Driver Shortage?

[the_nodding_donkey]

Andrejs:

bald bloke:

eagerbeaver:
£11.92 per hour for supermarket work

I’m quite sure that sadly some will jump at it though.

That’s the old rate and also that’s for the first 6 months and between the hours of 06.00-14.00 .

On the subject of driver shortage we’ve been doing a lot of Freshlinc collections which we wouldn’t normally do, twice in the last week I’ve gone from Bristol to Spalding empty to pick up a load so it looks like Freshlinc must be struggling to get bums on seats.

Company must change rulles and accept new drivers,not experienced or drivers who have gap with driving truck…May be need extra driving assestment but at least speak to new.I been driving in UK For 6 years,2 years was away from UK.Call from one agency.They said ok ,we are accept EU licence.I said to lady i agree for driving assestment ,writing,verbal test or more.But after agency lady said -we can t accept you because you was not driving in UK for at least 3 month in last 1 years.Stupid rulles.

Writing or verbal test? You’ll be ok with Turners…

[winseer]

So there’s a push now to get basically non-driving staff to perform their 48 hours per week on warehouse duties, and then top up with 12-36 hours on top driving…?

Overall, they can then tout the “driving” work as “paid at overtime rate”, meaning that £14-£16ph suddenly doesn’t look so good - does it?

Sainsburys are a good example:

The basic score there for drivers is you perform the usual old dross of “any five from seven” working for a contract not the firm which amounts to Monday-Fridays. THEN if you want “Overtime” - it doesn’t hurt the firm so much to pay you £18-£21 for the weekend work - which would bloody well be paid at that rate ANYWAYS, even it if wasn’t overtime - Right?

There’s no employee rights, other than the Unionized right via outfits like UNITE that’ll preserve your crappy contract no matter what, and make a deduction for this “Union Support” just to give you that faux sense of “You’re getting what you pay for”.

Then there’s places like the discounters where you are basically an admin rather than warehouse operative (the incoming drivers - do the warehouse work, self-tip, line it up, etc) and the actual depot staff are a handful compared to the legions of incoming drivers that end up doing all the work… Thus the job adverts are correct when they state “only 20% of your working week consists of driving”… Yeh right.

So what do we all do about it? Dig in, and hold out for a proper pro driver job where we DRIVE rather than do all the other work, wear all the hats, etc…?

OR do we buckle under, and all end up being glorified poachers-■■■-gamekeepers instead?

There’s a shortage of ^^^^^^^^^^^ such people - I’d humbly suggest…

The rest of us - will either be looking to early retirement at the first opportunity, such as myself OR will have to take stock of the driver of the future will be nothing more than the driver of the past - re-vamped.

It ain’t money for nothing, but you will end up delivering weighty goods on a rickety tail lift for less money than you got 20 years ago, with your job enshined in stone, as no other bugger will ever want it!

Dire Straits - Money For Nothing (Official Music Video)

[carryfast]

Winseer:
So there’s a push now to get basically non-driving staff to perform their 48 hours per week on warehouse duties, and then top up with 12-36 hours on top driving…?

It’s obvious that pushing the driving side of the job isn’t working so now they’ve got to tell the truth the role is warehouse labourer/driver.

It’s clear that the whole agenda is a scam to combine the warehouse labourer role with the driver role to reduce the wage bill of employing the two seperate different workforces and use part of the saved cash to pay enforced punitive vehicle running costs and lack of productivety which is being used to get trucks off the road and with it their drivers.
The truth is ‘they’ want drivers off the road and working in the warehouse.Been there done that and got the T shirt.

[fuzrat]

bald bloke:

eagerbeaver:
£11.92 per hour for supermarket work

I’m quite sure that sadly some will jump at it though.

That’s the old rate and also that’s for the first 6 months and between the hours of 06.00-14.00 .

On the subject of driver shortage we’ve been doing a lot of Freshlinc collections which we wouldn’t normally do, twice in the last week I’ve gone from Bristol to Spalding empty to pick up a load so it looks like Freshlinc must be struggling to get bums on seats.

