Disgraceful treatment
Discussion
This is a fairly common moan in trucking circles, but I'd like to relate my experience the other day & invite comment...
There is a large internet-based retailer located in Scotland, & my delivery there was booked in for 2.30pm. Through no fault of my own I was 20 minutes late. The guy at the gatehouse told me that, because I 'missed my slot', I would have to wait a while outside the yard. I was finally waved into the yard at 7.50pm...that's FIVE HOURS later.
No access to toilet facilities; no access to canteen facilities; no access even to the drinks machine (which, when I finally got in, wouldn't take my money anyway!); no suggestion as to how long I would be waiting; no nothing. I couldn't pull out as I had a collection afterwards which required an empty truck; I simply had to tough it out. What's both funny & tragic...I swear this is true...I was visited by the Jehovah's Witnesses & given a copy of The Watchtower!
Prisoners get better treatment. There is a thing called human rights. Don't drivers deserve human rights anymore? Surely there must be laws/rules that this firm are breaching? I have seriously thought about writing a strong letter of complaint to the appropriate manager, but it would probably go straight in his bin.
Surely we shouldn't have to tolerate this sort of treatment..should we?
There is a large internet-based retailer located in Scotland, & my delivery there was booked in for 2.30pm. Through no fault of my own I was 20 minutes late. The guy at the gatehouse told me that, because I 'missed my slot', I would have to wait a while outside the yard. I was finally waved into the yard at 7.50pm...that's FIVE HOURS later.
No access to toilet facilities; no access to canteen facilities; no access even to the drinks machine (which, when I finally got in, wouldn't take my money anyway!); no suggestion as to how long I would be waiting; no nothing. I couldn't pull out as I had a collection afterwards which required an empty truck; I simply had to tough it out. What's both funny & tragic...I swear this is true...I was visited by the Jehovah's Witnesses & given a copy of The Watchtower!
Prisoners get better treatment. There is a thing called human rights. Don't drivers deserve human rights anymore? Surely there must be laws/rules that this firm are breaching? I have seriously thought about writing a strong letter of complaint to the appropriate manager, but it would probably go straight in his bin.
Surely we shouldn't have to tolerate this sort of treatment..should we?
Combination of both. This is their policy: arrive early, you might get in 20 - 30mins before booking time...depending upon who's on the gate & whether he likes you or not. Arrive late...you're gubbed & join the punishment queue.
Based in Glasgow, I've been to every main warehouse/RDC in Scotland, & this place is by far the worst. The big players will give you an hour each side of booked time. They realise that there are such things as traffic hold-ups/previous delivery delays etc.
What these people forget is that visiting drivers are also potential customers. My partner & I have spent thousands of pounds with this crowd over the past couple of years. I am now a former customer.
Based in Glasgow, I've been to every main warehouse/RDC in Scotland, & this place is by far the worst. The big players will give you an hour each side of booked time. They realise that there are such things as traffic hold-ups/previous delivery delays etc.
What these people forget is that visiting drivers are also potential customers. My partner & I have spent thousands of pounds with this crowd over the past couple of years. I am now a former customer.
[quote=4key]Are you self employed or do you drive for a company?
I drive for a company. Amongst other things, we deliver electrical goods for some of the major players; bookings for the likes of A*az*n, Argos, Asda etc. are made from our main transport office down south; my depot has no say in the matter. All we can do is try to make sure we arrive on time.
I can't disagree with the fact that I was outside my alloted time. However, somebody else turned up shortly after me at 3.00, with stuff booked in for 4.30. He was allowed in at 4.00, & was away less than half an hour later...begging the question: why couldn't I have had the now-vacant 4.30 slot?
I drive for a company. Amongst other things, we deliver electrical goods for some of the major players; bookings for the likes of A*az*n, Argos, Asda etc. are made from our main transport office down south; my depot has no say in the matter. All we can do is try to make sure we arrive on time.
I can't disagree with the fact that I was outside my alloted time. However, somebody else turned up shortly after me at 3.00, with stuff booked in for 4.30. He was allowed in at 4.00, & was away less than half an hour later...begging the question: why couldn't I have had the now-vacant 4.30 slot?
leggly said:
Rules is rules and you're only a driver!
But I'm a human being as well & probably better educated than the person that came up with this ridiculous 'rule'... if such a thing even exists! What would happen if I wandered into a random workplace, picked a random worker, & told him 'you're doing 5 hours overtime tonight, whether you like it or not'. He would probably stick one on me! And yet drivers are meant to treat this as 'part of the job'.. ZR1cliff said:
How can you have fair trading when drivers are being held up for hours on end at distribution centres?
I mentioned in my original post about having an uplift to do afterwards: 14 pallets booked for 5pm., for onward delivery the following day. When it became apparent that I would be late, the collection point staff kindly agreed to stay on until I arrived. Around 7.30pm they couldn't wait any longer, & I never made the collection. My firm lost the entire job, & obviously the income it would have generated.
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