Evening all,
My boss wanted me to pass my class 2 I did the theory at the start of the year and got into a 14T Daf for the first time last Monday, I did 3 afternoons training then the mod 4 Thursday morning and mod 3 in the afternoon. My main points to work on were mirrors on the tail swing and giving ‘too much’ room when overtaking parked vehicles. I am just amazed at how little training I needed to do.
Where can I find good advice on a truckers working day the unwritten rules as I was talking to a driver who mentioned about putting the tachocard in as soon as I arrive so that it records while I do my checks. I suppose it’s all learning as I go.
Any other gems
With thanks
Jynxy
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That’s not an unwritten rule…Your card should go in before you carry out any checks on the vehicle do your paperwork…Etc…
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daftvader:
That’s not an unwritten rule…Your card should go in before you carry out any checks on the vehicle do your paperwork…Etc…
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That’s just how green I am, I am reading the DVSA books.
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Well there are a few resident experts on here who will put you right…And it can sound complex when you 1st start out…
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Hang around and absorb what’s on the forum pal, there’s lots of good advice and a bit of banter to go with it! 
Best of luck…
Just remember there are experts and then there are ex-spurts - stick around long enough and you’ll work out which are which. For example, if advice comes from RobRoy, Tachograph, Peter Smythe, Rog or Dipper Dave then you can rely on it 100% although there are plenty more who I’ve just forgotten to mention and are equally TNUK royalty.
Evil8Beezle is our resident entertainment manager and seems to know a thing or two about trucks, plus he’s got the coolest username so far on TNUK so we let him have his moments of grandeur before reminding him he was once a class 2 driver too (generally he denies it). 
As for tips - erm, don’t reverse into the bosses car with an 18T truck…?
SBenn:
trevHCS:
Evil8Beezle is our resident entertainment manager and seems to know a thing or two about trucks, plus he’s got the coolest username so far on TNUK so we let him have his moments of grandeur before reminding him he was once a class 2 driver too (generally he denies it).
Hahaha ^^ What a guy!!
That’s Mr Bellend to you pal!
As for oversized VAN’s, I’ve even been seen in a 7.5 tonner on the odd occasion 
but don’t tell anyone. 
P.S. Trev, you missed out Juddian, just don’t get him stated on automatic (Arsetronic) gearboxes! 
Still waiting for my class 1 start, considering how desperate our lot are for class 1 drivers, can’t see they aren’t doing anything.
Radar19:
Still waiting for my class 1 start, considering how desperate our lot are for class 1 drivers, can’t see they aren’t doing anything.
How desperate are they for Class 2 drivers mate, as that may be the answer to your question.
You’re to valuable to promote!
It will come in time mate…
Evil8Beezle:
That’s Mr Bellend to you pal!
Shouldn’t that be “Mr Bellend, Sir!” with a click of the heals and a salute…?
That reminds me, Jynxy asked about tips - treat all security gate personnel and RDC supervisors with the full respect they deserve as they are at the top of their field and thus are apparently allowed to make your life hell…remember, I did say “respect they deserve”.
As for the nobel Mr Radar, I would recommend suggesting that since they’re such an expanding company they need to branch out into a second yard which will be a great status symbol too for their clients. Perhaps around Newark would be preferable which is closer for you (and me as a coincidence) and would get around that complication of trucks colliding with each other and squishing favoured members of TNUK…?
You’re right about Mr. Juddian although I do agree with the autotronic-dont-work-at-all gearboxes when fitted to a Merc truck. Jynxy, tip 2, if you’re ever given a Merc auto or anything else to drive just remember to chose the latter unless you want to walk into the bosses office with gearstick in hand having just sent the rest of the unit over a large cliff. They really are that bad!
Evil8Beezle:
Radar19:
Still waiting for my class 1 start, considering how desperate our lot are for class 1 drivers, can’t see they aren’t doing anything.
How desperate are they for Class 2 drivers mate, as that may be the answer to your question.
You’re to valuable to promote!
