Muddy K:
So bit of an update
You were lucky…
One of Walkers motors had doors let alone working electrics.
Well done for working through it all. Most places will forget/avoid telling you about collections.
That’s not a good agency if they send you to jobs for 7am but they don’t open until 8! They should start before 6am.
At least you’re a battery pack up [emoji106]
If the persons job title has “planner “ in it then they lie
stu675:
That’s not a good agency if they send you to jobs for 7am but they don’t open until 8! They should start before 6am.At least you’re a battery pack up [emoji106]
So if they give you a job starting at 2am and you have a problem, then you is fubarred?
Nah. Most agencies have a 24 hour number. (How else would customers contact them?) I would have rang the office and it should have diverted to whoever was on call.
Ken.
Muddy K:
Long story short, shook hands with someone on a job offer. (…) Is this common in our industry?
It is common. I left my old job before Christmas. I really enjoyed it, but the gaffer stopped sending me into scenic places (the main reason I was with them, as the pay was poor), and kept on local multidrop. I guess I became overqualified, and he wanted someone at hand in case an ADR load comes or a trailer needs to be pulled (I got a job with him as class 2, but I upgraded so I am class 1 with ADR now). So, basically, the worst case I could do local multidrop at much better rates for someone else, the decission was obvious.
I left as I had some money, and knew I can look for a job with no rush - had some odd shifts on agency, but it was quiet, so was taking even 7.5t jobs just to not sit at home all the time - they had like 2 shifts per weeks max for me.
1st company, found info online they take new drivers and they are desperate for them. As I was passing by, I popped in with my CV. They told me to come for the interview next week. “When?” I asked. “Whenever suits you, as long as you come within office hours”.
Popped in next week, calling beforehand and they said it’s OK for me to come. I enter the office, and they say “they have no time now” and want me to come tomorrow. I told them I just drove for 30 minutes to get there because they told me on the phone it’s OK for me to come. They sat me in their canteen, gave me some forms to fill and then grabbed some random driver and asked him to take me out for a spin. This was literally the first time ever I hitched up a trailer so he had to show it to me (I only ever done wagon and drags and passed my test on one too). But after that he was quite pleased with my driving (I overheard him praising me when we came back to the office) so the big boss of the company came out and told me he’s too busy, but I got a job, and they will call me monday to tell me what time I should come (I was supposed to leave on Monday night) and then he will answer all my questions there. I managed to ask him about money, it wasn’t great, but I need experience so OK.
On my way back home the agency called me and told me they have two weeks of tanker work for me - I had never done tankers before, so I was happy to hear some company wants to train me and give me a chance, but since I gave my word already that I am ok to start Monday, I had to turn it down.
Monday came, they never call me. I call them in the evening, but apparently, nobody is in the office anymore.
I called them back tuesday, someone tells me they are “too busy” and they will call me back. It was nearly 5 months ago, I am still waiting. (well, not really, by now, I am making much more monay on agency that they offered me 
)
There is an old Polish joke about a construction side where every single worker runs with a wheelbarrow, but all wheelbarows are empty and when asked why, they say “they are so busy they have no time to load it”. I guess this is the case 
Couple of weeks later I am invited to a well-known supermarket chain for an assesment. I am told to come for 7am - terrible early, but I arrived on time. The security just buzzes me in, without asking who I am - so much for security. I turn up in the reception, there is noone in, so I walk upstairs, when some guy approaches me and tells me to go down and sit and he’ll make sure someone will be there to meet me. Nothing happens for 20 minutes, so I ask someone else, and the same story repeats. After about 50 minutes, I rant angrily on twitter and just go home.
Funny story - someone forwarded my tweet to one of the directors of the company, she contacts me, and as I was ranting about lost shift (I had to turn down agency shift to be there) they reimburse me for that, apologize, and offer another assesment, which I politely decline. I’ve seen enough of how disorganized that place is, and by this time work with agencies picks up and I am happy with flexibility and my earnings.
But some time later I get bored. I am doing mostly trunking up and down M74/M6 and wanted to do something more adventorours. A certain company advertises for 4 on / 4 off trampers around Scotland, so I am sending them my CV. Somebody calls me on the same day and say I can start even tomorrow, but job is mon to fri with occasional saturday. I told them I applied for 4/4 work, he says “we have no such jobs” and hangs up on me. I go online to check, and the advert clearly states the job is 4 on / 4 off. As I am checking, I found another similar ad, this time from a well-known-Scottish haulier. I sent them my CV.
