Once, when I was a driver trainer I had an agency lad walk out
This is the vehicle we’re using today
What, you coming with me
Yes, I’m driving, showing you how we do things
Oh, OK, … I’ll just get something from my car
Next I heard from his agency
“X” has left as he knows the job and he was told it was 8 hours
I calmly told this person
A. He did not know our PDA’s
B. He did not know our paperwork
C. It was a one day training
D. He was guaranteed 8 hours even though he would only be working 5 hours
She came back with, oh, but he has worked for you before
Not according to the computer records
Oh, well, er er er, maybe I’ll talk with him and send him back tomorrow, …
No thanks, I’ve other agencies I can call on.
Tin hat on
5 hours work for 8 hours pay? Yes please, can we do it gain tomorrow? 
war1974:
LIBERTY_GUY:
Been working for a firm for two weeks driving utility vehicles up to 28 tonnes. Big attraction being they are tacho exempt due to type of work they do. Been driving relatively tidy 56 and 58 plate vehicles which were a bit ropey, but tidy. Today they asked me to take out a V reg tanker. When I got to it, there were big rust holes in the side lockers, the rear locker had its door missing off it and a hole in its floor where the rust had eaten away at it and many of the outside fittings were well rusty too. Got in the cab and both window winders had been bodge repaired with bolts and garden hose, the gear lever gaiter was missing, half the instrument lights weren’t working, neither was the rev counter, it was at this stage I stopped looking and decided there was no way I was taking that heap of junk out on the road, as VOSA would have a field day. Didn’t even enter into dialogue with the company, just got into my car and left.
Just surprised in this day and age that hauliers have such questionable vehicles they are expecting others to drive. There is no shortage of driving jobs, but I only have one license. 
so in full time employment at a company you wanted to work for, decide to just walk out? maybe just going in saying sorry not taking it out what else is there? unless the company are totally [zb] in the first place?
Does seem a strange reaction. I think my boss would be phoning me at home asking what the he’ll I’m doing.
Evil8Beezle:
5 hours work for 8 hours pay? Yes please, can we do it gain tomorrow?
It would probably have been the same as no one ever managed it without 2 days, (2nd day was me sitting in the passenger seat “observing the back of my eyelids in case I was needed”)
Driver-Once-More:
Evil8Beezle:
5 hours work for 8 hours pay? Yes please, can we do it gain tomorrow?
It would probably have been the same as no one ever managed it without 2 days, (2nd day was me sitting in the passenger seat “observing the back of my eyelids in case I was needed”)
Not quite nailed it yet boss, any chance of a 3rd day? 
war1974:
LIBERTY_GUY:
Been working for a firm for two weeks driving utility vehicles up to 28 tonnes. Big attraction being they are tacho exempt due to type of work they do. Been driving relatively tidy 56 and 58 plate vehicles which were a bit ropey, but tidy. Today they asked me to take out a V reg tanker. When I got to it, there were big rust holes in the side lockers, the rear locker had its door missing off it and a hole in its floor where the rust had eaten away at it and many of the outside fittings were well rusty too. Got in the cab and both window winders had been bodge repaired with bolts and garden hose, the gear lever gaiter was missing, half the instrument lights weren’t working, neither was the rev counter, it was at this stage I stopped looking and decided there was no way I was taking that heap of junk out on the road, as VOSA would have a field day. Didn’t even enter into dialogue with the company, just got into my car and left.
Just surprised in this day and age that hauliers have such questionable vehicles they are expecting others to drive. There is no shortage of driving jobs, but I only have one license.
so in full time employment at a company you wanted to work for, decide to just walk out? maybe just going in saying sorry not taking it out what else is there? unless the company are totally [zb] in the first place?
The fact that they actually expected someone to take that piece of rusted crud out onto the public highway speaks utter volumes. It’s hardly like they don’t know what kind of dilapidated condition it is in, as they are the ones that haven’t bothered to repair or maintain it, but just expect someone else to risk their license by driving it on the road.
I wouldn’t have taken the job if I’d realised the vehicles were in such a bad state of repair and that maintenance was somewhat of a standing joke there. VOSA don’t have a sense of humour though. 
that’s all well and good but why just walk off the job? surely a conversation of I am not taking that out and keeping a job would have been better? then if they said oh there isn’t anything wrong with it then yes by all means walk out.
I didn’t realise VOSA can fine you for doing a check and saying I am not driving it?
Although I probably wouldn’t have reacted the same way you did Liberty Guy I can kind of understand why you did what you did. You stated correctly that it’s your licence on the line, and I’d add to that that it’s you paying the fines and not them.
However (here we go ) I’m assuming you actually attended an interview at their premises? If not then disregard this, but did you not take that opportunity to have a poke around and check the tackle out? Never forget that an interview is a two way street; it’s as much about you interviewing them as the other way around.
war1974:
that’s all well and good but why just walk off the job? surely a conversation of I am not taking that out and keeping a job would have been better? then if they said oh there isn’t anything wrong with it then yes by all means walk out.
I think we both know the answer to that one… “Well other drivers have driven it”… Easier just to change companies than try to change the mindset of an operation that think its acceptable to expect vehicles in that condition to go out onto the public road. If there had been a better truck in the yard, I’d have just taken the keys to that one and played politics later. The vehicle I drove last Friday had faulty seals on the tank pump and was spraying water onto every cyclist I passed, but the one today was in a whole new league of its own. Somewhere you have to draw the line.
the maoster:
Although I probably wouldn’t have reacted the same way you did Liberty Guy I can kind of understand why you did what you did. You stated correctly that it’s your licence on the line, and I’d add to that that it’s you paying the fines and not them.
However (here we go ) I’m assuming you actually attended an interview at their premises? If not then disregard this, but did you not take that opportunity to have a poke around and check the tackle out? Never forget that an interview is a two way street; it’s as much about you interviewing them as the other way around.
The offices looked quite tidy, but if the guy had been truly honest and said “look we have a problem retaining drivers as many of them have left to work for rival companies recently, all our fleet vehicles are pre-owned and worn out when we get them not that we bother to fix them anyway”… then perhaps like others (including agency drivers that lasted just one day - never to be seen again), I would have simply walked away and not bothered.
Herein lies the problem with outfits that are getting desperate for HGV drivers now, they will tell you as much bullshine as the lower grade agencies do, just to get you on board now.