Been browsing driving jobs the last few days and one of the worrying trends I have noticed is the number of smaller firms looking for people with ‘mechanical aptitude’, or ‘able to carry out minor repairs and servicing’ and even the classic gem I found this morning ‘a certificate in motor repair would be an advantage, however this is not required’.
Now this got me thinking. All of us have had to endure dcpc training in recent times, many of us at our own expense, to make us more professional in our jobs (yeah I know ), to be more aware of what we do and an understanding of the consequences of our actions. Yet in this day and age you still have smaller operators expecting drivers to carry out repairs and servicing of heavy commercial vehicles. To clarify I am not talking about changing bulbs, but things that could have a profound effect on the vehicle’s safety. The amateur bodger carrying out critical repairs to appease his boss.
Now don’t get me wrong, I carry out many repairs and all the servicing on my own cars and motorbikes, with the help of Haynes manuals, but the essential difference is those aren’t carrying 20 tonne plus loads, nor do they have a variety of different drivers behind the wheel. Looking at these advertised jobs though, it did make me wonder if I’d like to drive a heavy truck down a steep hill that had been maintained by bodgers? Perhaps in this day and age if we need a certificate (dcpc) to drive commercially if it potentially helps the safety of other road users, then perhaps those carrying out repairs on commercial vehicles (other than very minor stuff) should also be required to hold proper certificates. Obviously some flexibility for owner drivers, but generally it does make you wonder how many commercial fleet vehicles involved in accidents have been poorly maintained?
I think as you mentioned it’s more likely for changing bulbs and get it home / off the road… Sorts out the I can or not my job call a fitter to undo a plastic cap and change a 10p bulb
IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers) was founded in 1944 and is one of the most respected names in UK transport.
IRTE supports transport engineers throughout their careers and encourages high standards, with an emphasis on safety and best practice.
IRTE members come from a wide variety of transport-related roles including apprentices and technicians in both the light and heavy vehicle and bus and coach sectors, workshop managers, fleet engineers, transport managers, company directors and the Armed Forces.
Recognised as the impartial voice of the industry, IRTE believes safety in operation is vital. Recent initiatives include research into tipper stability and safety, fuel efficiency, wheel loss prevention and tail lift safety.
Recognising the need for those working in the industry to prove their competence, IRTE pioneered the irtec Licensing Scheme for technicians and mechanics. An irtec licence certifies the skills and safety of technicians and mechanics working in road transport.
IRTE also audits passenger carrying and commercial vehicle workshops under IRTE Workshop Accreditation, providing maintenance providers with the tools to prove their high standards of work while also providing operators with the ability to choose their workshops with confidence.
I remember going for an interview quite a few years ago, where the owner was moaning he’d had to call a mechanic out to one of his lorries broken down on the M6 and it was just blocked fuel filters and the lorry driver should have been able to sort that himself and changed them without calling out breakdown.
Maybe its just me, but I didn’t think standing under the raised cab on a busy motorway, without the benefit of a breakdown vehicle with all its flashing beacons parked behind, was a place I would ever want to be. Needless to say I declined his job offer.
Thing is, roads are a lot busier nowadays, traffic moves a lot quicker (outside of rush hour and roadworks) and many trucks are worked harder with timed delivery slots and ‘just in time’ customer stock holding. I don’t claim to be an expert on truck mechanicals, but I am guessing they are significantly more complex than the trucks of twenty years ago?
I’m a bit perplexed with this one, as I thought that it was already a requirement off an operators licence that your vehicle is inspected at regular (usually 6 weekly) intervals by a qualified mechanic.
An O/D I know, used to do all his own servicing and inspections, but started sending His truck to a Commercial workshop to make it easier to comply with the inspection criteria, even though He is more than capable off doing all the work himself, and had done for many years previous. Though He might just be getting idle
Possibly these adverts are to find drivers who would be able to get out off trouble up the road, possibly get to nearest workshop or back to the yard, thus save expensive call out charges just a thought.
LIBERTY_GUY:
I remember going for an interview quite a few years ago, where the owner was moaning he’d had to call a mechanic out to one of his lorries broken down on the M6 and it was just blocked fuel filters and the lorry driver should have been able to sort that himself and changed them without calling out breakdown.
Maybe its just me, but I didn’t think standing under the raised cab on a busy motorway, without the benefit of a breakdown vehicle with all its flashing beacons parked behind, was a place I would ever want to be. Needless to say I declined his job offer.
Thing is, roads are a lot busier nowadays, traffic moves a lot quicker (outside of rush hour and roadworks) and many trucks are worked harder with timed delivery slots and ‘just in time’ customer stock holding. I don’t claim to be an expert on truck mechanicals, but I am guessing they are significantly more complex than the trucks of twenty years ago?
I think I would have declined that one too, wouldn’t fancy getting to grips with that job on the side off a motorway or getting back behind the wheel stinking off/covered in diesel
happysack:
What sort of work are these firms doing
Well the one wanting ‘a certificate in motor repair would be an advantage, however this is not required’, was Eurofoods in Wednesbury, doing multi drop food deliveries and cash handling, including nights out. The ‘mechanical aptitude’ post was for a tipper driver doing local work with an eight legger and the ‘able to carry out minor repairs and servicing’ was for an ADR doing daywork deliveries and collections of palletised freight.
Small yards with no mechanics often used to advertise for driver/mechanics in years gone by, but the trucks were mechanically primitive by today’s standards. I am just surprised in this day and age of H&S gone mad and the needs for endless certificates, that amateur mechanics are even allowed anywhere near truck mechanicals, let alone a transport operator purposefully advertising for said people. Changing bulbs, fuses and perhaps even wiper blades is one thing, but the rest is best left to people who have had proper training and know what they are doing. In recent weeks, we’ve seen many examples of the destructive power of trucks when things go wrong.
