Yesterday i was at a Sainsburys DC, parked up, handed my keys in and followed their instructions “After handing in their keys drivers are not allowed to re-enter their cabs. Please wait in the canteen or the driver waiting area”. Fair enough, as the waiting area is in the warehouse at minus whatever temp and i only had a t-shirt on i went to the canteen. Sat there watching the golf for an hour and thought they must be finished now so wandered back down and noticed my shutter bay doors shut. Went over to the office and made sure they saw me and sat down in the minus whatever waiting area. Another 10 or so minutes past when the forklift driver said “Why you still here, you were tipped about an hour ago”.
What gets me is there’s 2 places i can wait so if i’m not in one i must be in the other, did it not occur to them to come and [zb] look for me.
Next time i’m waiting in my cab.
Rant over.
If I tip at an RDC, I normally gp to the staff canteen and I wander back when it suits me, not them. And as you say, if it’s that urgent then they could have sent someone or, even easier, just phoned the canteen.
But I do always tell the goods in staff that I am going to the canteen or for a shower or whatever. Then the onus is on them.
Try telling an airline pilot to leave the aircraft when unloading,or a ferry captain and train driver.They dont hand in whatever it takes to start their modes of transport.We are an easy target,no loss to them at the rdc to ban us.,or not tip the load.
I can understand the reason for it- RDC staff have been killed when truck drivers have driven off of the dock while a MHE operator was still unloading the trailer.
i’m lucky. i don’t have to go to rdc’s very often.
but don’t they have a duty to you and themselves to protect angainst SWINE FLU?
if you stay in your cab, then you are out of harms way, and so are they. unless you are eating in the canteen. as we all have to eat, but moderate protection should be the norm.
so if you get swine flu, just tell a newspaper that it was caught in xxxxxxx supermarket rdc, whichever you hate the most.
then, you have done your duty, at least you will be able to have a good laugh before you die.
At our depot keys have to clipped to the loading door, if no keys are handed in. The warehouse staff will not unload the trailer, but drivers are allowed to use the staff canteen or sit in the cab. they also can use the bread shop to purchase bread (which is very cheap)
Harry Monk:
I can understand the reason for it- RDC staff have been killed when truck drivers have driven off of the dock while a MHE operator was still unloading the trailer.
They could take your keys off you and make you apply the trailer brake, then if your in the cab and accidentally knock the parking brake off the truck aint going to roll away.
Could also make it an offence which the TC could deal with if you keep a spare set of keys and drive off before the truck is unloaded, i hate having to wait in waiting rooms at RDC’s luckly only ever had to do it at Tescos Livingston and usually they were waiting for the load i was bringing in so was tipped within an hour.
But at 3am its an hour could spend having a sleep in the cab, to refresh yourself rather than sitting with eyes burning because of the crappy fluorecent lights and sitting in uncomfortable chairs.
Some of the guys you see in these places have been waiting for 4-6 hours must be mindnumbing i couldnt handle it, would only take a job that involved that kinda wait if i was really strapped for cash.
Being a container driver I am one of those blokes who is there up to six hours. I usaully go well prepared , coffee ,drink,book, magazine,crossword ( well several).
But two weeks ago I hadn’t had much sleep so i thought I would drop trailer,park unit across the yard and get my head down. Asked politely if this was acceptable i was told, no problem. When you have parked the unit it bring the keys in. WHY !,it’s the rules, apparently!
Used to love container work,would give un loading staff my mobile,and call me when an hour from finishing.Would cycle for hours,where ever i was,accros london,along the canals at Birminham,Manchester,or over the hills in Yorkshire.
Hi Kit Kat…I was at the same RDC a few weeks ago and a driver stayed in his cab. Believe me they do notice where you are. The driver was in his cab for over an hour before he realised they refused to tip him until he left it. And man up…its not cold in the little drivers waiting area, but it does need some chairs Or do what I do and go back after either 15 minutes, 25 minutes or 40 minutes, depending on what ‘break’ you’re wishing to take
ROG: It’s about time that some basic laws/rules were made for this sort of situation.
If it is a site rule that no drivers are to be in their cabs then this should happen -
Hand in keys and get handed a bleeper to let you know when your truck is ready for you - swap bleeper to get get keys back.
Toilet facilities, canteen and rest room, suitably heated/cooled along with TV should be supplied.
