The Driving Standards Agency is introducing a real total mass requirement for vehicles used for driving tests from 15 November 2013.
This means that vehicles must carry a minimum weight in order to be used for the driving test.
So, once again, we are manipulated by the ■■■■-ups of the Driving Standards Agency! Having loaded some of our vehicles in good time for the September implementation, we now have this latest information extending the start date to mid November. No explaination. No apology. Just a hell of a lot of work sorting out a fleet, half of which is currently loaded.
It seems to me that the cowboys who plan nothing are the clear winners here.
Furious? Livid? ■■■■■■ Off?
You bet!!!
I shall be at work at 6 in the morning unloading training vehicles. Such joy. Thanks DSA.
The Driving Standards Agency is introducing a real total mass requirement for vehicles used for driving tests from 15 November 2013.
This means that vehicles must carry a minimum weight in order to be used for the driving test.
So, once again, we are manipulated by the ■■■■-ups of the Driving Standards Agency! Having loaded some of our vehicles in good time for the September implementation, we now have this latest information extending the start date to mid November. No explaination. No apology. Just a hell of a lot of work sorting out a fleet, half of which is currently loaded.
It seems to me that the cowboys who plan nothing are the clear winners here.
Furious? Livid? ■■■■■■ Off?
You bet!!!
I shall be at work at 6 in the morning unloading training vehicles. Such joy. Thanks DSA.
Pete
Bet you are, and a full one costs more to run and keep so are costs going up to compensate or are poor sods like you having to stand it in reality ?
I bet I know the answer unfortunately.
I wonder if the unions have been consulted in this who represent the examiners.
I suppose the examiners will have there own concerns about the loading of the trucks.
elmet training:
I wonder if the unions have been consulted in this who represent the examiners.
I suppose the examiners will have there own concerns about the loading of the trucks.
Paul
Surely any good trainer wants to teach with some weight onboard, after all that what the driver will be employed to do…Drive a full truck hopefully to make Money !
I have no issue at all with running loaded. In fact, I ran a fully loaded 38 tonne artic for post-test training but the take up was so low that it wasn’t viable.
My issue lies only with the change of timing. We currently have around 100 candidates somewhere in the system. It’s important to give them the same vehicle (loaded or empty) for the duration of their training. So we had scheduled our loading some time ago to make sure the transision was smooth.
But now the time has moved on to mid November, that’s too long to be running round loaded and incurring all the extra costs. So the vehicles now have to be unloaded, the loads stored and then re-loaded at the appropriate time. This will involve another full day of planning as it did previously.
I just wish that the DSA would make a rule, give a time, and stick to it. I can see no reason why this date has been moved.
Anyway, having started work in the middle of the night, the loads are now sorted. And who needs to stay in bed anyway!!
I can fully understand your frustration Peter , to be honest it’s no suprise that the DSA have changed plans “once again” without any thought for the impact it has on others - S N A F U
Peter Smythe:
I have no issue at all with running loaded. In fact, I ran a fully loaded 38 tonne artic for post-test training but the take up was so low that it wasn’t viable.
My issue lies only with the change of timing. We currently have around 100 candidates somewhere in the system. It’s important to give them the same vehicle (loaded or empty) for the duration of their training. So we had scheduled our loading some time ago to make sure the transision was smooth.
But now the time has moved on to mid November, that’s too long to be running round loaded and incurring all the extra costs. So the vehicles now have to be unloaded, the loads stored and then re-loaded at the appropriate time. This will involve another full day of planning as it did previously.
I just wish that the DSA would make a rule, give a time, and stick to it. I can see no reason why this date has been moved.
Anyway, having started work in the middle of the night, the loads are now sorted. And who needs to stay in bed anyway!!
Feel better now.
Pete
Very tongue in cheek…WTD and driver hrs, be careful Pete !!!,
Sorry but I just had to write it.
I agree with Pete. Extremely frustrating all this date changing. That’s 3 dates we have been given now…1st July, 30th September and now mid November.
We like Peter have purchased all our IBC’s and spent the weekend loading them. What a waste of time that was. We could have not paid £000’s for the IBC’s until nearer the time but like most companies we wanted to prepare.
It is very annoying to receive an email, with as Peter said little reason other than road safety concerns. It beggars the question why was the “road safety” element not looked into before. I have written to the DSA asking for more detail on what is involved and what the outcomes may be.
What if they now say it’s too dangerous and we won’t be running laden? What are we supposed to do with all these IBC’s. All this and the DSA publish a consultation on auto boxes being classed as manuals. The consultation states they want this implemented by the end of the year. However going by what has happened with laden vehicles you really have to wonder.
We are trying to order some new vehicles but don’t know what boxes to get.
Unbelievable ! We have just bought 8 IBC’s for over £400 that we now dont need for another 4 months. We have cancelled our weekly tests for a couple of weeks time to get the vehicle and trailer fitted with internal heavy duty load securing lashings costing over £1500 and we have paid Essex & Suffolk water board another £150 for a licence to use a standpipe to use 8000 litres of water from a hydrant.
I was fine with all the above except now I have a strong nagging feeling that perhaps this rule might not come in at all. Whatever the “Road Safety” reasons for changing the Sept 30 deadline were must still exist and it is not beyond possibility that further postponements may occur.
And this morning the drivers side electric window motor packed up…Give me strength !
I fully sympathise and agree with the above. Having sourced and planned the loading of 180 ibc’s I also had the same reaction as Peter.
The dsa seem not to understand what implication these changes have on us. This leads to a lack of confidence in making business decisions based on info coming from the dsa.
Will the DSA allow loaded trucks for test before that date in November ?
Yes. But it makes no commercial sense. We HAVE to be loaded and cop for all the extra costs from Nov 15th. We will probably aim for mid - October so that anyone needing a retest doesn’t get a nasty surprise.
The majority of trainers don’t hold Operator Licences as we are not obliged to. But how about this quote from the DSA site?
If you have an operator’s licence
You don’t need to use a vehicle that’s loaded according to the specified load requirements if you have an operator’s licence. You can use a vehicle carrying its normal load.
My question: how will the DSA police this? Examiners are already chuntering about the difficulties they perceive with IBC’s. There is no way an examiner can accurately judge the weight presented on a vehicle.
Peter Smythe:
The majority of trainers don’t hold Operator Licences as we are not obliged to. But how about this quote from the DSA site?
If you have an operator’s licence
You don’t need to use a vehicle that’s loaded according to the specified load requirements if you have an operator’s licence. You can use a vehicle carrying its normal load.
My question: how will the DSA police this? Examiners are already chuntering about the difficulties they perceive with IBC’s. There is no way an examiner can accurately judge the weight presented on a vehicle.
■■■■ up/brewery? I kid thee not!!
Pete
My twelve year old can tell you a litre of water weighs 1 kilo , and a 1000l IBC must weigh at least 1tonne, And then he can also add up how many IBC’ s are on the truck…FFS.
Where do they come from ■■?
And my 15 yr old then sarcastically will add I hope the water in the IBC’s is treated as if it sits for weeks in the sun you stand a chance of legionaires disease starting, therefore its an automatic ADR test as the load is hazardous…hahahaha.
…Sorry ! Pete
My understanding of legionaries desease is not it is present in lakes and ponds but does becomes a problem unless to breath in small droplets of contaminated water. This only occurs from air conditioning units in large buildings.
The reason for using ibc’s is that it makes it easy for the examiner to check visually. A more detailed check will randomly happen.
, to be honest it’s no suprise that the DSA have changed plans “once again” without any thought for the impact it has on others - S N A F U