It will come in time mate…
Not that desperate. They are getting rid of the hire trucks, they got rid of a guy that had only been with us for 3 weeks. I know why they’re dragging it out, I was supposed to be the replacement for one of the drivers selected to do his class 1. I was going to be moved from my truck which is hired to his truck which the company owns. Now I’ve gone and got my Class 1 and wanting to move up, I’m jumping ahead of the pre-selected drivers which they don’t like as its not part of the plan. I’m giving it till the end of June for them to get me onto Class 1, if that doesn’t happen I’m moving on so they’ll be out a Class 2 driver as well.
I received my Digicard today and my boss asked if I was ok doing a full days driving tommorow, Why not?
I had a little play with the tacho this arvo
How does it work If I take over from another driver in a truck stop ■■
jynxyjoe:
How does it work If I take over from another driver in a truck stop ■■
What another driver does has no bearing on you as long you are not double manned.
I.e. You put your card in at the start of your shift, it doesn’t matter where you are.
BUT, if you started your shift back at the yard and were driven to/dropped off at the truck, then you SHOULD do a manual entry to cover that period.
Radar19:
Evil8Beezle:
Radar19:
Still waiting for my class 1 start, considering how desperate our lot are for class 1 drivers, can’t see they aren’t doing anything.
How desperate are they for Class 2 drivers mate, as that may be the answer to your question.
You’re to valuable to promote!
It will come in time mate…
Not that desperate. They are getting rid of the hire trucks, they got rid of a guy that had only been with us for 3 weeks. I know why they’re dragging it out, I was supposed to be the replacement for one of the drivers selected to do his class 1. I was going to be moved from my truck which is hired to his truck which the company owns. Now I’ve gone and got my Class 1 and wanting to move up, I’m jumping ahead of the pre-selected drivers which they don’t like as its not part of the plan. I’m giving it till the end of June for them to get me onto Class 1, if that doesn’t happen I’m moving on so they’ll be out a Class 2 driver as well.
Well trust you to screw up the firms plans mate!
As for your time stipulations mate, it sounds like a plan. Just don’t leave on principle and end up with a worse job…
Evil8Beezle:
jynxyjoe:
How does it work If I take over from another driver in a truck stop ■■
What another driver does has no bearing on you as long you are not double manned.
I.e. You put your card in at the start of your shift, it doesn’t matter where you are.
BUT, if you started your shift back at the yard and were driven to/dropped off at the truck, then you SHOULD do a manual entry to cover that period.
There really is a lot to take in,
What if I drive straight to Lorry or if I drive to yard pick up a vehicle to drive to Lorry.
So the manual entry would be for time worked.
ROG or Tachograph are the experts in this field, but I believe that if you were driven to the truck and dropped off there, you should probably do a manual entry of “POA” for that period, but if you drove the vehicle (a non tacho vehicle like a car or a van) you should do a manual entry recording “Other work” instead. But I wait to be corrected!
But as a newbie what you should always do, is ALWAYS record 15-20mins prior to driving the truck to show VOSA/DVSA that you have done your vehicle checks.
What some drivers might do, is not record the time at all and just do 20mins of “Other work” when they arrive at the truck, as they don’t want the hassle and are worried about their 48 hour work reference period, and want to keep it down. But I wouldn’t possibly suggest you do that!
It is my understanding that you can only do a official double manned shift if your card goes in no more than 60 mins after the other driver started his shift
TheNewBoy:
It is my understanding that you can only do a official double manned shift if your card goes in no more than 60 mins after the other driver started his shift
Correct, but my assumption is that the question was about taking over a truck and not double manning.
The 60min limit is to allow the second driver to be picked up on route. I’m not sure VOSA would be very sympathetic if the second driver was on board from the start and only chose to put their card in just before the hour expired.
Hmm this morning I started at 5 in the yard and drove in a vehicle with tacho so put my card in for the 2 hrs drive to the Lorry worked til 12 (a few hours in 18T) then back in the van, card in again and back to the yard.
I thought this was correct procedure but what if I use a works vehicle that doesn’t have a tacho.
And one of the workers says ‘oh i never record travel time’