The Department for Transport has announced that the current limited drivers’ hours relaxation will be extended until 23.59hrs on Tuesday 21 April 2020 and apply to all road haulage operations.
The move follows discussions between RHA chief executive Richard Burnett (pictured) and secretary of state for transport, Grant Shapps.
“This is a blanket relaxation covering all sectors," Burnett said, "and recognises how integrated and inter-dependent supply chains are across the whole economy. The sector is working as efficiently and as quickly possible.
Love the arse covering clause…
‘‘It is vital that companies only used these relaxed rules when needed, and companies must ensure that their drivers do not drive tired, or in any way unfit’’
Aye right.
Don’t make me ■■■■ laugh, they’ll have drivers doing this regularly whether necessary or not, and plan for it, and some clowns will willingly drive whether tired or not.
I can think of a couple of night trunks where the ability to run a bit over 4.5hrs before taking a 45 minute break will take a lot of pressure off. The run we do down to London Gateway usually gets shafted by roadworks on the return resulting in the need for a double 45 minute for the sake of about 10-15 minutes extra driving. No roadworks and it’s a 3h55m run but they usually close M25 in multiple places, M11, A14, M1 as well.
Everyone should stand firm on this and stick to normal hours on the principal that 2 weeks ago you’d be at risk of getting fined for going over and now they want to change it because of a bunch of brain dead selfish greedy idiots (and that’s the polite way of describing them just so it all displays in the forum) have been and filled up with enough stuff to open a corner shop. No thanks, I’ll be sticking to be 4.5 and 9 hour 10 hour x2 drives per week. That’s the way they want to play it normally, that’s the way we should all play it now.
If the government’s predictions turn out to be correct regarding how many people will contract CV19 then you’ll be glad of the rules suspension as the pool of healthy, able drivers to get food from the RDC into the stores will diminish significantly. And that’s just the food sector. Would you rather have empty shelves and starve because the drivers are all out of hours and they can’t get anyone else because they’re all sick, or would you rather the rules were suspended so that they could work on what would normally be their enforced days off in order to keep the country functioning?
R420:
If the government’s predictions turn out to be correct regarding how many people will contract CV19 then you’ll be glad of the rules suspension as the pool of healthy, able drivers to get food from the RDC into the stores will diminish significantly. And that’s just the food sector. Would you rather have empty shelves and starve because the drivers are all out of hours and they can’t get anyone else because they’re all sick, or would you rather the rules were suspended so that they could work on what would normally be their enforced days off in order to keep the country functioning?
Well given the inability for supermarkets to re-supply perhaps we are already there.
R420:
If the government’s predictions turn out to be correct regarding how many people will contract CV19 then you’ll be glad of the rules suspension as the pool of healthy, able drivers to get food from the RDC into the stores will diminish significantly. And that’s just the food sector. Would you rather have empty shelves and starve because the drivers are all out of hours and they can’t get anyone else because they’re all sick, or would you rather the rules were suspended so that they could work on what would normally be their enforced days off in order to keep the country functioning?
I’d rather the rules were the same as they always are because apparently it’s dangerous to go over them and we are therefore jeopardising road safety to go over. No one will starve if normal buying habits are resumed and let the same stock levels be replenished. Stricter rules on how how much people can buy would be better than hgv drivers going over the hours that are normally deemed to be safe.
R420:
If the government’s predictions turn out to be correct regarding how many people will contract CV19 then you’ll be glad of the rules suspension as the pool of healthy, able drivers to get food from the RDC into the stores will diminish significantly. And that’s just the food sector. Would you rather have empty shelves and starve because the drivers are all out of hours and they can’t get anyone else because they’re all sick, or would you rather the rules were suspended so that they could work on what would normally be their enforced days off in order to keep the country functioning?
Well I think Id rather empty shelves than see a tired driver plough his juggernought killing machine into a family on their way to practise social isolation on Brighton beach. Think of the children!
