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WELCOME ABOARD

30th November 2006
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Page 51, 30th November 2006 — WELCOME ABOARD
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

s the mist descends on Crick on a chilly November morning, it is easy to pass through the DI RFT Logistics Park (formerly the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal) without realising what is situated there.

As the mist gives way to bright sunshine, massive warehouses begin to emerge. Tesco is prominent, as is the rail terminal and Eddie Stobart's site. It's easy enough to find: head southbound on the AS past the Rugby truckstop, take the fourth exit off the next roundabout and head straight on.

Rooms in the Eddie Stobart transport offices are named after motorway services: training takes place in the Toddington room. There is a screen. projection monitor and what looks like a fifth wheel in the middle of the room,surrounded by desks littered with headed paper. pens and dummy paperwork.

Leading the induction is Chris Ince,who is responsible for the north-west region of the Eddie Stobart empire. He explains the outline of the course to CM.

All new starters are trained at Crick -even drivers who have previously worked for the company if they have been away longer than six months. Paperwork and procedures change regularly. Ince explains.

After summarising the company's structure -800 trucks and growing, 27 depots, 1,500 drivers, 2.(X)0 movements a day and explaining what WA Developments does, when the collar and tie was replaced by the polo shirt, and how he was offered £50 for his tie, Ince gets down to brass tacks.

The first topic covered is health and safety. Even though Ince sees it as basic common sense, the company needs to demonstrate the required procedure for every aspect of driving and unloading.

After that we move onto paperwork and this looks tricky.The Stobart fleet handles everything from work for conglomerates a as Tesco and Coca-Cola to general haulage. and each client has its own paperwork.

Reclaiming Chep pallets from RDCs is cited as one example of how difficult it is to get things right. Stobart customers have to replace pallets on a like-for-like basia or else compensate with a docket. But if the driver asks them for a docket, Stobart will t charged for the privilege. Perhaps 'shipmer apparatus-reclamation' diplomacy shouldl included on the course.

After lunch things get practical. Ince focuses on the fifth wheel complete with dummy kingpin in the top. The screen show pictures of lost trailers and the resulting damage.coupled with details of the cost to company and the quote:"This happened tc experienced driver."

Subsequent investigations, we learn. revealed that the drivers in question had fa to use the dog clip or hadn't even checked) kingpin's location. It's alarming stuff. In the corner is a front-three-quarters mock-up o trailer on which Ince runs through strappir up curtains, folding the end out of the way making sure the curtain is taut.

In the afternoon the new drivers venture into the yard to look over the type of vehicl and trailers they will be using. By 4pm the trainees are overloaded with information it will probably take a couple of weeks before issues such as H&S and paperwork procedures begin to make sense.

As Ince concludes the session, the latest batch of Stobart drivers melt away in the autumn sunshine with his ringing endorsement that they have been employ( because the company believes they can de job. And that goes for the veterans as mudl for the new boys.

THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING...

Unlike some operators, Eddie Stobart is prepared to entrust its wagons to newly qualified driversbut only if they can prove themselves in the company's driving assessment.However,Stobart doesn't take chances; experienced drivers have to be assessed too.

To see what this entails we sit in with Stobart's north-east region trainer, Paul Hudson, as he puts a recruit through his paces. First up, of course, is a visual check of the truck before it leaves the yard. Once in the cab the potential employee fills out his tacho chart and takes us out of the one-way system at Crick onto the A5. Having already checked out the application form Hudson knows that today's candidate is an experienced driver, so this evaluation has more to do with road awareness and hazard perception than grinding gears or driving techniques The route doesn't take us far from the office, but it involves plenty of roundabouts, traffic light and frantic car drivers looking to get on the M1 10 minutes agaThere is a 30mph speed limit followed by a sneaky 25mph section on the Tesco trading estate which can catch out the unwary.

Hudson's stock phrase for handling roundabouts is "right gear for the job". No problem here for today's applicant; he has plenty of experience with Macfarlanes and has driven Scania R124s before.

He backs into a tight spot with a small shunt, which doubtless has something to do with his smart but non-driving-friendly interview shoes,and Hudson crosses out 'FAIL' on the sheet, leaving the word `PASS' unblemished.

He highlights economy driving as an area of training he might pursue, as well as preparing earlier for roundabouts rather than drifting in using the brakes, but otherwise it's all positive. Pointing out that "we are all still training", Hudson indicates that he's more than happy with this candidate.

After completing what looks like several reams of paperwork, Hudson asks the applicant to wait in the office for the next stage -an interview with management.

Hudson remarks that this will be more about what Eddie Stobart can offer the driver, than what the driver can offer the company. He is experienced, has proved he can drive, and there is a vacancy ready to be filled. It looks like Stobart has another driver, li's no secret that each Stobart truck is named, and Andy Smith's training vehicle is no exception, the front of the cab carries the names of his daughters, Kayleigh and Teri.

