Anyone know what rates the agencies charge for drivers to clients
LOADS 
That’s a bit like asking if anyone knows how much a dry cleaner charges their customers!
It would depend on how many dry cleaners there are in that specific area, how much demand for dry cleaners there is in a certain area, oh, and obviously whether the dry cleaner would be using top notch tried and tested cleaning materials or whether they opt for the cheap untested materials which may damage clients clothing! 
Why do some people seem so hung up on what the agency charges the customer? How many people think the same about how much profit the company makes a year compared to how much it pays the direct employed drivers.
jammbo:
Why do some people seem so hung up on what the agency charges the customer? How many people think the same about how much profit the company makes a year compared to how much it pays the direct employed drivers.
Got nothing to do with that but I am looking at Franchises and had a business meeting with a guy who has furnished me with some stats,that seem a little bit unbelievable,hence the fishing for info.
But hey thanks for the rant pal 
only franchise i am aware of would be driverhire, but if you dont have a clue about rates maybe its the wrong franchise to look at?
best of luck though.
jammbo:
Why do some people seem so hung up on what the agency charges the customer? How many people think the same about how much profit the company makes a year compared to how much it pays the direct employed drivers.
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Because the parasitic middle man activities of all agencies could be avoided if they all ■■■■ ed off, maybe then the industry could experience a decent rate of pay paid direct to the driver
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Quite a lot I would say if the firm appears to be making a lucrative profit on the backs of their drivers if said drivers are on a pittance. I could name a few well known ones that operate an all flash no cash policy…but I won’t.
Hope that answers your question
Out of interest have you a vested interest in an agency? Just asking.
go direct. £12.50 per hour plus O/T @ time and a half after 8 hours, plus night out. forget the agencies.
Just wondered (with no intentions) would it be possible to hire yourself out as a one man ‘agency’ or is there a legal requirement to qualify as such?
Apologies if that is a bloody stupid question to those in the know 
No its just ive been agency worked for major and small family firms direct have always found life better hrs worked vs pay better on the agency,sure you get messed about at times but then what job dont you.firms that pay the same simple hourly rate as agency are few and far between.
Isn’t the problem with “hiring yourself out” that you’d have to undercut prices already on offer by the agencies, thus nullifying any advantage of doing thus?
Who’s going to pay a sole-trader driver £15ph when you can book them via the local agency at £14.75 for example? You can also trust the integrity of the larger firm’s insurance covers, etc. as well. Imagine the disasters that could ensue should a newbie “sole trader” driver be involved in a serious accident on day one - then it turns out they’ve only got “partial and inadequate” cover in place?
Take it you missed this thread last week then
We get charged £17 -£23 ph day rate for the two agencies we use in ■■■■■■■■
Winseer:
Who’s going to pay a sole-trader driver £15ph when you can book them via the local agency at £14.75 for example?
Depends on how good you are. I used to match Driver Hire rates and get plenty of work purely because I’d built up a reputation as a driver you could just give the keys, point towards the motor and get on with it without wrecking the load or the wagon or whacking through fuel.
as i have said before it is possible to go as a freelance driver, however you need to be very choosy and careful about who you work with and what you agree (for example most customers work on at least 30 days payment terms in transport).
you will need to factor in a company going ‘under’ or refusing to pay or any other discrepancies.
rob no matter how hard you try you will NEVER get rid of agencies as they are too easy for the big players in the industry to utilise and there are getting fewer and fewer local transport companies out there.
best of luck to anyone who goes freelance it can be done.
matt79:
We get charged £17 -£23 ph day rate for the two agencies we use in ■■■■■■■■
Clearly no agency competition up there then.
Surprising, bearing in mind Stobart HQ is in this county I believe… I always thought their “low pay policy” was about it being a “perma-times-are-'ard” local economy where they were based? 
£15 per hour. I’ve thought lately if I get fed up with this OD lark, I’ll just send my card to all the agencies, say it’s £20 per hour, I don’t care what you charge the client. They’ll pay it too. Or direct card to all these blue chips who are bricking it for this Crimbo.
I mean you’d only need do 2 days a week…