Welcome to canada

[bobthedog]

I certainly wasn’t having a pop at you Paul, although it does appear that way. And no way on earth would I ever lump you in with those others. I apologise that the post seemed that way.

I don’t do the job for them. I can’t understand why Eric hasn’t spoken to you either. If you want me to find out then I will. If the problems I have had have influenced you at all then they shouldn’t as they are fairly minor in reality and will be remedied one way or the other. Either things will improve or they won’t.

I am on the winter roads now, so I am short haul and away from the trouble.

[paul_b]

no problem bob, the only thing that influenced me was the fact that our lass wouldn’t go, which was a bit of a stumbling block, really.
perhaps bfs have that many contact them that never get there, (of which i’m one) that eric only gets interested when drivers have signed up, who knows?

[newmercman]

I’ve got BFS putting my papers in as we speak, i have a family member out there who is having a whale of a time, he tells me that he would need to clear £1000pw to enjoy the same standard of living over here (UK) the job over there is easier with very little traffic, the facilities are top notch & even sheeting up aint so bad, in fact it’s a hell of a lot easier than stripping down a tilt

He tells me that the ones that cant hack it have normally never done ‘proper’ continental work & think that because they’ve been to rotterdam a couple of times or been away all week on the boxes they can handle it over there, a few weekends away from home & her indoors starts playing up & they’re soon packing up & coming back.

I suppose it all depends on how the people you take with you react really, unless you have an understanding wife or you cant stand the sight of each other then you could have problems, I used to be on a firm & we did 4wks on & 6days off & there were loads that couldn’t hack it, so it aint just Canada

I’ll let you know how it goes, should be out there in May 08.

[rob_k]

bobthedog:
It appears that there are some serious misconceptions on it so I will try to put it right as a last resort, really.

You seem to be the author of most of them if this oh-so bitter & twisted rant is anything to go by :

RobK, the pointless little character with no knowledge of the things you rant about.

When you caught the brakes on the trailer on fire you defected the vehicle and tried to blame everyone except the real culprit for a situation which could have resulted in the deaths of innocents. You blamed the vehicle, not yourself.

That is correct and it was later proven to be a faulty brake actuator on the unit for the trailer.

I would have loved to have seen what you would have done in the exact same situation. It’s doubtful you’ve even been down the road where it happened so you have no knowledge of the surroundings. For those that do know the 629 from Ainley Top down into Elland, I am sure they would agree that 5th low (in a manual FH12), 2 stages of exhaust brake and keeping the speed under 40mph is more than adequate when descending that hill fully loaded if the truck is working properly.

This kind of attitude is typical of you, and you are so superior to everyone else

Thank you for the compliment but I knew that already .

when you have only been driving, and none too successfully at that,

Oh? And what do you base this sweeping statement on?

for a few years.

In short, you should concentrate on driving rather than ranting.

In short, you should concentrate on driving rather that continuing to bluster on about BFS being the holy grail of Canadian trucking so you can get more $500 introductory bonuses from them!

The world would be a safer place were you to do so.

I can back what I say here with people who have witnessed things. They are here, in Canada, and have approached me with tales which I find disturbing, not amusing.

Who are these “people” then? As no-one who knows me personally have moved to Canada then I am intrigued by these things that they have apparently “witnessed”.

[davefluffy]

I have been at bfs for just over a year and and i have a much better life out here then i could ever have back home, out here i earn about $1800 every 2 week and when you look at what you can get for that it works out that what you get for a pound there i get for a $, so whos better off, that means i would have earn 900 pounds to live as i do here and don’t tell me i’m wrong cos i’m the 1 here.

As for the 1s who come here and dont like it and slag it off and then tell us who’s out here and doing ok that we are all mad **** off

the reason it don’t work for must is they have never done the job and all they are is trunkers up and down the m6, m1, or on the boxes 4 nights out and think they know the job or the 1s who have a bit of contentinal ie been to Bruxelles, Rotterdam, Koln, Paris, think they are mr longhaul trucker well they are not and never will be.

The 1s who make it work here are the 1s who HAVE been and done it and know what the jobs about.
here over the winter a few brits wouldn’t go to B.C because of the snow and having to put snow chains on which i was told takes 3hours to do what a load of boll**** as anyone who as done it will tell you, it take’s a few mins and i know this as i’ve done 4 B.Cs this winter and alaska last winter.
before you ask i have been and done it back in the U.K and Europe and have the tee shirt to prove it…

[newmercman]

Davefluffy,

Spot on mate, you only have to read the posts to know that they’re just boys in a mans world, knowing all the words to Convoy & Smokey & the Bandit does not qualify you to do the job

The thing that puzzles me is why does it turn into a vendetta against those that do make it Is it jealousy

I can understand that moving to another country & finding out that you cant quite make the grade is upsetting & must surely knock your self confidence but do you really need to slag off the ones that do make it

You must ask yourself the question ‘why did I come/do I want to go to Canada?’
If it’s because you miss the life out on the road that you used to have when you were tramping around Europe & beyond then you will probably be ok
If you’re there because you’re sick of working for Eddie or DHL punching up & down the M1 & you wanna drive a big rig then be prepared for a shock

[bobthedog]

You know, robk, you would be quite funny if you weren’t such a joke.

