Reply to: Anyone worked as a collection-delivery driver ?

[quackhandle]

Now come on you two, we have to pull together in these crazy times.

Someone go and get the guitar.

qh

[northernladuk]

So NLUK - want any advice on how to claim JSA?

No thank you.

[psychocandy]

I did that for the first month and a bit in the second. After that it was like groundhog day for me. Just couldn't be arsed anymore. Needed some reason to get out of bed rather than just a list of stuff. That's just me though.

I worked on lathes as a mechanical apprentice and i'd so love to do that again. Not many places around and even less will let you do some adhoc work.

So NLUK - want any advice on how to claim JSA?

[Cirrus]

Trendsetter

My neighbour's mate started doing this a while back. He was an IT contractor at Lloyds Bank but couldn't stand being a contractor at Lloyds Bank any more.

[psychocandy]

Universal Credit, which pays about £300 a month less than my basic living costs, so I'm running up a CC debt. That's one good thing about using Umbrellas for contracts though as I was previously - when you're not working at least you can claim something, which I guess you can't if Ltd Co or Sole Tader(?)

Dunno its been a few years since I claimed. I was ltd at the time but it may have changed.....

Yeh its not great. £300 a month. I claimed once and it was 3 months until I got a gig. So that was almost £1000. Paid the mortgage for two months with this at least.

Other time I claimed, filled in all the forms, went for JSA interview etc. then got a gig in a week. They dont pay first 3 days so I ended up getting £40. At that point you think, why didnt I just enjoy my week off and not waste time doing this crap for £40.

BUT 3 months down the line, its too late to wish you'd claimed that £1000. No backdating allowed.

[vwdan]

My dad does this to supplement his early retirement (and keep mum happy as she still works!). For him he loves it, but the pay is pretty poor and the work is far from guaranteed.

But he's found himself a nice small, local firm with reasonable conditions. They basically do all the logistics side and either try and make every trip back another car move, or they have a minibus to collect too. Train is seen as the "worst case"

[BolshieBastard]

Thanks, good infoz. I'm a bit worried about leaving cars on the parking by my flat overnight which is apparently needed sometimes, as it's a bit of a dodgy neighbourhood. Might get some kind of car cover and a few security devices to cover my backside.

These delivery companies generally want off street parking as a minimum and garage for more security especially if they leave you a highly spec'd desireable vehicle. Obviously most people doing this work will not have a garage capable of getting a big 4x4 in it.

TBH, if you consider your neighbourhood a bit dodgey, Im not certain Id be comfortable having a high value car parked overnight there. You will be responsible for the vehicle from drop off to delivery and saying the local scrotes keyed it while parked up will not end well.

[OU812]

If you're going to be a sole trader then you can just use a personal bank account, no need for a business one. I would keep a separate account, so that personal and work expenses are kept apart. It'll make accounting on your SATR for allowable expenses easier.

No idea what your start up costs would be. I presume if you're just moving cars about then you'd need business car insurance, not personal. Maybe a public liability insurance too. Depending on what vehicles you're driving you may need to check your license has the right categories on it.

Thanks, good to know, will check on the insurance issue.

Can you not tell from the advert whether it's self employed or employed? Does it quote a rate per hour/day or pay per annum?

Yeh it says self-employed but zero other information. The reviews seem to say that since they don't pay travelling time, you might end up with £40 for a long days work, and the companies can be difficult about refunding travel costs. Don't know what the pay structure actually is yet.

Been claiming JSA?

Universal Credit, which pays about £300 a month less than my basic living costs, so I'm running up a CC debt. That's one good thing about using Umbrellas for contracts though as I was previously - when you're not working at least you can claim something, which I guess you can't if Ltd Co or Sole Tader(?)

I know a guy who does this.
All you'll need is a clean driving license and enough cash to get you train/bus fares.
Pay is tulip but you get to see a lot of the country and drive some nice cars occasionally.

Thanks, good to know. Yeh I like the idea of doing some travel and maybe driving some interesting cars.

I wish I'd have thought of this during my bench time. Just for something to do rather than the money. I just say there thinking I'll get a gig this week. 5 months later still no gig.
Lesson learned for next time fo sho.

It's one of those things that's easy to say in hindsight though isn't it. At the time, you think the next gig is going to turn up next week.. Your right though.

Delivering vehicles seems a decent little number until you really investigate it. As the driver, you are responsible for the condition of the vehicle from pick up to delivery. You have to go over the vehicle with a fine tooth comb and note every little scratch, chip and dent and at both ends of the journey.

Doing that takes time you dont really have as the vehicle needs to be at the delivery point by x time. Once you've dropped the vehicle off and done the hand over making sure you get a good rating, you then have to get home.

