Hi guys,does anyone know how easy it is to get a job with a Spanish haulier,if you speak the language.I have just started,so theres a long way to go yet,but my girlfriend speaks Spanish,and Catalan,pretty fluently.She tells me wages are poor in Spain,and that they pay a bit more in Catalonia,in the north,around Barca,but anywhere else,and its rubbish.
I see this as our way of escaping to a nice sunny,warm climate.If Gem could land a job,and I could,then perhaps we could make it work.Please can any of you guys,or gals who live in Spain let me know how you have found it.Cheers,for any replies.All the best,
Glenn, I’ve spoken to a few brits who are working for Spanish companies whilst on my travels to Spain, and the lack of Spanish doesn’t seem to be a problem, but from the tales I hear don’t expect an easy life!
Most seem to be running to the UK with only time to go home wash their clothes and off again. Our Spanish colleagues don’t seem to worry too much about the tacho regs and weekly rest periods.
With regards pay, all I have spoken to are paid a monthly wage, about 1000 euro with a bonus per km on top. Hence the need to run and run.
I spoke to an English lad in Bordeaux last week who says he can do 5 trips to the UK in one month - depending of course where you are running to and from but 3.5 would be considered an average if you’re running leagally! (of course he could be suffering from Truckers tongue)
You want to get hold of Paul, he’ll tell you, already I’m sure if you search back through this forum under the key word ‘Spain’ you’ll find answers to just about all your questions. His username on here is Vascoingles if you want to contact him via PM. He’s an exiled Brit living in the Basque area of northern Spain working for a Dutch company with a Dutch registered motor. Seems to do alright out of it.
Getting a job in Spain is much the same as anywhere else it is a question on how you sell yourself.
Of course at least a general understanding of the language helps but by selecting the company carefully may not prove to be necessary.
The 2 regions with the highest rates of pay are Catalonia and the Basque region with the Basques paying slightly more, but house prices and general cost of living are higher in both these areas than other in other parts of Spain.
Hi,Glenn i live in the valencian region of Spain been here 2yrs now,i cant get a job for love or money,thats not to say theres brits here driving,most are doing removal,im looking for a job back in england or europe so if you know of any let me know. Another little problem in this region is they speak valencian which is a totally diferent dialect, if you want anymore info let me know i be happy to help were i can. alf
A mate of mine got a job driving a Spanish Fridge from Alicante, He lived in Hornsea and his parents lived in Alicante. His plan was that he would live with his parents when he was in spain and at home depot. He thought if he was weekended he could get back to Hornsea.
The money was abolute garbage, like mentioned 1000 euro per month, and he never saw his parents for more than half an hour per visit.
The Spanish want their kilo of bananas.
If your bird speaks Spanish, you might do better as an owner driver, use her to find the decent loads
I met a couple of Ex pat’s driving for this company, based in the Lorca, Murcia area
Phone number +34 968477476
The drivers live in spain driving to the UK on a weely basis, on asking they said job was ok but like all Spanish companys, you have to work long hrs. they are happy to employ British drivers living in Spain
This is fridge work.
tried a google search, but no website found
It lists a load of Spanish transport companies, unfortunatly not many have a website but they all list their phone and fax numbers plus some list some sort of address / location!
The company jimti mentions is listed on page 8 but only provides a telephone number and fax number.
Glenn:
Muchas gracias lads.Will try the info you gave me.
Let us know how you get on, if you are successful and manage to find “proper” employment you could well have a few people following your footsteps, me being one of them!!
I moved to malaga about a year ago, and started looking for driving work, I started working for a spanish firm about 6 months ago, doing fridge work to germany and the uk, and the pay is very reasonable.(2200€ take home a month (on a salary) 3 trips a month - although i started on 1800€ for the first 3 months)
As long as you can speak basic spanish, you shouldnt have a problem finding work, especially in murcia and almeria (El Ejido)!! - and theres no excuse why you shouldnt be speaking basic spanish, especially if you live in spain!!! - if you dont i think thats just pure ignorance
The works easy, you get a fax with all the details of loading - unloading etc with a ¿donde estas? phone call every now and then, then a text message with your return load!!
