Had my class 1 for nearly 2 years now, been tramping for a general haulage firm since I obtained my licence and I don’t mind the job itself. There’s variety in both the loads & destinations & I can get hiab & Moffat trained if I want to.
However, as this is my first proper HGV job I’ve no idea whether the grass is greener or whether the majority of firms are pretty much all the same with regards pay & conditions.
I take home for the following shifts:
Mon-fri 60 hours + 4 nights out approx £500
Mon-sat 60+ hours + 5 nights out approx £580
Sun-fri 60+ hours + 5 nights out approx £630
I’m never short of hours available or weekends to earn extra cash, I drive a new clean unit & although some of the work is dirty I still quite enjoy it.
Are the amounts below average or about on par with your average HGV job?
Thanks for the replies.
Breakdown:
7.50 ph
Over 40 hrs 9.71
Saturday is 9.71 for the 1st 6 hours then 15ph
Sunday 15ph
Night out £20 (only £15 refunded for parking)
No bonuses
I think the hourly rate and nite out money are a little low. but if they allow you to get the hours in to get a good top end. £500 take home isn’t bad money .Its ok earning a better hourly rate but can you get the hours in to make a real difference
In the past i have told many companies to Stick it but that was in the days when you could walk out Friday, and get a new start on Monday, so my advice is dont jack in one job until you have another, at least you can earn while you look around, and NO the grass is not always greener on the other side.
truckyboy:
In the past i have told many companies to Stick it but that was in the days when you could walk out Friday, and get a new start on Monday, so my advice is dont jack in one job until you have another, at least you can earn while you look around, and NO the grass is not always greener on the other side.
correct you could lob your keys at the gaffer punch him on the beak and drive for a new comedian on the very next day! incidentally, I’m working for a guy who had 63 jobs by the age of 21
Thanks for all the replies. Based on them so far it’s near enough the going rate. Night out money is ■■■■ though. I’ll keep my eyes open for better though.
RACHACE:
Thanks for all the replies. Based on them so far it’s near enough the going rate. Night out money is [zb] though. I’ll keep my eyes open for better though.
drop this into a conversation with your gaffer " I see night out subsistence went up in April to £26.10! " any chance of twenty five pound a night out please boss?
Working 60+ hours every week over the reference period is bent.
If you got pulled by Vosa in week four having not had a “short week and given it back by the end of week three” - then you ain’t got a leg to stand on either, because perhaps one thinks of “not putting all duty hours not spent driving” in the manual entry on the digicard. This, too, is bent, because you’re falsifying (by omission) your driving records.
Day one: Driving 8.5 hours, Break 2x45 minutes, POA 5.5 hours, Other Work 2.5 hours. = BENT.
Day two: Driving 2 hours, Break 3 hours, POA 3 hours Other work 8 hours = BENT.
Day three: Stat Leave - At home all day. Entered as zero hours aggregate = BENT.
Even euro trampers are not permitted to be on shift more than 15 hours in 24, must still take their breaks, and can only reduce daily rest from 11 to 9 hours three times a week, and cannot ever work “day seven”.
None of this “Out of scope” or “give 'em Phil McCrackins not Excuses” bollox.
Winseer:
Working 60+ hours every week over the reference period is bent.
No it isn’t. It doesn’t include PoA or breaks. I drive an hour to a RDC, sit on a loading bay for 11hrs, 10 of those on PoA, drive an hour back and finish, do that 6 days totalling 78hrs and for the purposes of the WTD I’d have only worked 18hrs that week.
While on this subject of money a mate of mine works on a 2 trip one week 3 the next week to Venlo from the Midlands, he is salaried and takes home including nights out £470.00 per week.
I have told him he is soft to stick at that rate but he says the work is easy as he doesn’t have to mess around with the load or anything, I still say that rate is way too low.
As for the op I think I would stick for time being, it is easy to jump into something that may seem good on the outside but rotten as hell inside.
I noted some comments on this thread and to let you know SOLSTOR is still only paying £20 a night out, and that the same for uk or international, and the average take home for uk drivers, incl nights outs, and the pound of flesh 3 x 15 hr days is around £450. Most drivers are salaried so no extras for xmas, bank holidays etc, if your rostered you have to work them, now that is a low wage.
I ■■■■■■■ love trucknet.
Op, wages sound average. Look for another job by all means but stay where you are until you find a better deal.
Winseer, can you see with that ■■■■■ on your forehead?
conor, your job sounds like hell. Sitting on a bay more than 30 minutes? Slit my wrists instead.
RACHACE:
Thanks for all the replies. Based on them so far it’s near enough the going rate. Night out money is [zb] though. I’ll keep my eyes open for better though.
drop this into a conversation with your gaffer " I see night out subsistence went up in April to £26.10! " any chance of twenty five pound a night out please boss?
Didn’t know that. Are companies obliged to pay that? Why wouldn’t they pay the full amount, do they claim that back?
brados:
While on this subject of money a mate of mine works on a 2 trip one week 3 the next week to Venlo from the Midlands, he is salaried and takes home including nights out £470.00 per week.
I have told him he is soft to stick at that rate but he says the work is easy as he doesn’t have to mess around with the load or anything, I still say that rate is way too low.
As for the op I think I would stick for time being, it is easy to jump into something that may seem good on the outside but rotten as hell inside.
I just read that and I think that’s alright, and sounds like a decent job if it’s just a 1 hitter.
Not like you’d be maxing your hours out because you’ll max your driving out, unload, park up, max it back, load up, park up and rinse and repeat.
Ok, you’ve got the train / ferry time but if that coincides with your 45, all the better.
Conor:
Winseer:
Working 60+ hours every week over the reference period is bent.
No it isn’t. It doesn’t include PoA or breaks. I drive an hour to a RDC, sit on a loading bay for 11hrs, 10 of those on PoA, drive an hour back and finish, do that 6 days totalling 78hrs and for the purposes of the WTD I’d have only worked 18hrs that week.
If you’re allowed to stay in your truck for the time and are paid for all hours (maybe consider a 45min per day deduction for break) that’d be my ideal job - hence I’m a box jockey.
RACHACE:
Thanks for all the replies. Based on them so far it’s near enough the going rate. Night out money is [zb] though. I’ll keep my eyes open for better though.
drop this into a conversation with your gaffer " I see night out subsistence went up in April to £26.10! " any chance of twenty five pound a night out please boss?
Didn’t know that. Are companies obliged to pay that? Why wouldn’t they pay the full amount, do they claim that back?
I’d swear its £31 odd allowable tax free night out now & you could get a couple of quid a day meal allowance.
Thing is, that money is tax free so in essence, your gaffer is a bit thick if he doesn’t pay you the above at top whack & knock the difference off your taxable wage…
Everyone’s a winner. Most firms just don’t look in to it though as they’re not arsed if you get an extra few quid in your sky rocket.
you could lob your keys at the gaffer 
punch him on the beak 
and drive for a new comedian on the very next day! 
by the age of 21 
