Hi all, i’m looking for a little bit of advice on how to proceed with one of my drivers.
This week we had a lorry in for a 6 weekly and it was found that the inside tyre on the rear axle had had a puncture at some point and the vehicle had been driven for some distance whilst flat, as the sidewall of the tyre was absolutely knackered.
We decided that we would check the CCTV from the yard to see if we could notice a flat tyre on the lorry. In doing so, we noticed that the last time that the driver had driven this vehicle, he didn’t carry out any walk around check of the vehicle at all, despite completing a defect sheet stating nil defects The CCTV shows him going to the vehicle and popping his tacho card and then leaving the vehicle for 20 minutes before coming back, jumping in and driving off.
I know i cant prove that the tyre was flat before he drove it, so he could say that the puncture happened during the day he drove it last. Then, on the other hand, he never noticed the issue and certainly never reported it, which is rather worrying!
What I’m looking for is an outside opinion on the severity of this issue and how people feel i should proceed with this.
Personally, I’m going to trawl back through the CCTV to see if there is a trend with not carrying out walk around checks with this driver and also considering seeking legal advice on dismissal/disciplinary action.
Happy to answer any questions and look forward to hearing some opinions!
You can’t go too far wrong with the DVSA’s mantra of Identify, Educate, Prevent.
I had this problem couple of years back with one of my clients, 50% of the drivers not doing even the most basic of checks.
I arranged for them to do a customised day of DCPC with a company I know. As pre-arranged with the trainer, he pulled no punches and gave them the harsh low down on all the risks they were taking, including asking the guy most at risk of losing his licence what other means he had of supporting himself if he did lose the licence. He had previously submitted his tractor unit for pre-MOT inspection with every one of his eight tyres in a defective condition.
I brought in gate checks where I would check vehicles at random after the drive had done their checks, but before they left the yard, and created a gate check policy for the filing system. Also made sure we had a tyre-management policy with monthly independent checks by a local tyre fitter.
I put an addendum into the company handbook that, where there were significant disparities between driver defect checks and the maintenance provider’s inspection, it would result in more time with me, once again going over how checks need to be done. Repeated incidents would be considered for disciplinary matters. Fortunately they all got switched on PDQ after that.
I agree but would like to know if the driver is aware of his responsabilities and, if not, as above, but it does swing the fault to you in that case somewhat.
Otherwise I think it would be a written warning or, depending on circumstances, a final warning.
Me personally I’d just speak to him and ask the reasons. If its out of character and he takes it on the chin then give a warning and keep an eye on him. But I’m just a driver not an office bod or manager.
Of course if it turns out its a common occurance then to me he isn’t worth keeping. Also if turns out he’s not the only offender then what Zac said, you need to crack the whip or get better drivers.
The walk round check is a load of bollox in the first place? how many know what they are looking for in the first place , they are drivers not mechanics, The Elf & Safty put paid to the Real Drivers, you have to be trained nowadays to fit a bulb ffs, Real drivers would change wheels if they got a puncture, cannot do that have to phone in now.
Most people operating the show know F/A about what they are doing from what i see of them lol How would you tell someone how to check tyres if they where flat as 4 am ? ■■■■ easy give them a Kick, sorry cannot do that may hurt my Toe lol. As for side wall damaged that can happen in less that a day running flat thats for sure, ( Walk round checks better used as a TEA break ) as all that needed is Lights work and no Flat tyres, Tyres should allways be checked at Ever Stop as should the 5 th wheel Pin before moving off. Incompetent DVSA have lowered the standard of Drivers / Steerers of today, What do they know about Load Restrain F/A. How trains the trainers lol ( Just remember you cannot BUY experience )
Qualifications mean F/A as this industry Sadly shows,
Doesn’t take much technical knowledge to check those two items, yet year after year, what is the commenest defect found when a vehicle is stopped? Tyres, which usually get the driver three points on his licence, and (depending how bad the defect is) will be worth anywhere between 25 points (Cat 4 defect) to 400 points (Cat 1 S marked defect) on the OCRS score (traffic light scheme).
For most operators, this is going to put them in the red zone, meaning a greater likelihood their vehicles will be preferentially stopped in the future, with crappy drivers this will mean more unwanted points for defects not identified and rectified, and will become a vicious circle that will potentially lead to a PI with the TC.
Having checked the CCTV, perhaps the rhetorical Q for the TM , owner , supervisor is to find out when was the last time someone walked around the yard with the drivers in support of them following the Company’s policy about doing walkround checks.
Whilst the driver was probably naughty, simply checking CCTV is not, IMHO, managing anything, the management is nothing more effective that telling the drivers to do something and hoping they’ll do what is asked.
On this occasion, offer and record words of advise and start managing more effectively.
Well if thats the case ? there is only one thing to do, because if he is to stiff to check Lights and tyres before he moves the vehicle, weather its Daytime or Nightime he needs his P45 , Yes technically you dont need lights in daytime, but if there is a problem it`s easyer to repair something in the daylight, as for tyres they should be checked every time before the vehicle is moved, to eliminate problems on the road, But how you get anybody to do that ? i cannot answer that one lol , as they will allways say it was all right when i left, To get a GOOD driver in this day and age is another problem ? To pay over the odds does NOT guarantee you will find one, If i had someone that could not be bothered to respect my vehicles ie Tyres / Lights, I could Not be bothered to pay him lol, The next time he drove in the yard would be the Last Time.
When i started and i have allways treated other peoples equipment as if it was Mine, them days have long gone unfortunately, so a replacement may be no better as we have found ■■