An agency drivers tale!

[truckerjon]

I’ve been thinking about the view that some drivers, and TM’s have of agency drivers, and thought it might be of interest to some of you to know something about my last six months on agency. I’ve been on agency for about 3 years now; this is not my first experience of agency, I did it for a few years back in the early 80’s and enjoyed the variety and experience It gave me. I am not trying to make myself look like some kind of super driver with this post, I’m sure there are some who have done much more, and I know that there are a large number of agency drivers who are as experienced or as conscientious as I am, but it would be nice for us regulars to be recognised as “proper drivers” from time to time.

So, in the last six months I have driven numerous DAF CF’s and XF’s with a variety of manual and auto gear boxes and axle conbinations. Volvo FM and FH with manual and I’tronic gearboxes, Scania Opticruise and manual 3 over 3 box, A Renault Premium auto, MAN with auto box, and an old TGA with “comfort clutch”, Mercedes Axor manual and Actros with EPS box as well as auto box, Various Iveco Stralis with a variety of gear boxes, both manual and auto, and even an old ERF with a twin splitter! Now I’ve driven many of these in the past, but not for some time,If they had recorded the tunes I played on that gearbox for the first few roundabouts, I could have won Eurovision! I’ve also driven a number of rigids, and sprinter vans. I’ve had twin steer units, 2, 3 axle combo’s and a 4 axle unit with a crane mounted behind the cab.

I’ve pulled most types of trailers from skellys with 20’ and 40’ contailers, tauts, fridge boxes, curtainsiders, double deck boxes, DD curtains, DD Fridges with separate compartments, and flat beds.
I’ve carried “nasty’s” that go “bang” for the MOD , I’ve had flowers and plants, frozen food, chilled food, ambient food, paint, plate steel, aircraft engines, plasterboard, coffee, sweets, sugar and syrup, Office furniture, medical supplies, newsprint and magazines, bulk Paper, cardboard, boxes bikes and car spares, DIY supplies and parcels.

I’ve delivered to RDC’s, army barracks, private houses, warehouses, shops, offices, etc., from Perth in the north, to Isle of Wight in the south, from Norwich in the east to Haverfordwest in the west, and one trip down to the south of France just for a change of scenery. I’ve driven double deck trailers around central London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, I’ve been on top of welsh mountains, and driven across the fens.

Of course none of this will count in 2014, I still need to sit in a classroom for 5 days listening to someone who probably hasn’t driven in the real world for 10 years telling me how to change lanes on a motorway safely, and what gear I need to use to get good fuel consumption.

[weewulliewinkie]

thats what happens when you choose this line of work

[annitram]

Thats the problem Truckerjon

Those that can do the job do

And those that cant TEACH

(Or get promoted out of the way

[darkseeker]

it’s a good thing and a problem at the same time (possibly not when you’ve been doing it for years) I’ve been on the agencies since getting my license (two and a half years), I enjoy the variety, new challenges etc but it can be difficult at times arriving at a new place and nothing’s explained - they just expect you to know their way of doing things etc and when you get it wrong it just adds to their way of thinking that agency drivers are thick.

You’re right though, a little respect wouldn’t go amiss at some places.

[santa]

You know you’ve got respect when they ask for you by name when booking a driver.

You know you [zb]'d up when they say “don’t send that idiot again…”

In my experience some places gave me easy work on the assumption that I couldn’t possibly do as much as their own drivers (often they were quite right); and some gave me the ■■■■ work because their own drivers didn’t want to do it.

[starfighter]

One thing that makes me laugh is we have training sign offs and safety briefings for all manner of stupid things as if we are total idiots that can’t be trusted. But when we get a new model of hire truck in that you personally may not have driven before, and it hasn’t got the manual, when you ask a question about how something works on it the response you get is that you are a driver so you should know.

[leyland510]

Plenty of contradictions around here… some are saying that they are still learning every day even after 30+ years after being deemed competent to reach the minimum standard required to drive large vehicles. Others are saying that the driver CPC is waste of time and basically teaching them how to ■■■■ eggs.

So who is right?

