Looking at agency work and I think most of it around my area is supermarket multidrop (Class 1) I’m guessing its a pain in the rear end with the crap design delivery yards etc - whats the main pitfalls or is it not too bad?
midlifetrucker:
Looking at agency work and I think most of it around my area is supermarket multidrop (Class 1) I’m guessing its a pain in the rear end with the crap design delivery yards etc - whats the main pitfalls or is it not too bad?
From the limited experience i had of it, its an absolute piece of p iss. Easiest work i ever did, yards are not that bad unless your a crap driver always a steady day. I wouldn’t want to do it all the time just because of the boredom factor but would do it if it was the only thing on offer.
Tesco are a doddle, you even get a map how to get there and shows how to reverse on the dock.
Aldi are a pain, not enough room back of house and can be a nightmare if delivering during the day due to the dock being in the car park.
I’ve found Asda’s yards can be a real test sometimes, not much room to manoeuvre.
A mate of mine does them for morrisons and reckons they are easy, some are straight trailer swaps.
skids:
Tesco are a doddle, you even get a map how to get there and shows how to reverse on the dock.
Aldi are a pain, not enough room back of house and can be a nightmare if delivering during the day due to the dock being in the car park.
I’ve found Asda’s yards can be a real test sometimes, not much room to manoeuvre.
A mate of mine does them for morrisons and reckons they are easy, some are straight trailer swaps.
Agree. I always found Asda to be tight because of all the stuff dumped around about, Morrisons were the easiest I’ve ever done.
Worked for Kwik Save for 5 years, really pokey places to get in and out of.
Not the best job i’ve had overall but i actually enjoyed that job more than any other before or since and it was well paid, never pushed, job took as long as it took to do (didn’t matter what happened you were going home at the end of your shift), we unloaded the cages via tail lift, good bit of exercise too.
Try and get a day cab tractor with rear windows if they have such a thing, good all round visiom and good manoueverability makes a big difference.
Enjoy it for what it is, you’ll be on the clock, there’s more excuses than you can shake a stick at for delays at stores, it’ll seem a ball ache for a few days but once it clicks you should enjoy.
You might already be good at close manoeuevers, but this job will sharpen those skills up no end.
Juddian:
Worked for Kwik Save for 5 years, really pokey places to get in and out of.Not the best job i’ve had overall but i actually enjoyed that job more than any other before or since and it was well paid, never pushed, job took as long as it took to do (didn’t matter what happened you were going home at the end of your shift), we unloaded the cages via tail lift, good bit of exercise too.
Try and get a day cab tractor with rear windows if they have such a thing, good all round visiom and good manoueverability makes a big difference.
Enjoy it for what it is, you’ll be on the clock, there’s more excuses than you can shake a stick at for delays at stores, it’ll seem a ball ache for a few days but once it clicks you should enjoy.
You might already be good at close manoeuevers, but this job will sharpen those skills up no end.
Which depot did you work out of for Kwik Save mate?
Did about a year on for Sainsburys a few years back,piece of pish.Gave you good maps and just left you alone to get on with it.Got some good hours/pay at the time.
I believe it’s all changed there now,de-brief here - de-brief there etc:
Tarrman:
Juddian:
Which depot did you work out of for Kwik Save mate?
Wellingborough, which was a Wincanton contract if you recall but at the time the only Wincanton contract in the country as far as i’m aware paying proper pro rata overtime and shift rates, good job that was.
Those little day cab 3 and 4 series Scanias made the job a doddle, possibly the best urban delivery tractor unit i’ve ever used.
I started my class 1 career (career lol.) Driving on agency for Asda at the xdock depot, redhouse. I absolutely loved it.
At first it was mainly ambient on double deckers, delivering to large stores, all pallet loads, off back door onto dock.
I then changed to an early shift which meant also changing to chilled work out of elmsall, this was the smaller supermarkets (old netto stores), some of these stores were challenging to get in and out of, but I thrived on it, the tighter the better.
It could be a ball ache when you had 3 shops on one trailer, drop chilled, dig out 1 frozen cage, then load all rubbish on.
Go to to next store, move rubbish to get chilled off, dig out another frozen cage, then load on rubbish again. By the time you got to 3rd store you had 2/3 of the lorry filled with rubbish which needed moving before you could get chilled and frozen off for 3rd shop 
Despite that I enjoyed it.
