Totally agree with Coffeholic on the"15 minutes or VOSA will nick you" and depending on company policy. Some companies may want you to show 30 minutes at the start and end of shift for vehicle checks, paperwork and a quick brew. 30 mins + 30 mins = 1 hour x 5 days = 5 hours x 48 weeks = 240 hours x £8.50 an hour (example) = £2040 for just checking over the wagon. Better than getting hit with a £2000 fine from VOSA or points for not showing any other work on the tacho.
It is actually 17 minutes. MMTM
It takes 5 minutes to chuck your gear in the cab, a couple of minutes to start the engine, 5 minutes to walk to the canteen and grab a coffee, have a crap and 5 minutes asking your mate where he is parking up tonight.
During the last six months I have been fortunate enough to have been pulled three times by the gentlemen and scholars in Immingham. Every time I was in a different wagon.
I do my checks and then pop my card/chart in before I set off. No fines.
It takes 2 seconds to do a walk round check on an unit you had last shift. Is the pin and secure? Check! Away we go! Any other combo would take maybe 5 mins tops, and that’s being ■■■■ about it. Fluids are all on the dash now, so only thing you need to check are lights, tyres and nuts after you’ve hooked up a trailer which is what you’d do anyway.
Rob K:
Fluids are all on the dash now, so only thing you need to check are lights, tyres and nuts after you’ve hooked up a trailer which is what you’d do anyway.
I check my nuts all the time, even when driving, worse than a monkey with a hand stuck in a jar.
But I’m no animal I keep my fluids of the dash, got to draw a line somewhere. 
Thanks for the replies.
My last company said you had to show minimum 15 minutes OW before moving truck, I guess this was their company policy then.
Present employer doesn’t stipulate anything & the other drivers are on the bay within 5 or 10 minutes. I’ll take as long as I need to do my checks then, even if it’s only 5 minutes for the same wagon I parked up 12 hours ago 
Cheers, Nez
the only thing to remember is if anything goes wrong during the day and you get pulled. with no time shown for the walkround you have no defence especialy with any thing involving points as well as a fine. as there are always mitigating circumstances it might get you off.
10 Mins for unit 10 mins for trailer and it was also told to me at my cpc that it is ok.
■■■■■■00:
10 Mins for unit 10 mins for trailer and it was also told to me at my cpc that it is ok.
Any amount of time you are told is okay as there is no set required time.
My unit takes about 3 minutes in the dark (less in daylight) and unit & trailer takes about 5 minutes after hooking up.
Example - start engine, turn on lights and 4 way flashers. get out, walk around unit - are all the lights on? Are all the tyres round and have tread on? Anything likely to fall off? Mirrors OK? Get back in - washer/wipers work? OK, go get your trailer. Back under trailer. Put in dog clip - one check done. Hook up suzies - trailer lights should be on. Walk to legs & wind 'em up - are the side lights on the nearside working? Grab number plate and fit it to trailer, checking n/side tyres are round and have tread. Back lights working? Walk back to cab up off-side - tyres round with tread? Side lights working? Get in and ■■■■ off - how long does that take? I could do it in a ■■■■ site less than 15 minutes with no bloody legs!
There is no set time , if you have the same kit each day you could monitor it all the time and only spend 3-5 minutes on your checks. ou may regularly drive a Ford Transit then sometimes go out in a wag and drag ,this would take longer just to walk around.
There is no set time , if you have the same kit each day you could monitor it all the time and only spend 3-5 minutes on your checks. ou may regularly drive a Ford Transit then sometimes go out in a wag and drag ,this would take longer just to walk around.
What checks ■■? lmao 
I make sure i do the vosa stated 15mins +2 or 3 mins extra in the cab filling out my run sheet but we have some drivers who dont bother reporting any faults and its left to us night workers eg: last week found a fault on my electrical suzie 1 into 2 one side had a break in it making the trailer lights work on one side only reported to our night phone which cost the company £200 for a call out and after investigation by our gaffer it came to light <<< no pun intended!! lol, the last driver did admit he in his words forgot to report it 
i lost an hour in this incident!!
10 mins on a monday as i have not had the unit for 2 days after that it takes a couple of mins as im in it all week even though work want 15 mins on the card
Evening people
I work for an RDC and once we are handed keys and paper work they stipulate 15mins to check the unit ie fluids lights tyres wipers lines damage fill run sheet and put card in then another 15mins to couple up and do trailer checks ie couple up temp checks lights tyres tail lift load security etc.i spoke to vosa on this issue just today and it takes as much time as needed to satisfy the driver hope this is of some help.
Do you have to move the truck to get the tacho to register and start counting or can you just put the card in and crack on?
From entering the cab to departing with trailer usually takes me around 25 minutes without rushing, that includes; entering card into tacho and doing a manual input, setting up the sat nav, unit checks, locating allocated trailer in yard driving to it, hooking up and completing trailer checks.
I don’t do the walk around check to cover my back just in case I get pulled by the DVSA, I do them to make sure that I am safe and I am not a danger on the road.
Theweescot:
Do you have to move the truck to get the tacho to register and start counting or can you just put the card in and crack on?
Tacho turns on when the ignition is switched on, shouldn’t really move the truck without the card in. You can do the checks first then do a manual entry for the time spent doing them, or put your card in first set it to other work then do your checks - either way is okay.
I’ve just caught up with my 35 hrs CPC and for class 2 vehicles walk around checks need to be at least 10min (to show on tacho) and class 1 vehicles 15 min. If your tacho shows less you get a fine.
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123smith:
Theweescot:
Do you have to move the truck to get the tacho to register and start counting or can you just put the card in and crack on?Tacho turns on when the ignition is switched on, shouldn’t really move the truck without the card in. You can do the checks first then do a manual entry for the time spent doing them, or put your card in first set it to other work then do your checks - either way is okay.
Thanks for that. Just about to start class 2 agency after passing my test in May. With not being a permanent employee I’ve no one to ask these things like I would if i had an induction day or anything with permanent. I’ve been told to put the taco over to OW if for example i’m sitting waiting to get into a depot or something because it’s not driving and it’s not a break. I don’t know if that’s true or not though.