Oh dear, drivers of today don,t know what it used to like driving the heaps of the past,start at a haulage company and given the old piece of crap in the corner of the yard, that was snorting and spitting at you,thats how it was take it or leave it.
In my 40 years of driving i have done ,numerous wheel changes,propshaft hardy spicer change, fan belts,head gasket/water pump,wheel bearings,fuel filters,ect.
Wheel changes,bulbs,with training how to do safely should be part of the DCPC instead of the useless crap that is spield to us.
Klunk
klunk/■■■■■■■■
Oh dear, drivers of today don,t know what it used to like driving the heaps of the past,start at a haulage company and given the old piece of crap in the corner of the yard, that was snorting and spitting at you,thats how it was take it or leave it.
In my 40 years of driving i have done ,numerous wheel changes,propshaft hardy spicer change, fan belts,head gasket/water pump,wheel bearings,fuel filters,ect.
Wheel changes,bulbs,with training how to do safely should be part of the DCPC instead of the useless crap that is spield to us.
Klunk
You’re not alone in having been given the heap in the corner, but Me for one, I’m to bone idle to want do any work on My own car anymore, let alone someone else’s piece off crap truck. To many weekends wasted repairing fixing bodging cars on my drive, easier to send it to a garage, also helps that I can afford to pay someone to do it now. So why am I going to do this for a gaffer, who probably expects me to work for peanuts, Tasty as they are, I believe that My nearly 30 year in transport has given Me oportunity not to have to roll around under a broken truck at the side off the road, and the fact that I’m paid tidy working for a firm who don’t allow me too anyway proves it, and I bet I’m not alone. If you’ve got anysence you’ll have come to the same conclusion
True Eddie, the kit we have today is far supeirior to the crap we were expected to drive,our oldest trailer is 5 years old and unit is a 62 plate,also the 6 week inspection of kit helps as well.
Klunk
LIBERTY_GUY:
Been browsing driving jobs the last few days and one of the worrying trends I have noticed is the number of smaller firms looking for people with ‘mechanical aptitude’,
I’m suprised that they’re having to ask for this “aptitude”. I’d of thought all drivers have at least some, even if only due to having a basic understanding of how their tractor will connect to their trailer etc… And maybe they want to avoid the “don’t know i’m just a driver, i just drive” types ? You know, the ones who can pilot a 50 foot truck but cannot operate a pump truck !!
Mike-C:
And maybe they want to avoid the “don’t know i’m just a driver, i just drive” types ? You know, the ones who can pilot a 50 foot truck but cannot operate a pump truck !!
Haha, don’t you mean the ones who think they are a pilot Mike C??
klunk/■■■■■■■■
Oh dear, drivers of today don,t know what it used to like driving the heaps of the past,start at a haulage company and given the old piece of crap in the corner of the yard, that was snorting and spitting at you,thats how it was take it or leave it.
In my 40 years of driving i have done ,numerous wheel changes,propshaft hardy spicer change, fan belts,head gasket/water pump,wheel bearings,fuel filters,ect.
Wheel changes,bulbs,with training how to do safely should be part of the DCPC instead of the useless crap that is spield to us.
Klunk
Ive only been driving for lorries for 7 years but I dont mind getting stuck in. Although last company decided to lease the new motors, at which point I decided ■■■■ it and phoned for a callout to change a side marker bulb, just cos they ■■■■■■ me off.
Got a contract with a small company for semi permanent work and they like you to get stuck in. Certainly bringing the enjoyment back into driving.
klunk/■■■■■■■■
True Eddie, the kit we have today is far supeirior to the crap we were expected to drive,our oldest trailer is 5 years old and unit is a 62 plate,also the 6 week inspection of kit helps as well.
Klunk
Actually this week is a case in hand, I drive a 13 plate 440 scania, was in for 6 weekly inspection on Friday. Monday morning I turn the Key and have “Emissions high” on one screen and on the next screen “Emissions - Engine power reduced in: 36h”. These were an amber warning, so I phone it in, and get told its ok to use, and that arrangements will be made to get the truck looked at. So later in the day I’m in a Scania workshop with the truck plugged to a lap top, and this is how they go about diagnosing problems, so as for drivers sorting out problems on the side off the road, there is no chance with this sort of thing.
As an aside, it was an emissions sensor on the exhaust and Adblue unit
eddie snax:
I’m a bit perplexed with this one, as I thought that it was already a requirement off an operators licence that your vehicle is inspected at regular (usually 6 weekly) intervals by a qualified mechanic.
^ This.I also think the criterea for compliance regards maintenance goes a bit further than ‘qualified mechanic’.IE the level of garage facilities and capability in addition to qualification of garage staff.The message being they don’t generally hand out O licences without a lot of questions being asked first.
Thin end of the wedge. Before long when the lorry breaks down for lack of a part it will be: " Oh I would have thought you’d have had one of those in your toolbox."
so if you were a smallish company owner…which of the following would you employ.
1…drivers who would be able to get out off trouble up the road, possibly get to nearest workshop or back to the yard, thus save expensive call out charges …or
2 some Tosco type beancounting useless jobsworth that wouldn’t change a bulb etc??
), to be more aware of what we do and an understanding of the consequences of our actions. Yet in this day and age you still have smaller operators expecting drivers to carry out repairs and servicing of heavy commercial vehicles. To clarify I am not talking about changing bulbs, but things that could have a profound effect on the vehicle’s safety. The amateur bodger carrying out critical repairs to appease his boss.
or getting back behind the wheel stinking off/covered in diesel 
