Can anyone tell me anything about Transmec at Cleckheaton? The most recent post I can find on the subject was back in 2004…Anyone know anything more recent?
Usual stuff - Do they have distance work or is it all days and nights? What’s the money like? Etc, etc etc…
Oh, and do they have a waiting list? Daft though this sounds, I currently work for a firm that’s good enough to have one…and I have enough experience that I won’t move to a firm that doesn’t. I’m looking at moving for personal reasons rather than job satisfaction/financial ones, so have no need or desire to take a step down the ladder.
Oh, and does anyone know who that bloke is from there who keeps flashing and waving at me, or do I need to grill my Bradford-based family about that little mystery?
hi lucy i was interested in working for them at one time,they still share wagons with day men and night trunkers the wagons have changed to uk plated stralis`s same as the italian based ones,there where no vacancies when i rang up,i noticed on my trip to italy that they are now using a lot of ex eastern block drivers it might not be long till they do that over here,the money was ok but not outstanding
jon
Lucy:
Can anyone tell me anything about Transmec at Cleckheaton? The most recent post I can find on the subject was back in 2004…Anyone know anything more recent?
Usual stuff - Do they have distance work or is it all days and nights? What’s the money like? Etc, etc etc…
Oh, and do they have a waiting list? Daft though this sounds, I currently work for a firm that’s good enough to have one…and I have enough experience that I won’t move to a firm that doesn’t. I’m looking at moving for personal reasons rather than job satisfaction/financial ones, so have no need or desire to take a step down the ladder.
Oh, and does anyone know who that bloke is from there who keeps flashing and waving at me, or do I need to grill my Bradford-based family about that little mystery?
Moving down here?!! You’ll be only round the corner from me then .
Re Transmec, a driver told me a few years back they were on good money - summat like £500 per week and I eventually got round to belling them up and found out that it was a load of [zb] and they weren’t on good money at all (in my opinion). I have to be honest, I can’t remember how much it was though.
They run Stralis’s (as I’m sure you know) so it would be home from home for you and they also do a lot of trunking to their place at Thurrock and back. An ADR ticket is preferred too. Other than that, can’t really tell you owt else.
I was working just across the road from them today,and the road in/out.was littered with our European cousins,nighting out,making access a little difficult.
A very good mate of mine has recently packed it in with Transmec at Thurrock.
He said the writing is on the wall as they are probably about to lose the New Holland contract,which is about there biggest UK customer.
He had been with them since around 1995,when they were based at Ware,Herts.He said the money was good,he was on salary,which gave him around £32,000pa and they have pension schemes etc.
Transmec are taking on more and more east european drivers and now have many trucks registered in Poland and Slovakia.
In the past three or four years it was very rare for him to have any nights out,all day runs or changovers.
They did have some problems with the ministry some years ago,mainly to do with them running Italian registered trucks in the UK,and some tacho offences,but after the ministry had threatened to shut them down they all had to run legal.
If you need any thing further Lucy let me know and I’ll mail my mate.
A very good mate of mine has recently packed it in with Transmec at Thurrock.
He said the writing is on the wall as they are probably about to lose the New Holland contract,which is about there biggest UK customer.
He had been with them since around 1995,when they were based at Ware,Herts.He said the money was good,he was on salary,which gave him around £32,000pa and they have pension schemes etc.
Transmec are taking on more and more east european drivers and now have many trucks registered in Poland and Slovakia.
In the past three or four years it was very rare for him to have any nights out,all day runs or changovers.
They did have some problems with the ministry some years ago,mainly to do with them running Italian registered trucks in the UK,and some tacho offences,but after the ministry had threatened to shut them down they all had to run legal.
If you need any thing further Lucy let me know and I’ll mail my mate.
I know a few of the subbies who work for them out of Thurrock and they reckon its a decent job. They dont do many nights out from Thurrock anymore though. I know they recently lost quite a big contract, but cant for the life of me remember which one it was.
The problem is Lucy it is going to be difficult to find a job that is anywhere near as good as the one you have. As you say, they will have a waiting list. Would it not be possible to commute? it would only be once a week as you would be out most of the time. You would also be able to do some of your nights out at your new location. Just a thought.
To be honest, that’s what I’m inclining towards doing - we need to be seriously looking at moving back to Bradford because Rikki in particular needs the family support…But I’m loathe to leave my existing job unless I can find one as good or better. I’d also quite like to do the European thing properly (only done store deliveries in France up to now), and wondered if that was possible with Transmec. Obviously not, reading above.
