Hi guys. Tried searching for some info on this to no avail.
I do nights 1900-0500 usually. Past 2 days I’ve been awoken at 11/12 by work texting me about missing paperwork (not my fault, it was processed by me properly).
As I’m quite new to nights I wondered what is the usual rules when contacting drivers on nights during the day?? Am I right to complain about this??
Any help is much appreciated!
Do what I do, turn my phone off
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No, they shouldn’t be doing it. No reason why such admin matters can’t wait until the next time you’re in.
Having said that, they have no way of knowing your particular daily routine, so they sent a text rather than phoning you, giving you the choice of when to deal with it.
Being pragmatic, I’d suggest exploring the “Do Not Disturb” options on your phone.
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(1)Switch your phone off or put it on silent mode. (2) IF you replied to the text its YOU thats encouraged them to text you on your rest time.
Like most T.O`s give an inch and they take a yard if they can
I think texts, emails and WhatsApp messages can be sent to anyone at all times of the day or night. It is up to the recipient to manage their Do Not Disturb routine.
Next, you’ll be saying we can only reply on here at certain times in case someone gets a reply notification while they are asleep 
Put phone on silent (no sound, no vibration, nothing. face down if near the bed to keep light away if someone is calling)
Respond to calls/texts after wake up, breakfast, coffee, etc. Or ignore if they asking me to do OT 
I would have thought that work contact is interrupting a rest period…If you were to have a serious accident I think plod when they ogle your phone and take that into consideration
DaveyW:
Hi guys. Tried searching for some info on this to no avail.I do nights 1900-0500 usually. Past 2 days I’ve been awoken at 11/12 by work texting me about missing paperwork (not my fault, it was processed by me properly).
As I’m quite new to nights I wondered what is the usual rules when contacting drivers on nights during the day?? Am I right to complain about this??
Any help is much appreciated!
Tell me you ain’t replying.
I do tramping, my lot know that if they ring me during my daily rest that they won’t get a reply, in the unlikely event I get a txt, I will wait until next day to answer it.
At least they are texting you, so the onus is on YOU whether you reply or not.
As said put your phone on silent and don’t be daft enough to reply to the txt until your rest period is up, …if you do it will only encourage them.
I used the alarm on the phone as it was gentler than the bedside alarm clock/radio. I would put the phone in flight mode to disconnect from the networks. Once I’d woken & washed turn the flight mode off.
TBH I don’t think text contact is unreasonable, especially if giving information not available on debrief, expecting a response is.
Thanks for the replies. Think the consensus is that I keep the phone on silent or do not disturb (I’ll have to look at how that works lol). Unfortunately I did reply the first time as they were accusing me of losing paperwork, which annoyed me more than anything. I’ll not be replying in future.
Personally I don’t have a problem with the office texting me during my rest period as I’ll only respond to it once I’m back on duty. If they text me at ridiculous o clock I’ll set my alarm for 3am, call them back and then go back to bed.
Of course you’re right to complain about it, there’s no reason for them to be contacting you for stuff like that, it can wait until your next shift.
Am I the only one who sleeps upstairs with the phone downstairs ?
My work phone stays in my cab when I finish work every day. All texts and emails will be read in company time when Im getting paid and most certainly not in my free time.
I maybe wrong but I think stobarts got done for this kind of thing , though it didn’t seem to deter some planners
I’m not very technically minded , but if you put your phone on silent when tramping it wouldn’t just be the t/o who can’t get you , I’d guess the mrs / kids ? I left mine on but just looked at who was ringing , you know t/o no,s so just ignore , mrs always answer & it maybe something important , like I need to fill her window washers up at the weekend / or what the cats had for tea
Days now I still ignore office & just lie there for 3 hrs listening to what’s gone on in her world that day
dozy:
I maybe wrong but I think stobarts got done for this kind of thing , though it didn’t seem to deter some planners
I’m not very technically minded , but if you put your phone on silent when tramping it wouldn’t just be the t/o who can’t get you , I’d guess the mrs / kids ? I left mine on but just looked at who was ringing , you know t/o no,s so just ignore , mrs always answer & it maybe something important , like I need to fill her window washers up at the weekend / or what the cats had for tea
Days now I still ignore office & just lie there for 3 hrs listening to what’s gone on in her world that day
That’s where Do Not Disturb is much better than just silent or even off. You can tailor it exactly to who you let through, e.g., anyone in your favourites list gets through.
dozy:
I maybe wrong but I think stobarts got done for this kind of thing , though it didn’t seem to deter some planners
I’m not very technically minded , but if you put your phone on silent when tramping it wouldn’t just be the t/o who can’t get you , I’d guess the mrs / kids ? I left mine on but just looked at who was ringing , you know t/o no,s so just ignore , mrs always answer & it maybe something important , like I need to fill her window washers up at the weekend / or what the cats had for tea
Days now I still ignore office & just lie there for 3 hrs listening to what’s gone on in her world that day
Sort of. They got fined because drivers were required to phone in during weekly rests to find out what they were doing.
Obtain the person’s mobile phone number (or better still your line manager’s) and text your reply when you’re on shift.
And add a note that gives the times at which you can be contacted.
Agency sent me a text at 10am, I replied at 2pm when I woke up.
My place never contact me “out of hours”, but friends and family do! Quite simply, I use “do not disturb” and only allow selected numbers to be exceptions.
Nobody disturbs me - simples!!