kcrussell25:
Truck driving may not pay a fortune but its one of the shrinking number of places where you have no issue getting a full time job. Most places now are part time and overtime. Not good if you need a steady income or upset the boss and he he cancels ypur overtime for a couple of weeks as punishment
Thanks for the tip kc, not thought of that before 
I’m joking…
albion:
4yorks:
Same here mate… I do 50 hours a week (class 2) at £8.50 an hour. Anything over 40 hours is time and a half at £12.75 an hour.I take home £467 a week before tax and just shy of £380 after tax… Or 24k a year!
I’m actually doing my class 1 next week. It’s costing me £1200 but I’ll then earn £9.50 an hour for 40 hours and then £14.25 after 40 hours… So £522 before tax… £416 after tax or 27k a year!
But weekends are paid at £2 an hour more so I can maybe add a grand onto that figure?
Still it’s hardly the grand fortune people make truck driving out to be.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
I presume you are in Yorkshire somewhere, which from what I’ve heard, isn’t a high paying area. And I presume you are talking about staying at the firm you are with. Have you thought of moving, is there a possibility of working elsewhere?
I really do think that there are firms out there that pay better and it’s a. finding them and b.making yourself the kind of person that a decent employer wants to attract ( obvs you have nailed the second point 4yorks
).
I’ve said before, van drivers here are on 9.28 and we are not that far from Yorkshire.
I am indeed in Yorkshire, West Yorkshire to be precise but I live in North Yorkshire.
I have only had my class 2 for a year now and thus will be a new class 1 driver when I pass. The company I work for will put me straight on class 1 and tbh the job is a piece of cake… One or two drops a day, paid breaks… We get left alone ( in all the time I’ve worked there they have never once called me up to see where I am) and we recently got brand new wagons.
I don’t mind 50 hours a week ( 10 hours a day 5 days a week) but I don’t fancy working 60+ hours a week like most people seem to on here [emoji85]
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
albion:
kcrussell25:
Truck driving may not pay a fortune but its one of the shrinking number of places where you have no issue getting a full time job. Most places now are part time and overtime. Not good if you need a steady income or upset the boss and he he cancels ypur overtime for a couple of weeks as punishmentThanks for the tip kc, not thought of that before
Or she of course! 
While I am sure that you wouldn’t, there are bosses/managers out there who do. I have worked with some across the years…
kcrussell25:
albion:
kcrussell25:
Truck driving may not pay a fortune but its one of the shrinking number of places where you have no issue getting a full time job. Most places now are part time and overtime. Not good if you need a steady income or upset the boss and he he cancels ypur overtime for a couple of weeks as punishmentThanks for the tip kc, not thought of that before
Or she of course!
While I am sure that you wouldn’t, there are bosses/managers out there who do. I have worked with some across the years…
Trust me kc, I’ve had some right nightmare bosses in my past 
Rob K:
Mickey mouse:
No I’m not talking rubbish. I passed my class two in 1999 and then class one in 2000. I was on agency paying £9.50 per hour class one in 2001 and the class two rate was £8.60 per hour. You must have been at a poor company if that’s all you were earning pal.My point still stands however. Outside of the London/Northampton/Crick areas, virtually no lorry driver was on those rates 20 years ago and certainly not north of the Midlands.
2001 isn’t ‘20 years ago’.I went out of the job in 1999 and at that point I was paid around 350 per week for a contracted 50 hours not including break for class 1 night trunking including London weighting allowance.As I said if this job is distance bulk deliveries/collections rather than multi drop dross I’d probably go for it.
