Overnight Stays Market Rate?

[Peartreehouse]

Hello lovely helpful people
We are reviewing what we currently pay our drivers/employees who stay overnight for jobs. At the moment, we feel we are being rather too generous by covering accommodation, all meals, and also providing an 'overnight allowance' of £20 for the inconvenience of being away from home. The drivers won't sleep in the cabs! Just wondered what the general 'going rate' was if anyone could enlighten us? TIA x

 

[simon field]

Are they sleeper cabs? If so, why don’t they use them?

Could it be because you pay them not to?

 

[Peartreehouse]

Are they sleeper cabs? If so, why don’t they use them?

Could it be because you pay them not to?

We only have one sleeper cab from six vehicles so they get used to not sleeping in it I suppose?

 

[MBE2017]

In my area a company is always advertising £25 for nights away plus costs, few takers, not suprised either. The major reason for a shortage of drivers in the industry is poor facilities, have you ever been to a truck stop?

I would prefer to sleep in the Scottish highlands in a tent, at least that would be clean.

Not having a go at you, but the whole industry needs to start paying for decent accommodation AND facilities if it wants drivers.

 

[simon field]

Are you making a decent profit?

If so, leave well alone would be my advice.

If not, put your prices up.

 

[Paul9]

I wouldn't stay out all night for £20 and my dinner and I doubt you would either.
If you have people that will you shouldn't rock the boat.

 

[bodgitt&scarperLTD]

I'm not suprised the drivers won't sleep in the cabs if they are not sleeper models!

Sounds like you need to overhaul your business model. You can't expect someone to work all day, end up miles from home, and still be happy about staying overnight without a bonus.

If it's the hotel costs that are becoming excessive, then as the fleet is renewed I would purchase decent sleeper models with all the extras, and move to a 'one vehicle, one driver' model, starting with your best drivers. Even then, you'll still need to pay an overnight bonus.

Driver retention is difficult at the best of times- cheap labour from Europe just masked it. That's over- they won't work for peanuts any more.

 

[Peartreehouse]

In my area a company is always advertising £25 for nights away plus costs, few takers, not suprised either. The major reason for a shortage of drivers in the industry is poor facilities, have you ever been to a truck stop?

I would prefer to sleep in the Scottish highlands in a tent, at least that would be clean.

Not having a go at you, but the whole industry needs to start paying for decent accommodation AND facilities if it wants drivers.

Thanks for your reply, we put them up in Travel Lodges or similar...

 

[Peartreehouse]

Are you making a decent profit?

If so, leave well alone would be my advice.

If not, put your prices up.

Many thanks for the reply...

 

[Peartreehouse]

I wouldn't stay out all night for £20 and my dinner and I doubt you would either.
If you have people that will you shouldn't rock the boat.

Many thanks for your reply...

 

[Peartreehouse]

I'm not suprised the drivers won't sleep in the cabs if they are not sleeper models!

Sounds like you need to overhaul your business model. You can't expect someone to work all day, end up miles from home, and still be happy about staying overnight without a bonus.

If it's the hotel costs that are becoming excessive, then as the fleet is renewed I would purchase decent sleeper models with all the extras, and move to a 'one vehicle, one driver' model, starting with your best drivers. Even then, you'll still need to pay an overnight bonus.

Driver retention is difficult at the best of times- cheap labour from Europe just masked it. That's over- they won't work for peanuts any more.

Really appreciate your reply, thank you. We only expect them to sleep in the sleeper cab, but we only have one vehicle with this so agree we need to rethink when we renew the fleet...

 

[MBE2017]

Thanks for your reply, we put them up in Travel Lodges or similar...

Fair enough for basic accommodation and facilities, do you also pay for food whilst away?

I always found Premier Inns were much preferred with the unlimited brekkie, always see hundreds of works in those, Travel Lodges tend to be very dated on the whole.

 

[Peartreehouse]

Fair enough for basic accommodation and facilities, do you also pay for food whilst away?

I always found Premier Inns were much preferred with the unlimited brekkie, always see hundreds of works in those, Travel Lodges tend to be very dated on the whole.

Yes, we cover all food as well as the accommodation. They tend to book their own accommodation as they know the access/parking facilities It's the additional £20 on top of this that we are reviewing...?

 

[MBE2017]

Yes, we cover all food as well as the accommodation. They tend to book their own accommodation as they know the access/parking facilities It's the additional £20 on top of this that we are reviewing...?

