I run a driver recruiting agency in Leeds, West Yorkshire. We deal with massive transport and logistic companies in the North East and West Yorkshire such as Port of Tyne and Stobart.
I just want some feed back off you guys.
I want to know what you agency drivers want?
Full Time work or just weekends?
Pay/rate?
Shifts?
Contracts?
Bonus Schemes?
Please let me know
thanks
James
Total ban on driver agency’s and all the bull that goes with them ■■?
How about starting with a bit of respect for drivers. Treat em like you wish to be treated. Signing them up telling them there’s loads of work, then leaving them sat at home with no work and constantly lying is a major problem with Agencies.
We are not money making machines for you, be honest, and if you have no work, say “sorry, i can’t sign you up as there is no work going at the moment”…Instead of “O yes, just sign there mate, ■■■■ loads of work for you” while your nose grows longer and your bank balance gets bigger.
So thats the first thing as far as i am concerned, others may well not agree.
Minimum wage of a tenner an hour for artics at least. £8.50 p/h for artics is an insult to drivers. If you throw in a bonus scheme, make it achievable and actually pay it, instead of coming up with some crap for not paying it.
STOP ripping drivers off, umbrella schemes are just a money making machine for you, STOP IT.
So basically, as far as i am concerned, proper wages, honesty, and respect are the 3 big things i would expect from you, but i can live in hope.
Since I am quite young I have a lot of respect for my drivers as they are a lot older than me and I have always learnt to respect my elders. I don’t treat my drivers unfairly and if they contact me saying is there any work etc I will be completely honest to them and if there isn’t work I will tell them that. At the end of the day these guys are doing me a favour and I’m doing my clients a favour but without these drivers that favour can not be achieved.
In terms of rates I do not pay £8.50 for an artic driver I will pay them up to £12 p/h. I pay my drivers what I believe is fair and an acceptable rate for the work ethnic they have put in. If one of my drivers has not done a good job and i get a report back from my clients saying so I will most unlikely use him again simple because I want the best. I’m happy to reward my best drivers with bonuses and incentives
I do not use an umbrella scheme I pay all my drivers directly.
At this moment in time I am trying to stress to drivers that not all agencies are the same and some do offer fantastic opportunities, hence why I’m on a trucking forum. I want to know what you guys want from agencies.
From your last post,I hope your business goes well.
If it does go well,it will show that a good agency can still make money and not
mess with the staff they hire.
Honesty, if you have no work then say so.
Decent rate for the job, forget bonus’s, just pay a good hourly rate
Set rate of 8hrs pay if the job is cancelled upto 9hrs before the start time
PAYE.
Given the same respect wether I’m available 1 day a week or 7 days a week.
Communication, Speak to people in the office before you ring up for my availablity, you may find that I rang you with it 2 hrs ago. Also if there is a problem with a timesheet and you can’t pay it that week, a phone call goes along way, rather than an irate driver ringing up when he hasn’t been paid.
The first thing you can do is actually have the vacancies that your actually advertising for available, Nothing is a bigger waste of drivers time than going through all that signing up crap just to realise you have actually signed on for something that is non existant!!. Secondly do away with those ridiculous umbrella companies whom you want drivers to pay a percentage of their earnings to, 
why should we have to pay these to go to work.By paying these umbrella companies are we not infact then working for a lower hourly rate than what was advertised ■■ A decent hourly rate for drivers of all classes of licence. after all it is a professional career …isnt it !!.. Its not the fact that theres a shortage of drivers. The fact is no one likes being muggged off…so WAKE UP agency people!!.. Treat Drivers like the professionals we are!!..
Henrys cat:
Honesty, if you have no work then say so.
Decent rate for the job, forget bonus’s, just pay a good hourly rate
Set rate of 8hrs pay if the job is cancelled upto 9hrs before the start time
PAYE.
Given the same respect wether I’m available 1 day a week or 7 days a week.
Communication, Speak to people in the office before you ring up for my availablity, you may find that I rang you with it 2 hrs ago. Also if there is a problem with a timesheet and you can’t pay it that week, a phone call goes along way, rather than an irate driver ringing up when he hasn’t been paid.
Can’t see that one coming to pass myself - most jobs given out are an hour before start time in the first place eh? 
What would I personally like to see out of an agency startup?
Not attempting to cut anyone else’s throat by undercutting rates and accepting any old driver onto the books.
How about “Premier Drivers - Top dollar for all the hassle of last minute bookings, long distance commutes, bitty work, having to supply all own gear/DCPC training, and zero tolerance policy towards smoking, drinking, drugs, shrinkage, & endorsements on the job.”
Winseer:
Henrys cat:
Honesty, if you have no work then say so.
Decent rate for the job, forget bonus’s, just pay a good hourly rate
Set rate of 8hrs pay if the job is cancelled upto 9hrs before the start time
PAYE.
Given the same respect wether I’m available 1 day a week or 7 days a week.
Communication, Speak to people in the office before you ring up for my availablity, you may find that I rang you with it 2 hrs ago. Also if there is a problem with a timesheet and you can’t pay it that week, a phone call goes along way, rather than an irate driver ringing up when he hasn’t been paid.
