ST3:
How come drivers never get a pay rise and when ask about them or any company you know local that’s had same pay rates for last 6 years yet always have new trucks and trailers and some even with toys and airbrushing yet they cry there’s no money in haulage any more. And yes always nice to have a decent bit of kit to do the job but also pay to live on. yet the min wage is creeping up to what most company’s are now paying for class 1.
Unfortunately it’s the other way round. Government’s at the behest of “Corporations” want to get everyone on “Minimum Wage”…less if possible. It takes a little filtering out… but read and listen to the MSM and Transport trade media. Sorry to have to “P” on the parade.
I thought the driver crunch wouldn’t come until September 2014 but I think it’s going to come sooner than I thought.
Talking to a planner a couple of days ago, they can’t get drivers, had to cancel some holidays as even with agency bods its becoming a real issue, this is a big international company that pays its drivers comfortably above the norm.
see iam stuck in a bit of a dilemma
I work for a large parcel firm and iam only a casual driver , this week(after a 2 week holiday) they have had no work for me but the pay is excellent for class 2 work and this is the pre xmas lull .
Do i find a job paying just above minimum wage full time? or do i hang on and wait for the phone to ring ,have to work every saturday,and not get paid for sick or holidays■■?
chicane:
I thought the driver crunch wouldn’t come until September 2014 but I think it’s going to come sooner than I thought.
Talking to a planner a couple of days ago, they can’t get drivers, had to cancel some holidays as even with agency bods its becoming a real issue, this is a big international company that pays its drivers comfortably above the norm.
Ex Haulier:
I guess up in the frozen north you might be working for peanuts, that’s your choice. Down here, to the west of London in the M3, M4 corridor you can earn decent money and pick and choose who you work for.But as a general rule, haulage is doctor hooked. The money is in the supermarkets or big logistics companies. I have picked up £250 for a single weekend shift from big household name companies who have been desperate lately.
Was getting more than that last year, for a weekend shift up here in Lincs
Look for a company with run down trucks instead of big fancy ones and they generally pay better if you sacrifice the comfort. Less over heads = more profit lol
leggate:
Look for a company with run down trucks instead of big fancy ones and they generally pay better if you sacrifice the comfort. Less over heads = more profit lol
I’ve always found it to be the complete opposite to this, the older the trucks the lower the wage.
leggate:
Look for a company with run down trucks instead of big fancy ones and they generally pay better if you sacrifice the comfort. Less over heads = more profit lol
Quite a few of the companies with run down trucks are about on their arse and soon go out of business.
There is money in haulage but not for the driver,all the new rules and regs must be paid for along with new 600 horse power motors,take construction quarried aggs are charged £1 .65 per tonne tax the customer manages to pay it on top of the cost of the stone ,it is just sad that the driver is last in line for the money.
leggate:
Look for a company with run down trucks instead of big fancy ones and they generally pay better if you sacrifice the comfort. Less over heads = more profit lol
Quite a few of the companies with run down trucks are about on their arse and soon go out of business.
I don’t think either can be held as true, I’ve seen companies that have bought or leased loads of new trucks go under and the same with those who’ve been hanging onto kit. Maybe when you see money not spent on basic maintenance you should get worried.
I’ve always heard the no money in haulage, but that might be because a lot of Norfolk hauliers started as farmers and it’s just breed into them to plead poverty.
But I have to price up our haulage costs at work, so the boss knows how much the transportation costs. Especially when we charge to have one of our cars at an exhibition. Looking at what it cost us even without a profit margin, I can’t believe how people can run at some of the rates that get mentioned.
im self employed so i get what i get and drive whatever so it doesnt apply to me but the drivers that work for the smaller companies that run the 10-15 year old rigs are getting a bit more than the drivers with the new - 5 year old rigs with the toys. not always the case though just saying it as i see it
How many people on this site would work for a company that pays well but you get ■■■■ loads of abuse on a daily basis, swearing at you because your stuck in traffic then having to run over to avoid being late to a booking, or how about standing there with the office staff laughing at you because handwriting isnt very neat. No point in having money if the job makes you depressed!
chicane:
I thought the driver crunch wouldn’t come until September 2014 but I think it’s going to come sooner than I thought.
Talking to a planner a couple of days ago, they can’t get drivers, had to cancel some holidays as even with agency bods its becoming a real issue, this is a big international company that pays its drivers comfortably above the norm.
I have to agree, put in a holiday request at our place and you can see the doubt and mild panic in the eyes of our Manager. His underlings arn’t even allowed to accept the forms.
I missed the last great driver shortage because I was out of the Industry at the time. I’m curious to see how this next one pans out without Orys and his Countrymen waiting in the wings.
As for money in Haulage, a couple of us know the rates for the jobs we do and lets just say, I’m not particulary worried about the future.
