ive posted this elsewhere also
So, ive been a member here for almost a year now, and in that time, ive been lucky enough to get a job in this industry, and after reading through the forum, cant help but realise how much a lot of people want to get in to it, but dont know what’s involved, or what it’s really like, so ive come accross this video featuring our company on a recent tour, and thought it might be interesting for some of you guy’s
youtube.com/watch?v=BefmYyzYvhc
Thanks for posting that MJ. A quick question though, do the drivers just drive or are they responsible for loading their own trailers?
Looks like organised chaos but to load out completely in 90 minutes must take some organisation.
Does the same gear go back on the same trailer for each leg of a tour and who plans the loading??
I remember seeing some of euromatts or kindles pictures and the trailer was loaded tight right through to the back doors so the initial loading must take some planning!!!
Cheers once again 
bullitt:
Thanks for posting that MJ. A quick question though, do the drivers just drive or are they responsible for loading their own trailers?Looks like organised chaos but to load out completely in 90 minutes must take some organisation.
Does the same gear go back on the same trailer for each leg of a tour and who plans the loading??
I remember seeing some of euromatts or kindles pictures and the trailer was loaded tight right through to the back doors so the initial loading must take some planning!!!
Cheers once again
the drivers are responsible for the load so they are in the back of the trailer making sure everything is strapped or barred in properly.
the same gear goes on the same truck on
looks good stuff, steady away… wembley to hammersmith. 
gogzy:
the drivers are responsible for the load so they are in the back of the trailer making sure everything is strapped or barred in properly.the same gear goes on the same truck on
Cheers gogzy,but do they phsyically stack the trailer, telling the roadies in which order or which boxes or flight cases they want and physically fitting the gear in or as you state, stand back and tie off or bar when required??
When i did household removals it was quite an acquired skilll to pack a tight full load into a truck without leaving anything behind! just wondered if the same applies to the R/R trailers, especially doing it at sillly/o`clock in the morning!! 
bullitt:
gogzy:
the drivers are responsible for the load so they are in the back of the trailer making sure everything is strapped or barred in properly.the same gear goes on the same truck onCheers gogzy,but do they phsyically stack the trailer, telling the roadies in which order or which boxes or flight cases they want and physically fitting the gear in or as you state, stand back and tie off or bar when required??
When i did household removals it was quite an acquired skilll to pack a tight full load into a truck without leaving anything behind! just wondered if the same applies to the R/R trailers, especially doing it at sillly/o`clock in the morning!!
depends on the size of the tour though tbh the crew know how the trailers meant to be loaded etc, on the smaller tours or where its not a full load you generally pack it so nothing will budge,
ive not had a full load where its been stacked even on the back doors but there is ways things are meant to be packed so it can all go in, though it has to be done quick even at midnight. its quite an art in itself tbh though if its all flightcase its not soo bad. if its a mix then thats where the problems start though very minor problems that can be solved with a bit of thinking.
Usually find that after 2 or 3 loadouts, the driver knows in what order to pack the gear. Obviously this can vary dependent on how complicated/tight the pack, and also on the drivers experience as to what can be done with the various cases, eg. can they be tipped off their wheels.
On most tours there should be someone from the relevent department (sound/lights/backline etc.) to organize their equipment actually getting to the correct truck.
The actual physical element of loading is done by local crew, and in theory the driver should only be telling them where the cases need putting. However, with some of the obvious language barriers, its sometimes easier to get more involved.
The art, for those that don’t speak any other languages, is to try and find the “English speaker”, and pass all instructions through him/her.
As the consequences of injury can cause serious problems, its always preferable to let the local crew do the hard work!
as gogz and gb1 have said fella, usually there is local crew at each venue, and to put it bluntly, theyre there for the graft, the usual saying is, if the driver gets injured, who’s driving the truck? drivers will supervise the ■■■■■■■, and call the pack, more often than not, with a person from each section calling the order into the truck and also the pack, ive only been doing it the job 10 months, and was really worried about that sort of thing when i started, but had a good start, doing two months on a rigid, with 3/4 of a truck which was flat packed (no stacking) in no particular order. however, i have been witness to touring crews losing there rags with drivers who dont know the pack after a few shows, and it can be messy! as anyone will tell you, if you get to the end of the trailer with no space left and youve boxes left, you arent goin to be popular, but, i think every days a school day on this job, rock and roll or normal haulage
as gb1 said with experience will bring a better packer,
say gb1 and myself were given indenticle loads he could probably get it packed in better than i could as im still a relative newbie to it all by touring standards.its not rocket science but you just gotta remember how much the gear costs, also guitars you treat them like your life depends on it you really dont wanna break someones prized guitar and then have to tell them.
also if you think that the loadout in the video looks like organised chaos, can you imagine what u2 was like, must have been 10 trucks an hour being loaded
heres the only pic i got during loadout in berlin
gb1 youve got the experience over me just like euromat and kindle and mjbaron.
im just that noob that seems to blend into the background lol
I did phone up Transam and talk to someone, sent in a cv and never heard anything back.