Apparently, last week across the country we had to pick up a ton of loads. If you want it you best come and get it.
Got a feeling we will be doing a lot more backhauls in the future, we used to do loads but thats slowly dwindled down.

[winseer]

I’ve received texts too, but when I attempt to follow it up with a further enquiry, it turned out that the work being offered - was a bit of a deception…

“All shifts across all hours 7 days” turned out to be “We want you to WORK all hours across seven days”

In other words, the usual old “Any five from seven” minimum 10 hour shifts, rather than maximum 10 hours, as per the WTD…

The location - was a deception too… “Major client in Aylesford” - means “on the 20/20 estate” (Knowhow C2 work!) rather than the implication it might be Brakes or Waitrose or DPD as was the case in the past…

[switchlogic]

One for our Forum National Treasure Carryfast. I know he does seem a bit obsessed with elements of my driving career, namely my time as a ‘young bus driver’. And being a top notch narcissist I never pass up an opportunity to promote myself and my blog

lorry-driver.com/2021/06/my- … 2.html?m=1

[carryfast]

Winseer:
I’ve received texts too, but when I attempt to follow it up with a further enquiry, it turned out that the work being offered - was a bit of a deception…

“All shifts across all hours 7 days” turned out to be “We want you to WORK all hours across seven days”

In other words, the usual old “Any five from seven” minimum 10 hour shifts, rather than maximum 10 hours, as per the WTD…

The location - was a deception too… “Major client in Aylesford” - means “on the 20/20 estate” (Knowhow C2 work!) rather than the implication it might be Brakes or Waitrose or DPD as was the case in the past…

The clue is the question are they paying C1 rate for C2 ?.That would tell you all you need to know.
There’s also the possibility that some of the firms looking for warehouse labourer/driver ( 4 hours driving 9 hours + warehouse for example ) will sub out the transport side of the job while holding out for the mugs they want to fill the role.If not they’ll ‘promote’ their warehouse staff to warehouseman/driver.
The ones working for the subbies will obviously be immune from the scam and won’t notice anything ( while their job lasts ).

[carryfast]

switchlogic:
One for our Forum National Treasure Carryfast. I know he does seem a bit obsessed with elements of my driving career, namely my time as a ‘young bus driver’. And being a top notch narcissist I never pass up an opportunity to promote myself and my blog

lorry-driver.com/2021/06/my- … 2.html?m=1

To be fair my issue was along the lines of being told sorry running around Surrey with a multi lift flat/tipper/bulker won’t cut it in the ‘experience’ stakes when trying to move on up the ladder.You know like a drawbar tilt outfit doing international general haulage.This was in the days when a Class 2 included 38t 3 + 2 wagon and drag

A bit like the reason no one wants to drive a hiab wagon around the local houses is because they know they’ll stay on it.Unless their face fits.:idea:

[biggriffin]

bald bloke:

eagerbeaver:
£11.92 per hour for supermarket work

I’m quite sure that sadly some will jump at it though.

That’s the old rate and also that’s for the first 6 months and between the hours of 06.00-14.00 .

On the subject of driver shortage we’ve been doing a lot of Freshlinc collections which we wouldn’t normally do, twice in the last week I’ve gone from Bristol to Spalding empty to pick up a load so it looks like Freshlinc must be struggling to get bums on seats.

. Allegedly freshlink have lost 70 drivers total from all depots, they have stopped doing Lidl/Aldi, and some Morrison, and have more loads than can be covered… Allegedly…

[harry_monk]

Had four text messages today from the agency (who I haven’t done a day’s work for for 16 months) all offering Class 1 work at £15 per hour PAYE for weekday day work. When I was on for them, £11.50 an hour was about the normal rate and £13 was the best I got.

[the_nodding_donkey]

Where do currywürst and windbag work? Apart from self tipping at Aldi, I’ve never set foot in a warehouse anywhere I’ve worked as a driver.

[dozy]

My mate lasted 1 week with flx which according to him are part of fresh linc , working out of notts , was given the choice of tautliners or fridges , he chose fridges
Job was ok according to him , 4 on 4 off , money was so he said £11 something ph , think he said there was more money for w/ends / o/t .
He left as he said everything was done through a phone they gave him which he couldn’t get on with .
Think there pretty desperate as his assessment drive was down the a38 to derby , round the r/o and back up the a38 .

