Agency sent me to a place this morning, a company I´ve already done a couple of days for. First problem, there are two warnings on the dash of the unit “check brakes next stop” and a tacho symbol. The tacho (analog) is recording but the time display is flashing on it. Next problem the trailer number plate is a bit of dirty yellow plate with the number felt-tipped onto it (and not the right size). Next problem; the curtainsider is sealed but there is a rip in the side. I look in with my torch and the load is loose boxes (not shrink wrapped to the pallets) stacked all the way to the top with no straps or nets at that bit a least. Looking from the outside its loaded all the way to the back.
I´m a new class 1, keen to not let anyone down, build experience and, of course, earn money. The company have their own fitters, and a training school, which hopefully indicates they wouldn´t send a dangerous truck out. The warnings are amber warnings not red stop warnings, we´ve all replied on just the curtains before and the number plate, well hey, I´ll take the risk. I set off. The stop driving warning comes on with a bleeper. I go back. The lad there (the only person around) thinks its to do with the suspension and adjusts that. I set off again. I get bit furthur then the stop driving warning comes on again, plus I find out the thing has a bad steering vibration over 50. Back to yard, the lad calls the fitter. I tell him about warning “yeah we know about that, we´ve looked at the pads and they´re OK and the brakes work. We going to send it to Volvo to get it diagnosed. Those Volvos have all sorts of warnings come up, it´s probably nothing. We wouldn´t send a truck out with bad brakes or steering.” Funny you should mention the steering there´s a vibration. “Well it´s up to you if you take it out or not.” I add up the things I have a problem with (and do I trust the Swedish boffins who set up the warnings or the bloke on the phone?), and decide not to take it out. There is no other unit available so now I´m back at home.
Now here´s my question for more experienced drivers; at what point would you refuse to take this, or would you actually take it?
A bit hard to decide from information you’ve given re. brake warning. But i would be dubious ?
The tacho sounds as if the clock needs to be “reset” … open drawer … remove ALL discs (inc. any blind plastic discs) … shut drawer … you should hear tacho make “whirring” sound, as it resets … sorted ?
Not sure on legalities of “home-made” No. plates … it least it had yellow background better than NO No . plate.
As for the load … again that is hard to judge … need a photo
If I remember correctly with an analogue tacho, remove any cards in driver 1 & 2 close the tacho, open it again and then close it once more all with the ignition on, obviously if the time is set correctly.
I shouldn’t worry about the number plate as you do have one although it should be noted on the defect sheet, there is a post about 19 pages long about a HATO with a sub machine gun and a definitive answer from a VOSA guy. It was along the lines of; “If you haven’t got a number plate, you are not leaving my lay-by until you at least make one”
You don’t mention the load contents, it could be toilet rolls or kitchen rolls, it could be quite safe and I for one relish the time when a young copper or VOSA man takes me to court to prosecute me for something I have been doing for over thirty years unless i am wrong of course. Don’t forget to defect the slashed sheet on your walk around.
An amber warning could mean an advisory, such as brake pads have less than 30% or ABS compatibility fault. A red STOP warning is obviously that. STOP!
Before I refused to drive it, especially as it is a Volvo I would stop the engine turn off the ignition & the battery isolator, grab a coffee and disconnect the airlines and suzies, reconnect them securely, turn on the batteries & ignition and let the diagnostics do their work.
Try again and if you were still getting red STOP warnings. I would then expect to either drive the thing to a Volvo workshop if fairly close or wait in the yard on pay until a service van had been out to me.
By going home, you probably haven’t been paid, you will not be asked for again and someone else will have taken a poorly truck out again.
If you get stopped by VOSA, and you have warning lights operating, especiallly brakes, YOU could be in trouble. Regardless of what you are told by a fitter, TM or clerk, YOU are responsible and your licence is at risk. If you have the slightest doubt don’t take it. Be polite but firm with the company, state that you are not happy that the vehicle would pass an MOT with the warning showing, this would invalidate the company insurance, and could lead to big problems for O licence if an accident occured. You could also mention the corporate manslughter laws which would make it the TM, fitter, or Clerk who is in the dock next to you if someone is killed in the accident.
The fitter didn´t say anything about the isolator or disconnecting the suzies (although thanks for the advice for if it happens again). I did turn the ignition off for a bit to see if that reset it. But the fitter had said it had been showing yesterday anyway. It looks like my lack of experience with analog tachos showed through Thanks again for the advice.
