Hard times indeed - poor souls. A paltry three thousand, three hundred million quid. Hardly worth opening up for 
We are a laughing stock. I think people must look at us drivers and thank God they’re not doing our job. Is there anyone who DOESN’T look down on us?
Yes lots of this form filling is about bottom covering but some of is just to make us feel like second class citizens.
(The post has a whiff of DHL about it), from memory you have to sign and print and date 17 times as well as all the other info.
If any firm wants to make more money, then perhaps one day they’ll realise that it’s not about “who can cut wages the most” but “getting in more customers”.
Since those on umbrella companies are ‘paying to work there’, one should also consider THEM “customers” as well, and treat them a bit better eh?
If there is ever a proper driver shortage, rather than one made up by training companies - the first place that shortage will be seen is in the non-full time job sector at the crappiest venues paying the least.
Now… In this race to the bottom we’ve been in for some years now - WHO do you think can limbo the lowest here? 
Shrewd companies will be recruiting actual full timers right now - because once established at a new full time venue, there is a lot of driver inertia or a reluctance to then chuck it all up and move on to yet another job. This means for example, that someone joining ASDA as an actual full timer this summer for say, £11ph will NOT up sticks and transfer to say, Morrisons for £11.50ph should the latter suddenly come in late this autumn, and launch a big recruitment drive come the run-up to Christmas. “Too little too late” that would be. Snap everyone up NOW whilst there’s still a glut to choose from - Lest the future leave you behind when insurance premiums start sky-rocketing, which one day they surely must. 
There’s no shortage of work around Christmas time. The time to offer full time jobs to people in fact is January-March, and not bother much with the rest of the year at all. The “pool” is a lot bigger Jan-March after all. If you recruit on the run-up to Christmas, you’re going to have to trump the courier firms that will be throwing work about left, right & centre for decent money. One could say the only time of the year when agency driving “looks good” and is “worth sticking over a full time offer” (especially for less money!) is December eh?
For full timers, the best time to start a new job I reckon is September - You’ve had your holidays. Now for 3 months of solid graft until you get any days off beyond normal weekly rests…
Pimpdaddy:
Tesco announces 6% fall in profit - BBC News
You better start doin your shopping in tesco 
selby newcomer:
You better start doin your shopping in tesco
No thanks you go & shop there, after all you get out what you put in…
There will be some pressure on the bleeders with the naff jobs after September, not much but hopefully enough to break a sweat & per chance prompt a shift in humanitarian policy toward trying not to be dicks to the bloke behind the wheel. Per chance to dream…
Looooo:
It was full of petty bureaucracy and interminable paperwork that required you to provide a very detailed set of data at the beginning of every shift.
Petty bureaucracy is the norm, they`re just covering their arras trying to catch out drivers who try to beat the system
Looooo:
Of course all this copying dates and numbers, working out hours (fingers and toes out) takes some time to do. You need to get your diary out, look at your licence and digi card… unless you know all the dates and no.s off by heart of course. I don’t really want to be that familiar with my driving license number.
Its like knowing your date of birth, address, wife birthday etc by heart, once you`ve practiced it a few times you can remember all the crap details.
Filling the 4-5 page agency Q & A sheet takes me 20-30 seconds max, and I know the info off by heart.
Looooo:
Just incredible that they see no problem in insisting their stupid time consuming procedures, which are taking so long, should now be done on the drivers time.
As for filling repeat sheets, that’s what laybys are for next time try picking up 2+ copies of the agency sheet, when you arrive for the 1st ever shift you do at a depot, fill the 1st form out during the initial paid period of work making the clerk wait, stick the spare form in your bag. Then when you have a few minutes spare while down the road (and being being paid for it) fill the spare form out, then next time you will then have a spare form pre-filled out.
Example: if my start time is 06:00, I may find myself in the office at 05:50, Ill dig out my licence & cards, download my digi (if reqd) and along with the form throw them on the desk and say to the clerk, “heres my stuff, Im just going for a dump/coffee, by the time I get back youll have probably copied them and checked them” I can then walk away down the office have a coffee & chat with mates which Im free to do in my time, before being called back at 06:00+ and given my keys/run sheet and documents back, and going merrily on my way. Not forgetting to pick up a spare agency form (to fill out in aforementioned layby) on the way out along with the necessary vehicle check sheet and pallet/cage control sheet that Ill need that day. Then apart from downloading your digi card before and after your shift, youll have had sufficient undisturbed daily rest, and have been paid for filling then form(s) in and paid been for any petty bureaucracy they insist on. Play the game, play by the rules .......... but ensure you dont roll over, dont be pushed about, dont get shafted & ultimately you`ll end up being paid
Looooo:
PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS TXT. Thanks"
Well don`t reply then …
Sometimes I wonder why drivers get a bad reputation …
DAF95XF:
selby newcomer:
Im on supermarket work and the agency lads at our place dont have to do none of that crap, they come in, sign in & get it counter signed by a manager and park their arse and wait for a jobThat’s because TRG practically run that place and are so far up Toscos arse it’s unbelievable…
how do TRG run the place??
I’m on for wilkos via canutes. Turn up grab a coffee shutter hands me keys to my regular cab already hitched too trailer ready too go daily check sheet and run sheet plus log onto isotrak. Away I go. Get back too yard park up for a break shunted comes in uncouples me legs down etc plate on next trailer , I finish break then hitch up next one and away ,sometimes I get a bead of sweat
Daytrunker:
Poundland has the same kind of form used to fill it in every monday and download card too AFTER I had clocked In.
