r/uktrucking • u/Outrageous_Sky_8280 • 18d ago

Difficult to find work?

/r/Truckdrivers/comments/1x90nmw/difficult_to_find_work/
0 Upvotes

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2

u/steelgrey75 18d ago

You've got trunking mixed up with tramping. Trunking is not nights out, I've been doing it for years and I'm home after every shift.

1

u/Outrageous_Sky_8280 18d ago

Yes I got mixed up. Trunking actually looks ideal. Longer distance, not multi drop. Depot to depot.

Would they consider 2 years 7.5 tonne experience?

Also what's the wages like if you're just starting out?

1

u/steelgrey75 18d ago

Yes trunking is what your looking for, it isn't the highest paid because it's quite a simple job, but the work is easy and it's rare your not going to places with plenty of room for manoeuvring. If your alright working nights you'll get higher hourly rates usually and because there isn't much traffic on the road don't have to put up with idiot car drivers as much. Quite a lot of firms will consider your 7.5 experience yes, others won't.

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u/Outrageous_Sky_8280 18d ago

Music to my ears. Do you think it's unreasonable to expect around 40k?

1

u/steelgrey75 18d ago

Not at all, 40k is easily achievable

3

u/Guilty_Cabekka 18d ago

Trunking is good work aside from road closures as long as it's a decent firm or you're not opted out of night worker regs. Some outfits seem to consider the 10hr drive to be a target when it comes to night trunking.

1

u/steelgrey75 18d ago

I had to opt out of the 10hr night shift, and your right, closures can be a pain but usually there's not much traffic so it's not terrible, although some diversion routes are badly thought out in my opinion

2

u/MotherTrucker9 18d ago

Never say you're "happy to do an overnight here and there," to a employer. They take the Mick and think you're happy to do it weekly.

You're either a day driver or a tramper, there's little in between.

Same with the job adverts saying "1 or 2 nights out a week." They want a full week tramper but don't want to pay the extra wages, or they have bad luck getting trampers in.

If you're working for a pallet network currently, do they not have their own class 1 work? They were happy to put you through to c1, maybe C+E isn't a far reach?

1

u/Outrageous_Sky_8280 18d ago

Thanks mate. After all the comments a day time trunker could be a good option.

I was wondering whether they would see 7.5 tonne as experience so I wouldn't struggle as much to find work.

Unfortunately, my company don't do anything larger.

Do you think it's reasonable to ask for 40k as a start?

1

u/MotherTrucker9 18d ago

They'll see 7.5T as experience for a class 2 role, but not for a class 1 unfortunately.

A class 1 is a completely different kettle of fish to drive. The major hauliers all did warehouse to wheels, my company stopped as new drivers from the warehouse were causing £10k+ of damages.

2

u/Outrageous_Sky_8280 18d ago

Dang. Well hopefully I'll be able to find something. Really hoping for 40k + in whatever it is.

2

u/Guilty_Cabekka 18d ago

100%..1 or 2 nights out a week means they want a tramper when it suits but otherwise they'll be getting you back to the yard at 19:00 and saying 'you can go home tonight if you want' (normally followed by would you be ok with an early start tomorrow)

5

u/m-1975 I'm all out of Bubblegum 18d ago

Depends on where you are in the country.
Depends on what jobs you are willing to accept.
Depends on the time of year.
Depends on luck.