OK here is the way it is. Haven’t driven a truck for a while now and not done distance work for over ten years, probably nearer fifteen. Someone has made me a provisional job offer, driving rigids on general haulage, for which I am told that nights out are only a few a year?
The work includes long distance, but I have real reservations that current traffic volumes would allow me to get them done in a day. i.e. Midlands to Newcastle and back in a day. That took me 5.5 hours in my car last year with all the roadworks everywhere. Being sensible, has the traffic got a lot worse in the last ten years and do many of those runs struggle to get done within the drivers hours now?
I’ll be honest and say I really don’t want to do nights out. The odd one, but certainly not on a regular basis, but not sure the haulier is just telling me what I want to hear, just to fill their vacancy. Do folks think giving this one a miss would be a good idea?
LIBERTY_GUY:
The work includes long distance, but I have real reservations that current traffic volumes would allow me to get them done in a day. i.e. Midlands to Newcastle and back in a day.
Midlands to Newcastle and back is certainly do-able.
The increase in traffic is more about “too many people on the roads for free” rather than any particular upturn in the economy.
If it’s cheaper for you personally to use a road vehicle to get about - you’re going to do that.
Vans on self employed, company cars, reps on expenses - none of these represent the “transport industry” do they?
…Nor public transport come to that.
Motoring should not be made cheaper for those who are already on a good wage in the non-transport sector in my view.
If we all had to pay full price for our fuel, insurances, maintenence, and actual driving qualifications - there would be a whole lot less traffic on our roads full stop!
Of course its got worse, the population has increased by around 4 million in that time, another 4+ million more in another ten, their needs just like the people already here will be serviced by road.
Winseer:
The increase in traffic is more about “too many people on the roads for free” rather than any particular upturn in the economy.
If it’s cheaper for you personally to use a road vehicle to get about - you’re going to do that.
Vans on self employed, company cars, reps on expenses - none of these represent the “transport industry” do they?
…Nor public transport come to that.
Motoring should not be made cheaper for those who are already on a good wage in the non-transport sector in my view.
If we all had to pay full price for our fuel, insurances, maintenence, and actual driving qualifications - there would be a whole lot less traffic on our roads full stop!
Sounds like you are saying the road network should be for trucks only and every other vehicle should be banned from them !!
Winseer:
The increase in traffic is more about “too many people on the roads for free” rather than any particular upturn in the economy.
If it’s cheaper for you personally to use a road vehicle to get about - you’re going to do that.
Vans on self employed, company cars, reps on expenses - none of these represent the “transport industry” do they?
…Nor public transport come to that.
Motoring should not be made cheaper for those who are already on a good wage in the non-transport sector in my view.
If we all had to pay full price for our fuel, insurances, maintenence, and actual driving qualifications - there would be a whole lot less traffic on our roads full stop!
Sounds like you are saying the road network should be for trucks only and every other vehicle should be banned from them !!
The road should be for businesses that have paid to use it, and individuals that have paid to use it. NOT individuals and businesses that have charged the taxpayer to use it.
Radar19:
I do Immingham to Newcastle and the surrounding area in a 13 hour day with a 9 hour drive.
Just quickly looking on Google maps, my location to Newcastle is 40 miles further than it is from Immingham at 208 miles, which means I would be very tight on time if I hit any traffic.
Am assuming they no longer give any discretion if you go over your hours in heavy traffic, as the DVSA seems to be more about money generation nowadays.
Radar19:
I do Immingham to Newcastle and the surrounding area in a 13 hour day with a 9 hour drive.
Just quickly looking on Google maps, my location to Newcastle is 40 miles further than it is from Immingham at 208 miles, which means I would be very tight on time if I hit any traffic.
Am assuming they no longer give any discretion if you go over your hours in heavy traffic, as the DVSA seems to be more about money generation nowadays.
There is a lot of factors that can change things for me when I’m doing that run. I normally leave at 03:30am to be in Newcastle City Centre for 7am. Most of the time that is as far North as I will go, sometimes I I delivery to an old foundry in Lynemouth then its the usual runs to places like Sunderland, Hartlepool, Peterlee, Spennymoor, Trimdon Grange etc. That 40 mile extra though might just send you over a 10 as I can do it in under 9, sometimes if I’ve not got a lot of drops its a 7 hour+ run.
Winseer:
The increase in traffic is more about “too many people on the roads for free” rather than any particular upturn in the economy.
If it’s cheaper for you personally to use a road vehicle to get about - you’re going to do that.
Vans on self employed, company cars, reps on expenses - none of these represent the “transport industry” do they?
…Nor public transport come to that.
Motoring should not be made cheaper for those who are already on a good wage in the non-transport sector in my view.
If we all had to pay full price for our fuel, insurances, maintenence, and actual driving qualifications - there would be a whole lot less traffic on our roads full stop!
Sounds like you are saying the road network should be for trucks only and every other vehicle should be banned from them !!
The road should be for businesses that have paid to use it, and individuals that have paid to use it. NOT individuals and businesses that have charged the taxpayer to use it.
