Hey all and thanks in advance for any responses.
I haven’t set boot in a 7.5T truck since I was 17 years old and doing a couple of months of summer work on a farm. I did deliveries four days a week.
The ONLY thing I remember about the vehicle was the crawler gear which was down and left of 1st.
Tomorrow I have a driver’s assmt and while I feel okay on theory, I’d like a few tips please.
- What can I expect from a modern 7.5T truck, as I haven’t been in one. New features and quirks. (I googled this and found nothing, so there may BE nothing.)
- What can I expect from an employer assessment? RM is the employer. I’ve seen a thread saying that keys to loaded is 30 mins, but is there anything else?
- I’m annotating a vehicle check list from a youtube vid, are there any “extra credit” things that I could be aware of?
Hello and welcome to the forum!
I did an assessment for Royal Mail this morning and whilst that was a class 1 assessment, I suppose the structure is likely to be similar.
Modern 7.5T trucks should be easier to drive than what you previously used, but if today’s assessment is anything to go by, the trainer will point out all the functions you need.
I’m not sure what the keys to loaded in 30 minutes thing is about. Today I was shown example job instruction sheets, and they all gave 30 minutes from getting the keys to departing. It seems they usually leave empty from the yard I was assessed at.
The walkaround check part of the assessment was done alongside the trainer, so I couldn’t go too far wrong. He observed my coupling procedure and was pleased when I stopped short of the trailer to check parking brake and unit height and not just reversing straight under.
My experience this morning was really good and the trainer helped with that.
The only slight concern for my first shift will be meeting the time constraints for each part of the job. I’m not used to the time pressure on supermarket work, so hopefully I’m not too slow 
If you have any other questions give me a shout!
Trucks /rigids these days are all automatic unlike last one you drove.
And have digital tachos .
And depending on make of truck off kinda of electronics n stuff.
Compared to what you last drove this will feel like stepping into the space shuttle.
But yeah there all automatic power steering lot easier to drive
Thanks Goff!
Yeah, sounds like it’ll be similar.
I’m worried, because it’ll be an assessment, that failure will be easy.
Having not yet used a tacho, I’m worried about that and time constraints with so much to potentially input to the tacho.
I’ve made a xls of the last month, so hopefully that’ll do.
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Okay, so more like driving a tall car.
Good to know.
When I saw nothing about differences on google, I wondered if there would be any, beyond new symbols on the dash I’ve not seen in context.
They were also very keen on manual entries and being able to do them correctly.
If you have a lot of work to input, it may be easier (and safer) to input it as “?” on the manual entry, and keep a written record of your previous work on the back of tacho paper.
The trainer should be able to advise on the best way of going about it for your assessment.
That’s a good tip.
Today will be the first time I use a tacho.
I’ve already made a spreadsheet and sent it to Carl, the assessor.
If all else fails, I’ll do my C+E and try again.
Good luck with it and let us know how it goes!
The written test went well, 95%.
After that, he looked at the xls I produced for hours…
There are entries every day, and I can demonstrate at least two periods of 24 hours rest, but resting 9am to 9am doesn’t qualify for the midnight to midnight period they require.
So, I’ll go back in next Thursday to do the driving assessment.
How does the drama FIND ME!?
lol
Nice one on the written bit. How much work have you been doing lol?
I work with a care company.
They’re long shifts with a long and short element.
9am to 11pm, then next morning 7am to 9am.
So, when I get a rest period of 9am to 9am, so can demonstrate 3x24 hours in a week, they still see six days work.
One week, I had four shifts on to cover sickness and leave. Even though, in that period, I could show 2x24hrs rest, the see it as no days off at all.
But I’m still not giving up a 32 hour contract, even if it’s only £12 an hour, for agency work unless I know it’s ongoing and stable.
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Can’t argue with that.
However, I can’t see how you could ever legally work a shift as you would never be able to show a regular weekly rest (45 hours)?
I just need to get in the door.
Then reduce hours in care.
It’s possible.
I expect that RM is gearing up for Christmas and doing the usual getting enough agency bods on the books. When I first did it, there was an induction only, but the last time there was an assessment on the road.
Certainly at the mail centre I was at there was enough work to keep going in November and December, but the work dried up in January, that is virtually guaranteed.
During the peak period the guaranteed hours went up, but out of the peak period the guaranteed hours can be as low as 4 hours for a shift (and you don’t know in advance how long the shift will be).
At the mail centre I was at it literally was a case of waiting around until one of the RM duty runs couldn’t fit everything on and then you would be going to the same delivery office. Very rarely did I ever cover a duty, although it did happen occasionally.
If you can get a Sunday that is a good one, but it doesn’t sound as if your schedule gives your 45 hours off at any point, so difficult to see how you can drive at all.
My schedule DOES give me hours off.
I measure 9am to 9am.
They measure 0000 to 0000.
It’s a tricky detail.
You’re right though.
I started with them last Oct/Nov.
I had work through to Feb.
Even after that, they’ve made a pojnt of getting me work since then.
Both then night shift managers pushed to get me in.
Once I’ve got this, I’ll use the extra to get my C+E.
Then I’ll have even more available to me.
The law does not require a midnight to midnight rest.
The law does require 45 of weekly rest. It can be taken in one 24hr rest period made up later, every other week, but as @goff118 is suggesting that if you only have 24hr rests and never any 45 plus hr rests, you will fall foul of the law.
Thanks for this info. If you get a 4 hour shift, do they only pay you for 4 hours?
Also, are the planned times they give you achievable without rushing around? I’m used supermarket time now so the precise time frame plans I saw yesterday were a little bit daunting.
RM policy dictates 0000 to 0000.
Nothing I can do about it.
Yeah, the WTD is like learning the offside rule.
I’ve not had a four hour shift, but if you do and you finish in 3, they’ll probably pay you for your booked hours.
My scant understanding of the way they work, is to minimise driving hours and maximise working hours.
RM feels pretty old school, like union style old school.
So, if they got a timetable, adapt, and adapt fast.
Their policies protect the workers pretty well.
@goff118 Doing the delivery offices and doing class 1 are treated completely differently at RM.