This week I have dropped at a few RDCs for the first time and been subjected to imprisonment in their drivers rooms whilst being tipped. As you know these places are uncomfortable, smelly and recently too hot for comfort.
Normally when I tip I log it as a break. Sitting in the comfort of my cab with a cuppa and a wad I think this is reasonable. However the inhuman rdc wait I have logged as other work as it cerainly isnt restful. I am now getting a bit of stick for taking a break on top of this wait. Do the learned ones on here feel that I am correct in my position, or should I tow the line. Should not a break be restful?
Do whatever suits you at the time. No reason why you can’t, being master of your own ship so to speak.
A break is when your freely available to decide how you spend your time.
Imprisionment doesnt make you freely available
Concretejim:
A break is when your freely available to decide how you spend your time.Imprisionment doesnt make you freely available
That is REST not BREAK
BREAK is simply time to re-cooperate
Concretejim:
A break is when your freely available to decide how you spend your time.Imprisionment doesnt make you freely available
No, that’s a rest period where you can do that. A break is any time spent not driving the truck, or doing other related work and as miserable as RDC waiting rooms are, 45 minutes sat in one is a break.
I thought that a break had to be “exclusively for recuperation” which I argued must include being in a suitable location to recuperate. I see it is not clear cut.
Breaks can be taken in a moving truck can’t they? Double manning operations.
Logic and common sense definitions, have little to do with the regulations and law it seems.
Sent from my GT-S7275R using Tapatalk
It is correct to say that Break is ‘time to recuperate’ and not rest, however recuperation means recovery. Recover so that one is fit and able to start another period of what may be 4.1/2 hrs continuous driving. This means asking the question : “Am I sufficiently recovered (rested) given what work I had undertaken before AND what time o’clock the shift started, and the subsequent cirumstances (ambience) of the break period to resume driving for a period as long as that?” - or possibly more accurately- “Or Until I know that I can shortly take a break period after which I will feel able to do so.” If the answer is No then it doesn’t matter what company policy etc demands, road safety and one’s well being come first, second and last.
no1dieselman:
I thought that a break had to be “exclusively for recuperation” which I argued must include being in a suitable location to recuperate. I see it is not clear cut.
The requirement is that a Break period must be used exclusively for recuperation (i.e. no work). There is nothing in the Regs to state that any particular facilities must be available or that any specific level of inactivity or relaxation has to be achieved/available. Breaks in other spheres of activity are similar - i.e. there is no specific legal requirement for a worker in any other employment to have access to comfy chairs, quiet solitude or food/drink during their Breaks, so why should Transport be treated differently?
Roymondo:
so why should Transport be treated differently?
Because…
If we fall sleep during the course of our work, people get killed. Office bods and other industries can perform well under maximum and no one gets hurt.
We ■■■■ up because we’re tired and the outcome can be disastrous.
What gives them the right to make you sit in a cage or room ? Stand up for yourselves. I have only once been told to sit in a cage and wait, I objected to the manager but got no joy, I emailed their head office and told them I had the right to take a break in my cab, I got an apology from the company and a phone call from the man concerned, the rules were changed and drivers could then stay in their cabs so long as the vehicles were immobilized.
no1dieselman:
This week I have dropped at a few RDCs for the first time and been subjected to imprisonment in their drivers rooms whilst being tipped. As you know these places are uncomfortable, smelly and recently too hot for comfort.
Normally when I tip I log it as a break. Sitting in the comfort of my cab with a cuppa and a wad I think this is reasonable. However the inhuman rdc wait I have logged as other work as it cerainly isnt restful. I am now getting a bit of stick for taking a break on top of this wait. Do the learned ones on here feel that I am correct in my position, or should I tow the line. Should not a break be restful?
Yes your right. May I suggest, If your paid by the hour, carry on doing what your doing. If it’s job n knock, use the time to suit yourself.
I really couldn’t give a ■■■■ toss what the official definition of a ‘‘break’’ is in terms of regulations.
Way I see it if you are sat in one of those hot crappy uncomfortable waiting rooms, it is part of THEIR process of getting tipped, so therefore it goes down as ‘‘Other work’’.
On the other hand if I’m permitted to sit in my cab or on the bunk for half an hour…it’s on ‘‘Rest’’. 
If firms do not like that they should kick off at these companies and insist that their drivers are allowed to stay in their vehicles providing the vehicle is fully immobilised.
It’s just like every other injustice and unfairness in this job though,…if drivers are willing to adapt to it and put up with the crap, nothing will ever change. 
i just shut my eyes and go asleep , and I’m called dozy 
Harry Monk:
Concretejim:
A break is when your freely available to decide how you spend your time.Imprisionment doesnt make you freely available
No, that’s a rest period where you can do that. A break is any time spent not driving the truck, or doing other related work and as miserable as RDC waiting rooms are, 45 minutes sat in one is a break.
I’ll 3rd that and add go back and read the regs and take a dictionary with you
no1dieselman:
I thought that a break had to be “exclusively for recuperation” which I argued must include being in a suitable location to recuperate. I see it is not clear cut.
Are you salaried ? If so then having a 45 minute break when you leave an RDC where you’ve been sat for an hour or more on other work is just adding time on to your day that you’re not going to get paid for, basically you do what suits you but let’s face it sat in an RDC waiting room watching daytime tv, drinking machine coffee and reading old newspapers ain’t exactly other work is it unless it suits of course !! 
Just out of interest: If I was allowed to bring my dog to work. I’d like to, except maybe not during a heatwave such as this. Would she be allowed into the drivers room?
Does anyone bring their dog to work?
no1dieselman:
This week I have dropped at a few RDCs for the first time and been subjected to imprisonment in their drivers rooms whilst being tipped. As you know these places are uncomfortable, smelly and recently too hot for comfort.
Normally when I tip I log it as a break. Sitting in the comfort of my cab with a cuppa and a wad I think this is reasonable. However the inhuman rdc wait I have logged as other work as it cerainly isnt restful. I am now getting a bit of stick for taking a break on top of this wait. Do the learned ones on here feel that I am correct in my position, or should I tow the line. Should not a break be restful?
I believe that If you were to follow the rules strictly then you shouldn’t be taking breaks in RDCs as much as many drivers do, because the time is free for you to dispose of as you wish. Your waiting where your told you have to wait. Obviously try telling a lot of planners and tm’s That…
Eric Rambler:
Just out of interest: If I was allowed to bring my dog to work. I’d like to, except maybe not during a heatwave such as this. Would she be allowed into the drivers room?Does anyone bring their dog to work?
Wouldn’t be allowed on site at many places never mind in the drivers room. I’d love to bring my dog to work as well, but sadly rules and regulations have made that a thing of the past for most general haulage.
Dieselman, next time your office planners kick up a fuss, ask them if they’d like to sit on an uncomfortable plastic chair for 2 or 3 hours in a noisy, smelly room without any idea of when they are free to go and class it as their dinner break. Recuperation is as much (if not more) mental as it is physical. When my bay number is called out and I leave the waiting room, I often feel that I need a quiet break to recuperate from the experience of those horrible places. Also, sitting and waiting without knowing when you will be tipped has a different mental impact than knowing you are having 45 minutes without interruption.
I don’t know about most posters on here, but for me, there’s a world of difference in terms of recuperation between lying on the bunk in my own personal space, and sitting in an RDC waiting room for 45 minutes or more. If I get a proper break on my bunk I definitely feel much more refreshed and alert whilst driving.