Now the relevant bit of information: I have British CPC, British tacho card, British ADR, but my actual license is Polish - I have some grandfather entitlements on it and I don’t want to change it until I really have to - and I don’t have until I am 45, by which time I might no longer be living in Britain. So it is written in my CV - not once, but twice: in the introduction and in actual information about my qualification that I have EU license. When this haulier calls me to invite me for a driving assesment, I double check with them if they are OK with Polish license. They say yes, of course, we have plenty of European drivers here. So I drive to them, again, for 30 minutes, and the lady making assesment goes ballistic on seeing my license. Not only she says it is not valid with their insurer - which sometimes happens, and I am ok with that, there is plenty of work for me with the companies that are happy to take EU license holders - but she says, that I am not allowed to drive on that license in Britain - and I prove her wrong by showing relevant information on the DVLA website to her. Then she turns out to openly accusing me of being a fraud. This time she claims I should have the same picture on all of my documents, and since I have different pictures, my documents are obviously fake. I try to explain to her, that you will have the same picture if you are an UK license holder, as DVLA just pulls your picture from their database, but if you don’t have an UK license, you just send them your pic with every application, and so they will be different, but she is just spouting some utter rubbish and calls me a fraud, so I just excuse myself and go home.
(funnily enough, day later I am driving on M8 with my double decker trailer on orange plates on one of my agency job, and she is in the truck that overtakes me. I wave to her, but she pretends not to see me).
Some weeks later I get a phone call from a company I supplied my CV a couple of months back - actually I even forgot about it, and they offer me a job, but they want me to start ASAP. I tell them I have my holidays booked already in two weeks, they say “no, if you start, you will have to accumulate your holiday days before going out of holidays” to which I answer “In that case I won’t start with you”.
I am not looking for a permanent work anymore. Not only because we resolved to move out of Britain with my partner, so I don’t want to set any employer up by getting a job and then just dumping it after couple of months, but also because it’s a waste of time. I get enough work from the agency, the rates are great compared to what companies offer to their full time drivers, and I can work when it suits me, as much as I want, and there is so much work, that I actually get text with a few options to choose from for next week every friday…
But, apparently, companies have learned nothing. There will be always driver’s shortage, if there will be a shortage of companies who treat their drivers - or even candidates - decently.
orys:
Muddy K:
Long story short, shook hands with someone on a job offer. (…) Is this common in our industry?It is common. I left my old job before Christmas. I really enjoyed it, but the gaffer stopped sending me into scenic places (the main reason I was with them, as the pay was poor), and kept on local multidrop. I guess I became overqualified, and he wanted someone at hand in case an ADR load comes or a trailer needs to be pulled (I got a job with him as class 2, but I upgraded so I am class 1 with ADR now). So, basically, the worst case I could do local multidrop at much better rates for someone else, the decission was obvious.
I left as I had some money, and knew I can look for a job with no rush - had some odd shifts on agency, but it was quiet, so was taking even 7.5t jobs just to not sit at home all the time - they had like 2 shifts per weeks max for me.
1st company, found info online they take new drivers and they are desperate for them. As I was passing by, I popped in with my CV. They told me to come for the interview next week. “When?” I asked. “Whenever suits you, as long as you come within office hours”.
Popped in next week, calling beforehand and they said it’s OK for me to come. I enter the office, and they say “they have no time now” and want me to come tomorrow. I told them I just drove for 30 minutes to get there because they told me on the phone it’s OK for me to come. They sat me in their canteen, gave me some forms to fill and then grabbed some random driver and asked him to take me out for a spin. This was literally the first time ever I hitched up a trailer so he had to show it to me (I only ever done wagon and drags and passed my test on one too). But after that he was quite pleased with my driving (I overheard him praising me when we came back to the office) so the big boss of the company came out and told me he’s too busy, but I got a job, and they will call me monday to tell me what time I should come (I was supposed to leave on Monday night) and then he will answer all my questions there. I managed to ask him about money, it wasn’t great, but I need experience so OK.
On my way back home the agency called me and told me they have two weeks of tanker work for me - I had never done tankers before, so I was happy to hear some company wants to train me and give me a chance, but since I gave my word already that I am ok to start Monday, I had to turn it down.
Monday came, they never call me. I call them in the evening, but apparently, nobody is in the office anymore.
I called them back tuesday, someone tells me they are “too busy” and they will call me back. It was nearly 5 months ago, I am still waiting. (well, not really, by now, I am making much more monay on agency that they offered me
There is an old Polish joke about a construction side where every single worker runs with a wheelbarrow, but all wheelbarows are empty and when asked why, they say “they are so busy they have no time to load it”. I guess this is the case
Couple of weeks later I am invited to a well-known supermarket chain for an assesment. I am told to come for 7am - terrible early, but I arrived on time. The security just buzzes me in, without asking who I am - so much for security. I turn up in the reception, there is noone in, so I walk upstairs, when some guy approaches me and tells me to go down and sit and he’ll make sure someone will be there to meet me. Nothing happens for 20 minutes, so I ask someone else, and the same story repeats. After about 50 minutes, I rant angrily on twitter and just go home.
Funny story - someone forwarded my tweet to one of the directors of the company, she contacts me, and as I was ranting about lost shift (I had to turn down agency shift to be there) they reimburse me for that, apologize, and offer another assesment, which I politely decline. I’ve seen enough of how disorganized that place is, and by this time work with agencies picks up and I am happy with flexibility and my earnings.
