Does anyone know or worked for Royal Mail doing 7.5 tonne work ?
I applied sometime a go and heard nothing then saw an add for 7.5 tonne work to start ASAP on Tuesday so applied for it
Had a phone call yesterday from manpower uk and had a phone interview which I passed and he said keep an eye out for an email from them Over the next couple of days to fill out some forms, and he asked how soon could I start as they need drivers ASAP to which I said I could start next week if it’s an ASAP role.
He also said I would need to do a driving assessment and then have an induction
I received the email last night which I promptly filled out)
Now that’s done does it take long to get started with them as I have no work via the agency at the moment and the last thing I want to do is start another job with this in the pipeline ?
Is it worth me getting other work via other agencies or should I just wait it out ?
I signed up with Manpower a couple of years ago and then got told that there was a vacancy with RM a few hours later. I had the induction a couple of days later and the RM manager was pleading with me to start asap, even though I told him I was working my notice at the place I was already at.
If Manpower are saying that they need drivers asap then I would say it is true, but phone them on Monday if you don’t hear soon.
From my previous experience Manpower are a very good agency and the RM work is quite easy once you get used to your route
Does anyone know or worked for Royal Mail doing 7.5 tonne work ?
I applied sometime a go and heard nothing then saw an add for 7.5 tonne work to start ASAP on Tuesday so applied for it
Had a phone call yesterday from manpower uk and had a phone interview which I passed and he said keep an eye out for an email from them Over the next couple of days to fill out some forms, and he asked how soon could I start as they need drivers ASAP to which I said I could start next week if it’s an ASAP role.
He also said I would need to do a driving assessment and then have an induction
I received the email last night which I promptly filled out)
Now that’s done does it take long to get started with them as I have no work via the agency at the moment and the last thing I want to do is start another job with this in the pipeline ?
Is it worth me getting other work via other agencies or should I just wait it out ?
Cheers
I feel for you.
I did the same almost two weeks ago. I have class 1 but applied for the 7.5 tonne stuff. I filled all the forms out and have heard nothing. I messaged Manpower via Facebook as I had no contact details. They said no reply within a week no dice.
Two days ago I had am email from RM saying my application had been successful and they were doing my DBS check - which could take up to 19 days!!! I still haven’t heard from MP and still dont know for sure if I’ve got on the rosta there…
Their lack of communication is unacceptable in my view.
Like you I dont know whether to jump on some class1 trunking or whether to hang fire…
Does anyone know or worked for Royal Mail doing 7.5 tonne work ?
I applied sometime a go and heard nothing then saw an add for 7.5 tonne work to start ASAP on Tuesday so applied for it
Had a phone call yesterday from manpower uk and had a phone interview which I passed and he said keep an eye out for an email from them Over the next couple of days to fill out some forms, and he asked how soon could I start as they need drivers ASAP to which I said I could start next week if it’s an ASAP role.
He also said I would need to do a driving assessment and then have an induction
I received the email last night which I promptly filled out)
Now that’s done does it take long to get started with them as I have no work via the agency at the moment and the last thing I want to do is start another job with this in the pipeline ?
Is it worth me getting other work via other agencies or should I just wait it out ?
Cheers
I feel for you.
I did the same almost two weeks ago. I have class 1 but applied for the 7.5 tonne stuff. I filled all the forms out and have heard nothing. I messaged Manpower via Facebook as I had no contact details. They said no reply within a week no dice.
Two days ago I had am email from RM saying my application had been successful and they were doing my DBS check - which could take up to 19 days!!! I still haven’t heard from MP and still dont know for sure if I’ve got on the rosta there…
Their lack of communication is unacceptable in my view.
Like you I dont know whether to jump on some class1 trunking or whether to hang fire…
Answers on a postcard as they used to say…
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Thanks for the info guys I still haven’t heard anything I’ll phone on Monday.
I’ve just checked my compliance profile on manpower and it’s saying the status on my profile for the job is “to review” i take it they haven’t even started the ball rolling yet or the DBS check
Royal Mail require a DBS check which doesn’t take 5 minutes.
They then require a driving assessment which you will typically wait at least 2 weeks for and if busy, may even send you to another depot within 90 minutes drive if there is an assessor there with more availability.
