Tramping isn’t for me, but i’m lucky enough to live in a nice area, a reasonable area for work and where the cost of decent housing isn’t yet extortionate, though i appreciate this isn’t the case for everyone.
I dislike multi drops and can’t abide RDC’s so have always avoided such jobs…unless working directly for a supermarket or similar
Nice work, specialised work, nice kit, good money, reasonable hours, respected and trusted to do my job, never questioned about routes or times, never chased or rushed, my phone maybe receives one incoming call a month from the company, can take a pride in my work and vehicle with good equipment eg steam cleaners on site.
I get to go home after every shift, and that to me is priceless, i work part and the odd full weekend but that suits our lives anyway.
Would i do it again if i was 21, well yes, but i’d go about things differently in that i’d specialise earlier so hopefully slip in somewhere like i am now much earlier.
What i have learned over the years, and this holds true now more than ever, if you have a good job look after it, it’s to your benefit in the long run, quite why some can’t fathom this beats me.
Probably because none of my friends have all expense (including hotels not slumming it in the cab ha) trips abroad. This year I had a week including 4 days rest in Heidelberg, Budapest, Spa and Milan.
I get plenty of trips around Ireland as well which I really enjoy.
As Juddian always says, when you land a good job pay + T&C’s and you actually enjoy the aspect of driving it’s in my opinion a good career.
DonutUK:
Would love to go back into management but nothing paying close to what I earn now…
With a recent pay rise, will be earning £34k plus for easy work, driving decent kit, with no pressure.
How many hours for that and is that including nights out?
Average around 60 hrs…and it includes nights out…I know we shouldn’t count them as part of our wage…but it is what it is.
The yard is 5 mins from my front door…and really isn’t the hardest work around…
If you count nights out as your wage then night out hours need to be included in your total hours, so 4 days at 24 hours and 12 hours on 5th day brings your £34000 down to £6 per hour
Here we go again.
Which industry who employ workers to stay away from home, contractors, co reps, salesmen etc etc, pay them an hourly rate to do so…do you know any?
No, me neither.
We’ll be getting the ‘‘Unpaid security guard’’ daymen dog ■■■■ next.
Night out money is subsistence or expenses, (albeit inadequate ) not wages.
commonrail:
I couldn’t earn the money doing anything else.
Really?
If you work enough hours in any job you could earn the money, especially working the same ridiculous hours as in this job.
I used to love it, but it was chalk and cheese to what it is today.
Got a decent little number at present that suits me, not hassled or pushed as I don’t allow it.
However I was on more money 10 yrs ago.
If 21 would I do it today?
Restrictions, bullcrap, dcpc, cameras, over complicated rules, ridiculous legal hours, crap wage structures, little parking facilities…not a chance in hell.
So if you were now in the 25-35 age bracket with a mortgage and possibly a family to support and either stuck in a dead end retail job or facing redundancy as they can outsource your job for less or any other similar, what would you do?
That’s a genuine question as if you can’t afford to take 6-12 months out to do an apprenticeship there are not many options out there these days if you have no skills or qualifications. Also looking at at least 40 years to retirement.
I went to college but dropped out as picked the wrong course. My weekend job gave me a trainee manager role and I never bothered doing something else as you could work your way up and it was a “job for life as people will always want food” 20 years ago that was the case but not anymore. Even the jobs that are still there I’m not sure I would want with everything that comes with them
How do I answer that it’s pure speculation.
I reckon if I was in my 20s now I would have done the same as I did then, took an apprenticeship at 16…but this time not make the same mistake of doing something I later found I didn’t like, and go driving, so.I would be in a trade of some sort I reckon …who knows.
As I said I would have no interest in taking my Class 1 as I did then, for all the reasons I pointed out, and being an owner driver would be a definite no no this time also.
So not sure there is any relevance in your question tbh.
The point I was trying to make (badly by looks of it) was that its easy to say you wouldn’t recommend it and wouldn’t do it again but not so easy to say what would do instead.
