This is NOT stupid.
We are all agreed that a sensible driver will check his truck before starting work, and that we are REQUIRED to do it by law.
Since this is WORK then it MUST be shown on your WORK record. If your tacho says you started at 0600 and started driving at 0605 then; either you did no checks, or you did them while your record showed you were resting. Either way it is an offence.
I too have been told by company to show 15 mins at start of my shift although I have not found anywhere that legally you have to show this, but having being pulled by french ministry not so long ago and one comment made by them was that they were happy to see the 15mins on there, so have carried on to show it.
Santa:
This is NOT stupid.We are all agreed that a sensible driver will check his truck before starting work, and that we are REQUIRED to do it by law.
Since this is WORK then it MUST be shown on your WORK record. If your tacho says you started at 0600 and started driving at 0605 then; either you did no checks, or you did them while your record showed you were resting. Either way it is an offence.
Tell me where it says this is an offence…did not say it was stupid…agree it is necessary when you are truck hopping day to day but 15mins is not required when you are in the ■■■■ thing 24/7 
I had a newsletter and a DVD from vosa the other day about fixed penalties coming in april and about vehicle checks.The DVD showed how to go about doing the checks and to cut to the chase the vosa guy said these checks should take no more than a few minutes once the driver gets into a routine.
delboytwo:
Hi just in case you have not got this is what the daily checks should be you can save a copy and print it
Santa:
This is NOT stupid.We are all agreed that a sensible driver will check his truck before starting work, and that we are REQUIRED to do it by law.
Since this is WORK then it MUST be shown on your WORK record. If your tacho says you started at 0600 and started driving at 0605 then; either you did no checks, or you did them while your record showed you were resting. Either way it is an offence.
I can do those VOSA checks in five minutes every Saturday and Sunday that I work. It helps that I only ever use one of two vehicles and I’ve known both regular drivers for years. If anyone said to me that I wasn’t being thorough enough I’d have to disagree. I don’t take chances with my safety. I pay particular attention to the tyres, airbags, and fifth wheel, and always shine my torch inside the jaws to double check.
There’s no admin time in our yard - it’s always deserted and there’s no office. I put my digi card in as soon as I get there, and I’m out and locking the gate in 10 mins, even after wiping the mirrors etc.
If I had to show 15 mins every morning I’d be twiddling my thumbs for half that time. Can someone tell me where I’m not complying?
Depends on the day of the week and where I am how long the checks take. I parked the truck up on Saturday evening and have been off today. Tomorrow is a standby day because I am starting at 03:15 on Tuesday morning so I don’t get given any work for Monday due to having to finish early to get daily rest in. Therefore on Tuesday there will be about 10 mins other work for vehicle checks, 4x2 unit and tandem box trailer, and those 10 minutes will be in two parts as the unit is collected from Hatfield and the trailer from London Colney. I will drop the trailer on the bay in Krefeld on Tuesday evening and park the unit up. Wednesday morning there will be about 5 minutes for checks as I have driven the thing all day Tuesday and will be pretty much aware if any issues have developed, also no one else will have touched it between me finishing Tuesday evening and resuming Wednesday morning. The next two days are a repeat of the previous two so Thursday it will be back to 10 minutes as someone else will have used it Wednesday evening and Friday it will be the 5 minute check again.
How can there be a set time for checks when every vehicle is different. I’ve got two fewer axles and less wheels than a lot of artics and I also take charge of the truck and trailer in different locations 11 km apart, am I supposed to show 15 minutes in both locations? Also, if I only show 5 minutes for the checks on some mornings and I am stopped but no defects are found where is the offence?
dieseldave:
Noodle soup:
but the company who vet our tachos say that by law a 15 min check must be shown,any offers,■■Hi Noodle soup, the answer to your question is actually quite simple…
I love the people who say “by law”…
Since they’re so knowledgeable, you could politely ask them which law they mean, but please don’t hold your breath whilst waiting for an answer.
If you get an intelligent answer, please post it up for us to discuss.
My own take on this is to suggest that different types of vehicles/loads will need different lengths of time to check them correctly.
Then there’s your own vehicle, which you drive every day, that if you’re like me, you’ll walk round a couple of times a day, will know when a tyre’s getting down, or the oil, or water level’s getting near the minimum. That to me is a different scenario, to picking a vehicle up, that you don’t know, where, you have to do a lot more thorough check, ie wheel nuts (at least a tap) etc
There is only one correct answer:
it takes as long as it takes.
One day you can be finished in 5 minutes, some days it takes 15 minutes as finding one defect could lead into another.
Basically some office bod has been told to make sure drivers are completing vehicle checks, but because they don’t really understand what is required they have just siad that all driver must spend 15 minutes checking vehicles. As far as they are concerned they have done what has been asked.
In fact all that happens is some drivers will do proper checks as they always did and others will sit in the cab and read the paper for 15 minutes. However office bod gets a pat on the back for implementing improved safety standards, some power mad manager takes great delight in picking up driver for not spending the required time doing safety checks and nothing in the yard really changes.
But if it’s company policy and you are getting paid whats the problem with just doing it, even is it means spending a few minutes reading the paper and having a brew. but just for a laugh ask them what law it covered by. 
muckles:
But if it’s company policy and you are getting paid whats the problem with just doing it,
Don’t you just love that litttle phrase - usually followed or preceded closely by Health & Safety 
