peirre:
The old adage comes to mind.
Don’t leave a full time job to go on agency when you have a young family and a mortgage to pay, due to the uncertainty of the work
This is the dilemma I have been grappling with for the last 18 months since I started thinking about switching to driving work. The full time office job is draining me after 11 years of doing it, and if I don’t make the switch now I’m not sure I ever will.
I have been saving up the money I have earned driving so far so have enough for 9-12 months of bills even if the agency work dried up. I’m also fortunate in that my wife earns considerably more than me and is fully supportive of the switch.
With the 2 additional agencies as backup, I’m hoping I can make it work!
Bigtruck3:
There is always the stink if being agency that you’re not good enough to be employed full time by any reputable company, nothing personal it is what it is, it’s also about respect for yourself, it can be a bit off putting when out in company and someone asks you who you work for
It’s like your scabing a living and couldn’t ever get a real job, nothing wrong with having a job but you asked the question and people in that situation don’t have much choice
There are all sorts of people in this world and it takes all sorts to make it work
Full time job with a real company is the way to go hands down
If you want to work for a agency expect to stress yourself out every week worrying weather you get a living from week to week from some company that has two desks in a shared office
When the actual reality is the opposite, all the biggest wastes of space I’ve ever met have been full time drivers. Fact is on agency you have to be better as any mistakes and companies simply dump you. Agency drivers have a bad name because a certain type of full time driver blames them for everything, usually without much evidence, often to cover up their own incompetence
msgyorkie:
I too have been looking to step down to 3 days a week. The trouble is nobody wants a permanent driver for just 3 days, they are still wanting drivers to bang a 5 day followed by a 6 day. Its looking like I too may have to become a limper.
Tesco let FT drivers drop down to 2/3 days/week,
there are a right few drivers in my DC do exactly this.
In fact they are about to start eight new PT drivers on days/nights with perm set
shifts (x3/week) but it’s perm on weekends.
Bigtruck3:
There is always the stink if being agency that you’re not good enough to be employed full time by any reputable company, nothing personal it is what it is, it’s also about respect for yourself, it can be a bit off putting when out in company and someone asks you who you work for
It’s like your scabing a living and couldn’t ever get a real job, nothing wrong with having a job but you asked the question and people in that situation don’t have much choice
I love people like you. I’ve come across permanent drivers like you a lot in my nearly 30 years on agency. Usually when waiting an age for them to reverse into a marked out parking bay that takes me 20 seconds to back into, showing them how to drive a lorry they’ve just been given, how to secure a load, telling them how to get somewhere or what happens when you get there, adjusting the time on the tacho in their lorry a week after the clocks have changed… Permanent drivers, especially those that’ve been at a company a long time tend to be good at the work they normally do in the truck they’ve been driving for a while but as soon as they’re given something slightly different to do or their wagon is in for service/repair and they’re given a hire unit they’re shafted. Meanwhile agency guy who is constantly doing stuff they’ve not done before in trucks they’ve barely driven just gets on with the job and works it out for themselves.
msgyorkie:
I too have been looking to step down to 3 days a week. The trouble is nobody wants a permanent driver for just 3 days, they are still wanting drivers to bang a 5 day followed by a 6 day. Its looking like I too may have to become a limper.
Tesco let FT drivers drop down to 2/3 days/week,
there are a right few drivers in my DC do exactly this.
In fact they are about to start eight new PT drivers on days/nights with perm set
shifts (x3/week) but it’s perm on weekends.
Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
I think P/T contracts are the way forward…if companies want to hold onto/attract the older drivers amongst us.
50/60 year olds,simply don’t have the same requirements as a 20something.
msgyorkie:
I too have been looking to step down to 3 days a week. The trouble is nobody wants a permanent driver for just 3 days, they are still wanting drivers to bang a 5 day followed by a 6 day. Its looking like I too may have to become a limper.
Tesco let FT drivers drop down to 2/3 days/week,
there are a right few drivers in my DC do exactly this.
