I am thinking of doing less shifts like 4 on 4 off but I don’t want to be getting basic money on weekend shifts.
Do agencies pay weekend rates on this shift or do they basically pay the same rates as in the week?
I had a chat with driver hire and another agency who were giving me the run around on rates telling me it depends on the employer, same old recruiter BS trying to get as much as they can etc…
Is it better direct or with agencies for this shift?
4 on 4 off but you still want paying premium rate for w/e good luck with that
If the company you eventually work for operates 24/7 like many do, you could more than likely, going to be working Bank Holidays and there are 8-9 of them
Hi Narc
I do 4 on 4 off but work full time for a company not agency work. As far as the shifts are concerned it’s the best work life balance I’ve had in a job where I can still earn a full time wage but only work half the year. Even less so when you take holidays into account. There’s plenty of opportunities for overtime also if you fancy it with having 4 days off. I usually do a couple of days a month. However you have to not mind working weekends as you end up working more than you don’t. My hourly rate is the same no matter what days I work but I feel I’m paid fairly to compensate for the weekend working (£17 ph) The biggest downside for me is that you get certain weeks with only 3 days pay. It’s an 8 week cycle so 4 weeks of 4 days pay and 4 weeks of 3 days pay. These are the weeks i usually do an extra day.
Hope this gives you an insight
I’m on 5 on 3 off is great and don’t mind working weekends
Paid same rate even for weekends get double pay if work bank holidays.
To be fair the entire point of 4 on 4 off is to make what day it is irrelevant. I’m on 4/4 a while I do get a small amount more for weekends it’s not much. For me it’s not about the money, it’s about having a life beyond work. Previously to this I was doing 5 days one week and 6 the next on physically demanding work and hated every minute! 4/4 has made life so much better.
Narc:
I am thinking of doing less shifts like 4 on 4 off but I don’t want to be getting basic money on weekend shifts.
Do agencies pay weekend rates on this shift or do they basically pay the same rates as in the week?I had a chat with driver hire and another agency who were giving me the run around on rates telling me it depends on the employer, same old recruiter BS trying to get as much as they can etc…
Is it better direct or with agencies for this shift?
I went from 5 days - 4 days - 3 days , mon-fri, mon- thurs , mon -wed , just told them what I wanted to do , mon - wed , that I wouldn’t work fri , weekends , b/h , no need to work 4/4 if you want less days , just tell the agency what shifts you want to work
Nb I do most of the time get long shifts , they do alter my start time a fair bit , but it’s only 3 days so not bothered
I think I actually want this shift and yes you guys are right it don’t matter about the weekend rates when you can work more days if wanted and they are offering decent rates at the minute.
Much appreciate all the responses
switchlogic:
To be fair the entire point of 4 on 4 off is to make what day it is irrelevant. I’m on 4/4 a while I do get a small amount more for weekends it’s not much. For me it’s not about the money, it’s about having a life beyond work. Previously to this I was doing 5 days one week and 6 the next on physically demanding work and hated every minute! 4/4 has made life so much better.
What’s the score with you Luke…did you get your HGV licence back?
robroy:
switchlogic:
To be fair the entire point of 4 on 4 off is to make what day it is irrelevant. I’m on 4/4 a while I do get a small amount more for weekends it’s not much. For me it’s not about the money, it’s about having a life beyond work. Previously to this I was doing 5 days one week and 6 the next on physically demanding work and hated every minute! 4/4 has made life so much better.What’s the score with you Luke…did you get your HGV licence back?
Medical later in week so fingers crossed. Thank you for asking
^^^ best of luck with the medical Switch.
I did 4 on 4 off back in the 80’s on nights, best shift pattern ever.
Work a different pattern now, not as short a working week as 4/4 but much better than a normal 5 days week, wouldn’t want to resume 5 day weeks.
On that subject this 5 on 3 off lark seems to be getting more common, it’s not great because due to the longer working weeks proportionately you work more weekend days, hence it wants to be seriously paid and i see some are trying to palm new applicants off with salaries on a par or only just over the 4/4 staff, i wouldn’t want it.
When I did it pay was flattened out, salaried if you like, taking account of weekend rates etc so you’d get a flat rate that was hugger than weekday pay for 5/2 drivers but less than they woukd earn on the weekend but it all worked out - it meant when your four in was Monday to Thursday you were “up” but if you were in at weekend you were effectively “down” money wise but it all worked out overall. Also same pay every week regardless of four days worked or three worked, again same as before you felt “up” on the three day weeks except you never felt down on the four day weeks.
If you can do rotating shifts it’s a cracking shift. I need fixed days now so wouldnt work until kids grow up a bit but I’d do it again
Juddian:
On that subject this 5 on 3 off lark seems to be getting more common, it’s not great because due to the longer working weeks proportionately you work more weekend days, hence it wants to be seriously paid and i see some are trying to palm new applicants off with salaries on a par or only just over the 4/4 staff, i wouldn’t want it.
