Tanker drivers

jackrussell101

Member

Mixed Farmer

• Aug 6, 2021

• #1

Our tanker driver says 18 drivers at the Market Drayton plant have handed their notices in in the last week having received better offers elsewhere.

Desperate shortage of drivers across the country now with no Eastern Europeans coming in.

Muller have told him their raising their driver pay by 23% from next month.

I wonder what consequences this will have for us at the farm gate, if any.

 

Cows 'n grass

Member

Location

Modbury, South Devon

• Aug 6, 2021

• #2

I don't know about tanker drivers but I had a letter yesterday from my stock hauler saying he's cut back from 5 lories and drivers to just himself and one lorry.

 

B

bigw

Member

Location

Scotland

• Aug 6, 2021

• #3

Its going have a huge knock on effect accross so many sectors. If i was a milk buyer then i would be looking to get rid of small and akward pickups. Same goes for small retailers especially in rural areas where deliveries will suffer.

 

jimmer

Member

Location

East Devon

• Aug 6, 2021

• #4

Perhaps more of us should think about retailing at the farm gate

 

B

bigw

Member

Location

Scotland

• Aug 6, 2021

• #5

All our supply chains are too long and complex as there has been a constant drive to deliver things cheaper and more efficiently.

 

Turnip

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

Aberdeenshire

• Aug 6, 2021

• #6

bigw said:

All our supply chains are too long and complex as there has been a constant drive to deliver things cheaper and more efficiently.

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Cheaper and more efficiently usually means driving out complexity. What are you referring to as complex in this case?

 

Cows 'n grass

Member

Location

Modbury, South Devon

• Aug 6, 2021

• #7

jimmer said:

Perhaps more of us should think about retailing at the farm gate

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When's opening day?

 

B

bigw

Member

Location

Scotland

• Aug 6, 2021

• #8

Turnip said:

Cheaper and more efficiently usually means driving out complexity. What are you referring to as complex in this case?

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Fewer bigger processing and distribution sites and just in time delivery. Small more local supply chains may fair better but would obviously have a cost attached to it.

 

pappuller

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

M6 Hard shoulder

• Aug 6, 2021

• #9

Cows 'n grass said:

When's opening day?

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When he's modified the kit

 

S

som farmer

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

somerset

• Aug 6, 2021

• #10

with dairying, was told a couple of years ago, each processing plant, would have a dedicated supply of farms, in close proximity, producing exactly what, the plant required, and that is looking like the way things are heading, haulage distance, will become more, and more important, as will milk solids, white water is dearer to haul.

 

Will Blackburn

Member

Location

Cheshire

• Aug 6, 2021

• #11

This is why the "working class" voted for Brexit, all power to them I say. Why should lawyers and doctors get paid 5x to 10x what they do?

 

Cows 'n grass

Member

Location

Modbury, South Devon

• Aug 6, 2021

• #12

som farmer said:

with dairying, was told a couple of years ago, each processing plant, would have a dedicated supply of farms, in close proximity, producing exactly what, the plant required, and that is looking like the way things are heading, haulage distance, will become more, and more important, as will milk solids, white water is dearer to haul.

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In that case Arla will need to find a lot more milk further east. Half the milk produced in Devon and Cornwall would probably be heading to Aylesbury.

 

Ducati899

Member

Location

north dorset

• Aug 6, 2021

• #13

I’m tempted to go drive a tanker of a evening if our lot get short,getting paid to pick my milk up seems ideal

 

B

betweenthelines

Member

Location

southwest

• Aug 6, 2021

• #14

In my experience the Dairies have made a rod for their own backs. Too many "niche" labels and products that only get bottled in one factory then they have to trunk loads (literally) all over the Country.
"Welsh" milk all bottled in the Midlands then moved to Avonmouth before it's delivered into Wales, Organic bottled in Somerset then sent up to the North West etc etc.

 

S

Skintagain

Member

Location

Perched on the Pennines

• Aug 6, 2021

• #15

Local processing will see its day again. It’s not very green to be moving things around so much.

 

Bald Rick

Moderator

Livestock Farmer

Location

Anglesey

• Aug 6, 2021

• #16

So my idea of hauling my own milk seems to have legs...........

 

D

deere 6600

Member

Mixed Farmer

Location

South Lanarkshire

• Aug 6, 2021

• #17

Milk company whoever will simply have to pay more to get drivers its quite competitive out there

 

Mark Hatton

Staff Member

Media

Location

Yorkshire

• Aug 6, 2021

• #18

The current lack of drivers is across the board, I've heard of other instances of drivers leaving smaller haulage firms to work for bigger organisations because of the pay and conditions they are offering, especially in DIY and construction supplies sectors.

 

F

Fools Gold

Member

Livestock Farmer

• Aug 6, 2021

• #19

jackrussell101 said:

Our tanker driver says 18 drivers at the Market Drayton plant have handed their notices in in the last week having received better offers elsewhere.

Desperate shortage of drivers across the country now with no Eastern Europeans coming in.

Muller have told him their raising their driver pay by 23% from next month.

I wonder what consequences this will have for us at the farm gate, if any.

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Consequences likely bad for the producer
Probably get instructed to dump milk and talk to your insurance company if there’s no drivers to lift the milk, in other words farmer takes the hit as usual!

 

Beef farmer

Member

Livestock Farmer

Location

North cornish coast. It's always windy here

• Aug 6, 2021

• #20

Bald Rick said:

So my idea of hauling my own milk seems to have legs...........

Click to expand...

You'll need a driver