“Stay to the speed limit, drive responsibly, never rush the job as that is how mistakes happen”.Thats seems to be what is taught on company inductions these days.
And I follow this advice to the letter, and so as an agency guy, I work for several companies, and in the past have found myself quoting their own teachings back to their planners when they are on the phone hassling me.
I mean I know they have deadlines and all but I really cba. 20yrs in, I go to work to relax and enjoy the job not running up my own backside.
Anyway since taking on the cba attitude I find the whole job so much better… infact, I really quite like it and would highly recommend it.
Also I have a much better understanding of transport office staff.When I first started driving I thought they were knowledgable and what they said was always right.Then I thought they were all knobs . But now I think their just sad lonely individuals who don’t like people who drive lorries.Of course not all transport offices are the same. Some of them are filled with highly motivated dynamic individuals with a passion to succeed! !!! (Yawn)
Agency office staff, (you know the ones who dish out the work).have you ever met such a bunch of honest, dedicated salt of the earth people as these guys? These people are non judgemental, share the work out equally, don’t ever have favorites and would back you up 100% in the event of a dispute with a client. Its just like having a best friend! the type who let you down occasionally and forget to pay you money your owed!
To finish i want you to all know that we are entering a new era! An era of prosperity an era where the driver rules and we will be writing our own pay cheques.(this is providing of course those who are driving class 1for £7ph stop driving for £7ph)£15ph min within 3yrs. This will be a drivers market and we will rule with an iron fist. yippee!!! …or not the choice Is ours?UP THE DRIVER REVOLUTION
Hallelujah 
I’ve got through to one of you! Vive la resistance 
Right on comrade.
Yes agree with what you say but sadly many don’t.
They will always be that driver that will rush round like a mad man on crack for £7 an hour who won’t stop for food and breaks.
Then when they suffer health problems due to this way of working they don’t understand why.
Good on you - what a pity that the majority are now brain washed automatons.
Your attitude is now correct and you must not become one of the legions that will be damned if they do and damned if they don’t!
kr79:
Right on comrade.
+1
All you have to do is just persuade all the employers to stop employing cheap drivers and your problem is solved, £7.00 per hour to a Romanian is £25 an hour PLUS to us, unless you can stop the employers employing them I think you are on a sticky wicket - or pot!
This problem has been raised on here dozens of times, I am about to hang my keys up this year because I will not do the DCPC, I have spent my life in transport and I am sick of being screwed just to do my job, no one will stick together which is the problem nowadays, tell your boss you won’t work for his piddling wage and he will show the door and a list of drivers to replace you so long you won’t believe it.
Good idea in theory but …
Most responsible employers will preach the word, as laid down by VOSA, HSE etc., but hate you if you comply with it.
The only reason they do it is to cover their own backsides when it goes wrong and you can be sure it will.
Do you honestly believe that they care if you lose your licence through rushing around to meet their deadlines. There will always be another mug waiting in the wings to take your place.
I have to admit, in the last few months (since I’ve been on supermarket work) I’ve become more laid back. 40mph on singles etc, not rushing.
The funniest thing I heard was at Tesco Widnes where a Stobart guy was winging about the band new Axors they have just got.
"They are threatening to replace the whole fleet with them but they only do 50.
And■■? if it means you take an hour a day extra to do the same job…Eddies given you a £35 - £40 per week payrise…whats the problem?
In my last job one of the planners who was also the bosses daughter used to ring me and ask me what speed I was going 
I personally think that the people who have come into this industry and didn’t like it so tried to change it would just ■■■■ off again . A lot of us liked it as it was
Like it or not it will not change, profit will rule and not the employee, the days of employees having an input into the industry are long gone, we wanted it easier and we got it, easy to drive trucks, better hours regulation and the list goes on, the price to pay for all this is that we are now just chauffeurs.
brados:
Like it or not it will not change, profit will rule and not the employee, the days of employees having an input into the industry are long gone, we wanted it easier and we got it, easy to drive trucks, better hours regulation and the list goes on, the price to pay for all this is that we are now just chauffeurs.
