Hi Guys,
I have registered with an agency last week in Glasgow. Having no friends or colleagues that drive, I was unsure about what to expect from agency work.
At the moment I am getting calls requesting if I am available for work at 7am from this agency, asking if I can work that day.
Is this the norm?
To be asked at such short notice to work?
Do I have to be ready to step out the door each morning at 7am regardless of whether I get a call to work or not?
With the location and type of work differing each day?
I know this may sound quite naive to a lot of you, but its because I am.
Thanks for the help in advance.
Yes that is normal, the agency itself can get contacted by a customer saying they need a driver asap and the agency will then contact all available drivers…
just be glad your not on nights like me as i have had a few txts asking if i could go and do a shift right now and this could be after 6pm and i have been up since 7am !! 
a quick…" eh no thanks " follows 
Plus you can expect the opposite, getting contacted a few hours before a shift to be told its been cancelled !!
or even changed to a different place/start time !! 
as above, due to the nature of agency’s business you can get last minute calls of both job offers and job cancellations. However the good bit is that you are free to say “no, sorry, can’t do it at that time”
I have worked with Agencies for 10 years. It took me a few years to realise that you are probably better working for the lead Vendor Agency.
Although an Agency that provides only Hgv Drivers is just as likely to offer you some steady work.
The reason I state the above is because some Agencies don’t have enough Hgv work and as such don’t have the pool of drivers to refer to when one of their clients come on the phone looking for a Driver, consequently the people they do have telephone numbers for will get the early morning call.
Heres a list of Agency and who they supply to up in Scotland (As far as I am Aware) Errors and omissions Excepted:-
Tesco Livingston…TRG
Co-Op Newhouse…Adr Network
Morrisons Bellshill…Adr Network
Sainsburies East Kilbrde…Transline Resources
Iceland / Booker Livingston… Adr Network… Blue Arrow
Gist Bellshill / ■■■■■■■■■■■■ Pertemps… Adr Network
Aldi Deans… Adr Network.
Anybody with any other Contacts please add to list.
Hope this helps.
Sanny K
I’m keeping an eye on this thread as I am going to register with some agencies tonight! I passed my class 2 2 week ago. I have a steady enough job during the week in the transport office, so 'm only looking for weekend agency work. The thing I like about agency work is the variety! Obviously there is the chance of last minute call offs etc but thats just part of the package i suppose!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Other agencies…
Global Logistics… Yodel, B&Q, CO-OP, Warburtons, Yearsley, Turners and a few more
Forde ADS (Advanced Driver Solutions ) Sainsburies, DHL, Howdens Kitchens…
i have worked for both and not had any problems with them !!
To start with a Newbie should take work when and wherever they can get it, as they need to build up their reputation with an agency and it’s clients. Once established though (and if you’re any good) you should be able to get a bit more notice and have your work scheduled a bit. Quite a few places will book a driver week by week, and where I’ve been limping, I’m generally booked on a Tuesday for the following week. So take what you can at the start mate, as things will get better, even if your limp doesn’t! 
Best of luck! 
MORTOTRON:
Hi Guys,
I have registered with an agency last week in Glasgow. Having no friends or colleagues that drive, I was unsure about what to expect from agency work.
At the moment I am getting calls requesting if I am available for work at 7am from this agency, asking if I can work that day.
Is this the norm?
To be asked at such short notice to work?
Do I have to be ready to step out the door each morning at 7am regardless of whether I get a call to work or not?
With the location and type of work differing each day?
I know this may sound quite naive to a lot of you, but its because I am.
Thanks for the help in advance.
You can also make them aware you dont want phone calls early morning, late at night etc. Tell them you need to know before 6pm on a Monday at latest if you have a shift on a Tuesday ( for example ) or you are not available
The ball is in you’re court after all when doing agency work
sannyk:
I have worked with Agencies for 10 years. It took me a few years to realise that you are probably better working for the lead Vendor Agency.
Although an Agency that provides only Hgv Drivers is just as likely to offer you some steady work.
The reason I state the above is because some Agencies don’t have enough Hgv work and as such don’t have the pool of drivers to refer to when one of their clients come on the phone looking for a Driver, consequently the people they do have telephone numbers for will get the early morning call.
Heres a list of Agency and who they supply to up in Scotland (As far as I am Aware) Errors and omissions Excepted:-
Tesco Livingston…TRG
Co-Op Newhouse…Adr Network
Morrisons Bellshill…Adr Network
Sainsburies East Kilbrde…Transline Resources
Iceland / Booker Livingston… Adr Network… Blue Arrow
Gist Bellshill / ■■■■■■■■■■■■ Pertemps… Adr Network
Aldi Deans… Adr Network.
Anybody with any other Contacts please add to list.
Hope this helps.
Sanny K
JARK Bellshill …Avoid like the plague
Evil8Beezle:
To start with a Newbie should take work when and wherever they can get it, as they need to build up their reputation with an agency and it’s clients. Once established though (and if you’re any good) you should be able to get a bit more notice and have your work scheduled a bit. Quite a few places will book a driver week by week, and where I’ve been limping, I’m generally booked on a Tuesday for the following week. So take what you can at the start mate, as things will get better, even if your limp doesn’t!
Best of luck!
∆^ this ^∆
I started off taking all the jobs they threw my way. After I built up some goodwill this way, they started calling me first, instead of last. The good jobs roll in from then on.
Basically, there are so many numpties doing agency work that if you can be civil, friendly, punctual, professional, and not damage anything, you’ll be treated like Jesus’ second coming, lol.
Also, after a while I signed up with a second agency, which pays around a pound an hour more for the same jobs, so that keeps them on their toes.
Evil8Beezle:
To start with a Newbie should take work when and wherever they can get it, as they need to build up their reputation with an agency and it’s clients. Once established though (and if you’re any good) you should be able to get a bit more notice and have your work scheduled a bit. Quite a few places will book a driver week by week, and where I’ve been limping, I’m generally booked on a Tuesday for the following week. So take what you can at the start mate, as things will get better, even if your limp doesn’t!
Best of luck!
∆^ this ^∆
I started off taking all the jobs they threw my way. After I built up some goodwill this way, they started calling me first, instead of last. The good jobs roll in from then on.
Basically, there are so many numpties doing agency work that if you can be civil, friendly, punctual, professional, and not damage anything, you’ll be treated like Jesus’ second coming, lol.
Also, after a while I signed up with a second agency, which pays around a pound an hour more for the same jobs, so that keeps them on their toes.
Shandy123:
Also, after a while I signed up with a second agency, which pays around a pound an hour more for the same jobs, so that keeps them on their toes.
You need to be a little bit careful here, as I believe most/if not all agencies have a tie in where if they introduce you to a client, you can’t just jump to another agency supplying that same client who are possibly paying a bit more. This could potentially get you and the agency in trouble with the client, and the result will be that the phone no longer rings. Just a word of warning/caution…
Evil8Beezle:
Shandy123:
Also, after a while I signed up with a second agency, which pays around a pound an hour more for the same jobs, so that keeps them on their toes.
You need to be a little bit careful here, as I believe most/if not all agencies have a tie in where if they introduce you to a client, you can’t just jump to another agency supplying that same client who are possibly paying a bit more. This could potentially get you and the agency in trouble with the client, and the result will be that the phone no longer rings. Just a word of warning/caution…
cheers, but it won’t be an issue for me.
Shandy123:
cheers, but it won’t be an issue for me.
I’ve no doubt you have it sorted pal, it was more just general info for the masses…