Just been flicking through the UK forum over the last couple of weeks and shocking to see how many drivers moan about their jobs compared to here on the ex pats. (not counting pat lol)
The hours are longer and driving conditions can be a lot harder over here compared to Europe. If they can’t stand it that much just find a new career.
taffytrucker:
Just been flicking through the UK forum over the last couple of weeks and shocking to see how many drivers moan about their jobs compared to here on the ex pats. (not counting pat lol)The hours are longer and driving conditions can be a lot harder over here compared to Europe. If they can’t stand it that much just find a new career.
Yep, but see the money a hell of a lot of drivers are earning over there now, just above minimum wage and that is in many area’s of the country except London.
I was earning more than that 20 yrs ago.
Vosa, or whatever their name is this week, all this BS of strapping everything on every pallet. And pulling drivers in regularly, I can only ever remember getting tugged by them 3 times in 23 yrs.
Digicards, say no more.
Traffic, remember that ?
Speed Cameras.
Road works. Etc. Etc.
And finding a new career ain’t so easy for some, I joined the Merchant Navy from school, did a bit of fishing when on leave and started driving at 21, I’ve got no qualifications whatsoever, I would be stuck with driving over there and whining like they are.
Just glad I made the move when I did.
neilg14:
taffytrucker:
Just been flicking through the UK forum over the last couple of weeks and shocking to see how many drivers moan about their jobs compared to here on the ex pats. (not counting pat lol)The hours are longer and driving conditions can be a lot harder over here compared to Europe. If they can’t stand it that much just find a new career.
Yep, but see the money a hell of a lot of drivers are earning over there now, just above minimum wage and that is in many area’s of the country except London.
I was earning more than that 20 yrs ago.
Vosa, or whatever their name is this week, all this BS of strapping everything on every pallet. And pulling drivers in regularly, I can only ever remember getting tugged by them 3 times in 23 yrs.
Digicards, say no more.
Traffic, remember that ?
Speed Cameras.
Road works. Etc. Etc.
And finding a new career ain’t so easy for some, I joined the Merchant Navy from school, did a bit of fishing when on leave and started driving at 21, I’ve got no qualifications whatsoever, I would be stuck with driving over there and whining like they are.
Just glad I made the move when I did.
And don’t forget the Driver CPC ■■■■■■■■ 
Many of the users come across as the type who would moan if they was on 5k a week and done 6 hours a day with an hour for lunch
Aren’t drivers in Canada complaining about their long haul jobs?
I’ve seen plenty evidence on their BB that they do complain and not less than UK drivers.
There are some interesting videos on YT, mostly US drivers, which means they do not have deal with snow and harsh winter driving conditions.
Here’s a couple of vidoes, which I reckon are acurate.
Couldn’t see any complaining about local driving jobs, but plenty of long haul jobs.
These drivers have a choice of chosing a company they would want to work for, immigrants to Canada have no choice and need to stick for 2-3 years with companies that have problems attracting Canadian drivers (hence the need to bring immigrants to fill those seats)
I’ve also noticed US drivers try to avoid at all cost driving north to Canada. What could be the reason?
youtube.com/watch?v=hr22YmVZsUQ
youtube.com/watch?v=l5B14ut13IE
youtube.com/watch?v=zVWuo3c7tGQ
Now, how about for a change someone posts some videos or any other material that would be positive about long haul trucking in Canada/US.
Thanks
Only UK drivers complain?
What’s causing the driver shortage?
youtube.com/watch?v=lIYlCmEy50E
Pay the truck driver by the hour
youtube.com/watch?v=eVrtjX9aPkM
Truck driver salary packages just don’t cut it
youtube.com/watch?v=MPT38DblVv8
I know drivers over here moan I think just about every driver moans it’s our right lol. I was just comparing the ex pat page and the uk page.
taffytrucker:
I know drivers over here moan I think just about every driver moans it’s our right lol. I was just comparing the ex pat page and the uk page.
Makes me laugh that the UK driver thinks that the Canadian and US driver don’t get tugged by the DOT …
What they don’t realise or know is the many weigh stations where you have a sign that tells all trucks or it’ll flash your reg up to pass through a weigh station, only stopping if they get the red light otherwise they drive over the weighbridge and go like a drive through penalty on F1.
