ezydriver:
Plus, you don’t spend a week learning to drive a truck. You spend a week learning how to pass a test driving a truck. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that after a couple of decades behind me, I’m still learning.
Yup, 4+ decades here and i’m still learning too, one can always improve.
ezydriver:
discoman:
To be fair, if your pal spent a few k , he would be able to drive a truck … end of the day, a truck is not hard to drive … once a few clicks are under your belt it gets easier, like all jobs… look, we all know, if trucks stop the world stops period … but governments will never give a licence a professional skilled job … it’s not hard to train to drive a truck … but it is to drive a train with all the other training required etc … if your offended by being advised it is an unskilled job so be it … take Robroy, he embraces his job and is good at it … ( not knocking drivers) you lot work excessive hours and it’s not on … if I was in government I would make it harder, I would make sure all drivers had a maximum 12 hour day and 13 hours rest no reduction and a minimum of £14 ph and proper overtime rates … but all big businesses would whine and cry if that was the case …Bigtruck3:
It’s a skill to you only not anybody else and your a professional to yourself nobody else now experience will be seen as something simple as opening doors
Plus the guy packing shelves in Tesco probably needed to show something about school nothing needed like that to drive a truckImagine you both owned a plant hire company, were looking for a driver, and 2 turned up for interview. One had just passed his test after flipping burgers at McDonalds for 5 years, and the other had 20 years blemish free driving and was well experienced in plant delivery. Would you both seriously argue that they’re both as skilled as each other? Or would you say one was a lot more skilled than the other? Which one would you employ?
That’s experience that got you the job not a skill or been professional
Bigtruck3:
ezydriver:
discoman:
To be fair, if your pal spent a few k , he would be able to drive a truck … end of the day, a truck is not hard to drive … once a few clicks are under your belt it gets easier, like all jobs… look, we all know, if trucks stop the world stops period … but governments will never give a licence a professional skilled job … it’s not hard to train to drive a truck … but it is to drive a train with all the other training required etc … if your offended by being advised it is an unskilled job so be it … take Robroy, he embraces his job and is good at it … ( not knocking drivers) you lot work excessive hours and it’s not on … if I was in government I would make it harder, I would make sure all drivers had a maximum 12 hour day and 13 hours rest no reduction and a minimum of £14 ph and proper overtime rates … but all big businesses would whine and cry if that was the case …Bigtruck3:
It’s a skill to you only not anybody else and your a professional to yourself nobody else now experience will be seen as something simple as opening doors
Plus the guy packing shelves in Tesco probably needed to show something about school nothing needed like that to drive a truckImagine you both owned a plant hire company, were looking for a driver, and 2 turned up for interview. One had just passed his test after flipping burgers at McDonalds for 5 years, and the other had 20 years blemish free driving and was well experienced in plant delivery. Would you both seriously argue that they’re both as skilled as each other? Or would you say one was a lot more skilled than the other? Which one would you employ?
That’s experience that got you the job not a skill or been professional
Why would experience make me the more employable candidate?
Juddian:
robthedog:
ezydriver:
discoman:
Bigtruck3:
Burger boy he’d be cheaper
Yep, seen lots of that over the years, saved £hundreds on wages, cost £thousands in damage.
I know a bloke who used to load/shunt tankers at weekends, charged them a decent rate cos he did a decent job.
Along comes pietro who will do it for near enough half the cost, so they asked matey if he could price match, er No.
First weekend for pietro £45,000 in tanker damage.
Can you come back?, Nope, found something else ta let pietro do it.
, ■■■■■■ myself when he told me.
And what sort of fool thinks opening doors is all that’s involved in driver skills, Jesus wept
Seen that myself last year , Savannah recruitment were advertising everywhere in London looking for drivers at the end of the year been at a loose end i decided to give them a call ,
i am a 47yr old have 25 years expericence , full clean licence, i never had points or convictions in my life , 20 years checkable history with the same firm etc etc , arrived at their office as requested with all the paperwork nicely presented , done the theory test and while there a eastern european guy was doing the same, he was 9 months in the country , had gone through 7 different jobs was struggling filling out the paperwork and all the questions on driver hours etc , the recruitment guy was basically telling him which boxes to tick.
