Applied for a job it will be my first C+E/class 1 job after passing recently and these have offered me an interview/assessment. A quick google doesn’t throw good results up from ex employee reviews but they could have been sacked and angry.
So I’m after any real insight towards what they’re like and what the pay is like as its salaried. I’m currently a drayman and enjoy what I do but we don’t use artics.
I never trust reviews of any kind be it places to work or places to visit etc.
People are always quick enough to post negative reviews etc. Fair enough.
But what about the10000s who have good experiences you don’t see many posting them do you
The good old saying.
Dont knock it till youve tried it.
You’ll rarely hear drivers say anything good about companies they’ve worked at. Drivers are a funny breed who love to moan and whinge about everything. So especially as a new start don’t listen to bad reviews and go for it and learn what you can. If it’s not for you gain a little experience then move on.
cgscott:
The good old saying.Dont knock it till youve tried it.
Sir Thomas Beecham:
“Try everything once, except Morris Dancing and ■■■■■■.”
Franglais:
cgscott:
The good old saying.Dont knock it till youve tried it.
Sir Thomas Beecham:
“Try everything once, except Morris Dancing and ■■■■■■.”
I’d add heroin crack and meth to that list too, just avoid them completely.
Rowley010:
You’ll rarely hear drivers say anything good about companies they’ve worked at. Drivers are a funny breed who love to moan and whinge about everything. So especially as a new start don’t listen to bad reviews and go for it and learn what you can. If it’s not for you gain a little experience then move on.
Well it’s nights thats putting me off 17:00 start and “an average” finish is 3am after sleep that doesn’t leave long before work again.
Plus I really enjoy being on the drays, but if pollock pays £30K a year for nightsI might be swayed lol
That’s only a ten hour shift, that’s not bad going, although they may have exaggerated the average 3am finish.
Ghiabox:
Rowley010:
You’ll rarely hear drivers say anything good about companies they’ve worked at. Drivers are a funny breed who love to moan and whinge about everything. So especially as a new start don’t listen to bad reviews and go for it and learn what you can. If it’s not for you gain a little experience then move on.Well it’s nights thats putting me off 17:00 start and “an average” finish is 3am after sleep that doesn’t leave long before work again.
Plus I really enjoy being on the drays, but if pollock pays £30K a year for nightsI might be swayed lol
So long as you enjoy your job, as you say you do, think very carefully before jumping ship. A bit of cash is tempting, of course it is, but a good craic is priceless.
My first class 1 job after passing my test was for Pollocks running out of Blyth, Northumberland as a dayman in 2014. Did 6 months with them & moved on. I learnt a lot & enjoyed it all in all, great experience builder. Most firms these days want at least 1yrs experience plus so was a good learn for me. It depends what you want out of it. Not the best payers but units & trailers are generally v good.
Gold finger on this forum still, I think, works for them so may well be able to give you updated info.
Ghiabox:
Rowley010:
You’ll rarely hear drivers say anything good about companies they’ve worked at. Drivers are a funny breed who love to moan and whinge about everything. So especially as a new start don’t listen to bad reviews and go for it and learn what you can. If it’s not for you gain a little experience then move on.Well it’s nights thats putting me off 17:00 start and “an average” finish is 3am after sleep that doesn’t leave long before work again.
Plus I really enjoy being on the drays, but if pollock pays £30K a year for nightsI might be swayed lol
Rule #1 when enquiring about jobs for hire & reward outfits - Never believe anybody that tells you its 10 hour shifts. Expect to be working 11/12 and if its less take it as a bonus.
A 14 hour rest period everyday is the stuff of dreams for a lot of blokes in them sort of jobs, you might be in for a shock if your thinking 10 hour shifts are heavy. I’d stick to the drays where you have a life outside work and are keeping fit & healthy, money isn’t everything. 1700 starts especially will make for a lonely existence.
My experience (Not Pollock) of any of these jobs which entail sharing a unit that is being run 24 hrs is that it becomes even more hurry up and wait than any normal day job. That should in fact be t’other way round, it is wait and then hurry up. Your 3am finish will be a pipe dream. Many days the 1700 start will find either no unit available, no trailer available, or the load isn’t ready. When you finally get out of the yard, the 4hrs allocated to get a nominal 3hr15 min drive completed will have turned into 3hrs and 5 minutes (or less) left until the booking-in time, with a: ‘put your foot down drive’ thrown at you when you are handed the load paperwork. The return journey will also be pressurised with a phone message or five to say that the unit or the load is needed back urgently and: ‘where are you, we’ve got drivers waiting?’
