alder:
I got work for Roadways in Leeds and loved it driving to Felixstowe night trunk. New mercs etc. but then when I pointed out that I can only do 2X10 hour shifts in a week and that you can’t do Leeds to Felixstowe and back in 9 hours driving 5 days a week they suddenly put me on TNT driving the horrible clapped out ERFs in the yard, persevered for 6 weeks hoping to get back on containers but fate was sealed . That was the end of that relationship
Would like to get back on containers looking around at the moment. If you don’t hear from me soon it means I have starved to death.
Where are you based as I know a firm in Somerset who are looking for a driver on containers.
Also if you’ve done fridges we are looking for a euro driver
I wasn’t planning to be updating this again but today’s experience warranted it. I was given a simple job, So’ton pentalvers to DHL Tickhill and then back to the docks with a reefer. It was all going smoothly until I arrived at Tickhill, I parked at the stop line in the goods in lane and jumped out to visit the gatehouse. I was shortly back again and ready to go when I found my door was locked, I checked the passenger door which was also locked. I climbed up and looked through the driver door window and… oh [zb]… The keys were in the ignition.
As well as the keys, my phone was also the wrong side of the glass. Unable to explain I hastily made my way back to the gatehouse to explain that I’d managed to lock myself out, that I didn’t have my phone and that I didn’t know the office number off the top of my head. They were less than helpful but directed me to the traffic office where I had to explain the situation in front of quite a few other drivers and have them look up the office number and then use their phone. I found my way to the people I needed to speak to who, understandably were less than impressed that I was stranded and locked out in the goods in lane. I was then asked if I had a number they could contact me on… ah… Thankfully the fleet manager was in the room and offered his number that they could ring back with.
For the next 3 hours I was constantly blaming myself for leaving the catch in the locked position and shutting myself out, it was only after being rescued from my blunder that I calmed down enough to realise it was actually impossible since I would have had to pull it out of that position to open the door to get out in the first place and that the latch must have moved across on it’s own and I’m actually only guilty for leaving the keys in.
Life lesson, always take the keys with you if you leave the cab…
Don’t sweat it mate I’ve done it too and so have a thousand others. You don’t feel too big or clever at the time but provided no real harm was done you’ll be able to laugh about it in years to come
Yep, I feel your pain on that one! In some ways a blessing it didn’t happen earlier in your experience as at least you are seasoned enough now to be able to roll with the hiccups
A handy tip for some - get a lanyard and leave that round your neck, pop your truck keys onto it every time you leave the cab, that way your hands are still free (but be careful if your work involves anything that could catch your lanyard - you don’t want to be hanging from it!!)
We run an all Volvo fh fleet and they seem a bit prone to it , I always try and remember to leave the window down a bit (just in case )
Although I believe they aren’t too difficult to get into (without a spare key ) if it does happen !
