The working class can kiss my

As the old song says … I’ve put myself in for the night manager’s job where I work. I’m quite nervous about it though as I’m not at all sure whether I’m ready to a) accept responsibility for anything or b) stop driving full time. I’ll basically be shuffling paperwork about, shunting the yard, occasionally taking a trailer up the road and jumping on a fork lift where necessary. It means an increase in money, and also that I’ll have to deal with far fewer overnight road closures. But all in all, if I do get the job, it’ll take me a while to get used to not being a lorry driver when anyone asks what I do for a living; in fact, I thought I’d always be a driver. Who else has done the transition from road to office?

Rhythm Thief:
As the old song says … I’ve put myself in for the night manager’s job where I work. I’m quite nervous about it though as I’m not at all sure whether I’m ready to a) accept responsibility for anything or b) stop driving full time. I’ll basically be shuffling paperwork about, shunting the yard, occasionally taking a trailer up the road and jumping on a fork lift where necessary. It means an increase in money, and also that I’ll have to deal with far fewer overnight road closures. But all in all, if I do get the job, it’ll take me a while to get used to not being a lorry driver when anyone asks what I do for a living; in fact, I thought I’d always be a driver. Who else has done the transition from road to office?

Watch your friends, they will take the view of the photo.

I wont doubt anyone who wishes to better themselfs. Go for it, be firm & fair but always remember you was in their boots once. Best of luck

:smiley: I like that. I’m not aiming to be a tyrant or anything … in fact, the job pretty much runs itself and I get on very well with the other two night trunkers. I’m not going to change anything if I can avoid it.

I’ve done it and I couldn’t go back. One of my bosses asked me to apply, I thought he was having a larf but he said I was wasted driving and being a first line manager would be be, his words, P*** easy.
It is and I wouldn’t go back. I do a bit of driving now and then but it bores me. Being on this side of the fence I look back and think, “how did I cope with driving being so dull?”
Half the blokes working for you will immediately despise you for being a gaffer, another 25% will come to hate for various decions you have to make for the greater good. The remaining 25% will accept you’re doing your best and sometimes difficult outcomes are difficult decisions and not taken lightly.
I used to think it’d bother me what people think of me. I actually couldn’t give a flying what folk think of me because half the time folk make up their minds based on prejudice and are in the 50% so is their opinions of you that valid?
Go for it mate, good luck.

That’s encouraging, cheers. I’ve spent three solid days thinking about this so it’s useful to hear from someone who’s actually done it!

Junior management = flak from above, flak from below. Eyes wide open and prepared to live with this without it getting you down then fine. What will help you a lot is an immediate superior who will back you up. One of the more difficult things will be being seen to be fair without any hint of favouritism in allocating tasks to those ‘under’ you. It will be getting the workshy, argumentative to do what you want, without always relying on the co-operative, hardworking to do what may be unpopular jobs. Also of course will be making sure everyone gets their share of the cream and not just the few who have got used to it.

I have done both, Now a transport Manager (again) - the best advice I can give is as said before be firm and fair,

If you can explain why you want something done that way, and don’t forget the 80/20 rule -

80% of people are great, 20% are s’holes who will put more effort into not doing something, than they will in doing it ( all your BS H&S rules are designed for these)

The paperwork at first will seem daunting, just keep on top of it and DON’T keep putting it off, because suddenly a 10 minute job becomes a days work because you cant remember what was going on at the time.

Good Luck

Echo all the above.

John Lennon - “A working Class hero is so hard to be …they hate you if you’re clever and they despise the fool, til it’s so ■■■■■■■ twisted you can’t follow their rules”

I’ve effectively gone the other way, was a farmer all my life and ran the business for over 20yrs til divorce. Although I’ve just started a contracting business in the last few years my son pretty much runs that while I get on and do some agency driving, my highest qualifications are in Business Admin/Information Management but quite relieved to be able to leave that in the past when I get on the road or hand the keys in and go home :smiley:

I’ve done the office work and it can go kiss my arse for all I care, getting spoken to like crap by the management, staff and customers… plus when the ■■■ hits the fan your the only one that cant duck coz there’s nowhere to hide…

Personally I want to be back on the road…left alone to do my deliveries

Words of wisdom for those on the promotion ladder:
“Be nice to those you meet on the way up, for you’ll also meet them on the way down”.

Swampey2418:
I’ve done the office work and it can go kiss my arse for all I care, getting spoken to like crap by the management, staff and customers… plus when the ■■■ hits the fan your the only one that cant duck coz there’s nowhere to hide…

I think - at least, I very much hope - that it’ll be different on nights. There are three night trunkers, two forklift drivers and the “manager” (potentially me, lord help us). Working hours are 10 pm until 8 am and the only interaction I’ll have with the day drivers and “normal” management will be after about 7 am, and only then if something’s gone wrong. I wouldn’t even be contemplating this if it involved working days, sharing an office with other people and phoning up drivers every five minutes. At the moment, the night operation pretty much runs itself and I’m not intending to change that if I can help it!

bestbooties:
Words of wisdom for those on the promotion ladder:
“Be nice to those you meet on the way up, for you’ll also meet them on the way down”.

Obviously with the words in the thread title, there has been little consideration for the phrase above :slight_smile:

peirre:

bestbooties:
Words of wisdom for those on the promotion ladder:
“Be nice to those you meet on the way up, for you’ll also meet them on the way down”.

Obviously with the words in the thread title, there has been little consideration for the phrase above :slight_smile:

:laughing: Not actually an indication of my attitude, I hasten to add … it’s just that the old song came to mind when I was thinking about it all the other day. “The working class can kiss my arse, I’ve got the foreman’s job at last”. :smiley:

Jeez RT, are you gonna have to trim your errr luxuriant locks to look the part? :smiley: :smiley:

the maoster:
Jeez RT, are you gonna have to trim your errr luxuriant locks to look the part? :smiley: :smiley:

Already done … though not for the new job, I just suddenly realised I was getting a bit old for long hair :smiley: :blush: .

Rhythm Thief:

the maoster:
Jeez RT, are you gonna have to trim your errr luxuriant locks to look the part? :smiley: :smiley:

Already done … though not for the new job…

Hmmmm… Thin end of the wedge, bro :wink:

Since you will be the one having to deal with things when they go wrong which they will, then it would be a good idea to work out in advance how you will do so. Also time perhaps to check up on a few things since the site will be under your control as well.

Fire. Are you sure where all the alarm points are? the extinguishers? the emergency exits? (must not be blocked). The route to the exits? The muster points?

Injury. Is anyone on site at night a first aider? Where are the first aid boxes?

Lorry breakdown. Do you have the phone numbers in the office as well as in the vehicles? If financial authority is required for attendance can you obtain it?

Lorry Accident. How would you recover a shocked and stranded driver? If he was injured how would you notify his family? What arrangements would you make to help them immediately?

Health and Safety. Are you confident things are as they should sensibly be? How many blown bulbs are there making it difficult to see properly?

Security. Is anything valuable vulnerable?

Colleague emergency. With so few on site, how would you deal with the news that there has been a family emergency for one of your colleagues?

Late trunk. What do you need to do if a trunk will be late at either end?

I wish you good luck with your new job,shuffling paper, doing office work,driving lorries and fork lifts.
Only question I have is why do you think you will not be working class anymore?

albion1971:
I wish you good luck with your new job,shuffling paper, doing office work,driving lorries and fork lifts.
Only question I have is why do you think you will not be working class anymore?

I don’t …

To plagerise a phrase from Porridge, " I always thought I was working class until I went to Glasgow, now I see my self as middle class!"