Supermarket delivery driver . Coronavirus perspective
Discussion
Good morning all. Just thought I'd give a little input to anyone who has been stuck indoors and have very little idea of what is happening outside of the MSM, or what your work may look like when you return.
I was/am self employed, and for one reason or another, I wasn't eligible for any self employed corona virus government kickback payments ( mainly due to an old work pension I receive) , and although not eligible for this, ironically, my accountant has just sent me my tax to be paid by Jan next year. £2600 . grrrrr. Anyway, a few months ago, shortly after lock-down, instead of sitting on my backside, I applied for dozens of jobs. Eventually, I applied and went through the training to become a supermarket delivery driver for a major supermarket on an initial a 12 week contract.
The 2 day training, included a phrase from the instructor I wouldn't forget .....
'If you are the sort of person that is going to panic if someone near you isn't wearing a mask, then this probably isn't the job for you'.
Anyway a few months in, and it has been full on. There are a couple of hundred drivers operating around an 18 hr daily delivery schedule that is apparently twice as busy as the Christmas period. Around 2500 to 3000 deliveries are made every day, 7 days a week from our distribution centre alone, with each driver usually delivering to around 25-30 homes a day within a 600+ sq mile radius.
As for PPE, the warehouse is manned 24/7 with packers, and van loaders, with maybe one or two out of 50 wearing gloves or masks. There are up to 200 drivers, I have only ever seen 2 or 3 wearing masks, and very few wearing gloves. There is a hell of a lot of ppe available, but most used is just the hand gel, which is distributed everywhere. As a driver, I use it after every drop, but use no other ppe. The canteen is set up where tables are seating 2 only at a time, end to end, and the toilets have every other urinal or sink taped off. There are 2m chevrons on the floor, and the doors have foot pulls on them to reduce hand usage. There are lots of instruction, but most to be honest, is at your own discretion and the regimental side of it, is on a whole, ignored.
The deliveries are far and wide, and I have met old ladies, scared to death to open the front door, taking the receipt through the letter box wearing marigolds, to people shouting 'We're self isolating' from the door step, and to leave their shopping in the road, to the furloughed guys in their dressing gown, to the people at the end of their wits, bills mounting, red letters and home schooling their frustrated kids in their tower block apartment. I even had one delivery last week to a young lady who paid £6 for the delivery, and she lived next door to a mini version of the supermarket she was having the delivery from. I try not to judge.
Anyway, the roads were empty at the start, but 2 months in, have slowly been coming back to normality. Parking outside most houses can be a problem with the streets lined with stay home car owners.
The money is what you would think it would be, minimal, just about £10 an hour, but its better than nothing, and Ive lost over a stone in weight in these short 2 months. Some days I finish at 1130 am, so can still enjoy family time after, so the hours really do suit me. Also driving for 80% of the day, in some great Kent countryside on deserted roads listening to the radio, with just my own thoughts, is also a big draw to go back, day after day. I am enjoying the physical part of work for a change. One van load of deliveries is usually anywhere between 50-100 boxes of groceries, totaling anything up to around 850kg, . As you can imagine, its a high staff turnover industry, people either cant hack it, or go back to their old job, or whatever. Out of the 6 guys that started with me training, there are just 2 of us left. The other guy I have become friends with. A former company director, laid off, so using this job to keep busy, while browsing for upcoming positions. He still hasn't found one yet.
Customers are 99% very grateful, especially the elderly stuck in the middle of nowhere, so its nice to now be in an industry where you always have that side of positive job satisfaction. Not sure how long that will last, but my contact has just been extended by a further 12 weeks, so I will definitely carry on past the summer, just as long as my creaky back and knees still hold out !
All the best people. Stay safe.
I was/am self employed, and for one reason or another, I wasn't eligible for any self employed corona virus government kickback payments ( mainly due to an old work pension I receive) , and although not eligible for this, ironically, my accountant has just sent me my tax to be paid by Jan next year. £2600 . grrrrr. Anyway, a few months ago, shortly after lock-down, instead of sitting on my backside, I applied for dozens of jobs. Eventually, I applied and went through the training to become a supermarket delivery driver for a major supermarket on an initial a 12 week contract.
The 2 day training, included a phrase from the instructor I wouldn't forget .....
'If you are the sort of person that is going to panic if someone near you isn't wearing a mask, then this probably isn't the job for you'.
Anyway a few months in, and it has been full on. There are a couple of hundred drivers operating around an 18 hr daily delivery schedule that is apparently twice as busy as the Christmas period. Around 2500 to 3000 deliveries are made every day, 7 days a week from our distribution centre alone, with each driver usually delivering to around 25-30 homes a day within a 600+ sq mile radius.
