can enyone tell me how the transport game managed before agencys came on the scene.and why was the need for agencys to start up.and does anyone remember if agencys had any effect on wages at the time. thanks twinshift
Agencies, like any other business exist to make money. I suspect that, as with our De Poel friends, a service to companies was identified to fill things like sickness, holiday, etc and then they promptly went aroung selling it as a solution to a problem no-one knew they had, or am I being cynical again?
there were agencies when i started in this industry…and as said they were there to supplement a flagging workforce…also sickness…odd days etc…i believe they were a good thing…although ive rarely worked for them directly..i did notice that agency drivers did less work than the company drivers..less pressure etc..and often brought un-finished deliveries back to the depot..whereas we had to complete ours..even if we were late finishing..it seems that when a transport company wanted an agency driver..they would tell the agency what job it was for..and how much etc..so the driver only worked a set amount of hours..and no more..because the agency was only receiving a set amount of money..there are a lot more agencies out there today and they seem to offer more per hour than some companies..+ holiday pay.but thats always a con..gotta work x amount of days..and just as you reach that limit..they say no work tomorrow or what ever..so they dont have to pay..as they say..good and bad in every firm..and the same with agencies i suppose..although like i said ..ive no experience of working with them except in the 1960`s…when they were few and far between…and treated you with more respect…as did transport companies…
thanks for the replys guys.didnt know agencys had been around for so long.i started out driving hgv in 1989 with an agency.obviously no experience so got a start through them.i liked the variation of work but not the multidrop parcel vans around christmas time.some jobs paid well 60 quid a day,and some not 2 50 an hour.i never seemed to have any money at the 2.50 hour jobs.like petrol for the motor to and from the job.still looking back at the good times i gat a warm glow inside.regards t.s.s
truckyboy:
there are a lot more agencies out there today and they seem to offer more per hour than some companies…+ holiday pay.but thats always a con…gotta work x amount of days…and just as you reach that limit…they say no work tomorrow or what ever…so they dont have to pay.
You couldn’t be further from the truth if you tried. You must be getting confused with Man/Driver Power where they guarantee you a certain level and guranateed weekly takehome once you’ve been with them for a certain period.
I HAVE YET TO FIND AN AGENCY WHERE I DID NOT GET HOLIDAY PAY.
They pay holiday pay in one of three ways:
- Worked out as an average weekly wage from the last 13 weeks pay.
- A set amount per hour (8% of hourly rate) which is put into your holiday pot.
- Pro rata.
I started with Driver Hire in September and I only work 2-3 days a week because I’m sick of the job. This Xmas, I took all my holiday pay and got nearly £300. Since XMas I’ve already got about £200 in the pot and remember, I only work part time.
I think a lot of driver agencies were formed out of the old freight forwarders, who had an office and a telephone near the docks, they would send a lad out looking for trucks on a bike to offer a driver 3 shillings a ton to take a load to Manchester.
This work dried up when companies began getting direct work so had to diversify. That certainly happened around Hull Docks
think thats where i,m living. 