Looking to jump ship from ESL, I’m a casual and they’ve apparently got no work, yet strangely when I have been in and sent home due to it being quiet, plenty of flip flop agency drivers are rocking up to start their shift, I’m not the only casual to be affected by this new stance, they seem to be disregarding experience for the supposed flexibility of agency, odd given were on zero hour contracts and are cheaper for them to use than the said agency drivers!!
If I was wet behind the ears I could understand perhaps but FFS, I’ve been at Stoke since the days of James Irlam, accident free and I do the job properly and the planners leave me alone (which is how I know I’m doing it right!)
Anyway, after two shifts in the last two weeks and using up my holidays to keep the cash coming in I’ve had enough, rang Browns yesterday and they seemed very positive with a can do attitude (I know most employers come across thus!) so, anybody on here who works for them or knows anybody who does?
They had a bit of a reputation many years ago and its taken a long time to shake it off but they’re not too bad to work for, money is average for the area and you’ll generally be working for it as they have a lot of local customers so there is a lot of running around collecting pallets to take back to the yard for the Palletline network.
As usual there are a few blue eyed boys who get the cushy jobs but you’ll be the new boy so should expect to start at the bottom. Trucks are usually second hand and pretty much no frills but decent enough for a night out or two each week as and when required.
Cheers for the reply mate, I know their reputation of old was pretty dire (along with the kit!) back in the day I drove for Route 1 Distribution and the thought of going to Browns was unimaginable!
Anyway, I’ve noticed the kit seems to have improved a lot,I’m not to bothered about a used truck so long as the radio,night heater and A/C works tbh many of the new trucks at ESL look in far worse condition after the bashing they’ve been getting by said flip flops!!
Seem to be constantly advertising for drivers which to me speaks for itself but as said you may aswell give it a go,interesting that ES have a banner outside their yard asking drivers to apply within for work yet they are constantly standing people down,as you’ve said probably for cheaper labour.
xichrisxi:
Seem to be constantly advertising for drivers which to me speaks for itself but as said you may aswell give it a go,interesting that ES have a banner outside their yard asking drivers to apply within for work yet they are constantly standing people down,as you’ve said probably for cheaper labour.
Yes, good point (assuming your referring to Browns advertising) that said, yes, ESL have a banner outside the depot at Stoke after drivers, it’s emblazoned on the back of most of the new trailers yet the full time drivers are struggling to get 10hour shifts, the casuals hardly being used at all yet the place is full of foreign agency…
I’ll see what’s the deal with Browns, plenty of other driving work in and around Stoke,thankfully.
Browns is a weird place, I had never known a firm with such a high turn over of drivers. I started there last February and did till august. The one plus is they are always busy so there s plenty of hours to be had, office staff seem to have a lot of issues towards drivers, expect to be spoken to like ■■■■ and worked like a dog and mountains of lies.13-14 hour day doesn’t necessarily mean you ll be going home once back in the yard . They have a strong customer base in stoke so there’s always plenty of collections to be done. I tramped 2/3 nights away most weeks and cab hopped for my entire time there, they don’t see an issue with this. There fleet bar 5 lease scanias which you won’t get unless you can ■■■■ some serious ■■■■ and 5 man s is 8-10 years old and largely worn out, trailer fleet is ok. The job could be good, however they have an emporer in charge that micro manages and suffocates every part of the firm, he still runs the firm like a 1980’s old stoke outfit. This is good for some of the old romantics on trucknet but times move on . I’ve known plenty of former drivers who all say browns is the best of a bad bunch, I went there with a fairly open mind as to what I was getting involved with . However they still did my absolute tree in, my advice would be look elsewhere. There’s plenty about
Tossitoff:
Looking to jump ship from ESL, I’m a casual and they’ve apparently got no work, yet strangely when I have been in and sent home due to it being quiet, plenty of flip flop agency drivers are rocking up to start their shift, I’m not the only casual to be affected by this new stance, they seem to be disregarding experience for the supposed flexibility of agency, odd given were on zero hour contracts and are cheaper for them to use than the said agency drivers!!
If I was wet behind the ears I could understand perhaps but FFS, I’ve been at Stoke since the days of James Irlam, accident free and I do the job properly and the planners leave me alone (which is how I know I’m doing it right!)
Anyway, after two shifts in the last two weeks and using up my holidays to keep the cash coming in I’ve had enough, rang Browns yesterday and they seemed very positive with a can do attitude (I know most employers come across thus!) so, anybody on here who works for them or knows anybody who does?
Cheers.
So you saying Stobart is looking for drivers but not taking any on■■?
