Hi ok bit of a taboo subject I know as people don’t like to say but I was just wondering before I apply if anybody knows what they pay, I don’t expect miracles but I know the famous one works there lol but people may be on diff levels of pay etc
So any ideas?
xxicelandicxx:
Hi ok bit of a taboo subject I know as people don’t like to say but I was just wondering before I apply if anybody knows what they pay, I don’t expect miracles but I know the famous one works there lol but people may be on diff levels of pay etcSo any ideas?
ask Luke switcholic
nick2008:
xxicelandicxx:
Hi ok bit of a taboo subject I know as people don’t like to say but I was just wondering before I apply if anybody knows what they pay, I don’t expect miracles but I know the famous one works there lol but people may be on diff levels of pay etcSo any ideas?
ask Luke switcholic
I think thats the ‘famous one’ he refers to.
Why don’t you ask Virginia directly?
What with all the questions you asking about Irish companies, why don’t you bite the bullet, pack a couple of weeks worth of gear in a bag, grab your passport, jump in your car and drive over there? You can then knock on all doors you want, North and South and in any order of preference you want. After the August break in Europe ends, things always take off quick, so you could find yourself in the right place at the right time and off you go!
Remember, beggars cant be choosers, so unless you are holding out just to drive one of the Irish flying Scania bling machines, then take the first chance you get offered, you may not get another, that way you will be in the game so to speak!!
Good luck, you will get more questions answered being over there than you will posting on here, then sitting back and waiting for an answer that may or may not be true / accurate! 
Rightly or wrongly, Virginia have always had a reputation for paying very poor wages, on the plus side they always seem to need drivers so it shouldn’t be difficult to get a job there.
Harry Monk:
Rightly or wrongly, Virginia have always had a reputation for paying very poor wages, on the plus side they always seem to need drivers so it shouldn’t be difficult to get a job there.
There wage is ok, as I understand they will pay more to keep a good driver after he proves him/her self, can’t understand tho why any1 would wont to come over here to work, better wages in the uk. We have a good few English men where I work, the majority leave after the novelty of the 620 wears off. I had 1 English man bragging about his 620 and how I had only a lowly 420, I fact he said what do you use that for yard shunting laughing. If only he knew I was almost on the same money home every other night, whereas he’s away for a month or two at a time for a little extra.
A lot of it is type of work. Harry is always first to moan about eastern European hauliers taking all the euro work. I always wanted to do European work and when I got my licence the easiest way to attain that goal was work for the Irish, so here I am. I put the smiley faces as Harrys comment was just a lame attempt at a dig since this reputation for ‘very poor wages’ is not one I’ve ever heard. I’ve found between Caffery/Dixon/Maguire/Virginia etc there is almost no difference in pay, well for the short of work I do away in UK and Europe. In fact we’ve just had a very decent pay rise that’s made a sizeable difference to my take home. Yes I could earn more in UK doing supermarket work or the likes but right now I’m doing exactly what I want to do.
switchlogic:
A lot of it is type of work. Harry is always first to moan about eastern European hauliers taking all the euro work. I always wanted to do European work and when I got my licence the easiest way to attain that goal was work for the Irish, so here I am. I put the smiley faces as Harrys comment was just a lame attempt at a dig since this reputation for ‘very poor wages’ is not one I’ve ever heard. I’ve found between Caffery/Dixon/Maguire/Virginia etc there is almost no difference in pay, well for the short of work I do away in UK and Europe. In fact we’ve just had a very decent pay rise that’s made a sizeable difference to my take home. Yes I could earn more in UK doing supermarket work or the likes but right now I’m doing exactly what I want to do.
well said luke
A lot of truth spoken here.
There is very little difference in pay rates over here anymore. It’s a changed industry here. Yes you still have lads running bent but I bet the percentage would be the same as the uk.
Virginia have a fine fleet doing Ireland, uk and Europe. As do dixons, cafferys, o neills, o donovans etc etc etc. Pay, conditions and equipment will be basically the same with them all.
If you want to find out more about an individual company, put the car on the boat and come talk to them.