The fact that I didn´t know what the load was is the point. If I knew it was toilet rolls then it wouldn´t be a problem. The lower boxes weren´t, they had “40kg, caution when lifting” written on them. The number plate was really ■■■■, not even well written on and I´ve checked with the direct gov website and it can be a fixed penalty. I appreciate that VOSA would let you make one if you forgot it or it fell off on the road, but if I knew it was like that when I left the yard it wouldn´t look that good? Like I said, the reason I refused was because of the combination of the different things. I think it was any one thing I´d be driving right now. Note that I didn´t refuse to work, I spoke to the fitter and he said if I wasn´t happy to go home (and he said that after I mentioned the steering which makes me think there was a problem there that he knew about). It was at o´silly o´clock and it was only going to be me and the young security lad there for hours with nothing to do.
It’s a tough call being a newbe,but as has been said,you made the right decision.If you had had a problem down the road or been pulled by VOSA,I can see the scenario now,much buck passing with you being the last in line.
Biscuits:
The fitter didn´t say anything about the isolator or disconnecting the suzies (although thanks for the advice for if it happens again). I did turn the ignition off for a bit to see if that reset it. But the fitter had said it had been showing yesterday anyway. It looks like my lack of experience with analog tachos showed through Thanks again for the advice.
The fact that I didn´t know what the load was is the point. If I knew it was toilet rolls then it wouldn´t be a problem. The lower boxes weren´t, they had “40kg, caution when lifting” written on them. The number plate was really ■■■■, not even well written on and I´ve checked with the direct gov website and it can be a fixed penalty. I appreciate that VOSA would let you make one if you forgot it or it fell off on the road, but if I knew it was like that when I left the yard it wouldn´t look that good? Like I said, the reason I refused was because of the combination of the different things. I think it was any one thing I´d be driving right now. Note that I didn´t refuse to work, I spoke to the fitter and he said if I wasn´t happy to go home (and he said that after I mentioned the steering which makes me think there was a problem there that he knew about). It was at o´silly o´clock and it was only going to be me and the young security lad there for hours with nothing to do.
The isolator doesn’t always work but for an extra 5 or 10 minute coffee break it is worth doing it anyway
The bit about not knowing what the load was and the fact it was sealed would ring alarm bells with me. Unless it is a customs seal I would want it removing while I could at least visually check the load. Unless I worked for a custard cream factory and knew the only thing they made were custard creams!
Just remember, even if the loader has worked in the warehouse for 40 years, when the load falls off, the only man the police or coroner will want to speak to is you, the driver Company seals on a curtainsider mean zilch.
As long as you got paid a full shift, put it down to experience or lack of it. Worse things happen at sea.
OVLOV JAY:
I would refuse to take a truck out if it had an iveco badge on the front
Having had to drive snotty rigids a lot (including Ibreakloads) meant part of the battle was having the keys to a FH12 with a auto box and all the bells and whistles. I had to fight the inner child saying, “it’s big, it’s shiny, don’t worry about safety just drive it.”
IF you were not happy then at the state of the lorry, and belive that its right as you pointed out its your licence, any thing to do with safety is in my opinion a reason to say no /or to get the vehicle checked out,better to lose a days money then have difficulty or trouble because of this,
Could of drove it to the nearest vosa station and ask em to have a look as the fitter thinks its ok and see what they say, at least you look like you are trying to be careful if it is bad and it will be VOR’d without you getting in any trouble regarding fines etc
I dont think I would of took it with all that showing though, the fitters attitude was crap, but it would be its not his license if you get caught or have an accident
Biscuits:
Now here´s my question for more experienced drivers; at what point would you refuse to take this, or would you actually take it?
The numberplate alone is a £30 fixed penalty payable by the driver. I’d not take it out. There’s a ton of stuff VOSA would’ve had a field day with including the unsecured load.
and adjusts that. I set off again. I get bit furthur then the stop driving warning comes on again, plus I find out the thing has a bad steering vibration over 50. Back to yard, the lad calls the fitter. I tell him about warning “yeah we know about that, we´ve looked at the pads and they´re OK and the brakes work. We going to send it to Volvo to get it diagnosed. Those Volvos have all sorts of warnings come up, it´s probably nothing. 
We wouldn´t send a truck out with bad brakes or steering.” Funny you should mention the steering there´s a vibration. “Well it´s up to you if you take it out or not.” I add up the things I have a problem with (and do I trust the Swedish boffins who set up the warnings or the bloke on the phone?), and decide not to take it out. There is no other unit available so now I´m back at home.
better than NO No . plate.
Thanks again for the advice.