That sums it up perfectly.
brados:
All you have to do is just persuade all the employers to stop employing cheap drivers and your problem is solved, £7.00 per hour to a Romanian is £25 an hour PLUS to us, unless you can stop the employers employing them I think you are on a sticky wicket - or pot!This problem has been raised on here dozens of times, I am about to hang my keys up this year because I will not do the DCPC, I have spent my life in transport and I am sick of being screwed just to do my job, no one will stick together which is the problem nowadays, tell your boss you won’t work for his piddling wage and he will show the door and a list of drivers to replace you so long you won’t believe it.
Good idea in theory but …
I too am working hard now to move away from the industry. I try to be positive about the changes and some do work in the drivers favour. I also have a mind to believe some employers are committed and would rather develop good relationships with drivers. However sadly on the whole drivers are treated like cattle. £7.00 an hour not much value their then. Agency’s ? Well they are the piano player and Drivers are the monkey 
This industry broke many, many years ago and is unlikely to be mended any time soon, if ever.
Semtex:
I have to admit, in the last few months (since I’ve been on supermarket work) I’ve become more laid back. 40mph on singles etc, not rushing.The funniest thing I heard was at Tesco Widnes where a Stobart guy was winging about the band new Axors they have just got.
"They are threatening to replace the whole fleet with them but they only do 50.
And■■? if it means you take an hour a day extra to do the same job…Eddies given you a £35 - £40 per week payrise…whats the problem?
Unless they decide to triple shift them and you loose four hours.
Im in ,Companies spout rules and regs all the time , throwing it back to them soon shuts them up 
Up The Revolution
brados:
All you have to do is just persuade all the employers to stop employing cheap drivers and your problem is solved, £7.00 per hour to a Romanian is £25 an hour PLUS to us, unless you can stop the employers employing them I think you are on a sticky wicket - or pot!This problem has been raised on here dozens of times, I am about to hang my keys up this year because I will not do the DCPC, I have spent my life in transport and I am sick of being screwed just to do my job, no one will stick together which is the problem nowadays, tell your boss you won’t work for his piddling wage and he will show the door and a list of drivers to replace you so long you won’t believe it.
Good idea in theory but …
The real problem is that if you are working and need to be ‘subsidized’ by the state then the employer is taking the p.
Why should the state (tax payer not including businesses that employ tax evading/avoiding specialists) be subsidizing business to the point of offering low wages to create non jobs? If they can’t compete properly they should be allowed to go to the wall.
It may be a global economy but my wages do nothing (I can’t charge more) yet my (uncontrollable) costs continue to rise. The cheap labour in Asia I can’t compete with 'cause they don’t have my overheads!
Basic economics tells me that its not worth it. 
miketaurus:
The real problem is that if you are working and need to be ‘subsidized’ by the state then the employer is taking the p.Why should the state (tax payer not including businesses that employ tax evading/avoiding specialists) be subsidizing business to the point of offering low wages to create non jobs? If they can’t compete properly they should be allowed to go to the wall.
It may be a global economy but my wages do nothing (I can’t charge more) yet my (uncontrollable) costs continue to rise. The cheap labour in Asia I can’t compete with 'cause they don’t have my overheads!
Basic economics tells me that its not worth it.
At one time truck driving was a worthwhile career to follow, today the majority of people try it after being made redundant or thinking that there is a better living to be made piloting big wheels.
If there was more money in it then people would not need to claim working tax credits to make the wage acceptable. A lot of people have been barracked for being on benefits (a government tactic to turn us against each other) but if you have kids or claim any tax credit or help with rent or council tax then you are on benefits yourself even if you work.
The situation has been made worse by lower wages which wasn’t the case when I came into the business in the late 70’s.
The clock won’t ever roll back but I do feel for the new drivers trying to break into transport.
The Driver Revolution my backside, when you get people working for peanuts, and not just our European colleagues, & still charging around the place to get the job done as quick as possible. Try driving at 50 on a DC or motorway, you will feel like you’re in 2nd gear as they tear past. As for sticking together, you cannot get more than 5 people to agree on anything discussed on this forum let alone get all drivers behind a cause, however much it might benefit them.
No, the days of unity among drivers or companies looking after their drivers are long gone & won’t be back, ever.