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I was heading down the M40 yesterday and it was near standstill for over an hour.
I saw a few lorries pulled over on to the hard shoulder, I can only assume they were doing so for their break?
How common is this practice in UK as I assume it’s not legal?

Hello guys, I have question has the reverse exercise now not a part of the class1 test? Sorry if this is old news, just been told that.. 🤷‍♂️ Thanks..

Good Morning. No it's not another newbie post not remembering his CPC re WTD, I am in a bit of an argument the above WTD. The other day I had total 3hrs drive, a 15 minute break within that period & the rest was other work upto 6hrs, I then drove a further 1hr & got on a bay to unload & had a 45 break, How I read it as long as I have a 15 min break before 6.01 hrs of combined work & don't exceed 4.5hrs driving then I'm OK, if I then work between 6 - 9hrs total working time I have to have a further 15 & then after 9hrs I must have a further 15 break, Am I right??? 🙄🙃

Little serious post here. Work for a company doing multidrop. Once you finish you go home and still payed till 4. Any overtime isn’t paid. 90% of the routes are ridiculous. Drivers work there tacho break and majority still come in late. Mentioned the routes are impossible to complete if you actually have your correct rest and just got told “swings and roundabouts” anybody faced anything like this before? Is there anything I could do? Apart from finding a new job lol.

Got a quandary.
Would you leave a 42hr a week contracted full time none HGV job to go to an agency class 1 job that pays £1.90 more an hour
Obviously the agency job is zero hours but they say I'll get at least 4 days work a week
Trouble is I've been badly stung by agency HGV in the past who just lied to get people on board, so I have very little confidence in them now
Just wondering what your thoughts are and what you would do
Thanks.

Hi guys and girls hope you're all well. So I'm looking for honest opinions/feedback on what you would do in my situation. In paid 125 a day because my company paid for my license, was told 8-10 hours a day and stupidly believed them before signing the paperwork to agree to my wage. Not for a new pass I thought that'd be good. But I've been driving since January and the shortest day I've had was 11.5 hours but for the same 125 so as you can work out hourly rate is not good. I've provably done minimum 10 15hour shifts (which work out about 8.60 an hour roughly) which is obviously a brilliant wGe for hgv driving. 🤪🤥 What would you guys honestly do? Can't ask for wGe to be increased because they won't do that for 3 years but no way I'm doing these hours for 3 years for that wage.

Sorry for the long post just want to know if I should tell them to stick their job or not. Thanks

Hi morning. Question, As a driver how do you check if a truck your driving has a valid MOT?

Morning all. Question about manual entry on tacho,
If I clock on at 03:46 and walk to my truck and put my card in at 04:00 do I need to do a manual entry for 14 minutes, bearing in mind if we clock on at 03:46 we don't get paid until 04:00

Hello everyone!
My employer wants me to pick up extra duties at work such as doing my forklift refresher, I’ve told him “I don’t want to do that unless extra money is involved as my job role is purely a driver.” I’ve done it before at previous jobs and you end up doing everything which is why I’ve refused to do so.
Thoughts?
TIA 😊

This morning I've started at 3am. Call the planning office to tell them I just start and get the work for the day. I also let the planner know that I have only 8h and 50min left of my work time for this week before I reach 60 hours. That's when it started. 🤦‍♂️

Planner: your WTD is 90h
Me: ehh??? WTD??? 90h??? That's driving time in two weeks, nothing to do with WTD. I'm talking about WTD and it's no more than 60h between Monday to Sunday 🤔
Planner: I've never heard of that one mate. Google it and you'll see. What's your hours for last week?
Me: mate that's irrelevant (again looking confused). WTD and DH are different mate. I'm on about work time for this week and I've done 51h and 10min so far this week
Planner: I don't know if that's the law
Me: (big pause) ok mate I am telling you I need to finish before 12pm today so that's it. Ill call later after I've done this load 🤦‍♂️

To that point I was thinking maybe its because it's 3am and I'm confused or maybe the law has changed or...