I don’t know you but guess you are around 50 (hopefully not causing offense with that) and I have interviewed many people of that age who have done 15 or 20 different jobs as they didn’t like it and just found something else as there was plenty of options out there. Thats not the case anymore.
I like you have gone into driving after my initial plan didn’t work out and now I don’t regret it. Maybe I will when I have done it as long as you but for now its ok. Maybe because I always had to worry about trading standards and environmental health that dvsa doesn’t worry me so much now as I only have to worry about my own actions.
I can’t think of anything else where 2 weeks holiday for training and then finishing my other job on Saturday morning and start on the Monday earning £30k plus a year
''I can’t think of anything else where 2 weeks holiday for training and then finishing my other job on Saturday morning and start on the Monday earning £30k plus a year
kcrussell25’’
Well it sounds great doesn’t it when you put it like that, but in reality you start learning the job on the Monday, and that continues for the rest of the time you are behind the wheel no matter how many years that might be.
Or it should if someone wants to skill themselves up and get into the proper lorry jobs and money without working all hours the good Lord sends
Of course thousands don’t bother and up to a point why should they? ■■■■ about and cause £20k’s worth of damage? no problem, find another agency or run of the mill hire and reward job, another £40k of damage loads of sickies unreliable? no worries, rinse and repeat, easy come easy go…employers don’t seem to mind cos they keep giving these clowns jobs whilst treating the good staff as if they came of the same boat as the useless
Whether those types ever get any job satisfaction is another question entirely, they certainly won’t get the reputation or job history that opens the right doors.
Juddian:
■■■■ about and cause £20k’s worth of damage? no problem, find another agency or run of the mill hire and reward job, another £40k of damage loads of sickies unreliable? no worries, rinse and repeat, easy come easy go…
Is there is no sharing of information between insurers for work accidents?
Amazed people can get away with that and keep getting work
Juddian:
''I can’t think of anything else where 2 weeks holiday for training and then finishing my other job on Saturday morning and start on the Monday earning £30k plus a year
kcrussell25’’
Well it sounds great doesn’t it when you put it like that, but in reality you start learning the job on the Monday, and that continues for the rest of the time you are behind the wheel no matter how many years that might be.
Or it should if someone wants to skill themselves up and get into the proper lorry jobs and money without working all hours the good Lord sends
Of course thousands don’t bother and up to a point why should they? ■■■■ about and cause £20k’s worth of damage? no problem, find another agency or run of the mill hire and reward job, another £40k of damage loads of sickies unreliable? no worries, rinse and repeat, easy come easy go…employers don’t seem to mind cos they keep giving these clowns jobs whilst treating the good staff as if they came of the same boat as the useless
Whether those types ever get any job satisfaction is another question entirely, they certainly won’t get the reputation or job history that opens the right doors.
I will agree across the last year I have learnt a huge amount and continue to do so.
My point about the 2 weeks was I got my licence and then started learning on full pay. I took a job at a large company paying not great money (but respectable for the area) who put with with another driver for 2 weeks which helped a lot getting me started.
To do an apprenticeship as a sparky (which was my other consideration to college when leaving school) or gas fitter its looking lt is a minimum 6 month apprenticeship before can earn anything close to what I do now. With a mortgage to pay that wasn’t an option.
Edit to add
I still want to try car transporters and I have a copart near me but they want the 2 years so next May I will have a chat. I also have a BCA but rather learn (and make any mistakes) with copart rather than BCA
Juddian:
''I can’t think of anything else where 2 weeks holiday for training and then finishing my other job on Saturday morning and start on the Monday earning £30k plus a year
kcrussell25’’
Well it sounds great doesn’t it when you put it like that, but in reality you start learning the job on the Monday, and that continues for the rest of the time you are behind the wheel no matter how many years that might be.
Or it should if someone wants to skill themselves up and get into the proper lorry jobs and money without working all hours the good Lord sends
Of course thousands don’t bother and up to a point why should they? ■■■■ about and cause £20k’s worth of damage? no problem, find another agency or run of the mill hire and reward job, another £40k of damage loads of sickies unreliable? no worries, rinse and repeat, easy come easy go…employers don’t seem to mind cos they keep giving these clowns jobs whilst treating the good staff as if they came of the same boat as the useless
Whether those types ever get any job satisfaction is another question entirely, they certainly won’t get the reputation or job history that opens the right doors.