Thing is, I’ve done the hour-and-a-half commute thing before with TEPS and it just got too much eating into the weekend - in fact that’s basically the only reason I left. Also ConShips don’t guarentee you to be out all week, and when you’re not it’s because they’re short of a unit for the night men. I haven’t lost many in the last few months, but it goes in fits and starts - having to drive to Bradford for a 9 hour break would just be insane! I’d have to sort out to stay with Rikki’s nephew on Teesside those odd nights, I guess.
In the long term, I know I’m going to be looking at office work, so again there are more possibilities down there…with better money at the bottom level. I have no idea when that’ll be at the moment though, so it’s only a minor niggle. Look on the bright side Westie - if I do jack then that’s one less person on the waiting list in front of you.
So…anyone got any other ideas for decent paying distance work down that way?
Not everyones cuppa,but Stobbies do European work,and if you give me a couple of days,I’ll see if anything is available,if you want,as a mate of mine who used to do it for them,now does the Tesco job out of Daventry,but still retains contacts with the European department.
If I don’t get back to you first,I’m sure Stuart,who works out of Wakefield,might shine some light on it for you.
I’ve no suggestions for European work round here as I don’t know who pays what but if you’re after tramping then as a long term temporary measure I would suggest going on with one of the many agencies that do Haulfast at Ossett.
It’s all easy work and you’ll get an XF space cab. Monday to Friday and often a run-in on Saturday mornings for £100 per shift and a minimum of £20 per night out. You’ll take home a few pennies short of £500 per week BUT they’ll try to run you to 15s every day for your £100… Some drivers get away with doing no more than 12hrs per day and others seem to always get the 15s (like me) so you’d need to work at that one .
It’s a good number and I could virtually guarantee you’d be in there til Christmas now, at least. Some agency lads have been in there for over 2 years solid, even kept on through thr quiet period, so if you keep your nose clean…
Failing that, you shouldn’t have any problems getting work on agency now through to Christmas and you can use that time to look for something permanent if that’s what you want.
Cheers Rob, certainly some stuff worth considering there. The European thing isn’t a major issue, just would be nice if I can get it…A decent paying distance job of any description will do. Haulfast sounds like a possible…although I’m not sure how I’d fare with the insecurity of agency work after so many years full time. Still, people do seem to keep going on agency down there…and I might even be able to make enough money to lose the nights out.
Dunno how much you’re taking home per week right now but I’ll take a guess at around £420. You’d be pretty hard pushed not to be able to make that over 5 days on agency round here. Get a weekend day in and you’re laughing. Like I say though, if you’re after summat perm then it’s only a temporary measure whilst you get settled in. There’s allus work about so don’t let the money side of it put you off.
We’ve had a payrise again recently, so take-home varies between about £450-£500 depending on how many of the sunshine boys are off on holiday in a given week. The figures still work though.
What I also have to consider, however, is that the CSA don’t assess any income you’re not taxed on…so night-out money is “safe” if that makes sense…I’d need to make more than the take-home above to lose the nights out because the income would then all be assessable. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with paying child maintenance, but the amount I’m being screwed for just now is so excessive that even my daughter’s Dad is all for me escaping as much of it as possible.
Mind you…Again, going on Agency may work in my favour on that front, too. Unpredicatable income and all that…
Lucy:
We’ve had a payrise again recently, so take-home varies between about £450-£500 depending on how many of the sunshine boys are off on holiday in a given week. The figures still work though.
What I also have to consider, however, is that the CSA don’t assess any income you’re not taxed on…so night-out money is “safe” if that makes sense…I’d need to make more than the take-home above to lose the nights out because the income would then all be assessable. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with paying child maintenance, but the amount I’m being screwed for just now is so excessive that even my daughter’s Dad is all for me escaping as much of it as possible.
Mind you…Again, going on Agency may work in my favour on that front, too. Unpredicatable income and all that…
Lucy,
Haulfast are now UPS if I am not mistaken and run out of ShawCross Dewsbury. I worked for them through agency for eight weeks before Christmas last year.
ROB K is right they try to run you 15 hours a day but once you get into it between 12 and 13 is the norm.
On the topic of taxable income …Would NOVA suit your circumsatnces ? not as much taxable income?
Example of pay for me this week on Nova Hours 56 = £601.34 Take home £514.45 THIS IS BASED ON £110.00 Expenses submitted. With no Nights out
I have 2 agencys calling me on a weekly basis now asking if I will do tramping.McFarlanes at Leeds or UPS…both looking for people up to Christmas. The UPS thing is mainly Argos work upto Christmas…the Nova rates are £110 per shift £21.00 night out money and parking paid.
Moving down here?!! 
You’ll be only round the corner from me then 
.
