kr79:
What kind of firm does everyone else work for? I take what my boss tells me to take to where he tells me to take it thats what a lorry driver does isnt it?
Also as a supermarket driver you may not be so smug come january when work dies.
“As a supermarket driver…”
…Taking your safety seriously, 36mph on single carriageways, 45mph on dual carriageways and if you’re lucky 49mph on motorways…
Refuse a job on legal grounds, question it if it’s pushing time but be wary of the two.
A familiar line I heard from drivers when I gave them an unfamiliar drop/run/one they didn’t like the look of…
… “I’ve not been there before” 
- as if that’s some sort of basis for not going somewhere new 
, that would make for a rather restricted career path if that tactic was used straight after passing your licence 
and this was from chaps with 20-30 years driving behind them.
Or an agency driver given a (dead simple) 3x drop run - “I don’t do multi drop” I know this line was given to my fellow supervisors occasionally, with the threat that they (the driver) would go home rather than do the run, unless it was swapped to one more to their liking. I also know that sometimes the office staff crumbled when given that ultimatum, but that would then crap on the rest of the other drivers. I used to call their bluff, and I recall only once when one chap stuck to his ‘principles’ and actulally went home - at 03:45!
What time did this happen?? I was in just before 5am and all was quiet on the western front
mike68:
The clerk is not above his “station” his job is to get the stock out the gate, your job is to deliver it
You don’t know this clerk, and yes they are…
As it happens selby will know which one I’m talking about… 
DonutUK:
DAF95XF:
Apparently “as a professional driver you’ll go where I send you” as told me by one of our transport clerks whose going way above their station…
So I thought you want to go down the professional driver route do you
My reply was “as a professional driver then I’m feeling tired and I’ll go home then”, love a bit of bluff calling at this hour 'cause they haven’t got enough drivers for the work
And what led up to this little exchange?
They were eavesdropping on a conversation between me and another driver…
Office bods don’t have a choice where they send you. The customer does though!
Truckbling:
Pimpdaddy:
Does this mean us drivers now have them held by the balls or what…!?:lol:We have always had them by the balls, unfortunately most of us are too scared to do anything about it.
Very wise words 
papermonkey:
Truckbling:
Pimpdaddy:
Does this mean us drivers now have them held by the balls or what…!?:lol:We have always had them by the balls, unfortunately most of us are too scared to do anything about it.
Very wise words
Touche! Then again, that applies to the haulage industry vs UK economy too.
I have been a driver and traffic manager so seen both sides of the job. The traffic clerk’s attitude is not ideal but essentially he is correct, as other posters have said it is a driver’s job to deliver goods to wherever they are required. If they don’t wish to then ask for an alternative load or find another job.
DAF95XF:
Apparently “as a professional driver you’ll go where I send you” as told me by one of our transport clerks whose going way above their station…
So I thought you want to go down the professional driver route do you
My reply was “as a professional driver then I’m feeling tired and I’ll go home then”, love a bit of bluff calling at this hour 'cause they haven’t got enough drivers for the work
The only difference between you and most of the other drivers on this thread is you say it too the planners face whilst they say it under there breath as they walk out the door
X 2mtd:
As an agency driver I got asked this morning when I was told that a client had found out they needed another tramper today and Tuesday and maybe Wednesday possibly all week how soon could I get there my answer was " I can’t as when I got told there was no work for me for today to scrub me off the plan all week because I was going to take the week off " I then got asked “why but you had all last week off and they need you now " my answer was " just because I can” which I thought I was rather a polite reply.
When I finally had an epiphany about the whole work/life balance thing I once told a woman at an agency who started the whole “can you do me a favour” when I’d said I wasn’t available that as far as I was concerned that although I’ll give 110% whilst at work, work came below wiping my arse in the order of importance of things in my life.
