topdog1606:
Just a random thought. We as drivers say that we are professional and wish to be treated as such and with the same respect, however, there are rules, which may or may not be correct. As professionals we should take notice and heed of the rules, otherwise we could be considered as being unprofessional. You cannot have your cake and eat it on this occasion.
I know what you are saying mate.
You should stick to the rules…if only to avoid a disproportinate revenue raising fine.
That does not say that you should not question that particular type of rule loudly and show it up for what it’s true agenda is.
The roping example in my last post fits the bill for this.
eagerbeaver:
2 Strap’s (cross-strapped obviously) across the rear pallets is all we are told to do. If VOSA tug you, ESL will pay the fine.
Quick equation for you all folks…4000 wagons x 20 mins each strapping up = ££££’s. The odd wagon here and there with a £100 fine = £££’s.
££££’s -£££’s = £’s.
Sounds like the Financial director (think of the Shekels) and the Legal director (think we can get away with it) have out voted the H & S director (think of the children) and the Engineering director (think Isaac Newton and the Laws of Physics).
mazzer:
Heard that it is to do with load security of out of one of the coca cola plants probably thought that they were untouchable, well obviously not
Never seen any Stobart trailer being strapped at Coca Cola… And their trailer checklist states that a trailer needs a minimum of four (4) straps.
Never seen MJD strap Coke loads either.
Not true, there is no trailer checklist that I recall, and I only left a few months ago. On the ‘induction’ to the company we was told you only have to strap the back 2 pallets, due to load bearing curtains and all that crap.
Last mention of vosa was a memo on our board and it was reminder to drivers to make sure there dog clip was on, number plate on, legs wound up and all lights were working before leaving yard ,there was no mention of drivers hours or strapping .
Nb I passed Beatock , went into Carlisle on various occasions last week and there was no interest shown in truck , load at all, if rob says he saw all these STOBARTS truck then he did , but they showed no interest in me, load, straps etc etc , even stopped next to one in central London and no interest at all
dozy:
Last mention of vosa was a memo on our board and it was reminder to drivers to make sure there dog clip was on, number plate on, legs wound up and all lights were working before leaving yard ,there was no mention of drivers hours or strapping .
Nb I passed Beatock , went into Carlisle on various occasions last week and there was no interest shown in truck , load at all, if rob says he saw all these STOBARTS truck then he did , but they showed no interest in me, load, straps etc etc , even stopped next to one in central London and no interest at all
I didn’t say they were pulling ALL Stobarts in doze, just a total of 5 in 2 sites.
Do they really have to tell you lot basic stuff like that?
Legs wound up? no.plate on? Ffs!.. I thought you lot were the Elite, the Special Forces of the trucking fraternity.
dozy:
Last mention of vosa was a memo on our board and it was reminder to drivers to make sure there dog clip was on, number plate on, legs wound up and all lights were working before leaving yard ,there was no mention of drivers hours or strapping .
Nb I passed Beatock , went into Carlisle on various occasions last week and there was no interest shown in truck , load at all, if rob says he saw all these STOBARTS truck then he did , but they showed no interest in me, load, straps etc etc , even stopped next to one in central London and no interest at all
I didn’t say they were pulling ALL Stobarts in doze, just a total of 5 in 2 sites.
Do they really have to tell you lot basic stuff like that?
Legs wound up? no.plate on? Ffs!.. I thought you lot were the Elite, the Special Forces of the trucking fraternity.
i was a bit when I read it rob ,but not surprised as if i have a incident they send me on a driver retraining course even though I’ve got a lisense, how to pick up/ drop a tri,get in and out of a cab and how to drive round a town centre ,didn’t like the last one as he was shouting did you hit that,did you ,turned a bit early but didn’t hit traffic light ,don’t think they trust me/ us to do the basics,put on number plate ,turn left etc glad I’m about out of it.
Terry T:
When I worked for them I had an agency driver manual and in it, it said that to secure 26 one tonne pallets of coke/water all that was required were 2 straps across the rear 2 pallets.
Usually because you had metal bars running down the sides of the trailers which held the load in in a similar fashion to the way tilt trailers do with wooden planks.
wouldn’t of been built up for tossco work Conor. most Coca Cola sites you drop trailers, pull curtains and bars to the rear and lash curtains to the back with said " TWO STRAPS! " come on you know that.
Lad on pumps at Carlisle was really stressed out , said he just seen I one with all the curtains pulled back and vosa there ,said he’d done the best he could with his load and wanted to know if vosa check points were open I’d passed , so rob seems abt right with the stops being to check strapping .
