Have seen brand new rigid units for asda and Tesco this week, anybody know who is driving them? Existing class 1 drivers or did they recruit?
Existing drivers at Widnes. You do 1 run in the morning in a rigid then come back, get an artic and trailer for another run. You should hear some of them whine when they get them…
Existing drivers the 00.00-04.00 crew usually, they go and do a big store then come back and use the rigids for the Express stores.
These stores are delivered to first thing as there is nobody there overnight to stock the place, and parking and noise issues also limit the times for these stores.
I can’t see why they can’t just employ dedicated class 2 drivers to do these runs if they have so many of them, I think it would create much needed job opportunities for those without a class 1 licence & lower the wage bill a bit for the company…
Pimpdaddy:
I can’t see why they can’t just employ dedicated class 2 drivers to do these runs if they have so many of them, I think it would create much needed job opportunities for those without a class 1 licence & lower the wage bill a bit for the company…
Wouldn’t lower it by much. And since if you’ve got a Class 1 you can drive a Class 2 anyway, why bother? Inevitably you’d end up with a situation whereby a Class 1 driver ended up going out with a rigid, leaving a Class 2 driver twiddling his thumbs 'cos he can’t drive the artic on the run which has just cropped up. So you hire in an agency Class 1 and still end up paying the class 2 man to do bugger all.
Or do I suspect that Class 2 work would be beneath you dignity as a “professional” Class 1 driver? 
So the widnes depot is actually owned by Tesco and not stobart?
gnasty gnome:
Wouldn’t lower it by much. And since if you’ve got a Class 1 you can drive a Class 2 anyway, why bother? Inevitably you’d end up with a situation whereby a Class 1 driver ended up going out with a rigid, leaving a Class 2 driver twiddling his thumbs 'cos he can’t drive the artic on the run which has just cropped up. So you hire in an agency Class 1 and still end up paying the class 2 man to do bugger all.Or do I suspect that Class 2 work would be beneath you dignity as a “professional” Class 1 driver?
I know it wouldn’t lower it much but it would lower it & create a job-bottom line. Company I once worked for had dedicated class 2 & class 1, hardly mixed the 2 to reduce damage, lower costs etc, made sense to me but of course companies like tesco are too stupid to work it out, it’s called logistics for a reason after all…
I wouldnt say im a “professional class 1 driver”-just a driver if that… 
I work out of Tesco Goole(for Stobarts) and they use Class 1 drivers to drive the rigids. Everyone has to take a turn in them.
Most times it’s just a run in the rigid , maybe 4 drops Leeds or Manchester way, then finish. Very rarely put into an artic for a second run.
The rigids are Mercs and limited to 50 mph, so there’s no flying about.
Pimpdaddy:
I can’t see why they can’t just employ dedicated class 2 drivers to do these runs if they have so many of them, I think it would create much needed job opportunities for those without a class 1 licence & lower the wage bill a bit for the company…
But there aren’t that many of them? Widnes only has 4 rigids and most of the runs are fairly local, so you can be back in the yard in 4 or 5 hours on some, so then what? Sit around doing nothing or go home after half a day?
AsphaltAnimal:
So the widnes depot is actually owned by Tesco and not stobart?
Yes it’s owned by Tesco… Stobart just run goods out and the fleet.
I get rigids to drive, usually on sunday mornings to inner london locations down the 7.5t streets. It don’t bother me, as the hourly rate all the way through is for artics.
If you had a dedicated class 2/3 crew, then they’d be getting a much easier job through the shift (less RSU, less buggering about in general) whilst expecting the same pay as class one drivers, and consequently they are not going to get paid any more than van money by comparison.
Surely the flexible workforce ethic is the better way to go…
And what’s wrong with class 2 drivers having an easy job, sometimes class 1 lads do buggerall■■?
Why would a class 2 driver demand class 1 money if they haven’t got the licence? If you say the runs aren’t far then they could swap motors for another 1 that’s loaded when they get back & make it a full days work then…
I got the only rigid at tesco livingston. Came back in from a delivery in Corstorphine and got asked if i could drive a rigid (bear in mind ive just been out in an artic)…6 of us just looked at the guy behind the desk like hed asked us if we wanted a ■■■■■■■■ with some ladyboys.
As far as im aware there is only one rigid at Livingston and its barely ever out.
Pimpdaddy:
If you say the runs aren’t far then they could swap motors for another 1 that’s loaded when they get back & make it a full days work then…
Because all 4 go out early doors, so that the deliveries are at the stores early in the day? Its mainly the larger stores that get deliveries throughout the day.
If you only have four rigids and a hundred artics there is no point having drivers just for the rigids. We’ve got a van that only goes out every now and again and we just chuck any hgv driver in it.
gnasty gnome:
Pimpdaddy:
I can’t see why they can’t just employ dedicated class 2 drivers to do these runs if they have so many of them, I think it would create much needed job opportunities for those without a class 1 licence & lower the wage bill a bit for the company…Wouldn’t lower it by much. And since if you’ve got a Class 1 you can drive a Class 2 anyway, why bother? Inevitably you’d end up with a situation whereby a Class 1 driver ended up going out with a rigid, leaving a Class 2 driver twiddling his thumbs 'cos he can’t drive the artic on the run which has just cropped up. So you hire in an agency Class 1 and still end up paying the class 2 man to do bugger all.
Or do I suspect that Class 2 work would be beneath you dignity as a “professional” Class 1 driver?
Yes 
Used to do a bit on agency for Co-op Alfreton & Bulwell - loved it when given the keys to a rigid!!
Smaller wagon = same pay
And how is rigid work easier than artic? They’ve got the turning circle of a bungalow, mini roundabouts become 3 point turns, only air on one axle, try levelling on an up hill gradient, not good for roll cages. Poxy tesco mercs haven’t even got an air operated clutch. Enjoy that when you’re doing London in the morning rush hour. And I’ve never done a rigid drop that I couldn’t have done with an 8 metre. They’re bloody pointless
My point exactly, why get rigids anyway if the drop can be done in an artic with a smaller trailer!? If you do get them then give the job to a class 2 driver. These stores you are on about seem a doddle to get into compared to some of our drops in full size trailers. Tesco are really stupid as a company, I guess that’s why things are going down hill for them…
saw a tesco rigid curtain sider today just outside salisbury first tesco rigid i ever seen
Pimpdaddy:
My point exactly, why get rigids anyway if the drop can be done in an artic with a smaller trailer!?
Because the drops that are assessed as needing a rigid are exactly that? I.e., you can’t do them in an artic? Normally for length reasons.
Pimpdaddy:
If you do get them then give the job to a class 2 driver. These stores you are on about seem a doddle to get into compared to some of our drops in full size trailers.
Which ones are they then?
Pimpdaddy:
Tesco are really stupid as a company, I guess that’s why things are going down hill for them…
Serves them right for buying Stobarts then giving nobby dangler the transport contract then…