Try www.infojobs.net (totally in spanish, but will help you learn the lingo!!!) - searching for ´conductor trailer´ or ´conductor ec´
Legal?? - Every spaniard ive spoke to has there own version of the tacho laws!!!
The only thing not legal is weekly rest periods - They dont seem to exist!!! But other than that my daily Driving and Rest periods are legal. 8 days straight if i go to germany (which i dont mind as i wanna get back anyway, cant stand germany - too many restrctions!!!)) then once im back ill have from 24hrs to a week off. If i go to england i have 24hrs off while im there, as i like to visit family - so i could say the trips i do to england are legal.
A lot of the spainsih that ive spoken to are on trip money or paid by the kilometer (11cent in most cases) hence the need to be flexible!!
recently read an article on a talk by the head of the rha outlining the differences between spanish and uk haulage, particularly the fact that rates against running costs were far more favorable in spain but he also went on to claim that 80% of all spanish haulage is carried out by owner drivers, is this true?
I have been reading alot about working in spain,so here are some facts that i think are relivant,yes it is about 80% owner drivers,yes the do like to bend the rules,yes it is difficult to get ajob, yes you must have a little spanish why it is because if you breakdown or have a accident you will need communication,as i have found to my peril,as for wages yes they are alot lower than england but the onething noone has mention is nightout allowance i have been told by a few companies plus the removal firm i work for, pay 40 euro for national and 50 for international this does not sound alot till you work out that they do not pay parking and menu dia is 8euros here in spain thats 3coarses plus bread and wine.Where in england do you get that NOWHERE.And my last point is about the lingo its self people say you speak it and i agree but being here for 3yrs know mine is still limited why it is because of my age im 46 the lads tell me onething today by tomorrow its gone then the second is lessons,lessons here in spain are during the day for retired and none worker,you can pay for them at night but they are expensive and when your wage is low it is not viable.So anyone coming to work i will tell you this it is hard the wages are low but hte life is great anyone with any questions let me know i be happy to tell you what you want.
I spent the saturdat night in valencia(Silla) alf, we could of had a beer!!! LOL
You beat me to it alf!!, 80% of spains trucks are owner drivers, but many of them own more than one truck and employ others to drive them. My boss has two trucks, one of which he drives and i drive the other. These are the type of employers to look for when seeking work in spain, they seem to really look after you! My bosses wife thinks of me as one of her own (shes the real boss)!! LOL - Most of the haulage work is subed out, supermarkets, big parcel firms, air freight forwarding, to say a few, i turned up to one company and they didnt even have their own lorry!!! Generally i tip whatever i bring back down at madrid, then get another load back down to malaga - DHL last time - Then i drive home.
As for the language, my assesment was a trip to germany with the boss, who spaeks no english, we said not much to eachother for the first couple of days, but we was soon chatting away, with him teaching me new words as i knew a little to begin with, the other good thing was (and your find this with most spaniards) that he corrected me if i went wrong nd made me keep saying words and sentances until i got it right! I finnshed up doing 3 trips with him and learnt a lot!! I also find that going in spanish bars and mixing with the locals helps with the language, rather than going in english bars, i genrally steer well clear of those!! No offence to any spanish bar owners, i just find them more expensive than the spainsh and you cant beat menu del dia (you forgot the coffee included in the price alf!!! LOL)
Wages are lower than the uk, but im happy, i love my job, got good employers, lower cost of living, nice truck, what more can i say■■?
paul b:
recently read an article on a talk by the head of the rha outlining the differences between spanish and uk haulage, particularly the fact that rates against running costs were far more favorable in spain but he also went on to claim that 80% of all spanish haulage is carried out by owner drivers, is this true?
This is true 80% of Spanish hauliers are owner drivers with up to 5 vehicles. Wether or not they do 80% of the work though is a different kettle of fish altogether.
