Port of Felixstowe Container Terminal for Truck Drivers 

Glad you enjoyed it!

My pleasure Paul. I hope it helped even a little bit. Good luck.

Hi Gavin. Yep it was a genuine error and nothing to do with Port of Felixstowe. Easier to deal with once you actually know what the problem is. Thanks for the comment.

I'm off to Felixstowe in the morning. Not been for a year or two so expect an update. As always my camera is running.

Thanks Harvey.

HGV Me well, I’ve watched your video several times now. Off to the docks in the morning for the first time. Fortunately I’ll be empty skel as I’m lifting off in ACS beforehand..... Thanks again. .

granskare

Middle of the day, especially a Friday, there's hardly anyone on Trinity as they're all out on the road delivering or collecting. If you have to go there thats a great time to be on the port.

That naturally happens as the reefer need to be plugged into the frames, so they alternate going down the lines.

Hi Paul. The loading ticket in the vid wasn't the loading ticket I used for that day as I lost the original picture. So I used another I had. Here's how it works; At the top (the MSCU number), is the export container I'm bringing in. Deliver to: TTY (for trinity terminal) C065 (slot number 065 stack C), C3 (the position of the box in the stack - info for the crane driver not me). Underneath that is my import box number (GLDU) again collecting from TTY, collect from stack F, slot 107, G3 stack position (again for the crane driver). Sometimes the collection is not ready in which case the import number would be replaced with the letters THA (for temporary holding area). If thats the case after the export is offloaded the driver heads around to the THA park and waits for his reg number to appear on a big electronic scoreboard type affair. When the reg number appears, at the exit to the THA park is another terminal which spits out a ticket with your collection location, in the same format as above. Hope this clears things up.

Thank you for your time explaining it to me.

@@HGVMe I knew straight away that you were in wrong position for your ticket and i haven't been Felix since 2013. Brings back memories this does when i was regularly in there in 2010 on nights.

Once upon a time you had to be on the account of the operator you were working for but now I believe rhides automatically transfers with driver.

Hi JAmes. You'll pick it all up really quickly. Familiarity is your friend. Good luck with the new job.

Thank you mate, been driving 30 yrs, never done containers, 1st day 27th July into Felixstowe. In a daf 530. Great video.

Hi Paul. Happy Christmas to you my friend. Once the box is loaded on the trailer and the crane clears the loading lanes that's the time to do up your twist locks. Hope this helps.

I was caught out once the rear of the container didn't seat properly and I had to flag down one of the lifters to re position,I had to use the telephone on the side of the lifter to ask him nicely to do it.

@@yan24to When I leave the lift-on I apply my brakes firmly for half a second and that jolt slides all the slots onto the pins.... with a slight bang.

Vehicle booking system

From the Port Police Station pal. You can get a temp pass initially at any time, but once you become set up with a container company, if you try to gain access without your pass, its a ball ache.

@@HGVMe thanks for that, I'm here now...

The answer was yes. Although each terminal hand hand sanitizer for you to use before and after use.

Hi Adam. I never got round to setting up the date on my dashcam. To technical for an old truck driver like me :-)

HGV Me ah right :p cool man :) I’m working towards getting my class 2 license. Start my training next month. :)

Stick with it Adam. You got some hoops to jump through to reach LGV1 but it will all be worth while. With such a shortage of drivers in the UK currently its a great time to be a truck driver as you will never be short of work. Good luck mate.

HGV Me cheers pal :) yeah, I dunno if I’ll go all the way to class 1, artics scare me a bit. I just wanna get on the road already. I live in Felixstowe, I see lorries all the time. Now I wanna get out there and drive them for a living.

Anyone who claims not to be a little apprehensive about the overall size/dimensions of a top weight arctic when they first start to drive them is probably showing a little bravado. At 16.5 metres long, upto 4.85 metres tall and almost three metres wide Its daunting and thats without thinking of the gross weight of the thing at 44t, which takes some stopping. But once you start your training it all comes together. From that point forth the bendy trucks will just pull you in and you won't be able to wait to get your class 1. Or thats how it was for me anyway.

Yes its a ball ache until you know your way around. The more you do it, the more familiar you become and the easier the job is.

Yes, most them are great and it's a pleasure to be on Felixstowe Port, the staff are very professional and helpful and it's a good atmosphere. I arrived one early dawn and my office had not booked me in and the TSO was a right pain in the derrière - so yes, there are one or two AO's but happily they are few and far between - but we know who they are and they won't last long.

Hey Florin. There are plenty of UK companies employing eastern european drivers. There is a shortage of truck drivers in the UK at the moment so work is plentiful. Check out the jobs website indeed.com and you will find plenty of opportunity to find work in the UK.

You can have my job if you want it. Effin lorry driving in the UK sucks.

Agreed. But here's the thing. I didn't realise I needed to update my Rhodes card until it failed.