Ok I have had my class 2 10 years loads of experience on that but I have only just got my class 1.
Got offered a job but the guy wants me to work 3 weeks and only get paid 1 weeks wage after 3 weeks. He holds back a extra weeks wage because he says it covers damages to the lorry which he charge the drivers for.
Is this normal ? Do I take the job ? He did say he would come out with me 10 days and get me trained up
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keebs26uk:
Ok I have had my class 2 10 years loads of experience on that but I have only just got my class 1.Got offered a job but the guy wants me to work 3 weeks and only get paid 1 weeks wage after 3 weeks. He holds back a extra weeks wage because he says it covers damages to the lorry which he charge the drivers for.
Is this normal ? Do I take the job ? He did say he would come out with me 10 days and get me trained up
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Damage, like wear and tear, to trucks is part of an operator’s costs.
Walk away.
Yes just take the job. After 3 weeks run his unit into a brick wall and then go get another job.
Any firm who makes a driver pay for damage is to be steered clear of. There is a thing called insurance which he should have… and any willful damage should be dealt with in a disciplinary manner and can then also be claimed back via insurance.
Avoid.
WALK AWAY don`t even think about it.
I’ve known companies who are really tight with ■■■■■ strings, even they don’t make drivers pay for any damages. As above that’s what insurance is for , move on.
Seems to me there is some virtue in having a bonus system.
Those who take care, don’t do damage, etc, get a bonus. Those who rush and act carelessly, without thought don’t…
.
That is however, not the same as taking wages from an employee.
Ok thanks fir the advice all. Bit disappointed as no one else seems to want to give a new class 1 driver around Ipswich a start. All say need 2 years for insurance purposes, like I have been driving class 2 for 10 years surely that counts for something?
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toonsy:
Any firm who makes a driver pay for damage is to be steered clear of. There is a thing called insurance which he should have… and any willful damage should be dealt with in a disciplinary manner and can then also be claimed back via insurance.Avoid.
My firm (well not mine but the one I drive for, via agency) puts the insurance excess (£500) on the driver if it was his fault. OK or not OK?
ETS:
toonsy:
Any firm who makes a driver pay for damage is to be steered clear of. There is a thing called insurance which he should have… and any willful damage should be dealt with in a disciplinary manner and can then also be claimed back via insurance.Avoid.
My firm (well not mine but the one I drive for, via agency) puts the insurance excess (£500) on the driver if it was his fault. OK or not OK?
If you’ve signed up…
For that in your contract with them then, yeh, it’s ok for them cos they’ll knob you for it.
NO ONE should EVER be subsidising any one else’s insurance costs.
He is pulling a fast one on you.Ask him straight does he carry loads for free for new customers and start charging on the 3rd load. He wants free labour no wonder he was willing to shaft you.Try companies in Woolpit or Felixstowe .
ETS:
toonsy:
Any firm who makes a driver pay for damage is to be steered clear of. There is a thing called insurance which he should have… and any willful damage should be dealt with in a disciplinary manner and can then also be claimed back via insurance.Avoid.
My firm (well not mine but the one I drive for, via agency) puts the insurance excess (£500) on the driver if it was his fault. OK or not OK?
In the case of an accident, and the company stands to loose the excess will they fight for it? Hell yeah.
If they stand to loose little will they fight?
Will they pay for your time to fight to keep it?
.
Who chooses the insurance policy?
Who pays less for insurance by choosing a policy with a big excess?
.
yourhavingalarf:
NO ONE should EVER be subsidising any one else’s insurance costs.
I’m a bit torn on this one…On one hand, it creates a moral hazard (it’s only payable if it’s ‘negligence damage’), on the other, who’s to say whether it was negligence for certain. I can’t see myself getting into a situation whre I’d be liable to pay but then it only takes 1 of ‘those’ days or even a moment of bad luck and I’d be on the hook. 1 near miss last night when a people van squeezed half a foot in front and slammed brakes (queue) - I saw him, knew that he was going to go for it and had my foot on the brake as soon as he passed me so reacted but if I knew I wouldn’t be liable for any damage costs I would’ve totaled his 2016 leased ■■■■■■■■■■■■■, not gonna lie.
IMO insurance companies have way too much power and they have most companies by the balls, hence the requirements for 6 months up to 2 years for license. I mean the excess itself is there to compensate for the moral hazard, I guess…
ETS:
I’m a bit torn on this one…
Let me put it…
Another way. Why should you subsidise anyone else’s insurance?
