koogar

Anyone had any experience of prudhomme in regina?
I see they're looking for drivers and was wondering if anyone knew if they were good to work for.
Any other companies you may recomend I try?
Ta very much,
Koog, UK

koogar

No????
Someone must know which truck companies are looking to employ british drivers, or at least know where I might find a list of them
Pretty please..................

Biiiiink

I don't know anything about that company or trucking, but a forum search for "Prudhomme" has turned up these threads, which may or may not be of interest to you

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ight=prudhomme

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ight=prudhomme

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...ight=prudhomme

koogar

Thanks Biiiiink.
5 i's yea??

Biiiiink

I'll accept any number of i's but appreciate the eye strain you must have incurred to count 'em

steve of 5-0

Check the SK Prov. Gov. site - they have all the info and links etc.

I associate with Truck drivers here in NB - the regulations are abused by both employer and employee far more then the UK.

If you are used to working in an environment whereby the UK rules were adhered to 100% - trucking in Canada for you - might be an eye opener?

In the "Canadian Job Centres" - truck driving jobs are to be found in the hundreds, NB is an employment black spot except for trucking jobs - there are loads advertised!
I would think there is a hell of a turnover in staffing levels within the industry.

koogar

Ok, Thanks steve.
I'm going to come over and have a go anyway. If I really couldn't hack it, I can always come back here or go somewhere else. Nothing ventured etc etc.
Looking forward to the next adventure
Cheers,
Koog

Atlantic Xpat

I'm not a trucker but spent my first year in Canada responsible for shipping 000's lbs of frozen fish around the world. One of the things that surprised me about the trucking business, in the maritimes at least, was that trucks dont have tachographs fitted like in Europe. AFAIK driver hours are recorded in a logbook manually so lots of opportunity for abuse. Overloading also seemed to be pretty common although the govt here have recently reopened some of the weigh scales on the TCH as they figurred that what the lose in operating cost they'll gain in savings on road repairs!

koogar

Thanks for that xpat. sounds like it may be more difficult to earn a living and stay legal than I had first anticipated
Well, as I said, I'm going to try to get a job there and give it a go. I've had my class 1 since '89, must be over a million miles in trucks and I have no criminal record, so surely someone will give me a start.
I'm looking forward to some of these 'meet-up' things when I finally do get over there. They as good as they sound?
OK, gonna drink some more beer and write to some more people. Never give up!!!!
Thanks,
Koog......UK......for now

koogar

I spoke to someone yesterday who's offering 30c per mile. Is that normal? Seems a fairly low rate to me. Most seem to be around 37c per mile or am I mistaken? I want to move to Canada but I obviously need to be able to afford to live too.
Any idea who are the better companies?
Thanks again,
Koog

billyinscotland

Hi Koogar,
I think the rate per mile can be deceiving. Some companies with a lower CPM pay for drops/lifts, time laid up, bonus for staying within a certain % of the shortest distance etc. Also, you will get a higher rate for Canada/USA than for Canada only. With most trucks doing around 70mph on the highways you could realistically do 5-600 miles a day. Do the math and you can make a living. Try Yanke in Sask. or Arnold Bros in Winnipeg, MB, who have a driver training school who have experience of UK drivers retraining for Canada.
Let me know if you need more info.

The log book is open to cheating, but checks at the weighstations are as thorough as anything in the UK. They will ask for all your diesel receipts for the current trip, and payment records from truck-stops for meals etc. They then check them against where you were/are to see if they tally, it isn`t as easy as you may think to cheat.

You don`t mention if you already have a North American CDL. The test is pretty involved, and the UK training was nothing compared to the pre-trip inspection and air-brake adjustment that you must do in Canada.

All above just my opinion,Good luck with everything.........billy

koogar

Thanks billy, I'll get in touch with yanke and arnold bros then and try them.
I've not got a canadian licence.......just UK and NZ licences.
spoken to prudhomme and seimans......if you have any good/bad info on them.
cheers, koog

Purley

I heard that Prudhomme pay the employee's air fares over here. But I also heard that you have to keep on their back to get them to do the necessary paperwork to get people over here.

Grah

There is a huge cry meet some a couple of weeks ago that transx hired him from scotland.

so try http://www.transx.ca/txemploycdn.html

more details on the site but here's some

Compensation (in Cdn Funds)
$1.02 per mile for all miles operated; loaded, empty, or bobtailing as long as tractor is being operated under TransX dispatch
$0.035 per mile fuel rebate
$0.05 per mile for pulling tri-axle in Canada
$30.00 per live pick up or live delivery of freight per driver
$30.00 per U.S.D.A. Meat Inspection
$30.00 per hour for hourly work requested by TransX
All mileage calculation made according to Version II for Unix of PC Miler (Practical Distance Program)


They have special bonus where you need to maintain 10,500 single driver miles per month. So

koogar

Hi Liz.
Free flights would certainly be an incentive
I think it's time for a visit.......some face to face meeting with companies.
Do you know how long the PNP work visa takes if they get on with it?
Thanks Liz,
Koog