While I don’t have a problem with my current employer I have come across some right ones in the office. While on agency I got sent to a company, their name starts with an S and ends in impson Brothers, I was given a set of keys and a scrap of paper with 2 words on, sittingbourne & alconbury, and a number. when I asked what the job was I was told I should be able to work it out! I just folded the scrap paper up neatly and flicked it at him, said goodnight and walked out.
Slackbladder:
While I don’t have a problem with my current employer I have come across some right ones in the office. While on agency I got sent to a company, their name starts with an S and ends in impson Brothers, I was given a set of keys and a scrap of paper with 2 words on, sittingbourne & alconbury, and a number. when I asked what the job was I was told I should be able to work it out! I just folded the scrap paper up neatly and flicked it at him, said goodnight and walked out.
Dealing with the ego is the one tedious aspect of human interaction…And if I am totally honest, it cuts both ways
At the end if the day if Somone asks me to take there lorry or there customers lorry ti a destination if its during my working hours ill do it if I have a grifence with doing it and its valid ill air that but if the outcome is they still want me to do It I will
I thing and its a big thing to remember is they pay your wages they pay for your mortgage beer tokens etc i don’t understand why a lot of drivers are hell bent on rocking the boat the boat gets rocked to much n it sinks and no more beer tokens
We all get bad runs n places we don’t want to go but its only one day n tomoro u may get that cushy little run I’m sorry but drivers are there own worst enemy’s sometimes
When our superb TM was on holiday, the boss’ brother used to “attempt” to run the job. I have to confess to winding him up by saying, on being given a thirteen-dropper around Hull, “Sorry, pal, I don’t go East”.
It was fun watching his face turn red
DAF95XF:
Apparently “as a professional driver you’ll go where I send you” as told me by one of our transport clerks whose going way above their station…
So I thought you want to go down the professional driver route do you
My reply was “as a professional driver then I’m feeling tired and I’ll go home then”, love a bit of bluff calling at this hour 'cause they haven’t got enough drivers for the work
As a professional driver surely you should not come to work feeling tired? That is your problem and not the companies.We are governed by laws that prevent us from working too many hours but for a driver to come to work and say he is too tired to work then that is a completely unprofessional thing to do.
If I was your boss I would sack you and employ someone with a decent attitude that comes to work fit for work.
Standards and attitudes are attrocious these days from some.
albion1971:
DAF95XF:
Apparently “as a professional driver you’ll go where I send you” as told me by one of our transport clerks whose going way above their station…
So I thought you want to go down the professional driver route do you
My reply was “as a professional driver then I’m feeling tired and I’ll go home then”, love a bit of bluff calling at this hour 'cause they haven’t got enough drivers for the workAs a professional driver surely you should not come to work feeling tired? That is your problem and not the companies.We are governed by laws that prevent us from working too many hours but for a driver to come to work and say he is too tired to work then that is a completely unprofessional thing to do.
If I was your boss I would sack you and employ someone with a decent attitude that comes to work fit for work.
Standards and attitudes are attrocious these days from some.
+1 I’ll wager you’re old school.
The TM at one firm I drove for asked me to put a certain load on the lorry. When I said to him the load would put the vehicle well over weight, he said its OK.
I said " are you asking me to break the law " .End of that conversation, I was told to load the proper weight for another job.
mike68:
albion1971:
DAF95XF:
Apparently “as a professional driver you’ll go where I send you” as told me by one of our transport clerks whose going way above their station…
So I thought you want to go down the professional driver route do you
My reply was “as a professional driver then I’m feeling tired and I’ll go home then”, love a bit of bluff calling at this hour 'cause they haven’t got enough drivers for the workAs a professional driver surely you should not come to work feeling tired? That is your problem and not the companies.We are governed by laws that prevent us from working too many hours but for a driver to come to work and say he is too tired to work then that is a completely unprofessional thing to do.
If I was your boss I would sack you and employ someone with a decent attitude that comes to work fit for work.
Standards and attitudes are attrocious these days from some.+1 I’ll wager you’re old school.
Yep sure am…and a biker…and a big Joey fan!