Does anyone else have the same problem with the above mentioned… They dont seem to realise that it takes time to get to your drop and it also takes time to tip at your given destination… I dont know if they just chance there arm to see if us drivers will do what they ask… For eg… Started yesterday at 5:30, done a few drops around the North West, was doing a planned night out heading towards Ipswich… Bearing in mind i started at 5:30, was going through Birmingham at around 15:00… Transport called me to say i could not tip untill 20:15, Doesnt take a genuis to work out that gives me 15 mins to tip and to get parked for the night… So i called the boss and say it cant be done, “oh its ok he says just get it done wont take long” i say i cant go over time and he says it ill be ok it wont take long as there is a lay by round corner… Anyway got it done but had to come back in mornig, Stayed at the truck park in bury st edmunds… ■■■■ all there but parking space, but at lest it was free… I reckon most clerks have never been on the road, either that or they just chance there arm, but still they should not be asking us to break the WTD…
The last thing you should have done was to do what he asked. That was clearly him trying to take the ■■■■. If that were me (I really don’t give a ■■■■ if I get sacked), I would have point blank refused as you never know what can happen further along the road to hold you up. If the office gets arsey with you giving it the usual “are you refusing to carry out a reasonable request?” pish then just tell them let’s see what VOSA thinks when I play back this recording to them. The twerp in the office doesn’t know you didn’t record him, does he? No way should jobs and tips be planned so close to the limit. Next time tell him to ■■■■ right off. Oh and for good measure tell him his wife was crap last night 
I know and i agree with what you are saying Steve. But i think they realise that the cerrent climate is bad and im scared to turn it down incase i loose work… Terrible situation… I think its the same story with all the wages dropping for agency drivers, cause they know they can get away with it cause there to many drivers and not enough work, But in saying that, ive only recently started this job so he is maybe only testing the water to see if i would do it or not and if i did he would do it all the time…
Wizard, I can understand why you did it but youve now made a rod for your own back by doing it. All the traffic numpty will think ishow far he managed to push you and will remember this. I always say thay the law states that I can drive 9 hrs a day and I can work 15 hrs, nowhere does it say I must work 15 etc. Planners that plan 15 hour days want sacking imo. I always used to ask which crash barrier they wanted it putting through cause if im nodding it gets parked up,simple.
It is a game and you have to invest a little time and effort in training them. They want to see how far they can push you and every time they try, they must fail. They soon learn. It’s the same for those ones who call up to ask where you are and what time you will be there. In all the 26 years I’ve been doing this I have sorted that one out in double quick time. They get told that as long as they don’t hear from me they are safe to assume that I am on schedule. I promise them that as soon as anything happens which will alter that they will be the second person to know, after me. They are unsure at first but as soon as they realise I am keeping to my promise they stop. If there has been the odd stubborn one I just stopped answering the phone and when it turns out they were wasting their time trying to call because the job was done on time even they learn. All the bosses and planners I have worked for over the years rarely called me more than once or twice a week after they had completed my training course.
It’s not their fault, they aren’t very good at their job when we are, so it’s only fair we use our knowledge to train them to be able to do it better. It’s a service we can provide that not only helps them but improves our lives. The only thing you must remember is never to show any fear about losing the job or getting the crappy work, do that and they win.
Coffeholic is spot on there: I totally agree about educating planners etc.
The first thing they have to learn is to ask the right question:
“Hi Santa How are you doing?”
“Fine.”
“Where are you?”
“On the M6”
“Where?”
“On the M6.”
“Oh! Right. So - When will you be at xyz.”
“In about half an hour.”
He would save a lot of time if he had asked the last question first. Of course I am actually only 10 minutes away but one always leaves a margin for error.
As an ex TM, I consider that reliability is a drivers most important attribute. What I wanted to do was to issue a job and forget it in the knowledge that it would get done, unless circs outside control happened.
Of course TM’s always have a low expectation for agency drivers; they, in turn, will never be able to do the job as efficiently as the regular driver (they don’t know that Fred at xyz always has his dinner at 12:00 or that you have to approach the gates at abc from the east.) This means that TM’s will try it on, as in the OP’s case. You need to know the law and stick to it. Be polite but firm; assure them that you will do your level best and, if you fail, let them know so that they can rebook or whatever.
In essence it is just the same as the “we’ve had biger’n that in here drive” syndrome — a mixture of ignorance and wild optimism.
here is a recent conversation with my boss…
Bear in mind we have trackers fitted !
boss…what time will yoube at X?
me…about an hour ago
boss…well whats taking you so long?
me…silly buggers keep ringing me!
boss… oh sorry when will you be there then?
me…about an hour ago Ive already done it.
boss…I’ll let you crack on then.
me…yeah ok see ya
Best reply from me
TM" how long before you get to X?"
Me “about 30 minutes”
TM" how come it’s taking you so long?"
Me “well boss, believe it or not, they’ve closed the (your company name here) only lane on the M4 and i got to use the same f*ing road as everyone else!”
TM" (long pause)…ummm ok, let me know if you have a problem"
truckerjon:
Best reply from me
TM" how long before you get to X?"
Me “about 30 minutes”
TM" how come it’s taking you so long?"
Me “well boss, believe it or not, they’ve closed the (your company name here) only lane on the M4 and i got to use the same f*ing road as everyone else!”
TM" (long pause)…ummm ok, let me know if you have a problem"
Would you mind if I borrow that one and file it away for future use? 
