Hoping to pick the brains of some of the more experienced of you drivers out there, would any of you help with these,obvious to some but not to me,questions?
Although I’m pretty sure at some point I will be faced with a closed door that’s telling me I can’t go any further, I am still toying with the idea of becoming a owner driver,in as far as hiring a tractor and trailer rig that is, and doing sub work.I must add that I haven’t even driven in anger an artic yet apart from passing test. Jumping in at the deep end doesn’t deter me,“silly man” I can hear some of you saying.
So apart from any constructive!!advice anyone may want to offer,
Say I’ve hired my rig and hauling for someone. With it being my trailer, would it cut down greatly the amount of times I would need to couple and uncouple? And would it mean that I would never leave the trailer anywhere to be loaded without it being attached to my truck or having eyes on it myself?
Is there a safety element that would suggest that on a regular basis you need to detach your trailer for checks?
I know the vary serious consequences of being caught for anything nowadays by DVSA. When working for someone as a newbie or for agency and where ever they send you, so has anyone come up against transport mangrs wanting you to take their truck out without bothering to do checks?
And when you have done your checks do you legally have to carry a copy in the truck with you?
How should you play it with your tachograph card. When should you first put it in head unit, when you first move wheels or when you start work?
Also, when you come to drive off with your load, how can you be sure you are not over weight?
Do all yards have a weigh station and should you always weigh your unit before going on road?
Finally, does anyone reading this contract hire for themselves and could they give me any tips or tell me what that closed door I mentioned at the beginning might be?