[conor]

leyland510:
Plenty of contradictions around here… some are saying that they are still learning every day even after 30+ years after being deemed competent to reach the minimum standard required to drive large vehicles. Others are saying that the driver CPC is waste of time and basically teaching them how to ■■■■ eggs.

So who is right?

The person saying they’re still learning. There is such a massive variety of loads that you cannot learn how to carry and work with them all. Just think of the many different curtain ratchet mechanisms there are on tautliners for example. Every year I came across another I’d never seen.

The lorries built in the 70’s and 80’s needed to be driven completely different to the way they do now - back then you screamed the nuts off them, today they lug at lower revs.

Things in this industry are constantly changing.

[carryfast]

Blimey.The only work I ever got on agencies was all local/multi drop zb with a 7.5 tonner or a four wheeler.

[carryfast]

Conor:

leyland510:
Plenty of contradictions around here

The lorries built in the 70’s and 80’s needed to be driven completely different to the way they do now - back then you screamed the nuts off them, today they lug at lower revs.

14 Litre ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ 680,TL11/TL12,or in fact any decent sized motor at the time ■■.But it’s just two extremes today they teach the drivers to lug the nuts off them and back then we had drivers screaming the nuts off them when in fact then or now it’s in between which is the actual sweet spot.

[truckerjon]

leyland510:
Plenty of contradictions around here… some are saying that they are still learning every day even after 30+ years after being deemed competent to reach the minimum standard required to drive large vehicles. Others are saying that the driver CPC is waste of time and basically teaching them how to ■■■■ eggs.

So who is right?

I still learn new things on a regular basis, some small, like how to top up the engine oil on a certain truck, some more technical, like using a new piece of equipment.
Why i think that the driver CPC’s are a waste of time is that they are not designed to teach me anything new, or anything that will advance my driving career. All they will do is remind me of what i already know. If I was getting something worthwhile, say for example a fork lift licence, or for those that don’t have them, an ADR, then I would support it, but every five years i will have to listen to the same old stuff that will not do anything for me or for the industry.
It is a badly thought out, and costly regulation that could have been handled so much better and truely could have benifited the transport industry if done properly.

[orys]

Carryfast:
Blimey.The only work I ever got on agencies was all local/multi drop zb with a 7.5 tonner or a four wheeler.

…and lots of handball…

Maybe it’s not the only work I get, but I will be right to estimate it at arround 80-90%… And that’s AFTER I told that I can’t lift heavy items due to spinal problems after car accident, so no home deliveries of sofas and white goods…

[green456]

And that’s AFTER I told that I can’t lift heavy items due to spinal problems after car accident, so no home deliveries of sofas and white goods…

I ain’t afraid of no job

[truckerjon]

Maybe this is too much of the problem. I hear it all the time.
“I told them I don’t do London”
“I got a class one, I ain’t driving a class 2/dinky toy/ van”
“I don’t do fridge work”
“I don’t do multidrop, I only do trunking”
“I don’t do nights out”
If you want to get the work, you got to be prepared to take whatever you are given. Only after you show willing, will you get enough respect from agency and companies etc to be able to start picking and choosing. I hate london, I’m getting too old to do multidrop/ carrying things upstairs, I have a very comfortable bed, with a gorgeous wife, but if there is nothing else, i will do whatever i am offered. Be more flexible, be willing to “go the extra mile”. I get companies asking for me by name, some treat me as “one of us” and that includes the drivers, i didn’t get there by refusing to do" this or that".

A few tips.
Smile, don’t complain, If your not happy about something, explain to the transport manager in a polite and reasonable tone, what you are not happy about.
Don’t be afraid to ask if your not sure about something.As a TM i would much prefer answering 100 “stupid” questions, than have reams of paperwork to complete after somebody “got it wrong”
Drive the crap motor, but only if it’s legal. Do the corect vehicle checks and any defects, report. If they try to force you to take an illegal vehicle on the road, keep your cool, just be polite but firm and point out that the MOT is invalidated due to the defect, and that you don’t want to jepodise thier O licence and your driving licence by risking a serious accident.
Take extra care to complete the paperwork.As said before, if your not sure, ASK.
Don’t wear dirty old jeans with 6 months grease on them and a dirty T-shirt, with some inapproapriate slogan on it try to be smart, first appearances count for a lot, and you represent the company to thier customers.
communicate with the office, if you get delayed, let them know! they will think more of you if you give them a chance to inform the customer you will be late.
don’t lose it, if they keep calling you with stupid questions, if you don;t know what time you will get to somewhere, tell them politely you don’t know, but you will do your best.
Make sure your agency know that you will NOT break the law for anyone.

