About 10 years ago used to see asda trucks and trailers on A26 in France
The same reason everything is subbed out.
To cut standing costs.
GBPub:
Winseer:
All those extra stops must cost the haulier money compared to a straight-through run.If I were to hire a removal firm to cart my stuff from say, here to across town compared to here to the other side of the country, then I would not actually expect to pay much more than the fuel/driver cost for getting it across country!
It’s all the handling on and off that should cost the money, putting pressure upon depots to become more efficient.
All this worry about distance and driver’s rate is looking in the wrong direction for “efficiency savings” entirely!Supermarkets you’d think would save money by getting their supplier wagons to come directly from the factory that kicks out the cakes, pies, whatever.
Taking it to umpteen depots along the way cannot but cost a lot more money surely?Do you honestly think that would work? 1 box to shop A, 3 boxes to shop B etc etc. There is a very good reason it goes to an RDC as it makes stock control/replenishment far easier.
Since when did a supermarket order “one outer of pies” or “a block of cheese” on it’s own?
I think one of the big reasons is it’s less pressure on the Supermarkets. If their truck was to break down in central france they’d have to sort it out. If a subbie’s truck did the same, they’d expect said subbie to sort it out for them.
Winseer:
Carryfast:
Winseer:
Without cushy T&Cs therefore, I suggest that euro work is pants and not worth chasing for it’s so-called “Novelty value”.
On the other hand, even I would jump at the chance if it were paid by the hour like other agency work, but it isn’t available to agency for that very reason!If that was right the agencies would be able to offer loads of international work to any driver who wanted it so long as they don’t mind being paid by the mile instead of the hour and loads of drivers saying no thanks they’d prefer to get paid more per hour to do local building deliveries and multi drop.
The moment you’re not paid by the time period, you’ve circumvented the agency and have gone self-employed.
Agencies don’t send people on plate work either as far as I know. Without that defined wage coming in for defined hours, you’re gonna get ripped off left, right, and centre - and you do!
If you were paid for Eurowork by the mile, then guess what? - You won’t know where you are going right upto getting on the ferry, but surprise surprise, you find you won’t be going to Malaga on arrival, but Nobbies yard up the dunqerque road instead… ■■■■! You’ve spent more money on the ferry than you’ll get paid for this run. Bon Voyage!
Since when did any employed driver ever pay for the ferry.Having said that it would be possible to be paid by the mile or by the trip and still call it hourly pay in just the same way that any employed or self employed owner driver doing international or uk tramping gets paid.I think agency work is mainly all about matching desperate employers involved in work that no one wants with drivers who can’t find anything better.I think any agency offering Euro work for the same rate as local multi drop zb would prove that point by having a phone that was permanently engaged with drivers looking for a job regardless of what the hourly rate looks like on paper.
Although having said that a day’s work is a day’s work anyway and in many cases it would probably be worth trading a job involving ( supposedly ) less hours of zb local multi drop or building deliveries for one involving more hours per day doing long distance international for the same,or even less,effective hourly rate.Depending on if the driver has a preference for driving than spending a lot of the day loading/unloading and sitting in London traffic for example.
In just the same way that any Supermarket distribution operation,that decided to set up it’s own long haul international division,in which drivers rotate between one month on international and one month on uk work for the same wage as before,would probably suddenly find itself with loads of applicants that they wouldn’t have had before.Unfortunately it’s always been a case of more opportunities doing international for subbies than there will ever be on big uk distribution fleets let alone agencies.
But you can bet that ‘if’ agencies ever did offer loads of international opportunities it would more likely be a case of that run a few miles outside Calais than a regular trunk to Malaga or Southern Italy.
Winseer:
Since when did a supermarket order “one outer of pies” or “a block of cheese” on it’s own?
You would be surprised how little of certain items some supermarkets order and regardless if they ordered a lot more they wouldn’t take up more than 1% of the space in an artic. Therefore the amount of individual drops would be nigh impossible to do efficiently.
bald bloke:
Why would the paperwork be the last thing he’ll look at, and am sure he’ll set the right temp. A bit of an insult to supermarket drivers that last post.
No offense to “them” at all - they have a way of working - all tied down to risk assessments and checklists . There is a way to do everything and it’s written down somewhere. A supermarket driver can follow a written down list from the start of his shift to the end of his shift and everything he needs to do the job will be / is provided by the supermarket .
