Rob K:
I thought Barry Tozer had sorted this out with them at a meeting ages ago ?
Just got home and reading this thread.
Yes I did get some things sorted with Tesco, and I wanted to continue to follow the meeting up and make sure they kept to their word.
I asked for drivers to keep me informed, as I do not go there. Response from drivers. Almost zero.
I will happily continue to badger these RDcs
But I cannot do anything without facts and back up.
I will contact John Boulter (Logistics Director) and find out the facts on this thread.
You have my backing on it Barry, keep me/us informed of what this bloke has to say.
wylie:
just get a spare one cut problem solved there happy and your happy
or even give them any old bunch of keys
Yes I did just that at a regular tipping/loading point close to here. They let you stay in the cab but insisted the keys were hung in a box by the dock to make sure you didn’t drive off with a forkie half in half out.
Only trouble was when I left I forgot to retrieve the ‘keys’, thereby proving that they weren’t genuine. They were not amused .
I was fortunate enough to have a meeting with Mr John Boulter approximately one year ago to communicate and discuss the problems visiting drivers were facing when delivering to Tesco RDCs. I enclose the result of that meeting with this letter for your convenience. Since that meeting communication with Tesco has not been necessary as you have made some small improvements, and feed back from drivers has slowed down.
Until now…. Tesco is now hitting the frontline talk on Drivers forums over the new implications of forcing drivers to hand in their keys and wait outside their vehicles while being unloaded. Professional Drivers in the UK work unsociable hours, fight road congestion, and drive to impeccable standards to make sure the goods arrive at your RDCs in good condition and on time, only on arrival to be treated as an inconvenience, rather than with the respect they deserve. I am sure that you will in replying to this letter; try to assure me how you value the visiting driver. Unfortunately writing it and saying it has no value if it is not passed down to your Managers and workforce.
I enclose some of the comments filtering through to me with regards to your new rulings for visiting drivers and ask that you could clarify the reason and necessity for this to be installed at your RDCs, Drivers are once again being treated with no respect as professionals, waiting long hours to tip while being subjected to conditions in waiting rooms that are well below a reasonable standard. All drivers realise the implications of health and safety for your workforce, but has any consideration been put forward for the visiting driver.
I have now sent 2 e/mails to Tesco on this subject and both seem to have been ignored, I would now hope that you will communicate with me so that this can be discussed and I can relay to you the concerns of Professional Drivers visiting your RDCs. May I please point out that I am not a Union Representative or Officially Recognised, but I am a Driver, who by means of my website am making it possible by “talking” to make improvements that will benefit drivers and Tesco Management. All communication from Tesco will be made available for other drivers to read on my website unless you specifically ask that it remains private.
I hope this letter is only a first point of contact and the lines of communication can be opened so that the problems can be fully discussed in the future. I thank you for your time and await your reply.
bazman:
I have now e/mailed Tesco twice with no reply
So I am posting a letter tomorrow.
Dear Mr David Potts
I was fortunate enough to have a meeting with Mr John Boulter approximately one year ago to communicate and discuss the problems visiting drivers were facing when delivering to Tesco RDCs. I enclose the result of that meeting with this letter for your convenience. Since that meeting communication with Tesco has not been necessary as you have made some small improvements, and feed back from drivers has slowed down.
Until now…. Tesco is now hitting the frontline talk on Drivers forums over the new implications of forcing drivers to hand in their keys and wait outside their vehicles while being unloaded. Professional Drivers in the UK work unsociable hours, fight road congestion, and drive to impeccable standards to make sure the goods arrive at your RDCs in good condition and on time, only on arrival to be treated as an inconvenience, rather than with the respect they deserve. I am sure that you will in replying to this letter; try to assure me how you value the visiting driver. Unfortunately writing it and saying it has no value if it is not passed down to your Managers and workforce.
I enclose some of the comments filtering through to me with regards to your new rulings for visiting drivers and ask that you could clarify the reason and necessity for this to be installed at your RDCs, Drivers are once again being treated with no respect as professionals, waiting long hours to tip while being subjected to conditions in waiting rooms that are well below a reasonable standard. All drivers realise the implications of health and safety for your workforce, but has any consideration been put forward for the visiting driver.
I have now sent 2 e/mails to Tesco on this subject and both seem to have been ignored, I would now hope that you will communicate with me so that this can be discussed and I can relay to you the concerns of Professional Drivers visiting your RDCs. May I please point out that I am not a Union Representative or Officially Recognised, but I am a Driver, who by means of my website am making it possible by “talking” to make improvements that will benefit drivers and Tesco Management. All communication from Tesco will be made available for other drivers to read on my website unless you specifically ask that it remains private.
