There is something not right here?

If someone works in a shop or an office or a factory, they may have to wear a uniform on their bus to the place of work but do they get paid whilst they get there? Of course they don't. Are they given a company vehicle to get to their place of work? Of course they are not.

Would engineers prefer to drive their own car in their own time paying their own fuel to a depot or point where they can collect their van and start their working day? Would they wish to clock-on and clock-out? Of course they wouldn't.

I would suggest in the overall scheme of things, relative to other trades, mobile engineers get a very good deal. Contreversial perhaps but true!