First/new job, any tips?

As of today I’ve secured some work driving a rigid truck in the music business, pa equipment etc on a tour this month.

I’ve done music work for a few years now, but never done overnight work. Just wondered if anyone on here has any sensible advice for tramping.

Also, it’s a Scania 94d 220 with a 4 over 4 gearbox, annoyingly, being a tall person I can see my leg knocking it into the low ratio all the time as the switch is on the side of the gearstick rather than on the front, bloody good idea!

Another thing, it’s still on paper tacho, anyone recommend something to keep all the discs in? I was thinking a cd wallet type thing might do the job.

So yeah, any tramping tips or any advice about that particular truck would be great, thanks!

I use one of the wallets for my discs

And the truck timer app on my phone for keeping track of my times and breaks (best bit of kit I got :laughing: ) :wink:

I’ve never used of even been taught nothing about paper tacho before, may I ask what the stuff on the right is in your picture? And when you say wallet, is it a tacho graph chart wallet, if you could link me to one online that’d be great.

Hi, I got it for a couple of quid a while ago from ebay, just search tacho wallet.
You need to keep your discs on you when driving a wagon for 28 days but you have up to 42 days (I think or 45 days) to hand them in to the office, so I keep the last 30 days in my wallet in the envelopes for each week then as I complete a week I have the oldest week in with my time sheet to keep it rolling.
The discs and envelopes should be supplied by your employer.
I keep my time sheets in a folder with expenses and tachos together.

One thing I do is to mark my start time on the disc as SOD (start of duty) and end time EOD (end of duty) to tally with my time sheets.
Easy day today we where finished by 15.00hs but paid to 16.30hs so I just tally it up.Some dont agree with this way of thinking but I very rarely max my hours so no issues and keeps it organised and straight in my mind :laughing: :laughing:

Congrats. on the new job,I keep my charts in a c.d. wallet that I bought in Poundland.Can anyone guess how much it was?

alamcculloch:
.Can anyone guess how much it was?

2.50-2.75?

Well done finding a job mate other than getting your self organized take your time dont rush do the job properly as opposed to quickly and remember the licence is yours your employer is only renting it so look after it as if you loose it your on your own ! good luck there’s a site called my driving hours.com which is really useful for keeping track of your hours an the like and its free word of warning thow it dosent recognise split rests

alamcculloch:
Congrats. on the new job,I keep my charts in a c.d. wallet that I bought in Poundland.Can anyone guess how much it was?

ERRRR,50p,lol

truckman020:

alamcculloch:
Congrats. on the new job,I keep my charts in a c.d. wallet that I bought in Poundland.Can anyone guess how much it was?

ERRRR,50p,lol

I was going to use LP covers but they wouldnt fit in my folder :laughing:

If the 4 over 4 box is like mine on my 114l 340 when you change the range do not engage the gear to quick, you will find your self in the land of lost drive and no gears, usually at busy lights or roundabouts :laughing:
It just needs that second of time to sort its noggin out before it wrecks your noggin :wink:

you could tru double declutching to get the timeing right if your confident doing it

there seems to be a trend at bringing back the old days so when they get fed up with the digital [the government]what do you reckon next re introduce log books,would not surprise me one bit

Nowt wrong with the old days mate

I passed class 1 PSV near 30 years ago double de clutching, so much easier doubling a syncromesh :laughing:
Nar the Scania range change on the 4 over 4 are cantankerous sods sometimes, just give it that extra half to one second and smooth as silk until you forget and get flash doing a quick range change and gear change again :laughing:

And I am not even going to mention the stubborn box when the oil is cold… :blush: just did :laughing:

Any other advice people would be willing to share?

My 1st truck was a 4 over 4 94D. It’s a good gearbox and the motor has plenty of power for a 4 or 6 wheel rigid. Mine was a relatively new 4 series though. The switch was on the front of the gear stick. We have some with it on the side, and yes, you will knock it now and again, but you’ll get in the habit of feeling the switch when you change gear to make sure you’re on the right range. I did a fair few nights out in it, but they’re not the most spacious truck. I certainly couldn’t tramp in one; but then I am a big unit. They are a good truck to drive though, and they’ll last forever.

I’m now in a 124L with a GRS box which is brilliant IMO. Miles better than any of the newer R series we have.

Paper tachos are easy once you get used to them. I find them easier than digi tbh. I have a tacho wallet (a couple of quid) for my tachos but a few of the boys use the box that you get new blank cd’s or dvd’s in.

We had not long ago a 6ft 6 ,20 St kick boxer on here asking about the size of scania ( or truck cabs) and would it fit him ,I suggested he changed his diet but we never heard anymore of him so maybe his boss gave him the KING size top line he seemed too think he needed and his boss would buy him,look up the thread ,pm him and I’m sure he will give you advice on 0/size cabs for oversize drivers .
God helps us when you try the bunk :unamused: :unamused:

Hammy747:
I’ve never used of even been taught nothing about paper tacho before, may I ask what the stuff on the right is in your picture?

They’re paper envelopes for tachographs. They’re great. Get a box of tachos, get a box of those envelopes. Put 6 cards in each envelope and stick them in the cab somewhere. Make sure you’ve got 4 weeks of used cards in those envelopes in your cab and every week hand the oldest of those into the traffic office and you’re then retaining the 28 days cards you’re required to.

A lot of companies I’ve worked at who have supplied tacho cards, as they all should, have given out those envelopes as well.

I think that it is wasteful but you should have a tacho even for the days that you dont work or drive.If you work Mon.to FRiday you should draw a line on Friday"s chart and put the letters S.W.R. for start of weekly rest and on Monday draw line with E.W.R. end of weekly rest.Apologies if this appears patronizing to some on here but others are new to the industry and not familiar with paper charts.

Hammy747:
Any other advice people would be willing to share?

I do the same kind of job, although it’s nice to be helpful and you need to be a bit more than just a driver, just keep in the back of your mind that you may have to drive through-out the night to get to the next gig, whereas your colleagues are either asleep in the tour bus or already in their hotel. Sounds obvious but I see a lot of guys get stuck-in helping out then too knackered to drive.

In my opinion the key to enjoying the job is to be available and make yourself part of the team when needed but remember you are there primarily to get the kit to the next venue. As long as you do the last bit no one will have cause to complain. The other bits are all about being friendly and helpful - which I guess you are. On for KB?

Good luck and enjoy it.