chester:
You guys doing 15hr days, what sort of life do you have, hobbies, social life wife partner etc.
I agree.
I work to live not live to work.
repton:
waynedl:
the extensions aren’t really supposed to be planned, they were put in for flexibility, ie delays at customers etc.Can you show us where in the regulations it says that?
And yes, that is a rhetorical question. It doesn’t say anywhere in the regulations why the extensions are there, but it amazes me how many people seem to think it does…
Paul
Does it state a minimum of 11hrs rest? And a maximum of 9hrs driving? I’m pretty sure that’s the rules.
After that it says this can be reduced / extended, not this should be.
As I’ve already said, down the Road I want to earn as much as possible, And I do at home too by working over 13hrs but still require enough time to get home, eat, shower, wind down, get some sleep, wake up, cleanclean, get dressed, make butties / flask etc and drive to work. That is not 9hrs.
chester:
You guys doing 15hr days, what sort of life do you have, hobbies, social life wife partner etc. Do you realise your doing twice as much work in a day compared to normal folk and trust me the money in trucking is not worth 15hrs work 9hrs offOur firm is great as in it never plans drivers for a 15hr day, but at some point we all have/done a 15hr for unforseen circumstances.
15hrs and 9 off as a tramper, yes i can see the logic, but living at home then nope.
I don’t mind doing 15 hours and having 9 off at all its part of the job. if i did not want to do this i would get a 9 while 5 job. I have hobbies, walk my dog with the missus, have a cooked meal or go out for a meal with the missus, go shopping with the missus, get a couple of hours of fishing in at the local pond. I have the luxuary of living 15 mins from work so got a good 4 hours to dispose of through the week IF on a 15 and then all weekend. Im one of the lucky ones that can operate on 4 to 5 hours sleep perfectly well always have been able to. I suppose there are those who can and those who carn’t…
the real issue is are the company going to pay good
dollar for taking the ZB
answer no
whats the union doing
Do you realise your doing twice as much work in a day compared to normal folk
Are many of you paid twice as much as them?
repton:
coreysboys:
Codswallop!!If you read my post I said part of the reason. Obviously there is no single reason for it and I’m not trying to claim that everyone doing 15h shifts would magically pull us out of the mess we’re in, but I maintain my claim that the militancy of the workforce is part of the reason this country has slowly but surely been losing all its proper industry over the last few decades.
coreysboys:
Add to this the fact it is cheaper to manufacture, not only in Eastern Europe, but Asia and the Far East, and there you have the main reasons why Industry in the UK is falling apart.… and one of the reasons it’s so much cheaper to manufacture elsewhere is that people there have a positive work ethic and actually want to get a job done rather than trying to twist the regulations around to ensure they do less work. This is the same reason such a high proportion of the businesess we do have left employ eastern european staff, put simply they will work ten times harder than our own people.
Paul
Thanks Paul.
I did read your post and noted the ‘part’ bit on my first read. I think your argument may possibly contribute to the National economy by around an nth of a percent. Far too little to be making such dramatically sweeping statements.
Another reason why it’s so much cheaper to manufacture elsewhere is 3rd world economies employing child labour, a further one would be lack of regulation or legislation, and yet another one would be Dictatorships such as China and North Korea not really giving people much of an option. Do it or DIE!
Put simply, just because they are willing to do it doesn’t make it right, nor should it be turned into a worldwide template.
chester:
Do you realise your doing twice as much work in a day compared to normal folkAre many of you paid twice as much as them?
I get £200ish for a 15. but who are these normal folk you speak of? as long as im happy with the reward for doing 15 im happy, don’t care what other people get paid for what they do. I love driving lorrys for a living its what i always wanted to do and have done for the past 11 years and hopefully many more to come.
chester:
Do you realise your doing twice as much work in a day compared to normal folkAre many of you paid twice as much as them?
On Friday I’m getting (according to accountant) £839.28 put into the bank for last weeks work. So yes I probably did twice the hours of normal folk, but I’d say that was more than twice what normal folk pick up too.
If a company wants to fully utilise its fleet so you don’t get standing units then a driver should be planned at 10-12 hours.
merc0447:
If a company wants to fully utilise its fleet so you don’t get standing units then a driver should be planned at 10-12 hours.
Not necessarily, you don’t have to think so literally.
Depends on fleet size, runs, start times etc. 
shuttlespanker:
gazzad:
Well mixed results fromall of that.Guess just have to get on with it hope dont nod off.Got the expected feedback from those who run there own wagons on here.Would love to know if my boss would be happy to do shifts he wants as he hasnt got a licence or ever done the job just like a lot of the process managers and clerks/planners.Amazing how jobs change from being good to bad.Nevermind thanks for feedback lads.Yes, I run my own wagons, but I also have a licence to drive them
Good job really, seeing as I do actually drive one of them every day
Anyway, can’t talk now, I did a 15 hour day yesterday, and had a reduced 9 hour rest whilst at home, so I must be nodding off because there is no way possible for me to have had a full 8 hours sleep
If the jon entails being planned for a 15 hour shift and a reduced rest at home, then tough, either get on with it or find something else
Lorry driving is not a 9 to 5 job, it never has been, in todays climate, it is a 24/7 operation, and the needs of the job must come first
Dont recall saying it was a nine to five job all my driving jobs have never been 9to 5 3am is the norm for me
hitch:
the real issue is are the company going to pay good
dollar for taking the ZBanswer no
whats the union doing
The union are in the companys back pocket and higher up than reps let them get away with murder.Thats USDAW and UNITE foryou.take your money but dont help.
waynedl:
Does it state a minimum of 11hrs rest? And a maximum of 9hrs driving? I’m pretty sure that’s the rules.
After that it says this can be reduced / extended, not this should be.
Yes, but nowhere does it say “it can be reduced in the case of unforeseen events”, it just says “it can be reduced”, so there is no rule that says you’re not allowed to plan a reduction. That is my point, contrary to what many people seem to think there is nothing anywhere in law that says who is allowed to decide on a reduction, or that the reductions are only there for emergency use, and therefore it follows that the office planning a 15h shift is perfectly acceptable.
Paul
Easy answer to this Leave the job and go else where and work less… hours, if you dont like it no ones making you stay at said company, someone will soon do the job and not moan… they have to do a little work for once in there life
Maybe i have missed something. But if this company use day cabs and you do hit traffic and run out of hours!.
tortoise:
Maybe i have missed something. But if this company use day cabs and you do hit traffic and run out of hours!.
They would have to do what I did in that situation - park up near a motel/B&B and they have to pay all expenses
coreysboys:
People have been squeezed enough and, as such, put more value on home life rather than crap paid long hours
Typical militant statement.
Wiretwister:
If I do a brutally long day
A 15hour day is not brutal.
Saaamon:
coreysboys:
People have been squeezed enough and, as such, put more value on home life rather than crap paid long hoursTypical militant statement.
Too right, I’m sure if they don’t want the job there are dozens of people who would be delighted to do it in their place.
Paul
sounds like you’re working for a bunch of bean counters.
anyone i’ve worked for gets told the same thing “ask me, but don’t tell me”. You’re the driver, You’re responsible.
find another job. use the lorry you’re in to take your stuff to your new lorry, and abandon the old one.