Where have all the good drivers gone

[alanjblack]

Why is it so hard to find a good driver.

All we seem to get is the drivers that dont want to be away at week ends, dont want a night out tonight as my dog is sick, dont send me to London, I hate London, got to be home Friday, my wife will go mad if Im not, dont want to go to Belgium, France, Holland, Germany,would rather stay in UK.

We get all the excusses under the sun, in this business its hard enough to make money, and when you have drivers that dont want to be drivers its even harder.

Thats my moan for the week, its 1120am and Im just off to Dover to take a load to Belgium and tip in the morning (Saturday), then have a weekend parked up at Meer truck stop then reload Holland Monday, Im the boss of a 22 vehicle company, I thought that that would be enough to keep me busy, but I still love to get away and do a bit, weekends away or not.

Any of the old school of drivers looking for a job, dont mind being away all week with the odd weekend away, pm me, we pay well, good trucks, Magnums, DAF super spacen cabs, food tanker work.

I appreciate that a driver is entitled to a home life, but the old school continental driver, knows the score and did the job with all the crap that went with it, if they want to be home every night, dont apply for a job that entails driving on the other side of the road.

[alanjblack]

P.S. I am a senior member of Trucknet but in my old age have forgoten my old log on details, can any one from trucknet help.

[routier]

well said there alan, and hope you can find the drivers you need.

So all the others on this site who moan etc about their employer or wanna do Europe, or want the SSC , sounds as if the offer is too good to refuse!!

Harry Monk… May be of interest to you!

[robbies_dad]

alanjblack:
Why is it so hard to find a good driver.

All we seem to get is the drivers that dont want to be away at week ends, dont want a night out tonight as my dog is sick, dont send me to London, I hate London, got to be home Friday, my wife will go mad if Im not, dont want to go to Belgium, France, Holland, Germany,would rather stay in UK.

We get all the excusses under the sun, in this business its hard enough to make money, and when you have drivers that dont want to be drivers its even harder.

Thats my moan for the week, its 1120am and Im just off to Dover to take a load to Belgium and tip in the morning (Saturday), then have a weekend parked up at Meer truck stop then reload Holland Monday, Im the boss of a 22 vehicle company, I thought that that would be enough to keep me busy, but I still love to get away and do a bit, weekends away or not.

Any of the old school of drivers looking for a job, dont mind being away all week with the odd weekend away, pm me, we pay well, good trucks, Magnums, DAF super spacen cabs, food tanker work.

I appreciate that a driver is entitled to a home life, but the old school continental driver, knows the score and did the job with all the crap that went with it, if they want to be home every night, dont apply for a job that entails driving on the other side of the road.

I could not agree with you more

[sugar_ray]

It all sounds great to them Alan till they actually start the job, then they find out its not what they really want, which dont help people like yourself, Ive lost count of the amount of drivers i used to meet who moaned about beeing weekended again, but that was the job when they took it on.

The worst was 2 drivers who really pest`rd a company to take them on, weekends no problem, 2 weeks away no problem, they ended up dumping the trucks in italy and flying home, it really buggerd it up for the guys who would do the job ( not to mention the company ).

Six weeks was the most i was away, i admit that it was a bit of a struggle i could not get a decent curry anywhere. But that was my job and i enjoyed it, i had a good gaffer who would get me home if i really needed to.

Could i be temted to do it again? i did speak to a few people about it but they were looking for younger guys as they would be more keen, seems at 55 with 30 years under your belt you should be put out to grass. Pass me my zimmer frame.

[trubrit]

Dumping your truck and flying home…there is nothing lower.
I would change over anywhere but Dover, Calais was fine.
The job is not for everyone and even the most enthusiastic driver still has to give consideration to the family…luckily I always had a green light.
Too old at 55 sugar ray? never, it’s just a number…experience must count for something

[hombre]

the problem is many drivers think that because they have been tramping round the UK for a few years that euro work is the same. They expect to be home every friday night, saturday morning at the latest.

When they get weekended on a poxy service station in France or somewhere and realise that theyre probably not going to get home even next weekend then the dawning of realisation sets in.

This can be and often is a bloody lonely job - no thats the wrong word, its not a jo its a way of life. If you look at it from any other way then in my (humble) opinion youre best off sticking to UK work.

Oh, and the other problem is wives and girlfriends - they moan and complain too. my missus only moans when Im home for more than 72 hours, she says I make the place look untidy!!

[routier]

Hombre:
Oh, and the other problem is wives and girlfriends - they moan and complain too. my missus only moans when Im home for more than 72 hours, she says I make the place look untidy!!

Every wife does that, not matter what job yer do! I go away for a break!

working away, staying in some crap places, my brothers truck is better equipped and more comfortable than some of the guest houses I stay in!

[betz]

really sad to hear about this

I wish I could apply the driver for your company but unfortunley I am too young - 20years old and have no truck driving licence

I dont mind getting away for up to six weeks because i gain need get some good experience for my future career.