Santa:
As an ex TM, I consider that reliability is a drivers most important attribute. What I wanted to do was to issue a job and forget it in the knowledge that it would get done, unless circs outside control happened.
Exactly, and that’s what I teach them they get with me.
I have a delivery in Hamburg at 23:00 tonight and I haven’t spoken to my boss since I saw him briefly when I picked the keys up on Friday morning. He can enjoy his Sunday safe in the knowledge, because he hasn’t heard from me, that the delivery will be on time and I can enjoy my Sunday safe in the knowledge no one is going to bug me with phone calls. He will get a text in the early hours of tomorrow morning with my arrival and departure times in Hamburg, information the customer wants tomorrow, and my expected ETA back in Hatfield in the early hours of Tuesday morning and that will be our sole communication, barring anything happening to change the ETA, until I speak with him later on Tuesday to find out what the rest of my week holds in store.
ive just started too on class 2 work and this friday was my 45 hrs told them they still asked friday if i would work saturday i said i couldnt because of the 45 hr rest period he said i will check with someone here whos qualified and call me back. i said id call vosa and check also never got a call back and am now stuck on locals unlike other week when no one would come in at 3am to go to scotland on a friday morning back sat afternoon not normally a problem but i only have my kids every fortnight so changed it all round not seen them for 3 weeks now and they still shaft you. when he phoned he talked to the wife so phoned him back asked him why i was on the naughty boys run funny now its only 1 day i wasnt funny just said thats good news can i start at 7am every morning now. 
Its taken me years to educate TM’s, now he has my tea poured for me when I get in and the truck warmed up and hooked up to the trailer ! He never rings me, he said he can’t handle the abuse ! and he knows I’ll ring in if there’s a problem.
Coffeeholic:
I have a delivery in Hamburg at 23:00 tonight
Have I missed something here, Neil 
Hanging up the keys didn’t last long.
Or were you just stringing us all along with a load of porkies 
danj:
ive just started too on class 2 work and this friday was my 45 hrs told them they still asked friday if i would work saturday i said i couldnt because of the 45 hr rest period
Remember, just because you need a 45 doesn’t mean you couldn’t work the Saturday. you may well have been able to and just started later on Monday, which could have been advantageous to both you and your boss. One vital part of training the office staff is to know the regulations better than they do, often not a difficult task, and using them to your advantage, especially if you can make them think you are actually going out of your way to do them a really big favour.
Must admit our traffic planner is spot on, although I know that being powder tank work it is easier. She, yes she, is only 26 but knows the job inside out and never calls unless its a desperate change of plan. The only problems we have is when she is off and a driver does it instead. You all know the sort, sits in the office for a week and suddenly thinks hes top management.
Inselaffe:
Coffeeholic:
I have a delivery in Hamburg at 23:00 tonightHave I missed something here, Neil
Hanging up the keys didn’t last long.
Or were you just stringing us all along with a load of porkies
Lasted about 5 weeks then I realised I was working harder at keeping myself occupied than I do when I am at work so I took my medical and got my licence renewed.
Took my medical on a Monday, at the Big Yellow Storage Unit in Chelmsford - don’t ask, posted the forms off to the DVLA on the Tuesday, got my licence back on the Saturday morning and was working again on the Monday.
Just when i thought I was out they pull me back in.
The point to remember is that in most aspects of life there are “experts”. They can do everything better than those that actually do the job. They will also be quite happy to inform those doing the job that they are doing something wrong.
Oddly enough most of them have never actually done the job that they are so proficient at.
The way I look at it is, having these “experts” will always make us superior.
Steve-o:
If the office gets arsey with you giving it the usual “are you refusing to carry out a reasonable request?” pish then just tell them let’s see what VOSA thinks when I play back this recording to them.
Always makes me laugh when companies try this line. Happened to me & when asked i told him it wasn’t a reasonable request in my opinion he then told me that i had 2 choices…1, do what he says or 2, if not im going to have to suspend you to which my reply to him was ok if your suspending me i’ll park truck at next services & make my way home. After a slight pause he said what did you say, i replied you heard & if your suspending me then it takes effect straight away so i will park truck up & you’ll have to send sum1 out to collect it. He then said he would call me back & after about 10mins someone else rang me & said they were asked to tell me to carry on as normal What a joke!!! I couldnt care less if i get the sack but at the end of the day if i think im right then no1 is gonna tell me any different as regards to law etc
Its madness how some transport mangers treat their drivers sometimes. I run a small transport company with my dad and we expect our drivers to ring us when they have left the collection or dropped off. This is due to the type of work we do, as most of it is timed. I am not on the phone to them all the time asking where they are, as the job can be hard enough sometimes without someone on the phone constantly. In my case it does help that my dad and myself have done exactly the same runs and work that the drivers do so we know how long things should take.
I feel a lot of big firms push their managers hard to achieve unachievable targets & their only option is to employ qualified clerks who have no idea what they’re doing other than to push drivers harder & harder. We’ve got planners who are inexperienced & ave no idea at all where anywhere is. They’ve no product knowledge & no idea of drivers hours but they’ve got qualifications coming out of their ears.
When the call & ask where I am, as it’s always their fault if I got dispatched late, I always declare my position truthfully, if I’m empty they rarely get told exactly where I am or when I’m due to arrive at a loading point. It takes us ages to get staff singing from the same hymn sheet & often when we get it right, they leave & we have to start again. The firm won’t pay enough to ecourage experienced transport people to apply. The result is, we get what they deserve.
BB