Yep there it is, the usual ‘‘real reason’’ or hidden agenda for firms changing things all of a sudden ie get Sat and Sun work done for basic rate as it becomes a ‘normal working day’
on your shift pattern. …don’t you just love this industry eh? 
I do my 4 on 3 off pattern, so I work every Saturday, for which I get a higher rate than previous 3 days.
4/4 is what’s appealing to me in doing tankers. I’m long way from the necessary experience yet but it’s a possible goal. Give me more kayaking and snorkeling time 
robroy:
Juddian:
On that subject this 5 on 3 off lark seems to be getting more common, it’s not great because due to the longer working weeks proportionately you work more weekend days, hence it wants to be seriously paid and i see some are trying to palm new applicants off with salaries on a par or only just over the 4/4 staff, i wouldn’t want it.Yep there it is, the usual ‘‘real reason’’ or hidden agenda for firms changing things all of a sudden ie get Sat and Sun work done for basic rate as it becomes a ‘normal working day’
on your shift pattern. …don’t you just love this industry eh?I do my 4 on 3 off pattern, so I work every Saturday, for which I get a higher rate than previous 3 days.
My shift pattern includes some weekend working paid salary, but when the salary was originally calculated the correct premium rates were set in stone and all annual pay rises since have been percentage based.
Enhanced weekend, night, overtime, bank holiday rates were hard won by union members, usually, over many years, yes it’s inevitable that some companies for wage simplicity will come up with one set rate, and no harm in that as such but the rate needs to reflect and include premium shifts.
Just a quick back of ■■■ packet calc here (don’t shoot me if i’m wrong), but over an 8 week period assuming both start on a monday, i haven’t worked out the wekend differences if you take an 8 week cross section starting any other day of the week:
5 on 3 off gets 20 days off of which 5 are weekend days
4/4 gets 27 days off of which 7 are weekend days.
You can see how much better paid the 5 on 3 shift pattern needs to be.
Been on 4/4 for last 2 yrs. Don’t think I’d ever go back .great work life balance , I’ve never had as much free time. another big positive the 4days you get to recover especially if it been one of those shifts . Our 4/4 drivers are Flat hourly £14 .30 upto 42 hours then £22.60 ph for additional hours.
I do 4 on 4 off nights, really like it and I’d recommend giving it a try. Yes there’s a fair bit of weekend work but the time off you get more than makes up for it in my opinion. Guess it depends on your personal circumstances really. Lad I talk with at work would love to do it but he has his kids of a weekend so it’s a no go. I’ve no family so it works well for me, often I’d rather have days off during the week because everywhere is open, can get stuff done, everything is less crowded cause most folk are at work lol. Nip for a few beers knowing you’ve another 2 days off…
As for pay I’d think most places are flat rate throughout but sure there are exceptions. I’m salaried so paid the same every Friday. Same as the Monday to Friday lads but obviously we cop for a lot of weekends so swings and roundabouts. You can earn good money with overtime like if you work 6 days you still have 2 off and with 2 days overtime in. I don’t do it, enjoy 4 off too much lol.
Some places will want their moneys worth out of you hours wise. I average 40/42 over the 4 nights
Give it a try:)
Best shift iv’e ever done.
Locally, I seen Green Group are advertising for drivers with rates of about £13/hr Monday-Friday, and around £14/hr for 4on/4off
Some descent information in this thread thank you very much to all of you.
Luke, Good luck!!! I did see your Plight online and wish you all the very best getting your license sorted out!
That’s a long old haul and hopefully it will soon all be a distant memory!
I moved onto this shift pattern about 18 months ago and have nothing but positives to say about it having worked on various different rota’s over the years, these normally included working 5 days a week. I think I would struggle going back to a traditional 5 day rota having done this for a period of time now. Naturally, like everything there are positives and negatives and those will depend on your own personal circumstances.
Positives:
Negatives:
)As I say I love it, I work for a high street retailer and so weekend working is part of the deal unfortunately. I’m contracted and paid for 12 hours but never end up doing that and having the 4 days off is a life changer (especially with 2 young kids) as I never felt like I’d had “time off” with just the 2 days before being back at work when on a 5 day rota. Downside is I personally get no premiums or extra £ per hour when in on the weekend days but I can begrudgingly accept that as it’s the best job I have had.
As others have mentioned, the rota is an 8 week cycle - you will have 3 weekends where you work both Sat & Sun, you have 3 weekends where you have both Sat & Sun off and the other 2 weekends will consist of one weekend where you have Sat off but work the Sun the other weekend is the opposite as you have Sat off but work the Sun.
If on a 12 hours a day contract (like most 4 on 4 off rota’s) this averages out to 42 hours a week over the year - some weeks you get 36 hours pay (3 days) others you get 48 hours pay (4 days).