Personally if i feel tired i stop, i try to make it to my drops on time but safety comes 1st every time.But it would appear more and more companys are using variouse tracking systems to moniter your ativitys during your day last week i stoped for a short 15 min rest as i was strugling with the dreaded nodders later in the day i had a call from a planer who asked why i stoped as i wasent due a break so i explained that i stoped for the reason stated now although he accepted why he wasent overley happy about it which got me wondering how many drivers just keep going as there worried about stoping and being late so are the systems companys use and there atatude and timed delivery slots a factor in the many seriouse accidents on our roads
You’re right, but also, they’ve got these trackers, can watch where you are and what you’re doing (driving, other work, rest, pto etc), why do they always phone you when you’re on break?
just chill out, next time one of them rings you in the middle of your break tell them they have interrupted the break, so you must start the break again… AND IF THEY SAY YOU AREN’T GOING FAST ENOUGH TELL EM TO GET THE SPEED LIMITER TOOK OFF THE VEHICLE… and try ringing them at home in the middle of the night and saying " oh, sorry, were you asleep ?"…
Best of all, just do what I do, let it all go straight over the top of my head…
Ask them if they’d prefer you to have a 20 minute nap or to have to crane the truck out of a ditch
Works for me every time
I got moaned at once because i had broken down (and told about 3 different departments in the company i had broken down)
Phone usually gets locked away in a cupboard all day if possible
we’re on trackers and they moan if you stop before your 6hrs work / 4½ driving is up, have to phone in when waiting to load / tip every 15 - 30 minutes so you can’t even get your head down then either if you’re tired. i’ve started turning phone off during breaks, off is where i tell them to f now 
Trukkertone:
just chill out, next time one of them rings you in the middle of your break tell them they have interrupted the break, so you must start the break again… AND IF THEY SAY YOU AREN’T GOING FAST ENOUGH TELL EM TO GET THE SPEED LIMITER TOOK OFF THE VEHICLE… …
Or easier still just tell them to ZB OFF ! you are in charge of the vehicle so you are doing your job properly and professionally by deciding both if and when it is safe to drive it on the road, and when to take your break, not some ■■■■■■■■ in an office who knows much less about the job than you do, it would take a bloody good man to make me teararse about, I hate these ■■■■■■■■■ 
The problem these days is a lot of younger drivers are frightened to speak up for themselves, as a lot have been brainwashed after taking “co apprenticeships” 
where co.policy is rammed down their necks all day,… while dressed in green for example 
i’m never late.
however, if they keep ringing me, then i just take the lorry home.
it has happened in the uk, and its happened in france.
i’m in charge, not the planner. they might think they are, but only if you let them.
limeyphil:
i’m never late.
however, if they keep ringing me, then i just take the lorry home.
it has happened in the uk, and its happened in france.
i’m in charge, not the planner. they might think they are, but only if you let them.
Quiet right phill truck only goes as fast as my right foot tells it to if they bug me i just release the presure simple
Trukkertone:
just chill out, next time one of them rings you in the middle of your break tell them they have interrupted the break, so you must start the break again… AND IF THEY SAY YOU AREN’T GOING FAST ENOUGH TELL EM TO GET THE SPEED LIMITER TOOK OFF THE VEHICLE… and try ringing them at home in the middle of the night and saying " oh, sorry, were you asleep ?"…
Best of all, just do what I do, let it all go straight over the top of my head…
+1
i know some don’t have a choice, and are grateful for any job right now, just annoys me that firms get away with pressuring their drivers like this. i couldn’t and wouldn’t work for companies with this attitude. some prat at maritime tried this, he was the depot manager at tilbury, well the poisoned dwarf was back then.
i’d loaded a box at felixstowe, it was midday and they wanted the box in bradford for 430pm, which already wasn’t possible. there had already been an issue between us regarding a sick day, he phoned just as i was by the a140 on the a14, and said there was no way he was budging on the matter
“jolly good.” i told him, “best you phone your v.i.p customer in bradford and tell them the box will be late, as i now quit, see you in abit!” 
i spun round at the a140 and drove back to tilbury, surprisingly the phone never stopped ringing all the way home, got to the yard, cleared my wagon out, strolled in the office which raised an eyebrow or two and as loudly and calmly as i could, explained to the manager, (in front of the whole office) what a ■■■■ i thought he really was
ok, so not to productive, but i don’t regret it 1 bit.
I’m so glad that I don’t have to put up with this, we’re tracked etc but as long as your getting on with it you’re left alone, even if you decide to have a 15 on the way to a timed drop. It helps that most in the office now, have previously been drivers, so you can’t pull the wool over their eyes but they can also see from your point of view.
