scanny77:
It seems to come down to the interpretation of a drivers duties and there is clearly a divide in opinions. I was trained to self recover where possible ie bulbs, fuses, wheels and anything that can be temp bodged with bungees and a roll of black nasty. We don’t carry spare wheels but i will change bulbs and fuses. I carry spares in my car too for exactly the same reason
Do you still climb under trailers with your torch when you’re doing your daily checks?
(only the really old-timers here will remember this one).
i will check the jaws if the clunks don’t sound right or the 3 tugs don’t feel right. Dropping a trailer on its knees isn’t something i want on my record
Aggreed changing bulbs and having a spare airline and bits like that drivers should be able to that but if you work for a blue chip firm where you will end up with a disaplinary for changing a bulb what do you do.
Agree though its these policys that have dummed the job down.
Most things now are down to someone in an office thinking there will be a claim if you cut your finger because of no training. I had to drop a trailer in our yard on a bay one night in the rain so put drivers window down to see where I was going but it would not go back up so asked for a bin bag to hang up over window to keep rain out but was told no as not trained, don’t no what next driver thought when he had to sit on a wet seat.
Cruise Control:
Our place we’re not allowed purely because Renault bulbs are so hard to replace, you have to take off half the bumper and if you don’t get head light fixture correctly screwed back in it falls onto road. They cost 200-300 to replace.
Just curious, But have you had a look yourself or has some office pleb told everyone that this is the case?
Most newer lorries are a doddle to do, But i’ve never had a renault.
Somebody has been telling Cruise Control porkies , Renault headlights are a piece of ■■■■ to change !
I’m just talking about midlum cabs. Yes I’ve seen it done, even the Renault guy did same way. Its just a faf having to undo 4 bolts with an Alan key then get screw driver to push the clip up then the whole casing comes out. Think its because some times bolts haven’t been tightened correctly. Drives goes down road and he runs over the casing. Premium cabs lots easier just undo side bolt and the casing swings out.
If we where allowed to id give it a go but we’re not expected to do it or allowed and in this day and age if you do .it and something goes wrong its ur neck on block.
How long does it take to get the bulb kit out of the locker by the tacho, get screwdriver out, take lens off, replace bulb and put it back?
Went to get a defect sorted for a trailer the other week (new tyre needed), two old-timers going on about roping and sheeting in force 18 gales whilst waiting for the next ferry because they missed HoFE because they were on the balcony, making comments about how I’m too young to know real trucking like that etc, what were they there for? 1 had a side light bulb out on trailer, the other had tail light out on his unit.
If you’re “a driver, not a mechanic”, I suppose you’re not a cleaner either, so you won’t brush out your trailer afterwards? You’re a driver, not a secretary, so you shouldn’t be doing paperwork?
How long does it take to get the bulb kit out of the locker by the tacho, get screwdriver out, take lens off, replace bulb and put it back?
Went to get a defect sorted for a trailer the other week (new tyre needed), two old-timers going on about roping and sheeting in force 18 gales whilst waiting for the next ferry because they missed HoFE because they were on the balcony, making comments about how I’m too young to know real trucking like that etc, what were they there for? 1 had a side light bulb out on trailer, the other had tail light out on his unit.
If you’re “a driver, not a mechanic”, I suppose you’re not a cleaner either, so you won’t brush out your trailer afterwards? You’re a driver, not a secretary, so you shouldn’t be doing paperwork?
I’m in complete agreement with you scanny BUT I do know the Xenon headlights can give you a bit of a jolt if you don’t know what you’re doing least that’s what the Scania salesman told me before I plumped for normals.
as for changing bulbs, the most ridiculous I came across was a driver taking a trailer from Bradford to Birmingham and on arrival finding a brake light on the unit had failed, then getting Volvo out to change it.
Workshops at haulage companies are often run as separate businesses. One will then invoice the other for the cost of the repair. Our place charges an hours labour at £50 just to change a bulb.
I would love to have spare bulbs, fuses, suzies and general bodging kit but we’re ‘just drivers’. It took me ages to get used to being paid to wait whilst they hire somebody else to come and change an airline, it made me feel lazy but hey it’s their money to spend how they like
syramax:
I drive vans /7.5t for which im paid as little as I legally can be paid on a as required basis , and I drive !! ,when he pays me fitters wages I will change bulbs /tyres etc and do any other roadside repairs .until then he gets the minimum same as I do .simple
Same here ,i will however change a bulb simply to avoid any inconvenience to me .VOSA do not need a reason to pull you ,coppers will pull a HGV if there is a defect so a blown bulb is a gift to any jobsworth and a big headache for the driver .
syramax:
I drive vans /7.5t for which im paid as little as I legally can be paid on a as required basis , and I drive !! ,when he pays me fitters wages I will change bulbs /tyres etc and do any other roadside repairs .until then he gets the minimum same as I do .simple
Same here ,i will however change a bulb simply to avoid any inconvenience to me .VOSA do not need a reason to pull you ,coppers will pull a HGV if there is a defect so a blown bulb is a gift to any jobsworth and a big headache for the driver .
