HGV Class 1 Driver Wages ?
Discussion
What would you have me do? That's a serious question?
We have just been through 18 months of unprecedented forced business closures.
I have put my wellbeing, mental health and money on the line to keep my business going and every single person in a job. All the while people have died, people close to me, but I kept my head down to keep things going.
In the last 18 months I have paid every employee 100% of their basic wage if we were open but working less hours or forced to be closed all together.
Now in the aftermath business is going through a tough time and frankly I am proud and grateful my guys have stood by me.
They have all been told if you want to jump ship then no hard feelings I am not keeping a single one of them by force.
I just hope we get through it and I can repay them in kind. You know like a decent person.
No one on here has the right to throw insults at me because you have no idea what I have been through or what my business has been through. Those throwing insults have probably never ran a business in their lives or if you have I doubt its in my sector and you don't have any idea the commitment that's needed.
The OP of this thread asked if £9.50-£10.50 was normal, I gave my input as a data point and there was zero reason to turn that into a personal attack. Great if some multi million pound business can suddenly pay 30,40,50% more because they can and their main goal is to keep the share holders happy and the bonuses coming in for the board. The rest of us back in the real world just have to try and get through this as best as we can.
We have just been through 18 months of unprecedented forced business closures.
I have put my wellbeing, mental health and money on the line to keep my business going and every single person in a job. All the while people have died, people close to me, but I kept my head down to keep things going.
In the last 18 months I have paid every employee 100% of their basic wage if we were open but working less hours or forced to be closed all together.
Now in the aftermath business is going through a tough time and frankly I am proud and grateful my guys have stood by me.
They have all been told if you want to jump ship then no hard feelings I am not keeping a single one of them by force.
I just hope we get through it and I can repay them in kind. You know like a decent person.
No one on here has the right to throw insults at me because you have no idea what I have been through or what my business has been through. Those throwing insults have probably never ran a business in their lives or if you have I doubt its in my sector and you don't have any idea the commitment that's needed.
The OP of this thread asked if £9.50-£10.50 was normal, I gave my input as a data point and there was zero reason to turn that into a personal attack. Great if some multi million pound business can suddenly pay 30,40,50% more because they can and their main goal is to keep the share holders happy and the bonuses coming in for the board. The rest of us back in the real world just have to try and get through this as best as we can.
red_slr said:
What would you have me do? That's a serious question?
We have just been through 18 months of unprecedented forced business closures.
I have put my wellbeing, mental health and money on the line to keep my business going and every single person in a job. All the while people have died, people close to me, but I kept my head down to keep things going.
In the last 18 months I have paid every employee 100% of their basic wage if we were open but working less hours or forced to be closed all together.
Now in the aftermath business is going through a tough time and frankly I am proud and grateful my guys have stood by me.
They have all been told if you want to jump ship then no hard feelings I am not keeping a single one of them by force.
I just hope we get through it and I can repay them in kind. You know like a decent person.
No one on here has the right to throw insults at me because you have no idea what I have been through or what my business has been through. Those throwing insults have probably never ran a business in their lives or if you have I doubt its in my sector and you don't have any idea the commitment that's needed.
The OP of this thread asked if £9.50-£10.50 was normal, I gave my input as a data point and there was zero reason to turn that into a personal attack. Great if some multi million pound business can suddenly pay 30,40,50% more because they can and their main goal is to keep the share holders happy and the bonuses coming in for the board. The rest of us back in the real world just have to try and get through this as best as we can.
Um, put your rates up to your customers like every other haulier in the country has done? We have just been through 18 months of unprecedented forced business closures.
I have put my wellbeing, mental health and money on the line to keep my business going and every single person in a job. All the while people have died, people close to me, but I kept my head down to keep things going.
In the last 18 months I have paid every employee 100% of their basic wage if we were open but working less hours or forced to be closed all together.
Now in the aftermath business is going through a tough time and frankly I am proud and grateful my guys have stood by me.
They have all been told if you want to jump ship then no hard feelings I am not keeping a single one of them by force.
I just hope we get through it and I can repay them in kind. You know like a decent person.
No one on here has the right to throw insults at me because you have no idea what I have been through or what my business has been through. Those throwing insults have probably never ran a business in their lives or if you have I doubt its in my sector and you don't have any idea the commitment that's needed.
