Hi lads
Do any of you work for agencys I got told I’m in 5 days this week then today
Transport manager says sorry I only need you for today.
Sorry lads don’t mean to moan but I’m running out of money
I’ve had a day a week for last 4 weeks I can’t live off this level of money
I like the job but I’m skint
How do you lot get on with agencys.
Thank Gordon
I once heard a bloke in an RDC waiting room say that his agency was great. He then went on to tell me about the time he ran out of hours in an RDC, the story mentioned chalk and I stopped listening.
So, no, agencies are always going to let you down mate. Sorry.
I wont do any work for them been shafted too many times by them but cant believe your only getting one day per week at this time of year its the lead up to xmas and they have a big recruitment drive around now ? change you agency or use 2 or more and work them off against each other …
mick.mh2racing:
I once heard a bloke in an RDC waiting room say that his agency was great. He then went on to tell me about the time he ran out of hours in an RDC, the story mentioned chalk and I stopped listening.
So, no, agencies are always going to let you down mate. Sorry.
Priceless Mick. The chalk story appears to be popping up everywhere.
You just got to be as ruthless as them mate, sign up for a few agencies so when one lets you down and they will phone the others and keep working
Sign upto a few, keep ringing them. Become a real pain in the arse, they’ll give you work just to shut you up. Failing that, apply direct to companies
CAMARON:
Hi lads
Do any of you work for agencys I got told I’m in 5 days this week then today
Transport manager says sorry I only need you for today.
Sorry lads don’t mean to moan but I’m running out of money
I’ve had a day a week for last 4 weeks I can’t live off this level of money
I like the job but I’m skint
How do you lot get on with agencys.Thank Gordon
Thats the nature of the beast!
CAMARON:
Hi lads
Do any of you work for agencys I got told I’m in 5 days this week then today
Transport manager says sorry I only need you for today.
Sorry lads don’t mean to moan but I’m running out of money
I’ve had a day a week for last 4 weeks I can’t live off this level of money
I like the job but I’m skint
How do you lot get on with agencys.Thank Gordon
September to November is usually a period of little work along with January to March.
I used to work as much as possible and bank as much money as possible during holiday seasons and Xmas when there was plenty of work then use that to live on when there was little work.
Annually I used to earn a fulltime wage even though there were quiet times. The trick to making it work is to resist the temptation to blow money when you’re in the middle of a busy period getting plenty in the bank each week.
Depends entirely on both the agency you’re using and the area you’re in geographically.
Like anything, there are some better than others. The success behind the agency heavily relies on the consultant - in the same we build relationships with clients, the same should apply to drivers.
I would recommend asking for opinions on agencies specifically in your area, otherwise you’ll just have Diesel telling you to go to Pertemps 
From a personal perspective (I’m an agency consultant fwiw), there hasn’t seem to have been a great downturn in the workload as you’d expect. I’m based in Kent and I’d be surprised if there’s many drivers on here out of work at moment.
I think that you might be entitled to jobseekers allowances,check out all avenues for more work,multiple agencies and your local council recruitment website.If you are at a loose end try your local citizens advice, they might give you
advice.I have been there and went on the buses.
I had this with one agency and then they did not pay me for turning up at 4am to do the shift! The company told me that the agency don’t read their emails as they had informed them a day before. I immediately signed up with another 3 agencies and 2 of them have been really good to me. The one I am working for now has me on container work, I love the job and hope I can stay on this. I get on great with the other drivers and the management and there are 4 other drivers there from this agency. No one has a bad thing to say, regular daily/nightly work decent pay and overtime on weekends if we want it. I am now a happy bunny.
Take one of these days off and go sign up with at least 4/5 agencies. See who comes up with the goods 
double post
Location, Location, Location.
If you live in an area populated by miles-apart skinflint yards, then agencies are going to disappoint and upset every day, because that’s what they let the client firms do to them.
Live somewhere with a better work ethic though, and there’s plenty of work to be had, just not always decent stuff.
Around my way, there always seems to be plenty of P&H work going begging to the point that my agency were offering a bonus to it’s drivers if they can recommend an outsider to sign up for a 13 week contract there! …That kind of suggests that these 5x8 hour Monday-Friday jobs are hard to fill… Well, I don’t like working earlies, so I’m not after it for myself even. If you’re standing opposite me on this issue therefore, look for the equivalent work in your own area, and hit it hard, and the best of luck to you! 