Perhaps this is a good reason to be an Agency driver instead.
chilistrucker:
i spun round at the a140 and drove back to tilbury, surprisingly the phone never stopped ringing all the way home, got to the yard, cleared my wagon out, strolled in the office which raised an eyebrow or two and as loudly and calmly as i could, explained to the manager, (in front of the whole office) what a ■■■■ i thought he really was
ok, so not to productive, but i don’t regret it 1 bit.
I’d love to have been a fly on that wall, I’d also love to know what loat of old nonesence he told his VIP customer, probably told him how he’d had to sack an incompetent driver who could easilly have got it to him in the allotted time but gave some B/S excuse:)
Ross.
Dont get any that at my place, well tell a lie once they phoned me nipping my head about getting to a customer at a certain time but the phone got hung up on them.
Just give me a set of keys and a run sheet and leave me in peace to get it done!
I don’t see anything wrong in a planner phoning toask what time a certain delivery will get there, but telling you what time it should be there should only be seen as guidance, if I’m tired I take a break & if I need it I’ll have a ‘powernap’ & switch the phone to silent!!
The load gets there when it arrives, end of conversation, bye!!
Ross.
I hope VOSA are taking notice of these posts !!
Most companies are taking advantage of the 15 hour day, and are planning these days as a regular occurance, and most RDC`s are not allowing drivers to sit in comfort either in the cab, or providing inadequate rest facilities.
Our company push drivers to the maximum limits, 15 hr days, + 9 hrs rest periods, which in my opinion is an abuse of their powers, so the sooner VOSA rescind this legislation the better, and give us a 13 hr day as it was before.
Last friday, after returning to the yard, i was 10 minutes short of a 15 hr day, was clock watching, as you do, and was in such a hurry to drop the trailer and get parked up, plus the tiredness,( as companies do not take into account the time of getting up, in order to get an early start, plus the travelling time) i had been awake by this time for 17 hours, so pulled off the trailer without disconnecting the suzies, ( just shows you what tiredness does ) after work i have an hours travelling, so all in all thats an 18 hr day, giving me approx 5 hrs sleep after winding down when i get home, then the idiots are on the phone during the day, because you dared to take a meal break, after sitting on a loading bay, with only a coffee/tea for refreshment, they dont want you to eat/drink during their working day, and more and more companies are insistingon that, as with monitors, the vehicles are on track/24/7, well thats a lie actually as per normal the office staff are at home with their feet up, whilst the drivers are on the road past midnight, should be a law against that as well.
ZB’s think the 4.5 & 6 hour rules are the minumum and not the maximum
4 hours duty 30 mins break is ideal
bigr250:
chilistrucker:
i spun round at the a140 and drove back to tilbury, surprisingly the phone never stopped ringing all the way home, got to the yard, cleared my wagon out, strolled in the office which raised an eyebrow or two and as loudly and calmly as i could, explained to the manager, (in front of the whole office) what a ■■■■ i thought he really was
ok, so not to productive, but i don’t regret it 1 bit.I’d love to have been a fly on that wall, I’d also love to know what loat of old nonesence he told his VIP customer, probably told him how he’d had to sack an incompetent driver who could easilly have got it to him in the allotted time but gave some B/S excuse:)
Ross.
oh yeah, i’m sure i got the blame for it, and i suppose he’d have been right. obviously he’d have neglected the factors in the story that contributed to the end result. not worried though, it was well worth it. he’d tried bully boy tactics once before, and got away with it, but, once bitten, tip him bollox
truckyboy:
I hope VOSA are taking notice of these posts !!
Most companies are taking advantage of the 15 hour day, and are planning these days as a regular occurance, and most RDC`s are not allowing drivers to sit in comfort either in the cab, or providing inadequate rest facilities.
Our company push drivers to the maximum limits, 15 hr days, + 9 hrs rest periods, which in my opinion is an abuse of their powers, so the sooner VOSA rescind this legislation the better, and give us a 13 hr day as it was before.
.
Well said mate, couldn’t agree more, my 15hr days are taken when I decide, and mostly for my own benefit, eg on a friday, a lot of drivers are genuinely under the impression that a 15 on 9 off is a compulsory target to be met every week, not a limit.
Me,happens to me most mornings but that’s Stobarts for you at the moment,everything’s time and motion,30mins to get out of yard in the morning,25mins to finish up at the end of your shift,15 mins if a night man as you don’t fuel up,day men have to do it.
just so ■■■■■■ off with it all now,I can see why some European drivers like getting parked up by Vosa so they can actually have a proper break.