robroy:
It wasn’t a truck, it was a van, stopped in lane 2 after a bend on a 40mph road and traffic was getting intensive with nearly 0 power left in the battery the hazard lights were about to fail any moment.
Sounds unsafe to be transferring two pallets over!!
S’all good, as long as it doesn’t happen in their yard
At the end of the day, we got the job done, no one got hurt, their driver got his OT or whatever the ■■■■ the whole ordeal was about, the van got recovered, they found a driver to replace me and cover the rest of my shifts for the week so I don’t have to go in tonight (or ever again ); I lost a couple hundred £ but got a couple of days of much needed rest in return and everybody’s happy. It was about time to get off my arse and go find a real job and not a “job”
Don’t understand what the OP wants, he’s signed up to this agency and accepted this job and terms (not saying that the agency is or isn’t charging an OT rate and pocketing it, but it does happen), a call late into the shift is never going to be good news for the driver, unless he wants the extra hours.
You had the options to not sign for this agency.
You had the option not to accept this job with its terms.
You had the option not to answer the phone until back at base.
You had the option to do what was asked without throwing your toys out of the pram.
Having been rescued, rescuer and left to sit unaided for hours and still expected to finish the job, it has almost always worked for me long term to do what I’m being paid for, sometimes in cash, sometimes in favours, sometimes in being considered for other (more lucrative jobs) ahead of others with a poor attitude.
You may well have made a few mistakes in this, the biggest one IMO is the last one, walking away before you could potentially get any thanks/ remuneration for helping a fellow driver out of a hole, from hero to zero in one rant.
I did a Class 2 agency shift based out of Bradford where the drivers mate handled the cash. Had a breakdown at around 18:00. Tow truck arrived at 22:30. Only one passenger seat in the tow truck and was instructed that the mate should take that seat to return the cash. Was asked to get a taxi and claim it back. Cost was £80. Got a receipt for £100. No problem with the agency in question but I’d never go back to that distribution company.
Winseer:
Time is Time on agency, regardless of how much of yours gets wasted. I see no difference between waiting at the roadside for 12 hours paid and working 12 hours paid. I struggle to understand people’s lack of flexibility sometimes… It makes sense for a full timer on job & knock to want to skive off - but not an agency driver paid by the hour FFS ?!
Having my time wasted on my shift is one thing, on someone else’s…say tomorrow the janitor doesn’t show up, would I mind mopping up the floor? Time is time, you get paid, right. What about a ■■■■■■■, no one has to know. Or sit by this abandoned vehicle of ours like a [zb] dog on a leash, you still get paid, rite
Imagine a co-worker/someone you barely know, calls you at 16:30 (let’s say you finish work at 17) and asks you to get to him because his car broke. Being the good soul that you no doubt are, you hop into your car and drive to the poor fellow, ready to give him a lift back home. Instead he asks you to get out of your cozy, warm car and hand over your keys (he’ll drive the car to your house and park it there, don’t worry - he’s your neighbor so he can walk home ) while you wait with his car for when/if a recovery vehicle comes.
Some people…
You’re arguing at the wrong person here. I do 12-15 hour shifts on demand, and demonstrate flexibility as often as possible. It is the ones who think driving on agency is nothing above being a steering wheel attendent - that give agency workers a bad name! Mind you, places like Royal Mail should snap someone like yourself up - who won’t stray one iota off their 318 or pre-planned route…
This is part of a problem these days, agency staff want to be on the same or more money than full time staff.
They want more flexibility in choosing when to work or not work.
They want all the same benefits full time staff get yet they don’t want full time jobs as is quite often the case when offered one.
Agency staff are for emergencies, cover for illness and everything else in between.
It’s part and parcel of being an agency driver you can’t have your cake and eat it all the time on agencies hell you don’t even get to eat all the cake in most jobs when your a full time employee.
ETS:
Yeah i can understand that but 1. It was a van so no card and 2. he was on a local delivery with 2 pallets 20 miles from the yard and I was coming back from 2 drops and a collection 150 miles from the yard with 6+ driving hours on the tacho.
He still has drivers hours, in his case GB Domestic Hours, and working time directive to comply with. You had plenty of time left. ■■■■ it up buttercup or go find a non-driving job because this is going to happen more than once in your time driving lorries, agency or full time.
