There’s quite a lot of posts on the unsurety of demands by TM’s and Planners to drivers. Being told what mode to put the tacho on, told when they can reduce rest or extend their driving hours.
Is it not the driver who manages his hours and not the TM’s or Planners, many of whom have no idea of the regulations, and have a “you will do as I say” attitude.
Perhaps if drivers made these people aware that hours are a drivers responsibility and not theirs will their excessive demands cease.
I work my hours to suit me as long as the job is done everyone is happy, it’s my Licence not theirs.
You’re wasting your time mate, the real guys already know this, but many other types will just do whatever tf they are told whether it be right fair or not.
You are talking to those, many of which are on here, who think max hours and minimum rests are compulsory targets, so they continue to blisfully hit them every week, …and take bollockings for it if they don’t. 
So don’t waste your breath mate, you can’t educate pork! 
A decent driver should know their hours etc and if they don’t they should not be on the road. Surely there are none so dumb as to let a TM or planner make them break the law?
The ones that do may think they will get brownie points and are just fools to themselves and all around. Any decent TM would not ask a driver to exceed there hours and if they do and the driver is dumb enough to do it they both want binning. Or maybe it comes down to greed? Break the law and I will earn more money. Pathetic.
Our planner was an old school driver who became fed up of being on the road and away at nights.
Initially he was doing a decent job of spreading the work load around evenly and fairly.
The problems tend to start when they ask you to do them a favour, such as " can you run back in tomorrow sharpish, got a load needs to be where ever by lunchtime"
So you take a reduced rest and tear arse back in because you believe it’s all on your shoulders to get this load away. You then find that the load isn’t ready. Then when you do get to delivery point, it’s not booked in!
So really, it is down to us as drivers to stop saying yes all the time and let these planners take some of the stick instead of blaming drivers when it goes pear shaped.
Perhaps we don’t like saying no to often because of that urgent doctor’s or dentist appointment on a Friday at 2pm!
Planners forget what its like to be on the road nowadays and they also think that a couple of inches on a map is 20 minutes away!
Dr Damon:
A decent driver should know their hours etc and if they don’t they should not be on the road. Surely there are none so dumb as to let a TM or planner make them break the law?
The ones that do may think they will get brownie points and are just fools to themselves and all around. Any decent TM would not ask a driver to exceed there hours and if they do and the driver is dumb enough to do it they both want binning. Or maybe it comes down to greed? Break the law and I will earn more money. Pathetic.
I think he was referring to hassle and pressure rather than actually encouraging drivers to break the law, that is an entirely different ball game.
robroy:
Dr Damon:
A decent driver should know their hours etc and if they don’t they should not be on the road. Surely there are none so dumb as to let a TM or planner make them break the law?
The ones that do may think they will get brownie points and are just fools to themselves and all around. Any decent TM would not ask a driver to exceed there hours and if they do and the driver is dumb enough to do it they both want binning. Or maybe it comes down to greed? Break the law and I will earn more money. Pathetic.I think he was referring to hassle and pressure rather than actually encouraging drivers to break the law, that is an entirely different ball game.
Hasnt hassle and pressure always been there though rob? Being walked all over and being told how to do your job isnt on but doing your bit to help out and do a little extra i think is much the norm with most companies i would have thought…
I would love to be told what to do, by someone who has never done my job, and is not qualified to do my job. I dont see how anyone would put up with that.
I used to do a bit of holiday cover in the office for one of the companies I worked for, that was a real eye opener as to how much some drivers need spoon feeding, and they weren’t just the new young drivers, some had been doing the job for donkeys years, but still couldn’t manage their time, then there were other drivers who you just left to get on with the job, you could virtually give them a weeks work and leave them alone, in some circumstances even let them bypass the office and deal direct with the customer.
That was a small company, who knew each driver as an individual, but I suppose in a big company you treat each driver the same and that means you have to treat them all as idiots, as it’s easier than dealing with the chaos the idiots cause when you let them loose to think for themselves.
Concretejim:
I would love to be told what to do, by someone who has never done my job, and is not qualified to do my job. I dont see how anyone would put up with that.
