Ok, I know the law about not using the phone when driving and with fines of up to £2500 for vocational drivers and referral to the traffic commissioner for the second offence, it is something I simply don’t do, as surprisingly some of us like to keep our licenses.
I have recently started a job which at the moment is a two man crew but at some stage in the near future will be out driving on my own. Problem is anything up to half a dozen calls come through on the phone for the next jobs, including ring outs to customers. Many drivers use their own phones which isn’t an option for me as I have PAYG at 30p minute. The company may be able to supply a mobile phone (if there is actually one spare) but no hands free kit and not even sure if one available for that model of phone.
Anyway, to get to the point, how do you guys cope with incoming calls, which is a whole new ball game for me. Not using phone on the move as can’t write down any info when driving anyway and the ‘pull over to answer the call’ dialogue don’t work on busy main roads or motorways. I have a feeling because other drivers behave stupidly they may be expecting it of other drivers.
I would think it’s fairly simple. You know you cannot use the phone while driving, the company know it, so don’t. You can ring them before you leave a drop telling them you’re driving, if they absolutely need to contact you then ring & leave a voicemail or text, you will pick it up at the next drop, same with next customer, ring them & tell them you’re on your way with an eta. If they think that’s not good enough then tell them to get hands free fitted or get you a phone & vehicle with Bluetooth capability. It’s not your responsibility to provide communications.
If they were any good at planning they wouldn’t need to contact you at all.
Easy. If I were you though. I wouldn’t start getting involved with conversations about next jobs etc whilst driving. That’s when you Start loosing concentration from your driving to concentrate on the conversation.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Ok, I know the law about not using the phone when driving and with fines of up to £2500 for vocational drivers and referral to the traffic commissioner for the second offence, it is something I simply don’t do, as surprisingly some of us like to keep our licenses.
I have recently started a job which at the moment is a two man crew but at some stage in the near future will be out driving on my own. Problem is anything up to half a dozen calls come through on the phone for the next jobs, including ring outs to customers. Many drivers use their own phones which isn’t an option for me as I have PAYG at 30p minute. The company may be able to supply a mobile phone (if there is actually one spare) but no hands free kit and not even sure if one available for that model of phone.
Anyway, to get to the point, how do you guys cope with incoming calls, which is a whole new ball game for me. Not using phone on the move as can’t write down any info when driving anyway and the ‘pull over to answer the call’ dialogue don’t work on busy main roads or motorways. I have a feeling because other drivers behave stupidly they may be expecting it of other drivers.
Any thoughts?
If the other drivers are dumb assed enough to risk getting nicked, losing their licence and causing an accident let them crack on. You can join them or do it professionally, it’s your choice, but you sound as if you know better.
I would tell them that as we both know it is dangerous and illegal to use phone when driving they will need to supply me with the proper kit, and explain that I was not being arsey or awkward, it’s just that I prefer to do the job properly.
When I get a call that requires writing stuff down I either ignore it until I can stop in next 5 mins or so, or answer it and tell them that I’ll ring them back asap. Or they can leave voicemail.
It’s like any other new job start as you mean to go on, and show them you are a pro not a cowboy. If they are a good firm they will see you are more responsible than the others and respect you for it, if they give you ■■■■ over it, well they ain’t worth working for.
Good luck with the new job anyway mate.
At a previous job I was given this battered Nokia, no handsfree kit. Calls were restricted to head office only, we couldn’t even dial answerphone the phone would ring and ring from head office and if they gave up and had to call you back, expect a rant in a Witlshire carrot cruncher accent I even tried call divert so it would ring my own (handsfree phone) but this was blocked also. The tight fisted bumpkins had the cheek to put on your work details “ring …when near to site” knowing full well that you couldn’t unless you used your own phone. Despite this so many drivers just used their own phones “because I’ve got free minutes.”
I’ve got free minutes on my phone but my boss always asks if I’ve gone over due to work calls. At least he asks.
BillyHunt:
If they think that’s not good enough then tell them to get hands free fitted or get you a phone & vehicle with Bluetooth capability. It’s not your responsibility to provide communications…
Try telling Canutes that …
I’ve yet to find any of their trucks fitted with a cab phone. The few times I did jobs out of gamston the office bod pulled out a mobile from his pocket, scrolled through the memory, and rang my phone (agy gave him my No). Then said “right now I’ve got your number, you can ring me back”.
