Vehicle checks should take over an hour!

[adam277]

Ok, as far I know most people get given 15 minutes to do vehicles checks.
I think when I was at tesco it was 45 minutes. But that time started when you got the paperwork. That time also included finding your unit, finding your trailer, planning your route and hooking up and doing checks.
Now Tesco was never strict about this.
When I was at Co-OP they wasnt strict about it but they did mention it in the debriefs.

But it got me thinking.

If we all took vehicle checks seriously.
Surely we would.

*Check every inch of the trailer tyres by rolling it forward after checking the visible portions. I also mean checking them not kicking them.
*Fully ensure every last thing on that trailer is attached securely down to the last rivet. (A loose rivet can kill someone on a motorcycle!)
*That includes checking the roof is secure
*Ensure all fluids are at the correct levels.
*Look under the trailer for signs of damage to the break lines or anything that may come off and pose a danger to other road users.

Then we could go even further on Covid safety measure for cab hoppers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNOA3QteCRI
I remember Tesco giving drivers an extra 15 minutes to clean their cab.

Now looking at the correct method of deep cleaning a house. It doesnt really match up with what I experienced at Tesco. Which was in essence giving a squirty bottle of disinectant and some toilet paper.
Surely if a cab is used by 2-3 drivers a day then it needs a deep clean after every use?



This thread serves no purpose. Just a general purpose rant.

[Carryfast]

It's all covered by the road traffic act in that generally the onus will be on the driver to prove that anything failing, or falling off, or falling apart, on the vehicle couldn't have been noticed by and/or isn't the responsibility of the driver.
It's a can of worms and obviously the more effort that the driver can put into pre/post trip checks the better defence that provides.
Oh wait if you increase the dligence of the checks then that becomes the expected norm reducing the level of defence regarding what is and what isn't defined as should be 'noticeable'.
Damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Basically the fate of the driver's safety and/or staying on the right side of the law can be in the hands of the employer's maintenance regime and staff.
The odds are if the thing isn't replaced and maintained regularly on a no expense spared basis, then sooner or later something will break that the law will try to say should have been noticed by the driver.Then it's all up to the jury whether or not you go to jail.

[Carryfast]

Then we could go even further on Covid safety measure for cab hoppers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNOA3QteCRI

^ Amateurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCSyrSSjIY0

[adam277]

Then we could go even further on Covid safety measure for cab hoppers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNOA3QteCRI

^ Amateurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCSyrSSjIY0

Earlier this year we kept running out of disinfectan. The covid cleaning of the trucks was silly. They were digusting, they were never deep cleaned once.
If anyone has driven supermarket trucks and units you know they are disgusting.
Top tip: never look in the cubbyholes or between the seats of a supermarket unit.

[biggriffin]

Then we could go even further on Covid safety measure for cab hoppers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNOA3QteCRI

^ Amateurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCSyrSSjIY0

Earlier this year we kept running out of disinfectan. The covid cleaning of the trucks was silly. They were digusting, they were never deep cleaned once.
If anyone has driven supermarket trucks and units you know they are disgusting.
Top tip: never look in the cubbyholes or between the


seats of a supermarket unit.

So what does this tell you about your average shopping trolley aimer.

[Noremac]

So what does this tell you about your average shopping trolley aimer.

I can't think that it would tell me anything, but maybe I am missing something??

[Carryfast]

Then we could go even further on Covid safety measure for cab hoppers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNOA3QteCRI

^ Amateurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCSyrSSjIY0

Earlier this year we kept running out of disinfectan. The covid cleaning of the trucks was silly. They were digusting, they were never deep cleaned once.
If anyone has driven supermarket trucks and units you know they are disgusting.
Top tip: never look in the cubbyholes or between the seats of a supermarket unit.

I was referring to the use of masks v respirators by the cleaners.They are toast.

