Contraflow:
peirre:
It shouldn’t go quite, unless your petulance for being fussy about what you will do & not do changes you will be without work more than you like.Respect to the guy for not eagerly bending over and lubing himself up like most agency limpers do.
Is this the voice of experience or inexperience?
Conor:
Pallet network is rarely shop or home deliveries because its palletised. Whenever I’ve done it its been to industrial estates, farms, places with a fork lift truck.
It very frequently is home deliveries – often delivering stuff like bulk bags of sand and stones on a pallet, that would normally be ordered from a builder’s merchant and delivered on a HIAB truck and lifted off, but instead has to be got off a tail-lift with a hand-powered pallet truck.
midlifetrucker:
So if I was agency owner who would I ring with juicy jobs. The nope nope nope I don’t do that driver or the driver who is versatile. Go figure.
It depends if the job in question is something the picky driver is known to be willing to do, or has particular skills or experience for. I have things I won’t do, but my agencies know the things I will do and I’m rarely short of work except when there’s just none.
Contraflow:
Versatile. Flexible.Just fancy words to describe yes men agency underlings.
Don’t listen to them OP, stand your ground and wear that spine with pride.
…knowing all the Poles are driving trucks earning money you could’ve been as you sit at home watching Jeremy Kyle whilst your bank account drains away…
Conor:
Contraflow:
Versatile. Flexible.Just fancy words to describe yes men agency underlings.
Don’t listen to them OP, stand your ground and wear that spine with pride.
…knowing all the Poles are driving trucks earning money you could’ve been as you sit at home watching Jeremy Kyle whilst your bank account drains away…
Even the Poles and other East Europeans have wised up now. Do you not perhaps wonder why the crud multi drop pallet network and shop delivery roles are always crying out for drivers and are always described as ‘prestigious’, ‘blue chip’ or described as ‘a great opportunity’? Whilst I can’t speak for all drivers, I have a different perspective on what I’d describe as ‘prestigious’.
I stick to my guns with doing the type of work I do. It is where my skill set lies, the arena in which I am experienced in and comfortable with doing. If an agency has no suitable driving work for that week, then they have no suitable driving work and that’s not something I have any control over. The agencies are supposedly the ones chasing the work. 
I despair. Rough tough modern drivers.
I can’t see a problem in the OP myself, I’ve never gone for a full time job I didn’t want to do and if I ever signed on with an agency, I would be exactly the same. The whole purpose of working for an agency is to get offered work, not forced or coerced into working.
People taking whatever they’re offered because they’re scared the phone will stop ringing have only given the agencies power that they should not have.
If more people stood up for themselves and refused the crappy jobs then they would have to increase the money on those type of jobs to make them more appealing.
LIBERTY_GUY:
I stick to my guns with doing the type of work I do. It is where my skill set lies, the arena in which I am experienced in and comfortable with doing. If an agency has no suitable driving work for that week, then they have no suitable driving work and that’s not something I have any control over. The agencies are supposedly the ones chasing the work.
LIBERTY_GUY:
I do have another ‘trade’ I can do in the winter months if needed,
I suspect you might be needing to use your other trade more often than you think
midlifetrucker:
So if I was agency owner who would I ring with juicy jobs. The nope nope nope I don’t do that driver or the driver who is versatile. Go figure.
Don’t agree with that when I did agency driving I was very picky with what I did both job and pay wise and was never short of work. If they have a driver who will do anything for any pay they keep him for all the bad jobs because they know he will do it, I have turned up at firms and the job it not what I was told so turned round and walked off but still had work the next day.
newmercman:
I can’t see a problem in the OP myself, I’ve never gone for a full time job I didn’t want to do and if I ever signed on with an agency, I would be exactly the same. The whole purpose of working for an agency is to get offered work, not forced or coerced into working.People taking whatever they’re offered because they’re scared the phone will stop ringing have only given the agencies power that they should not have.
If more people stood up for themselves and refused the crappy jobs then they would have to increase the money on those type of jobs to make them more appealing.
Could not agree more mate.
I have told this story before, so apologies for boring those that have heard it. 
I used an agency for a couple of months about 6 years ago (with not the best reputation for ■■■■ ing drivers about) for a few weeks as a means to an end.
I was between jobs but had been on left hookers for years so needed to get acclimatised back to right hand drives, and at the same time earn a bit of spare cash.
This agency was used to the roll over types, and tended to exploit this situation.
They were actually astounded that I refused the odd job, and that I told them when I wanted to work, not the other way round. (ie… How an agency employment system is meant to be 
)
I did not go in like an arrogant arse either, but just explained my situation politely. Guess what …me and the guy in charge got on great, and he treated me with respect,…he realised he had no hold over me.
One particular customer even asked for me to be sent first choice, which may have led to a job offer on day work, but I was used to Euro tramping at the time, so did not pursue it.
Some of the crap the other guys took was amazing, bordering on embarrassing.
