SIMON BRETT MD BRETT’S TRANSPORT
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Based at Guyhirn, Brett’s Transport has 80 vehicles and its business is based around consolidating LTL consignments for common destinations, also serving several packaging customers requiring full loads.
Around 85% of its drivers are paid on a productivity basis by the ‘unit’. MD Simon Brett explains: “A ‘unit’ is 45km. They’re also paid two units for the first drop, plus one for each subsequent delivery, and the same again for collections. There are bits that attract extra units as well – all drops inside the M25 attract two units, for example.
“The good side is it encourages people to crack on with the job, as they are paid for all the time they’re working, be that driving, loading or unloading. Otherwise even the best would take the attitude ‘other people are sitting about, so why shouldn’t I’ – I’d be the same myself! We also don’t have to chase drivers, which they say is the main upside for them.
“You may get drivers taking the longest possible route, but they usually have enough to be doing not to bother with that. We’re also now paying a fuel bonus; some drivers thought they were being paid to go flat-out, and refused to even try and earn it, but even they’re now coming round to the idea that driving more efficiently doesn’t mean they get any less work done, and there are good bonuses to be earned. It’s an effective self-funding pay rise, so we all win.”