F-reds:
Trubster I would say that would be up to the driver to make that call. If they lived too far away to make a 9 hour viable then it’s up to them to get a different job. Simples. Or adapt to their reduced patterns pretty quickly!!
I reckon if the 9 hours were only allowed if nighting out, the roads would be slightly safer - if 1 driver is stopped from falling asleep and killing a family - I would say it is worth it.
Ok, my example may have been slightly extreme with 45 mins driving each way - but even with just 15 mins driving each way, you are again struggling to get over 6.5 hours sleep - so I ask the same question, How can it be safe to be expected to do a 15 hour shift after only having 5.5 - 6.5 hours sleep?
Your example with 45 minutes driving each way wasn’t extreme. I was doing that for most of my driving career, getting home sometimes longer if I had to drive across Hull at teatime rush hour. 9hrs off was a joke.
As to being rushed about expected to meet unrealistic targets just don’t do it. I used to when I started and I made myself ill from the stress of trying to meet ever more ridiculous delivery times. I eventually learned that the sky will not fall down if you’re late and the worst that can happen is a refused load. I also worked out the more you do it the more they’ll expect you to. Teach them a lesson next time they give you a mission impossible by driving 100% legally - 40MPH on SC A roads, 50MPH on DCs. When they make noises about disciplining you ask them if they’re disciplining you for driving legally and ask them how they think the Traffic Commissioner would view that.
I worked for a company where I used to run from a factory to a cold store on the run up to Xmas. You could do 2 runs but it was possible to do 3 as all but 10 miles was single carriageway but you were driving on the limiter to do it. The traffic office bod once said I could do three and some of his drivers did. My reply to him was “is that legally?” It was never mentioned again.
Bradford1978:
These cowboys don’t factor breaks into jobs, expect you to max out everyday, don’t understand the reduction rules, and the final insult is when they say ‘just have 9 off’ (reducing to 9hrs is at the drivers discretion). Name and shame these clowns
if you can find me some where in the regulations a reduced daily break is at the drivers discretion then I will eat my hat.
yes it clearly states " THE DRIVER MAY REDUCE THREE TIMES A WEEK! " although that’s in between two weekly rest periods OR in the fixed week
Fatboy slimslow:
yes it clearly states " THE DRIVER MAY REDUCE THREE TIMES A WEEK! "
NO. Sorry mate, it doesn’t say that at all.
yes it does dave every POSTER I’ve seen in different yards up and down the country from FTA AND RHA and guidance from vostapo it states " the driver MAY reduce three times a week! "
These are from the big boys posters on DRIVERS HOURS EU REGS UPDATED IN APRIL 2007
I only get 6 hours a night and I’m still capable of doing a 15 hour shift. But that is because I know I can do it, and a 15 is rare for me. If I was asked to do 3x15 and 2x13 every week then it would be a different story.
But my point is I don’t need government regulation to tell me that. I want to be able to stand on my own 2 feet and be sure of my skill set.
It’s not the hours you have worked that are going to get you and make you tired, it’s what you do during those hours and the hours off duty that make you tired to point of nodding off.
I do agree with trubster that if we could save just 1 life that would be great. But it’s not by heavier regulation, it’s by harder SELF regulation. If your having a mad one today and you know it’s going to be a long one and you probably couldn’t hack that early start tomorrow for another 15, then get on the blower and talk to your planner and tell them that. Nothing is set in stone so that it can’t be changed, but calling things as early as possible will get you a long way. Pie in the sky stuff I know, but hey…
Fatboy slimslow:
yes it clearly states " THE DRIVER MAY REDUCE THREE TIMES A WEEK! "
NO. Sorry mate, it doesn’t say that at all.
yes it does dave every POSTER I’ve seen in different yards up and down the country from FTA AND RHA and guidance from vostapo it states " the driver MAY reduce three times a week! "
These are from the big boys posters on DRIVERS HOURS EU REGS UPDATED IN APRIL 2007
Perhaps you could copy and paste where it says what you claim it does from the official EU regulations … tachospeed.com/legal/regulation-ec-no-5612006/
I read it many times and cannot find what you claim
it clearly states 
although that’s in between two weekly rest periods OR in the fixed week 
