1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136 
www.TruckNetUKcom
Page 9
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
At this time of year, it is traditional on the forums to have a few polls to decide the best services for drivers and hauliers.
This year, we are doing something a bit different. With the multitude of complaints regarding RDCs on the forums (see last week's column), we are looking for your experiences of them. The aim is to compile a 'Best and Worst' list, So far, one RDC is leading the worst' list by a considerable margin.
The 'Best' list has a few that are neck and neck. We are keen to get as many responses to this as possible, and we will certainly be contacting .those on the 'Worst list and highlighting the experiences of drivers and hauliers and asking for their comments.
In the meantime, collecting a sealed trailer is one issue that has arisen recently and has generated some debate. In law, the driver is responsible for the safety and security of his load. However, many consignees now load and seal a trailer without the driver being permitted to be present. If that load shifts during transit, the driver is, in theory, responsible.
Some forum users say you should never take a load you haven't checked. Others point out this could probably get you sacked if that is the working arrangement between the consignee and the haulier, Surely, in cases such as these, there should be some element of legislation that makes the consignee responsible for the securing of the load?
Finally, the normal Christmas run-up period seems to have been missing this year. Hauliers and drivers are informing us via the forums that work or agency positions have not dramatically increased as they usually do.
Certainly, in the 'Fleet and Owner-Drivers' forum, a question as to how the recession has made an impact has been answered with some very downbeat replies. The best, to my mind said: "Not made any difference here. It was crap before, and, guess what, it's still crap!'