You can discuss my point, or bring in your own, either from the suggestions I have made or something completly different , surely thats the beauty of these forums is that everyone can have an opinion !! even me !
In that case, I would say that since international transport only involves a tiny proportion of HGV movements, that parking would be my main area of concern out of that list.
Harry Monk:
In that case, I would say that since international transport only involves a tiny proportion of HGV movements, that parking would be my main area of concern out of that list.
So what would be ways to start to resolve that…?
I suggest that
it should be compulsory for all County councils to make adequate “Proper” overnight parking provision available
all new industrial areas over a certain size should have to provide overnight parking facilities with at the very least toilet facilities
Private RDC over a certain size, that attract a certain high volume of traffice should have to make adequate provision for those drivers who run out of time on their premises
Haulers themselves should offer companies they do business with parking in their depots
Obviously some research would have to be done to quantify the Size/traffic/and what is adequate
Just my initial thoughts
Well my personal thoughts are that parking on industrial estates is fine, apart from the lack of toilet and sanitation facilities. My solution to this would be to increase the length of tractor units by say two metres in order to allow for the provision of onboard toilet and shower etc, such as would be found on a motorhome. This could be done without altering overall length by decreasing the maximum permissable trailer length.
A Scania Longliner I believe is built on a Tcab chassis, and a number of them work every day (illegally) with very few problems, , the legislation would have to change to restrict trailer length, rather than on turning circle as it is at the moment. but I think that it a great idea.
Drivers should have an adequate living space as well as suitable work enviroment, and while Truck cabs have improved immensley over the years I dont think anyone would argue they are still hardly a true living enviroment
Not possible under EU legislation, and it would also hit the few UK international hauliers that are left.
A Bloke:
2. Charge all foriegn trucks a daily rate of road tax
Not possible under EU legislation, unless you are prepared to accept the same charge being applied to UK trucks as well. Which, if it could be offset against the current VED and not raise cost to UK hauliers would be okay but if it couldn’t it would be a bit like turkeys voting for Christmas.
A Bloke:
3. Beef up enforcement at docks ( more tacho checks)
Yep, that’d work and be both effective and relatively cheap to introduce.
A Bloke:
4. Give tax breaks to international haulers
No, give tax breaks to all hauliers not just international ones.
A Bloke:
5. Start a PR campaign to highlight the problems that UK haulers are having, and also the accident rates amongst LHD vehicles
Problem with that is that nobody outside haulage really gives a crap. To be honest, have many of us shown that much concern to PR campaigns highlighting the plight of farmers, trawler men etc. with regards to foreign competition?
A Bloke:
6. Give the enforcement agencies the power to ban a foriegn hauler from enetering the UK if he has been found to be operating illegally/unsafely
Coffeeholic:
Problem with that is that nobody outside haulage really gives a crap. To be honest, have many of us shown that much concern to PR campaigns highlighting the plight of farmers, trawler men etc. with regards to foreign competition?
Quite. Perhaps this new movement’s motto could be “Let he who drives a Seddon Atkinson cast the first stone”
a bloke all the points you bring up are good ones, the only problems are no-one is going to listen. the goverment are that concerned about the rest of europe we are the last ones they are bothered about.
Well seeing as we (drivers) have to compete with cheaper EU labour, stuff the hauliers !!! Let them compete in a ‘competitive market’ like the rest of us.
Parking?
It’s all privatised now, as is just about everything. If you can’t afford it, someone else can.
Fuel duty?
We all pay it, even pensioners and disabled people, why should haulage be a special case?
Driver shortage?
You’re having a laugh, right?
Illegal (rogue) Operators
Well given the fact that Commercial Motor magazine seem to report a few every week in the courts losing their license and have done for years, and we still see plenty running past us well over 60mph, this should give you a clue as to how effective VOSA actually is, contrary to what their stats might lead you to believe on their effectivness. Actually, no, they are effective as their publicised joint operations at the likes of Holyhead show, they just aint got the finances to do anything like that (proper control/inspection) on a regular basis. Instead they rely on ‘intelligence’ to lead them to ‘prime targets’. Which funnily enough, as their purges shows, doesn’t deter anyone. So in short, thats a No !
Driver hours
Oh, they’re all sorted now. After lots of legislation changes to bring the working hours of a HGV driver down we’re now at the point where you can do 3, 15hour shifts on the bounce with only 9 hours rest inbetween and we can work upto 60 hours(in a week), but can put more hours in attendance at work. So its improved already?
If the majority of drivers feel the same issue is the most important, and give plenty of examples of where it is going wrong, and some suggestions as to how to address the problem then we may be able to persuade all the editors within the RBI Road Transport Group to , in the same week, run a special in their titles aimed at their particular audience highlighted what drivers feel is the Biggest Issue affecting their job.
e.g.
Motor transport will adress the issue on a Director/Company owner level
Commercial Motor will raise the issue with Middle Management
Truck & Driver will do the same for drivers RoadTransport.com and TruckNet UK will also do the same.
This will obviously not have a great affect on the politicians and general public but will ensure that what is seen by the drivers as the biggest problem in their job is highlighted to all members of the industry at all levels.
As you all say these are important points to us in the transport industry we are so far behind europe on so many issues from the tax on fuel, parking, axle weights plus much more to me as harry says is parking in the uk and i know it has been said many times before in these forums i dont agree with some of the things A Bloke says and like coffeholic says they are unworkable but i do agree on the below as A bloke said
it should be compulsory for all County councils to make adequate “Proper” overnight parking provision available
As in most of europe the local councils supply the parking to get the trucks out of the towns then the restaurants attached are separate enterprizes
2 All new industrial areas over a certain size should have to provide overnight parking facilities with at the very least toilet facilities
Same again on this if you go to a large RDC in europe they have a large park on the outside of the gatehouse allways with access to showers toilet etc
Private RDC over a certain size, that attract a certain high volume of traffice should have to make adequate provision for those drivers who run out of time on their premises
Haulers themselves should offer companies they do business with parking in their depots
As i said this has been said many times before as i found last week loaded with a load of wine for tesco and where do i park all the secure truckstops are full by 7 pm and layby parking and even MSA parking is dangerous hijackings,fuel theft,load theft, lack of basic facilitys, so what the hell do you do, we should be able to drive to the RDC and park on the outside of the gate with basic facilitys which they have at Morrisons Northwich which is is one the few which has parking outside with very basic facilitys.anyway enough said these are concerns wich affects all of us
klunk
bring in legislation where the blokes in the transport office are drivers who have been there and done it . so when you have problems they can understand and hopefully help.
trying to get a ex painter and decorator to understand is nigh on ,actually impossible :
but will ensure that what is seen by the drivers as the biggest problem in their job is highlighted to all members of the industry at all levels.