I wouldn’t believe anything wage or condition related on here. There’s a lot if lads who just won’t ever be happy and just can’t tell the truth anyway so the only way to find out us try it yourself
Well said. I’d also add that a lot of companies like Virginia turn over a certain amount of drivers because its the sort of job that attracts dreamers who only want to be doing Europe 100% of the time in a V8 Scania, and end up leaving in a huff when the realise its not all Europe and you’re more likely to get a Renault than a R620 as a new starter then mouth off what a crap job it is to anyone who’ll listen. I’ve seen the same at many companies. We’ve many drivers who have been here donkeys years, I’ve been here 7. My previous longest job was a year! So they must be doing something right.
switchlogic:
Well said. I’d also add that a lot of companies like Virginia turn over a certain amount of drivers because its the sort of job that attracts dreamers who only want to be doing Europe 100% of the time in a V8 Scania, and end up leaving in a huff when the realise its not all Europe and you’re more likely to get a Renault than a R620 as a new starter then mouth off what a crap job it is to anyone who’ll listen. I’ve seen the same at many companies. We’ve many drivers who have been here donkeys years, I’ve been here 7. My previous longest job was a year! So they must be doing something right.
a lot of places are like that … get spoken to and treated like a human you’ll stay if the jobs right. also if your out most of the time as a single bloke /woman you get to see places and save a little or more if you don’t have the expense of a home and all the trimmings
But don’t forget also that, in Ireland anyway, people change driving jobs a lot. Lots of people, including myself have worked for the same company more than once.
I’d be guilty of what Luke says above, not the v8 bit but it took me a couple of years working for various employers at euro work to realise it just wasn’t for me. I moved around because I wanted to see if different work was better, ie box vans better than fridges etc.
In the end it was the not knowing that was the problem for me, not any of the companies. Although I did find some better than others but that’s a personal thing.
My point is that a high turnover of drivers does not always mean a crap company. But the only way to know is to try
So how big is Virginia? I’ve only ever seen a few units of theirs but as I assume they use different manufacturers in various colours they may not stand out too much.
80 trucks and 300 trailers according to their website
m1cks:
So how big is Virginia? I’ve only ever seen a few units of theirs but as I assume they use different manufacturers in various colours they may not stand out too much.
Nope, we have a standard livery. All the units are white, fridges white too and curtainsiders mostly red, all with the same signwriting and all look the same. Mine is the odd one out being black, but she’s the flagship so they wanted it to stand out. Kitbuilder is about right. 80 or so I’d say, Volvo, Scania, Renault, DAF, Mercedes pretty much in that order numbers wise. Just put some new R620s on the road
nick2008:
switchlogic:
Well said. I’d also add that a lot of companies like Virginia turn over a certain amount of drivers because its the sort of job that attracts dreamers who only want to be doing Europe 100% of the time in a V8 Scania, and end up leaving in a huff when the realise its not all Europe and you’re more likely to get a Renault than a R620 as a new starter then mouth off what a crap job it is to anyone who’ll listen. I’ve seen the same at many companies. We’ve many drivers who have been here donkeys years, I’ve been here 7. My previous longest job was a year! So they must be doing something right.a lot of places are like that … get spoken to and treated like a human you’ll stay if the jobs right. also if your out most of the time as a single bloke /woman you get to see places and save a little or more if you don’t have the expense of a home and all the trimmings
That’s the Main thing for me. They always ask, never tell and always get me wherever I want to be on weekends off. And in my 7 years I’ve never had an argument with anyone. When I put the lorry in the ditch I think it said everything that needs saying about them that when I rang the boss all he was concerned with was if I was ok, I kept saying ’ but the lorry is on its side in a ditch’ and his reply? ’ Don’t worry about it, well get it sorted. And that was that. No arguments, no telling off, they just got down to it and got it sorted out. I’ll honestly never work for a better company. And I don’t say that lightly
bullitt:
What with all the questions you asking about Irish companies, why don’t you bite the bullet, pack a couple of weeks worth of gear in a bag, grab your passport, jump in your car and drive over there? You can then knock on all doors you want, North and South and in any order of preference you want. After the August break in Europe ends, things always take off quick, so you could find yourself in the right place at the right time and off you go!Remember, beggars cant be choosers, so unless you are holding out just to drive one of the Irish flying Scania bling machines, then take the first chance you get offered, you may not get another, that way you will be in the game so to speak!!
Good luck, you will get more questions answered being over there than you will posting on here, then sitting back and waiting for an answer that may or may not be true / accurate!
That’s the best thing to do most irish company’s don’t pay well but always have jobs going and will take on new drivers
Is it European work you want to do
in the ditch wonder why
stevejones:
in the ditch wonder why
Wonder all you like, you’ll probably just make up a reason anyway no matter what I say…