Truck driving has always been minimum wage it just most don’t cop it
It’s called maximum hours for minimum wage or 2 weeks for the price of 1 or discount drivers available,
So the longer you work a week you will rise above your minimum wage, it’s not rocket science
nightline:
Truck driving has always been minimum wage it just most don’t cop it
It’s called maximum hours for minimum wage or 2 weeks for the price of 1
If the wheels aren’t turning the truck isn’t earning and even if the guvnor manages to get some waiting loading/unloading time built into the rate it still won’t be enough to cover the drivers wages during those periods if they are too long.So something has to give.Either in the form of mileage based pay in which loading/unloading/waiting time isn’t paid for or a low hourly rate.60 hours per week is just the result of too much time spent in a shift not going anywhere and which the guvnor can’t charge for,bearing in mind the driving time limits.Assuming that’s just waiting time watching the tele or reading the newspaper etc combined with distance work between a few drops/collections it’s not the end of the world and then well worth taking the face value low hourly rate.
On the other hand if the long hours and resulting low hourly rate is to allow for loads of short haul multi drop/collections just walk away more like run.
Rob K:
OK chap… So it transpires that this £8.55 per hour you claim to have been earning 20 years ago was in a different sector as you didn’t even have a lorry licence at the time. I get it now.My point still stands however. Outside of the London/Northampton/Crick areas, virtually no lorry driver was on those rates 20 years ago and certainly not north of the Midlands.
Looking at my old paperwork, and my weekly load record book which I still have as I did my own wages, my last full working year, 2001/2002, grossed me just over 13 grand on class 2 in Derbyshire so there must have been a vast difference in money around the country even in those days? I’m guessing that the retail side of trucking probably paid better though as vehicles didn’t need to make a profit.
Pete.
the maoster:
Winseer:
the maoster:
Based on a 60 hour week? Wtf? All of us who work in the real world know the hours involved in this job, but they don’t even try to hide it with the usual 40 hr week bollox.I agree. It’s bent. If you do 60 hours one week, you’re gonna need a 36 hour week 2 in between to keep it legal…
That wasn’t quite my point Winseer me old mucker, I do 60 hours a week, week in week out all perfectly legally as I’m sure do a large number of posters here. My point was surely your week should be based on 40 or even 50 hours per week, but not 60.
It’s legal if you do maxed out 48 hours per week average driving, and 12 hours per week “Other work”, breaks not included of course.
This means you may well be at work each week approaching that old chestnut 84 hours - if you don’t stamp your feet, and invoke EU law (whilst we’re still tied down by it) and get your working week interpreted as 48 hours averaged over the reference period, as I like to do.
“Open ended” contracts like you describe for yourself - do the rest of the industry no favours at all.
Taking on such an open-ended contract, even smacks of “lapsing one’s right to a lower working week than otherwise” as well, which makes a mockery of this Remainer argument that “If we leave the EU, we’ll lose worker’s rights”. FFS with people giving worker’s rights up out-of-hand already - one has to wonder what these rights we’re actually standing by actually are any more? 
I imagine now that Macron (more about him on another thread I’m about to post) will now get his so-called “reforms” against French workers through, no one being able to stop him from crushing what used to be considered “worker’s rights” there.
EU laws are carefully worded so the Employer can run rings around the staff, but the staff - unless very savvy indeed - cannot hope to run rings around their employer using the same too-loosely worded EU regulations and laws.
albion:
4yorks:
Same here mate… I do 50 hours a week (class 2) at £8.50 an hour. Anything over 40 hours is time and a half at £12.75 an hour.I take home £467 a week before tax and just shy of £380 after tax… Or 24k a year!
I’m actually doing my class 1 next week. It’s costing me £1200 but I’ll then earn £9.50 an hour for 40 hours and then £14.25 after 40 hours… So £522 before tax… £416 after tax or 27k a year!
But weekends are paid at £2 an hour more so I can maybe add a grand onto that figure?
Still it’s hardly the grand fortune people make truck driving out to be.
Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
is there a possibility of working elsewhere?
.
^^^
This
Not exactly advising anyone moving out of the UK…but…its what i did many years ago. Admitedly i was on my own, had no real commitments apart from my house (which i still rent out) . Haulage rates were on their arse so started subbing F/ES. Was never always a bed of roses and had its drawbacks (for a few months lived in the truck my Lucky 7, F7) but the money side improved dramatically.
