First Shift looms, 7 Millions things racing round my head

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
21

Alfa1M:

spacemanZ10:
How did it go Alfa?

How long have you got? Horrendous.

Started with a phone call at 5 pm last night asking if I’d do a different job, a one drop and back load to Wokingham overnighter. Sounded easy as It gets, I took it.

Got to the yard, gates locked, no securit, no code. Couldnt get through to the agency or the company.

Waited half an hour for another agency worker to turn up with a code.

Didn’t get a briefing as Noone on site. Found the vehicle with the load bulging out one side by a good 10cm. Refused to take it (couldn’t gain access to the load to strap it anyway). Waited for someone to turn up, First on site was TM.
" Why the [zb] are you still here, it’s got to be there for 12"
Told him the problem.
“My lads know how to load a wagon”

Oh right nice one.
Stupidly backed down and accepted it, strapped up best I could.

Left yard, 5 mins down the road checked my fuel gauge. Less than quarter. My fault for missing it out on the walk round, was rushing and stressed and made a stupid error.

No fuel card. Pulled up and tried ringing TM. No answer. Rang agency. They tried TM. No answer.
Agency rang me back and said fill it up to what I need and they will cover the costs by bank transfer, I agreed.

Get down as far as Leicester services.

TM rings. Get a bollocking for not taking fuel card.

I inform him I’m not going to make the drop for 12.
Told to carry on regardless.

10 mins later TM rings again.
Get back. Their rejecting the late drop.
Went back. Given a 2nd job local multi drops.

At this point I’m fuming. Given a piece of crap 10 yr old Volvo with manual tacho, never used before. Get assisance for that of one of the older drivers, the TM came over said nothing but gave me a stare like id just touched his children inappropriately.

Scrape side of the truck along a wall whilst turning right out of the yard. Stupid stupid error.

Get out hand keys in and fill in accident report.

Thanks for asking anyway!
Beer time.

All of this is the agency’s and TM’s fault, not yours!
Agency should have told TM that you were new. :imp:
TM should do his job and actually organise things… :unamused:

Stuff em pal! :smiley:

22

Thanks for the optimism, I do feel a little let down an agency I trusted if they haven’t relayed the information on that it was my first day. Also got a bit unlucky that the TM was a 20 year old stuck up git that’s never sat behind a wagon. But even so I made 2 stupid mistakes that should of never happened.

Got a weeks work at a local carpet and flooring place from Monday so yeah, stuff em. Consider today one very big lesson learnt and move on!

23

Alfa1M:
Consider today one very big lesson learnt and move on!

Sounds like a plan to me.

24

Sounds lile a dodgy company if they allowing that level of loading, but one answer could be that you’re taking pics of it in the yard with him there incsse vosa stop you. If its all ok then there wont be a problem…bet it wouldnt leave the yard.

Does sound like agency arent exactly great but that seems to be the norm esp when they know they dealing with iffy companies.

There is better out there, just hang in…

25

Dont lose hope alfa mate mine is 5th shift and i am still stressing it out alot. I have a question to ask if i start my shift 11pm night time and didnt put my card in tacho till lets say 11:30 pm because of truck isnt available now do i have to put manual entry from 11pm or should i put card in and do my 15 minutes check ups and i am good to go?

26

crazyplay:
Dont lose hope alfa mate mine is 5th shift and i am still stressing it out alot. I have a question to ask if i start my shift 11pm night time and didnt put my card in tacho till lets say 11:30 pm because of truck isnt available now do i have to put manual entry from 11pm or should i put card in and do my 15 minutes check ups and i am good to go?

If that was me, and I was getting paid hourly, I would put my card in (in your case at 11.30) assuming you were on rest/ break prior to this time and select manual entry? Yes… then go back to 11.00 and put it on other work till the current time (11.30). Previous to the 11.00 entry it should be break/rest since you took out the card… I know some who select poa, but some companies don’t pay this as hourly ‘work’…You could well just put your card in at 11.30 and set to other work, do your checks etc. for an easy life, but over time, those 30 minutes lost add up.

27

Rough start! Some of the stress could have been taken out the situation with some tacho/hours training. It never ceases to amaze me how many folks decline this when it’s possibly one of the biggest causes of hassle on the first few shift.

Surely some basic knowledge would help?

