Inexperienced Drivers

Author
Discussion

Reltub

Original Poster:

200 posts

185 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
How do new LGV drivers get any experience? I have contacted my insurance broker regarding employing a 23 year old with 2 weeks HGV experience and 4 years in a car (no points or accidents). They will not cover him at all. I expected an additional premium but not refusing to cover.

GEARJAMMER

445 posts

146 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
I got mine with an agency.

johnny fotze

394 posts

132 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
What about sending him out under the supervision of an experienced driver?

truck71

2,328 posts

179 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
quotequote all
Try a different insurer, I've got any age and any points on mine but agree to keep under 25's to around 10% of the workforce.

anonymous-user

61 months

Friday 3rd October 2014
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Agree with trying a different insurer.
When you have companies like Stobrats, Wincanton and Gregory taking on, training and employing new drivers then time for a change....
Driver shortage is kicking in, some companies are taking on people with just a car licence, paying a salary from the start, getting them through 2 and 1, then taking a set payment out of the wage to repay licence costs with a
full repayment clause in the contract should they walk.
My employer is so desperate to keep full time drivers that I have had 3 pay rises in one year, the last one was a whopping 11% fixed for 2 years, a total of 13.75% in one year.
This week we have had 4 night trunk trailers in 4 days still there in the morning through lack of drivers/ subbies, we only send 3 a night.

black1

979 posts

204 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
quotequote all
NorfolkInClue1 said:
Agree with trying a different insurer.
When you have companies like Stobrats, Wincanton and Gregory taking on, training and employing new drivers then time for a change....
Driver shortage is kicking in, some companies are taking on people with just a car licence, paying a salary from the start, getting them through 2 and 1, then taking a set payment out of the wage to repay licence costs with a
full repayment clause in the contract should they walk.
My employer is so desperate to keep full time drivers that I have had 3 pay rises in one year, the last one was a whopping 11% fixed for 2 years, a total of 13.75% in one year.
This week we have had 4 night trunk trailers in 4 days still there in the morning through lack of drivers/ subbies, we only send 3 a night.
And I bet your still only on 7.50 a hour now !

cossy400

3,260 posts

191 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
quotequote all
My firm are/have trained people up and tied them in for 2 yrs blah blah,

But with regards to the age thing our youngest class one driver is 24.

Pay rises are comin all the more common recently ive found from speaking with other drivers.

We've just had £1.50 stuck on which takes us up to £10.00 an hr.

OP there is insurers that will do it, its just finding the right one.

anonymous-user

61 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
quotequote all
black1 said:
NorfolkInClue1 said:
Agree with trying a different insurer.
When you have companies like Stobrats, Wincanton and Gregory taking on, training and employing new drivers then time for a change....
Driver shortage is kicking in, some companies are taking on people with just a car licence, paying a salary from the start, getting them through 2 and 1, then taking a set payment out of the wage to repay licence costs with a
full repayment clause in the contract should they walk.
My employer is so desperate to keep full time drivers that I have had 3 pay rises in one year, the last one was a whopping 11% fixed for 2 years, a total of 13.75% in one year.
This week we have had 4 night trunk trailers in 4 days still there in the morning through lack of drivers/ subbies, we only send 3 a night.
And I bet your still only on 7.50 a hour now !
Hope that's tongue in cheek?
Get paid a salary north of 30k a year for a 45 hour contract, plus overtime, no weekends and no nights out

iva cosworth

44,044 posts

170 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
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Interesting.

We have 2 drivers nearing retirement,the 7.5T driver should just give up TBH as he is off sick so much.

Will make me a more valuable commodity.

Humper

946 posts

169 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
quotequote all
Thirteen quid an hour? fk me gently, that's the best wage i've heard of in driving.

anonymous-user

61 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
quotequote all
Well, the night trunkers where I work currently earn a basic of 27k for a 45 hour mon-fir no weekends. I cover that job, the day job pays more as it is a mixture of one hit RDC or multi drop with longer days, I know other depots and contracts within my company that pay well too, day drivers that run on a basic of 32k with good overtime paid via banked system.
Must be a northwest thing I guess, depots near to me that are just opening are all paying around the 30k mark for drivers, these include Brakes, Travis Perkins and Waitrose. I just did a quick search and found a company in Northwich looking for 10 trampers paying between 35 and 37k.
I know that there are some dire wages about though, I think things are on the up though as there are more jobs about and employers who think they can get away with £7.50 an hours will be in for a rough time as far as quality of driver goes.........

bigfatnick

1,012 posts

209 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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NorfolkInClue1 said:
I know that there are some dire wages about though, I think things are on the up though as there are more jobs about and employers who think they can get away with £7.50 an hours will be in for a rough time as far as quality of driver goes.........
round my way (leeds/york/goole triangle) there seems to be a major shortage of drivers. for tipper work in particular. i was offered 650quid a week takehome the other day but declined because i dont want to lose my v8, the topline bit and didnt want to just do tippers. my mates on the tippers keep telling me how their bosses are crying out for drivrs.


