New Job

[Steve_N]

Started a new job as car transporter driver, had to do 2 weeks training which finished on Friday.
Here are some pics from training.

This was a full load of Corsa Combi's

All the cars we used in training were brand new cars with only a few miles on them, and will be going out to dealers at some point.
I went up in my truck last week and have loaded it with 1 drop of 10 cars for Monday, even after 2 weeks training my **** is twitching like rabbits nose at the thought of doing it on my own.

 

[jcs356]

Good luck - as it happens I saw a transporter like this up close the other day as the driver had stopped in town to ask for directions. Seeing how close some of the cars are to one another is precision parking. Plus the one dangling at a jaunty angle over the cab!

 

[quattrojames]

Good work! Well done :thumbsup:

 

[Steve_N]

Its not really precision driving, although with wide cars there's not much clearance between the car and the edge of the decks.
The front 2 decks on top of the trailer and above the cab tilt and slide, so by moving the decks you have to close the gaps up to get the height under 16ft.
As a rule the gap between the top of the car and the bottom of the deck is the size of a fist, so it takes a bit of nerve to be able to slide a deck that close to a brand new car.
I have got 8 Fiat 500's and 2 Alfa Romeo Giulletta's on board, and for a small car the 500 is very wide, its a little decieving.
In the first pic, there are only 2 cars above the cab, normally we run with 3 up, but as there is no ladder on the side of that truck we are not allowed to due to H&S.

 

[dc240969]

Im glad you let us know. Get ready for this. Its my daughters 21st next year and shes always had this dream of sitting in a car whilst the transporter is moving. Can you be Jimmy Saville for her.

 

[Steve_N]

Im glad you let us know. Get ready for this. Its my daughters 21st next year and shes always had this dream of sitting in a car whilst the transporter is moving. Can you be Jimmy Saville for her.

I'm afraid not, as there is not enough room to open the doors on the cars at the bottom as the decks are trimmed down so close to the roofs, and to get to the ones up top you would have to be spider man. Plus i dont think my bosses/VOSA/Police would appreciate someone sat in a car whilst the truck is moving.

 

[dc240969]

so how do you get out the car once its driven on. doesnt need to be on a main road.

 

[Steve_N]

so how do you get out the car once its driven on. doesnt need to be on a main road.

You load top decks of trailer first, then lift it up to the top. Then you load above the cab, behind the cab, then bottom of trailer. Then you lower and trim all the decks back down, hence closing the gaps and getting the height down.

 

[jcs356]

Ah, never thought that those on the top were raised even higher whilst those underneath were loaded on, and then everything dropped down within the 16ft limit. Makes a bit more sense now.

 

[dc240969]

Ah well. Worth a try.

 

[philip.levis]

make sure you measure twice with your long stick i do a lot of driving seeing am a windscreen fitter, only 2 weeks ago one of the trucks smashed the top off a brand new car on a bridge on the M60!! another time i was fitting a windscreen at vauxhall heard a crunch and the guy loading the cars lowered the top car onto the roof of the lower car ouch! they were brand new cars aswell! GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR JOB

 

[Steve_N]

Cheers, I have been told I may get to know windscreen fitters very well over time, I suppose it's just one of those things that's bound to happen when your working with gaps that are so tight.

 

[jojo]

Sounds fun, goodluck!

 

[TFSI]

Many years ago when i was an HGV Mechanic i took out a loaded artic car transporter after doing a running repair on it, negotiated a small bridge with a bend before and after and thought wheres that flying Ford Sierra come from !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I could see the complete car out of my O/S window !!!!! Scary stuff them artics, much better with truck and drag now.

Ford Sierra !!!!! Shows how long ago it was !!!!!!!!!

 

[Essflee]

My old chap used to do this, did it for 18years iirc, delivered Volvos, was a good job to have. If I ever went hgv driving this is where I'd like to be too ! Good luck with it mate, dark rainy winter nights could be a test I reckon...

 

[Steve_N]

****** hell, i bet you sh*t yourself seeing that, they are a lot better now but you still have to watch your overhang at the front and back, and you have to check the gap between the car on the back of the cab and the front of the trailer when turning.

 

[Steve_N]

My old chap used to do this, did it for 18years iirc, delivered Volvos, was a good job to have. If I ever went hgv driving this is where I'd like to be too ! Good luck with it mate, dark rainy winter nights could be a test I reckon...

yeah, not looking forward to the snow and ice. So glad that i started just as the good weather kicks in then at least i will be more competant before the winter.

 

[recomdos]

Good luck! I'm sure once you've been out a few times you'll get used to it.

 

[Steve_N]

First week done and i'm totally knackered, ended up doing 60hrs this week.
Monday and Tuesday were full loads of Alfa Romeo Giulietta's to Avis at Southampton airport, Wednesday i had 5 dealers in Slough,
Jeep Wrangler 2.8 Auto = little control in speed, putting this up was defo a squeeky bum time.

****** horrible Pink 500,

500 Abarth, little pocket rocket, sounded very nice,

The middle one is marketed as white, and the bottom one is supposed to be purple,

Thursday i had 2 Mitsibushi L200's and 2 ASX's, a Jeep Compass and 2 more pink 500's
Today i had 4 drops in Portsmouth and Bognor Regis, my first 11 car load on my own, took 2 and a half hours to load,
and yes another ****** pink 500,

Not a lot of swing clearance between the unit and the trailer,

 

[quattrojames]

Good work! Is that 44t when loaded up?

Next time as a service to all petrolheads please can you drop the pink 500's off the back somewhere.

 

[Steve_N]

Depends on what your carrying, a lot of small cars wont weigh too much, but big 4x4's and vans can put you up to max weight.
As for the pink 500's, i am having nightmares about them, i cant believe people actually buy those cars, especially in pink, although after giving the Abarth a quick spin around the depot before loading i wouldnt say no to one.

 

[rasA4]

Congrats on your new job, main thing are you enjoying your job?
that Abarth looks v nice

 

[jojo]

Still can't help thinking it looks fun, though in reality, it looks like hardwork.... how hard can it be manouvering cars onto a ramp huh?

 

[Steve_N]

Still can't help thinking it looks fun, though in reality, it looks like hardwork.... how hard can it be manouvering cars onto a ramp huh?

I thought that, but ive never felt so knackered at the end of a day in any other job, even when i was doing roping and sheeting work. It has something to do with the concentration levels when putting the cars on and off and when moving the decks, pull the wrong lever and you could end up trashing a brand new car, i suppose thats why the pay is so good, there is a lot of responsibility involved.