I don’t know how you’re allowed to drive if you can’t read
My last break had been at 21:30, what about my [zb] WTD hours? How the [zb] is a driver on a single local run 20 [zb] miles from the yard on more hours than one coming from a 300 mile round-trip who happens to be an agency driver who conveniently is paid a flat rate with no OT
By the same token, how are you allowed to drive if you don’t understand the WTD as it is applied to mobile workers…?
The simple fact that the other guy was already on overtime suggests that he has already done a full working week. As a result it’s quite possible he was getting close to the 60 hour weekly working hours limit (which could well account for him being given a short, local run…).
How did being required to sit with a broken down vehicle (and then drive it back to base) adversely impact on your WTD hours anyway?
Don’t answer your phone at the tail end of your shift, no good will come of it.
Exactly, you can guarantee they aint ringing you to do you any favours.
I frequently ‘‘miss my calls’’
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+1
its bad enough if you have a proper job more than halfway through your shift when the phone rings with one of those “pleading” phone calls.
all of a sudden,your the only man in the country that can pull them out of a hole ect.
your an agency limper,you dont have a job,so what have you got to lose by being unable to answer the phone as your driving at the time■■? .nothing.
theres masses of agencies,and masses of companies that use them and you are nothing more to anyone of them than a piece of kebab meat in a seat wearing a hi viz.
it might be different if you were doing a shift that might lead you into a cushy full time job,but apart from that,just limp through your shift and bugger off at the end of it.
Rule 1 of being an agency driver: Never but never let the agency’s cutsomer have your personal mobile phone number. Rule 2 make sure the agency understand they are never to let a customer have your mobile number. Rule 3 go balistic with them if the agency do give out your number. Rule 4 if the customer does ring your mobile demand to know how they got your number and then cut them off. Rule 5 if you have got as far as rule 4 being activated don’t answer the phone again.
cav551:
Rule 1 of being an agency driver: Never but never let the agency’s cutsomer have your personal mobile phone number. Rule 2 make sure the agency understand they are never to let a customer have your mobile number. Rule 3 go balistic with them if the agency do give out your number. Rule 4 if the customer does ring your mobile demand to know how they got your number and then cut them off. Rule 5 if you have got as far as rule 4 being activated don’t answer the phone again.
Which could work against you in the event of a job coming up after the agency office has closed for the day and the employer offering you another unplanned shift for tomorrow.Or a job involving the need for coordination and cooperation between drivers when on the road.
Bearing in mind that you’d have turned the agency office down anyway at the start if it’s multidrop or building materials deliveries.However being bothered about getting lumbered with a broken down vehicle,but on the right type of work,really ain’t the same thing.Especially when it means a bit of overtime in the bank.
I think it’s a bit of a non issue really, sh*t happens as they say If that’s the worst thing that happens to you then your doing ok.
Confucius said
Some days your the pigeon and some days your the statue
I think you got to get over it as next week you might be the one boasting that they forgot to cancel you one day but you get paid 8hrs minimum because you turned up.
Agency and full time jobs have their pros and cons. Whilst you work when you want where I am right now I can’t even book holiday between June-Sept.
mrginge:
I think you got to get over it as next week you might be the one boasting that they forgot to cancel you one day but you get paid 8hrs minimum because you turned up.
Agency and full time jobs have their pros and cons. Whilst you work when you want where I am right now I can’t even book holiday between June-Sept.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
your in the wrong job bud.
take them as and when it suits you and if youve not got the bottle or inclination to debate it then go on the sick for 2 or 3 weeks as an alternative solution.
just give them reasonable notice that due to personal circumstances that is none of their business then you will not be available to work for that 2 week period…simples
peirre:
He got told to do something he didn’t like and flounced off
The End
We had one a few weeks back; only available unit came back in only half full of fuel, as the regular fill-up point on the driver’s route was out of diesel. Agency driver was asked to fill up on way out at Pont Abraham, then again on way back so that truck was full of fuel for next driver. He had a mardy about it, why should he have to fill a truck up twice, blah blah, ended up walking off the job.
Paid by the hour, and an easy night trunk; yet he doesn’t want an extra quarter or half hour just to fill up with diesel. You have to wonder at the mentality of some people.
); I lost a couple hundred £ but got a couple of days of much needed rest in return and everybody’s happy. It was about time to get off my arse and go find a real job and not a “job”
) while you wait with his car for when/if a recovery vehicle comes.
If that’s the worst thing that happens to you then your doing ok.