Drivers paid less than Posties

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
81

Winseer:
I’ve never heard of a company folding because they paid their drivers too much…

If the admin staff are overpaid, or there are too many staff in some other area, and there’s a lot of pilfering going on, then it’s quite amazing that there are not a lot more bust firms out there, seeing as one sees a lot of it about. :neutral_face:

I’ve sort of actually got to agree with Winseer here.

Drivers and drivers wages seem to be the bottom of the agenda for haulage and logistics firms just lately. And we’re talking about firms that make their money through trucks being driven by drivers.

The drivers wages ARE NOT the biggest expense, on any decent days work, I definitely put more in the fuel tank than goes in my bank.

You say nothing can be done about this, shall we cast our minds back a few years? It CAN be done, it just won’t be done.

Now, others say desperate drivers or circumstances. I’m currently out of work (AGAIN) and on agency (who’ve let me down again), but I still won’t go for a job driving a truck that pays less than I think it should, there’s other jobs out there, and I’m not talking about shelf stacking for 30hrs per week, but even security jobs, sat on your harris for 60hrs per week on minimum wage.

I’m not a 1 skill person, I used to be a network engineer, I’ve been a bin man, a street sweeper, a bus and coach and taxi and truck driver, I’ve worked in factories and in shops and even done a stint in construction as a labourer to pay the bills. And I’d do ANY of them again before I drive a truck for below par earnings.

I’m not 1 of those that says “We must earn £10 per hour minimum mon - fri”, but there is a minimum - not so much per hour as guaranteed take home.
I turned down a job recently, it was £8.50 per hour, but was also £8.50 per hour on a Saturday and only a bit more on a Sunday, with the weekends rota’d in, monthly pay, but then I think the bit that made the decision for me was when a driver phoned to see what he was doing next and was told to park up, on around 5.5hrs, I asked if he was getting 8hrs for that and the answer was no.

I’ve worked for around £7 per hour, but was guaranteed 11hrs per day’s pay, with overtime (at an overtime rate) after those 11hrs even if the day before I only did 9hrs, and it also had some other bonus’ too, but guaranteed me enough that I could pay the bills.

82

Yeh, I’m inclined to agree with that there too…

I’m one of those who holds out for the tenner and all, but if it’s a guaranteed 12 hours or so, I’ll frequently do £9ph… (Local yard, days) Ideally, I’d like to gross at least £100 per shift, but I can’t say I’m looking forward any time soon to doing 15 hours for that £100…

On the other hand, a long commute for only a guaranteed 6 hours even at £10-12ph (which will BE six, and with a meal relief deducted) don’t cut it, because you’re really needing a premium hourly rate like £14+ to make it worth your while.

6 hours gross, 5 hours paid @ even £10ph isn’t going to pay more than the tax, insurance, and fuel to get there - right?

You need “enough” rate AND the hours it’s true.

THe biggest risks have got to be attending a new client’s yard for the first time, not knowing how many hours are involved as yet. Once you’ve done the job a few times, it might turn out to be a 13 hour thing, involving you being on a bay (with access to your cab - yippee!) for 3 hours of that 13… That means NO handballing, NO RDC waiting rooms, along with access to wash & eating facilities if you want them… You might even get back upto an hour early and still get paid too. Some slightly lower paid jobs therefore might be cushier than the higher rate ones. :grimacing:
Perhaps we should incorpate a “cushiness” meter to see what sort of things makes a job a “nice” job, since I think it’s different for different people.

For me, it’s what I’ve just described above. For others, they might like a real long drive to the other end of the country, or a 14 plate motor, or whatever… “One man’s meat” and all that… :sunglasses:

The interesting thing about “takehome pay” is that at this time of the year on agency, the first shifts of the week (might well be all you get!) will pay pretty much no tax. This bumps up an otherwise slightly substandard pay like £9ph into £9ph takehome, which is better than £11ph fully taxed & insuranced. :wink:
Remember my old axiom about “Thursday belongs to the taxman”? - Well, if you’re done by wednesday during the first few weeks of the year, you ain’t gonna pay a lot ot tax. :grimacing: :wink:

83

Why do some screwdrivers think the only work is hourly paid agency crap?
Why do so many accept the rate, instead of saying no?

