There’s a question that’s been on my mind for years (other than why dosen’t Kelly Brook answer my begging letters) & that is …are proffessional drivers expected to change tyres in the event of a puncture?
Do you get trained for this (or other problems) as part of your job?.
Does your firm expect you to try? & if not, back in the day, did old timers change one without a second thought? or is that just an old wives tale.
Just how much is today’s drivers expected to try and fix his truck if it breaks down & what would you be prepaired to tackle on your own?.
Should drivers today tackle more or are todays trucks best left alone?.
I don’t know because I’m not a driver but I’ve always wondered what the answers are.
Ive just realised that’s slightly more than one question!.
Thanks for your time.
Certainly we used to, especially on continental work before we had mobile phones, I’ve probably changed ten or twelve in my time, but not for many years. I still could if I had to but spare tyres aren’t normally carried nowadays.
Yes like harry said. I’ve changed them in the past. Not much fun cos there bloody heavy to lift into the back of a tilt! (or run up a couple of tilt boards.)
Wouldn’t fancy doing it now to be honest. I guess you get lazy when it’s just a phone call nowadays.
If I was an owner driver I’d have no qualms about doing it again if needed.
What is the bonus rate nowadays for this shenanigans? 20/30quid?
Given the tools i would still be capable of changing a tyre or repairing a tube . . remember them. 
As for changing a spare wheel(which i think you meant) Dont think you can do it without a risk assesment and full lane closure by Hato nowadays.
It’s a holistic thing. Tyres are far less prone to punctures nowadays, tyre repair firms are everywhere throughout Europe, we’ve all got mobile phones, we’re all older and less willing to jump up and down on a wheelbrace while clinging on to a TIR cord for a couple of hours.
Even if I had my own trailer, I doubt I’d carry a spare tyre, the cost of the spare tyre, the wheel hanger, the jack and the wheelbrace would be more than the cost of a call-out, and I’m sure the cost in diesel of dragging around 250kg of extra kit for two or three years in between blowouts would also outweigh it.
Must have read it wrong,thought the op asked about changing a tyre,not changing a spare wheel.
I just do what I can the boss is pretty handy anything we can’t do just take it in to dealer I had a puncture today on an inside tyre ran back to yard at lunch and swapped it with a spare(luckily i had one on a rim cause its a ■■■■■■■ swapping a tyre) 20 minutes later job done beats waiting an hour for a fitter to turn up luckily I was local today If was a couple off hours away it wouldn’t make sense to drive back to do it myself but depends on the circumstance and severity off a breakdown and also the size off the company a call out charge to stobarts would hurt alot less than one to a small family firm like the one i work.
most don’t change them nowadays. With some it’s against company policy, Others don’t know how to do it, and others have a can’t do won’t do attitude.
Personally, I think it’s part of a drivers job to change a wheel and do minor repairs. Some say i’m a dinosaur.
Thanks for your reply lads as I really didn’t know what’s expected of today’s drivers,(or yesterdays for that matter).
But one thing though,if your stuck on a hard shoulder or so with a puncture & waiting for someone to turn up & change it,dosen’t this effect your schedule & therefore your wages or bonus somewhat?.
Are you then expected to get a ‘move on’ from your firm to get back on time?.
Who covers the cost of the call out?.
Kermit the frog:
Thanks for your reply lads as I really didn’t know what’s expected of today’s drivers,(or yesterdays for that matter).
But one thing though,if your stuck on a hard shoulder or so with a puncture & waiting for someone to turn up & change it,dosen’t this effect your schedule & therefore your wages or bonus somewhat?.
Are you then expected to get a ‘move on’ from your firm to get back on time?.
Who covers the cost of the call out?.
I’m paid by the hour so if I’m sat there makes no odds to me I could off parked up earlier and waited for a call out instead off doing it myself on my lunch break but I’m paid well and am looked after as I said I’m with a small family firm they look after me and if I can save them a few quid were all happy.
You have to limp to an SOS bay!
A driver hasn’t been allowed to change a tyre on a motorway hard shoulder in France for years, if you attempt to and the Police see you, they will stop you (Been there, done that, got the T-shirt) 
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Why is this Harry? The health and safety bs worse than ours or do they prefer you to use a fitter there to get some off you’re money?
Robbing ■■■■■■■■ and I bet it’s Sod’s law the only time one goes pop is when you’ve just hit there motorway.
I think the French Police prefer you to get a French tyre fitter to do it to give employment to their fellow countrymen, my own tyre company in Sittingbourne told me that a tyre fitter in France earns more than a doctor, they have to arrange tyre call-outs in France frequently and the bill is never less than £1,000, even for a trailer blowout.
Fair play to the Frogs, perhaps it would be better if we did the same ourselves.
)
. Also having a decent maintained spare carrier helps 