These companies say you can use their network of drivers to get you home but if they're all out on jobs, how does that work? And if the drop off is in the middle of nowhere, enjoy trying to get a bus or train.

Good luck.

Thanks, good infoz. I'm a bit worried about leaving cars on the parking by my flat overnight which is apparently needed sometimes, as it's a bit of a dodgy neighbourhood. Might get some kind of car cover and a few security devices to cover my backside.

Agreed, even moreso now - I've seen evidence of companies just stopping any recruitment (perm or contract) whilst they put contingency planning in place to mitigate the impact of the spread of coronavirus to the majority of the population (which seems inevitable now).

I'm hearing one of the big banks has today put plans in place today to split critical team across sites and to ask everyone else to work from home, where possible.

Good point; wonder if the corona virus will affect all recruitment now. I'm starting to think too whether it would actually be an advantage to deliberately catch the damn thing sooner rather than later to get it out of the way. Suspect it will actually become an advantage in the gig economy to be able to say that you've had it and are now immune . .

[Paralytic]

I did that for the first month and a bit in the second. After that it was like groundhog day for me. Just couldn't be arsed anymore. Needed some reason to get out of bed rather than just a list of stuff. That's just me though.

I worked on lathes as a mechanical apprentice and i'd so love to do that again. Not many places around and even less will let you do some adhoc work.

I do think we're going to get an increasing number of people appearing here who are struggling to find their next gig, at least over the summer months until the impact of coronavirus becomes clear. The other thing I'd recommend to anyone is make sure you get out at least once a day - go for run, or a walk. This is even more important if your other half is at home during the day

[northernladuk]

Not the same thing - but in my last gap between contracts, I did my own work around the garden - laid a patio, painting fences etc. When you've spent the majority of your life in front a computer, it is really rewarding to do some manual grafting and seeing something (physical) as a result of your work.

I did that for the first month and a bit in the second. After that it was like groundhog day for me. Just couldn't be arsed anymore. Needed some reason to get out of bed rather than just a list of stuff. That's just me though.

I worked on lathes as a mechanical apprentice and i'd so love to do that again. Not many places around and even less will let you do some adhoc work.

[Paralytic]

Agree 100%. After 6 months out, I did some labouring for a builder. I got to use tools that I'll never own and it was really therapeutic. The feeling of being wanted again was worth more than money.

Not the same thing - but in my last gap between contracts, I did my own work around the garden - laid a patio, painting fences etc. When you've spent the majority of your life in front a computer, it is really rewarding to do some manual grafting and seeing something (physical) as a result of your work.

[Grasser73]

I wish I'd have thought of this during my bench time. Just for something to do rather than the money. I just say there thinking I'll get a gig this week. 5 months later still no gig.
Lesson learned for next time fo sho.

Agree 100%. After 6 months out, I did some labouring for a builder. I got to use tools that I'll never own and it was really therapeutic. The feeling of being wanted again was worth more than money.

[Paralytic]

I'd urge anyone on the bench or just about to hit the bench to think about this type of thing right off the bat rather than wait expecting to land a gig that week.

Agreed, even moreso now - I've seen evidence of companies just stopping any recruitment (perm or contract) whilst they put contingency planning in place to mitigate the impact of the spread of coronavirus to the majority of the population (which seems inevitable now).

I'm hearing one of the big banks has today put plans in place today to split critical team across sites and to ask everyone else to work from home, where possible.

[BolshieBastard]

Hullo

I've been looking at job ads from companies such as BCA Auctions and IT Fleet Automotive for drivers of cars and vans moving them from A to B around the UK.

The jobs and companies take a massive panning in the reviews on Indeed, but I've been unemployed for over six months now and getting desperate, so might consider doing this for 6 months just to get something recent on the CV.

I presume this would be sole-trader status since the money is apparently so bad. Can anyone advise what sort of start up costs I would have in that case? Would I need a separate business bank account?

Any other experience / opinions / advice gratefully recieved, thanks.

Delivering vehicles seems a decent little number until you really investigate it. As the driver, you are responsible for the condition of the vehicle from pick up to delivery. You have to go over the vehicle with a fine tooth comb and note every little scratch, chip and dent and at both ends of the journey.

Doing that takes time you dont really have as the vehicle needs to be at the delivery point by x time. Once you've dropped the vehicle off and done the hand over making sure you get a good rating, you then have to get home.

These companies say you can use their network of drivers to get you home but if they're all out on jobs, how does that work? And if the drop off is in the middle of nowhere, enjoy trying to get a bus or train.

Good luck.

[northernladuk]

I thought you had a gig at the moment? Didn't know you were benched

Sorry, yes I do now. Started in Feb. I meant the period I was off up to getting a gig.

I'd urge anyone on the bench or just about to hit the bench to think about this type of thing right off the bat rather than wait expecting to land a gig that week.