Originally Posted by mickfly

Blazing sun! Yes! I was there yesterday (just going back on Stranraer ferry), and the weather was the same last week when i was there.
Stop biting when gremmie throws the corn, he's an asshole who likes attention of any kind.

P.S. I still preffered driving in Canada/USA, but no matter how hard a worker you are, or how commited, if you don't lick up with some companie, the miles WILL stop coming.

Originally Posted by Gremmie

May be an asshole but i didnt fail in Canada like you LOOSER

Originally Posted by peterlee_flyer

Very sorry to hear that you're "loose", Mick. Perhaps some immodium might clear it up.

Originally Posted by alandoug

On your own? I bought $3000 Cdn. I left the rest at home. The maritimes is not cheaper than elsewhere. That is a load of rubbish. You change money it costs you. Buy nothing you don't need, leave the rest at home. Your family will need supporting don't forget, so leave them enough to be secure. When you're sure its all working out consider if they would be better with you. Your wife might have her own ideas about where she wants to live? Try & get it right, it saves loads of grief.

The single biggest factor that is common on PEI is that the drivers with families here find it very hard financially with only one wage. One English guy just went home for this reason. I have been cautious & not bought anything since I've been here (6 weeks) when I got paid last Thursday I had $3000 again. Thats after paying my test fees, permit etc... and $575 rent in a "motel"... I have not bought a car, nothing. My wife is coming over in July to have a good look round & see some people regarding work. Then we'll have a chat, one step at a time.

Some may disagree with my approach, feeling it lacks commitment. But its the way I'm doing it. I've read too many horror stories to jump in with both feet & catch a (financial) cold.

Originally Posted by wire

A polish guy came over with Big Freight in 2007 at the same time as me.
He has done well enough for himself and his wife/kids, etc. They are all very happy as far as i know and his wife has a good office job in Winnipeg.
His English is quite good but if you are really not using a translator it is not better than yours htrucker or perhaps not even as good as yours.
He got through the written tests Ok although maybe he did find them more of a challenge but the important thing is he passed them.
One thing that did slow him slightly is the fact that a Polish drivers license for cars can not be traded for the Canadian one so he had to sit his car test before he could even get the class one provisional.
Also as a Polish citizen he was not able to apply for an I94 visa waiver to get into the states and instead he had to have an interview at the US embassy in Vancouver where he was issued a 10 year visa.
I don't think any of these things were a big problem or difficult to overcome. They just meant that it was slightly longer before he could get out on the road and start earning wages.
You sound as if you have got the right kind of attitude to make it here htrucker and i hope that you do.
Personally if i were you i would be aiming for the Prairie provinces of Manitoba or Saskatchewan. There is a tradition of Mennonite immigration here and many of the towns were actually founded by settlers from the Ukraine, Russia and what is now east Germany.
Have you tried Bison and Big Freight?

Originally Posted by karron

big truck,any chance of letting us know where you work because i would be interested in some of that £400 daily rate work .i think i would jack in the full time work and just do a 2 day week although the 1 shift would by far out pay my weeks wages.by the way is it anywhere in the co down area although if not for that money i would travel.

Originally Posted by kb33

Seen as we are bragging about quality of life ...

I have just spent a long weekend in Waterton National Park with my family and 30 ft Travel Trailer

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...b/_MG_0011.jpg

Somehow N.I. just dosen't quite compare ...

Originally Posted by htrucker

Thanks Alan ,
I will do the same,however I know how hard that will be.

$3000 ??? Funny enough , I got an email from Seafood express , they recommend to bring $10.000 , and they recommended the least.
Ok, so I don`t need to rob the bank before I leave.

People say the housing in the Maritimes is cheaper compared to other parts of Canada. (if you don`t want to buy a house it doesn`t matter)
It`s too early to think or talk about to buy a house anyway..

Originally Posted by Big Truck

If I told you I would have to kill you for security reasons!!!!!!
EXACT figures are:
£16.85 normal hourly rate
£33.70 hour "double time" less than five days notice overtime rate.
12 hour shift=£404.40 gross earned.

I don't work in Co.Down.

Originally Posted by karron

why so shy about the company ? what about some clue as to them e.g colours of trucks/type of work. the daily rate would be double what virtually everyone else seems to pay i can think of quite a few drivers i know who work and have worked for a fair few hauliers/agencies/own account hauliers in the north and none would be on that sort of money.