Which are the most reliable agencies to register with these days?
If any…? 
Also, just not sure how many to register with, some may take the hump if they ring and I’m currently working for one, and another job comes up.
Then in the future I get nowt. 
Your location would help so drivers could suggest which one to use or not.
It would help to say where you are.
Registering and working with a few works for me for getting work, but it’s awkward to say yes to an offer only to have it followed by a better offer. My advice is if you you use more than one, always stick to the first job you accept, the others should understand. If you blow them off after accepting then they probably won’t call you again.
Find a couple, then whenever you get quiet 2/3days, seek out the next one.
North East, just outside Newcastle…
North East, just outside Newcastle…
reading other posts from agency drivers on here I would of say non of them 
Goldfinger:
Which are the most reliable agencies to register with these days?If any…?
Also, just not sure how many to register with, some may take the hump if they ring and I’m currently working for one, and another job comes up.
Then in the future I get nowt.
Can’t give you any advice mate as I avoid those parasitic ■■■■■■■■ like the plague, and I sympathise with any of you guys who have to demean themselves by having to appease these sht.bags.
The concept of agencies from the start was based on the procedure that the driver hired out his services and qualification as a pro driver to an agency, as and when he required them, they paid him a little more than what he would get as an employed co. driver so he was happy, they were happy, and the firm short of a driver for a shift were also happy.
Then because of circumstances everything changed, they called the shots 
. Now they freely advertise “jobs” that don’t exist, ■■■■ drivers about on a regular basis, pay as little as they can get away with, and if you dare to offend the ■■■■■■■■ by putting youself first as you point out, they starve you out of work to teach you a lesson, but worse than that they arrogantly can’t see anything wrong with that 
.I know all this by experiences of a mate (who has forgot more about the haulage game than those ■■■■■■■■ will ever know)
I have used them in the past briefly for my own benefit to get back used to right hand drives after years on left hookers, they tried to ■■■■ me about and were astounded when I stood up to them and told them to go and ■■■■ themselves… as apparently they weren’t used to it 
So the only advise I would give is try and get a proper job…Yeh I know not easy, and tell those agency a.holes to ■■■■ off.
Goldfinger:
Which are the most reliable agencies to register with these days?If any…?
Also, just not sure how many to register with, some may take the hump if they ring and I’m currently working for one, and another job comes up.
Then in the future I get nowt.
As I’m sure you’re well aware you’re inviting a can of worms to be opened here. Prepare for the usual “all agencies are the spawn of Satan” replies from people who are in full-time work in other countries, etc. 
The simple answer is to register with as many as you want to, and work for those who give you regular work. Don’t play one off against the other, or drop a shift because someone else rings up with another job for 20p/hour more. Agencies know ■■■■ well that any sensible driver will work for more than one; you cannot be in more than one place at once.
I would suggest you use either well-known national chains/franchises, and reputable local ones.
Plenty of info on the highs and lows of agency life on here, though some needs to be take with a large pinch of salt as it is often posted by people whom no sane agency would employ anyway. Read some of Peirre’s postings, he’s a long-term agency driver and talks some good sense about it.
Ah, someone’s posted while I was typing this… see what I mean? 
Due to recent events, I’m going to have to register with them, until I hopefully find another proper full time job… 
Sidevalve:
Goldfinger:
Which are the most reliable agencies to register with these days?If any…?
Also, just not sure how many to register with, some may take the hump if they ring and I’m currently working for one, and another job comes up.
Then in the future I get nowt.
As I’m sure you’re well aware you’re inviting a can of worms to be opened here. Prepare for the usual “all agencies are the spawn of Satan” replies from people who are in full-time work in other countries, etc.
The simple answer is to register with as many as you want to, and work for those who give you regular work. Don’t play one off against the other, or drop a shift because someone else rings up with another job for 20p/hour more. Agencies know ■■■■ well that any sensible driver will work for more than one; you cannot be in more than one place at once.
I would suggest you use either well-known national chains/franchises, and reputable local ones.
Plenty of info on the highs and lows of agency life on here, though some needs to be take with a large pinch of salt as it is often posted by people whom no sane agency would employ anyway. Read some of Peirre’s postings, he’s a long-term agency driver and talks some good sense about it.
Ah, someone’s posted while I was typing this… see what I mean?
Happy not to dissapoint you mate , also ecstatic that you judge that no sane agency would employ me, (didn’t know you knew me, but hey! thanks for the compliment )
Apart from that can you seriously refute anything that I have said as inaccurate■■?
robroy:
Happy not to dissapoint you mate
Apart from that can you seriously refute anything that I have said as inaccurate■■?
If you’re going to be fair, your experience of agencies (I don’t dispute it as being less than satisfactory) is based on an odd few jobs yourself, and the testimony of a friend. Mine comes from a much broader base, as driver, consultant and client. In other words, what you infer to be the norm is by no means always the case.
