I`m not sure why this post is obviously intended as a dig at Agency drivers, who may be in-experienced.
I passed my class 1 when I was 21, Im now 59. I got in a Renualt Premium, (couldve been a Strallis…Cant remember)! a couple of months ago, couldnt find the steering wheel adjuster anywhere. OK, my “experience” told me it MUST have one… Somewhere!
I ended up using my phone to go online and Google it!
One of the problems of agency is we have to drive many different types of truck and personally I can`t remember where all the different gubbins are on all of them.
Employed drivers usually only drive one type, and when a new type is brought in they are called in for a days training on it. All the hand-holding you ever need.
I firmly believe that the drivers on here who make the most derogatory remarks about agency drivers are the ones who, if THEY had to do new stuff each day in different depots with different people and different trucks…different paperwork…different ways of working…would fill their pants before deciding that maybe driving is not for them after all.
I choose agency driving. I love the variety and the flexibility. I also love it when I get the chance to help out a company driver who never listened at one of their endless briefings.
cheekymonkey:
I`m not sure why this post is obviously intended as a dig at Agency drivers, who may be in-experienced.
I passed my class 1 when I was 21, Im now 59. I got in a Renualt Premium, (couldve been a Strallis…Cant remember)! a couple of months ago, couldnt find the steering wheel adjuster anywhere. OK, my “experience” told me it MUST have one… Somewhere!
I ended up using my phone to go online and Google it!
One of the problems of agency is we have to drive many different types of truck and personally I can`t remember where all the different gubbins are on all of them.
Employed drivers usually only drive one type, and when a new type is brought in they are called in for a days training on it. All the hand-holding you ever need.
I firmly believe that the drivers on here who make the most derogatory remarks about agency drivers are the ones who, if THEY had to do new stuff each day in different depots with different people and different trucks…different paperwork…different ways of working…would fill their pants before deciding that maybe driving is not for them after all.
I choose agency driving. I love the variety and the flexibility. I also love it when I get the chance to help out a company driver who never listened at one of their endless briefings.
Not sure if that’s directed at me or not, but in the event that it is it’s probably worth me mentioning that I’ve done agency work through choice for over a decade so am well versed with having to figure stuff out for myself, and not just trucks either. But! That said, if for whatever reason I can’t figure something out, such as how to rake the steering wheel, then I don’t just carry on regardless, I’ll go and seek out someone that knows how to do it and that’s the main difference here.
cheekymonkey:
But! That said, if for whatever reason I can’t figure something out, such as how to rake the steering wheel, then I don’t just carry on regardless, I’ll go and seek out someone that knows how to do it and that’s the main difference here.
I think most people are getting at this bit. Also maybe I’m different but when I get in a new truck I fiddle with the buttons and see if anything happens lol usually can work out what is what for my self but like the above quote I would do the same, no harm in asking
Juddian:
Only foreigners could come up with such a stupid siting for a steering wheel adjusting button, Renault especially.
Good job he didn’t need to top the oil up in a Stralis then…or is oil checking a thing of the past now, i see core full timers day after day jump into their lorries and fire 'em straight up so doubt the agency bods would be any different.
Ever driven an E series ERF? An English firm that managed to make a truck feel like you were driving a 1950’s bus.
mike68:
Agreed, can anyone top the clutch fluid reservoir being filled with screenwash?
I once grabbed the wrong bottle (they were both green and did look quite similar) and put some miracle grow into the suspension tank on my Xantia. Luckily not very much.
I had an R plate 144 and to top up the coolant you pull down the top section of the grille to get to the filler cap. (On earlier 4 series and predecessors the coolant cap was exposed) I was checking my coolant level using this method and a mate shouted “How the ■■■■ did you do that?” So I showed him, he nearly cried, he had just replaced his coolant after a hose had split and had lifted the complete grille, which meant you couldn’t get a can of premix in the filler cap, so had decanted a dozen gallons or so of coolant into a 500ml Coke bottle and filled it like that, it took him ages and he spilled as much as he got in
mike68:
Agreed, can anyone top the clutch fluid reservoir being filled with screenwash?
I once grabbed the wrong bottle (they were both green and did look quite similar) and put some miracle grow into the suspension tank on my Xantia. Luckily not very much.
Rob K:
So the other morning I’m just finishing my night shift when an agency driver collars me :
“'ere mate, are all these trucks the same?” “what do you mean?”
“the steering wheel, mate.” “what’s up with it?”
“are they all like this?”
“no, you adjust them to suit your driving position.”
“you can adjust them? I thought it felt a bit odd.” “you’ve not been driving it like that have you?”
“yeah I was in one yesterday, did 14 hours, they stitched me up good and proper.” “are you serious? You did 14 hours driving it with the steering wheel up like that?”
“yeah I didn’t know you could adjust them! No-one told me!”
“did you not think to ask someone?”
