We got stopped from using the pressure wash about 2 years ago as we weren’t ‘trained’ to push the ‘on’ button, squeeze a trigger and point and then use the ‘off’ button when done. I’m on landfill twice a day most days, so my 6 weekly service wash by a contractor does very little for the cleanliness of the vehicle on a day to day basis. Company’s choice not to ‘train’ us, so the outside is generally filthy, I’ve learnt to live with it.
fridger:
Drive through brush jobbie, plus four lads that do the pressure washing, soap and scrubbing on a Friday. Best bit is if you park it up dirty they even put it through wash for you.
Let me guess, Stobarts at Rugby? Only ESL would be stupid enough to pay four guys to wash wagons all day when its a reasonable expectation that the driver keep it clean. Especially with the kit at one of their depots.
Im in a shared user yard with a truck washing ban on site. They say its due to drainage but they’ve put in a Keyfuels/UK Fuels tank since then and that has all the drainage requirements for washing. I think they keep the ban in place because they own the local truck wash too. So, during the summer its a paid truckwash once a fortnight at the most, then I keep on top of it with DemonShine between washes. In the winter its a truck wash whenever I cant see through the windows.
toonsy:
But the gaffer and me had a bit of verbal yesterday because he walked past my truck and said it needed cleaning to which I said he needs to provide a decent means of doing so then offered to show him my cab which is spotless inside.He just said there’s a brush and a hosepipe and I said with a fleet of 100 trucks surely he can do better than a weak hosepipe which when on full power will only reach halfway up the windscreen through sheer lack of pressure. Am I being unreasonable?
To which I would have responded, if you don’t like it Stobarts are recruiting. Seriously, there are some facilities there, poor facilities perhaps but some. Refusing to use the facilities provided, under most contracts of employment, would get you a warning as it is a reasonable request. Think yourself lucky you weren’t put on disciplinary on the spot, did you then wash it with the facilities provided or did you stomp off in a huff because the boss didn’t think a shiny dashboard was the marque of a professional outfit, rather than a clean outside? If it was the latter you would be coming in on Monday to a verbal warning from me.
Your job is to drive it, clean it, check it, load it and empty it. His job is to make the business decisions, TMs have enough on their plate without dealing with prima-donna drivers and your fleet of 100 trucks comment implies that you think you know better than the boss.
What if your yard has a washing ban? It could be an environmental restriction on the o-licence. What if the water pressure is too low in your area for a jetwash to work? What if the other side of the yard fence is the only remaining example of the lesser spotted flesh eating pansie and using truck wash chemicals is banned to save the little biter? What if the company used to have a jetwash but the other 99 drivers took the ■■■■ with it and kept breaking it, or using the diesel to run it and all the chemicals to wash their Fiat Pandas? There are many reasons why the company may have made the decision not to have a decent wash facility, its not all about the fact that a hozelok and a brucsh is much cheaper than a Kaercher.
We have a drive through jobbie which takes approximately one 20p cup of coffees length of time to do its stuff. We also have 2 lances full of chemical gubbins and witchcraft to get into all the nooks and crannies that the brushes miss.
Driving a dirty lorry irks me somewhat and I struggle to understand the shortsightedness of companies who have little or zero means of keeping their very expensive tools clean and tidy. I also believe that despite OCRS scores a dirty lorry is an enforcement magnet and for that reason alone wash facilities should be available.
the maoster:
I also believe that despite OCRS scores a dirty lorry is an enforcement magnet and for that reason alone wash facilities should be available.
Never a truer word spoken. If he can’t be bothered to wash it, what else can’t he be arsed to do?
Big diesel powered jetwash with iso containers of TFR connected to it, no brush though as they probably got sick of replacing broken or nicked ones, I have my own brush which has a telescopic handle which I’ve had for donkeys years and that lives in the boot of my car.
Having said that I don’t often wash trucks because I’m not assigned my own truck and drive pretty much a different one every shift, however if the mood takes me and the trucks stinking and the weather is ok (ok in Wales means not lashing it down btw) and there’s a while to waste away waiting for my first job/trailer/loading orders then I will give it the once over.
The interior doesn’t get touched but to be fair most are kept in good order anyway. the only thing I religiously do at the start of my shift is wetwipe and kitchen towel the steering wheel and all the switches and levers I’ll be touching throughout the night.
nsmith1180:
fridger:
Drive through brush jobbie, plus four lads that do the pressure washing, soap and scrubbing on a Friday. Best bit is if you park it up dirty they even put it through wash for you.Let me guess, Stobarts at Rugby? Only ESL would be stupid enough to pay four guys to wash wagons all day when its a reasonable expectation that the driver keep it clean. Especially with the kit at one of their depots.