Good morning people, Why is it that Professional Drivers don’t just ease off the throttle when another is passing on a two lane carriageway but keeps them out there causing a jam. 10 mins a Evri driver kept me out and then when I was near to pulling in, down hill, he starts to speed up. Had to kindly force my way in, slowing him down, then a kindly motorist in a Volvo estate then brake checks me cause I’ve cost them a few minutes in my tail. It may not occur to drivers that easing off and letting a faster vehicle (being 1mph faster) in will only cost you seconds on your journey. I always ease off, so I know it don’t cost you anything. Rant over.

Morning guys, Went away for a week come back and company have put bloody Webfleet Sat Nav and all singing and dancing Tracker on me. Anyone know how to block it? as they’ve already started scrutinizing my every move.

Question. I'm a fairly new class 2 driver, doing Removals. I left the yard at 5am and arrived at my destination at 9am. Job is taking longer than expected, its looking like I'll end up exceeding my 15 hour working day before getting back to the yard. Transport / operations manager says that's okay because I'm not driving tomorrow. I've always been led to believe its not okay because I can't record 9 hours rest in a 24hour period if, I have worked 15+ hours. Who's right and who's wrong? Many thanks.

YES IT WAS SEPT OUT. LIKE IT IS EVERYDAY. AS BEST AS I CAN. DUST IS F**KING DUST.
Also they deemed it unsafe after 8 pallets. But was safe enough to take the 8 pallets back off.
“Can’t risk my team members life. To load you sorry. But I can risk his life to take the 8 pallets back off”
Loading at Britvic rugby. They put 8 pallets on. Then come and say my trailor is unsafe to load... and they have to take the pallets back off and I need to leave site.
Say to them how is that going to effect a pallet?
Your trailor is dusty too 😂 at 2am. F**king mental.

A-hole traffic wardens! Woke up to a ticket this morning, industrial estate, no double yellow lines, no signs saying do not park here etc… I bet if I contest it I’ll still be pissing in the wind! 🤬 tossers!

Hey morning, just need some advice please so if you drive for 4hrs 30 mins you have to have a break but if you have drove 2hrs 15 mins but you have worked 6hrs do you still need to have a break at the 6hrs? Please help as there is arguments going on in our company 👍🏻

I've got a job on class 1 doing 12 hour shifts but on annual salary, but if I was on hourly it would work out £10.80 an hour. Is this normal or am I being ripped off?

Hello! So started working with agency like month ago. They paying me ok wage 16.85p/h suddenly company who I am working with offers me contract but in contract it says 13.23 p/h has this happened to anyone else? Like I would expect that company would pay me even more not 3.5 pound less in hour.. Thanks..

Morning folks, Trying my new Garmin Dezl LGV710 for 1st time. Found once you gone past your destination or missed it, it doesn’t seem to recalibrate? Am I doing it wrong? Any opinion is welcome.

Good Morning, The people saying to just hand your license back, or to have continued. Don't think some have realized this was an agency shift, the agency nor the company were aware that you may have never driven manuals before or they would not have sent me. Since then I've had another shift somewhere else and it went perfectly fine. If people here are willing to do something they know they will not manage and feel unsafe or feel there putting other people at risk. Who's the idiot.

Morning. Can anyone help me on hours legalities in the event of a breakdown?

My alternator belt ripped itself to shreds on my way back from a collection and I’ve managed to stop in a safe place however our mechanic isn’t going to get here until an hour after my 15 hour cut off. Am I legally allowed to drive the vehicle once it has been fixed to a legal parking area and just write on the back of my tacho printout with what’s happened or do I have to stay here. I can’t legally park here overnight.

Thanks in advance

Just a quick question. I'm a class 1 recently ran out of driving time parked in Keele services transport knew about the issue. Informed me of my options 1 stay in the unit for 9 hours... not possible no money on me 2 get a taxi we'll reimburse again not possible as cab company wanted fare up front as it was a 40 mile journey to my home to cut a long story short they collected the unit and trailer but left me to make my way home... advice please is that fair if not what's my options...

Hallo Drivers! I have questions to you guys, so I was dismissed today from work in a commercial company lorry! Because I was rejected a call in mobile phone they told me they will send video to traffic commission, I just wanna add I didn’t have any points on my driving licences, so did any one know I could lose my licences on that stage?

