First week

[dar1976]

Trucker Timer App is all well and good. But the basics need to be in your head or you won’t know which mode to select on the app.

[tarrman]

I think I’ve got myself confused but I think I’ve sorted it now.

What I need to know is how to view daily driving time on a Stoneridge tacho, and not accumulative driving time for the week. Cue new thread…

[roymondo]

I was using the term “professional” as in the dictionary definition meaning “does it to earn a living”, rather than the often misused interpretation “is well practised at it”. Now as it happens, your misunderstanding is unlikely to result in grief from VOSA or the Police, but may well turn round to bite you in the bum as you will end up taking too many/unnecessary breaks, which might result in your employer taking a dim view of you, but could also result in you “running out of hours” when there was no need for it.

At the end of the day, you really need to have a good understanding of this stuff as it could potentially cost you a lot more than cocking up a reverse onto an awkward loading bay.

[tarrman]

I totally agree, on my last shift I had a 45 when I didn’t need to. I’m on a probation period for 3 months so it isn’t going to bode well for me if my employer sees that I’m taking unnecessary breaks.

I’ve started a new thread about viewing driving time on the tacho.

[truckulent]

You’ve had a lucky escape there as you were getting a little mixed up, but no harm done by the sounds of it. You do need to make sure you get the tacho rules fairly confident or you’ll have them on your back - as well as the possibility of mr VOSA stopping you. Not that they’ve ever stopped me when I’ve been on for supermarkets.

The old ‘Stoneage’ tachos are truly ■■■■■■ but the newer ‘Exakt’ models are much better, and certainly more efficient than the Siemens units. I prefer the newer ones to the Siemens, or at least I did last time I used one, been on paper charts recently!!! Bloody old fashioned ■■■■■■■■

I prefer the DD trailers to be honest - they generally mean really easy runs on motorways!! Driven more of them than single deckers. They aren’t fun in a cross wind though it has to be said!

PS well done on your first week matey!

[tarrman]

Thanks

I mean, theres no harm done legal wise, VOSA can’t do much for me having too many breaks but I dont think my employer would be too happy.

I think my main problem now lies in actually reading the information displayed on the tacho correctly, if theres a way to keep track of my driving hours then the rest should fall into place.

[papermonkey]

Tarrman:
Finished my first week as a Class 1 driver on Thursday morning. Wow, what happened to this so called learning curve■■? Mine was more like a vertical climb with a ton weight on me back

Done 2 days induction pretty much in the classroom, then a night with a driver and then on my 4th night I was out on my own.

When I was out with the driver we shared the driving, the cab was a Scania R440 6x2 with a 13m tri axle trailer. All went as smooth as a first drive goes (not very) and i found the reversing was a complete NIGHTMARE. I also pulled a double decker, 16’4" of buttock clenching driving. By the end of the shift I was a mess and my nerves were shot

Starting the 4th day out on my own was the worst as I knew what was coming but I managed to do 2 (store) deliveries with what was some half decent service yards, still had to do some pretty sharp turns getting the cab at a right angle to the trailer. I was in a Scania G400 which although felt a bit underpowered compared to the 440 I found it much easier to manoeuvre. I also tackled (what I thought was) a low bridge, was praying to god I’d marked the height up right Even so I slowed right down and even though I bet there was a good 10" to spare it certainly didn’t look like it!

By the end of the night I was feeling a lot more relaxed and was even doing my reversing better. Lets just say I had a good mentor and instead of trying to good side reverse it in I found it much easier to find my mark and get the whole thing relatively straight infront of the bay before reversing.

Had the weekend off and I’m back in Sunday night so I shall see what that brings.

One thing that I am struggling with is keeping track of my driving times. Still don’t k ow how to tackle that problem but in sure it will come eventually.

Thanks for reading

Yes, I seem to remember the perpendicular learning curve only too well, and I didn’t have induction or a mentor either