Hi I’ve been driving on and of a few years and I’ve heard and come to some conclusions why this industry is finished. I was doing some work for agencies around the north west Liverpool prestonmanchester Blackburn Bolton widnes them kind of areas. And I was always wondering why the pay is so bad . Anyway I started talking to other drivers and one day I seen a few owner operator. I was going to quit the industry for good so I thought I’d try find out and you lot tell me is this all true. First I done a drop to a cash and carry in Bolton to an Asian guy he was the boss unloading on the forks I said do you know the rates what these big firms get. He laughed and he swore blind one man the other day went from Sheffield with a full artic load of soft drinks to Bolton for 150 pound.Another time I took a trailer from Trafford park to ayelsbury near reading I got told the rate was 450 I put the fuel in the oneway was 190 take away my wages ad blue wear tear . I went to a factory in Burnley got speaking to a Pollock’s driver he said I’m telling you the truth coz I didn’t believe him. He was doing a back trip to Glasgow around there rather than run empty Pollock’s was doing for 190 pound .I got told stobbart wagons make 30 pound per day profit after every thing is payed. I done a little container work a driver at garston for Freightliner said I used to own my own wagon bit I make more money driving for Freightliner.Is this all true ? So if it is all true why are the rates so low and is it to keep the goods price in the shops down as somehow it would cause hyperinflation ? I don’t k ow ? So therefore if all these rates are correct a drink ber will never get a decent wage . Also if this is all true I. Believe that about 10 firms will be doing all the logistics soon and maybe about three doing the frozen work. Please don’t abuse me I’m only asking a question as I’m completely shocked at the rates .Thanks.
Arg! Massive block of text!!
Short version, and this is according to every TM I’ve ever spoken to, yes, haulage companies run at a tiny tiny profit margin, 1% being a decent average, 3% being “whoo-hoo!”
Just don’t ever work for a company that makes its money from haulage.
Work for a company that uses trucks to move its own products about like supermarkets or fuel.
When I started in the industry, I was listening to people telling of “the good ole days”, and the cut-rate cowboys.
Now, Im knocking on retirements door, and nowt much has changed.
Maybe thedodges became angles, then the angles morphed into new paradigms and now leveraged assets.
The bottoms dropped out of it decades ago.....but its still floating.
LisasGuy:
Just don’t ever work for a company that makes its money from haulage.
Work for a company that uses trucks to move its own products about like supermarkets or fuel.
Golden rule (possible exception for niche/specialized transport)
The rates are what the market will/can afford to pay.
Fuel costs ( road transport industry specific taxation ), productivety limits ( vehicle dimensions and gross weights ) and modern vehicle depreciation ( unviable to run outside of warranty ) are the elephants in the room.
Fuel costs being the deal breaker possibly followed by the latter.The days of starting up with a cheap wagon and run it into the ground then buy something a bit better with the profits being over.Likewise buying a new vehicle and being able to sell it on for a good price with plenty of working life left in it.IE the perfect storm.
The sad fact is there are more license holders than there are steering wheels, =low pay for drivers There are more trucks than loads= low rates for operators. Until things change more firms will close the gates and no pay rises.
Theres many downward pressures. People will point to EE putufts but it started way before them and a lot closer to home with the likes of Stobart who undercut others to get the work. The someone undercuts them and so on and so on and you end up with the likes of Kriess pulling backloads for £50, but if they can do it then so can everyone is the perception so rates drop even more.
The only way round it then is to have set prices by the government for everything.
When you buy an item of clothing do you look at the label and think that’s you cheap, ill buy the more e pensive one. Same principle.
Sounds like the Uk in general to me, Every industry has faced a race to the bottom.
sad but true, i have just left after 5 months and gone back to been a Team Leader on more money than i got for driving. Less was over all as i will not be doing 10-13 hours a day everyday, its a life style choice, disappointed to say the least. My ex transport manager told me that collections on pallet line, they used to get £15 for picking the pallet up for the network, £15 lol, and sometimes i would do a round travel of 34 miles to pick it up, just crazy, where’s the logic in that.
I think your right, the industry is doomed, but every industry is going the same way, The companies themselves get to big to fail. Could you imagine the trouble it would have caused if Stobart’s went under earlier this year. For a company like that to get into so much debt, not even having there own fleet of trucks(was told all are on lease) This country needs these mega companies breaking up. To much power in such small number of hands is dangerous.
Franglais:
When I started in the industry, I was listening to people telling of “the good ole days”, and the cut-rate cowboys.