This kind of work (also at Bidvest, 3663, etc) is popular with squaddies I understand.
The day I accept work off an Agency is the day I tear up my licence. Get on the phone to anyone and everyone that has lorries, someone will give you work, even if it’s weekends it’s better than what you have at the moment.
Downsides are you might not get a brand new motor and you may have to actually do some work.
I think it depends on how lucky you are. The fact is there ARE a lot of dodgy agencies out there, who will use you and abuse you as they see fit, however, the good agencies are out there.
I work for an agency who are absolutely outstanding. Nice bunch of fellas in there, they always have your back if there’s a problem with a customer (which rarely happens), and they’ve even part funded my Cat C for me.
Granted, you get the odd day here and there where they have no work, but that’s agency work for you. Although, I have to say so far i’ve only experienced that with 7.5t. I’m told they can keep me busy on Cat C much more easily.
I guess the moral is, agencies are a little like buying shoes, keep trying until you find one that fits.
My fourpenneth for what it’s worth
Rancid
Conor:
September to November is usually a period of little work along with January to March.I used to work as much as possible and bank as much money as possible during holiday seasons and Xmas when there was plenty of work then use that to live on when there was little work.
Annually I used to earn a fulltime wage even though there were quiet times. The trick to making it work is to resist the temptation to blow money when you’re in the middle of a busy period getting plenty in the bank each week.
+1
I`m fully expecting that either the 2nd/3rd week in October to be pre-Xmas point where work dips & drops off prior to it going ballistic, it used to be the last week in Sept
Its always the same each year where 7-10 days your waiting for the phone to ring & everyone else is in the same position.
Luckily if your forewarned you can:
sit it out & hope for the best,
have plan B (with alternate work) ready,
or plan C … go to Benidorm for the week
CAMARON:
I got told I’m in 5 days this week then today
Transport manager says sorry I only need you for today.
Alas that’s the nature of the beast, the planners will forecast the potential requirements for the following week.
The TM will pre-book drivers to cover that weeks work based on that forecast, but when the customer fails to get the predicted sales, they cut back their transport requirements.
Its easier for the TM to pre-book and cut back, than it is to get drivers at the last minute. I regularly have a customer do that to me, which is why I have plan B in case.
We ain`t even got to the sit there for 8hrs doing nothing & getting paid season yet …
Winseer:
Around my way, there always seems to be plenty of P&H work going begging to the point that my agency were offering a bonus to it’s drivers if they can recommend an outsider to sign up for a 13 week contract there! …That kind of suggests that these 5x8 hour Monday-Friday jobs are hard to fill…
The problem isn’t the 5x8 hour Monday-Friday, not at all. Guys bite my arm off for that at every opportunity and we fill it pretty easy.
I think the problem is in the earlier part of that quote.
FreddieSwan:
Winseer:
Around my way, there always seems to be plenty of P&H work going begging to the point that my agency were offering a bonus to it’s drivers if they can recommend an outsider to sign up for a 13 week contract there! …That kind of suggests that these 5x8 hour Monday-Friday jobs are hard to fill…The problem isn’t the 5x8 hour Monday-Friday, not at all. Guys bite my arm off for that at every opportunity and we fill it pretty easy.
I think the problem is in the earlier part of that quote.
Wot? the “Around my way” part?
Sounds a bit snobbish! 
Winseer:
FreddieSwan:
Winseer:
Around my way, there always seems to be plenty of P&H work going begging to the point that my agency were offering a bonus to it’s drivers if they can recommend an outsider to sign up for a 13 week contract there! …That kind of suggests that these 5x8 hour Monday-Friday jobs are hard to fill…The problem isn’t the 5x8 hour Monday-Friday, not at all. Guys bite my arm off for that at every opportunity and we fill it pretty easy.
I think the problem is in the earlier part of that quote.
Wot? the “Around my way” part?
Sounds a bit snobbish!
No fella, I’m round your way lol. The P&H part!
Hard graft - despite the fact they enforce driver’s neg, everyone seems to take a flier and put new pass Class 2’s in (we don’t deal with them anymore given it’s near-impossible to fill with 2+ years exp). Doesn’t matter if you’re English, Scottish, Polish or Jamaican - everyone I’ve met seems to be of the consensus it’s not worth sweating buckets for the rates on offer.
I can see why that bloke went postal with that one agency and went on a rampage.