Hi all, maybe you can help me with a bit of a dilemma. I’m currently working shunting and it’s a cushy number. We have been brought out by a new firm, so all that’s set to change. The guy that’s working with me is leaving too, his mrs is in Columbia, so he wants to go over there 3 times a year for a month each time, which means he needs 3 months holidays per year and there’s no way our firm will wear that, long story short he is going agency so he can work when he wants. The job won’t be the same when he leaves.
So soon it will be time for me to move on. I have been getting the itch, I think I want to go back on the road, maybe part time? I’m not sure what I want to do, but with the summer months coming, I fancy being out and about again. I applied today for a job with a Sameday courier, lots of miles and no multi drop, just one hitters. It does appeal. I know all the pitfalls of driving, but I have an itch that I need to scratch.
Trunking appeals too, I love long distance work. I promised mrs jbaz that there would be no more tramping. Thoughts?
I’ve done a little same day work on the side when I was running a van for next day work, and it seemed to be regarded as hard to get good rates unless you had a good client who could give you regular work.
Are you thinking of Rico or Citysprint? I can’t claim to have worked at either but neither have looked attractive to me - if you can get good pickings of work from the controller each day then you can do ok, but if you are idle waiting for a return load or watching the clock at home then it’s not good.
If you are running your own vehicle then bear in mind hire and reward cover makes the insurance a lot higher than regular policies.
No it’s not self employed, I wouldn’t be interested in that. It’s employed and using their kit. It’s not at either of the places you mentioned, it’s for a company named star. It’s driving sprinter vans mainly but covering class 2 occasionally.
It appeals because it’s out and about, no tacho, see the whole of the Uk, handball should not be too bad.
The parts that don’t appeal are that it’s on call sometimes (about one day per week on a rota) I know that it’s going to be long hours, but that’s not putting me off. Probably be salaried pay, but it will still be a pay rise for me.
I can’t decide what to do? My present job will be coming to an end. It was a really cushy number, but that’s all about to change. I fancy going back on the road, but I don’t want to be stuck on locals or multi dropping. The courier job appeals because it’s not the same run every day, you get variety.
If you think the firm look sound enough and the risk of having a quiet week won’t hit you in the pocket then perhaps it’s worth taking a chance on. I don’t get to travel far from base much these days but there is something to be said for being somewhere different every day, just so long as your schedule allows for finding each drop without putting you behind for a few wrong turns or stops for a check of google streetview. Ideally if you are moving sprinter sized stuff about each day and it’s not on pallets then hopefully they will equip you with a magliner or similar sack truck that can take a decent weight, unless you are just dropping to loading bays each time.