Now, Im knocking on retirements door, and nowt much has changed.
Maybe thedodgesbecameangles, then theanglesmorphed intonew paradigmsand nowleveraged assets.
The bottoms dropped out of it decades ago.....but its still floating.
This. Been hearing the same as the original post as long as I’ve been in this industry and long before that too. Nothing new
dave1984:
Sounds like the Uk in general to me, Every industry has faced a race to the bottom.sad but true, i have just left after 5 months and gone back to been a Team Leader on more money than i got for driving. Less was over all as i will not be doing 10-13 hours a day everyday, its a life style choice, disappointed to say the least. My ex transport manager told me that collections on pallet line, they used to get £15 for picking the pallet up for the network, £15 lol, and sometimes i would do a round travel of 34 miles to pick it up, just crazy, where’s the logic in that.
I think your right, the industry is doomed, but every industry is going the same way, The companies themselves get to big to fail. Could you imagine the trouble it would have caused if Stobart’s went under earlier this year. For a company like that to get into so much debt, not even having there own fleet of trucks(was told all are on lease) This country needs these mega companies breaking up. To much power in such small number of hands is dangerous.
5 months? Well at least you gave it a proper try 
switchlogic:
dave1984:
Sounds like the Uk in general to me, Every industry has faced a race to the bottom.sad but true, i have just left after 5 months and gone back to been a Team Leader on more money than i got for driving. Less was over all as i will not be doing 10-13 hours a day everyday, its a life style choice, disappointed to say the least. My ex transport manager told me that collections on pallet line, they used to get £15 for picking the pallet up for the network, £15 lol, and sometimes i would do a round travel of 34 miles to pick it up, just crazy, where’s the logic in that.
I think your right, the industry is doomed, but every industry is going the same way, The companies themselves get to big to fail. Could you imagine the trouble it would have caused if Stobart’s went under earlier this year. For a company like that to get into so much debt, not even having there own fleet of trucks(was told all are on lease) This country needs these mega companies breaking up. To much power in such small number of hands is dangerous.
5 months? Well at least you gave it a proper try
In fairness I think it’s long enough to see which way the wind blows and to realize that the situation is not going to get better anytime soon.
My observations from a different job but the experience is very similar.
A Kiwi lad I know trained as an electrician with a very good company.and completed his apprenticeship when he was about 22 years old.
Being single and with a trade behind him he wanted to see the world so he bought a flight to Heathrow and said his goodbyes.
About 6 months later I was working on a site when I saw Aaron walk passed wearing brand new overalls so I quizzed him about why he had returned so early. His response was that he found a job in London on a construction project and was working £6.50 an hour because that was the market rate and had been driven down by other factors but mostly east Europeans. This was around 2014.
We’ll agree to differ on that then since I think judging a whole industry on the strength of working in it for 5 months is somewhat premature and actually a bit daft
Lots of jobs out there and they’re all different and pay differently as well.
I have my class 2 but currently driving 7.5t because it pays well.
Have a job to go to as soon as i pass my class 1 that is very good money as well.
They are out there. In my case, i know someone at the new company that has got me in.
A case of who ya know sometimes.
5 months isn’t long enough and especially in the one position, to make an informed decision in my opinion.
Truthsetyoufree:
Hi I’ve been driving on and of a few years and I’ve heard and come to some conclusions why this industry is finished.
The industry isn’t finished, it’s changing. And if you’re still stuck in the past and refuse to change and adapt you’ll be left behind. The place my lad works at runs a small fleet of 18 lorries, the guy starting up as a one man band some years ago, has just bought a load of new motors and when he specs them they’re top spec including things like fridges and microwaves as the drivers are out all week. They’re just getting some new trailers too.
After 50 years on the road, now retired, nothing has changed. What you say in your first sentence is just about the same as what was being said back then.
As another reader has said,drive for a companies that carry their own stuff,they are not in competition like general haulage.
Aylesbury isn’t anywhere near Reading… 
albion:
The only way round it then is to have set prices by the government for everything.When you buy an item of clothing do you look at the label and think that’s you cheap, ill buy the more e pensive one. Same principle.
So you agree that nationalization - set prices etc would be the answer --we have been there once remember ,(BRS ) at least i have , best outcome from a drivers point of view, what would be the consensus today though ?
Every sector is changing whether we like it or not. When i was young it was the same.,
Leasing a fleet makes sense in the long run. When business goes down you just take them back.