You typically have the site induction at the sametime as the driving assessment. The site induction can involve a theory test on driver hours and stopping distances etc. The combination can take up to 4 hours apparently but most are done within 2 hours from memory
Manpower are taking on temp drivers for Christmas Peak as RM like to call it. It officially ends on the 26th December. It starts around mid-November so it is unlikely they will want you starting much before that.
You can make some decent money on RM at Christmas but come Boxing Day, you might receive an unpleasant email thanking you for your services.
RM are very hot on infringements so if you have more than 2 before you even start, you might not be successful. If you pick up more and end up with 3 on your card, they will ask you not to come back for a while. That goes for both WTD and Driving hours
It’s easy work but you have to play by their rules and understand what is likely to come on the 26th December.
Its not just manpower, it’s also direct. I applied for and eventually got offered the job. It took six weeks between interview/assessment to get an offer and thats after four weeks waiting for an interview/assessment.
This was for a direct full time permanent role subject to the usual probation periods etc.
In the end I said no because I’d already taken on another job. I had a job anyway so could’ve waited but I just found it all massively pretentious to keep people hanging on for so long especially in these days where the difference in money now isn’t like it was.
RM pay for Christmas Artic drivers- is no longer the top dollar rate.
Supermarkets - have all overbid RM now, and RM are struggling to both recruit drivers, and yet continue to be “too fussy” with their unpaid and unnecessary assessment practice, which a potential driver will have to now take an entire day off supermarket driving for even more than what RM are paying - in an assessment that IS actually possible to “Fail”.
Plus, their admin procedures - don’t seem to filter those people like me that are automatically rejected… wasting everyone’s time except mine any more…
There’s no point me applying back to RM for instance, if they’ve made it policy “not to touch 'im”, but I remain open to a new manager (after the last ones get sacked for cocking it all up…) BUT I remain open to serious offers that actually involve a more cast iron contract than this “use and abuse agency” policy that they’ve had in place for well over a decade now.
Their Union won’t let their own drivers work more than 10 hours on nights, because there’s no local agreement… Whilst that could change, if the actual workforce pulled their finger out and worked the 12-15 hour shifts like everyone else does occasionally these days - they wouldn’t need agency in there at all, let alone at Christmas time!
You can get more driving a 7.5t at firms like Brakes right now AND a full time secure contract to go with that new upped rate.
Why do a job that drops dead in January, as stated on the actual adverts?
What do we want as drivers?
Higher pay?
More friendly hours?
No more “being on call” which is what “Any five from seven” amounts to?
A secure job where some backbiter cannot make up some story, and have you got rid of?
…A CONTRACT!!
Imagine that. Fresh-air policies! Actual, real JOBS for the workforce!
So many of the parcel firms can do what was R.M. work better and cheaper nowadays. I did some with/ for Manpower there was a lot of cancelled shifts ,you couldnt rely on the work. If you have a criminal record for any reason they wont employ you .
Winseer:
RM pay for Christmas Artic drivers- is no longer the top dollar rate.
Supermarkets - have all overbid RM now, and RM are struggling to both recruit drivers, and yet continue to be “too fussy” with their unpaid and unnecessary assessment practice, which a potential driver will have to now take an entire day off supermarket driving for even more than what RM are paying - in an assessment that IS actually possible to “Fail”.
Plus, their admin procedures - don’t seem to filter those people like me that are automatically rejected… wasting everyone’s time except mine any more…
There’s no point me applying back to RM for instance, if they’ve made it policy “not to touch 'im”, but I remain open to a new manager (after the last ones get sacked for cocking it all up…) BUT I remain open to serious offers that actually involve a more cast iron contract than this “use and abuse agency” policy that they’ve had in place for well over a decade now.
Their Union won’t let their own drivers work more than 10 hours on nights, because there’s no local agreement… Whilst that could change, if the actual workforce pulled their finger out and worked the 12-15 hour shifts like everyone else does occasionally these days - they wouldn’t need agency in there at all, let alone at Christmas time!
You can get more driving a 7.5t at firms like Brakes right now AND a full time secure contract to go with that new upped rate.
