Ok i am officailly wound up with EVERY LITTLE BLOODY HELPS from unions, drivers are no longer allowed to use the canteen or use vending machines for food at one depo i went to today, Them 2 green companys are SIMPLY the same but i am getting tired of WAITING for some action. So i phoned the FTA and told me today, That there is NO legislation concerning drivers welfare bar a toilette and water supply. This is crap and how long will this go on? This is aimed more at T&D although you dont fight corners please ask these supermarkets why they think it is right to remove facilitys from drivers who drive days for some to deliver their goods into rdc’s woth poor seating or lack of seating whilst been barred from cabs. And yet they dont have to provide bloody seating for us by law either.
T&D if we can get a statement from all of these on what they say we should have we can have ammo against these depo managers for one.
Like it or not we all shop in a supermarket making them proffit why should we expect to be treated this way. And i bet all of the supermarkets put under the spot light for a Major magazine might get something changed?
What do you think? Am i just in need of a good sleep?
I think you’ve got a very good point…its just a shame that us brits won’t do anything about it. So far I’ve not had any problems with RDC’s, but I’m only 22, so I’ve not been to many.
I’m 25 and been to all but then i’ve been on the road 6 years some are good don’t get me wrong but they are all changing but not in our favour. It seems like were scabby animals making them HUGE profits.
I suppose you could do one thing that’ll ■■■■ them off…ask at the gates what facilities are available to drivers and if they’re ■■■■ then just go on a go slow…real slow through the gate, real slow finding your bay, reallly really slow on your reverse, walk really slow to and from your truck and so on ■■■■ works both ways.
I had something similar but not at RDC, I deliver to United Airlines on the Horseshue in Heathrow and one day last week I asked a security guard if I could use the toilet and he told me that the management informed him that drivers are not allowed to use the facilities. This got me slight ■■■■■■ off so when the forklift driver came back and told me that he’s going to backload me with empty cages i said, sorry mate need to use the loo and your man won’t let me, have to go back to base sharipsh. Closed the back of the trailer and drove off. They seemed to be very nice to me the next time I arrived, wonder why…
YES! drivers are there own worst enemy Some drivers go out of their way to cause problems at rdc’s, I’ve seen it happen many times. Health and safety laws demand that there are toilet facilities for ALL visitors to their site.
Canteens…if you are going to any delivery point make sure you have food - you don’t know if there will be delays or even if they have a canteen…it’s not up to them to provide a canteen, simple really.
No point in the going slow option either because the goods in staff have regular start and finish times so they really couldn’t care less. I would say that the only real option is to get onfo about delivery points (other drivers/transport staff) and live with it - remember - the p’s… pre planning and preperation prevents a ■■■■ poor performance
What we need is a website were we can campaign, get people to listen to the scumbags that drive the lorries that stop them getting to the office, to make sales that need to be delivered on a lorry.
We need a place to chat about our future, by someone that makes the website E.G. For drivers but not for self gain or profit how about that?.
Someone that will listen to us as drivers, maybe an association to represent drivers to the government BUT does it for drivers not for money …
A NON PROFIT organisation that is for drivers by drivers but is never for sale at any cost…
Anybody fancy making the first move to do it?.
We could always PAY to advertise it on here if its for the industries workers.
Nah cant see ti if it got popular it would be sold to the lowest bidder….
I agree with the statement that they should provide facilities for you to wait while you’re being tipped & a toilet too, but that’s it, why should they provide canteen facilities? You don’t work for them, yes it would be civilised, but there are far too many drivers who are anything but civilised, that is why we get treated as 2nd class citizens, not because of any other reason than some of us act like 2nd class citizens. You only have to look at the way drivers act when a good looking bird walks into a truckstop, nearly everyone stares at them, some think they’re going to get lucky it’s like watching a bunch of savages. Do you really think that the women who work in RDCs want to spend their break being drooled over by a load of soap dodging lorry drivers who will fill their pockets with sugar & ketchup sachets before they leave?
You won’t change this by setting up a lobbying group, the only way it will change is if you go back in time & stop every driver that’s ever sat in a canteen ■■■■■■ & blinding, stop them behaving like animals when they see a good looking bird, get them to wash once in a while & stop them nicking everything that isn’t nailed down, only trouble is you’ll have to go back to just after the wheel was invented, it ain’t gonna happen…
I agree with the attitude adjustment some drivers need but as long as the rest put up with being treated like second class citizens, why would the RDC’S change?
Danny27404:
Ok i am officailly wound up with EVERY LITTLE BLOODY HELPS from unions, drivers are no longer allowed to use the canteen or use vending machines for food at one depo i went to today, Them 2 green companys are SIMPLY the same but i am getting tired of WAITING for some action. So i phoned the FTA and told me today, That there is NO legislation concerning drivers welfare bar a toilette and water supply. This is crap and how long will this go on? This is aimed more at T&D although you dont fight corners please ask these supermarkets why they think it is right to remove facilitys from drivers who drive days for some to deliver their goods into rdc’s woth poor seating or lack of seating whilst been barred from cabs. And yet they dont have to provide bloody seating for us by law either.
T&D if we can get a statement from all of these on what they say we should have we can have ammo against these depo managers for one.
Like it or not we all shop in a supermarket making them proffit why should we expect to be treated this way. And i bet all of the supermarkets put under the spot light for a Major magazine might get something changed?
What do you think? Am i just in need of a good sleep?
I believe (not sure if this is the one you are refering to) that all drivers and that includes Stobarts drivers are now not allowed to use the canteen at Tesco,Middlewich. Word from the canteen staff is that it is due to drivers ‘abusing’ the facility, i.e filling a flask up !!
My recollections of driving for Tesco are not good. In Tescos old depot at Crick they actually had a sign on their wall for their own drivers to say…“due to the nature of your chosen proffesion we cannot guarantee hot meals or access to a canteen”…so make your own provisions blah blah blah… They also required you (and nearly all depots still do) to take your breaks where possible at the stores you where delivering to. The stores have a card system in operation for food and drink purchase which are not provided to Stobarts or agency staff and assuming you did have a card you’d also have to get lucky and hope the milkman, breadman and other deliveries wheren’t queued up waiting to get in, or you couldn’t stop there.
Stobarts at Crick when they operated almost all the warehouse sheds in the area and filled them full of agency staff did operate a canteen from the hub there. Once they gave up most of the sheds they halfed the canteen size and charged agency staff and any others apart from Stobart uniformed staff full whack instead of the usuall discounted rate. Probably due to ‘abuse’ from contractors, although don’t take my word for it, maybe they just wanted to fill their flasks up !!
Regarding the FTA telling you there is no legilsation regarding drivers welfare other than…, you’re right. Its crap, there is legislation. Infact it was Jo (or she posts as Owens girl) that did indeed take photographs of the ■■■■ poor conditions at Tescos Purfleet and she got in touch with the local council and it resulted in the nice new drivers waiting rooms that are there now.
I was a shunter on a Wincanton contract,admittedly not an RDC but a busy place all the same.All drivers coming in to load were allowed to use the canteen and toilet facilities and why not,it was extra revenue for the canteen and everybody is entitled to a decent meal.The ones that [zb] me off were the ones who disappeared with the wagon keys so I couldn’t clear the bay,so I asked them all for the keys as they came in and nearly all took up the offer of me moving their vehicle when loaded.Those that didn’t had to stay with the wagon until it was loaded then go for their snap.It seems as though these RDCs are getting worse,are some companies worse than others?
Rick B:
YES! drivers are there own worst enemy Some drivers go out of their way to cause problems at rdc’s, I’ve seen it happen many times. Health and safety laws demand that there are toilet facilities for ALL visitors to their site.
Sorry Rick B but I checked this when I was refused facilities and was told by the HSE that it was my bosses job to provide facilities or make arrangements and there is NO requirement in law to provide facilities for visitors only employees
allways thought because you might find yourself on a tacho break they have to supply drivers with a rest room and a warm drink tea/coffee etc etc,and a toilet and wash room.IF not, do what ive done in the past phone up the chief exec/or managing director of the said companys.then go back and tell the said morron who you have just spoken to and that they will get a call very soon allways works with me. (simples) or if that fails just start undoing your trousers standing over his waist paper bin!! sorted.
Rick B:
YES! drivers are there own worst enemy Some drivers go out of their way to cause problems at rdc’s, I’ve seen it happen many times. Health and safety laws demand that there are toilet facilities for ALL visitors to their site.
Sorry Rick B but I checked this when I was refused facilities and was told by the HSE that it was my bosses job to provide facilities or make arrangements and there is NO requirement in law to provide facilities for visitors only employees
Sure I read somewhere that as a visitor to a site on official business ie delivering, toilet facilitiead and water must be provided Will have to delve a bit more
Rick B:
Sure I read somewhere that as a visitor to a site on official business ie delivering, toilet facilitiead and water must be provided Will have to delve a bit more
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992: Sanitary conveniences 20.–(1) Suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences shall be provided at readily accessible places.
(2) Without prejudice to the generality of paragraph (1), sanitary conveniences shall not be suitable unless–
(a) the rooms containing them are adequately ventilated and lit;
(b) they and the rooms containing them are kept in a clean and orderly condition; and
(c) separate rooms containing conveniences are provided for men and women except where and so far as each convenience is in a separate room the door of which is capable of being secured from inside.
(3) It shall be sufficient compliance with the requirement in paragraph (1) to provide sufficient sanitary conveniences in a workplace which is not a new workplace, a modification, an extension or a conversion and which, immediately before this regulation came into force in respect of it, was subject to the provisions of the Factories Act 1961, if sanitary conveniences are provided in accordance with the provisions of Part II of Schedule 1.
Drinking water
22.–(1) An adequate supply of wholesome drinking water shall be provided for all persons at work in the workplace.
(2) Every supply of drinking water required by paragraph (1) shall–
(a) be readily accessible at suitable places; and
(b) be conspicuously marked by an appropriate sign where necessary for reasons of health or safety.
(3) Where a supply of drinking water is required by paragraph (1), there shall also be provided a sufficient number of suitable cups or other drinking vessels unless the supply of drinking water is in a jet from which persons can drink easily.
■■■■ works both ways.
Some drivers go out of their way to cause problems at rdc’s, I’ve seen it happen many times. Health and safety laws demand that there are toilet facilities for ALL visitors to their site.
.
allways works with me. (simples) 
or if that fails just start undoing your trousers standing over his waist paper bin!! sorted.