I’ve never had to walk from a job without giving proper notice, always had to work my notice period out…which was annoying when i packed the transporters in, everyone else who gave notice would be interviewed, paid for the week and told to go…i had to work it but my compulsory leaving interview consisted of 7 text words on the PDA, which all work came through on…basically 7 words instructing me to meet another driver at main depot Friday am and leave the truck there and go back to my depot with him…it annoyed that i was trusted to work the notice where others were not, but not worth the company’s standard leaving procedures, it did however confirm my decision to go was the right one.
Years ago i was on nights trunking newspapers to various wholesalers, one of the drops i went to there was an old school artic driver who worked for this particular wholesaler, driving shop delivery vans in the early hours, he had a row with his boss (who i got on fine with) who told him if he didn’t like job to [zb] off, well about 2 weeks later on the busiest night of the week (and papers late to boot), he got his van half loaded then said to his boss ‘remember what you told me to do two weeks? cheerio’…thats the way to do it.
Whats the best or worse way you’ve left a job in a way to make a point?
Anyone really dumped the truck hundreds of miles from the depot and slung the keys?
I did three weeks at Coca-Cola filling the vending machines. The driver/trainer guy was telling me on the Monday of the third week that he had a bet a fiver with the office supervisor on me to stay. His face fell when I told him that he wasn’t getting it.
2007 I had seven weeks at a large container haulier, the ones with a wave on the cab. Great tackle by the way. I told the office that I needed to be home this coming Friday because… Which prompted “You’re f… well f… me about you f… w… thats the third time you’ve said you need to be f… home on a Friday. If you don’t want to do Friday out well f… wel f… off, I’ve got more lads waiting to take your job.”
So I said “That it what I’m saying, I’m finishing Friday” he said that I couldn’t leave as I was one of his ADR men and that the company had paid for me to go on the course. When I pointed out that the ADR was mine he backed down.
A fortnight later I bumped into the same guy in the Trafford Centre and he gave me his number “just in case you need a job”
Back in the 80’s I was working as a mechanic and the owner was a knob. I had an old Mini engine stripped down waiting for piston rings and a Datsun cylinder head off and mixed all the bolts and nuts up as they were metric and imperial. Never went back
I have only left 2 jobs but always on good terms and worked my notice. On those occasions I have been told there is always a job for me if I ever want to return, don’t burn your bridges.
I’ve had a pretty varied work history and many jobs, most of which didn’t last more than 2 years, but most places I’ve left on good enough terms for them to say I could come back.
But my previous motorsport job I was asked to leave after a bit of a barney with a mechanic, I had been there for nearly 6 years and was really looking to move on but not quite at the speed it happened.
However having heard the saga of my replacements, they still haven’t sorted it out after nearly 2 years, I think even they might have me back.
Juddian:
I’ve never had to walk from a job without giving proper notice, always had to work my notice period out…which was annoying when i packed the transporters in, everyone else who gave notice would be interviewed, paid for the week and told to go…i had to work it but my compulsory leaving interview consisted of 7 text words on the PDA, which all work came through on…basically 7 words instructing me to meet another driver at main depot Friday am and leave the truck there and go back to my depot with him…it annoyed that i was trusted to work the notice where others were not, but not worth the company’s standard leaving procedures, it did however confirm my decision to go was the right one.
Years ago i was on nights trunking newspapers to various wholesalers, one of the drops i went to there was an old school artic driver who worked for this particular wholesaler, driving shop delivery vans in the early hours, he had a row with his boss (who i got on fine with) who told him if he didn’t like job to f off, well about 2 weeks later on the busiest night of the week (and papers late to boot), he got his van half loaded then said to his boss ‘remember what you told me to do two weeks? cheerio’…thats the way to do it.
Whats the best or worse way you’ve left a job in a way to make a point?
Anyone really dumped the truck hundreds of miles from the depot and slung the keys?
Didnt sling the keys but, left the truck 150 miles away in Manchester truck and bus company after being told to stay with it over the weekend while it was repaired, then start a normal weeks work straight after. This was in the eighties and after numerous breakdowns in the same ancient Volvo. I hied a ford ■■■■■■ oneway, cost about 70 quid at the time and takehome was about 150, but it felt good when I walked in the office on that Friday afternoon to pick up my paypacket and see the look on the face of the owner who treat everyone like ■■■■. Happy days
During the 90’s I was working for a well known outfit driving a drawbar outfit to the former soviet bloc.
A driver we referred to as dirty Dennis gave 2 weeks notice, which the lad in the traffic office never took seriously. Anyhow 2 days before he was due to finish they shipped him out to Moscow going via the ferry from northern Germany. He arrived on the port in north Germany on his leaving date. So he booked the truck in put the keys under the bumper, sent a message via the satellite telling them where the keys & paperwork were and then caught a train home !! Nobody saw him again. Class.