I never got one call or offer of work from them , often wondered did the other guy ,
Called up one day and asked why spend so much money on advertising looking for drivers , when i was available and hadnt recieved one offer from them , the reply was you said you didnt want multi drop !!!
At present driving a mwb van 8 hours a night at £15 a hour no breaks deducted, holidays paid etc
ezydriver:
Bigtruck3:
ezydriver:
discoman:
To be fair, if your pal spent a few k , he would be able to drive a truck … end of the day, a truck is not hard to drive … once a few clicks are under your belt it gets easier, like all jobs… look, we all know, if trucks stop the world stops period … but governments will never give a licence a professional skilled job … it’s not hard to train to drive a truck … but it is to drive a train with all the other training required etc … if your offended by being advised it is an unskilled job so be it … take Robroy, he embraces his job and is good at it … ( not knocking drivers) you lot work excessive hours and it’s not on … if I was in government I would make it harder, I would make sure all drivers had a maximum 12 hour day and 13 hours rest no reduction and a minimum of £14 ph and proper overtime rates … but all big businesses would whine and cry if that was the case …Bigtruck3:
It’s a skill to you only not anybody else and your a professional to yourself nobody else now experience will be seen as something simple as opening doors
Plus the guy packing shelves in Tesco probably needed to show something about school nothing needed like that to drive a truckImagine you both owned a plant hire company, were looking for a driver, and 2 turned up for interview. One had just passed his test after flipping burgers at McDonalds for 5 years, and the other had 20 years blemish free driving and was well experienced in plant delivery. Would you both seriously argue that they’re both as skilled as each other? Or would you say one was a lot more skilled than the other? Which one would you employ?
That’s experience that got you the job not a skill or been professional
Why would experience make me the more employable candidate?
Isn’t that what’ it’s all about
ezydriver:
Plus, you don’t spend a week learning to drive a truck. You spend a week learning how to pass a test driving a truck. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that after a couple of decades behind me, I’m still learning.
That’s good, best attitude to have. I never stopped learning either because I always take a keen interest in anything I do and like to do anything I do correctly and properly and I always had a responsible attitude.
I did a spell on low loaders carrying tracked cranes etc. Enjoyed at the time but it ain’t rocket science and can’t be classed as skilled the same as driving a lorry. As long as a driver enjoys his work, takes pride in his work, has a decent attitude and gets paid enough then be happy with your lot. 
If not go and study for 5 or more years and probably end up with a job you hate. 
Bigtruck3:
ezydriver:
Bigtruck3:
That’s experience that got you the job not a skill or been professionalWhy would experience make me the more employable candidate?
Isn’t that what’ it’s all about
Why is it?
ezydriver:
Bigtruck3:
ezydriver:
Bigtruck3:
That’s experience that got you the job not a skill or been professionalWhy would experience make me the more employable candidate?
Isn’t that what’ it’s all about
Why is it?
When was the last time you seen a drivers job advert with the wording professional skills required or must be a professional driver
Employers who require good skilled competent lorry drivers are normally sensible enough to pay them accordingly.
That is why you never see adverts for drivers worded in such a way, such companies are not revolving doors of dozens leaving and starting every month.
Those advertising constantly are not expecting the better drivers to be looking, they’re normally buying cheap and often.
Juddian:
Employers who require good skilled competent lorry drivers are normally sensible enough to pay them accordingly.
That is why you never see adverts for drivers worded in such a way, such companies are not revolving doors of dozens leaving and starting every month.
Those advertising constantly are not expecting the better drivers to be looking, they’re normally buying cheap and often.
Thats so true
Juddian:
Employers who require good skilled competent lorry drivers are normally sensible enough to pay them accordingly.
That is why you never see adverts for drivers worded in such a way, such companies are not revolving doors of dozens leaving and starting every month.
Those advertising constantly are not expecting the better drivers to be looking, they’re normally buying cheap and often.
But the point being even if they did they would not word it like I said it would be experienced everything
Juddian:
Employers who require good skilled competent lorry drivers are normally sensible enough to pay them accordingly.
