Driving for a general haulage firm, nice company, owner is really nice chap. Pay is good. You can have many hours as you want. Not bad bits of kit. No hassle during day except if plans change.
Thing is when he tells me next days job he asks if it’s alright if I will do a certain trailer. My reply is whatever you want. This week have done potato bulker, fridge, tanker and tipper. I asked him.why he asks and he said some Drivers won’t driver certain things. Come on. Surely if youre in general haulage that’s what you do. What is happening to the world
Only on vans at the moment but had a similar conversation with one of the logistics guys are a job I was on.
Went out, did the drops, came back and reloaded. Did the drops, came back and asked if the was a third load. His response ‘blimey, you’re keen’. I replied I’m just paid to do the job whatever that is. He response ‘if only everyone was like that’.
I just assumed they were and can’t understand why you wouldn’t be.
I’m working via agencies through choice and my attitude is so long as it’s legal I’ll do it. Some jobs I’ve been done in under 6 hours and other have been 13 but so long as I get paid I don’t care. Like I said to the guy-I’m just paid to do the job…
I had a driver come in the other week - I will only start at 6am is this ok? not really as you need to be a bit more flexible! well I like the company but cant start earlier or later than 6am - ok I will ask but if the don’t have a 6am shift your not working ok. yeah that’s fine - anyway he ended up leaving the job he ‘loved’ and is now starting at 3am and hates the job.
its exactly the same with the old all agencies are crap brigade - most are so unflexible they end up stood then blame the agencies - strange I worked for 5 years on one and only took time off when I wanted it.
war1974:
its exactly the same with the old all agencies are crap brigade - most are so unflexible they end up stood then blame the agencies - strange I worked for 5 years on one and only took time off when I wanted it.
The reason some people think all agencies are crap is because there are so many liars and con merchants working for agencies.
Over a few years I’ve worked for about four agencies and numerous agency consultants, only about two of those agency consultants would I believe if they told me anything, and frankly I’d have doubts about one of them.
You’ve heard the saying " it’s the few that get the rest a bad name", well when it comes to agency consultants I’m afraid it’s the many that gets the few decent ones a bad name.
I agree about some people’s inflexibility though and that some drivers are their own worst enemy.
the nodding donkey:
Stand by for Connor, Carryfast, Contraflow et al to start asking if you bring your own lube…
No idea why I’m in that list because I too share the “you’re getting paid to do it so long as its legal”. I also have a “as long its legal, the radio and heater works and it will get me from A to B I don’t care what I drive” view as well.
I worked for an agency for years and was regarded as a ‘decent’ driver. I was looked after sometimes to the detriment of others. i know for a fact that my name would be swapped with others if there was a cancellation. Good for me bad for some other drivers. So even tho I was getting on great with my contact I knew he was screwing others. I think it’s the nature of their job they need to be ‘players’.
war1974:
its exactly the same with the old all agencies are crap brigade - most are so unflexible they end up stood then blame the agencies - strange I worked for 5 years on one and only took time off when I wanted it.
The reason some people think all agencies are crap is because there are so many liars and con merchants working for agencies.
Over a few years I’ve worked for about four agencies and numerous agency consultants, only about two of those agency consultants would I believe if they told me anything, and frankly I’d have doubts about one of them.
You’ve heard the saying " it’s the few that get the rest a bad name", well when it comes to agency consultants I’m afraid it’s the many that gets the few decent ones a bad name.
I agree about some people’s inflexibility though and that some drivers are their own worst enemy.
I agree to an extent as I have been on both sides of the coin so to speak. but from my own experiences I have never struggled to find work and am fairly flexible regarding it as I need to earn at the end of the day. some of the guys I get in at times are more of a diva than a mega star because they are in demand. yet it never ceases to amaze me how the in demand bunch tend to be asked not to come back to clients where the steady eddies are asked back time and again.
but it also goes back to the point of driver needing to do a bit of research about the agency in question or who supplies who etc. before going off and spending 2 hours filling in forms.
I know a whole load talk endless ■■■■■■■■ to try and get you in I cant and wont do that but I am lucky enough to have driven and worked on agencies so try to not ask anyone to do something I wont or couldn’t do myself.
I’m not agency, and I have no problem with agency drivers, I freelance for local companies. I don’t see why I should give any to a desk jockey. There’s work out there if you want it. I don’t care if it’s 7.5 ton to artic as long as they Pay me.
Had a driver at one firm I was at refuse to pull a fridge, when the office asked why he replied with “I can’t sleep with a running fridge” to which the office replied “Not a problem you’ll not be going to bed until it’s empty”
war1974:
but it also goes back to the point of driver needing to do a bit of research about the agency in question or who supplies who etc. before going off and spending 2 hours filling in forms.
the nodding donkey:
Stand by for Connor, Carryfast, Contraflow et al to start asking if you bring your own lube…
No idea why I’m in that list because I too share the “you’re getting paid to do it so long as its legal”. I also have a “as long its legal, the radio and heater works and it will get me from A to B I don’t care what I drive” view as well.