I hope this letter is only a first point of contact and the lines of communication can be opened so that the problems can be fully discussed in the future. I thank you for your time and await your reply.
Yours sincerely
I will let you know the reply
A well written letter; I would have struggled to do it better meself. Good job, Barry. I look forward to their reply.
Apparently Tesco advised one of their largest visiting chilled hauliers by e mail of the new policy. There was no discussion or consultation, it was an instruction. This haulier is taking up the issue at Board Level as it is causing them serious operational difficulties but without success at this time.
In my humble opinion, the only way that Tesco is going to alter this policy is if visiting drivers actually make it unworkable by refusing to comply. They cannot refuse all deliveries or there will soon be no food in the shops !!
So will drivers stand together on this one ? Don’t hold your breath !!!
david1686:
This haulier is taking up the issue at Board Level as it is causing them serious operational difficulties but without success.
If only some Companies would stick up for each other instead of fighting, and offer me a little support, our chance of getting these changes would improve.
But Companies Will not stand up for their drivers unless it effects their income.
IMHO there’s still one point being overlooked here, especially by the likes of Tesco. They have to legally comply with Health and Safety to all workers on their premises - including visiting drivers. Their proceedures do not take the visting drivers H&S into account. And by the sounds of it, and as per usual, their risk assessments also did not take visiting drivers H&S into account.
Taking keys and stating drivers cannot stay in their trucks, which is often their home for a week or more, is total crap, and should never be allowed to happen.
Maybe the response should be - I’ve done my risk assessment on this situation, it conflicts with yours, and found that it is not at all safe to be giving you the keys to my truck and let you dictate whether ot not I’m allowed in it.
What is safe is to disconnect and park the unit away form the trailer, if they are to tight and stupid to come up with a way of securing the trailer to the bay. Afterall, its you that supposedly wants to make it safe to unload. And by Health and Safety rules you have to take reasonable steps, spend money, to make things safe for everyone.
On the other side of the coin though, a lot of companies share this practice of holding on to your keys until you’re tipped and although I think there are definitely better measures of making sure the trailer doesn’t move whilst they’re loading/unloading, you can’t blame them for doing it when you read tales of drivers pulling off the bay on a red light.
Furthermore, I suspect the reason why Tesco are now dictating that drivers are not allowed to stay in their cabs whilst unloading is probably because so many drivers hand in their house/car keys instead of the wagon keys and after tipping, pull off the bay and close the trailer doors before going in to collect the supposed wagon keys and paperwork. Someone above mentioned doing it and if I’m honest I’ve done it once myself too .
I don’t think they’d go for the dropping the trailer idea as then they’d have the warehouse boys going on strike refusing to unload the trailers in case they tipped up, but on the other hand, they load their own trailers in that way without anything supporting the front of them so maybe that could be done?
Just taking the red line off or applying the trailer brake or chocking the trailer wheels would be too time-consuming for them to check before commencing offloading which is why it’s easier for them to take your keys off you and now, make the driver wait away from his wagon to be doubly sure.
Perhaps if they allowed the drivers to use the canteen facilities like Asda do, then they would have little to worry about in respect of drivers pulling off bays because they’d all be in the canteen drinking tea and eating £1.70 full breakfasts …
Rob K:
Perhaps if they allowed the drivers to use the canteen facilities like Asda do, then they would have little to worry about in respect of drivers pulling off bays because they’d all be in the canteen drinking tea and eating £1.70 full breakfasts …
This was promised by Tesco at my last meeting, and if any drivers are refused access to canteens and restaurants.
Let me know.
If I am not told I cannot folow up on promises that are made.
Middlewich have several large posters up all around the goods-in foyer stating “OUTSIDE DRIVERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE THE CANTEEN FACILITIES”. I know that for a fact.
I can assure you "Rob k "
That I will definately follow this up.
It was in Com Motor and T&D, plus a letter to me, that all canteens will be made available to outside drivers, even to the extent that if you park up outside overnight you will be allowed back in for a meal.
It is the first I have heard that you are being stopped.
Nice one Barry 
They recomended me for a job 
Nice work there Barry. Be nice to see him educated on real life. 
.
IMHO there’s still one point being overlooked here, especially by the likes of Tesco. They have to legally comply with Health and Safety to all workers on their premises - including visiting drivers. Their proceedures do not take the visting drivers H&S into account. And by the sounds of it, and as per usual, their risk assessments also did not take visiting drivers H&S into account.