Sounds like some agency horror stories on here, advertising jobs what never even exist…
Good luck and I hope you find what you’re looking for
Run like a 1980s Stoke firm sends shivers down my spine although there were plenty of those ■■■■■■■■ around well into this decade. On a completely unrelated note, Tyler and Jim Warburton usually have vacancies if general at maximum hours is what you want.
Towards the end of my time at browns I had begun to refuse doing nights out, no permanent truck no nights out. This went on for two or three weeks. They became masters of giving you runs piled with drops to get you down the road and then ’ struggling for a back load’. Sneakily trying to give you nights out thru the back door. Cab hopping you accept to a degree, 5 months of it, whilst day men and even agency or self employed drivers all have there own. Got me down big time
Also they have a mini hitler that patrols the yard who is in charge of enforcement of drivers rules. A former driver that had the foresight to see the drivers cpc course as a good earner . So therefore went and got it, now he has an ego and a half as he is the browns shop floor man . A spy and enforcer at the same time. It s not the best environment l, hence there driver retention levels are the worst I’ve ever known. Don’t get me started on mick !
Sounds like a company to avoid. Tbf i wouldnt have issue somewhere being run 80’s style but the descriptions of management and the dcpc ‘spy’ would be a real off putter the same as cab hopping, management should be asked if theyr’d be happy sleeping in someone elses ■■■■ every night.
Re agency theyre only getting them in to avoid employers responsibilities, those desperate for money to send home will do anything hence ‘foreign’ drivers taking the work.
J warburton is a good firm I’ve been here 2 years now left for a bit an come back 3years before that it’s all cleen work carry a moffett an keep your own wagon do mon/fri no weekends what so ever,an when you get back stoke there’s no running about picking pallets up wash off an go home he’s always after drivers an you can say what you want nights out all week or home on set days
Bulldog1986:
J warburton is a good firm I’ve been here 2 years now left for a bit an come back 3years before that it’s all cleen work carry a moffett an keep your own wagon do mon/fri no weekends what so ever,an when you get back stoke there’s no running about picking pallets up wash off an go home he’s always after drivers an you can say what you want nights out all week or home on set days
My knowledge of said outfit ended many years ago, and from what you say, he must have changed his ways a lot since then…
That said, if it’s so good there, why is he still always after drivers?
Romance aside, can anyone on these pages name a good job in stoke, good outfit, reasonable money, hours etc etc? 10 years working for mostly stoke based hauliers I struggle to name one that isn’t ran on a shoe string …
richie22:
Romance aside, can anyone on these pages name a good job in stoke, good outfit, reasonable money, hours etc etc? 10 years working for mostly stoke based hauliers I struggle to name one that isn’t ran on a shoe string …
That is actually not an easy question to answer if you are talking strictly about haulage companies.
E&E and Lovatts (if the latter is still going) didn’t have the best of reputations and Lovatt and his missus certainly had a little tiff with the VAT man not too many years ago. Shirleys was always thought a good number although how easy it is to get on I don’t know, particularly if you don’t have tanker experience. I think there is/was a lad on here who works for Shirley. DWP or whatever Danny Poole calls himself nowadays, well…
The various supermarket/distribution outfits may be worth a go as Asda and Screwfix were reputed to be cushy enough. Sainsburys not so much. Chamberlain’s at Crewe was also said to be an easy job if it’s not too far to go, and they certainly don’t rush around, which is always a good sign in my book. Mornflake the same, again in Crewe. Avoid Davis like you would a woman with herpes.
I’m amazed lovatt still attracts drivers after not paying there taxes etc. Absolute cowboy. I think you would have to go to a big dc to get something the smaller hauliers are just cowboys running on a wing and a prayer. Sad state of affairs
richie22:
Towards the end of my time at browns I had begun to refuse doing nights out, no permanent truck no nights out. This went on for two or three weeks. They became masters of giving you runs piled with drops to get you down the road and then ’ struggling for a back load’. Sneakily trying to give you nights out thru the back door. Cab hopping you accept to a degree, 5 months of it, whilst day men and even agency or self employed drivers all have there own. Got me down big time
Also they have a mini hitler that patrols the yard who is in charge of enforcement of drivers rules. A former driver that had the foresight to see the drivers cpc course as a good earner . So therefore went and got it, now he has an ego and a half as he is the browns shop floor man . A spy and enforcer at the same time. It s not the best environment l, hence there driver retention levels are the worst I’ve ever known. Don’t get me started on mick !
Whilst every interview I’ve ever sat thru I’ve consistently been lied too. The lies stopped when you got in the seat, and the reality hit… the lies never stopped. Despite the Monday -Friday job add newer drivers were nagged for saturdays ‘just run in’. Highland spring to Tesco goole then home is ‘just run in’ . He does not give a monkeys to put it lightly that you have a life outside of work, 60+ hours this week, so ! That sort of guy . When the sons and directors work around him you know he’s the emporer
