Somebody poses a hypothetical scenario, where there could be a situation whereby a colleague B has got his truck jammed against a fence and doesn’t have the skill to reverse his truck away from that fence and into a loading position without damaging his truck.
Another colleague A in the same company has already reversed his truck into position.
Driver A then reverses driver B’s truck away from the fence and into position for his colleague B without damaging anything, while driver B’s tacho card is still in the slot of truck B. Driver A’s card was still inserted in driver A’s truck.
All of this takes place completely off the public highway inside a very securely gated and fenced depot.
The transport manager isn’t on-site at those premises but becomes aware of the occurrence.
He claims an offence is committed.
The drivers’ point of view is it is “off-road” and is a strictly limited manoeuvre to avoid damage and help a colleague.
src:
Somebody poses a hypothetical scenario, where there could be a situation whereby a colleague B has got his truck jammed against a fence and doesn’t have the skill to reverse his truck away from that fence and into a loading position without damaging his truck.
Another colleague A in the same company has already reversed his truck into position.
Driver A then reverses driver B’s truck away from the fence and into position for his colleague B without damaging anything, while driver B’s tacho card is still in the slot of truck B. Driver A’s card was still inserted in driver A’s truck.
All of this takes place completely off the public highway inside a very securely gated and fenced depot.
The transport manager isn’t on-site at those premises but becomes aware of the occurrence.
He claims an offence is committed.
The drivers’ point of view is it is “off-road” and is a strictly limited manoeuvre to avoid damage and help a colleague.
Where do the drivers stand?
What would DVSA say?
It’s this for real?
The DVSA probably wouldn’t give a toss over something so trivial…
The transport manager wants to give his head a shake.
Offroad vehicle movements in the yard being counted by DVSA as driving time is a can of worms.
I would definitely never move anyone else’s truck with their tacho chart left in theirs and mine left in mine.It really is a good old rule to go by.
If your truck is going to be moved by someone else then your chart/card needs to be removed.
Offroad vehicle movements in the yard being counted by DVSA as driving time is a can of worms.
I would definitely never move anyone else’s truck with their tacho chart left in theirs and mine left in mine.It really is a good old rule to go by.
If your truck is going to be moved by someone else then your chart/card needs to be removed.
Monkey241:
At worst a disciplinary offence depending on company policy…
Anyone disciplined for this would have a reasonable mitigation in explaining why he did what he did…
That’s not to say the company COULDNT still discipline…
Is it gross misconduct? Again depends on what policy says…but unless it’s explicitly covered, any reasonable person would say no…
If a company could actually be arsed to be even giving a non event such as that, all of 2 seconds of thought and consideration, never mind all that rigmarol type of ■■■■■■■■, it would not be the type of company I would want to work for.
I don’t think that DVSA would give a flying ■■■■ either tbh.
robroy:
I don’t think that DVSA would give a flying [zb] either tbh.
They really don’t like any driving offroad in the yard not to be recorded in exactly the same way as if it was out on the road.
They’ll see it as no different to driving a truck on the road without it being recorded correctly.IE someone else’s chart/card in the tacho of the truck you’re driving with yours left back at the yard in the wrong vehicle.
Never moving someone else’s truck on their tacho, nor letting them move yours, regardless of in the yard or on the road, is an old well known rule from memory in my case.
Can’t see anyone being remotely interested in an offence or disciplinary way, no doubt the poor sod who couldn’t manage the maneuver will take some gentle good natured ribbing over it…and long may that continue so long as we can take the ■■■■ out of each other’s balls ups in an affectionate way, make a big ■■■■ up like running off the road or flipping it the chances are you’ll end up re-christened with a nick name that you’d better get used to cos it could well be permanent.
But, strictly speaking an offence has happened, so the TM is right in that sense. Whether anyone else is, is very doubtful. It is a bit like doing 31mph in a 30 limit, no one in the real world could care less.
Why is it an offence? Once on duty driving time under EU rules is counted whether or not you are on public road or private land.
Again why is this? 15 minutes over a daily drive, all you do is claim, well I was in a private yard for that time officer. UK Domestic rules are different.
To get someone to learn how to manoeuvre it might be best, although take longer, to guide them. Let them sit in the seat and steer while you direct them. Things look different when you are stood watching a movement.
(But that is an observation, not a major criticism)
But again I`ll stress, in the real world? Nothing wrong.
Seems to be the sort of thing that should be dealt with by an informal “don’t do it again”. DVSA won’t be in the slightest bit bothered unless it was being done on a routine basis - especially if B was doing it while recording a Break.
Regardless of whether it is off road or not you have driven a truck albeit very shortly with another drivers card in so yes an offence has been committed. You should never drive a truck with someone else’s card in the tacho and if you must move another truck technically speaking you should get them to take their card out take yours out and insert yours, which also would mean technically you’d need to do a pre use check on that truck as well. That’s in the eyes of the law.
The only real acceptable time for moving vehicles without a card In is for shunting as missing mileage will need to be accounted for.
I would expect a warning would be the course of action in this case from your employer.
Yes you were just helping someone out but as you have now found in some companies they want you to work to the letter of the law.
simcor:
Regardless of whether it is off road or not you have driven a truck albeit very shortly with another drivers card in so yes an offence has been committed. You should never drive a truck with someone else’s card in the tacho and if you must move another truck technically speaking you should get them to take their card out take yours out and insert yours, which also would mean technically you’d need to do a pre use check on that truck as well. That’s in the eyes of the law.
The only real acceptable time for moving vehicles without a card In is for shunting as missing mileage will need to be accounted for.
I would expect a warning would be the course of action in this case from your employer.
Yes you were just helping someone out but as you have now found in some companies they want you to work to the letter of the law.
Ok, but was I the only one waiting for the bit at the end saying…,
‘‘I know all this is pedantic ■■■■■■■■ which personifies modern management they do not want men working for them, they want subservient brainwashed robots, who go on to repeat all this crap without a hint of irony, and perpetuate it’’…
But sadly you didn’t add it.
Mountains and molehills springs to mind. An absolute non event turned into an event by somebody desperate to justify their job title. Nothing to see here, move along.