Hi everyone, I'm driving here tomorrow. The route Google maps says to take (I know it's not reliable to use for large vehicles) there's a low bridge. I was wondering if the a323 is suitable for HGV's? Double Deckers drive up and down there so I know it's safe height wise. Any info appreciated. I'll be coming from m25-m3-a331-a323 through Normandy. Thank you.

Morning everyone, If I start work at 0600 and drive for 9 hours let’s say with 1 hour break, I can start driving again at 0100 can’t I? So then after my 9 hours is up my 24 hour period is reset? Or would I have to wait until 0600 for my 24 hour period to be up?

I started working for a building merchants as a class 2 hiab driver. Salary of £28500 which isn't too bad being that I'm 21. However the company refuses to pay any overtime rate. They have just said that we are going to work Saturdays on alternating weekends 8-12. Instead of paying us for overtime they do time for time. As in if you work one hour Monday you can use that house and leave work earlier another day. Which isn't always granted for when you wanted it. What do you all think?

Hi guys. Question: Is it ok to take a regular weekly rest in my truck if I have access to facilities? (shower, toilet etc).

Hello. This morning at Walton near Wetherby I had another disappointment, the examiner said I went over the speed limit on a descent, that was my series fault, and 5 more points of small things, do they not analyze the idea that each retest and 400 pounds plus my day job, and that no company is paying me, I walked 98% within the allowed and due to an oversight, I have to pay again. Absurd, too strict, is it that they don't have a good sense to analyze the test as a whole. Now total 2300 + 2 failed tests and 400 more now. My god! 😦😭

I'm guessing loads of us are having to adopt eco driving techniques, most of it is pretty much common sense and not difficult to adapt to if you're on regular routes. We have DAF CF 85's and they have their own inbuilt score system that works on a percentage basis but we've just had a tablet type thing installed that has its own system that can be accessed by management. I drive nights and don't have a dedicated unit, I've been using the same one for a week or so and the day driver always leaves it on 94% plus, best I've done is keep it to 91%, thing is, what you have to do to keep the scores that high is at best inconsiderate and at worst dangerous for other road users. The driver trainers say that's their problem not ours, I don't agree, what do others think.

Hi morning all,

Contracted 40 hours a week, salary paid.

Me and the other drivers (4-6) do at least 55-60 hours every week - meaning 15-20 hours a week extra with no overtime pay.
Is this the normal in this industry or should I be raising the point?

Hi guys new here. I’m thinking of a Career change. Currently an Electrician but really fancy driving a Lorry and have done since I was a kid. I’d be a young driver at 22 years old, is there any point me doing it or will it be virtually impossible for me to find work? I’m based in the South East. Thanks 👍

Good Morning, Can anyone give me an insight into tipper work? is it easy work or hard graft? Tia

Hi afternoon. Could someone clarify please, company want us to do a single run on our own then return to depot and double man for a second run, a double run is not possible as a single driver, hope this is clear enough, cheers guys 👍

Question! When taking a break in a lay-by on a busy A road or any major road. Is it law that you must have a Red light displayed on the trailer or Tractor Unit during night time? Just asking as some say yes and some say it depends on the lay-by being separated with a Kerb Island. Thanks! 👍 No silly answers. We are Professionals. Lol.

Hello. So I passed my Theory and Hazard Perception, but failed my CPC by 1 question!! Will I still be able to go for my training / test or do I need to pass my CPC?

Morning guys, I have done 3 x 15”s already this week but today I had a 4 hour break so I did another 15 today and it’s gone red on my taco app. I thought a break of 3 hours means you can do another 15 am o wrong? TIA.

Hello. Posting on behalf of my brother who’s fairly new to driving. He is saying his card is faulty as it keeps showing rest period required immediately and drive time exceeded, but he gets more than enough rest time every night. Could this be down to inputting the manual entry wrong? I’m struggling to help him so any advice please.

Good morning. Something which I’m picking up on quite frequently here. ‘I don’t get paid for breaks’, I understand that most companies deduct one hour for a lunch break - yeah so take it. If you’re getting tipped at an RDC etc and you’ve got your feet up having a legal break and you’re there for say three hours. Are you really not getting paid for the three hours that you’re there while you are on shift? Times are hard but I find this shocking tbh.