With a wife and kids in tow its not going to be so easy but moving where the rates are better is always worth considering as an option…
windrush:
Rob K:
OK chap… So it transpires that this £8.55 per hour you claim to have been earning 20 years ago was in a different sector as you didn’t even have a lorry licence at the time. I get it now.My point still stands however. Outside of the London/Northampton/Crick areas, virtually no lorry driver was on those rates 20 years ago and certainly not north of the Midlands.
Looking at my old paperwork, and my weekly load record book which I still have as I did my own wages, my last full working year, 2001/2002, grossed me just over 13 grand on class 2 in Derbyshire so there must have been a vast difference in money around the country even in those days? I’m guessing that the retail side of trucking probably paid better though as vehicles didn’t need to make a profit.
Pete.
20 years ago PAYE tramping on class 1 in the North East and South West of the country was under £6/hr at many of the well known firms. I’m pretty sure West’s were paying their class 1 trampers £5.50/hr and no overtime as there was a regular poster on here at the time who used to work for them. You might well have been getting £8.55/hr for driving rigids in Derbys, but like I said, if you were then it was very much the exception rather than the norm. I think a lot of drivers have rose-tinted glasses and have forgotten just how low (figuratively) lorry wages were 20 years ago compared to what they are now. Of course in real terms the money probably isn’t that much different today when you factor in inflation, property prices and pretty much all other daily “essentials” having gone up quite substantially in price, not to mention DCPC costs, photo licence renewal costs, tacho card renewal costs… the list goes on.
Winseer:
the maoster:
Winseer:
the maoster:
Based on a 60 hour week? Wtf? All of us who work in the real world know the hours involved in this job, but they don’t even try to hide it with the usual 40 hr week bollox.I agree. It’s bent. If you do 60 hours one week, you’re gonna need a 36 hour week 2 in between to keep it legal…
That wasn’t quite my point Winseer me old mucker, I do 60 hours a week, week in week out all perfectly legally as I’m sure do a large number of posters here. My point was surely your week should be based on 40 or even 50 hours per week, but not 60.
It’s legal if you do maxed out 48 hours per week average driving, and 12 hours per week “Other work”, breaks not included of course.
This means you may well be at work each week approaching that old chestnut 84 hours - if you don’t stamp your feet, and invoke EU law (whilst we’re still tied down by it) and get your working week interpreted as 48 hours averaged over the reference period, as I like to do.
“Open ended” contracts like you describe for yourself - do the rest of the industry no favours at all.
Taking on such an open-ended contract, even smacks of “lapsing one’s right to a lower working week than otherwise” as well, which makes a mockery of this Remainer argument that “If we leave the EU, we’ll lose worker’s rights”. FFS with people giving worker’s rights up out-of-hand already - one has to wonder what these rights we’re actually standing by actually are any more?
I imagine now that Macron (more about him on another thread I’m about to post) will now get his so-called “reforms” against French workers through, no one being able to stop him from crushing what used to be considered “worker’s rights” there.
EU laws are carefully worded so the Employer can run rings around the staff, but the staff - unless very savvy indeed - cannot hope to run rings around their employer using the same too-loosely worded EU regulations and laws.
Ok.
At the end of the day…if I didn’t have a hgv license,i’d probably be pushing an idiot stick around.
Great days 
CM Downton made £5.1 million profit in 2017. They have 1,350 employees, so let’s just say 1000 drivers to make things simple, and these drivers work 50 hours per week. An extra £1 per hour pay rise is another £50,000 per week onto their operating costs. That reduces their profit by £2.6 million per year, and their annual profit would then be halved. A £2 per hour pay rise would mean Downton would be at a £100,000 per year loss.
Stobarts is slightly worse. If they gave all of their drivers a £1 per hour pay rise, they would no longer be profitable.
This is just maths I’ve done on the back of a ■■■ packet, and I haven’t been involved in haulage anywhere near as long as some people on here. However, it seems to me that haulage companies simply cannot afford to pay drivers more. They’d need more profit to do that. They’d have to increase their rates, which they just won’t do. Especially when there are dozens more unscrupulous firms ready to step-in and haul stuff on the cheap.