Why do a job that drops dead in January, as stated on the actual adverts?
What do we want as drivers?
Higher pay?
More friendly hours?
No more “being on call” which is what “Any five from seven” amounts to?
A secure job where some backbiter cannot make up some story, and have you got rid of?
…A CONTRACT!!
Imagine that. Fresh-air policies! Actual, real JOBS for the workforce!
Very interesting Winseer. Thanks for posting that insight.
I’m still waiting… As I said earlier in the thread I applied for 7.5 tonne stuff as the depot is close to me - and it seemed a decent wage/crack. But I’m now pretty disillusioned with it as I’ve had bugger all feedback from MP and I’ve also turned down some class 1 trunking, albeit similar rates to 7.5 t at RM. Fortunately, I drive part time only and have another income stream but do tend to rely on Xmas driving to “bolster the coffers” as it were. If the contract there is only mid Nov-Xmas and they cancel lots of shifts (I can only do 2 or 3 max per week anyway) it makes it pretty pointless tbh… Basically they are wanting drivers on standby with no guarantee of work and, as you said, are wanting you to jump through a lot of hoops to get there. I was told by another agency waller that RM would jump at someone with class 1 that had applied for 7.5t stuff as you could work across their whole op. I was sceptical and it seems I wasnt erroneous in my scepticism!!
While we’re slagging off the RM agency process… I have just been told I can’t drive for them because I have no record of Class 1 driving in the last two years. Seems fair enough you may think as it’s true. Except pertemps were told this from day 1 and still put me through the whole process including hours of form filling, a full DBS check and a 4 hour driving assessment and site induction which I passed, so cleared by Royal Mail to drive for them by their own assessor!
Despite me being totally upfront with Pertemps about being self employed for the last few years they didn’t bother looking at their own application form. Nowhere in their ad does it state this requirement, so I assumed my 20 odd years of experience driving class 1 meant something. Apparently not, wasted hours of my own time and money could have got work at any number of other places, some even taking new passes. “Dissillusioned” is a good word…
Incidentally, they didn’t let me know. I was waiting for my first shift to come in as I’d been told, when it didn’t I had to ring them.
Richl:
I have just been told I can’t drive for them because I have no record of Class 1 driving in the last two years. Seems fair enough you may think as it’s true.
Like the ‘experience’ issue being penalised for breaks in employment for whatever reason isn’t fair at all.
Especially in an environment where employers are whingeing to the government about a ‘driver shortage’.
Richl:
While we’re slagging off the RM agency process… I have just been told I can’t drive for them because I have no record of Class 1 driving in the last two years. Seems fair enough you may think as it’s true. Except pertemps were told this from day 1 and still put me through the whole process including hours of form filling, a full DBS check and a 4 hour driving assessment and site induction which I passed, so cleared by Royal Mail to drive for them by their own assessor!
Despite me being totally upfront with Pertemps about being self employed for the last few years they didn’t bother looking at their own application form. Nowhere in their ad does it state this requirement, so I assumed my 20 odd years of experience driving class 1 meant something. Apparently not, wasted hours of my own time and money could have got work at any number of other places, some even taking new passes. “Dissillusioned” is a good word…
Incidentally, they didn’t let me know. I was waiting for my first shift to come in as I’d been told, when it didn’t I had to ring them.
Well… I’m in a similar position. I’ve had class 1 since 2009 and worked 2-3 shifts a week for 4 or 5 years pulling everything except steel and fridges. I did a short stint at Yodel last December, but prior to that it was 2015 I drove an artic. Like you I’m self employed. Tbf, Yodel didnt have a problem with it and I could have gone full time (though that isn’t my bag) I’m a bit afraid that me waiting on RM is going to be a waste of time. The ad I responded to (MP) didn’t mention 6 months tacho records in the last 12 - but some ads do for RM. I’m going to be seriously ■■■■■■ off if I get bounced mid November.
Being told no after you’ve passed the driver assessment is basically saying “we don’t trust the driving assessor we employ…”
You couldn’t make it up!
Anyone know of any decent trunking work going in W Yorks (Bdford/Hudds end ideally!!![emoji1787]
Nearly there again:
I find it strange you guys are so desperate for rm when other similar work pay better and treat you better by acknowledging your application
Not desperate for RM.
