samsgrandad:
if there is such a big shortage of driver’s when are we getting a biggg pay rise “never” monkey’s work for peanut’s and I include myself let’s all grow some BALL’S then we might get somewhere and when might that be #never# we in britian need to be like johnny the frog stick together instead of being like sheep bah and we know what johnny does with them don’t we
Why have so many haulage companies gone to the wall in the last few years if there is enough money kicking about to give drivers the wages they think they deserve ?
The margins are tight. Shortage or no shortage, strike or no strike that just isn’t going to change i’m afraid.
the trouble is some of them go to the wall then by some strange miracle they reappear with a new name money they never had before they went bust its a miracle then they cut the rates then rest of us so called professional driver’s get screwed yet again because they cannot raise the price’s because the customer wont pay why cause some numpty work’s for little or no profit and guess what he gets some monkey’s to drive his truck’s for peanut’s bah bah bah
Well having to order drivers everyday my self and having tried the 7 or so local agency’s and now venturing further afield I am starting to belive that in the near future there will be a massive shortage, I normally use about 15 agency a day 7 days a week and am struggling to get them all and full time drivers… Well adverts seem to be a waste of time, I don’t know if that’s cause no one wants to work for us but it seems like it’s a struggle across the board! I have 4 drivers out of a fleet of 73 who are planning to jack it in in September and at the mo am not sure how we will fill their seats! Good drivers are very hard to come by!
Wake up pimp would you trust a guy that’s just passed his test with nice FH that cost ya a pretty penny■■? No you wouldn’t you would give him/her an old dog. Said driver don’t like it and buggers off
Seems you want a lot for nothing so maybe it’s your attitude that let’s you down for a job.
taffytrucker:
would you trust a guy that’s just passed his test with nice FH that cost ya a pretty penny■■?
Somebody once trusted me many years ago with a new expensive truck so I thought it’d be the same, I’m not the greatest of people as you said so I’m sure there are better candidates out there.
There are going to be a lot of firms who won’t dig deep into their pockets, because they make the assumption that fuel prices will be high forever, and drivers will always be prepared to work for less, and insurance companies will always be there to pick up the pieces.
The insurance companies got bailed out. Fuel firms got bailed out. Transport yards? - Don’t hold your breath.
If the choices are “go bust” or “pay more”, there are plenty out there who will hold on, do neither, and end up going bust BECAUSE they didn’t pay more whilst they had the chance, and had their yard and kit wrecked by a bunch of nobs who can’t drive a beetle.
Saw an altercation today that could have turned into a full-blown road rage incident…
Car driver was having a go at 17t driver at the traffic lights because he had stopped across both lanes (he was turning left)
Car driver threatens to “Phone boss, and get you sacked” only to be retorted by driver “I’m self-employed you daft see you next tuesday - you’ve already spoken to my boss therefore - and he said f— you!”
I was chuckling so much, I got beeped by the car behind for not moving off when the queue started moving…
Juddian:
‘… the town dole office … have you seen the state of the customers…would you invest … and guarantee a responsible lorry driving job to some bugger who can’t bothered to get off his own arse …’
Hmmm, maybe although they may be among the extreme (the rest being rat-faced in a boozer?), they’re just normal symptoms among the disenfranchised
I have drifted into being scruffy having once taken a bit o’ pride in my appearance
I see this response accurately and reasonably reflecting governmental blindness, industry indifference and a general UK malaise in being dicked around - and saying-so remains my human and equal right
I found it rather interesting that a baggage handlers shortage at Gatwick is occurring, I wonder what are the reasons for this…I have had a good scout around and can only find a reference to a zero hours contract with it`s (Swissport) employees…I reckon the good weather has prompted the employees to go out and have a good time instead of sweating in the sun
Maybe the tide will begin to turn now and employers will realise that you cannot treat employees like dirt…I am ever hopeful.