I felt sorry for one young lad, and tried to guide him, but he felt he had to bend over as he had just passed his test . As for some of the others, guys my age , I couldn’t believe the level of arse crawling towards the same guy who treated me fairly, and how they allowed him to ■■■■ them about.
It just proves, in this case anyway, that they only ■■■■ you about IF YOU LET THEM ! .
With a lot of drivers today this does not just apply to agencies but also proper ( 
) work .
on the other side of the coin though, in the past I have had lads who come in after x, y, z which is fine, you find them work then it goes a bit quiet. so I don’t call as I have had no work in other than a,b,c you then in a week or 2 get the driver on the phone asking why his mate is in at such and such? you say sorry its not what you wanted! oh well I would have done it this week!
so now I would rather get a no during sensible hours from the driver than assume he wont do it.
I don’t think anyone has to bend over for the man. In the old days you joined a firm. Got the cruddiest truck and the worse runs. Earned your stripes and progressed up the ladder. If you’d whinged you’d be toast.
Personally I think it worked well. Nowadays there’d be tears
We’ve seen what it’s like to have too little work, barely enough work, and busy around Christmas.
What happens though when there is so much work that clients are giving agencies the heave ho when they ask for 10 drivers, get only 3, and constantly end up with lapsed duties?
(The three drivers provided will be no speke english, catweazle, and paddy-got-sacked-by-nolans respectively)
Clients in quiet times will always go to the agency that provides the cheapest driver.
In BUSY times - they might try and go to the agency that merely has drivers to spare.
Where do they go when all agencies are fully booked out with all their drivers?
It’s too late to think about “raising the wages” by this point…
If I were an employer, I wouldn’t want to employ someone prepared to ditch work at somewhere else he was already booked into, just so they could come to me for an extra bit of dosh. 
It’s easier for older guys to be fussy and pick and choose when they’ve saved a nice nest egg up and don’t have to worry about money so much. Must be nice.
I’ve no problem with that, but don’t label the rest of us with young families to feed and clothe as agency whores or whatever for getting on with what’s asked of us. You’ve all been there; old age isn’t an excuse to be a hypocrit! 
Javiatrix:
It’s easier for older guys to be fussy and pick and choose when they’ve saved a nice nest egg up and don’t have to worry about money so much. Must be nice.I’ve no problem with that, but don’t label the rest of us with young families to feed and clothe as agency whores or whatever for getting on with what’s asked of us. You’ve all been there; old age isn’t an excuse to be a hypocrit!
Lorry drivers with nest eggs…
Comedy gold [emoji3] [emoji3]
Javiatrix:
It’s easier for older guys to be fussy and pick and choose when they’ve saved a nice nest egg up and don’t have to worry about money so much. Must be nice.I’ve no problem with that, but don’t label the rest of us with young families to feed and clothe as agency whores or whatever for getting on with what’s asked of us. You’ve all been there; old age isn’t an excuse to be a hypocrit!
Agencies in the past and I’m talking 25 years ago now were a totally different breed to the ones that are about now. They still used to lie about the work they had, but didn’t try to constantly shaft you with Mickey Mouse ‘Umbrella schemes’ (many of which are illegal), didn’t push you onto ‘travel and subsistence schemes’ that reduce your payments into a pension year through salary sacrifice and benefit the agency far more than the agency worker, nor did they misdescribe contracts to the extent they do nowadays, a bit like one that is currently advertised as general haulage, but is in fact multi drop shop delivery for One Stop Stores at Brownhills.
The clients too have changed in the way they utilise agency staff, thinking they can ring at 2am in the morning and expect someone there in 30 minutes (great if you want someone driving a truck that has only had two hours sleep), or repeatedly cancel contracts at short notice, thus losing the driver a full weeks work elsewhere. Worse still are the clients that have an agency driver on their books for months and in some cases years, but without the common decency to offer that driver a full time contract, thus reducing that drivers ability to get mortgages, credit cards etc and have some sort of security in their lives.
The agency I am currently with was extensively advertising tipper work and steel deliveries yesterday, which they don’t actually have, but they do have pallet network and shop delivery roles which are not advertised. What does that tell you about the integrity and honesty of modern agencies? I do often wonder if there is a correlation between overturned lorries, shed loads, damaged stock and drivers operating outside of their skill sets and knowledge areas?
LIBERTY_GUY:
Javiatrix:
It’s easier for older guys to be fussy and pick and choose when they’ve saved a nice nest egg up and don’t have to worry about money so much. Must be nice.I’ve no problem with that, but don’t label the rest of us with young families to feed and clothe as agency whores or whatever for getting on with what’s asked of us. You’ve all been there; old age isn’t an excuse to be a hypocrit!
