What would you do?

After just reading the dedicated or crazy thread I thought I’d post my own little story for comments.

I work for a recruitment agency who also have a haulage division running approximately 15 Mans and Mercs.
They mainly do Chep work but in the run up to Easter they were sub-sub contracted to send a couple of tractor units into a Tesco DC (non Stobarts) to do store deliveries.

Prior to leaving my agencies yard I asked how we were expected to run for. They told me that the sub contractor had paid for 10 hours Tesco to Tesco. This would leave 30 mins each way Yard to Tesco/Tesco to Yard, and 30 mins start/30 mins close. Total 12 hour shift.

Now Im never averse to doing longer shifts, particularly at Easter weekends for premium pay, but I was conscious my employer would be taking the loss if I were to exceed 10 hours.

Anyway, on arriving back at Tesco after a 9 1/2 hour run, the debrief clerk informed me that they had negotiated with the subby that we were to do 12 hours on site and I had to take another run. I promptly called my agency who knew nothing of this. They eventually conceded that we would have to comply, but to make sure that Tesco knew that 12 hours was the maximum and, in effect this meant they could only run me 30 mins down the road, 1 hour tip, then 30 mins back. This would extend my total day to 14 hours.

I went back to the planner and explained. After much swearing under his breath and slamming the keyboard he announced that they didn’t have anything that ■■■■■■■ short and I was being difficult, and to leave site.

I thanked him and left quietly, but this didn’t half grate on me.

Was there much more I could have done?? The kind of runs they had left would have seen me nighting out with no gear!

Are we talking about Fradley here?

Had a few run ins there my self :frowning:

Same as you, they asked, you made the phone call, you relayed the conditions to the client, the client couldn’t work round those conditions, job done.

No problem there at all with your efforts.

Poor management on both sides, typical example of little hitler on the modern rdc desk.

Yeah it was Fradley.
Thing is, I was once a Team Leader at Goole, and could never understand the heavy handed approach with drivers, both in house and agency.
Prior to that I was an FLM at DHL and didn’t have a Transport Manager breathing down my neck every minute and so was able to foster an excellent relationship with the drivers and knew 100% that I could call on any number of them to “help me out” if I needed it because I treated them like humans and helped them whenever I could also.
There was a mutual respect and trust I guess because I had done their job before. Sadly too many Tesco/Stobart TL’s, managers, and planners have had no such experience to draw upon.
They end up with computer game geeks with social skills of god knows what!

First I would have checked with the agency as you did, this would be no problem really as they wouldn’t want to upset the customer and will have a clause in the contract to allow for longer shifts or unforseen delays which can then be charged to the customer.

I would have then gone to the planner/adolf wannabe explained how many hours I had left and if a night out was involved then it would be best if they could give me a run where I could park up empty and run back in the morning. Ideally the Tescos I was delivering too would allow me to park in the yard and when tipped use the staff facilities. Perhaps they could even supply you with a cheap duvet.

If the planner showed a good attitude and a glimmer of understanding or just a vague concept of drivers hours fine, grab the notes/trailer and off I go.

I would start taking my night out gear in the cab from now one just to be on the safe side.

Sounds like you didn’t want the extra run from the start which would have been picked up on. Just my opinion.

Edit: To be fair your agency should be saying get there for such and such time and finish when you either run out of hours or they have no more runs. Transport is a fairly fluid game and things change, be prepared, earn as much cash as you can in the hours available and try and build a good rapor with the clients. Yes they will poop on you when push comes to shove but in the meantime enjoy your chosen profession. :slight_smile:

coreysboys:
Yeah it was Fradley.
Thing is, I was once a Team Leader at Goole, and could never understand the heavy handed approach with drivers, both in house and agency.
Prior to that I was an FLM at DHL and didn’t have a Transport Manager breathing down my neck every minute and so was able to foster an excellent relationship with the drivers and knew 100% that I could call on any number of them to “help me out” if I needed it because I treated them like humans and helped them whenever I could also.
There was a mutual respect and trust I guess because I had done their job before. Sadly too many Tesco/Stobart TL’s, managers, and planners have had no such experience to draw upon.
They end up with computer game geeks with social skills of god knows what!

its a DHL FLM I was helping out on Sunday in that thread you mentioned. I like most DHL sites. I don’t miss Tesco though. I had a few run ins with them too. Once i had a split run with ambient and frozen. 7 cages for 1st drop, 30 odd cages for 2nd drop then 6 frozen for the 1st drop (i was supposed to get the frozen off before going to the 2nd drop) with a slope and scissor lift broken down. I did the 7 cages then the 2nd drop and returned to the 1st drop which suited them since i cleared their empties out. I got moaned at and asked if i had been authorised. I said i was authorised to do my job when they gave me the keys and everything got delivered to where it was meant to go. They were not pleased :unamused:

you cant please some people so don’t lose any sleep over it. A DHL FLM would appreciate me thinking on my feet and solving the problem. Not all companies are like that though

Dipper_Dave:
First I would have checked with the agency as you did, this would be no problem really as they wouldn’t want to upset the customer and will have a clause in the contract to allow for longer shifts or unforseen delays which can then be charged to the customer.

I would have then gone to the planner/adolf wannabe explained how many hours I had left and if a night out was involved then it would be best if they could give me a run where I could park up empty and run back in the morning. Ideally the Tescos I was delivering too would allow me to park in the yard and when tipped use the staff facilities. Perhaps they could even supply you with a cheap duvet.
If the planner showed a good attitude and a glimmer of understanding or just a vague concept of drivers hours fine, grab the notes/trailer and off I go.
I would start taking my night out gear in the cab from now one just to be on the safe side.

Sounds like you didn’t want the extra run from the start which would have been picked up on. Just my opinion.

Edit: To be fair your agency should be saying get there for such and such time and finish when you either run out of hours or they have no more runs. Transport is a fairly fluid game and things change, be prepared, earn as much cash as you can in the hours available and try and build a good rapor with the clients. Yes they will poop on you when push comes to shove but in the meantime enjoy your chosen profession. :slight_smile:

And now back in the real world…

Left hand down!:
And now back in the real world…

Is that it ?, call me crazy but I think our versions of reality are slightly different, perhaps consider a post with a little more substance next time.
Please don’t come across as one of those who think the world owes them a living and everyone is out to get you.