No work need advice

Hello all
Could do with a little advice.

I live in the North East region and about six weeks ago I signed up with a agency in Darlington (they were a little reluctant due to the distance I was from them).

Any advice on on firms that are looking for new drivers in the north east at the moment.

regards.

You sign up. You ask for work , they offer you some ,you do it ,they offer you some more etc etc . They offer you work you turn it down . Repeat.they stop offering . Simple really . Your gonna get the crap untill you get “established” with them.its a bit like a initiation ceremony everyone using agencies goes through it. My first job was through agency .start 3am after a 45 min drive to carlisle did a 13 hr shift and drove home . Did that or similar for a few weeks . They eventually got me something better. The firm I was with ( calder foods ) offerd me full time and if it had been nearer to home I would have been very tempted.

syramax:
You sign up. You ask for work , they offer you some ,you do it ,they offer you some more etc etc . They offer you work you turn it down . Repeat.they stop offering . Simple really . Your gonna get the crap untill you get “established” with them.its a bit like a initiation ceremony everyone using agencies goes through it. My first job was through agency .start 3am after a 45 min drive to carlisle did a 13 hr shift and drove home . Did that or similar for a few weeks . They eventually got me something better. The firm I was with ( calder foods ) offerd me full time and if it had been nearer to home I would have been very tempted.

+1. You have to earn your stripes in this game.

Too many new drivers expect to pass C or CE and expect to waltz straight into a Scania Topliner on £600 per week. You have to start at the bottom in most cases and if you start on the agency route to gain experience (I did it thet way), then ANY opportunity to drive an 18 tonner or an artic should be taken regardless of the shift time.

#generationsnowflake

syramax:
You sign up. You ask for work , they offer you some ,you do it ,they offer you some more etc etc . They offer you work you turn it down . Repeat.they stop offering . Simple really . Your gonna get the crap untill you get “established” with them.its a bit like a initiation ceremony everyone using agencies goes through it. My first job was through agency .start 3am after a 45 min drive to carlisle did a 13 hr shift and drove home . Did that or similar for a few weeks . They eventually got me something better. The firm I was with ( calder foods ) offerd me full time and if it had been nearer to home I would have been very tempted.

I think the point he’s making is they are ringing him during the day and expecting him to do a night shift which starts later on in the same day,so assuming he’s slept the night before he’s being asked to drive when he’s normally be asleep which is unacceptable.
If he was given sufficient notice then he could obviously ensure he has sufficient rest beforehand to do the night shift being asked of him.
Sadly for the Op once you’re off the list of the phone will stop ringing maybe ring them and explain why you had to refuse the work and tell them you’d be happy to do a night shift with enough notice

xichrisxi:

syramax:
maybe ring them and explain why you had to refuse the work and tell them you’d be happy to do a night shift with enough notice

I did explain to them I don’t mind doing night shifts if they give me enough notice to get enough rest, but I have never heard back from them.

Tseal:

xichrisxi:

syramax:
maybe ring them and explain why you had to refuse the work and tell them you’d be happy to do a night shift with enough notice

I did explain to them I don’t mind doing night shifts if they give me enough notice to get enough rest, but I have never heard back from them.

Just call them every day asking if there is work. Eventually they will get tired of you pestering them and give you some work.

The trouble with enough notice on agency is they get a phone call from a customer in the morning, saying they need a driver tonight because someone phoned in sick, and then they go on the phone and look for drivers willing to work that night/day. Other than that is like previously said You refuse couple of times they stop calling You. Try to register with a couple more agencies in Your area.

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I usually get day work from my agency, but last Tuesday, I got a phone call from them, saying that I could cover a night shift (only a hour’s notice because their regular driver had crashed his car on his way into work) for a sandwich firm in Boro, which involved three drops in the Leeds and Bradford areas, followed by a collection of bread from Barnsley. I obliged because I wanted to try out what a night shift is like (even though it messed up my sleep pattern on the following day). To be honest, I prefer nights.

You could try registering with Driver Hire (depending whereabouts are you based in the North East). They have offices in Darlo, Boro and Newcastle. In my opinion, it’s always best to be registered with at LEAST two or three agencies.

syramax:
Your gonna get the crap untill you get “established” with them.its a bit like a initiation ceremony everyone using agencies goes through it.

I beg to differ. If you accept crap they’ll keep giving you crap for as long as you keep accepting the crap.

Sign up with ALL agencies in your area, not just with one. If local companies aren’t hiring, chances are they’re using agencies for temps. Call transport and tell them you’re interested in working for them and ask which agency they’re using at the moment so you can apply though it.

You could also load your car up with copies of your CV and then tour around all the local hauliers, skip firms, foodservice companies, etc. Dress smartly and ask for the TM at each company you call at.

ETS:

syramax:
Your gonna get the crap untill you get “established” with them.its a bit like a initiation ceremony everyone using agencies goes through it.

I beg to differ. If you accept crap they’ll keep giving you crap for as long as you keep accepting the crap.

Sign up with ALL agencies in your area, not just with one. If local companies aren’t hiring, chances are they’re using agencies for temps. Call transport and tell them you’re interested in working for them and ask which agency they’re using at the moment so you can apply though it.

Thanks for the advice yes I intent to sighn up to quite a few, I dont mind commuting a fare bit aswell.

Garbo2018:
You could also load your car up with copies of your CV and then tour around all the local hauliers, skip firms, foodservice companies, etc. Dress smartly and ask for the TM at each company you call at.

I might start doing this, I should have done this long ago, thanks for the advice.

Yes I need to sighn up to lots of agencies.

Go around knocking on doors.

And accept crap jobs.

Advice appreciated everyone.

Where about in North East are you :question: it might help with agencies / work

Best Connection in Darlo

Aspen Wolf in Seaham

CBS in Oxford park

All agencies

Containerships in boro want drivers

David Fox often looking

animal:
Where about in North East are you :question: it might help with agencies / work

Best Connection in Darlo

Aspen Wolf in Seaham

CBS in Oxford park

All agencies

Containerships in boro want drivers

David Fox often looking

Hi Animal
Middlesbrough or Scarborough are the closest places of employment.

I think I am going to get me c+e licence and start looking for tramping jobs much further away
regards.

You could also try Ward Bros (Malton) in South Bank as they are often crying out for drivers. Class 2 is Palletways, whilst Class 1 is containers, general haulage and occasionally Palletways multi-drop.

Old fleet, but not too bad to work for.

Garbo2018:
You could also try Ward Bros (Malton) in South Bank as they are often crying out for drivers. Class 2 is Palletways, whilst Class 1 is containers, general haulage and occasionally Palletways multi-drop.

Old fleet, but not too bad to work for.

Thanks Garbo
I will focus on haulage firms in Middlesbrough (probably) so the above will be worth contacting.