Agency had offered me just one days work this week. Returned home yesterday afternoon, sent off ‘prospecting email’ to company. Guy rang back within ten minutes, had interview this morning, offered the job and start tomorrow. Local(ish) work, no nights out and salary of over 30k.
Biggest joy I got though, was telling the agency I was no longer available. 
Won’t have to listen to any more of their bullshoot any more… 
The epitome of falling on your feet. If you don’t ask you don’t get. Good luck with the job.
Tired of rejecting opportunities?
Company phone or using your own?
Have you checked the window winders in your new truck?
Comedy gold. Can’t wait for the next installment.
isaac hunt:
Tired of rejecting opportunities?
If they think mauling your nuts off on shop deliveries or home deliveries is in any way shape size or form an ‘opportunity’, then let the bods in the agency office actually do it. 
isaac hunt:
Company phone or using your own?
Oh most definitely company supplied phone. Fortunately some of us have enough self esteem to say NO when the need arises and not live our lives as a doormat.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Agency had offered me just one days work this week.
I can’t think why they’d do that …
Oh hang on, this might explain why…
LIBERTY_GUY:
For the last few weeks I have been doing some agency driving, mainly as I know very few permanent jobs come up in the main holiday season with so many folks away. Consequently there is a lot of agency work in July and August for holiday cover, which I have been happy to cover. To be fair to the agency I use have found me work every week, albeit not full weeks, keeping my on my preferences of construction related or industrial deliveries. On a couple of quiet periods they did try to palm me off with pallet network till I reminded them I don’t ‘do’ shop or home deliveries, followed by another call a hour later offering me an ‘opportunity’ which turned out to be a one day long distance hop to three retail drops in Essex. Needless to say that was also rejected, quickly followed by me sending them an email reminding then of my preferences and asking (politely) that they don’t waste my time with work I am not interested in.Now the main holiday season is effectively over and with construction starting to slow down for the winter months the tipper work will dry up and the industrial work will be covered by the regular drivers, which makes me consider what wonderful ‘opportunities’ will be pushed in my direction this coming week? What are other agency drivers experience at this time of the year, is it suddenly going to go real quiet now? I do have another ‘trade’ I can do in the winter months if needed, but have enjoyed being out and about for the last few weeks.
All input is welcome…
isaac hunt:
Tired of rejecting opportunities?
Company phone or using your own?
Have you checked the window winders in your new truck?.
isaac hunt:
Can’t wait for the next installment.
Me too …
LIBERTY_GUY:
Biggest joy I got though, was telling the agency I was no longer available.
Don’t burn your bridges too soon
Agencies hmmmm, the writing has been on the wall for a while now tbh, bogus this, bogus that and HMRC hungry for blood. I’ve read the writing and sign my fulltime contract tomorrow.
Anyone wanna buy a limp? One careful owner FSH.
LIBERTY_GUY:
isaac hunt:
Tired of rejecting opportunities?If they think mauling your nuts off on shop deliveries or home deliveries is in any way shape size or form an ‘opportunity’, then let the bods in the agency office actually do it.
isaac hunt:
Company phone or using your own?Oh most definitely company supplied phone. Fortunately some of us have enough self esteem to say NO when the need arises and not live our lives as a doormat.
not only done it I can still do it, the difference is I have a good enough reputation as a driver that places will pre book me if I ever went back to driving, having said that if it was night shift shop deliveries and it meant paying the bills and providing for my family or not then I would do it and trust me I can moan and groan as much as the next driver.
don’t think doing the odd day here and there to keep money coming in is anything to do with self esteem? or being a doormat.
How much does a genuine 5th-wheel-wiped & ready high-viz fetch on Ebay these days? 
Here we go again… If anyone says anything bad about agencies… or criticises Umbrella schemes, or comments on any other aspect of the temporary employment scam, all the muppets come out of the woodwork in its defence. Usually as they have vested interest in that ‘trade’.
All I was pointing out, was that if you show some initiative, get off your ■■■■ and actually start chasing jobs, there are a lot more out there than some would have you believe. Folks don’t NEED agencies or their constant lies. 
its not what you say but how you say it then.
vested yes to an extent, have I had good and bad agencies? yes. do I get bored of the same endless drivers who are quite happy to pick up and use said agencies when they manage to get a full time job, but have no issues signing back up once it goes ■■■■ up or isn’t as seems? or moan about no work but will only start at 6am want an hours lunch and to be finished by 7am?
my own experiences are if your flexible enough then you wont end up with a days work a week, if you want to stick to your guns (which your well within your rights to do) then you cant moan and groan when said type of work isn’t available.
and for the record I totally agreed with you about the phone calls and think it was wrong the agency couldn’t just put you an hours pay to cover it through.
best of luck in the new job.
Good luck with the new job LIBERTY_GUY
Don’t want to put him down and hope this turns out to be a excellent job but i would be wondering why a firm that pays so well has no nights out all easy local work has a truck parked up waiting for him to ring and then starts him straight away, you would think nobody would ever leave and all the local drivers would be queing round the block to start when someone dies.
mac12:
Don’t want to put him down and hope this turns out to be a excellent job but i would be wondering why a firm that pays so well has no nights out all easy local work has a truck parked up waiting for him to ring and then starts him straight away, you would think nobody would ever leave and all the local drivers would be queing round the block to start when someone dies.
You could have shortened that statement with “I think you are a liar”. Would have saved you some typing
war1974:
its not what you say but how you say it.
I couldn’t agree more, if someone comes onto the forum and posts a thread or replies to a post. They leave themselves open to critique
mac12:
Don’t want to put him down and hope this turns out to be a excellent job but i would be wondering why a firm that pays so well has no nights out all easy local work has a truck parked up waiting for him to ring and then starts him straight away, you would think nobody would ever leave and all the local drivers would be queing round the block to start when someone dies.
They specifically wanted someone with a current CSCS card, which I have and also experience of the type of specialised vehicles they operate which I also have. They purchased two new vehicles this month to expand the fleet and whilst I won’t be driving one of those, it has created vacancies. It is local as they got about ten other places around the country. They just growing in size - nothing more sinister than that.
What folks have to appreciate about the agency I have been working for recently, is that just a few days ago they were advertising tipper work, even though the two big local contracts that had created the vacancies were coming to an end and drivers were already getting laid off. Even late last week this same agency were advertising ‘urgently required’ steel jobs that have failed to materialise, not just for me, but for other drivers on their books too.
Don’t understand why limpers leave their owners. Fantastic money, perfect ’ flexibility ’ for the modern driver’s lifestyle, phone ringing off the hook, etc,etc.
Makes no sense. Until you want a mortgage. Or some respect. Or some soap.
eager coming from a class 1 driver on £8 an hour I really don’t think your in a position to comment.
Congratulations LIBERTY_GUY!
Don’t listen to the haters, they’re just jealous because you’ve managed to get a real job and they can’t.
soap?
Wouldn’t get out of bed for £8 per hour War!!