Driver Jatt

Caged Animals!

Today I stood in a cage. Not by choice.

In the grand scheme of things, I generally don’t like standing in cages. It’s not a natural state. Today, as I waited, the 90s girl band Eternal’s song “Don’t Let Go” started playing in my head. “Don’t let go… of the love that we’re building…” I was doing a full, silent re-enactment. Thankfully for the warehouse staff, the dramatic vocals and yearning looks were in my mind only. Outside, I was just a bloke in hi-vis, staring at a clock.

In reality, I was here for an urgent collection. The usual drill.

The first thing you see is the notice, printed in bold capitals, telling drivers NOT to shout, whistle, or bang on the counter. The staff know you are there and will come to you (when they can). It sets the tone. You are now a problem to be managed, not a partner in a transaction.

The cage measures a little over 3x2m with a height of 3m. A glass and metal box. There are various signs dotted around reminding drivers of their health and safety obligations, and an old, 80s-style CCTV camera pointing into the area, ready to catch in the act any driver daring to show signs of frustration for feeling ignored or generally being treated like a pariah. It’s surveillance. You’re not a guest; you’re a suspect under observation.

However, this cage scenario isn’t exclusive to this place. It’s the norm at many distribution centres up and down the country. Drivers are treated like pariahs whilst they collect and deliver the very goods that keep the place running. Why? The unspoken assumption is because they must be thieves, right? Or they’re untidy, or they’ll wander off. No trust. Just containment.

It might be beneficial for companies to consider alternative methods that maintain security while also fostering a positive relationship with the drivers, especially if they want new blood to come into the industry. You can’t complain about a driver shortage while treating the ones you have like zoo exhibits.

Fortunately, the staff in this instance were reasonably accommodating. Friendly, for sure. But I couldn’t help picking up the vibe that they really do hate their job. I don’t envy them. They work in demanding roles involving physical labour and often tight schedules. Additionally, the nature of the work, dealing with logistics and high-pressure situations, contributes to stress, which equals a lot of staff looking rather morbid. The cage isn’t just for us; the whole system feels like one.

In other news, I went to Scunthorpe. The folk round here call roundabouts ‘circles’. “Take the third circle,” they’ll say. It’s a small thing, but it snaps you out of the cage mentality. A different little world with its own rules, just off the motorway. You go from being a monitored unit in a glass box to a stranger learning local slang. I’ll take the circles any day.

So, do you need a courier who’d ideally like drivers to be treated better?

Click on www.frigate-express.co.uk  and use the calculator to quote you.

If you have any questions???? Get in touch.