My last shift in the office

I’m going in to work tonight for my last shift as Night Manager. Some of you may remember me asking for advice on here back in March: after nine months in the job I realised, quite suddenly, that I despised it and that the salary really wasn’t enough for what I was having to do. So earlier this month I handed in my notice. I’ve got Christmas and New Year off (paid!), then on January 5th I’ll be back on the road again, driving an artic for a timber roof truss manufacturer in Hereford. I’m looking forward to being back on the road and back on days.
Anyone else decided to come off the road and then realised they missed it?

Time for some Willie Nelson then…

:smiley:

Didn’t I tell you at the time that there was no way you were going to get on with working in the office? :stuck_out_tongue:

Anyway, how are you getting on with the plan to buy a narrowboat?

macplaxton:
Time for some Willie Nelson then…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TD_pSeNelU

:smiley:

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

One of the best jobs i did running roof trusses outta RK Timber Stoney Stanton for KTS :sunglasses: :sunglasses: :sunglasses:

Welcome back.

Players change, game is still the same!

Welcome back, I lasted 7 years in the office, wouldn’t go back to an orifice again though. :wink:

Now would we be better parking next to a fridge or Rhythm Thief twanging :open_mouth:

Harry Monk:
Didn’t I tell you at the time that there was no way you were going to get on with working in the office? :stuck_out_tongue:

Anyway, how are you getting on with the plan to buy a narrowboat?

You did, and you weren’t the only one! But I’m glad I had a go at it, if only to make sure that I never work in an office again. I flatter myself that I’ve been a pretty good boss from the point of view of the guys on the warehouse floor: I’ve kept them supplied with proper coffee (not instant) in return for a few roll ups and tonight I’ve brought in mince pies and christmas nibbles for everyone. But I’ll be glad to get back behind the wheel, especially as I won’t be working in haulage as such.
The narrowboat should - with luck - happen in the next year or two. I see you’ve nearly moved onto yours … how’s it going?

miss the driving but don’t miss the long hours for comical hourly rates just for an average wage.

maga:
miss the driving but don’t miss the long hours for comical hourly rates just for an average wage.

That doesn’t change once you go in the office (or at least, it didn’t for me). I was on less than the night trunkers for a longer week and more responsibility. My new job pays nine quid an hour with time and a half after eight hours and I’ll be significantly better off for the same number of hours.

Rhythm Thief:
my last shift as Night Manager.

Can you shed some light about what really goes on in the office, why drivers are treated like zb, customer relations, pay, management structure, demands etc? I’m curious to know what it’s like from the other side.

Well done for trying, I was asked a few weeks ago if I was interested in going in the office, I politely declined & said that I was happy with my lot at the moment, then suddenly a position was advertised in the drivers room for a ‘Traffic Manager’ in short a Whipping Boy (without managements backing) would have alienated me from all the drivers & probably cost me my employment with the company.

I never say ‘Never’ I’m 54 & you never know what’s around the corner-re health etc, but you’ve proved to me that the office is not for me at this moment in time.
Good Luck with the new position.

Pimpdaddy:

Rhythm Thief:
my last shift as Night Manager.

Can you shed some light about what really goes on in the office, why drivers are treated like zb, customer relations, pay, management structure, demands etc? I’m curious to know what it’s like from the other side.

Not really. It’s a bit different on nights, and besides, I’m much more on the side of the shop floor staff than the management. I was always more ready to look after the forklift lads or the night trunkers than the company, and would always back them up in any arguments with the company. But that was easy for me, because a) all the night staff would put themselves out if they needed to and b) I never had any dealings with customers angrily demanding why their freight was late, or whatever. (usually, the office staff’s response to that is to fob them off with ■■■■■■■■.) But the day shift drivers were a different kettle of fish: some of them (not all) seemed to think that the world owed them a living and that the company existed solely to give them an easy ride. I’d see them in the mornings before going home, looking through their runs and saying “well, that’s coming back … and I won’t be doing that one. Nine drops in a day … it’s taking the ■■■■” and so on. To be honest, I can see why drivers like that aren’t treated with respect. The problem is that it’s always easier to give extra work to the ones who you know won’t make a big fuss about it, which is a thing I tried to avoid doing if I could.
The people I worked for are a fairly typical haulage company, to be honest. A lot of money is wasted for silly reasons: three different lorries all going to the same drop on the same day, for instance, or three forklift drivers on the night shift but only two fork lifts, which has been the case for the last eight months. I don’t know why this is, but I’ll never be too worried about wasting diesel by leaving my wagon on tickover for five minutes!
As for what goes on in the office: work. Work, work and more work. The day shift were rushed off their feet from the moment they arrived in the morning to when they left at night. Except the senior management, who always made sure they were out of the door ten minutes before their finishing time … And that’s the main problem: whereas I knew the job, and cared enough to do a good job becaue it was what I was being paid to do, the management’s approach seemed to be to blame the underlings for any of their own failings, and make them work harder to sort out any problems. It’s been a bit of an eye opener, to be honest. I don’t regret doing it, but I don’t regret leaving either.

