one thing, you say you are not happy with the hours? when i joined an agency, driver hire, although the guy was great with finding me work I did find myself starting and finishing at all different hours as the jobs were for different customers to start with, after a while though I did get regular work with a local company.
I was in the same boat as you and did end up informing vosa though i don,t now the outcome, but try getting yourself around any local companies and see whats about before jumping.
yes, the hours is an issue but for a way out I could put up with it for now.
I’ve been whinged at again today, this time for stopping for a break before going into central london, When I explained that this was to avoid running out of time whilst in london I didn’t get a great reaction, though he was very careful not to say it, I get the impression he wants me to put the tacho on break while unloading etc, to make sure I’m on site as early as possible, think he gave up when he could see I wasn’t budging 
one thing though, yesterday I took my break after about 3.5hrs driving (just outside london), to cut a long story short - I finished the day at 9.5 hours driving. Aparently VOSA say that’s over my hours because I lost an hour by taking my break early 
Is that right?
darkseeker:
one thing though, yesterday I took my break after about 3.5hrs driving (just outside london), to cut a long story short - I finished the day at 9.5 hours driving. Aparently VOSA say that’s over my hours because I lost an hour by taking my break early
Ok, if you have one of your two 10 hour drives available.
0h00m - 3h30m Drive.
45m break - drive time zeroes.
0h00m - 4h30m Drive (total drive 8h00m)
45m break - drive time zeroes.
0h00m - 1h30m Drive (total drive 9h30m).
Whereas if you only have 9 hours:
0h00m - 3h30m Drive
45m break - drive time zeros.
0h00m - 4h30m Drive (total drive 8h00m) another break required to use last hour.
45m break - drive time zeros.
0h00m - 1h Drive time left (total drive 9h00m)
If you take the break in the middle you only need one:
0h00m - 4h30m Drive
45m break - drive time zeros.
0h00m - 4h30m Drive (total drive 9h00m)
The problem with taking a break too early is that you have to get another 45m break if you need to use up the balance.
darkseeker:
Aparently VOSA say that’s over my hours because I lost an hour by taking my break early
You don’t “lose” any driving time by taking a break before the 4.5h driving period is up. Following that logic you’d lose 3.5hrs if you took a break after 1hrs driving!
Give the number I gave you a call if your current jobs that bad fella.
You have nothing to fear from a 8 legger, many would say they are one of the easiest larger trucks to drive. Back of the trucks the mudflap so theres no rear swing to worry about!
You never know! I know of one fella there and hes been there for a longtime so either he likes it of they like him! LOL Dont know him personaly just via another person I know.
sorry imp, I kept putting it off and ended up missing out 
doh! but thankyou very much for the thought.
I’m going for it anyway, Gonna hand my notice in on friday, I’ve finally had enough!
The outcome of the whole thing about me taking breaks before going into london was they wanted me to take a 15 before going into london, get to the site, undo straps and drop the doors etc then leave the lads to it and have the remaining 30. Obviously, that wasn’t going to make me any more popular but I tried it today:
15 min break after 2.5hours driving, got to the site (which was locked!) and after being moved on by the traffic wardens a few times finaly stopped having done roughly 4hours, got unloaded in record time and put it on break, checked that I was ok to stop for a bit but was moved after 10mins 
so, that was me running over my time it’s great, honest!
so, I’m jumping ship, I’m not working like that anymore. Thankyou all very much for all the advise.
well, this week has been my notice - was meant to be workng tomorow but I’ve had a good day, in a way
Got told I was going to regent st (london, presuably) last night, that they’d sort me the address out and load the lorry for me - so far so good.
Up at 02:15, in work at 03:15, strap the load down and I’m off at about 03:40 - with no address Fair enough, got to the outskirts of london at about 06:35, took a full 45, during which I gave a rather sleepy sounding manager a ring - no address until he gets to work (sat-nav lists 3 different regent streets in london). That lost me about 15 mins but nothing much, eventually got to the site about 08:45, that’s where the fun began
The crane driver’s out of hours mate, take it back 
this lead to a row with the pancake flipper, aparently I was supposed to be there at 07:00 anyway, with little to lose it was time to bite back 
I don’t think he liked it though, when I got back to work, I got told to go home and “you’ll be paid for tomorow” So, that’s my troubles kinda over, if I wasn’t so tired I’d feel relieved 
i’d take the rest of the week off and let the fun begin monday or tuesday.
Good luck mate.
Mr B:
i’d take the rest of the week off and let the fun begin monday or tuesday.
Good luck mate.
Thankyou very much! As it happens, I’ve got a long weekend away in the lakes this weekend!
I’ll get hold of the agencies tomorow though and explain things to them, hopefuly that’ll start the ball rolling for next week.
Anyone got any tips for me? This’ll be the first time I’ve worked for an agency and the first time I’ve been out solo in a bigger rigid, not fussed what I’m doing really (days, nights, weekends, tramping etc) looking foreward to putting my license to better use 
I just don’t like going into things without knowing what to expect.
GOOD LUCK darkseeker
Hope it all comes good for you
thats aload of bull for a start about your boss mate, for a start if your driving for a company that runs trucks 7.5t and over, dont they need to have an o-licence and current cpc regs to go with it? so in theory if im right he should know all there is to know about the WTD!
chappy261:
'…dont they need to have an o-licence and current cpc regs to go with it? so in theory if im right he should know all there is to know about the WTD!
Exactly …suggest to the boss-man that he consults his O licence holder: That’ll keep it in-house & should empower everybody without anyone taking a kicking from a government agency.
If the O licence holder is a duffer, a nudge-wink call to VOSA will get a rocket up him.
can’t really offer advice until you know what job you’re doing. This job is too varied.
Get a proper address and post code for your delivery point. A phone number is very useful too.Do this everytime and eventually you will have the office staff trained to provide you with them without asking.■■■■ knows why they don’t do it anyway but they don’t!
darkseeker:
.Anyone got any tips for me? .
Yeah , i have !! If you like the job appart from what your manager expects of you, and seeing as it is a bit quiet now. Why not tell him to keep your fone number and when his other drivers cannot do it/cannot make it and he realises you are not taking the ■■■■, tell him to give you a call and you’ll come back. Assuming of course you havn’t found anything else. Never burn your bridges, not even with a prick !!