Euro drivers don’t get it as easy . They are expected to think for themselves and get the job done with a minimum of help . They will have the option of train or ferry , what route they take ( within reason ) , expected to buy fuel in the cheapest places , organize their time to be on site on time 3- 4 days if not a week ahead of themselves .
As to the temperature reference - there is a reason I mentioned it . You don’t load grapes in a pack house at +24 and just set the fridge to +6 - you cool the load so fast you burst the grapes . you start about + 20 and bring the temp down slowly about 2 degrees every 2 hours .
Just a small point -not one many supermarket drivers would know but not knowing it would be the end of your load .
beefy4605:
As to the temperature reference - there is a reason I mentioned it . You don’t load grapes in a pack house at +24 and just set the fridge to +6 - you cool the load so fast you burst the grapes . you start about + 20 and bring the temp down slowly about 2 degrees every 2 hours .
Just a small point -not one many supermarket drivers would know but not knowing it would be the end of your load .
Obviously you were born with that infomation, so nobody had to tell you that?
As I said above, a load of tosh.
GBPub:
beefy4605:
As to the temperature reference - there is a reason I mentioned it . You don’t load grapes in a pack house at +24 and just set the fridge to +6 - you cool the load so fast you burst the grapes . you start about + 20 and bring the temp down slowly about 2 degrees every 2 hours .
Just a small point -not one many supermarket drivers would know but not knowing it would be the end of your load .Obviously you were born with that infomation, so nobody had to tell you that?
As I said above, a load of tosh.
yeah - I was told - but when I was told these things I had other drivers there with me to keep me right . I was lucky in that a lot of my Euro work I was able to run with other experienced drivers and I shut my mouth and listened to all I was told before being sent on my own. I asked questions and listened to the replies . Some of the drivers I ran with have forgotten more than I ever learned . No body in the packhouse will tell you , you can be sure the Eastern Europeans won’t explain it to you , you can be dam sure no one in a supermarket DC in England would know - so who tells our supermarket driver in Spain ? Nobody
Euro work is specialised work , euro fridge work even more so and soft fruit is a night mare .I’ve done Euro work and Supermarket work - I can see both sides of the coin and in my opinion you don’t want to be sending the "average " supermarket driver to Euroland for a load of soft fruit. Some could do it but the amount of planning , training and resources needed to set it all up would mean its just to expensive to do .
beefy4605:
GBPub:
beefy4605:
As to the temperature reference - there is a reason I mentioned it . You don’t load grapes in a pack house at +24 and just set the fridge to +6 - you cool the load so fast you burst the grapes . you start about + 20 and bring the temp down slowly about 2 degrees every 2 hours .
Just a small point -not one many supermarket drivers would know but not knowing it would be the end of your load .Obviously you were born with that infomation, so nobody had to tell you that?
As I said above, a load of tosh.
yeah - I was told - but when I was told these things I had other drivers there with me to keep me right . I was lucky in that a lot of my Euro work I was able to run with other experienced drivers and I shut my mouth and listened to all I was told before being sent on my own. I asked questions and listened to the replies . Some of the drivers I ran with have forgotten more than I ever learned . No body in the packhouse will tell you , you can be sure the Eastern Europeans won’t explain it to you , you can be dam sure no one in a supermarket DC in England would know - so who tells our supermarket driver in Spain ? Nobody
Euro work is specialised work , euro fridge work even more so and soft fruit is a night mare .I’ve done Euro work and Supermarket work - I can see both sides of the coin and in my opinion you don’t want to be sending the "average " supermarket driver to Euroland for a load of soft fruit. Some could do it but the amount of planning , training and resources needed to set it all up would mean its just to expensive to do .
I do “Euro fridge work” and I dont think you can call it special by any stretch of the imagination, I prefer it to UK because I am lazy, Euro fridge work is easy and it is money for old rope . 
andy187:
About 10 years ago used to see asda trucks and trailers on A26 in France
I’ve not seen ASDA trucks going down the A26 though… Don’t they have any outlets in darkest weald?
Winseer:
andy187:
About 10 years ago used to see asda trucks and trailers on A26 in FranceI’ve not seen ASDA trucks going down the A26 though… Don’t they have any outlets in darkest weald?
Should have meant autoroute 26 lol
GBPub:
Winseer:
Since when did a supermarket order “one outer of pies” or “a block of cheese” on it’s own?You would be surprised how little of certain items some supermarkets order and regardless if they ordered a lot more they wouldn’t take up more than 1% of the space in an artic. Therefore the amount of individual drops would be nigh impossible to do efficiently.