[dcpcfml]

biggriffin:

bald bloke:

eagerbeaver:
£11.92 per hour for supermarket work

I’m quite sure that sadly some will jump at it though.

That’s the old rate and also that’s for the first 6 months and between the hours of 06.00-14.00 .

On the subject of driver shortage we’ve been doing a lot of Freshlinc collections which we wouldn’t normally do, twice in the last week I’ve gone from Bristol to Spalding empty to pick up a load so it looks like Freshlinc must be struggling to get bums on seats.

. Allegedly freshlink have lost 70 drivers total from all depots, they have stopped doing Lidl/Aldi, and some Morrison, and have more loads than can be covered… Allegedly…

Freshlink (just like Turner’s) were 90% flip-flops, so not at all surprised as they’ve all [zb] off back to Bucharest and Krakow. Turner’s here at Allerton Bywater have been screaming for drivers for months. Last time I drove for them earlier this year in the supposed quiet period, there were 12 other agency bods in on the same shift. Can imagine what it’s like now that the work has picked up, but still only seeing the same £14/hr (straight through) on offer so I’ll stay where I am.

[tmcassett]

Carryfast:

tmcassett:

DCPCFML:
I am guessing at item 3 on the list, but that’s been the case for Asda truck drivers since the dawn of time.

Saying you’ll be expected to load/unload your vehicle and anything else required is pretty generic and standard in a job advert for supermarket type work.

As anyone who has done it knows, it means you’ll be expected to push a few cages off at the store or in Asda’s case pump truck a pallet to the end of the trailer. It doesn’t mean you’ll literally be “working in the warehouse” picking orders and stacking cages/pallets ready for loading onto the trailer.

We all know Carryfast the clueless idiot will no doubt take it as fact that you will be expected to do “warehouse duties” or be a “site labourer” when you get to the store.

So if it’s just shifting a few cages and pallets why the need for loading/unloading and ‘any other work that needs carrying out’.
Also washing trucks listed in the ad.Why would they even need to put that when washing salt off the mirrors and windows with a power wash and might as well do the rest goes with territory.
Oh wait unless they mean that one driver will be designated to wash them all to ‘make up his hours’.So obviously lots of arguments about who gets the best runs to avoid doing the zb jobs.
Tell us why wouldn’t any manager worth his salt translate that exactly as I have.
Reduce warehouse staff replace them with drivers.
Been there done that and got the broken back resulting in one more driver gone to add to the ‘driver shortage’ to prove it.

So another type of work within this industry that you haven’t done, yet here you are making out you know everything about it.

I’ve already explained in my post above about the job advert you posted and the use of the words you highlighted within that so am not going to re-write or re-iterate again. If you are too thick to understand them and what they “actually” mean then not a lot I can do about that.

In my near 10 years of driving class 1, I have worked at or done work on contracts for (either agency or full-time)

Morrisons, Tesco, Argos, Home Bargains, Asda, Sainsburys, M&S & Matalan amongst others. In none of those roles did I do anything that constitutes “warehouse duties”. Pretty much all those jobs involved some or all of the words/wording that you allude to and seem to take quite literally.

As for truck washing, that was mentioned in the advert for the job where I currently work, its a pretty standard part of the job these days so it’s naturally included for what is to be expected within your job role. What it simply means is, at the end of your run when you get back to depot you drive into the wash, get out your vehicle, fold in mirrors and push the big red button that turns the wash cycle on, when finished get back in vehicle and drive off. I find it hilarious that you translate that to mean there are literally going to be drivers who spend all day stood there washing lorries and trailers down - you know like those garage forecourt types run by eastern Europeans!

Bottom line, you are a failed lorry driver, which when you consider how we are generally looked at is a pretty low insult. You wanted to do European work during its heyday and when everyone else who wanted to do it did it and you could not get a job doing it - which says it all, so your opinion on anything to do with the job these days is worthless.