I had 9 straps on( the correct amount) , but I did chuck 3 more over just in case they show a intrest on flats , though straps would be the least of my problems , but I’ve made a concerted effort these last 2/3 weeks , so hopefully they’d take that into account
Passed a few Stobies now all with Yellow Stickers on their curtains, not sure if they actually tested their curtains, replaced them or just ordered a few thousands of the stickers…
They either lost to DVSA or couldn’t bother to take it any further, let this be a warning to all others that don’t strap without load bearing curtains, if Stobart had to get them installed/tested then you can bet your bottom dollar that the smaller firms stand no change.
Think there going away from tauts ,too much competition ,not enough money ,mate did a presentation recently for company bosses,prospective clients ,and that was for new company ,mib ,they’re starting up ,that’s tippers ,low loaders etc
Vosa have zero intrest when I’m on flats ,I think there thinking is same will apply on tippers ,low loaders
Its not just about driver lazyness though is it? I’ve loaded at hundreds of places that simply fail to provide the correct equipment to secure the load such as corner boards, edge protectors and drive through access gantries. Its even worse at weekends when there’s often no-one around to ask. Yet they are the very first to submit a claim for damaged/crushed stock where straps have been tightened onto it.
dozy:
Think there going away from tauts ,too much competition ,not enough money
Hmmmmh
dozy:
I wouldn’t worry yourself too much , were meant to have 30 trucks / drivers on flats , due to a few leaving / the rest refusing to do that work for £8 ph there’s 8 on it , 1 of those is leaving if he gets a another job/ asks every day to come off it , and most of the other 7 have about had enough.
What on earth is wrong with securing a load properly. Maybe it should all be flats with roping and sheeting again. As robroy said, there’s nothing wrong with ropes, or sheets, or flat bodies. It’d get rid of some of the bloody cissies that whinge or nit pick about having to use straps.
peterm:
What on earth is wrong with securing a load properly. Maybe it should all be flats with roping and sheeting again. As robroy said, there’s nothing wrong with ropes, or sheets, or flat bodies. It’d get rid of some of the bloody cissies that whinge or nit pick about having to use straps.
Ain’t you seen the programme,these guys only have 1h 10 to get from Carlisle to central London and the only way they’ll make it with 4 mins to spare is to not secure the load.
scotstrucker:
tell that too the 8 drivers that have all had there loads come off the pallets in the last 6 months as they go around the roundabout at the bottom of the j41 estate and clip the kerb
And how many drivers successfully navigated said roundabout in the same period with the same load on ?
I go round said roundabout a couple of times a week, and have never even kissed it.
same here but some drivers think the truck is a formula 1 car
so to combat incompetence we will introduce a set of laws to allow these plebs on the road for longer.
other than timber, plasterboard and steel I cant think of a load in a curtainsider that I have strapped regular and the only one I have ever had come out the trailer I had strapped/roped and hammered wedges in.
war1974:
so to combat incompetence we will introduce a set of laws to allow these plebs on the road for longer.
other than timber, plasterboard and steel I cant think of a load in a curtainsider that I have strapped regular and the only one I have ever had come out the trailer I had strapped/roped and hammered wedges in.
Often drivers tell me they’ve never ‘lost a load’ or had anything come out the side and that certain loads don’t need strapping etc. This just might mean they haven’t been in ‘that’ circumstance on ‘that’ day when ‘that’ person did ‘that’ thing. I think the idea being promoted by DVSA is that if we secure every load to know standards based on what ‘could’ happen in the wrong circumstances then these things won’t happen.
We also have to consider damage to loads and vehicles. How many loads have shifted that wouldn’t have done with a bit of strapping/netting etc
A good driver knows how to drive to keep his load in place … but unfortunately other drivers can affect that.
It’s a case od risk assessment. We only know we got it wrong when those particular circumstances come together and it all goes wrong. Maybe it’s a 1 in a million chance but it certainly happens to people
It needs a percentage of tugs and checks to get Green lighted. Its earnt - not just given.
Same as a newbie O L Operator would be initially Redlighted untill they`ve passed a few inspections and learnt/earnt to be good boys & girls
They can giveth - they can taketh away .
. Surely this aspect was covered in the DCPC training —
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Pay attention at the back of the class there – wake up
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most Coca Cola sites you drop trailers, pull curtains and bars to the rear and lash curtains to the back with said " TWO STRAPS! " 
