Hi guys, I have decided to go back to France and give it another go, was there working for Ebrex in 2009, I had my FIMO etc but due to family reasons returned to the UK.
I am just waiting now until I have completed my driver cpc which should be by May next year…anyone got any idea how much it costs to take just one module of the cpc as I will have 4/5 by next month?
Any one know of a company who is taking on drivers in the Sarthe 72 or Mayenne 53 areas?
Was thinking of coming back to UK and working a month on/ month off for Visbeen through Optimum MK, just until I get myself sorted out in France, anyone else done this, whats the money like??
A single CPC module should cost you around £100, then you’ll be good to go.
Have you got work certificates for your time working here in France as with those and experience at Ebrex it shouldn’t be too difficult to find something. STG, Mesguen, Renaud or Olano would all be worth contacting, or just head into an agency as that’s now becoming the standard route into a full time job.
As for Ebrex, don’t expect to see that name around for much longer…
Craig
Cheers Craig,
yes I still have my old work contract with EBREX and my FIMO only ran out this year around March sort of time, still got the card.
I was thinking also of trying STEF TFE and maybe Transports Breger, do you know anything about either of them, heard whether they are good to work for or not?
Last time I was there I done a bit of training with STEF, they seemed ok at the time, in hindsight wish I would of gone to work for them instead of Ebrex, both were paying 13 months of the year at the time, alright monthly pay, holidays etc.
Any idea what’s happening with ebrex, it was only 2008/2009 that they took over from Nexia Froid?
Any idea what agencies are best?
If your FIMO only ran out in March, why don’t you just do the FCO renewal
pierrot 14:
If your FIMO only ran out in March, why don’t you just do the FCO renewal
I have been back in the UK working since 2010, to be honest I thought that since my FIMO had already expired that it was too late to do the FCOS, I thought that maybe I would have to do the whole 156hr FIMO again.
The company that I work for pays for me to do the CPC during my normal working week, it is only recently that I decided that I want to return to France as I have family still living there, my company will have completed all modules of the CPC by around March next year, I was just thinking that if it was cheap enough, then I would pay for the fifth module and not have to wait until 2014 to make my move…besides, my English is a bit better than my French!
I dont know what luck you will have at TFE, I know Pierrot14 tried in vain at Vire a couple of years ago ,maybe you would get better luck at TFE Vannes or you could try ND at Caen ,I know they have a few English working there and if its the same person as when I worked for ND their transport manager was English , Le Mans have English drivers so do St Malo and Tours.
Edit to add: try Hambledon Haulage of Blandford ,they have a driver who lives in the Vire area
Don’t reckon you’d have much luck at STEF Vannes, they mainly use agency drivers or offer short term CDD contracts, but that probably wouldn’t affect you as it’s nowhere near where you want to work.
Overall STEF is one of the best firms in France, as you mentioned they pay the 13 month bonus and you get a share of the profits. The job is far from easy, but conditions are decent. I’ll PM you if I see any jobs advertised internally, they come up occasionally, but agency drivers often have first shout.
As for Ebrex, STEF is about to take it over within the coming weeks.
Craig
Craig 111:
Don’t reckon you’d have much luck at STEF Vannes, they mainly use agency drivers or offer short term CDD contracts, but that probably wouldn’t affect you as it’s nowhere near where you want to work.Overall STEF is one of the best firms in France, as you mentioned they pay the 13 month bonus and you get a share of the profits. The job is far from easy, but conditions are decent. I’ll PM you if I see any jobs advertised internally, they come up occasionally, but agency drivers often have first shout.
As for Ebrex, STEF is about to take it over within the coming weeks.
Craig
Cheers for that mate, appreciate a headsup if anything is advertised. It was TFE Le Mans that I had a few days out with last time I worked in France, I ended up working for Ebrex on the Socaman E Leclerc contract as a friend of the family was a planner for them, in hindsight I wish I would of gone with TFE…even the TFE driver that I was out with was disappointed I went the Ebrex route!!
Anyone know what a shunter is called in France, I have been shunting since October last year so want to put it on my CV.
I know that there is next to no shunting work in France, I want to go back out on the road anyway, just beefs up my CV a bit.
Cheers
STEF Le Mans were recruiting fairly recently so you may have a chance. Niort is becoming bigger and Nantes is having a new site built so both of those could be possible options. Vire has drivers outbased over all of France, that’s the top depot, the drivers are on coefficient 150 while the rest of us are on 138, meaning an extra 300 or so euros a month.
Bon courage!
Homme de parc = shunter
Cheers Craig 
I have been looking at the Snooper Truckmate GPS for HGV, anyone using this?
If you are, did you buy in France or UK?
Seems to be a difference in price of around £100-£150, if I were to buy the English version with maps for Europe would all the information be on there…I know that there is a big difference between TomTom UK with European maps and a French TomTom, just wondering if it would be the same problem with Snooper, and a lot of the Zone Industrial would be missing for example…anyone using the GPS offer me some insight please?