Am I the only one who has noticed that nearly all agency “drivers” have a limp? Must be part of the job description.
And most of them look like they have been dragged through a hedge backwards. Crappy work clothes, 36yr old HiViz vests and look as though they combed their hair with a towel.
Own Account Driver:
Reversing lights aren’t even actually MOTable. Should be IMO as vitally important for pedestrians knowing in what direction a vehicle is likely to go.
Vitally important for who? Most pedestrians, or car drivers for that matter aren’t aware of the concept of a reverse light and think it’s ok to walk/drive behind a wagon anyway.
You get crap agency drivers and good agency drivers! We all started somewhere and some of us should remember that.
A lot of us had to start on agencies as that’s the only way for newbies to get a foothold and no doubt we’ve all had our moments of stupidity.
Not everything is obvious to the beginer, and the driving lessons are designed to get you through the test, the real learning starts after you passed as we all know, so a helping hand from an old timer is always appreciated.
I just hope that all agency drivers don’t get tarred with the same brush.
theringmonster:
Am I the only one who has noticed that nearly all agency “drivers” have a limp? Must be part of the job description.And most of them look like they have been dragged through a hedge backwards. Crappy work clothes, 36yr old HiViz vests and look as though they combed their hair with a towel.
Generalise much?
Roymondo:
Ah, the undisputed King of incoherent ramblings returns to the foldI’ll have a double of whatever you’ve been on, B&D!
So your a dav 1 or dav 2 man or even a 3 ers thats if your a redy stedy tedy eddies stobarts g-huuurt’s (at the ■■■■■■■■■■ show this weekend)
or failing that you must be an NFT or a new nobbies man
A few month ago I backed under a trailer and cracked the wind defector
I had no idea what had happened or what was going on; had to go and find the shunter to come help
Came alone and said ‘yer you missed the pin’ I said what what what how can you miss the pin
he kind of explained it but I did not understand what he was saying
said We have all done it once! but your boss is going to be pleased
Boss said on phone over the weekend ‘you missed pin’
ever since that moment I have always lowered suspension before going under and jacking trailer up when under
god know what they did when it where all leef spings
But I nearly missed pin other day
Doing all the suspension thing but could not line unit and trailer up
that where coz the unit and trailer where not lined up
dam curtains where open so could not see where the trailer rely was
But if i missed pin on your job it would be off to the norty room to fill out accident report form, disaplinary action or ban this driver from site secretly ■■■■ on you in secret if agency lad like
BTW did you give youngen clip round ear and send him home or was it the usuall but ■■■■ storry of your run has now been canceled, and secretly ■■■■ on you
BTW battery on electronic ■■■ packed us so back on ■■■■ stinking cab out again
not a profesonal driver ■■■■ on me in secret
Boss & Driver:
Roymondo:
Ah, the undisputed King of incoherent ramblings returns to the foldSo your a dav 1 or dav 2 man or even a 3 ers thats if your a redy stedy tedy eddies stobarts g-huuurt’s (at the ■■■■■■■■■■ show this weekend)
or failing that you must be an NFT or a new nobbies manA few month ago I backed under a trailer and cracked the wind defector
I had no idea what had happened or what was going on; had to go and find the shunter to come help
Came alone and said ‘yer you missed the pin’ I said what what what how can you miss the pin
he kind of explained it but I did not understand what he was saying
said We have all done it once! but your boss is going to be pleased
Boss said on phone over the weekend ‘you missed pin’
ever since that moment I have always lowered suspension before going under and jacking trailer up when under
god know what they did when it where all leef spingsBut I nearly missed pin other day
Doing all the suspension thing but could not line unit and trailer up
that where coz the unit and trailer where not lined up
dam curtains where open so could not see where the trailer rely wasBut if i missed pin on your job it would be off to the norty room to fill out accident report form, disaplinary action or ban this driver from site secretly [zb] on you in secret if agency lad like
BTW did you give youngen clip round ear and send him home or was it the usuall but [zb] storry of your run has now been canceled, and secretly [zb] on youBTW battery on electronic ■■■ packed us so back on ■■■■ stinking cab out again
not a profesonal driver [zb] on me in secret
+1
Some of them don’t even send you home, they make you wait in the bait cabin for ages.
What’s a “bait cabin”? Transport office?
You’ve got a serious chip on your shoulder B&D.
I can sort of see what you’re getting at but these firms you’re on about, can pick & choose & you basically know they’re gonna be ■■■■ about H&S before you set foot on site so you adapt, it’s their manor & they’re folding…
Silver_Surfer:
theringmonster:
Am I the only one who has noticed that nearly all agency “drivers” have a limp? Must be part of the job description.And most of them look like they have been dragged through a hedge backwards. Crappy work clothes, 36yr old HiViz vests and look as though they combed their hair with a towel.