So I’m guessing its just like any other company that they want the magical 2years experience. Also get the impression that you can only get into these jobs if you know someone
I think I would like the job, would really love to tour around and see lots of places, but I dunno if I could hack being on my own for so long.
Lycanthrope:
I did phone up Transam and talk to someone, sent in a cv and never heard anything back.
So I’m guessing its just like any other company that they want the magical 2years experience. Also get the impression that you can only get into these jobs if you know someoneI think I would like the job, would really love to tour around and see lots of places, but I dunno if I could hack being on my own for so long.
nothing to do with the magical 2 years with transam tbh think stardes have a 25 age limit as do fly by nite. dont know about the ruopean tour companies either.
but yea if you know people it helps i think. sometimes its just having the gift of the gab and the right timing
tbh your not on yoru own for ages even on the one truck tours, you still have all the crew/catering etc to chat to and ive yet to come across a crew or catering who aint chatty but then again the others might have.
seeing places you really wouldnt see if you were a tourist is great, i know where theres a great go kart track near mulhouse in germany, its huge and on the side of a hill, also spotted horse drawn carts in romania LOL
wonder how many points if you run the gypsies over?
Lycanthrope:
I did phone up Transam and talk to someone, sent in a cv and never heard anything back.
So I’m guessing its just like any other company that they want the magical 2years experience. Also get the impression that you can only get into these jobs if you know someoneI think I would like the job, would really love to tour around and see lots of places, but I dunno if I could hack being on my own for so long.
To be honest, its often a case of getting in touch at the exact right moment. The touring business does have busy periods, particularly during summer when theres lots of festivals, so thats always a good time to be making calls. A lot of the bigger tours may suddenly require extra trucks/drivers as a result of too much gear for too few trucks, so again being in the right place at the right time, ie. on the end of the phone, may have positive results. Obviously, don’t get to the point of making a nuisance of yourself, but don’t give up at the first “rejection”. I think you find that Transam tend to set new-starters on primarily as double-drivers, but thats not such a bad thing if you need to gain experience. Some of the other lads on here may be able to further enlighten you on that one.
Again, I wouldn’t worry too much about being on your own. In fact, on a big tour, where there may be 30-40-50 drivers, you’ll be glad of some space.
The one-truck festival tours are great for meeting up with old and new faces alike.
On most tours, you very rarely get more than 2-3 days on your own, although I have known situations of sitting in Europe for 2 weeks between gigs.
transam do set you off on double driving to begin with unless ur a certain somebody from here who i wont name lol.
the festival tours are fun, having a pass where you can go pretty much where you want is somewhat weird at first but great, catering is usually good.
i remember the first festival i did i was on webcam to somebody in catering and they pointed out to me that less than jake were sitting behind me lol.
also katy perry, short but what a rear end
Thanks for the replys 
I’m hoping work will get a lot better this year as the magical 2years is done next month, I’ll maybe give some people a phone and see whats happening
and if you do get in, watch, listen and learn.
plenty of people seem to want to do it, but some become their own worst enemies, letting the whole rock n roll/backstage thing go to their head.
if you’ve got half a brain, can find your way around, and know how to behave, you should be ok.
you gotta remember, most of the drivers on this work, and also the crews, have done it for years, they’ll soon suss an idiot, and idiots don’t last long.
I was supposed to be starting on the tours at the end of this month, but i have turned the job down to go and work for my old boss in Belgium.
It all sounded good until the bit where if the truck is in the yard and there is no work, then you go home and dont get paid. Now this might suit some but i need a full time job that is paying me all year not just 8 months. Perfect job for someone with no commitements
daleyboy:
I was supposed to be starting on the tours at the end of this month, but i have turned the job down to go and work for my old boss in Belgium.It all sounded good until the bit where if the truck is in the yard and there is no work, then you go home and dont get paid. Now this might suit some but i need a full time job that is paying me all year not just 8 months. Perfect job for someone with no commitements
didnt you realise thats what happens? you usually get paid for the time your away
8 months pay in this field is usually aloty better than a years pay driving normally.
who was it you were going to be going out for
and too add to that gogz, u do what most others do, if they need the cash that is, and get some temp work when ur not touring, ie agencys, or the favourite, skip work, tippers, theres allways someone that needs a driver for a bit, someones phoned in sick or not showed, or like me n gogz, if theres no work on, u sit a home and crack on with the xbox!!! an example is that i was busy from when i started in june last year until dec, and i did nothing until begining of feb, and ive been busy since then, odds and sods feb, out on two jobs march till now, then out tommorow until mid may possibly, then whatevers to do, as the lads have said, festivals and summer tours are immenent