On their job ads for 7.5t drivers it says something like 55-60 drops per day. Is that individual addresses or parcels?
Individual addresses. Don’t be surprised if you get 100
And then you start on the collections after lunch. It’s called C&D work
Avoid that crap at all costs. It’s a pain in the arse doing it in a van, a small lorry comes with all the big lorry hassles and none of the advantages.
As previously said, you will get 100 drops some days, and you’ll bring 60 of them back if you have any sense. Parcel firms will hassle you to the point of insanity and call it a normal day. Before your timed deliveries are done, they will be asking when are you starting your collections.
I would sooner sweep the streets, at least you’re only doing collections and one big delivery at the end of it.
Only 100? Is it part time or something?
The dpd guys who deliver my dog food have upwards of 180 every day. That must be soul destroying when you get given the run sheet!
Mind you, if the number of tnt lorries who pass me on the m74 every night is anything to go by then at least you arent limited to 56mph…
I used to do it for Securicor Omega (remember them?) before I got my HGV licences.
I had 70 drops per day, then 15-20 collections. A drop/collection was an individual address. There could be a couple hundred parcels to deliver. Sometimes I could bang out 10 drops in 15-20 minutes down a high street, other times I’d have to drive 15 minutes out of my way to some godforsaken farm (in my area) with a small packet… and they’d be out!
I had to drive 45 minutes to my first drop, and 45 minutes back to base at the end. Those who were more local often had 100, 110 drops on.
I would NEVER go back to parcel delivery again… too knackering and far too low paid.
There’s an agency in my area recruiting for tuffnells offering 11.78 ph for a 7.5 Tonner, direct perm contract.
Has the world gone mad?
The job is so crap, you could offer £30 ph and still no one would stick it 5 minutes! 
iv always thought it looks a job thatd keep you fit . forced exercise a bit like a postman . you can always tell a long term guy,the slick way they leave the cab as if the seat was greased and feet are already walking a half second before they touch the ground
The-Snowman:
The dpd guys who deliver my dog food have upwards of 180 every day. That must be soul destroying when you get given the run sheet!
And you have to organize your own load, load your own van, and then unload your collections after your day. Then explain to the ■■■■ in the office about any returns, you wont be getting paid for
Wheel Nut:
And then you start on the collections after lunch. It’s called C&D work
^ This. 
Lot of misconceptions.
It can definitely be a hard job but also a easy one.
As a class 1 Driver I drove a 18t lorry for most of the day and done about 10 deliveries then killed a bit of time until I had to do my collections I was pretty much doing 9-5pm everyday although I was supposed to do 10.
I knew a few van and 7.5t drivers some were finished by 1pm others 7pm it all depended on how well you got on with your collections.
Basically if you get lucky and get a route you like and sweet talk the guys at your collections to get them ready earlier you could be on to a winner. The job is pretty crap to start with though big learning curve.
As for 100+ drops in a 7.5t lorry? I’ve never seen it max was 60 at my place but average was 40-45.
They always had regular drivers and their biggest complaint was having to wait for collections.
60 drops does sound a lot but once you know the area and the people it is very easy to smash it out.
Agree with Adam above,
Lots of misconceptions, I worked for Tuffnells for 2 and a bit years and whilst it’s a massive learning curve for the first couple of weeks you soon settle into it learn the route and your collections and what time you can get them etc.
Again in a 7.5 tonner you’re limited to what you can do in a day. I had a rural route around north Cornwall so max was 50 to 60 where as guys in Plymouth Exeter etc who were doing drops mins apart could do 100 plus.
Always liked mot time and being given a van it was like having a day off I didn’t know myself.
Hard work…yes, but like any job it is what you make of it, if the office is Giving you grief or chasing I just ignored the phone, you’re out there on your own at the end of the day and by the time you get back they’ve forgotten about it!
The bulk 18t work was easier just about a dozen drops then sit and wait for collections but could get tedious. I would go back to it tho should I ever need to.
I did multi drop work. Day rate, arctic around town centres. 20 drops a day in yards that were made for vans. Not for me i am afraid.
Beanbonce:
I did multi drop work. Day rate, arctic around town centres. 20 drops a day in yards that were made for vans. Not for me i am afraid.
I did a-frame drag work and artic multi drop with tuffnells. Ye a few dodgy yards but overall not too bad. I’m currently at the CO-OP and I’m regularly taking 27&35ft trailers into some stupidly tight places. That being said if you dont like reversing or are not very good at it then it may not be for you. the night trunks are a doddle though usually only reserve twice a night in a big RDC.
If i was you i would’nt bother mate, honestly, i done it in a sprinter van around the bs7 postcode, 180 drops average, then i done my class 2, so i was self employed in a 7.5 ton doing 60-85 drops and collections around bs7/bs6/bs1/bs2/bs3 and if i had time bs34. Looking back, far easier ways to make money. Look forward, never again. Good job if you like talking to people in the office tho. Other than that, ■■■■■■ Never would i ever go back to it. Driving like a ■■■■ to get it done, and treated like a prick if you failed any. I would’nt do it, but each to there own and all that.
Every day is an exercise in how to pile as much work as possible onto each driver. Usually a mix of employed, owner-drivers and subbies, with the resulting conflict of interests and motovation.
I’ve seen blokes come to blows over getting on a bay to load their vans, argy-bargy getting out the gate etc etc etc.
It’s constant hassle, morning till evening. The “owner-driver” schemes are there for a good reason…
Nothing changed with C&D work years ago when British Rail Parcels was around it was 100-120 plus and factory collections in the afternoon
6.30-7.00am start loading and 17.00 - 17.30pm finish.
I used to do multidrop, 60-70 drops a day. Hated it so much I spent £1500 upgrading class 2 to class 1 so I didn’t ever have to do it again.
Tuffnells like to dump their drags in laybys and then cry when someone blocks them in.
very young mans game, some drops are timed, before 9-30am and before 12-00, if you’ve got 70 delivers + regular collections + the phone never stops ringing, did it for nightfreight years back.