Every transport planner / manager should be aware of the 2 hour limit in services. (To be honest I think so should every driver but obviously that wasn’t the case here.) I think there’s even one garage in kent that doesn’t even let you have a 45 minute break before charges start!
When you phoned in the issue to the office and told them where you were stopped, they should of reminded you about parking limits and advised you to either
a) pay to later reimburse
b) ask in the garage / shop etc if they can allow you in for free due to repairs as others have said
Its not one of those things that needs to be included on an induction, its just one of those things you learn. Think of it differently, If you was in your personal car and broke down in a shopping centre car park what would you do in that situation for example.
I had a similar problem 2 years ago, trailer problem pulled into Keele, took over 3 hours for mechanic to turn up and fix the problem. I was agency and few weeks later got sent a fine, which I quiried direct with the company id worked for. When we realised it was the day I broke down, I never heard back again. I presume they contacted whoever issued the fine and explained the situation.
I did a trailer swap at Blyth services last week and the other driver was running late, so when i was on 1 hour and 50 mins, i took the unit out of the services, over the A1, round the roundabout back over A1, turned left went past the starbucks, did a u-turn and went back into services. Other driver turned up 30 mins later. Not heard owt from gaffer over any fine yet, so i may have pulled a fast one there
I had a similar thing happen in 1976 at Scratchwood Services. The on-site Garage wanted £10 to jump start my Ford D series. I told them to do one and eventually found a friendly driver with jump leads. The garage classed that as a repair and wanted £20 as they owned the franchise for all repairs. I ignored them but my boss eventually received an invoice. I learned two things that day, anyone near London are out to shaft us and that a company could trace the registered keeper.
I look forward to my motorway breakdowns. A few hours in the services and a free burger toboot! Never had an issue claiming back parking with a food voucher.
Night-and-day:
Just cover the front number plate with a bit of tissue on the way out, problem solved
No, you need to cover it on the way in, otherwise it will register you arriving but not leaving, making it seem that you are still there beyond the two hour window
Night-and-day:
Just cover the front number plate with a bit of tissue on the way out, problem solved
No, you need to cover it on the way in, otherwise it will register you arriving but not leaving, making it seem that you are still there beyond the two hour window
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
Fair point, but forty eight days later when you still haven’t left they’d probably not bother pursuing it!
I did the same about six months ago at Baldock services whereby a ■■■■ up of my own making meant that I needed to park there for the night. Upon going in to pay I noticed that the sneaky gits would let you pay for 8 hours at £whatever or 15 hours at about a million pounds! I paid for the 8 and covered my plates upon departure, nothing heard since
Night-and-day:
Just cover the front number plate with a bit of tissue on the way out, problem solved
No, you need to cover it on the way in, otherwise it will register you arriving but not leaving, making it seem that you are still there beyond the two hour window
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
Fair point, but forty eight days later when you still haven’t left they’d probably not bother pursuing it!
I did the same about six months ago at Baldock services whereby a ■■■■ up of my own making meant that I needed to park there for the night. Upon going in to pay I noticed that the sneaky gits would let you pay for 8 hours at £whatever or 15 hours at about a million pounds! I paid for the 8 and covered my plates upon departure, nothing heard since
I wonder if the 8 hours starts from when it registers the vehicle arriving or from when you pay for the parking?
Seems a bit sneaky to stop it just short of the time needed for a rest period, especially when a lot of drivers would pay for the shorter time and potentially find themselves being caught out
applecomson:
Agency driver here working for a very well known company.
Last Monday I pulled out of the depot and headed off down the road, as I was getting close to the M1 an engine malfunction warning light and buzzers go off and the exhaust is chucking out smoke.
Being the considerate soul that I am I get the lorry to the services which were only 2-3 miles down the road and park up. I eventually manage to get through to someone at our depot to tell them what’s happened and they give me the number of the company’s main helpline which I had to add credit to my phone to ring as my plan doesn’t cover 0845 numbers.
So I call the number and explain the issue, they ask the usual where are you parked, what’s the problem etc etc and then they tell me they’ll call out the local DAF agents to come and see what’s wrong. The agents call me and tell me 90 minutes to 2 hours.
So I wait and after about 90 minutes a lad in a van turns up and plugs in his laptop and after 15-20 minutes tells me that the EBV ( ? ) is faulty and tips the cab and shows me the problem. Get it back to base and defect it and let them sort it he says.
I phone our transport up and they tell me to bring it back to the depot so I do that and defect it.
Job done or so I thought ! Anyone care to guess what’s not long happened ?
Do you mean BPV clamped on to the back of the turbo ■■
Terry Cooksey:
I wonder if the 8 hours starts from when it registers the vehicle arriving or from when you pay for the parking?
Seems a bit sneaky to stop it just short of the time needed for a rest period, especially when a lot of drivers would pay for the shorter time and potentially find themselves being caught out
Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk
They know exactly what they’re doing Terry. I’d bet the house that the clock starts the second that the ANPR camera clocks you. Who on earth would park overnight for 8 hours? They are well aware of this and they know that they have you by the short and curlies. I can’t off the top of my head remember the exact costs but I do remember that the 15 hour charge was more than double the 8 hour charge.
applecomson:
Agency driver here working for a very well known company.
Last Monday I pulled out of the depot and headed off down the road, as I was getting close to the M1 an engine malfunction warning light and buzzers go off and the exhaust is chucking out smoke.