In fact they are about to start eight new PT drivers on days/nights with perm set
shifts (x3/week) but it’s perm on weekends.
Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
I think P/T contracts are the way forward…if companies want to hold onto/attract the older drivers amongst us.
50/60 year olds,simply don’t have the same requirements as a 20something.
I fully intend to retire@ 60yrs old Aug25 but may opt to work on a PT basis for awhile longer just depends on my two Sons and further education etc etc.
The wages and T&Cs@ Tesco are hard to walk away from!!!
Still 9 years away for me,but in the mean time I still don’t want to work 60 hours per week.
Generally,the only way to cut hours,whilst remaining in the industry is to go agency.
I don’t want this,either.
Conor:
I love people like you. I’ve come across permanent drivers like you a lot in my nearly 30 years on agency. Usually when waiting an age for them to reverse into a marked out parking bay that takes me 20 seconds to back into, showing them how to drive a lorry they’ve just been given, how to secure a load, telling them how to get somewhere or what happens when you get there, adjusting the time on the tacho in their lorry a week after the clocks have changed… Permanent drivers, especially those that’ve been at a company a long time tend to be good at the work they normally do in the truck they’ve been driving for a while but as soon as they’re given something slightly different to do or their wagon is in for service/repair and they’re given a hire unit they’re shafted. Meanwhile agency guy who is constantly doing stuff they’ve not done before in trucks they’ve barely driven just gets on with the job and works it out for themselves.
In terms of pros of being an agency boy, things like holidays, freedom, variety would be valid pros, however agency boys being better than full-time boys, not sure about that one. Fair enough, they may well be better, but how is that an advantage to the agency boy? The full-time employee who may take an age to get on a bay is still reaping the benefits of being an employee.
msgyorkie:
I too have been looking to step down to 3 days a week. The trouble is nobody wants a permanent driver for just 3 days, they are still wanting drivers to bang a 5 day followed by a 6 day. Its looking like I too may have to become a limper.
Tesco let FT drivers drop down to 2/3 days/week,
there are a right few drivers in my DC do exactly this.
In fact they are about to start eight new PT drivers on days/nights with perm set
shifts (x3/week) but it’s perm on weekends.
Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
Short weeks are moot on night work because making use of the time off would just wreck the body clock.
More holiday entitlement as in at least 8 or 12 weeks and able to be taken in one month blocs would be better.
Conor:
I love people like you. I’ve come across permanent drivers like you a lot in my nearly 30 years on agency. Usually when waiting an age for them to reverse into a marked out parking bay that takes me 20 seconds to back into, showing them how to drive a lorry they’ve just been given, how to secure a load, telling them how to get somewhere or what happens when you get there, adjusting the time on the tacho in their lorry a week after the clocks have changed… Permanent drivers, especially those that’ve been at a company a long time tend to be good at the work they normally do in the truck they’ve been driving for a while but as soon as they’re given something slightly different to do or their wagon is in for service/repair and they’re given a hire unit they’re shafted. Meanwhile agency guy who is constantly doing stuff they’ve not done before in trucks they’ve barely driven just gets on with the job and works it out for themselves.
In terms of pros of being an agency boy, things like holidays, freedom, variety would be valid pros, however agency boys being better than full-time boys, not sure about that one. Fair enough, they may well be better, but how is that an advantage to the agency boy? The full-time employee who may take an age to get on a bay is still reaping the benefits of being an employee.
Rarely I agree with Conor, but I do this. What I loved about agency is not being dictated to when I work, what shifts I do, days off and having to request holidays. I tell them when I’m working, what days I want off and when I’m on holiday. Also I much prefer the variety of agency work, like I say in my 25 year long driving career I learnt more in my 3 years in agency than I did the rest combined. And it’s coming in so handy now I’m doing Driver CPCs, being able to bring real world experience of such a huge part of this industry is worth its weight in gold. Plus we were on a better rate.And fact is you have to be better otherwise you soon run out of places that will take you
msgyorkie:
I too have been looking to step down to 3 days a week. The trouble is nobody wants a permanent driver for just 3 days, they are still wanting drivers to bang a 5 day followed by a 6 day. Its looking like I too may have to become a limper.