+1.i always change the bulbs if ones blown in the vans,just to make life easier.
You’re still suppose to fill in a defect book if you changed the bulb or not , that’s how they want it .
Some companys don’t wont drivers to fix anything on the trucks, they would rather we drive to a place of repair or get some one to fix, Let them eat cake I say
OTS:
You’re still suppose to fill in a defect book if you changed the bulb or not , that’s how they want it .
Some companys don’t wont drivers to fix anything on the trucks, they would rather we drive to a place of repair or get some one to fix, Let them eat cake I say
yeah if i change a bulb ill write on the van book light out then fixed on the date by driver.sign it too.
OTS:
You’re still suppose to fill in a defect book if you changed the bulb or not , that’s how they want it .
Some companys don’t wont drivers to fix anything on the trucks, they would rather we drive to a place of repair or get some one to fix, Let them eat cake I say
But that is such bollox, that’s why I will never work for a big blue chip company because I think for myself and use my initiative on the basic fundamentals of transport, they wouldn’t like me anyway
I don’t think the design of some modern trucks helps. Like with cars, many easy tasks are being made harder than necessary. For instance, I drove a crappy Iveco Eurocargo for a while and to change the headlight bulb you needed to tilt the cab. I always cracked on and did it, but you can understand why some big companies wouldn’t want their staff doing it. Can you imagine the H&S BS they would have to go through to make themselves safe from compo claims, which drivers would put in if injured making a repair. The amount of drivers I have seen with their heads under a half tilted cab is scary. Far easier just to have a few designated mechanics ‘qualified’ to to the job, or outsource the job.
It all falls under the same reasoning as to why big companies have ludicrous OTT H&S on their sites. They are just covering their arses. It’s the world we live in. I’m sure these companies would love to have drivers doing basic maintenance on the trucks themselves, but red tape and the american sueing culture makes it hassle.
Also, when companies see drivers making ridiculous mistakes like topping up the screen wash with AdBlue (seen it done), is it any wonder they don’t want them doing anything.
scanny77:
On Friday a guy came to the office asking for a defect book for a blown headlight bulb. The clerk (a driver) said he didn’t need one. What do i do then? At which point i piped up by saying you are a driver, you change it! The guy said i am not a driver, i am a chauffeur so i just steer! I just looked at the clerk as if to say ‘seriously■■?’
last night at carnforth i just happened to spot a Volvo FH12 with a blown headlight and a while later a flatbed recovery truck parked next to it. Then i noticed the recovery driver under the FH fiddling around so i wandered over and asked if they were trying to fix the bulb which they were. I showed them both how to do it and had a chat with the driver. Apparently they are not allowed to carry spare bulbs, fair enough but now he will anyway since he can do it himself. A few drivers i spoke to the other day wont do it as its not their job. That’s a mechanics job! Plus it covers them if stopped as they then have a signed bit of paper saying the truck is fine to take out which renders their signed off checksheet utterly pointless
We have to get a defect done for any issues,bulbs,fuses etc etc,it hey log all this so whilst there trying to sort out what look like a simple bulb that’s blown,but turns out to
apart from trampers for obvious reasons, am i the only one who cant get their head round this? If i have a bulb out i automatically change it and don’t even mention it. I just cant see it any other way even though i know there are companies who forbid drivers from changing bulbs. Why call out a mechanic for such a simple job? At a VOSA checkpoint they are risking a fine, PG9 and call out fee plus downtime while you wait For a bulb!!! I just cant understand why any driver or company would choose to do that
Some like it to be defected,logged on computer so if the simple bulb blown turns into a wiring issue that takes a hour/two then the customer can see in black and white why the truck was late for its time critical delivery,if you spent a hour messing about with bust light,got to drop late there’s no proof there was a issue,whereas if its logged,defect number etc they can prove to customer why truck was late.
If I was out on road Iand had a bulb go I’d change it,fuse etc,but if it went on for half hour plus I’d ring it in and make them aware of the problem,so they can log it and inform customer ,and decide what way to go.
The amount of bulbs I’ve had out lately,you change them and nothing,ends up with fitter ripping half the wiring out on trailer to sort it.
Its a few years since I was on the wash at Currie European Dumfries and their drivers had to come to the garage and get the bulbs changed they weren’t allowed to do them. Eddie.
OTS:
You’re still suppose to fill in a defect book if you changed the bulb or not , that’s how they want it .
That IS the way VOSA want it. They want to see proof that not only are walk around checks being done and Nil Defects reported, they also want to see that there is evidence that they are being carried out properly, by drivers who at least have some idea of what they are looking at. So this means a defect report for what may be considered minor items. It is the same with periodic safety inspection reports, ‘No visible defects’ may be acceptable occasionally in the records, and may appear across a fleet of brand new vehicles during their first months in service, but too regular an appearance leads to the suspicion that the job is not being done properly. So they start digging.