When are we going to get into the 21st century
Go to Sainsbury’s in Alington, Kent…They give you a bleeper. The canteen is a couple of minutes away but its not bad. First time I went there as soon as I sat down the bleeper went off…i was tipped, full 26 pallets, in 4 minutes
knight:
‘…When you have parked the unit it bring the keys in. WHY !,it’s the rules, apparently!..’
But, my observation/strop to Goods-in staff is that if my tacho needs changing to rest with the ignition on, then any ‘bringing-in’ of keys after I’ve set it to break is surely work - therefore can’t be legally done. It usually goes straight over their heads as I get a sulk-on in some sad & pokey area.
Why are the ‘keys-to-be-handed-in’ RDC Risk Assessors not factoring this into their site Risk Assessments?
I arrived at DC,Shunter told me Bay,then hunding Doc’s and Key in and up in Restaurant to eat,as waiting in Cab was refused.
Back from the Resti to driver Room for 20 min. Now to counter asking for Key,as i have to start my Break.
You not on POA? there asked.
No,i said.POA would mean i can do what i like,which is using my Notebook in Private Atmosphaere in Cab you refused,why it is Working,as you decide what i have to do and where.
Well,a phonecall from the Guy to my Office,but he couldn’t change my mind.The Shunter had to bring the Lorry from the Bay to the Parking,as i don’t split my Break.
Do you know what would be the easiest answer?..if lots of the small haulage firms wrote to VOSA and asked for a final and written answer to the question “If tipping at an RDC and the driver is not allowed back in their cab, but must wait in a drivers waiting room, then can it actually be counted as rest?”…depending on the answer from VOSA it may force RDC’s to change a few things and be more friendly, especially that Morrisons RDC that say you cant park for a break within 3 miles or something of their depot.
But this is where the UK haulage industry fails…they never stand up for anything, and then only ■■■■■ at the lack of respect.
Adam_Mc:
Do you know what would be the easiest answer?..if lots of the small haulage firms wrote to VOSA and asked for a final and written answer to the question “If tipping at an RDC and the driver is not allowed back in their cab, but must wait in a drivers waiting room, then can it actually be counted as rest?”…depending on the answer from VOSA it may force RDC’s to change a few things and be more friendly, especially that Morrisons RDC that say you cant park for a break within 3 miles or something of their depot.
But this is where the UK haulage industry fails…they never stand up for anything, and then only ■■■■■ at the lack of respect.
But of course you are on break, if anyone is so much of an old woman to worry about walking back to goods in reception with the keys, then take your card with you and draw pretty lines on it in the canteen every 15 minutes or do a manual entry when you get your keys back.
I have taken a 15 minute break in a ministry control if it is looking tight to get a ferry
Adam_Mc:
Do you know what would be the easiest answer?..if lots of the small haulage firms wrote to VOSA and asked for a final and written answer to the question “If tipping at an RDC and the driver is not allowed back in their cab, but must wait in a drivers waiting room, then can it actually be counted as rest?”…depending on the answer from VOSA it may force RDC’s to change a few things and be more friendly, especially that Morrisons RDC that say you cant park for a break within 3 miles or something of their depot.
But this is where the UK haulage industry fails…they never stand up for anything, and then only ■■■■■ at the lack of respect.
But of course you are on break, if anyone is so much of an old woman to worry about walking back to goods in reception with the keys, then take your card with you and draw pretty lines on it in the canteen every 15 minutes or do a manual entry when you get your keys back.
I have taken a 15 minute break in a ministry control if it is looking tight to get a ferry
I understand your point, and to be honest I’ll take my break as well, as I’ve said, my truck won’t leave their dock until I’ve had enough ‘rest’. But the point is, rest is defined as a period where a driver isn’t working and is able to freely dispose of their time. If you’re being forced to go and wait somewhere then surely you’re not freely disposing of your time, therefore it’s not legally a break?..The hidden message is for people to either man up and accept it or stand up and fight against it.
My method is simple, I accept I can’t stay in my cab, and my way of dealing with it is I control the minimum times, not the RDC…If I want 45 minutes but I’m unloaded in 20 then I’ll make myself disappear to the toilets for “a thoughtfull ■■■ session”.
Or do what I do and go back after either 15 minutes, 25 minutes or 40 minutes, depending on what ‘break’ you’re wishing to take 
