Roymondo:
I used to be employed by DHL. They invited me to apply to be a Driver Assessor in addition to my regular role as a Driver. I did their training (3 days in Bristol IIRC, staying in a Holiday Inn type hotel with expenses paid) and also did a small number of assessments before I told them to stuff it as I was being required to do the assessments (and all the paperwork etc attached) in addition to doing my regular driving work with no time allowance for the assessment stuff.
At the time I had held my Group C licence for about 7 years, C+E for only about 2 years.
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Would you care to share with us the protocol that you’re required to follow, if any, or you are allowed to fail the applicant on the first minor mistake? Thanks
The “protocol” I was given was essentially to look at the drive as a whole, rather than focusing on individual “failures”. Essentially, did I feel happy to sit in the passenger seat or was I on edge, feeling that the candidate wasn’t giving me (and the vehicle) a safe drive?
Reversing onto a bay, coupling/uncoupling the trailer were rather more formulaic. A shunt or three perfectly acceptable (provided the shunts were actually “justifiable” rather than simply trying again and again without actually getting any closer to the required alignment). The candidate would be told that BLACK procedure was to be followed and if they couldn’t do that during an assessment, what chance of them doing it day-to-day?
Fuel-efficient, smooth driving could be coached later if needed - I was really just looking for a safe drive with awareness of other road users, kerbs, road signs, traffic lights etc.
Roymondo:
I used to be employed by DHL. They invited me to apply to be a Driver Assessor in addition to my regular role as a Driver. I did their training (3 days in Bristol IIRC, staying in a Holiday Inn type hotel with expenses paid) and also did a small number of assessments before I told them to stuff it as I was being required to do the assessments (and all the paperwork etc attached) in addition to doing my regular driving work with no time allowance for the assessment stuff.
At the time I had held my Group C licence for about 7 years, C+E for only about 2 years.
Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk
Would you care to share with us the protocol that you’re required to follow, if any, or you are allowed to fail the applicant on the first minor mistake? Thanks
The “protocol” I was given was essentially to look at the drive as a whole, rather than focusing on individual “failures”. Essentially, did I feel happy to sit in the passenger seat or was I on edge, feeling that the candidate wasn’t giving me (and the vehicle) a safe drive?
Reversing onto a bay, coupling/uncoupling the trailer were rather more formulaic. A shunt or three perfectly acceptable (provided the shunts were actually “justifiable” rather than simply trying again and again without actually getting any closer to the required alignment). The candidate would be told that BLACK procedure was to be followed and if they couldn’t do that during an assessment, what chance of them doing it day-to-day?
Fuel-efficient, smooth driving could be coached later if needed - I was really just looking for a safe drive with awareness of other road users, kerbs, road signs, traffic lights etc.
Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk
exactly my point! Lets all agree that this was a ■■■■ company with corrupt TM that just took adavntage of me because he didn’t like me.
robroy…there was no attitude. After the assessment I asked politely, shouldnt we go on a motorway. By then he had already made up his mind.
Why would you need to go on a Motorway for an assessment? Motorway driving essentially involves switching on the cruise control then staying awake until you reach your exit. The whole idea of an assessment is to judge how the candidate handles the vehicle in varied traffic, how he approaches junctions, roundabouts, narrow sections, busy streets, left/right turns etc.
You seem to be quite hung up on not having been on a motorway. I would have thought that a motorway would be of little value to a driving assessment. No kerbs, parked cars, opposite traffic flow, pedestrians, less traffic signs and road markings… most drivers can cope with a straight road, so it hardly gives “the whole picture”. You aren’t even taken on a motorway for your test. I would see it as a waste of time and fuel to see if a driver could go a junction down the motorway and back.
The assessor could easily make a decision on your driving and attitude based on what you have told us. It sounds like a reasonable assessment to me. Maybe for your next one, you could tell them what you expect so you are not so disappointed…
Skndlz:
exactly my point! Lets all agree that this was a [zb] company with corrupt TM that just took adavntage of me because he didn’t like me.
Nobody likes not getting the job they’re trying out for, but that just reads like sour grapes.
I wouldn’t agree they’re a poor company, they’re not answerable to people who’re trying out for them, it’s their job offer so it’s their rules.
I also wouldn’t agree that they have a corrupt TM, not least of all because there’s nothing to say that their TM was your assessor - I’m an external TM but I don’t driver-assess for my clients.
Skndlz:
robroy…there was no attitude. After the assessment I asked politely, shouldnt we go on a motorway. By then he had already made up his mind.
To be fair to the assessor, it’s not the candidate’s place to tell an assessor how they should be assessed. Even if they had taken you for a drive on a motorway, how would that have helped? It’s by far the easiest part of driving and tells the assessor very little.
Have your considered that your comments might have added to putting the kybosh on your chances? There’s a good chance they weren’t appreciated, and a fair chance the assessor used them as a convenient way to say why you weren’t suitable when he reported back to the gaffer. He may very well have said something along the lines like, “Nah, he’s no good, he just wants to do motorway driving”.
