shunting

NEW AND WANNABE DRIVERS (INTERACTIVE)
1

I never was any good at reversing class 1 on my test and im still no good on reversing 15 months after passing it …my head just can not sort it out… i desperatley need the practice but doing trips here and there never provides it . I even considered getting extra lessons and was willing to pay 200 pounds for it…
so when i got a call from the agency to do shunting i hesitated but agreed and then felt sick as a pig worrying about it for two solid days prior to starting…

When i got there and looked at the yard i felt nervous and boy did i sweat…all them trailers looked so intimidating…I wanted to go home but i had to push myself through into this in order to master the art of reversing to make up for the inexperience of myself…

People relied on me and they noticed the sweat on my forehead, but i had to lie to them and say its hot in them cabs when really it was pure stress.I did the 8 hour shift shunting very slowly, never hit anything, and at the end of it i would recommend it as it was a valuable 8 hour lesson that i would never had gained from just trunking,im going back again today for another 8 hours…The fear is still there but im getting confident with every trailer i pick up and put on a bay…12 trailers yesterday on and off bays swinging them around…If you need experience like i do and do find the whole thing frightening take the bull by the horns and force yourself into a shunting agency shift…Im still crap but i learnt a lot :smiley: :smiley:

2

well done there mate , dont think i would have the courage to try a shunting shift :smiley:

3

Nice one!! Well done for just getting on with it.

Btw, I recommend Kalms, they really work.

4

Good on you m8,it will get easier the more you do shunting.It is better if your in a busy depot that way you ain’t got time to think about it.You just need to get on with it. :wink:

5

Well done goofball :smiley:

6

Well done :smiley:

7

It’s certainly good practice. I did a spell at United Carriers as night shunter, their yard in Howden was very tight with inches to spare between the trailers. you had to wind the legs down before you pushed them in. and no room to do a u turn, you had to do a 3 point turn around the diesel pump.

Makes you more condident on the road though :stuck_out_tongue:

8

Were you using a conventional unit or was it a ‘proper’ shunt tug?

I spent some time on a shunt tug and compared to using a ‘unit’, it was luxury!! I’d happily take on a job as a shunter if i knew it was with a tug. A close friend of mine came off the road to be a night shunter at Excel, Sherburn.

As a married man with kids, I think he liked the regular hours and it must be less stressful than, for example, M25 rush hour!! :confused:

Having said all that, I suppose the more ‘realistic’ practice would be with a unit.

9

i am a shunter in my full time job but also drive for an agency as and when i can . we n ormally shunt about 3o trailers a day but luckily we haved a terberg tug unit and compared to a road motor its great especially not having to wind legs

however ,it is like chalk and cheese compared to reversing in a road motor and i still sometimes still take bad moving between the two,especially getting ur angles correct

regards
milkman

10

i now need advice big time…whilst moving a trailer for the company the neighbouring company asked me to move one of theirs and it was the supervisor of the company i was contracted to said if your quiet move do some shunting for them…I picked the trailer up moved 100 yards and the legs dug into the ground and seperated itself from the unit… it took for fork lifts to pick it up again…trailer wrote off… i was sent home…i am so concerned will there be any come back on me… will the insurance of one company cover another…even though i was aked to do the shunt by the company i was contracted to would the mananger say that he never told me to do a shunt for another company and deny it…will the agency i worked for pick up the bill who is liable
i am a very worried person

11

Can’t see how they can bill you for any damage unless your contract states they can. Especially as it was being moved as a ‘favour’.

Some companies now have agencys signing to say they will pay for damage caused by their drivers, but as you damaged another companys property and not the one you were contracted to I can’t see your agency paying up.

Worst thing that could happen to you is they agency not giving you any more jobs but theres loads of agencys out there so dont worry.

just hope that they’re not registered with Depoel :wink:

12

goofball:
I picked the trailer up moved 100 yards and the legs dug into the ground and seperated itself from the unit… it took for fork lifts to pick it up again…trailer wrote off… i was sent home…i am so concerned will there be any come back on me…

Even shunters should check their 5th wheel is locked. it amazes me to see drivers tear arsing round a yard with the legs 2’’ from the ground and only using a red line or the shunt button with no trailer brakes on a loaded trailer.

You have to get out of the cab to wind the legs up, wind them up a bit further, you also have to get out of the cab to put the red line on, it takes 2 seconds longer to use the yellow one

13

Goofball,

Were you using a normal unit or a shunt tug■■?

14

using a normal unit…so does there remain a possibility i could get faced with the bill…lookin at my agency contract states do not perform other duties other than the one conttacted to

15

I’m with Malc on this one; if using a ‘normal unit’ for shunting then the legs still have to be wound up, and really, the yellow line attached. I assume you also checked the pin was locked in correctly and (hopefully) fitted/checked the safety clip??

Shunting with a normal unit IMHO is a crap job, and yet, with a shunt tug it’s a cushy job. The tug is designed to make the job easier and quicker i.e. lifting fifth-wheel, better brakes, auto’box, better steering/lock etc etc. Using a normal unit means you can’t rush the job, especially coupling/uncoupling, any more than you would if you were going down the road.

With regard to ‘blame’ for the accident, at this time and with the amount info you’ve given i’d say the blame is kinda pointing in your direction :unamused:

But…

…that’s only half the story. There are a whole load of other questions to be answered, long before anyone can ‘come after you’. I did an Accident Investigator’s course and the depth that questions are asked and have to be answered correctly are very suprising!

The majority of investigations soon show that most companies, including agencies which is who you were actually working for, do not fulfill their obligations with regard to induction training, familiarisation training (both equipment and area) and supervision of ‘new employees’ as can be reasonably expected where practiable.

In your case, to be held totally responsible, it would have to be proved that you had recieved all of the above, it was recorded correctly and you were afforded ample and sufficient opportunity and access to workplace systems that you could turn to if you were having any doubts about any aspect of the job.

To simplify all of the above, you were probably at fault but there are so many loopholes and technicalities that i wouldn’t lose too much sleep over it. Put it down to experience, learn from it and move on!! :wink:

Like someone already said, plenty more agencies…

If you want some more advice and would prefer it ‘off-line’, PM me.

16

i wouldnt worry about it. most agencies will not bother about this incident. they are well aware that accidents do happen but in this case, the accident is not connected to them directly. there is no client to lose since you did not damage anything belonging to the client you were sent to.
personally, i would forget it. the guy asked for a favour so it is his problem. i really cant see any comeback on you so dont worry about it. put it down to experience and move on :wink:

17

goofball:
using a normal unit…so does there remain a possibility i could get faced with the bill…lookin at my agency contract states do not perform other duties other than the one conttacted to

No. Had a guy at our spot smash two wagons in two days. One fo the joys? of agency work is no comeback.

18

Same as scanny don’t worry about it , besides by now you should be getting the hang ot reversing, so you won’t need to do anymore shunting not that you will be asked :laughing: :laughing:, Thank’s for the memories i remember shunting, up to now the count for dropped trls is three :blush: