Ok ive been driving for a few months and got in driving with Tesco. The assesment was bad but the training guy took a pity on me and said i need two weeks extra training
Anyway whilst on the job the trainer explained some tips to fool the microlise to think you are in the green band by reving at traffic lights to +10 also whilst reversing every few seconds give it a rev to fool the system.
Needless to say i was top of the drivers list for everything but it occoured to me recently what is the point in doing this. I personally wouldnt like being revved at waiting at the traffic lights. So what do you guys think do you take this microlise thing seriously?
Never worked anyware that has it thank god.
Closet come is a DAF with inbuilt score thing on dashboard .
Personally I’d just drive to the road conditions don’t speed and.ignore trying to get a decent score.
As you say apparently revving it up makes a better score which I find weird but start doing that and accidents could happen ie your in gear waiting decide to rev up and move forward
Just drive to the conditions if you why a bad score you get a bad score. End day they can’t sack you for coming bottom of the table.
as you have said its a waste of time and somthing to beat the driver with if they choose to.
I was on agency at my local tesco i was supposed to be getting a score of 7 or above never got near it. First couple of weeks i asked if i could see my report so i could improve and no one was intrested in showing me or giving me the magic number (my driver number) so i could log on to the app. I was never spoken to so in the end i gave up worrying.
More recently than that i was co driving a daf same time same vehicle same conditions etc etc. The average score went down when i was driving with lots of messages about not doing this that or the other. but i got a better mpg than the other guy.
Manjriver25:
Needless to say i was top of the drivers list for everything but it occoured to me recently what is the point in doing this. I personally wouldnt like being revved at waiting at the traffic lights. So what do you guys think do you take this microlise thing seriously?
Yeah don’t bother with the traffic light revving thing, there’s no need. I manage to get perfect 1.0 scores without bothering with that. However accelerating decently but not full throttle to 20MPH then using resume on cruise control to accelerate up to speed from there and disengaging cruise control going downhill are worth it.
For crap drivers its worth a company forcing them to drive for a good score for microlise for the savings on fuel, brake pads/discs and tyres. It actually gives pretty accurate data when it comes to hard acceleration, braking and cornering and they’re the three things that’ll use the most fuel and wear brakes and tyres the fastest.
I take it seriously from time to time more to stick two fingers up to a few who accuse me of chasing around like a madman than anything. We get a bonus for a low average but not enough to make it worthwhile chasing that bonus.
I’m sure that Tesco use Fleetboard not Microoise for the drivers score. I’ve been on the books with Tesco for over 6 years and never have I been told my score nor am I interested in it. As for drivers trainers, take every thing they say with a pinch of salt.
DHL also use Microlise.
I got a decent score when I first started out. If you idle for more than 2 mins, your scores for the rest of the day will be crap.
So I just then the engine off at red lights and there’s enough cars in front of me to give me enough time to re start engine when they start to change to green.
Just put it into neutral, switch it off. Switch it back on and switch to D. Takes about 2 seconds. But make sure you re start in neutral otherwise the dash makes noises at you, flashing the letter N, won’t bloody change gears, and the lights are green and youre stood there like an idiot not moving, swearing at your dashboard.
PS- I don’t care about it now. Got too much ■■■■ to do. Use the cruise when I can, but I will be dropping gears, using the manual mode on them hills and generally revving the ■■■■ out of the underpowered DAF
Funny all this concern companies and drivers have over driver monitoring, yet never once have I seen any comment about selecting neutral when the vehicle is stopped at traffic lights etc. On the other hand we do see comments about vehicles suffering failure of the clutch release bearing,
with sometimes the addition that " there was nothing wrong with the clutch itself… but it was replaced anyway".
cav551:
Funny all this concern companies and drivers have over driver monitoring, yet never once have I seen any comment about selecting neutral when the vehicle is stopped at traffic lights etc. On the other hand we do see comments about vehicles suffering failure of the clutch release bearing,
with sometimes the addition that " there was nothing wrong with the clutch itself… but it was replaced anyway".
I`m sure that you know more about the internals of gear-boxes than I do.
I was told by a DAF fitter that the release bearings currently fitted to elec controlled (auto) boxes, are stronger than those previously fitted to pure manual boxes. This, I was told, is because they expect the vehicle to be left in gear at lights etc. Is that so?
And if so or not, are there more release bearing failures now?
I’ve read…
One or two articles that suggest leaving the gearbox in drive when standing/queuing is the best thing to do.
I did the research because my car is an automatic, so it may well not apply to the much heavier clutches and systems in a lorry.
yourhavingalarf:
I’ve read…One or two articles that suggest leaving the gearbox in drive when standing/queuing is the best thing to do.
I did the research because my car is an automatic, so it may well not apply to the much heavier clutches and systems in a lorry.
Fluid flywheel, or elec contolled dry clutch?
Franglais:
yourhavingalarf:
I’ve read…One or two articles that suggest leaving the gearbox in drive when standing/queuing is the best thing to do.
I did the research because my car is an automatic, so it may well not apply to the much heavier clutches and systems in a lorry.
Fluid flywheel, or elec contolled dry clutch?
I’ve no idea…
Frangles mate.
I have two pedals in my truck and two pedals in my car. I apply pressure to the appropriate pedal at the appropriate time.
What’s actually going on in the transmission casing, I know not nor care not.
Franglais:
I was told by a DAF fitter that the release bearings currently fitted to elec controlled (auto) boxes, are stronger than those previously fitted to pure manual boxes. This, I was told, is because they expect the vehicle to be left in gear at lights etc. Is that so?
And if so or not, are there more release bearing failures now?
I apologise for the delay in replying, 1st digital VAT return, requesting an increased supplier account limit, booking work in, invoicing, service sheets, arranging and attending mother in law’s 90th birthday party in a care home and another funeral to go to next week.
Yes I’m sure that release bearings are much more robust, because they need to be without the prompt of an aching left leg from holding the pedal down. As said it does seem that a fair number of clutches are replaced because of a release bearing failure. Since we are now merely flicking a switch rather than feeling for the gear to engage it seems that a consideration of the cost is in order. Using ball park figures the clutch would be between £300 and £600, labour at around £130 hr. Forgetting any advertised manufacturer times, I would assume around 4 hrs plus an extra 1hr to remove & replace a catwalk and 1hr ditto PTO. That’s for a 4x2 unit, a 6x2 has more in the way as will a large rigid. Add recovery and redelivering the load and we are talking quite a lot of money.
cav551:
I apologise for the delay in replying,
No need for apologies, thanks for the reply.
Do you know if there are actually more/less/same number of clutch release bearing failures to-day, as opposed to when most trucks were manuals?
I can see them having a harder life now, and being stronger. Just wondering if the one balances the other out exactly, or if there is a difference?
With so many more trucks being on maintenance contracts, I would imagine that manufacturers would keep a very close eye on in service failures. (Well,k for the first few years anyway)
Previous units with arsetronic circa 62/65 plate, every release bearing failed @ around the 500k mark, remember we’re on max weight with PTOs.
I was a little annoyed about mine, about 3 months before it failed a little higher mileage than the others noticed increased clutch judder, particularly bad when maneuvering especially in reverse up a slight incline, i suspected it was release bearing on the way and defected it for the dealer inspections, several…how did you guess they did sod all?..sure enough it gave up at a most inopportune moment, however i was off shift that day 
.
Suggest if clutch judder increases its worth getting the thing looked at, lot easier to plan a clutch replacement in at the earliest convenience than the faff of a breakdown, tow in, disappointed customer etc, but what the hell do i know.
As an aside, had a release bearing failure back in the day with Sed Ack and Roadranger box, just loaded at a farm, not a problem, start it in first gear and go clutchless home…you can see the progress we’ve made in trucks 
by the number of full size brand new recovery vehicles now operating 24/7, at one time seeing a lift and tow recovery was a rare sight…kerching.
Juddian:
remember we’re on max weight with PTOs.
I am sure that you never would, but is it possible to run with PTO in, and vehicle still in gear? Doubtless some bells would sound as you exited the cab, but is there an interlock of some sort?
.
.
.
As an aside I saw a dri,ummm
I saw a person…exit a cab, whilst hitching up trailer, vehicle in gear with engine running and warning chimes sounding, and do a walkaround. All the way around, in a trailer park.
I s`pose it is one way of checking the reversing lights.
Franglais:
Juddian:
remember we’re on max weight with PTOs.I am sure that you never would, but is it possible to run with PTO in, and vehicle still in gear? Doubtless some bells would sound as you exited the cab, but is there an interlock of some sort?
.
.
.
As an aside I saw a dri,ummm
I saw a person…exit a cab, whilst hitching up trailer, vehicle in gear with engine running and warning chimes sounding, and do a walkaround. All the way around, in a trailer park.
I s`pose it is one way of checking the reversing lights.
My PTO automatically disengages when puting it into drive.
Franglais:
Juddian:
remember we’re on max weight with PTOs.I am sure that you never would, but is it possible to run with PTO in, and vehicle still in gear? Doubtless some bells would sound as you exited the cab, but is there an interlock of some sort?
.
.
.
As an aside I saw a dri,ummm
I saw a person…exit a cab, whilst hitching up trailer, vehicle in gear with engine running and warning chimes sounding, and do a walkaround. All the way around, in a trailer park.
I s`pose it is one way of checking the reversing lights.
Yes you can drive off with the PTO still engaged but it won’t change gear properly nor attain anything much above walking pace speed, at least on ours, have had phone calls from other drivers asking what they’re doing wrong.
In the old days, some might say better days , the PTO was typically air operated and piped into the park brake lines, so when you released the park brake it would automatically throw the PTO out.
Franglais:
cav551:
I apologise for the delay in replying,No need for apologies, thanks for the reply.
Do you know if there are actually more/less/same number of clutch release bearing failures to-day, as opposed to when most trucks were manuals?
I can see them having a harder life now, and being stronger. Just wondering if the one balances the other out exactly, or if there is a difference?
With so many more trucks being on maintenance contracts, I would imagine that manufacturers would keep a very close eye on in service failures. (Well,k for the first few years anyway)
Sorry I can’t answer that, I think we are going to have to wait for Norb or Own Account Driver to see this.
^^^Thanks all. ^^^ 