How to instill respect for vehicles/workers into drivers?

[wildgoose]

I am by no means the TM, I do a bit of stand in when he is off. Today was one of those days.

Getting a bit fed up with turning up for work to find the truck I need to use has been left with an empty tank, filthy cab, bulbs blown, broken mirror or tyres in need of changing. These are all items that could be sorted by the driver, at the end of his shift that don’t take a lot of time, but that get neglected, cos they’d rather billy big steps towards the clocking out machine, and to hell with anyone else.

I may as well set up my own office at the local ATS or the sainsburys forecourt, the amount of time I seem to spend there. I have no problem taking my turn, but forever covering for everyone else gets on my nerves, as i’m sure it does the rest of you. Find truck empty, fill it up, do your work, fill it up again… come back to it following day to find the same truck, used and left empty again.

What schemes do your employers have in place to encourage people to show a bit of respect towards each other, particularly on fleet vehicles with different drivers every day?

Failing that, for those of you who feel as I do, what would you suggest was implemented in order to ‘encourage’ such behaviour?

To be honest, at our place there are people who will clearly never change, and the only way to get through to these kind of people (as with anything in life) is to hit them in the pocket, but without some bonus there in the first place, there is nothing to take away to provide encouragement to do things the way they should be done for the benefit of everyone.

[big_mac]

when at wincantons there was a section on the time sheet for that run,which you ticked if the cab was clean,fuelled or any other?if not you wrote what was not carried out,I E fuel,previous driver of unit was hauled into bosses office next time,given a verbal then told him he would best not do it again…

also if cab was filthy,you had to clean it with all the products they could find to hand,and odds on favourite the yard would have some drivers watching you clean it.

some cabs you could eat your dinner off the dash,they where spotless.

[madtrucker]

I would write a memo with the new company procedures on it - ie vehicles must be refueled at end of shift, cabs must be cleaned, defects must be reported etc. I would then give every driver a copy of it and ask them to sign to say they have received it. If you then carry out random checks and you find someone isn’t doing it you can follow normal company disiplinary procedures to force them to do it.

For some people this is the only way you can get through to them. It worked at my old company when they got fed up of some drivers not looking after the trucks.

[madbaz]

Years ago, when helping our old man on the coaches, me and my brother used to clean the coaches and park em up whilst the old man was out on contracts, one driver brought one back at about 8pm (53 seater) and clocked off, we cleaned it and I went to reverse it in the garage, and noticed the fuel was almost empty, the thing was out on a Blackpool job early doors next morning, my brother ended up taking it to Ringways and dieselling up. The driver was sacked the following morning for being a lazy zb.

You might think theres nothing strange with that, except my brother was 11 at the time and the only reason he got caught was because security was locking the barrier to the ind est on his return. If Hillcrest House had got to know then my old man would have been in it up to his nostrils.

[mr_vain]

Wildgoose, you think you’ve got it tough. I’ve had to put up with that crap now for four years! Don’t waste yr breath mate.

[wheel_nut]

Well, in my day, and it wasnt that long ago. If you parked a truck up without dieseling up and left a trailer with a bald tyre you would get levelled by the driver as he came into work at 4am on a Monday. You would then be levelled again by the boss when he found out about it

Another thing that helps with “these people” is to stop being a patronising ■■■■ and calling them “these people”

I was brought up in transport from the bottom and was taught properly. So if you use the last coil of rope, tell someone or make a note, if you use the last grease bucket or there aren’t any spare grease ■■■■■■■ left in the box, go and get some.

Saturday morning meant everyone mucking in, greasing up, transhipping trailers and adjusting brakes. When that was done you could go home, it was pointless going any earlier because you wouldnt be paid

[hombre]

Wheel Nut:
Well, in my day, and it wasnt that long ago. If you parked a truck up without dieseling up and left a trailer with a bald tyre you would get levelled by the driver as he came into work at 4am on a Monday. You would then be levelled again by the boss when he found out about it

Another thing that helps with “these people” is to stop being a patronising [zb] and calling them “these people”

I was brought up in transport from the bottom and was taught properly. So if you use the last coil of rope, tell someone or make a note, if you use the last grease bucket or there aren’t any spare grease ■■■■■■■ left in the box, go and get some.

Saturday morning meant everyone mucking in, greasing up, transhipping trailers and adjusting brakes. When that was done you could go home, it was pointless going any earlier because you wouldnt be paid

Same here - and the bosses mrs always brought a big pile of home cooked bacon butties to the yardat 1030 for our breakfast - best ones Ive ever eaten!

[howatsi]

madtrucker:
I would write a memo with the new company procedures on it - ie vehicles must be refueled at end of shift, cabs must be cleaned, defects must be reported etc. I would then give every driver a copy of it and ask them to sign to say they have received it. If you then carry out random checks and you find someone isn’t doing it you can follow normal company disiplinary procedures to force them to do it.

Madtrucker’s comments make sense, re defects you should have a defect reporting system (e.g. nil defects) in place as part of the conditions of your operating licence, if not the TC and VOSA will not be best pleased.