That is why you never see adverts for drivers worded in such a way, such companies are not revolving doors of dozens leaving and starting every month.
Those advertising constantly are not expecting the better drivers to be looking, they’re normally buying cheap and often.
…alternatively, the best-paid work - is the work that most drivers don’t happen to want, be it full time or agency.
Supermarket work Monday-Friday day shift - seems to have dried up right now for example…
I’m going in on my continuing regular “awkward” shifts (late late starts) - to see the car park half empty, and only full timers coming in for the “early doors” starts the following morning…
Looking around for fellow agency drivers - and there’s precious few Brits among those happy few agency that ARE booked in.
Bliss for someone like me who just wants to come in, get on with the job, go home - and get paid.
“Making oneself available for awkward start times” - is easily the biggest tip I’d offer to would-be agency drivers wanting to know how to get that elusive “ongoing work” in the quiet January February season in particular…
I’m flat out this week for example, and now will have to cut off @ 3 shifts come next week - just to keep below the 96 hour fortnight thingy! 
Bigtruck3:
ezydriver:
Bigtruck3:
ezydriver:
Bigtruck3:
That’s experience that got you the job not a skill or been professionalWhy would experience make me the more employable candidate?
Isn’t that what’ it’s all about
Why is it?
When was the last time you seen a drivers job advert with the wording professional skills required or must be a professional driver
Please see attached, for use of the words “professional, driver, experience, and preferred” in the same advert [emoji38]
I hope it does create a shortage.
But there be no fear necessary lads as the old ‘train the pedos’ scheme, funded by us all should help if the old, cough “PROFESSIONAL DRIVER” cough shortage does happen…
Anyone know how you go about getting this illusive “professional” status then?
As you can’t get a start in the first place due to the aforementioned perquisites required [emoji849][emoji38]
Some serious ■■■■ clowns with contradictory issues running the haulage industry there really are [emoji17]
Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk
I think that there possibly could be a shortage of drivers…on another well known site there have been lots of ads for drivers recently, maybe its starting now…and i havnt seen any before for drivers working for Irish companies…Boris has recently announced that anyone living in the uk, who are not citizens will have to pay for healthcare, prescriptions etc, and i don’t think it stops there , its after all what peeves us, and what we wanted from brexit…so i think many will be moving back to eastern europe, or as one Pole told me, we have saved enough to buy a house, so no rent to pay, a few quid in the bank…and we can go home and work half the hours we used to. So with new regulations upon them the uk will become more expensive, and with the Freedom of movement being stopped, and having to apply for a visa, will also deter others.
ezydriver:
discoman:
To be fair, if your pal spent a few k , he would be able to drive a truck … end of the day, a truck is not hard to drive … once a few clicks are under your belt it gets easier, like all jobs… look, we all know, if trucks stop the world stops period … but governments will never give a licence a professional skilled job … it’s not hard to train to drive a truck … but it is to drive a train with all the other training required etc … if your offended by being advised it is an unskilled job so be it … take Robroy, he embraces his job and is good at it … ( not knocking drivers) you lot work excessive hours and it’s not on … if I was in government I would make it harder, I would make sure all drivers had a maximum 12 hour day and 13 hours rest no reduction and a minimum of £14 ph and proper overtime rates … but all big businesses would whine and cry if that was the case …Bigtruck3:
It’s a skill to you only not anybody else and your a professional to yourself nobody else now experience will be seen as something simple as opening doors
Plus the guy packing shelves in Tesco probably needed to show something about school nothing needed like that to drive a truckImagine you both owned a plant hire company, were looking for a driver, and 2 turned up for interview. One had just passed his test after flipping burgers at McDonalds for 5 years, and the other had 20 years blemish free driving and was well experienced in plant delivery. Would you both seriously argue that they’re both as skilled as each other? Or would you say one was a lot more skilled than the other? Which one would you employ?