Seems that this wasn’t the finest hour for the operator, let alone the driver.

Pete :laughing: :laughing:

28

Alfa1M:

spacemanZ10:
How did it go Alfa?

How long have you got? Horrendous.

Started with a phone call at 5 pm last night asking if I’d do a different job, a one drop and back load to Wokingham overnighter. Sounded easy as It gets, I took it.

Got to the yard, gates locked, no securit, no code. Couldnt get through to the agency or the company.

Waited half an hour for another agency worker to turn up with a code.

Didn’t get a briefing as Noone on site. Found the vehicle with the load bulging out one side by a good 10cm. Refused to take it (couldn’t gain access to the load to strap it anyway). Waited for someone to turn up, First on site was TM.
" Why the [zb] are you still here, it’s got to be there for 12"
Told him the problem.
“My lads know how to load a wagon”

Oh right nice one.
Stupidly backed down and accepted it, strapped up best I could.

Left yard, 5 mins down the road checked my fuel gauge. Less than quarter. My fault for missing it out on the walk round, was rushing and stressed and made a stupid error.

No fuel card. Pulled up and tried ringing TM. No answer. Rang agency. They tried TM. No answer.
Agency rang me back and said fill it up to what I need and they will cover the costs by bank transfer, I agreed.

Get down as far as Leicester services.

TM rings. Get a bollocking for not taking fuel card.

I inform him I’m not going to make the drop for 12.
Told to carry on regardless.

10 mins later TM rings again.
Get back. Their rejecting the late drop.
Went back. Given a 2nd job local multi drops.

At this point I’m fuming. Given a piece of crap 10 yr old Volvo with manual tacho, never used before. Get assisance for that of one of the older drivers, the TM came over said nothing but gave me a stare like id just touched his children inappropriately.

Scrape side of the truck along a wall whilst turning right out of the yard. Stupid stupid error.

Get out hand keys in and fill in accident report.

Thanks for asking anyway!
Beer time.

Tell you what mate,i think you deserve some credit for sticking with that shift. I honestly think id have walked straight out of the yard before even taking the wagon out.

29

Yeah, but you and I have a bit of experience and don’t need the start to kick off our careers…

30

Evil8Beezle:
Yeah, but you and I have a bit of experience and don’t need the start to kick off our careers…

Actually Evil ive got 0 experience myself,still waiting to work my first shift after last weekends event lol.

Youre right though,its easy me saying that but i wasnt there!

31

Going much better now, besides negotiating the road from Coniston through to Ambleside up in the lake district if anyone knows it on my first proper shift, very easy work all 4 days I’ve done for the firm I’d say all the load would fit in a LWB transit.

I’m not complaining though.

Driving through the Lakes with the sun out and radio on, reminder of why I persued this career despite many saying stay clear.

Im oh so naive I know every week won’t be like this one!!

32

Alfa1M:
Going much better now, besides negotiating the road from Coniston through to Ambleside up in the lake district if anyone knows it on my first proper shift, very easy work all 4 days I’ve done for the firm I’d say all the load would fit in a LWB transit.

I’m not complaining though.

Driving through the Lakes with the sun out and radio on, reminder of why I persued this career despite many saying stay clear.

Im oh so naive I know every week won’t be like this one!!

Glad things picked up for you mate. Kudos for not letting the bad experience put you off!

33

andy_s:

crazyplay:
Dont lose hope alfa mate mine is 5th shift and i am still stressing it out alot. I have a question to ask if i start my shift 11pm night time and didnt put my card in tacho till lets say 11:30 pm because of truck isnt available now do i have to put manual entry from 11pm or should i put card in and do my 15 minutes check ups and i am good to go?

If that was me, and I was getting paid hourly, I would put my card in (in your case at 11.30) assuming you were on rest/ break prior to this time and select manual entry? Yes… then go back to 11.00 and put it on other work till the current time (11.30). Previous to the 11.00 entry it should be break/rest since you took out the card… I know some who select poa, but some companies don’t pay this as hourly ‘work’…You could well just put your card in at 11.30 and set to other work, do your checks etc. for an easy life, but over time, those 30 minutes lost add up.

Hey Andy i only work once one week and 2 shifts the following week now drivers are saying just write the manual in your diary and take a print out end of every shift and put it in diary. Is this way of doing is right?