The last time I was there, I got wise and switched it off before walking into the office, so when he started frantically scrolling through his phone to make mine ring, it didn’t. So he asked what’s up with my phone? Nowt mate I said, it’s at home. How do I keep in touch with you he said, so I told him to ring the cab phone, we don’t have cab phones he replies. Gimme a spare mobile then I said, we don’t have any said he.
You can guess what my reply was…
Does this include full hands free phone kit usage? As work are always calling me and get upset if you don’t answer as they know you are in the cab due to trackers.
Thruxton:
Does this include full hands free phone kit usage? As work are always calling me and get upset if you don’t answer as they know you are in the cab due to trackers.
Walkers did this and sacked a driver because he answered the can phone simply pull over and ring back obviously not on the Hs but in a safe and legal place
LIBERTY_GUY:
Ok, I know the law about not using the phone when driving and with fines of up to £2500 for vocational drivers and referral to the traffic commissioner for the second offence, it is something I simply don’t do, as surprisingly some of us like to keep our licenses.
I have recently started a job which at the moment is a two man crew but at some stage in the near future will be out driving on my own. Problem is anything up to half a dozen calls come through on the phone for the next jobs, including ring outs to customers. Many drivers use their own phones which isn’t an option for me as I have PAYG at 30p minute. The company may be able to supply a mobile phone (if there is actually one spare) but no hands free kit and not even sure if one available for that model of phone.
Anyway, to get to the point, how do you guys cope with incoming calls, which is a whole new ball game for me. Not using phone on the move as can’t write down any info when driving anyway and the ‘pull over to answer the call’ dialogue don’t work on busy main roads or motorways. I have a feeling because other drivers behave stupidly they may be expecting it of other drivers.
Any thoughts?
If they expect you to take calls through the day, ‘may’ be able to supply you with a mobile for this purpose but it is completely beyond them to organise some hands-free kit, that would tell me that they are a badly-organised bunch of chancers who should be given a wide berth.
Thanks for the input guys. It’s always difficult when you start with a new company where bad practices are already in place. If folks are already into driving one handed and writing things down on the move you are always going to come across as an arse if you don’t fall into line with what everyone else does. My philosophy is simple, I can always get another job, but I only have one driving license.
Got no intention of using my own phone, as at 30p minute (including voicemail retrieval) and 14p per text it would very soon get out of hand. Due to the nature of the business, some jobs are inserted on route to other jobs, which is why they expect the phone to be answered straight away. Without the hands free kit in place it simply isn’t going to happen though. It is inevitably going to cause conflict sometime soon, but aint ‘running dirty’ for anyone, not when there more sensible operators out there desperate for drivers now.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Thanks for the input guys. It’s always difficult when you start with a new company where bad practices are already in place. If folks are already into driving one handed and writing things down on the move you are always going to come across as an arse if you don’t fall into line with what everyone else does. My philosophy is simple, I can always get another job, but I only have one driving license.
Got no intention of using my own phone, as at 30p minute (including voicemail retrieval) and 14p per text it would very soon get out of hand. Due to the nature of the business, some jobs are inserted on route to other jobs, which is why they expect the phone to be answered straight away. Without the hands free kit in place it simply isn’t going to happen though. It is inevitably going to cause conflict sometime soon, but aint ‘running dirty’ for anyone, not when there more sensible operators out there desperate for drivers now.
If I ever get the ‘‘Well all the other drivers do it’’ I just say that whatever others do is both up to them and nothing to do with me.
You will only come across as an arse in their eyes because they are expecting you to fall in line with the other driver’s bad practice. Standing up for yourself, (when you have right on your side ) in any situation, is not being arsey or awkward. It is far better than bending over with your pants down, and doing all this type of stuff thinking that you have to.
The type of firm that expect it only do so because most drivers today simply do it without question.
I think your company needs to do a bit of research about the law on mobile phones while driving.
Otherwise they might fall foul of this bit of law “It is an offence to “cause or Permit” a driver to use a handheld mobile phone whilst driving”
They really need to find a better way of getting information to the driver than letting them use a handheld phone. As other have said text or voice message to be picked up when you stop in a safe place.
muckles:
I think your company needs to do a bit of research about the law on mobile phones while driving.
Otherwise they might fall foul of this bit of law “It is an offence to “cause or Permit” a driver to use a handheld mobile phone whilst driving”
They really need to find a better way of getting information to the driver than letting them use a handheld phone. As other have said text or voice message to be picked up when you stop in a safe place.