Agencies in the past and I’m talking 25 years ago now were a totally different breed to the ones that are about now. They still used to lie about the work they had, but didn’t try to constantly shaft you with Mickey Mouse ‘Umbrella schemes’ (many of which are illegal), didn’t push you onto ‘travel and subsistence schemes’ that reduce your payments into a pension year through salary sacrifice and benefit the agency far more than the agency worker, nor did they misdescribe contracts to the extent they do nowadays, a bit like one that is currently advertised as general haulage, but is in fact multi drop shop delivery for One Stop Stores at Brownhills.
The clients too have changed in the way they utilise agency staff, thinking they can ring at 2am in the morning and expect someone there in 30 minutes (great if you want someone driving a truck that has only had two hours sleep), or repeatedly cancel contracts at short notice, thus losing the driver a full weeks work elsewhere. Worse still are the clients that have an agency driver on their books for months and in some cases years, but without the common decency to offer that driver a full time contract, thus reducing that drivers ability to get mortgages, credit cards etc and have some sort of security in their lives.
The agency I am currently with was extensively advertising tipper work and steel deliveries yesterday, which they don’t actually have, but they do have pallet network and shop delivery roles which are not advertised. What does that tell you about the integrity and honesty of modern agencies? I do often wonder if there is a correlation between overturned lorries, shed loads, damaged stock and drivers operating outside of their skill sets and knowledge areas?
One Stop Store’s Liberty Guy? and you have turned down that golden opportunity of breaking your back,legs and arms down?
LIBERTY_GUY:
Javiatrix:
It’s easier for older guys to be fussy and pick and choose when they’ve saved a nice nest egg up and don’t have to worry about money so much. Must be nice.I’ve no problem with that, but don’t label the rest of us with young families to feed and clothe as agency whores or whatever for getting on with what’s asked of us. You’ve all been there; old age isn’t an excuse to be a hypocrit!
Agencies in the past and I’m talking 25 years ago now were a totally different breed to the ones that are about now. They still used to lie about the work they had, but didn’t try to constantly shaft you with Mickey Mouse ‘Umbrella schemes’ (many of which are illegal), didn’t push you onto ‘travel and subsistence schemes’ that reduce your payments into a pension year through salary sacrifice and benefit the agency far more than the agency worker, nor did they misdescribe contracts to the extent they do nowadays, a bit like one that is currently advertised as general haulage, but is in fact multi drop shop delivery for One Stop Stores at Brownhills.
The clients too have changed in the way they utilise agency staff, thinking they can ring at 2am in the morning and expect someone there in 30 minutes (great if you want someone driving a truck that has only had two hours sleep), or repeatedly cancel contracts at short notice, thus losing the driver a full weeks work elsewhere. Worse still are the clients that have an agency driver on their books for months and in some cases years, but without the common decency to offer that driver a full time contract, thus reducing that drivers ability to get mortgages, credit cards etc and have some sort of security in their lives.
The agency I am currently with was extensively advertising tipper work and steel deliveries yesterday, which they don’t actually have, but they do have pallet network and shop delivery roles which are not advertised. What does that tell you about the integrity and honesty of modern agencies? I do often wonder if there is a correlation between overturned lorries, shed loads, damaged stock and drivers operating outside of their skill sets and knowledge areas?
this really gets me as I only advertise for jobs I do have, but know that a lot of drivers will look at my adverts and think agency yeah yeah. by the way I have managed to place a driver on here into a full time role as I advertised before anyone starts shouting ■■■■■■■■ etc. I have lost drivers for saying it as it is too, some of the older ones appreciate it but as you say too many will jump ship for 50p an hour more elsewhere then be back on the phone in a month asking for their job back.
Liberty Guy’s doing what a lot of us would like, he’s having his cake and eating it, and bugger all wrong with that.
The work he likes tend to be a bit just get on with it, where the clean logictics bullcrap type work is for companies with layer upon layer of management admin H&S wallahs and trainer/assessors and more paperwork and do’s and donts than you could shake a stick at…debriefs anyone…the work he does is what many of us would plump for if the full time jobs in such sectors paid the big money, trouble is those few jobs are disappearing fast.
Carry on as long as you can mate.
newmercman:
Javiatrix:
It’s easier for older guys to be fussy and pick and choose when they’ve saved a nice nest egg up and don’t have to worry about money so much. Must be nice.I’ve no problem with that, but don’t label the rest of us with young families to feed and clothe as agency whores or whatever for getting on with what’s asked of us. You’ve all been there; old age isn’t an excuse to be a hypocrit!
Lorry drivers with nest eggs…
Comedy gold [emoji3] [emoji3]
yeh certainly not me 
I take the lad’s point though about feeding his young family, I have been on my arse with that responsibility myself in the past, and done stuff to sort it, legal…and otherwise.
Speaking from my own experience of Agencies, all I can say to the young and inexperienced is. … don’t let those Agency ■■■■■■■■ make a ■■■■ of you try and be one step ahead and play them at their own game. unless of course you get a fair one.