R420:
If the government’s predictions turn out to be correct regarding how many people will contract CV19 then you’ll be glad of the rules suspension as the pool of healthy, able drivers to get food from the RDC into the stores will diminish significantly. And that’s just the food sector. Would you rather have empty shelves and starve because the drivers are all out of hours and they can’t get anyone else because they’re all sick, or would you rather the rules were suspended so that they could work on what would normally be their enforced days off in order to keep the country functioning?
Well I think Id rather empty shelves than see a tired driver plough his juggernought killing machine into a family on their way to practise social isolation on Brighton beach. Think of the children!
A driver working a 7th shift after a normal daily rest period is not going to pose any danger whatsoever. Please stop being so ridiculous.
DickyNick:
Everyone should stand firm on this and stick to normal hours on the principal that 2 weeks ago you’d be at risk of getting fined for going over and now they want to change it because of a bunch of brain dead selfish greedy idiots (and that’s the polite way of describing them just so it all displays in the forum) have been and filled up with enough stuff to open a corner shop. No thanks, I’ll be sticking to be 4.5 and 9 hour 10 hour x2 drives per week. That’s the way they want to play it normally, that’s the way we should all play it now.
R420:
If the government’s predictions turn out to be correct regarding how many people will contract CV19 then you’ll be glad of the rules suspension as the pool of healthy, able drivers to get food from the RDC into the stores will diminish significantly. And that’s just the food sector. Would you rather have empty shelves and starve because the drivers are all out of hours and they can’t get anyone else because they’re all sick, or would you rather the rules were suspended so that they could work on what would normally be their enforced days off in order to keep the country functioning?
No one will starve if normal buying habits are resumed and let the same stock levels be replenished.
If the government announces a lockdown - which is likely, given that hardly anyone is heeding their request to stay at home - then the panic buying will go full ■■■■■■. Add in half of the driver workforce phoning in sick to announce they’re a on 2 week self-isolation because they’ve sneezed a couple of times and it creates the perfect storm for food shortages in the stores. Your dismissive comments give the impression that you think this will all blow over in a week or two and we’ll be back to normal. This is likely to last for months. The government has absolutely done the right thing in suspending the hours regulations in preparation for a worst case scenario.
To those of whining about being exploited - how about you grow a pair instead of rolling over (as per usual). It’s not about you. It’s about putting provisions in place to help keep the necessary supply chains running should the SHTF.
R420:
If the government’s predictions turn out to be correct regarding how many people will contract CV19 then you’ll be glad of the rules suspension as the pool of healthy, able drivers to get food from the RDC into the stores will diminish significantly. And that’s just the food sector. Would you rather have empty shelves and starve because the drivers are all out of hours and they can’t get anyone else because they’re all sick, or would you rather the rules were suspended so that they could work on what would normally be their enforced days off in order to keep the country functioning?
Well I think Id rather empty shelves than see a tired driver plough his juggernought killing machine into a family on their way to practise social isolation on Brighton beach. Think of the children!
A driver working a 7th shift after a normal daily rest period is not going to pose any danger whatsoever. Please stop being so ridiculous.
Actually I was being tongue in cheek…but thinking about it why do we have driving regulations? Well maybe it is because of fatigue in drivers causing accidents. Im tired after working a 5th shift and I feel wrecked over the weekend so workinga 7th shift■■? No thanks ill leave that to you thick ■■■■■■
msgyorkie: Im tired after working a 5th shift and I feel wrecked over the weekend so workinga 7th shift■■? No thanks ill leave that to you thick [zb]!
Aw diddums. Not everyone is a delicate snowflake like you.
Of course, if the supply chain does break down and the money on offer doubles or triples, we can expect to see you all sat at home because “too tired”, right? Oh wait…
R420:
If the government’s predictions turn out to be correct regarding how many people will contract CV19 then you’ll be glad of the rules suspension as the pool of healthy, able drivers to get food from the RDC into the stores will diminish significantly. And that’s just the food sector. Would you rather have empty shelves and starve because the drivers are all out of hours and they can’t get anyone else because they’re all sick, or would you rather the rules were suspended so that they could work on what would normally be their enforced days off in order to keep the country functioning?
