Had to watch an artic reversing in our yard yesterday and after shouting for him to stop about a dozen times before he knocked the gates down, he finally got it in the yard.When he climbed down I asked him if he’d been driving artics long.He said he was from Romania and had been in England for about a month,but had passed his test back home 14 years ago.He was working for an agency in Northampton.
Do these agencies do any checks to see if they have passed a test and are tests abroad of the same standard as ours?There is no way this driver was safe.I watched him drive away and nearly take a fence out on the bend.
It cost me a lot of Wonga to pass my test only to be told I have no experience,but these drivers come over and get work.It’s just not fair. 
Had a guy yesterday who got pulled up for reducing 4 times last week. He’s agency and Eastern European but he’s a good guy to work with, funny and works like an ox!
mattsplatt:
Had to watch an artic reversing in our yard yesterday and after shouting for him to stop about a dozen times before he knocked the gates down, he finally got it in the yard.When he climbed down I asked him if he’d been driving artics long.He said he was from Romania and had been in England for about a month,but had passed his test back home 14 years ago.He was working for an agency in Northampton.
Do these agencies do any checks to see if they have passed a test and are tests abroad of the same standard as ours?There is no way this driver was safe.I watched him drive away and nearly take a fence out on the bend.
It cost me a lot of Wonga to pass my test only to be told I have no experience,but these drivers come over and get work.It’s just not fair.
one of our polski drivers told me thay do not have a reversinki bit on there test you can spot em a mile away 
Probably a case of the agency being desperate for drivers, so will take anyone on as long as the have a licence, regardless of experience they may or may not have.
Radar19:
Had a guy yesterday who got pulled up for reducing 4 times last week. He’s agency and Eastern European but he’s a good guy to work with, funny and works like an ox!
LOL and will you still think he is a right good guy when you are having your day wasted as you sit in a checkpoint due to your company now being of interest to DVSA
mazzer:
Radar19:
Had a guy yesterday who got pulled up for reducing 4 times last week. He’s agency and Eastern European but he’s a good guy to work with, funny and works like an ox!LOL and will you still think he is a right good guy when you are having your day wasted as you sit in a checkpoint due to your company now being of interest to DVSA
I have nothing to hide so that doesn’t bother me. Thats someone for the bigwigs to worry about.
Been here a month? maybe his first UK job …a bit nervous, strange country , maybe his first time on a right hand drive 
I remember making a complete Horlicks of the first time I did a blind sider on a left ■■■■■■.
Or maybe even he was just generally a crap driver, we have some of them here also so let’s not turn it into yet another ‘let’s slag off the foreigners’ thread,…ffs 
Radar19:
mazzer:
Radar19:
Had a guy yesterday who got pulled up for reducing 4 times last week. He’s agency and Eastern European but he’s a good guy to work with, funny and works like an ox!LOL and will you still think he is a right good guy when you are having your day wasted as you sit in a checkpoint due to your company now being of interest to DVSA
I have nothing to hide so that doesn’t bother me. Thats someone for the bigwigs to worry about.
It doesn’t matter if you have nothing to hide or not the first time you are pulled it may seem novel by the third the novelty has usually worn off especially if the pull is on a Friday afternoon and prevents you from getting home, speaking from experience when they take an interest in your company it doesn’t matter how good your cards are you will all be treated the same.
mattsplatt:
Had to watch an artic reversing in our yard yesterday and after shouting for him to stop about a dozen times before he knocked the gates down, he finally got it in the yard.When he climbed down I asked him if he’d been driving artics long.He said he was from Romania and had been in England for about a month,but had passed his test back home 14 years ago.He was working for an agency in Northampton.
Do these agencies do any checks to see if they have passed a test and are tests abroad of the same standard as ours?There is no way this driver was safe.I watched him drive away and nearly take a fence out on the bend.
It cost me a lot of Wonga to pass my test only to be told I have no experience,but these drivers come over and get work.It’s just not fair.
so, is this a rant about his driving, or a rant about you not being able to get a job? and you being inexperienced, how confident are you in tackling the same manouvere?
All agencies are the scum of the earth.