Being the considerate soul that I am I get the lorry to the services which were only 2-3 miles down the road and park up. I eventually manage to get through to someone at our depot to tell them what’s happened and they give me the number of the company’s main helpline which I had to add credit to my phone to ring as my plan doesn’t cover 0845 numbers.
So I call the number and explain the issue, they ask the usual where are you parked, what’s the problem etc etc and then they tell me they’ll call out the local DAF agents to come and see what’s wrong. The agents call me and tell me 90 minutes to 2 hours.
So I wait and after about 90 minutes a lad in a van turns up and plugs in his laptop and after 15-20 minutes tells me that the EBV ( ? ) is faulty and tips the cab and shows me the problem. Get it back to base and defect it and let them sort it he says.
I phone our transport up and they tell me to bring it back to the depot so I do that and defect it.
Job done or so I thought ! Anyone care to guess what’s not long happened ?
Do you mean BPV clamped on to the back of the turbo ■■
EBV he said. Exhaust back valve ? It was under the turbo.
applecomson:
Agency driver here working for a very well known company.
Last Monday I pulled out of the depot and headed off down the road, as I was getting close to the M1 an engine malfunction warning light and buzzers go off and the exhaust is chucking out smoke.
Being the considerate soul that I am I get the lorry to the services which were only 2-3 miles down the road and park up. I eventually manage to get through to someone at our depot to tell them what’s happened and they give me the number of the company’s main helpline which I had to add credit to my phone to ring as my plan doesn’t cover 0845 numbers.
So I call the number and explain the issue, they ask the usual where are you parked, what’s the problem etc etc and then they tell me they’ll call out the local DAF agents to come and see what’s wrong. The agents call me and tell me 90 minutes to 2 hours.
So I wait and after about 90 minutes a lad in a van turns up and plugs in his laptop and after 15-20 minutes tells me that the EBV ( ? ) is faulty and tips the cab and shows me the problem. Get it back to base and defect it and let them sort it he says.
I phone our transport up and they tell me to bring it back to the depot so I do that and defect it.
Job done or so I thought ! Anyone care to guess what’s not long happened ?
Being ex-agency and now full time, as soon as engine warning light or any warning light comes on. Stop ASAP ring in and see what the VMU/garage/fitters say say, they gave more knowledge than blokes in transport about vehicle problems/faults.
applecomson:
Agency driver here working for a very well known company.
Last Monday I pulled out of the depot and headed off down the road, as I was getting close to the M1 an engine malfunction warning light and buzzers go off and the exhaust is chucking out smoke.
Being the considerate soul that I am I get the lorry to the services which were only 2-3 miles down the road and park up. I eventually manage to get through to someone at our depot to tell them what’s happened and they give me the number of the company’s main helpline which I had to add credit to my phone to ring as my plan doesn’t cover 0845 numbers.
So I call the number and explain the issue, they ask the usual where are you parked, what’s the problem etc etc and then they tell me they’ll call out the local DAF agents to come and see what’s wrong. The agents call me and tell me 90 minutes to 2 hours.
So I wait and after about 90 minutes a lad in a van turns up and plugs in his laptop and after 15-20 minutes tells me that the EBV ( ? ) is faulty and tips the cab and shows me the problem. Get it back to base and defect it and let them sort it he says.
I phone our transport up and they tell me to bring it back to the depot so I do that and defect it.
Job done or so I thought ! Anyone care to guess what’s not long happened ?
Why did you not get the Agency to organise things instead of settling for them giving you the number.
Or at least why did you not tell them you were unable to make any calls as your phone credit would not cover it.
If it was me, I’d have reported the fault, rang them to sort things,.and got in the bunk…on full pay,.waiting for DAF to ring me.
Crossed lines, the agency weren’t involved at all, the only phone calls made were the the haulage company, they organised the call out.
I get that mate, but you said they gave you a number to ring that your phone couldn’t do.
Your responsibility ended at the phone call to the firm, THEY should have done the rest, they should have rang the co.helpline, giving them your phone no for filters to ring you.to find out the symptoms to the problem…that was my point.
I would be at them until you re.couped your losses off them.
applecomson:
Agency driver here working for a very well known company.
Last Monday I pulled out of the depot and headed off down the road, as I was getting close to the M1 an engine malfunction warning light and buzzers go off and the exhaust is chucking out smoke.
Being the considerate soul that I am I get the lorry to the services which were only 2-3 miles down the road and park up. I eventually manage to get through to someone at our depot to tell them what’s happened and they give me the number of the company’s main helpline which I had to add credit to my phone to ring as my plan doesn’t cover 0845 numbers.
So I call the number and explain the issue, they ask the usual where are you parked, what’s the problem etc etc and then they tell me they’ll call out the local DAF agents to come and see what’s wrong. The agents call me and tell me 90 minutes to 2 hours.
So I wait and after about 90 minutes a lad in a van turns up and plugs in his laptop and after 15-20 minutes tells me that the EBV ( ? ) is faulty and tips the cab and shows me the problem. Get it back to base and defect it and let them sort it he says.
I phone our transport up and they tell me to bring it back to the depot so I do that and defect it.
Job done or so I thought ! Anyone care to guess what’s not long happened ?
Do you mean BPV clamped on to the back of the turbo ■■
EBV he said. Exhaust back valve ? It was under the turbo.
If it is a DAF which it sounds like lol it has a BPV, back pressure valve
