Most UK transport operators don’t seem to want to cough up the cost of a rest at motorway service areas.
I hear the going rate from the employer for a night out is about 7~9.00 per hour to stay in a authorised service area.
However the cost is normally about 15.00 to 20 pounds.
The employer won’t pay the difference.
This causes some drivers to divert to layby parking with little facilities.
Is the employer cheep skating the driver in this way.
I mean the driver only gets 20pounds to 20.00 something for spending the night in the cab.
What’s the harm in letting the drivers stop at service areas and paying what it costs(receipt,taxman)
" maybe there’s not enough room at the services"
Or not enough services.
I heard of more cheapskates
I get my parking paid on top of my night out allowance, and if that wasn’t good enough no-one bats an eyelid if I get a meal voucher with said parking. Having said that I realise that £20 per night per truck soon adds up, so unless I need to satisfy GIT/avoid diesel fairies, I’ll usually find a freebie.
My company pay for parking. However I try and save my boss money where it counts.
Depends what sort of load I have got on, roughly how much diesel is in my tanks etc
The only time I pay for a truckstop (and get reimbursed) is when I have goods on worth stealing or easy to steal and have a good 300 plus litres of derv on. I prefer to be tucked up out the way on my own somewhere though, either in a customers yard or on an industrial estate.
I wouldn’t pay for a MSA even if I had gold bricks on.
I went for an interview once for a job, the guy said the directors have decided they won’t pay for the full parking if it included breakfast.
They would pay the cost of parking without breakfast or meal.
The driver must pay the difference.
They seemed quite strict about it.
I suppose they’re right if that’s what they decided.
I expect other companies are more generous.
“what’s all this troll nonsense”
Are you a civil servant tax inspector or something.
A company I drive for in Kent has stopped their drivers from claiming the meal allowance part of the parking fee, but they insist that you park somewhere safe and will pay the parking fee only.
Another one asks for their driver not to park on MSA’s, or transport cafe areas, unless they have a high value load, but let us agency drivers park and claim both.
I think it’s a sign of the times , where lots of hauliers are trying to save money where they can. Sad but a fact.
Well, it’s like this, if a driver insists on giving Moto £100 per week then where else can that come from other than his wages?
IMHO, best thing to do is to do what I’m doing tonight, what I do every night, park on an industrial estate which is saturated by CCTV, there’s no way a diddycoy would dare to pull alongside with a Ford Transit and a 45 gallon drum at 2 a.m. and it’s free.
But can the, company not claim the cost back through expenses.
there,a pretty decent service area on the A1near Wetherby I think.
Really big service area for trucks.
I’m not suggestion everyone should have to stay at the services.
And obviously one could only claim the motorway costs with a legitimate receipt.
Things like service station parking and tolls should be reimbursed if part of the job.
I mean I’m sure the tax man wouldn’t mind drivers having a free breakfast.
After all we pay for the tax mans.
I get parking paid plus night out money. I don’t get the meal voucher, as I’d rather cook my own food, but the boss has said we should park where we at least have access to a toilet and shower, which works for me - at the age of 44 my days of green fielding are, I hope, behind me!
No Ross your just a bad contributor who posts to get a reaction- but dont worry your not the only one and most of the others do it far better than you
and just to be clear
What’s the harm in letting the drivers stop at service areas and paying what it costs(receipt,taxman)
Do you think the company gets that £20 back? of the tax man?
Another myth
the only benefit the company gets is that they dont pay tax due on that £20/£25 whatever- as its a verifiable non taxable expense, the whole cst does not somehow disappear- it comes out of your bosses bottom line
if i can find a decent free place thats safe im the 1st one to grab the spot,obviosly depending on what my load is.
however if there is nowhere i think is sutiable or if i dont have time to drive around finding a place i would fully exspect myn employer to reinburse the money i paid to park his/her truck. apart from maybe the meal voucher, but defo the parking, i do try and avoid msa at all costs to be fair as i find them a complete rip off.
the way i see it is a company wouldnt exspect the sales guy or a company rep to sleep in a layby or pay for there hotel so why should the driver? think you just gotta use some common sence sometimes and try and save money where poss.
Harry Monk:
Well, it’s like this, if a driver insists on giving Moto £100 per week then where else can that come from other than his wages?
It comes from pricing your work to include such things, being as they are just another business expense. If you choose to work for rates that would mean removing that option for your drivers then you clearly think little of them. If they choose not to use the option then that’s there call.
IMHO, best thing to do is to do what I’m doing tonight, what I do every night, park on an industrial estate which is saturated by CCTV, there’s no way a diddycoy would dare to pull alongside with a Ford Transit and a 45 gallon drum at 2 a.m. and it’s free.
and…
cliffystephens:
and what happens if you need a bog seen too many drivers go down the bank “disgusting”…
There’s your answer to that !!!
We use them, loaded or not, without quibble. The boss still drives himself and his theory is that every man and the lady driver we have is entitled to a toilet. Even prisoners get them these days you know If you need one or wake up with the [zb]s you may have a little walk but at least you get a loo and sink not a bag and wet wipes which while fine when needed should be treated as an emergency back up, not part of a cheapskate trucking business plan
You mention the cost but lets be straight here. With the time spent dragging of the motorway to your little haunts and the fuel used you’re kidding yourself to believe it’s vastly cheaper or more productive over the week. That opinion comes from owning and running them too
Truckulent:
Surely the issue is not who should pay, but 'why are MSAs/some truckstops so [zb] expensive? And yet they are generally awful…
Crap facilities, questionable security, filthy showers and awful food and 20 quid plus a night per truck?!!!
I have stayed in B&Bs costing not much more with a decent breakie thrown in…
To be fair not all of them are. Some of the MSA’s do a decent trough for a fair price these days. The main reason though is the fact that the giant gobs that give it large in the cafe about “who they told what to etc” don’t say naff all when some grumpy mare serves sub standard grub. They’ll come on here and other sites all gobby and disgruntled about the state of the food, shower, parking etc but do they go and tell anyone at the time ■■? I do and have received in all but one case a positive outcome. Ranging from an apology, to vouchers. The one that dismissed me with sneering contempt called to apologise after a strongly worded email to the head office. If everyone that wasn’t happy said so the message would soon get across.
This site and social media in general is a great tool for solving customer service issues these days
And lots of new MSA’s , like the one on the M25 at Cobham, charge WITHOUT the option of a meal. And how much is it to park there
I think it’s only Moto and Roadchef that offer the meal option.
And as an afterthought, has anybody here tried the shower facility (well that’s what they call it) at Maidstone services on the M20. I wouldn’t wash my shoes in there.
