mick.mh2racing:
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
Fair enough… but you asked for comments. As many on here know I’ve seen the agency job from all three sides; agency driver, TM hiring drivers, and consultant sending drivers out. I do know what I’m talking about.
So I will tell you that if you’re mouthy with the agency staff, it doesn’t matter how good a driver you are, it’ll reduce your chances of getting the cream of the work. Being assertive isn’t in itself a bad thing, but you do have to bear in mind that impressions do count, and your original comments indicate to me that you didn’t exactly have the highest opinion of agencies anyway. An experienced consultant will spot that, and he has to assess whether you’re likely to do the same with a client as you do to him. He cannot afford to take chances in this respect.
You don’t have to sit back and take the crap; personally I tended to prefer drivers who could express themselves sensibly over those who just sit dumb and say nowt, you get better feedback that way. It’s how you do it that matters; yelling at the consultant because things ain’t gone how you wanted them to is not, if I may say so, considered a smart move. Running an agency desk isn’t as easy as some of the cynics would have you believe; it’s like trying to do a three-dimensional jigsaw where someone’s forever changing the key pieces. And as others have said, they don’t mess drivers around for the hell of it, especially not if you’re as good as some of their clients say you are.
You’ve had some very good advice on here from drivers who’ve done the agency business back to front, and a lot of it echoes both my own advice and my own experience. It’s been said before, but you can either do agency long-term or you can’t. It ain’t just a job, it’s a way of life.
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.
Whilst the blokes who don’t complain are given all the ■■■■ to do and are amongst the least well paid of all the drivers on that particular agencies books - all because they lay down and take it.
Truckulent:
Whilst the blokes who don’t complain are given all the [zb] to do and are amongst the least well paid of all the drivers on that particular agencies books - all because they lay down and take it.
Fixed.
Hmmm… easy to see how you got YOUR screen-name.
In my experience it don’t work like that. The vast majority of regular agency drivers; in other words the guys who make a living out of it; tend to be the types who go in, do the job, and do it well, without shouting it out from the roof-tops. That does not mean they’re by definition, mugs who will work for nowt; in fact they’re the ones who generally get a better overall weekly wage because they are kept busy. There’s a subtle difference between “laying down and taking it” and “having a flexible attitude” although to some people it’s the same thing. It does not necessarily mean that you have to be a doormat. It is no different in what some are pleased to call a “real” job; try to tell your boss how to run his company and see where it gets you.
Sidevalve:
In my experience it don’t work like that. The vast majority of regular agency drivers; in other words the guys who make a living out of it; tend to be the types who go in, do the job, and do it well, without shouting it out from the roof-tops. That does not mean they’re by definition, mugs who will work for nowt; in fact they’re the ones who generally get a better overall weekly wage because they are kept busy. There’s a subtle difference between “laying down and taking it” and “having a flexible attitude” although to some people it’s the same thing. It does not necessarily mean that you have to be a doormat. It is no different in what some are pleased to call a “real” job; try to tell your boss how to run his company and see where it gets you.
That’s a good description of how it works if you’re on an agencies ‘A’ list. What about the ‘B’ list & the ‘C’ list?
Agencies care about 1 thing only, £money. If you make them £money & you are on their ‘A’ list then everything’s hunky dory.
IME, even the ‘A’ listers on an agencies books can be treated like dirt.
As the industry moves more & more into a reliance on agencies & how they work, the ‘A’ list will shrink. In my lifetime, unless something drastic happens, 90%+ of commercial LGV drivers will be on minimum wage.
Depoel is winning the war. Lets face it chaps, we’re stupid, we’re fractured & worse of all, we’re apathetic.
Sidevalve:
In my experience it don’t work like that. The vast majority of regular agency drivers; in other words the guys who make a living out of it; tend to be the types who go in, do the job, and do it well, without shouting it out from the roof-tops. That does not mean they’re by definition, mugs who will work for nowt; in fact they’re the ones who generally get a better overall weekly wage because they are kept busy. There’s a subtle difference between “laying down and taking it” and “having a flexible attitude” although to some people it’s the same thing. It does not necessarily mean that you have to be a doormat. It is no different in what some are pleased to call a “real” job; try to tell your boss how to run his company and see where it gets you.
That’s a good description of how it works if you’re on an agencies ‘A’ list. What about the ‘B’ list & the ‘C’ list?
Agencies care about 1 thing only, £money. If you make them £money & you are on their ‘A’ list then everything’s hunky dory.
IME, even the ‘A’ listers on an agencies books can be treated like dirt.
As the industry moves more & more into a reliance on agencies & how they work, the ‘A’ list will shrink. In my lifetime, unless something drastic happens, 90%+ of commercial LGV drivers will be on minimum wage.
Depoel is winning the war. Lets face it chaps, we’re stupid, we’re fractured & worse of all, we’re apathetic.
