Hey all,
I’ve been doing the rounds at the local agencies around Preston over the last 4-5 months and tbh i’m a bit ticked of to say the least. I’ve signed on with four in particular. They all promise you plenty of work with decent pay (yeah right)when you sign up but in reality both don’t come along hand in hand. I signed up for a prominent agency yesterday who are advertising rates of £9-£15 per hour depending on the shift. I spent an hour there filling out the muppetry section only to be told they pay £7.50 for the first 8 hours. Here’s what gets my goat, not wanting to sound snooty but I’m 24yrs into this 'ere driving malarkey, no accidents (touch wood) never any points…ever, you’re piloting 44T on todays roads with the responsibility and stress’s thereof and they offer you £7.50 an hour. WTF !!! 
The guy tells me they have too undercut the other agency’s to get work but where have we heard that before, they’ll be asking us to do it for minimum wage before too long. It’s got my goat a bit and there’s no way i’ll be walking out the front door at stoopid oclock for £7.50 anyhoo.
Rant over and…breeeeeeeathe.
The economy is so wrecked at the moment that there are many more drivers than there are motors of any description requiring a driver. I was on a tipper a few months ago turning up at quarries where I expected to wait in a long queue of tippers as I had done in the past ,but they were even polite to me as there was no work going on.
If it’s any concellation, I’m doing nights for that measley rate (class 1) with a few hours at better rates on the pay slip too - god knows how they work it out; I think they make it up as they go along to be honest but it’s not worth even questioning it unless there’s a huge mistake because you know the slimey ■■■■■■■■ will have an answer for everything 
I’m going all out for full time work at the moment, as long as the rates aren’t less than what I’m getting at the moment I’ll try nearly anything - I just need to get away from the scumbag agencies before I get too bitter and twisted 
Agency driving is a poisoned chalice unless you are mates with the guy who runs it or on a long term placement, same every day.
Many drivers in Scotland would love to drive for £7.50ph.
Silver_Surfer:
Agency driving is a poisoned chalice unless you are mates with the guy who runs it or on a long term placement, same every day.
Or you actually do a good conscientious job in a professional manner 
Thats what I did, and ended up with a full time job.
Come on now…Transport is almost entirely populated by muppets with the IQ of a freeze dried hedgehog, so it`s not difficult to get on is it?
Hey all,
Like I said I’m not wanting to sound of Steve-O, My point is that for the responsibility we have the pay is a flipping joke. I’ve been with the same agency for the last six years working for a “prominent brewer” with at least 4 days a week in every week and no complaints form me. The haulage has now gone to a second party and with it the agency has changed too. I’ve signed up for the new one but have had 4 days of them since July.
To be honest I’d no idea how poor things had become. They say there is a national shortage of drivers but how does the industry attract new blood with that money once the “King of the Road” syndrome has worn of. I called a firm today who are advertising £350-£500 per week on days. When it came down to the hourly rate it was £6.67 
Has the influx of European labour done this much damage ■■ I’ll say this much…When I passed my class 1 at the tender age of 23 I certainly didn’t imagine I’d be getting offered £6.67 at 47.
It’s a sorry sorry state of affairs guys.
Steve-o:
Many drivers in Scotland would love to drive for £7.50ph.
For class one? I had 7 to 8 per hour for class two in agencies I’ve been with…
I recall reading an article in a magzine about 40 years ago .A driver who could drive anything on the road ,be it bus coach artic the lot, his school age daughter earned more than he did doing baby sitting on Saturday evenings.The mag. was called "Titbits"some of the discerning mature guys might remember it.