You may be lucky and it won’t be like this, but far too often it is. There may be an error in the above, it might be wishful thinking to assume that 4hrs is allocated; it may well be timed to the minute.
Jimmy McNulty:
That’s only a ten hour shift, that’s not bad going, although they may have exaggerated the average 3am finish.
He did say on average but I think he might have made the job a bit more appealing, which I cant blame the guy if they do need a driver.
Franglais:
So long as you enjoy your job, as you say you do, think very carefully before jumping ship. A bit of cash is tempting, of course it is, but a good craic is priceless.
I have got it pretty custhy where I am but they dont have artics at my place or a very good hourly rate, according to one of the manager they are working on both counts though but the artic might not be here for about 2 years, all depends if we open a depot in Scotland.
Mark500:
My first class 1 job after passing my test was for Pollocks running out of Blyth, Northumberland as a dayman in 2014. Did 6 months with them & moved on. I learnt a lot & enjoyed it all in all, great experience builder. Most firms these days want at least 1yrs experience plus so was a good learn for me. It depends what you want out of it. Not the best payers but units & trailers are generally v good.
Gold finger on this forum still, I think, works for them so may well be able to give you updated info.
Yeah thats why I’m debating this, I will need experience and not many places take on fresh passes. I am very curious what the pay is like as I’ve not heard good things, can you give me an idea? I know the wages will have risen a bit though.
rob22888:
Rule #1 when enquiring about jobs for hire & reward outfits - Never believe anybody that tells you its 10 hour shifts. Expect to be working 11/12 and if its less take it as a bonus.A 14 hour rest period everyday is the stuff of dreams for a lot of blokes in them sort of jobs, you might be in for a shock if your thinking 10 hour shifts are heavy. I’d stick to the drays where you have a life outside work and are keeping fit & healthy, money isn’t everything. 1700 starts especially will make for a lonely existence.
Yeah I’m not keen on living a lonlier life than I already do 
money isn’t everything that is true but I’d like to have more than £21K a year
cav551:
My experience (Not Pollock) of any of these jobs which entail sharing a unit that is being run 24 hrs is that it becomes even more hurry up and wait than any normal day job. That should in fact be t’other way round, it is wait and then hurry up. Your 3am finish will be a pipe dream. Many days the 1700 start will find either no unit available, no trailer available, or the load isn’t ready. When you finally get out of the yard, the 4hrs allocated to get a nominal 3hr15 min drive completed will have turned into 3hrs and 5 minutes (or less) left until the booking-in time, with a: ‘put your foot down drive’ thrown at you when you are handed the load paperwork. The return journey will also be pressurised with a phone message or five to say that the unit or the load is needed back urgently and: ‘where are you, we’ve got drivers waiting?’You may be lucky and it won’t be like this, but far too often it is. There may be an error in the above, it might be wishful thinking to assume that 4hrs is allocated; it may well be timed to the minute.
That sounds canny horrific finiding trailers, not loaded, sounds like I’ve entered the wrong game 
As a dayman (job & knock + salaried) 2014 was £9 ph. Would take home approx £375 pw. Happily I’ve moved on now.
Mark500:
As a dayman (job & knock + salaried) 2014 was £9 ph. Would take home approx £375 pw. Happily I’ve moved on now.
Hmmm its probably on par now with what I’m earning on the dray.
Worked out of Fife (Tullis) for 8 years on a day cab. Units were decent enough, pay wasn’t great but job was easy. Night Shift either a x-over at Carnforth or a load out of Peterlee for next day tip so, yes, finished for 3 - 5 in the morning. No longer there due to lazyitis, doing nothing means a lot to me, nowadays 
Why don’t you try the supermarkets up there. Boring as sin & you gotta roll the cages off the back but beggars can’t be choosers. Tesco at Fradley are paying £14 per hour through Staffline. Presume that’s LTD. You can’t get in there at the mo though as they’re chock full.
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I personally wouldn’t move anywhere until this sorts itself out.
If your on drays and you’ve been there a while a lot of the pubs ain’t gunna reopen,you might get chance of redundancy and a bit of money in your pocket.
I’d stick it out and see what happens,better the devil you know as they say…
Hi guys this thread was posted in 2019 so its a year old now!
Sadly I’m no longer on the dray (since march 17th 2020) and I’m now a day driver for a local company that does local and tramping jobs.
I do miss dray work but LWC (previous employer for 3.5 years) paid a decent hourly rate but a low yearly rate (P60 was £23,200) now as a class 1 (C+E) driver I’m on £28,000 (day driver remember) I’m happy with what I earn, no tramping, easy work cant complain.
But MAN I miss dray work 