Can only agree with that Chas. Realistically, to answer your question, the only way up is by being consistently good at what you do; that means good driving skills, flexible attitude, personable with customers, etc. It’s a sad fact that it can take you months to get up onto that A-list, but only a bad week to drop off it if you’re unlucky. And yes, you really do have to take the crap with the cream, especially when the work thins out.
Your comment about minimum wage, though, has more to do with the fact that certain elements of this industry were never far above it anyway. What undoubtedly HAS disappeared is the differential between, say, the warehouse floor-sweeper and the class one driver. There is no longer a premium for skilled or semi-skilled manual labour, and in my view that’s got much to do with creeping legislation which demands that employers treat every man as an idiot who cannot function without a ream of pointless pieces of paper which only serve to tell him what he already knew.
Winseer:
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!
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…
Chatham is a dump though so no surprise it’s less than Maidstone!
Sidevalve:
In my experience it don’t work like that. The vast majority of regular agency drivers; in other words the guys who make a living out of it; tend to be the types who go in, do the job, and do it well, without shouting it out from the roof-tops. That does not mean they’re by definition, mugs who will work for nowt; in fact they’re the ones who generally get a better overall weekly wage because they are kept busy. There’s a subtle difference between “laying down and taking it” and “having a flexible attitude” although to some people it’s the same thing. It does not necessarily mean that you have to be a doormat. It is no different in what some are pleased to call a “real” job; try to tell your boss how to run his company and see where it gets you.
That’s a good description of how it works if you’re on an agencies ‘A’ list. What about the ‘B’ list & the ‘C’ list?
Agencies care about 1 thing only, £money. If you make them £money & you are on their ‘A’ list then everything’s hunky dory.
IME, even the ‘A’ listers on an agencies books can be treated like dirt.
As the industry moves more & more into a reliance on agencies & how they work, the ‘A’ list will shrink. In my lifetime, unless something drastic happens, 90%+ of commercial LGV drivers will be on minimum wage.
Depoel is winning the war. Lets face it chaps, we’re stupid, we’re fractured & worse of all, we’re apathetic.
Can only agree with that Chas. Realistically, to answer your question, the only way up is by being consistently good at what you do; that means good driving skills, flexible attitude, personable with customers, etc. It’s a sad fact that it can take you months to get up onto that A-list, but only a bad week to drop off it if you’re unlucky. And yes, you really do have to take the crap with the cream, especially when the work thins out.
Your comment about minimum wage, though, has more to do with the fact that certain elements of this industry were never far above it anyway. What undoubtedly HAS disappeared is the differential between, say, the warehouse floor-sweeper and the class one driver. There is no longer a premium for skilled or semi-skilled manual labour, and in my view that’s got much to do with creeping legislation which demands that employers treat every man as an idiot who cannot function without a ream of pointless pieces of paper which only serve to tell him what he already knew.
Exactly. All good posts from you there Sidevalve. Someone knows what they`re talking about.
Sidevalve:
In my experience it don’t work like that. The vast majority of regular agency drivers; in other words the guys who make a living out of it; tend to be the types who go in, do the job, and do it well, without shouting it out from the roof-tops. That does not mean they’re by definition, mugs who will work for nowt; in fact they’re the ones who generally get a better overall weekly wage because they are kept busy. There’s a subtle difference between “laying down and taking it” and “having a flexible attitude” although to some people it’s the same thing. It does not necessarily mean that you have to be a doormat. It is no different in what some are pleased to call a “real” job; try to tell your boss how to run his company and see where it gets you.
That’s a good description of how it works if you’re on an agencies ‘A’ list. What about the ‘B’ list & the ‘C’ list?
Agencies care about 1 thing only, £money. If you make them £money & you are on their ‘A’ list then everything’s hunky dory.
IME, even the ‘A’ listers on an agencies books can be treated like dirt.
As the industry moves more & more into a reliance on agencies & how they work, the ‘A’ list will shrink. In my lifetime, unless something drastic happens, 90%+ of commercial LGV drivers will be on minimum wage.
Depoel is winning the war. Lets face it chaps, we’re stupid, we’re fractured & worse of all, we’re apathetic.
Depoel have got the same chance of getting pound one out of me as Mr Katanga of Nigerian money repatriation Inc.
For a con to be legal, you must have the option of “not doing it” without penalty.
Ask at offices who push for “going on DePoel” for the non-depoel PAYE option, and if there isn’t one, report them to both HMRC and the SFO because they are basically raking payslips without your express authority.
“Sign up to our fiddle or you don’t get any work” is NOT a way of obtaining your express authority, any more than “Sleep with the boss to get the job” is for girls…
Yes, strangely enough, there ARE laws against unreasonable conditions being placed upon getting work.
