nearly there:
Screw agencies id rather do gate security than depend on them scum bags
Once you get made redundant, you’ll be asking for someone to “pass the vaseline” then… 
Quinny:
Sadly, if you try and get 8 hours out of them for being cancelled, you’ll spend more time sat at home with that agency, and I can assure you that they won’t pay you no matter what you think.My agency have kept me fairly busy this year, but we’ll see what the next few weeks throw up.
Should be interesting.
Ken.
Yes, all the agency has to do to hold out for a “no payment” is to say "I’ve refused to pay you, and you’re so ■■■■■■ off, that you never want to work for us again!" No problem, there’s another 197 drivers behind you, and 34 of those have clean licences and over 20 years experience. Here - Let me hold the door open for you…" :twisted:
commonrail:
yes…i suspect truckulentsunderpants arent quite as big as hes suggesting. :grimacing: or they wouldnt use him
Lol.
My pants are adequate ta. 
I don’t expect everyone to do as I do. Yes men don’t!
FarnboroughBoy11:
To have “full time 5 days a week work” you need to be signed on to at least 3 agencies at a time ideally.
Not really. You just need to be competent, don’t turn up looking like a tramp, don’t wallop through fuel or bend motors and get the load there both in one piece and reasonable time. Also helps if you’re not a doylum and don’t ask stupid questions that a little common sense would provide the answer to.
merc0447:
I honestly don’t know how people can live like this, do you not have bills to pay? Not knowing how much or if you are going to get paid one week to the other.
Not being up to your eyeballs in debt living in a house you had to get more than a 4x income mortgage for is a good start. Putting some money aside when it is busy to cover the quiet periods is another thing to do. Agency work is seasonal and its usually dead from Jan to March and again at the end of Septemeber/early October to mid November. So you graft your nuts off from Easter until the end of September and again on the run up to Xmas and bank as much as you can to see you through to the following March.
Conor:
FarnboroughBoy11:
To have “full time 5 days a week work” you need to be signed on to at least 3 agencies at a time ideally.Not really. You just need to be competent, don’t turn up looking like a tramp, don’t wallop through fuel or bend motors and get the load there both in one piece and reasonable time. Also helps if you’re not a doylum and don’t ask stupid questions that a little common sense would provide the answer to.
Hasn’t done me much good. Have been regularly thanked for doing a god job above and beyond what has been expected but I’m still in the position I’m in sat on my arse doing nothing.
mick.mh2racing:
Conor:
FarnboroughBoy11:
To have “full time 5 days a week work” you need to be signed on to at least 3 agencies at a time ideally.Not really. You just need to be competent, don’t turn up looking like a tramp, don’t wallop through fuel or bend motors and get the load there both in one piece and reasonable time. Also helps if you’re not a doylum and don’t ask stupid questions that a little common sense would provide the answer to.
Hasn’t done me much good. Have been regularly thanked for doing a god job above and beyond what has been expected but I’m still in the position I’m in sat on my arse doing nothing.
I’ve had this a time or two. It’s probably not personal matey, just that the ■■■■■■■ agencies are driven (pardon the pun) by magic numbers i.e. if another driver will do it for less, you’re out…
TBH you will find they are being dicked about themselves and are falling over themselves to gain contracts, often undercutting other folk. I’ve found working direct for smaller hauliers is much happier…just keep at it and you’ll drop on your feet in the end.
Can’t disagree to be honest. Best driving job i had was for a small haulier doing contract work for Morrisons. Cash in hand, no health and safety bull, no inductions. Just crack on and drive, get the job done and off home for tea and buns.
I’ll keep looking until I find another like it and just put up with the agency carousel in the mean time.
The sad facts are /
1 there are too many drivers chasing elusive driving jobs.
2 there are too many agencies with lots of drivers on their books .
3 there are too few haulage outfits employing their own drivers.
commonrail:
You are a temp…deal with it
+1
Truckulent:
If you arrive at the job they have to pay you.
nope
peirre:
If you get through the door on the day, that’s the only way to garantee pay.
says who? If this were true, I’d be legally due a lot of money. Unfortunately it isn’t.