I know both of these firms have a heavy reliance on agency drivers who cost more (I read an article where CM Downton complained that the “driver shortage” meant they had to use agencies, which pushed-up operating costs). So by my Monty Python logic: The likes of Downtons and Stobarts can’t get enough employed drivers (poor pay and conditions), so they use agencies. The agency drivers cost more, so this pushes-up operating costs. The haulage firm can’t afford to pay their employed drivers more, and can’t attract new ones. So they use agencies. The vicious cycle starts again.
It seems to me it’s the haulage firms who are at fault, constantly trying to undercut each other’s rates. Now the rates are so low, they can’t make enough money to pay their drivers a respectable wage for what the job now entails, and conditions slipped. I don’t blame drivers for not wanting to work for a pittance, and I don’t blame agencies for stepping-in and providing drivers to desperate hauliers.
The only way I can see drivers’ wages increasing is if there’s an industry-wide rate increase (won’t happen, and if it did it would probably increase living costs). Or if hauliers somehow attract more drivers to eventually kick-out the need for expensive agencies, freeing-up more profit to be passed onto drivers’ wages (won’t happen because they can’t attract drivers in the first place). The UK haulage industry to me seems like it’s up a certain creek without a certain paddle, and these wages are here to stay.
Rob K:
20 years ago PAYE tramping on class 1 in the North East and South West of the country was under £6/hr at many of the well known firms. I’m pretty sure West’s were paying their class 1 trampers £5.50/hr and no overtime as there was a regular poster on here at the time who used to work for them. You might well have been getting £8.55/hr for driving rigids in Derbys, but like I said, if you were then it was very much the exception rather than the norm. I think a lot of drivers have rose-tinted glasses and have forgotten just how low (figuratively) lorry wages were 20 years ago compared to what they are now. Of course in real terms the money probably isn’t that much different today when you factor in inflation, property prices and pretty much all other daily “essentials” having gone up quite substantially in price, not to mention DCPC costs, photo licence renewal costs, tacho card renewal costs… the list goes on.
I was on earnings (27%) so not hourly paid Rob, some weeks I earned well over £300 doing a few nightshifts or a Sunday and the next week it could be under £200 if there was little or no work so no continuity and overtime didn’t exist with being on earnings. Not many folk went into driving for the money though, a bit like nursing etc in that it was a vocation and not a way to get rich! I remember going to Nottingham in 2002 with a load of tarmac one saturday, it made me £25 for the mornings work (£85 for the truck less my wage and fuel) or however long it took and the lads laying the tar thought it a joke as they were on over £100 each for the morning! They got the load down quickly as they felt sorry for me and I was home a lot earlier than anticipated!
Pete.
Rottweiler22:
CM Downton made £5.1 million profit in 2017. They have 1,350 employees, so let’s just say 1000 drivers to make things simple, and these drivers work 50 hours per week. An extra £1 per hour pay rise is another £50,000 per week onto their operating costs. That reduces their profit by £2.6 million per year, and their annual profit would then be halved. A £2 per hour pay rise would mean Downton would be at a £100,000 per year loss.Stobarts is slightly worse. If they gave all of their drivers a £1 per hour pay rise, they would no longer be profitable.
This is just maths I’ve done on the back of a ■■■ packet, and I haven’t been involved in haulage anywhere near as long as some people on here. However, it seems to me that haulage companies simply cannot afford to pay drivers more. They’d need more profit to do that. They’d have to increase their rates, which they just won’t do. Especially when there are dozens more unscrupulous firms ready to step-in and haul stuff on the cheap.
I know both of these firms have a heavy reliance on agency drivers who cost more (I read an article where CM Downton complained that the “driver shortage” meant they had to use agencies, which pushed-up operating costs). So by my Monty Python logic: The likes of Downtons and Stobarts can’t get enough employed drivers (poor pay and conditions), so they use agencies. The agency drivers cost more, so this pushes-up operating costs. The haulage firm can’t afford to pay their employed drivers more, and can’t attract new ones. So they use agencies. The vicious cycle starts again.
