Not enough drivers in your DO.

[themailman]

What would happen if for a combination of reasons (sick leave, annual leave, losing licence, medical, suspension) your office fell below the minimum level of van drivers needed to operate and couldn't get any reserve driving staff from surrounding area?
It must be running close in many areas I'd say.

Also, are we not at the stage now that due to their critical importance to the whole park and loop set-up, the drivers allowance should be re-introduced?

[Ricardo44]

Our office is ok now but a few years ago they were really short.
Since then they have taken on new starters and they won't (usually) employ them now without a driving licence so this has boosted the numbers.

A lot of non drivers don't want to do it,myself included, because of all the hassle of getting moved around etc. Some of the shared van duties are a real pain for drivers who don't know them.

Yes I do think drivers should get more money and so should leave reserves even though I'm a duty holder and a non driver.

[fishtank]

It's unlikely to be an issue in most areas since RM has been recruiting only drivers for a good 5 years+, in my DO there are maybe 5 non drivers left out of 130 staff, more of an issue in small offices with a low staff turnover I would imagine.
Driving allowance isn't coming back, most of the workforce would get it lol.

[themailman]

It's unlikely to be an issue in most areas since RM has been recruiting only drivers for a good 5 years+, in my DO there are maybe 5 non drivers left out of 130 staff, more of an issue in small offices with a low staff turnover I would imagine.
Driving allowance isn't coming back, most of the workforce would get it lol.

If it is purely financial reasons, I'm sure it could be written into any future pay deals. What a great incentive for people who CAN drive, but have chosen (within their rights) not to drive for RM.
Our DO is about 50/50% drivers/non drivers. So as you can imagine in a 95% park and loop office, lose a few % of drivers (its mostly 1 driver per van), then it goes t!ts up.

[fishtank]

What a great incentive for people who CAN drive, but have chosen (within their rights) not to drive for RM.
.

It's only a "right" in as much as Royal Mail indulge it, It would be easy to make it a contractual obligation. Then if you wanted to exercise your "right" not to drive you could do so at Burger King. Be careful what you wish for.....

[greengiant]

Only got my driving assessment after 11 months employment with RM!

[Dorset Plodder]

Quite amusing trying to do the Drivers half of a Van Share "BLIND" I had to get the other Postie to draw me little maps on where he was going to meet me after delivering his couple of bags!

As expected there was a Cock Up and I completed missed our last meeting, and it left him wandering around a housing estate looking for me. Luckily another pair had been dispatched to help us finish off and they hunted me down in their van!

And to think we used to be able to dispatch packet ships all over the world to deliver mail! They obviously had better Management in those days!