I currently work for Wincanton at Grantham as most of you know but we were told in august that its shutting down in august next year but could be sooner.
So the built a new one at Worksop (B&Q) for Exel to run and i have been succesful in getting as job there HOWEVER.!!!.
I got the contract the other day and basically they tell you where and when you can ■■■■ how much and where to do it.
I currently travel 15 miles each way but if i take this job i will have to travel 25 miles each way so 100 extra a week roughly £15 of petrol extra and i am hoping to work days so it would be a drop of about £4k a year on my current salary then theres the extra fuel to pay for after that and probably because its days the extra hours too ( we dont get traffic jams on nights).
So what would you do?.
It is by far the easiest and certainly the cleanest driving job i have EVER had.
A 2nd opinion would be nice as i am thinking of not taking it at the minute , there is no other job in the pipeline at the minute in fact i was thinking of staying where i am until they actually close the gates and then i would be made redundant , i only been there 16 months so i wouldnt get and redundancy but the point is i could go on the dole on full money (whatever that is) and do some training for soemthing else DONT KNOW WHAT!!!.
I can be unemployed and get on training straight away i dont have to wait 6 months.
Give it a shot, Jammy, if there’s nothing else about that takes your fancy.
What is it exactly that looks so grizzly in the contract, mate?
It is a large company that is reasonably profitable, so there has to be some control.
Don’t worry too much about them being over-controlling, though. I have a book which explains exactly what you must and mustn’t do, as I am sure that every other Exel driver on here has. But - in my experience of Exel (five and a half years), as long as you come in when you are supposed to, get on with the job legally and safely and can be a little flexible when needed, they are great to work for. That book of do’s and don’ts doesn’t really come into it.
For example - we are all supposed to take breaks while in the depot where possible. How many of our drivers do you think take a break in the depot?
Few Exel transport managers are LGV licence holders, and some drivers find this frustrating - but to be fair, most will listen if you tell them that what you are being asked to do is unreasonable.
Only you know whether the financial side of things make any sense for your personal circumstances.
But if the money’s right, I’d have a go - at least you know the job well, and you’ll probably find that Exel managers will want to hear your views on how some things could be done - as your coming from a B&Q job.
There was a bloke who was at our site last year by the name of Alan Martin - and I seem to remember he was going to be involved with Worksop. If he is there, I want to transfer - he was one of the fairest, most decent blokes I’ve ever worked for. He genuinely cared about his drivers and if something was being done wrong - he’d have it sorted by tomorrow.
Anyway, I’ve rambled on for far too long - I hope this is of some help.
If it was me, i’d take it. Especially since no other jobs in the pipeline. If after, i didn’t like it, i’d look for another job. I wouldn’t go unemployed to train for something of no idea just because it was available. Good luck in your decision.
Hello Mate, well again, only you can decide. But I’ll add another factor in to help you. You’ll almost certainly get some sort of personal searches with Exel, every time you leave the place, supposedly random, and for some reason this hasn’t been put to a stop yet. That would put me off straight away.
i dont know al to be honest i think i would see whats avalible around you and you have plenty of time to choose.
to be fair to exel and b&q there will be some changes with the new warehouse that are different to what you do know but it is a new operation so it will take a while for everything to settle down and get into a routine.
as for working days well ive told you this before… on nights everything is set out for you when you arrive at work and everyone in the office has gone home apart from the person running the night shift and they dont bother you cos they just want an easy shift BUT on days different altogether everybody is busy nobodys communicates with each other and just chaos thats before you leave the yard then theres the " just before you go " or " you havent pulled your card out yet have you " to put up with but you will get that anywhere… but you seem set on going onto days .
as for the petrol well thats down to you unless you buy a diesal one but lets not go into that
have a word about see who wants drivers and what they paying what about at newark nothing going on there what about with that new electrical place beside the A1 what is it comet or currys cant remember but they will be after drivers wont they.
First off, congratulations on the job!. Ok so you’ve got a bit of a rise in fuel bill, but atleast you’ll be getting a wage week in and week out. Contract. Are any contracts actually worth the paper there written on? These big companies do as they want with no regard to the contract so, hey ho on that one. You’ve got bills the same as ever other person on this planet, so my advise would be this.
You know the job inside out, ok a few more new runs, that’ll keep ya eye in so to speak, the kits good, and like ya say it’s good clean work. Stay on nights if ya can, days… man they make me shudder! At the end of the day just because you’ve taken/accepted the job, it doesn’t stop you looking for something a little closer to home that suits, plus it buys you time. You don’t have to rush in and find a job pronto. On the joining the doll queue front, well, it’d be an option, but have you got your finances covered so that if you were forced to join the queue it’ll all get paid? I know i wouldn’t like to have no job and bills landing on the doorstep here there and everywhere.
I hope you make the decision that’s right for you in the long term… and OI hurry up and get down here and gets the coffees in! )
Yes, I would agree too. Getting a job to keep the pennies coming in would be much better off for the time being… At least its something to do.
As for the commuting fuel costs; I’ve got a diesel which returns a decent 50mpg most times. My current colleagues have a mix of petrol and diesel cars, with one now spending £60 a week in fuel now our depot has moved from Coventry to Birmingham. However, for me, it is still a job.
i wouldnt worry too much about working for Exel mate. i have been on their books since July and the only thing i have with their logo is my pay slip. no contract, no booklet, no uniform, nothing! in all that time i have not received a single infringement letter even though i know that there are a few minor ones.
if it was me, i would take it and see what happens from there. they do advertise other jobs in the office so you could get a shift change or transfer to another depot locally. get your foot in the door and secure an income then reassess the situation
If it was me, i’d take it. Especially since no other jobs in the pipeline. If after, i didn’t like it, i’d look for another job. I wouldn’t go unemployed to train for something of no idea just because it was available. Good luck in your decision.
Hello Mate, well again, only you can decide. But I’ll add another factor in to help you. You’ll almost certainly get some sort of personal searches with Exel, every time you leave the place, supposedly random, and for some reason this hasn’t been put to a stop yet. 
)
but that’s another story,which when I get some time,I’ll type up for you all to read.