Sorry, it was very early and I had not yet had a cup of coffee…
the nodding donkey:
Stand by for Connor, Carryfast, Contraflow et al to start asking if you bring your own lube…
No idea why I’m in that list because I too share the “you’re getting paid to do it so long as its legal”. I also have a “as long its legal, the radio and heater works and it will get me from A to B I don’t care what I drive” view as well.
Nor me.Considering that I spent a considerable part of my time in the job driving a multi lift rigid which mean’t everything from a flat doing plant haulage to bulk refuse/muck tipper work often in the same day.In addition to zb local multi drop and building deliveries agency work.
My ‘issues’ were about the lack of opportunities in the job to move on from all that in the form of a fair and clearly defined career progression framework.As opposed to the reality of being told that ‘starting at the bottom’,on zb work,was a sure way to get into the type of international haulage work I was looking for.Which all those who were spouting such bs knew themselves was a lie.
Having said all that what the OP describes isn’t ‘general haulage’ in the usually accepted sense.IE tankers etc usually involve more qualifications and/or more money.Than working with flats/tilts/curtainsiders which are the usually accepted definition of general haulage work.
If you’re going to do agency and want to have regular work then you have to be flexible and ideally multi-skilled or at least willing to learn. If you’re on for a company then I’d assume you know what kind of kit and loads they haul.
Went with my son yesterday while he signed up with the agency I’m with, chatted for over an hour over a coffee, picks and chooses both his clients and drivers, some very interesting tales . Although my son is newly passed class2 he’s got work as soon as he’s available.
Just needs to tell his missus and kids he’ll see them in the spring
the nodding donkey:
Stand by for Connor, Carryfast, Contraflow et al to start asking if you bring your own lube…
No idea why I’m in that list because I too share the “you’re getting paid to do it so long as its legal”. I also have a “as long its legal, the radio and heater works and it will get me from A to B I don’t care what I drive” view as well.
I used to do general haulage many moons ago. I used to carry abnormal loads, machinery, pressure vessels, bright bar, tubing, construction equipment, refractory materials. Heck we even used to hide ADR packages under those tarps and no I didn’t have a ADR license and neither did the other drivers. One time I even had a pallet of spices sitting next to a pallet of chemicals.
Thing is though times have changed. In theory you are supposed to even have training on pump trucks and tail lifts nowadays so you are certified operator (LOLER). Speaking for agency contracts, nobody ever shows me anything, I am left to figure things out for myself. If I’m lucky there may be another driver in the yard but otherwise training is non existent. That’s all very well of course until things go wrong and the brown stuff starts to fly towards the fan and the driver finds themselves in direct line of fire. I can think of a few vehicles where inexperienced and untrained drivers could very quickly come to grief. All very well doing the macho bravado of I’ll drive anything, but see what a court’s take is on it if someone gets injured.
LIBERTY_GUY:
All very well doing the macho bravado of I’ll drive anything, but see what a court’s take is on it if someone gets injured.
I’ll drive anything so long as it is legal - load, vehicle etc. I will ask what I don’t know. Heck I even had to ask how to open a curtain side as I’d never seen one before. There is nothing macho bravado in my approach - simply if its legal then I do it.
I am self employed and cannot risk my license so if I was unhappy with anything I would politely explain what and unless it was rectified I wouldn’t go anywhere.
I have had a cushty run up to Newcastle for 3 drops, home by 1430 to a 45 drop parcel run for one of the courier firms in a Sprinter. Not fun at all but that was the job. There are days when I simply cannot work due to childcare commitments but my agent knows of these well in advance. Otherwise I am on call and ready for whatever comes in.
danthetrucker:
to a 45 drop parcel run for one of the courier firms in a Sprinter. Not fun at all but that was the job. I am on call and ready for whatever comes in.
If that’s what you’re happy with fine.But that doesn’t give anyone the right to moan about those who take an opposite view.Of that idea defeating the object of why they’ve entered the industry and invested their time and efforts into driving trucks for a living and who are ( justifiably ) looking for the ‘right’ type of work to reflect that.The fact being that the ‘right’ type of work has historically been over subscribed with access to it being on an arbitrary face fits basis.While those offering the type of under subscribed work which many ( rightly ) don’t want,resort to the same old bs of start with the zb or ‘flexibility’ to fill their zb ongoing vacancies.With that issue obviously being worse in an environment in which the UK road transport industry has been crippled by costs,cheap east euro competition and over regulation.
. Although my son is newly passed class2 he’s got work as soon as he’s available.
