nightline:
sammym:
Sharp - I’ve got youe message but cannot respond to it. For some reason I’m not sure about I’ve been deemed to be a negative influence on these fine forums so have certain privileges denied.
In terms of RM and the Pertemps assessments.
First the assessment. I passed/failed it under the caveat I went back and did another day unpaid with them (wasn’t over impressed with the trainer). I wasn’t that interested so didn’t. Which meant no RM work for me. I found a supermarket gig that paid better so stuck with that at the time.
However I know plenty of lads who have done it. Tbh it’s not a terrible job if you like that sort of thing. Don’t expect a lot of overtime, and realize the best runs will be given to the RM drivers. Rates are spot on however. The work is meant to be easy and doesn’t involve an awful lot of effort. However they don’t take kindly to any mistakes.
Looking back at that post with a bit more class 1 experience… Well today I had to do a tightish blindside. I ended up asking one driver to shunt forward, and still got out 3 times to check. I reckon the only thing experience has taught me is that I should chill out and not worry about it. Reversing an artic comes with time. I’ve delivered to the parcelforce international depot a few times - and all I can say is that you don’t have to be a tip top driver there to get it on a bay. You could probs land a plane tbh. Same goes for other RM depots I’ve seen.
I’d say go for it mate. Worst case you don’t like it and you jump to the next agency gig. There is plenty about. I’ve gone from supermarkets to general haulage and am pretty happy atm.
Now that’s a post from a novice and well explained
Best stick to what you know
Thanks for another top informative post. I may not know as much as many or most on here but the person who asked the question seemed to find it useful.
Perhaps you can give both me and the guy who asked the question a more informative answer about pertemps academy and royal mail agency work?? I’d love to hear from someone with your level of stature and greatness in the industry.
Yeh. Gone are the days where “you could make time”. Nowadays if you’re more than 9minutes away from your 318 window - you’re in the crap…
“Rush Rush Rush” - must ultimately lead to more mistakes being made overall, as well as more “accidents” of course.
As pro drivers, we should be most concerned with getting the jobs done, and driving safely.
If you’re the type of person who thrives on the constant pressure to perform to time and political correctness guidelines - then RM is a great place to work, and well-paid.
I’m wondering how “The average age of a driver is 55” fits into the equation these days.
I noticed that there were far fewer EEs working at RM than at other yards in the transport sector nearby.
There’s no shortage of NON EU citizens though!
This doesn’t help when you’ve got a strict 30minute time window to get a double decker loaded at some place like NDC - only to find the 3 indoor staff that are supposed to be helping you, have found somewhere else to be at the exact moment you’re supposed to be on the bay to load… 
The best duties to get on agency at RM these days imo are those which have minimal contact with full time indoor staff.
For me, that was the Coventry Trunks for Parcel Force rather than the letters offices, where managers will make you late, refuse to take responsibility for holding a run back, which then means yet another “in the crap de-brief” when getting back to depot. Trying to get a “Holding Code” out of a manager - proved to be well-nigh impossible. Even the phone number you’re supposed to call to GET one - was answered by some chump clearly asleep when the phone “unexpectedly” rang…
Winseer:
I noticed that there were far fewer EEs working at RM than at other yards in the transport sector nearby.
There’s no shortage of NON EU citizens though!
Can I ask what relevance/reasons the comment about Eastern Europeans is made and who exactly are the NON EU citizens??