Hi Guys,
I have an assessement with Wincanton on Saturday at Portbury Bristol, any one conducted an assessement with these guys, any specific top tips!
You will see i started a thread with Ref to assessements on 25 Feb and received some great info, however i post this one specific to Wincanton.
Cheers in advance,
J
whatever you do,don’t split couple as they will shot you there and then for doing it!! 
Also wear as much PPE as possible as they will love you for it and the job will surely be yours 
Jay40:
Hi Guys,I have an assessement with Wincanton on Saturday at Portbury Bristol, any one conducted an assessement with these guys, any specific top tips!
You will see i started a thread with Ref to assessements on 25 Feb and received some great info, however i post this one specific to Wincanton.
Cheers in advance,
J
anybody know if that fit bird of an assessor is still there? if you have got her for your assessment she normally wears a fairly short skirt. as when your driving along she will slowly rise the hem line of her skirt. if you glance over you will fail as its to test your concentration levels and to see if your easlily distracted by in-cab distractions.
all the best pal.
dont even bother to show up 
wouldn’t waste your time working for the [zb] company 
unless you like being treated like a 5 year old 
boris:
unless you like being treated like a 5 year old
Stickers when I’ve been to the dentist, lollypops when i get an injection and jammy dodgers after dinner■■?
Where do I sign up 
I just did one in Feltham for the Sainsburys contract, an 1.5 hour drive and then 4 hours of the usual H&S stuff, walk around the yard etc. No idea to the hourly rate as none was ‘mentioned’. They did mention the ‘No Split Cupling’ rule. Do it and you’re out. They wanted to know if I and the others would be able to drive today and tomorrow, I have prior commitments so had to decline. Start @05:15 Monday.
…whatever you do,don’t split couple as they will shot you there and then for doing it!
So what have they got against split coupling?
Split couple help me out???What is meant by this…sorry guys if it,s obvious but may aswell ask…
It is where you back under then attach suzies and airlines before getting back into unit and reversing back to locate kingpin in the jaws. This method is used when there is very little space on catwalk ie with reefers
back up the tractor unit to the trailer without hooking up just so that the 5th wheel is almost under the trailer or just under, cable up all the lines/electrics and then cuple up. This is used when there isn’t much room between the unit and the trailer.
Oh yeah cheers guys done it a couple of times with some close coupled fridges,didn’t know it was called that,don’t like doing it that way but they were that close I had no choice…and I aint a salad dodger neither… 
One more thing, No SatNav’s allowed, the route is preplanned
i worked for them they keep you legal but as the other poster said they treat you like a child,as for the driving assesment they look for smooth gear changes,also keep two hands on the steering wheel all times except when changing gear.
ra dar:
i worked for them they keep you legal but as the other poster said they treat you like a child,as for the driving assesment they look for smooth gear changes,also keep two hands on the steering wheel all times except when changing gear.
So i guess smoking and eating at the same time is out then? 
No split coupling! There’s no need on the fridges we pull, all the trailer attachments are on sliders so you can get to them without being on the catwalk. and they’re about as close as you can get!
Maps/risk assessment to every job, no rule saying no sat nav though, i use one as a back up.
Never have a problem with hours etc.
garnerlives:
It is where you back under then attach suzies and airlines before getting back into unit and reversing back to locate kingpin in the jaws. This method is used when there is very little space on catwalk ie with reefers
have to admit I’ve done this many time, and not just when theres little space… !! thats another story!!, But i must be one of them old ■■■■ drivers … In all the years I’ve been tramping and up and down this ■■■■ country I’ve never heard the phrase " split Couple " … is there a phrase book out so i can catch up on all this modern " truckers Slang " … 10.4 over & out ;-]] 
Its not often i comment on here but this is one i must put my 10 pence worth in on.
Well i am jnclined to agree that with over 30 years on the road tramping from here to kingdom come this split coupling phrase is one i have never heard of.
As to this assessment lark my opinion would be my class one licence says i am a capable hgv driver so an assessment is not required unless you are insinuating that the examiner who passed me was not acceptable, as for the bird with the short skirt i would be asking what experience she has driving hgv vehicles and how long she has held her licence. in short what a load of bull.
Well thats my opinion.
Cheers Guys for all the advice!!!
Assessement was cancelled…typical…but all advice much appreciated.
Cheers
J
Wincanton are H+S mad 
prime example is gsk brockworth if someone wants to walk across the yard fully kitted out in their PPE i.e steel toe caps,hi viz,goggles,ear protecters,hard hat,wrapped head to toe in bubble wrap then they still have to press a button to which the most ■■■■■■ annoying beeping sound comes out which you can hear within a 10 mile radius,then once you observe the almost empty yard then your safe to walk across the yellow lines you MUST stay in between or you will get shot for that too,as they have snipers in the roof watching your every move.
best of luck with the assessment!!
Thetaff:
Wincanton are H+S madbest of luck with the assessment!!
they only see what they want to in my opinion the H&S guy we had was a muppet i took pics of the equipment used within the whse forklifts/PPT they were in bits with cables hanging out of them side restraints broke etc.
i showed them to a mate of mine who is an H&S auditor for a company he was shocked and so was the health&safety authority the company suit them selves when they want to.