Can’t see that one coming to pass myself - most jobs given out are an hour before start time in the first place eh?
What would I personally like to see out of an agency startup?
Not attempting to cut anyone else’s throat by undercutting rates and accepting any old driver onto the books.How about “Premier Drivers - Top dollar for all the hassle of last minute bookings, long distance commutes, bitty work, having to supply all own gear/DCPC training, and zero tolerance policy towards smoking, drinking, drugs, shrinkage, & endorsements on the job.”
You obviously work for a crap agency then, I know at least 12hrs before what I’m doing. Haven’t done a shift in 3 yrs that I had less than 9 hrs notice of. On my other work we get £75 if the shift is cancelled between 12 and 4 hrs of start time, and £150 if less than 4 hrs.
Henrys cat:
Winseer:
Henrys cat:
Honesty, if you have no work then say so.
Decent rate for the job, forget bonus’s, just pay a good hourly rate
Set rate of 8hrs pay if the job is cancelled upto 9hrs before the start time
PAYE.
Given the same respect wether I’m available 1 day a week or 7 days a week.
Communication, Speak to people in the office before you ring up for my availablity, you may find that I rang you with it 2 hrs ago. Also if there is a problem with a timesheet and you can’t pay it that week, a phone call goes along way, rather than an irate driver ringing up when he hasn’t been paid.
Can’t see that one coming to pass myself - most jobs given out are an hour before start time in the first place eh?
What would I personally like to see out of an agency startup?
Not attempting to cut anyone else’s throat by undercutting rates and accepting any old driver onto the books.How about “Premier Drivers - Top dollar for all the hassle of last minute bookings, long distance commutes, bitty work, having to supply all own gear/DCPC training, and zero tolerance policy towards smoking, drinking, drugs, shrinkage, & endorsements on the job.”
You obviously work for a crap agency then, I know at least 12hrs before what I’m doing. Haven’t done a shift in 3 yrs that I had less than 9 hrs notice of. On my other work we get £75 if the shift is cancelled between 12 and 4 hrs of start time, and £150 if less than 4 hrs.
The crap agencies are the ones I signed up for, but find myself NOT working for.
I have a good agency who supplies 99% of all the work I do, and they keep me busy with only the occasional last minute job or cancellation.
I get paid for the shift if I turn up having been cancelled whilst I am in transit as it were. Getting cancelled with a couple or so hours to spare isn’t often a problem, as I’d just be booked out somewhere else.
Handouts for cancellations sound very nice, but do you actually get them that often?
If you always get 9hours plus notice, then your agency obviously doesn’t do sick cover which is by far the most liquid market for single shifts. 
Forget hourly rates. A decent day rate is what’s needed. You, Your customer, and the driver know where they stand.
Out of curiosity, do you take on recently qualified drivers or drivers with little experience or do you want the minimum 2 yr experience BS that all the other agencies ask for.
Twinny:
Out of curiosity, do you take on recently qualified drivers or drivers with little experience or do you want the minimum 2 yr experience BS that all the other agencies ask for.
good question…thats defo one to know… 
I’ve always felt with agencies it should be a level playing field, so if the wirk is slack, spread the shifts around and give everyone a fair crack at the whip rather than just the blue eyes boys, that way everyone feels like they’re in it together.
i put my name down for an agency called go easy in swindon i have phoned a number of times and even applied for a couple of jobs 1 was unsuccsesful the other was i then phoned them to ask about the one i passed on only to be told they were very quiet,so what was the point of advertising these jobs,on top of that they are still advertising on an industrial estate in sth marston swindon with the usual bull WANTED HGV DRIVERS ALL CLASSES,AND 7.5 TONNE AND VAN DRIVERS,they are a waste of space
In my experience, Agency drivers are only good for crashing motors…
A percentage cap outside of peak times For large employers who seem intent on using agency staff for years on end.
A meaningful set of rules to prevent people being exploited.
Im on a leeds agency and they’re pretty good, now ive been on with them for a while the last minute jobs are ending, and im notified WELL in advance of work 
for example i know where and who im working for at 6am Monday morning, as well as knowing there is a VERY good chance ill be in there all week!
the only thing i dislike is the umbrella pay… £40 seems to have magically disappeared out of my wages this week, I reckon maybe £20 is tax… but the rest GOD KNOWS! I shall be ringing them on monday to find out! 
I can handle last minute work, and even cancellations if ive been left long enough to find another job, afterall its the nature of the job! But advance knowledge, regular work and direct PAYE are possibly the most important things!
B…
Malky80:
In my experience, Agency drivers are only good for crashing motors…
Ok then, I’ll give up my class 1 ambitions. Sorry
PaulNowak:
Malky80:
In my experience, Agency drivers are only good for crashing motors…Ok then, I’ll give up my class 1 ambitions. Sorry
Becoming a class 1 driver dosn’t mean that you are obliged to use an agency. Knock on some doors and blag your way to the top of the list.