I notice that the bonus has just doubled to $500. Amazing. Maybe I should start claiming it and get them to backdate this increase for me.

I have never hinted that they are any sort of grail. They have treated me well as you would know if you could stay on a forum long enough. You are a prolific poster but you lack the wherewithal to be any more than that.

You see, I have been to amazing places and seen amazing things. I get to do the winter roads- something you only live via channel 5. I could have done this with other companies but I chose to come here. I contacted them and asked if they wanted to hire me, not the other way around. They have helped me in all sorts of ways, and I have earned a good living from them. I have my cardboard house and things are good. They like me because I work hard.

Now I know that the words “hard work” are an alien concept to you, but that is just you, not everyone else.

As for your suggestion that I don’t know the road where you burned your brakes out, you are being ridiculous. I have been doing this job for 20 years and have been to places you obviously couldn’t handle if you can’t handle a little bank like that. I suspect that the self adjusters overcompensated for your getting the brakes too hot and creating expansion on the drums. But you say it was a faulty actuator.

Uh huh!

Of course it was.

People have successfully navigated real hills without the benefit of engine brakes, but you made a mistake. That is one thing but to blame it on the vehicle is nonsense. Even if there was a fault with it, how could you not tell until there were flames?

Your inexperience showed then, and your arrogance still shows. You sure you aren’t from somewhere in the south?

[trubrit]

Whats wrong with drivers from the south??

[rob_k]

bobthedog:
You know, robk, you would be quite funny if you weren’t such a joke.

I notice that the bonus has just doubled to $500. Amazing. Maybe I should start claiming it and get them to backdate this increase for me.

I have never hinted that they are any sort of grail. They have treated me well as you would know if you could stay on a forum long enough. You are a prolific poster but you lack the wherewithal to be any more than that.

You see, I have been to amazing places and seen amazing things. I get to do the winter roads- something you only live via channel 5. I could have done this with other companies but I chose to come here. I contacted them and asked if they wanted to hire me, not the other way around. They have helped me in all sorts of ways, and I have earned a good living from them. I have my cardboard house and things are good. They like me because I work hard.

Ooh you big SUPER TRUCKER !!! Here, have a ■■■■■■■ medal -[/b]

> Now I know that the words “hard work” are an alien concept to you, but that is just you, not everyone else.
>
> As for your suggestion that I don’t know the road where you burned your brakes out, you are being ridiculous. I have been doing this job for 20 years and have been to places you obviously couldn’t handle if you can’t handle a little bank like that. I suspect that the self adjusters overcompensated for your getting the brakes too hot and creating expansion on the drums. But you say it was a faulty actuator.
>
> Uh huh!
>
> Of course it was.
>
> People have successfully navigated real hills without the benefit of engine brakes, but you made a mistake. That is one thing but to blame it on the vehicle is nonsense. Even if there was a fault with it, how could you not tell until there were flames?
>
> Your inexperience showed then, and your arrogance still shows. You sure you aren’t from somewhere in the south?
YAWN…

[bobthedog]

Trubrit:
Whats wrong with drivers from the south??

Generally nothing.

I guess I upset mr k again.

Never mind, eh?

For the record, BFS were extremely supportive of my family and I when my wife was so ill. Even with all the time off I had last year I still earned almost $60k, so that should go some way to explaining why I have remained there and why I still think they are a decent firm. And before you shout your mouth off again, I still do not, and never have, taken any money as a sign on because I have never recommended anyone to the firm.

They may have issues but that is a pretty universal thing at the moment. You can rant about it as much as you will, but that is how it is.

[rob_k]

bobthedog:
For the record, BFS were…

Oh ffs, will you change the flamin’ record and stfu about BFS for 5 mins !!! It’s all you ever talk about.

Rikki should be charging you advertising fees.

Give it a rest man.

[newmercman]

Rob K

6000plus posts, get a life mate

[davefluffy]

newmercman:
Rob K

6000plus posts, get a life mate

that Rob k must be 1 of them short angry men that you get (a bit like a jack russell)
6500 posts must mean he don’t work because he as to be on here day and night!

[bobthedog]

Thing is, robk, you haven’t changed the record in two and a half years so I don’t see the point in changing my stance. Besides, if you were to look back a few posts you will notice that it was you who mentioned them, not me.