[beattun]

ive always thought the best approach is to take someone aside, give them a truck, and say, right, this is your truck, you can drive this every day as long as you keep it clean, and report any defects to the workshop promptly, if you don’t, we’ll take it off you and you’ll get the yard horse(s).

obviously not practical for agency staff, but a quick word with the agency driver before his shift should keep him on the right track.

[dgw131]

WildGoose:
I am by no means the TM, I do a bit of stand in when he is off. Today was one of those days.

Getting a bit fed up with turning up for work to find the truck I need to use has been left with an empty tank, filthy cab, bulbs blown, broken mirror or tyres in need of changing. These are all items that could be sorted by the driver, at the end of his shift that don’t take a lot of time, but that get neglected, cos they’d rather billy big steps towards the clocking out machine, and to hell with anyone else.

I may as well set up my own office at the local ATS or the sainsburys forecourt, the amount of time I seem to spend there. I have no problem taking my turn, but forever covering for everyone else gets on my nerves, as i’m sure it does the rest of you. Find truck empty, fill it up, do your work, fill it up again… come back to it following day to find the same truck, used and left empty again.

What schemes do your employers have in place to encourage people to show a bit of respect towards each other, particularly on fleet vehicles with different drivers every day?

Failing that, for those of you who feel as I do, what would you suggest was implemented in order to ‘encourage’ such behaviour?

To be honest, at our place there are people who will clearly never change, and the only way to get through to these kind of people (as with anything in life) is to hit them in the pocket, but without some bonus there in the first place, there is nothing to take away to provide encouragement to do things the way they should be done for the benefit of everyone.

Why not stick a BRUSH up my backside and I can clean the yard, the office, and anywhere else that needs cleaning

[mrreliable]

Should your grip not be directed at the boss or t/m ?
If they won’t do anything about the situation how can you ? and I thought that vehicles and trailers should have a six weekly check, if you are experiencing problems with tyres perhaps you should also ask why nobody is reading the check sheets and advises from the garage/ dealer.
If a truck is empty at the start of a shift that is how it gets left by me, IF I get summond about the lack of fuel I tell them that if my checklist for the start of shift is checked they will see that I have fuelled the vehicle once, which is what they require and perhaps they should apprehend the previous driver.
If you can’t get any assistance from the office then it may be time to find
another job.

But your experiance is exactly what is wrong with this industry today, very few give a monkeys.

[hombre]

For some of us its just second nature to look after the kit. I still “first parade” and “last parade” my truck every day - the ex squaddies will know what I mean.

A few years ago you were expected not only to keep your truck clean, but to maintain and repair it to some degree or other - we all had a good knowledge of the machinery and respected it - because it was us who had to suffer if it went wrong.

[Lasurazes]

part of our job is to fill out a defect before we leave the yard stating the vehicle is in a roadworthy condition. on return to the yard the vehicle is washed and fuelled up for the next driver. a rather large bollocking will be waiting for you the next day if this isn’t addered to.

if you do find a defect it goes to volvo or scania for rectifiying before you go out on your daily run or on return to base. the ■■■■ will hit the fan if that doesn’t happen.

jon

[wildgoose]

Another thing that helps with “these people” is to stop being a patronising [zb] and calling them “these people”

Not attempting to be patronising As mentioned, im a driver most of the week myself, just stand in when the TM is off to keep his end ticking over, don’t get paid any extra for this little favour either.

I have done my time calling people by titles they don’t deserve. I will now call it as I see it.

What should I call them so as not to offend? Simply referred to them as a collective, in a convenient way. Obviously they have names, which i’m not gonna post up here, mainly because I can’t spell half of them.

re defects you should have a defect reporting system (e.g. nil defects) in place as part of the conditions of your operating licence, if not the TC and VOSA will not be best pleased

They have a defect system in place, and from the perspective of those on high, its a pretty decent one, covers the companies bottom anyway.

Problem is getting the drivers to actually do it, a lot of them just pen up the defect sheet every day, nil defects and plonk it on the desk. Regardless of whether the vehicle has any defects, because chances are they wouldn’t know as they haven’t checked. I have tried educating people to the effect that as the system is in place, it will be their arse in the breeze should they get a tug, as the company has done all it can to put the defect reporting system in place. You can’t put a gun to somebodys head to ensure it is carried out.

Should your grip not be directed at the boss or t/m ?

If you can’t get any assistance from the office then it may be time to find
another job.

Agreed, this is where the problem lies in my opinion, does not use the proper disciplinary procedure, and hasn’t done for years, drivers now far too comfortable calling the shots the way they like things to be done, takes a lot to lose a job at this place. Something nice about a laid back work environment, but when it goes too horizontal, its generally to the detriment of all.

Duly told them today incidentally, that i’m looking around, and will be off within the next month. Not served official notice yet, as I only have to give a week. This will be the second time I have left this place (went back the first time on the promise of a pay rise for all drivers across the board, was laid on the table but not all drivers agreed, so was shelved) and I won’t be going back for a third stint.

But your experiance is exactly what is wrong with this industry today, very few give a monkeys

Definately a shame, especially if you are one of the minority that does.

For all those who made a productive comment, thanks very much. Who would be a TM!