Hi drives
I have a question, What countries have more driving hours than the UK? In relation to the Boris thread what gain would we receive driving 10/11 hr drive time, would we be looking at an hourly wage decrease because we get more hours and why all of a sudden has this arisen just in time for a lot of drivers not getting their DCPC so to me it’s like he’s looking after the companies and not the drivers!!!
Dotty D:
Hi drives
I have a question, What countries have more driving hours than the UK? In relation to the Boris thread what gain would we receive driving 10/11 hr drive time, would we be looking at an hourly wage decrease because we get more hours and why all of a sudden has this arisen just in time for a lot of drivers not getting their DCPC so to me it’s like he’s looking after the companies and not the drivers!!!
all European countries use the same regulations. USA has similar rules, but are easier to flaunt using log books. Canada has slightly longer hours, I believe.
In Australia the individual states and territories have different regs. Driving and working time are not calculated separately. In WA working time should average out to fourteen hrs a day which can be maxed out to seventeen, provided one works no more than eleven hours on the day before and after. Minimum daily rest is seven hours, at least two 24 breaks in any fourteen day period and max fortnightly hours are 168. However, the code also states: “where reasonably practicable”. Should you get stuck in traffic, for example, you will not be forced to take a break/rest within close proximity of your base just because you might slightly exceed the hour limits.
The Northern Territory doesn’t regulate driving/working hours, but has adopted “an outcome-based approach to managing driver fatigue”, all is well until you fall asleep at the wheel and then the poop hits the fan.
Dotty D:
Hi drives
In relation to the Boris thread what gain would we receive driving 10/11 hr drive time, would we be looking at an hourly wage decrease because we get more hours and why all of a sudden has this arisen just in time for a lot of drivers not getting their DCPC so to me it’s like he’s looking after the companies and not the drivers!!!
The idea put forward in the Boris topic is a ‘reduction’ in maximum shift time to 12 hours.Together with no seperate driving time limit.None of that means working more hours for the same money.
Carryfast:
The idea put forward in the Boris topic is a ‘reduction’ in maximum shift time to 12 hours.Together with no seperate driving time limit.None of that means working more hours for the same money.
Does if you’re on long distance where you’ll run out of driving time long before duty time.
Driving time should be irrelevant, the amount of time you are at work should be limited. Regardless of what you’re doing, driving, loading/unloading, waiting or resting, you are still at work.
BillyHunt:
Driving time should be irrelevant, the amount of time you are at work should be limited. Regardless of what you’re doing, driving, loading/unloading, waiting or resting, you are still at work.
Of course it shouldn’t be irrelevant. If you are tired because you have been up late the night before, having good time and hopefully shagging the wife/partner, then a long drive the next morning is far more likely to lead to nodding dog syndrome, than some multi drop work, with short drives and getting in and out of the cab and actually do something.
Would I want to drive a 15 hour day? No. Would I want to work a 15 hour day? Sure, why not, and the gaffer pays me handsomely for it.
F-reds:
BillyHunt:
Driving time should be irrelevant, the amount of time you are at work should be limited. Regardless of what you’re doing, driving, loading/unloading, waiting or resting, you are still at work.Of course it shouldn’t be irrelevant. If you are tired because you have been up late the night before, having good time and hopefully shagging the wife/partner, then a long drive the next morning is far more likely to lead to nodding dog syndrome, than some multi drop work, with short drives and getting in and out of the cab and actually do something.
Would I want to drive a 15 hour day? No. Would I want to work a 15 hour day? Sure, why not, and the gaffer pays me handsomely for it.
If you stay up late knowing you have a long drive the next day then you are a mug, the type that will fall asleep and cause mayhem, even death, but it wouldn’t be your fault, it’s the hours we have to work.
I don’t - I’m a 29 year old with a bedtime, thanks to my missus.
I was trying to make the point that if you are already tired then a long drive will make you more prone to feeling sleepy than lots of short ones.
Conor:
Carryfast:
The idea put forward in the Boris topic is a ‘reduction’ in maximum shift time to 12 hours.Together with no seperate driving time limit.None of that means working more hours for the same money.Does if you’re on long distance where you’ll run out of driving time long before duty time.
Assuming you’re paid by the hour how does it make any difference if you can drive for longer during a shift IE you’re paid for the hours you work on duty.While if you’re paid by the mile it’s still a win win situation.
F-reds:
BillyHunt:
Driving time should be irrelevant, the amount of time you are at work should be limited. Regardless of what you’re doing, driving, loading/unloading, waiting or resting, you are still at work.Of course it shouldn’t be irrelevant. If you are tired because you have been up late the night before, having good time and hopefully shagging the wife/partner, then a long drive the next morning is far more likely to lead to nodding dog syndrome, than some multi drop work, with short drives and getting in and out of the cab and actually do something.
Would I want to drive a 15 hour day? No. Would I want to work a 15 hour day? Sure, why not, and the gaffer pays me handsomely for it.
By your logic a driver who’s had a busy night doing whatever will then be less knackered behind the wheel if he then drives after being awake for 12 hours during the working day.Bearing in mind it’s just as easy to miss a red light or forget to look out for a cyclist doing multi drop in town as it is to run into the back of a stopped truck on a motorway. 
F-reds:
I don’t - I’m a 29 year old with a bedtime, thanks to my missus.I was trying to make the point that if you are already tired then a long drive will make you more prone to feeling sleepy than lots of short ones.
It’s the length of the total day that produces fatigue not length of the drive.
When I worked for Blake’s, we would often max out the 15 hours. It sound’s a lot, but since three or four of those hours would be spent sleeping, or sat jawing, it wasn’t bad at all. Of course if the RDCs got their act together, it wouldn’t be necessary.
Carryfast:
F-reds:
I don’t - I’m a 29 year old with a bedtime, thanks to my missus.I was trying to make the point that if you are already tired then a long drive will make you more prone to feeling sleepy than lots of short ones.
It’s the length of the total day that produces fatigue not length of the drive.
All facts come into fatigue not just driving or other work, he might have had a [zb] of night with the wife or kids up to all hours, it’s a hard job but we do it to the best of our ability and as safe as we can 
Not what I was saying at all old chap. But never mind. I’ll try again.
I was saying that having a 9 hour driving limit but a 15 hour working limit is better than if they changed to a lower working limit but higher driving limit. This is because if you are tired then endless motorway miles are not going to do you any favours.
Yes the length of your day does cause fatigue. But it’s hard to fall asleep if you are busy.
F-reds:
Not what I was saying at all old chap. But never mind. I’ll try again.I was saying that having a 9 hour driving limit but a 15 hour working limit is better than if they changed to a lower working limit but higher driving limit. This is because if you are tired then endless motorway miles are not going to do you any favours.
Yes the length of your day does cause fatigue. But it’s hard to fall asleep if you are busy.
The relevant comparison being ‘driving’ in whatever form as part of a total allowed 12 hour day or a 15 hour one.In which case it’s the length of the day that matters not what you do during it.The arguable issue of motorway driving being supposedly more tiring than local driving with more loading and drops is obviously a personal subjective one.In my case I found a relatively shorter day of local plant and bulk refuse work as a council driver more tiring than a longer ( night ) made up of mostly nothing but motorway miles.In all cases the benefits of a 3 hour shorter overall day and therefore 3 hours extra possible sleep would way outweigh the maximum possible difference in driving time in terms of fatigue.At least in the case of the EU max allowed 15 hours.