Bandit5070:
robroy:
frogman:
SHE IS WRONG SHE NEEDS TO GO BACK AND DO HER CPC AGAIN
She needs a carreer change, she sounds like the new generation of transport staff who know the far end of [zb] all about the job in REAL terms, who just love to agitate drivers with her stupid bloody rules she has made up just to justify her existence. 
…just what the job needs.
Just take a back seat mate, do as she says, and give her enough rope and she will eventually hang herself with her own self importance and ignorance.
Have yourself a laugh and send her a link to this thread after a few more opinions are stated.
Tell her you just put it on here to enquire what was and wasn’t right.and all this came up. 
I was actually a bit apprehensive about putting this on here in case she does come here and sees it! Don’t want any more tension than there already is!
Really■■?..I’d me making sure she saw it. ffs. 
…but that’s just how my mind works.
It isn’t that you have mentioned the firm’s name,.and it isn’t that you have slagged her off as such, you have come on to a forum with a genuine query to be answered,…that is all, and just because she’s been shown up as a stupid bloody woman who is totally incompetent in her role, ain’t your fault …is it? 
If your o/p had gone along the lines of ‘‘Hey what do you think of the silly cow who runs our outfit, she’s done…this that and the other’’ fair enough, but you didn’t.
Also if she had gone on to some Transport management forum to verify her theories, and was proved right, you can sure as hell bet she would reference it to you lot.
Leave her a link or get somebody to point this out to her. …what’s the worst she can do?
robroy:
Bandit5070:
robroy:
frogman:
SHE IS WRONG SHE NEEDS TO GO BACK AND DO HER CPC AGAIN
She needs a carreer change, she sounds like the new generation of transport staff who know the far end of [zb] all about the job in REAL terms, who just love to agitate drivers with her stupid bloody rules she has made up just to justify her existence. …just what the job needs.
Just take a back seat mate, do as she says, and give her enough rope and she will eventually hang herself with her own self importance and ignorance.
Have yourself a laugh and send her a link to this thread after a few more opinions are stated.
Tell her you just put it on here to enquire what was and wasn’t right.and all this came up.
I was actually a bit apprehensive about putting this on here in case she does come here and sees it! Don’t want any more tension than there already is!
Really■■?..I’d me making sure she saw it. ffs. …but that’s just how my mind works.
It isn’t that you have mentioned the firm’s name,.and it isn’t that you have slagged her off as such, you have come on to a forum with a genuine query to be answered,…that is all, and just because she’s been shown up as a stupid bloody woman who is totally incompetent in her role, ain’t your fault …is it?
If your o/p had gone along the lines of ‘‘Hey what do you think of the silly cow who runs our outfit, she’s done…this that and the other’’ fair enough, but you didn’t.
Also if she had gone on to some Transport management forum to verify her theories, and was proved right, you can sure as hell bet she would reference it to you lot.
Leave her a link or get somebody to point this out to her. …what’s the worst she can do?
You’re probably right, and you’re almost definitely right about her giving me a link to a forum where she was proved right! But I’m not like that, if I was I’d have initially gone back to the office and told her in front of everyone that she was wrong. Instead ai just took her to one side and told her she was mistaken. Or tried to!
I haven’t had a proper chance to discuss it with her further due to the lockdown happening about 2 weeks after she came back from her course. She was only back in the office for a day and a half before having to work from home. Then 2 weeks later all other staff were furloughed. So when we get back to work and driving times are mentioned again I’ll be able to reply with even more authority than I had last time. And I already had more knowledge than her then.
robroy:
Ok mate, you know your own situation better than me…so fair do.s, just ignore my devilish attitude and ways. 
Thing with me is, I’ve never suffered fools easily., and especially fools who get jobs above their capability and who are proved incompetent…transport seems to attract this type of clown over the last 10 or so years I have found.
In the old days transport offices were ran by ex.drivers who actually knew the merits and pitfalls in the job, nowadays it is ran (or rather winged and blagged ) by theorists…as you are finding out now.
Good luck with it all anyway mate.
Yeah I know what you mean mate, I just prefer to get on with people if I can. I appreciate yours and everyone’s thoughts on this.
Does this female happen to be the current Operators Licence holder I’m assuming not?
If not, have the O Licence holder correct her.
