Hi all, having a few issues with trying to get repairs done to the truck i was recently given. It was presented to me with a broken light lens and a couple of bulbs out and i was told they would be fixed next service check. Also i wasn’t to report them as a defect on the daily check sheet as one defect sheet was enough. I checked the cubbys for spare bulbs but couldnt find any so I asked the company to buy a lens and some bulbs and said that i was happy to change them myself. I was told in no uncertain terms that i was not allowed to change anything on the vehicle, that i was just a driver and was to report defects as normal which would be attended to on the service check. This is “company policy” due to a previous driver trying to fix something himself and ended up costing the company a few hundred quid for repairs to a damaged unit.
My problem is that i am knowingly stating on my daily check sheet that there are “nil defects” when there are and also the fact that the lens is broken and the where it should show orange, its showing the bulb instead. So i waited until the service check…
The service check was done monday, i picked the truck up tuesday and guess what! Same lens broken and a bulb still out. Reason given was that the truck lease company hadn’t given permission for the repair.
I’m just gobsmacked at the lack of effort or interest in repairing the broken items and it is a safety issue, if not only for me, but other road users too.
As i’m new in the job and jobs round here are pretty scarce, i obviously don’t want to start spitting my dummy out but surely there is something i can do or get done to have these repairs attended to?
Suggestions please and none of “quit the job” please, i’m broke and need it!
Solution is to tell tm that you are no longer able to risk a nick and that you will drive it when they fix it.
It is clear that as long as keep taking it out they are content to allow the faults to go unrectified.
The idea of nil defect sheets is to see if the trucks are being maintained and to cover the drivers arse.
If an when the company gets a visit, they will want to see all the maintenance records, the defect sheets and probably the drivers records.
So they have already told you not to fix it and you are only a driver, so act like one and report every single defect every single day until it is fixed, or just mention it to the bloke who put his transport managers hat on the companies operators licence.
Showing a white light to the rear is an offence, (unless reversing) £30 (now 50) Fixed Penalty.
Defect it every day. If they tell you to stop defecting it ask for that in writing from the CPC holder.
If you have a fleet of vehicles in your yard, just take a screwdriver and ‘borrow’ the lens from another driver who is not so new to the firm and likely to kick off about it.
defect it and park it end of
nick2008:
defect it and park it end of
Yes do this ^ .
bald bloke:
nick2008:
defect it and park it end ofYes do this ^ .
just cause you gotta new one 
Lumberjock:
Hi all, having a few issues with trying to get repairs done to the truck i was recently given. It was presented to me with a broken light lens and a couple of bulbs out and i was told they would be fixed next service check. Also i wasn’t to report them as a defect on the daily check sheet as one defect sheet was enough. I checked the cubbys for spare bulbs but couldnt find any so I asked the company to buy a lens and some bulbs and said that i was happy to change them myself. I was told in no uncertain terms that i was not allowed to change anything on the vehicle, that i was just a driver and was to report defects as normal which would be attended to on the service check. This is “company policy” due to a previous driver trying to fix something himself and ended up costing the company a few hundred quid for repairs to a damaged unit.
My problem is that i am knowingly stating on my daily check sheet that there are “nil defects” when there are and also the fact that the lens is broken and the where it should show orange, its showing the bulb instead. So i waited until the service check…
The service check was done monday, i picked the truck up tuesday and guess what! Same lens broken and a bulb still out. Reason given was that the truck lease company hadn’t given permission for the repair.
I’m just gobsmacked at the lack of effort or interest in repairing the broken items and it is a safety issue, if not only for me, but other road users too.
As i’m new in the job and jobs round here are pretty scarce, i obviously don’t want to start spitting my dummy out but surely there is something i can do or get done to have these repairs attended to?
Suggestions please and none of “quit the job” please, i’m broke and need it!
Just keep writing nil defect and put up with it and you’ll keep your job. You might not get a fine if you’re not stopped so thats a saving. You already know what you should or should not do. Not sure how you think asking here is going to help you in any way.