Afternoon all, Well parked up decoy bank south doncaster right opersite freightliner got up 04.30 went and done walk round got to back off container noticed broke into again no point having a security lock these days ffs anyway nothing taken went to close the doors a bronze coloured vw golf pulls up with a white Volvo curtainsider behind the driver wearing a mask with just eyeholes cut out 4 blokes in car wearing same driver says we know what you got if you let us unload your truck onto ours we give you cash I said I don't think so and went back to my cab they drove off so went back to close the doors ffs I hope my dashcam picked up the registration off both vehicles. Be safe everyone.

Good Morning, Daf drivers how do you get 5 ticks on anticipation? I get 4 but it brings my score down and I’ve tried all different ways to stop and slow down at junctions and roundabouts thank you for any helpful advice

What's happening with ADR? Keep seeing ADR jobs advertised at £13 p/h, why would you bother playing with melt ya face off tackle when you get 15 p/h doing pallet hub runs?

Afternoon, I learnt something new today - IBC'S must have 2 rachet straps. I didn't get pulled BTW, was just told by another driver who was pulled by VOSA today.

Absolutely gormless. I don't have 'grandfather rights. Now it seems (even though I can drive a fully loaded 44t artic on my C+E licence) hire firms won't let me hire a minibus (even for personal use) without D1. So looks like I'll have to fork out for that.

My question is this: is it worth just doing the whole D thing anyway as you then get the D1 with it? Trouble with that is, is then have to keep forking out for CPC to maintain it. Yet if I just do D1, surely it's just a test and you don't need all the medicals, CPC or even the theory tests for it?

Grateful for any advice. I've been asked to do some football away trips but hire firms won't touch me without D1, even though I'm a professional driver. Yet my dad who's 69 has it!
Baffles me.

Hi all just a question of how badly screwed I am recently received 2 separate nips on the variable speed camera sections on the m6 I’m looking at fines and points please

There’s some made up stories going around right now by some princesses on here! These new rules to get more people driving.

So you can go straight to class 1 from a car licence? This is way it used to be and the world didn’t end! You did a 3,5 or 7 day training course and then took your test and accidents weren’t through the roof. Even now so many people take class 2 test then immediately take class 1 with no class 2 experience so the only thing that’s changed really is you can do it cheaper. What’s not to like?

No reverse procedure in your test - the reverse part of the test was pointless! A 50metre reverse dogleg was the most pointless manoeuvre ever! I’ve never in my life drove into a yard to find i only have to reverse straight back with a slight dogleg parallel to me to unload. You learn to reverse after you’ve passed your test and have attempts at many different angles etc. In the real world you get out and look and the more you try the better you get. You’ll still be shown...

So am I doing my breaks right?
Start at 6am
Have a 15 minute 9-10am
Then have a 30 minute break before I hit my 4.30 driving time.
Then only have another 15 minute if I know I’m gonna hit a 12 hour day. Then obviously if I’m going to hit another 4.30 driving, take a 45 minute?

Hi! I am due to renew my licence due to it being 10 years old, I’m 29 years of age so don’t know if I need another medical, firstly I’ve done my research and I’m confused. Do I need to send off a new picture with my licence form D4, also do I have to pay anything to renew it? The booklet that came with the form is so useless I may aswell be written in white ink. Thanks in advance for any help as I only have a month and a half to before it expires, thanks

Morning all, I had a friendly debate with one of my managers and I still think he was wrong. But he still insists he is right. He told me he will show me the law on this, and I can't wait to see it. Basically he said that if you book holiday less then 20 days, it will not count as rest and it will not drop your max 48 hour average (working time directive). And the reason for that (his opinion) is because you get payed. In my opinion, rest is rest does not matter if you are payed or not. I am curious to see if anyone in here has even heard something like that.

Spoiler alert: I WAS WRONG!! :lol:

Afternoon all, little question and a story for you.
Who was taught BLAP when doing their class 1 training?

