Petrol and Diesel Shortages

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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,446
3,650
50
Exeter
Cant really care if its fake news or not - its as immaterial if out of the 5 local garages none have any fuel.

If its the madness of mobs then fine - but its still having an effect.
 
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Stew

Bushcrafter through and through
Nov 29, 2003
6,446
1,284
Aylesbury
stewartjlight-knives.com
No shortage of fuel. A shortage drivers to deliver it! By Monday everyone will have filled up and there will be lots for the rest of us.

I suppose the bonus with this is there’s only a certain amount most folk can panic buy. Toilet roll and food they could have a garage full but not likely to get many who will get more than an extra fuel cans worth.
 

Van-Wild

Full Member
Feb 17, 2018
1,399
1,221
44
UK
With this in situation in mind (fuel shortages, mob mentality, the incumbent need for Bog Roll.....), maybe it would be a good idea for groups of like-minded people to band together and make it known that they are able to provide for each other in times of need?

During the lockdowns, my immediate neighbours and I posted homemade leaflets through doors on our street, letting people know that if they needed assistance then they can ring one of three numbers listed and we would help them. It was only small time stuff, pick up some groceries for a pensioner, run a single mum into town for some things, move some furniture around..... we were mentally prepared for must more serious requests but they didn't materialise.

It really brought about community. During a bank holiday weekend we all sat on our driveways and shared tea and cakes, chatting into the small hours. I never thought that would be my kinda thing, but to be fair it was awesome. I now know all my neighbours names, what they do for a living and a little bit about them (stone Mason next door, a builder across the street, an ex army engineer next to the builder, a nurse, and then there's me, Jack of all trades, occasional venison provider, fisherman, DIY bloke with a veg garden....

If such an 'online' community were to exist, in times of need, that community could band together and share knowledge, equipment, experiences...... (in babbling all this I realise that our forum is already such a community, but would it reach so far as to actually helping a person unknown to them other than being a forum avatar?)

Food for thought I suppose........

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 
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gra_farmer

Full Member
Mar 29, 2016
1,800
1,019
Kent
Well the world has officially gone mad, and I blame the media, as most of us lot do too. The profiteering is the sad bit, I drove past a BP garage with 166.9p/l with a line of cars waiting....i will be cycling the 23 miles to work over the next few weeks rather than pay that!!! Need to get fit anyway :)
 

Van-Wild

Full Member
Feb 17, 2018
1,399
1,221
44
UK
Why not chase them up?
chase them up...... in my experience with the DVLA, chasing up only results in said agency following this process.... 'we have not received your documents', then 'your documents have not been processed', then 'we have no record of your documents', then 'there was a mistake processing your documents'........

Infuriating to say the least......

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,446
3,650
50
Exeter
chase them up...... in my experience with the DVLA, chasing up only results in said agency following this process.... 'we have not received your documents', then 'your documents have not been processed', then 'we have no record of your documents', then 'there was a mistake processing your documents'........

Infuriating to say the least......

Sent from my SM-G970F using Tapatalk
Rats in a maze...

:)
 

reddave

Life Member
Mar 15, 2006
335
47
stalybridge
I work on Stanlow refinery. There's no shortage of fuel.
Got good mates on Grangemouth . Same.
Got good NDT contacts at Immingham. Same.
When they start paying drivers a decent wage, EVERY distribution problem will disappear overnight.
Even Stobart are advertising at half decent rates, so drivers are going to the better paying obs.
 

Wander

Native
Jan 6, 2017
1,418
1,983
Here There & Everywhere
Well, it's now gone bonkers around here.
Don't blame the media for it all - I've heard just as many voices saying 'stop panic buying - there's loads of fuel' as those relishing the catastrophe porn.
It takes two.
Once again, the great British public show their worth.
As if voting for Brexit, Boris Johnson, not taking proper Covid precautions, panic buying toilet roll, etc wasn't enough evidence, the public have shown their true measure and worth.
 

wookii

Member
Jul 12, 2021
36
28
38
Surrey, UK
I am a Transport Manager for a National fuel company and we're finding this whole situation pretty bazaar. We have fuel and we have drivers and we have a waiting list of qualified drivers wanting to work for us.

I know there is a national shortage of drivers in general, but there is no difficulty in recruiting Tanker drivers due to the pay.

I seems that there is one company in particular that is having difficulties recruiting... for whatever reason :whistling::wink: and this has been reported by the press causing panic.
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,975
7,755
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
I am a Transport Manager for a National fuel company and we're finding this whole situation pretty bazaar. We have fuel and we have drivers and we have a waiting list of qualified drivers wanting to work for us.

I know there is a national shortage of drivers in general, but there is no difficulty in recruiting Tanker drivers due to the pay.

