Its next week, the trial is paid at a fairly decent rate and there is a chance of a full time job.
If it is as bad as it sounds, I get a weeks work at a reasonable rate of pay.
If it is slightly better than it sounds, I get a weeks work but they dont offer me the full time job.
If it is even better than that, Im not an agency driver anymore and can use the last of my redundancy to buy a Galaxy Tab.
If they wern’t paying me right, I would be telling them to get ■■■■■■.
Harry Monk:
I did a brief spell on agency and I found that the secret is to not wait for them to phone you, but for you to phone them, every single day, about mid-afternoon. Just a very brief courtesy call to ask them if they have anything for tomorrow, if they don’t then thank them cheerily and then rinse and repeat the next day, they soon get fed up with it and give you work.
Its usually the drivers who are lower down the pecking order who do it. Sometimes it works, but often enough its a pointless exercise calling them and the drivers just get wound up, & spit the dummy when the work doesnt materialise. The drivers (inc me) who are higher up the pecking order already know its pointless calling & know roughly what days of the week the work on particular sites will be available. The "scum of the earth" know Ill work when they need me & will call me, rather than me calling them.
Conor:
Its January FFS. It is always quiet in January and usually up to March.
+1
in the first few years doing this malarky I used to go into panic mode and worry myself stupid trying to find work with everybody (who where in the same boat)
If the driver has banked enough over the year to cover their wages during this period then they`ll be ok.
Now I just chill out and think… just Thomas cook it (go on holiday)
A week’s trial only sounded dodgy in that I’ve been offered work before on that basis, and when I keep banging on about how much I’ll actually get PAID for doing it, it’ll turn out to be a flat £50 or even nothing at all for the first few days - That’s why it’s a trial!
At this point, Bob Champagne might backtrack, and promise me the earth to get me to do it, but my suspicions now aroused, I’ll ask for it in writing what pay I’m going to get for the actual “trial period” I’m supposed to attend for.
Later that day, the ‘job’ gets cancelled of course.
It’s bad enough being asked to commute a 100 mile round trip for minimum wages now and again, but that same trip for no pay or a flat £50?
FFS! 
Winseer:
A week’s trial only sounded dodgy in that I’ve been offered work before on that basis, and when I keep banging on about how much I’ll actually get PAID for doing it, it’ll turn out to be a flat £50 or even nothing at all for the first few days - That’s why it’s a trial!At this point, Bob Champagne might backtrack, and promise me the earth to get me to do it, but my suspicions now aroused, I’ll ask for it in writing what pay I’m going to get for the actual “trial period” I’m supposed to attend for.
Later that day, the ‘job’ gets cancelled of course.
It’s bad enough being asked to commute a 100 mile round trip for minimum wages now and again, but that same trip for no pay or a flat £50?
FFS!
No, I have hourly rates for the trial, a higher hourly rate for the casual work and a salaried rate for when I am full time. I know what the pay will be. If it works as they say it should, Ill be laughing, if it works as bad as it possibly could, I still have been paid for the week that I have worked.
Conor:
ukthugz:
Is it just me but has it gone too quite again on the agencys , ?
i’ve only worked 5 days so far after xmas !
yet i’m registered with 6 of the scum bag agencys !!
i’m seriously thinking about calling it a day … it aint worth the agro being an agency driver any more.Its January FFS. It is always quiet in January
You’ve never done refuse collections then?
I’ve got a “provisional” booking Friday…
…Where I’ve got an interview on Monday.
Why not pay a visit with a covering letter to all the local firms who have trucks (especially the smaller ones) Tell them you are looking for work and if they get let down by a driver or one phones in sick or they have holidays to cover that to call you ANYTIME day or night. If you free when they ring you will happily work. Choose how much you want per hour so you know where you both stand. If they have nothing leave the letter OR get some cards done from Vistaprint (about £20)
Me and mate have done this and we have three regular companies which pretty much give us enough work. Some times we cant satisfy all three but we work it between us to ensure they are all kept happy. They are happy, we are happy. Only once in a year did we have no work for about 10 days and I found a nearby plate company and asked if they had anything and got work there for the required time.
Its actually quite nice as you get to build a rapport, you get to do a mix of jobs and if you want to you can choose not to work.
Muckaway:
Conor:
ukthugz:
Is it just me but has it gone too quite again on the agencys , ?
i’ve only worked 5 days so far after xmas !
yet i’m registered with 6 of the scum bag agencys !!
i’m seriously thinking about calling it a day … it aint worth the agro being an agency driver any more.Its January FFS. It is always quiet in January
You’ve never done refuse collections then?
No, but I’ve refused collections.
ukthugz:
i’m seriously thinking about calling it a day … it aint worth the agro being an agency driver any more.
^^THIS
ukthugz:
i’m thinking its time to go sign on … the situation is just to dire now …
I crossed that barrier this week too, as a matter of fact just yesterday mate. Been trying to hold off having to sign on for as long as possible as I wish I could be earning and hate having to take handouts, but I literally have nothing left.
Got rent coming up tomorrow and lecky and God’s honest truth I got no idea what I am going to do. Been eating ■■■■■■■ toast for dinner for a week now, and just going to sleep to avoid having to eat any more.
Hope that things pick up again for you because trust me you do not want to be where I have the last couple of days. Wouldn’t wish it on anyone either.
Sorry to hear that mate and hope things turn the corner for you soon. Don’t feel shame about signing on, it’s not your fault that the work situation is the way it is.
For me I’m just glad I’m nearer the end of my working life than the beginning, God knows what my kids are going to do for work.
It’s not lack of earnings that rip your guts out - it’s overpriced rents and mortgages. 
Best Connection are advertising for about 25 c+e drivers around Oxfordshire, via DirectGov Job site.
If you believe them…
Response in Luton may be looking for another driver for FedEx in Milton Keynes at the end of the week, cos I wont be staying there. Likewise, Extra Staff in Dunstable will be loosing their go-to guy at thd end of the week too.
I’m going full time with Monseur Dentressangle again so wont need agencies after Friday.