Evening all has anyone any info good or otherwise with regard to the above wages conditions ect i no they do some channel hoping but do they have uk only drivers ?cheers i no i could phone then but its unlikely i ll get the full picture without going through the whole form filling and interview thing
They do stuff out the petfood factory at Wimille. Was always uk drivers I met in there, with a couple staying over there all week shunting trailers up to Calais. That was a couple years ago so maybe different now.
Have a lot of uk only trampers. I do nights up country for them,found it fine so far.
Could you expand a little
I don’t think they do a lot of euro work any more and the little they do will be done the chosen few . Don’t think there is an awfull lot between them and firmins both doing virtually same work paper /plasterboard out and waste paper back to Kesmsely / Aylesford . If you are going to look in that area firmins are your better bet not much in money or work but nicer people . An ex father in law worked for nicholls a few years ago and didn’t paint a pretty picture but that was around the year 2000
cheers chester the search continues any luck yet ?
Done Agency for them a few times and most unimpressed. Absolutely no consideration that you are a day driver and turned up for that day only. ie tip this trailer first 15/20 miles away and then go off to somewhere near Brum (can’t recall where) with the day’s load, wait ages to tip then rung me - not cab phone which was u/s - and told to reload out of Gloucester. No details, directions or help in any way, Nicholls just assume you know how to find every factory in the UK without any address because you are a lorry driver. Likely to find traffic office shut for the night at 6pm so any problems and you’re on your own. After three or four similar occasions won’t go in there any more.
cheers cav that’s the sort of thing i wanted to no the stuff you don’t learn by ringing them or filling in forms
bjd:
Evening all has anyone any info good or otherwise with regard to the above wages conditions ect i no they do some channel hoping but do they have uk only drivers ?cheers i no i could phone then but its unlikely i ll get the full picture without going through the whole form filling and interview thing
pay is very very poor just above minimum wage
drivers are class as dog S#it think it company policy.
massive driver turn over.
they will max out your hours and run you ragged.
pay peanuts get monkeys
only monkeys need apply.
Hi im a driver at firmins.we are round the corner from nicholls.we have our own agency now called firmin recruit. Always looking for good drivers class 1 and 2. Take a look at trustfirmin.com.ive been there over eight years.good kit new trucks and trailers. Fleet currently being replaced with new mercs. We cover everything from supermarket work to containers. Moneys good and the nights out are there on containers if you want them.
if you dont mind me asking what sort of money do they take home ? pm if you prefer
Did a couple of months for them in summer 2008. The driver-assessment was very thorough. All the work was 44-tonne (mostly bottled water and pop). The destinations were varied, the vehicles were well-maintained, the yard was well-managed, the office staff were always civil (I found) and the maintainence staff were helpful. The wages weren’t brilliant. There were even satisfying old ERF ECs with Twinspitters to drive, but I think it’s all automated Stralises now with a few manual Premiums left in service. Hope that helps. Happy New Year! Robert
jediknight:
Hi im a driver at firmins.we are round the corner from nicholls.we have our own agency now called firmin recruit. Always looking for good drivers class 1 and 2. Take a look at trustfirmin.com.ive been there over eight years.good kit new trucks and trailers. Fleet currently being replaced with new mercs. We cover everything from supermarket work to containers. Moneys good and the nights out are there on containers if you want them.
If the guy that runs firmins is the same guy (Paul Denyer) he is a very clued up lad only young but knows what it’s all about and is well trusted by the firmin family
Hes been the director for several years now.very approachable and is happy to chat when he can
jediknight:
Hi im a driver at firmins.we are round the corner from nicholls.we have our own agency now called firmin recruit. Always looking for good drivers class 1 and 2. Take a look at trustfirmin.com.ive been there over eight years.good kit new trucks and trailers. Fleet currently being replaced with new mercs. We cover everything from supermarket work to containers. Moneys good and the nights out are there on containers if you want them.
Do you know if Firmins will take on inexperienced drivers? Or is it a minimum 2 years experience?
jediknight:
Hes been the director for several years now.very approachable and is happy to chat when he can
Rare bread 
seth 70:
jediknight:
Hes been the director for several years now.very approachable and is happy to chat when he canRare bread
Breed ,oops 
I do believe they have started a scheme for new drivers.have own trainer.so give them a call to find out.they also run firmin recruit which is there own inhouse agency and find jobs for drivers outside firmins.and also for firmins.go to trustfirmin.com to have a look
jediknight:
I do believe they have started a scheme for new drivers.have own trainer.so give them a call to find out.they also run firmin recruit which is there own inhouse agency and find jobs for drivers outside firmins.and also for firmins.go to trustfirmin.com to have a look
That sounds promising, thanks. I’m hoping to start driving for my current employer but it’s important to have a back-up plan!
OP - apologies for the minor thread-jack.
The drivers at the Firmin hatch all seem happy enough, laughing and joking away when there’s a few of them in there at once. Nice clean drivers area too. A lot of shuttle work to DSsmith across the road, and Knauf plasterboard across the roundabout as well. ‘Across the roundabout’ can also be found a large Morrisons depot as well, and you’ll be given a decent tractor to pull their trailers with over there, which is better than the Morrisons own ones, which on the whole, seem to be day cabs… Nights is good, 'cos you don’t get sent into London on nights from my experience.
I can only assume that the new Nicholls yard next door is another pop-up to recruit those “halfway house” drivers who couldn’t get jobs elsewhere… Y’know the 9 points on licence, just got out of Maidstone Prison types. Either that, or they’re plain daft to dash for work paying less than £8ph… There’s no excuses for pay that low in this part of the world, especially nowdays.