Thanks, will take a print out of that page and stick it in my bag for any future ‘dialogue’ with the company.
Have decided I don’t have a mobile phone as far as company is concerned now, or think they’ll just take the pee and I’ll be the one with the bills else. Perhaps best not to even venture down that route. Company will have to supply the phone, understand I only use it when parked up properly, or find themselves another driver. Yep I may come across as a complete arse to them, but just trying to keep it legal and not put other road users at risk through stupidity.
I’d probably be sacked by most of the yards I work at - if answering a non-hands-free phone whilst driving ever got legalised…
If the firm wants me to answer the phone when I’m out on the road - They supply the bluetooth hands free that can be picked up by the button on the steering wheel. Even those ones with the wedged in portable phone you have to press the green button on to answer are not good enough to be answered on the move imho…
I’ve been banned from site at a palletliner yard - for refusing to answer the phone whilst on the move, and then refusing to bring in one of my own “to get around the law”…
How the F… does it get around the law? - Only for the haulier perhaps. If you answer your own phone at the wheel it’s your arse 100% that gets busted - the firm gets off scot-free if they can establish that it’s not “compulsary to break the law to work there”. Easy enough if it’s your own phone… AND you’re expected to pay for it all too!
God, I hate pallet work. They even can’t be arsed to have a yard marshall come around and tell you when it’s your turn to come in and get loaded - they expect to call you on your own phone you shouldn’t even have in the cab with you FFS…
I NEVER, EVER respond to a mobile phone whilst on the move. At best (or worst), ill answer an in-cab and give em 5 seconds to say what it is or they get - “im driving - ill ring you back asap” and cut it off. The law is absolutely set in stone about this. If “they” want to make an issue over it - bring it on. You hold all the legal and moral aces in this regard, so screw `em. I would create unimaginable waves if i were to be criticised or victimised for obeying the law. Suffice to say, i would most definitely have the last word!
We have in cab phones. Conversation never extends beyond… “change of plan, could you go to XYZ next, i’ll text the address and reference number over”, or “what time will you be there?.. Thanks” etc.
Thats exactly how it should be in my opinion. Had jobs before where i’ve been provided with a Nokia handheld in my pack or phoned on my personal phone & expected to answer whenever - like others I simply won’t answer it on the move. I have no need for a handsfree kit outside of work, so won’t be buying one for work.
What I would say though, is that it’s well worth taking advantage of occasions you do have to phone the planner legally to give them an update & ask if any plans have changed. Your less likely to get harassed with phone calls whilst driving, if your planner trusts you to keep them well informed & up to date yourself.
I wont answer phone on the move, even with hands free kit, if happened to be involved in an accident and was shown on the phone whether hands free or not gonna be in trouble because will made out you were distracted by the phone call.
I’ll stop call back and only do that these days because Ive got unlimited minutes on my phone before that i wouldn’t before. Working for some companies make a huge deal if you ask for a pair of gloves or even tachograph rolls at times then expect you to spend all day using you phone to call them for their business.
I have a ear piece, If they want me the phone me… any silly instructions or details which require me to write down things, I just ask them to email me or text me. If I feel it’s unsafe to answer the phone, even with my ear piece I won’t.
When I worked at my last job, the cab phone rang and rang and rang, then my mobile went and I answered it, the woman in the office asked in such a superior tone “Robert!!! Why aren’t you answering your cab Phone■■?” I says “Because I’m not holding a phone to my ear whilst driving!!!” … “Ok yes, I completely agree with that” In a much less superior tone
I know what you mean about “Oh all the other drivers do it!!!” bullshine some come away with, and may expect you to do the same but that’s life. Some guys at my place of work take a 4.013m & 4.05m & 4.27m trailers under a building height marked at 3.9m, because they do it, some office staff expect me to do it.
The company may be able to supply a mobile phone (if there is actually one spare) but no hands free kit and not even sure if one available for that model of phone. 
I even tried call divert so it would ring my own (handsfree phone) but this was blocked also. The tight fisted bumpkins had the cheek to put on your work details “ring …when near to site” knowing full well that you couldn’t unless you used your own phone. Despite this so many drivers just used their own phones “because I’ve got free minutes.”
) in any situation, is not being arsey or awkward. It is far better than bending over with your pants down, and doing all this type of stuff thinking that you have to.
