1st day on the job

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

Ok - having passed my C test a few short weeks ago, I popped round to my local haulier to check out the job situation. No experience? No problem and after an interview and a day out with a driver had my first day today working on their Palletways division. Nice start at 0700 (my previous job working on 3.5 tonners had my starting at 0300 or earlier). Nice auto Merc 18 tonner - 10 pallets loaded, 7 drops to do around 1 trading estate. Set off 0800 towards Norwich. Had to stop after 5 mins in a laybay as front pole on the curtain was loose - oops. Had a very pleasant morning enjoying the air-con and doing the drops up & around the trading estate - 6 drops were forklifted off :slight_smile: just one to unload on the pallet truck. No probs - finished just before midday, called in to office, wanted me back for next load. Duly had my 45 mins break, back to office with empty truck & a happy heart.

Reloaded with 4 pallets for afternoon run. Left at 1430 back towards Norwich. Got to first drop up v.narrow lane pruning the vegetation as I went, found the customer, backed up to door, sorted the tail-lift and then it all went downhill from there. Managed to move the pallet from one end of the truck to the other (weighed over 1050 kgs) and slowly tried to get it onto the tail-lift. got the wheels caught in the grove between the truck & the lift. One hard push and the pallet shifted suddenly and headed straight off the back of the lift. Stunned silence as both I & the customer look at the resulting mass of boxes on the floor and I start to apologise profusely. Little damage done (some boxes dented - no-one hurt) but pride has gone out the window. Then the tail-lift died on me. Humble call to office as by now I am seriously spooked by events. Tail-lift engineer on the road when we managed to get tail-lift working again (phew). Call office to apologise (again) and say last 3 drops could not be completed so bringing them back to office :blush:

Workshop looks at lead for tail-left which has been trapped and kinked and cuts out section - all ok now (thx chaps). Need lessons badly on pallet movers before I screw up again. Finish at 1745 - ring wife to get tea on. Think I have cost haulier more than I have earned on first day - hope to do better tomorrow. :unamused: Anyone top that for a bad first day?

2

We all make mistakes mate don’t beat yourself up about it, tomorrow is a new day!!

3

Good on you mate! You will soon get the knack with the pump truck buddy. Try if you can to go at a slight diagonal across the groove before you swivel it round. If it still gets on your nerve’s, carry a thin piece of timber with you to plug the gap.

Congrats on the start.

4

You learn by experience pal, and it could have been a lot worse, as you and the truck got back safe and sound.

Well done on getting a start and hope it all goes well for you! :smiley:

5

When you have a heavy pallet keep it just high enough to move and a couple of fingers hovering over the leaver at all times so you can drop it too the deck if it starts to shoot off.

6

m_attt:
When you have a heavy pallet keep it just high enough to move and a couple of fingers hovering over the leaver at all times so you can drop it too the deck if it starts to shoot off.

+1

7

No dramas there Zeethron,you got back safe & sound,it’s all that matters. :wink:

I can top that on my first day driving a tipper in a quarry and an argument with a roof ! :laughing:

8

Don’t do what we do which is roll the truck over the end of the tail lift. Ruins the metal and the truck.