If anyone has a problem with very long working hours the law is max average week of 48 hours and max 60 hours in any single week under working Time Directive keeping in mind that Breaks, Rest and POA do not count as working time.
That’s about 9.5 hours for 5 days to hit the weekly average of 48 hours or 5 by 12 hour shifts to hit the 60 maximum.
Any week week you go over the 48 you’ll have to reduce another week to get back to average and a week of paid leave counts as 48 hours work when calculating the average.
If anyone knows they are exceeding this then a quick email to DVSA and they will follow up with enforcement.
This is the Max legal limit and working place agreements can only reduce this and in fact I have heard of some lucky guys up in the Toon only working a 4 day week full time!!!
lolipop:
12hrs a day is enough for any man providing he gets 12 in at night
Isn’t that the truth but keep in mind that you can only do 12 hours work four days a week on average.
If you do it 5 days this week then you will have to drop to 3 days some future week to get the average back down to the legal limit.
The problem is DVSA do not really enforce this unless a company comes to their attention for other matters or they receive a complaint then they are all over it.
If someone feels they are overdoing it ask the company for the WTD Analysis for the relevant period (usually 17 week average for most companies or occasionally a 26 week) and if out of order tell them “No can do” or email the DVSA.
WTD won’t stop long days if you use Rest and POA a lot during the day so if you are working put it on ‘Other Work’.
As Rob says a drivers day is long enough already if only working to the maximum ‘Tachograph Hours’ so use the tools we have.
Hurryup&wait:
So if the M whatever goes to crap as it often does they are giving you an extra driving only allowance TO SAVE YOUR WEEKEND PLANS.
Overall these amendments are a great step in the right direction
Do you really believe those 2 statements?
Ok I maybe can not give you an alternative reason off the top of my head, but both experience in this job and the cynic in me tells me ‘Your weekend plans’ don’t even get on their radar,
There MUST be some other agenda to suit them and stuff you, in some way or another.
And the only '‘Step in the right direction’ in this ■■■■ job, would be to put the allowed working hours and spreadover in line with 2020…not 1920,.with pay adjusted accordingly.
As for me if I could not get back home after a particularly long trip in the old days, I’d park the motor 1 hour or so away from home somewhere safe, get a lift, or the Mrs would collect me,.and I’d claim the money for weekend rest away and/or nights out. win win.
And…seeing as I could not get back if they needed the trailer, or whatever, you could sure as hell bet they would plan me better, to get back next time.
A good place to start reducing your workload is to stop using the POA scam completely. Your either working or you’re not. There isn’t a half way option (unless you’re an RDC goods in worker who manages to work hard at not working at all).
If accountants managed pounds and pennies the same way the transport industry managed hours and minutes they’d be doing serious prison time.
WhiteTruckMan:
A good place to start reducing your workload is to stop using the POA scam completely. Your either working or you’re not. There isn’t a half way option (unless you’re an RDC goods in worker who manages to work hard at not working at all).
If accountants managed pounds and pennies the same way the transport industry managed hours and minutes they’d be doing serious prison time.
Never ever used it, …I refuse to on principle,.mainly because it’s complete disingenuous ■■■■■■■■ designed to work alongside the other horse ■■■■ (wtd) and to appease the likes of Tesco rather than forcing them to get their acts together for quick turnarounds.
Cheers.
Hurryup&wait:
If anyone knows they are exceeding this then a quick email to DVSA and they will follow up with enforcement.
You’ve never emailed DVSA, have you?
I don’t have a great relationship with them since they or more so the police developed a very bad attitude toward my strong work ethic a while back.
Then again I tramp general haulage mostly and don’t have the impossible problem for many of trying to have a normal evening at home after work nor are my overall hours usually any problem either as I try to do relief work rather than full time which has other pros and cons.
lolipop:
12hrs a day is enough for any man providing he gets 12 in at night
Main man at our mob has always said a 12hr day is more than enough,12 on 12 off is the assumed norm for us unless we’re planned a shorter day
When I started this job it was a 12.5 hour spreadover max, and I was paid time and a half after 8.
In theory the job was much easier (ok,.apart from tacho fiddling culture that is) and more condusive with a good work/rest ratio.
But then the ■■■■ lunatics took over the asylum, to what it is today, and many drivers voted for it with their feet, even though it meant a general same rate right through scenario, in the usual turkeys voting for Christmas style.
lolipop:
12hrs a day is enough for any man providing he gets 12 in at night
Main man at our mob has always said a 12hr day is more than enough,12 on 12 off is the assumed norm for us unless we’re planned a shorter day
When I started this job it was a 12.5 hour spreadover max, and I was paid time and a half after 8.
In theory the job was much easier (ok,.apart from tacho fiddling culture that is) and more condusive with a good work/rest ratio.
But then the [zb] lunatics took over the asylum, to what it is today, and many drivers voted for it with their feet, even though it meant a general same rate right through scenario, in the usual turkeys voting for Christmas style.
I’m not old enough to remember those days,only been doing it 15 years so still a pup compared to most with regards to my original comment,I usually do between 9 and 12hrs a day (dependent on workload) and always aim for 12 off.Personally I think we should all be on a decent hourly rate then overtime after 8hrs as standard,same as most jobs are.But as you say,the turkeys all ended up voting for Christmas and here we all are with the standard being ■■■■ money for stupid hours.Been saying it for years,drivers are their own worst enemies the vast majority of the time
lolipop:
12hrs a day is enough for any man providing he gets 12 in at night
Main man at our mob has always said a 12hr day is more than enough,12 on 12 off is the assumed norm for us unless we’re planned a shorter day
When I started this job it was a 12.5 hour spreadover max, and I was paid time and a half after 8.
In theory the job was much easier (ok,.apart from tacho fiddling culture that is) and more condusive with a good work/rest ratio.
But then the [zb] lunatics took over the asylum, to what it is today, and many drivers voted for it with their feet, even though it meant a general same rate right through scenario, in the usual turkeys voting for Christmas style.
I’m not old enough to remember those days,only been doing it 15 years so still a pup compared to most with regards to my original comment,I usually do between 9 and 12hrs a day (dependent on workload) and always aim for 12 off.Personally I think we should all be on a decent hourly rate then overtime after 8hrs as standard,same as most jobs are.But as you say,the turkeys all ended up voting for Christmas and here we all are with the standard being [zb] money for stupid hours.Been saying it for years,drivers are their own worst enemies the vast majority of the time
Absolutely true.
I’ve often said on here about these guys who come out with the classic ‘‘I’m on good money me’’ . including some that I work alongside.
Are you ■■■■ on ‘good money’, you’ve worked what equates to a week and a half’s working hours in a week compared to most jobs, furthermore you can sure as hell bet they’re including their 5 nights out in that statement.
Then they tell you, it’s part of the job/always been like this…has it ■■■■■■■■!
Sure they WOULD be on good,.even fantastic money if their pay structure and terms were as they once were and still should be now if drivers had not been so ■■■■ stupid in the past.
As you say mate…own worst enemies.
win win.