Started a new job on Monday, no licence check, no induction, nothing, just a phone call after interview saying “start at 05:30 on Monday”.
I arrive at 05:15, boss at 06:15, (turns out I will only get paid from 06:15), He couldn’t find the keys for the truck I was supposed to take so gave me a shed to drive, and the trailer I took was a POS as well, had a marker light out, busted straps, flapping curtain rips etc.
The garage guy wouldn’t change the bulb without a defect note and the boss couldn’t find the defect book, so seeing it had got light by then, I took it anyway.
Rang the wife at lunchtime and said, "this POS is a definite ‘tugger’, so I had better double check everything.
Tuesday, started 05:00, got my dedicated shed today and another crap trailer, but double checked everything before setting out. Off to Hull, then back to change trailers and out to Wrexham, phoned wife and said “this ones a bloody tugger as well”…10 mins later I got tugged by VOSA on the M62 near Rochdale. Does that make me psychic?
The company has got themselves a couple of advisories (steering play), but my tachos and digi card were all in order.
I rang the boss and he said “ring sales and give them a new ETA”, beats me why he couldn’t do it, in the same ■■■■■■■ building as them and a phone on his desk!
No one in the yard when I got back at 19:00 and no note with a start time for tomorrow, blooming cowboys. and they still haven’t seen my licence!
I was also told by another driver today that they will run me short on hours towards the end of the week so they can avoid paying overtime (only paid after 40hrs) so my 12 and 14 hr days (not skiving) on Monday and Tuesday may have been in vain for me.
I took the job to get away from a company that wouldn’t pay overtime, but gave the time back instead, and wouldn’t pay overnight money, just meals.
I can beat that
Started tramping job 3 weeks ago, gaffa puts money into my account for fuel…100-200 if I’m lucky 2 hours later then I need it…if I’m lucky. Runs 4 trucks from a yard nothing to do with the o license premises and the o license in his dad’s name despite being retired 5 months ago and runs 4 trucks on o license for 2. Won’t provide me with pay slips as I’m sure he’s dodging both our tax contributions. Got a driver winding his clock on 9 hours to do a 24 hour shift and bragging about it while the planner from contracting firm claims its not his problem while drivers want to ‘achieve’ his book in times. I get back to yard Friday to find 15 tonne of gravel where we were parking lorrys on ashfordby business park so clearly someone had had enough and put a stop to it and now he won’t answer phone or reply to my texts and Its pay day tomorrow so I’m unsure what measures to take to get my wages and I can’t sleep tonight thinking about it.
Do I win??
OllieNotts:
I can beat that
Started tramping job 3 weeks ago, gaffa puts money into my account for fuel…100-200 if I’m lucky 2 hours later then I need it…if I’m lucky. Runs 4 trucks from a yard nothing to do with the o license premises and the o license in his dad’s name despite being retired 5 months ago and runs 4 trucks on o license for 2. Won’t provide me with pay slips as I’m sure he’s dodging both our tax contributions. Got a driver winding his clock on 9 hours to do a 24 hour shift and bragging about it while the planner from contracting firm claims its not his problem while drivers want to ‘achieve’ his book in times. I get back to yard Friday to find 15 tonne of gravel where we were parking lorrys on ashfordby business park so clearly someone had had enough and put a stop to it and now he won’t answer phone or reply to my texts and Its pay day tomorrow so I’m unsure what measures to take to get my wages and I can’t sleep tonight thinking about it.
Do I win??
Probably not mate, you know what lorry drivers are like.
OllieNotts:
I can beat that
Started tramping job 3 weeks ago, gaffa puts money into my account for fuel…100-200 if I’m lucky 2 hours later then I need it…if I’m lucky. Runs 4 trucks from a yard nothing to do with the o license premises and the o license in his dad’s name despite being retired 5 months ago and runs 4 trucks on o license for 2. Won’t provide me with pay slips as I’m sure he’s dodging both our tax contributions. Got a driver winding his clock on 9 hours to do a 24 hour shift and bragging about it while the planner from contracting firm claims its not his problem while drivers want to ‘achieve’ his book in times. I get back to yard Friday to find 15 tonne of gravel where we were parking lorrys on ashfordby business park so clearly someone had had enough and put a stop to it and now he won’t answer phone or reply to my texts and Its pay day tomorrow so I’m unsure what measures to take to get my wages and I can’t sleep tonight thinking about it.
Do I win??
so where is the truck then ■■. if its at your house i will wager you will get your money
Unfortunately its not, both he and planner are ignoring me now so they’re about to get a text giving them till mid day to pay me or I’ll be ringing vosa the bunch of ■■■■■!!
It is a pity that all the legislation over the years has failed to rid the industry of this sort of outfit. It is equally sad that people have to resort to working for them when there is nothing else about.
There is much criticism of those do not want to work but very little support for those that do. The government should take steps to get rid of parasite operations that rip off both employees and other businesses alike. Ultimately if an employer deducts tax and nat ins, but fails to pay it to HMRC then the employee remains liable and will no doubt be hounded until the debt is paid.
Good luck and I hope you find something better soon.
The planner just rang me back and has promised to bury me if I grass them up and get him involved!! All I want is my money I couldn’t give a ■■■■ how ‘powerful’ he thinks he is, sounds like a man with lots to hide to me. I’m not sure what to do now.
It’s unbelieveable that [zb] bags like this can still flourish in this day and age. But you wait, I reckon a few months on with this Tory-propped-up-by-Lib/Dem maladministration will see a few more raising their seedy heads above the parapet
OllieNotts:
The planner just rang me back and has promised to bury me if I grass them up and get him involved!! All I want is my money I couldn’t give a [zb] how ‘powerful’ he thinks he is, sounds like a man with lots to hide to me. I’m not sure what to do now.