[harry_monk]

tmcassett:
Bottom line, you are a failed lorry driver, which when you consider how we are generally looked at is a pretty low insult. You wanted to do European work during its heyday and when everyone else who wanted to do it did it and you could not get a job doing it - which says it all, so your opinion on anything to do with the job these days is worthless.

Ah, but that wasn’t exactly his fault. The entire international transport industry conspired against him because his face didn’t fit.

[whisperingsmith]

> Harry Monk:
> Ah, but that wasn’t exactly his fault. The entire international transport industry conspired against him because his face didn’t fit.

Maybe with the Driver shortage they won’t worry about his odd shaped face anymore

[fuzrat]

tmcassett Wins the internet for the week

[carryfast]

tmcassett:

Carryfast:

tmcassett:

DCPCFML:
I am guessing at item 3 on the list, but that’s been the case for Asda truck drivers since the dawn of time.

Saying you’ll be expected to load/unload your vehicle and anything else required is pretty generic and standard in a job advert for supermarket type work.

As anyone who has done it knows, it means you’ll be expected to push a few cages off at the store or in Asda’s case pump truck a pallet to the end of the trailer. It doesn’t mean you’ll literally be “working in the warehouse” picking orders and stacking cages/pallets ready for loading onto the trailer.

We all know Carryfast the clueless idiot will no doubt take it as fact that you will be expected to do “warehouse duties” or be a “site labourer” when you get to the store.

So if it’s just shifting a few cages and pallets why the need for loading/unloading and ‘any other work that needs carrying out’.
Also washing trucks listed in the ad.Why would they even need to put that when washing salt off the mirrors and windows with a power wash and might as well do the rest goes with territory.
Oh wait unless they mean that one driver will be designated to wash them all to ‘make up his hours’.So obviously lots of arguments about who gets the best runs to avoid doing the zb jobs.
Tell us why wouldn’t any manager worth his salt translate that exactly as I have.
Reduce warehouse staff replace them with drivers.
Been there done that and got the broken back resulting in one more driver gone to add to the ‘driver shortage’ to prove it.

So another type of work within this industry that you haven’t done, yet here you are making out you know everything about it.

I’ve already explained in my post above about the job advert you posted and the use of the words you highlighted within that so am not going to re-write or re-iterate again. If you are too thick to understand them and what they “actually” mean then not a lot I can do about that.

In my near 10 years of driving class 1, I have worked at or done work on contracts for (either agency or full-time)

Morrisons, Tesco, Argos, Home Bargains, Asda, Sainsburys, M&S & Matalan amongst others. In none of those roles did I do anything that constitutes “warehouse duties”. Pretty much all those jobs involved some or all of the words/wording that you allude to and seem to take quite literally.

As for truck washing, that was mentioned in the advert for the job where I currently work, its a pretty standard part of the job these days so it’s naturally included for what is to be expected within your job role.

You clearly referred to loading unloading duties.
I clearly referred to any other duties which may be required in addition to that.
Why the need to refer to truck washing unless it means something more than would be taken for granted.
So you’ve shifted a few cages and pallets with a pallet truck.
Like washing a unit during/after a shift that ain’t the same thing as ‘‘any other duties as maybe required’’.
It’s not me that’s whingeing about a ‘driver shortage’ because too many potential drivers actually understand what’s being asked of them and that’s anything but driving a truck.
That advert clearly provides scope for drivers to be used as warehouse staff for the majority of a shift.Intentionally so.

[tmcassett]

Harry Monk:

tmcassett:
Bottom line, you are a failed lorry driver, which when you consider how we are generally looked at is a pretty low insult. You wanted to do European work during its heyday and when everyone else who wanted to do it did it and you could not get a job doing it - which says it all, so your opinion on anything to do with the job these days is worthless.

Ah, but that wasn’t exactly his fault. The entire international transport industry conspired against him because his face didn’t fit.

Oh yeah I forgot about the whole CIA/MI5 conspiracy to stop him!

[tmcassett]

Fuzrat:
tmcassett Wins the internet for the week

Just needed to get one or two things off my chest regarding his idiotic comments!