Companies will simply turn to Boris from Bulgaria or Albania, with his 3 licences, 3 tacho cards and 3 DCPC cards…willing to work for £6.80 an hr because that’s a fortune back home…
jarvo:
Well having to order drivers everyday my self and having tried the 7 or so local agency’s and now venturing further afield I am starting to belive that in the near future there will be a massive shortage, I normally use about 15 agency a day 7 days a week and am struggling to get them all and full time drivers… Well adverts seem to be a waste of time, I don’t know if that’s cause no one wants to work for us but it seems like it’s a struggle across the board! I have 4 drivers out of a fleet of 73 who are planning to jack it in in September and at the mo am not sure how we will fill their seats! Good drivers are very hard to come by!
ok so you need a lot of driver’s so what’s the job what’s the pay what’s the location you have the perfect platform here if its any good I might be interested +some more of my m8s
Just thought id wade in with my tuppence worth.
There is definitely a squeeze [who knows how long it will last] going on.
All last year i was working via agency working varying contracts from gregorys south west depots [walking floors, chipliners and general haulage] and being most of the week away where rates have generally had not increased[9-10 quid p/h] through to steel transport [where rates have increased 11-13 quid p/h, day work] .
Interestingly I have asked the several agencies about the driver shortage and all have said there is, but some answers varied from saying the their customers would not pay more but would have to eventually ■■■■ up a pay rise as they were unable to meet their customers demands to realising that they have to and are willing to pay more to secure good drivers .
At the beginning of this year I decided to go back to doing some furniture restoration and driving only a couple of days a week,
since then the phone has never stopped ringing ,even some of those agencies I told their terms were unacceptable[ yes i`m talking about you Backline, with your 40 mile round trip, no expenses paid and 8/per hour supermarket trolley work with completely duff rates] have been ringing were offering better terms .
Completely out of the blue I was asked by a large machine and plant operator if I was interested in moving their plant machinery [class 1 and 2] to different sites in the uk 2- 3 days a week and could I give them a price as they were unable to find reliable drivers .quoted £20 per s/e an hour and after a little haggling we agreed on £18.50 with them picking up the bill for digs and food. when asked how they got my name they told me that a contact in one of there offices knew that I might be available, [just for once its nice to feel a little valued ].
It did get me to start to think what the proper rates for the job would be if there were less middle men as those rates are certainly around the going rate of agency charges for the same like for like work [ as many have commented commented]
Making hay while the sun shines seems to spring to mind AS NOTHING LAST FOR EVER .
good luck out there.
Interesting post fella ^^^, it just goes to show what certain companies will pay for the right driver! I imagine that you’ve a good reputation locally which will certainly help with wage demands.
Had three calls today, two from agencies I’ve worked for in the past and one I haven’t done anything for, all offering work for tomorrow.
THAT has never happened to me before.
Gives you more confidence to say “Sorry, I’m looking for a few quid an hour better than that”
When they need bums on seats they’ll do it.
Currently have plenty on so didn’t need to take it up.
I take that as a promising sign though.
I don’t care if there is a shortage. There is no way I would ever come back to the long hours stress related crap job driving is. I hope you all end up on £25 an hour your all worth every penny. Me I’m happy with little money and no stress. Each to his own.
Job is what you make it. Out all day and your own boss. No stress if you know how to work the position you’re in. 8-10 drops in London traffic and suits me fine. Just don’t join in the race… be a spectator and enjoy the show. Works for me… and if I can get a bit more for it all the better.
att:
I found it rather interesting that a baggage handlers shortage at Gatwick is occurring, I wonder what are the reasons for this…I have had a good scout around and can only find a reference to a zero hours contract with it`s (Swissport) employees…I reckon the good weather has prompted the employees to go out and have a good time instead of sweating in the sun
Maybe the tide will begin to turn now and employers will realise that you cannot treat employees like dirt…I am ever hopeful.
Yes. I thought that too.
Maybe some cracks are starting to appear among ALL agency systems of working - rather than just us drivers.
January is the time that agency staff are desperate for work - not July/August!
Maybe the reluctance to create new actual jobs that pay well above minimum wage will lead this economy to pay different rates for different months of the year? - Royal Mail might even be there already, with their regular Christmas mop-up of PAYE agency drivers everywhere…
Don’t think its just driver rates that have to go up, I think after an industry shakeout the remaining hauliers are going to have to stop the race to the bottom and put rates up, if the customers want their goods moved they’ll have to ■■■■ it up.
