Hey people I did a long drive on Friday it was van I do a mix of van and 7.5 tonne. I was just wondering if it’s the norm for that last 30 minutes to the depot to be the toughest on tiredness?
This is why I’ve likening it to be desperate to needing the toilet. The closer you are to the toilet the harder it gets to hold it?
I took breaks but was a long trip for me and a long day.
Do you feel the same? How many people
Just ramp it up to get home quick or take an extra 15 minutes before getting on the main run home?
Can be tiring on you.
Best bet is stop at services go to toilet wash your face soon wakes you up.
Don’t know your circumstances but best way I found when starting early and you take your break try relax sleep get. A power nap etc.
instead of having screen time watching pointless posts on Facebook etc try relax rest instead your feel better for it.
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What sport of tiredness?
Concentrating for a long time giving headaches etc? Or fighting to keep your eyes open?
If the first then, within limits, the more driving you do in your career the easier it is to do longer runs. You do get a bit acclimatised to long runs and concentrating.
If the latter then I reckon that may be more to do with a lack of sleep somewhere?
Having said all of that, the last part of a day, at the end of a week will rarely be easy.
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More concentration tiredness not sleepy eyes etc. A new one for me and thanks for pointing it out. It’s more than just sleep. There was no problems but it’s good to know. A lesson learned though my breaks will now include a 15 minute Res on the way back to the depot on long runs.
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I always feel reluctant to get going in the morning…more than likely I have done the job too long and no longer have a great deal of enthusiasm.
I always split my breaks so after 2 hours of starting I have a 15 min kip, then I’m as right as rain.
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A Power Nap it is then no checking the phone etc just a total relax.
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I could of been dehydrated as well I think that had something to do with it also. A big bottle of water is to go with me from now on.
Yes! When I first started driving lorries, that was precisely the element I didn’t include in my planning. It took me a while to work out what was missing. Stay hydrated, if only because it keeps your brain clear to make rational decisions.
Do stop when you need to re-group your mind and body, if only for ten minutes. From your post it looks as if you’re onto the case! Good luck!
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What ever you dont start to rely on cans of redbull etc.
But as above a quick power nap shut curtains have a quick sleep.
Or park up walk to toilet wash your face be surprised how much it wakes you up
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^^^ agreed. Don’t be bothered about stopping. Park up and just getting out of the cab is good. 15 mins fresh air works wonders for me.
If you have a close call because of tiredness you will poo yourself, so in that respect it’s exactly the same.
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Oh Jeez no, leave that for the mad assed, tear arse ‘aint got a second to spare’ morons.
I dont know if it was proven or medically possible, but an idiot I used to know who did that excessivelly blamed it on him getting type 1 diabetes.
If you find yourself getting to that stage you need to have a word with yourself how you are approaching and applying your job…or in that case endurance test.
If I feel tired I stop for a power nap…end of.
I cgaf what time I am booked in for, if I am tired I stop.
The job aint anywhere near worth dying for.
That is why I would be no good working for yhe likes of DPD where those clowns in their office ring you with ‘‘Why have you stopped there’’ 
Never did more than 2 hours without stopping for a nice mug of rosie lee. Even now driving the armchair I’m still the same.
I couldn’t get my armchair into cog this afternoon; I think the clutch-brake is worn…
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Well after a week of 400/500 miles a day on motorway and rural roads mixed together I survived the tiredness. Breaks, food and plenty of fluids is the answer.
Although on the Friday I was a bit grouchy and moaned a lot about the endless paperwork I have to do at the end of a shift. I’ve been advised to do it throughout the day as it’s a massive pain to do it after a long drive. I do start to shut down when I finish driving so paperwork is a pain but is also part of the job.
I tried the night shift once to cover for holidays & boy! No matter how many hours I had to sleep prior to starting the shift at 6pm wasn’t enough, I did two weeks cover going from Lowton to Tesco Bellshill & back, I hated it. The money was OK, but I was like a zombie at the end of the week. I tip my hat to night drivers, I couldn’t hack it.
I actually last year did six months of night tramping. Despite my initial scepticism I found it incredibly easy when compared to day tramping and I never, ever suffered from “nodding dog” whilst driving.
That probably was as a result of getting lots more sleep tbh. As a day tramper I’d park at say 6pm, read for a while, nip to the pub, have a meal and a pint, go back to the truck, mess about on the interweb and then suddenly realise that I had to start work in six hours! As a night tramper I’d park up at 6am, do my paperwork and go straight to bed and sleep for eight hours straight.
I tried it once years ago…for not very long, on agency between jobs.
The worst time for me was when the sun started to come up, for some reason I felt totally wrecked.
Like you I couldnt hack it either.
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See I’ve never been able to do that, sometimes wish I could just switch straight off after the shift and sleep. 15 years on nights and I always have a couple of beers, bite to eat and wind down after a 6am finish.
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