ianyng, are you still looking for a driver?
Cos I am looking for a job. 
.
ianyng:
Conor:
…
I need drivers who will work with me, and hopefully understand how hard both financially and mentally difficult this is for me…
Why does he need to understand that ?! He(she) is an employee!! There’s a driver shortage as far as he is concerned - he can probably find employment elsewhere. You can’t expect an emplyee to care about your financial health, he isn’t your business partner…
You will find a driver soon im sure. Pay him well and you wont have any probs. I worked for an O/D for 4 years and we had a good relationship. I knew what he wanted me to do and I did it. He looked after me very well and I was the same with him.
He never ever questioned me about anything and the trust was always there.
SMUDGER:
You will find a driver soon im sure. Pay him well and you wont have any probs. I worked for an O/D for 4 years and we had a good relationship. I knew what he wanted me to do and I did it. He looked after me very well and I was the same with him.He never ever questioned me about anything and the trust was always there.
Thats pretty much the same as me, I have been working for an owner driver now for the last 7 months and its totally diferent than working for a big firm, And to be honest as things stand now i dont think i could go back to a big firm
simon
Ian was that you in a white Y-reg Eurostar this afternoon in the yard pulling a red trailer ?
Yep.
ianyng:
Yep.
Well I don’t adam and eve it. I was wondering if it was and was just setting off from the diesel pump in your direction to collar you but you disappeared across the yard behind the Swane’s and out of sight. 
You didn’t try very hard did you?
I was askin’ drivers there “Do you know who Rob K is?”
Funny thing though - nobody did!
ianyng:
You didn’t try very hard did you?
I was askin’ drivers there “Do you know who Rob K is?”
Funny thing though - nobody did!
There’s only a few that know me by name there so far. Either Alan or Dave will point me out, or Andy or Moss - both drivers. Don’t forget that we too are away all week and never see any of the other drivers so finding out who’s who and getting yourself known takes time.
I shall make the effort next time, although you have no bloody excuse either knowing full well the wagon I drive and rego plate from the pics I’ve posted 
. Think you were just trying to get out of making the tea’s meself 
.
I’ve asked a friend of mine if he wants to drive for me.
Thing is, he needs to be home every other weekend in Derbyshire.
My work is from the Midlands to northern Italy, and reload.
Am I going to get him home for when he needs it?
Ian.
I do not belive that you can guarantee he will be home every W/E as
there are many factors to take into consideration, 1, a late reload on a
friday night,2. holiday driveing bans in EUROPE 3, problems with getting
back from calais–dover, 4. STRIKES 5. the lorry breaking down 6. delays
due to the return route being blocked . traffic accident, snow+ice, subsidence, ANY of these could happen and then again he may never
have any problems at all. BUT you know every thing that one does has
a risk to it. Take a look at the route and work it out how long +/- you
think it should take add the well known MURPHYS LAW factor to the
time you worked out and then you will see if its possible or not.
I personally think that no guarantee can be given…
You’re right.
I need another driver. One thats more flexible and able to commit 100%.
Anyone interested in a job going to Italy?
PM me with phone number for details.
Ian.
hold on a minute, northern italy from and to the midlands, piece of cake if the drops and collections aren’t scattered far and wide.
home every other weekend too, i cannot see too much of a problem there, is your friend leaving a good job to come to you or is he desperate to get out of the job he’s in.
as long as he is prepared to be a little flexible with things then you should manage ok.
check with the people you are working for about groupage loading and amount of collections and deliveries both here in the uk and over there, after all if he gets home 3 weekends on the trot then gets 3 weekends away on the trot it isn’t too hard is it?
talk a little more to your friend about the job and then see if he is still interested.
ianyng:
You’re right.
I need another driver. One thats more flexible and able to commit 100%.
Ian.
…in other words a slave.
Yeah, a slave would be great! Or just a driver with reasonable expectations. (runs for cover!)
it’s not a slave that is required but a driver that understands that it won’t always be possible to get home as and when they want.
the driver may find that he gets home every weekend for the first 3 months then it becomes hit and miss and they only get home every other weekend then every weekend then every third weekend etc, swings and roundabouts as has been the saying for many a year.
the worse thing is to lie to the driver about the risks, they should be informed of the many problems they may face in trying to get back home as and when they want to.
italy is not exactly a ride up the m1 is it?
with the driving ban in france now restricting homebound travel too it has become harder to make the run home before running into the driving restrictions.
what drivers should realise in this industry is they have to be flexible…whether on national or international work…in transport you can never ever give a time…how many people have said to their partners…doctors…dentist…i`ll be there…only for it all to be thrown into chaos…get a driver who will commit 100% and gets home when the truck gets home…transport is not easy…i would consider it if i wasnt already on international work…but good luck anyway…and remember …there are no such things as friends in business…
Conor:
…in other words a slave.
What do you mean a slave??
I have remortgaged my house to get this business up and running, and the last thing I want is a driver demanding to be home on specific days.
I need drivers who will work with me, and hopefully understand how hard both financially and mentally difficult this is for me.
it’s give and take basically - on both sides… but a driver that’s not interested in being away, which continental work obviously involves, is no good to me.
As the firm that I am pulling for said to me, “he could bankrupt you - get rid of him.”
They didn’t want to have to work around him, thats not how the game is played. The customer is king, and I need a team that will be flexible.
Ian.
ianyng:
Conor:
…in other words a slave.What do you mean a slave??
I have remortgaged my house to get this business up and running, and the last thing I want is a driver demanding to be home on specific days.
I need drivers who will work with me, and hopefully understand how hard both financially and mentally difficult this is for me.
it’s give and take basically - on both sides… but a driver that’s not interested in being away, which continental work obviously involves, is no good to me.
As the firm that I am pulling for said to me, “he could bankrupt you - get rid of him.”
They didn’t want to have to work around him, thats not how the game is played. The customer is king, and I need a team that will be flexible.Ian.
Don’t we all, but let’s be realistic, unless you’re paying some serious cash you’re gonna struggle.
I think if you can’t pay the driver so he takes home £400 per week (after tax) plus £100 per week tax free for away-from-home allowance (night out money if you like) plus an agreed sum between you and the driver for being weekended (unplanned), then you should stay as a one-man band.
You know the saying : if you pay peanuts…
Pay your driver what he’s worth instead of what you think he’s worth and the driver will (should) reward you by doing you a good days work without whinging or giving you any hassle.
Personally, for a small outfit like yourself, I’d go with a guarenteed take-home rate plus profit-share.
That way you can both budget in the flat times, but also both benefit in the good times - plus there is that small incentive to make the effort on the driver’s part. It also means that the driver has some sort of a stake, which always helps.
A word of warning though…these systems only work if you are totally transparent about wht the truck is earning, so as to avoid arguements. I’ve worked in this way for a subbie in the past, and it was very successful - but only because I knew exactly what was coming in and going out…I also gained a lot of autonomy over contracts etc. which was great, although that sort of responsibility isn’t everyone’s cup of tea - or every boss’s! 