What sized firm do work for and what would you prefer
I’ve worked for most of the spectrum apart from , owner driver and supermarket own account , and I must say there’s good and bad in all sizes
The worst was the yellow mob from S’ton that I’ve just left
blue estate:
What sized firm do work for and what would you prefer
You need a second list I think. Two questions with one option to answer.
One for where you currently are, and one for your preferred choice.
Interesting idea though.
Franglais:
blue estate:
What sized firm do work for and what would you preferYou need a second list I think. Two questions with one option to answer.
One for where you currently are, and one for your preferred choice.
Interesting idea though.
People can comment to that if they want to
Small family firm 6 lorries can talk direct to the boss anytime of day, reguarly asked for opinion on ways to get the job done, always thanked and spoken to in a proper manner. Time off for family problems is not an issue and knowing that I’ll be flown home from wherever I am should there be a major compassionate problem makes it a no brainer over a large corporate company.
Mazzer2:
Small family firm 6 lorries can talk direct to the boss anytime of day, reguarly asked for opinion on ways to get the job done, always thanked and spoken to in a proper manner. Time off for family problems is not an issue and knowing that I’ll be flown home from wherever I am should there be a major compassionate problem makes it a no brainer over a large corporate company.
To look at my boss when he’s in the office with the planner you would think he was just a driver as he just wears a T shirt , shorts , boots and hiviz and will jump on a FLT or even go out and recuse a driver if they’ve run out of time on a Friday
Currently got
1 curtain side van
1 12t curtain side sleeper , 18t curtain sleeper , 26 t curtain sleeper
3 tractor units 4 curtain side and 2 skelli trailers
And will have another tractor unit hopfuly by end of next week
I’m driving the 18t one next week until other unit arrives and it can’t go in to London 
Best jobs I had are own stores/depots delivery (non-transport companies)/ Easy work/runs, more £ per hour but no nights out and few (under 60 lol) hours weekly. The few agency shifts I had for transport firms every time I felt like throwing the keys in the middle of the shift and leaving. Including but not limited to DB Schenker and their half dozen subs. Unfortunately I got turned down from my dream job at E. Stobbart which left me shattered for months but eventually I was able to find the strenght to move on with my life.
My very 1st job was own products delivery for a small firm (less than 20 employees, 3-5 trucks all hired depending on how many needed; class 2, 2018 for £9.25 per hour which to this day is the lowest I’ve ever been paid so I don’t get the appeal of small co’s
Own account operator…
Transport isn’t what we do.
The difference between a transport firm and own account is vast.
I wouldn’t last ten minutes at a large ‘logistics4U’ operation.
You’ve missed the most important question - who pays more
I don’t care whether I work for a one man band or a supermarket. It’s all about the money. Pay me more and you’ve got me until someone else comes along and pays me even more. You didn’t care about me. I have no loyalty to you.
Just pay up. I’ll guarantee if you pay the job properly your imaginary “driver shortage” disappeares overnight.
You do know there’s 70,000 people with class 1 and 2 licence’s who don’t use them. There isn’t a driver shortage, there’s firms taking the f,z,zking p1ss and it’s coming home to roost.
Build5:
You’ve missed the most important question - who pays moreI don’t care whether I work for a one man band or a supermarket. It’s all about the money. Pay me more and you’ve got me until someone else comes along and pays me even more. You didn’t care about me. I have no loyalty to you.
Just pay up. I’ll guarantee if you pay the job properly your imaginary “driver shortage” disappeares overnight.
You do know there’s 70,000 people with class 1 and 2 licence’s who don’t use them. There isn’t a driver shortage, there’s firms taking the f,z,zking p1ss and it’s coming home to roost.
No I didn’t as this was not about money but the general working environment
Asking for opinions is as much use as asking people what their favourite food is, what their favourite drink is, what’s your favourite ■■■■■■ position is (oh hang on, forget about that one 
). As everyone will have a totally different and often contradictory opinions on the best, because everyone’s situation is different.
So the question can’t be answered
peirre:
Asking for opinions is as much use as asking people what their favourite food is, what their favourite drink is, what’s your favourite ■■■■■■ position is (oh hang on, forget about that oneSo the question can’t be answered
Well… there aint a wrong nor a right answer, but opinions are all interesting, arent they?
(I nearly said “all opinions are equally valid” but we all know that ain`t true!)
