I’ve said it before.These EU rules are not for the benefit of drivers.How can it be legal to start in a morning on monday and be on nights within a few days.It benefits transport users not drivers.Then again it doesn’t help the sensible section of our community when it seems the majority want to work 15 hrs or more every day.I doubt we will revert to the former British rules when we leave the EU.Much more sensible working times that you don’t need a degree in advanced maths to find out if you are legal or not.The former rules were as follows if memory serves me right;
Driving time 10 hours max.
Duty time 11 hours max
Start to finish 12.5 hours max
Overnight rest 11 hours.
Stunningly simple to understand.The transport industry would have to liven up too with quicker turnround times,etc.
I realise the guys who can’t manage on less than 80 hours a week will choke in their coffee if they have time to drink one but I’ll brace myself.
Gidders:
I’ve said it before.These EU rules are not for the benefit of drivers.How can it be legal to start in a morning on monday and be on nights within a few days.It benefits transport users not drivers.Then again it doesn’t help the sensible section of our community when it seems the majority want to work 15 hrs or more every day.I doubt we will revert to the former British rules when we leave the EU.Much more sensible working times that you don’t need a degree in advanced maths to find out if you are legal or not.The former rules were as follows if memory serves me right;
Driving time 10 hours max.
Duty time 11 hours max
Start to finish 12.5 hours max
Overnight rest 11 hours.
Stunningly simple to understand.The transport industry would have to liven up too with quicker turnround times,etc.
I realise the guys who can’t manage on less than 80 hours a week will choke in their coffee if they have time to drink one but I’ll brace myself.
Thats because they think there earning a kings ransom and if the truth be told it is well below minimum wage well below
SouthEastCashew:
You should have phoned the old bill & told them the score m8.
Exactly what I was about to say, or call ASDA HQ with reg No.
I could feel tired very quickly on tippers (boredom?) but I’m now doing food service and I don’t feel tired during the day. It’s when I get home I crash and need a hour or so’s sleep.
Early-Riser:
SouthEastCashew:
You should have phoned the old bill & told them the score m8.Exactly what I was about to say, or call ASDA HQ with reg No.
.
Overtake him, and a good long blast on the horns, normally gives em a shock, and wakes them up…
Also it’s about time, the law was simplyfied,. 12 hours on 12 hours off, 15 hours on 12 hours off, get rid of the 9hr reducer. Make it a standard 12hours off.
Isn’t this what cruise control is for? So you can have a quick nap on a long straight?
adaptive cruise,lane recognition and auto brakes…money for old rope.
call your mate and talk crap.
drink a can of coke in 1 swallow.
stick an open bottle of water into one eye at a time with your head out of the window.
run when your sitting down,and have a right good arguement with the satnav after putting in a destination the opposite end of the country to where your heading.
they all work well when your nodding. 
biggriffin:
Also it’s about time, the law was simplyfied,. 12 hours on 12 hours off, 15 hours on 12 hours off, get rid of the 9hr reducer. Make it a standard 12hours off.
oooooohhh… every happy tramper’s cab will rattle when they read that!
ezydriver:
biggriffin:
Also it’s about time, the law was simplyfied,. 12 hours on 12 hours off, 15 hours on 12 hours off, get rid of the 9hr reducer. Make it a standard 12hours off.oooooohhh… every happy tramper’s cab will rattle when they read that!
Eg. Sunday 6pm-09:00 Monday, Back in 21:00 Monday until Midday Tuesday, Back in Tuesday Midnight until 03:00 Thursday…
That would be a 45 hour week, but Sunday-Thursday might as well be a 5 day week in terms of “how much of the driver’s life gets wasted” huh?
I’m more in favour of the 15hrs on, 9 hours off approach, which would have you done and dusted for the whole week by Wednesday evening, ready to live a normal life (get up at family breakfast time) Thursday, Friday, Saturday, a late night up Saturday (available for soclializing) and a lie in Sunday in readiness for next week’s 6pm start Sunday Evening…
What’s not-to-like?
There’s even the added bonus of only 3 nights out per week instead of 4 or 5…!
Why is everyone so scared of a 45 hour full working week crammed into 3 days?
Just think of the extra VALUE you’d get out of 27 days holiday per year as well!..
That’s 9 weeks a year off completely! 
THINK of all that life you’d get back, the earnings from working nights and weekends on the tramp, and how much easier it would be to find a layby place in the middle of the day for daily rest…
You’re even at home Thursdays and Fridays in time to do the School Run, get the big food shop in, and socialize at the weekends… 
sammym:
Pull over when I think I’m dangerous. Put phone on airplane mode so they can’t call me. Set an alarm for two hours and go to sleep. I’ve done it a few times. If asked about it I’d tell the truth. But I’ve never been challenged. When working nights I’ll often have a kip at a loading/unloading point and simply say I was made to wait if challenged.I fell asleep once driving a truck. Only for a few seconds. It’s something I will never do again.
Probably the most sensible post I have read in a long time.
Steve_H:
sammym:
Pull over when I think I’m dangerous. Put phone on airplane mode so they can’t call me. Set an alarm for two hours and go to sleep. I’ve done it a few times. If asked about it I’d tell the truth. But I’ve never been challenged. When working nights I’ll often have a kip at a loading/unloading point and simply say I was made to wait if challenged.I fell asleep once driving a truck. Only for a few seconds. It’s something I will never do again.
