So as a reasonably new driver I understand 45 minutes rest for 4 and a half hours driving.
I also understand that in unforeseen circumstances e.g. a traffic jam or snow, that a departure from the EU rules may be permissible as long as it does not jeopardise road safety.
My current job sees me going dépôt to depot in around 4 hours 10 mins to 4 hours 20 mins on average. Not a lot of room for manoeuvre.
I can see plenty of circumstances where I could easily come very close to or even exceed my driving time with a short hold up or delay even if I am only minutes from my destination.
How should I properly deal with this?
At 15 minute warning look for a safe place to stop and take 45 minutes although I am extremely close to my depot.
Continue to depot and take a printout and write explanation on rear and sign.
Depends. If you’re depot you go is the next safe, legal, place to stop then you may get away with it a couple of times if stopped. If its habitual then questions will be asked of you, as in you know its tight, why not stop, and of the company in planning things like that.
Why not split the job? Break after three hours driving, another break after three hours driving the whatever is left in the last chunk?
You take your break before you reach 4.5 hrs driving time. You don’t continue to the depot using the argument “well it was only another 10 mins up the road” unless you don’t want to drive vocationally and you’d like the Traffic Commissioner to permanently revoke your licence. This should have all been taught to you during your DCPC course. I guess you weren’t paying attention.
Are they telling you that you must have your breaks in depots or what?
Otherwise I can’t see what the problem is, why would you go over your 4 and a half to get to the depot?
And if they are stressing you have to have your break in depot, whatever the circumstances don’t ! …if it involves you going over
Or at least humour them by telling them you will…but only if they give you that instruction in writing or by text in case you get pulled by DVSA…I’ll guarantee that they won’t,.as that drops THEM in it also.
It’s YOUR licence and arse on the line here, not theirs.
No not at all. No pressure placed on me whatsoever. I have always managed under 4 and a half hours. Was wondering what I should do when/if I sail close to or going to be over. Now crystal clear. Thanks.
Take your break before you get back to the yard. Stop claw-assing around trying to impress the pointy shoes.
Leave yard, drive 3hrs stop for break, leaves you plenty of time to get to your next yard with out worrying, change trailers drive 3hrs stop for break, arrive back nice, you’ve also earned another 1hrs pay.
biggriffin:
Take your break before you get back to the yard. Stop claw-assing around trying to impress the pointy shoes.
Leave yard, drive 3hrs stop for break, leaves you plenty of time to get to your next yard with out worrying, change trailers drive 3hrs stop for break, arrive back nice, you’ve also earned another 1hrs pay.
biggriffin:
Take your break before you get back to the yard. Stop claw-assing around trying to impress the pointy shoes.
Leave yard, drive 3hrs stop for break, leaves you plenty of time to get to your next yard with out worrying, change trailers drive 3hrs stop for break, arrive back nice, you’ve also earned another 1hrs pay.
biggriffin:
Take your break before you get back to the yard. Stop claw-assing around trying to impress the pointy shoes.
Leave yard, drive 3hrs stop for break, leaves you plenty of time to get to your next yard with out worrying, change trailers drive 3hrs stop for break, arrive back nice, you’ve also earned another 1hrs pay.
I like the way you think.
Paid by the Hour, and when it’s a free coffee day, that’s two free coffees not one, win win.
I did something quite similar recently. Deciding to break twice at the outset is probably your best bet.
There will probably be stories about what time it has been done in etc etc, but it isn’t a competition and why would you break the speed limit and risk your licence to get paid less?
If you have used up your two 10 hour driving days, then it may be advisable to mention that the run isn’t appropriate for the rest of the week.
Work out how long it takes to get from the last services/place to park you pass to the place you’re going to and add the time on you need to drive about the yard. Deduct that from 4.5hrs, we’ll call the result X.
So when you’re driving to the yard and you get to that services/parking place and you’ve got less than X minutes driving left then you know you’re not going to make it so you stop there and have a break.
When you’re doing regular trunk runs you’ll learn at various points along the route how long it takes to get there or to get back to the yard. For example for me coming back from a London trunk up the A1 it’s 2hrs from Stibbington cafe, 1.5hrs from Grantham services, 1hr 15m from Newark, 30 minutes from Doncaster Services.
Knowing that means I’m not just getting to the 15 minute break warning then having to stress about where to find somewhere to stop, especially if I’m on a motorway where it can be more than 15 minutes between services.
Point out to office how tight for time it is getting there and back.
And if don’t make make it back. 1st you can do 2 10 hours drive.
So that’s 2 days sorted. As for other days. If you don’t make it back park up. Night out. . Or ring office ask if they have a spare driver who can drive it back to yard
.
Personally I’d be very tempted to night out as . Get feeling you won’t be to far from yard or home. So id. get as close as possible park.up safe night out and ring misses pick.you up go home for the night
It is not a matter of arriving at the gate within the 4.5hrs, it is 4.5 hrs finished moving the vehicle on site and break selected so you need to allow time for that, which may not be predictable. One thing is certain, 5 minutes is cutting it too fine.
Fog reducing average speed from November to March is a predictable delay so extra time should be allowed in winter.
