It seems 6 out of the 7 drivers at ‘my’ depot (probably hundreds more in the company) are 'doing it wrong… let me set the scene… I stroll in to work around 7pm, normally have a chat with a couple of others whilst I stroll across the yard, fetch my keys from upstairs, (unit is already on site) and get caught for a chat again. Walk to unit, press the button to unlock the door (that’s all the lights checked front and rear), clamber up and card in. Now, this normally equates to around 20-30 minutes so, I do a M/E back until 19:00 (on paper, it’s my official start time but nobody gives a fudge anyway if we’re late as the load is never ready till 20:00 or so). Now, 6 of us are in for a visit to the naughty corner because the actual time the card goes in (let’s say 19:20) compared to the 19:00 is ‘beyond the company allowance of 15mins’ to get sorted and we need to stop doing this as the all knowing software is throwing it back as it doesn’t recognise the M/E! Obviously we argued the point of it so it’s an 18:00 meeting with ‘the powers’ tomorrow…we will throw in this extra hour and how do we go about it in relation to start time etc etc and see what they come up with! Something else they griped about (only the bloke who does a bit of shunting before he leaves really) was ‘missing mileage’ on one of the units…he uses the ‘spare’ unit at night to put a couple of trailers on the bay but has his card in his unit, which (by this time) is hooked up to his trailer on the bay. Because of this, all units are now dropped when day drivers return and we have to carry out our checks before we move and hook up! My question for this bit is ‘in the eyes of the law’, could I (after checking the unit over for any damage and checking the tyres) immediately move and drive the 50yards and hook up so I/we can check the whole lot over in one hit or do as ‘they’ say and wait 15mins before moving because 'the card won’t show that I/we haven’t spent the correct amount of time (15mins again 
) and VOSA won’t be happy in the event of a pull, even though we obviously have to check the trailer electrics now, as it’s all connected…or just get some extra long lines! Bit of a read there but cheers
Actrosman:
It seems 6 out of the 7 drivers at ‘my’ depot (probably hundreds more in the company) are 'doing it wrong… let me set the scene… I stroll in to work around 7pm, normally have a chat with a couple of others whilst I stroll across the yard, fetch my keys from upstairs, (unit is already on site) and get caught for a chat again. Walk to unit, press the button to unlock the door (that’s all the lights checked front and rear), clamber up and card in. Now, this normally equates to around 20-30 minutes so, I do a M/E back until 19:00 (on paper, it’s my official start time but nobody gives a fudge anyway if we’re late as the load is never ready till 20:00 or so). Now, 6 of us are in for a visit to the naughty corner because the actual time the card goes in (let’s say 19:20) compared to the 19:00 is ‘beyond the company allowance of 15mins’ to get sorted and we need to stop doing this as the all knowing software is throwing it back as it doesn’t recognise the M/E! Obviously we argued the point of it so it’s an 18:00 meeting with ‘the powers’ tomorrow…we will throw in this extra hour and how do we go about it in relation to start time etc etc and see what they come up with! Something else they griped about (only the bloke who does a bit of shunting before he leaves really) was ‘missing mileage’ on one of the units…he uses the ‘spare’ unit at night to put a couple of trailers on the bay but has his card in his unit, which (by this time) is hooked up to his trailer on the bay. Because of this, all units are now dropped when day drivers return and we have to carry out our checks before we move and hook up!
As you know that’s a company rule and they can make up whatever rules suits them, it seems to me that they may be tightening up on time keeping and this is just their way of doing it.
Actrosman:
My question for this bit is ‘in the eyes of the law’, could I (after checking the unit over for any damage and checking the tyres) immediately move and drive the 50yards and hook up so I/we can check the whole lot over in one hit or do as ‘they’ say and wait 15mins before moving because 'the card won’t show that I/we haven’t spent the correct amount of time (15mins again
In the eyes of the law, you don’t need to do any vehicle checks until prior to going onto public roads, you can hook up to your trailer without doing any vehicle checks then check the unit and trailer together, all the law (and DVSA) requires is that you make sure you’re vehicle is roadworthy before taking it onto a public road.
If that 50 or so yards to the trailer involves going onto public roads you need to do basic checks before hooking up to the trailer, if the 50 or so yards to the trailer doesn’t involve going onto a public road it doesn’t matter what vehicle checks you do or don’t do before hooking up to the trailer, obviously even driving around the yard your vehicle should be safe to use but it doesn’t have to be roadworthy.
Whether or not this would comply with your companies own rules is another story though.
No roads are used Tachograph until actually leaving site. So tonight I’ll do my usual M/E, bit of paperwork and just go and hook up then start my checks from the bay then wait however long till it’s loaded and ready to roll…that’ll give them more to question as to it’s ‘legality’ I guess. Forgot to mention, an auditor also pulled them up about the card insertion time and backing it up until 19:00. Cheers anyway
Your manual entry is fine, auditor can do one as far as I can see. What if you were waiting a couple of hours for a fitter to bring your vehicle back or similar? That’d be outside your 15 minute window which is company imposed and not legislative.
Like has been said, it sounds like your company is trying to tighten up time keeping and this is just nit picking at the periphery.
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I always drive the unit round the yard as part of my daily checks to check the steering, suspension and brakes.
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Nothing has ever been said about our timekeeping unless it’s ready and you’re not on site…I’ve been on holiday in Greece before and had a call asking me what time I’m coming in tonight…tell 'em I’m not in for x amount of days and they (w/hse chimps) say that nothing is on the board about me being off and no agency is booked! It’s only recently they’ve started on about this 15 minute malarkey, after ‘advice’ from the auditor on the last audit…word has it tonight, the auditor will be joining us for our little chat later today!
This auditor clearly has no background in transport or knowledge of legislation
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And just to add, the Special One who got a pat on the back for doing things ‘correctly’ turns up in the morning at 04:00/04:10 (day driver), minces about for a while, card in at say 04:30, no manual entries but writes on his run sheet a start time of 04:30, therefore not exceeding the 15minute ‘ruling’!!
Well that’s wrong then because if his day started at 0410 then his manual entry should start at 0410 and not 0430.
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Exactly, but…
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