I will agree across the last year I have learnt a huge amount and continue to do so.
My point about the 2 weeks was I got my licence and then started learning on full pay. I took a job at a large company paying not great money (but respectable for the area) who put with with another driver for 2 weeks which helped a lot getting me started.
To do an apprenticeship as a sparky (which was my other consideration to college when leaving school) or gas fitter its looking lt is a minimum 6 month apprenticeship before can earn anything close to what I do now. With a mortgage to pay that wasn’t an option.
Edit to add
I still want to try car transporters and I have a copart near me but they want the 2 years so next May I will have a chat. I also have a BCA but rather learn (and make any mistakes) with copart rather than BCA
When people complain about the cost of getting a license, my thinking is much like kcrussels. Go to uni, end up with at least 27k of debt, if it’s a decent degree, e.g. medicine then go and earn more. However a lot of grads won’t ever earn a great wage with all that debt. If you aren’t either academic or wanting a life in a building, then trucking can still be a decent gig for two weeks effort and 3k outlay.
robroy:
This thread has made me think a bit better about the future of the job here, it appears that a lot of lads are on a lot of money for doing relatively fewer hours than most, which is all good.
If what a few say on here is true, and why wouldn’t it be, (what’s the point of lying about it ) then it can only be good for the industry, and a positive step forward at last.
I would reckon a lot depends on the area of the country that you live in and obviously type of work.
On the other hand I don’t really agree with those who think it’s ok just to do 15 hour days regularly in 2018 JUST because the job is ‘‘easy’’ …and presumably their ‘good money’ is made by 70 hours work and 4/5 nights out, so if that is the case (maybe it isn’t in all said cases) is it SO ‘‘good’’ ?
Of course it’s easy, but you are still turning up for work and should be paid a realistic rate,.and pay structure with overtime on a premium rate, as you can sure as hell bet your boss will be getting a proper job rate for taking stuff from A to B whether you consider it ‘‘easy’’ or not.
Unfortunately there are still many on the same old crap ‘going rate’ with mundane jobs, …is this still the majority would you reckon?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
yep,id think the majority would be on pish wages once you break it all down to basics.
theres some decent work over here if you can find it,but the rest is either pathetic wages,or your flat to the mat on day rate or trip dosh.
my mates brother just started with a subby on hannons tramping work.
he is absolutely flat to the mat and his cards are a full 15 maximum hours plus the rest that arnt,and when i say flat to the mat,then thats an understatement for your average uk driver.
they give him destinations that keep him going like a donkey on a stick with not the slightest shred of respect a to how he does it as you are only as good to them as your last load meaning as soon as you need to get your head down,then the attitude is that your useless and a complete fanny.
if you cant crack on then your of no use to them meaning your subby boss isnt going to be popular with them,hence he will be biting your ears off as well.
he is on £140 per day top whack including everything.
apart from some of the better jobs,then thats good earnings here,though some may be on less with a slightly easier shift.
my mates on groupage day work where he takes home £500 mon-fri 7.am till whenever he finishes but itl not be earlier than 7 and sometimes gets extra for a naughty night trunk to dublin if they are stuck.
he always gets 17-25 drops per day plus collections as required and he is on a pigs back compared to lots of work here.
he had a previous job on boxes ut of dublin for 550 a week but couldnt stand the lying around tipping ect.
pretty pathetic all round as its way behind over here,but on the bright side,theres little vosa activity and virtually no speed cameras to worry about.
so i reckon your right about wages to suit location.
kcrussell25:
. . . . . If I have a problem I ring the office and make it their problem.
After 30 years of taking it upon myself to re-route, meet impossible deadlines, generally sort things out myself, that is the single most important piece of advice I’d pass on to new drivers. It’s not a cop-out to do so, it’s actually a responsibility which you should take very seriously. Why did it take me so long to realise?
kcrussell25:
. . . . . If I have a problem I ring the office and make it their problem.