The OP of this thread asked if £9.50-£10.50 was normal, I gave my input as a data point and there was zero reason to turn that into a personal attack. Great if some multi million pound business can suddenly pay 30,40,50% more because they can and their main goal is to keep the share holders happy and the bonuses coming in for the board. The rest of us back in the real world just have to try and get through this as best as we can.
If they don't want to pay, fine, let them try and find cheaper elsewhere. They'll soon be back on the phone.Company I drive for has binned off several clients who didn't want to pay the rates. No loss as supermarkets are paying £600 per day just for traction on a couple of locals within a 50 mile radius. You said in an earlier post that your trucks only do £10k per year. This is a pitiful amount and shows you haven't got a clue how to run a business. Any properly run haulage business not subbing for Maritime, Barronwood or doing ferry trailers should be doing £10k per quarter, absolute minimum. The fact that you're paying your drivers peanuts AND still only doing £10k per truck says it all.
To be honest, having a go at Red without knowing the ins and outs of his business is very unfair.
All you wage slaves see is the take home pay. You don't see the sleepless nights worrying about where the money is coming from to pay you. How secure the contracts he has are.
Let's say he says to a client he is putting the rate up 20%. That client walks. You as a driver will still expect to be paid from somewhere while he looks to replace the lost work. But you don't care about that. All you think is he's crap at running a business. Yet you and your mouth aren't doing it are you? If you are so expert, why haven't you mortgaged yourself to death and had the balls to do it yourself? After all you're so confident you can do it better.
It's not as simple as you simpletons think it is.
All you wage slaves see is the take home pay. You don't see the sleepless nights worrying about where the money is coming from to pay you. How secure the contracts he has are.
Let's say he says to a client he is putting the rate up 20%. That client walks. You as a driver will still expect to be paid from somewhere while he looks to replace the lost work. But you don't care about that. All you think is he's crap at running a business. Yet you and your mouth aren't doing it are you? If you are so expert, why haven't you mortgaged yourself to death and had the balls to do it yourself? After all you're so confident you can do it better.
It's not as simple as you simpletons think it is.
Tyre Smoke said:
To be honest, having a go at Red without knowing the ins and outs of his business is very unfair.
All you wage slaves see is the take home pay. You don't see the sleepless nights worrying about where the money is coming from to pay you. How secure the contracts he has are.
Let's say he says to a client he is putting the rate up 20%. That client walks. You as a driver will still expect to be paid from somewhere while he looks to replace the lost work. But you don't care about that. All you think is he's crap at running a business. Yet you and your mouth aren't doing it are you? If you are so expert, why haven't you mortgaged yourself to death and had the balls to do it yourself? After all you're so confident you can do it better.
It's not as simple as you simpletons think it is.
ThisAll you wage slaves see is the take home pay. You don't see the sleepless nights worrying about where the money is coming from to pay you. How secure the contracts he has are.
Let's say he says to a client he is putting the rate up 20%. That client walks. You as a driver will still expect to be paid from somewhere while he looks to replace the lost work. But you don't care about that. All you think is he's crap at running a business. Yet you and your mouth aren't doing it are you? If you are so expert, why haven't you mortgaged yourself to death and had the balls to do it yourself? After all you're so confident you can do it better.
It's not as simple as you simpletons think it is.
Customers have fixed rates, agreements lasting months or years. That is not easy to unwind because costs have gone up.
Customers also have their own costs elsewhere. Container shipping has gone up by thousands of percent. They’re not in the mood to take higher costs from hauliers too.
Saying that, it’s inevitable so the conversation has to be had.
We are struggling in warehousing. Similar simpletons on here tell me just to hike the pay rate because we’re paying “poverty wages” in “crap conditions”
We’re not and they’re not, but everyone is an expert.
Economics dictates that supply chain rates going up drives costs to wholesale and retail up. That means price increases for everything you buy next year.
Enjoying your cheap food and cheap consumer goods? Enjoy it whilst it lasts because everything is about to get a lot more expensive…..
egor110 said:
I though hauliers were classified as essential services and allowed to work thru covid ?