I now do rdc work at stobarts, well until Saturday anyway. I go in every night hoping I get sent to Doncaster to do shop deliveries instead.
If I could do stores every day I would. Breaks the day up, get a bit of exercise, home every day. It certainly Beats motorway-waiting room-motorway.
I do full time nightshift chilled deliveries via Grafton Agency for Tesco/Sainsburys around their NI stores,
“Handy Haulage” is my middle name and one short word sums it up “GIFT” 
Juddian:
Tarrman:
Juddian:
Which depot did you work out of for Kwik Save mate?
Wellingborough, which was a Wincanton contract if you recall but at the time the only Wincanton contract in the country as far as i’m aware paying proper pro rata overtime and shift rates, good job that was.
Those little day cab 3 and 4 series Scanias made the job a doddle, possibly the best urban delivery tractor unit i’ve ever used.
Ah, I used to work on security at the Ashton-in-Makerfield site, most of the drivers were a right laugh. Had some good working times there. I think the tractor units were Volvo FL10’s on R plates.
Thanks all.
Juddian:
Tarrman:
Juddian:
Which depot did you work out of for Kwik Save mate?
Wellingborough, which was a Wincanton contract if you recall but at the time the only Wincanton contract in the country as far as i’m aware paying proper pro rata overtime and shift rates, good job that was.
Those little day cab 3 and 4 series Scanias made the job a doddle, possibly the best urban delivery tractor unit i’ve ever used.
I was at Sherburn.
Ken.
Quinny:
Juddian:
Tarrman:
Juddian:
Which depot did you work out of for Kwik Save mate?
Wellingborough, which was a Wincanton contract if you recall but at the time the only Wincanton contract in the country as far as i’m aware paying proper pro rata overtime and shift rates, good job that was.
Those little day cab 3 and 4 series Scanias made the job a doddle, possibly the best urban delivery tractor unit i’ve ever used.
I was at Sherburn.
Ken.
Sure i went there a few times, preferred shop dels to trunking though.
Often burn the old Diesel with some of me mates, mostly we really enjoyed working for Kwikies well until Somerfield took over then it changed and the rest is history, did you lads up at Sherburn feel the same?
Don’t forget that some yards at the otherwise easiest supermarkets can be harder than the crappy little aldi places and the like.
My local Aldi is Gillingham, only a pain to get onto - purely because you’ve got to maneuver about in the car park with everyone else there nipping about as if you don’t exist. 
The bay itself is easy tho…
Then you’ve got places like Elephant & Castle (different shop drops) which is a right old pig.
Even more “outdoor” places like Gravesend Tescos in the early evening are a pain when you’ve got to reverse in from the main road (no one bothers to stop going past the front of you) and you’ve got to pop into the pub to get some drink driver to move their car that’s obstructing the entry gate for the multi-shop bay beyond. 
Sainsburys have got some stores where you have to drive down alleys narrow enough that you have to bend the mirrors in to get down. Better make sure your arse end is straight before starting, 'cos you won’t see it go for the scrape-up once you’ve moved them mirrors!
I’ve not driven for morrisons - it’s only available via umbrella contract around here (sittingbourne being my local depot) and you all know how much I won’t do this “■■■■” of contracts. 
If your going to do petrol station drops (waitrose,gist,on the run, etc) then that’s probably the better of the type of drop involving the tail lift by my reckoning. I prefer a full caged load rather than buggering about with dollies as well, as a lot of tail lifts have the tendency to wobble about when you move stuff around on them…
Best just to take your time, keep calm and carry on of course! 
Do a bit for Co-Op; mostly easy runs but some of their stores can be a bit tight to get in / out, or a few are roadside drops in the front door of the shop - usually find yourself sat there holding up the traffic waiting for parked cars to go (some stores the staff park their cars out front to reserve the spaces for you.) The bigger stores all have loading bays, usually you just miss the milk or bread delivery, or another Co-Op delivery (ambient / chilled / frozen)
Easiest day was 2 drops in Swansea (half an artic in each); worst was 9 stores in Bristol (2 cages per store, all roadside drops on a saturday).
Take the rough with the smooth; go steady take your time, most supermarkets give you paperwork for each store including maps & directions from the nearest Motorway Junction, loading positions, H&S, hazards etc; you’ll have an estimated delivery timeslot with a generous bit of slack either side (ie delivery due at 9.30am, arrive from 9am - 10am); hit the times and no-one will hassle you.