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Hi df1, Welcome to TruckNet,
Here’s 3 firms you could contact :
Your Avatar doesn’t state where you’re living, but I’m guessing you’re still in Ireland. With the type of run you’re after I don’t think it would matter where in the UK the firm is based, what with the likes of ‘Ryanair’ and ‘Easyjet’ etc. for you to commute with every couple of weeks !
Any other suggestions, anybody ?
Good luck. 
Thanks deeside,
I am currently in Ireland, have worked for most of the big irish names you see on the m25 every day pullying reefers.
try pullyns of reading and davis of southampton
Did a trip for Solstor just the once, in 1990 i think.
Tipped in Milan (kodak I think) early Monday Morning, then had to run across to Ravenna, meet up with three of their “regular” drivers,wait around, get loaded, left there late evening, then told I had to keep going and stay with their “regular drivers” (who had just had a long lazy weekend off) as it was a rush load.Finally stopped half way down the French side of the Blanc at about 3am the next day!! 
A whole 4 hours kip, then back on the road again, rush rush, must get a ferry tonight and tip early hours of next morning!!!
Needless to, I didnt get that ferry, stayed legal for the rest of the journey and handed back the keys when I got back to the yard.
Im sure things arent like that now though!! 
Bullitt.
I think Solstor now use a lot of O/Ds now! Saving their licence and repute! Think you will find it hard pressed to find a UK company doing those runs today as there are not that many. You may be better off trying your luck with a foreign haulier.
Would love to know which Irish Haulier you’re on for! and who you have worked for in the past!
One thing for sure tho, their practices haven’t changed!! It was like that back in the 70s/80s when my father worked for several Irish (Fridge) Outfits.Go Go Go!!
Welcome to TruckNet UK and I hope you find a
company that do the run’s you are looking for
good luck df1 
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at last someone else that is sick of the working conditons in Ireland I thought I was the only one
Welcome to Trucknet df1, hope you find what you are looking for.
Antony:
at last someone else that is sick of the working conditons in Ireland I thought I was the only one
Are things that bad ■■?
Well ever since our daughter came along 2 years ago I’ve stayed on national work so now I have to put up with crap trucks on crap roads that shake your kidneys lose for 70 -80 hours a week . Nearly forgot for crap money 
Antony:
Well ever since our daughter came along 2 years ago I’ve stayed on national work so now I have to put up with crap trucks on crap roads that shake your kidneys lose for 70 -80 hours a week . Nearly forgot for crap money
Sorry to hear that, but Y did you move there then ? Is your wife Irish ? Sorry to be nosey! Have you not thought of doing Ireland - UK - Ireland ? May suit you better.
Both are parents are Irish we are more than likely coming back to England before Caitlan starts school at the moment she is the apple of my grandmothers eye and a move now would devastate her. I was on UK work when I first got my C+E my last run went like this.
Thursday 21:00 stena Dublin - Holyhead
Friday 01:00 Holyhead to Birmingham offload half the load then onto Oxford tip rest of load drive down to the far side of Canterbury take on half a trailer of groupage into east London just off M25 for the next pick-up back to Birmingham fill trailer to busting point and back up to Holyhead for Saturday 03:00 ferry 750 miles about 16 hours driving I stopped about an hour before Holyhead cos I just couldn’t drive another mile phoned the boss to put me on the 06:00 fast ferry which didn’t please him Its more expensive. Like I said that was my last run thought I would try the Continent and that was just the same but for less money
D
Hi, Been reading some of these horror story’s ,about working for Irish firm’s. iv’e also met the boy’s in truck stop’s and heard the tale’s as well. I’m not trying to have a pop at you boy’s that run like that because i don’t know your circumstances , But you aint the only one’s on the road when you are driving along half asleep , and we all know something can happen in the blink of an eye, so until you boy’s all say no, it aint going to get any better for you , just look out for yourselves , as no matter how much you earn you cant take it with you . Karl
Y
Barcelona_Karl:
as no matter how much you earn you cant take it with you . Karl
its not about the money Karl English drivers are on the same if not more money than us for doing a normal weeks work . as for saying no I did just that on my last job and got sacked he even told me he was sacking me because I knew all the regulations and he can’t operate like that. I hold the department of transport to blame more than the hauliers cos if a company stayed within the law they wouldn’t be competitive that’s national haulage anyway international hauliers are getting the same rates as any other country and taking more profit
Things will never change. I fully appreciate what you are both saying from the driver point of view IT SHUDNT BE HAPPENING!! From the owners point of view, rates are crap, to sustain overheads and to try and get a return for his/her investment the onus is placed on the driver. Wheels have to keep movin. The truck does not earn its keep being parked up. A driver can leave and go and get another job, the owner still has his outlay, its his money and his head on the block if it goes [zb] up.He stands to lose everything, driver can simply carry on with another employer. Thats Y you are all pushed. and this is all due to rate cutting!
This doesnt just happen in Ireland its in the UK as well. Perhaps if Id operated like most operators and got my ex drivers to run like a lot of people Id still be in business today instead of being forced to sell up. You cant survive and operate a healthy business within the law in todays society. Dont care what anybody says. You may as an Owenr driver, you wont make much and it will be tight but not for an operator running several. Costs/Overheads/Outputs far outweigh the revenue/inputs, work out the maths.
Can never understand Y , From an ex haulage operator, spend 70 grand on a motor/trailer to earn back approx £1/1.50 or less per mile!!! Nedexco pay an owner drive 47 cents of Euro per Km 49 if you have their livery!!! And worse THE RATES DIRECT From the Blue Chip Companies ARE TERRIBLE, I know the rates! They also know though experience what companies will do it for.
Thats why drivers are pushed to breaking point I guess. Do you know the cost of the ferry from Dublin to Holyhead ? Appprox £300 ONE WAY!!! You may get discount depending upon your frequency/volume. Rate fro the job wont be much more from Dublin to UK!!
DF1: You are lucky fella, real lucky getting stopped in France and the copper letting you go, your luck will run out one day. Quit while your ahead BEFORE IT CATCHES UP WITH YOU.
I know Irish Operators have a terrible reputation for GO GO GO , thats Y I was rather surprised this morning to see a Irish Scania from Dublin parked up in Haydock with its curtains drawn!!!
I recall being offered work from NORTH West UK to Madrid, direct for a food producer, asked me for a rate, gave him it, he faxed it back and told me his other customers are doing it for £950!!! Cant give me work for the rate quoted. So how can you get to Madrid for £950 ? Drivers wage, Operating costs, ferry, tolls,diesel etc, Im in the red already not to mention if I have a mishap!! Answer Get driver to get there ASAP, dont sleep, get tipped, Get a reload and hope to get a profit out of. Needless to say I didnt do it and told him where to go.
I quoted another producer, a fish producer in the west of Ireland for exports to Frand and Spain, rates I thought were good, there was approx £100 /£150 profit in the trip, thats all, told Im too high!!! I couldnt go any lower!! Thats y u guys are pushed!
routier,nice to hear it as it is,quite refreshing on a hot day 
R