In two years Smith has helped 45 candidates complete their training, pass the C+E test and move onto full-time driving. "Technically they are employed from the day they start training," Smith reports. "You must have the C [rigid] licence to qualify."

Training is free to recruits in return for signing up with the company for a minimum of 12 months. If they leave early they are contracted to pay training costs of £180 a day with an extra £89 for the test

Applicants go through a careful selection procedure involving application form, driving assessment and interview. This is no formality --80% of interviewees don't make it. "I read the application, if there is something I like we take them on an assessment," says Smith, "You can tell in the first 15 minutes if they are a natural.

"The biggest problem is that drivers are full of bad habits... they are Just steeringwheel attendants. don't use their mirrors: have no forethought or hazard perception Some have lust passed their C test and are doing nothing they were taught then

"I tell them what I'm looking for once or twice," he explains "If I have to keep repeating they clearly aren't listening If they get through that they have an interview, and if there is something we don't like they get an 'unsuitable' letter."

Smith usually trains two drivers at a time but today it's only one -.Tracy Booker. She is 26, drove for the Waitrose home delivery service Ocado for 12 months before applying, and paid £1.700 for her C licence She passed her C+E test with flying colours and is now on the induction course • Apply online at www.eddiestobart.co.uk and go to 'careers', or call 01788 520947.

RIGHT PEOPLE FOR THE JOB

If you thought there was a waiting list, or that only the most experienced drivers get a job with Eddie Stobart, think again. As an equal opportunities employer, its policy is to find the right candidate for the job rather than simply hiring the most experienced individuals available.

Of the four drivers on the course that CM attends. onlyTony Burrows has the sort of experience that would make many other drivers blush. He has worked on international haulage for 24 years, including running his own company with his father.subc,ontracting and working for established hauliers in the North-West.

Burrows is also fluent in French and can order beer in Italian. Spanish and German". It comes as no surprise that Stobart has taken him on for international work out of Warrington and Lokeren in Belgium.

The other three have minimal experience behind the wheel.

Howard Spence. for example. worked as a baker and warehouse team manager for Tesco. While unloading trucks he got talking to drivers delivering to the site, and chatted to his truck-driving brother. He then put himself though his training and tests at his own expense.

-I'm nervous but excited." he says."There's job security with Eddie Stobart. I still have a mortgage to pay... I could have gone to an agency but didn't fancy it."

North-west region trainer Chris Ince says that bringing in novice drivers means they can be taught the right way rather than having keys thrust towards them before being told to "get to Abertawe for three" and shoved out the door.

"We can train them our way. getting the job right rather than have a driver who has collected had habits," Ince explains."We always take on new drivers to give them a chance to gain that experience where you can ask if you're not sure of something."

Sitting next to Spence is David Stanley, who was a window fitter before passing his C+E test last year: he has driven for GeoPost. But he has turned down work because they were the type ofjobs that involved -a pair ofjeans and hard boots" before getting the keys.

"Eddie Stobart has a good reputation: you never hear a had word spoken against it." he points out.

Paul Tyrer was an engineer for 12 years: like the rest of this group apart from Burrows this is his first driving job, and like them he will join the night shift at Hamshall.

They are joined by Jim McFeeley. who is based at Brackmills. He works in the transport department after six years at Tesco doing an identical job. He missed the training when Al he joined six months ago and is

making up for it today.

Eddie Stobart

VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE

The Rugby truckstop is Just a mile up the A5 from Stobart's base It's unlikely that any Eddie Stobart drivers will be parked up this close to home which gives us the perfect opportunity to get some feedback about the firm from the countless drivers who use the services At noon, 30 or so drivers pull in for dad breaks and we chat to one who works to James Warn the company has a yard at Stoke where trucks from both fleets park up He never been tempted to joi 'the opposition', saying it would be like swapping Stoke City for Port Vale, but h knows it's a good number.

"I know lads on there and they love it good, sound company with structure, he says, but he reckons its bureaucracy might put off some people Sat with him in the cafe is Sean Smith, who has subbed for Eddie Stobart on Tesco trunking work to Scotland: "It's a very organised set-up Everything is exactly where it's meant to be and payment is prompt Lads at the sites are very keen to make sure you're out the door quickly so that you can make good time."

The positive light in which the compa is seen has rubbed off on two drivers who are both under 25 and would lump at the chance to work for a company Ilk Eddie Stobart One says "There are nig motors, the work is clean I'd jump at a chance; its a iob with security. It would look like good experience and mean you're a serious driver."

His mate agrees "The [transport] industry is full of cowboys it makes sense if you're going to work for a firm it might as well have a good reputation."

But both see earning their dues as an important step, and their current Job satisfies them as they could "make mistakes" now. When we inform them that recently passed drivers with little or no experience are being taken on they almost choke on their bacon butties.


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