If at the end of the day, you are not happy working for a particular company, speak to your agency and explain exactly why. Don’t just say,“I dont like multidrop” etc. If the company are asking you to break the law, tell your agency, if they side with the law breakers, look for a new agency, no reputable agency should condon law breaking.

[orys]

green456:
And that’s AFTER I told that I can’t lift heavy items due to spinal problems after car accident, so no home deliveries of sofas and white goods…

I ain’t afraid of no job

I am not afraid. I just don’t want to do it

[orys]

truckerjon:
Maybe this is too much of the problem. I hear it all the time.
“I told them I don’t do London”
“I got a class one, I ain’t driving a class 2/dinky toy/ van”
“I don’t do fridge work”
“I don’t do multidrop, I only do trunking”
“I don’t do nights out”
If you want to get the work, you got to be prepared to take whatever you are given. Only after you show willing, will you get enough respect from agency and companies etc to be able to start picking and choosing. I hate london, I’m getting too old to do multidrop/ carrying things upstairs, I have a very comfortable bed, with a gorgeous wife, but if there is nothing else, i will do whatever i am offered. Be more flexible, be willing to “go the extra mile”. I get companies asking for me by name, some treat me as “one of us” and that includes the drivers, i didn’t get there by refusing to do" this or that".

A few tips.
Smile, don’t complain, If your not happy about something, explain to the transport manager in a polite and reasonable tone, what you are not happy about.
Don’t be afraid to ask if your not sure about something.As a TM i would much prefer answering 100 “stupid” questions, than have reams of paperwork to complete after somebody “got it wrong”
Drive the crap motor, but only if it’s legal. Do the corect vehicle checks and any defects, report. If they try to force you to take an illegal vehicle on the road, keep your cool, just be polite but firm and point out that the MOT is invalidated due to the defect, and that you don’t want to jepodise thier O licence and your driving licence by risking a serious accident.
Take extra care to complete the paperwork.As said before, if your not sure, ASK.
Don’t wear dirty old jeans with 6 months grease on them and a dirty T-shirt, with some inapproapriate slogan on it try to be smart, first appearances count for a lot, and you represent the company to thier customers.
communicate with the office, if you get delayed, let them know! they will think more of you if you give them a chance to inform the customer you will be late.
don’t lose it, if they keep calling you with stupid questions, if you don;t know what time you will get to somewhere, tell them politely you don’t know, but you will do your best.
Make sure your agency know that you will NOT break the law for anyone.

If at the end of the day, you are not happy working for a particular company, speak to your agency and explain exactly why. Don’t just say,“I dont like multidrop” etc. If the company are asking you to break the law, tell your agency, if they side with the law breakers, look for a new agency, no reputable agency should condon law breaking.

I am fully agree with you. My problem is that it’s not that I don’t do it because I don’t like it. In my case I just try to do not do it because I should not to (but still, when I have no other job and can’t afford to refuse shift and loose money, I am doing it on occasions). But in the past I was doing everything - London, driving vans, fridges, multidrop, nights out, removals, home deliveries of white goods, sofas, handball, everything. Therefore agency respect me and I can benefit from luxury that they will offer me the job I should not do only if there is nothing better for me…

[carryfast]

truckerjon:
Maybe this is too much of the problem. I hear it all the time.
“I told them I don’t do London”
“I got a class one, I ain’t driving a class 2/dinky toy/ van”

“I don’t do multidrop, I only do trunking”

If you want to get the work, you got to be prepared to take whatever you are given.

