Driving assessments.

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Hunterpack has asked me to go for an driving assessment, so i asked how much an hour £6.00 something she said,WHAT i wouldn’t drive a van for that :open_mouth:
seriously c/e drivers do not work for that pay do they? if they do i have just wasted £3,000 + getting it. also how long are assessments,please tell me its not like the driving test drop trailer re hook up then drive around ? :frowning:

2

Sounds like minimum wage so no, you shouldnt work for that but that’s up to the individual. Most assessments are just to make sure you can drive their vehicles, lots of different types out there, and to see if you can reverse of course. If you’ve never driven that type then say so, if you don’t you’re bound to come unstuck somewhere.

3

It’s amazing how much the job has changed even since I started driving in the late '90s. I remeber turning up on the agency as a new driver to what was then Corus in Wednesfield to drive steel around the place … I’d never driven flats, never used a ratchet strap or chains and dogs, never driven a trombone trailer and never sheeted a load. There was no question of me being given an assessment or an induction, I was just given the keys and expected to be as good as the regular drivers. Some things in this industry have changed for the better!
I wouldn’t work for £6 an hour. Keep looking around Sweeper, there are better paid jobs out there.

4

You wont know what the assessment will be like till you get there. Theyre all different. Ranging from the most basic, to the driving test type where you darent even speak to the guy! Ive had em all. If you finish it and the guy says, “yeh, that was ok. You just need to use your mirrors a bit more”…that means he couldnt fault you on anything!! Ive had that twice. Once with Wincanton and once with Morrisons. They MUST “find” something wrong or it will diminish their sense of self importance and one-upmanship which comes with the assessors job.
As for the money, thats pish poor, but if there`s nowt else in your area, you might use it as a bit of experience… in cricketing terms, getting a single to get you off the mark! Then push on somewhere else if and when.
Good luck.

5

Thanks folks. but :confused: not going

6

don`t blame ya

7

Huntapac is only 3mile from my house and have considered goin there in the past but simply couldn’t afford to @6.80ph, shame really cos I bet they miss out on some good people

8

To my knowledge not all assessments are paid are they, all new job ones are not anyhow! they just want to know your not a liability! , only paid ones I know of are when you work for an agy and they send you and then you get paid!

9

maestro:
Huntapac is only 3mile from my house and have considered goin there in the past but simply couldn’t afford to @6.80ph, shame really cos I bet they miss out on some good people

I’m old enough to remember when they were considered to be a decent firm- good vehicles, good work, good conditions. All the drivers I spoke to were satisfied with the job.
What happened?

10

supply started to outstrip demand…if you know what I mean :wink:

11

I worked for them for about 8 months is was the worst ever 8 hours work 22 hours off no work no pay , ups 100 drops is easier and better paid

12

I do inductions, but no more driving assessments. The latter are just a means of getting cheap labour.

If a clean licence and over two decades experience doesn’t count for anything, then I’ll just move on to the next yard that recognises that, instead of insults it. :imp:

13

Retired Old ■■■■:

maestro:
Huntapac is only 3mile from my house and have considered goin there in the past but simply couldn’t afford to @6.80ph, shame really cos I bet they miss out on some good people

I’m old enough to remember when they were considered to be a decent firm- good vehicles, good work, good conditions. All the drivers I spoke to were satisfied with the job.
What happened?

£9.00 an hour basic now

14

Got a friend who works them. Said the assessment was really easy.

15

Most retailers do assessments these days although to be fair, the same assessment and frequency applies to both core and agency drivers. I have had all sorts including an hour on the road solo (■■?) to doing 4 shop deliveries. Some are by the book DSA standards (minimum standards as i always point out) to merely checking you can hook up safely and drive reasonably well. The assessors tend to be ex driver turned pen pusher (DSA standards) to ex drivers who still live in the real world and are more interested in your experience and attitude. All will mark you down for something minor though which tends to be more pressure from above rather than a reflection on the assessed. I once got marked down for not being receptive to new ideas which wasn’t true. I wasn’t receptive to ■■■■■■■■ ideas such as using cruise control through town centres and i argued all the way through the assessment and still passed :laughing:

16

You would be surprised how many folk come for assessments after paying 3k plus for a licence and cant even hook up to the trl , have no idea how to use the air suspension or that the middle axle can be raised etc etc. Money was rubbish but is now £9 hr basic £10.95 overtime plus more for wkends . by the way the jobs a piece of ■■■■ and most of the planners are decent blokes.

17

cheekymonkey:
You wont know what the assessment will be like till you get there. Theyre all different. Ranging from the most basic, to the driving test type where you darent even speak to the guy! Ive had em all. If you finish it and the guy says, “yeh, that was ok. You just need to use your mirrors a bit more”…that means he couldnt fault you on anything!! Ive had that twice. Once with Wincanton and once with Morrisons. They MUST “find” something wrong or it will diminish their sense of self importance and one-upmanship which comes with the assessors job.
As for the money, thats pish poor, but if there`s nowt else in your area, you might use it as a bit of experience… in cricketing terms, getting a single to get you off the mark! Then push on somewhere else if and when.
Good luck.

cheeky monkey if an assessor says you need to use your mirrors a bit more it means exactly that in most cases.The majority of qualified drivers are weak on their mirrors.
What makes you think all assessors are full of their own self importance? Maybe some of the unqualified ones might be but if they have been trained properly they will assess the driver accurately and give an honest debrief.I have done 1000’s of assessments over the years and it is extremely rare a driver will give a perfect drive.(nerves usually play a part)
Maybe the problem is your not as good as you think you are as with so many!

18

Never had any problem with any assessor. I think everyone of them made some sort of comment about my driving but I never felt it wasn’t justified or just a box ticking exercise. And to a man virtually they were down to earth blokes. I took their comments as constructive criticism.

19

bazza b:
You would be surprised how many folk come for assessments after paying 3k plus for a licence and cant even hook up to the trl , have no idea how to use the air suspension or that the middle axle can be raised etc etc. Money was rubbish but is now £9 hr basic £10.95 overtime plus more for wkends . by the way the jobs a piece of ■■■■ and most of the planners are decent blokes.

Bit of a jump since October. Must have been struggling to keep drivers… :slight_smile:

20

albion1971:

cheekymonkey:
You wont know what the assessment will be like till you get there. Theyre all different. Ranging from the most basic, to the driving test type where you darent even speak to the guy! Ive had em all. If you finish it and the guy says, “yeh, that was ok. You just need to use your mirrors a bit more”…that means he couldnt fault you on anything!! Ive had that twice. Once with Wincanton and once with Morrisons. They MUST “find” something wrong or it will diminish their sense of self importance and one-upmanship which comes with the assessors job.
As for the money, thats pish poor, but if there`s nowt else in your area, you might use it as a bit of experience… in cricketing terms, getting a single to get you off the mark! Then push on somewhere else if and when.
Good luck.

cheeky monkey if an assessor says you need to use your mirrors a bit more it means exactly that in most cases.The majority of qualified drivers are weak on their mirrors.
What makes you think all assessors are full of their own self importance? Maybe some of the unqualified ones might be but if they have been trained properly they will assess the driver accurately and give an honest debrief.I have done 1000’s of assessments over the years and it is extremely rare a driver will give a perfect drive.(nerves usually play a part)
Maybe the problem is your not as good as you think you are as with so many!

Oh do ■■■■ off will you, no-one’s interested.

I imagine you like one of those folk you meet at work who are always complaining about health and safety and working practices but are actually the one most likely to cause an accident.