Finished my first week as a Class 1 driver on Thursday morning. Wow, what happened to this so called learning curve■■? Mine was more like a vertical climb with a ton weight on me back
Done 2 days induction pretty much in the classroom, then a night with a driver and then on my 4th night I was out on my own.
When I was out with the driver we shared the driving, the cab was a Scania R440 6x2 with a 13m tri axle trailer. All went as smooth as a first drive goes (not very) and i found the reversing was a complete NIGHTMARE. I also pulled a double decker, 16’4" of buttock clenching driving. By the end of the shift I was a mess and my nerves were shot
Starting the 4th day out on my own was the worst as I knew what was coming but I managed to do 2 (store) deliveries with what was some half decent service yards, still had to do some pretty sharp turns getting the cab at a right angle to the trailer. I was in a Scania G400 which although felt a bit underpowered compared to the 440 I found it much easier to manoeuvre. I also tackled (what I thought was) a low bridge, was praying to god I’d marked the height up right Even so I slowed right down and even though I bet there was a good 10" to spare it certainly didn’t look like it!
By the end of the night I was feeling a lot more relaxed and was even doing my reversing better. Lets just say I had a good mentor and instead of trying to good side reverse it in I found it much easier to find my mark and get the whole thing relatively straight infront of the bay before reversing.
Had the weekend off and I’m back in Sunday night so I shall see what that brings.
One thing that I am struggling with is keeping track of my driving times. Still don’t k ow how to tackle that problem but in sure it will come eventually.
Well done mate you survived the first week !
As regards driving time , if its Scania I’m assuming Stoneridge Tacho which I find easier to work than Siemens , your driving time is displayed on a daily basis on the device , if you want Your weekly aggregate driving its pretty easy to display I can’t remember just how but someone will be along soon to tell you I’m sure!
Best of luck next week .
Jim
Yeah that’s right a Stoneridge. I’m thinking of getting a timer app of some sort but I dont like my phone being taken up like that (unless it works in the background).
Congrats mate! I was just commenting on an other thread about drivers learning every day. The way you wrote that, I thought I was there myself!
Your story is great, the fact you were so tired at the end of the shift shows how much effort you’d put in and how much care you’d taken. That’s proper professionalism, fair play to ya.
By the end of my final day I was beginning to get my head around it all. I’ll feel a bit more relaxed when I go in Sunday night as I know where everything is. Might even see if I can get a timer or something from the local shops to help me keep track of the times. I know it’s on the tacho somewhere but I haven’t figured it out yet. That trucker timer app looks great but I could do with another device to run it.
It’s also a bit of a challenge getting from a 2 b without using a sat nav. I do get given directions but it still a little different. I got lost the other night on my last delivery so decided to use my phone for a little guidance. In the few miles I needed to correct it tried sending me down weight restricted routes and no right turns etc!
Saying that I can use the countdown timer on my phone. Set it to 4hours and pause it when I’m on POA. Daft question but POA effectively pauses your driving/other work time doesn’t it?
Well done mate,get ready the first time you pull a decker in high winds especially on when going over bridges or in open areas on the motorway. That is when you’re arse cheeks are so clenched together, you can’t even put a ■■■ paper between em!
Good on yer…
My first day in an artic by myself was central London in an XF105 auto and tri axle curtainsider…That was less than 48 hours after passing my test, 4 years ago.
Baptism of fire, as I had only driven a class 2 about 6 times
Multi drop around London in an artic so soon can focus the mind!
Frightened and excited in equal measure
Other work counts towards working time.
So, 2 hrs driving is that and 2hr 30 is working time.
When you get to a max of 4h 30mins driving you need 45 mins break.(or split down to a 15 & a 30)
Working time is min 15 mins break before 6 hrs work. 15 more if working between 6&9 hours and 15 again if wok is more than 9 hrs, though you’ll probably be on a driving break before then.
stevieboy308:
other work and poa don’t use up any driving time fella
I thought other work counted towards driving time? ie, 2hrs driving and 2hrs 30 mins other work = 45 minute break?
Working time does not count towards driving time! But driving time does count towards working time…
e.g. Drive for 3 hours and Other Work for 3 hours would trigger the need for a break (of at least 15 minutes).
TBH it is somewhat worrying that a professional driver hasn’t got a handle on this, frankly very basic level stuff. Another candidate for DCPC training?
I find if you watch the Tacho all the time, then you are enslaved by it. Takes the fun out of driving.
I am sure we are allowed to enjoy our work, or are we just expected to be robots?
It`s a funny old world
stevieboy308:
other work and poa don’t use up any driving time fella
I thought other work counted towards driving time? ie, 2hrs driving and 2hrs 30 mins other work = 45 minute break?
Working time does not count towards driving time! But driving time does count towards working time…
e.g. Drive for 3 hours and Other Work for 3 hours would trigger the need for a break (of at least 15 minutes).
TBH it is somewhat worrying that a professional driver hasn’t got a handle on this, frankly very basic level stuff. Another candidate for DCPC training?
He wasn’t asking about anything - the post that I quoted specifically stated that the author thought Other Work time counted towards Driving time and would trigger a 45 minute break when the two added together got to 4.5 hours. No mention at all of POA.
I think you’ll find I’m no professional driver, having driven for all of 2 days
The way I worked it on my last shift was, I started at 8pm so therefore thought that unless I clocked up and POA then my break would be at 00:30 for 45 minutes.
Talk about a massive spanner thrown in the works. Time for that trucker timer app methinks…
Well Done on getting through the first week unscathed. It looks like you’ve got the driving sorted. Just gotta start sorting out your times, breaks and totals.
I think Roymondo was being a little harsh, but you definitely need to get your head round it rather rapidly or it will cause you a lot of problems.
POA only increases Duty Time, nothing else. It should only be used when you know in advance the length of time you will be stationary.
Driving time is only Wheels Turning. It will increase your Work and Duty totals.
Even so I slowed right down and even though I bet there was a good 10" to spare it certainly didn’t look like it!