If at the end of the day, you are not happy working for a particular company, speak to your agency and explain exactly why.

Total bs.Maybe you hear blokes telling you that all the time because other blokes like me,who’ve been there and got the T shirt,have told them the score about agencies who’ve just got a load of zb work that no decent class 1,or 2 in my day,driver would want.I would’nt have said that what you’ve put there in that way anyway.What I would have said now,with hindsight having took advice like yours before I knew better,is don’t bother wasting my time and yours giving me a job that a van driver or a class 3 driver should be learning his job on.All your actually doing is wasting the firm’s money by paying class 1 wages for a class 3 driver.What firm would be daft enough to waste money by employing regular class 1 drivers at class 1 rate to do class 3 work.My theory is the only reason they’ll do that is because they’re so desperate to find drivers who’ll do it at all that they’ll employ whoever they can get at any price and the agencies,of course make more money by providing class 1 drivers at class 1 rates than they would by supplying a 7.5 tonne or a 2 (3) driver.But I certainly used to spend much of my day in greasy jeans and getting my hands dirty earning a living shifting very dirty plant around,as a regular driver on the council,and if my guvnor had complained about it,which he did’nt because he knew why I was in that state,I would have told him where to shove the job,which with hindsight is what I should have done anyway.But working on the agency for a while after that job was even worse with just a mixture of local/multi drop 7.5/ four wheeler zb work after I’d gone to all the trouble of getting and paying for a class 1.

[truckerjon]

Carryfast:

truckerjon:
Maybe this is too much of the problem. I hear it all the time.
“I told them I don’t do London”
“I got a class one, I ain’t driving a class 2/dinky toy/ van”

“I don’t do multidrop, I only do trunking”

If you want to get the work, you got to be prepared to take whatever you are given.

If at the end of the day, you are not happy working for a particular company, speak to your agency and explain exactly why.

Total bs.Maybe you hear blokes telling you that all the time because other blokes like me,who’ve been there and got the T shirt,have told them the score about agencies who’ve just got a load of zb work that no decent class 1,or 2 in my day,driver would want.I would’nt have said that what you’ve put there in that way anyway.What I would have said now,with hindsight having took advice like yours before I knew better,is don’t bother wasting my time and yours giving me a job that a van driver or a class 3 driver should be learning his job on.All your actually doing is wasting the firm’s money by paying class 1 wages for a class 3 driver.What firm would be daft enough to waste money by employing regular class 1 drivers at class 1 rate to do class 3 work.My theory is the only reason they’ll do that is because they’re so desperate to find drivers who’ll do it at all that they’ll employ whoever they can get at any price and the agencies,of course make more money by providing class 1 drivers at class 1 rates than they would by supplying a 7.5 tonne or a 2 (3) driver.But I certainly used to spend much of my day in greasy jeans and getting my hands dirty earning a living shifting very dirty plant around,as a regular driver on the council,and if my guvnor had complained about it,which he did’nt because he knew why I was in that state,I would have told him where to shove the job,which with hindsight is what I should have done anyway.But working on the agency for a while after that job was even worse with just a mixture of local/multi drop 7.5/ four wheeler zb work after I’d gone to all the trouble of getting and paying for a class 1.

I think your reply just goes to prove my points. you end by saying that all you ever got from agency was “just a mixture of local/multi drop 7.5/ four wheeler zb work” Maybe the TM didn’t want you climbing in his nice new trucks with greasy jeans on, maybe he didn’t want to ask you to do anything else, because he was afraid you would answer “F off, I only do class one work” Paying for a class one licence doesn’t automatically entitle you to a class one job, the main point of my post was that you need to earn respect before you get it. As for doing dirty work, we all do that from time to time, I used to work on the coal lorries, but I possess more than one pair of trousers, so if i get them dirty, I put them in the wash and wear a clean pair next day, it’s not difficult to take pride in your appearance but it shows that you are willing to make an effort. A good Attitude is the key.