After 30 years of taking it upon myself to re-route, meet impossible deadlines, generally sort things out myself, that is the single most important piece of advice I’d pass on to new drivers. It’s not a cop-out to do so, it’s actually a responsibility which you should take very seriously. Why did it take me so long to realise?
I tried making suggestions when I had problems to help keep the job moving and was told in no uncertain terms that I am a just driver and they will sort it (when they get round to it) fair enough who am I to argue if they want to pay me to sit and do nothing?
Juddian:
''I can’t think of anything else where 2 weeks holiday for training and then finishing my other job on Saturday morning and start on the Monday earning £30k plus a year
kcrussell25’’
Well it sounds great doesn’t it when you put it like that, but in reality you start learning the job on the Monday, and that continues for the rest of the time you are behind the wheel no matter how many years that might be.
Or it should if someone wants to skill themselves up and get into the proper lorry jobs and money without working all hours the good Lord sends
Of course thousands don’t bother and up to a point why should they? ■■■■ about and cause £20k’s worth of damage? no problem, find another agency or run of the mill hire and reward job, another £40k of damage loads of sickies unreliable? no worries, rinse and repeat, easy come easy go…employers don’t seem to mind cos they keep giving these clowns jobs whilst treating the good staff as if they came of the same boat as the useless
Whether those types ever get any job satisfaction is another question entirely, they certainly won’t get the reputation or job history that opens the right doors.
I will agree across the last year I have learnt a huge amount and continue to do so.
My point about the 2 weeks was I got my licence and then started learning on full pay. I took a job at a large company paying not great money (but respectable for the area) who put with with another driver for 2 weeks which helped a lot getting me started.
To do an apprenticeship as a sparky (which was my other consideration to college when leaving school) or gas fitter its looking lt is a minimum 6 month apprenticeship before can earn anything close to what I do now. With a mortgage to pay that wasn’t an option.
Edit to add
I still want to try car transporters and I have a copart near me but they want the 2 years so next May I will have a chat. I also have a BCA but rather learn (and make any mistakes) with copart rather than BCA
When people complain about the cost of getting a license, my thinking is much like kcrussels. Go to uni, end up with at least 27k of debt, if it’s a decent degree, e.g. medicine then go and earn more. However a lot of grads won’t ever earn a great wage with all that debt. If you aren’t either academic or wanting a life in a building, then trucking can still be a decent gig for two weeks effort and 3k outlay.
I left school in 1999 and it was just starting the push to get everyone to go to university. I have interviewed many people across the last few years who admit they shouldn’t have gone to university but were pushed into it by school or parents. They either dropped out or ended up with a useless degree and were then looking at a shelf stacking job in a supermarket but £30-40k of debts for their trouble.
I won’t dispute its expensive getting a licence but I.think it always has been. I have had drivers tell me they borrowed money from parents or sold cars to pay for training in the past.
A lot of places do finance these days. I am not pushing anyone to get into debt but unless you do a “proper” degree the return on a hgv licence is likely to come out better
kcrussell25:
. . . . . If I have a problem I ring the office and make it their problem.
After 30 years of taking it upon myself to re-route, meet impossible deadlines, generally sort things out myself, that is the single most important piece of advice I’d pass on to new drivers. It’s not a cop-out to do so, it’s actually a responsibility which you should take very seriously. Why did it take me so long to realise?
I tried making suggestions when I had problems to help keep the job moving and was told in no uncertain terms that I am a just driver and they will sort it (when they get round to it) fair enough who am I to argue if they want to pay me to sit and do nothing?
We’re different - in case you hadn’t worked that one out . The current Sicily job, I rang them to make sure they were alright for the ferry on Monday and between that call and one earlier, they’d spoken to my customer and between them had decided that they were going on Tuesday as otherwise on Monday they’d be stuck on Wednesday because of a driving ban in Germany. Made no difference to me in terms of money or delivery eta and they got a full five days off (paid) in Sicily.
