Juddian:
‘‘Substantial pay increase’’, that couldn’t be anything to do with you not having a driver shortage i suppose?Does beggar the question though, why did it take the possible loss of them for you to realise their value.
+1
Where I work (‘til tomorrow 
) they’ve tried getting an agency driver for Monday and neither Pertemps or Driver Hire can supply one. It’s a struggle to get drivers’ mates from them too (the 4am start on crap money might be a factor there though).
Believe me after 40 years in the job I know exactly the value of drivers. The pay rise was the result of a company reorganisation whereby we have ditched certain types of work. All drivers are now on a fixed daily rate and depending if they are on the general side, or the tanker side of the business, then the pay rise works out between £60 and £90 per week for 5 shifts. I wouldn’t think that there’s anyone else in our area matching our pay scale. They were paid above average before this last increase. Surprisingly I don’t have any vacancies at the moment
As for Christmas work I’ve never had any problem finding RDC or fridge work and I’m doing both at the present time and will be until Christmas.
Conor:
chicane:
I’ll be hanging up the keys for the last time either at Christmas or early new year. The job is easy enough but most of the start times are becoming silly and the runs are getting longer.So go find work that suits you better. Most I do is 12hrs at an absolute push but usually averaging 10-10.5hrs, no nights out. I prefer nights and the latest I start is 7pm. I’m usually done by 4.30am with the longer runs starting a bit earlier. Earn enough an hour to have a reasonable living wage on a 4 day 40hr week.
Not easy round here or within an hour’s commute. Reason I’m hanging up the keys is because a few things that have been bubbling away in the background are finally coming together so in the year from April 5 2015 of every £10 I earned driving I’d be left with maybe £5 after tax NI & costs.
[quote=“chicane” Reason I’m hanging up the keys is because a few things that have been bubbling away in the background are finally coming together so in the year from April 5 2015 of every £10 I earned driving I’d be left with maybe £5 after tax NI & costs.[/quote]
Have you thought about getting a better accountant?
rob22888:
You never hear the public transport industry bleating on in the press about the lack of ready trained bus, tram and train drivers. Asking for government funding to train drivers up so they can then exploit them for peanuts. They sort themselves out and the haulage companies should do the same.Want more drivers? Train more drivers. Then, offer them good working conditions.
This is exactly right. I was talking to a bloke I used to know who now drives a bus for Arriva in Winsford, which is not a particularly high wage area. £11.15 per hour, 39 hours per week, a rota so he knows his working days and times weeks in advance. They’re not short of drivers, apparently. Arriva and all the other big bus firms also routinely report double-digit profit margins. Perhaps some of the haulage industry could learn a bit from them.
turbot:
chicane:
Reason I’m hanging up the keys is because a few things that have been bubbling away in the background are finally coming together so in the year from April 5 2015 of every £10 I earned driving I’d be left with maybe £5 after tax NI & costs.Have you thought about getting a better accountant?
Indeed!
Olog Hai:
rob22888:
You never hear the public transport industry bleating on in the press about the lack of ready trained bus, tram and train drivers. Asking for government funding to train drivers up so they can then exploit them for peanuts. They sort themselves out and the haulage companies should do the same.Want more drivers? Train more drivers. Then, offer them good working conditions.
This is exactly right. I was talking to a bloke I used to know who now drives a bus for Arriva in Winsford, which is not a particularly high wage area. £11.15 per hour, 39 hours per week, a rota so he knows his working days and times weeks in advance. They’re not short of drivers, apparently. Arriva and all the other big bus firms also routinely report double-digit profit margins. Perhaps some of the haulage industry could learn a bit from them.
£11.15 sounds great, but my understanding is that the job isn’t. Early starts, late finishes, weekends and split shifts - 4 hours on, 4 hours off, 4 hours on again.
i’m not surprised in the slightest companies and agencies are struggling to get drivers with rates posted here regular.
I’ve been at my new factory job nearly 2 months now and I can’t believe how I stuck at driving so long compared to what I am doing now. unfortunately everyone at this place for the first year is agency (manpower) on 70% pay but it still equates to approx £28k a year for a 38hr week. Its my first time working for an agency too and I thought i’d be having a miserable year after reading some of the posts on here but manpower have been nothing but informative and helpful with any queries or issues.
The haulage industry seems to be 10 years behind everyone else and it needs to catchup fast or things will only get worse.
Believe me, I already have a very good accountant and an ex tax inspector as back-up who has been a godsend in the last 6 months (long story involving an incompetent solicitor/IHT/HMRC and the reason I’m still driving). Of course with IHT you get taxed twice, you pay the IHT and the money you earned to pay the IHT 
maga:
i’m not surprised in the slightest companies and agencies are struggling to get drivers with rates posted here regular.I’ve been at my new factory job nearly 2 months now and I can’t believe how I stuck at driving so long compared to what I am doing now. unfortunately everyone at this place for the first year is agency (manpower) on 70% pay but it still equates to approx £28k a year for a 38hr week. Its my first time working for an agency too and I thought i’d be having a miserable year after reading some of the posts on here but manpower have been nothing but informative and helpful with any queries or issues.
The haulage industry seems to be 10 years behind everyone else and it needs to catchup fast or things will only get worse.
