We have been offered some work back to the UK from Belgium, at what seemed to be a reasonable rate, if we could get a reasonable rate on work going out there.
I was just offered £70 plus a one way ferry crossing (Dover Calais costs us £146) for a load from Leicestershire to the Dendermonde area of Belgium. 
Is this normal?! We’d get more than that for a load to… well anywhere over about 30 miles away! 
Helen Stevens:
We have been offered some work back to the UK from Belgium, at what seemed to be a reasonable rate, if we could get a reasonable rate on work going out there.I was just offered £70 plus a one way ferry crossing (Dover Calais costs us £146) for a load from Leicestershire to the Dendermonde area of Belgium.
A couple or three years ago hauliers were apparently paying the freight forwarder a Tenner to get them into France with a load just so they could buy fuel, so I think things must be improving 
Rates have always been stronger for UK imports, but any fool can run empty to Italy or Germany for a “good” reload
Certainly rates to Belgium vary… there are so many trucks ttrying to get out there to collect the Imports that rates have been reduced to silly levels… Even for Fridges… Load Ex Portsmouth to Antwerp…you may get around £350 in thius day and age… Load Ex Portsmouth to Kent £300 … Crazy but true.
And its getting worse… and yet costs are going up through the roof…?
Strange world.
So she really did say that then! I thought maybe we had got it wrong somewhere, it didn’t seem possible!
Perhaps I should be looking for loads down to Kent. But unless it’s at a decent rate, it probably won’t put me in a better situation. Oh boy. We have a lot to learn about the different European destinations. I thought it ought to be easy to find something to pay us £400 - £500 plus the ferry. You live and learn! 
The European scene is not all its cracked up to be… and its true the imbalnce of Imports and Exports is getting worse… and you are better off sticking to a good UK Customer base and getting paid a fair rate…than going to Europe for the ratyes that are on offer.
We have a job that pays £900 for three drops around Rotterdam… and takes all day to deliver… The Dutch company in the Yellow Trucks quoted the work at £400 just because they have so many trialers over here that they need to get home… Its due to the loyalty of the customer that we keep the work and because he knows we give the attention to detail.
We all seek new markets and ideas… and no shame in doing that.
Neville:
The European scene is not all its cracked up to be… and its true the imbalnce of Imports and Exports is getting worse… and you are better off sticking to a good UK Customer base and getting paid a fair rate…than going to Europe for the ratyes that are on offer.
We have a job that pays £900 for three drops around Rotterdam… and takes all day to deliver… The Dutch company in the Yellow Trucks quoted the work at £400 just because they have so many trialers over here that they need to get home… Its due to the loyalty of the customer that we keep the work and because he knows we give the attention to detail.
We all seek new markets and ideas… and no shame in doing that.
Well we are trying! But it’s a difficult market, as you say.
Incidentally, if you ever need a hand with that work, we are very reliable, with a top notch driver who would look after your deliveries with all the care you would take yourselves. 
(Worth a try. 
)
Hah… Thats the ticket… always be on the look out… In Fairness we send a Sprinter Van due to the timings with leaving and deliveries… then re load for UPS.
In this business… if it sounds to good to be true… then it usually is !!!
Neville:
Hah… Thats the ticket… always be on the look out… In Fairness we send a Sprinter Van due to the timings with leaving and deliveries… then re load for UPS.
In this business… if it sounds to good to be true… then it usually is !!!
You get £900 for a sprinter van to Belgium?! When does the next one leave, and from where? (If you can give me the reg number too, that’d be perfect. )
They tried big companies…DHL / TNT / And others… but kept getting let down… and its a NO FAIL type job…and a very delicate product. Van is in their coolours…and a uniformed driver with statefof the art recording equipment.
Sometimes its who you know !!
Neville:
Sometimes its who you know !!
Don’t be moddest Neville, “who you know” only gets you through the door. It’s a job well done in a profesional manner within the customers financial constraints that gets, & more important, KEEPS a job!!
Keep it up.
Ross.
Thanks for that…
Helen Stevens:
Neville:
The European scene is not all its cracked up to be… and its true the imbalnce of Imports and Exports is getting worse… and you are better off sticking to a good UK Customer base and getting paid a fair rate…than going to Europe for the ratyes that are on offer.
