anyone ever considered or actually crossed the divide and worked in the office as a tm,planner etc may be an option for me in the near future and would be pleased to view your opinions. 
Crossed the great divide about 2 years ago.
Instead of just worrying about your own problems you suddenly have x amount of problems multiplied by the number of drivers+vehicles+customers that you have, it is a never ending circle.
Think very carefully about it.
Some drivers who do it think they were in a helicopter when they were on the road but I prefer a driver to some snotty nosed uni tube who cycles to his work because he has no license.
Thankless task but if you take to it and drivers get to trust you I imagine it could be quite rewarding.
balancing act. i thought about it, but, it would be tricky too run with the hare and the hounds.
think as long as you’ve got good people skills, and don’t forget, where your from, you should be on a head start. prob a steep learning curve, and you’ll never be able too please all the people all of the time, what with, gaffers, customers, and drivers 
you’ll need too be a saint, a sinner, a diplomat, a businessman, and a mate, all in one go
but with a good team around ya, and once you’ve sussed out whos alright, and who’s not, you could make a real difference, and turn it into something good.
good luck.
Been there done that.
Vascoingles:
Crossed the great divide about 2 years ago.
Instead of just worrying about your own problems you suddenly have x amount of problems multiplied by the number of drivers+vehicles+customers that you have, it is a never ending circle.Think very carefully about it.
I agree that does about sum it up, if you have a great bunch of drivers you are fine.
Just look forward to the phone ringing with stupid questions and complaint’s at all hours of the day.
one of our night drivers went into the office to cover long term sickness - the sick fella never came back - so they offered ,sorry begged the driver to take the job permanent as he had made huge savings on the runs - but his wages where going down 7k and he basically told them to ■■■■ off 
i would only consider it if i couldn’t drive eg health problems
I did it and then came back to driving. I learned about the 2 sides of the fence and how many friend’s you could lose. In reality it was caused by a lifelong health issue when I had to be physically recovered from Greenwich 
I spent about 3 years planning the loads, signing off haulage invoices and finding the work. Due to circumstances beyond my control, it ended abruptly which resulted in me buying my old truck. I am not sure I could do it now, but at the time it was the best thing ever, company Orion, free diesel, health insurance and telephone.
On second thoughts 
Take it
i dont really know, i think alot of the time nowadays you have to realise you are not going to have a free rein at it as your hands will be tied alot from upstairs eg… reducing drivers hours, making sure they are home at night, reducing diesal costs, keeping track on drivers, keeping track on maintenace… the list is endless. i thought about it at my current job but as ive said to many people trying to run one job.
another thing is that everything the management want is going to ■■■■ off the drivers cos it always reflects in their wages.
jessicas dad:
i dont really know, i think alot of the time nowadays you have to realise you are not going to have a free rein at it as your hands will be tied alot from upstairs eg… reducing drivers hours, making sure they are home at night, reducing diesal costs, keeping track on drivers, keeping track on maintenace… the list is endless. i thought about it at my current job but as ive said to many people trying to run one job.another thing is that everything the management want is going to ■■■■ off the drivers cos it always reflects in their wages.
That is about the size of it, although I was given free rein most of the time, I did no doubt, ■■■■ some drivers off, as they did me
The night drivers who thought they knew best, or, those who would load in London and come up the A1 to Blyth on route to Liverpool It would have probably worked if you hadn’t called ATS out
The driver who filled the twin tanks on his ERF, offered to take it 30 miles for an inspection, had a night out at home and then put another 750 litres in the following morning.
I started with 10 years in the office then a spell driving and am now back inside again.To be fair each jobs has its good and bad points and I found there was lots of times when I wished I was doing the other and vice versa.You will get alot more respect from your drivers once they know you’ve been on the road and you see things from a drivers point of view.Like if a load isn’t booked in or you have a dodgy address I tend to act quickly as thats what I expected as a driver and your drivers appreciate that.As mentioned earlier you will be worrying about lots of drivers rather than yourself and trying to be one step ahead of them as some drivers tend to be very predictable.Who you can leave alone and who to keep a close eye on whilst being diplomatic at the same time .If you had a good reputation as a driver rest assured you’ll be fine.