Don’t take this the wrong way, please; but highly experienced guys like yourself who’ve been around a while don’t tend to mix well with some of the, shall we say, younger and more sales-orientated people who are commonly found running agency desks. Oil and water in fact; and it’s no surprise to me that you clashed. My time in the job came after I’d done both the driver and TM bit so I’d like to think I was a bit more understanding, and perhaps if you or your mate had dealt with similar your own experiences might have been happier. You don’t need me to tell you that a bad job sticks longer in ones mind than a good one.
Agencies are not all bad… and to balance that, drivers and clients are not all good.
I do however agree wholeheartedly with your final summary that a permanent job is preferable to an agency one in virtually all cases.
A point well (and tactfully ) made sir!.. but I can only form opinions of something on my personal experiences and knowledge of the subject in question, as you have yourself, but I do acknowledge that yours is more varied than mine in this case, so can we agree to differ.
Sidevalve:
Read some of Peirre’s postings, he’s a long-term agency driver and talks some good sense about it.
It’s nice to know that someone actually reads some of my ramblings.
To the OP:
Most of the sensible advice has already been given, such as ask what the rate £ is for the job before accepting it, don’t drop a job once you’ve accepted it. As its the fastest way of getting a bad reputation, as is being bolshi and thinking you know better than the client. Even if the client or the clerk behind the desk has a bad attitude towards you. Loosing your cool and trying to drag the morbidly obese mouthy clerk who’s gobbing off at you through the 2ft square hatch by his shirt & tie doesn’t work I’ve tried it 
ops
Decide what time is the earliest & latest time that you’ll start a shift, & stand your ground & let all the agys know this. That way you’ll get start times, that wont overlap the next day, enabling you to keep continuity of working.
Being prepared (have a mini tool kit, a few fuses, tacho roll etc in your bag) for minor screw ups & finding simple defects (and rectifying them before you leave the yard) on a motor you’ve just been given the keys to helps to make your life easier.
It’s not advisable to deliberately drag jobs out to make extra £’s. Too many fleets have trackers & real time telemetry enabling the client to monitor you whereabouts. There are other ways of getting away with stretching it out, and still come out smelling of roses. If in doubt ask…
Some site may expect to contact you using your mobile, because they are too tight to fit cab phones. Clients such as these I tend to switch my phone off, or put it on vibrate when I 1st walk into the office. Canutes locally used to have a PITA clerk that used to sneakily ring your mobile when you walked into the office. The 1st time he did it, my phone rang & he laughed, saying “now there’s no reason for you to not phone the office when your tipped”
The next time I did a shift there, I switched my phone to silent, so when he tried to ring my phone he didn’t hear it ring & asked why my phone wasn’t ringing?
I told him he’d need a big length of string as I’d left my phone at home, and if he wanted to phone me he’d best get me a cab phone.
needless to say he got the hump because of this comment
Thanks Peirre for that…
Anyway, just been sifting through the job sites on the web, and seeing who’s paying what…
I see there’s low, and then there’s taking the $%^&!!!
Just fuel and travelling may be the hard bit, unless a class C night out job comes up…
Goldfinger:
Which are the most reliable agencies to register with these days?If any…?
Most are crap but I’ve found the best of the crap to be :
Driver Hire.
Best Connection.
In any case, you should be sending your CV into about 20 transport
companies for a direct job. Then phone them up a week later.
Don’t wait for someone to knock on your door - you keep knocking on theirs.
. . . And always ask if they need a holiday relief.
I have used blue arrow in Newcastle before & found them to be no problem. Paid on time & in full for decent jobs. Also signed with driver hire, no work offered in 6 weeks, & manpower in scumberland, 1 job offered in 6 weeks if I could get to the a66 to start.
Goldfinger:
Thanks Peirre for that…Anyway, just been sifting through the job sites on the web, and seeing who’s paying what…
I see there’s low, and then there’s taking the $%^&!!!
Just fuel and travelling may be the hard bit, unless a class C night out job comes up…
Speaking if fuel/travel …get yourself a diary
Every job/assignment you do, write down the most basic of details.
This should include the the round trip mileage to/from your home. Add to that the address of the assignment and the name of the agency you did the job for, plus any other expenses incurred doing the job (ie meals, ppe etc). This info will come in handy at the end of the tax year even you submit your P87 form for rebate
Sent from my iPhone using beer goggles
Rebate? Even though you’re ‘employed’■■ 
Driver Hire try to get it right
I use them and Proactive.
Ask your Union if there are any to avoid
Rates here are £9-£10 ph, time and a half after 8.
Plus £1 nights
£95-£100 per 10 hour shift.
Use 2 agencies. Tell them both you’re using 2. Establish friendly relationship with the clerks, Tell them your preferred days/hours. Text the other one as unavailable as soon as you accept a job. Don’t show annoyance when they phone to cancel just as you’re going out the front door. Check all payslips, email any discrepancies
Remember that they need you more than you need them!
Goldfinger:
Rebate? Even though you’re ‘employed’■■
What’s this “employed” you speak of?
There’s enough threads on the P87 tax form to keep you reading for hours