I remember dropping a single pallet of juice at Londis, Erith on the way back from Luton to Dover… Bit out of the way for a single pallet I always thought, but if firms are running loss-leaders like this, it’s a shame they can’t run loss leaders like decent pay for retention purposes as well. 
beefy4605:
GBPub:
beefy4605:
As to the temperature reference - there is a reason I mentioned it . You don’t load grapes in a pack house at +24 and just set the fridge to +6 - you cool the load so fast you burst the grapes . you start about + 20 and bring the temp down slowly about 2 degrees every 2 hours .
Just a small point -not one many supermarket drivers would know but not knowing it would be the end of your load .Obviously you were born with that infomation, so nobody had to tell you that?
As I said above, a load of tosh.
yeah - I was told - but when I was told these things I had other drivers there with me to keep me right . I was lucky in that a lot of my Euro work I was able to run with other experienced drivers and I shut my mouth and listened to all I was told before being sent on my own. I asked questions and listened to the replies . Some of the drivers I ran with have forgotten more than I ever learned . No body in the packhouse will tell you , you can be sure the Eastern Europeans won’t explain it to you , you can be dam sure no one in a supermarket DC in England would know - so who tells our supermarket driver in Spain ? Nobody
Euro work is specialised work , euro fridge work even more so and soft fruit is a night mare .I’ve done Euro work and Supermarket work - I can see both sides of the coin and in my opinion you don’t want to be sending the "average " supermarket driver to Euroland for a load of soft fruit. Some could do it but the amount of planning , training and resources needed to set it all up would mean its just to expensive to do .
Give us some examples of common pitfalls experienced by Euro drivers - beyond the obvious “Ferry port on strike with perishable load” or “mugged in layby” or “no speke destination country of pickup” etc… It’s right to ask a lot of questions and listen. I would go on to say never stop doing that. I know I don’t in any line of work, if I’m not 100% sure about something…
beefy4605:
GBPub:
beefy4605:
As to the temperature reference - there is a reason I mentioned it . You don’t load grapes in a pack house at +24 and just set the fridge to +6 - you cool the load so fast you burst the grapes . you start about + 20 and bring the temp down slowly about 2 degrees every 2 hours .
Just a small point -not one many supermarket drivers would know but not knowing it would be the end of your load .Obviously you were born with that infomation, so nobody had to tell you that?
As I said above, a load of tosh.
Euro work is specialised work , euro fridge work even more so and soft fruit is a night mare .I’ve done Euro work and Supermarket work - I can see both sides of the coin and in my opinion you don’t want to be sending the "average " supermarket driver to Euroland for a load of soft fruit. Some could do it but the amount of planning , training and resources needed to set it all up would mean its just to expensive to do .
Which really translates as ( a) those doing international work want to keep it while (b) at the same time wanting those doing uk work to stay on it because of (a).
Seriously I think the idea of distribution operations starting their own in house long haul international divisions with drivers on a rota of both uk and international,together with getting rid of all the elitist experience and ‘average’ uk ‘specialist’ euro driver bs,would make the industry more attractive to those who are undecided about starting out in it.While that type of elitist bs should be one of the issues,which anyone thinking of starting out in the industry,should think about depending on what type of work they are looking for.It really is nothing new and it’s one of the reasons why the agencies are full of zb local building delivery or multi drop type work but long distance international no chance.
Long distance work is only elitest in the eyes of the drivers with over inflated egos. These days eu work is no more difficult than running from London to Glasgow.
Most continental drivers go about there business with no fuss but its the I’ve done this that and the other ones who get noticed for been a knob end.
FFS exploding grapes sounds like that Eddie Stobart program.
Carryfast:
beefy4605:
GBPub:
beefy4605:
As to the temperature reference - there is a reason I mentioned it . You don’t load grapes in a pack house at +24 and just set the fridge to +6 - you cool the load so fast you burst the grapes . you start about + 20 and bring the temp down slowly about 2 degrees every 2 hours .
Just a small point -not one many supermarket drivers would know but not knowing it would be the end of your load .Obviously you were born with that infomation, so nobody had to tell you that?
As I said above, a load of tosh.
Euro work is specialised work , euro fridge work even more so and soft fruit is a night mare .I’ve done Euro work and Supermarket work - I can see both sides of the coin and in my opinion you don’t want to be sending the "average " supermarket driver to Euroland for a load of soft fruit. Some could do it but the amount of planning , training and resources needed to set it all up would mean its just to expensive to do .