Think you’re being kind, a many of them are still stuck in the 70s 
Daz1970:
rob22888:
You never hear the public transport industry bleating on in the press about the lack of ready trained bus, tram and train drivers. Asking for government funding to train drivers up so they can then exploit them for peanuts. They sort themselves out and the haulage companies should do the same.Want more drivers? Train more drivers. Then, offer them good working conditions.
^^^ I agree, major bus companies have to do just this…take on young staff with car licence & put them on training wage until they pass their PCV test, then their money goes up and they are up & running. I think there is some sort of claw-back agreement that the newbie will cover half the cost of training, if they quit for pastures new within 1 year, 25% if they leave before 2 years…They’ve been doing this for years - they’ve obviously had to…It ain’t difficult - why can’t the haulage ‘big boys’ do this■■? Surely this in-house training can be off-set against tax etc…
I was reading in MT this morning that Bibby’s are launching an apprenticeship scheme covering Logistics…great, I thought, until I read they have took on FOUR trainees on a pilot scheme…that’s not gonna be a game-changer then!!!
I wouldn’t be suprised if those FOUR trainees peter down to only ONE full time job at the end of it. “YOU are not my nancy…Dave Bloggs - You COULD be my nancy, and you’re through to the next round of applause…”
Things are getting quite competitive here in East Yorkshire. Just got an email of an agency today basically begging for drivers for the stobart/ tesco contract at goole. There offering £15 ph for ten hours and traveling costs on top which is very good money for this area. Like most people have said if it’s a poor job with poor pay then I think you will start struggling for drivers from now, theres a lot more options out there now compared with this time last year. The above job was £11ph this tine last year.
Winseer:
fredthered:
An update. I’ve just watched BBC South news (whilst resting in my tin box) and the shortage of drivers could mean empty shelves at Xmas!Flipping good! Bah humbug!
Entry pantry shelves at home - if no firm wants to dig deep into their pockets, and actually employ us all…
I don’t think that it is unreasonable to expect a driver to pay to gain his/her own licence after all as long as s/he is a good boy/girl that licence will last them their entire working carrer.
I don’t think it is reasonable to ask a driver to pay for his/her own medical/licence/tachograph/dcpc renewal when in full time employment. As these things have a finite lifespan before renewing.
You wouldn’t expect a transport clerk to buy/maintaine/upgrade their office computer, phone or fax machine.
There should also be an industry standard hourly rate of £10ph IMO.
Youngy:
Things are getting quite competitive here in East Yorkshire. Just got an email of an agency today basically begging for drivers for the stobart/ tesco contract at goole. There offering £15 ph for ten hours and traveling costs on top which is very good money for this area. Like most people have said if it’s a poor job with poor pay then I think you will start struggling for drivers from now, theres a lot more options out there now compared with this time last year. The above job was £11ph this tine last year.
Stobbies are up ■■■■ creek with that Tesco contract out there. They’re literally using anyone with a pulse and anyone with a wagon within about an 80 mile radius of the place. One of the subbies I know are based nowhere near there but they’re sending any free tractor units they’ve got in there and are apparently making a killing out of it on the day rate they’re getting out of Stobbies, and that’s using agency drivers in them too, not their own drivers.
Anyone that’s done that job out there will know it’s pretty much universally hated because the trailers and equipment are in such a ■■■■ state and on the job itself it’s absolutely no fun at all trying to man handle cages full to the ceiling with booze and wine that weigh about a ton each. Even the timber job with Longs suddenly becomes appealing when you start comparing them.
The only good thing about doing that Tesco job is the well stocked 24hr garage on the other side of the motorway junction that does some of the best pies in the country.
Whilst I’ve seen a lot of posters, billboards, etc. crying out for agency drivers on top rates etc. - I don’t see any such adverts in THIS area, despite it being in the so-called “Prosperous South”…
Is anyone else getting the impression that this so-called Economic Upturn we’re in - taking the form of "More jobs Up north, Higher property prices in London, and More congestion down south"?
…but nether the twain shall meet?
chicane:
maga:
i’m not surprised in the slightest companies and agencies are struggling to get drivers with rates posted here regular.I’ve been at my new factory job nearly 2 months now and I can’t believe how I stuck at driving so long compared to what I am doing now. unfortunately everyone at this place for the first year is agency (manpower) on 70% pay but it still equates to approx £28k a year for a 38hr week. Its my first time working for an agency too and I thought i’d be having a miserable year after reading some of the posts on here but manpower have been nothing but informative and helpful with any queries or issues.
The haulage industry seems to be 10 years behind everyone else and it needs to catchup fast or things will only get worse.
Think you’re being kind, a many of them are still stuck in the 70s
Nothing wrong with the 1970’s.Lower fuel costs so more money for wages in real terms,proper trucks,no limiters,log books no tachos,domestic hours regs,and more choice of long haul/international work.Unlike the 21st century.
Winseer:
Whilst I’ve seen a lot of posters, billboards, etc. crying out for agency drivers on top rates etc. - I don’t see any such adverts in THIS area, despite it being in the so-called “Prosperous South”…Is anyone else getting the impression that this so-called Economic Upturn we’re in - taking the form of "More jobs Up north, Higher property prices in London, and More congestion down south"?
…but nether the twain shall meet?
The South,especially the South East,has been subject to relatively less opportunities in road transport than the Norf for as long as I can remember.