“…”
Best laugh I’ve had for a while.
what a muppet,he cannot have been driving that long,if he is an experienced driver i would show my disgust,unreal
He was a very stupid driver. I also see a lot of stupid replies on here
First time you get in any truck you are not familiar with you actually need to familiarise yourself with it. Checking the gear layout, every dial, the oil, the fuel, the seat position and … the steering wheel postition, doesn’t matter if it’s sticking up in the air, there will be an adjuster somewhere, saying that only someone from another country could put the switch in such a bad spot is a bit daft as all the trucks in Britain are foriegn nowadays
Juddian:
Unfortunately thats the standard of many professionals these days who think they are entitled to mega money for simply turning up.
went Montgomerys last year, given a choice of SCANIA or Mercedes so took the SCANIA no oil in it! Took it to the garage corporal " he liked to shout " put two gallons in!
Juddian:
Only foreigners could come up with such a stupid siting for a steering wheel adjusting button, Renault especially.
Good job he didn’t need to top the oil up in a Stralis then…or is oil checking a thing of the past now, i see core full timers day after day jump into their lorries and fire 'em straight up so doubt the agency bods would be any different.
turn the ignition on mine goes through a complete check and gives you the oil level reading on the ‘’‘‘dash no need to tip the cab at all’’‘’, but to be honest the past 2 trucks I have had both had dipsticks never needed any oil between inspections, always burned halfway down the stick and that was as far as they went, all trucks will burn oil off till they reach their own level. you could top them up everyday and they will still use it, so no point unless it gets to minimum mark
How do you top the oil up on a Stralis without tilting the cab then, buggered if i could find a top up point under the bonnet?
The three Stralis renters at the place i was at were always down to or below minimum whenever i got issued with them, the monkeys couldn’t be bothered but i can’t abuse a vehicle so always left down to me to top 'em up.
Unfortunately thats the standard of many professionals these days who think they are entitled to mega money for simply turning up.
Agreed, can anyone top the clutch fluid reservoir being filled with screenwash?
screen wash bottle filled with antifreeze? And it wasn’t N agency driver.
Juddian:
Only foreigners could come up with such a stupid siting for a steering wheel adjusting button, Renault especially.
Good job he didn’t need to top the oil up in a Stralis then…or is oil checking a thing of the past now, i see core full timers day after day jump into their lorries and fire 'em straight up so doubt the agency bods would be any different.
turn the ignition on mine goes through a complete check and gives you the oil level reading on the ‘’‘‘dash no need to tip the cab at all’’‘’, but to be honest the past 2 trucks I have had both had dipsticks never needed any oil between inspections, always burned halfway down the stick and that was as far as they went, all trucks will burn oil off till they reach their own level. you could top them up everyday and they will still use it, so no point unless it gets to minimum mark
How do you top the oil up on a Stralis without tilting the cab then, buggered if i could find a top up point under the bonnet?
The three Stralis renters at the place i was at were always down to or below minimum whenever i got issued with them, the monkeys couldn’t be bothered but i can’t abuse a vehicle so always left down to me to top 'em up.
Unfortunately thats the standard of many professionals these days who think they are entitled to mega money for simply turning up.
Agreed, can anyone top the clutch fluid reservoir being filled with screenwash?
screen wash bottle filled with antifreeze? And it wasn’t N agency driver.
Screen wash bottle filled with oil, couldn’t see a ■■■■■■ thing! Luckily I was close the yard but did take ages for it to work itself out the lines!
cheekymonkey:
I`m not sure why this post is obviously intended as a dig at Agency drivers, who may be in-experienced.
I passed my class 1 when I was 21, Im now 59. I got in a Renualt Premium, (couldve been a Strallis…Cant remember)! a couple of months ago, couldnt find the steering wheel adjuster anywhere. OK, my “experience” told me it MUST have one… Somewhere!
I ended up using my phone to go online and Google it!
One of the problems of agency is we have to drive many different types of truck and personally I can`t remember where all the different gubbins are on all of them.
Employed drivers usually only drive one type, and when a new type is brought in they are called in for a days training on it. All the hand-holding you ever need.
I firmly believe that the drivers on here who make the most derogatory remarks about agency drivers are the ones who, if THEY had to do new stuff each day in different depots with different people and different trucks…different paperwork…different ways of working…would fill their pants before deciding that maybe driving is not for them after all.
I choose agency driving. I love the variety and the flexibility. I also love it when I get the chance to help out a company driver who never listened at one of their endless briefings.
i love outdoing the full timers. I have had to show them all sorts on THEIR fleet. Adjusting steering wheel, turning the heated seat off, changing a headlight bulb to name a few. The best was a few weeks ago. 2 guys do the same run all week in convoy but tipping together. Both off one night so i went out with a full timer to a very tight drop. Normally their guys do that drop if they have an agency guy and leave his motor outside. Not this guy. ‘you can do Middlesbrough and i will leave my motor outside’
cheekymonkey:
I firmly believe that the drivers on here who make the most derogatory remarks about agency drivers are the ones who, if THEY had to do new stuff each day in different depots with different people and different trucks…different paperwork…different ways of working…would fill their pants before deciding that maybe driving is not for them after all.
Rob K:
So the other morning I’m just finishing my night shift when an agency driver collars me :
“'ere mate, are all these trucks the same?”
You mean he didn’t know you? He didn’t know the great Rob K from TN? He didn’t drop to his knees and kiss your feet? He didn’t beg forgiveness for insulting your intelligence?
“what do you mean?”
“you’ve not been driving it like that have you?”