Yes and this is why viewtopic.php?f=2&t=68403 .
Can hardly blame them there only covering there ■■■! It’s only agency driver.
Why
- Make sure you have sufficient hours to work , for example this isn’t your 7th day?
- Your licences is still valid.
- It only take 5 min’s if that, depending on your “English Skills”.
With there own drivers they have a live online checking system linked to the DVLA or something like that.
ye , we have to download our digi card at start and end of shift.
Also produce our digi card, driving license card, license paper copy, supermarket driver badge card, and soon to be dcpc card to be photocopied at start of shift.
Then sign a driver declaration form and enter our details date, time, signature onto a sign on sheet.
Also they are installing a wall mounted terminal that will take a pin number and fingerprint scanner. … not using that yet but prob ably won’t be long.
I’ve also done dhl/sainsbury shift and agree their paperwork is ■■■■■■■■.
LIBERTY_GUY:
I wouldn’t be taking my license to any contract with me, as it has my home address on there and I would not disclose that information to any client. Something about confidentiality and data protection, in this age of identity theft. Work is work and home is a completely separate place and nowt to do with strangers.
I think you’ll find for insurance reasons, they must hold a copy of your licence to be able to able to drive their company vehicles…
The thing is you work for the agency, not the company, in this case sainsburys. While their pre work paper exercise sounds like a pain you get paid by the agency. If they want you to spend time writing then fine, just make sure the agency knows they are paying you for that time.
Smiffys trucking:
LIBERTY_GUY:
I wouldn’t be taking my license to any contract with me, as it has my home address on there and I would not disclose that information to any client. Something about confidentiality and data protection, in this age of identity theft. Work is work and home is a completely separate place and nowt to do with strangers.I think you’ll find for insurance reasons, they must hold a copy of your licence to be able to able to drive their company vehicles…
Sadly there is absolutely no way I would have a copy of my driving license with photo, address, date of birth etc in the hands of some third party and especially not a centre typically full of foreign drivers and workers. That is akin to wearing a badge saying “make me a victim of identity theft”. 
I am more used to the informal “your truck is over there mate and you’ll find the paperwork on the seat” and simply wouldn’t put up with the crud that some of the posters have highlighted above to do just one days work.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Smiffys trucking:
LIBERTY_GUY:
I wouldn’t be taking my license to any contract with me, as it has my home address on there and I would not disclose that information to any client. Something about confidentiality and data protection, in this age of identity theft. Work is work and home is a completely separate place and nowt to do with strangers.I think you’ll find for insurance reasons, they must hold a copy of your licence to be able to able to drive their company vehicles…
Sadly there is absolutely no way I would have a copy of my driving license with photo, address, date of birth etc in the hands of some third party and especially not a centre typically full of foreign drivers and workers. That is akin to wearing a badge saying “make me a victim of identity theft”.
I am more used to the informal “your truck is over there mate and you’ll find the paperwork on the seat” and simply wouldn’t put up with the crud that some of the posters have highlighted above to do just one days work.
you would be sat on your arse and skint then as its pretty much standard with agency drivers
Yes declarations and licence copies are standard practice at many places these days but that does not mean they are right or desirable. After all modern life is rubbish.
What better evidence does any one have that their licence is valid than the date printed on their licence?
Well every Monday they copy card and paper version which is then rubber stamped and requires counter signing by the driver.
What better evidence does anyone have that they are not driving over hours than their digi card?
That card is checked at shift start and shift end. They would know immediately if you were on day 7.
So my question is, what purpose does it serve to make drivers write out the expiry date, along with the no. etc. with a biro and sign it?
What purpose does it serve to calculate my hours, write them out with a biro and sign it to say I’m not lying, when all the info they require is recorded digitally?
In my experience all it succeeds in doing is driving morale down.
I agree that it sometimes feels like it is done simply to punish and dehumanise people. We were certainly treated like cattle at that place.
The issue here is that it is unnecessary duplication.
The info YOU provide is only checked against the documents YOU provide.
Latique:
you would be sat on your arse and skint then as its pretty much standard with agency drivers
Not really. Although I work predominantly through agencies it is not for driving work.
Having read what I have on this thread, I don’t think I would ever be doing any driving work through agencies in the future, unless it was sensible industrial work with a sensible company.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Latique:
you would be sat on your arse and skint then as its pretty much standard with agency driversNot really. Although I work predominantly through agencies it is not for driving work.
Having read what I have on this thread, I don’t think I would ever be doing any driving work through agencies in the future, unless it was sensible industrial work with a sensible company.
All agencies will require a copy of your licence when signing up and usually do a live DVLA licence check at the same time. Then you can usually expect every one of their clients you go to to take a copy of your licence on the first assignment you do too.
Not something I’m happy about but unfortunately a necessary evil of doing driving work for other companies in their vehicles. 
This is in my opinion symbolic of everything that is wrong with British transport today. So much emphasis is now put on paperwork, regulations, rules, bureaucracy and the like that the actual job of driving, which needn’t be made so bloody complicated in the first place is now second fiddle to all the before mentioned nonsense. I quite simply would never ever work at a company where such things took place and while I’m in Canada so its irrelevant, if I do return to the UK in the future I’m confident that I’d find plenty of work at places where this doesn’t take place. I enjoy my job and love driving trucks, but this petty bureaucracy that’s now rife in the UK would be the final straw for me. Truck driving need not be so complicated and bureaucratic. Heavens knows how a quite simple, straight forward and once enjoyable job has descended in to this quagmire.