As for PPE, the warehouse is manned 24/7 with packers, and van loaders, with maybe one or two out of 50 wearing gloves or masks. There are up to 200 drivers, I have only ever seen 2 or 3 wearing masks, and very few wearing gloves. There is a hell of a lot of ppe available, but most used is just the hand gel, which is distributed everywhere. As a driver, I use it after every drop, but use no other ppe. The canteen is set up where tables are seating 2 only at a time, end to end, and the toilets have every other urinal or sink taped off. There are 2m chevrons on the floor, and the doors have foot pulls on them to reduce hand usage. There are lots of instruction, but most to be honest, is at your own discretion and the regimental side of it, is on a whole, ignored.
The deliveries are far and wide, and I have met old ladies, scared to death to open the front door, taking the receipt through the letter box wearing marigolds, to people shouting 'We're self isolating' from the door step, and to leave their shopping in the road, to the furloughed guys in their dressing gown, to the people at the end of their wits, bills mounting, red letters and home schooling their frustrated kids in their tower block apartment. I even had one delivery last week to a young lady who paid £6 for the delivery, and she lived next door to a mini version of the supermarket she was having the delivery from. I try not to judge.
Anyway, the roads were empty at the start, but 2 months in, have slowly been coming back to normality. Parking outside most houses can be a problem with the streets lined with stay home car owners.
The money is what you would think it would be, minimal, just about £10 an hour, but its better than nothing, and Ive lost over a stone in weight in these short 2 months. Some days I finish at 1130 am, so can still enjoy family time after, so the hours really do suit me. Also driving for 80% of the day, in some great Kent countryside on deserted roads listening to the radio, with just my own thoughts, is also a big draw to go back, day after day. I am enjoying the physical part of work for a change. One van load of deliveries is usually anywhere between 50-100 boxes of groceries, totaling anything up to around 850kg, . As you can imagine, its a high staff turnover industry, people either cant hack it, or go back to their old job, or whatever. Out of the 6 guys that started with me training, there are just 2 of us left. The other guy I have become friends with. A former company director, laid off, so using this job to keep busy, while browsing for upcoming positions. He still hasn't found one yet.
Customers are 99% very grateful, especially the elderly stuck in the middle of nowhere, so its nice to now be in an industry where you always have that side of positive job satisfaction. Not sure how long that will last, but my contact has just been extended by a further 12 weeks, so I will definitely carry on past the summer, just as long as my creaky back and knees still hold out !
All the best people. Stay safe.
Interesting - thanks...
I live in the middle of nowhere in Hampshire and rely on deliveries from Sainsbury's or Waitrose (whichever has a delivery slot free). I am definitely in the high risk group too - but using common sense.
I haven't seen a delivery driver use any PPE (gloves or face mask) for any of my many deliveries.
I live in the middle of nowhere in Hampshire and rely on deliveries from Sainsbury's or Waitrose (whichever has a delivery slot free). I am definitely in the high risk group too - but using common sense.
I haven't seen a delivery driver use any PPE (gloves or face mask) for any of my many deliveries.
Thanks for the post a great read.
I did deliveries for one of the supermarkets for a few years and yes it was hard work. That was when I was in my 20s and there were guys in their 50s and 60s who were great at it. Maybe a reflection more on me.
Toughest thing I found was none of our vans had air con as the ac pump had been replaced by the pump for the fridge freezer. There was just no respite on warm days
I did deliveries for one of the supermarkets for a few years and yes it was hard work. That was when I was in my 20s and there were guys in their 50s and 60s who were great at it. Maybe a reflection more on me.
Toughest thing I found was none of our vans had air con as the ac pump had been replaced by the pump for the fridge freezer. There was just no respite on warm days
Seanrof said:
Anyway a few months in, and it has been full on. There are a couple of hundred drivers operating around an 18 hr daily delivery schedule that is apparently twice as busy as the Christmas period. Around 2500 to 3000 deliveries are made every day, 7 days a week from our distribution centre alone, with each driver usually delivering to around 25-30 homes a day within a 600+ sq mile radius.
As for PPE, the warehouse is manned 24/7 with packers, and van loaders, with maybe one or two out of 50 wearing gloves or masks. There are up to 200 drivers, I have only ever seen 2 or 3 wearing masks, and very few wearing gloves. There is a hell of a lot of ppe available, but most used is just the hand gel, which is distributed everywhere. As a driver, I use it after every drop, but use no other ppe. The canteen is set up where tables are seating 2 only at a time, end to end, and the toilets have every other urinal or sink taped off. There are 2m chevrons on the floor, and the doors have foot pulls on them to reduce hand usage. There are lots of instruction, but most to be honest, is at your own discretion and the regimental side of it, is on a whole, ignored.
