Hi there just looking for some advice from fellow drivers.
I am currently working for a national company doing multi-drop deliveries in (have passed my category C and saving to do my C+E and CPC after the summer, and then will be looking for a new job) up until recentally i have enjoyed my job but the company has put into place several changes, apparently for the “better”. The most worrying change (esp for me as i want to go into HGV driving as a full time career) is that they have increased the number of orders by 50% but still have the same number of vehicles on the fleet, this resulting in large, heavy loads which are often overweight! Apparently they have a system in place up country where they add up the unit weight of all the items and then an email is sent down with the weights of each vehicle and if any are overweight, however i dont trust this sytem! Yesterday i couldnt even fit the full load on board as there was so much and i was not happy taking it on the road like that so approx 16 containers were removed, and even with the remaining load on the vehicle slated backwards, there was no give in the suspension and the back step actually grounded on the loading bay! But apparently the load that i took out plus the 16 containers i refused to take if loaded all togther only made me 5kg over!! The handing of the vehicle was also noticibly reduced until i got rid of some of my deliveries. I dont know if when they work out the weights if there are taking into account the weight of the plastic containers the goods are packed in (a stack of them is a good few kgs) and other factors like fuel, the driver, sack barrow or if they are soley adding up the unit price of the goods. I have several photos of so called “below weight” vehicles which show them leaning, grounded and tyres buldging and one fellow driver emailed them to Health and Safety but not sure if anything came of this. I know the implications of being caught overloaded and cant afford the fine or want the points on MY licence but its just trusting their system. If a vehicle is actually flagged as overloaded then the managers are splitting loads but its worrying me that loads that to the eye appear overweight are getting through the system. Any advice would be much appreciated not sure if its worth contacting VOSA or just refusing to take out any dodgy looking loads, even though they may just be within the weight limit of the vehicle. Apologies for rambling on lol 
Don’t refuse and don’t call VOSA*, but do find out where your nearest public weighbridge (if there isn’t one in your depot) is and nip round there to do a check weigh, you might have to pay some minimal fee for such, and when you’ve weighed the whole truck drive the steering axle just off the edge of the bridge and see what the drive axle weighs, note it all down, then compare with the MOT plate.
If the truck’s overloaded simply return to base, a national company should not risk being overweight but you might not be flavour of the month for raising your head over the parapet.
Is there a drivers rep, eg union shop steward who should be alerted to whats going on.
Course you might find that the truck is within its weights anyway, in which case just put the cost of the weighbridge down to experience (unless you think the company will stump up, they should) and keep quiet…
*Calling VOSA out to your company is the best way i know to make yourself unemployable, if the company runs dodgy then there’s every chance VOSA already have their beady on them, no fools them.
To add, driving to the nearest weighbridge does provide a legal defence against overloading and is not simply good practice
Next time i have a suspect load think il pop down the public weighbridge (not sure how well it will go down with management as will possibly put me behind schedule) but if its underweight will give me piece of mind and can use if for refrence in the future and if its overweight then the company should actually listen to us! Maybe a silly question as never been to a public weighbridge but if it was overweight is it ok to take the vehicle back on the road to the depo being as its actually and illegal load?
Trucker-Lass22:
Next time i have a suspect load think il pop down the public weighbridge (not sure how well it will go down with management as will possibly put me behind schedule) but if its underweight will give me piece of mind and can use if for refrence in the future and if its overweight then the company should actually listen to us! Maybe a silly question as never been to a public weighbridge but if it was overweight is it ok to take the vehicle back on the road to the depo being as its actually and illegal load?
So long as you are simply check weighing at the nearest bridge and will be returning directly to the depot to remove any excess if necessary you will be fine.
Its been my experience that if you are trying to do the right thing, such as this as best you can, then i’ve always found the Ministry and later VOSA to be very fair, decent and helpful…its those who don’t give a toss and flout the law willy nilly who get the book thrown.
Remember it’s also your responsibility to make sure the vehicle is loaded safely and that the weight distribution is correct. But you’re doing the right thing, if you’re unsure then flag it. You’d much rather be safe than sorry.