I’m probably redundant and the drivers only let me stay to provide a bit of glamour ( from a great distance and squinting )
Juddian:
■■■■ about and cause £20k’s worth of damage? no problem, find another agency or run of the mill hire and reward job, another £40k of damage loads of sickies unreliable? no worries, rinse and repeat, easy come easy go…
Is there is no sharing of information between insurers for work accidents?
Amazed people can get away with that and keep getting work
The insurers may well have a mutual database (but unless the insurer requires names and has the final veto on hiring?), the prospective employer more than likely won’t have a bloody clue they’re employing bods who wreck everything till its too late unless they happen to know the previous TM or 3 and can have an off the books chin wag…in the case of agencies they’d probably be chuffed to see a wrecker go to the competition.
Weird really, people who wreck everything are good driver’s worse enemas too cos the good bods end up driving round in their maybe almost new lorries that are soon battered kit, so its in everyone’s interests to weed them out.
Juddian:
''I can’t think of anything else where 2 weeks holiday for training and then finishing my other job on Saturday morning and start on the Monday earning £30k plus a year
kcrussell25’’
Well it sounds great doesn’t it when you put it like that, but in reality you start learning the job on the Monday, and that continues for the rest of the time you are behind the wheel no matter how many years that might be.
Or it should if someone wants to skill themselves up and get into the proper lorry jobs and money without working all hours the good Lord sends
Of course thousands don’t bother and up to a point why should they? ■■■■ about and cause £20k’s worth of damage? no problem, find another agency or run of the mill hire and reward job, another £40k of damage loads of sickies unreliable? no worries, rinse and repeat, easy come easy go…employers don’t seem to mind cos they keep giving these clowns jobs whilst treating the good staff as if they came of the same boat as the useless
Whether those types ever get any job satisfaction is another question entirely, they certainly won’t get the reputation or job history that opens the right doors.
I will agree across the last year I have learnt a huge amount and continue to do so.
My point about the 2 weeks was I got my licence and then started learning on full pay. I took a job at a large company paying not great money (but respectable for the area) who put with with another driver for 2 weeks which helped a lot getting me started.
To do an apprenticeship as a sparky (which was my other consideration to college when leaving school) or gas fitter its looking lt is a minimum 6 month apprenticeship before can earn anything close to what I do now. With a mortgage to pay that wasn’t an option.
Edit to add
I still want to try car transporters and I have a copart near me but they want the 2 years so next May I will have a chat. I also have a BCA but rather learn (and make any mistakes) with copart rather than BCA
Hope you didn’t think i was having a pop at you, having reread my post it could come across that i was, certainly not meant that way.
And yes i can see your reasoning, University is ridiculously oversubscribed now and its become a money making machine, and there are thousands of youngsters who would be far better off getting out there and learning a trade that is more or less timeproof, ie plumbing and electronics/electrical, and by the time they’re 21 can be earning good money without a 5 figure debt hanging round their neck…plus they’ll have seen life and not been subject to further indoctrination by left over lefties who themselves have never had a real job, stuck in a a safe space zone where applause is now so passe and juggling or summat is the new in thing
Going Copart first makes sense, but BCA training is really very good, so don’t be too concerned about going straight for the new cars shifting.
kcrussell25:
. . . . . If I have a problem I ring the office and make it their problem.
After 30 years of taking it upon myself to re-route, meet impossible deadlines, generally sort things out myself, that is the single most important piece of advice I’d pass on to new drivers. It’s not a cop-out to do so, it’s actually a responsibility which you should take very seriously. Why did it take me so long to realise?
I tried making suggestions when I had problems to help keep the job moving and was told in no uncertain terms that I am a just driver and they will sort it (when they get round to it) fair enough who am I to argue if they want to pay me to sit and do nothing?
We’re different - in case you hadn’t worked that one out . The current Sicily job, I rang them to make sure they were alright for the ferry on Monday and between that call and one earlier, they’d spoken to my customer and between them had decided that they were going on Tuesday as otherwise on Monday they’d be stuck on Wednesday because of a driving ban in Germany. Made no difference to me in terms of money or delivery eta and they got a full five days off (paid) in Sicily.