[darkseeker]

I do a bit of both really and I think the agencies have sussed it now, basicly, if I really don’t like a job I tell the agency so or maybe “I don’t mind doing it now and then but it’s not my cup of tea” I’m not much good at multi-drop so I avoid it unless I need the money. The jobs I enjoy nearly always get a yes, I always do my best and I stay calm and polite even in tough situations. I’ve had two comanies complain about me because I’m a bit slow and three ask for me specificly.

It’s taken a couple of years but I’m fairly busy most of the time and mostly good jobs, i seem to have the agencies “trained” good jobs only and you get better results but ask about the bad ones anyway cos I might be desperate lol. I get the same rate for any job so stuff doing the bad ones!!

[carryfast]

truckerjon:

Carryfast:

truckerjon:
Maybe this is too much of the problem. I hear it all the time.
“I told them I don’t do London”
“I got a class one, I ain’t driving a class 2/dinky toy/ van”

“I don’t do multidrop, I only do trunking”

If you want to get the work, you got to be prepared to take whatever you are given.

If at the end of the day, you are not happy working for a particular company, speak to your agency and explain exactly why.

Total bs.Maybe you hear blokes telling you that all the time because other blokes like me,who’ve been there and got the T shirt,have told them the score about agencies who’ve just got a load of zb work that no decent class 1,or 2 in my day,driver would want.I would’nt have said that what you’ve put there in that way anyway.What I would have said now,with hindsight having took advice like yours before I knew better,is don’t bother wasting my time and yours giving me a job that a van driver or a class 3 driver should be learning his job on.All your actually doing is wasting the firm’s money by paying class 1 wages for a class 3 driver.What firm would be daft enough to waste money by employing regular class 1 drivers at class 1 rate to do class 3 work.My theory is the only reason they’ll do that is because they’re so desperate to find drivers who’ll do it at all that they’ll employ whoever they can get at any price and the agencies,of course make more money by providing class 1 drivers at class 1 rates than they would by supplying a 7.5 tonne or a 2 (3) driver.But I certainly used to spend much of my day in greasy jeans and getting my hands dirty earning a living shifting very dirty plant around,as a regular driver on the council,and if my guvnor had complained about it,which he did’nt because he knew why I was in that state,I would have told him where to shove the job,which with hindsight is what I should have done anyway.But working on the agency for a while after that job was even worse with just a mixture of local/multi drop 7.5/ four wheeler zb work after I’d gone to all the trouble of getting and paying for a class 1.

I think your reply just goes to prove my points. you end by saying that all you ever got from agency was “just a mixture of local/multi drop 7.5/ four wheeler zb work” Maybe the TM didn’t want you climbing in his nice new trucks with greasy jeans on, maybe he didn’t want to ask you to do anything else, because he was afraid you would answer “F off, I only do class one work” Paying for a class one licence doesn’t automatically entitle you to a class one job, the main point of my post was that you need to earn respect before you get it. As for doing dirty work, we all do that from time to time, I used to work on the coal lorries, but I possess more than one pair of trousers, so if i get them dirty, I put them in the wash and wear a clean pair next day, it’s not difficult to take pride in your appearance but it shows that you are willing to make an effort. A good Attitude is the key.

I think you’ve read my post wrong.That job I was doing on the council was a regular job which I had as a council employee,not an agency driver,for 5 years.I did some agency work for a few months to make up some time between jobs when I got my class 1.Also if you’d read it right you’d have seen that I was talking about getting dirty clothes in the course of a DAY’s work not using the same old clothes the following day.I had more than one set of clothes to wear over the course of a week.But your reply did’nt seem to have any answer/explanation to the basic financial inconsistency of using class 1 drivers,on class 2/3 work,at class 1 rates of pay.It does’nt seem to me to make much financial sense considering the financial pressures in the industry.Also if you’d read it right you’d have seen that I never told any manager to zb off but,with hindsight,that’s exactly what I should have done though on those agencies which obviously,for some reason,seemed to have regularly put class 1 drivers on 7.5 or class 3 work at class 1 rates of pay.It certainly did’nt seem to make any financial sense and in my experience most transport managers are’nt stupid when it comes to saving a few bob when it suits them but obviously not in that case.Why?.