My mob don’t expect drivers to change anything, if you want to have a crack at minor repairs/bulbs then you are allowed but if you buggered anything you would get a kicking. The shunters usually end up doing most little things/bodywork and anything mechanical goes to Volvo.
Does’nt exactly look like he’s a changing a diff at the side of the road using the full tool kit from the snap on roller cabinet and bench,axle stands,etc etc and full parts store that he always runs with kept in the cab locker. 
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But seriously wagons that break down on the road with anything serious often reflect poor preventative maintenance at base being done regularly when they’re not working and need a wrecker and decent workshop facililities not what you can carry with you.Unless you’ve got the support of the REME travelling with you that is. 
Errr…noo
, not unless they get their hands dirty falling over 
But then, neither would most of us, thats what ATS is for, not true?
Hell no I wouldn’t get my hands dirty…3 reasons:
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I’m paid as a driver, not a mechanic…drivers drive trucks, mechanics fix trucks!
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I’ve not got a clue what I’m doing anyway.
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Company won’t even let us change a bulb.
Carryfast:
But seriously wagons that break down on the road with anything serious often reflect poor preventative maintenance at base being done regularly when they’re not working and need a wrecker and decent workshop facililities
Of course don’t forget that in the olden golden twin splitter gardener days many workshops also had mystic Reg and his crystal ball that could forcast the things that were going to pop up out of the blue 
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Driver from EU countries get paid extra per month if they change the tyres I think is something like £100 per month and that depends on company, not a lot but is always something specialy if you don’t get flats or blow outs in 1 month. Not sure how much they getting paid for other mechanical work but I’m sure they get something.
if i don’t do running repairs, i won’t get home.
We are only allowed to change bulbs, anything else its down to daf or the tail lift guy. We arnt even allowed to wash the trucks ffs, we have a company who comes in twice a month to get them wet ( i coudnt say they wash them without lying )
Adam_Mc:
Hell no I wouldn’t get my hands dirty…3 reasons:
I’m paid as a driver, not a mechanic…drivers drive trucks, mechanics fix trucks!
I’ve not got a clue what I’m doing anyway.
Company won’t even let us change a bulb.
so they would rather you drove at night with one headlight showing, than let you change a blown bulb ffs!!
Working at tesco one day, went to wind legs up, handle snapped.
toddles of to VMU asked a fitter to fix it,
“sorry very busy be about half an hour at least, but here’s a nut, bolt, washers and spanners if you want”
5 mins job done
also changed many fuses and bulbs before, volvo main head light easiest when blown, just swap it for fog light bulb, same type.
Along with swapping electrical and ABS susies over and have also changed a few red air lines 
end of day get job done, get home earlier
wonder how many drivers have gone to fitter just to change a fuse■■? 
andrew.s:
Adam_Mc:
Hell no I wouldn’t get my hands dirty…3 reasons:
I’m paid as a driver, not a mechanic…drivers drive trucks, mechanics fix trucks!
I’ve not got a clue what I’m doing anyway.
Company won’t even let us change a bulb.
so they would rather you drove at night with one headlight showing, than let you change a blown bulb ffs!!
No…they would make me stay where I am and get a fitter out to change the bulb. They deffo wouldn’t let me drive it with a blown bulb in case I got pulled over…but yes, they’d rather do that than let me change a bulb…stupid I know, but hey, whatcha gonna do eh!
couple of weeks ago as i climbed up the big hill at La Carolina to leave Andalucia the hose clamp snapped on the pipe from the manifold to the turbo. changed it for a spare i carry took 25 minutes cost of spare 8.90euros, cost of a callout? would have been about?? 150 euros maybe?? the following week when loading which driver got the easiest job and all the others got crap?
you do see it more across the water simply because its often easier, quicker and cheaper to get it done than get a ripoff call out.
IMO i think drivers who won’t even change a bulb aren’t drivers they’re just steering wheel attendants who think nothing of the expense of someone else to do it then moan when the company loses money and get laid off
Not allowed to do stuff like that anymore, elf’ and safety can’t even use the pressure washer.
The only thing I can now do is top up the washer bottle, and some drivers are unable to complete this simple task, a device has had to be fitted to the clutch reservoir to stop it being filled with screenwash.
Years ago whilst delivering in a 7.5t to a school I broke one of the rear light lenses. They were quite low down due to the tail-lift that was tucked underneath and the access road to the school was up a hill so had to reverse and not drive up into it.
Finally delivered found all the bulbs gone at the back. Rang the company and told to carry on and when I get back to base they’d fix it. Suggested they come out, they suggested other things. Told the agency and they didn’t think it was a good idea so suggested if passed a garage I’d get some bulbs in there.
One of the places I stopped off at I got a bunch of new bulbs and a lens cover which was for the other side but we got it fitted and it worked OK. Total cost £18 for everything (had to buy some tank tape too).
Company refused to pay, so I put it in for expenses. Agency refused to pay as well, so marked it down to experience, but the company had me back, so notched my speed down on the runs. After a few weeks I’d made up the money in overtime
Deepinvet:
When did you see ‘Any’ Driver do this■■? Times have moved on.
Southbound on the M6 yesterday. HATO had closed off lane 1 for a truck driver to change his trailer’s wheel that looked uninflated. And it was a UK artic!
Big Joe:
Carryfast:
But seriously wagons that break down on the road with anything serious often reflect poor preventative maintenance at base being done regularly when they’re not working and need a wrecker and decent workshop facililitiesOf course don’t forget that in the olden golden twin splitter gardener days many workshops also had mystic Reg and his crystal ball that could forcast the things that were going to pop up out of the blue
A lot of those mystic Reg’s ,who certainly did have the mechanical know how to forecast that something was likely to break before it actually did,were replaced by yes men who agreed with their guvnors that it’s better to wait until the thing actually breaks down on the road and then try to fix it in a lay by.
when i was trucking before my stint on the dark side i worked for a guy who had 3 or 4 trucks depending on which on was broken at the time. we always used to do all the work. new air tanks, new tires, replacing broken boards on the beaver-tails, we even swapped cranes for a week long job.
when i was working for the dark side (coach driver, uk and international) i used to do the things that needed doing or the fitters weren’t bothered by (because they weren’t mechanical or a safety issue).
fix the toilet 'cos we’re in germany and the boss don’t want to pay for a callout.
fix the demisters 'cos we’re in paris and the boss don’t want to pay a callout.
easiest was take the foglight bulb out for a headlight. even easier with seperate dip, main and extra main beam, take your pick.
it’s a shame most drivers aren’t allowed or don’t know how to do even stupidly simple jobs.
i’m glad i’m working for a small firm with only 5 or so lorrys and we are allowed, even encouraged to do stuff. i get paid to keep my truck clean and tidy and have a box of bulbs in my overhead locker.
twice this past week i have saved my gaffer some call out fees first one was cable tie a suspension leveling thingy the bar had snapped i had 2 options sit in the middle of no where with no milk for my cornflakes or do a temp fix and run it in to a dealer for a new bit later in the day and the second one was the alternator defect light came on first thing did a couple of drops got to third jumped knocked engine off seen security jumped back in nothing ahh nuts noticed i was on a bit of a slope got it rolling and bump started it got rid of the drop n made a beeline for dealers so yes i will do small running repairs dnt have to though some of our lot wnt even change a bulb 
Only if the phone was mucky !!
Thats what the bods behind the transport desk are for, sorting out stuff like that 