Quinny:
Sadly, if you try and get 8 hours out of them for being cancelled, you’ll spend more time sat at home with that agency, and I can assure you that they won’t pay you no matter what you think.
+1
mick.mh2racing:
Hasn’t done me much good. Have been regularly thanked for doing a god job above and beyond what has been expected but I’m still in the position I’m in sat on my arse doing nothing.
+1
Conor:
merc0447:
I honestly don’t know how people can live like this, do you not have bills to pay? Not knowing how much or if you are going to get paid one week to the other.Not being up to your eyeballs in debt living in a house you had to get more than a 4x income mortgage for is a good start. Putting some money aside when it is busy to cover the quiet periods is another thing to do. Agency work is seasonal and its usually dead from Jan to March and again at the end of Septemeber/early October to mid November. So you graft your nuts off from Easter until the end of September and again on the run up to Xmas and bank as much as you can to see you through to the following March.
Down here, a 3-bedroomed semi is £250k in many areas. If you only borrow the proverbial 3.5times salary, then you are going to need to be earning £70k odd.
I have yet to meet a driver earning THAT, but I’ve met plenty who live in £250k 3 bedroomed semis!
Should it be against the law for drivers to have a life, and be condemned to live in a cardboard box because we’re so inferior to the monied?
It’s not what you earn, it’s what you don’t spend. A good mortgage with a poor job is better than a crap mortgage with a great job. 
i would`nt pay a quarter of a mil for a 3 bed semi…
commonrail:
i would`nt pay a quarter of a mil for a 3 bed semi…
Nor would i. Brought a 2 bed flat in east end of Glasgow for 26k last year.
I know of flats going for less than 10k. Merc0447 will know Dunphail drive.
pavaroti:
I know of flats going for less than 10k. Merc0447 will know Dunphail drive.
Thats 2 minutes from me. Been saving up to buy myself but its been a bit uneasy at work lately lots of rumours, hopefully things settle down and i can commit myself to a mortgage.
Prices in Chatham are somewhat less than Maidstone. They are still well above the so-called “National average” though, which is a joke because there’s bugger all driving jobs around here to be had full time!
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-36562630.html?premiumA=true
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24444582.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40284677.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-24507339.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-23952660.html
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-40345244.html
Is this what you get up north for the aforementioned £26k and similar prices? I suspect a lot of the “value” properties are in streets with many boarded up windows, drug dens across the street, squatters next door, and a no-go area for the local plod… 
if i were you i`d move away from the area…much more bang for your buck up here,and lots more work 
Same situ in Dorset. 3 bed semi’s for around 200-250 easily…not a good situation at all but work to live and all that!
mick.mh2racing:
Yeah I know, been said on here a thousand times.
I know the transport industry is up and down and I accept that agencies are parasites and hire and fire staff and generally keep you hanging on a wim.
I had three shifts booked for this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I’d had a major teddy throwing session after being promised 3 shifts a week in November and December and being lucky to get one.
After a big set to, agency finally promised to stick to the plans that were made. Today was the final straw. Booked a shift for today 3 weeks ago, text me on Friday evening to check I’m still available and cancelled at at midday. So here i am sat at home with no work. Again.
Anyone know of any one looking for part time/temporary drivers in West Yorkshire?
Yeah I know, I told you so comments always welcome.
The basic reason you’re getting messed about by the agency is because they’re getting messed about by their clients. Simple as that.
Spitting your dummy with them won’t help matters; it’ll only serve to put you further down the list with other moaners, whilst the blokes who don’t complain get regular steady work.Reason for that is that they’ll take the view that if you’re going to gob off with them, you’re more likely to do so with a client and risk them losing work. Same as with any other firm really.
If you hate agencies that much I’d suggest they’re not for you.
What a load of cobblers! I’m not going to gob off at a client, I’ve always done my best to get the job done. I said as much in one of the posts, did you read the post where I said that I had been regulary thanked by the client for doing above and beyond? Agencies are just making sure they can also get a driver by trying to keep everyone happy