About to start my first full time Class 1 job Monday trunking up to Palletforce Hub Burton. Just wondering if I could possibly get any advice on the work involved, staying alert etc. Thankyou!
PS have heard about the possible long unloading/reloading times, are they really that bad??
Remember to put your lights on when it’s dark 
Best of luck mate, and whilst I haven’t done that pallet network, here’s how the general operation works, and what to expect…
Get ready for some ridiculous diversions and delays from our fabulous Highways England due to night closures on the motorway network.
They can take a bit of time at the hub but just get your head down & let them get on out of these places you not allowed out of cab easy work tbh make sure you stay awake & get used to sleeping during the day at 1st your body clock won’t like it as it will be all over the place if you haven’t done nightshift before
When you get to hub let them know you are new to this they are used to it don’t worry they should be able to give you the site rules etc
Please don’t be one of the sheep and drive like you’ve stolen it take it easy the speed is a limit not a target
(Top Tips based on doing having to do a lot of night driving in my car, so take what you will from it, and I can’t give anything useful from a handling night shift perspective, but there are plenty of people here who can! Also, bear in mind I’ve got OCD, so you might be thinking “holy ■■■■, this guy is crackers, obsessing over so many small details” … and you’d be right! )
1/ Keep all the glass (that includes the ones on your face, if you wear them!) spotless, and remember to give it 5mins and then buff it after you’ve cleaned it to get rid of the thin film that gets left behind. Headlights pick it out and it gets tiring looking through.
2/ You’ll get a film of fug over the inside glass after driving for a while, especially if you vape. Just give it a quick once over with a dry microfiber cloth when you stop. It’s barely noticeable until you wipe it away!
3/ If you’re suffering from dazzle from oncoming lights, switch the interior light on. By reducing the difference between the light you’re sitting in and the light that’s coming at you, your eyes won’t need to work as hard. I found out that red light does something involving SCIENCE that is easier on your eyes at night than white light. For my car, I got hold of a little sheet of red acrylic and used Fixodent to stick it over the too-bright interior light. Presto! Red cabin light. Not that I’m saying it’s essential by any means, and some trucks have a driving light in the cabin which is red already, but it made life easier for me (but I’m fussy, so it was worth the effort).
4/ If your head nods - you’ve already fallen asleep! 
They’re called micro-sleeps and if it happens you need to pull over asap.
5/ Open your passenger side window a couple of inches for air circulation. Using the passenger side protects your hearing.
6/ Caffeine fakes alertness! You’re just as tired as you were before you had that cup of coffee or can of red bull, you just don’t notice it so much and, thanks to doing that, it messes with your ability to sleep properly when you want to. Minimise your use of caffeine, and the most efficient way to take it on board is to take little sips spread out over a long time. I don’t like energy drinks, so I used to use coffee, and I’d make a large cup last about 2hrs. By doing it this way, you’re avoiding peaks and troughs in how much stimulant you’re taking, and you’re keeping the hard edge off drowsiness.
7/ Keep yourself well hydrated. Dehydration damages your concentration without you noticing. If you ■■■■ anything deeper than a vague yellow, you’re running dehydrated to some extent.
8/ Grab a cat nap whenever you get the chance, and once you wake up take a little walk around to get the blood pumping again.
9/ Carry a torch!
10/ Pasta or rice based meals will keep you going well. Mircowave rice in pouches is already cooked - you can eat it cold at a push, but it’s a bit gross You don’t need to heat it in a microwave, you just need to heat it properly.
11/ Bright lights coming towards you draw your eyes (stupid lizard brains!), aim your eyes out to the edge of your lights on the nearside until Dazzly McDazzleface has passed by.
12/ On the motorway, big patches of street lighting = big junction = expect repmobiles to pull some stupid moves at high speed.
13/ If you use a satnav, make sure night mode is active.
14/ Everyone’s depth perception is reduced at night. You’ll be paying full attention, of course 
but the driver behind you might not - where you might choose to just coast normally, at night it can be helpful to just take up enough slack on your brake pedal to active the lights. Situation depending, of course.
15/ Move your body! It can be mesmerising having white lines rolling past with nothing else to look at, move your head enough that you have to move your eyes every now and then. Also (personal theory here, not SCIENCE) shift around in your seat frequently. I figure that staying really still is the last thing you do before you head off the to land of nod, so shifting around takes away that “sleep time” signal.
16/ If you’re having trouble sleeping, just open up this page and re-read all my helpful tips - that should send you off in no time!!! Enjoy it mate!
Thankyou for all the advice guys!! First night has so far been a bit of an eye opener, only just about to enter the warehouse to be unloaded after nearly two hours in the queue!! Heard it was bad and now I know why! Never mind, just gotta wait and see what the rest of the night brings us!
djt1881:
Thankyou for all the advice guys!! First night has so far been a bit of an eye opener, only just about to enter the warehouse to be unloaded after nearly two hours in the queue!! Heard it was bad and now I know why! Never mind, just gotta wait and see what the rest of the night brings us!
Unless you’re having to constantly roll through, I’d suggest you’re not thinking this the right way around!
On a night trunk, and hourly paid, the wait at the hub is paid sleeping and tossing it off time! 
Don’t worry, you’ll soon be looking forward to that mid shift nap…
Unfortunately salary paid so I’d rather be out of here asap!! How much of a nap am I expected to get before the forkies wake me??
Speaking of which, I now know why you’re not allowed out your cab in the Hub, them forkies are mad!!
djt1881:
Unfortunately salary paid so I’d rather be out of here asap!! How much of a nap am I expected to get before the forkies wake me??Speaking of which, I now know why you’re not allowed out your cab in the Hub, them forkies are mad!!
Yep, stay in there, don’t venture into the ant colony!
As for money, do you not get an overtime rate after your contracted hours?
As if so, I can only assume you’re not hitting your contracted hours.
Duration night to night I found varied, but the pattern of proceeding just the same.
Relaxing waiting is a state of mind, as it will take as long as it takes!
And me stressing and ■■■■■■■ myself off about it, won’t make a jot of difference to the outcome.
I’ll just drive back grouchy, so why do it?
So if you’re only doing your contracted hours, spending a good few of them doing nothing, why should you be annoyed?
djt1881:
Unfortunately salary paid so I’d rather be out of here asap!! How much of a nap am I expected to get before the forkies wake me??Speaking of which, I now know why you’re not allowed out your cab in the Hub, them forkies are mad!!
The folkies are a bit mad & don’t worry once loaded they well let you know
It takes as long as it take due to all driver coming in & it being sorted so don’t worry about it just wait as nothing you can do about it
Some night will be quicker than others sometimes depends where you are in the country as they normally like to get the Scottish lads away 1st as they tend to have further to go
So I lasted all but two nights before I decided to jack it in already and go back to tramping next week. Both times I was at the hub for around 5 hours, equalling 14 hour shifts and around 8 hours sleep in total. Definitely not for me and looking forward to going back to nights out instead!!
djt1881:
So I lasted all but two nights before I decided to jack it in already and go back to tramping next week. Both times I was at the hub for around 5 hours, equalling 14 hour shifts and around 8 hours sleep in total.
At least you gave it a go mate. It’s the hanging around on some jobs I do that run into hours that does my nut in as it’s eating into your home ‘sleep’ time.
ROG:
Remember to put your lights on when it’s dark
Fantastic" thank you so much ROG
The other night a very nice Policeman was asking me why I was leaning out of the window with my torch , and to cut a very embarresing story short, He must have been a truck driver in the past, he stood up on the step and turned a switch and the road in front of me lit-up, like day light, fantastic.
I know you were not talking to me but I found it very interesting.