I was wondering if anyone thought it may be worth setting up a post where drivers could leave a review of agency,s they had worked for, or just had contact with . I often read on here of guy,s wasting time money and petrol going for interviews that end nowhere.
If we had somewhere you could read other drivers comments from around the country on the various agencies it may give us a rough idea on what to expect. Maybe even set up a league table and award points to the best or worst .
If it saves a few people some time and money while things are bad it,s got to be worth it aint it?
Would it shame a few of them to be at the bottom of the table, or am I being nieve and really they would,nt give a [zb]?
It’s a good idea, lefkasman. 
I guess that drivers could leave positive comments about agencies they had used or contacted, but I suspect that any negative remarks would leave this forum open to possible legal action. 
A Recommended Agency List couldn’t hurt, though, like Rog has compiled for the Training Schools, but everyone would have to be very careful with comments! 
Great idea, maybe get some kind of rating system.
Driver Hire Leicester , Told to forget it didn’t, even want to register me.
QS Nottingham went over to Nots for “interview” last week , not heard from since
ASK Leicester registered two weeks ago , Nothing yet but been on course, (I told them unavailable) so we’ll See .
TAG Leicester same thing no one Available
Walked through town Leicester ,looked in Windows , lots of Class C in Window , didn’t want to register me , No one Available !!
Don’t even remember the names of them any more. But same story everywhere they all have their regulars and its hard to get up on the list. best is when they all want you and its your turn to mess with them, they even call you Sir then !!
Manpower told me they are not taking anyone on.
[Edit name removed] are a bunch of b hiiters and liers.
Pertemps at Milton Keynes seem pretty switched on rang them on Mon regarding work they were advertising on the job centre website went in that afternoon to register,then had a 3pm assesement the following day at Gist in Hemel Hempstead consisting of a good 60 min drive and a blind side reverse and back in today(Friday) for a day in the classroom which is paid,so hoping for plenty of work there very soon.
Northamptonguy341:
Pertemps at Milton Keynes seem pretty switched on rang them on Mon regarding work they were advertising on the job centre website went in that afternoon to register,then had a 3pm assesement the following day at Gist in Hemel Hempstead consisting of a good 60 min drive and a blind side reverse and back in today(Friday) for a day in the classroom which is paid,so hoping for plenty of work there very soon.
was that the one advertised at ten quid an hour start of the week??
How did the Hatfield interview go mate?
LoadsOfHorses:
It’s a good idea, lefkasman.I guess that drivers could leave positive comments about agencies they had used or contacted, but I suspect that any negative remarks would leave this forum open to possible legal action.
A Recommended Agency List couldn’t hurt, though, like Rog has compiled for the Training Schools, but everyone would have to be very careful with comments!
I suggested this a short while ago but the concerns you mentioned were also echoed by site admin and the idea was abandoned for the bit I’ve highlighted in red.
I agreed with that view by site admin so did not do it.
also one agency can be the best of the bunch for one driver whilst someone else might not like them that much so whilst one would sing the praises of agency a and not of agency b someone might have had a completely different experience of the same two agencies and be backing agency b to the hills but say agency a are crap. Its not really something you can measure that well to be honest
My opinion:
I do not like agencies, never have…But…
I have read others experiences of agencies on this forum and have to admit to being put off by them, however, I registered with an agency two weeks ago. Since then I have had 1 day last week, I was offered 4 weeks work, I turned it down as I did not want to be tied, I was also offered Mon & Tues multi drop on a 7.5 tonner, I refused as I do not do 7.5 tonners. I have had two days this week on class 2 work for a large corp, 26 tonner, nice equipment.
I really feel that location will have a lot to do with the amount of work offered, I was speaking to a driver from the Midlands today, East Mids and he was telling me how bad it was up there, I am in Sussex/Kent and the work seems to be there.
I would also add that I feel ‘attitude’ has a lot to do with it, if you are a happy, positive person who likes people and you get on with others well, then I feel that you will get work.
I have had nothing but positive experiences so far from all my dealings.
My attitude to agencies now? I am actually quite impressed, I have work on my terms and am enjoying being on the road…I dont want a full time job as it would interfere with other stuff that I do, plus you dont know what you are driving, where you are going or what you are hauling…Best fun I have had in years.
ROG:
LoadsOfHorses:
It’s a good idea, lefkasman.I guess that drivers could leave positive comments about agencies they had used or contacted, but I suspect that any negative remarks would leave this forum open to possible legal action.
A Recommended Agency List couldn’t hurt, though, like Rog has compiled for the Training Schools, but everyone would have to be very careful with comments!
I suggested this a short while ago but the concerns you mentioned were also echoed by site admin and the idea was abandoned for the bit I’ve highlighted in red.