Any suggestions in the W Yorks area would be great. I’ve applied for 7 jobs (albeit ad hoc or p/t) and only had RM (Manpower) and one other response.
Nearly there again:
I find it strange you guys are so desperate for rm when other similar work pay better and treat you better by acknowledging your application
Not desperate for RM.
Any suggestions in the W Yorks area would be great. I’ve applied for 7 jobs (albeit ad hoc or p/t) and only had RM (Manpower) and one other response.
Nearly there again:
I find it strange you guys are so desperate for rm when other similar work pay better and treat you better by acknowledging your application
Not desperate for RM.
Any suggestions in the W Yorks area would be great. I’ve applied for 7 jobs (albeit ad hoc or p/t) and only had RM (Manpower) and one other response.
Driver shortage!!!
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
Same here, RM is 20 minutes from home and staightforward work - simple.
I know what you mean about pt work, I’ve had similar experiences and it was also one of the reasons I applied to RM because pertemps had specifically said one or two days was available if that’s what you wanted. I would have thought promising a day or two a week to anyone who are supposedly desperate for drivers would be fine but so far they honestly don’t seem that bothered…
Nearly there again:
I find it strange you guys are so desperate for rm when other similar work pay better and treat you better by acknowledging your application
Not desperate for RM.
Any suggestions in the W Yorks area would be great. I’ve applied for 7 jobs (albeit ad hoc or p/t) and only had RM (Manpower) and one other response.
Driver shortage!!!
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
Same here, RM is 20 minutes from home and staightforward work - simple.
I know what you mean about pt work, I’ve had similar experiences and it was also one of the reasons I applied to RM because pertemps had specifically said one or two days was available if that’s what you wanted. I would have thought promising a day or two a week to anyone who are supposedly desperate for drivers would be fine but so far they honestly don’t seem that bothered…
Royal Mail have had a recruitment campaign. The agreement between the CWU and Royal Mail is to be less reliant on agency and more reliant on permanent employment. Christmas pressure is however different. They are struggling to find drivers who will work for parity pay, £18.12ph for class 1. Agency drivers can now get better rates of pay elsewhere.
Nearly there again:
I find it strange you guys are so desperate for rm when other similar work pay better and treat you better by acknowledging your application
Not desperate for RM.
Any suggestions in the W Yorks area would be great. I’ve applied for 7 jobs (albeit ad hoc or p/t) and only had RM (Manpower) and one other response.
Driver shortage!!!
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
Same here, RM is 20 minutes from home and staightforward work - simple.
I know what you mean about pt work, I’ve had similar experiences and it was also one of the reasons I applied to RM because pertemps had specifically said one or two days was available if that’s what you wanted. I would have thought promising a day or two a week to anyone who are supposedly desperate for drivers would be fine but so far they honestly don’t seem that bothered…
Royal Mail have had a recruitment campaign. The agreement between the CWU and Royal Mail is to be less reliant on agency and more reliant on permanent employment. Christmas pressure is however different. They are struggling to find drivers who will work for parity pay, £18.12ph for class 1. Agency drivers can now get better rates of pay elsewhere.
Thanks for that.
I’d do 7.5 tonne stuff for that rate obviously.
But class 1? Nah. We shall see. Not sure I’m going to hang around long enough to even start with RM.
I have a class C1 and have noticed jobs paying higher than class 1 work with ADR (though it was based in Warrington). That said, on my ADR course there was a bloke who said he was earning £27/hour picking up clinical waste in a Van !!!
By the way, you can apply for your own DBS check I think its about £15. I always have a valid certificate for voluntary work with the RAF Association.
Royal Mail have had a recruitment campaign. The agreement between the CWU and Royal Mail is to be less reliant on agency and more reliant on permanent employment. Christmas pressure is however different. They are struggling to find drivers who will work for parity pay, £18.12ph for class 1. Agency drivers can now get better rates of pay elsewhere.
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Thanks for that.
I’d do 7.5 tonne stuff for that rate obviously.
But class 1? Nah. We shall see. Not sure I’m going to hang around long enough to even start with RM.