Let's just say I was used to turf and weeds growing on the floor of the cabs of council wagons it was like a mobile greenhouse there was more earth on the floors and a better variety of weeds than there was in the garden at home.As for under or behind the seats there was usually a larger stock of 'reading' material stashed there than the local newsagents had on their top shelves.

[spacemanZ10]

Then we could go even further on Covid safety measure for cab hoppers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNOA3QteCRI

^ Amateurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCSyrSSjIY0

Earlier this year we kept running out of disinfectan. The covid cleaning of the trucks was silly. They were digusting, they were never deep cleaned once.
If anyone has driven supermarket trucks and units you know they are disgusting.
Top tip: never look in the cubbyholes or between the seats of a supermarket unit.

I did some supermarket work last year during covid and yes at first I wasn't worried about catching it i didn't think even covid could survive some of those cabs! They have been much cleaner since, still I always take a set of my own wipes anyway!

Sent from my moto g 5G plus using Tapatalk

[switchlogic]

The odds are if the thing isn't replaced and maintained regularly on a no expense spared basis, then sooner or later something will break that the law will try to say should have been noticed by the driver.Then it's all up to the jury whether or not you go to jail.

Exactly. My uncle went to prison for 18 months for an oil leak

[The-Snowman]

I can do my entire walk round check in 74 seconds if its raining hard enough

[Carryfast]

The odds are if the thing isn't replaced and maintained regularly on a no expense spared basis, then sooner or later something will break that the law will try to say should have been noticed by the driver.Then it's all up to the jury whether or not you go to jail.

Exactly. My uncle went to prison for 18 months for an oil leak

It depends how much oil got on the road and what happened next.

As opposed to Philip Potter.

[Roymondo]

The odds are if the thing isn't replaced and maintained regularly on a no expense spared basis, then sooner or later something will break that the law will try to say should have been noticed by the driver.Then it's all up to the jury whether or not you go to jail.

Only in your imagination. They're all summary offences and a fine is the maximum penalty.

Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

[Juddian]

How long's a bit of string, there's a lot to check on my job but IF i loaded the vehicle at end of previous shift and IF no one has used it between then it can be a struggle to make the actual checking of the vehicle last 5 minutes.
If someone else has used it and left it in their typical condition then it might be an hour before it's in a suitable clean conditon to be used.

All depends on the standards you uphold as a driver, i've never left in 15 mins on a supermarket type job where you are getting a previously used by someone else tractor and find a strange trailer and never will.
Co-op you say? Winc contract? they used to expect you to find the tractor and trailer and leave in 15 mins flat on the supermarket work i did 25odd years ago, and yes some managed it, invariably the same clowns who gave me plenty of overtime taking their latest incident to the bodyshop whilst they filled in the forms.

[rob22888]

10 minutes tops if you pull out all the stops. We are carrying out a brief inspection, not an MOT.

Check fluids, check lights, check tyres, nothing visually untoward with the wheel nuts, check loads secure, check nothings hanging off, listen for airleaks, check the pin. Hit the road.

[adam277]

10 minutes tops if you pull out all the stops. We are carrying out a brief inspection, not an MOT.

Check fluids, check lights, check tyres, nothing visually untoward with the wheel nuts, check loads secure, check nothings hanging off, listen for airleaks, check the pin. Hit the road.

That's true.
But lets say you have a man on the roof of your trailer. You would have no way of knowing. Yet you would be 100% responsible for going out the yard with a man on your roof.
Or if a rivet snaps off and hits a drivers windscreen.

I'm not saying vehicle checks should take all day. Or even a hour.
Just a rant that vehicle checks are often rushed yet if anything does happen because of rushed checks we are responsible.

[switchlogic]

10 minutes tops if you pull out all the stops. We are carrying out a brief inspection, not an MOT.

Check fluids, check lights, check tyres, nothing visually untoward with the wheel nuts, check loads secure, check nothings hanging off, listen for airleaks, check the pin. Hit the road.