Which really translates as ( a) those doing international work want to keep it while (b) at the same time wanting those doing uk work to stay on it because of (a).
Seriously I think the idea of distribution operations starting their own in house long haul international divisions with drivers on a rota of both uk and international,together with getting rid of all the elitist experience and ‘average’ uk ‘specialist’ euro driver bs,would make the industry more attractive to those who are undecided about starting out in it.While that type of elitist bs should be one of the issues,which anyone thinking of starting out in the industry,should think about depending on what type of work they are looking for.It really is nothing new and it’s one of the reasons why the agencies are full of zb local building delivery or multi drop type work but long distance international no chance.
Not everyone wants to do long distance or euro work though. I know many good drivers who have no inTention of ever sleeping in a lorry or driving on the wrong side of the road.
kr79:
Long distance work is only elitest in the eyes of the drivers with over inflated egos. These days eu work is no more difficult than running from London to Glasgow.
I don’t like it because it’s easier or more difficult than driving in the UK, or because I think I’m elitist, it’s just that driving over Mont Blanc makes a bit of a change from looking at a gridlocked M25.
kr79:
FFS exploding grapes sounds like that Eddie Stobart program.
I must say that I have carried my fair share of grapes on fridge work and have never heard of exploding grapes. 
Easter-Star:
beefy4605:
GBPub:
beefy4605:
As to the temperature reference - there is a reason I mentioned it . You don’t load grapes in a pack house at +24 and just set the fridge to +6 - you cool the load so fast you burst the grapes . you start about + 20 and bring the temp down slowly about 2 degrees every 2 hours .
Just a small point -not one many supermarket drivers would know but not knowing it would be the end of your load .Obviously you were born with that infomation, so nobody had to tell you that?
As I said above, a load of tosh.
yeah - I was told - but when I was told these things I had other drivers there with me to keep me right . I was lucky in that a lot of my Euro work I was able to run with other experienced drivers and I shut my mouth and listened to all I was told before being sent on my own. I asked questions and listened to the replies . Some of the drivers I ran with have forgotten more than I ever learned . No body in the packhouse will tell you , you can be sure the Eastern Europeans won’t explain it to you , you can be dam sure no one in a supermarket DC in England would know - so who tells our supermarket driver in Spain ? Nobody
Euro work is specialised work , euro fridge work even more so and soft fruit is a night mare .I’ve done Euro work and Supermarket work - I can see both sides of the coin and in my opinion you don’t want to be sending the "average " supermarket driver to Euroland for a load of soft fruit. Some could do it but the amount of planning , training and resources needed to set it all up would mean its just to expensive to do .
I do “Euro fridge work” and I dont think you can call it special by any stretch of the imagination, I prefer it to UK because I am lazy, Euro fridge work is easy and it is money for old rope .
Typical overinflated ego continental driver you have to avoid if you get stuck in a waiting room or in a bar with. Clogs woman’s ■■■■■ on a chain thinks he’s kris kristofeson. Same breed as the got chalked off in a bay at tesco and got fined 15 grand for the landing legs wasn’t all the way up and was stuck on the slow wind.
Harry Monk:
kr79:
Long distance work is only elitest in the eyes of the drivers with over inflated egos. These days eu work is no more difficult than running from London to Glasgow.I don’t like it because it’s easier or more difficult than driving in the UK, or because I think I’m elitist, it’s just that driving over Mont Blanc makes a bit of a change from looking at a gridlocked M25.
That’s fair enough. Same as me ending up here in Canada I just wanted to do something a bit out of the ordainry and broaden my horizons. I’ve known and met people have been to some weird and wonderful places but don’t need to look down there noses at us who for whatever reason have done for mundane jobs like the earlier poster seems to be doing…
I don’t think all supermarket drivers are morons but in those jobs thinking for yourself will land you in hot water. Some may be brain dead others ain’t but just let it go over them as its decent money and the job suits them.
We have all seen the posts where drivers working for a big firm are derided for calling a fitter for a bulb or an air line. Fact is if he went in and got a airline and fitted it he would probaly end up with the sack or at least a disaplinary.kr79:
FFS exploding grapes sounds like that Eddie Stobart program.I must say that I have carried my fair share of grapes on fridge work and have never heard of exploding grapes.