Hey guys, I was just wondering if any of you have done trade plate driving and if so what are your views on it ?
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Done it years ago for Loonyloads (Uniloads) Spent my money on getting from job to job. Personally unless all expenses are covered including your bed for the night and your not stood in the rain on a motorway slip road go for it.
Thats my personal experiance and once i left after giving it a go for a few months years ago I never looked back.
I do a little now through the agency, always transport each way or train tickets or b+b or picked up etc. Paid for all hours - 45mins for break, guarenteed 8hrs with overtime after 8.
It’s not a regular job though, couple of days per month.
I wouldn’t do the hitch hiking bit, too many companies have a ‘no passengers’ policy and people scared of losing jobs = a LONG time waiting for a lift + LONG hours, cold and wet and tired for a very low wage.
Good points, mainly new vehicles, see some nice places BUT a lot of places pay “planned journey time”, so £8 / hr might look good on paper, but they might only be paying you that on 4hrs 15mins for a journey from Manchester to Glasgow for example, find out ALL the money info before going for it. Any delays, plus travelling time etc and you can see how the wage becomes PANTS!
Nice job if you can get on with the right firm, like the guy I do the agency work for, really decent guy, good work, looks after his drivers, but only really good for a semi-retired person as there’s just not enough work to live on really.
Thanks for the replies…I think i’ll give it a miss!!
Hi everyone
I was just looking through all your posts re Uniloads. I worked for them - in the office - for about 10 years. I did recruitment and driver support - if anyone wants to ask me anything, please dont hesitate.
Only go for wheels all round stuff, eg return vehicles to be collected near your drop (or at your drop) otherwise it’s trudging to nearest bus stop, railway station or worse, A road to get your self home.
Not for the faint hearted - I’ve seen loads of drivers come and go when I did it for five years. We were paid by the mile so if you where sitting in a jam you were doing it for free. Likewise you’d go to a bodybuilders and the truck wouldn’t be ready 'til 5pm when you’ve got cracking at 4am to get there - wait around all day for nowt. Then get home at 10.30pm - up again at 4 next morn.
Not too bad in the summer but winter was a chore.
Like a lot of things in life, looks good on paper but the reality can disappoint.
The latter time I did it, hire cars and railway tickets became more common and it is unusual now in my experience to see platers on roundabouts, collars turned up against the cold, dreaming of home.