I work for a small company (14 trucks) and we have laid off 2 drivers and 2 warehouse staff since the new year. You hear about the big boys when they shed drivers, but just wondered how many other small firms out there are getting rid of drivers in two’s and three’s.
Who in Bognor? I’m there too?
our place has had to do the same.
we grew from 6 trucks start up in 2006,(we had previously been one of the largest transporter companies around) to 80 odd trucks/drivers.if the credit crunch hadnt hit,we would still be the same or bigger.
since september we have had to let 40 odd drivers go,in batches and in ones or twos.nowadays,if any do go,its a small number as the bulk has gone and we are probably bordering on just enough drivers for volume at the minute.
i dont blame our company or bosses at all,to be fair,our boss doesnt need the money,he could have walked away,but they are still battling away,trying to get through this,prefering to keep us in a job,and the company afloat.
We have gone down from nine trucks to seven but without having to lay anybody off, and I know my boss Richard would be unable to sleep at night if he had to lay a man off.
It might have to happen, we just don’t know what the future holds. But we think we are well over the worst, which happened 2-3 months after last year’s fuel price bubble. It’s this which has caused so much trouble for hauliers.
Same here. Got my text message last Sunday night to be at work for 8am. When I walked into the office, the gaffer said “sorry but I’m gonna have to let you go”. Been looking for work all week and can’t find a bean. Spoke to agencies, some of which are not taking on anymore drivers. Anyone got anything going. I will gladly send my CV along with good references. Dont mind nights out.
If anyone knows of anything I would appreciate you letting me know. Willing to travel a bit further afield if I was tramping.
Some of the trouble i think is that small firms need and work on a small turn-over.
If a firm closes it often owes money to other firms, this is for work they have done on there behalf.
So even a few grand can make and have a huge knock-on. I had this last year.
Hi John, I work in Crawley, only firm left with that many trucks in our area is Bleach of Lavant, I have friends working there and they are doing ok. Harry we have sold a 7.5 ton and a unit, like your boss mine hates to lay a man off, most of us have been there a long time (me for 16 years) the two he laid off had less than six months service, but the rest have at least 5 years.
I worked for a small haulier in gainsborough until the 5th of dec last year ,worked for him before when he had 16 trucks + 30 odd trailers , he rang me in may last year asked me to go back ,after some thought i did, steady reliable job ,he had downsized to 10 trucks in the last 3 years for 1 or 2 reasons ,told me mid nov last i had 2 weeks notice as the work had died ,most of us had had to use holidays and had days off without pay just to keep our jobs ,so when he told me i was sort of expecting it (last in first out) 3 drivers went ,broke his heart as he had never laid anybody off in 90yrs of trading, felt sorry for him nice bloke as well, money wasnt mega but ok.
As it turns out he did me a favour as i found a better job bit nearer more money so theres a better ending than most redundancy stories 
We run 6 units and although the work has dropped off a bit my gaffer hasn’t had to let anyone go yet, although we had a driver leave last week and it doesn’t look like he will be replaced.
i only work for a small firm 4 trucks in all,we have seen work drop off over the last few months,work is only turning up on a day to day basis, its becoming harder to find the loads,been lucky so far they have managed to keep everyone going,but i dont know how much longer this is going to keep on.like last friday no work at all booked for monday didnt find any loads till late on friday afternoon,now thats got to be really stressfull for my boss not knowing if he can keep us all working,but i will give him one thing he’s a battler and as yet he has not even considered laying anyone off. 
Got back to the yard this afternoon after a run up North and was told 2 more drivers laid off yesterday morning, and another company near us laid off three drivers on Friday. This credit crunch is going to get much worse before it gets any better.