In the meantime, play by her rules. If she wants a 15 minute vehicle check for every time it is moved - So be it. Remember to do a proper walkround check, defecting it for anything that makes it un-roadworthy - If a sidelight bulb is out or a wiper split - That vehicle can’t be moved until someone trained to carry out the repair has fixed it. If the engine oil or screenwash is low and the company doesn’t provide fluids - You guessed it 
I would be tempted to just give her a printout at the end of each shift, she’ll get so confused in all the printouts she’ll lose track - Very unfitting of a supposedly competent TM. She can figure out how to do the driving hour calculations too, which is exactly what she asked for. Legally you only need to make your card available for download - Whether it gets downloaded is down to that company’s systems of work in place and ultimately the TM’s responsibility.
She clearly doesn’t learn too well in a classroom, perhaps she’ll learn quicker on the job or rack up enough extra costs/fines the company will give her the boot?
Sounds to me like more trouble will be coming. I’d suggest thinking about joining a union if not already in one. Both for proper advice and (if it comes to it) representation.
WhiteTruckMan:
Sounds to me like more trouble will be coming. I’d suggest thinking about joining a union if not already in one. Both for proper advice and (if it comes to it) representation.
Sounds good advice.
Depending on the attitudes of more senior managers, it could be bad.
Not only is the OP telling his immediate manager that she is wrong, he will be telling those above her, that they have employed an incompetent.
The OP seems to be taking a calm attitude, but is an awkward place. No easy answers at all here.
switchlogic:
Blimey she sounds like a pain in the arse, and not the good type Clearly feels she’s a point to prove, which she’s trying to do by being wrong about everything
Keep your ■■■■■■■■■ to yourself !!
Franglais:
WhiteTruckMan:
Sounds to me like more trouble will be coming. I’d suggest thinking about joining a union if not already in one. Both for proper advice and (if it comes to it) representation.
Sounds good advice.
Depending on the attitudes of more senior managers, it could be bad.
Not only is the OP telling his immediate manager that she is wrong, he will be telling those above her, that they have employed an incompetent.
The OP seems to be taking a calm attitude, but is an awkward place. No easy answers at all here.
Thank you. She is my immediate manager, but I’ve raised it with her manager and one if three directors. But not to stir, I’ve told them both that I want to handle it my own way, which although may not be company policy that’s how I’d rather deal with it. Quietly. If I wanted to make a big thing of it I’d have initially told her she was wrong in front of everyone. That’s not me. If it escalates I’ll take a more formal route.
I’ll talk to her privately and quietly about it all first. I like her as a person and totally respect her position as my boss. I just think she’s being a bit OTT on the vehicle movement/checks thing and not believing me about driving hours.
Good luck to you, don’t be surprised if they close ranks and you end up worse off.
Sounds like there only being one truck and one truck driver doesn’t help. She will eventually realise you were right all along and will probably resent you, no matter what she says.
Bandit5070:
GOG47:
She’s a woman, she’ll always be right even when she’s wrong. The end
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’d just like to point out her gender has NOTHING to do with my post or issues.
Are you sure? Would you definitely act/ respond/ question yourself in the same way if it was an inept bloke given the same job?
Vid:
Bandit5070:
GOG47:
She’s a woman, she’ll always be right even when she’s wrong. The end
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I’d just like to point out her gender has NOTHING to do with my post or issues.
Are you sure? Would you definitely act/ respond/ question yourself in the same way if it was an inept bloke given the same job?
Yes I would. Absolutely. Unless, like with the last TM, he already had the qualifications.
As I’ve already said in another reply if it was “because she’s a woman” I’d have corrected her in front of everyone in the office. I didn’t, I quietly spoke to her one to one and tried to explain she was mistaken. Not “wrong” but “mistaken”.
She actually has a new assistant who is a guy, who knows less than she does! I’d be the same with him.
Juddian:
Good luck to you, don’t be surprised if they close ranks and you end up worse off.
Understood. She’s only been there since last July. I’ve been there 4.5yrs and known the company a lot longer before that. So they know me better. Various senior staff/dept heads have my back. I’m sure of that.
Thank you though.
Noremac:
Sounds like there only being one truck and one truck driver doesn’t help. She will eventually realise you were right all along and will probably resent you, no matter what she says.
