multidrop

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Im about 4 months into my first driving job doing multidrop usually in a 7.5t or an 18t lorry and at the start I thought once I got used to it I would be alright but im still finding it very tough going and its seems to be getting harder now that we are getting into the busy season.
its not the long hours or the manual labour that bothers me, its the workload and the pressure that im under all day to get everything done that I find very stressful added to that the constant worry of causing an accident or running over someone as Im in busy town centres a lot with lots of traffic and pedestrians walking out from every direction with no Idea of the potential danger they are in.

now I understand that the crowd im working for are trying to make money at the end of the day but it feels like they are taking the ■■■■ sometimes like when they keep piling on the collections and im not even halfway through the deliveries and they tell me that these collections have to be made and some of the places might close at 4 or 5pm and if im lucky some are 5.30 or 6pm so theres a big panic on to get everything done and get to the collections in time and it only makes it ten times worse when I get held up somewhere or I hit traffic. I plan on moving on to something else when I get a bit more experience but im just wondering is this the norm with this type of work and if so is there anything I can do to make it a bit easier on myself?

2

I know it’s easier said than done - but don’t worry about it or get stressed.

You can only do what you can do, pressure from the office doesn’t make the truck go quicker or remove traffic.

As long as you know you are trying your best don’t let it get to you, just keep doing what you can do legally and safely.

No one ever died cos a pallet didn’t get collected. Plenty have through through rushing and being pressured.

The office will then either plan work to match limits or keep failing customers. Not your problem, it’s theirs.

When I first started years ago I was the same as you but learnt to just think “■■■■ it”. It’ll either get done or it won’t.

3

I feel for you concerning pedestrians, when I used to do multi drop delivering fruit machines the worst time was summer round the seaside arcades eyes in your arse :unamused: Anyway chill your still new to the multi drop game if they all don’t come off theres always tomorrow, I think you’ll be fine just relax :smiley:

4

I do a lot of multidrop work in and around London,not every day though.
It does get easier,and as you now realise,you can only do so much.
If you get the time/have the option, sort your pallets before loading to make it easier on site.
10 mins spent with a map/nav will shave off time out there.

5

And fitting in Wtd and Rtd and tacho breaks.Most tip on breaks to get the job done.But do not get caught doing and there is a paper trail they can work out the times.

6

knowing the area is the key to an easy multidrop job. try and get into work and look at your delivery notes before your lory gets loaded. a tip i was told but havent used is to put post it notes of phone numbers/ names on the delivery sheets a few drops before so say, drop 10’s stick details onto drop 7 so you can call get directions etc well before you need them.

7

Kjw21’s post is bang on really. If you try rushing and tearing 2 things will happen. 1) you’ll damage something, your truck a car, someone’s brick wall what ever it will be you’ll damage something. 2) if you do the 20 drops the office gave you then guaranteed tommo they’ll give you 25 because they’ll think you can do them. You can only go as fast as the vehicle infront off you. Just do what your doing your local knowledge off the areas will come it takes time and that’s when you’ll notice a change in the time things take. When I started at 18 I barely knew how to get from home to the yard I spent all day with my head in a map book and would put my foot down to make up for it. That resulted in going through ■■■■ knows how many Wing mirrors and I was lucky it wasn’t worse. I soon learnt I got more off a bollocking for breaking something then I did for not getting enough work done. Now I’m like a taxi driver, not many roads I don’t know alot off repeat delivery addresses and you’ll learn where to cut through when you know traffic will be heavy and you’ll find a few shortcuts. That will be when you’ll save time but it will take more than a few months to get there. Just chug along how your doing, don’t risk it by damaging anything in a rush and try not to get wound up and in time it will come. If the office are adamant you go quicker just say fine ill go quicker but just out off interest who will pay for any damage? They’ll soon leave you to it.

8

Tell them to go ■■■■ themselves if its to much,its important to work hard and do the best you can but you cant be expected to pull miracles out of your ■■■■■■■■.

9

All you have to say is:

“I haven’t made ■■■ deliveries/collections today as I ran out of time. I tried my best.”

Don’t ever rush because you will slip up somewhere. Just learn to relax, if you aren’t going to make a delivery/collection slot no amount of worrying or stressing is going to make you quicker.

10

I used to do multi drop pallets. Like you, sometimes I would get days where the collections would keep coming in.
But my traffic office were great. If I believed I wouldn’t make a collection, they would try and work around it.
Providing you kept them updated, they were fine with it.

11

Multi-drop jobs are generally always a nightmare when to first start off, but once you get to know the regular drops and get to know areas it gets much easier. Of course, if your agency you tend to get thrown out blind into areas & to drops you don’t know, which I think is where multi-drop gets it’s bad name. If you have set areas you cover/regular runs it is a piece of ■■■■, so long as you aren’t being managed by morons.