84

whos more stupid?

I left a job £9+ anhour to work for £7 ph… according to majority i,m stupid… couldnt give a ■■■■■ really…

but for me to work for £9+ ph I had to have a second car, with added fuel, tax, MOT, insurance, tyres ect, get up half an hour earlier, half an hour later back home… had to deal with crap planners, crap tm , crap warehouse staff who could,nt pick correct product or load properly… ■■■■■■ off

for £7 per hour, i walk around the corner to collect my truck, I plan my own work within my own hours, i,m left alone, and a ■■■■ site happier doing this…

so it suits me and to be honest thats all i,m concerned about…

so its all down to the individual and their circumstances… to call em stupid without knowing the individuals is

85

limeyphil:
Why do some screwdrivers think the only work is hourly paid agency crap?
Why do so many accept the rate, instead of saying no?

Pray tell inform us where the full time jobs are in January in bulk… Ie starting NOW rather than Easter… Even supergiant nobbies are only recruiting a measly TWO drivers at thurrock as seen on another thread…Essex recruiting - THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE) - Trucknet UK

Many don’t say “no” to the rates on offer, because they’ll end up sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring if they hold out for the bank holiday stuff… There isn’t one now until Good Friday after all. :wink:

86

Winseer:
Yeh, I’m inclined to agree with that there too…

I’m one of those who holds out for the tenner and all, but if it’s a guaranteed 12 hours or so, I’ll frequently do £9ph… (Local yard, days) Ideally, I’d like to gross at least £100 per shift, but I can’t say I’m looking forward any time soon to doing 15 hours for that £100…

On the other hand, a long commute for only a guaranteed 6 hours even at £10-12ph (which will BE six, and with a meal relief deducted) don’t cut it, because you’re really needing a premium hourly rate like £14+ to make it worth your while.

6 hours gross, 5 hours paid @ even £10ph isn’t going to pay more than the tax, insurance, and fuel to get there - right?

You need “enough” rate AND the hours it’s true.

THe biggest risks have got to be attending a new client’s yard for the first time, not knowing how many hours are involved as yet. Once you’ve done the job a few times, it might turn out to be a 13 hour thing, involving you being on a bay (with access to your cab - yippee!) for 3 hours of that 13… That means NO handballing, NO RDC waiting rooms, along with access to wash & eating facilities if you want them… You might even get back upto an hour early and still get paid too. Some slightly lower paid jobs therefore might be cushier than the higher rate ones. :grimacing:
Perhaps we should incorpate a “cushiness” meter to see what sort of things makes a job a “nice” job, since I think it’s different for different people.

For me, it’s what I’ve just described above. For others, they might like a real long drive to the other end of the country, or a 14 plate motor, or whatever… “One man’s meat” and all that… :sunglasses:

The interesting thing about “takehome pay” is that at this time of the year on agency, the first shifts of the week (might well be all you get!) will pay pretty much no tax. This bumps up an otherwise slightly substandard pay like £9ph into £9ph takehome, which is better than £11ph fully taxed & insuranced. :wink:
Remember my old axiom about “Thursday belongs to the taxman”? - Well, if you’re done by wednesday during the first few weeks of the year, you ain’t gonna pay a lot ot tax. :grimacing: :wink:

Yes indeedy…this^^^^^ :laughing:

87

Winseer:

limeyphil:
Why do some screwdrivers think the only work is hourly paid agency crap?
Why do so many accept the rate, instead of saying no?

Pray tell inform us where the full time jobs are in January in bulk… Ie starting NOW rather than Easter… Even supergiant nobbies are only recruiting a measly TWO drivers at thurrock as seen on another thread…Essex recruiting - THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE) - Trucknet UK

Many don’t say “no” to the rates on offer, because they’ll end up sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring if they hold out for the bank holiday stuff… There isn’t one now until Good Friday after all. :wink:

For those of us that get up when the job needs starting and go home when the jobs done which may be a week, or a month or more. And those that don’t need to phone the office over the slightest thing, Then there’s plenty of work.