Juddian:
Isn’t there the danger that if some poor sod tired beyond staying awake, but terrfied of the repercussions, causes a massive accident due even in part to tiredness, that a company have invited themselves straight into a world of trouble?
Nope. I actually had that happen to me when I worked for them. For reasons I can’t explain, I felt OK, I’d had plenty of kip, I was driving down to Smethwick from York and by the time I got on the A42 I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. Made it to the services at J11 and rang in. Told me to take a nap, have a coffee and ring them back which I did. I felt better and then continued to the hub. When I got there they’d already arranged a hub driver to take me and my wagon back to my depot at York. Not sure how he got back, I’m guessing possibly a taxi. Fully confident that if I’d said I wasn’t fit to continue to the hub they’d have sent someone out.
Point is that if you do find yourself unfit to drive en-route for whatever reason they don’t expect you to continue on and have a shunt. In fact because as others have mentioned they’re hellbent on H&S they’re much less likely to expect that than all those small family companies the some on here think the sun shines out of the backsides of.
Ok guys iv worked in DPD for a long time i know the full ins and outs just cause you took a nap or a coffee once in a bloody blue moon and rang up then it wont make a slight difference yes however do this 2, 3 times per week lets see how long you would last? and for ringing dpd up you pull in service and ring them … your waiting 30mins phone still ringing no one picks up then you arrive back at depo explaining situation and are to blame!
For the record i had a clean sheet, but iv worked and have drivers number on phone and rang them up so what im saying is true. Majority of the driver are a holes, you can have your hazards on in yard ready to reverse and they will shoot past you, bays are tight too need to wind legs down and raise suspension before attempting to park.
Honestly money wise, job wise a doddle but a couple of things need to change you cant naturally stop you do have pressure in your head look @ indeed reviews
edit: most/all truck are dirty when you finish your shift wash your hands it will be filled with grease! or wipe the wheel and handbreak before starting
I’ve done a few shifts for DPD.
It’s really easy work but they do seem an odd bunch and the drivers are micromanaged.
I had an infringement…I did 57mph for 1 minute. .and I had to take a tick box test about drivers hours.
There were no senior drivers at the hub to do that for me so I had to leave the truck there and travel back to the depot as a passenger in another truck. The next night the agency were back on the phone to get me to do another shift that night. Barmy!
I’m not sure I’d want to work for them but it is very easy agency work. Just watch your speed going down hills!
I’m sure someone told me you couldn’t stop when I did Hermes work out of burtonwood, but there’s no way your getting from there leaving at 7 am - ashford without a break , never rang anyone , just had break
Anybody know the current full timer pay at Hinckley atm. Last time I was in there was cyber weekend and it said they were due a pay review in January.
They do go OTT in many ways. Like has been mentioned, they don’t like overspeeds, even those under 60mph.
The worst situation I had with them was me being stupid enough to report some damage I found on a trailer. They gave me a list of trailers at Smethwick to shunt over to Pargats during the xmas rush as the whole hub was just gridlocked. I found one with the back hanging off and did the decent thing and reported it.
Few days later, dragged in to the office to explain how I did it. I told them that the real culprit had already owned up to it. Bizarrely and for reasons I never and will never understand they made me fill out an accident report. They were asking me questions like how dark was it at the time, did you have your lights on, was the area well lit, weather etc etc. I answered every question the same, it wasn’t me you’re asking the wrong person.
Few weeks later I was sent a letter to attend a disciplinary meeting. For whatever reason I never received it so I never went. Then a few weeks after that I was called into the office to be told that they were taking no further action and not to worry about not attending my disciplinary meeting.