I seems that there is one company in particular that is having difficulties recruiting... for whatever reason :whistling::wink: and this has been reported by the press causing panic.

There's nothing like having the truth straight from the coal face :)

Thanks.
 

Fadcode

Full Member
Feb 13, 2016
2,857
894
Cornwall
I am a Transport Manager for a National fuel company and we're finding this whole situation pretty bazaar. We have fuel and we have drivers and we have a waiting list of qualified drivers wanting to work for us.

I know there is a national shortage of drivers in general, but there is no difficulty in recruiting Tanker drivers due to the pay.

I seems that there is one company in particular that is having difficulties recruiting... for whatever reason :whistling::wink: and this has been reported by the press causing panic.
Well said, it's nice to get the real truth from the Coal face, Horses Mouth, please excuse the name calling.....lol

As you are no doubt aware there are bad haulage firms who no-one will work for, and I am sure this is the case that has caused the alarm, it's a pity that some of the reporters who speak to these firms don't get the full picture, of why these firms suffer a staff shortage, before putting out their stories and articles in the Press.
Yes driver shortages, but brought on by the firms themselves.
ADR drivers have always been well paid, and will only work for firms who value them, as their job is more hazardous they deserve the extra money, and rely on the Firm they work for to keep them safe.
 
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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,569
S. Lanarkshire
I filled up my tank this afternoon. No queue, and they had all varieties of fuel. 133.9 a litre though.
The girl behind the counter lives in our street, and said that it had been manically busy but it's settled down now, and they had never run out across all pumps. They had been down to only two with diesel though. There are eight on the forecourt.
 
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dean4442

Full Member
Nov 11, 2004
599
59
Wokingham UK
I did do some hgv driving whilst between jobs and retraining and was treated like dirt, maybe that's the reason some firms can't get enough drivers? I'll post this from a mate of mine:
This morning I received a letter from Department of Transport asking me if I could return to the Logistics Industry as there is a shortage of drivers, and I quote
"Your valuable skills and experience have never been more needed than now"
Those who know me have seen numerous updates over the years in regards to my experiences in the Logistics industry---10 years with the same company....
Working 50 - 60 hours a week on a salary....
Being threatened with disciplinary action if I ever said no to an unreasonable request.....
Being treated with little or no respect from management...
Having a risk to pay fines , whilst delivering goods ....
traffic , no place to stop ,angry and aggressive customers...because office staff lied to them....
Vehicles that were filthy dirty and on occasion, un road worthy...
An industry that relied on cheaper labour from Europe for decades , to bring or hold wages low..being told by managers that we can be replaced by drivers who wont complain and we should count our blessings.....
An industry that has needed thousands of drivers for over a decade ( many years before BREXIT--please feel free to fact check this information )
In most jobs ( that you work ) you have set shift patterns , you know what you are doing and when you will finish--lorry driving ,you work until you run out of hours--you waste hours being held up in traffic and distribution depots and are forced to complete your workload or suffer the results of bringing goods back.
imagine being told as you leave your office ....you have to stay a further 2 - 3 hours after your expected finish time and being threatened with dismissal if you said no...imagine that happening 2 or 3 times a week ----would you like that?no? then why do lorry drivers have to?
the shortage has other reasons to consider:
The UK does not offer driving as a career to school leavers--20 years ago people wanted to be builders, train drivers, lorry drivers , mechanics or a plethora of jobs that involved manual labour...trades you might say...but now schools offer further education in gender studies diversity and inclusion degrees , become a social media superstar.....
a HGV driver requires qualifications to drive that the average car driver does not....
Medicals---CPC -----Customer Service NVQ----etc etc ....
instead of asking why there is a shortage, ask why drivers ( who are qualified ) want to leave.
To become a fuel tanker driver , you need even more certification and qualifications to do the job....the jobs are much better paid than normal HGV work...up o £60k per year ( danger money for driving a bomb safely )...there are more drivers than jobs for these jobs...regardless wha the media want you to think.....
Its the pay and conditions that have caused this
its the treatment from joe public , customers and managment
its the fact that it has come to this situation that people are crying for lorry drivers.....
remember the clap for NHS workers ? remember how the public were so wonderful during the Covid lockdowns....no ones talking about that any more ......
when it effects the public , when it becomes a personal problem...thats when there is an outcry , a show of support ....blah blah blah/
I am aware that there are drivers who are lucky to love what they do,who enjoy the road,who are happy ....but i guarantee the majority dont....like everyone else....they have to do the work to pay bills , if drivers got better pay and conditions ..they would love to work less hours, be at home more....39 hour week is UK a driver averages 56 hours per week
Colin
 

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