I’m probably redundant and the drivers only let me stay to provide a bit of glamour ( from a great distance and squinting )
I and I am sure every other driver on here knows and is jealous of your “difference”. I am sure they are devastated with 5 paid days in Sicily
Juddian:
''I can’t think of anything else where 2 weeks holiday for training and then finishing my other job on Saturday morning and start on the Monday earning £30k plus a year
kcrussell25’’
Well it sounds great doesn’t it when you put it like that, but in reality you start learning the job on the Monday, and that continues for the rest of the time you are behind the wheel no matter how many years that might be.
Or it should if someone wants to skill themselves up and get into the proper lorry jobs and money without working all hours the good Lord sends
Of course thousands don’t bother and up to a point why should they? ■■■■ about and cause £20k’s worth of damage? no problem, find another agency or run of the mill hire and reward job, another £40k of damage loads of sickies unreliable? no worries, rinse and repeat, easy come easy go…employers don’t seem to mind cos they keep giving these clowns jobs whilst treating the good staff as if they came of the same boat as the useless
Whether those types ever get any job satisfaction is another question entirely, they certainly won’t get the reputation or job history that opens the right doors.
I will agree across the last year I have learnt a huge amount and continue to do so.
My point about the 2 weeks was I got my licence and then started learning on full pay. I took a job at a large company paying not great money (but respectable for the area) who put with with another driver for 2 weeks which helped a lot getting me started.
To do an apprenticeship as a sparky (which was my other consideration to college when leaving school) or gas fitter its looking lt is a minimum 6 month apprenticeship before can earn anything close to what I do now. With a mortgage to pay that wasn’t an option.
Edit to add
I still want to try car transporters and I have a copart near me but they want the 2 years so next May I will have a chat. I also have a BCA but rather learn (and make any mistakes) with copart rather than BCA
Hope you didn’t think i was having a pop at you, having reread my post it could come across that i was, certainly not meant that way.
And yes i can see your reasoning, University is ridiculously oversubscribed now and its become a money making machine, and there are thousands of youngsters who would be far better off getting out there and learning a trade that is more or less timeproof, ie plumbing and electronics/electrical, and by the time they’re 21 can be earning good money without a 5 figure debt hanging round their neck…plus they’ll have seen life and not been subject to further indoctrination by left over lefties who themselves have never had a real job, stuck in a a safe space zone where applause is now so passe and juggling or summat is the new in thing
Going Copart first makes sense, but BCA training is really very good, so don’t be too concerned about going straight for the new cars shifting.
No offense was taken.
I will think about BCA but I have an easy agency number currently so I don’t mind waiting for Copart for the minute
We’re different - in case you hadn’t worked that one out . The current Sicily job, I rang them to make sure they were alright for the ferry on Monday and between that call and one earlier, they’d spoken to my customer and between them had decided that they were going on Tuesday as otherwise on Monday they’d be stuck on Wednesday because of a driving ban in Germany. Made no difference to me in terms of money or delivery eta and they got a full five days off (paid) in Sicily.
I’m probably redundant and the drivers only let me stay to provide a bit of glamour ( from a great distance and squinting )
[/quote]
I and I am sure every other driver on here knows and is jealous of your “difference”. I am sure they are devastated with 5 paid days in Sicily
[/quote]
^^^^^^^^^^^+1 there.
looks like a proper company with proper drivers and mutual respect though i suspect they may be a bit different to “normal drivers”.
when they replied to your hows your weekend question with " we found a great beach and a nice cafe" then that would translate into " we found a pub and a knocking shop" .or do their repective w.a.g.s. also peek in here to check up on them?
. The current Sicily job, I rang them to make sure they were alright for the ferry on Monday and between that call and one earlier, they’d spoken to my customer and between them had decided that they were going on Tuesday as otherwise on Monday they’d be stuck on Wednesday because of a driving ban in Germany. Made no difference to me in terms of money or delivery eta and they got a full five days off (paid) in Sicily.
)