Here’s the skinny. I’m currently on a two week contract or something like that with a bread supplier from one agency. I’ve done one week but I’ve still got 4 days booked in next week. Now I’ve heard from another agency (that I’m on good terms with) about another job posting. Its local but its a lot less like multidrop work. I currently do around 20 drops a day and its kinda high pressure for me. This new one seems to be a little easier. It also seems to have more driving involved.
This new posting starts on Monday which leaves me in a pickle. Do I call my agency and can my bread contract in favour of this new contract or do I stick with it for another 4 days and see if I can get in next week.
I don’t like bailing out on someone but I feel miserable at the end of each day as I’m always running late and I think it looks bad on me. This new contract seems to be better but I’m still trying to find out the details.
Radar19:
Here’s the skinny. I’m currently on a two week contract or something like that with a bread supplier from one agency. I’ve done one week but I’ve still got 4 days booked in next week. Now I’ve heard from another agency (that I’m on good terms with) about another job posting. Its local but its a lot less like multidrop work. I currently do around 20 drops a day and its kinda high pressure for me. This new one seems to be a little easier. It also seems to have more driving involved.
This new posting starts on Monday which leaves me in a pickle. Do I call my agency and can my bread contract in favour of this new contract or do I stick with it for another 4 days and see if I can get in next week.
I don’t like bailing out on someone but I feel miserable at the end of each day as I’m always running late and I think it looks bad on me. This new contract seems to be better but I’m still trying to find out the details.
Your sense of moral obligation is commendable, but remember that the agency is unlikely to act the same. They would drop you in it without a moments hesitation, again and again.
Radar19:
Here’s the skinny. I’m currently on a two week contract or something like that with a bread supplier from one agency. I’ve done one week but I’ve still got 4 days booked in next week. Now I’ve heard from another agency (that I’m on good terms with) about another job posting. Its local but its a lot less like multidrop work. I currently do around 20 drops a day and its kinda high pressure for me. This new one seems to be a little easier. It also seems to have more driving involved.
This new posting starts on Monday which leaves me in a pickle. Do I call my agency and can my bread contract in favour of this new contract or do I stick with it for another 4 days and see if I can get in next week.
I don’t like bailing out on someone but I feel miserable at the end of each day as I’m always running late and I think it looks bad on me. This new contract seems to be better but I’m still trying to find out the details.
Your sense of moral obligation is commendable, but remember that the agency is unlikely to act the same. They would drop you in it without a moments hesitation, again and again.
So, I should drop them as I’m not having a good time?
Radar19:
Here’s the skinny. I’m currently on a two week contract or something like that with a bread supplier from one agency. I’ve done one week but I’ve still got 4 days booked in next week. Now I’ve heard from another agency (that I’m on good terms with) about another job posting. Its local but its a lot less like multidrop work. I currently do around 20 drops a day and its kinda high pressure for me. This new one seems to be a little easier. It also seems to have more driving involved.
This new posting starts on Monday which leaves me in a pickle. Do I call my agency and can my bread contract in favour of this new contract or do I stick with it for another 4 days and see if I can get in next week.
I don’t like bailing out on someone but I feel miserable at the end of each day as I’m always running late and I think it looks bad on me. This new contract seems to be better but I’m still trying to find out the details.
Your sense of moral obligation is commendable, but remember that the agency is unlikely to act the same. They would drop you in it without a moments hesitation, again and again.
So, I should drop them as I’m not having a good time?
Personally, I would. I would never show any loyalty to an agency.
Take the better job. If you don’t have it someone else will and then you’ll be stuck where you are.
Agencies are set up to cover for people not turning in or holidays etc. so don’t feel too guilty.
This is what I’m complementing. I’ve already asked agency number one if they had anything else on offer and he flatly said no. I had said to him that I was having problems doing this work. I also have that he was quite rude when I said I was also with other agency’s.
When I called the agency. They seemed fine with. I told them them truth that I didn’t feel comfortable with it. I felt always under pressure that I was running late etc. I’m not killing myself or other road users by charging around trying to make up time. The guys at the bread job were really nice people but I kinda feel bad for letting them down but I heard that they go through a lot of agency drivers as most (like me) can’t handle the pressure.
This is what I’m complementing. I’ve already asked agency number one if they had anything else on offer and he flatly said no. I had said to him that I was having problems doing this work. I also have that he was quite rude when I said I was also with other agency’s.
