Van driving and the working time directive

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

Friend of mine has just taken a job on.

Leaves Fleetwood 12.00 midday. Drives to the Birmingham area in a <3.5t fridge van.

Does 28 drops of smelly fresh fish to fish & chip shops followed by a bulk drop into the fish market.

Gets back at 02.00

He thinks its a bit much. (I agree) He takes no breaks and says there isn’t time for any. (has to get round all the chippies before they close at 10pm).

Doesn’t seem to fall under mobile workers as it appears that only applies to HGV drivers and crew.

Where does he stand legally particularly in regards to:

Max van driving 10 hours per day 7 days a week. (totally unpoliced we know)
Night working
Breaks

2

11 hour working day with a maximum of 10 hours driving and breaks as in accordance with WTD…after 6 hours if I remember correctly. However it is rarely policed, hence most ignore the rules anyway.

3

Legally the max working hours including the driving is 11 hours in any 24 hours but who is going to catch him out ?

Under the WTD he is entitled to 11 hours off between shifts but that is not compulsory

4

Is there anything he can get the employer on for being such a hard task master?

He’s like so many, although its an unreasonable schedule, he’s grateful to have a job at all.

5

That’s a ■■■■ easy run. The problem is the location for the start and finish. There’s nearly 5 hrs driving between start and finish points.

6

There in lies the problem, jobs are so scarce people are willing to do anything and everything even if its “not right”.

He can either confront his boss about it as its a violation of the WTD (but un-policed) or shut up and get on with it. Confronting could result in a loss of job, driving while tired could result in a loss of life. I’d personally rather be a live without job than dead with one :stuck_out_tongue:

7

Dont really see the problem, what you describe is typical van work. Ive done the odd abit and 20hours on 4 off was the order of the day and even that is lightweight by some peoples standards!

8

Sooner or later this is going to effect his health - or worse. So either start taking proper breaks or find another job before he regrets it. If he keeps on doing it, the number of drops will steadily increase too.

9

Why can’t he start an hour earlier and give himself a proper break? He’ll feel the better for it.

As has been said, it’s quite a normal van job.

10

I wouldn’t say its “quiet the normal”, I drive a van for a living myself and as I am contracted until 10pm, If that time arrives and I still have deliveries to make, they get returned to the depot.

The company expects me to bend over backwards for them when they never do the same for me. So I just don’t bother.

11

“Fresh” fish shouldn’t be smelly.

He may well find that as he gets more familiar with the run it get’s easier too.