Hi I am a newbie to the HGV world with passing my test in February this year.
I just would like to know if anybody has worked for XPO in Bedworth doing the tesco express work if so maybe you can answer a few questions for me?
1). How many hours would you work on average they stated 48hrs on the interview but said sometimes it can vary.
2). What parts of the UK do you deliver to?
3). Do they make you work your breaks as a driver on my interview said they do I said thats Illegal
4).Are they a good company to work for ?
I understand you have to make your own opinion on each job but I have had a few bad experiences and want to make sure im making the right decision.
Thank you in advance for the information.
Can’t speak for XPO and working through breaks but did a few shifts with Hermes who gave me 3 runs a shift and working through breaks was the norm. Wrong of course
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I don’t work on that contract, but I do a lot of work out of Bedworth so can maybe help a little. Can’t help with (1) but I’d be surprised if it was “only” 48 hours per week. As for (2) it’s all day work so it’ll be delivering to stores mainly in the midlands or as far up as Carlisle or down as far as London I’d imagine. (3) nobody can “make” you work through your breaks. Drivers sometimes choose to ,so bigger fool them. If you can’t legally do the job without cheating then simply tell them that it’s not possible and refuse. Do not fall into the cheating trap or they’ll simply pile more on. (4) they are a multi national run by people with little or no idea of transport but they are fully conversant in management speak and bollox, so keep your head down and avoid the office as much as possible and you’ll be left alone and get on fine.
Finally, it’s my understanding that the wages are somewhere north of £14 p/h which sounds good, but bear in mind it’s shop deliveries with all the aggro that entails. Personally I’d rather work for less and drop 26 pallets onto a bay whilst watching internet ■■■■.
I have some experience of this joke outfit. I’d avoid them. But as a new pass it might get you some experience. I don’t like Tesco either, but XPO were on another level for me.
They won’t want you to work through your breaks. In fact they would probably sack you for it. Nor should you be be bending any rules with them. Moaster is right about this. I currently bend the rules as it’s in my interest. Doesn’t affect my income or safety. I bang it on break whenever I can, and stop whenever I want. XPO won’t like that… But I’m fresher and safer now than when I did supermarket work. I stop whenever I fancy for however long I fancy. And i do the job how I want. It’s like breathing fresh air after supermarket work.
Can’t comment on hours. You will be contracted for 48 - if you do 4 shifts in a week it sounds right. Remember you have to average 48 for the WTD and this firm care about it. Never use POA. And you won’t be run ragged. Only use the minimum amount of break as well. If you wanna get the house in… Then use POA.
Also make sure you manually enter all the rubbish you do. They will want you to do it to the point of sacking you if you don’t. But it will cut down the potential for overtime. If you are sat waiting for a load manual enter it as other work.
Tesco isn’t the worst on express work. No pulling cages around over curbs. You put the cages on the taillift and then send it down for the storestaff to deal with. Some stores can be a pain - in terms of cars blocking deliveries. If you go for this job never deviate from the risk assessment and you won’t get in grief. Also take into consideration timing. Some stores you will be sent to will have strict curfews. I had to find a place to park an urban artic in the middle of Brighton for a couple of hours when I didn’t check. Fortunately the seafront there had a space. Otherwise I’d have been driving around in circles.
Good luck with it. Folk on here knock supermarket drivers. But I learned an awful lot. And dare I say - if you can do that job you can do nearly all others. Everything seems easy after doing store deliveries for supermarkets. Tight bays are not so tight anymore. Blindsiding doesn’t scare you. Nor does tight urban stuff. Just take your time mate.
the maoster:
I don’t work on that contract, but I do a lot of work out of Bedworth so can maybe help a little. Can’t help with (1) but I’d be surprised if it was “only” 48 hours per week. As for (2) it’s all day work so it’ll be delivering to stores mainly in the midlands or as far up as Carlisle or down as far as London I’d imagine. (3) nobody can “make” you work through your breaks. Drivers sometimes choose to ,so bigger fool them. If you can’t legally do the job without cheating then simply tell them that it’s not possible and refuse. Do not fall into the cheating trap or they’ll simply pile more on. (4) they are a multi national run by people with little or no idea of transport but they are fully conversant in management speak and bollox, so keep your head down and avoid the office as much as possible and you’ll be left alone and get on fine.
Finally, it’s my understanding that the wages are somewhere north of £14 p/h which sounds good, but bear in mind it’s shop deliveries with all the aggro that entails. Personally I’d rather work for less and drop 26 pallets onto a bay whilst watching internet ■■■■.
Think your stating the obvious considering Tescos are shops
Nothing wrong with shop deliveries I did them for 20 odd years in some obscure places at times but its its all down to the Drivers own opinion and how he/she deals with them.
Good money at north of £14 then I could put up with abit of hassle
Cheers guys for your reply’s I appreciate it im going to give it ago to see how it goes hopefully they understand Im a new pass and won’t try and take the pee as they are desperate for drivers.
Go 4 it !!
Get some experience under your belt.
You might like it. If you don’t, then you’ll have some experience to go looking for a better job with.
Golden rule when working for XPO is to cover your own arze. When it all goes pear shaped, you point to the rules/instructions you were given by the traffic office monkeys and say thats the way you were told to do it (unless you were told to do something illegal, in which case the answer is a simple no) If something looks dodgy, be it vehicle, trailer, load etc, take plenty of pics before kicking off.
And yes, I DO work for XPO.