Its the Mail but if its true 18 councils have already suspended bin collections it could be fun this winter.
Lack of gritter drivers will turn British roads into death-traps this winter warn local government chiefs:
Britain’s roads could be more dangerous than usual this winter because of a potential shortage of gritter drivers.
Local authorities across the country are believed to be in desperate need of people capable of driving the huge salt spreading lorries to keep highways open in bad weather.
Whereas before councils could use contracted staff from other sectors, the ongoing HGV driver shortage has meant councils can’t fill vacancies for drivers, according to The Sun.
Last month it was reported that 18 councils had to suspend their bin collections after a driver shortage meant lorries couldn’t get out on the streets.
Bin Man:
Its the Mail but if its true 18 councils have already suspended bin collections it could be fun this winter.
Lack of gritter drivers will turn British roads into death-traps this winter warn local government chiefs:
Britain’s roads could be more dangerous than usual this winter because of a potential shortage of gritter drivers.
Local authorities across the country are believed to be in desperate need of people capable of driving the huge salt spreading lorries to keep highways open in bad weather.
Whereas before councils could use contracted staff from other sectors, the ongoing HGV driver shortage has meant councils can’t fill vacancies for drivers, according to The Sun.
Last month it was reported that 18 councils had to suspend their bin collections after a driver shortage meant lorries couldn’t get out on the streets.
Advertising in Somerset.
Temporary contract November to April
Zero hours contract
On call, alternate weeks, e.g. one week on call, the next week off, etc
Must be able to reach the depot within 1 hours notice of being called to work.
Winter Maintenance Qualification required
Callouts paid at a minimum of 3.5 hours @ £15 per hour Monday to Saturday and £19.93 per hour on Sunday and Bank Holidays.
Standby pay £201.75 per week.
How many people realistically would have the circumstances to do this? They would have to be retired and doing it for fun.
Bin man. 21 to 23k a year.
I can see why people do not want to do council work.
The biggest issue local councils have is everything costs a ton of money. For example simple graffiti removal can cost often thousands of pounds. There is so much HR/Red tape and other crap that quite often local councils just waste a ton of money needlessly.
But I am getting offtopic.
I know a bin loader makes about 19-20k a year. (Full time not on contract) So why would you want to drive a dustcart for potentially only an extra 1k a year.
Suedehead:
Are they/you not tacho exempt. Domestic rules and does it only snow or freeze at night ?
No we are not tacho exempt.
You are right it doesn’t always snow at night but one driver can only drive one wagon and at a time, we are struggling to keep the drivers we have and get more drivers i don’t imagine the 18 depots who have had to stop collections are any different.
Suedehead:
Are they/you not tacho exempt. Domestic rules and does it only snow or freeze at night ?
No we are not tacho exempt.
You are right it doesn’t always snow at night but one driver can only drive one wagon and at a time, we are struggling to keep the drivers we have and get more drivers i don’t imagine the 18 depots who have had to stop collections are any different.
Mind me asking how much you get paid if you are a bin man ?
Medicals and all training is paid for, fork lift truck, DCPC etc.
We get 27 holidays per year plus all bank holidays.
7.5 hour day Monday - Friday with job and finish so some days we only work 6 hours.
Brilliant pension scheme.
The wages are not in the same league as some driving jobs but you cannot put a price on being home at 3 p.m (latest) every day seeing you family and having the time to do stuff while everywhere is still open, it isn’t for everyone and some don’t last long but we have drivers here that have been doing the job 30+ years.
Medicals and all training is paid for, fork lift truck, DCPC etc.
We get 27 holidays per year plusall bank holidays.
7.5 hour day Monday - Friday with job and finish so some days we only work 6 hours.
Brilliant pension scheme.
The wages are not in the same league as some driving jobs but you cannot put a price on being home at 3 p.m (latest) every day seeing you family and having the time to do stuff while everywhere is still open, it isn’t for everyone and some don’t last long but we have drivers here that have been doing the job 30+ years.
Our local ones have to work every bank holiday except Christmas day
Our local ones have to work every bank holiday except Christmas day
We don’t work Christmas day boxing day or new years day.
At interview it is explained that we have to cover bank holidays but as it’s time and a half and a days holiday lieu or treble time for good Friday and a day lieu there is plenty of opertinity to take the bank holiday off if you wish, obviosly few do.
From a purely personal perspective, there is no way on earth I’d take a job that involved sharing a cab with anyone whilst Covid is still out there and I’m guessing many other drivers think the same.
Gritters would be okay, as they tend to be single occupancy vehicles.
Medicals and all training is paid for, fork lift truck, DCPC etc.
We get 27 holidays per year plus all bank holidays.
7.5 hour day Monday - Friday with job and finish so some days we only work 6 hours.
Brilliant pension scheme.
The wages are not in the same league as some driving jobs but you cannot put a price on being home at 3 p.m (latest) every day seeing you family and having the time to do stuff while everywhere is still open, it isn’t for everyone and some don’t last long but we have drivers here that have been doing the job 30+ years.
Will you get a pay rise every year? Didn’t the public sector have their pay frozen as a thank you for their efforts as key workers during lockdown?
For the avoidance of doubt I’m not being sarky, genuinely thought that very few key workers in the public sector were getting a rise anytime soon.
Bin man just wrote that gritting is not tacho exempt,maybe that works in the UK but up here in Lappland all snow clearing work,gritting,ploughing,sanding IS tacho exempt otherwise the countries would just stop.
LIBERTY_GUY:
From a purely personal perspective, there is no way on earth I’d take a job that involved sharing a cab with anyone whilst Covid is still out there and I’m guessing many other drivers think the same.
Gritters would be okay, as they tend to be single occupancy vehicles.
You should try and get Covid. It’s really great, no issue at all and then you can stop worrying about it for the rest of your life.
Bin Man:
Its the Mail but if its true 18 councils have already suspended bin collections it could be fun this winter.
Lack of gritter drivers will turn British roads into death-traps this winter warn local government chiefs:
Britain’s roads could be more dangerous than usual this winter because of a potential shortage of gritter drivers.
Local authorities across the country are believed to be in desperate need of people capable of driving the huge salt spreading lorries to keep highways open in bad weather.
Whereas before councils could use contracted staff from other sectors, the ongoing HGV driver shortage has meant councils can’t fill vacancies for drivers, according to The Sun.
Last month it was reported that 18 councils had to suspend their bin collections after a driver shortage meant lorries couldn’t get out on the streets.
Like dustcart drivers there’s no such job as a ‘gritter driver’ on the council.Usually means having to work as road maintenance crew with an HGV licence.
I was actually employed specifically as a class 2 driver by the County Council and rarely ever got call out or overtime cash for actual gritting duties unlike the road maintenance crews.
Usually only moving gritters between different depots as and when required during the day.
No surprise drivers don’t want the job.
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