Good luck, Martin. Sounds like a good move at the right time.
No company stays the same for ever, and it seems the company you joined years ago is very different from the one you`re now leaving. There is a case for sticking with a job through a rough patch, but not for staying with a company on a downhill slide.
All the best Martin. Got no bloody chance of mentioning you in the “who’s seen who?” Thread now!
martinviking:
Ok Guys, I’ve done it, left on Friday, been at WHB for 4 years & enjoyed the work, wasn’t the best paying job in the world, but it used to be fairly laid back & it was only 10-15 minutes from home.But over the last year or so the management have let it go, run us ragged, expecting us to work 13, 14 & 15 hour shifts every day, even though it’s 50 hours guaranteed.
I don’t mind working long days, but you never know when you are going to finish, because one of the Forkies is running it like a closed shop, if he doesn’t want to unload you, that’s it, you sit & wait ! Another one is always on Facebook, keeps stopping to post more rubbish, others keep stopping for a ■■■, creating horrendous queues at night.
Parking is a free for all, with the Rigids parking in the trailer bays, leaving us messing around trying to find a space after long days out on the road.
We went out, did a full day’s work, then on the way back in, we were instructed to collect 1 pallet here & 2 pallets there, go come back to the yard & sit in the poxy queue.
Planing is very limited, the days start ok, but soon turn to fire fighting when things start to go wrong & resources are stretched.
5 Artic drivers have left (1 was sacked) in the last 6 weeks, more are planing on going, Rigid drivers are leaving & some of the office staff are looking as well. I can’t see how they can afford to run the place on mostly Expensive Foreign Agency Staff [emoji57]
And the management have done nothing about any of it ! Even though it’s been pointed out to them on numerous occasions.
Well that’s it I’m afraid ! This Viking has Sailed up the Fjord in his Long Boat/Electric Car [emoji594] & has started at DHL, Brackmills.
Gonna be a Fanny in a Scanny from now on.
Exactly like the pallet mob I worked for even down to the forkies picking and choosing what they do and keeping us all queued up down the road. 
Cheers Guys.
Did the induction on Monday [emoji99] went out with a Mentor/Driver Trainer yesterday (turned out to be a long day, with one delay after another) started at 6 this morning & was looking forward to an easy Banbury, Didcot, Newbury, but got a call from my Sister at 06.30 telling me that my Dad had passed away during the night (he was in hospital after suffering a stroke 2 weeks ago) not a problem for DHL they just told me to go home & call in later, shortest days work I’ve ever done 37 minutes [emoji57]
So I’m back out with a mentor tomorrow, then hopefully get my own motor on Friday.
Sorry to hear about your Dad mate. At least the firm were good about things though. Hopefully a sign of things to come
Sorry to hear about your father, condolences to the family and of course yourself.
My sympathy and deepest condolences to you and your family Martin.
martinviking:
Some really good feedback Guys, thanks, like Moaster noticed, I am partial to JL, although I’ve only just applied so nothings guaranteed.
I do like Monday-Friday work, but the odd weekend day isn’t too much of a problem.
Keeping both in mind for the moment so Fingers Crossed. [emoji106]
I know a few guys working out of Blakelands, and they are all long term employees at JL. Also a few guys who are long term agency drivers there also.
They love the job and dont have many bad things to say about it.
We deliver into Travis/Wickes/Benchmarks at Brackmills daily, and its a different story if you chat to their drivers, they never seem to be very happy.
I reckon JLP would be the better option in my opinion, but good luck whichever you choose to go with.
I know others would have had a different experience but I’d never work for DHL again regardless of what contract its on. When I left DHL on the M&S contract I got a letter a few weeks later from their legal department saying they will take me to court to reclaim over paid holiday. It was the first I’d heard about it, not even a oops we cocked up can we talk about a repayment plan it was straight in pay up in seven days or face the courts!
Commiserations and congratulations Martin!
Hope you’re coping OK and best of luck with the new gig… 
JLP were advertising till 7/10 and have taken on around 30 drivers recently. Only had 2 starts available a few days ago, on a 5pm start, with a 4hr window (so 5pm -9pm depending on how it was going).
Thanks for the Condolance’s Guys.
Went straight back to work on Thursday, out with another Mentor doing Mansfield, Chesterfield, Castle Donny & Loughborough, nice easy run, just got to get used to undoing both sides at most of the drops [emoji57]
They let me loose yesterday on my own, in my own motor, a 65 plate-450 Scania, needs a bit of a clean, but not too bad.
I was supposed to have been doing a similar run the the day before, so I could get used to the procedures & get finished nice & early [emoji106]—but,Never happened, someone didn’t turn in at 04.00, so when Happy Boy here rocks up @ 04.45 I got his run [emoji57] (leaving an hour later than planned )
1st drop was a 07.30 Boston, I arrived around 08.15, so was on the back foot from the start, taking the best part of an hour at most drops, with all the unstrapping, unloading, reloading, restrapping, paperwork & the obligatory Free Coffee [emoji106] at most stores.
I then had Skegness, Alford (but knobhead here put the wrong SatNav co-ordinates in & did Alford before Skeggy, costing me nearly an hour [emoji22]) Horncastle & Market Rasen, leaving me a Good two & a half drive back to Brackmills, including a fill up at 15a, luckily no one was on the pumps, so I was out like an F1 Pit stop & back on the road in no time, dropped my trailer & pulled my card on 14 hours & 59 minutes [emoji57]
wow ! That was close, would have nighted out, but I haven’t put all my stuff in yet & as I said earlier, it still needs a bit of a clean.
Back in Monday, 05.00 start, then rest day on Tuesday, off with my Dads Funeral on Friday the 18th, followed by another rest day on Wednesday 23rd of November.
Think I can get used to this 48 hour average lark [emoji4] (instead of 60+ most of the time, using POA to make up a low wage [emoji57])