mike_mccord:
Just been for an interview with a container company in Hull. All sounded good until boss man says if you have an accident and it’s proven it’s the drivers fault they will take half the cost of the damage of the driver weekly up to 250 quid a week! Does this in any way sound normal to you guys.
I can probably guess who that is. Little yard off hedon road opposite the docks perchance? If so, you did the right thing walking away. I did a few days agency for them, refused to go back.
Is he always looking for drivers,if so there’s your answer
I’ve never yet been on interview where I’ve been told that I don’t pay anything for damage…
(One company told that driver will have to pay but I saw other driver causing damage while I was there and they told that he don’t have to pay - even though that was sort of his fault - so this one company told on interview that they do charge drivers, but actually did not.)
So, don’t know - either I live in wrong world, or you lot…
Funny enough at least 2 of companies that told me that drivers pay for damage (and drivers on first “test days” confirmed that themselves as they have paid already) were companies that were very very well referenced as good companies to work for in this forum…
And that was not haulage company, but company that provides their own service - which are widely refered here as best ones to work for… hell they even paid Sick Pay… but charged even for repainting scratches…
(Not Tesco, or Stobarts)
(I also know in person one monkey who works for Tesco and smashes something massive regularly and many wonder how his stil there, but know for a fact he never ever pay anything for damage… - life is not fair… 
)
mike_mccord:
Just been for an interview with a container company in Hull. All sounded good until boss man says if you have an accident and it’s proven it’s the drivers fault they will take half the cost of the damage of the driver weekly up to 250 quid a week! Does this in any way sound normal to you guys.
Ask him how much extra he is going to pay you as a premium for the insurance risk you are covering?
If he pays you an extra grand a week in insurance money, then it makes perfect sense to provide the cover he wants. But he wouldn’t expect you to provide insurance coverage to him for nothing, would he?
It’s not uncommon to be paid some kind of bonus, that is forfeited after an accident. Tooles used to put their drivers in ‘teams’ and if one had a bump, they all lost their bonus. I think they lost a lot of drivers that way.
To give my lot their due they are very fair when it comes to little bumps. That said they did sack one bloke after he made a parallelogram out of trailer under a low bridge then a few weeks later wrote off his unit and a 15 plate BMW.
Santa:
It’s not uncommon to be paid some kind of bonus, that is forfeited after an accident. Tooles used to put their drivers in ‘teams’ and if one had a bump, they all lost their bonus. I think they lost a lot of drivers that way.
That’s taking divide and rule to a whole new level.
I would not work for any company that sees me as some sort of soft touch. I drive - I do not insure. Its their motor and they have to shoulder all responsibility for the running and maintenance of it. Just walk away from this firm as they’ve got a cheek to even ask you to consider this!
robroy:
Their existing drivers must have agreed to it, so draw your own conclusions.
Something similar was put to us on a new employment contract. I refused to sign it as I did not agree with it, needless to say a lot did sign it.
It was explained to me that they would only charge drivers in certain circumstances, The guy said '‘Has that clarified it, I said ‘Yes’’ he said ‘‘Ok, so will you sign it now’’ I said ‘‘No’’
Unless you put your disagreement in writing within 30 days the new contract will stand as you will working under it now
If he paid a decent wage in the first place he wouldn’t end up with the chuckle brothers driving for him, sounds like a lot of damage has been done in the past, I doubt it has ever occurred to him to pay properly therefor retaining decent men.
They changed the T&C’s at my place to include a £200 a month “bonus” a pound an hour less than everyone else none of the bonus related to damage, bloody stupid fleetboard tacho infringements and so on, the damage bill often reaches £10,000 a week but thats ok you didn’t get any infringements and you scored well on fleetboard.
Captain Caveman 76:
mike_mccord:
Just been for an interview with a container company in Hull. All sounded good until boss man says if you have an accident and it’s proven it’s the drivers fault they will take half the cost of the damage of the driver weekly up to 250 quid a week! Does this in any way sound normal to you guys.I can probably guess who that is. Little yard off hedon road opposite the docks perchance? If so, you did the right thing walking away. I did a few days agency for them, refused to go back.
On freightliner Road this one.
eagerbeaver:
2016 Drivers bag contents; Licences/cards
Butties/drink
Sunglasses
Map/sat-nav
Blue roll/glass cleaner
Safety glasses/tape measureOh, nearly forgot…LUBE.
why tape measure?
Tape measure to help some numpties to avoid bridge strikes…Or to measure your ■■■■ against any of the other elite drivers you may encounter
Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk
Remember scoobydoo running away from a ghost?
Well my legs would be wheelspining just the same 
Lol. “Why tape measure?” [zb] me!
Because sometimes I get in a truck and…(hold on to yer sh*t because this is where it gets exciting)…I am not 100% sure of the exact height of the unit. So I measure the distance from the flat bit that my feet are on (aka the floor) to the catwalk. Then I get all giddy and measure from the catwalk to the top of the airkit.
Now for the really clever part…I add the two measurements together…and holy sh*t!!! I know how tall my unit is.
I could go on to tell you how I know the trailer height too, but I think enough mind blowing data has been published on this post as it is.
eagerbeaver:
Lol. “Why tape measure?” [zb] me!Because sometimes I get in a truck and…(hold on to yer sh*t because this is where it gets exciting)…I am not 100% sure of the exact height of the unit. So I measure the distance from the flat bit that my feet are on (aka the floor) to the catwalk. Then I get all giddy and measure from the catwalk to the top of the airkit.
Now for the really clever part…I add the two measurements together…and holy sh*t!!! I know how tall my unit is.
I could go on to tell you how I know the trailer height too, but I think enough mind blowing data has been published on this post as it is.
Reckon you’ve just prevented Mr Morris from hitting a bridge there EagerB, , you should start charging for your advice. 
Someone may ring and say how much room do you have left? If you say 3’9 you aren’t going to get 2 UK pallets
Either ferndales or Steve youngman? Sounds like some turd they would come out with??!
Tris:
Santa:
It’s not uncommon to be paid some kind of bonus, that is forfeited after an accident. Tooles used to put their drivers in ‘teams’ and if one had a bump, they all lost their bonus. I think they lost a lot of drivers that way.That’s taking divide and rule to a whole new level.
Is that Tooles Transport in Droitwich?
If so, it wouldn’t surprise me with that place.
mike_mccord:
Just been for an interview with a container company in Hull. All sounded good until boss man says if you have an accident and it’s proven it’s the drivers fault they will take half the cost of the damage of the driver weekly up to 250 quid a week! Does this in any way sound normal to you guys.
I haven’t read the other replies but I’ll be amazed if I’m the first to say that your reply should be variation on a theme of “[zb] off!”.
No way Jose!!