You sound like you are in the average low market rate.

I have been out of the Industry too long now to say if that is over generous, personally my gut feeling is it is on the low side. Do you have trouble filing your night shift driver requirements?

 

[Peartreehouse]

You sound like you are in the average low market rate.

I have been out of the Industry too long now to say if that is over generous, personally my gut feeling is it is on the low side. Do you have trouble filing your night shift driver requirements?

Thanks for the reply, we only have a handful of drivers and we rotate the overnight stays between them...

 

[BusterBloodvessel]

I'm really not sure how you think you're being "too generous". The least you can do is "cover all their meals and accommodation". It's not like they have access to a kitchen that they can whip up an evening meal in is it?

I've spent years working away (not driving trucks) and it's amazing how many people think it's a perk having your meals and drinks paid for. Comments like "oh living it up again are you, another slap up meal paid for". Yes, true I eat some nice food and have some beers paid for. It's also boring, lonely, unhealthy, and not great for your mental health. Give me the choice between eating and drinking a slap up meal on my own miles from home, or being at home making beans on toast but being around my friends and family and in the comfort of my own house....I know which one I'd choose every day of the week.

So yeah, the bare minimum is to cover their food, drink and hotel and then £20 for the inconvenience isn't much on top. That's the only thing you could cut which would be an insult in my opinion.

 

[Financial-Modeller]

A slight tangetnt, but I've idly wondered why garages that service HGVs don't offer overnight servicing instead of taking a truck off the road for a day and provide decent accommodation for drivers.

 

[Peartreehouse]

I'm really not sure how you think you're being "too generous". The least you can do is "cover all their meals and accommodation". It's not like they have access to a kitchen that they can whip up an evening meal in is it?

I've spent years working away (not driving trucks) and it's amazing how many people think it's a perk having your meals and drinks paid for. Comments like "oh living it up again are you, another slap up meal paid for". Yes, true I eat some nice food and have some beers paid for. It's also boring, lonely, unhealthy, and not great for your mental health. Give me the choice between eating and drinking a slap up meal on my own miles from home, or being at home making beans on toast but being around my friends and family and in the comfort of my own house....I know which one I'd choose every day of the week.

So yeah, the bare minimum is to cover their food, drink and hotel and then £20 for the inconvenience isn't much on top. That's the only thing you could cut which would be an insult in my opinion.

Thank you, this is actually a great insight for us. Really appreciate your input.

 

[BubbaWY]

Im not in the haulage industry, but in the construction industry, the company I works for pays an overnight allowance of £20 per night (as well as all food, drinks and hotel).

 

[Peartreehouse]

Im not in the haulage industry, but in the construction industry, the company I works for pays an overnight allowance of £20 per night (as well as all food, drinks and hotel).

Many thanks for your reply, much appreciated

 

[MBE2017]

A slight tangetnt, but I've idly wondered why garages that service HGVs don't offer overnight servicing instead of taking a truck off the road for a day and provide decent accommodation for drivers.

I would only use a garage that offers 24hr servicing, so all my own vans were serviced overnite ready to be back on the road first thing in the morning. I never expected them to put the drivers up as well, that’s a different business altogether.

If you have enough vehicles it pays to have your own garage onsite, with your own dedicated mechanics. I was tasked with such a request way back in the 80’s for a large carrier whose depot I ran at the time, so it’s nothing new.

 

[Paul9]

A slight tangetnt, but I've idly wondered why garages that service HGVs don't offer overnight servicing instead of taking a truck off the road for a day and provide decent accommodation for drivers.

Most truck brands already offer this in most main cities.

 

[JEREMY HAWKE]

If you don't have sleepers then I would say hotels, meals plus £25 per night
Is a difficult one as not many people want to do it Sleeper vans are massively expensive and not as nice as an artic cab making the job still as unpleasant

When I was a lad I used to just sleep in the cab of a transit across the seats but I don't expect anybody to do that now
It is easier for me now just to get an owner driver to do some of the tramping and they take care of themselves

 

[Peartreehouse]

If you don't have sleepers then I would say hotels, meals plus £25 per night
Is a difficult one as not many people want to do it Sleeper vans are massively expensive and not as nice as an artic cab making the job still as unpleasant

When I was a lad I used to just sleep in the cab of a transit across the seats but I don't expect anybody to do that now
It is easier for me now just to get an owner driver to do some of the tramping and they take care of themselves

Many thanks for your input, Jeremy, much appreciated!