That's true.
But lets say you have a man on the roof of your trailer. You would have no way of knowing. Yet you would be 100% responsible for going out the yard with a man on your roof.
Or if a rivet snaps off and hits a drivers windscreen.

I'm not saying vehicle checks should take all day. Or even a hour.
Just a rant that vehicle checks are often rushed yet if anything does happen because of rushed checks we are responsible.

You’re sounding like Carryfast now. There’s levels of responsibility, very few things are 100% one way or 0% the other.

[adam277]

10 minutes tops if you pull out all the stops. We are carrying out a brief inspection, not an MOT.

Check fluids, check lights, check tyres, nothing visually untoward with the wheel nuts, check loads secure, check nothings hanging off, listen for airleaks, check the pin. Hit the road.

That's true.
But lets say you have a man on the roof of your trailer. You would have no way of knowing. Yet you would be 100% responsible for going out the yard with a man on your roof.
Or if a rivet snaps off and hits a drivers windscreen.

I'm not saying vehicle checks should take all day. Or even a hour.
Just a rant that vehicle checks are often rushed yet if anything does happen because of rushed checks we are responsible.

You’re sounding like Carryfast now. There’s levels of responsibility, very few things are 100% one way or 0% the other.

In theory ye.
If you are in a regular truck or with a good company you have nothing to fear.
But if you are a cab hopper or agency driver.
If someone goes wrong. Your the easiest person to blame and most companies will throw you under the bus.
This thread doesnt really apply to tramping or people who only drive the same truck. It's more applicable to cab hoppers. e.g. on supermarkets you can be in 2-3 diff vehicles a day.

[Noremac]

If you suspect that the operator is not carrying out appropriate inspections, don't work for that operator. A good defect report system is good for the operator and the driver. Have a good look round and check everything. Don't take it out with a defect and if there is any issue at all make sure it is signed off before you leave.

[Ziltoid]

My employer uses an app called Checkedsafe which emails them an alert if a driver takes even 1 second more than 15 mins to let them know they've taken too long

[adam277]

My employer uses an app called Checkedsafe which emails them an alert if a driver takes even 1 second more than 15 mins to let them know they've taken too long

Rather Ironic name for an app.

[Carryfast]

The odds are if the thing isn't replaced and maintained regularly on a no expense spared basis, then sooner or later something will break that the law will try to say should have been noticed by the driver.Then it's all up to the jury whether or not you go to jail.

Only in your imagination. They're all summary offences and a fine is the maximum penalty.

You do know the definitions of dangerous driving in the Road Traffic Act and penalties.

''A person is also to be regarded as driving dangerously if it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving the vehicle in its current state would be dangerous''.

''Regard shall be had to not only to the circumstances of which he could be expected to be aware but also to any circumstances shown to have been within the knowledge of the accused''.

''In determining the above the state of the vehicle regard may be had to anything attached to or carried on or in it but also to the manner in which it is attached or carried''.

So you're saying that Philip Potter only faced a fine if it had been determined by the jury that he should have known about the alleged condition of the truck ?.

[switchlogic]

The odds are if the thing isn't replaced and maintained regularly on a no expense spared basis, then sooner or later something will break that the law will try to say should have been noticed by the driver.Then it's all up to the jury whether or not you go to jail.

Only in your imagination. They're all summary offences and a fine is the maximum penalty.

You do know the definitions of dangerous driving in the Road Traffic Act and penalties.

''A person is also to be regarded as driving dangerously if it would be obvious to a competent and careful driver that driving the vehicle in its current state would be dangerous''.

''Regard shall be had to not only to the circumstances of which he could be expected to be aware but also to any circumstances shown to have been within the knowledge of the accused''.

''In determining the above the state of the vehicle regard may be had to anything attached to or carried on or in it but also to the manner in which it is attached or carried''.

So you're saying that Philip Potter only faced a fine if it had been determined by the jury that he should have known about the alleged condition of the truck ?.