I quit class1 driving a decade or more ago, at present im sat in a gatehouse bashing my head against the wall. :frowning:
Come middle of January im doing that very worth while DCPC :unamused: And as soon as I can get a start with a decent company Im back on the road. :smiley:
Good luck to Rhythm Thief hope it works out for you.

Rhythm Thief:

Pimpdaddy:

Rhythm Thief:
my last shift as Night Manager.

Can you shed some light about what really goes on in the office, why drivers are treated like zb, customer relations, pay, management structure, demands etc? I’m curious to know what it’s like from the other side.

Not really. It’s a bit different on nights, and besides, I’m much more on the side of the shop floor staff than the management. I was always more ready to look after the forklift lads or the night trunkers than the company, and would always back them up in any arguments with the company. But that was easy for me, because a) all the night staff would put themselves out if they needed to and b) I never had any dealings with customers angrily demanding why their freight was late, or whatever. (usually, the office staff’s response to that is to fob them off with [zb].) But the day shift drivers were a different kettle of fish: some of them (not all) seemed to think that the world owed them a living and that the company existed solely to give them an easy ride. I’d see them in the mornings before going home, looking through their runs and saying “well, that’s coming back … and I won’t be doing that one. Nine drops in a day … it’s taking the ■■■■” and so on. To be honest, I can see why drivers like that aren’t treated with respect. The problem is that it’s always easier to give extra work to the ones who you know won’t make a big fuss about it, which is a thing I tried to avoid doing if I could.
The people I worked for are a fairly typical haulage company, to be honest. A lot of money is wasted for silly reasons: three different lorries all going to the same drop on the same day, for instance, or three forklift drivers on the night shift but only two fork lifts, which has been the case for the last eight months. I don’t know why this is, but I’ll never be too worried about wasting diesel by leaving my wagon on tickover for five minutes!
As for what goes on in the office: work. Work, work and more work. The day shift were rushed off their feet from the moment they arrived in the morning to when they left at night. Except the senior management, who always made sure they were out of the door ten minutes before their finishing time … And that’s the main problem: whereas I knew the job, and cared enough to do a good job becaue it was what I was being paid to do, the management’s approach seemed to be to blame the underlings for any of their own failings, and make them work harder to sort out any problems. It’s been a bit of an eye opener, to be honest. I don’t regret doing it, but I don’t regret leaving either.

Wow !
You just described the company I work for, are you sure you don’t live in Milton Keynes ?

I was just wondering whether he lived in Aylesford!

I’m sure the post rings true to a lot of companies

Pimpdaddy:

Rhythm Thief:
my last shift as Night Manager.

Can you shed some light about what really goes on in the office, why drivers are treated like zb, customer relations, pay, management structure, demands etc? I’m curious to know what it’s like from the other side.

Hi Pimpdaddy, Well having been on both sides of the proverbial fence, I found it a massive change to get used to being in the office, but I did prevail and it did get easier as time went on. What I did learn to do was run a transport company and try to turn a profit, Having read many posts in the past I can tell you that if you was to listen to the average Driver on how the office should be run, then you be skint within the month. It really is a tight juggling game to make transport pay, and you ask why some drivers get treated like ZB well there is normally two sides to every story, and with profit margins so tight, if drivers do not work alongside you it really does make life hard in the office. And as for management structure that really depends on the size of the company. You really do have to work with several heads all at once, keeping customers happy ( you have to be a consummate liar ) keeping drivers happy ( you have to be a bigger consummate liar :unamused: ) and keeping the bosses happy and making money. ( the hardest part ) juggling all this with keeping maintenance schedules, re-arranging loads and vehicles,and trailers several times every day, including weekends sorting ferries ect ect ect. Now I read this I know why I gave up in the end and went back on the road. :laughing: .

yoyo5:
Hi Pimpdaddy

Hi yoyo5:lol::lol::lol:

yoyo5:
What I did learn to do was run a transport company and try to turn a profit, Having read many posts in the past I can tell you that if you was to listen to the average Driver on how the office should be run, then you be skint within the month. It really is a tight juggling game to make transport pay

Ok I understand, how about high staff turnover, why do some outfits not seem too bothered?

Rhythm Thief:
The narrowboat should - with luck - happen in the next year or two. I see you’ve nearly moved onto yours … how’s it going?

Will move aboard permanently sometime in 2015, for now just spending every free moment on board, took this pic about two hours ago, diesel tank full, water tank full, fridge and cupboards rammed full of food and alcohol, we’ll be untying and pushing off at first light tomorrow, good luck with your plans wherever they take you!

I’m envious … I did Christmas on board about fifteen years ago and really enjoyed it. We cooked a brace of pheasants and drank a lot of red wine, moored up on the Staffie near Stourport as I remember. Happy days!