i heard a rumour that since mearsk took over they have laid the drivers off and now the lorrys in p&o colours are driven by owner driver who are in thier scheme.
how true is this 
100% untrue. And illegal, even if it were. Was in there the other week talking to several of their drivers, which is how I know. 
The same rumours went around in Southampton about Hanbury Davies when the WTD was first aired for drivers. They weren’t true then, either (although HD will help drivers to go properly O/D if they so wish).
Alex.
I agree with Lucy in relation to what your saying,as a mate of mine works as an indpenedent driver at Stourton,billing them direct instead of going through an agency,thereby cutting out the middle man,and Stourton have asked him if he would like to be a full time o/d,and so far he has resisted,but is looking into it further.
Granted they’re always on the look out for o/d’s,but from what I gather,the only way to make it pay,is to do,say,3 local boxes a day,and resist the distance stuff,as it works out in the long term as less money,due to highter costs.
The trucks are still in Roadways colours,as you know,and from what I can gather,will remain so,but I will find out later,and post back.
Ken.
cheers for that. as i said it was just a rumour i had heard.
as for o/d’s at p&o i remember talking to them when i was at freightliner with regards to their work and was told…
p&o are very clicky with their favourites and quite often the o/d’s are having to do southampton and felix on thurs afternoon and friday to make their money.
How times have changed,I can remember back when they were actually called P&O Roadways,or Coastal Roadways.
In Felixstowe during the 70’s and into the late 80’s if you could get on with P&O Roadways you’d got it made,good money,pension and they all ran legal (well,the majority did).
They had trucks painted in all the major shipping lines colours and had the contract for United States Lines,which used to supply all the USAF bases across the country.
The good old days.
Spoke to my mate,on Friday afternoon,and apart from the fact that pay rise negotiations are currently taking place,then it’s absolute tosh.
Ken.
KW:
How times have changed,I can remember back when they were actually called P&O Roadways,or Coastal Roadways.
In Felixstowe during the 70’s and into the late 80’s if you could get on with P&O Roadways you’d got it made,good money,pension and they all ran legal (well,the majority did).They had trucks painted in all the major shipping lines colours and had the contract for United States Lines,which used to supply all the USAF bases across the country.
The good old days.
Just the same with P & O Roadtanks Keith. From the best job ever to a dwindling little company who were subbing to the likes of us and Shirleys. The lift tank side was sold off to the Dutch and is now owned by the French GCA