Tesco let FT drivers drop down to 2/3 days/week,
there are a right few drivers in my DC do exactly this.
In fact they are about to start eight new PT drivers on days/nights with perm set
shifts (x3/week) but it’s perm on weekends.
Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
I think P/T contracts are the way forward…if companies want to hold onto/attract the older drivers amongst us.
50/60 year olds,simply don’t have the same requirements as a 20something.
I fully intend to retire@ 60yrs old Aug25 but may opt to work on a PT basis for awhile longer just depends on my two Sons and further education etc etc.
The wages and T&Cs@ Tesco are hard to walk away from!!!
Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
What are your thoughts on the stability of agency work with Tesco? I’ve been doing it every other Sunday for 18 months and cannot fault them in any way.
I’d prefer a full time job with them but that’s looking unlikely at my DC for a while. Just hoping my agency contact is right when he tells me that there is plenty of work as long as I’m flexible on start times.
Goff118:
What are your thoughts on the stability of agency work with Tesco? I’ve been doing it every other Sunday for 18 months and cannot fault them in any way.
I’d prefer a full time job with them but that’s looking unlikely at my DC for a while. Just hoping my agency contact is right when he tells me that there is plenty of work as long as I’m flexible on start times.
Sent from my DUB-LX1 using Tapatalk
When i was at tesco snodland on agency i agreed a start time with the agency and that was that it was only over the Xmas period that i was asked to start earlier due to finish times and store closing times. However despite being promised the chance of a full time job if i wanted it after so many weeks i never once saw one advertised at that depot in nearly 12 months of being there.
If i were you i would go back to the agency and ask them to clarify exactly how much work there is at a given time as otherwise you could easily end up loosing a shift or two a week by swapping between days and nights or vise versa
msgyorkie:
I too have been looking to step down to 3 days a week. The trouble is nobody wants a permanent driver for just 3 days, they are still wanting drivers to bang a 5 day followed by a 6 day. Its looking like I too may have to become a limper.
Tesco let FT drivers drop down to 2/3 days/week,
there are a right few drivers in my DC do exactly this.
In fact they are about to start eight new PT drivers on days/nights with perm set
shifts (x3/week) but it’s perm on weekends.
Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
I think P/T contracts are the way forward…if companies want to hold onto/attract the older drivers amongst us.
50/60 year olds,simply don’t have the same requirements as a 20something.
I fully intend to retire@ 60yrs old Aug25 but may opt to work on a PT basis for awhile longer just depends on my two Sons and further education etc etc.
The wages and T&Cs@ Tesco are hard to walk away from!!!
Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
What are your thoughts on the stability of agency work with Tesco? I’ve been doing it every other Sunday for 18 months and cannot fault them in any way.
I’d prefer a full time job with them but that’s looking unlikely at my DC for a while. Just hoping my agency contact is right when he tells me that there is plenty of work as long as I’m flexible on start times.
Sent from my DUB-LX1 using Tapatalk
Always gonna be agency work available@ Tesco near guess as long as you say flexible on days/start times.
It suits some people and others it don’t
When have you ever heard someone saying I’d love to work for that agency, ie never
There are 2 many bad apples in the business and they are cutting each other up for business
It must be great to be in the position of picking your days to work and telling them your going on holiday, but if the truth be told its only someone with lots of experience and willing to walk knowing they can pick up a job anytime who have that privilege
It’s a living, its a job, it pays the bills, all good points but if its a choice between company or agency its company because the other is the bottom of the barrel
Look at the advantages you can take 20 minutes to put a trailer on a bay and you dont have to get use to new equipment all on company
Conor:
I love people like you. I’ve come across permanent drivers like you a lot in my nearly 30 years on agency. Usually when waiting an age for them to reverse into a marked out parking bay that takes me 20 seconds to back into, showing them how to drive a lorry they’ve just been given, how to secure a load, telling them how to get somewhere or what happens when you get there, adjusting the time on the tacho in their lorry a week after the clocks have changed… Permanent drivers, especially those that’ve been at a company a long time tend to be good at the work they normally do in the truck they’ve been driving for a while but as soon as they’re given something slightly different to do or their wagon is in for service/repair and they’re given a hire unit they’re shafted. Meanwhile agency guy who is constantly doing stuff they’ve not done before in trucks they’ve barely driven just gets on with the job and works it out for themselves.