I agreed with that view by site admin so did not do it.
surely that could be said about any comments on this forum relating to any business or individual? isnt that why the website takes no responsibility for comments and opinions posted by individuals? i could see your point if the web team were collating information and producing a doc of some form but as i understand it, the suggestion is for drivers to warn about or recommend agencies. providing it was criticism rather than slander, i dont see how legal repercussions would be a risk 
I’m happy with my agency at the moment
always between 4 and 6 days a week since christmas. and one company always request me as 1st choice
and been there 5 years no problems
The answer is no… for the simple reasons it has been shown many many times on here that people cannot post in a way that doesnt get the lawyers rubbing their hands together with glee and booking another holiday in the Bahamas at our expense.
For example
Instead of posting that
“XXXXXXXXX” agency advertised day shifts @£10 per hours in our local paper I registered with them but only got offered the occassional night shift at £8.50 per hour, personally I wouldnt reccomend them
We get:
“XXXXXXXXX” Agency are lying bunch of scum sucking leeches, they defraud by getting you to register for non existant work, Bert who works in the office is a Liar and they illegaly dock your wages
First is opinion , the second will land us in court quicker than an MP can claim expenses
(Think it doesnt happen? I have had to remove a company name in this very thread for that exact reason)
LASHHGV:
Manpower told me they are not taking anyone on.
[Edit name removed] are a bunch of b hiiters and liers.
Its the same with ADR Network, I filled in their online form for my brother-in-law [tinternet less], and, I`ve not had anything back whatsoever, and that was three weeks ago. I can remember them ringing me back two years ago, about 20 seconds after I pressed the “send” button, well desperate they were.
Sign of the times Im afraid :frowning: , although saying that, I keep very busy with the guy Im with, 16 months of good work, very prompt pay, and NO ■■■■■■■■.
Others are not so lucky, but, by the state of some I`ve met on my travels, NO WONDER
how about a list of recommended agencies then? rather than warning each other, we could advise on who to work for and why they have been recommended. legal threat eliminated 
The agencies days are numbered,firms need to cut back to survive…
garnerlives:
also one agency can be the best of the bunch for one driver whilst someone else might not like them that much so whilst one would sing the praises of agency a and not of agency b someone might have had a completely different experience of the same two agencies and be backing agency b to the hills but say agency a are crap. Its not really something you can measure that well to be honest
Sensible and valid comments here. I also agree with others that attitude (on both sides) has a lot to do with it.
Fatles, it was firms cutting back which led to the rise of agencies in the first place. In days of old it was common to have a spare driver or two working in the yard till required to go out. That simply does not happen any more.
fatles:
The agencies days are numbered, firms need to cut back to survive…
and when they do cutback and get rid of drivers it leaves a hole for when the work does pick up and they have more work than drivers so who do they call? (And it’s not Ghostbusters 
).
I don’t like a lot of agencies as they are just salesmen with people to sell instead of a product but at the end of the day if you are happy with them and they are happy with you then it works, I know some people in full time employment don’t like agency drivers as they get more money per hour (usually) and other reasons as well but they don’t have the security of a full time job so it is a catch 22. I am registered with about 5 agencies and only one ever gets me work, but you can guarantee when it does pick up the ones who haven’t even bothered contacting me for months will find my number but I guess I will just be unavailable!!!
By the way the agency that does get me work is Drivers Direct in Fareham, have had a few moments of, shall we say-turbulence, with them but got it sorted now. We both talk honestly to each other. If they haven’t got me any work then they tell me that, if I can’t work, or just don’t want to as I have plans then I tell them! Simples!
Hi Im from west yorkshire work up here is very slow at the mo, however I use 1 agency in castleford who are pretty good at keeping my wheels moving with class 1 work.
Ive been with them for over 2 years now, but rates are down from last year. All the agencies are cutting each others throats to get work. But of course its the drivers who’s wages suffer.
I only work March to December as i go away in winter so agency work suits me fine but u have to be flexibile in these hard times.
I am registered with about 10 agencies but only get work from this one.
As for swopping between agencies this can sometimes backfire on u as u end up at the bottom of the list for work.
Hope this is of some help
Chrisloot
P.S. The agency is Drivelink who are national,
i would say there are no bad agencies cos if there was there would not last,most agencies survive by the quality of staff there send.and of course the drivers arriving on time for the job and doing it to there best ability
every one as a epinion of how you are treated, but that could be said for any employer
and you could comment on the people that work for agencies, cos i remember one such driver that where i worked turn up to do a days driving 20 drops local, normal driver does it in a morning, but the boss said take the day do your best came back at 5 pm only did 2 drops is excuse was lost my wallet in the van can’t find it so came back boss said why did it take you 8 hours to get back, he said well i get paid for 8 hours.
so IMHO there are no bad agencies, just one that don’t know how to treat there employees, there are bad agency drivers who just don’t care
ask you this as a agency driver driven your truck, and have you got it back in the same way you left it cos i know it happens that you don’t