Generalise much?
Some of them, I believe, are even non-smokers.
Criticise Agenct Drivers as much as you like,blame the Companies for not having an induction / assessment program in operation that way you sort out the chaff from the wheat
If a guy is a "newbie"to artics its pretty sure he has not had enough experience to enable him to secure a permanent position with anybody hence he lands up on Agency.
We ALL had to get the experience one way or another,so don`t criticise in the end he maybe turn out a better driver than you.
lolipop:
Criticise Agenct Drivers as much as you like,blame the Companies for not having an induction / assessment program in operation that way you sort out the chaff from the wheat
If a guy is a "newbie"to artics its pretty sure he has not had enough experience to enable him to secure a permanent position with anybody hence he lands up on Agency.
We ALL had to get the experience one way or another,so don`t criticise in the end he maybe turn out a better driver than you.
That’s not the point you phone the agency because you need a load out the gate PDQ not for an opportunity to do your bit training the next generation of drivers.
How come so many agency personnel have had such great careers, yet now working for crap agencies? I’ve endured all sorts of fables especially from drivers’ mates who had great careers etc, now getting up at 3am for little over £7 ph to handball for us. The best/worst was a guy claiming to be an out of work medi-plane pilot who constantly cried health and safety and was making a meal of carrying 1x16kg bag of flour when I was shifting 4 of the same. A 15 hour day that felt like 30. 
The best guys I’ve worked with are those who have a part time job and are just topping up their income. No stories as fake as the bible, just genuinely nice helpful people. There are a couple of blokes I ask my boss to hire again, and when signing their timesheets I’ll add an hour on as a bonus. 
Whys it all us and them with agency drivers. We all have the same job. Were all drivers. You get good and bad of both. Im agency by choice. Why would i do a job for a few quid an hour less. Its not me whos the mug. On paye too so get all the same benefits. Quite a few places Ive worked at have offered me jobs saying wish our driver worked as hard or did job in that time. It keeps me in work as i get asked for by name. Not saying im the best driver. Just work hard and try to get everything done.
m_attt:
Quite a few places Ive worked at have offered me jobs saying wish our driver worked as hard or did job in that time. It keeps me in work as i get asked for by name. Not saying im the best driver. Just work hard and try to get everything done.
+1
When compared to regular drivers agency drivers only have to perform the job without a winge or a grumble to be considered ‘good agency driver’ and requested by name on the next job.
I mean yesterday I was greated by a waiting room of regular drivers who where having what can only been described as a collective moan about their job and their runs for the day. As i was a regular driver for 12 years I can understand this but its no wonder the planners like agency drivers so much, we get given the notes and then crack on to do the job as best we can with the information given, admitteldy sometimes this info isn’t that great and we have to wing it a bit.
Some regular drivers may see us a lower class but the companies given the choice would prefer a good agency driver over one of their lets say less than accomodating regulars. But this can lead to being offered a job and if accepted we then get promoted to the high ranks of reguar driver and have a good moan with the rest of them.
There are lots of people out there who did have a good job or even a career ,then the firm closed down or they got the push when computers were able to do the job cheaper.I know a couple of men who did the HGV thing with the Toy Army for a bit of fun.Now they are doing driving jobs.Driving is a second lease of life for me and a lot of other people as well.
If you are unfortunate enough to be stuck in a crap job then alot of drivers will moan and groan about it but being an agency driver i get to experience alot of places and if i do get a company that i dont like working for then i just tell the agency not to send me there again and i now only do shifts for places i like working in 
so now you know why some full timers hate agency as they are stuck their crap job day after day after day…when an agency guy can walk in, do one shift then if its crap leave and never return !! 
Have any of you agency guys ever been booked for a week, only to have the agency call and say it’s been cancelled, and later on find out the agency cancelled you but gave your shifts to someone else? It happened to me and when I did go back to the client they asked what was wrong with me (agency told them I was ill). When I asked the agency they said they were spreading the work out to those without any, “it being only fair.” Maybe I’m selfish but why should my work be given to someone else when the client asked for me?
no never happened to me, the agency i work for will make sure a company gets any driver they request if available. when i signed up, got told to work hard and get a few companies asking for you and your’ll be set.
I upset the agency I worked for. I’d applied for a job with the firm I now work for, a while later the agency sent me there. Had an interview, got the job and left the agency. They weren’t happy I’d left but couldn’t do anything as I’d applied before the agency “introduced” me.
A couple of my colleagues are ex agencys and their ex employers often ring up asking if they’re working for us…Of course not. 
Mike-C:
+1Some of them don’t even send you home, they make you wait in the bait cabin for ages.
good to hear from you again
bazza123:
What’s a “bait cabin”? Transport office?
there southern ■■■■ jesses Mike