As someone who has probably done 50/50 both agency and permanent in my career I am pretty neutral in my opinion on what or who is better. There isn’t a right answer and both have their good/bad points and drivers. But I do find it funny that someone who’s only skill is night trunking up and down the M6/A1 on agency is so aggressively attacking permanent drivers and branding them all under the same umbrella and is so verbal in his own “supposed skills”.
Conor:
I love people like you. I’ve come across permanent drivers like you a lot in my nearly 30 years on agency. Usually when waiting an age for them to reverse into a marked out parking bay that takes me 20 seconds to back into, showing them how to drive a lorry they’ve just been given, how to secure a load, telling them how to get somewhere or what happens when you get there, adjusting the time on the tacho in their lorry a week after the clocks have changed… Permanent drivers, especially those that’ve been at a company a long time tend to be good at the work they normally do in the truck they’ve been driving for a while but as soon as they’re given something slightly different to do or their wagon is in for service/repair and they’re given a hire unit they’re shafted. Meanwhile agency guy who is constantly doing stuff they’ve not done before in trucks they’ve barely driven just gets on with the job and works it out for themselves.
As someone who has probably done 50/50 both agency and permanent in my career I am pretty neutral in my opinion on what or who is better. There isn’t a right answer and both have their good/bad points and drivers. But I do find it funny that someone who’s only skill is night trunking up and down the M6/A1 on agency is so aggressively attacking permanent drivers and branding them all under the same umbrella and is so verbal in his own “supposed skills”.
To guage the situation and the availability of agency work take a look at the economic situation in the country. Black Friday spending is reportedly down around 1/3, non food retail is slowing down, and as soon as Christmas is over I anticipate that supermarkets will be quiet as people realise that they have to pay the bills they’ve accumulated over Christmas and cut back on their spending. Is it a good time to start working for agencies long term? I dunno
msgyorkie:
I too have been looking to step down to 3 days a week. The trouble is nobody wants a permanent driver for just 3 days, they are still wanting drivers to bang a 5 day followed by a 6 day. Its looking like I too may have to become a limper.
Tesco let FT drivers drop down to 2/3 days/week,
there are a right few drivers in my DC do exactly this.
In fact they are about to start eight new PT drivers on days/nights with perm set
shifts (x3/week) but it’s perm on weekends.
Sent from my SM-A125F using Tapatalk
Short weeks are moot on night work because making use of the time off would just wreck the body clock.
More holiday entitlement as in at least 8 or 12 weeks and able to be taken in one month blocs would be better.
Those new PT Tesco drivers will be entitled to SAME holidays as the FT drivers but on a “pro-rata” basis ref how many shifts they cover and when their actual start date is.
I also presume the exact same T&Cs which in my humble opinion are the best there is in the UK haulage industry!!!
Bigtruck3:
There is always the stink if being agency that you’re not good enough to be employed full time by any reputable company, nothing personal it is what it is, it’s also about respect for yourself, it can be a bit off putting when out in company and someone asks you who you work for
It’s like your scabing a living and couldn’t ever get a real job,
What a load of old tosh. When my kids were at school. I worked agency because I wanted to be able to book days off at short notice for parents’ evenings and sports stuff. Maybe I was lucky, but I mostly got the shifts and employers I liked.
Eventually, a client where I had regularly worked made me an offer I couldn’t refuse (no horses heads involved) and I switched to five-day/50-hour weeks. Less money but home in time for dinner most days.