The deliveries are far and wide, and I have met old ladies, scared to death to open the front door, taking the receipt through the letter box wearing marigolds, to people shouting 'We're self isolating' from the door step, and to leave their shopping in the road, to the furloughed guys in their dressing gown, to the people at the end of their wits, bills mounting, red letters and home schooling their frustrated kids in their tower block apartment. I even had one delivery last week to a young lady who paid £6 for the delivery, and she lived next door to a mini version of the supermarket she was having the delivery from. I try not to judge.
its pretty bizarre - I've been working throughout and doing what I can, but from what I see in my travels, isolation/distancing and all of that seems to be a largely middle class comfort blanket thing, but when it comes down to it its all a bit of a charade.As for PPE, the warehouse is manned 24/7 with packers, and van loaders, with maybe one or two out of 50 wearing gloves or masks. There are up to 200 drivers, I have only ever seen 2 or 3 wearing masks, and very few wearing gloves. There is a hell of a lot of ppe available, but most used is just the hand gel, which is distributed everywhere. As a driver, I use it after every drop, but use no other ppe. The canteen is set up where tables are seating 2 only at a time, end to end, and the toilets have every other urinal or sink taped off. There are 2m chevrons on the floor, and the doors have foot pulls on them to reduce hand usage. There are lots of instruction, but most to be honest, is at your own discretion and the regimental side of it, is on a whole, ignored.
The deliveries are far and wide, and I have met old ladies, scared to death to open the front door, taking the receipt through the letter box wearing marigolds, to people shouting 'We're self isolating' from the door step, and to leave their shopping in the road, to the furloughed guys in their dressing gown, to the people at the end of their wits, bills mounting, red letters and home schooling their frustrated kids in their tower block apartment. I even had one delivery last week to a young lady who paid £6 for the delivery, and she lived next door to a mini version of the supermarket she was having the delivery from. I try not to judge.
CubanPete said:
Interesting read.
It is curious as people either seem to be in complete panic, or complete denial of any risk. And remarkably few seem to take the pragmatic middle ground!
Those using delivery are usually the nutters who have bought into the covid hoax or the lazy who always used it. It is curious as people either seem to be in complete panic, or complete denial of any risk. And remarkably few seem to take the pragmatic middle ground!
The sensible people are getting on with life as much as possible and that includes going to the shops.
hyphen said:
Whats the covid hoax?
Don't feed the knobhead.Anyway....we are a family who have regularly had supermarket deliveries and get to know the usual drivers. This has obviously changed recently and one or two have told us their circumstances.
We can't really do much in the way of tips or things like that but can help at the door and show our gratitude by being genuine in our thanks and showing an interest in their general wellbeing.
hyphen said:
Woody John said:
Those using delivery are usually the nutters who have bought into the covid hoax or the lazy who always used it.
The sensible people are getting on with life as much as possible and that includes going to the shops.
Whats the covid hoax?The sensible people are getting on with life as much as possible and that includes going to the shops.
I'm shielding due to an underlying health condition (pulmonary fibrosis). That also means my mobility is now extremely limited, to the extent that bending down/over leaves me short of breath.
What shielding means in reality is quarantining things before they come into the house, and I have to say the vast majority of the supermarket's delivery drivers have been an absolute godsend, and are happy to put fresh stuff into a fridge in the garage, and other stuff into a big box. If it can't be quarantined for 3 days, it's disposable gloves on, bring it in, wipe each item down with Dettol wipes, then dispose of wipes and gloves.
So, a big thank you from me.
Oh, and Woody John: you utter tool.
What shielding means in reality is quarantining things before they come into the house, and I have to say the vast majority of the supermarket's delivery drivers have been an absolute godsend, and are happy to put fresh stuff into a fridge in the garage, and other stuff into a big box. If it can't be quarantined for 3 days, it's disposable gloves on, bring it in, wipe each item down with Dettol wipes, then dispose of wipes and gloves.
So, a big thank you from me.
Oh, and Woody John: you utter tool.
Edited by Europa1 on Monday 15th June 10:51
Edited by Europa1 on Monday 15th June 10:52
I drive hgvs for a supermarket and agree that the first couple weeks of lockdown were brilliant for such a job, empty roads, weather was great, everyone was super grateful people clapping and waving from bridges, great! Getting back to normality now though, roads busy with morons that can’t drive or care about anyone else around them, people crashing every 2 minutes on arrow straight sections of motorway adding hours to your journey/day. The bliss is coming to an end.
Thank you for getting out there and doing a bit when you could though I’m sure there are many people extremely grateful for your work during those tuff few months at the start.
Thank you for getting out there and doing a bit when you could though I’m sure there are many people extremely grateful for your work during those tuff few months at the start.
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