Some of you may remember me posting about my last job which I left because the boss was asking us to infringe tacho regulations. So after quitting and doing agency work for a few weeks I get offered my current job.
So all’s being going well, untill the other day:
I left the yard on Sunday ar 6pm to run South. My tip on Monday was Heanor, near Derby, which is 6.5 or so hours drive from Edinburgh. So after 4.5 hours I stopped in a layby for the night. My logic being - it’s 10.30, I’ll start off at 7.30 in the morning and run the rest.
So at 8am my boss rings to ask if I had got there all right. To which I reply "I’m not there yet " and explained what I had done. He said I should have run all the way down and tipped first-thing. So I told him that I wouldn’t have been able to start til at least 10.30am. To which he replied “Well I wanted you to tip: then put your tacho in to maximise your hours for the day.”
To which I gave him a mouthful about rules being there to stop me falling asleep at the wheel, I have rights, this is illegal. PLUS when he asked why I left my last job (at my interview) I told him it was for that very reason. And I reminded him of that on the phone - you should have heard him back-pedal
So I am mighty annoyed. I was thinking of leaving anyway, because in 3 weeks time the season ends (I deliver plants) and I will be left doing jobs round the nursery and running errands etc.
The guy has no clue about running transport. He told me I was going to do a drop in Dagenham and then Devizes and run home - leaving today and returning tomorrow - despite me telling him I only had two nine-hour shifts left for the week. It’s nine-hours to Dagenham (foot to floor all the way) then round M25, Then 11-ish hours back from Devizes!!!
Wasn’t given any specific instructions other than: you’re going to “Leafy Lane” (name customer is known as). That’s your truck over there - your usual one is going elsewhere cos we changed where you are going at the last minute.
Wheel Nut:
2 . who decided you should leave at 18.00/quote]
I got an SMS text (yes - not a phone call ) at 11 am asking me to start at 8pm. So I phoned the boss and asked if I could start earlier so I didn’t have to drive too late and get a good nights kip.
Wheel Nut:
3 . If you were told to deliver the load first thing.
Wasn’t even discussed. I just assumed.
Wheel Nut:
On a six and half hour run plus a break I would have wanted to leave a lot earlier than 6pm.
See above.
Enough said really. When I suggested starting earlier, he said “I was being nice, so you could have dinner at home with your girlfriend.” That would have been nice, but STUPID. The guy has no brain!!
I once work for a bloke who used to ask drivers to run bent, but if you stood your ground and said no, he backed down and never asked again, if you said ok he would keep asking.
The fact your boss backed down might seem he would be the same and the fact he doesn’t know how long it takes to get places might work to your advantage as it gives you the upper hand.
Pup, I hate to sound thick here but wasn’t the point of you going down Sunday to get to the tip Sunday night■■? That way you would have a full card for Monday?? Waste of a Sunday if you’re just going to run halfway down the road?
I always thought the idea of leaving on a Sunday was so you could be outside the tip first thing Monday morning. I have to say that if I had rang you at 8am on Monday after paying you to run Sunday and you said you wasn’t at a tip only 6 and a half hours away, I wouldn’t be very amused either. Nothing to do with ‘running bent’ … simply that I have paid you to be there first thing, not halfway thro the day.
I was there first thing Monday morning. If I had done what he proposed I should have done, I would have had a daily rest of 6 hours to be there first thing in the morning.
I was there at 9am (half an hour after the place opened) having had my daily rest and ready to tip. If I had driven all the way down I would not be able to tip til 10.30 am.
I understand the fact he wanted a full shift on Monday to run back and reload etc, but in order to do so I would be running bent. If I had done what he originally asked, I would have got there at 3am and would have not been able to start til lunchtime ffs!! He wanted me to leave at 8.30pm
I have found out from 4 different sources that he has been blacklisted by 3 Edinburgh driving agencies for treating agency staff badly. Plus he has been severely reprimanded by Vosa and been threatened with having his O license taken off him. He is by no means an innocent man.
Having said that, I see where you are coming from about the full days driving. If he had said go all the way then tip when you have had your 9 hours I would have done. It is the lack of instructions THEN the why didn’t you do this, plus requesting I run bent that I object to.
i have to agree with that bear but at YOUR discretion not the bosses!!!
how do you find all the crappy jobs then pup? i thought it was only me that found them
chris
TheBear:
So you always insist on being ‘on card’ when you tip or load, Pup?? ok … no matter who the Boss is, there are times when a little ‘discretion’ is used
When I’m already working 65-70 hours a week, I need to draw the line somewhere. If it was legal for drivers to work 80 or 90 hours a week my boss would try to get me to do it. Working those kind of hours I need my daily rest in order to stay awake behind the wheel. In this job I am not willing to give up a few more hours.
It may sound like I am not commited to my job. I am 100% but when my boss is trying to steal my breaks from me as well, that’s not on. If I was only working a 45 hour week, I’d be more willing to give an hour or so here and there. But when running to the limit all week, I’m not going to give up the precious hours of rest I have. It would be dangerous to do so. Those laws are there to protect me and other road users from me falling asleep behind the wheel because of lack of rest.
Believe me Bear I am not an insubordinate person. But I do know my rights and am not going to be pushed into being overworked to the point of being a danger.
I used to do a Monday 8am tip in Manchester, leave Kent at 6pm Sunday night and be parked up at the tip by midnight. The guys would come out and tip me (very quietly) at 8am whilst I was still sleeping and wake me with a bacon sarnie and coffee at around 9.
That suited me, my boss and the customer just fine…
No disrespect Pup, but if you’re adamant about not tipping off the card then you want to get yourself off to a big logistics company where everything is done 100% legally, you only do one medium distance run per day and you can basically [zb] as much as you like but still get £500 per week but for only doing 50hrs instead of 80.
There are ways and means of keeping the gaffer happy without running bent nor only getting a few hours rest. It just requires a bit of forward planning. If you do this run again, you need to be away from (wherever) 4.15pm latest, which will get you parked up 11.30pm (if you want to run that late) after having a 45 off after 4.5hrs obviously and then you can tip at 8.30am as expected next day and then when you’re ready to go, put your card in. If that last part is a problem then refer to paragraph 1.
Lucy, can’t see what’s wrong with [zb]; it’s a well known and well used phrase for doing absolutely zilch. Can’t see why you thought it necessary to edit it.
It’s also a well known and well used phrase for something else completely, as I’m sure you well know. Since it can be so easily misconstrued. it goes. Please also note, in future, that any grievances of objections re:editing should be dealt with by a pm to the Mod/Admin concerned.Cheers.L.
Said it wasn’t very good! I’ll keep my ears open though.
