Travel, how far is too far?

[Donnie]

2 hours ago, doobin said:

You say your company pays for digs but the food is expensive. That's a poor reason to travel 100 miles if you otherwise like the job. Just go to Lidl and get some meat, gas BBQ in the back of the truck. Or find an all you can eat carvery place. Do two days rather than three and you'll have done the same hours as if you were stopping early to drive.

 

You're making this way harder than it has to be. It's unsustatinable the way you are doing it, I'm surprised you're not already burnt out. Just take the digs, hit it hard for a few days and then relax for a couple.

Done it 2 years now and I’ll more than likely keep carrying on. 
 

As for doing more hours, I’ve done that before sometimes 12-14 hours a day then back to the digs. 
 

Only problem I find is after 8 hours you are more than likely doing more damage to yourself as all work at a fast pace as a heavy work load. 
 

I’ve stuff on a personal level that I’d rather be about for. 

Nearest store from where the digs are is 45 mins either north or south. 
 

To be fair I wouldn’t honestly mind doing it most of the time if I didn’t mile out my own motor/diesel. 

 

I also find out at 6-7pm every night where to go for the following day. One day could be up north, the next I could be in England so it varies so much. Caravan wouldn’t really cut it I don’t think as we all bounce about day to day. 

Edited August 27 by Donnie

[AHPP]

4 minutes ago, Donnie said:

I also find out at 6-7pm every night where to go for the following day. One day could be up north, the next I could be in England so it varies so much. Caravan wouldn’t really cut it I don’t think as we all bounce about day to day. 

The uncertainty is the biggest annoyance for me. I’ve had people ask at 08:00 if I can do the next day, I get back to them at 08:01 saying yes and then they don’t confirm (by paying) until 16:00. If they’d paid at 08:05, I could have made the journey at my leisure, seen a friend on the way, made a nice trip of it. Instead, I’ve waited all day and then tear arsed down at night in a bad mood. Got fed up with that so now take a firmer line. Still happy to do short notice at long distance but it’s a matter of pay within an hour or the offer’s dead. I’m also considering changing from a van to a horsedrawn carriage so people will need to book more in advance anyway. 

[doobin]

38 minutes ago, Donnie said:

Done it 2 years now and I’ll more than likely keep carrying on. 
 

As for doing more hours, I’ve done that before sometimes 12-14 hours a day then back to the digs. 
 

Only problem I find is after 8 hours you are more than likely doing more damage to yourself as all work at a fast pace as a heavy work load. 
 

I’ve stuff on a personal level that I’d rather be about for. 

Nearest store from where the digs are is 45 mins either north or south. 
 

To be fair I wouldn’t honestly mind doing it most of the time if I didn’t mile out my own motor/diesel. 

 

I also find out at 6-7pm every night where to go for the following day. One day could be up north, the next I could be in England so it varies so much. Caravan wouldn’t really cut it I don’t think as we all bounce about day to day. 

Your company are taking the piss then. I think you’re being silly. But I’d love you to come work for me!

[Donnie]

21 minutes ago, doobin said:

Your company are taking the piss then. I think you’re being silly. But I’d love you to come work for me!

250 a day. Milk n 2.

[Donnie]

50 minutes ago, doobin said:

Your company are taking the piss then. I think you’re being silly. But I’d love you to come work for me!

This is by far not a proper moan or giving my main employer a slating. They’re sound I get on with them and all the operators, I think it’s more of a ‘always has been that way’ kind of thing. 

[GarethM]

Whilst at the same time everything else gets more expensive and things don't increase.

[Donnie]

3 hours ago, AHPP said:

The uncertainty is the biggest annoyance for me. I’ve had people ask at 08:00 if I can do the next day, I get back to them at 08:01 saying yes and then they don’t confirm (by paying) until 16:00. If they’d paid at 08:05, I could have made the journey at my leisure, seen a friend on the way, made a nice trip of it. Instead, I’ve waited all day and then tear arsed down at night in a bad mood. Got fed up with that so now take a firmer line. Still happy to do short notice at long distance but it’s a matter of pay within an hour or the offer’s dead. I’m also considering changing from a van to a horsedrawn carriage so people will need to book more in advance anyway. 

Could imagine that being a complete pain in the arse especially dealing with multiple people/customers and if you are towing kit etc about. 
 

[AHPP]

42 minutes ago, Donnie said:

Could imagine that being a complete pain in the arse especially dealing with multiple people/customers and if you are towing kit etc about. 
 

Luckily I’m now expensive/dislikable/shit at my job (perhaps all) so I have very little work on, almost never on consecutive days. I’ve had it in the busier past though where I’ve been out on the road without the skidder and then someone's come through with a skidder job they were dallying about before I’d left. I sometimes disappointed them, other times drove back to base (usually five hours each way) to get it. Similarly, have been sat in the van at the end of one job, waiting for a deposit to come though so I can go there for the next day rather than home. Not the end of the world and nearly always worked out but annoying periods of my time wasted by people who could have just done something now rather than after dinner. 

Edited August 27 by AHPP

[Mark Bolam]

You can’t carry on as you are Jake.

 

Just have a chat with your boss and explain the situation.

He may be prepared to meet you half way, so to speak.

[scbk]

Recently I had a couple days work to do about 2hrs drive away. That's 2hrs if you did it first thing in the morning, before the tourists wake up.

I took the hammock and other camping gear to sleep the night in the van, but in the end the very nice folks there gave us the keys to a 1 bed cottage, with a plate of food in the fridge!