Passed my test in January,
got a 2 day training assessment with a skip firm locally.
can anyone give me any advice as to what they are like to drive and operate?
cheers
Easy to drive as they are normally short wheelbase. Controls a doodle once you suss them out. The main points to be careful of are where you drop the skip. Some customers want it on their driveway but when you reverse up the drive and over certain manhole covers, or paving slabs, they collapse as they were not made for skip lorries to drive over them. Also watch for cracking paving slabs when you drop the legs, always try to use blocks of wood to spread the weight. Basically assess the situation before you drop the skip, think of what damage may occur and get the customer to sign a disclaimer if they insist on you dropping it somewhere you think unsafe or where damage is likely to occur. Take your time even though you may be pushed by the office.
Watch for overhead lines if using the boom extenders.
You will generally know if a skip is over weight because the steering axle will lift off the ground when you try to lift the skip, if this happens then insist the customer remove some of the crap from the skip, that or hope vosa don’t pull you.
I think its now law that all loads are covered so make sure you cover the loads because skip lorries are notorious for losing half the load due to wind.
Cheers for the reply, appreciate it, hopefully I will like it and it will work out for me
Skips are a good way in to haulage.Depending on which part of the industry you are in there can be “perks”.When couples divorce he skips her sewing machine and she does the same with his golf clubs. E bay could be your friend.Good luck with the job ,its what you make it.
I’ve done a few shifts for a local skip firm. Great fun 
Don’t worry about mpg 
It’s a rubbish job.
Just remember to tie an old cuddly toy to the grille, and carry bits of lead, copper etc on the load bed up behind the cab. Other random tip trophies can be carried in the passenger seat.
When the boom is lowered, reverse up to the skip, and keep going backwards, that will ensure the skip is level loaded, dont worry about the mess on the floor, the skip is normally sign written to say do not overload, or do not load above the sides. Some companies pay a bonus on how many skips you drop and pick up in a week, so if a skip is half full, you can always load another one on top, which will easily sit inside the first, you can also deliver that way too, and leave the yard with 3/4 empties…dont forget to keep the chains taught, to stop them swinging about.
Does anyone know what the pay tends to be like? There’s a few places round my way that I could try as a first driving job. I did ask a mate who did it yearss ago and he says they always wanted him running bent 
I don’t wanna run bent but I spose that was back in the paper tacho days so hopefully they’ve calmed down a bit now.
Around here the hourly rate is around £9-10 ph. Bear in mind though it tends to be 7-4 working and if breaks are docked, the money isn’t fantastic.
Ahh, not great then I spose. The hourly rates okay for a first job but the hours aren’t. I’ll still give them a try just to get some experience. Muckaway, just noticed your location says anywhere there’s a bakery, do you deliver bakery supplies then I take it? Only I work in a bakery at the moment.
East london/essex area tends to be 100 to 120 a day some pay flat rate some lower rate plus bonus but all in around the same at the end of the week thats 6-30 to 16-30 ish usualy every other saturday too.
A couple of things,
For those tight places where you cannot put the empty down anywhere, or it has to go where the loaded one was,practise the art of lifting the loaded one into the empty on the short links while its still on the bed.
You can then lift the whole lot back on the deck and lift the loaded one back on to the truck.Saves a lot of shunting about.
As said, Do use spreader plates for the legs, punching holes in someones driveway is not a good habit ! and remember, with builders when they say bring it up the driveway, remember its not their house and any disclaimer must be made with the property owner and not the knuckle dragging neanderthal who asked you to do it 
Telescopic booms have mafe it a lot easirr
When you tip the skip, make sure it’s properly engaged in the truck body, and not just caught on a lip. Otherwise it can swing out backwards and lift the front of the truck in the air.
If you are really unlucky, it can then fall on its side, and possibly crush you.
skips would be an excellent way into haulage for a newbie.
some firms give you a bonus for “double ups”-two loaded skips on at the same time!!.thats why old ex supermarket tractor units used to be popular as skip lorries-bit more poke than your average 18 tonner lol
yup to all above …dont trust anybody that tells ya its ok to drop it on a drive./pavement.cover your arse !! damage already there camera phone it!.
if its left on a street make sure its marked up (if overnight) permit if needed .
if its really tight get out and look, phone in if still not sure. jimmy.
Muckaway:
It’s a rubbish job.
Just remember to tie an old cuddly toy to the grille, and carry bits of lead, copper etc on the load bed up behind the cab. Other random tip trophies can be carried in the passenger seat.
like the pun
It seems that TNUK has a shortage of experienced skip drivers 'cos I’ve just PMSFL at some of the responses here.
I particularly like the one about ‘skimming’ the skip with the booms lowered to knock off anything above the sides. Do this with most builders & you’ll need a good facial surgeon to repair the damage.
Chas:
It seems that TNUK has a shortage of experienced skip drivers 'cos I’ve just PMSFL at some of the responses here.I particularly like the one about ‘skimming’ the skip with the booms lowered to knock off anything above the sides. Do this with most builders & you’ll need a good facial surgeon to repair the damage.
its not the builders you have to worry about-they know the score,its the private houses that seem to think they can load them ten feet high with crap!!
and not many skip lorries have the cross bar now as nearly all have (independantly)extendable arms…
You’ll love it when you drop a skip and you return to collect it and the customer has moved it so that it was easier for him to load it but is a complete barsterd to get to!