The bosses tried to give me a shoeing, they were ringing me and I didn’t answer, as I never do when driving. Normally I pull over somewhere and ring back but on this occasion I was about ten minutes from my drop so thought I would ring them back when I got to it. The phone rang continuously until I got to the drop and then when I answered it I got a torrent of abuse from the clerk for not answering my phone because the drop had been on wanting to know where I was. I lost it at this point and ripped into him, telling him that I was right outside the ■■■■■■■ place, that I had been driving and being nearly there thought that the office could ■■■■ well wait until I got there, and that if he was ringing me and I didn’t answer that there was no point in keeping ringing me because I obviously hadn’t had chance to pull over yet.
starfighter:
The bosses tried to give me a shoeing, they were ringing me and I didn’t answer, as I never do when driving. Normally I pull over somewhere and ring back but on this occasion I was about ten minutes from my drop so thought I would ring them back when I got to it. The phone rang continuously until I got to the drop and then when I answered it I got a torrent of abuse from the clerk for not answering my phone because the drop had been on wanting to know where I was. I lost it at this point and ripped into him, telling him that I was right outside the [zb] place, that I had been driving and being nearly there thought that the office could ■■■■ well wait until I got there, and that if he was ringing me and I didn’t answer that there was no point in keeping ringing me because I obviously hadn’t had chance to pull over yet.
I don’t even like it when the damned thing rings either. I’ve managed to disable some in-cab phones from ringing, but it usually disables the radio as well! 
One day we’ll get similar laws to the air industry at which point some knob phoning up all the time will get done for “endangering a heavy goods vehicle”! 
Well, my idea’s spreading; At least 5 other drivers are switching their phones off mid afternoon after a few drivers got screwed over with late loads when it’s well known they like to finish early/ontime. Nice and stressfree afternoons 
One of our drivers was recently done for use of a phone in his cab. 3 points and fixed penalty. The Company along with the driver were invited to attend a meeting at the local Traffic Commissioner’s office.
The Company got a roasting and the driver had his vocational licence suspended for 3 weeks, which was effecively another £1,500 fine because of lost earnings.
The Company has now issued a directive that under no circumstances should any driver use a phone, whether hands free or not, whilst they are in control of their vehicle.
getting your colleaques to turn the phone off will be giving you an extra opportunity for late loads for when you are an OD… 
One of our drivers told office if he wanted to answer phones he’d volunteer for the Samaritans (he’d still tell their clients to go 'k themselves with a cucumber) 
If you do go owner driver you won’t be switching it off you will sit willing it to ring.
From a traffic office point of view - we try not to ring our drivers, if the day is planned out correctly we shouldn’t need to. The flip side of that is we expect the drivers to call in if there are any delays or problems - we should never have to ring a driver to ask why he isn’t at a drop yet, he should have already rung us long before it becomes an issue.
Depending on the type/nature of products involved, I would suggest letting it ring but ringing back asap, and always before reaching the next delivery/collection point. In our industry some customerssometimes have credit issues, and we could be ringing to say ‘don’t make the delivery, they haven’t / won’t pay’ for example.
Good points Plannerman, but most of us are paid to drive not answer phones. I used to ring office on behalf of customers to order extra materials, lorries etc until one driver did that and customer wouldn’t pay for load as it hadn’t been given order number. I don’t want the hassle with that or having to listen to a customer bore me with what they’re using the material for…
scottishcruiser:
If im on 45mins or daily rest both personal & work phones go on silent. Im adamant Norfolkline deliberately look the tracker and phone when your parked up…
Listen Adam Ant if they ring you on any break start it again! whether your on 42 mins or 8hrs 56 on a nine off! 
they wouldn’t ring you again pal
You dont have Re-directing on your Phone?
Re-direct it to his other Number,or to a Number of another of your Lorries
I don’t agree with Muckaway & his cronies trying to find ways to duck out of extra late afternoon loads… an opportunity to earn money for the company that puts a roof over your head and food on your table, especially in the current business climate.
Don’t come here moaning in 6 months time when you’re made redundant.
As for anwering the phone whilst driving: If the office phones you whilst driving, as some have said answer and briefly but politely state you are driving and will call back when you can conveniently stop safely. (not when you get to the next load/tip site as the call might be about that job).
If the office person calling, once made aware you are driving, continues to engage you in conversation and during that conversation you are involved in an at fault fatal accident, the caller is jointly liable for any charges brought.
