Essentials…skin fit strides that are an inch too short, acne, an Audi A3 and of course…pointy shoes.
It also helps to have a thinly veiled air of vague disgust when on the phone.
Been there, got the T-shirt, but a long time ago; BC in fact, Before Computers. Well, not strictly true, there was an element of computerisation, but read on…
Worked for Meachers in Derby at the time, late 1990’s; all the day to day planning for our own drivers was done on A3 sheets of paper, all entries in pencil so they could be erased. On particularly fraught days when things could and did go wrong, it was not uncommon to wear a hole in the paper from constant corrections! Bob Terris used to insist that we recorded empty mileage so that it could be kept to a minimum; because, as he said himself, “there’s no money in delivering glider engines”. We didn’t have a particularly big fleet in Derby in those days, about ten artics and four 18 tonners plus a puddle jumper if I recall rightly; but we also had to keep track of what was happening in Southampton to ensure there was no duplication or missed loads. The fact that we also did ADR work but that not all drivers had the card, added to the mix.
We did have a computer system, Trafficmaster if I remember rightly; but it was very, very basic compared to the kit used today, and ETA’s were still a matter of inspired guesswork and driver experience; having been a driver myself before doing this job it came in very handy. There were no trackers then of course, you had to rely on the driver’s honesty and your own experience to estimate when he would be at a drop or back in the yard. There was one awkward sod who would never answer his phone and that didn’t help.
We managed pretty well though, even if on one particularly bad week our customers must have thought that every ERF in the country had a broken gearbox or a puncture; with all the high tech stuff available these days it’s worse if anything though. Has been since blue chip companies dispensed with ex-drivers who knew the job and installed a kid with a degree in media studies, whose sense of direction wouldn’t guarantee him to hit the floor if he fell out of bed.
Fragonard:
LazyDriver:
Fragonard:
Is there anyone on this board which has experience of doing this type of work?What kind of skills are needed for the role? Do they now use software to assist? I am a HGV driver and I’ve applied for such a role. Any information would be most welcome.
Firstly, is this a ‘real’ post. It seems doomed to abuse. And secondly,
Going by the previous posts, some of the most vocal anti-planners have 1st hand knowledge of the stresses of the job and haven’t been able to stick it. So, next post that berates a planner needs to be referred to this thread.Why wouldn’t it be a real post? These jobs are advertised and people apply for them. In this case, I am one of those applicants. Where I work now, we have software which does the planning. But the managers rely on it too much as the system doesn’t work that well. But apparently, they’ve spent so much money on it they have to use it type of thing.
I am interested in being Transport Manager down the line so I thought that this post would be a stepping stone as it largely a post to assist the TM at this company. So I am interested to know more about the job from others on this forum who may have some first hand knowledge. Thank you.
Apologies, it wasn’t meant as a criticism, just having read the constant whinging about ‘the planners’ and adding some of my own tbf, I just thought the post was putting you in the crosshairs and was provocative.
Qualification can you use Google maps . Yes ok your in
Sleaford…
To Maidstone (tip) to Dartford (tip) to Snodland (load) to Sleaford. Happy to do it except on Friday’s when I ask for a different run.
adam277:
I had a transport planner who cycled to work everyday because he didnt even have a car licence.
He was doing the routing for like 30+ trucks.So, I do not think you need any skills.
ps: He was terrible at it though. And yes, he would often send artics to do residential drops that could be done in a van. I quite enjoyed the challenge though.
yourhavingalarf:
Sleaford…
To Maidstone (tip) to Dartford (tip) to Snodland (load) to Sleaford. Happy to do it except on Friday’s when I ask for a different run.
nothing like having to go back and forth on yourself. sounds like the planners in my last place
Zac_A:
msgyorkie:
I did a 2 year stint at it. Never ever again.
The handholding of so called lorry drivers was unbelivable. The amount of times I had the driver on the end of the phone complaining he couldnt find a particluar site (church lane was the best one, “Head for the [zb] church you moron”) and I had to have the tracker open on the monitor guiding him to site.
The amount of bellyaching and crying from drivers was unreal.
I couldnt wait to go back to the far easier job of pointing the truck down the road.
I was on the agency and got abuse from the transport manager so I said “The next time you see me you had better start running” when I got back he had “popped out” somewhere
best delivery addres i saw was
wtw
sunbridge rd
7ok
kent
cant remember what the phone number was but that was missing 2 or 3 digits as well
traffic office’s attitude was just find it its easy.
to me if you want to be a planner all fine and great but at least make sure the driver has the proper information
cooper1203:
yourhavingalarf:
Sleaford…
To Maidstone (tip) to Dartford (tip) to Snodland (load) to Sleaford. Happy to do it except on Friday’s when I ask for a different run.nothing like having to go back and forth on yourself. sounds like the planners in my last place
On a Friday…
It can take up to 30 minutes to get out of Sainsbury’s Dartford, let alone having to endure the A2, 5 mile northbound jam into the pipe again.
Nah, someone else can have it on Fridays.
Best thing to say when they start being sarcastic is just go “forget it Im fetching it back”. They usually look on the computer for the address quickly then.