If you’re really bothered about this try-out you need to ask them what they felt was wrong with your performance, you might have felt your drive was good but they may have spotted issues they were concerned about, knowing what they didn’t like might help you avoid these next time around.
today morning I was on a driving assessment and the assessor, transport manager himself, asked me to drive two trailers from the workshop as part of the assessment because " didnt have available trailers". obviously killing two birds with one stone. is that even legal? I havent signed a contract yet so I assume I wouldn’t be compensated for any potential injuries that might’ve happened, or would I?
P.S. still waiting for outcome
Cheers…
I would not call it an assessment, I would class it as a Practical PRE - Employment Interview !!! Which includes, dropping and picking up a trailer from various locations, plus the maneuverability of the vehicle while hooked up and solo.
You ask if its legal ■■ A company can initiate any and all types of pre employment testing and interview, I have never heard of anyone being paid for an interview, and I doubt very much a contract was needed. As to injuries should one happen, the companies insurance should cover you.
As has been mentioned already, the question of are you presently or wanting to be a Trucker.
Remember the company owes you nothing you are BEGING for employment and must meet their requirements,
If I was the Interviewer / Transport Manager I would have rejected you, because your mind set is obviously unmatched for the task you applied for. You may want to try Mac Donalds, they have DRIVE THROUGHS !!!
grumpybum:
You seem to be quite hung up on not having been on a motorway. I would have thought that a motorway would be of little value to a driving assessment. No kerbs, parked cars, opposite traffic flow, pedestrians, less traffic signs and road markings… most drivers can cope with a straight road, so it hardly gives “the whole picture”. You aren’t even taken on a motorway for your test. I would see it as a waste of time and fuel to see if a driver could go a junction down the motorway and back.
The assessor could easily make a decision on your driving and attitude based on what you have told us. It sounds like a reasonable assessment to me. Maybe for your next one, you could tell them what you expect so you are not so disappointed…
I dont know where you are but M25 is pretty scary at peak times, you have to know what you’re doing, be alert and manoeuvre like a F1 driver.
today morning I was on a driving assessment and the assessor, transport manager himself, asked me to drive two trailers from the workshop as part of the assessment because " didnt have available trailers". obviously killing two birds with one stone. is that even legal? I havent signed a contract yet so I assume I wouldn’t be compensated for any potential injuries that might’ve happened, or would I?
P.S. still waiting for outcome
Cheers…
I would not call it an assessment, I would class it as a Practical PRE - Employment Interview !!! Which includes, dropping and picking up a trailer from various locations, plus the maneuverability of the vehicle while hooked up and solo.
You ask if its legal ■■ A company can initiate any and all types of pre employment testing and interview, I have never heard of anyone being paid for an interview, and I doubt very much a contract was needed. As to injuries should one happen, the companies insurance should cover you.
As has been mentioned already, the question of are you presently or wanting to be a Trucker.
Remember the company owes you nothing you are BEGING for employment and must meet their requirements,
If I was the Interviewer / Transport Manager I would have rejected you, because your mind set is obviously unmatched for the task you applied for. You may want to try Mac Donalds, they have DRIVE THROUGHS !!!
toonsy:
Just to clarify does this job have a £250,000pa salary, company Bentley and gold plated pension?
no. But lets say it does, lets say youre being offered a £60k, 40 h/w, with great benefits Would it make a difference?
My point is unless it’s got significantly better pay terms and benefits than other jobs its not worth getting wound up over, just go to the next firm for the next run of the mill job - there’s plenty of them about.
On the other hand, if it does have great pay terms and benefits then they can afford to be picky and make any assessment whatever they want to make it.
I dont know where you are but M25 is pretty scary at peak times, you have to know what you’re doing, be alert and manoeuvre like a F1 driver.
Scary motorways… M25 at peak times is more akin to a car park, hardly as testing as working in residential areas: home deliveries of building supplies in a 26 ton hiab down streets that can barely cope with a 3.5 tonner; better still, driving a bin wagon up and down residential streets (and back lanes) day-in-day-out with constant two way traffic, pedestrians all over the place, manoeuvres so tight you wouldn’t even believe they’re possible, cars so badly parked you could class them as abandoned, and PITA residents giving you grief simply for being within spitting distance of their pride-and-joy.
I dont know where you are but M25 is pretty scary at peak times, you have to know what you’re doing, be alert and manoeuvre like a F1 driver.
I’m not sure whether to be insulted or just slightly bemused…
My location is in the information below my user name. But regardless of where I am, some drivers do actually venture outside of the area they live and sometimes even make it as far as the M25. Granted, only three times last week, but I think I have a fair grip on it.
You came on to ask what other people thought, and the concensus seems to be that it was fine as an assessment. Next time, try not to overthink it - just drive where you’re asked to and don’t worry too much about how it ‘should’ be. Just follow instructions and think of the end result. Best of luck for the next one.