Pat Hasler:
All agencies are the scum of the earth.
like it…totally agree
wirksworth rod:
mattsplatt:
Had to watch an artic reversing in our yard yesterday and after shouting for him to stop about a dozen times before he knocked the gates down, he finally got it in the yard.When he climbed down I asked him if he’d been driving artics long.He said he was from Romania and had been in England for about a month,but had passed his test back home 14 years ago.He was working for an agency in Northampton.
Do these agencies do any checks to see if they have passed a test and are tests abroad of the same standard as ours?There is no way this driver was safe.I watched him drive away and nearly take a fence out on the bend.
It cost me a lot of Wonga to pass my test only to be told I have no experience,but these drivers come over and get work.It’s just not fair.
Because the complicated reverse on our tests means you leave the test centre a reversing expert… 
switchlogic:
wirksworth rod:
mattsplatt:
Had to watch an artic reversing in our yard yesterday and after shouting for him to stop about a dozen times before he knocked the gates down, he finally got it in the yard.When he climbed down I asked him if he’d been driving artics long.He said he was from Romania and had been in England for about a month,but had passed his test back home 14 years ago.He was working for an agency in Northampton.
Do these agencies do any checks to see if they have passed a test and are tests abroad of the same standard as ours?There is no way this driver was safe.I watched him drive away and nearly take a fence out on the bend.
It cost me a lot of Wonga to pass my test only to be told I have no experience,but these drivers come over and get work.It’s just not fair.
Because the complicated reverse on our tests means you leave the test centre a reversing expert…
true switchy never sean eney cones out when backin on to a silo 
Who’s responsibility is it, to make sure that a driver is competent to drive the vehicle they are in charge of…the agency, or the company.Or are they liable in equal measure?
D-ya not?:
Who’s responsibility is it, to make sure that a driver is competent to drive the vehicle they are in charge of…the agency, or the company.Or are they liable in equal measure?
Where i work agency and fulltimers have to pass a driving assessment ,thats until its busy then anybody walking past the yard and fancys taking a load out can crack on,weekends are the worst
wirksworth rod:
switchlogic:
wirksworth rod:
mattsplatt:
Had to watch an artic reversing in our yard yesterday and after shouting for him to stop about a dozen times before he knocked the gates down, he finally got it in the yard.When he climbed down I asked him if he’d been driving artics long.He said he was from Romania and had been in England for about a month,but had passed his test back home 14 years ago.He was working for an agency in Northampton.
Do these agencies do any checks to see if they have passed a test and are tests abroad of the same standard as ours?There is no way this driver was safe.I watched him drive away and nearly take a fence out on the bend.
It cost me a lot of Wonga to pass my test only to be told I have no experience,but these drivers come over and get work.It’s just not fair.
Because the complicated reverse on our tests means you leave the test centre a reversing expert…
Look up polish truck driving test.Theres a lot more to it than ours.
regards dave.
D-ya not?:
Who’s responsibility is it, to make sure that a driver is competent to drive the vehicle they are in charge of…the agency, or the company.Or are they liable in equal measure?
That’s an on going argument at our place, they get me to Assess any potential new drivers & if I’m not happy letting them go out to ‘Play’ in my motor, they don’t get the job, but we’ve had some really dodgy drivers turn up on agency (& some good ones) & they don’t get me to assess them, consequently we’ve had quite a lot of damage done to the tractors, trailers & 4/6 wheelers.
I understand that we don’t have a leg to stand on & have to take the pain/costs for all the damage they do.
Personally, if I was sending someone out on their own in £100,000+ worth of kit, an initial £15/£25 spent on an assessment seems a good idea.
mattsplatt:
and are tests abroad of the same standard as ours?
I’d wager the driving test in France is harder than the UK. And the FIMO afterwards to get your CPC is absolutely much much harder than MOD 2 & 4 in the UK.
The assessment route seems a pretty sensible idea, alternatively a driver comes recommended by the agency,due to having had previous assessment/s,or has experience working on various contracts.
The agency could arrange for new starters to have a 1 or 2 hour assessment before being signed up.
Isn’t the cpc supposed to be proof of competency.
Pat Hasler:
All agencies are the scum of the earth.
+1
dafdave:
Look up polish truck driving test.Theres a lot more to it than ours.
regards dave.
I bet there is, I’ve never seen polish drivers do any worse than the Brits…