I detect a little animosity. Are we finally getting to see the robk of old again? It appears to be the same sort of nonsense that gets you banned periodically.

You started with the accusations. I didn’t.

BTW, the people here are people who knew you from there. They never said they were friends of yours.

[newmercman]

davefluffy:

newmercman:
Rob K

6000plus posts, get a life mate

that Rob k must be 1 of them short angry men that you get (a bit like a jack russell)
6500 posts must mean he don’t work because he as to be on here day and night!

Probably gets bullied by his wife/boyfriend & then takes it out on others, he’s probably a security guard at an RDC

[night_owl]

I have been looking to go over to canada but im not looking for weeks away, will the companys take on uk drivers for local work?

[goodie]

TEST …OPINION TO FOLLOW

[goodie]

■■■■■■■ or what

I have been following this thread and feel it has strayed from what it was about and has now got personal.

I also work for BFS and I will give you my honest opinion about Canada and the company.

Please do not take this being my first post that I am a novice. I have 24 years on class1, 10 years Continental Europe and the last 14 months here in Canada.

I feel that 2yrs experience driving up and down the M1 or M6 or sat on a Argos loading bay for 4 hours a day will not stand you in good stead for the tough terrain and weather that Canada can throw at you as a long haul driver. I’m not saying don’t go for it but it will be harder for you guys.

CANADA, they cities can be very dirty with the amount of salt that has to go down, once you are out in the wilderness whether it be Ontario, B.C, The Praires, The Yukon or Alaska you realise why you have chose Canada as a truck driver…IT’S SUNNING.

When your tarps are frozen solid in -45 wind chill or it takes an hour to open your door with a little blow torch then it becomes bloody hard work.

Summers are at the other end of the scale plus 40’s…enough said. If you make it through the Winter then Summer is an added bonus. I think it has only rained 3 times while I have been here, it is a very dry part of the world, wven the snow is dry if you get my drift (BAD JOKE) maybe that’s why most of the houses are made of wood.

Mosquito’s are a pain in the arse, you have to get the right repellent for you.

Immigrations was no big deal, my wife and I had our PR 3 months after landing.

We have fitted into society well. There is good and bad everywhere whether it is people or places.

BIG FREIGHT SYSTEMS, is the only compant I have worked for here in Canada. I have spoke to a lot of other drivers out on the road and there seems to be a lot worse companies here that really do take the pi55.

Sometimes you are sat waiting for work if there are a lot of drivers back at base at the same time, tempers are tested because you are not earning. If you are on the road and sat waiting for an assignment then you get detention pay or layover. I use this time to go cycling and explore. Some drivers just sit in their cabs and get depressed, then they take it out on their dispatchers who also have a hard job this renders a bad working relationship when there is no need. I too have had ■■■■■■■ but you have to speak to the appropiate people and not get on your high horse. It has worked for me.

I have been treated well whilst here eg, a family member passed away in the UK, we were in Toronto when we got the news (my wife was travelling with me) we were brought straight back to base a good 2 days drive and return tickets were booked for us leaving the next morning.

I am not going to sit here and blow the sunshine out of the arse of BFS, I have seen some parts of the company that are run poorly and other parts which run smooth. They are a business and are here to make a profit and to keep drivers like me in work. Have I recommended BFS to pals in the UK… yes I have, 1 is in the process of coming here and another has said no thanks it’s not for me. If there is a bonus of $250 or $500 which I haven’t heard of I will take it and share it with the driver when he lands.

I have seen a vast number of drivers come and go, some didn’t like the way the company operates, some had problems with family members settling, 1 guy missed the food and a pint in his local and another guy simply got homesick. But at least they have tried it for themselves.

I have not and would not be influenced in any way during this post which has now become an essay (sorry about that) I have plenty of time, I am waiting for an assignment…lol.

No one recommended BFS to me, I found them on the net and made my own decision to move here, I would make the same move again.

My advice to anyone thinking of coming to Canada is do your homework and DON’T listen to people who DON’T know. It’s a big life changing decision you are making whether you choose BFS or another company to work for, take your time there will always be jobs for truck drivers in Canada.

Thank you for reading my post…

[goodie]

Hi Night Owl

I think the answer to your question would be no…Even short haul over here demands 2, 3 or even 4 nights away, but those sort of jobs are not available. The industry is looking for long haul drivers, the country is so vast and most work goes south into the U.S

There is never any guarantee that any driver can get back to base at anytime. If you have been away for 3 or 4 weeks then you can request hometime and they will try and get you back…that is if there is a load to be picked up that is going back through your Province.

Hope the info helps
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[/quote]

[night_owl]

Hi Goodie

Thanks for that, back to the drawing board