We have a job that pays £900 for three drops around Rotterdam… and takes all day to deliver… The Dutch company in the Yellow Trucks quoted the work at £400 just because they have so many trialers over here that they need to get home… Its due to the loyalty of the customer that we keep the work and because he knows we give the attention to detail.
We all seek new markets and ideas… and no shame in doing that.Well we are trying! But it’s a difficult market, as you say.
Incidentally, if you ever need a hand with that work, we are very reliable, with a top notch driver who would look after your deliveries with all the care you would take yourselves.
helen don,t take this the wrong way. there are hundreds of firms out there with top notch drivers looking for good work. in this industry you get paid what the forwarders wan,t to pay, unless you,ve got a specialist vehicle.
browncow2:
helen don,t take this the wrong way. there are hundreds of firms out there with top notch drivers looking for good work. in this industry you get paid what the forwarders wan,t to pay, unless you,ve got a specialist vehicle.
That’s very true. I guess it’s like Neville says - it’s who you know plus a job well done. But I think it would help us if we knew more people!
Helen Stevens:
browncow2:
helen don,t take this the wrong way. there are hundreds of firms out there with top notch drivers looking for good work. in this industry you get paid what the forwarders wan,t to pay, unless you,ve got a specialist vehicle.That’s very true. I guess it’s like Neville says - it’s who you know plus a job well done. But I think it would help us if we knew more people!
my boss just price job for event job to halmond holland 2 days £1050 transit van boss asked me to do it still thinking about got til thurs to decide probley do it w v
white van:
my boss just price job for event job to halmond holland 2 days £1050 transit van boss asked me to do it still thinking about got til thurs to decide probley do it w v
That was probably Helmond, but do check it wasn’t Helmand! 
white van:
my boss just price job for event job to halmond holland 2 days £1050 transit van boss asked me to do it still thinking about got til thurs to decide probley do it w v
Sounds like a nice trip for you, and you’ll maybe get a fair bit of time off in between at the event? As an employee I’d do it. Long as your boss pays you to sit on your backside and do nothing in between.
jj72:
white van:
my boss just price job for event job to halmond holland 2 days £1050 transit van boss asked me to do it still thinking about got til thurs to decide probley do it w vThat was probably Helmond, but do check it wasn’t Helmand!
Could be in need of an armed guard if it’s the latter!!!
Ross.
white van:
Helen Stevens:
browncow2:
helen don,t take this the wrong way. there are hundreds of firms out there with top notch drivers looking for good work. in this industry you get paid what the forwarders wan,t to pay, unless you,ve got a specialist vehicle.That’s very true. I guess it’s like Neville says - it’s who you know plus a job well done. But I think it would help us if we knew more people!
my boss just price job for event job to halmond holland 2 days £1050 transit van boss asked me to do it still thinking about got til thurs to decide probley do it w v
Lovely little town is Helmond, not far from Eindhoven and with the good public transport system in the Netherlands you could visit anywhere for a day and not be back too late.
white van:
Helen Stevens:
browncow2:
helen don,t take this the wrong way. there are hundreds of firms out there with top notch drivers looking for good work. in this industry you get paid what the forwarders wan,t to pay, unless you,ve got a specialist vehicle.That’s very true. I guess it’s like Neville says - it’s who you know plus a job well done. But I think it would help us if we knew more people!
my boss just price job for event job to halmond holland 2 days £1050 transit van boss asked me to do it still thinking about got til thurs to decide probley do it w v
i will be going to holand paid hotel set up is 3 hrs being paid 10 hrs a day he was going to sub it out but was pulled in this morning in office i am going sat
I dont think Haulage has changed much in the last 30 years. Like it was then, it is always best to have your own work ie not a subbie, as Neville has said it not what you know but who you know, you wont get to know anybody sat in an office all day ringing around, you need a first class salesman to go out and knock on doors and keep knocking on those doors untill they let you in!!!
You need to build relationships with clients and this takes a long time, dont be disheartned, as the old saying goes ‘Craic On’…