Im in a shared user yard with a truck washing ban on site. They say its due to drainage but they’ve put in a Keyfuels/UK Fuels tank since then and that has all the drainage requirements for washing. I think they keep the ban in place because they own the local truck wash too. So, during the summer its a paid truckwash once a fortnight at the most, then I keep on top of it with DemonShine between washes. In the winter its a truck wash whenever I cant see through the windows.
toonsy:
But the gaffer and me had a bit of verbal yesterday because he walked past my truck and said it needed cleaning to which I said he needs to provide a decent means of doing so then offered to show him my cab which is spotless inside.He just said there’s a brush and a hosepipe and I said with a fleet of 100 trucks surely he can do better than a weak hosepipe which when on full power will only reach halfway up the windscreen through sheer lack of pressure. Am I being unreasonable?
To which I would have responded, if you don’t like it Stobarts are recruiting. Seriously, there are some facilities there, poor facilities perhaps but some. Refusing to use the facilities provided, under most contracts of employment, would get you a warning as it is a reasonable request. Think yourself lucky you weren’t put on disciplinary on the spot, did you then wash it with the facilities provided or did you stomp off in a huff because the boss didn’t think a shiny dashboard was the marque of a professional outfit, rather than a clean outside? If it was the latter you would be coming in on Monday to a verbal warning from me.
Your job is to drive it, clean it, check it, load it and empty it. His job is to make the business decisions, TMs have enough on their plate without dealing with prima-donna drivers and your fleet of 100 trucks comment implies that you think you know better than the boss.
What if your yard has a washing ban? It could be an environmental restriction on the o-licence. What if the water pressure is too low in your area for a jetwash to work? What if the other side of the yard fence is the only remaining example of the lesser spotted flesh eating pansie and using truck wash chemicals is banned to save the little biter? What if the company used to have a jetwash but the other 99 drivers took the ■■■■ with it and kept breaking it, or using the diesel to run it and all the chemicals to wash their Fiat Pandas? There are many reasons why the company may have made the decision not to have a decent wash facility, its not all about the fact that a hozelok and a brucsh is much cheaper than a Kaercher.
Nope. It’s still dirty outside. And it will stay that way until it rains enough for a natural clean 
As for the comment about telling me Stobarts are advertising… risky one that as my lot struggle for staff as they pay less than most in the area.
The one thing that keeps me there is that I get left alone to do my job without any planning interference and the fact that Im done by 5pm most days unless I’m on a night out. Money isn’t important to me, I don’t really need to chase the pounds and going to work to be watched every second of the day for an extra quid an hour isn’t worth it for me personally.
nsmith1180:
fridger:
Drive through brush jobbie, plus four lads that do the pressure washing, soap and scrubbing on a Friday. Best bit is if you park it up dirty they even put it through wash for you.Let me guess, Stobarts at Rugby? Only ESL would be stupid enough to pay four guys to wash wagons all day when its a reasonable expectation that the driver keep it clean. Especially with the kit at one of their depots.
Jenkinsons Penrith, 4 lads washing them makes it go quicker, 2 to soap and scrub while wagon in front goes through mechanical brushes, 2 more rinsing off glass, wheels cat walk etc while brushes run, mechanical brushes never get a chance to stand still. Gets a few motors washed at a good pace.
We do a lot of dirty work so a hose pipe wouldn’t really cut it.
Having lads washing is worth the cost, for the time it saves, for every single driver to wash it the way they want.
Besides if the fleet looks manky you only need to shout at 4 people not half your employees.
If there wasn’t a truck wash, they did not get washed, one ■■■■■■■ I applied for a job with said he expected his Drivers to wash them on Saturday, unpaid mind you AND THEY DID 
, I just laughed and walked out.
Blunder Man:
If there wasn’t a truck wash, they did not get washed, one [zb] I applied for a job with said he expected his Drivers to wash them on Saturday, unpaid mind you AND THEY DID
Many companies were like that at one time, all part of the job back then and it was expected of the driver to look after his vehicle. A group of drivers would all muck in and share duties and it was soon done. Maintenance morning was often on a Sunday for drivers to wash their lorry and grease round and change oil etc ready for Monday. I did go in on some Saturday mornings on my last job and wash/inspect/grease/adjust brakes etc if there was no work, it got me out of the house for a few hours at least and saved me doing it after work during the week. Not much maintenance that a driver can do on modern stuff nowadays though.
Pete.
windrush:
Blunder Man:
If there wasn’t a truck wash, they did not get washed, one [zb] I applied for a job with said he expected his Drivers to wash them on Saturday, unpaid mind you AND THEY DIDMany companies were like that at one time, all part of the job back then and it was expected of the driver to look after his vehicle. A group of drivers would all muck in and share duties and it was soon done. Maintenance morning was often on a Sunday for drivers to wash their lorry and grease round and change oil etc ready for Monday. I did go in on some Saturday mornings on my last job and wash/inspect/grease/adjust brakes etc if there was no work, it got me out of the house for a few hours at least and saved me doing it after work during the week. Not much maintenance that a driver can do on modern stuff nowadays though.
Pete.
And I am sure your manual entries on Monday morning included working the two days before. 
