I have, since May 2012, worked for a company on a parttime ad hoc basis where truck are a minor part of the job. We do work on the rail infrastructure, and the trucks are classed as mobile plant, so not as many rules as regs as the general trucking work. Truck driving accounts for less than 5% of my working time there, the rest is operating the access machinery attatched to the truck whilst its on track.
In the short time I have been there they have trained me up on a second type of machine, with the other 2 types coming along the pipeline at some point this year. All the training is funded by the company and we’re paid for doing it too. With the recent upgrades to the railways announced, we have plenty of work in the pipeline for the next few years at least. Plus the pay is a hell of alot better.
I left the truck driving game back In July 2007… At that moment I’d just about had enough of being out on the road so I wanted to try something different…
I started working In a factory with regular hours & good pay… Working In a team with Colleagues who couldn’t stop talking all day was a shock to the system In the beginning (I’d spent 22 year’s driving & was used to being by myself)…
Now after 5 & a half year’s, I miss being out on the open road… I know thing’s have not changed for the better over the last 5 year’s, but I’d like to give It another go…
The thing for me Is ‘Once a driver always a driver’, Well In my heart anyway…
dafdave:
Up and till 2001 when I was retired injured I would never had left the trucking game.Happy as larry tramping uk/eu no probs.Looking at the job today dcpc,digital tachos,planners,extortionate parking fees,lack of decent parking,wtd, and some ive missed,no thanks I did 30+yrs but the job today I feel sorry for you lads and lasses out there, I would never go back now the job stinks,oh and one thing that slipped my mind for most of you[from what ive heard] crap wages.
regards dave.
P.S.I forgot no decent kip for fear of getting load, diesel, or both pinched.
no sleep problems for me [zb] it they can take wtf they like lol im paid to drive not security
That’s true jj but its still bloody inconvenient when you get up early to go and find no fuel or load tampered with even moreso if you are coming home.
regards dave.
i don’t know that i would jack it completely but there again i switch my between two different steering wheels.
when i’m not in a rig i’m behind the wheel of my gorgeous all singing all dancing JCB 535-95 telehandler it’s on a T plate — i’ve owned my forks outright they cost £20k secondhand from Gunn JCB in 2003 and have more than paid for themselves - i was considering getting a custom lowloader just for my forks cos my forks would pay for the costs of the rig and then some.
if i really had to choose between the two then yeah i’d jack the rig in favour of the telehandler.
the hours worked are pretty similar cos i work 12 hour days on the forks and 13 hours in the rig. wages are normally paid by the hour and are pretty similar at around £10p/h. there’s more work for the forks but driving the rig is more fun… in terms of qualifications my rig needs medical, dcpc etc… my forks needs road tax, insurance, cpcs, diesel…
in case your wondrin a local farmer currently moves my forks on a lowloader for me in exchange for some help loading straw onto his trailers every harvest time - so no cost…
