Dimlaith:
eagerbeaver:
Downton’s are struggling for drivers too. An agency in Warrington offered me a fortnights work in July for them.
It took me an hour to stop laughing and I wet myself.
Is it because they pay crap wages and treat you like crap, like most haulage firms seem to do now. Hence the so called drivers shortage.
Get yourself down to truckfest west today,downton are there with a fancy gazebo and a couple of shiny new dafs telling anyone who will listen how great they are,giving away free stuff and acting like they are the great good guys of road haulage,trying to get drivers to work for them 
When in reality the work is crap they treat you like crap,that new truck will soon become grubby by been used by anyone,driver trainers talk to experienced men like crap,the boss men are absolute idiots apart from one and the whole set up is depressing…
People slate stobart and I have had dealings with both and I would rather work for stobart than downton…sounds like eagerbeaver has similar experience of downton as me
yorkshire terrier:
When in reality the work is crap they treat you like crap,that new truck will soon become grubby by been used by anyone,driver trainers talk to experienced men like crap,the boss men are absolute idiots apart from one and the whole set up is depressing…
People slate stobart and I have had dealings with both and I would rather work for stobart than downton…sounds like eagerbeaver has similar experience of downton as me
Yeh, but apart from all that, what are they like?
robroy:
yorkshire terrier:
When in reality the work is crap they treat you like crap,that new truck will soon become grubby by been used by anyone,driver trainers talk to experienced men like crap,the boss men are absolute idiots apart from one and the whole set up is depressing…
People slate stobart and I have had dealings with both and I would rather work for stobart than downton…sounds like eagerbeaver has similar experience of downton as me
Yeh, but apart from all that, what are they like?
Apart from that there ok,seriously though it boils by urine when companies do all this PR stuff when they are a nightmare to work for.
It made me ill towards the end,
But if your a useless lazy driver you will be ok because if they know your useless they just give you easy jobs and the multi drops and London etc get given to the decent drivers who get the same brass as the useless ones 
robroy:
yorkshire terrier:
When in reality the work is crap they treat you like crap,that new truck will soon become grubby by been used by anyone,driver trainers talk to experienced men like crap,the boss men are absolute idiots apart from one and the whole set up is depressing…
People slate stobart and I have had dealings with both and I would rather work for stobart than downton…sounds like eagerbeaver has similar experience of downton as me
Yeh, but apart from all that, what are they like?
Like every job, half of the game is your own making. I am quite happy at Downton. Yes, the money could be beter, but it could also be worse. Being salaried, I don’t have to watch my wages like a hawk, because they are the same every week. I’m 4on-4off, and whilst there are some longer days, they don’t plan or expect us to max hours. I get treated fine, but than we have a much smaller team in our office, who are all ex drivers, and who know the score (both ways… they also know when a driver hangs it out or talks ■■■■■■■ Mind you, if I do encounter a ■■■■■■ attitude, my reaction deals with it. I just glaze over, and start to ignore the person in question. Winds them right up, and amuses me. The only thing that does grate is the state of the wagons. We don’t have a wash on site, so the exterior only gets washed (with a hose…) by the really dedicated drivers. As for the interiors…
But our depot must do something right, because turnover is very low.
the nodding donkey:
robroy:
yorkshire terrier:
When in reality the work is crap they treat you like crap,that new truck will soon become grubby by been used by anyone,driver trainers talk to experienced men like crap,the boss men are absolute idiots apart from one and the whole set up is depressing…
People slate stobart and I have had dealings with both and I would rather work for stobart than downton…sounds like eagerbeaver has similar experience of downton as me
Yeh, but apart from all that, what are they like?
Like every job, half of the game is your own making. I am quite happy at Downton. Yes, the money could be beter, but it could also be worse. Being salaried, I don’t have to watch my wages like a hawk, because they are the same every week. I’m 4on-4off, and whilst there are some longer days, they don’t plan or expect us to max hours. I get treated fine, but than we have a much smaller team in our office, who are all ex drivers, and who know the score (both ways… they also know when a driver hangs it out or talks [zb]). Mind you, if I do encounter a [zb] attitude, my reaction deals with it. I just glaze over, and start to ignore the person in question. Winds them right up, and amuses me. The only thing that does grate is the state of the wagons. We don’t have a wash on site, so the exterior only gets washed (with a hose…) by the really dedicated drivers. As for the interiors…
But our depot must do something right, because turnover is very low.
Same as ND, I’m quite happy at Downton. Pay isn’t great, but it’s enough. The office leave you alone on the road, providing you play ball and update them when you’re supposed to. There are annoyances and things that could make the job much smoother if they weren’t there, but find me a job that doesn’t have them in one way or another!
Another point that’s good for me as a new driver, is that there are plenty of old hands cluttering up the place from whom I’ve learned a lot. Without their help, I’d definitely have a different impression of the company.
does anyone know Downton’s fleet in number of trucks?