Hi all,
I was just wondering if anyone on here has experience of working for suttons tankers? What are they like to work for in general I’ve heard mixed opinions… is the money there to be made etc. They seem to be desperate for drivers I’ve heard. I remember someone saying it use to be deadmans shoes job…
Buttons?
Suttons was one of the best tanker jobs in the UK many years ago, I don’t know what it is like now but they are a world wide company, I see Suttons of St Helens on tankers over here. I recently delivered to a Cider brewery in Vermont and a Suttons tanker had been dropped and was being unloaded next to me, it was full of Dry Blackthorne 
I worked for Imperial Tankers for years which was easily the best job I’ve ever had. I left at the time that Hargreaves took them over and subsequently Suttons bought that out. I have a lot of mates who I am in regular contact with and to a man the despise Suttons and are all either in new employment or are actively seeking new employment. These are guys with 20+ years service at Imperial and they can’t wait to get out.
Apparently Suttons have gone from an old, well established haulier to a “logistics provider” staffed by box tickers, flow chart studiers and arse coverers.
From indeed.
You will ideally have held their HGV 1 licence for at least 1 year and will have no more than 6 points on your licence. ADR licence is preferable.
What we can offer:
Basic rate £10.22 per hour with significant overtime opportunities and overtime weekend rate of £16.81 per hour.
Ability to earn in excess of £40,000 per annum on some work and rotas subject to availability.
Significantly improved rates in last 3 years with further uplifts planned in future in our general chemicals fleet
Drift:
From indeed.You will ideally have held their HGV 1 licence for at least 1 year and will have no more than 6 points on your licence. ADR licence is preferable.
What we can offer:
Basic rate £10.22 per hour with significant overtime opportunities and overtime weekend rate of £16.81 per hour.
Ability to earn in excess of £40,000 per annum on some work and rotas subject to availability.
Significantly improved rates in last 3 years with further uplifts planned in future in our general chemicals fleet
This is the key bit that tells you what you need to know. They can’t get experienced drivers.
An interesting fact is that the companies auditors who as far as I can tell have been with Sutton’s since the days of Alf tendered there resignation in March of this year.
HSBC are the bankers as well as being bankers to that other well known North West tanker firm( Abbey )that also seems to be experiencing driver shortages.
Sutton’s took the British Sugar contract off Turners but gave up only for Abbey to step in,was that a good decision by Abbey ?
the maoster:
I worked for Imperial Tankers for years which was easily the best job I’ve ever had. I left at the time that Hargreaves took them over and subsequently Suttons bought that out. I have a lot of mates who I am in regular contact with and to a man the despise Suttons and are all either in new employment or are actively seeking new employment. These are guys with 20+ years service at Imperial and they can’t wait to get out.Apparently Suttons have gone from an old, well established haulier to a “logistics provider” staffed by box tickers, flow chart studiers and arse coverers.
Seems to be exactly what another driver mentioned… I know a lad who’s interested in doing chemicals he’s on powder tanks now but wanting to get into chemical side of things is there any companies you would recommend in the north east?? Cheers for the info
Samat seem to be decent enough (got a couple of mates on there too 
), but the new movers and shakers seem to be the new start up venture of Halcyon Tankers at Port Clarence. Started by the old MD of Imperial with financial backing from Hargreaves (who seem to be wise enough to not get involved in the day to day running themselves, but rather leave it to the established pro’s). I’m hearing good reports from them. I am biased though as they called me and offered me a start
Drift:
Basic rate £10.22 per hour
I’m on £11.81 an hour delivering bricks and blocks to builders merchants so that tells you all you need to know.
Harry Monk:
Drift:
Basic rate £10.22 per hourI’m on £11.81 an hour delivering bricks and blocks to builders merchants so that tells you all you need to know.
Hang on a frisking minute…11.81… call it 12 quid…by my maths that means for a 40 hour week you are grossing…less than. £500 per week…Dude you need to get with the programme…
Heisenberrg:
Harry Monk:
Drift:
Basic rate £10.22 per hourI’m on £11.81 an hour delivering bricks and blocks to builders merchants so that tells you all you need to know.
Hang on a frisking minute…11.81… call it 12 quid…by my maths that means for a 40 hour week you are grossing…less than. £500 per week…Dude you need to get with the programme…
I don’t do a 40 hour week. I am an HGV driver and normally do an 11 hour day which is a fairly short day by industry standards, and I gross around £650 a week. I would like more, but the point is that it is considerably more than Suttons are paying for specialised work.