No one will starve if normal buying habits are resumed and let the same stock levels be replenished.
If the government announces a lockdown - which is likely, given that hardly anyone is heeding their request to stay at home - then the panic buying will go full ■■■■■■. Add in half of the driver workforce phoning in sick to announce they’re a on 2 week self-isolation because they’ve sneezed a couple of times and it creates the perfect storm for food shortages in the stores. Your dismissive comments give the impression that you think this will all blow over in a week or two and we’ll be back to normal. This is likely to last for months. The government has absolutely done the right thing in suspending the hours regulations in preparation for a worst case scenario.
To those of whining about being exploited - how about you grow a pair instead of rolling over (as per usual). It’s not about you. It’s about putting provisions in place to help keep the necessary supply chains running should the SHTF.
If that happens it’s everyone in full ■■■■■■ mode that will be to blame rather than hgv drivers refusing to go over normal hours. Usual British attitude of it’s the council and governments fault. We skidded on ice and rather than thinking well possibly it was your fault for not driving to the conditions no no no it’s the councils fault for failing to grit the road. Now it will be I’ve bought a trolley full of bog roll, 50 hand sanitizers, 50 hand soaps, 100 backs of wet wipes, and a years supply of pasta but no it’s the governments fault for the shelves not being full again. People in the country are selfish and greedy and always want to blame everyone but themselves when the SHTF.
msgyorkie: Im tired after working a 5th shift and I feel wrecked over the weekend so workinga 7th shift■■? No thanks ill leave that to you thick [zb]!
Aw diddums. Not everyone is a delicate snowflake like you.
Of course, if the supply chain does break down and the money on offer doubles or triples, we can expect to see you all sat at home because “too tired”, right? Oh wait…
Im paid a decent wage and dont feel the need to flog myself. Crack on and enjoy your heart attack.
I can see both sides to this argument.
On one side we have the stand up and be counted, doing your bit, helping out, being the hero and all the rest of it,.and tbf, yep that is commendable.
On the other side, as said it’s been continuously drummed into us as drivers that driving over 9/10 hours going over max spreadover is a very dangerous and stupid practice, resulting in your own and other’s potential death because of driver fatigue.
Now it’s like they are saying, …
‘‘No it isn’t any longer, it’s safe and acceptable, to disregard previous established standards because shelves need filled,…but remember, make no mistake if you do cause whatever level of ■■■■ up due to it, we will not back you’’…
Ok not in as many words, harsh paraphrasing, but basically the case.
So each individual driver needs to decide which camp he belongs to, and the risks involved.
I seriously hope that some will not make their decision based on how much they can make extra on their crap hourly rate, whilst willingly and knowingly driving anywhere between mildly more tired to totally ■■■■ ed, …though I doubt it.
Its only the morons who we see every day flying round like the world depends on them that will want to be doing 6 or 7 shifts with reduced off time.
Think the people running this idea forget not everyone tramps so those of us who say live an hour from the yard are already pushing our downtime off a 13 hour shift. 15 hour days are a killer. Not sure if any supermarket trucks have sleepers.
Its only the NHS and similar workers I’d want to work extra for, not Jo Bloggs in an office who works 8 hours and can’t get their specific brand of toilet roll.
It isn’t just Pro driver stuff - Sediq Khan has dropped all the road regulations about London, many of which affect pro drivers…
No more being busted for driving into Putney High Street at the “wrong end”…
No more being fined for drifting into bus lanes…
…And the various TfL charges are now being suspended as well…
Winseer:
It isn’t just Pro driver stuff - Sediq Khan has dropped all the road regulations about London, many of which affect pro drivers…
No more being busted for driving into Putney High Street at the “wrong end”…
No more being fined for drifting into bus lanes…
…And the various TfL charges are now being suspended as well…