Rob Campbell
A lot of the people who are on here could do the office job, we all use computers, otherwise we wouldn’t be on this forum. A lot of the office stuff involving transport is EU ■■■■■■■■. Just get in there and have a go. I never imagined a job in an office, but once I went into one, it was ok.
aranger:
Some drivers who do it think they were in a helicopter when they were on the road but I prefer a driver to some snotty nosed uni tube who cycles to his work because he has no license.
Why does everyone have such a problem with graduates?
i came off the road 5 years ago after 23 years of european work and ive let my license go. wild horses would not get me back on the road now.
im driving a desk now and in victor kiam style i bought half the company in february. so im a convert with no going back
llsiti1:
aranger:
Some drivers who do it think they were in a helicopter when they were on the road but I prefer a driver to some snotty nosed uni tube who cycles to his work because he has no license.Why does everyone have such a problem with graduates?
Is it because things on paper are not always the same for reality
llsiti1:
Why does everyone have such a problem with graduates?
I dont think it the Graduates they have the problem with.
It’s more like the fact the Graduate has done all the number crunching and everything on paper but some dont have a clue on what a truck is or that it might be 5 inches on a map but its 100miles or auto route says 155 miles but thats not taking into account of speed limits hold ups and not every customer can take your delivery RDC example and check it off at the rate of 1min per pallet and have you on your way in less than 30 mins maybe thats why 
I dunno I’m just some dumb shmuck of a driver who knows [zb] all
llsiti1:
aranger:
Some drivers who do it think they were in a helicopter when they were on the road but I prefer a driver to some snotty nosed uni tube who cycles to his work because he has no license.Why does everyone have such a problem with graduates?
To be quite honest, anyone who has done a transport degree will get along fine, this site has, in the past had problems with media folk and the occasional baby-faced pompous pillock who only wants to sack or order drivers about like a ■■■■ commandant.
Stick around, you might learn something
llsiti1:
aranger:
Some drivers who do it think they were in a helicopter when they were on the road but I prefer a driver to some snotty nosed uni tube who cycles to his work because he has no license.Why does everyone have such a problem with graduates?
You need experience to do the job, perhaps not driving though I believe you should at least know how to drive a large vehicle but most certainly some on site experience so as not to be intimidated by a few moaning drivers.
Had one once who`s job was to deal with any problems when you phoned in and I never finished a conversation with him once without asking for someone who could understand what the problem was.
Another who gave out runs on a who scared him the least basis and he was the contract manager.
They were good around the office though whatever that means.
Drivers are the best at the Job end of though I couldnt do it as I dont have the necessary people skills.
llsiti1:
Yeah but the point is they have the intelligence and experience to learn these things to a high level…hence the degree.So instead of having a go at them, teach them with your years of wisdom about the real world. And before you know it he will have a clue, and he will do a decent job and in fact will be able to do a better job than most of us.
Unless they are an arrogant sod that wont listen and then just ignore them completely
you can learn as much as you like at college or university but what the books cant teach you is THE REAL WORLD and until you have done the job you cannot comprehend the amount of things involved with the day to day workings of the transport industry. you can come into a transport and implement your own ideas and take on things but you will never have the respect of the drivers unless you have been on the road yourself. they will smile at you agree with you but secretly be thinking " he dos’ent know what he’s on about " and then go out and do it their own way anyway.
we have 3 transport managers at our work and one of them has the cpc the other one used to be a cars salesman oh and also the traffic clerk and not one of them has the respect or liking of the drivers, all because they dont have lgv license.the drivers quite often tell them " i can do your job but you cant do mine. all our jobs are ran to the minute and with containers you cant work like that which is quite often proven, thats when all the phone calls start with job swapping or " jiggling " as they call it. my phone must ring at least 6 times everyday and if they are not on the phone they are watching you on the tracker finding out why you have started your engine. when they phone cos you have started your engine they phone to see what time you are back. i really wish we had somebody like chris long from longs of leeds running our traffic office, he would soon have it shook up.