The picture above pretty much somes it up although I can say I had alot more on top of what I needed out 1st on more then 1 occasion
Chas:
Saint Gobain own most of the companys whose products you’ll be delivering from Jewsons. When you leave the yard with 4x drops & half a load, you might pass your replacement at the independant BM & wonder why it’s fully loaded with exactly the same products.I know that I do, I’m puzzled as to why I’m not busier than the driver who works for our nearest independant competitor?
They seem to get the business 'cos they’re cheaper than Jewsons, yet they’re buying the products that they sell . . . effectively from Jewsons?
Puzzles me, it really does !
I’m not bothered about it too much though. I’m a good HIAB driver & confident that I could easily find a job in any local BM where a job was going. In fact, I take no BS from the labias I work with 'cos I’m fairly sure that they need me, much more than I need them.
That happens more often that you might think. The company we sub contract for (supposed to be the exclusive agent) also sell to the local Cash & Carry firm, at a price that means they can actually undercut the stuff we deliver.
The best bit, we deliver it to said Cash & Carry! 
I was expecting posts like ‘drivers schmivers’
I like it.
I work for a good depot, drive a decent truck with a decent hiab. Youll have all the training you need thrown at you, DCPC training all taken care of and very generous staff benefits!!! Before you are let loose in the truck, you will be required to attend a driver induction week which is down in Bradford IIRC. Youll learn how to drive, work a crane and load secure the Jewson way!!
There are a lot of people who knock driving for a builders merchant, but i will never max my hours, never sit for hours waiting to tip and never have anyone from the office phoning me to hurry me on.
Salary levels are there to be negociated. In our region, there are drivers on less than me, and drivers who are on more than me. It all boils down to what you think you are worth, and what you are able to work for.
Go for it, nothing ventured and all that!!!
Chas:
Saint Gobain own most of the companys whose products you’ll be delivering from Jewsons. When you leave the yard with 4x drops & half a load, you might pass your replacement at the independant BM & wonder why it’s fully loaded with exactly the same products.I know that I do, I’m puzzled as to why I’m not busier than the driver who works for our nearest independant competitor?
They seem to get the business 'cos they’re cheaper than Jewsons, yet they’re buying the products that they sell . . . effectively from Jewsons?
Puzzles me, it really does !
I’m not bothered about it too much though. I’m a good HIAB driver & confident that I could easily find a job in any local BM where a job was going. In fact, I take no BS from the labias I work with 'cos I’m fairly sure that they need me, much more than I need them.
Jewson pay a higher buying price than Johnny independant, but claim back a rebate on what they have sold at the end of the financial year.
Also Johnny independant doesn`t have restrictions on what price he can sell stuff for. I know guys in our office cant even come close to some of the timber prices for a punter quoted by an independant competitor, and thats from one of the companies that Saint Gobain/Jewson own.