Now I often read on here after a accident/ incident ,p45 for that driver
I’ve always had dropping a loaded tri on its knees causing extensive damage / hitting a bridge and causing damage as instant dismissal ,but I’ve heard of two of these instances recently and no action has been taken against either driver ,one who hit bridge has been transferred onto work where he basically uses same height tri each day other just carry on as before .
Now I don’t want to see anyone sacked as accident do happen( saying you thought it would go being more stupid than a accident ) but I still think you should be given a chance .
So have I always had it wrong,these instances were never a stackable offence,shortage of drivers are making companies more lenient or what 
Seems to be the case at ours… One of 'em has dropped a trailer with 18t of Mayo on and left it (apparently they managed to get it off the ground with 2 counter balance fork lifts) and word had it he only got a bollocking. Forward many months and he ripped most of the ‘plastics’ off the N/S off the cab by hitting the gate post in our yard (always in a rush to get back and go home)…few months after that, he did exactly the same thing on the same post. This is the one who I mentioned a fair while back who carved a car up (forcing the driver who wanted that exit to rejoin the M3) by cutting across the chevrons after deciding not to leave the M3 at the 34 split and instead head for Basingstoke.
A day shift guy I know of (its not a mmtm though it does sound that way, sorry) fell asleep at the wheel and crashed, companies solution, put him on later starts (from 3-4am starts to 6-7am starts) It does certainly appear firms are getting a bit more accommodating nowadays
Out of 5 drivers this year weve had two kept on where they could possibly have been sacked and 3 sacked who could possibly have been kept on so i would say no.
Companies with no shortage of people willing to work for them who are the most likely to be able to don’t because they accept that things happen and as with the examples given, will work around a problem first.
The bad companies nobody wants to work for can’t afford to.
I think a lot of it has to do with the fact more drivers are actually wanting to work for agencies because of the extra money, flexibility and there seems to be no shortage of work.
I seem to recall, Matt didn’t keep on a bad driver
Conor:
Companies with no shortage of people willing to work for them who are the most likely to be able to don’t because they accept that things happen and as with the examples given, will work around a problem first.The bad companies nobody wants to work for can’t afford to.
I think a lot of it has to do with the fact more drivers are actually wanting to work for agencies because of the extra money, flexibility and there seems to be no shortage of work.
I’ll agree with that, 18 months in to agency work and you won’t catch me going back to permanent employment anytime soon. More money, the ability for me to choose to work a sensible amount of hours and not be doing 60 hour weeks (Knock 15 of that and you’ve got my average working week), plus I can pick which days I want to work every week depending what plans I’ve got and lastly being able to pick where you work - Go into a place and not like it then simple you don’t have to go back. All these things mean it’s a no brainier for me.
I currently work for 2 retail companies and love it but from time to time I have a 3rd place I’ll do the odd shift for just to give a little variety. You don’t have these choices with permanent work.
It rather alarming that “saving a few quid on everyone else’s wages” seems to have taken higher priority than “becoming rather fussy about who you keep on” as a yard. Even the small yards.
Mind you, Job Ads of late for actual full time jobs (rather than an agency contract) have subtly altered of late to NOT include the once-obligatory “No more than 6 points on licence” bit.
You merely get asked “How many points on licence, and what codes” presumably with the firm hoping the answer is “none” or at least some codes that don’t include DR DD or IN. 
Ads for agency of course still include the old “6 points ok” bit. This makes it rather easier to sort the ads for actual jobs from the agency shifts doesn’t it?
In my part of the country ( central Scotland ) I now see jobs being advertised ,- " max 9 points " on licence !!!.
shugg:
In my part of the country ( central Scotland ) I now see jobs being advertised ,- " max 9 points " on licence !!!.
…and the problem is:?:
For what it’s worth.
I attended an interview last night for a position I applied for back in Oct. While I was in the office the firms owner showed me the stack of applications he has after the same job. I didn’t get to count them but at least 200.
I took this as good sign for the firm as I don’t know them, but if that many drivers are applying they must have a good reputation within the area.