Anyway hope you will find the right drivers ASAP

[cdriver]

it makes me wonder, where are all those good british drivers that moan so much about poles taking their jobs, here you have what seems like a fair job with a fair boss and i suppose fair pay, and yet the guy struggles to find drivers decent enough to just do their jobs, wht does that tell you?

[malcolmj]

does it involve climbing on top of the tank trailer? with my dodgy knee and after doing working at heights regs best stay put where i am (on the ground)
i could be persuaded thou by the right offer

[jessicas_dad]

got me puzzeled this one.

i used to drive lorries but dont now, but when i did i never wanted to be weekended at all. i did enough hours during the week at 70 ish every week plus 4 / 5 nights out. when i was at work i did what i had to do. i used to really enjoy going to london but being born and brought up in london i know what the place is all about and its doesnt bother me.
like i said i never wanted to be weekended and i think all the hours i did plus the nights out why should i, dont i deserve to be home at weekends not stuck in some service station in a country where im not right sure of the language.
i dont think im any worse a driver than the next person just because i want to have a life.

as for the i dont want to go to london, france, germany and belgium…

whats all that about whats the differance just get on and do it

[carl]

the problem is that folks see the bright lights of the continent here all the stories about how yer treated over there see differant countries and cultures and the realties of the job dont kick in till after a few weeks and then they realise that its actually a job, rose tinted glasses wonderful things ive done all the countries you mention but with fridge work was never weekended but then i was never daft enough to take a job where i would get weekended ive got a young family and a week away is enough but if i were single id go away for weeks at a time.it sounds a good job surley theres someone on here that would want it

[skids]

i do continent and have done long periods away from home. i once spent 12 weeks away of which 6 of them were my sons summer holidays. i spent 10 years in the army and all of the time away on ex’s and ops that comes with it. now i am home most weekends and am looking at options of being at home every night. i used to love my job would love a weekend in meer and have spent many there in the past, but now its a case of that weekend in meer will prob cost me £100 + in food and beer from a £450 wage with a wife, kids, mortgage, bills etc etc. (thats before i’ve lived for the rest of the week) in short, its just not worth it. i love my job and relish any challenge that is thrown at me and would of jumped at a chance to work for you 5 years ago. good luck with the search

[jj72]

i agree with your sentiments totally alanjblack, but galvanise this whole post for us - what are you paying, unless that’s interview only information?

[linux-user]

Now why didn’t you post this 4 weeks ago when i was looking?

Oh well if this doesn’t work out then will PM you

Does it matter where you live? what wages? need exp on tankers, as have none?

[jimti]

jj72:
i agree with your sentiments totally alanjblack, but galvanise this whole post for us - what are you paying, unless that’s interview only information?

Good point, I am amazed at the small amount of money some companies offer for drivers who for all intents and purposes give up their lives to the job.
I don’t really blame the company in so much as competition is fierce in Europe keeping rates very low, but that is not my problem.
One of the things I have found since the introduction of the € is that my living costs across the water have gone up far more than night out money or wages, add to that the exchange rate fluctuations of late and I seem to be working for nothing.

If you want old school drivers offer old school wages, I liked it when I was payed more than the supermarket truck driver.

I am still working over the water weeks away at a time. and enjoy the job

[kindle530]

I had a job offer european mainly Benelux but with some Germany thrown in, nice Super Space Cab, was asked how much money i wanted, said min £500 a week with extra for weekends which i dont mind doing (my record away from home so far is 18 weeks in the truck) then got told the most we can afford is £420 for a week inc w’ends cos the job doesnt pay enough to pay you more, well if thats the case pack it in!
I once worked for a bloke doing UK to Nurnberg every week, the wages werent great so i asked for a rise, he then got all his invoices etc out and proceeded to show me that on average after wages and diesel etc his profit was £25 a week!! When i asked him why he bothered he said cos when hiss dad started the firm in the 60’s he was one of the first English firms to go abroad and he wanted to keep the name alive
Thats why most people cant get drivers, they may have the work and the trucks and the old school attitude etc, but if you arent going to pay a realistic wage you arent going to get the drivers you want, you will just end up with the wannabee’s who will bottle it.
Im not saying you dont pay well as i dont know you, its just my opinion in general on uk international hauliers in my experience.
Basically it boils down to the money at the end of the day.
Good luck anyway and i hope you find a decent bloke.

[use_a_name]

We may be recruiting, we run food tankers to Belgium, Holland, France & Germany.

We pay £90 a day Monday to Friday plus £25 night out over the water £20 uk.
We also pay £12 per hour Saturday & £16 per hour Sunday and bank holiday’s.

PM me if you may be interested, we are based in Newbury, run DAF 95 Super Space Cabs, Magnums.
this was posted by alanjblack on march 16th 2008

[thebear]

use a name:
We may be recruiting, we run food tankers to Belgium, Holland, France & Germany.

We pay £90 a day Monday to Friday plus £25 night out over the water £20 uk.
We also pay £12 per hour Saturday & £16 per hour Sunday and bank holiday’s.

PM me if you may be interested, we are based in Newbury, run DAF 95 Super Space Cabs, Magnums.
this was posted by alanjblack on march 16th 2008

Only any good if you have tanker experience then. I have never been near one in my life.