Sand Fisher:
windrush:
Blunder Man:
If there wasn’t a truck wash, they did not get washed, one [zb] I applied for a job with said he expected his Drivers to wash them on Saturday, unpaid mind you AND THEY DIDMany companies were like that at one time, all part of the job back then and it was expected of the driver to look after his vehicle. A group of drivers would all muck in and share duties and it was soon done. Maintenance morning was often on a Sunday for drivers to wash their lorry and grease round and change oil etc ready for Monday. I did go in on some Saturday mornings on my last job and wash/inspect/grease/adjust brakes etc if there was no work, it got me out of the house for a few hours at least and saved me doing it after work during the week. Not much maintenance that a driver can do on modern stuff nowadays though.
Pete.
And I am sure your manual entries on Monday morning included working the two days before.
Pre manual entries era… 
TiredAndEmotional:
Sand Fisher:
windrush:
Blunder Man:
If there wasn’t a truck wash, they did not get washed, one [zb] I applied for a job with said he expected his Drivers to wash them on Saturday, unpaid mind you AND THEY DIDMany companies were like that at one time, all part of the job back then and it was expected of the driver to look after his vehicle. A group of drivers would all muck in and share duties and it was soon done. Maintenance morning was often on a Sunday for drivers to wash their lorry and grease round and change oil etc ready for Monday. I did go in on some Saturday mornings on my last job and wash/inspect/grease/adjust brakes etc if there was no work, it got me out of the house for a few hours at least and saved me doing it after work during the week. Not much maintenance that a driver can do on modern stuff nowadays though.
Pete.
And I am sure your manual entries on Monday morning included working the two days before.
Pre manual entries era…
Sounds like pre tacho era. Log books.
When was the last time you used real blue carbon-paper?
Sent from my GT-S7275R using Tapatalk
It wasn’t pre tacho, cheeky sods, I’m not quite that old!
Pete.
windrush:
It wasn’t pre tacho, cheeky sods, I’m not quite that old!Pete.
Whats cheeky? Ya young whipper snapper! :smiley: I remember log books, and Im only 30-something.
Well, 30-something-quite-a-lot.
long hose, shampoo ,2 long brushes ,squeegey ,shamee and loads of elbow grease , we do have a power wash but that’s for under the arches and tail lift only , I supply all the inside polish ,window cleaners and air fresheners etc , if you need it then I will get it but do not take the ■■■■ ! although our drivers do wash there cars in my time with my gear when we are slack but do not bring your wives car in !!! yes its happened before !
I work for a supermarket so obviously we have the lot including a static vacuum cleaner. When I worked for Culina we didn’t have much stuff but could take it to the truck stop where it was put through the wash on an account.
The firm I worked for here, Gauthier’s, had a full height proper wash machine and all the fleet went through it on Saturday mornings. Those that didn’t have a chance during the week, that is.
It was a great social occasion. Living locally, I even went in if I wasn’t working. We all mucked in washing all the bits of everyone’s vehicle that the machine couldn’t reach and during that time one of our number was sent off to the village with the results of the whip round. He came back with wine, cheese, pate & baguettes while the large coffee machine (no, a proper one 
) bubbled away. Then we all packed up and swapped the stories of the week.
Then, the socialist government said all workers had to reduce to a 35 hour week. Even transport workers , and insisted that if we were in on a Saturday we all had to put tachos in and count the time against the week. (funny thing is we all seemed still to be doing 80 odd 
)
The one good thing was the firm set on an unemployed man, being of Welsh extraction I called him Jean le Lavage, and he became a good mate. He even learned to reverse the artics into position but never managed the drags. If I saw him walking towards me I knew what he wanted me to do, the clue was the wagon and drag in the background at a funny angle. Now retired, I see him every week in the village, still a good mate.
Franglais:
windrush:
It wasn’t pre tacho, cheeky sods, I’m not quite that old!Pete.
What
s cheeky? Ya young whipper snapper! :smiley: I remember log books, and Im only 30-something.Well, 30-something-quite-a-lot.
1981 was when tachograph cards were first used… afair.
robroy:
Franglais:
windrush:
It wasn’t pre tacho, cheeky sods, I’m not quite that old!Pete.
What
s cheeky? Ya young whipper snapper! :smiley: I remember log books, and Im only 30-something.Well, 30-something-quite-a-lot.
1981 was when tachograph cards were first used… afair.
I remember, vaguely, using the log books with multiple start/end points for each driving stint. Times and places written out in longhand. Before the log books with the squared, graph type blocks, where you just put a line in.
I doubt a youth such as yourself would remember them.
Franglais:
robroy:
Franglais:
windrush:
It wasn’t pre tacho, cheeky sods, I’m not quite that old!Pete.
What
s cheeky? Ya young whipper snapper! :smiley: I remember log books, and Im only 30-something.Well, 30-something-quite-a-lot.
1981 was when tachograph cards were first used… afair.
I remember, vaguely, using the log books with multiple start/end points for each driving stint. Times and places written out in longhand. Before the log books with the squared, graph type blocks, where you just put a line in.
I doubt a youth such as yourself would remember them.
Jeez and I thought I was old.
Being just a boy …, I can only recall the square blocks with the lines drawn through them.