They were but if the customer is closed then their is nothing to deliver then there will be no work.If you drive for supermarkets then you'll still be working, if you drive for a hospiltality supplier then their will be next to zero work.
t trying to compete with the wages that are out there at the moment, if the blokes keeping drivers he's obviously got something going for him. Egor won't understand that. He's a postman. He doesn't understand supply and demand. Every day he goes to work, there is work there for him. If he's sick, he gets paid. If he goes on holiday he gets paid. That is how his mind works. That's not his fault, but he is clueless as to how to run a commercial enterprise.
WonkeyDonkey said:
egor110 said:
I though hauliers were classified as essential services and allowed to work thru covid ?
They were but if the customer is closed then their is nothing to deliver then there will be no work.If you drive for supermarkets then you'll still be working, if you drive for a hospiltality supplier then their will be next to zero work.
egor110 said:
WonkeyDonkey said:
egor110 said:
I though hauliers were classified as essential services and allowed to work thru covid ?
They were but if the customer is closed then their is nothing to deliver then there will be no work.If you drive for supermarkets then you'll still be working, if you drive for a hospiltality supplier then their will be next to zero work.
egor110 said:
WonkeyDonkey said:
egor110 said:
I though hauliers were classified as essential services and allowed to work thru covid ?
They were but if the customer is closed then their is nothing to deliver then there will be no work.If you drive for supermarkets then you'll still be working, if you drive for a hospiltality supplier then their will be next to zero work.
Tyre Smoke said:
To be honest, having a go at Red without knowing the ins and outs of his business is very unfair.
All you wage slaves see is the take home pay. You don't see the sleepless nights worrying about where the money is coming from to pay you. How secure the contracts he has are.
Let's say he says to a client he is putting the rate up 20%. That client walks. You as a driver will still expect to be paid from somewhere while he looks to replace the lost work. But you don't care about that. All you think is he's crap at running a business. Yet you and your mouth aren't doing it are you? If you are so expert, why haven't you mortgaged yourself to death and had the balls to do it yourself? After all you're so confident you can do it better.
It's not as simple as you simpletons think it is.
Er, I run 2 businesses. One of which is storage and warehousing and I have 3 separate hauliers based at my premises. I've run my own Renault 460 DXi 44 tonner and know the industry pretty well thanks. No-one unless they've not got a brain is not making bank running EU6 trucks right now. You can name your price at most places as they are all desperate for their stuff moving.All you wage slaves see is the take home pay. You don't see the sleepless nights worrying about where the money is coming from to pay you. How secure the contracts he has are.
Let's say he says to a client he is putting the rate up 20%. That client walks. You as a driver will still expect to be paid from somewhere while he looks to replace the lost work. But you don't care about that. All you think is he's crap at running a business. Yet you and your mouth aren't doing it are you? If you are so expert, why haven't you mortgaged yourself to death and had the balls to do it yourself? After all you're so confident you can do it better.
It's not as simple as you simpletons think it is.
The argument about contracts is irrelevant. He shouldn't have taken them on if he's only making £10k per truck after paying peanuts to his drivers. Basically bad management.
PH4555 said:
Tyre Smoke said:
To be honest, having a go at Red without knowing the ins and outs of his business is very unfair.
All you wage slaves see is the take home pay. You don't see the sleepless nights worrying about where the money is coming from to pay you. How secure the contracts he has are.
Let's say he says to a client he is putting the rate up 20%. That client walks. You as a driver will still expect to be paid from somewhere while he looks to replace the lost work. But you don't care about that. All you think is he's crap at running a business. Yet you and your mouth aren't doing it are you? If you are so expert, why haven't you mortgaged yourself to death and had the balls to do it yourself? After all you're so confident you can do it better.
It's not as simple as you simpletons think it is.
Er, I run 2 businesses. One of which is storage and warehousing and I have 3 separate hauliers based at my premises. I've run my own Renault 460 DXi 44 tonner and know the industry pretty well thanks. No-one unless they've not got a brain is not making bank running EU6 trucks right now. You can name your price at most places as they are all desperate for their stuff moving.All you wage slaves see is the take home pay. You don't see the sleepless nights worrying about where the money is coming from to pay you. How secure the contracts he has are.
Let's say he says to a client he is putting the rate up 20%. That client walks. You as a driver will still expect to be paid from somewhere while he looks to replace the lost work. But you don't care about that. All you think is he's crap at running a business. Yet you and your mouth aren't doing it are you? If you are so expert, why haven't you mortgaged yourself to death and had the balls to do it yourself? After all you're so confident you can do it better.