Judge Geoffrey has spoken. Subject closed.

[Carryfast]

Judge Geoffrey has spoken. Subject closed.

To be fair the jury will decide the matter.
Best not to give them and the law more ammunition to be used against you, by setting any inconvenient vehicle check standards precedents, re ''expected to be aware of'', over and above.

[ezydriver]

Wherever you go, whatever company it is, just do what you've got to do before leaving the yard, and never let them push you. Don't even break it down to them. Just tell them "it's what I need to do", and deflect further interrogation, or play on the health and safety aspect, or ask them if they've ever "driven an artic". Whatever you do, don't justify yourself more than you need to. My pet hate is being pushed.

Personally I take approx 45 minutes from collecting keys to leaving yard (as do several others), and would not compromise on any of it. This nonsense about "we need you out of the yard in 15 minutes" needs to be ignored. Just ignore the muppets, and do what you've got to do. What's the worst that can happen? In my experience the most stubborn drivers never get sacked, they just eventually get left alone, or even promoted! Some are continually called into the office, but never seem to get sacked.

Just see it as a big bloody game. Because that's what it is.

[Harry Monk]

I'm thinking how long an inspection takes depends of whether you drive the same vehicle every day or a different vehicle every day.

For example, if you drive the same vehicle every day, once you've checked the O licence disc once and ascertained that it is valid until 2024, surely it is reasonable to assume it is still valid until 2024 the next day?

[Punchy Dan]

Seems odd how it’s acceptable for a dvsa tester to do a lorry / trailer test in 10 minutes but a private car or class 7 test at a garage has to take minimum 30 minutes .

[shullbit]

2 minutes!!! Straight from the horse faces mouth from 26 minutes 32 seconds in https://youtu.be/4DYGpC8WS2U?t=1592

[edd1974]

Here's a. Question for any new pass. Drivers. (within last couple.of years or so)
What are you told shown about vehicle checks?
Am curious .
Just because lately our.place has.been.takig on new pass drivers..
And they all seem to have the same idea/attitude.

They check there Trucks over then sit there waiting untill 30 mins have passed then set off.
Our company has no policy don't care As long as you start at time requested.
then do your checks etc.

I do wonder if that's what new. Drivers. Are told on there. Lessons or on.the CPC courses. They do? Just. Curious why new passes do it.
Peorsnally don't bother me if they wana.do there. Checks then sit and wait until half an hour as passed .
I'd rather do my checks sort stuff out then set off not sitting around.and waiting for no reason.

[the maoster]

On a Monday morning it’s usually around 45 minutes before I leave the yard. That’s because my allocated unit has invariably been used by some Herbert over the weekend and I’ll be picking up a trailer I probably haven’t pulled for weeks, so I conduct a more thorough check.

As I’m away all week the subsequent checks take between 10 and 15 minutes as I do a walk around every time I stop and also a final one as I park up. The weekday morning check usually consists of a quick look for fluids on the floor, the lights are working, no flat tyres, the pin hasn’t been pulled, the back doors are still secure and the fuel caps are still in place and my coffee is at a drinkable temperature.

[DAF95XF]

On a Monday morning it’s usually around 45 minutes before I leave the yard. That’s because my allocated unit has invariably been used by some Herbert over the weekend and I’ll be picking up a trailer I probably haven’t pulled for weeks, so I conduct a more thorough check.

As I’m away all week the subsequent checks take between 10 and 15 minutes as I do a walk around every time I stop and also a final one as I park up. The weekday morning check usually consists of a quick look for fluids on the floor, the lights are working, no flat tyres, the pin hasn’t been pulled, the back doors are still secure and the fuel caps are still in place and my coffee is at a drinkable temperature.

That’s the good thing about my new job, I loaded yesterday afternoon got back to the yard fuelled up and parked up and the keys to my truck are in my coat pocket!!
They treat us like adults here
If it needs moving for servicing/maintenance they have the spare set of keys