It seems to me it’s the haulage firms who are at fault, constantly trying to undercut each other’s rates. Now the rates are so low, they can’t make enough money to pay their drivers a respectable wage for what the job now entails, and conditions slipped. I don’t blame drivers for not wanting to work for a pittance, and I don’t blame agencies for stepping-in and providing drivers to desperate hauliers.
The only way I can see drivers’ wages increasing is if there’s an industry-wide rate increase (won’t happen, and if it did it would probably increase living costs). Or if hauliers somehow attract more drivers to eventually kick-out the need for expensive agencies, freeing-up more profit to be passed onto drivers’ wages (won’t happen because they can’t attract drivers in the first place). The UK haulage industry to me seems like it’s up a certain creek without a certain paddle, and these wages are here to stay.
I recall reading a letter from a haulier, in Motor Transport, in the 70’s who stated that he had done a job for one of his best customers. He complained that he’d made no money out of it. This is a common problem, the British haulage industry is probably the biggest charity in the world.
I started driving HGV’s for a living in 1972 and finished in 1978, the reason being what it is today, no money in it. I have done two periods of five years casual driving since then and am certain that I made the right decision in 1978.
Regarding the use of agency staff, the NHS have the same issue regarding lack of staff and having to rely on agency at extortionate rates.
Fincham:
Rottweiler22:
CM Downton made £5.1 million profit in 2017. They have 1,350 employees, so let’s just say 1000 drivers to make things simple, and these drivers work 50 hours per week. An extra £1 per hour pay rise is another £50,000 per week onto their operating costs. That reduces their profit by £2.6 million per year, and their annual profit would then be halved. A £2 per hour pay rise would mean Downton would be at a £100,000 per year loss.Stobarts is slightly worse. If they gave all of their drivers a £1 per hour pay rise, they would no longer be profitable.
This is just maths I’ve done on the back of a ■■■ packet, and I haven’t been involved in haulage anywhere near as long as some people on here. However, it seems to me that haulage companies simply cannot afford to pay drivers more. They’d need more profit to do that. They’d have to increase their rates, which they just won’t do. Especially when there are dozens more unscrupulous firms ready to step-in and haul stuff on the cheap.
I know both of these firms have a heavy reliance on agency drivers who cost more (I read an article where CM Downton complained that the “driver shortage” meant they had to use agencies, which pushed-up operating costs). So by my Monty Python logic: The likes of Downtons and Stobarts can’t get enough employed drivers (poor pay and conditions), so they use agencies. The agency drivers cost more, so this pushes-up operating costs. The haulage firm can’t afford to pay their employed drivers more, and can’t attract new ones. So they use agencies. The vicious cycle starts again.
It seems to me it’s the haulage firms who are at fault, constantly trying to undercut each other’s rates. Now the rates are so low, they can’t make enough money to pay their drivers a respectable wage for what the job now entails, and conditions slipped. I don’t blame drivers for not wanting to work for a pittance, and I don’t blame agencies for stepping-in and providing drivers to desperate hauliers.
The only way I can see drivers’ wages increasing is if there’s an industry-wide rate increase (won’t happen, and if it did it would probably increase living costs). Or if hauliers somehow attract more drivers to eventually kick-out the need for expensive agencies, freeing-up more profit to be passed onto drivers’ wages (won’t happen because they can’t attract drivers in the first place). The UK haulage industry to me seems like it’s up a certain creek without a certain paddle, and these wages are here to stay.
I recall reading a letter from a haulier, in Motor Transport, in the 70’s who stated that he had done a job for one of his best customers. He complained that he’d made no money out of it. This is a common problem, the British haulage industry is probably the biggest charity in the world.
I started driving HGV’s for a living in 1972 and finished in 1978, the reason being what it is today, no money in it. I have done two periods of five years casual driving since then and am certain that I made the right decision in 1978.
