I’m currently doing my first driving job on class one working for a company rather than an agency. Looking at jobs about its clear that the agency rates are nearly always much higher than rates that you see a company employing their own drivers offering.
So I’m intrigued, what are the pros and cons of going on agency? In the long run do you end up with more money or do you end up out of work for some days, therefore brining your average pay down? Do agency’s guarantee hours and pay holiday etc?
Agencies are full of something and it aint necessarily work… 
If your current job is bearable, hold onto it until another permanent role comes your way.
Agency work is great if you require more leisure time, as the work can be sporadic, with contracts ended by the client with little or no notice. At the moment it suits me, but isn’t a long term fix for anyone. 
Cons
No job security
No certain reliability of work
Changing trucks all the time
Getting all crap the permanent drivers don’t like
Getting moaned about for a spec of dust left
Unpaid breaks
Zero hour contract
Being told there’s only work at a yard miles away
Pros
Potential to earn more
Possibility of getting taken on full time
Experience of lots of trucks
When I was on agency is judge them how they react when they are in the ■■■■. I’ve had some try and sweet talk me into a job and then just let it go. They are the good ones. I’ve had some swear threaten and try and force me to do jobs. I had one agency when I said I was tired and wanted a day off tell me that since they cared so much about I would be forced to take 3 days off as they couldn’t have me driving tired.
Pros
You can tell people where to go if they upset you.
To take holidays.
You can tell people in rdc that your only doing it:
One day a week.
Sas is quiet this month.
You are ceo of a worldwide company.
Etc
Etc
Etc
Cons
If you upset people then no work.
Paperwork at different firms and they expect you to know it from day one.
Very little to no back up.
You can decide to work or not but the work can be unreliable as yep busy now but come Jan then very little work so no pay
Most of what has been said although now most agency want you to go umbrella company which means you pay a company to do your tax NI etc yep they can pay you a £1 or so more or they want you to be Self Employed
If you don’t like a company you don’t have to go back
Rowley010:
In the long run do you end up with more money or do you end up out of work for some days, therefore brining your average pay down? Do agency’s guarantee hours and pay holiday etc?
Usually you end up with work around 9 months of the year. September and Jan to March are usually quiet periods although those who are willing to be the most flexible or have been with an agency for some time will get work through that. You’re not guaranteed hours but you do get holiday pay if you’re on PAYE.
The usual way to do things is to graft your arse off from Easter to Xmas, bank a load of money then sit at home in the nice warmth from Xmas to end of Feb maybe doing the odd couple of shifts a week.
If you like change or want to get a wide range of experience in a short time and have good personal finances and financial displine then its worth considering. If you need to have a regular wage and/or like certainty its not for you.
Con is the umbrella company
Pro is the agency office person who sweet talks you in to taking on a ■■■■■ placement
Pretty much what the other guys have said; well, most of 'em!
With this added piece of advice, based on personal experience as both an agency driver and also as a recruitment consultant in previous lives.
It is not considered to be a good idea to jack in a permanent job to go onto agency.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Agencies are full of something and it aint necessarily work…
+1
My pros and cons are with the career agency man in mind, NOT the young starter or suddenly unemployed looking for a bridge, as agencies should be used.
Pros.
1/You get to watch Jeremy Kyle for 3 months a year
2/ in those 3 months you can come on trucknet and boast invoiced figures from your busy months as if they’re comparable with gross employees figures rather than what they really are- business top line figures with no benefits in kind and all the leveraged risk pushed onto the contractor not taking into account annual overall financial draw down or deductions.
3/ you can get involved in slagging matches about working for less than you’re worth whilst cheekily actually selling everyone who’s a fulltime employee down the river by your own behaviour.
Cons.
1/ You’re sittin on your arse watching Jeremy Kyle for 3 months waiting for phone to ring then posting on trucknet pretending you chose this as a way of life
2/ You’re screwing your own industry whilst engaging in your giraffe economics.
As you can see, 3 pros and 2 cons, go for it.
My experience of agency work tonight. Started at 1900 but no-one else did so sat in car for 2hrs 45min until agency said give up and go home. Will get paid £165 which works out at £60 per hour for doing nothing 