Some times, a chap with 20 years experience behind him is not always the right choice … some employers might want to take on a new start, after a.l you both have a legal licence … personally if I was an employer I would want to take on the new start and train him my way … make him buddy up with a person show him the ropes … of you and burger boy both worked for an agency… you would both be thrown a set of keys and told to get on with it … Driving is not a skilled job…anyone can drive a truck just some better than others (pride in the job etc) … not knocking drivers at all as you guys keep the world moving but there will never be a shortage … and wages will always be low because of companies like stobarts , winaction DHL etc …
discoman:
if I was an employer I would want to take on the new start and train him my way
The operative word there is ‘train’. Which implies he knows very little, and needs to acquire the specific skills needed to do the job legally, and to your satisfaction. I know lorry driving isn’t highly skilled, but neither is it unskilled. It’s a semi-skilled job, and not anybody could take to it.
ezydriver:
discoman:
if I was an employer I would want to take on the new start and train him my wayThe operative word there is ‘train’. Which implies he knows very little, and needs to acquire the specific skills needed to do the job legally, and to your satisfaction. I know lorry driving isn’t highly skilled, but neither is it unskilled. It’s a semi-skilled job, and not anybody could take to it.
I do not know why you have a bee in your bonnet, with all the legal nonsense about skills to do the job. once you were new and didnt have the skills. its not illegal to do a job if your not skilled, if the newbie has all relevant tickets then all good … I personally do not think experience is always a good thing.
As said, if the new driver was young has all legal permits and licence’s I would not discount him … sometimes old drivers whom think they know it all, are worse.
discoman:
I do not know why you have a bee in your bonnet,
I’m peeved when people claim lorry driving is unskilled, because it’s not. Cleaning toilets, flipping burgers, and stacking shelves are.
We all should raise our self esteem a little and value ourselves a little more for being several echelons higher than minimum wage workers.
I wrote an article for Transport Operator in 2017 called ‘To Brexit and Beyond’ on this very subject. I’ve just re-read it and it makes sense. I’m referred to as an ‘expert’ which is nice. I’ve been called worse.
transportoperator.co.uk/2017/09/ … nd-beyond/
I guess the main point is that existing EU drivers with say 5 years residency in the UK will be allowed to carry on as normal and sign on to agencies if they want. Post-Brexit EU drivers probably won’t be allowed to sign on to agencies. They’ll need a contract of some sort. However, a post-Brexit EU driver who does commit long term to the UK will probably be allowed to claim (some?) benefits, free NHS, schools and their spouse will be able to work under some capacity. Not a bad package when you consider the small amount of tax they pay.
On the subject of drivers as skilled professionals. Its every driver for themselves on that topic. By and large ‘professionals’ like Clinical Consultants, Surgeons, GP’s, Barristers, Solicitors, Architects, Bankers, Nurses etc all elect, and personally pay, a governing body made up of colleagues from their own profession who maintain the professions standards, ethics and ultimately status on behalf of all the other members.
For nurses it’s the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council). For GP’s it’s the Royal Collage of General Practitioners. They aren’t unions. They maintain standards and status. The BMA (British Medical Association) is a union. Their members for example Junior Doctors often go out on strike. Professionals also form partnerships. GP Surgeries are more often than not partnerships as are Solicitors practices.
Drivers on the other hand are not this organised. They have no agreed professional code of practice or body that maintains their standards. They aren’t unionised and don’t go on strike very often or form things like partnerships or accept commissions etc. For whatever reason drivers tend to be most comfortable being singularly responsible for their own actions but this renders them unable to defend themselves against anything that’s thrown at them except to lump it, or pull out and find somewhere else to work. A driver’s nemesis is not poor pay, lack of facilities or low status but unfortunately the driver them self lol.
Lorry driving is a profession, however the profession is not considered professional (unless we are in front of the beak of course).
My personal take on it is that being a professional lorry driver is a state of mind thing, an ethos if you like marked by the manner in which we do our job, the way we conduct ourselves and the way we interact with non lorry drivers. Only we can make that difference tbh and whilst I agree that we daily see very unprofessional lorry drivers plying their trade I’d also say that you don’t notice the professional ones as they quietly and with minimum disruption get on with their jobs day in day out without drawing attention to themselves.