Took the truck back to the yard near York from Daventry with the load on it that was for Norwich.Got messed about one to many times.I had given them a weeks notice i needed to be home that night.The boss always said he would take me back aswell apparently
Juddian:
I’ve never had to walk from a job without giving proper notice, always had to work my notice period out…which was annoying when i packed the transporters in, everyone else who gave notice would be interviewed, paid for the week and told to go…i had to work it but my compulsory leaving interview consisted of 7 text words on the PDA, which all work came through on…basically 7 words instructing me to meet another driver at main depot Friday am and leave the truck there and go back to my depot with him…it annoyed that i was trusted to work the notice where others were not, but not worth the company’s standard leaving procedures, it did however confirm my decision to go was the right one.
Years ago i was on nights trunking newspapers to various wholesalers, one of the drops i went to there was an old school artic driver who worked for this particular wholesaler, driving shop delivery vans in the early hours, he had a row with his boss (who i got on fine with) who told him if he didn’t like job to f off, well about 2 weeks later on the busiest night of the week (and papers late to boot), he got his van half loaded then said to his boss ‘remember what you told me to do two weeks? cheerio’…thats the way to do it.
Whats the best or worse way you’ve left a job in a way to make a point?
Anyone really dumped the truck hundreds of miles from the depot and slung the keys?
I had to swap Lorry in Lyon as mine had to go for service and the Hungarian driver was on the Way to Home for a week.
On left Front tyre was Steel Cord out and i phoned up as Spare Wheel was recutted and on a Alu Rim/
“Dont worry.We keep you in Spain and they dont look” i got said.
So i went oner the Border,Hill down and first Tyre shop to get a used front wheel,re-cut 2 Trailer Tyre and paid with my Money.
After few weeks out i phoned to bring Money and get Lorry or i park them at Police Station with a written statement.
Got my Money Sunday Evening and he got Artic with Docs,loaded for Portugal.
I’m a chilled out sort of person that usually just takes it & gets the job done
Well this particular day I’m returning back from France with a full load of vino collapso onboard when I get the call how ya doin mate?
I replied. “Yep going well & I’ll be back to calais in a couple of hours”
I get the reply. "which friggin route are you taking as you’ve got to tip that load in Reading first thing in the morning?
Well I’m hardly going to drive the longest friggin route around Europe just to annoy the office am I…
So I keep cruising on until I get the 2nd phone call of abuse…
Sod it I’ve had enough abuse from this jumped up ■■■■■
So I ring my mate who was delivering in his van to Gatwick then returning to Hampshire and he met me at Fleet services where I emptied all my kit into his van but I did have the decency to park the truck back at the yard (Obviously the middle of the night & no chance of making booking time) and never heard another word…
Dropped my trousers and showed my arse to the CCTV cameras…Twice, just to make sure they got it
The manager was laughing his head off, as the CCTV went through to the owners house, about 15 miles away
It was my first driving job, delivering wood shavings, great job, all handball, but the owner was an emotional wreck…And I was no longer suffering his insecurities
The mananger gave me a great reference (he would have done the same if he didn`t need the job)
Back in the '90s I was doing euro work and most of us did 6 weeks on and then had a week or so off. Anyway I got a call at home from the boss on my “trip off” asking if there was any chance I could fly to Barcelona to collect a truck.As it happened I couldnt so one of the office lads went.
Turns out that one of my “esteemed colleagues” hadnt contacted the office for several days, and when the boss called his wife at home to enquire if she’d heard of him, He answered the phone
Conversation went something like this…
Boss…Ayeup mate didnt realise you were home
Driver…Oh yeah Ive jacked in was just gonna ring ya
Boss…Right…wheres my ******* truck
Driver…Barcelona
Boss…I’ll be round in half an hour for the keys
Driver…No need I left them in it
The truck was parked where the guy had left it with the keys still in the ignition…Oh yeah it was parked just off the Ramblas…Barcelonas premier night life area
Dont think the driver ever got any work around the Staffordshire area for a long time after that.
yep! told 2 of us had to stay in a supermarket car park for 3 weeks in a 113 scania. Daft git we worked for had given us his credit card for expenses , so we booked flights home and had a good night out on him. Gave him a call when I got back home , told him where in Austria he could find his truck and keys! More to this story.
Unbeknownst to me, my boss was taking on another business, a pub business. His current business was a pain in the backside to work for, generally failing and not going anywhere, trucks falling apart, running overweight. It was also bloody hard graft, lifting silly weights by hand, and generally not having very much fun or getting much support.
He handed out flyers to all of us one friday morning, welcoming us to the opening night of the pub. This was the first I heard about this plan.
Went home that night, washed my uniform, wrote 2 lines on the back of the welcome flyer saying the whole thing is a joke, and I won’t be coming back.
Left the flyer on the truck seat later that friday evening, with my raggedy uniform washed and folded.
Never went back.
Not very mature, and bridges well and truly burnt. But satisfying, and if I didn’t do it then, I would have gone nuts.
The bloke was also a cad and a bounder, so, he deserved it.
