after 4 1/2 years of stripping tilts down, workin 80+ hrs per week, being away for up to a month, being generally pushed to the limit by a well known green notts international haulier ive called it a day. no more carisio/macon/pub at bourg etc etc, im now working for the co-op (acc) inb alfreton. heres the good bit- contract;- 52 hrs max over 4 nights. 25960 per year, the hrs are coming down to 48 in 2005 and the moneys up to 26690! ive only been here a month but i havent worked more than 42hrs over my 4 shifts yet. admittedly the shifts are spread over the weekend but for this money i dont care! its all trunking between co-op depots so we`ll see how it goes, the bad bit;- i may get bored! missing my latte machiato’s in italy a bit…
ACC & Blakemore(SPAR) have both recently agreed large pay rises & lower working hours( 48 ) with USDAW, as preperation for the arrival of the 48 hour week.
Lets hope some of the other transport companies follow suit and that the big logistics compnies don’t go undercutting the rates and fouling it up like they normally do 
co-op (acc) Alfreton? Delivered in there a week or so ago. Seen that bay next to the wash?, the one with the lump of concrete the Truck has got to park on? You’ll soon get bored of it, and pine for a long haul.
you could be right mate, i may get bored but its gotta be worth a go hasn`t it? 
Jonboy@RH, lets put it this way. I usually am bored silly stuck on one or two runs a day at the mo on agency, and I am pinening to go Euro. But no Tilts, Thanks.
euro works dying a slow death in this country dafmad, its large companies like the one i`ve just left that are part of the problem. there are approx 45 estonian drivers pulling there trls now, based in notts i might add. dont get me wrong there only doing a job the same as you or i… there just doing it for a hell of a lot less money- no wages at the wkend for instance when not moving. p.s- your right about bay one! i havent had the pleasure yet tho!
JB:
mustapha aka “swiss dave” you smelly girl… from what i can remember you where always too busy polishing your magnum to have the “crack”
ll think of you when your loading groupage on a friday night at silly oclock… "ill do it nb, leave it to super trucker ha ha ha ha". and why would the gaffer get rid of the estis when he`s making a fortune exploiting them? WAKE UP! SMELL THE COFFEE! and no you cant have a pint of semi-skimmed either
dooh it’s all gone pear shape
The CO-OP (well Wincanton) were recently advertising for the ACC depot at Barnsley and they were quoting £511 for a 48 hour week. Didn’t bother applying though as I Live in a village where they have to deliver to two stores with those sinle axled trailers. Blindside reversing next to a school no thanx.
irlamsdriver, im on the night shift mate and the shops are all shut :laughing: . it really is unbeleivably easy work, i keep waiting for the catch but as yet there hasn t been one. heres an example- sunday night 1900 start, empty to united biscuits ashby dlz, reverse onto a bay-drop tailgate… they put 10 plts on, back to alfreton. fuel up and park it up. into another truck (all coupled up and ready to go) over to eccleshall near stone, trl change-pull an empty one back to alf finished at 0300 and back in bed for 0345! ive just had the last four days off-on tonight at 1900. im still a new boy but the "old hands" tell me its the norm. its taking a bit of getting used to after 15 and 16 hrs a day... time will tell if its any good or not but im still smiling so far
good luck mate
thats the type of job im looking 4. doing agency work at the moment
gone really slack. ive been doing matalan in skem not bad nights trunking etc. thats wincanton any way all the best
ricky
liverpool 2008
yo ernie don’t forget the milk i ordered… the problem with coming off euro work is nothing to do with the wage, it’s all to do with missing having THE CRACK. off to swiss sunday then down to reload from the us air base @ ***********. 
top secret. when the esti drivers go( one day) the job will be ok… keep on trucking
mustapha aka “swiss dave” you smelly girl… from what i can remember you where always too busy polishing your magnum to have the “crack” how are you gonna manage without me? ill think of you when your loading groupage on a friday night at silly oclock… "ill do it nb, leave it to super trucker ha ha ha ha". and why would the gaffer get rid of the estis when he`s making a fortune exploiting them? WAKE UP! SMELL THE COFFEE! and no you cant have a pint of semi-skimmed either
another short one last night. 1900 start- empty to pdm great chatwell (near telford) load 12 plts, back to soleco (fradley park). “nothing for you driver, the other motor took it all”. had an hour on the bed, ran back to the yard for 0030. fuelled up ( 3 tanks-derv, red for fridge, and cng also on unit) which was about the most taxing part of the night. finished 0100! semi-retired at 35 he he…
still the easiest job i`ve ever had… maybe too easy! anyone got a wet fish ready to slap me with. moaned on tramping… moaned on trunking… why cant i just be content? anyone know a good shrink? 
Ive had enough of retail work, nights, trunking up and down the m5 & m6, even with the money as good as it is, im finishing sunday night, then having a week off, then getting into my new topliner and going up the road all week on containers 
gurner, do you by any chance have some news to share with us?
Christmas baby you mean, or getting married in a week and a half
Or even more exciting than both…New topliner, containers May 4th
OH MY GOD! did you really say that? i do so hope your beautiful wife to be does`nt read this
… i got bored
Come on then JB, what you doing next then ?