Build5:
You’ve missed the most important question - who pays moreI don’t care whether I work for a one man band or a supermarket. It’s all about the money. Pay me more and you’ve got me until someone else comes along and pays me even more. You didn’t care about me. I have no loyalty to you.
Just pay up.
I generally agree with this, but some companies make the job 10x harder than it needs to be because of HSE bods and ‘managers’ needing to justify their existence. I flit between RM, DHL, XPO, Asda (all through agy) and a small subbie, depending on how I’m feeling and while the subbie pays above average for the area (fixed shift rate + can be done in much less than the ‘booked’ time), I can earn more through the agency at the other places. But it’s all the realms of unnecessary paperwork and silly HSE ■■■■■■■■ which offset many of the positives of the higher earnings. I find myself migrating more and more towards the subbie as it’s a more pleasant environment to work in where you’re trusted and left alone to get on with it.
Some people are unable to think for themselves or don’t like having to think for themselves so working at DHL suits them down to the ground. Each to their own.
blue estate:
Build5:
You’ve missed the most important question - who pays moreI don’t care whether I work for a one man band or a supermarket. It’s all about the money. Pay me more and you’ve got me until someone else comes along and pays me even more. You didn’t care about me. I have no loyalty to you.
Just pay up. I’ll guarantee if you pay the job properly your imaginary “driver shortage” disappeares overnight.
You do know there’s 70,000 people with class 1 and 2 licence’s who don’t use them. There isn’t a driver shortage, there’s firms taking the f,z,zking p1ss and it’s coming home to roost.
No I didn’t as this was not about money but the general working environment
Hello, I’ll pay you £5 to stick your head in a bucket of ■■■■…errm no thanks.
How about I pay you £5,000,000 to put your head in that bucket? Okay, money up front?
You see, it’s all about money. they made it about money. You have one body and a few decades to make as much as you possibly can. Getting side tracked because someone “gave you” something any other job would consider a given is just wasting your time. You’re a commodity. Firms wanted to treat you like a commodity and pay rubbish because flip flop would do it cheaper and now it’s coming home to roost.
I’m nothing more than a commodity. The supply and demand equation right now works for me. I’m going to grab it by the throat and wring as much as I can.
You buy new trucks because it’s tax efficient. Not for my benefit. It’s not “my truck” and never will be.
You run my hours so close I have to break the law with my break.
You’ll send me out in a truck with every warning light flashing.
Nah mate, you had your chance to be decent. Now it’s just about money. Forget trying to be a decent friendly emoloyer just put your hand in your pocket and dig deep and give me money.
I’ll drive your truck if you pay me.
Avoid any company with family in the advert.
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welshmark:
Avoid any company with family in the advert.
Or the word transport, haulage, logistic, solutions, pallet, delivery, on time, expert, sustainable in the name/logo/moto
My current lot was an owner driver that worked big then sold on. (made his millions and left ■■■■ all for those of us that made his millions) Now we are medium sized own account work that is getting more corporate by the day.
Time to move on back to small family firm again, at least when you have a problem then the gaffer is always there to sort it out.
Family firm, own account, with a bit of external work to help the job along. 1 unit, 3 trailers. Co. owner and the MD both have class 1 but only drive in extreme circumstances if I’m away. Pretty much left to get on with it. I am TM as well and paid accordingly. Did a bit during lockdown for much larger firms, and know what I prefer.
yourhavingalarf:
Own account operator…Transport isn’t what we do.
The difference between a transport firm and own account is vast.
Same here. Fleet run much better, pay and conditions infinitely better than anywhere in the last 20 odd years I’ve worked at where the company makes their money from transporting goods and as an agency driver for most of that I’ve no doubt experienced more haulage companies first hand than most who don’t do agency work ever will.
Own account here too.
I would be most reluctant to leave unless for another job eg supermarket employed direct who paid me substantially more for similar hours, even then by the time i’d been half inducted by some jobsworth on the assumption i’d passed me test 10 minutes ago probably be wishing i’d stayed where i was.
Worked for both a large own account company, then a smaller family firm when the previous company sold off the transport and finally a small family firm with just three of us and two trucks. The five years with the small firm were the best, I could generally sort my own work and did my own wages and it gave me the best job satisfaction as I felt I was making a difference. However if money is the main criterior (I was never one for chasing the mighty dollar ) then a company on ‘own account work’ where transport doesn’t have to make a profit is probably best although you may be ‘just a number’ on their pay list?
Pete.