Regarding the use of agency staff, the NHS have the same issue regarding lack of staff and having to rely on agency at extortionate rates.
Another angle to consider on wages is damage.
I am currently doing some agency work while I look for something permanent at a large firm near me. They pay their drivers just under £9 which is on the lower side of average for the area but far from the worst.
I was talking to the fitter who told me 5 years ago they paid a bit above average but had good, experienced drivers and a damage bill off a few hundred a month. Now they will take pretty much anyone- no assessment for agency staff and the bill last year was near 500k!
Now I don’t know how much putting a couple of quid an hour on pay to get good, experienced drivers would cost but when looking at those figures surely it must be worth it? If only so save the time off road while vehicles are being fixed
As you all know i don’t have that problem of working for a very low wages and doing unthinkable hours just to be above minimum wage
Anyone who even applied for that job must be sitting on the fence with not a hope of earning a little more because there is not a chance they could get a job anywhere else
My heart goes out to the pure soles who have no choice
Now that would not be me i just could not work for that
kcrussell25:
Fincham:
Rottweiler22:
CM Downton made £5.1 million profit in 2017. They have 1,350 employees, so let’s just say 1000 drivers to make things simple, and these drivers work 50 hours per week. An extra £1 per hour pay rise is another £50,000 per week onto their operating costs. That reduces their profit by £2.6 million per year, and their annual profit would then be halved. A £2 per hour pay rise would mean Downton would be at a £100,000 per year loss.Stobarts is slightly worse. If they gave all of their drivers a £1 per hour pay rise, they would no longer be profitable.
This is just maths I’ve done on the back of a ■■■ packet, and I haven’t been involved in haulage anywhere near as long as some people on here. However, it seems to me that haulage companies simply cannot afford to pay drivers more. They’d need more profit to do that. They’d have to increase their rates, which they just won’t do. Especially when there are dozens more unscrupulous firms ready to step-in and haul stuff on the cheap.
I know both of these firms have a heavy reliance on agency drivers who cost more (I read an article where CM Downton complained that the “driver shortage” meant they had to use agencies, which pushed-up operating costs). So by my Monty Python logic: The likes of Downtons and Stobarts can’t get enough employed drivers (poor pay and conditions), so they use agencies. The agency drivers cost more, so this pushes-up operating costs. The haulage firm can’t afford to pay their employed drivers more, and can’t attract new ones. So they use agencies. The vicious cycle starts again.
It seems to me it’s the haulage firms who are at fault, constantly trying to undercut each other’s rates. Now the rates are so low, they can’t make enough money to pay their drivers a respectable wage for what the job now entails, and conditions slipped. I don’t blame drivers for not wanting to work for a pittance, and I don’t blame agencies for stepping-in and providing drivers to desperate hauliers.
The only way I can see drivers’ wages increasing is if there’s an industry-wide rate increase (won’t happen, and if it did it would probably increase living costs). Or if hauliers somehow attract more drivers to eventually kick-out the need for expensive agencies, freeing-up more profit to be passed onto drivers’ wages (won’t happen because they can’t attract drivers in the first place). The UK haulage industry to me seems like it’s up a certain creek without a certain paddle, and these wages are here to stay.
I recall reading a letter from a haulier, in Motor Transport, in the 70’s who stated that he had done a job for one of his best customers. He complained that he’d made no money out of it. This is a common problem, the British haulage industry is probably the biggest charity in the world.
I started driving HGV’s for a living in 1972 and finished in 1978, the reason being what it is today, no money in it. I have done two periods of five years casual driving since then and am certain that I made the right decision in 1978.
Regarding the use of agency staff, the NHS have the same issue regarding lack of staff and having to rely on agency at extortionate rates.
Another angle to consider on wages is damage.
I am currently doing some agency work while I look for something permanent at a large firm near me. They pay their drivers just under £9 which is on the lower side of average for the area but far from the worst.
I was talking to the fitter who told me 5 years ago they paid a bit above average but had good, experienced drivers and a damage bill off a few hundred a month. Now they will take pretty much anyone- no assessment for agency staff and the bill last year was near 500k!