It's not as simple as you simpletons think it is.
The argument about contracts is irrelevant. He shouldn't have taken them on if he's only making £10k per truck after paying peanuts to his drivers. Basically bad management.
Carlososos said:
Just a bit harsh. No need to talk like that. Why not just suggest that the lorry’s could be doing more work. Point made then without being a dick.
It's not harsh at all. It's the exact kind of response needed to people like the clown above who call people who know what they're talking about "simpletons" when there's a good chance they couldn't even tell one end of a truck from the other themselves. And before you go defending red_slr you might want to go back a year or so in his post history and note his disparaging remarks to people in other business threads.Pleads poverty that he can't pay his drivers more than a handful of peanuts, but plenty of money to buy and run Ferrari's, buy houses, buy Audis and EVs, go on holidays to Palma and Las Vegas , but Oh Noes! Business is really bad and I can't afford it!
PH4555 said:
Carlososos said:
Just a bit harsh. No need to talk like that. Why not just suggest that the lorry’s could be doing more work. Point made then without being a dick.
It's not harsh at all. It's the exact kind of response needed to people like the clown above who call people who know what they're talking about "simpletons" when there's a good chance they couldn't even tell one end of a truck from the other themselves. And before you go defending red_slr you might want to go back a year or so in his post history and note his disparaging remarks to people in other business threads.Pleads poverty that he can't pay his drivers more than a handful of peanuts, but plenty of money to buy and run Ferrari's, buy houses, buy Audis and EVs, go on holidays to Palma and Las Vegas , but Oh Noes! Business is really bad and I can't afford it!
Way of the world the people at the top want their slice which is normally massive and it’s normally at the expense of the business and the people in it. People don’t want a strong business they want millions and millions of squids, sod everything else.
PH4555 said:
Carlososos said:
Just a bit harsh. No need to talk like that. Why not just suggest that the lorry’s could be doing more work. Point made then without being a dick.
It's not harsh at all. It's the exact kind of response needed to people like the clown above who call people who know what they're talking about "simpletons" when there's a good chance they couldn't even tell one end of a truck from the other themselves. And before you go defending red_slr you might want to go back a year or so in his post history and note his disparaging remarks to people in other business threads.Pleads poverty that he can't pay his drivers more than a handful of peanuts, but plenty of money to buy and run Ferrari's, buy houses, buy Audis and EVs, go on holidays to Palma and Las Vegas , but Oh Noes! Business is really bad and I can't afford it!
I think the days paying poor wages for drivers just because you can is coming to an end and there is no business justification not paying a fair wage.
I've not depended on my licence since the 90s as I went into management and consultancy but I was earning a similar wage to today back then for rigid lgv not even artics.
Low wages is the reason so many drivers left the industry, unfortunately with DVLA in the mess they are drivers couldn't return to the industry if they wanted to
In my area wages are still low and as said van driving is comparable to c+e but there are many low skilled jobs that pay similar and imo driving c or c+e is not low skilled work and should have a salary commensurate with it
I've not depended on my licence since the 90s as I went into management and consultancy but I was earning a similar wage to today back then for rigid lgv not even artics.
Low wages is the reason so many drivers left the industry, unfortunately with DVLA in the mess they are drivers couldn't return to the industry if they wanted to
In my area wages are still low and as said van driving is comparable to c+e but there are many low skilled jobs that pay similar and imo driving c or c+e is not low skilled work and should have a salary commensurate with it
PH4555 said:
Carlososos said:
Just a bit harsh. No need to talk like that. Why not just suggest that the lorry’s could be doing more work. Point made then without being a dick.
It's not harsh at all. It's the exact kind of response needed to people like the clown above who call people who know what they're talking about "simpletons" when there's a good chance they couldn't even tell one end of a truck from the other themselves. And before you go defending red_slr you might want to go back a year or so in his post history and note his disparaging remarks to people in other business threads.Pleads poverty that he can't pay his drivers more than a handful of peanuts, but plenty of money to buy and run Ferrari's, buy houses, buy Audis and EVs, go on holidays to Palma and Las Vegas , but Oh Noes! Business is really bad and I can't afford it!
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