OP - i dont know how my boss uses but he has insured 19 year olds in the pass. he says anyone over 25 is covered but he has to name younger drivers. couldnt give you more information than that but it must be doable.

Reltub

Original Poster:

200 posts

185 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
quotequote all
Thanks for all the replys, I'll have to take this into consideration come renewal time.

skatty

491 posts

197 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
quotequote all
Humper said:
Thirteen quid an hour? fk me gently, that's the best wage i've heard of in driving.
I get £13.58 PH as a night shift driver with the coop based on a 48 hour week, but very rarely ever do anywhere near the 48 hours, and as it's salary you are guaranteed the same wage every four weeks.....

leggly

1,832 posts

218 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
quotequote all
It's £17 quid an hour at Royal Mail.thumbup

Humper said:
Thirteen quid an hour? fk me gently, that's the best wage i've heard of in driving.

a4cabrio

919 posts

166 months

Monday 6th October 2014
quotequote all
bigfatnick said:
round my way (leeds/york/goole triangle) there seems to be a major shortage of drivers. for tipper work in particular. i was offered 650quid a week takehome the other day but declined because i dont want to lose my v8, the topline bit and didnt want to just do tippers. my mates on the tippers keep telling me how their bosses are crying out for drivrs
You turn down £650 take home just so you can drive around in a v8, unbelievable

I lived in Selby for a few years and anyone who turns down 650 a week in yorkshire just to swan around n a v8 is either talkin rubbish or needs a check up from the neck up

black1

979 posts

204 months

Tuesday 7th October 2014
quotequote all
650 a week take home fk me give me there number !

GC8

19,910 posts

197 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
quotequote all
bigfatnick said:
NorfolkInClue1 said:
I know that there are some dire wages about though, I think things are on the up though as there are more jobs about and employers who think they can get away with £7.50 an hours will be in for a rough time as far as quality of driver goes.........
round my way (leeds/york/goole triangle) there seems to be a major shortage of drivers. for tipper work in particular. i was offered 650quid a week takehome the other day but declined because i dont want to lose my v8, the topline bit and didnt want to just do tippers. my mates on the tippers keep telling me how their bosses are crying out for drivrs.


OP - i dont know how my boss uses but he has insured 19 year olds in the pass. he says anyone over 25 is covered but he has to name younger drivers. couldnt give you more information than that but it must be doable.
C or C+E Nick? That would tempt me back into an eight wheeler, although Im not sure that it would be enough to to tip an articulated trailer!

Its difficult to explain turning over a rigid vehicle, but trailers falling over is all part of the game...

theshrew

6,008 posts

191 months

Thursday 9th October 2014
quotequote all
Ive seen a letter today from a company. They are trying to get the government to do something about funding for drivers due to the shortage.

If any of you lot are in the area id be looking at Felixstowe docs for work. Id imagine you could wade in for a good wage.


bigfatnick

1,012 posts

209 months

Friday 10th October 2014
quotequote all
a4cabrio said:
You turn down £650 take home just so you can drive around in a v8, unbelievable

I lived in Selby for a few years and anyone who turns down 650 a week in yorkshire just to swan around n a v8 is either talkin rubbish or needs a check up from the neck up
I don't make a huge amount less than that at the moment and i like the work i do, the truck i have, and the fact i get left alone to do my thing, and my boss really likes me. If i went to that job i'd just be a number, i (at 6foot3 and 19 stone) would have to drive and live in a smaller, less kitted out truck and don't particularly fancy that line of work. I like my job. I understand your logic, but i'm not skint, im single, dont have kids, dont need to think about money alone. If i was thinking of money alone, i'd probably be in the rail industry.

GC8 said:
C or C+E Nick? That would tempt me back into an eight wheeler, although Im not sure that it would be enough to to tip an articulated trailer!

Its difficult to explain turning over a rigid vehicle, but trailers falling over is all part of the game...
C+E mate.