Seems like a hell of a lot of drivers if this so called shortage is about.
Anyhow, got the job. So one very happy camper.
Cheers Smudge
shugg:
In my part of the country ( central Scotland ) I now see jobs being advertised ,- " max 9 points " on licence !!!.
Pimpdaddy:
…and the problem is:?:
You!! Trolling like this …
Last employer was (or could still be?) the best class 2 payer for miles around here.
They always had a stack of people asking for a job.
So they always used to use ‘You not happy? Then leave’ threat.
So I did.
And before you ask why, I’m not disclosing on an open forum.
As for what’s happened over the last year, I’m glad I did now. (Family / personal reasons).
What’s the situation with mortgages and car loans if you’re just on agency?
There isn’t a driver shortage, as such, it’s more that DCPC has massively diminished the pool of casusal driving labour available at short notice and put a barrier of 35 hours of training between people returning to truck driving.
No win for the government if it’s a booming Christmas there’ll be an embarassing driver shortage. If there’s no driver shortage then probable the economy is in poor health.
Own Account Driver:
There isn’t a driver shortage, as such.
there isn’t a driver shortage full stop.
Being on agency is what is stopping moving from my current place. I don’t get enough hours on a regular basis to cover my living costs in a place of my own (I live in a shared house). That being said, I do like the agency way of living, picking and chosing work when I please but its a double edged sword. I was supposed to working today and tomorrow but it was canned 4 hours after they confirmed the placement. I was supposed to be working on Tuesday only to be told that because I’m not 25 their insurance won’t cover me.
I don’t know if its because of my age, lack of experience or whatever but I can’t seem to get regular work through agency like the rest of you can. Its one week here, two days there kind of affair. I’m hoping that with Class 1 there will be more work on the agency front.
Pimpdaddy:
Own Account Driver:
There isn’t a driver shortage, as such.there isn’t a driver shortage full stop.
There is no driver shortage,theres a good driver shortage though ,and good drivers work at good firms who pay good money and dont need to find drivers 
seth 70:
Pimpdaddy:
Own Account Driver:
There isn’t a driver shortage, as such.there isn’t a driver shortage full stop.
There is no driver shortage,theres a good driver shortage though ,and good drivers work at good firms who pay good money and dont need to find drivers
True. May I ask what your definition of a good driver is?
smudge837:
For what it’s worth.I attended an interview last night for a position I applied for back in Oct. While I was in the office the firms owner showed me the stack of applications he has after the same job. I didn’t get to count them but at least 200.
I took this as good sign for the firm as I don’t know them, but if that many drivers are applying they must have a good reputation within the area.Seems like a hell of a lot of drivers if this so called shortage is about.
Anyhow, got the job. So one very happy camper.
Cheers Smudge
Has anyone considered the possibility that this kind of thing is a complete bluff?
I’m thinking the “pile of applications” are in fact all drivers from all times that have ever applied for that yard.
A closer inspection is warrented methinks… “Oh you can’t look at them. That would be violating the privacy of other applicants!” my cynical mind tells me…
It would be different if you actually know some of the applicants that have told you they’ve applied of course…
If a job has crap pay and conditions, then of course it makes sense to suggest that the bod attending interview is only “one in a thousand applicants” - so when they then get offered the job (because it was actually two applicants - you and catweazle) you feel chuffed you’ve beat a field of a thousand other drivers…
Truth is, you don’t need any qualifications for a job that’s crappy enough. Perhaps the “9 points OK” job is telling us that they’d rather scrape the bottom of the barrel - rather than just pay a knockout full time rate that has a REAL turn-up of 1000 applicants, of which the firm can pick and choose the bod with 6 degrees, a clean licence, HIAB, Moffet & Jungheinrich ticket, and speaks 7 languages… 
Tesco or Sainsburys? viewtopic.php?t=120365
wing-nut:
Found out today, yes it was Sainsbury’s, from DartfordNo he wasn’t agency, he was Sainsbury’s own.
He fell asleep and is now no longer employed by them.
Obviously not.