12

Take my scenario for an example. This is what happened to me today…

Started 0300 in Lincolnshire - trailer not loaded.

POA for an hour, I get asked by another driver if I would swap runs as he only has 2 ‘cards’ left and I have 3, I also have 2 x 15’s left and all 10 hr drives. I agree and we swap.

Finally after filling up fridge diesel tank, unit tank, add blue and cleaning the screen. All because the ■■■■ before couldn’t be arsed, I do my checks and were away at 0445hrs, almost 3hrs after the runs original planned departure time.

Fog is a nightmare and I arrive at RAF Brize Norton at 0810, 2hrs and 20mins late, we had some issues unloading due to the way it was loaded and security took longer than expected to clear so I finally leave at 0935, I needed a break as I was on 3.5hrs drive and I only managed 28 mins without moving at Brize, so I pull up and eat for 30 mins on 4hrs 15 driving.

Then it’s off to a little company in a little tight village near Devizes, it takes nearly 1.5hrs to do the 50 miles due to the type of roads and traffic in towns. I arrive at 1145hrs but I had to re stack a pallet as it had been smashed when loaded so didn’t leave till 1230hrs.

Next I have to go to Wincanton its only about 50 miles but again small roads and tight towns and villages make it 1350 before I arrive, tipped and on my way in 15.

Then I have to go BACK towards Trowbridge where I have just come from, it takes me another 1hr 15min to get there, I arrive at 1510 and Im on the road again at 1600.

Now they want me to go to Morrisons at Willow Green, not a chance its 2hrs away and I still need another 30 mins as I only got 32 in at Trowbridge, I tell em I’ll get to Gordano services they can sort the delivery out as it’s ‘got to be there today’ so trailer dropped and I’ll pick it back up in the morning when the fairy has done the delivery for me.

■■■■ em!

13

You can only do a days work in a day, the traffic office will try and take the ■■■■ with C&D multidrop work. Stick to your guns and say no, or do as they say and conveniently run out of hours before you get back. They’ll go into a blind panic if they don’t get their night trunks away on time (especially if they’re a franchised depot), you’ll also find you’re loaded easier the following day.

Most of all don’t worry about it, relax and take it in your stride. As mentioned by others, it’s their problem not yours.

14

Trailer has just been collected driver asked where to put it when he comes back, “wherever you like mate just don’t wake up” haha

15

Been there done that , wouldn’t ever do it again . Sent out on routes I didn’t know, nightmare. If you stick at it and get your own route it should get easier , as you’ll get to know when places are open of closed for lunch etc. but things go wrong sometimes and you left with pallets on the back sns now need space for pick ups. Very stressful when your getting grief from the office. Very much a young mans game.

16

Ive done multidrop on a large 18tonner for 7 years,some days are busier than others with amount of drops and sometimes i cover a large area, i would rather have a long run out than have alot of drops in the city or a few local towns,but one thing ive learnt the very hard way and almost took the 7 bloody years to learn is,no one in yard/office worries/cares about you once you go out the gate so dont you worry/care about anyone in yard/office once you go out it.

THEY WILL CRAP ON YOU FROM THE HIGH HEAVANS TO HELP/PROTECT THEMSELVES AND GET A BROWNIE POINT OFF THE BOSS.

You will pick up tips of handiness to make your job/day handy, opening/closing/lunchtimes,what forkies are better than others,town/city rush hours,always try to get a decent break and food through the day,STOP-REVIVE-SURVIVE,not always easy or plain sailing but stress and annoyance leads to bad tempers and accidents,you arrival time back to base is also important as you dont want to be going back to do others work or more runs etc,plan it to suit yourself,if your expected to do 3 runs in 10 hours,make it take 10 hours not do a 4th and take you 11.5 as you will get laughed at and maybe not get paid for the extra 1.5 hrs,you will get exactly the same pay and thanks as the fools who rush back to do warehouse work or wash the bosses car.

17

You’ll find it hard at first, but as most have said, it will get easier the more you get to know your area. You’ll discover shortcuts from one drop to the next.

But the best piece of advice I can offer, is get to know your regular customers. Try and take a few minutes to chat to the forkies and get on their good side and try and get on first name terms with them. Once you’ve done this and go there regularly, I garuntee the forkie will usually take your pallets off right away, even if there are others in front of you in the queue. Sometimes upsets other drivers but hey ho. The time this can save you is invaluable when doing multi drop.

18

thanks for all the replies and advise but ive just been told im not getting near enough done everyday and im being let go.