You all know I've been planning on returning to the work force with my new-found health. Well, I've found an employer, and I'm working sub-contract escort pilot for oversize loads. No, not flying hookers around to the mine camps. Ha ha ha ha! That's why I had to get my truck Rosy up to speed in the safety and well-being department. The sign will be installed as soon as I find the suitable roof racks, and then I have to have the auto electrician to install the lights and switches to make it all work. I've already done a job for the boss. A late Sunday evening call had me picking up 2 sets of brake boosters (9) for a truck which had broken down east of the WA border. The escort driver headed east and I met her at Wudinna at 2.30am to transfer the load. I didn't need lights for that job. It was the biggest and longest courier job I've ever done, and I get paid for it. It's a national organisation with 50 pilots all over the country, many of them women. He's looked after me so far, and he works with his wife, missus or "cook" who I've also met. (Grammar apology.) It will be great to do some more miles without the van, and getting paid to travel. I'll probably use the same amount of fuel because of the sign on the roof. See you out there somewhere.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Congrats CG. Hope it goes well for you. How courageous. I don't have the stamina or anything else any more to think about getting employment. So past it. Good on you and good luck.
Well, while I had the "drive" and the tenacity to get the ticket, I had some help to find an employer. I called on the Government's claim to assist pensioners going back to work through the JobSearch network. They offer financial assistance to procure work clothes and safety gear like steel caps and hard hats, high visibility clothing, and even the sign I need on my vehicle. Then they asked me what I wanted to do, and after a really bad experience with one office, I found a very hard working, enthusiastic representative to help me. I owe it all to her. The other "bad experience" had never heard of this type of work, and was therefore not the least bit interested in helping me find a work place. She didn't want to learn anything about it, or work THAT hard. So I reported her to her superior, I was transferred to another office, and the rest, as they say ......... I'm excited! And unlike caravan travel and "nomadding", it pays real money, making my expenses tax deductible. Isn't that good?
Oh, it also means I have to keep log books and accounts and records and stuff.
-- Edited by Cruising Granny on Friday 8th of April 2011 09:48:40 PM
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Way to go CG....... Good on you!!!!!It's great to do what you want to do, and you have experience of the road...unlike some. Congratulations. Cheers Dellie
Well, while I had the "drive" and the tenacity to get the ticket, I had some help to find an employer. I called on the Government's claim to assist pensioners going back to work through the JobSearch network. They offer financial assistance to procure work clothes and safety gear like steel caps and hard hats, high visibility clothing, and even the sign I need on my vehicle. Then they asked me what I wanted to do, and after a really bad experience with one office, I found a very hard working, enthusiastic representative to help me. I owe it all to her. The other "bad experience" had never heard of this type of work, and was therefore not the least bit interested in helping me find a work place. She didn't want to learn anything about it, or work THAT hard. So I reported her to her superior, I was transferred to another office, and the rest, as they say ......... I'm excited! And unlike caravan travel and "nomadding", it pays real money, making my expenses tax deductible. Isn't that good? Oh, it also means I have to keep log books and accounts and records and stuff.
-- Edited by Cruising Granny on Friday 8th of April 2011 09:48:40 PM
Congratulation CG, just goes to prove that determination defies defeat. And good on you for reporting the person with a disinclination to work herself! We experienced this ourselves some years ago and with 2 staff members whose attitude stank...both were called into the managers office and made to apoligize and told in no uncertain manner that next time they would be on the other side of the counter....it was priceless to see their humiliation.
I've had a few bad experiences with job search places too. At one stage, I was deemed to be well enough to work full-time. (I'm on DSS) The 'consultant', as they called her, had the same health problem as me, (Ulcerative Colitis)and didn't see it as a handicap with going to work. Most of my work experience had been in retail, so having to deal with pain and regular darts to the loo, which was way on the other side of the store, was awful, to say the least. And here she was sitting in her cushy office job, close to the loo, with no empathy at all.
And yes, the 'well enough' was short lived unfortunately. These days, it's under control, but I have several other ailments too.
Most of these so called "consultants" wouldn't know their a...e from their elbow when it comes to most ailments that are dibilitating.
They only know what's said in the book. Wouldn't have any first hand knowledge of what it's like to suffer from some of these complaints. They are too young most of them to have had anything at all go wrong. Just my opinion for what it's worth
Yep - my congrats too - good luck -sounds like the sort of work I would like to do - might investigate - love to drive, so that's no problem, long distances no problem either - and my fourby is in pretty good nick - only thing a bit worried about putting "escort work" in google - ha,ha,ha!!!!
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
And unlike caravan travel and "nomadding", it pays real money, making my expenses tax deductible. Isn't that good? Oh, it also means I have to keep log books and accounts and records and stuff.
-- Edited by Cruising Granny on Friday 8th of April 2011 09:48:40 PM
Great news CG and good luck with the job. Where will you be based? Do you know about the zone rebate on tax, if you are living in certain areas?
I'm based in Adelaide, but I am aware of zone allowances having lived in the Kimberleys for 11 years, and working outside the 250km zone, which has even more benefits. Who knows where I could end up. There's a lot out there no one tells us and we find out this stuff by accident. I was in payroll at the Broome Hospital where I learned about annual leave travel concession, airconditioning subsidy, and the tax zones. That's the public service and each award/union has it's own allowances, but certainly worth anyone's while to check it out if you're working outback for 3 months or more. The "26th parallel" is THE line to watch in WA, but it doesn't seem to apply in the NT or Qld. Ah, those geography lessons serve some purpose after all. I just love geography, it's all around us all the time. I'm excited!
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Good on you CG. That's the sort of job I'd like, but I doubt I'd get one at my age now.
Cheers,
Sheba.
I got the ticket after I turned 60, and I'm well on the way to 61 now. It's never too late if the mind and body are willing and able. Only you can decide. This job isn't very physical, but the brain does have to be in gear. It's long hours of driving, but I've devised some steering wheel and driver's seat exercises as I go.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Welcome to GN Ken and Cheryl. Nice to see you here. I wouldn't do any job if it wasn't going to be fun. All the jobs I've ever done have had a "fun factor", even the office jobs. The least fun, even painful part is getting set up. The sign fully assembled, complete with motor and beacons is $1500 delivered to Adelaide. They're made in Perth. Now it's the electrics to wire it all up to make it work. I haven't seen my car since I dropped it off at the auto electricians yesterday. I hope they're not charging me storage fees. LOL. I phoned the boss to give him an update, and even he's excited I'm ready to go. See you out there on the road somewhere. The wheel cover is still on the back spare, and I have a grey/silver ribbon on the aerial. I'll post a photo when it's all systems "GO".
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Ha ha ha ha! 
