie weekend shifts included, nights out included, 3x 15’s and at least 2 (if not 3) x 13’s…
Applicants will ideally have had previous experience of General Haulage, particularly roping and sheeting, although full training will be given to the right candidates. Applicants must be willing to have nights out and undertake some weekend work, mainly Saturdays. Average Earnings are approximately £550 per week gross for 5 days dependant on workload, PLUS Night Out subsistence and Overtime paid extra. Potential earnings are in excess of £700 per week including overtime. Good terms and conditions are offered for these permanent positions.
That is the statement on their site.
What do you think?
Do no harm to give it a go, have a chat, find out rates, work type (flat beds mostly with some curtains) and make your mind up 
I’ll give it a bash, see what they say.
Much obliged brother 
Called them a few months ago, asking about a job for a class 1 driver, and asked them about that 700 quid thing, and was told by TM , he didn’t why it was placed on their website, as it is very hard to achieve and he advised me to do not count on it, he
didn’t want to say what’s the average per week that drivers get paid, but since they always need drivers, well , you what that means.
Coogy:
I’ll give it a bash, see what they say. Much obliged brother
ask rob blackshaw to work direct and invoice him! 
you’ll earn more, +447799112922 rob 
Like the North American Continent, there are now a shortage of real “Domestic” driving jobs in this country, but a glut of the anti-social “12 days out from 14” type tramping jobs.
If you think £700 a week is good money for a 12 from 14 tramp, then it can only be north of Watford Gap as far as I’m concerned.
Even Stobarts are offering £38k which is for 12 from 14 Euro Trampers after all…
There’s no lies in the headline rates of pay - just how much exactly is expected of you to GET that kind of wage.
Wouldn’t we all like to see £700 a week for a 35-40 hour week? - I live in hope. Until then, I’ll continue playing “Low Field”. 
I’ve done over 20 years on nights, and I ain’t going back as full time to the current “extended hours” expected of us drivers without some substantial improvements in the industry first.
Swains, Stood yard (my local) are positive towards recruiting younger drivers though - so I’d recommend them as a good firm to work and learn from - if you’re under 25 in particular, and don’t qualify for agency, etc.
I’ve been on the train with their guys double manning into euro land, in a CF rigid, tells me they will expect their pound of flesh.
Coogy:
I recognise that it’s not ■■■■■■■ millionaire money but I need something which will keep the wolf from the door. I have about 3 years left on the mortgage and two pre-10 yr old brats and the money I’m making at the minute is nowhere near enough. I don’t mind working every hour I can for a few more years if it means making more shillings, but I don’t want to give up a steady moderately paid job to start at a somewhere which claims to pay well(or at least better than I’m paid now) only to discover that they’re telling porky pies.As a side note then, do you know anywhere else in the Greater Manchester area which pays better than that? I don’t care how much work or how many hours they want out of me, just how much they pay.
Gawd bless ya.
Suttons were advertising somewhere recently, they were probly swamped though.
You’ll have a ten year old (well maintained) motor at swains probly on general haulage/flat work so it’ll be graft & hours but they are a stable firm so least you’ll get paid. Don’t have first hand exp just my nosey tuppence.
£700 is pretty much top line for an artic tramper at a transport firm & wether you’ll be able to do that legally each week is another matter.
Thank you kindly gentlemen, very much obliged. I’ve worked for the same company for 11 years now, shifting waste and all local. I’m pretty much institutionalised. It’s easy-peasy and the money is reasonable.
In a fantastic twist, I’ve developed a massive allergy to household dust and as the job is basically moving 20-odd tons of household dust at a time, it becomes quite a chore at times. As I mentioned previously, I have about 3 yrs left on the mortgage and my plan had been to stick it out here for those 3 yrs then find another job away from the ■■■■■■■■■■■■ arranging, lap dancing, Lolipop Man…anything!) but three years is starting to feel a long long time when I wake in the morning and spend an hour coughing and wheezing and generally trying to use my respiratory system!
Anyhoo, thanks for the tips, the search continues!
If I was the op, living in that part of the world, I would try my utmost to get on maritime. The ‘northern’ drivers are the top earners on the firm, owing to the fact most of the work is in the south. Generally you will leave manc on a monday morning, spend all week working the southern ports, max your hours then head home friday/Saturday with a take home pay circa £600
OVLOV JAY:
If I was the op, living in that part of the world, I would try my utmost to get on maritime. The ‘northern’ drivers are the top earners on the firm, owing to the fact most of the work is in the south. Generally you will leave manc on a monday morning, spend all week working the southern ports, max your hours then head home friday/Saturday with a take home pay circa £600
I’ll investigate. Cheers bud.
Or try the supermarket agencies. Might not be cup of tea but you can earn decent brass & the work is a doss unless you get a metro in the middle of smoke.
Silver_Surfer:
Or try the supermarket agencies. Might not be cup of tea but you can earn decent brass & the work is a doss unless you get a metro in the middle of smoke.
I’d happily work for a Supermarket agency if it guaranteed work permanently. I’m extremely reluctant to give up a permanent and reliable income to gamble that a cut throat agency can keep me going regularly. I applied to The ADR network a few weeks ago. The advert said between £9-£16 per hour. I did a few sums and figured that I could manage my finances etc if I worked all the higher paying hours at that rate, lifeless for a few years but who am I to be picky? I went for my registration/assesment and was then shown the actual rates. £8 days, £9 nights. £11 Saturdays, £12 Sundays and £13.50 for Bank Holidays.
I have no experience of working for an agency but my gut instinct is that they are not entirely honest with their claims…
Coogy:
Silver_Surfer:
Or try the supermarket agencies. Might not be cup of tea but you can earn decent brass & the work is a doss unless you get a metro in the middle of smoke.I’d happily work for a Supermarket agency if it guaranteed work permanently. I’m extremely reluctant to give up a permanent and reliable income to gamble that a cut throat agency can keep me going regularly. I applied to The ADR network a few weeks ago. The advert said between £9-£16 per hour. I did a few sums and figured that I could manage my finances etc if I worked all the higher paying hours at that rate, lifeless for a few years but who am I to be picky? I went for my registration/assesment and was then shown the actual rates. £8 days, £9 nights. £11 Saturdays, £12 Sundays and £13.50 for Bank Holidays.
I have no experience of working for an agency but my gut instinct is that they are not entirely honest with their claims…
That’s exactly what happened to me… 
Agencies are full of BS but there are lads who do very well out of it, it’s just a tad hard to hit that stride I suppose.