Hi Everybody,
I’ve been driving for a living for 24 years now, 18 of them as a Class 1 driver.
I’m now seriously considering working part time as opposed to full time, as I’d like a bit more time at home and because I’m trying to get a small business up and running.
I’d be interested to hear from anyone with experience of working part -time, especially with agencies. I would need regular work, maybe 3 to 4 days a week or say 6 hours a day.
Is there any demand for drivers who don’t want to commit to a full week?
My current employer (DHL) isn’t interested, despite having drivers sitting around doing nothing at some times and them being short at others!
Any experiences or comments welcome.
I was off the road for 4 years to run a business, during that time I tried to get some part time driving to ‘keep my hand in’. Unfortunately it didn’t really happen on a regular basis, a mate of mine has a haulage business and I did the odd bit of work for him. There’s no agencies in this part of the world so that wasn’t an option. I did leave my name and number at a few companys within travelling distance but all I was offered was the odd bit of sick cover. Good luck.
Tiger.
I have done part time driving for the last 25 years as I am office based during the week.
Loads of work round here thru the agencies on ASDA, Morrisons etc - I usually do alternate weekends.
I have been doing Thursday-Friday night trunking work for almost 5 years since I retired at age 60,through my local agency.Suits me without ruining the complete weekend,because I get a Saturday rate.There are some firms/agencys round here who offer days,nights,weekends or odd shifts.
I do part time driving through an agency.
I just let them know what I am available each week and they usually find me something.
If you are going down the agency route, ring round first and see what sort of response you get. Some I called weren’t interested. The agency I work for at the moment are more than happy with the arrangement.
Graduate, seeing you are from Burnley, there is plenty of part-time, be it odd shifts, or regular short weeks, say Thurs, Fri, Sat, at InBev Samlesbury, via ADR Blackburn, ask for Alistair.
Good gear, straight forwards easy work, average shift about 9.5 hrs, mainly depot trunking trailer swaps, with a bit of RDC thrown in. Money OK rather than good, but like I said easy enough job and very flexible. ADR also have some odd shift work at both Veka Burnley and Smurfitt Nelson but this is much less predictable.
bestbooties:
I have been doing Thursday-Friday night trunking work for almost 5 years since I retired at age 60,through my local agency.Suits me without ruining the complete weekend,because I get a Saturday rate.There are some firms/agencys round here who offer days,nights,weekends or odd shifts.
I work through same agency for same firm as Bestbooties, but do either Tuesday to Fridays or Wednesday to Fridays usually starting between 13.00 and 15.00 hours on 10 hours average shifts. It’s a rare week when I don’t work all the days that I’ve said I’m available for. They usually phone for availability Friday a.m. and then phone back with the following weeks shift times during Friday p.m.
Many people I know of choose to work part time, especially after redundancy when they can pay off some debts and then help with grandkids 1 or 2 days a week, which is what I do on Mondays currently. It gives flexibility.
Both the agencies that I’ve worked for in the last 3 years have been happy to accommodate part time drivers. Communication, reliability and a good reputation are what really matter to Transport managers and agency bosses, not the number of days or hours worked. Maybe also a bit of give and take, but in equal measure.