Two guys in work got sent for they're class 1 training but came back and told me and another driver things that made us shake our heads in disbelief.
Apparently they don't need to know BLACK, BLAP (Brake, Legs, Airlines, Pin) is the right way 🙄 I thought everywhere used Brake, Legs, Airlines, Clip, Kingpin but apparently that's wrong.

Though judging from other things they said the instructor sounds......like an idiot. Belittling a driver when he's making mistakes rather than being supportive, distracting the drivers with jokes while they're trying to concentrate on reversing etc.

Also the reverse course that was set up for them was different from the test centres reverse course. I know the reverse test is just going through motions and nowhere in the real world is like that (turn steering wheel 1 once till you see this, then do this till you reach this cone, then turn this...

I'm off sick with Vertigo migraine.
First time I've ever suffered with this.
Slightly worried whether I should contact DVLA or not.
Also has anyone else suffered from this and found it to be an isolated incident or an ongoing condition?

Hello. If your marked up at 14'6 would you go under a 14'6 bridge? I've always bottled it me and never gone under one marked up the same height as me. Thoughts ???

I don't get the logic, company has implemented a rule that nothing can be on the dashboard because it apparently blocks your view of the road, no sat navs, phones, dash cams or anything else. But I've to move my sat nav to lower right of the wind screen, thus creating a smegging blind spot. How does that make any sense???? I took the picture from my head height for reference...

Hi Morning. I’m not a HGV driver (ex transport manager though) I’ve just driven down and up to Spain via Calais midweek and I can honestly say I didn’t see one UK registered HGV, any comments/views?

Need help on this my lorry has broken down. I am using another lorry which I don’t drive. Today I have noted these defects. Passenger mirror, Broken outer casing with broken glass but can still see out of it. Drivers front tyre has a nail in it side light bulb out. I have been told I am using the same lorry tomorrow.. If I am to be stopped by DVSA where do I stand when I have reported these defects, on the vehicle app.

Hello afternoon people, I'm new here just looking for advice received my license back to for my HGV but just seem like a normal license. Is anyone here same?

Hi everyone. I have a massive favour to ask. Am curious if someone can help. I’ve been offered a driver assessment at Asda on 27th August at 8am in Erith. I haven’t been in a cab since I passed which will be 10 weeks by the time the assessment happens. The assessment is in the yard.
Is there anyone based in London who could let me see a cab close up again, and maybe even couple and uncouple and just refamiliarize myself. With where everything is. I will be looking at YouTube videos but there’s nothing like the actual thing.

Thanks in advance.
Mevv

Hi all. If you are furlough, you'll take 80% from basic or average wage in last 6-12-24 weeks? Thanks in advance.

Morning, Damn it.. Just checked to see what's left on break.. Turns out I didn't even press the button.. Has anyone also experience this.. 🤦

Hi guys what do you think of this guy's comment on my YouTube video? The video is about my experience as an agency driver. Can't see how I've offended this beauty so much? What do you guys think of agency drivers? Mouthy know it all's or just drivers who are finding their way through the industry?
Cheers guys have a good weekend and stay safe out there

Good morning, This is the new Nav that I bought, what do you guys think? Is someone here using the same? How was it?

Tacho Gurus..
Drove for 2.5 hours.
Break for 15 mins.
POA for 2 hours.
(Then my tacho reset to 4.5hours drive available)
Drove for 1 hour
Break for 30 mins. (giving my my WRD and 45mins of break, because I didn’t trust the POA resetting my drive time)
(Tacho did not reset driving for 4.5 hours)
Drove for 4 hours.
Tacho showed I went over my drive time.
My period of availability reset my drive rather than my break which confused me. But I didn’t drive more than 4.5 hours without a 45min. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Sadly it wasn't to be today.
Went driving through areas and roads I know right up until we were heading back to base... just 5 more minutes...
When I arrived at a junction I didn't know and unfortunately stayed in my lane to turn left (red line in photo) instead of straddling two lanes...
So of course no matter how close I got to the island on the drivers side the trailer went over the kerb..
Apart from that I only had one minor for kissing a kerb too aggressively after coming off a small roundabout on a narrow lane..