Missing Stock.

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

I’m going to waffle on a bit here, may save time painting as clear a picture as I can now than confusing some of you.

Ok then…

A short while ago, the beginning of June, I had occasion to load 3 awfully badly stacked pallets on to my vehicle, destined for a consignee in the washington area.

Over the course of the journey these pallets tipped, were refused, were restacked by mself and retuned to my depot for retirn to the consignor via our Bradford depot.

No harm done, or so i thought…

3 days later I am told that ELEVEN items were missing, and since then, whilst nobody has said it, I am being contantly asked questions, (Id taken pictures of the damage with my mobile, shouldnt have had to, but did, just to cover my arse)

and then I supplied these pictures as a goodwill gesture whislt this ‘theft’ was investigated, only to find that these pictures have been second, third and god knows how many times opinioned.

Leaving me with the feeling they think I am hiding somthing.

I am so ■■■■■■ ANGRY that my employer has not once sought to reassure me that I am not under suspicion NOR told me that I am, but the tone of their emails on the subject has made me feel as though I am prime bloody suspect.

Our yard has to be THE most insecure place I know, items left standing on trailers, THESE missing ones included, ivernight and for hours on end in the dark unlit yard.

Adjoining units broken in to, curtains slashed, hiab arms and trailers stolen,

AND THEY STILL HAVE A “IT MUST BE HIM” TONE!!!

Am I being over sensitive?? Should I just say look, either ‘charge’ me or leave me alone? I now just want to leave, I have lost all faith in them.
I am a class 1 ADR driver, stuck on bloody rigids and the only thing keeping me there is the £361 a week I take home for the 66 hours I invariably work from 0500 to 1700 on the forklift and on the road.

I am the only driver in the whole company (so far as I am aware) and we are a national pallet outfit, who actually tries (and has successfully done so) to get new business for the company by generating sales leads, just by asking “Who does your collections mate”

AND THIS IS HOW THEY TREAT ME?

Surely to God I can get better than this?

I dont moan, much, i just get on with the job and ask lots of questions so I can try to avoid silly mistakes.

Thing is, this is my FIRST job in haulage, Ive got nothing to compare it to.

I wont just say sod off either, cos of this stupid loyalty ethic I have!!

Does anyone have any ideas what I should do?

Ive had both my C and CE just over 8 and 6 months respectively now, only know locals, can’t work nights out and have never driven nationally ever.

I’m so screwed and stuck with these tossers aren’t I?

There you go, sorry for the ramble.

Please be kind.

2

So lets get this bit straight your firm moves hazardous good that come under ADR regs?
Also you have the most insecure yard in the UK and trucks/trailers are left loaded with goods, ADR goods?
Just give the address out to the local taliban NHS doc he will be pleased to take one off you!
Seriously dangerous good are supposed to be in a secure yard. Even not serious good but valuable ones ought to be if the firm had any sense.

3

Sorry to hear about your plight. Would just like to say to anyone who says “get another job”, that in the northeast, if I have been informed correctly, jobs are hard to come by and the wages for a lot of them are diabolical

4

I personally would put a few feelers/applications out but keep it hush hush until offered something suitable, then tell them to shove it.

tbh I’m doing the same thing myself but for other reasons (could be laid off now the “big” job has ended)

with your adr you should be allright (have you considered local heating oil deliveries? you have the ticket and you would be home every night)

If I read correct, you don’t do haz at the moment.

5

if the depot has just opened circa 12 months ago and does next day national drops private message me

6

Two lessons here. One for you…don’t take anything you aint 100% happy with. i.e stuff that looks it needs restacking or is gonna fall, that one can bit you in the arse in more ways than one. One for you company…get a returns system in place. With no system its impossible to say wher the stuff went or when?

7

Semtex:
I personally would put a few feelers/applications out but keep it hush hush until offered something suitable, then tell them to shove it.

tbh I’m doing the same thing myself but for other reasons (could be laid off now the “big” job has ended)

with your adr you should be allright (have you considered local heating oil deliveries? you have the ticket and you would be home every night)

If I read correct, you don’t do haz at the moment.

I do haz once in a while, but otherwise I just do normal palletised deliveries. I am looking around for a new job shortly if this does not sort itself out, quickly.

8

scania245:
if the depot has just opened circa 12 months ago and does next day national drops private message me

Answer to that is yes, and have done!

9

Why can’t you work nights?
You will be looking at around £350 - £400 takehome for 45 - 50 hours class one trunking, trailer swaps or one drop runs.

10

Semtex:
I personally would put a few feelers/applications out but keep it hush hush

Smart move :wink:

Semtex:
with your adr you should be allright (have you considered local heating oil deliveries?

Home heating oil is usually delivered by tankers, but not everybody did the tanks module when they did their ADR course, especially if a company paid for it. (Saves on cost.)

Just for info, the tanks module can be added at any time. You don’t need to use the same training provider. If you did “tanks” this way, you’d be issued a whole new ADR licence if succesful in the exam, but the expiry date would still be the same as the original. (That’s decided by the date of passing the core module BTW) You could still work carrying packages until your new licence turns up, then you’d destroy the old ADR licence and away you go.