Give it a couple of months and he’ll be as nice as pie and offering you the earth - don’t worry about it, agencies are ten a penny and will do anything to get you on their books
Don’t even think for a second, agencies and most haulage companies give you a job only when they desperately need you, offering you the lowest pay they can get away with, and as soon as they see you are not being needed you will get dropped without them ever feeling sorry about toy and that you have bills to pay, family to support.
There are some decent haulage companies and maybe even agencies, but I’ve yet to see one.
If I were you I would be out of the current one and working for the other one.
Agencies and haulage companies will employ you only when you needed, they will employ you back if they need you again, especially if it’s multidrop, multidrop, multidrop.
I’ve witnessed myself people leaving for falling out with the gaffer and then some time later being called by the said gaffer asking them to come back to work, because he needs drivers.
You need to be able to recognize which agency , haulage company treats you right, if they have no respect for you, you yourself have respect for yourself at least.
The only thing wrong with the multi drop bread delivery is that you’re trying to do the same times and job as the full timers, wrong wrong wrong.
Chances are they are on job and finish, and they know their routes and delivery points inside out.
You’re on hourly pay, so the first thing to do is get yourself in hourly pay mode, chill out grab a cup of coffee or three at a drop when there one available, then go for several pees at the next one.
You don’t know the job and only a fool who wanted his lorries wrecked would expect you to be up to job n knock full time stressed to buggery speed.
Take your time, do the job right and bank the extra money.
Burning bridges is a risky business, remember the other agency is only trying to sell you their job, which will have its own drawbacks.
You favour agency over full time in the upward moving economy.
In a downward moving economy, you hold on to your full time job, because there’s no new recruiting going on - and even shifts at agencies are becoming scarce.
The time to nail down a full time job therefore (as a safe haven to protect you from the downturn!) is at the TOP of the business cycle.
The reverse applies for signing up with the agencies. You join an agency just after the “trough” in the cycle - when there are relatively few drivers on the books, because they’ve moved on from lack of regular work to perhaps a full time job, or full time agency contract somewhere else…
There’s no such thing as “seniority” perhaps in agencyland - but one of a few rather than one of many drivers on the books - means you get asked quicker and earlier in the “job allocating process”…
If I was being left on the sidelines for weeks at a time right now, I’d obviously be in the crapper no question. I suppose it’s an act of faith that I don’t worry about where my next shift is coming from. There’s enough to keep me busy, and that’s enough for me.
What I WON’T be doing however - is working full time on agency. If I’m ready to return to a full time job, I’ll wait until the top of the business cycle, and get myself a proper decent full time job again - same as I did when I joined RM back in the late 80’s - just as the economy was topping out…
Had a nice safe job through the recession years of the early 90’s. Job has done it’s protection I wanted it for.
I even said at my interview as my answer to “Why do you want to work for Royal Mail?” - "Because I want a job that doesn’t lay me off as soon as the next recession hits… I want to get a house, get married, and have kids one day - I can’t commit to that with a fly-by-night job can I?"
…and you know - for once I’m not considered to be “arrogant” for my forthright candour!
I dare say I would be back there again - assuming I’m right in estimating the next “business cycle major top” as being around 2020. I’ll get a job in 2018 methinks… If RM are recruiting then cool - if they’re not - then I’ll just go somewhere else…
Tell the first agency that you need to stop due to family commitments
Say you don’t want to let them down because they are such nice people, so you are prepared to work a couple more days to give them time to find your replacement.
macplaxton:
Jump ship. Driver’s market. They wouldn’t give you the steam off their ■■■■ if you were on fire.
+1
Radar19:
This new posting starts on Monday which leaves me in a pickle. Do I call my agency and can my bread contract in favour of this new contract or do I stick with it for another 4 days and see if I can get in next week.
Similar thing happened to me, I was on a job that was just rush rush rush & it’s was starting to pee me off & the agency were booking me a week in advance. One day the office monkey shafted me so I left mid shift, Agy were offering me something else the following morning:lol:
Agency’s don’t care about you they just want you to earn them cash. But there are a few good ones keep on good terms with the ones that treat you well you might need them agsob
Bear in mind that when an agency says “you’re there all week” it means you might be cancelled after a couple, so they can keep sweet another driver who’s been promised the earth but they have no work for. The agency I worked for pulled this stunt, only when I did go back the office asked “are you better now?” The lying female genital area told them I was ill, turned out they were “being fair to other drivers by spreading the work fairly while it was quiet.” That’s nice if you’re a leftie, but I did a good job so I’d get more work for myself, not to help someone else out. Selfish? Yes but I work to pay my mortgage not someone elses’.
Do what suits you Radar, don’t worry about the agency’s feelings, they’re all liars anyway.