But some time later I get bored. I am doing mostly trunking up and down M74/M6 and wanted to do something more adventorours. A certain company advertises for 4 on / 4 off trampers around Scotland, so I am sending them my CV. Somebody calls me on the same day and say I can start even tomorrow, but job is mon to fri with occasional saturday. I told them I applied for 4/4 work, he says “we have no such jobs” and hangs up on me. I go online to check, and the advert clearly states the job is 4 on / 4 off. As I am checking, I found another similar ad, this time from a well-known-Scottish haulier. I sent them my CV.
Now the relevant bit of information: I have British CPC, British tacho card, British ADR, but my actual license is Polish - I have some grandfather entitlements on it and I don’t want to change it until I really have to - and I don’t have until I am 45, by which time I might no longer be living in Britain. So it is written in my CV - not once, but twice: in the introduction and in actual information about my qualification that I have EU license. When this haulier calls me to invite me for a driving assesment, I double check with them if they are OK with Polish license. They say yes, of course, we have plenty of European drivers here. So I drive to them, again, for 30 minutes, and the lady making assesment goes ballistic on seeing my license. Not only she says it is not valid with their insurer - which sometimes happens, and I am ok with that, there is plenty of work for me with the companies that are happy to take EU license holders - but she says, that I am not allowed to drive on that license in Britain - and I prove her wrong by showing relevant information on the DVLA website to her. Then she turns out to openly accusing me of being a fraud. This time she claims I should have the same picture on all of my documents, and since I have different pictures, my documents are obviously fake. I try to explain to her, that you will have the same picture if you are an UK license holder, as DVLA just pulls your picture from their database, but if you don’t have an UK license, you just send them your pic with every application, and so they will be different, but she is just spouting some utter rubbish and calls me a fraud, so I just excuse myself and go home.
(funnily enough, day later I am driving on M8 with my double decker trailer on orange plates on one of my agency job, and she is in the truck that overtakes me. I wave to her, but she pretends not to see me).
Some weeks later I get a phone call from a company I supplied my CV a couple of months back - actually I even forgot about it, and they offer me a job, but they want me to start ASAP. I tell them I have my holidays booked already in two weeks, they say “no, if you start, you will have to accumulate your holiday days before going out of holidays” to which I answer “In that case I won’t start with you”.
I am not looking for a permanent work anymore. Not only because we resolved to move out of Britain with my partner, so I don’t want to set any employer up by getting a job and then just dumping it after couple of months, but also because it’s a waste of time. I get enough work from the agency, the rates are great compared to what companies offer to their full time drivers, and I can work when it suits me, as much as I want, and there is so much work, that I actually get text with a few options to choose from for next week every friday…
But, apparently, companies have learned nothing. There will be always driver’s shortage, if there will be a shortage of companies who treat their drivers - or even candidates - decently.
There shows everything that is wrong with haulage in the UK today. You the employee are nothing but the crap of the bottom of a shoe to some of these 2 bit “logistic” firms. And they wonder why nobody wants to drive for a living anymore. Just a tool to be used and abused.
PS … I too applied for a 4 on 4 off job that was advertised only to be told it is actually Mon to Friday with every other Saturday. He got a flea in his ear by the time I finished with him for wasting my time with underhand recruiting tactics. (Well that was the polite version!)
orys:
But, apparently, companies have learned nothing. There will be always driver’s shortage, if there will be a shortage of companies who treat their drivers - or even candidates - decently.
+1…
Good post illustrating the time wasting crap we have to put up with.
yourhavingalarf:
orys:
But, apparently, companies have learned nothing. There will be always driver’s shortage, if there will be a shortage of companies who treat their drivers - or even candidates - decently.+1…
Good post illustrating the time wasting crap we have to put up with.
I was going to highlight that part too. 100% spot on, we’re treated worse than dog s**t on a shoe.
msgyorkie:
orys:
Muddy K:
Long story short, shook hands with someone on a job offer. (…) Is this common in our industry?S.
There shows everything that is wrong with haulage in the UK today. You the employee are nothing but the crap of the bottom of a shoe to some of these 2 bit “logistic” firms. And they wonder why nobody wants to drive for a living anymore. Just a tool to be used and abused.
PS … I too applied for a 4 on 4 off job that was advertised only to be told it is actually Mon to Friday with every other Saturday. He got a flea in his ear by the time I finished with him for wasting my time with underhand recruiting tactics. (Well that was the polite version!)
Yup, avoid ‘‘2 bit logistic firms’’ whenever possible.
I’ve worked at logistics operations that have been well run with good management who knew their industry and who valued good staff, now increasingly rare.
The answer is whenever possible to find jobs in own account, where old fashioned values still apply to some extent, and look after the job so it lasts.