There should not be any problem over something so trivial as a bloody bulb and broken lense. If there’s a lorry spare in the yard go nick the lense off it put it on yours regardless off what they say then go tell them you’ve done it. Defect it everyday until something’s done. If you get pulled the buck stops with you and it doesn’t sound like you work for the type that would stick up for you if you do.
nick2008:
bald bloke:
nick2008:
defect it and park it end ofYes do this ^ .
just cause you gotta new one
The good thing about our company is they are as straight as you can get so if a bulb is out they will insist it gets sorted and will not expect you to take it out.
As others have said. Defect it every day until it gets done, If they yell at you, get it in writing that they don’t want you defecting it
bald bloke:
nick2008:
defect it and park it end ofYes do this ^ .
Definitely…then sit in the office and watch the fireworks.
Has the admin been at the bottle again? I thought the question was a reasonable one for a new driver and he wanted to be sure.
The company i drive for supply us spare bulbs and fuses to change away from the yard anything else a main dealer or done at the yard asap they would not let us go out of the yard unless you are happy with the truck and sign it off as nil you can face big fines under ocrs rules with vosa if they stop you and look at your daily inspection sheets So no i wouldnt drive it till they fixed it end of 
Wheel Nut:
Has the admin been at the bottle again? I thought the question was a reasonable one for a new driver and he wanted to be sure.
is something i can do or get done to have these repairs attended to?
Suggestions please and none of “quit the job” please, i’m broke and need it!
If they won’t fix it for him his next move is to refuse to drive it but they’ve told him not to defect it, that’ll be as good as losing his job. He wants to keep it. Its not a reasonable question at all, he’s looking for suggestions. There’s only two options from what i can see, put up and shut up or get off.
Your advice of defect it when they’ve told him not to whilst it is the correct advice is probably going to lead him to the situation he doesn’t want to be in
If the company told a driver not to put a card in, how many would take the truck out?
Daily Defect Sheet is the clue here, and most Traffic Commissioners want to see a Nil Daily Defect Sheet and a vehicle with Nil Defects
I would’nt drive it.
I work for a large bus company and have in the past refused to drive buses for defects, not once have I been ‘called upstairs’.
The more drivers drive crappy vehciles, the more companies will keep putting them out there.
Thanks for the replies all, appreciate you taking the time to do so. Well i decided to have a stroppy day when the O/S markers wouldn’t come on and went into the office to have a moan about them. I got a fair old mouthful from the boss about “It’s getting sorted!” and was told basically if i didn’t like it, then go home and they would find someone else to drive the truck!. I asked for that in writing and his face kind of went greenish. I stood my ground and the outcome was that i ended up jobless! “dismissed during my probationary period due to unsuitability for the job” is the official line so I went straight to the jobcentre who basically told me where to get off as i had made myself unemployed so it’s in the hands of a solicitor now. The numerous pictures and photocopies of the daily defect sheets are on their way to VOSA too so i hope the whole company takes a dive as its all they deserve! Incidentally, the truck passed me today in the street and it STILL has a broken tail-light!
give vosa a call mate, iv done that in past they get rid of you then dont get it fixed as plenty muppets take it out like that yeah vosa me ssays, hope you found work if not do agency and take no crap on defects bud
Sorry to hear you lost your job mate but over a ■■■■■■■ broken light lense it baffles me. Now I’m not saying I work for the most law abiding health and safety conscience boss I suppose that’s what you get for old school but if I told him I had a light out I go in the box and get another. A broken lens he’d get me to get one on my travels or get one for me same day it’s not an unreasonable request and to be made to stick up with it for a month is a joke. I hope you find work quickly because it sounds like your well rid off them. A phone call to vosa would be worth a thought. I’m not one for grassing and would rather not get involved but in your situation, basically being sacked for not willing to drive illegally over something so petty I wouldn’t have any sleepless nights over dropping them in it.