Got my first ride on Monday, for local council (via driver hire) on bin wagons.
It’s gonna be a steep learning curve for sure. Not sure if i’ll be doing wheelies or household collections (flea infested sofas etc). I’m sure it’ll be okay, gets me some experience, lots of reversing(lots of narrow/steep roads round these parts), no tacho required, no gearstick just a keypad (tiptronic, I believe).
Just wondered if theres anything I should watch out for, such as lifting axles/suspension, PTO for hydraulics and the such like?
NEVER reverse along a dead end road whilst collecting - reverse down the road and then collect whilst going forward - this prevents reversing into the collectors who may be hidden at the rear.
Thanx Rog, common sense, you wouldn’t believe the wad of H+S bumf I had to sign today and summat like that was on one of the pages, but there was nothing on doing daily checks!!!
MADBAZ:
Thanx Rog, common sense, you wouldn’t believe the wad of H+S bumf I had to sign today and summat like that was on one of the pages, but there was nothing on doing daily checks!!!
Daily checks are standard professional driver common sense routine but you will have to be trained to check the other 'non-usual stuff
There is alot to learn driving dustcarts
pumps,bin, lifts, cameras you need eyes out of ears aswell as your ar.e
if there is a car coming and they go to step from out the rear of the cart BEEP your horn they cant see it coming
Always work down hill too,
they will moan like hell if they have to push the bins uphill,
if your not sure about a road situation ask the loaders if you should drive in or reverse in
get the teas in you will be the best driver ever !!
Cheers Dave,
Never thought about the uphill bit, good advice as the hills round here can be on the steep side
If I do my house It’ll be the missus makin T & bacon butties .
Looking forward to it, just worried about the inevitable first prang
Had my first spin about in a bin wagon Thursday afternoon, nothing too daunting. Box was a semi-auto and oddly enough the assessor said those boxes start in 5th and then shift down depending on weight and road gradient… Eh?
The interview on the other hand didn’t go so well, ended up there 16 minutes late due to the sterling efforts of North Wales Police’s “random vehicle check” I asked if the “check” could be a swift one because I was attending an interview to which he replied no and kept me waiting 20 minutes who ever said the old bill were [zb]
And what the local council want these days for £12,678, might as well shove a broom up my jacksy and brush as I go along
Sliding off topic now, sorry OP!
auto censor dodge removed, please read HERE…Denis F
Beware of the tail swing. The rear overhang is massive with the bin lifting gear plus the guard bars. Also watch your weight, it is easy to overload axles.
As Renny says watch you dont overload, the loaders will try and squeeze as much on as possible(its not their licence), especially if they think they can do the round in 1 load. I usually stop when the plate is 2 foot from the limit unless im on recycling.
Your in charge of the lorry so dont feel pressured to do anything your not happy with as some of the numptys your gonna work with will expect you to reverse down one way streets, block junctions etc etc.
Its boring work but the hours are easy and moneys good.
Had a nice and easy intro to trucking, was given a 9.8tonner (4x2) not much bigger than my car and with beacons to ward off school run mums.
No bin lifts to worry about as I was on bulky collections, bit sad when your collecting from where someones passed away and their possessions are unceremoniously eaten by the blade. Easily got into some of the tighter spots (they probably weren’t tight enough though). I did not like the tiptronic, I found the machine hard to control on the hills , and pulling away took an age to get into second (2200 rpm), manually selecting didn’t shift it up earlier either, and no kickdown caused probs on the uphill bits, I know the truck has seen better days but I think it may need a bit of TLC. Only time I got worried was when coming into Lockwood and suddenly realised there was no height chart in the cab and I was fast approaching a 11’6" bridge, cleared it with eaase though.
Overall a good day, and I can’t of scared my passenger too much as I’m back tomorrow
MADBAZ:
and with beacons to ward off school run mums.
That was my favourite bit today Had an OK day myself doing the garden waste collections. Mind you, I wasn’t impressed when my buddy buggered off home and left me to work out how to press the right buttons to empty the contents onto the tip
My colleague couldn’t help himself to opening black bags of the deceased possessions, I thought it was a little ghastly
I was surprised at how much of what we collected could be easily recycled but i believe it was all destined for landfill. (incinerator not working at Hudds).
I have one regret to working there, they have their own diesel pumps, so no shell points
who ever said the old bill were [zb]
and with beacons to ward off school run mums.
(they probably weren’t tight enough though). I did not like the tiptronic, I found the machine hard to control on the hills 
, and pulling away took an age to get into second (2200 rpm), manually selecting didn’t shift it up earlier either, and no kickdown caused probs on the uphill bits, I know the truck has seen better days but I think it may need a bit of TLC. Only time I got worried was when coming into Lockwood and suddenly realised there was no height chart in the cab 