Post the ■■■■■■■■■ number on here so we can all ring him up and tell him that hes gonna get buried if your moneys not paid up, plus post your bosses number on here AFTER you get your money, so we can ring up and ask for a job (at 3 in the morning)
But there’s still people on here who have a moan about the big companies, Stobarts etc. I work for a supermarket on the manufacturing side so don’t deliver to stores and drive the Double Deckers. Anything reported is fixed ASAP, even when I reported one for a funny smell but no power loss. Turned out the engine had a fairly major fault that was fixed early.
I’m lucky that I’ve never worked for showers of ■■■■■ like the companies on this thread. I’ve applied to be a Stobart tramper. The company gets a lot of stick from drivers on here but they pay wages on time, the gear is good and maintained and they don’t tell you to run bent, same as where I am now.
OllieNotts:
The planner just rang me back and has promised to bury me if I grass them up and get him involved!! All I want is my money I couldn’t give a [zb] how ‘powerful’ he thinks he is, sounds like a man with lots to hide to me. I’m not sure what to do now.
Tell the planner that unless you get your money in cash and your p45 by a set time on Friday am you will be forced to get in touch with vosa and then the local traffic commisioner followed very swiftly by plod. Then when you have got these phone the authorities anyway as scum like this need shuting down asap. Another thing try and set up a camcorder up on your car dash or where a film can be taken of the meeting then if scumbag attacks you or threatens you it all there for everyone to see.
MikeCunn:
But there’s still people on here who have a moan about the big companies, Stobarts etc. I work for a supermarket on the manufacturing side so don’t deliver to stores and drive the Double Deckers. Anything reported is fixed ASAP, even when I reported one for a funny smell but no power loss. Turned out the engine had a fairly major fault that was fixed early.
I’m lucky that I’ve never worked for showers of [zb] like the companies on this thread. I’ve applied to be a Stobart tramper. The company gets a lot of stick from drivers on here but they pay wages on time, the gear is good and maintained and they don’t tell you to run bent, same as where I am now.
Thats a very fair point mike i myself in the past worked for lets say a very dodgy outfit which i left and started with a company that runs strickly by the book and whilst a few of there rules and stuff are a complete pain the trucks straight the moneys always on time and i am always legal hence i sleep better i no we are all driven buy earning aliving but its high time drivers stoped working for companys like this
MikeCunn:
But there’s still people on here who have a moan about the big companies, Stobarts etc. I work for a supermarket on the manufacturing side so don’t deliver to stores and drive the Double Deckers. Anything reported is fixed ASAP, even when I reported one for a funny smell but no power loss. Turned out the engine had a fairly major fault that was fixed early.
I’m lucky that I’ve never worked for showers of [zb] like the companies on this thread. I’ve applied to be a Stobart tramper. The company gets a lot of stick from drivers on here but they pay wages on time, the gear is good and maintained and they don’t tell you to run bent, same as where I am now.
Your licence is worth too much to run bent for anybody.
Well the ■■■■ hasn’t paid me yet. I rang vosa this morning to get advice and they will be happy to follow up the claims I asked for advice on if I choose to report it. I tried ringing the ‘gaffa’ and he got his mate to ring me back and tell me he’s a bit lean at the minute but will pay me when it picks up! Cheeky ■■■■■ So while digging round the net on my phone I’ve found his o license application that is open to objection till 3rd November 10 for two units and two trailers not the four he’s currently running which may be with no o license? I’ve told his mate I want the money by 4 or I’ll make sure he loses everything so we’ll see what happens I guess. I don’t want to report him even though he’s a little scrote I just want my wages but seeing as he will be leaving me in the ■■■■ I’m happy to do the same!
OllieNotts:
Well the [zb] hasn’t paid me yet. I rang vosa this morning to get advice and they will be happy to follow up the claims I asked for advice on if I choose to report it. I tried ringing the ‘gaffa’ and he got his mate to ring me back and tell me he’s a bit lean at the minute but will pay me when it picks up! Cheeky [zb]. So while digging round the net on my phone I’ve found his o license application that is open to objection till 3rd November 10 for two units and two trailers not the four he’s currently running which may be with no o license? I’ve told his mate I want the money by 4 or I’ll make sure he loses everything so we’ll see what happens I guess. I don’t want to report him even though he’s a little scrote I just want my wages but seeing as he will be leaving me in the [zb] I’m happy to do the same!
oh dear, its now 1610, do we assume poor ollienotts is now at the bottom of the river trent with a lead weight attached to his foot??
As other guy said, people like this need naming and shaming - if nothing else than to save another driver gettin’ into the same ■■■■ you’re in.
Also, if you do want to post his number, I’m sure there’s a few of us trampers that have nothing better to do at 4am, than drop him a line about the vehicle being broken down - a name of another employee would help in that case - Hi, it’s Jim, the truck won’t start… etc
OllieNotts:
Well the [zb] hasn’t paid me yet. I rang vosa this morning to get advice and they will be happy to follow up the claims I asked for advice on if I choose to report it. I tried ringing the ‘gaffa’ and he got his mate to ring me back and tell me he’s a bit lean at the minute but will pay me when it picks up! Cheeky [zb]. So while digging round the net on my phone I’ve found his o license application that is open to objection till 3rd November 10 for two units and two trailers not the four he’s currently running which may be with no o license? I’ve told his mate I want the money by 4 or I’ll make sure he loses everything so we’ll see what happens I guess. I don’t want to report him even though he’s a little scrote I just want my wages but seeing as he will be leaving me in the [zb] I’m happy to do the same!
oh dear, its now 1610, do we assume poor ollienotts is now at the bottom of the river trent with a lead weight attached to his foot??
No I was working Thanks for the helpful post you stupid prick
Thanks for the helpful post you stupid prick