Then you have different rules for different states meaning having to move the trailer axels to keep legal in on state only to move them again when passing into another.
On top of this drivers have to KNOW and PASS an air break test on how the breaking system works and how to adjust the breaking system.
H&S may be a little less stringent but its getting just as bad.
Then you have the luxury of paying for that one thing we take for granted Medi Care I think it was $400 for calling an ambulance in CN.
I think yes the other side of the pond has great things to offer but in whole they have much the same problems as we here in the UK ad Europe have just here were on a tiny island that’s getting clogged by the day.
CA is a pain for the axles gotta be inside the 41’ mark giving a 12ft rear overhang on the trailer then if you’re running through BC to get there the 41’ mark gotta be in the middle of the axles if I remember right am sure it get pointed out if I’m wrong. Then you got to have different permits for each state if running oversized and each with their own rules which is almost always a red light at the port of entry scales for that state.
Just going from say Lethbridge down to Jerome ID you got bout 5 scales to pass and thats in just one days drive and the bigger scales have sensors on them that can tell the officer sat in the hut if one of your tires have a little less air in or if one of your brakes are running hot again that’s a red light for ya then they’ll go through everything
taffytrucker:
CA is a pain for the axles gotta be inside the 41’ mark giving a 12ft rear overhang on the trailer then if you’re running through BC to get there the 41’ mark gotta be in the middle of the axles if I remember right am sure it get pointed out if I’m wrong. Then you got to have different permits for each state if running oversized and each with their own rules which is almost always a red light at the port of entry scales for that state.Just going from say Lethbridge down to Jerome ID you got bout 5 scales to pass and thats in just one days drive and the bigger scales have sensors on them that can tell the officer sat in the hut if one of your tires have a little less air in or if one of your brakes are running hot again that’s a red light for ya then they’ll go through everything
see you have it simple Taffy vosa Dvsa DOT even check your tyre pressure for you how kind eh 
The DOT are so kind they point out anything that’s wrong for ya. Wonder if they would mind coming to do my pre trips for me to lol
taffytrucker:
The DOT are so kind they point out anything that’s wrong for ya. Wonder if they would mind coming to do my pre trips for me to lol
i wouldn’t ask Taff cause you know what the answer would be …
BEND OVER 
nick2008:
taffytrucker:
The DOT are so kind they point out anything that’s wrong for ya. Wonder if they would mind coming to do my pre trips for me to loli wouldn’t ask Taff cause you know what the answer would be …
BEND OVER
I been pretty lucky with the DOT. In 2 yrs been given one ticket and that was just after I got here. I had loaded bananas down in CA following instructions from one of the other drivers the best way to load it. Asked him where the nearest scales were to check my weights to be told none round here. Being new I took him for his word. Got to the Scales at the port of entry into UT from AZ to find I was a bit over on my drives. Lesson learnt there lol
Thing is how many regularly post on this page compared to the main one. Also as an outsider you have to accept the job for what it is. I wonder if you went on a forum of say polish drivers working in the uk what the atitude would be?
yup i stopped at more scales on my first day driving in canada /usa than i stopped in 25yrs in the uk.
to say the Dot over here are ■■■■ does not do them justice…on one week last autumn we were hauling redi mix from our eastern mb yard (just of the 75 for those that know) to a job pouring kerbs at kleefeld…and you ran past a scale soooooooo each trip we called in both ways(lights flashed) so 8 times a day x2 x 5trucks and at least once a day taking our permits in 
.
one one occasion i was stopped for an inspection on the btrain tipper i drove ,they hunted hi and low and finaly found one wheelstud on my 2nd trailer did not show more than 2 threads after the wheelnut received a ticket for that and to repair back at the yard before going back out…answer was take the 4inch spacer out between the wheels and replace with a 3inch spacer …took the mechanic longer to do the paperwork than the repair. jimmy.
When have I ever moaned ? …
I have a far better job than most over here (I still think drivers here are treated like crap) 
I’m 6yrs into the Canadian chapter of my life, I’m only a $5,000 container and a plane ride away from England, so I’m not marooned here, if I wanted to go back I would, but I don’t, my life here is better than I had in the UK and I had no complaints about that.
The better life that I have includes quite a lot of time in a truck too, for me that part of it is significantly better than it was in the UK and I had some bloody good jobs.