Well one of the van drivers used to drive a 7.5t, so obviously under same driver’s hours rules as me. I’ve not involved him yet, but I will say if she doesn’t believe me to go and ask him.
Bandit5070:
Hello everyone!
I’m a new member and this is my first post.
I have a few questions and points to put to all you seasoned truckers out there, to get your thoughts and feedback.
Bit of a long one, so bear with me!
I work for a small company that has 4 vans and one 18t truck, which I drive. I’ve held the Class 2 licence for just over 3yrs.
End of last summer we had a new Transport Coordinator start with us. Previously she had worked for a small company looking after a fleet of vans. I think because of the 18t she needed to be put on the CPC Management course to be a “proper” transport manager. So she had her course in March, just before lockdown. Before that from the New Year, to help her keep track of my hours she asked me to give her my driving time at each stop that I did on my routes. Which I willing did, giving her the accumulated time on my tacho. I remember the second occasion I gave her my time she questioned it and I just explained that the time counts up on the tacho. (I know some tachos count down from 4.5hrs, but mine counts up) So that was the accumulated time. I think she was expecting me to give her the time between each stop. But all was fine, and for weeks at every interval I stopped at a delivery or collection or for a break I’d give her my driving time from my tacho.
After her 2 week course, the Monday she came back to work, I had to go from our depot in Basingstoke to Bristol. Because there was an accident on the M4 and I couldn’t find the place I was going to it took me about an hour longer than it should’ve. When I arrived I gave her my driving time, as usual. She asked if I’d got my calculations right, because I’d left at this time and it was now this time so that’s this long. I said that the time I had given her was from my tacho, and there was an accident etc. She replied that sitting in traffic still counts as driving time.
On the way back I had to stop for my 45, and I called the DVSA to check. They agreed with me that driving time is only when the wheels are turning. Irrespective of how long I’ve been sat at the wheel. So when I got back to the office I spoke to her quietly and privately and told her that the times I give her were indeed my driving hours. She was adamant I was wrong, took me into the office in front of everyone and told me I was wrong again, explaining again the time I’d left, time I’d arrived etc. I said well that’s what it’s got on my tacho and that’s what they go by, meaning DVSA. She said “No they don’t!” and gave me a load of her course paperwork to read.
Now I’ve asked at least 5 other drivers, one being a Transport Manager, about this and they all agree with me. I have also emailed DVSA and asked them the same question, giving the full Basingstoke to Bristol story. They have come back to me stating that driving time is the accumulated time on my tacho, not the hours I’ve been sat at the wheel. A day or so later she texted me to tell me futher that an owner of a trucking company had told her to tell me that I need to put my tacho onto POA or break when I stop in traffic. Incidentally she failed her exam and has to resit it.
What are your thoughts on this?
Also. She’s set new rules on vehicle movement in the yard, which is private land. No vehicle can be moved without full checks being carried out. Even if only being moved within the yard.
Is this reasonable? I ask because very often it’s not a driver who moves the vehicles, sometimes it’s one of the warehouse guys. Who I can guarantee will not do the full checks, if any. And sometimes the truck needs to be moved. I am the ONLY person who holds an HGV licence in the whole company, so by rights I am the only person who can or should move the truck.
When testing brake lights on the vehicles we either put a weight on the brake pedal, or a pole wedged safely between brake pedal and seat. Obviously with the ignition on ONLY and not with the engine running. She says this is a major H&S breach. Is it? I’ve asked HSE but they just said they’d need to investigate… Driver training says to ask someone to stand at the back of the vehicle and assist, or to back upto a reflective surface. But there are no reflective surfaces and we are often the only person in the building if we’re going out early. And if she’s so hot on H&S then surely, as I say, I am the ONLY person who should ever move the truck.
So my questions are…
Is she being unreasonable by insisting that vehicle checks be done if only moving a vehicle in the yard?
Is placing a pole or weight on a brake pedal with ignition on but engine off a H&S breach? And if so should nobody other than me EVER move the truck?
I’m right about driving hours aren’t I?
Thoughts and opinions on all this greatly appreciated.
Thank you all.
Latest news…
Tax was due on three of our vans on May 1st. She only told us yesterday. She went to the office today to get the logbooks to tax at least one of the vans, because it is needed tonight, but no logbooks could be found. At least one of the vans has been driven by one of the guys a few times. And once by me. All last month. With no tax.