Why should someone have to have done a job before he can tell you how to do yours, I would think there are managers in firms all over the world who have never worked on the factory floor.
mac12:
Concretejim:
I would love to be told what to do, by someone who has never done my job, and is not qualified to do my job. I dont see how anyone would put up with that.Why should someone have to have done a job before he can tell you how to do yours, I would think there are mangers in firms all over the world who have never worked on the factory floor.
No! Most mangers are in stables at this time of year…
Darkside:
mac12:
Concretejim:
I would love to be told what to do, by someone who has never done my job, and is not qualified to do my job. I dont see how anyone would put up with that.Why should someone have to have done a job before he can tell you how to do yours, I would think there are mangers in firms all over the world who have never worked on the factory floor.
No! Most mangers are in stables at this time of year…
Just testing how well my post has been read
mac12:
Darkside:
mac12:
Concretejim:
I would love to be told what to do, by someone who has never done my job, and is not qualified to do my job. I dont see how anyone would put up with that.Why should someone have to have done a job before he can tell you how to do yours, I would think there are mangers in firms all over the world who have never worked on the factory floor.
No! Most mangers are in stables at this time of year…
Just testing how well my post has been read
There are plenty of mongers as well that have never worked on the factory floor…
On my first class one job. I was given 3 phone numbers, one was the security gate at Immingham Dock, the other was a woman in Southport and the last one was my new boss. I rang the woman in Southport most as she gave me the work. If I was running late I called the security for a late booking, unless the truck wouldn’t go I only spoke to the boss in the yard on Saturday, where have you been, where are you loaded for, have you earned me anything this week? What happened? The woman in Southport worked from home and would tell you if she was going shopping or to the hairdressers.
Wheel Nut:
On my first class one job. I was given 3 phone numbers, one was the security gate at Immingham Dock, the other was a woman in Southport and the last one was my new boss. I rang the woman in Southport most as she gave me the work. If I was running late I called the security for a late booking, unless the truck wouldn’t go I only spoke to the boss in the yard on Saturday, where have you been, where are you loaded for, have you earned me anything this week? What happened? The woman in Southport worked from home and would tell you if she was going shopping or to the hairdressers.
That sounds perfect, bit like the first job I had on a Friday your next weeks work was put in a box for you and then left to it never spoke to anyone unless a problem. Best job I had.
Most Planners have never sat in a motor never mind held a LGV Licence, have little knowledge of current regulations,even worse they are lost with out a computer program to do a route for them.
BUT that never stops them telling you how to do the job you have most probably be doing when they where still a twinkle in their Dad`s eye after a week away 
lolipop:
Most Planners have never sat in a motor never mind held a LGV Licence, have little knowledge of current regulations,even worse they are lost with out a computer program to do a route for them.
BUT that never stops them telling you how to do the job you have most probably be doing when they where still a twinkle in their Dad`s eye after a week away
If they don’t know the regs, or have someone who can tell them what the regs are, they shouldn’t be planning.
I agree that most planners have not had any experience on the road, unlike years ago ( there i go again ) when the boss was the boss and the planner, the drivers run the job to suit themselves and the company at the same time too. It seems that the majority of companies run their business on the hours a driver can legally do, which is why we have max hours and minimum rest, but we are a commodity, we can be disposed of if we dont like their rules, and they have ways of making you do what they want with threats of If you dont like it or we have a list of drivers who want your job etc etc…I decided ages ago that i will run to suit me, so no more 15 hr days, no more 9 hrs off, it became a nightmare for them, as other drivers stopped doing it also, and when challenged, said How come ol trucky can do it so putting the blame on me…then they were gunning for me…they pulled me for chatting about the company on T/N to a fellow driver ( grassed up by a manager at another depot ) he admitted it and was sacked, i was eventually put on disciplinary and dismissed for something completely different…so the original point is being forced upon drivers…many moan about the excessive hours…many will say how they will be out of pocket if forced to reduce their hours ( hourly paid ) so where do we all stand…well i will still fight my corner, will work the hours i want, and my big test will come when i start looking for a new job in the new year, and we will see what they have to say, agency or not.as to what my hours will be…ie…12 on 12 off…or i can work a 15, but will take an 11 off…and not a reduced… i think most will say i`m not needed…ha ha.
muckles:
I used to do a bit of holiday cover in the office for one of the companies I worked for, that was a real eye opener as to how much some drivers need spoon feeding, and they weren’t just the new young drivers, some had been doing the job for donkeys years, but still couldn’t manage their time, then there were other drivers who you just left to get on with the job, you could virtually give them a weeks work and leave them alone, in some circumstances even let them bypass the office and deal direct with the customer.
