Hi all
Just wondering if anyone can offer any information on Stobarts chilled division, what’s involved, conditions etc, any info welcome. Thanks.
I can only give you a snap shot as a semi regular agency driver in at the Newark Depot…
Easy work for the most part, delivering to DC’s, Tesco, Morissons, Co-Op most common, if your delivering to Morrisons you are generally expected to help break down the pallets after you have been tipped to secure a Drop and Drive, if you don’t you will be stuck there typically for up to 3hrs in total, or more sometimes waiting for paperwork.
Lots of sitting around waiting at DC’s, hours and hours sometimes, minimum is typically an hour, more typical is 2.5hrs
Normally I go out with a couple of drops and a reload to bring me back in, easy peasy, you will rarely drop a trailer, your unit and trailer is 99% always read for you when you start hooked up ready to roll, refuel and park when you finish, I have trailer swapped once in 3 weeks trunking one up to Heywood one night.
Trucks are generally in good order and reasonably clean, manual Scania 4 over 4 R380, G400 and Semi Auto R440 are the trucks used in Newark, hours seem to range from 10 - 12 hours per shift, pay I can’t comment on being an Agency Driver.
Office staff at the Stobart sites have always been polite and professional to me at least, I very rarely get a call from them on the cab phone, but then I don’t mess around dragging the job out.
I hear a lot of core drivers moaning about shift start times and days, but I can’t comment on that as it’s nothing to do with me and I cannot understand the problems being an outside driver.
In all easy work, good conditions overall, just a lot of waiting twiddling your thumbs.
I personally have no complaints and enjoy the work with them, if only I could find a way to make 100% sure I was in week in week out I would be a happy camper.
You looking at the Lutterworth Depot by any chance ■■
Thanks Phantom Mark that’s a really helpful post. Yes that’s right the one based at Lutterworth, don’t think they have been there that long.
PM member Ady 1.
He is Stobart chilled official trucknet poster .
I’m interested to know what the nights are like out of Heywood if anyone could help?
Do you generally finish on time?
Any store deliveries? Thanks
Good post by Phantom Mark.
I work full time on chilled for Stobarts, he has pretty much summed up what we do. I personally love it. Chilled is easy clean work.
when tippng on a bay at a DC, do you HAVE to sit in the canteen or can you stop in your cab…im pretty unsocialable tbh 
AsphaltAnimal:
when tippng on a bay at a DC, do you HAVE to sit in the canteen or can you stop in your cab…im pretty unsocialable tbh
No you have to sit with all the other drivers and talk drival and make all sorts of crap up.
AsphaltAnimal:
when tippng on a bay at a DC, do you HAVE to sit in the canteen or can you stop in your cab…im pretty unsocialable tbh
So am I, I know how you feel. At Morrison you can until it’s time to split down, co-op you can I think (haven’t been for a while), Sainsbury you can’t as they are now jumping on the same bandwagon as tesco, all collections were fine so as long as you stay away from the supermarkets you’ll be ok. I think also new starters on chill are now starting on 45hr contracts but don’t quote me on it…
bloody H&S…that scraps the idea of an hours kip here and there, lol
tesco- in drivers waiting area
Sainsburys- in drivers waiting area
Co-op- sit in cab
morrisons- split load down.
Most other DC’s- sleep in cab for 3 hours min lol
haribo4000:
tesco- in drivers waiting area
Sainsburys- in drivers waiting area
Co-op- sit in cab
morrisons- split load down.
Most other DC’s- sleep in cab for 3 hours min lol
Nice little list there in perfect order of the worst places to deliver to…
Ill take most other DC’s please, lol
You also have to like cream cakes, giggle in annoying way, not know that you need an anderson lead for a tailift and drive a pink car.
Ken.
Quinny:
You also have to like cream cakes, giggle in annoying way, not know that you need an anderson lead for a tailift and drive a pink car.Ken.
Thanks for your originally amusing imput
Every little helps.
Ken.
I personally enjoy morrisons runs. The splitting down of the load breaks up the usual day of:
drive-reverse-sleep-drive-reverse-sleep-drive
It makes it:
drive-reverse-do someone elses job-drive-reverse-sleep-drive
Cant beat it!! 
Lol, ain’t that the truth !!
I have still yet to be inducted at Morrisons sites, and yet to see a relevant certificate of insurance which covers me in their warehouse, all staff on these sites are supposed to have an induction for h&s reasons like fire procedures etc arn’t they ■■
Have you noticed when splitting down how their staff always seen to disappear gradually ■■
No requirement to help split down at Bridgwater, don’t know why. 
bald bloke:
No requirement to help split down at Bridgwater, don’t know why.
Nor did they at Yate & Willand before it, what was the saying, “only a clown helps to split down”