So today I had a direct interview with my local pallet company.
Good interview with the standard chat and theory test.
The position was for a class 2 role just driving 18T. However the theory test was a lot of questions about class 1 strangely. Still I passed it 100% remembering what suzi lines did what.
Then it was a 30 min drive with the TM (lovely bloke). I hop in the cab and put my taco in and jump out and do a walk around check. You know the normal drill. So I get back in the cab and wait for the TM to come over as he was talking to another driver.
As I settled in and tried to relax (felt like I was on my driving test again) I noticed the cab was brimming with cameras.
One out the window, up the side, on the wings in the back and up by the taco one facing me sort of looking at me with like a fish eye lense. I felt like I was in a filming studio. The passenger side, up where the taco is was a huge hard drive unit, black box looking thing.
The truck was a pretty nice 17 plate DAF CF. However I’m amazed at all the cameras. I spoke to the TM about them and it’s one of those things that even text him a picture if there a bump in the truck so no hiding anything. It’s great if someone hits you or does a break check but blimey, am I a driver or a presenter?
What are your thoughts on all this camera technology?
Also this company will doc my wages if I smash the wing mirrors off. However I’m ‘protected’ by the cameras if it’s not my fault right. Is this the normal for pallet delivery nowadays?
I felt it was a lovely little drive and I liked the truck to but never come across the tv studio aspect for the job . I’m told the thing is miced so it’s voice recorded too.
No chance of a or bad language in traffic in this cab!
I’d have to be desperate financially to work with a driver facing camera, though they can put as many outside cameras on as they like, they are your protection.
If i had no choice but to take the job it would only be until i could find another job where spying directly and individually on your staff wasn’t policy.
If you’re going to pay for accident damage, and you know mirrors is only the tip of the iceberg here but they’re breaking (no pun) it to you gently, then you might as well go Limited get your own insurance and go freelance.
Can wages be docked for damages? I believe a ‘no damage’ bonus can be withheld but not basic wages. Anyway I’m with Juddian’s view on cameras. Loads outside to show the actions of you and others but none facing inside thank you.
One of three conditions has to be met for an employer to lawfully make deductions from wages or take payments from a worker. The deduction or payment must be:
Required or authorised by legislation (for example, income tax or national insurance deductions);
Authorised by the worker’s contract - provided the worker has been given a written copy of the relevant terms or a written explanation of them before it is made;
Consented to by the worker in writing before it is made.
I asked if the limit was capped to say like the first £50 - £100 but I couldn’t get a clear answer. So I’m thiking it could be the whole cost whatever is broken.
Also the TM mentioned that any over time worked would first be applied to that damaged cost.
I’ve worked for a few companies but not come across something quite like this before.
I do agree with cameras outside but the fish eye lens looking at me all day I don’t agree with. it’s a shame it’s coming to this where they feel the end for driving facing cameras.
It would be interesting to know what the policy is on failed deliveries,when you get to the start of a very narrow country lane with a delivery for say a farm 2 miles down it and you decide you are not willing to risk your weeks wages on driving down and potentially losing a mirror m…
As a new comer you are unfortunately limited in your choices. Not good, but you may be stuck with a company like this for a start.
As a point of argument, if a company tests and approves your standard of driving, shouldn’t they then accept any damages caused by you? Not much help to you though. I’d suggest noting all damage to every truck you drive, especially if cab hopping. You don’t want a bill for damages done by someone else!
Give us all a laugh NightHawk, tell us the wages for this HIGHLY appealing position!
As to me it’s the crunch as to whether I (and probably others) would even contemplate putting up with that sort of stuff. i.e. if the job was paying really good rates well above other alternatives, I can’t say I wouldn’t be interested. But if (as I suspect) it’s the standard dross, not a hells chance would I even continue the interview and do the assessment drive. Franglais makes the point that Newbies are limited in their options, and while this is true, I don’t think it’s got quite that bad yet…
We apparently have TM’s and bosses crying that they can’t get drivers, and FFS they wonder why. What other job is there where you’re watched like a hawk, have to account for every second on a Tacho, and then have to pay out of your meager wages if you make a mistake. Does a programmer lose wages when they accidentally write a bug into the software and the build crashes? No they don’t…
So if it was me, I think I’d write the TM a letter a little like this.
Dear TM, Thank you so much for sparing the time to interview me, and for the assessment drive. However you can shove your job up your arse if you think I’m going to spend all my day too scared to pick my nose, scratch balls or dare to yawn. As all this and more would clearly be used against me by the company to negate it’s responsibility and liability, should the crap hit the fan. As for paying for any damages based on the wages on offer, considering the likelihood of occupational damage, I feel I’d be financially better off stacking shelves in my local supermarket, as that way I know the crap wage I’ll be on won’t be subject to deductions. I truly wish you all the best in finding some muppet willing to sign up for all the crap you’re enforcing whilst offering shelf stacker wages, and when you find that idiot, you’ll only have yourself to blame for the carnage caused by employing a brain dead nobend. Best wishes, Night Hawk.
If you are expected to cover the cost of damage you are effectively being asked to act as an insurance company. Are they paying you a suitable insurance premium on top of your wages to reflect the size of the risk (impact/probability) that you are taking on. As a new driver the risk is, of course, much higher and therefore so should the premium be.
Personally I would avoid such a job unless I was desperate. Never mind the cost of a wing mirror, someone rear-ended me the other day at low speed, and the damage to his lorry was phenomenal…several thousand pounds I reckon. Wet road, full load, rather sharp stop at a roundabout because someone indicated late, and BANG! It could happen to any of us.
ORC:
Never mind the cost of a wing mirror, someone rear-ended me the other day at low speed, and the damage to his lorry was phenomenal…several thousand pounds I reckon. Wet road, full load, rather sharp stop at a roundabout because someone indicated late, and BANG! It could happen to any of us.
Yes employee, I know you say it wasn’t your fault. But the insurance company is saying it’s a knock for knock claim, and as such we don’t have any choice but to deduct the costs from your wages, our hands are tied…
I couldn’t give a toss about driver cameras. If some poor git wants to sit and watch me belch, swear at the gearbox and pick my nose all day, then more fool him.
Juddian:
^^^ a very good reply template there Evil
100% agreed. I’ve printed it off already and filed it next to my CV should the need arise after any future interviews.
Still, speaking as someone who occasionally likes to make up the odd song while I’m driving along, I think the following bit of info could provide a nice opportunity for some driver entertainment:
Nighthawk.:
I’m told the thing is miced so it’s voice recorded too.
A few renditions of the following each day would certainly leave me smiling inside come home time:
Oh…I’m not the bridge basher i’m the bridge basher’s son
when it comes to bashing bridges i’m the bridge bashing one
I’m not the drug runner I’m the drug runner’s son
when it comes to running drugs i’m the drug running one
i’m not the tacho fiddler i’m the tacho fiddlers’ son
when it comes to fiddling tachos i’m the tacho fiddling one
i’m not the immigrant smuggler i’m the immigrant smuggler’s son
when it comes to smuggling immigrants i’m the immigrant smuggling one
My in cab camera takes lovely images of my roof lining all day as I turn it skywards. Not bothered about the outside ones. My firm will stop your weekly bonus for a own fault incident so I also use my own dash camera for my protection.
in the truck so no hiding anything. It’s great if someone hits you or does a break check but blimey, am I a driver or a presenter?
. I’m told the thing is miced so it’s voice recorded too.
or bad language in traffic in this cab!
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