I think “planner” will be well aware of this?
Driveroneuk:
I don’t agree with Muckaway & his cronies trying to find ways to duck out of extra late afternoon loads
I like to actually see my son for more than an hour thankyou so 5pm finish is late enough for me. Why is there the natural assumption everyone who drives a lorry for a living wants to work 12 or more hours a day?
I never switch to POA either; This cuts a small amount of potential hours out of the working week… Anyhow where I’m based the gates are locked about 5:15pm and we’re not allowed a gate key, thus any earlier a start than 6:15 is out of the window as this is when the weighbridge man gets there.
We’re on Vodafone, is there anyway to avoid the endless answerphone options (to record personnal greeting etc) without disabling the answerphone option altogether?
Muckaway:
Driveroneuk:
I don’t agree with Muckaway & his cronies trying to find ways to duck out of extra late afternoon loadsI like to actually see my son for more than an hour thankyou so 5pm finish is late enough for me. Why is there the natural assumption everyone who drives a lorry for a living wants to work 12 or more hours a day?
I never switch to POA either; This cuts a small amount of potential hours out of the working week… Anyhow where I’m based the gates are locked about 5:15pm and we’re not allowed a gate key, thus any earlier a start than 6:15 is out of the window as this is when the weighbridge man gets there.We’re on Vodafone, is there anyway to avoid the endless answerphone options (to record personnal greeting etc) without disabling the answerphone option altogether?
I`d bin the O/D dream PDQ if I were you, you are not on this planet regarding working for yourself 
If your working for yourself, it dont stop @ 17.00pm, believe me, if the phone aint ringing, your brain will be
On your work situation, they have either spotted a “shortfall” in your workload [and your 3 mates], or, the traffic office have had a “stiffner” regarding getting more out of the “assets” …
Just an observation
i get / make about 4 phone calls a day usually with im tipped at such a place the reply is right ok go to ■■■■ a place here is the reference i go get the load ring em back tell em i got the load and il be parking at such an such a place followed with right no problem il speak to you in the morning
when parked up i turn it off and sometimes to forget to turn it back on untill mid morning but never get no hassle
Having never owned a mobile of my own, I don’t know the answer to this one.
Is it possible to have a phone on you that does not FLASH or BUZZ or RING or BEEP when there’s anything incoming?
How many people reach for the damned thing when it makes the slightest peep “To make sure I’m not missing anything here”.
DISTRACTION!
Mobile phones are getting cheaper to run sure. The only people that want to call me only want to tell me something I don’t want to hear, so I still don’t bother. For everyone else trying to get hold of me, there’s a tracker, phone me at home, or just leave me alone 'cos I’m likely turning into the estate right outside the place I’m “late” for! 
I sometime run an 8 w grab on utility work and you have to answer the phone ,sometimes up to 10 gangs with 4 or more jobs around a set area means you need to be on the ball , all trucks have hands free ,the calls are brief,where the job is and thats about it unless some specific instructions are needed for access etc
its no good waiting until you get to the next job to ring back ,as you may well have driven past them 10 mins ago to get to the job your on
then you just end up chasing your tail all day with grumpy gangs who have to wait ,in doing so don,t meet there targets and need to work later ,meaning your out later etc etc
Stanley Mitchell has it about right - I suggest you delete the thread about becoming an OD because with your attitude you are sure to fail. You don’t seem to understand anything about business, keeping customers onside, or how hard you have to work your assets to cover your costs, never mind make a profit. Margins are so tight that the last load of the day, which you try to avoid by not answering your phone, will be the profit on your vehicle for the day. Where I work, not answering your phone is a disciplinary offence - as it should be, transport is a business, not a game.
A disciplinary offence for not answering the phone? My last load that I dodge as you put it, is because I’ve already done my work for the day, plus extra I’ve rung in for. I get criticism for not washing the wagon often enough so how the ■■■■ am I going to do it if I’m working upto knocking off time? As I’ve already said, where I’m based we have to be back in by 5pm as we’re not allowed gate keys. The water is run from the plant so once that’s off no washdown. They can’t have it both ways…
And neither can you… There does seem to be an endless list of reasons (excuses…) for not doing this or that
If and when you become an OD, who or what are you going to blame then?
Everyone has their niche in life - you may have found yours with your ■■■■■■■ in the cab thread… (which is bloody funny, by the way)