Looks like wednesday was my last day driving a truck, had enough of it after 15 years on the road, will i miss it? i dont think so, do i care? not really it has got so bad being run by idiots i am supprised they actually make any money, which ends up not being in your wage packet, been doing agency work for the last 3 years as pay for class 1 in york is so bad.
and now got sick of going to leeds for it, so i now have decided to do a bit of taxi driving to fill up my spare time.
so if any one wants my class one and adr entitlement you are welcome to it… 
I know what you mean john. when you have people like Mel Britton paying £5 ph for class 2 and £6 ph for class 1 then people will think twice about becoming a wagon driver.
I have worked for various companys around the york area and the pay is awful.I worked for keyline for a while and they were paying £12,000 a year for a 48 hour week.
I am working for a agency in leeds at the moment as the ones in york are not worth working for.I have worked for Beaver ( no continuity of work )
drivertime ( odd weeks work here and there ) and I do not even bother with KHS anymore.
Hope your new life as a taxi driver works out for you.
Sorry to hear your hanging up your lorry keys John.
Wish you all the best of luck for the future future mate…
All the Best…
Good luck in the future, i bet you will be back ( at least my load won’t throw up in the back 
)
Got to agree with you!
Last weekend I got a phone call to do a run from Potto to Wakefield to London sat night out and return to Wakefield then Potto after inquiring about HOW MUCH I was told £7.00 a hour 
After I stopped laughing ‘I told them no thankyou very much’
Anyhow 1/2 hour later they called back and i got the job at £12.90 a hour 
right across the weekend!
The point is if they are taking the mick tell them to get off! if every one does the rate will soon go up!
I was also called by PLWorkforce (can I say that?) wanting me to do a job the rate £6.00 regardless of hours! I told them not to bother waisting my time and dont call me again!
DONT DO IT THEY WILL COME BACK WITH A PROPER RATE FOR THE JOB!
all the best with the taxis, hope it works out well for you, there can be fun and money in taxis but like everything there is bad as well,after six years running my own taxi firm im going into trucks so i can speak of taxis but not trucks good luck and all the best with your new venture
The point is if they are taking the mick tell them to get off! if every one does the rate will soon go up!
DONT DO IT THEY WILL COME BACK WITH A PROPER RATE FOR THE JOB!
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Well said that Man !!
Before Tesco took me one I had to work through an agency for them. The agecy concerned ‘Park Street Personnel’ of Towcester, paid rubbish with no sick pay or holiday but Tesco used loads of Park st drivers (somebody was getting a back hander I suspect)
A smaller agency offered the worke so i changed and was told by park st they would get me barred, I got more drivers to try the new agency and afet being stood down for 2 days only Tesco soon had us all back through our new agency. park Street lost some good drivers and a lot of work before upping the pay and giving all benefits.
Everyone should stick together. It worked in 1977.
Pat Hasler:
Well said that Man !!Before Tesco took me one I had to work through an agency for them. The agecy concerned ‘Park Street Personnel’ of Towcester, paid rubbish with no sick pay or holiday but Tesco used loads of Park st drivers (somebody was getting a back hander I suspect)
A smaller agency offered the worke so i changed and was told by park st they would get me barred, I got more drivers to try the new agency and afet being stood down for 2 days only Tesco soon had us all back through our new agency. park Street lost some good drivers and a lot of work before upping the pay and giving all benefits.Everyone should stick together. It worked in 1977.
And it would work in 2004!
I always have the last laugh when a driver from a agency tell’s me he is on £(insert crap money here) specialy when I tell him I was offered the job 1st and told them to (insert a nice way of saying NO here) I know I have lost loads of Jobs but in my opinion I am a professional I do a professional job I want professional pay! I know i am not a Doctor I dont want paid as a Doctor I want paid as a class 1 driver in my opinion thats closer to £10 than £5. normal time! plus time and half after the suits have decided they shift has finished!
If 1st of all agency drivers stick together and refuse to do the jobs for peanuts then the pay will go up FACT!
2nd. employed drivers should stop showing so much loyalty to their employers, move where the money is you will find that drivers as a whole would start getting a better deal.
Its no wonder another professional HGV driver has decided to see if it is sunny’er on the other side! shame on the transport industry!!
Good luck John, Just reading thru the above, As i have said b4 and will say again this industry has been run on the cheep far too long in this country always at the drivers expense, It is time transport bosses woke up to the fact it is 2003/4 and realised drivers wont be treated like rubbing rags anymore and work for pittance pay 
This £5 and £6 pounds per hour quoted above is an absolute joke I wouldnt push a pram round for that kind of money. March 2005 = £10.00 phr class 1. TRUST ME,otherwise drivers simply wont do it :exclamation: As for the CLOWNS that dont pay a decent living wage they will just get what they have long deserved. 
I went for a job in Barking a few months ago (east london)the basic hourly rate was £5.40.My reaction at first was shock,I was speechless and then the diddy who interviewed me said"I know the money is crap "so why was he working there.Interview halted.The job was advertised in a very misleading way
Well first night out last night, had a good night as well, i was happier doing that than driving a truck so might have found my alternative career, suppose i will have find a taxi drivers forum now to pass my spare hours away
Good Luck on the taxi’s since you pulled the pin JS.
Mal.
I removed your double post Mal, Bully