Witnessed this. Was in the office at an agency client waiting for next days work, its somewhere I’ve been going to on and off since I started driving. They had a run which went to Wales, two drops a mile from each other and the return route was past the first drop. 6 pallets went into the first drop which was a booked delivery, the remaining 20 went to a second drop and it was turn up when you want. One of their drivers who had been there over 20 years, longer than I had been going in there, was on the phone. He turned up to the timed delivery, was told there was going to be a 2hr delay and was asking what to do. Planner turned round to me and asked what would I do. I said “same I’ve been doing for years without bothering to ring you, go to the other drop, get it off, come back.” Planner made comment along lines of you’d think that guy would know that wouldn’t you and that he was a high maintenance driver. I was just gobsmacked but apparently it would appear quite a few drivers truly can’t think on their feet.
Conor:
muckles:
I used to do a bit of holiday cover in the office for one of the companies I worked for, that was a real eye opener as to how much some drivers need spoon feeding, and they weren’t just the new young drivers, some had been doing the job for donkeys years, but still couldn’t manage their time, then there were other drivers who you just left to get on with the job, you could virtually give them a weeks work and leave them alone, in some circumstances even let them bypass the office and deal direct with the customer.Witnessed this. Was in the office at an agency client waiting for next days work, its somewhere I’ve been going to on and off since I started driving. They had a run which went to Wales, two drops a mile from each other and the return route was past the first drop. 6 pallets went into the first drop which was a booked delivery, the remaining 20 went to a second drop and it was turn up when you want. One of their drivers who had been there over 20 years, longer than I had been going in there, was on the phone. He turned up to the timed delivery, was told there was going to be a 2hr delay and was asking what to do. Planner turned round to me and asked what would I do. I said “same I’ve been doing for years without bothering to ring you, go to the other drop, get it off, come back.” Planner made comment along lines of you’d think that guy would know that wouldn’t you and that he was a high maintenance driver. I was just gobsmacked but apparently it would appear quite a few drivers truly can’t think on their feet.
Haven’t worked in a planning office though I’ve applied for loads of positions and had several interviews all unsuccessful, the best feedback I received was from 2 large companies and a small outfit that really needed an experienced bod, one of the large companies I was interviewed by an ex driver, at the end of the interview I was told that yes I had more than sufficient experience of the haulage industry as a driver something that is lacking in todays logistics, I didn’t have the office admin experience which is what’s needed, and to get that I’d have to start at the bottom with the kids at £17k pa, at my age they can stick it.
Conor:
muckles:
I used to do a bit of holiday cover in the office for one of the companies I worked for, that was a real eye opener as to how much some drivers need spoon feeding, and they weren’t just the new young drivers, some had been doing the job for donkeys years, but still couldn’t manage their time, then there were other drivers who you just left to get on with the job, you could virtually give them a weeks work and leave them alone, in some circumstances even let them bypass the office and deal direct with the customer.Witnessed this. Was in the office at an agency client waiting for next days work, its somewhere I’ve been going to on and off since I started driving. They had a run which went to Wales, two drops a mile from each other and the return route was past the first drop. 6 pallets went into the first drop which was a booked delivery, the remaining 20 went to a second drop and it was turn up when you want. One of their drivers who had been there over 20 years, longer than I had been going in there, was on the phone. He turned up to the timed delivery, was told there was going to be a 2hr delay and was asking what to do. Planner turned round to me and asked what would I do. I said “same I’ve been doing for years without bothering to ring you, go to the other drop, get it off, come back.” Planner made comment along lines of you’d think that guy would know that wouldn’t you and that he was a high maintenance driver. I was just gobsmacked but apparently it would appear quite a few drivers truly can’t think on their feet.
If he’d used his initiative and driven to drop 2 first, he’d probably receive a bollocking in today’s world. You often can’t win.