Insurance is all about risk against the cost of the premium. The haulier and the agency have to insure to a minimum third party cover although I suspect most will elect for comprehensive cover. If they have drivers who cause damage through negligence then that is reflected in how much they have to pay on next years premium. That’s the risk the insurers take on, they have no idea how much they may or not have to pay for damage. I see no reason whatsoever to ease an insurance company’s financial burden. I see no reason to increase an agency’s profit margin by directly contributing to it.
If there is damage then that should be paid for by the agency out of the agency’s profits.
keebs26uk:
Ok thanks fir the advice all. Bit disappointed as no one else seems to want to give a new class 1 driver around Ipswich a start. All say need 2 years for insurance purposes, like I have been driving class 2 for 10 years surely that counts for something?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Try one of the shunting/ locals firms in Felixstowe last time I was in Felixstowe just about every fence or gate had drivers wanted . Go there and knock on doors
keebs26uk:
Ok I have had my class 2 10 years loads of experience on that but I have only just got my class 1.Got offered a job but the guy wants me to work 3 weeks and only get paid 1 weeks wage after 3 weeks. He holds back a extra weeks wage because he says it covers damages to the lorry which he charge the drivers for.
Is this normal ? Do I take the job ? He did say he would come out with me 10 days and get me trained up
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Hard to believe it ever was said or offered
In some sectors of the industry damage free bonuses are fairly common and sensible IMO, but an entirely separate bonus not part of normal wages.
It’s worth taking care when a £1500 kerching is there in your Christmas pay slip.
No i wouldn’t work for someone who deducted from normal wages for damage, but you can never say never in this game because someone might be paying well over the odds and has come up with a ‘percentage of damage’ to be billed to the driver, it would be near enough the same as the damage free bonuses found in some of the car transporter contracts just by a slightly different method.
It’s possible also that threats of taking money from drivers is being voiced to deter those who usually cause wreckage…and before you flame me look at if from the operators point of view for a sec.
You run a lorry business and someone has applied for a job, now its entirely possible he comes with a sheaf of impeccable and checkable history and someone you just ‘‘know’’ is going to be sound (Keebs may well be in this group and the potential boss is an arse)…but we all know most of these types are already in good jobs where their present guvnor if they have even one ounce of gumption is already looking after them as well as they can so they don’t jump ship.
The reality in recruitment is its pot luck, and we all know there are plenty of twerps who go around various jobs leaving a trail of destruction in their wake, so maybe the operator threatening to dock wages for damage is using that threat to weed out those who trash stuff to £■■■ on a weekly basis.
Not saying its right, just that these days with the costs of accidents and damage soaring it’s understandable if an operator tries to deter those types from applying if he can.
I suspect that in many cases if the damage was ‘justified’ as it were then the operator would take it on the chin, and use the billing sanction only where idiocy neglect incompetence is proven without a shadow of doubt.
Damage costs are unbelievable when you see what some of these pillocks do, it’s in the interests of good drivers on a company that these types are deterred as much as its in the interests of the company.
Not defending unscrupulous employers here by the way, just saying there’s another way to look at it.
keebs26uk:
Ok thanks fir the advice all. Bit disappointed as no one else seems to want to give a new class 1 driver around Ipswich a start. All say need 2 years for insurance purposes, like I have been driving class 2 for 10 years surely that counts for something?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Have you just looked at the adverts or gone to see companies in person?
Apart from what has already been mentioned regarding it being the reason the company has insurance, there are two other issues. It indicates a measure of his lack of trust in you, so why should you trust him not to invent some spurious damage - probably to a trailer you won’t remember having pulled,and if you have been driving class 2 for 10 years either you have a good accident record which he should trust; or you don’t in which case, then as an observer, maybe it is fair enough.
keebs26uk:
Ok I have had my class 2 10 years loads of experience on that but I have only just got my class 1.Got offered a job but the guy wants me to work 3 weeks and only get paid 1 weeks wage after 3 weeks. He holds back a extra weeks wage because he says it covers damages to the lorry which he charge the drivers for.
Is this normal ? Do I take the job ?
Normal?
Yeh normal for crap and/or ■■■■ taking firms.
Should you take the job?
No, unless you are willing to be taken for a ■■■■.
Go on the agency and get some Class 1 experience instead.
Hope that helps. 