Does anyone know of any vacancies at their workplace? (Or is there not really a driver shortage?)
where abouts in the country are you roughly … no good someone telling ypu about a job in cornwall if your in john o’groates. are you a new pass or 10 years experience what sort of work do you want and what type of licence do you hold
If you are willing to do agency work and can avoid umbrella payments ring round the big outfits and see if you can find out what agencies they use then sign up with them.
if you want steady work try supermarkets im at the local tesco and do about 6-9 drops a day on class 2. they can be roughly in the same sort of area (10-20 min drive between stores) or they can be as far apart as tunbridge wells to wimbeldon. luck of the draw
I dont think he was asking for a job, he was asking if the shortage is real. My place has been losing drivers, leaving on a Friday, and returning on Monday with agency doing the same job, same truck but 8 quid an hour more!!
Swordsy:
I dont think he was asking for a job, he was asking if the shortage is real. My place has been losing drivers, leaving on a Friday, and returning on Monday with agency doing the same job, same truck but 8 quid an hour more!!
Assuming they have the same holiday and sick pay entitlement as before? Sounds good.
But probably no guarantee if/when things go slack, no redundancy etc.
Not saying it`s not a good deal, but both sides should be looked at.
If the current driver shortage continues, then permanent rates will increase. If it is a bubble, then things may change.
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Everyone makes their own choices, but best to think of personal circumstances in the longer term.
stu675:
Does anyone know of any vacancies at their workplace? (Or is there not really a driver shortage?)
The place I just finished at are desperate for drivers. So much so, they’ve increased the rate from £17p/h to £19.50p/h. It’s also being advertised on Total jobs.
Place i left is absolutely desperate.
On the other hand, two agency lads i know wanted to work this week, but both had two days with nothing doing.
Like the alleged fuel shortage (which isn’t), there’s summat afoot.
Lab rats responding to stimuli?
stu675:
Does anyone know of any vacancies at their workplace? (Or is there not really a driver shortage?)
Plenty. We’re still running on quite a few agency drivers as they don’t want to go fulltime, despite payrises.
They don’t seem to get that its more than just the money that we should have been on years ago, in our case nights & ADR. Its also about the state of the trucks which are effectively our office and currently knackering my back, and the trailers which need to be reasonable quality (not knackered and falling apart).
They can have mine if I finally get lucky with an internal job move. 5 years total driving, had enough.
Our company has a generic ‘‘we’re hiring drivers and warehouse staff’’ sheet outside the yard + a bonus referral scheme. The agencies that work with them will often bring in two dozen people at a time for induction (warehouse staff) only to do it again next week because most of them leave and it’s certainly not a bad place to work with about average pay + some perks. Drivers some will flake off (agency) some will do it more than once (not show up for work or call in sick 1 hour before shift start) and even then they can’t get rid of them because tehy can’t get anyone else. I think the issue is all the people who want to work are already in work and those who aren’t just don’t want to work. They’ll come in, work for 3-4 days or a week then leave.
There’s no shortage of people able to work out there mostly young ones under 30 but their work ethic/commitment is near 0 from my observations, of course usual exceptions apply etc. and the fact that it’s an ever widening problem in the ‘‘West’’ (the labor shortage) seems to support my theory. Especially now with the rise of work from home type of jobs the pay will have to go way up for the old style jobs to attract and retain people.
ETS:
Drivers some will flake off (agency) some will do it more than once (not show up for work or call in sick 1 hour before shift start)
This really…
Grinds my gears. Not only do they blob, they turn their mobiles off and then say, they never recieved any text messages.
Who does that?
My employer has a vacancy next week…
yes,loads of jobs going at our place.almost all the agy drivers have gone elsewhere…so we’ve got a load of subbies into replace them.their contract limit’s their mileage and hours,so we core drivers get the ■■■■ that’s left over 
everybody’s up in arms about it,the TM looks like he’s heading for a breakdown,as he keeps setting on driver’s,but they don’t stay long 
our driver rep has been called into a ‘crisis meeting’ with the GM on Monday,so we’ll see how that goes!
In our place only one left and came back after 2 weeks. We have had 6 trucks in and they are all on the road
I do wonder at times if these vacancies exist.
All see now in most motoway services is adverts. Drivers wanted at DHL
Drivers wanted at explore transport. Drivers wanted at Young’s etc.
I sometimes think company’s put them there to keep the spotlight on the so called shortage hoping the govemment will back down and entice. Foreign labour back who are happy to work for the minimum wage
Or to entice new drivers earn 45k as a truck driver . Then flooding the market with new drivers thus keeping wages down
Well from my experience I think these mega money jobs don’t exist as I have applied for 3 jobs all paying £45000 plus got 1 interview out of them and at that was told the rates at the moment include a £6 per hour uplift but only until Christmas! My next idea was some extra shifts via an agency who are advertising £250-£275 per shift but when I told the girl I would start tomorrow she nearly chocked on her own tongue then proceeded to tell me I’m registered for the Royal Mail and they will be in touch.
personally think its guff ,some media type got told put the word out that theres a huge driver shortage and here we are.The same person put the word out about a fuel shortage and empty supermarket shelves , not long ago local news that 500 people had covid on Felixstowe seafront. As i live there it couldnt be true as no more than 500 live there and everyone was about as usual. I dont know who is continually behind putting out this doom laden news they need a good kicking thats fer sure
Swordsy:
I dont think he was asking for a job, he was asking if the shortage is real. My place has been losing drivers, leaving on a Friday, and returning on Monday with agency doing the same job, same truck but 8 quid an hour more!!
Surely a lot of firms - don’t let you return there to work agency - for the very reason to avoid and discourage drivers from doing exactly that - leaving a £12ph job to come back on £18 covering yourself…
…I wonder how long it will be until someone really takes the ■■■■ and goes SICK only to cover themselves on agency? 
Winseer:
…I wonder how long it will be until someone really takes the ■■■■ and goes SICK only to cover themselves on agency?
My place looking for 50+ drivers.
Mind you, so poor was my previous job, I actually enjoy it and it suits me however I can see how they struggle to attract people given the pay you can get in other places in the local area.
So we find the real cause if the driver shortage at last:
With COVID restrictions being lifted, those pilots who were moon lighting in trucks are now going back to their old jobs.
telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/1 … re-change/
And who knows? Now because of the tales of easy money in RDCs, disgruntled truck drivers could soon be retraining and joining them. Only takes a couple of years and under £100,000 so dead easy.
Periodic trading required so just like truck driving really.
Free uniform, and company provides food.