Harry Monk:
Heisenberrg:
Harry Monk:
Drift:
Basic rate £10.22 per hourI’m on £11.81 an hour delivering bricks and blocks to builders merchants so that tells you all you need to know.
Hang on a frisking minute…11.81… call it 12 quid…by my maths that means for a 40 hour week you are grossing…less than. £500 per week…Dude you need to get with the programme…
That’s a fair point it’s not all about the hourly rate in this game jewsons etc pay more than your average class 1 but you can’t make money at it…
I don’t do a 40 hour week. I am an HGV driver and normally do an 11 hour day which is a fairly short day by industry standards, and I gross around £650 a week. I would like more, but the point is that it is considerably more than Suttons are paying for specialised work.
Heisenberrg:
Harry Monk:
Drift:
Basic rate £10.22 per hourI’m on £11.81 an hour delivering bricks and blocks to builders merchants so that tells you all you need to know.
Like my old man said it’s not all about the hourly rate which for me 10 quid isn’t bad at all.
Harry Monk:
Drift:
Basic rate £10.22 per hourI’m on £11.81 an hour delivering bricks and blocks to builders merchants so that tells you all you need to know.
That doesn’t mean the overall pay at Suttons is not better, what about the overtime rates and other benefits ?
Other drivers who really have no idea what other companies pay deals are jump to conclusions. I drive for a huge nationwide tanker company in the USA, I often get mocked by idiots from other companies who have no idea what my wage is, one guy in particular was shouting at me on the CB a few months ago because I was taking my time to pass a slower truck, I was in the middle lane doing 55 mph, it was a work zone with a 45 mph limit, he eventually rushed by me in the suicide lane and so breaking not just the speed limit but the ‘No trucks in left lane’ law, shouting about how Foodliner pay crap wages and if I can’t get by to give up driving “You f****** Foodliner drivers working for 25 cents a mile” the abuse got worse. People like him are not worth arguing with so I kept my cool and ignored him but it showed me how little others really know about ? The fact is our company pay per mile is 46 cents but even then that is not my deal, it doesn’t matter how many miles I do, in fact I average about 2,000 a week, I get a guaranteed weekly pay of $2350,00 plus great bonuses and made $80k last year. I looked up the other guys company they pay 36 cents per mile and the average driver makes $58k a year. He should have looked up my company before opening his mouth.
My point is that Suttons basic pay may be lower than your but the overall pay could be higher, also the work week may be better, again … My company pays me that for working mainly Monday to Friday, I average 3 - 4 deliveries each week and return to base empty in 90 % of the cases, the other guy probably covers over 3,000 miles a week with I would think at least 5 deliveries with 5 reloads… Who is better off ?
Pat Hasler:
My point is that Suttons basic pay may be lower than your but the overall pay could be higher, also the work week may be better, again … My company pays me that for working mainly Monday to Friday, I average 3 - 4 deliveries each week and return to base empty in 90 % of the cases, the other guy probably covers over 3,000 miles a week with I would think at least 5 deliveries with 5 reloads… Who is better off ?
I dare say there are lots of drivers who mock other drivers wages without knowing all of the facts. Hearsay plays a big part of this with the old add-age of “I have a mate who works for them” when in reality they are talking from hearsay. My wages are decent but if you simply go on the hourly rate for the first 40 hrs they wouldn’t look so attractive. However there is a bigger picture than the first 40 hrs, as Harry says he doesn’t simply work 40 hrs either so therefore there are other factors to consider. Some jobs do pay rubbish wages granted but then some “drivers” accept this. A lot will not discuss wages and earnings if they are on a good thing either as a way of protecting their own deal. The only way of really knowing who pays and earns whatever is to have first hand experience of that particular company.
How can someone on £10.22 be better off than someone on £11.81.
No compute.
That really is a ■■■■ poor rate for tanker driving and whoa hold me back look at the overtime rate…for weekends!!! presumably all hours God sends is the great company plan so drivers think they’re being well paid when they earn a weeks wages for a week and two thirds worth of working hours.
mummy is daddy dead 
i hear bulk haul pay around an hour new a guy was pulling 2800 a month with them
bjd:
i hear bulk haul pay around an hour new a guy was pulling 2800 a month with them
What^…!!!
Mark500:
bjd:
i hear bulk haul pay around an hour new a guy was pulling 2800 a month with themWhat^…!!!
?