Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: Don_1 on 04/11/2009 17:17:26
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'Scuse I while I have a rant.
I've just been asked to quote for some exhibits to be collected from London on Saturday and delivered Sunday AM to the Scottish Exhibition Centre in Glasgow, by a dedicated vehicle. That's approx 850 mile round trip, working all day Saturday and Sunday.
This prize ******** said I had to beat a quote they had already been given of £400.00
Considering the diesel cost would be around £250.00 + overnight expenses of say £50.00 + overheads of around £90.00, I told the twit to snap up the offer which had been made to him.
"Aren't you even going to quote me?" He asked.
"No" I replied, "£400.00 only just covers the running costs, leaving nothing for wages."
My problem is, WHO THE BLODDY HELL SHOULD I HAVE A GO AT? THE PRIZE BURK TRYING TO GET THE JOB DONE AT BELOW COST OR EVEN BIGGER MORON WHO IS PREPARED TO WORK ALL WEEKEND FOR £10???? THAT IS UNLESS HE GETS A PUNCTURE, IN WHICH CASE HE GETS BUGGER ALL AND STILL HAS TO PAY A MAN'S WAGES OUT OF SWEET FANNY ADAMS!!!!
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
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Or maybe there was no prior quote at all
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Stick to your guns!!
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huh!!!!!!!!
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That is a saying meaning stand your ground which is another saying , meaning stick to your quote or original offer in this case! LOL
Sorry Yomi.. Not real guns!
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o.k I apologize.......
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Not necessary at all.. No Problem just a language barrier... Glad to clear that up for you.
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Maybe the other guy does it by 'copter/plane, which is a vehicle as well.
Bit more expensive on the gas, but no overnight stay and extra costs
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Don, I've never before seen you ask permission to have a rant. You must be mellowing.
I've seen this sort of thing before. A friend of mine was thinking of buying a yacht and getting it delivered to the south coast from its existing mooring in the west of Scotland. I don't remember the figures but there were several offers to do the transport by road (which is very specialised) and all were impossibly cheap. We reckoned that the only way it would be cost effective was if the transport was utilised in both directions so the guy could be effectively paid twice and he slept in his cab. It would take some organising but it would not surprise me if there isn't some website or club that can be joined that can match up two way journeys. Ships have been doing this for centuries so I expect road transport is organised in this way too.
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There are a number of agencies through which return loads can be obtained. But there are two big problems. The first is that there are far more vehicles running empty than there are return loads available. The chances of a matching return load are not good and certainly should never be relied upon. The second is that these days the haulier must bid for those return loads and the agency takes their cut out of your fee.
The bidding is 'cutthroat', or rate offered (as in some cases), can only be regarded as a bit of bunce. So even if you do find a suitable return load, it will not make up for the fact that you haven't made a viable profit on the outward journey. Also bear in mind that this job was to be delivered Sunday AM, so no chance of a return load until Monday.
There is also the fact that these agencies are (whether unwittingly or not) turning primary loads into return loads. UK hauliers already have enough on their plate trying to compete with foreign trucks coming from the EU with their 300ltr tank and secondary 1000ltr tank and perhaps a third 1000ltr belly tank full of cheap European diesel and manned by one or two drivers employed in their native Eastern European nation at wages a fraction of those of UK drivers.
I can give you an example from a few years ago.
I and a competitor were asked to quote for an express job from Aylesbury, Bucks to Lyon, France.
I quoted £950 my competitor (who had a definite return load available) quoted £750. But with the return load at 50% of the outbound rate he would make £1075. Now that I accept. I was beaten fair and square. But we both lost out to some burk who quoted £615. I know for a fact that this vehicle got a return load from Lyon to London at a rate of £40! No, I haven't missed a 0 off that figure, Forty pounds!!! What's more, Aylesbury to Lyon and back to London again is a 4 day trip. Their driver was back in the UK in two days! AND working that day. Over 60 hours without more than a 1½ hour break.
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Just as well you didn't take on the job. Obviously an insurance scam. Who would ever want to exhibit anything in Glasgow? It would only get nicked before the exhibition started.