Now I don’t know how much putting a couple of quid an hour on pay to get good, experienced drivers would cost but when looking at those figures surely it must be worth it? If only so save the time off road while vehicles are being fixed
The big unknown is, “are there enough suitable drivers available to do the job?” Many of those who took a pride in their work have left the industry and have not been replaced by equally conscientious drivers?
Fincham:
kcrussell25:
Fincham:
Rottweiler22:
CM Downton made £5.1 million profit in 2017. They have 1,350 employees, so let’s just say 1000 drivers to make things simple, and these drivers work 50 hours per week. An extra £1 per hour pay rise is another £50,000 per week onto their operating costs. That reduces their profit by £2.6 million per year, and their annual profit would then be halved. A £2 per hour pay rise would mean Downton would be at a £100,000 per year loss.Stobarts is slightly worse. If they gave all of their drivers a £1 per hour pay rise, they would no longer be profitable.
This is just maths I’ve done on the back of a ■■■ packet, and I haven’t been involved in haulage anywhere near as long as some people on here. However, it seems to me that haulage companies simply cannot afford to pay drivers more. They’d need more profit to do that. They’d have to increase their rates, which they just won’t do. Especially when there are dozens more unscrupulous firms ready to step-in and haul stuff on the cheap.
I know both of these firms have a heavy reliance on agency drivers who cost more (I read an article where CM Downton complained that the “driver shortage” meant they had to use agencies, which pushed-up operating costs). So by my Monty Python logic: The likes of Downtons and Stobarts can’t get enough employed drivers (poor pay and conditions), so they use agencies. The agency drivers cost more, so this pushes-up operating costs. The haulage firm can’t afford to pay their employed drivers more, and can’t attract new ones. So they use agencies. The vicious cycle starts again.
It seems to me it’s the haulage firms who are at fault, constantly trying to undercut each other’s rates. Now the rates are so low, they can’t make enough money to pay their drivers a respectable wage for what the job now entails, and conditions slipped. I don’t blame drivers for not wanting to work for a pittance, and I don’t blame agencies for stepping-in and providing drivers to desperate hauliers.
The only way I can see drivers’ wages increasing is if there’s an industry-wide rate increase (won’t happen, and if it did it would probably increase living costs). Or if hauliers somehow attract more drivers to eventually kick-out the need for expensive agencies, freeing-up more profit to be passed onto drivers’ wages (won’t happen because they can’t attract drivers in the first place). The UK haulage industry to me seems like it’s up a certain creek without a certain paddle, and these wages are here to stay.
I recall reading a letter from a haulier, in Motor Transport, in the 70’s who stated that he had done a job for one of his best customers. He complained that he’d made no money out of it. This is a common problem, the British haulage industry is probably the biggest charity in the world.
I started driving HGV’s for a living in 1972 and finished in 1978, the reason being what it is today, no money in it. I have done two periods of five years casual driving since then and am certain that I made the right decision in 1978.
Regarding the use of agency staff, the NHS have the same issue regarding lack of staff and having to rely on agency at extortionate rates.
Another angle to consider on wages is damage.
I am currently doing some agency work while I look for something permanent at a large firm near me. They pay their drivers just under £9 which is on the lower side of average for the area but far from the worst.
I was talking to the fitter who told me 5 years ago they paid a bit above average but had good, experienced drivers and a damage bill off a few hundred a month. Now they will take pretty much anyone- no assessment for agency staff and the bill last year was near 500k!
Now I don’t know how much putting a couple of quid an hour on pay to get good, experienced drivers would cost but when looking at those figures surely it must be worth it? If only so save the time off road while vehicles are being fixed
The big unknown is, “are there enough suitable drivers available to do the job?” Many of those who took a pride in their work have left the industry and have not been replaced by equally conscientious drivers?
Thats a fair point. I would say if you offer better than average rather than below average terms you stand a better chance.
I doubt that they would have to take new passes or European drivers who have never driven in this country before to make the numbers up