Well here we are sat in a service station near Southampton waiting for
Monday morning to arrive on what is my 2nd wedding anniversary to the present Mrs Jones god there must be better ways than this to make a living?
Thou I’ve not had a bad week I did have last bank holiday off !!!
Well I always thought Volvos were a good truck well after a month in this bag
of nails all I can say is give me a MAN anyday
Tues started ok did a drop in Hereford then back to Barry to reload some chemicals and down to Poole for the night boat what a place to get to from
south Wales
Off the boat wed morning and broke the top off the drivers mirror arm it folded in ok on the ferry but would not go back out where it had seized so 10 mins later with the help of a few cable ties im on my way.
Loaded with 24tonne odd for my last drop (as I shall be sort of passing 3 other places I have to deliver a sample to each) manage to get 3 off on the wed the
last one left a the gatehouse so start to make my way now to proper drop to a place not far from Angoulme on the road to Limoges ,passing the town where
in 1944 the Germans massacred 600 odd French men women and children at Oradour-sur-glane, but decide against dragging the truck up to the old town
for a look. Find the factory my office had asked for their fax number when I an empty, expecting the worse I get fax but its only 1 collection from schenker in
Angoulme Friday morning so I go looking for dinner.
Turned up to load Friday bright and early yep you guessed it no load till after 4pm.
Loaded TIR corded sealed cmrs dome by 5pm and im away up as far as the
rouiter at Sumar parked at 830 bst and go have a shower and some food.
Saturday no need to get up too early as booked on the LeHavre boat which
goes at 1700h so take the scenic route to lehavre and arrive with a bout 10mins to spare was the last truck on and they closed the ferry doors behind
me!!
Which brings to here again I have managed to log on to bt openworld sat in the car park ……but I need to find a proper job
Well you’ve lasted longer than Reef…
They made the mistake of letting go home on his first day 
Bit of a bummer being parked up down there, you have my sympathies m8, but that’s s&k for you 
you parked up in rownhams? if so ill come out and meet ya for a drink
steve_24v:
Well you’ve lasted longer than Reef…
They made the mistake of letting go home on his first day
Bit of a bummer being parked up down there, you have my sympathies m8, but that’s s&k for you
I saw my chance for freedom and i took it
[you parked up in rownhams? if so ill come out and meet ya for a drink
thanks for the offer but i have done a bottle of wine this afternoon so gotta sober up ready for the morning but next time because with s&k there will be a next time your on
malcolmj:
,passing the town where
in 1944 the Germans massacred 600 odd French men women and children at Oradour-sur-glane, but decide against dragging the truck up to the old town
for a look.
My pilgrimmage every 10th of June mate, only an hour and half from me. You’re right not to drag the motor in there, but if you ever get the chance to visit it is a very sobering place. I have posted details and pictures before but for those who don’t know, the old village was left deserted and untouched after the war and a new one built nearby. Even the doctor’s car is still where he parked it to go in and visit a patient just before the massacre. He didn’t need it afterwards.
As it seems you’ve parted with s&k what went down ?
Well my 4 weeks or was it 5 time flies with S&K ended yesterday
Just to let you know the job on what they class as long haul eg germany spain italy and portugal in a globetrotter.
Job dead easy no rush every thing 100% legal
kit all in good order except for the trucks well its a volvo need i say any more? seat is crap bunk is too and the 420 wont pull the skin off anything
the yard is 1st class not a pothole or any rubbish
all the cards for running you could need
but at the end of the week the pay was ■■■!!
So i have left but on good terms you never know if they put the wages up and buy a fleet of mercs or MANS i might wanna go back.
so all in all id give them 8 outa 10 for the way its managed and yard w/house run
5 outa 10 for the trucks and trailers
3 outa 10 for pay and conditions
Most of the gripes I hear from their drivers is about pay, not that it can’t be good, but being so complicated often end up being shafted… I guess some of the old hands knowing what’s what can work the system cause they often have nothing but praise for the company.
So how long do they expect you to be away for, and how much time at home between runs ? Sounds like you found the job ok apart from the pay, and from a Welsh haulier that’s not half bad 
[So how long do they expect you to be away for, and how much time at home between runs ? well i had 1 weekend home was turned around at barry depot twice on a friday afternoon
bloke who started same day as me i was talking to him friday (when cleaning out my truck)had not been home at all and was waiting for 2 pallets to arrive to finish his load for italy they have told him he can have next weekend off but not the monday thats if he gets back form Italy,he will have tiles to collect to come back with too so thats 2 days loading next week
why haulage companies think days off in foreign parts are of any use is bewildering
i reckon if you do 3 solid weeks you should have a week off on your return
I dont understand why drivers who want to be at home do international work!
If you want a guarantee of being in the house then a local shunters job would be better.
I thought that a steady job like that is worth hanging onto even if it is in Wales
Wheel Nut:
I dont understand why drivers who want to be at home do international work.
Me neither. Days off in foreign parts are the best kind.
Its all about balance really isnt it, Its family life V’s truckers life I know which i’d choose in a heartbeat but just dont tell the wife 
Dont get me wrong i love my wife and kids unconditionally but i got diesel in my veins and dried egg and bacon fat on my tshirt, I would happilly do the maximum permisable time on the continent its just that the family would sooner i didnt though the wife will let me if i want to its just i dont think its fair on us as a family unit.
So an ideal solution would be 3 weeks on and 1 full week off …but in the real world…
malcolmj:
[So how long do they expect you to be away for, and how much time at home between runs ? well i had 1 weekend home was turned around at barry depot twice on a friday afternoon
Wow that’s a bit of a tease isn’t it, so close but so far…
Would have freaked me out 
All the best with your new job Malc
Wheel Nut:
I dont understand why drivers who want to be at home do international work!
If you want a guarantee of being in the house then a local shunters job would be better.
I thought that a steady job like that is worth hanging onto even if it is in Wales
So how long away do you deem reasonable ?
I believe s&k expect in the region of 6 weeks, which I guess for the long haul is par for course ?
But to make it back home twice and not able to see your family astounds me
Again i’ll repeat myself " A lucky escape there i think"
dont get me wrong im fully prepaired to be weekened away as long as its called for but to be turned around on a friday at barry to go back out when my 1st drop was only just south of paris i thought was a bit much i offered to get a afternoon boat from portsmouth or poole and run as far as pos sunday evening to get there but was told not asked to go on the friday night night boat to be on there door so to have a clean card for the rest of the day,was only going as far as lyon to last drop too
anyway new job for about the same money weekend end is long rest one ship monday, short rest one ship sunday home by friday lunch time not tipping backloads so will be home to annoy the present mrs jones every sat and sunday hope i’m doing the right thing god and i hate gardening diy etc so will await the go back to S&K and be weekened arguments to come 
I love her really … even more from spain,italy,germany…
hope it all goes well malc what unit you got with the new job btw?
hope it all goes well malc what unit you got with the new job btw?
next week got a scania for a week unil my own truck arries which will be a Hittlers revenge TGA MAN