a ‘colleague’ is only putting his card in on the security gate to save the 10 mins it takes to hook-up, he’s taking his card out at security on his return to save the 10 mins it take to drop. this is so he can do a run which normally takes your tenth hour, in under 9. he’s not completing manual entries or showing work to check his vehicle before and after shift. this is classed as running ‘bent’ right? i flagged it to my so called supervisor, who said thats his choice and what could they do? my concern is if he gets pulled and fined, will the ministry assume we are all at it and pull us too?
What’s it to you? Good luck to him.
fair enough
grass
podgerjones:
a ‘colleague’ is only putting his card in on the security gate to save the 10 mins it takes to hook-up, he’s taking his card out at security on his return to save the 10 mins it take to drop. this is so he can do a run which normally takes your tenth hour, in under 9. he’s not completing manual entries or showing work to check his vehicle before and after shift. this is classed as running ‘bent’ right? i flagged it to my so called supervisor, who said thats his choice and what could they do? my concern is if he gets pulled and fined, will the ministry assume we are all at it and pull us too?
If nobody says anything no one will know 
Yeah, Bertie bleedin’ Smalls 
Well I think as far a vosa is concerned this is missing records or proof that he’s not doing his walk around checks.
It’s also down to the transport manager to do something about this if he knows it’s happening… He should do if he’s checking his drivers card.
If vosa think this could be happening across the company then they could if they so wish pop in and check everyone’s cards.
Francis
And how often do vosa stop you■■? I’ve been stopped twice in 12 years. When my digi malfunctioned last year I ran 5 weeks without one and nobody said a word in fact nobody even asked for my printouts.
As long as you’re running within the rules, what’s the problem?
commonrail:
grass
Hardly fair, if he has flagged it to his TM I think it’s because the guy is getting pressed to do the same route as quick but wont because it would mean he is breaking the law. Your record should always show at least 15 mins before driving, otherwise no checks have been made.
Eckyboy:
commonrail:
grassHardly fair, if he has flagged it to his TM I think it’s because the guy is getting pressed to do the same route as quick but wont because it would mean he is breaking the law. Your record should always show at least 15 mins before driving, otherwise no checks have been made.
Really? Who stipulates at least fifteen minutes before driving and then decides that if there’s eight or thirteen for example then “no checks have been made”?
Happydaze:
Really? Who stipulates at least fifteen minutes before driving and then decides that if there’s eight or thirteen for example then “no checks have been made”?
Apparently DCPC trainers seem to like fifteen minutes. I’ve never heard anyone from VOSA specify so much. The trailer walkaround you have to do on the C+E test takes about a minute, so it’s hard to see that you need more than about five to do the combination, unless you’ve got a shed load of paperwork to do too.
podgerjones:
a ‘colleague’ is only putting his card in on the security gate to save the 10 mins it takes to hook-up, he’s taking his card out at security on his return to save the 10 mins it take to drop. this is so he can do a run which normally takes your tenth hour, in under 9. he’s not completing manual entries or showing work to check his vehicle before and after shift. this is classed as running ‘bent’ right? i flagged it to my so called supervisor, who said thats his choice and what could they do? my concern is if he gets pulled and fined, will the ministry assume we are all at it and pull us too?
Whether or not it’s anyone else’s business sort of depends on the effect his actions are having on the other drivers, if he’s cutting the job up for everyone else by running bent it needs sorting out, personally I think you should have had a word with him before running to the supervisor.
If what he’s doing doesn’t interfere with anyone else’s job I don’t see that it’s anything to get bothered about, if he feels the need to chase brownie points it’s his problem not yours.
He is daft not to show some time for vehicle checks and that is something that your boss should have picked up on and rectified.
As far as VOSA assuming that you’re all at it is concerned, if you’re sticking to the rules what do you have to worry about, they can’t bring a prosecution based just on an assumption.
wilbur:
Happydaze:
Really? Who stipulates at least fifteen minutes before driving and then decides that if there’s eight or thirteen for example then “no checks have been made”?Apparently DCPC trainers seem to like fifteen minutes. I’ve never heard anyone from VOSA specify so much. The trailer walkaround you have to do on the C+E test takes about a minute, so it’s hard to see that you need more than about five to do the combination, unless you’ve got a shed load of paperwork to do too.
I agree, five minutes is ample. You won’t hear it from the ministry, beacuse they can’t stipulate how long you should take. DCPC trainers need something to “prove” that people who already know what they’re doing, need to be shown again, so the more waffle the better, from their point of view.
The reason I responded to the post is that the person I quoted seemed to speak with authority about “fifteen minutes or no checks” which is of course, completely untrue. You and I know that, but others may not.
Eckyboy:
commonrail:
grassHardly fair, if he has flagged it to his TM I think it’s because the guy is getting pressed to do the same route as quick but wont because it would mean he is breaking the law. Your record should always show at least 15 mins before driving, otherwise no checks have been made.
here we go with this old chestnut that you must show 15 mins everyday, never done it, may be a couple of mins but that is all, had my cards checked at a vosa check point and nothing was ever said about 15 mins, mind you i only drive one unit and never drop my trailer except at weekends as i ain’t got room at home for the trailer as well.
as for the guy pulling his card when he gets to the security i don’t think that vosa would be too impressed with that, if the TM knows whats going on they could say he has lost his repute, oh look job gone!!! doing what he is, is the same as pulling the fuse ect which you can go to prison for as he is interfereing with the tacho by not recording his full work period 
Eckyboy:
commonrail:
grassHardly fair, if he has flagged it to his TM I think it’s because the guy is getting pressed to do the same route as quick but wont because it would mean he is breaking the law. Your record should always show at least 15 mins before driving, otherwise no checks have been made.
dont worry about the other bloke,just go about your duty as you see fit.if you cant do it legally then tell the tm you`re not prepared to break the law.
if he says so and so driver does it then tell him to send him instead,you allways get one or two heroes that are willing to bend the rules slightly,in a vain attempt to better thier name…let them get on with it…just keep your nose out.
It was me and wasnt speaking from authority but if a tacho starts with driving without any other work then it should be flagged. Appologies but thats the FTA guidlines we use but in reality at long as it shows something:)
Eckyboy:
commonrail:
grassYour record should always show at least 15 mins before driving, otherwise no checks have been made.
Granted I drive rigids, but my daily check takes about 60 seconds.
One walk round with all the lights on, looking at the tyres on the way. Quick check at the water/washer levels, check brake lights in my mirrors (its dark when I start) and i’m away. The dash tells me if anything else is up. I know all the wagons on the fleet so know they are taxed etc.
Just me?
Eckyboy:
It was me and wasnt speaking from authority but if a tacho starts with driving without any other work then it should be flagged. Appologies but thats the FTA guidlines we use but in reality at long as it shows something:)
You see? An FTA guideline.
The FTA are nobodies and guidelines are what they say they are.
I wasnt falling out, just never agreed with the comment “grass”.
anyway for what it’s worth-
“If you’re an operator, failing to ensure walk around checks are being carried out might be deemed a contravention to your O licence declaration.”