Probably the most sensible post I have read in a long time.
I could think that that would be the most common thing to do if sleepy have 40 winks and the cherry on the top is you get paid for it its one of the few things you do get paid for
Noeleen:
Steve_H:
sammym:
Pull over when I think I’m dangerous. Put phone on airplane mode so they can’t call me. Set an alarm for two hours and go to sleep. I’ve done it a few times. If asked about it I’d tell the truth. But I’ve never been challenged. When working nights I’ll often have a kip at a loading/unloading point and simply say I was made to wait if challenged.I fell asleep once driving a truck. Only for a few seconds. It’s something I will never do again.
Probably the most sensible post I have read in a long time.
I could think that that would be the most common thing to do if sleepy have 40 winks and the cherry on the top is you get paid for it its one of the few things you do get paid for
It’s only a problem when you wake up and realised you have gone over 2 hours in the services and the company are going to get a fine in the post. Fortunately as an agency man it’s not my problem. If you were employed it’s more of an issue.
Hello again, first post with new user name.I was on here about a year ago but couldnt remember login details so started anew.
With regards to this post,ive been driving regular nights for about 2 years now and although i struggled at first ive now adjusted my body clock to suit the work. At first i was getting home knackered and going to bed within 30 minutes of being home but i now stay awake for a couple of hours to unwind so to speak.I figured that when i was on days and got home i didnt go straight to bed so why am i doing it on nights?.
I finish about 4am most nights and go off to bed at 6am ish, sleep until 2pm. Get up and go in to work at 4.30 for a 5pm start.We have 3 other trunker drivers at our company and i often chat at night to one of them or another while we driving and ive noticed a lot of yawning in the small hours from a couple of them. These guys sleep once they get home and seem to struggle with fatigue every night .
Works for me and no need for red bull etc.
This is why I work for less money. I take home just shy of £400 quid a week after tax… I work 7am until 4pm Monday to Friday or 45 hours a week (usually less).
I can easily earn £500+ a week for 65+ hours a week. 15 hour days 2am starts… No thanks
Becuase of this I rarely get tired… I go to bed at 10pm… Wake up and 6.30am and my work life balance is pretty good… It’s. Not all about Money
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Start of the week last week I had a route of Rugeley to Bathgate with a trailer swap and onward delivery to Dundee.
Got to Bathgate and the departure time for the Dundee was 3hrs later, so I dropped the trailer, parked up and got my head down.
Think I slept for about 1 1/2 hrs but when I woke up I felt even worse, felt really groggy.
I guess the better thing to do would be to have little power naps and not actually fall asleep so to speak.
If I’m tired, I simply stop at home in bed! The other lad on shunting just clocks me in and out. I don’t do it that often to be fair, but I do go home early at least twice a week. He does the same, 1 man can do the work of both. If he doesn’t turn up, I have about 3-4 hrs work, then I sit in the office all night watching ■■■■! 
It’s a hard life innit?
I remember falling asleep in my car after coming home from a nighshift inIrvine, think I got just past ■■■■■■■■■■■ and then nodding off for a few seconds t be awakened by the noise of my car on the rumple strips
I’d like a job with fewer, longer shifts. Commuting wastes a lot of time, and going to work a 5th or even 6th day - is even MORE “wasted time” that costs one fuel as well as the time of the commute. Then there’s all the prep at home, where you can’t get anything else done…
The ideal shift pattern for me would 7pm-7am 4 nights per week.
I will continue on my quest to achieve thus.
I’m on £645pw for five shifts at present, so should not find it too hard to get the same pay for longer but fewer shifts, as I’m currently paid for a 48 hour week.
Just this week, coming east over the A66 around 2am, I knew I was tired but thought I would manage; windows open, radio on, seat upright. Anyway, on the descent after the Barnard Castle turn off I must’ve had a weave, as another Artic went past me jamming his air horn on and off. It startled me, I can tell you. I flashed him in, and he acknowledged me, so I took the horn as advice, rather than abuse. About thirty seconds later there was an empty layby, which I couldn’t believe at that time in the morning. I pulled in, and set the alarm for thirty minutes.
Woke up much refreshed and drove back to depot no problem.
Thanks Drive.
Shandy123:
Just this week, coming east over the A66 around 2am, I knew I was tired but thought I would manage; windows open, radio on, seat upright. Anyway, on the descent after the Barnard Castle turn off I must’ve had a weave, as another Artic went past me jamming his air horn on and off. It startled me, I can tell you. I flashed him in, and he acknowledged me, so I took the horn as advice, rather than abuse. About thirty seconds later there was an empty layby, which I couldn’t believe at that time in the morning. I pulled in, and set the alarm for thirty minutes.
Woke up much refreshed and drove back to depot no problem.
Thanks Drive.
Problem with radio on window open etc is it doesn’t work it just postpones.
My lad actually woke up in his car (luckily) one day in lane 3. 
As soon as I get that heavy eyed yawning feeling I pull over and have 15 mins, that’s all it takes,.any longer than that and I wake up feeling worse than when I got my head down.
And… I don’t give a ■■■■ if I’m late, ■■■■ it.
Way I see it, the world won’t end if ‘X’ does not get his ‘Y’ there for his timed delivery …, but my world could well end abruptly if I fall asleep driving 44 tonnes.