The (initial) tanks module is approx 1.5 days tuition, the exam is 20 multi-choice questions with 30mins time allowed for the exam. Most training providers start the tanks module in the afternoon of day 4 of a 5-day course. Some training providers also offer the tanks module on a Saturday and Sunday as well.

11

Mike-C:
…don’t take anything you aint 100% happy with. i.e stuff that looks it needs restacking or is gonna fall, that one can bit you in the arse in more ways than one.

Spot-on Mike-C especially if it’s dangerous goods.

Here’s what ADR 2007 (7.5.7.1) has to say about it:

Packages containing dangerous substances… shall be secured by suitable means capable of restraining the goods (such as fastening straps, sliding slatboards, adjustable brackets) in the vehicle or container in a manner that will prevent any movement during carriage which would change the orientation of the packages or cause them to be damaged.

:open_mouth: The fact that these things fell over is all the proof they’d need for a conviction. A quick stop-check, followed by “let’s have a look in the back please driver” then a couple of pics on a digital camera shown to the Magistrates, then out comes the driver’s chequebook :cry: :cry: If there was no securing equipment available for the driver, then maybe the firm would get a follow-up visit.

12

The items that fell over were not haz.

I cant do nights because my wife has a disability that may render her unable to look after our kids (no she isnt an alcoholic!!!)

Im just so peed off at the moment, if I could find a job in the NE that was closer to home and paid similar wages id be off.

As it happens at the moment I have a 60 mile round trip every day, another thing I can do without.

13

matchbox:
The items that fell over were not haz.

Thank God for that! Looks like you really don’t need any more on your plate.

matchbox:
I cant do nights because my wife has a disability that may render her unable to look after our kids (no she isnt an alcoholic!!!)…Im just so peed off at the moment, if I could find a job in the NE that was closer to home and paid similar wages id be off…As it happens at the moment I have a 60 mile round trip every day, another thing I can do without.

I hope your PMs with scania245 get you a good result, you deserve it after the way you say your firm treats you. Good luck mate. :wink:

14

Have you consulted your Union/workplace rep? If you don’t have one does the company procedure for “incident investigation” permit you a witness during any investigation interview and did you have one when

3 days later I am told that ELEVEN items were missing, and since then, whilst nobody has said it, I am being contantly asked questions, (Id taken pictures of the damage with my mobile, shouldnt have had to, but did, just to cover my arse)

and then I supplied these pictures as a goodwill gesture whislt this ‘theft’ was investigated, only to find that these pictures have been second, third and god knows how many times opinioned.

By now I think you are perfectly entitled to ask outright if you are under suspicion for the theft of these missing items and, if investigations are continuing, that you no longer co-operate without a witness OF YOUR CHOOSING present. If your company are unable, or unwilling, to answer this question about your suspicion then you can always register a formal complaint against those whose manner you feel is accusationary though by this point looking elsewhere is likely to be the more effective option given the stress and distress you seem to be under at the moment.

Good luck with what path you choose.

15

Thankyou all for you advice and support.

I was nicely questioned AGAIN today by a director via the fone.

Words CANNOT describe how angry I am right now.

My colleagues think i am over reacting but when stff has gone missing in the past before there was never this level of inquisition.

Anybody who knows a haulage firm in the NE that is local to Peterlee and that will pay £7.21ph or more for CE with ADR AND guarantee me overtime with no nights out, please let me know!

16

You’ve a PM.

17

matchbox:
Anybody who knows a haulage firm in the NE that is local to Peterlee and that will pay £7.21ph or more for CE with ADR AND guarantee me overtime with no nights out, please let me know!

Walkers crisps in Peterlee. A lot more than you’re on, get ya name on the list. Not sure if they take anyone with a ‘record’ though !!!
All starightforward trunking work really, and a few RDC’s.

18

matchbox:
The items that fell over were not haz.

I cant do nights because my wife has a disability that may render her unable to look after our kids (no she isnt an alcoholic!!!)

Im just so peed off at the moment, if I could find a job in the NE that was closer to home and paid similar wages id be off.

As it happens at the moment I have a 60 mile round trip every day, another thing I can do without.

What can it cost you to sign on with 2 or 3 agencies ? Hope you move on to better things.

19

Thanks for that Mike!

I’m not a kick in the arse away from Walkers tomorrow (or now as I sit in my jim jams!) I may just pull over at security and ask what to do, who to see etc etc.

I am FINALLY getting 3 days of CE work from my employers tomorrow, so whoopeedoo, every cloud, silver linings n all that!

Thanks for the PM Tagoat, I have spoken to the T+G legal helpline and they have advised me to answer no further questions.

I do think they are trying to pin it on me, but their approach has been passive yet tinged with insinuative undertones with the same questions asked over and over.

20

left them in januray matchbox when they made me an offer i did refuse had a job 4 hours later ok