Hello all, another question for all you experienced truckers out there, I have noticed in the past few days on some agency websites the 48 hour rule disclaimer. The question is, sign or don’t sign or is there no choice and what does it mean.
Working time directive says you can only work an average of 48 hours per week. It’s measured over a rolling 26 week period and if you’re working for am agency and on multi sites it’s impossible to keep a track of.
Presumably you’re referring to an opt out of the maximum average 48 hour week, the working time regulations for mobile workers “RT(WT)R 2005” says that your average working time over the reference period (usually 17 or 26 weeks) should not exceed 48 hours a week.
Although the regulation is not really enforced by the DVSA there is no legal opt out of the average 48 hour week, so whether or not you sign is irrelevant because anything you sign to opt out of a regulation that has no legal opt out is worthless 
cheers guys, so to clarify, if I could not do as much as I wanted to do or did not want to do it for some reason, the agency would dock my pay, sorry if it sounds stupid , but I am new to this and want to get my information right before I start any work.
Agencies generally pay you for what you do, if you work 20 hours in a week you get paid for 20 hours if you work 60 hours you get paid for 60 hours, docking your pay isn’t a legal option 
hi all.
i would just like to check. does the 48 hour average WTD rule work against number of duty hours (driving, Other and POA) or just the number of driving hours. i am checking this for another colleague.
many thanks
Adrian
Neither - the 48hr limit relates to working hours - i.e. driving + other work. POA, breaks and rest don’t come into it, nor does the concept of “duty time”.
You will probably find that most agencies will give you the paperwork to opt out of the WTD 48 rule, as it’s part of the standard set they hand out to all types of employee’s who sign up. As already said, it doesn’t matter if you do sign it, as we as professional drivers cannot opt out of the rule. So it’s not worth the paper it’s written on. I’ve simply not bothered with it, saying to the agency that it doesn’t apply to us.
As for working over 48 hours, which you will probably do most weeks, especially if it’s class 2. No one gives a crap! I book about 55 hours most weeks, but this includes breaks… That still leaves me slightly over the 48 hours, as 99% of my time is logged as driving and other work. I don’t ever get chance to use POA, as I do class 1 multi-drop, and only record about 50mins of breaks a day. So am clearly in breach of the 48 hour rule! 
But as it’s over a reference period, any time off I have, brings my average down to probably around the 48 hour mark. However, even if i’m over that, I’m not going to loose any sleep over it as it’s not enforced and i’m not wildly over…
Evil8Beezle:
as I do class 1 multi-drop
so have you already moved off class two on your gig to class 1 permanently?
Priest:
Evil8Beezle:
as I do class 1 multi-dropso have you already moved off class two on your gig to class 1 permanently?
It appears that way mate!
Was on class 1 last week and on it again this week…
Lucky I passed my class 1 when I did, as it appears we have enough class 2 drivers now since we lost a couple of our rigids/VANS!
A bit of a baptism of fire maneuvering in and out of so many drop in a day, and there are probably easier routes into class 1, but I’m up for the challenge and grateful for the opportunity! 
(Especially as i’m only a limper! 
)
What truck are you driving evil? Just curious (jealous) lol…
chunck247:
What truck are you driving evil? Just curious (jealous) lol…
All our Class 1 trucks are Renault Premium’s mate.
Seem good to me, but as the only other truck I’ve driven is a MAN, I wouldn’t really know…
The gearboxes are certainly better than the MAN, although it seems weird that the selector is on a stalk!
Nice…
And I can imagine that being a bit weird to get use to…very American! Lol…
chunck247:
Nice…
And I can imagine that being a bit weird to get use to…very American! Lol…
It just seems wrong that you engage drive by twisting a piddly little control, and that engaging reverse is twisting an even smaller little twist ring next to it. 
I want something meaty and positive, not something that feels like it’s going to snap off the instant you touch it.
But other than that I love it! The seat is comfy and goes high enough for me (higher than a MAN), and the rest of the controls feel better quality than a MAN. I’ll have to drive a Merc, a Scanny, a Volvo, etc. at some point to compare…
They will be touch pads before you know it…[emoji849]
I average around 60 hours a week but like people have said its not an offence you can get fined for and most companies do not care about you going over the 48 hour period as you can not be fined.
I am sure he will let you know what he thinks of the merc as he drove that yesterday and is in it today hopefully he doesn’t break down today though!
ash 001:
I am sure he will let you know what he thinks of the merc as he drove that yesterday and is in it today hopefully he doesn’t break down today though!
It’s a bag of crap that kept leaving me stranding in the middle of the street mid maneuver with the words “Clutch Failure”
So on top of the 5:45 mins yesterday, spent stranded with a burnt out stater motor, it’s fair to say I’m not in love with it…
I’d post more insults, but I’ve only just got home from work and feel as knackered as the Merc is!
LMAO I bet the merc is fantastic it hasn’t done many miles clutch failure pffftt its the driver 
ash 001:
LMAO I bet the merc is fantastic it hasn’t done many miles clutch failure pffftt its the driver
Is 739,045 not many then?
Evil8Beezle:
ash 001:
LMAO I bet the merc is fantastic it hasn’t done many miles clutch failure pffftt its the driverIs 739,045 not many then?
stop adding an extra 0 in just to make you feel better now